COUGARS VS. EAGLES: Liberty beat Kettle Run 81-0 in 2008. A lot has changed since then. Preview, page 12
October 17, 2018
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Vol. 201, No. 42
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Warrenton police officers under investigation Off-duty incident left woman injured
By James Ivancic Times Staff Writer
Warrenton Mayor Carter Nevill confirmed Friday the Virginia State Police are investigating a Sept. 19 altercation at a local bar involving six off-duty town policemen that left a woman injured. Nevill said Commonwealth’s Attorney James P. Fisher informed him in an Oct. 3 letter that Fisher had asked the state police to independently investigate the incident. In his letter, a copy of which was
shared with the Fauquier Times, Fisher wrote that he was informed of the incident by a private attorney who said his client, “a woman in her early 20s,” had “confirmed from a medical appointment that her nose was broken as a result of the assault.” Fisher also expressed concern that the town police department did not initially inform his office of the incident despite their responsibility under Virginia law to know of any instances in which police officers have been
reprimanded, suspended or “otherwise involved in a matter affecting their integrity or credibility.” By law, such information must be provided to any defendants charged by such police officers, Fisher wrote. “In this instance, there is troubling information involving numerous officers; a delay in pursuing an internal investigation; and no parallel investigation to determine if criminal charges are warranted,” Fisher wrote. Fisher’s letter did not say where
the incident took place or provide any details, except that the officers and the woman had been drinking and that the woman suffered a broken nose. “One version [of the event] indicates a potential criminal assault, while another version indicates negligence or potentially gross negligence,” Fisher wrote. “All versions include public intoxication on the part of more than one officer as well as the woman injured in the matter.”
See POLICE, page 2
ISO: 1,600 Fauquier residents eligible for Medicaid Expanded income limits take effect Jan. 1; enrollment beginning now By Karen Chaffraix Times Staff Writer
Starting Jan. 1, all adults making up to $16,700 a year — whether or not they have children — will be eligible for Medicaid. In general, Medicaid is designed for the disabled; low- and no-income adults and children; and low-income elderly residents. (See table for new income limits based on family size.) Everyone who currently does not have health insurance and thinks they might now qualify for Medicaid is encouraged to apply as soon as possible, said Holly Handy, a program manager with Prince William County’s Department of Social Services. Handy explained the details for the expanded Medicaid program during an Oct. 10 meeting at the Prince William Chamber of Commerce. “Up until now, we were offering limited Medicaid coverage based on income and age. But those guidelines have changed,” Handy said.
The commonwealth has launched a campaign to spread the message far and wide: An estimated 400,000 Virginians will be eligible for free health insurance under Medicaid beginning Jan. 1, and an estimated 1,600 of them live in Fauquier County. As a result of the state legislature’s action earlier this year to expand Medicaid under the federal Affordable Care Act, the eligibility requirements for the state- and federally-funded health-care program for low-income residents have expanded, opening Medicaid coverage to many who may not have qualified before. Under Virginia’s existing Medicaid program, even disabled adults could not qualify for Medicaid if they made more than $9,700 a year. Childless, non-disabled adults did not qualify for Medicaid at all, no matter how little they See MEDICAID, page 3 made. INSIDE Business...............................................9 Classified............................................34 Communities......................................26 Faith...................................................30
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FROM PAGE 1/NEWS
Fauquier Times | www.fauquier.com | October 17, 2018
Warrenton police officers under investigation for off-duty incident POLICE from page 1
Fisher also included in his letter a copy of an Oct. 1 email from Warrenton Police Lt. Art Mellon to Jamey Cook, Fisher’s chief deputy commonwealth’s attorney. Mellon’s email stated the Warrenton Police Department was conducting its own investigation of four officers and a sergeant who were present at the “restaurant” during the Sept. 19 incident along with a detective who drove some of the officers home. “This investigation is currently active, and we will be sure to keep your office in the loop on this matter,” Mellon’s email said.
ISSN 1050-7655, USPS 188280 Published every Wednesday by Piedmont Media LLC How to reach us ADDRESS: 41 Culpeper Street Warrenton, Virginia 20186 PHONE: 540-347-4222 FAX: 540-349-8676 HOURS: 8 a.m. 5 p.m. weekdays, 24-hour answering service Publisher Catherine M. Nelson, 540-347-4222 cnelson@fauquier.com NEWSROOM Editor in Chief Christopher Six, 540-212-6331 csix@fauquier.com Managing Editor Jill Palermo, 540-351-0431 jpalermo@fauquier.com Web/Copy Editor Amanda Heincer, 540-878-2418 aheincer@fauquier.com
Fisher did not reply Friday to phone messages and an email requesting comment for this story. Lt. Tim Carter, who is serving as interim chief of the Town of Warrenton Police Department, declined to comment Friday on the details of the incident. But he acknowledged an investigation is under way. “I am aware of the allegations being investigated by the Virginia State Police, but since it involves personnel and an active investigation I can’t comment,” Carter said. Carter said he didn’t know when the investigation might be complete but said state police “move pretty quickly” in such matters.
Community Editor Anita Sherman, 540.351.1635 asherman@fauquier.com Associate Editor John Toler, 540-351-0487 jtoler@fauquier.com Staff Writers Karen Chaffraix kchaffraix@fauquier.com James Ivancic, 540-878-2414 jivancic@fauquier.com Jonathan Hunley, jhunley@fauquier.com Sports Editor Peter Brewington, 540-351-1169 pbrewington@fauquier.com Sports Staff Writer Jeff Malmgren, 540-874-2250 jmalmgren@fauquier.com ADVERTISING Ad Manager Kathy Mills Godfrey 540-351-1162 kgodfrey@fauquier.com Classified Sales Consultant Jeanne Cobert, 540-878-2491 jcobert@fauquier.com
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 41 Culpeper St., Warrenton, VA 20186. Periodicals postage paid at Warrenton, Va. and at additional mailing offices
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Mayor: Council should have been informed ‘immediately’
Nevill said he learned about the incident shortly after it occurred. He said he was told about it by Warrenton Town Councilman Bob Kravetz (Ward 4), who chairs the council’s public safety and transportation committee. Nevill said he is concerned councilmembers were not notified more quickly about an incident involving town police officers that might have amounted to criminal activity. “Our concern was that is should be investigated immediately. Personnel matters are within the town manager’s purview. Our greatest concern is that we were not informed of it as it progressed from an incident reported, to an investigation, and [then referred] to the state police. We have been informed after the fact,” Nevill said. “It is our opinion we should be informed immediately of a situation that’s a violation of conduct or has potential criminal activity.” Warrenton Town Manager Brannon Godfrey did not reply Friday to a message left at his office. Nevill said he is “pleased the state police are involved.” “It adds another level of transparency” to the process of finding out what occurred, he said. “We will not tolerate lapses of character and judgment. We expect a high level of professionalism whether in uniform or not,” Nevill said of the town’s police officers.
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Fisher also critical of police-chief hiring process
Fisher’s Oct. 3 letter comes after a Sept. 25 letter to Nevill in which the commonwealth’s attorney criticized the town’s handling of the monthslong process to hire a new Warrenton police chief. Interim Police Chief Dan Boring was hired to take the helm of the town’s police department after former police chief Lou Battle retired abruptly May 1. Boring left the post Friday, leaving Carter in charge of the department. In his Sept. 25 letter, Fisher asked Nevill to delay the search and hiring process for the new police chief to give Fisher time to provide input “in a meaningful way” rather than just prior to rendering a job offer. “I am concerned that the ‘horse is out of the barn’ and I am being contacted after the decision has been made, and that there is no real interest in hearing what input I may have about the process and its applicants,” Fisher wrote. Hiring a town police chief is up to the town manager, but the town council has put a halt to the process while it studies how it has been handled, Kravetz said. Godfrey had the help of three committees formed to help screen applicants: one composed of citizens, one of composed of police chiefs and a third composed of town managers. “We’re taking it seriously. We’re concerned that [Fisher’s] concerned. We’re looking into the process a little more. We don’t want to do something that might be improper, not that anything improper has been done,” Kravetz said. “We want to ensure that we hire a police chief who will be good for the town and have a good relationship with council and the commonwealth’s attorney.” Reach James Ivancic at jivancic@ fauquier.com
Pilot in Culpeper crash identified as member of acrobatic flight team The pilot killed in a crash outside the Culpeper Regional Airport Friday night has been identified as Jon S. Thocker, of Cincinnati, Ohio, a retired airline captain and 12-year veteran of the Redline Air Shows acrobatic team. Thocker’s “RVA homebuilt aircraft” was conducting aerodynamic maneuvers when it crashed into a field on the 12500 block of Beverly Ford Road in Brandy Station, about 8:10 p.m. Friday, Oct. 12, according to Corinne Geller, spokeswoman for the Virginia State Police. Investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration responded to the crash site Friday. The cause remained under investigation Saturday, Geller said. Thocker was part of a team involved in a night performance at the Culpeper Air Fest, according to Redline Air Shows, which posted a notice about the crash on its website.
FROM PAGE 1/NEWS
Fauquier Times | www.fauquier.com | October 17, 2018
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ISO: 1,600 Fauquier residents eligible for Medicaid MEDICAID from page 1
or FAMIS, Virginia’s health-insurance program for low-income children — will receive letters inIn September, every child enrolled in Virginia forming them of their new eligibility for Medicaid, public schools was sent home with a flyer deliver- Handy said. ing information about this new opportunity to apOthers can apply in person at any Virginia Deply for Medicaid. partment of Social services office or by calling “We’re asking everyone to pass the word,” Cover Virginia at 1-855-242-8282 or visiting: Handy said. www.coverva.org. In Fauquier County an Oct. 5 meeting of PartnerAnyone applying who needs assistance with ship for Community Resources was the occasion for their activities of daily living should answer “Yes” community outreach about the new Medicaid rules. to question nine on the new application. This helps All community residents without health insurance to identify people with more are encouraged to apply for the complex healthcare needs. To apply in person new Medicaid program even if Applications for Medicaid Fauquier County they did not qualify in the past. can now also be filed on the Department of Social Services Medicaid is a health-inwebsite commonly known as 320 Hospital Drive, Suite 11 surance program that covers the “marketplace,” set up to Alice Jane Childs Building, Warrenton services such as doctor’s ap540-422-8400 help identify region-specific, pointments, hospitalization, Hours: Monday — Friday 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. low-cost insurance plans based prescription medications, maon individual needs. ternity care, newborn care, behavioral health care The Affordable Care Act “marketplace” is availand more through the Commonwealth Coordinate able at www.healthcare.gov and www.commonCare Plus Medicaid programs. help.virginia.gov. Applying is easier and faster than ever before. Those who qualify for Medicaid will receive a Fauquier County will have four newly hired and packet in the mail within six days. New enrollees trained personnel — in full-time, permanent posi- must chose an HMO provider through which they tions — who will work to process the county’s new will receive Medicaid-covered services. If no speenrollees. cific doctor is chosen, one will be assigned. “Virginia is doing everything to make apply“This will lower the number of visits people ing and on-boarding new Medicaid recipients make to the emergency room, when what they reala simple, straightforward process. They want to ly need is a treating physician,” Handy said. make sure they don’t have the technical problems There is no dental or vision insurance offered Obamacare [the Affordable Care Act] experienced with the expanded Medicaid program, “but there initially,” added Virginia Hospital Association’s are other programs that might be available for the Kelly Cannon. applicant. We would only know by their applicaMore than 200,000 Virginians who are expected tion,” Handy said. to be eligible for Medicaid based on their current enrollment in other programs for low-income resi- No work requirement, for now Virginia lawmakers passed Medicaid expandents — such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, informally known as food stamps, sion with a work or volunteer requirement for new,
Who is eligible for Medicaid? Virginia lawmakers expanded the state’s Medicaid program to cover those making up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level. As of Jan. 1, lowincome adults making up to $16,754 are eligible for Medicaid. For married couples and children, eligibility depends on income and family size. Source: coverva.org Annual income Family Size is less than 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
$16,754 $22,715 $28,677 $34,638 $40,600 $46,562 $52,523 $58,485
Monthly income $1,397 $1,894 $2,391 $2,887 $3,384 $3,881 $4,378 $4,875
non-disabled adult enrollees and have filed for a waiver from the federal government to add the requirement, as it is not part of the federal program. The state has not yet received its waiver, however, and therefore the work requirement will not immediately go into effect when the program is expanded Jan. 1. “Although that could change in the future,” if the waiver is approved, Handy said. As of now, there are also no co-pays for Medicaid recipients, although that could also change, especially for those earning near the income thresholds. Undocumented immigrants are generally not eligible for Medicaid. “We do look at citizenship status, but we do not report to any agency about that status. The applicant either qualifies for Medicaid based on the information they give us, or they don’t,” Handy said. Reach Karen Chaffraix at kchaffraix@fauquier.com
Coming soon: a county park with access to the Rappahannock By James Ivancic Times Staff Writer
The Fauquier County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Thursday to accept the donation of a nearly 200-acre site along the Rappahannock River west of Warrenton that will become a future public park. The site, off Leeds Manor Road, has eighttenths of a mile frontage on the river. Bryan Hofmann, programs manager for the Friends of the Rappahannock, spoke in favor of the acquisition during the public comment portion of the supervisors’ Oct. 11 meeting. The Friends group is a nonprofit group based in Fredericksburg that works to protect and restore the river. It has a presence in 18 Virginia counties. “About a year ago, the John Marshall Soil and Water Conservation District and we started having meetings about how to get more access to the river. Avid boaters and anglers always find a way. They ask friends or neighbors with access” but the general public may not have it so easy, Hofmann explained later. “We created a vision map and we outlined a
number of places where we’d like to see public access. Remington is one of our priorities. We’re hoping to see the final land acquisition there in the spring, and we’re hoping to get a boat launch installed,” Hofmann said. The donated site will bring public river access to an area of the county that currently lacks it. “This is one of those wonderful things that comes along once in a while,” said Supervisor Mary Leigh McDaniel, whose Marshall District
encompasses the new parkland. “It’s extremely exciting. There is no river access in the Marshall District and very little elsewhere.” Donated by Charles MacDonald, the river frontage is considered ideal for canoeing and kayaking, fishing and hiking. It could also be a destination for school field trips. The county will spend about $45,000 for signs, a kiosk, road gravel, river access construction, parking, entrance gate and trash cans. Annual operating costs will total about $12,500. A tentative budget includes expenditures for regular mowing and maintenance of the road and trails. The property has a mature forest, some open meadow and small streams. A family cemetery is there as well. The 196.64-acre tract is currently zoned for agricultural use. A gravel entrance road already serves the property, which includes a small outbuilding and some trails. A timetable calls for the property to be conveyed to the county in November. Work to get the park ready could start in December. Reach James Ivancic at jivancic@fauquier. com
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