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April 11, 2018 | Serving Haymarket, Gainesville and Western Prince William County | Vol. 17, No. 15 | www.PrinceWilliamTimes.com | 50¢
Supervisors mull effort to hire retired police as armed guards in schools By Jonathan Hunley Times Staff Writer
Prince William could become the first locality in Virginia to employ retired law-enforcement officers as armed security guards, if the school board and county supervisors agree to launch a pilot program outlined last week. A new state law that took effect last July 1 allows Virginia public school divisions to hire retired law-en-
forcement officers as armed security guards provided they meet certain criteria, including that they have retired within the past 10 years, left their departments in good standing and have completed special training. During a joint meeting with the Prince William School Board April 3, supervisors said they want to explore the issue in light of recent school shootings, including the February incident at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida that
killed 17 students and teachers. A pilot program in Prince William could begin with five armed security guards and a supervisor, County Police Chief Barry Barnard recommended during the meeting, and then expanded later. “This is something that I think we need to be prudent about, how we get into it,” Barnard said. The first-year cost for the program would be $464,700, Barnard said, with an ongoing cost of $422,166. As
Tiptoeing through the tulips in Nokesville Coming soon: 1 million blooms. Leslie Dawley and her son, Michael Dawley, have planted 1 million tulip bulbs at Burnside Farm’s new location in Nokesville. The Dawleys are keeping the exact location of their 50-acre farm under wraps until the official opening date, which will be announced soon.
Story on page 12.
APRIL 2018
See GUARDS, Page 5
Boaters, marinas seek county’s help to dredge Neabsco Creek By Jill Palermo
Times Staff Writer
The U.S. Coast Guard recently declared Neabsco Creek too shallow to safely navigate by motorized watercraft. Now a coalition of marina owners and recreational boaters is turning to Prince William County for help. The group, organized under the Facebook page “Neabsco Creek Boaters,” is asking the Prince William Board of Supervisors to help fund an estimated $750,000 to $1 million effort to re-dredge a 50-footwide channel leading to and from Neabsco Creek and the Potomac River. The creek is home to three privately-owned marinas that house about 1,000 recreational boats as well as a Prince William County’s water-rescue boat. The creek is also home to a boat lift used by larger vessels from across the region and the river’s only marina gas station open 365 days a year. See NEABSCO CREEK, Page 5
SHE MEANS BUSINESS: Maria Loveless blends passion for interior design with love of people. Times Business, Page 9 INSIDE Calendar....................................ONLINE Classifieds...........................................17 News....................................................4 Obituaries...........................................12
such, he encouraged supervisors to allocate $500,000 in the next fiscal year, which would allow flexibility in training and equipment acquisition. “I think this is a reasonable approach, if done correctly,” he said. The school board would have the final say on whether to hire the extra armed security guards because the guards would be school-division employees. The school board has not yet formally discussed the idea.
BOBCATS WILL RUN YOU RAGGED Senior Kelsey Brown and the Battlefield Bobcats love to run the bases. Sports, Page 13 PHOTO BY DOUG STROUD
Politics..................................................6 Puzzle Page........................................15 Real Estate..........................................16 Sports.................................................13 Times Business.....................................9
86 WARRENTON, VA
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Gainesville/Prince William Times | www.princewilliamtimes.com | April 11, 2018
Pied Piper presents ‘The Little Mermaid’ Pied Piper Theatre’s production of Disney’s “The Little Mermaid” is coming to the Hylton Performing Arts Center April 28-29. This Hans Christian Andersen tale with music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Howard Ashman and Glenn Slater, and book by Doug Wright follows the young mermaid, Ariel, who longs to leave the ocean and yearns to walk in the world above the sea. Against the wishes of her father, King Triton, she makes a
deal with the evil sea witch, Ursula, and meets Prince Eric on her first adventure on land. With the help of best friends Flounder, Sebastian the crab, and Scuttle the seagull, Ariel attempts to break the curse of the sea witch. Enjoy songs such as “Under the Sea,” “Part of Your World” and “Kiss the Girl.” The musical fantasy, directed by David Johnson, has performances scheduled at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. April 28 and at 3 p.m. April 29
Community Editor Anita Sherman, 540.351.1635 asherman@fauquier.com Staff Writers ISSN 1050-7655, USPS 188280 Amanda Heincer, 540-878-2418 Published every Wednesday by aheincer@fauquier.com Piedmont Media LLC James Ivancic, 540-878-2414 jivancic@fauquier.com How to reach us Leland Schwartz, 540-351-0488 ADDRESS: lschwartz@fauquier.com 39 Culpeper Street Warrenton, Virginia 20186 Jonathan Hunley PHONE: 540-347-4222 jhunley@fauquier.com FAX: 540-349-8676 HOURS: 8 a.m. 5 p.m. weekdays, Sports Editor 24-hour answering service Peter Brewington, 540-351-1169 pbrewington@fauquier.com Publisher Catherine M. Nelson, Sports Staff Writer 540-300-4780 Jeff Malmgren, 540-874-2250 cnelson@fauquier.com jmalmgren@fauquier.com NEWSROOM ADVERTISING Editor in Chief Ad Manager Chris Six, 540-212-6331 Kathy Mills Godfrey 540-351-1162 csix@fauquier.com kgodfrey@fauquier.com News Editor Classified Sales Consulatants Jill Palermo,540-351-0431 Jeanne Cobert, 540-878-2491 jpalermo@fauquier.com jcobert@fauquier.com Associate Editor Evelyn Cobert, 540-878-2492 John Toler, 540-351-0487 jtoler@fauquier.com ecobert@fauquier.com
at the Hylton Center, 10960 George Mason Circle, Manassas. Tickets can be purchased online at hyltoncenter.org or at the Hylton box office. The early bird special runs through April 25 with tickets $15 for general admission and $12
for children 12 and under. Starting April 26, tickets will be $20 general admission and $15 for children 12 and under. Group tickets are available for organized groups such as school drama clubs, church groups and scouts by calling 703-330-2787.
Grace Klebine plays Ariel and Nathan Yannarell plays Prince Eric in Pied Piper Theatre’s “The Little Mermaid.”
Chairman Emeritus George R. Thompson To place Classified and Employment ads: Call 540-351-1664 or fax 540-349-8676, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday — Friday or email fauquierclassifieds@fauquier. com SUBSCRIPTIONS Call 540-347-4222 Help with your subscription? Call 540-878-2413 or email CirculationFT@fauquier.com Missed your paper? Call 540-347-4222, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursdays Subscription: $69.68 per year within the United States. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Fauquier Times, 39 Culpeper St., Warrenton, VA 20186. Periodicals postage paid at Warrenton, Va. and at additional mailing offices
Carter Williams plays Scuttle, Azende Johnson plays King Triton, Jasmine Stewart plays Ursula, Grace Klebine plays Ariel, Nathan Yannarell plays Prince Eric and Tyler Williams plays Sebastian in Pied Piper Theatre’s “The Little Mermaid.” PHOTOS BY MIEKE TRUDEAU
Community
CARNIVAL A Free Pre-Planning Event
SATURDAY, APRIL 14th
12N - 4PM
Inflatables
Carnival Games & Rides
Trackless Train
Petting Zoo
Double Trampoline
Rock Wall & More!
Free Food {While It Lasts}: Nachos, Popcorn, Cotton Candy, & Drinks
4361 Lee Hwy {Just South of Wegmans}
www.battlefieldbaptist.org
Rain Date - Saturday, April 21st
• Panel of local experts (estate planning attorneys, trust and life insurance advisors, retirement specialists, and funeral service personnel) • Learn the importance and benefits of planning ahead • Learn how to successfully distribute assets to family and charities • Learn the pros and cons of using a Trust to avoid probate
• Understand the difference between a will and a trust • Be advised of the pitfalls of poorly executed wills • Learn about the benefits of pre-planning your funeral service and of purchasing your final resting place. • Review ownership options of assets and determine joint assets versus individual ownership
This event is for everyone – regardless of your level of wealth or financial expertise.
Panelists: Deena Imbriglia, Michael H. Doherty, Esq., George Boisse, III, Cary Cucinelli, Esq., Archer Harmon, Peter Hause, Morgan Price, CRPC
Join us on Wednesday, April 25, 2018, 1:00 to 4:00 Program begins at 1:30
Enjoy mingling and Hors'doeuvres from 1:00 to 1:30 PM Panelist will be available for questions before and after the presentation. Country Club of Fairfax, 5110 Ox Road, Fairfax Va 22030 Space is limited! Amy Herrera at 703-425-9702 or email aherrera@FMFH.COM
PUBLIC SAFETY
Gainesville/Prince William Times | www.princewilliamtimes.com | April 11, 2018
Driver charged in fatal crash at Manassas area car wash
A car-wash employee who fatally struck another employee while trying to move a car at a Manassas-area car wash in March has been arrested and charged with involuntary manslaughter, Prince William County police said this Jose week. EscobarThe incident hapSantos pened at Soap and Suds Car Wash on Liberia Avenue in Manassas about 8:45 a.m. on Saturday, March 24. Police said Paula Margarita Rogel, 38, was working at the car wash when she was struck in the parking lot by a 2011 Scion XD, which was struck by a 2011 Dodge Ram pickup truck. The pickup was initially hit by a Jeep Grand Cherokee, setting off the chain-reaction crash, according to a police press release. A police investigation revealed that another employee, identified as Jose Escobar-Santos, 19, of Shiloh Court in Manassas, was attempting to move the Jeep from the back entrance of the carwash when it struck and killed Rogel. On April 6, investigators from the police department’s crash investigation unit consulted with the Prince William County Commonwealth’s Attorney Office about the crash and obtained an arrest warrant for Esco-
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bar-Santos. Escobar-Santos was arrested later that day and charged with involuntary manslaughter. He is being held without bond and has a court date on June 19.
One injured in Triangle apartment fire
One person was seriously injured in an apartment fire in Triangle Sunday morning, Prince William County fire and rescue officials said. Fire and rescue units were called to a fire in the Quantico Court Apartments, on the 19000 block of Fuller Heights Road, at 11:25 a.m. Sunday, April 8, Prince William County Fire and Rescue officials said in a news release. When they arrived, they discovered a fire in a first-floor apartment. One person in the apartment had life-threatening injuries and was taken to a regional health care facility for treatment, fire officials said. No other injuries were reported. Firefighters extinguished the fire and contained it to the apartment where it started, fire officials said. There was minimal damage to the surrounding units and moderate damage to the apartment where the fire started, fire officials said. A building official posted the apartments damaged by the fire as unsafe. The Red Cross was called to assist two adults displaced by the fire. The fire marshal’s office is investigating the cause of the fire.
Brush fire burned along Balls Ford road Friday, April 6 afternoon.
Mulch, brush fire close county yard-waste facility
Smoke could linger for days in the Balls Ford Road area of Manassas in the wake of a Friday afternoon fire at Aggregate Processing that spread to Prince William County’s yard waste composting facility, according to fire officials. Fire and rescue units were dispatched at about 4:36 p.m. April 6 to the 7800 block of Piney Branch Lane where they arrived to find a large mulch pile on fire, according to a news release from Prince William County Fire and Rescue. The blaze rapidly spread off the property, jumped Balls Ford Road and ignited several mulch piles and heavy earth-moving equipment at the county’s Yard Waste Recycling
Center, the press release said. Units remained on the scene for hours mopping up hot spots. No injuries were reported. “With the amount of piled mulch burning, this could be a several-day event with smoke penetrating the area during this period,” the press release said. Due to the fire, the Prince William County Balls Ford Road Yard Waste Composting Facility, 13000 Balls Ford Road, Manassas, was closed over the weekend but reopened Monday, April 9. There is no mulch or compost available for sale until further notice, according to Deborah Campbell, a spokeswoman for the county’s solid waste division. The fire remains under investigation.
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