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AUGUST 18, 2017 | NORTHERN VIRGINIA MEDIA SERVICES JULY 1, 2016 | NORTHERN VIRGINIA MEDIA SERVICES
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Eclipse Excitement
Residents: Remove School board flag I-95 Confederate
FARMERS’ MARKET
saves thousands on copier service
Locals urge board to take action, make it known that county welcomes all
Locals, libraries prepare for event
BY TRACY BELL
tbell@insidenova.com
TRACY BELL
TL
tbell@insidenova.com
ocal residents urged the Stafford County Board of School Supervisors on he Stafford County Board Tuesday to take action regarding agreed Tuesday to a $588,000 fourlarge Confederate flag USA that flof ies yeara contract with Ricoh on private property above the Chicago for copier services beginning in tree line on Interstate 95 near Falmouth. fiscal 2017. Around 20 speakers addressed board The initial proposed contractthe was for on the issue, days aft er 32-year-old Charlot$650,000. tesville resident Heather was killed A competing Xerox Heyer representative when a participant at a white nationalist attended four school board meetings this rally drove intothe a crowd spring urging boardof tocounter considerprotestusing ers. At least 19 others were injured. Xerox, which produced the lowest bid. Th e local fl ag was hoisted to the topused of a Stafford County Public Schools 90-foot pole on private property along the Ricoh for the past 10 years and has used interstate in 2014 as part of the Virginia Xerox in the past. Flaggers Schoolproject. board members did not choose Some of thethanked speakers at Stafford meetXerox, but itstherepresentative ing Tuesday asked for the board to find aover way for saving the schools $250,000 to remove the fl ag or erect a banner or sign four years based on its lower bid and for — even a county website post — to make providing information that helped the it known that Stafford welcomes all people. board save money. They want residents and visitors to know that S cho ol b o ard memb ers and the flag doesn’t represent the county’s views. Superintendent Bruce Benson expressed Maya Guy, of Stafford, said: “I see the disappointment in the way the school flag; I hate the flag,” explaining that she hails system handled the matter, but said it from New York. She stressed how proud she would cause them to look more closely at would be if the board followed through and future businessabout dealings. did something the issue. “You want “I think we could’ve in our to be leaders in this andbeen that,clearer ” she told the communication with our vendors,” said board. “Well then lead.” Benson. Trimetria Singleton, who serves as the loApril, the deferred a decision cal In president of board the county’s NAACP, also on which company to use andit stressed thatcopier supervisors should make decided further its everyone. options. known thattothe countyreview welcomes There bidding Patriciawere Joshifive of Staff ord saidcompanies that the flag involved. has been “forced upon our community.” She boardsymsaidThere, that it isschool an enormous member Patricia bol of hate within the Healy, county and SCHOOL PAGEI-95 13 R-Rock Hill, challenged an embarrassment. PAGE 3 “Nothing says welcome to the
BY TRACY BELL
tbell@insidenova.com
T
he Porter Branch of the Central Rappahannock Regional Library will hold a solar eclipse-viewing party Aug. 21 from 1 to 4 p.m. It will be first solar eclipse on the United States mainland to take place since 1979. Its path will run from Salem, Oregon, to Charleston, South Carolina. Observers in Virginia and elsewhere outside its path will still see a partial solar eclipse. There is a lot of excitement surrounding the CRRL eclipse events at all of the branches, Porter branch manager Rhonda Belyea said. Daniel Colchado, of North Stafford, tries on a pair of special glasses that will protect his “People have been calling for weeks eyes during an eclipse Aug. 21. The 14-year-old is a volunteer at the Porter Library, where asking about the events,” she said. special programs will be hosted on the day of the eclipse. ALEKS DOLZENKO/INSIDENOVA “We are prepared for a large crowd.” Locally harvested display crowds browse shopmust the stand by C&T the Produce at the North cans, if viewing eclipse, to do so we as will tell adults thatand children be operated Along with produce viewing gets the prime eclipse, Stafford Farmers’ Market. This year the total number of vendors has increased to around 30 at the same location, the parkthere will be information, posters and closely monitored,” she said. ”If parents with proper eye protection to avoid ing lot of the Stafford Medical Pavilion on the Stafford Hospital campus. The market is open Sundays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. are concerned that their children might any temporary or permanent eye banners displayed from NASA. until November. ALEKS DOLZENKO | INSIDENOVA “We will be handing out eclipse remove the glasses, they can stay inside damage from the sun. “The eclipse is a truly rare moment viewing glasses and we will have two and enjoy the games and craft.” It is never safe to look directly at that the whole country is able to exgames and a craft for families to enthe sun’s rays, according to safety perience together,” said Optometrist joy,” Belyea said. David Abbou, a volunteer for the precautions from NASA! “An eclipse and AOA President Christopher NASA/Jet Propulsion Laboratory is a rare and striking phenomenon Quinn in a released statement. But, Solar System Ambassadors Program you won’t want to miss, but you must Quinn stressed the importance of and a member of the Rappahannock carefully follow safety procedures. … experiencing the eclipse while safely Astronomy Club, will be on hand It is vital that you protect your eyes at protecting the eyes. If people stare at the sun withat Porter Library. Abbou, who also all times with the proper solar filters.” TRACY BELL internal investigations andexperience comof approval. The grant works as a 50 out protection, they may When the eclipse occurs, the moon writes a monthly newspaper column tbell@insidenova.com plaints is significant, ” Decatur said. percent match with local funding damage to the retinas within the eyes, will cover at least part of the sun for on astronomy, will be bringing a telehe Stafford County Sheriff ’s arethat a psychocounty. The cost to StafQuinn said.cameras He noted the damtwo tothe three hours, according to the “Body-worn scope and solar filter so people can from Office has applied for a U.S. deterrent to misbehavior on ford is $400,000 a year forAssociation, five years. logical age can occur without any sensation American Optometric safely view the eclipse, Belyea said. Department of Justice grant sidessince of the The benefits Stafford Da- both of pain, thelens. retina does not have halfway County through, Sheriff anyone within When Porter registered its event, and that could fund 100 of its the drawbacks associated Decatur InsideNoVa that exceed pain receptors. The injury can be a narrow pathtold from Oregon to South NASA sent the library eclipse eye- vid deputies with a body camthe costorand time to manage a body-camera protemporary permanent. Carolina will experience a brief to- with glasses and Abbou obtained some implementing ” who wish to view the is a vast The goal the program. For those tal eclipse. Thundertaking. e moon will completely additionalera. eclipse eyeglasses. On July gram If received, full funding the of Using the technology the de-will thethe program is to face achieve a high eclipse, viewinginglasses block sun’s bright for up to two partial 18, the library received a safety of notice grantNASA wouldand allow deputies fieldon operations of transparency with thewill combe available Aug. 21 division while supminutes and 40 seconds. Day turn partment’s from reviewed all in of the the level office’sthey fieldhave operations division to munity immediwhile protecting rights would plies allow last atfor allthe of most the library locainto night, and, weather the permitting, glasses on hand to make carry theare cameras. and through expansive contact with the of andmost deputies alike,sights he ate tions a program supported onecitizens of nature’s awesome sure they compliant. sheriff ’s the office applied for said. served, Deby the Gordon and will become visible: the sun’s shim- community “IThe understand concern about the grantpotentially after the Stafford County said. “…The benefit of having video” catur ECLIPSE Betty Moore Foundaouter atmosphere, or corona. children removing the mering CAMERA PAGE PAGE 13 3 St af ford C ounty forgroup prosecution, training, Boardand, of Supervisors gavethe itsglasses, stamp footage with help from But, the also urged Ameri- tion, glasses as we hand out
Stafford seeks funding for 100 body cameras
STAFFORD COUNTY SUN
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