A SWARM OF YELLOW JACKETS: The Osbourn Park softball team is 13-0. Page 9
April 24, 2019 | Vol. 18, No. 17 | www.princewilliamtimes.com | 50¢ Covering Prince William County and surrounding communities, including Gainesville, Haymarket, Dumfries, Occoquan, Quantico and the cities of Manassas and Manassas Park.
Local Democrats ‘condemn’ one of their own over ‘racist’ meme By Jill Palermo
Times Staff Writer
Kevin Wade, a political newcomer who is giving Del. Luke Torian a rare primary challenge this spring, is apologizing but also refusing to withdraw from the June 11 Democratic primary over a video meme he shared on Facebook last fall that contains the word “nigga.” Wade offered an apology through a statement posted to Facebook page late Friday night, after the Prince
William County Democratic Committee, the Prince William NAACP and the Democratic Black Caucus of Virginia issued press releases condemning him for what they deemed a “racist” cartoon. The Democratic Black Caucus of Virginia called on him to withdraw his challenge to Torian, a Democrat who has held the 52nd District seat since 2010. Torian is Prince William County’s most senior Democratic member of the Virginia House of Delegates and has run unopposed since 2011.
Wade, 27, is a Virginia native who spent his childhood in Asian countries where his father, a foreign service officer with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, was posted for duty. He says he’s running mostly to promote worker’s rights issues and to make it easier to form unions in Virginia. The three local groups, however, say his act of sharing the meme on Facebook suggests an insensitivity to minority groups. The 52nd District stretches from Woodbridge to Triangle in minority-majority Prince
In supervisors’ races, Dems lead in early fundraising
KEVIN WADE
See MEME, page 2
It's tulip time
After a tough 2018, the tulips are once again in bloom at Burnside Farms in Nokesville, where owner Leslie Dawley says it’s shaping up to be an "astounding year" for tulips. Left, Laura Minniear of Gainesville enjoyed a day admiring the flowers last week. See story on page 12
But Republican incumbents have twice as much in the bank By Jill Palermo
Times Staff Writer
Nearly a half a million dollars has already been raised this year for Prince William County’s uber-crowded supervisors’ races, and the nine Democrats vying for seats on the county board outraised their Republican opponents by about $28,000 overall, according to recently released first-quarter campaign finance accounts. But Republicans had more than twice as much in the bank as their Democratic challengers as of March 31, mostly because the board’s five incumbent Republicans carried over balances from their last elections in 2015.
PHOTO BY VICKY MOON
See FUNDRAISING, page 4 INSIDE Business.............................................12 Calendar.............................................17 Classified............................................19 Lifestyle..............................................13
William County. “Mr. Wade’s posting on his Facebook page of a derogator[y] and racist image using the “N-word” should not be the behavior of someone who wants to serve one the
Looking Back......................................14 Obituaries...........................................18 Opinion.................................................7 Sports...................................................9
86 WARRENTON, VA
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FROM PAGE 1 / PUBLIC SAFETY
Parents charged after 3-year-old struck by construction vehicle Two Gainesville parents are facing felony child abuse charges after their 3-year-old child was inadvertently run over by a Bobcat construction vehicle operated by his father, according to police. Both parents, Erin Renee Knox, 29, and Kenneth Albrecht Toone, 39, of Gainesville, were operating separate Bobcat vehicles at the worksite, located in the 5400 block of Fallen Oaks Lane in Gainesville, on the morning of Friday, March 15, according to Sgt. Jonathan Perok, spokesman for the Prince William County Police Department. The parents were aware the 3-year-old and a 1-yearold were playing near other parked c on st r uct ion equipment at the site, Perok ERIN KNOX said in a news release. At some point, the 3 -yea r- old child was observed lying on the ground after the Bobcat Toone was operating allegedly ran KENNETH TOONE over him, Perok said. Toone drove the boy to a nearby hospital where the child was assessed as having “significant internal injuries” and flown to a local trauma center for further evaluation, Perok said. The child is expected to survive his injuries. Due to the unsafe environment where the children were located, which led one to sustain a serious injury, both Toone and Knox were charged Wednesday, April 17, with one count of felony child abuse in connection with the incident, Perok said. A court date is pending. 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. to 5 p.m. weekdays, 24-hour answering service Publisher Catherine M. Nelson, 540-300-4780 cnelson@fauquier.com NEWSROOM Managing Editor Jill Palermo, 540-351-0431 jpalermo@fauquier.com Web/Copy Editor Amanda Heincer, 540-878-2418 aheincer@fauquier.com
Prince William Times | www.princewilliamtimes.com | April 24, 2019
Dance instructor faces arrested on abuse, pornography charges A Woodbridge dance instructor is facing sexual abuse and pornography charges stemming from interactions with a teenage student in 2014, according to police. Detectives with Prince William County Police Department’s Special Victims Unit on March 27 began an investigation into an inappropriate relationship between the victim, who was 15 years old at the time of the offense, and the accused, which began in late 2014, according to Sgt. Jonathan Perok, spokesman for the department. The accused was the victim’s
dance instructor at the KLR Studios for Dance & Music, 2850 Garber Way in Woodbridge, during the time of the alleged relationship. The interaction began with the accused soliciting inappropriate photographs and videos from the victim via the social media app SnapChat, Perok said in a news release. The relationship progressed to in-person, sexual encounters. The relationship was recently discovered by the victim’s parents and was reported to police. Robert Lee Raney, 34, of Wood-
Local Democrats ‘condemn’ one of their own over ‘racist’ meme MEME, from page 1 most diverse districts in the commonwealth,” said Democratic Black Caucus of Virginia Chair E.J. Scott, of Manassas, in a statement. “Mr. Wade’s responses to questions about the issue show he is clearly not someone who understands the value of African Americans to the Democratic Party, nor does he appreciate the sensitivity and dedication to inclusion required to serve the 52nd Legislative District. We ask that Mr. Wade withdraw his candidacy for the Virginia House of Delegates.” Attempts to reach Torian for comment over the weekend were not successful.
Wade: Meme taken ‘out of context’
Wade said the meme at issue was actually one of several snippets included in a 4-minute-long video. He said he did not know the video contained the offensive animated cartoon when he posted it to his Facebook page last fall. Wade said he took down the video, titled “Stop Bullying,” after members of the Prince William County Democratic Committee made him aware of it. “I viewed the compilation once and immediately shared it. In retrospect, I viewed it too quickly and shared it without thinking,” Wade said in his statement. “For this, I apologize. When it was pointed out to me
Community Editor Anita Sherman, 540-351-1635 asherman@fauquier.com Associate Editor John Toler, 540-351-0487 jtoler@fauquier.com Staff Writers James Ivancic, 540-878-2414 jivancic@fauquier.com Karen Chaffraix, kchaffraix@fauquier.com Sports Editor Peter Brewington, 540-351-1169 pbrewington@fauquier.com Sports Staff Writer Jeff Malmgren, 540-874-2250 jmalmgren@fauquier.com Chairman Emeritus George R. Thompson ADVERTISING Ad Manager Kathy Mills Godfrey, 540-351-1162 kgodfrey@fauquier.com Classified Sales Consultant Jeanne Cobert, 540-878-2491
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that the video included the offensive frame, I immediately un-shared it.” In an interview Friday night, Wade further said he believes the cartoon is being taken out of context, and the whole issue blown out of proportion. Wade said his critics took a screen shot from the video to make it look like he shared only offensive cartoon – and not the full video – on his Facebook page. The screen shot depicts five animated puppets dressed as ghosts. In the animated cartoon, the puppeteer tricks a woman into giving the puppets Halloween candy and then runs away. At one point, the words “ooga booga you got spooked, nigga” appears in print under the ghosts. Wade said he shared the video because he thought the first part of it – which includes scenes of a young man getting hit in the face with an elastic exercise band and two people playing video games -- were humorous. When asked if he believes the cartoon is racist, Wade said: “I didn’t know it was there, and I don’t know what it means.” The screen shot, he added “is not a photo of the video I shared. It’s implying that I shared the picture” of the animated ghosts. Wade further called the video just “a silly meme compilation.” The video also includes lewd and offensive language and pictures. At one point, a woman says “heil Hitler” and an athlete appears to be flashing a version of the OK gesture that has been linked to white nationalists. In his statement, Wade said, “I had nothing to do with the production of this compilation and I made no comment when I shared it. It remains online and, at least from the comments, does not appear to have been controversial.” Wade shared a link to the video compilation in his statement. Wade said he hopes to address the Prince William Democratic Committee and the Democratic Black Caucus of Virginia to further explain his position. “I believe if I continue to talk to people, the truth will come out,” he said.
Wade: Racism charge ‘out of leftfield’
Wade said the screen shot from his Facebook page is not the only thing
bridge, was arrested on Thursday, April 18, and charged with indecent liberties by a custodian, possession of child pornography, and use of communications ROBERT LEE RANEY systems to facilitate certain offenses involving children in connection with the investigation, Perok said. A court date is pending. members of the Prince William County Democratic Committee have challenged regarding his campaign. He said he was also questioned about for a reference he made on social media about synthesized music that one member of the committee mistook for a reference to synthetic drugs. Wade said another party member questioned the validity of his ballot signatures before they were eventually verified by the Prince William Office of Elections. “I believe it’s unfair treatment,” Wade said of the committee’s actions. “It’s borderline harassment.” Wade further added that the accusation of racism seems “out of left field” and is inconsistent with his background as the son of a foreign service officer who lived in several different countries while growing up, including the Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand and Beijing, he said. When he was older, Wade said he lived in Bangkok and England before moving back to Virginia seven years ago. He’s lived in Woodbridge for about five years, he said. Wade said his mother is Thai. He said he believes his background has made it easier for him to talk to residents in the diverse 52nd District, which stretches along the eastern border of Prince William County from Occoquan to Triangle. “It’s very easy for me to talk to people, knowing about different backgrounds,” Wade said. “I like to talk to immigrants.”
Wade’s issue: worker’s rights
Wade is an audio/visual engineer who said he’s running for delegate primarily to push worker’s rights and to propose legislation to make it easier for unions to organize in Virginia, which is a right to work state. Wade said he decided to run for office after he was suspended from his job with PSAV, a large audio/ visual contractor, for trying to form union. Wade said he sued and won a settlement with PSAV and now works as a copier technician because he cannot make enough in his chosen field of audio/visual engineering. “I want to tell the public about how the economy is unfair to the working class,” Wade said. “At least if I run, win or lose, at least we’ll have some discussion about these issues. … We need to have more fairness for the working class.” Reach Jill Palermo at jpalermo@ fauquier.com
NEWS
Prince William Times | www.princewilliamtimes.com | April 24, 2019
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Stewart’s ‘data center tax’ dies in a tie vote By Jill Palermo
Times Staff Writer
Chilling effect?
Supervisors who opposed the plan – including Republicans Ruth Anderson, R-Occoquan; Jeanine Lawson, R-Brentsville; and Marty None, R-Coles – argued the move could have a chilling effect on the high-tech sector, which could see the county board as unpredictable and unstable. None, who is vying for the Republican nomination for board chairman, said raising the tax rate on computer equipment just two months after they pledged in February to further study the issue could impact the county’s future economic development efforts. After about 45 minutes of debate, Stewart’s plan died in a 4-to-4 tie vote with the board’s newest member – Supervisor Victor Angry, D-Neabsco – voting against the move along with Anderson, Lawson and Nohe. Voting with Stewart to advertise the new rate and hold a new public hearing were Supervisors Pete Candland, R-Gainesville; Maureen Caddigan, R-Potomac; and Frank Principi, D-Woodbridge.
Angry: ‘an integrity issue’
The final vote was a surprise because Angry was the only supervisor who had not publicly disclosed his position before the vote. Stewart announced his plan to raise the tax rate on Thursday, April 11, the same day Angry was sworn into office to fill the last eight months of the late Supervisor John Jenkins’ term. The move suggested that Angry might give Stewart the fifth vote he needed on an issue he’s
been pushing for two years. After the vote, Angry said he voted against Stewart’s proposal not because he doesn’t agree the data tax rate should be higher, but rather because the move came so late in the budget process and just two months after the board voted Feb. 19 to begin discussions with the data center industry about increases in the county’s computer tax rate. To change course on that plan now would not be “the right thing to do,” Angry said. “We have to honor that, as board members, because that’s what we said. This is an integrity issue, it’s a trust issue,” Angry said. “…I think there is an increase opportunity [with] the data centers, but that is left to the discussion between [County Executive Chris Martino], the data centers, and possibly the small business owners who would be affected by this.” Angry further said small businesses that believe their bottom lines would be impacted by a possible tax increase should weigh in on the issue as soon as possible. The Prince William Chamber of Commerce, which lobbied against the tax increase, hailed the vote as a win for both the local business and data center communities. Chamber spokesman Ross Snare said the chamber is open to be part of the discussion about raising the computer
PHOTOS BY JILL PALERMO
Prince William County Board of Supervisors Chairman Corey Stewart, R-At Large, argued April 17 in favor of hiking the tax rate on data centers, saying the world’s “biggest, richest corporations” are not paying their fair share of local taxes. tax rate over a number of years. “It’s up for conversation,” Snare said. “The chamber is looking forward to playing a major part in helping to decide what the proper future tax rate is.” The supervisors will further discuss their budget for fiscal year 2020 in a markup session, scheduled for Tuesday, April 23, and are scheduled to take a final vote on the budget April 30. Reach Jill Palermo at jpalermo@ fauquier.com
and present
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There will be no tax increase on data centers in Prince William County – at least for one more year -- after Corey Stewart’s request to move forward with a possible 60 percent hike in the rate businesses pay on computer equipment died in a tie vote during an April 17 special meeting. Stewart, chairman of the board of county supervisors, called the meeting to vote on “re-advertising” his proposed $2.50 rate on programmable computer equipment – informally called the “tech tax” or the “data center tax” – in time to hold a public hearing on the matter Tuesday, April 30. The current property tax on such equipment is $1.25 per $100 in valuation. Stewart, R-At Large, has called that rate a “sweetheart deal” and “corporate welfare” and has argued over the last two years that data centers must “pay their fair share” of county taxes. During the debate, Stewart that Loudoun County charges data centers $4.20 per $100 in valuation for computer equipment and Fairfax County charges $4.57, while Prince William has retained the same $1.25 cut rate it set back in 1999 to lure high-tech companies to the county. Both Loudoun and Prince William's data center industries continue to expand because of their proximity to an internet hub in Ashburn, Stewart said. Location, he insisted, is the most important factor for data centers --not the local tax rate. “Loudoun County gets $300 million dollars a year [from data centers] with which they’ve been showering their schools with revenue, and at the same time they’ve been able to reduce their [real-estate] tax rate,” Stewart said. “This is common sense. The data centers aren’t going anywhere, folks. These are the biggest, richest corporations in the world. … Apple, Microsoft, Facebook, Google …. And all we’re asking them to do … is to pay the same rate, or closer to it, that every other businesses pays in this county. That’s it.” Stewart’s said his plan would raise
about $9.6 million that could be used to shave one cent off the real-estate tax rate – resulting in a savings of about $37 on a home valued at about $370,000 – while providing about $2 million more to local schools and $1.5 million to the county. Stewart proposed spending $800,000 of that money to improve access to county mental health services, which would leave $700,000 for other needs, possibly to help pay debt service on a new bond issue supervisors are mulling for the November ballot.
During his first meeting on the Prince William Board of County Supervisors Wednesday, April 17, Supervisor Victor Angry, D-Neabsco, the board’s newest member, far right, listens as Chairman Corey Stewart argues in favor of a tax hike on data centers. Angry voted against Stewart’s proposal, which died in a tie.
703-257-1811 • manassasballet.org • info@manassasballet.org Manassas Ballet Theatre is funded in part by the National Endowment for the Arts, the Virginia Commission for the Arts, Prince William County, and the City of Manassas