11-13-2013 Colonial Beach/Westmoreland Virginia Journal

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POSTAL CUSTOMER

Colonial Beach • Westmoreland

Pages 13-14 Volume 37, Number 46

Former Beach Officer Not Guilty

Wednesday, November 13, 2013 50 Cents

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Colonial Beach grandparents killed in traffic crash in Caroline

Hard landing

Charges had cost him his job A former Colonial Beach police officer, who lost his job last year after being charged with malicious wounding and strangulation in connection with a dispute in Fredericksburg, has been found not guilty by a jury. Kevin Murrell, 32, currently a resident of Stafford County, was found “not guilty” by a jury on Friday, after a two-day trial in Fredericksburg Circuit Court. See not guilty, page 2

Colonial Beach grandparents Michael Bailey and Constella Bailey were killed Saturday afternoon in Caroline County, when the pickup they were riding in was hit broadside by an SUV driven by a Fredericksburg man. The two-vehicle crash occurred at the intersection of Route 1 and Route 207 in Caroline County. A 2011 Kia Sorrento, driven by 44-yearThe Colonial Beach Drifters fell to the W&L Eagles Friday night, 31 to 6. Read about the game on the sports pages.

Ruth Daiger

See accident, page 3

Remembering our Veterans

Veterans (from left) Steve Heitmeyer of King George, Jim Bessert of Stratford Harbor and Ralph Gardiner of Montross remember their time in the Armed Forces while visiting American Legion Post 252 in Montross on Veterans Day. See WORK SESSION, page 2

American Legion and Veterans honor their colleagues on Veterans Day Richard Leggitt Veterans from King George and Westmoreland visited Post 252 in Montross on Veterans Day to honor their fallen colleagues, remember old times and enjoy the pancakes courtesy of the American Legion. “Veterans Day means a lot,” said Steve Heitmeyer of King George, the Legion’s District 12 Commander. “It’s the camaraderie with our brothers and sisters. We have that bond you are not going to find with any other group.” “Even though I am one of the younger veterans,” said the 50-yearold Heitmeyer, “I have friends that I have lost, and when I think about them today, it hurts.” Veterans Day was observed across the nation as a national holiday on Monday. Gen. Dwight Eisenhower joined the American Legion to lead the successful efforts to create Veterans

Day in 1947. Prior to that year, the nation celebrated Armistice Day on November 11 and had done so since 1919. Veterans gathered in Montross on Monday at Post 252 talked about their service and expressed concern for those who do not get to learn from the experience of serving with a band of brothers. “I was drafted,” said Army veteran Melvin Foxwell, 81, of Montross. “I would not want to do it again, but I would not take anything for the experience I had.” Foxwell served in the famed 101st Airborne in Germany at the end of World War II and also in the 2nd Armored Division. Dr. Ralph Gardiner, 82, of Montross is currently an Anglican Priest in Westmoreland County. He served in France in the Air Force in the 1950s. “We lived on a base in France, it was cold, there was lots of mud and bad food. One winter, the water system

The red remembrance poppy has become a familiar emblem of Remembrance Day due to the poem “In Flanders Fields”. These poppies bloomed across some of the worst battlefields of Flanders in World War I, their brilliant red colour an appropriate symbol for the blood spilled in the war. froze, and we had no water or showers for months,” Gardiner recalled. Despite those challenges, Gardiner served in the Air Force for 12 years, much of it as an instructor in places See veterans, page 3

Linda Farneth

The Color Guard presents the flag at the Veterans Day ceremony in Colonial Beach, hosted by VFW Post 10574.

Supporting Veterans, past and present VFW Post 10574 of Colonial Beach hosted the Veterans Day program paying tribute to all veterans of the United States. Mayor Mike Ham welcomed guests and thanked veterans for their service. The Keynote Speaker, Captain William Garren, Deputy for Training and Assessment at the Navy Air and Missile Defense Command in Dahlgren, spoke of his relatives who served in many conflicts with a few tears in his eyes and crackle in his voice, but he also spoke of today’s veterans currently serving. Garren said, “We take time to honor our present-day veterans. We

don’t mark this day as a celebration of victory, but rather to celebrate those who made victory possible. Today, our nation stands without global fear. We remain the world’s most dominant power on Earth.” Garren does not agree with some who believe our technology is what made our country strong. Garren attributes our country’s success to the veterans of today and the veterans of the past. “Each generation that serves in a time of conflict, serves with courage and dedication.” Garren reminded the audience that the younger generation was not aware of what was happening on 9-11, but they

have grown up in an America that has always been in conflict and has not seen peacetime. But, he advised, that they are insulated from direct impact of the conflict. “The fate of our nation’s future is our generation, so let’s make sure we do a good job,” he said. Garren concluded by quoting George Washington, “The willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, shall be directly proportional to how they perceive the veterans of earlier wars were treated and appreciated by our nation.” —Linda Farneth

Council will explore options to disband or abolish CBPD at Nov. 14 meeting The Colonial Beach Town Council has a busy day planned for Thursday, Nov. 14. Council is expected to hear options from Town Attorney Andrea Erard at 9:30 a.m., on what they can legally do about changing the town’s charter. Although the council has not been too clear on what it wants to change in the charter, some council members have indicated that they are looking for ways to abolish the Colonial Beach Police Department. Consolidation of the town’s law enforcement with the Westmoreland

County Sheriff ’s Office has been discussed by council in the past. At the Oct. 10 town council meeting, the council had scheduled on their agenda to meet with Westmoreland County Sheriff, C.O. Balderson. Although the agenda did not state the nature of the meeting, nor did attendees speaking on the matter offer up the reason, Mayor Mike Ham stated in a phone interview on the following Monday, that a few council members have requested that Balderson meet with them in an open meeting to

discuss consolidation of the Colonial Beach Police Department and the Westmoreland County Sheriff ’s Office. Balderson did not attend the Oct. 10 meeting. County Supervisor Larry Roberson began to address Balderson’s absence by saying, “Someone has put the cart way before the horse on the issue that you have. He can’t get involved in that.” Roberson advised that the town has to vote on the issue and provide information to him [Balderson] before he will come and

speak. Roberson also informed the council that if the issue requires any money, the town must go through the Westmoreland County Board of Supervisors (BOS) first. Roberson also stated that the BOS had no authority to control Balderson’s actions, but that the BOS does control the purse strings. Later, at the Oct. 24 council meeting, candid discussions revealed the council’s attempts to explore options that would force the Westmoreland County Sheriff ’s Office to assume

full responsibility for the town’s protection, by attempting to disband or abolish the Colonial Beach Police Department. Talks of exactly with what they would approach the General Assembly were unclear at the October work session. However, the council is scheduled to meet with Town Attorney Andrea Erard, who will give legal counsel on the matter on Thursday, Nov. 14, at 9:30 a.m. Perhaps the council’s intentions will then become much

clearer. The Town has also announced two special meetings, where the council will go into closed session, to discuss the performances of the Interim CB Chief of Police at 9 a.m., and of the See CBpd, page 3

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