Stafford Magazine | August/September 2022

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MAGAZINE

Carrying on a Legacy

INSIDENOVA

FAMILY-RUN WINERY CELEBRATES 15 YEARS

NEW OWNER CONTINUES TRADITIONS AT

Globe & Laurel

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CONTENTS

PUBLISHER MAGAZINE

Bruce Potter bpotter@insidenova.com 571-333-1538

MAGAZINE

DIGITAL EDITOR

Kari Pugh karipugh@insidenova.com ADVERTISING

Sales Leader: Connie Fields cfields@insidenova.com (703) 303-8713 Account Executive: Rick Bockes rbockes@insidenova.com Account Executive: Brenda Powell bpowell@insidenova.com ART DIRECTOR

Kara Thorpe STAFF REPORTERS

Dave Fawcett CONTRIBUTORS

Eric Althoff Tracy Bell Paul Lara David S. Kerr Tavan Smith PUBLISHED BY:

Rappahannock Media LLC / InsideNoVa 1360 Old Bridge Road Woodbridge VA 22192 (703) 318-1386 PRESIDENT

Dennis Brack dbrack@rappnews.com

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BUSINESS

In the Vanguard of Vineyards Family-run Potomac Point Winery celebrates 15 years

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COMMUNITY

Virtual Training Innovative lab to become hub for learning

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COVER STORY

Carrying on a Legacy New owner continues traditions at Globe & Laurel

BUSINESS OFFICE

Carina Richard-Wheat

cwheat@insidenova.com ON THE WEB

www.staffordmagazine.com Stafford Magazine is published every other month and distributed to over 9,000 selected addresses. While reasonable care is taken with all material submitted to Stafford Magazine, the publisher cannot accept responsibility for loss or damage to any such material. Opinions expressed in articles are strictly those of the authors. While ensuring that all published information is accurate, the publisher cannot be held responsible for any mistakes or omissions. Reproduction in whole or part of any of the text, illustrations or photographs is strictly forbidden. ©2022 Rappahannock Media LLC.

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SPORTS

Happy Together Mountain View teammates share in their recruiting success

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NEIGHBORS

New Leader at North Nation Turner replaces Hornick as Wolverines’ principal

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AMAZING KIDS

A Summer in Cambridge JMU grad from Stafford studies abroad

COMMUNITY NEWS

Germanna-UMW program, new administrator and more

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VOICES

Meet a man with a plan for Stafford schools ON THE COVER:

Wayne Kelly is the new owner of Stafford’s renowned Globe & Laurel – along with all of the restaurant’s military and law enforcement memorabilia.

Photo by Paul Lara.

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BUSINESS

In the Vanguard of Vineyards Family-run Potomac Point Winery celebrates 15 years

BY ERIC ALT HOF F

V

Skip and Cindi Causey recently celebrated the 15th anniversary of Potomac Point Winery.

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irginia lies at about the same latitude as France’s Bordeaux region, home to some of the world’s finest cabernet sauvignon, merlot, cabernet franc and petit verdot varietals.

Because the two regions are so similar, producing European-style wines here in Stafford County is not only feasible but quite often profitable.

Skip Causey, proprietor of Stafford County’s Potomac Point Winery – located near a bend in the Potomac River – says that Old World techniques of grape husbandry in Virginia can stack up against what is produced using American methods in California’s wine country.

“If we were trying to make wine to compete with a California cabernet sauvignon, I’m going to fail,” Causey said.

“But California can’t [capture] the unique spiciness on the cab franc or the tropicalness of the viogniers that we make. I’ll do a sideby-side comparison all day long.”

The results are in: Among its many other awards, Potomac Point’s Merlot 2019 picked up a gold medal at the Atlantic Seaboard Wine Association Wine Competition and its Cabernet Franc 2017 a silver at the Virginia Governor’s Cup.

Causey, his family, employees and guests recently marked 15 years in business at their Stafford estate with a celebration that included tastings, grape crushing, music and much more at a sunswept portion of lawn they have taken to calling Merlot Meadow.

In its decade and a half in business, Causey said the operation at Potomac Point has nearly tripled in capacity. Of the many other Virginia vintners that haven’t made it, he believes they either haven’t scaled up enough to turn a profit, or they haven’t put the time and energy into turning their locations into “destinations.”

“The ones that are growing and doing well have a bigger facility [and] broke out on events, whether it’s weddings or corporate or festivals,” Causey said.

“Virginia is such a tourist state; you’ve got history and the mountains and the shore.”

He even has a term for this: “wine tourism.”

When they opened Potomac Point, Skip and Cindi Causey were still tending their respective day jobs as a homebuilder and a coordinator for the Virginia Department of Emergency Management, respectively.

Only in recent years have they been able to focus on the vines full-time. But vine husbandry had always been a passion, one they realized could be not just a hobby but also an extended family business.

“We used to call it ‘dream talk’ when I was little,” said the couple’s daughter, Chelsea Sparaco, now director of sales and marketing at the winery. “We used to make up these businesses and plan it down to where I [said] ‘This is what they’re going to wear, here’s the menu,’ and fun stuff like that.”

Sparaco graduated from George Mason University with a degree in marketing and hospitality. She plied her trade at other companies before coming back to Stafford to work full-time for her parents – where they insisted she refer to them by their given names on the job.

“I think other people call [Cindi] ‘Mama’ now and not me,” Sparaco said of her mother. Even the operation’s longesttenured employee, vineyard manager Jorge Claros, refers to Cindi this way.

In designing the winery and its grounds, the Causeys traveled to wineries not only

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across Virginia but as far away as Italy and Spain to ensure they could get the feel correct back home. Potomac Point features outdoor areas for picnics and an indoor bistro, somewhat reminiscent of the European style they aimed to emulate. As the weather allows, visitors can enjoy al fresco samples of merlot, petit manseng, cab franc chardonnay and even reserve port.

Skip Causey said Virginia’s climate is especially kind to Vitis vinifera, a noted European grape vine from which several French varietals can be rendered. The only American grape grown at Potomac Point is the Norton, from which Potomac Point in 2007 bottled its Pocahontas Reserve.

The bottle’s label featured a replica of the Godspeed, one of the ships Captain John Smith and the first English settlers sailed up the James River in 1607.

The English newcomers were unprepared for the harsh, wintry conditions of the New World and thus made a rather dangerous gamble to survive until the spring harvest.

“Those Jamestown settlers ended up kidnapping Pocahontas for ransom to be able to [trade for] food to get through the winter. She [lived] right here in Stafford,” Causey said. “We actually met with the Powhatan Indians and got permission to use her image and her name.”

Potomac Point has also donated funds to a museum that recently opened on Powhatan tribal grounds, in honor of the enmeshed history of Native Americans and English settlers that laid the admittedly complicated foundations of the United States to come.

Causey said his Virginia grapes have an advantage over the vineyards of the West Coast in that the constant sun on the opposite seaboard causes the grapes to perhaps ripen too quickly, which can change the wines’ taste. “[This] gets the sugars up, so they get too much alcohol, but they also burn through the flavors,” he said of the West Coast competition. “Think of [Virginia’s] cloudiness, the humidity, [which] slows the ripeness down, gives it longer ‘hang time’ and allows it to develop phenols. So we get a different flavor profile – more similar to Europe [such that] the grapes pull out the nuance, the delicacy and the balance instead of just raw power.”

No matter how much oomph their wines may pack, no amount of human ingenuity was strong enough to head off

the economic tempest in 2020 in the form of COVID-19. Potomac Point closed its restaurants and stopped onsite tastings, but some newfound flexibility on the part of the Virginia ABC allowed wineries to sell meals and mimosas to go.

“We started to think ‘outside the barrel’ and just got creative,” said Sparaco, the winery’s marketing guru. “In the winter,

when people wanted to celebrate but they were scared of COVID, we created really cool heated, lounge-area wine tents where we served them food and wine.”

The idea proved so popular that Potomac Point kept the wine tents even as vaccinations went up and case counts decreased.

“We did whatever we could when we could do it,” Sparaco said. “We have 20 acres, so thinking big in that way was helpful.”

Business is booming, she said, especially in the events sector. Potomac Point has done brisk wedding numbers in 2022, and is already booking nuptials onsite for well into 2023.

When asked what the next 15 years holds for his family and Potomac Point, Causey said the forecast remains blurry as the business continues its rebound from the pandemic.

The family would like to expand into offsite tastings – particularly in area malls that are experiencing extensive vacancies – and ramp up wholesale distribution to produce about

10,000 cases a year.

However, thanks in part to ongoing labor shortages, many of those hoped-for evolutions are on hold.

“Once we get beyond 2022, we are looking forward to getting back to a somewhat ‘normal’ year, if there is such a thing,” Causey said, pointing to the backlog of wedding bookings mothballed by the pandemic, to say nothing of new reservations.

Other ideas he, Cindi and their daughter are discussing include a hops farm and limited brewery, a permanent and dedicated onsite wedding venue and a VIP wine tasting area.

“All of this is still in the planning stages,” Causey said. “Obviously, the real answer on where we will be in 15 years [is that] Cindi and I want to be retired and have our daughter and son-in-law run this place. Now we just have to talk them into this plan!”

Eric Althoff is a freelance writer who lives in Stafford.

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COMMUNITY

Virtual Training

Innovative lab to become hub for learning

BY TR ACY BE LL

T

he mind-body connection is alive and well, even when it comes to modern-day virtual reality.

GCubed Inc., a technology company based in north Stafford, and its partner AccessVR of Winchester, showcased that this spring with the debut of their AccessVR Lab at GCubed.

About 150 invited guests were treated to a glimpse of the immersive learning lab during a preview and ribbon-cutting.

Guests took part in a personal tour and virtual-reality demonstrations, interacted with in-person and virtual role-players and learned more from industry leaders about how to plan for a workforce of the future.

Vernon Green, founder and CEO of GCubed, explained what took place.

“We did fully immersive demonstrations

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to show how the brain sees the virtual environment as ‘real,’” he said. “We did virtual exploration of the seven major systems of the body, allowing users to inject sickness, poor diet and other stimuli into the system and watch the effects on the body.”

Green founded GCubed, which stands for Giving God Glory, in 2014 after retiring from a more than 20-year career in the U.S. Army.

Located on Center Street off Garrisonville Road, the IT company with defense, civilian and commercial ties provides network engineering, cybersecurity and program management to its clients. It is also rooted in service to the community, an important attribute for Green.

But it was really through collaboration that the nation’s first immersive learning lab for specialized workforce development

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came about. AccessVR and GCubed, in association with the Virginia Innovation Partnership Corp. and Germanna Community College, came together as a coalition to further the innovative lab.

J.J. Ruscella, AccessVR’s chief immersive officer, said, “The lab is an exciting initiative that brings public-private government, corporate and academic leaders together to assist Virginia citizenry in accessing, adapting and adopting the massive opportunities in virtual reality.”

Green said that the next steps are to solicit funding to pay for a cohort of interns who will learn the system, create experiences and use those experiences for training and education.

“It will also provide the coders an opportunity at entrepreneurship,” he added.

The lab will essentially become a training center for future content creators through apprenticeships, internships and career certifications, according to its creators, who expect it to lead the way in a growing network of immersive learning labs. The idea is to make the lab accessible to Virginia residents and businesses, collaborating in knowledge, resources, training and partnering opportunities.

The lab space at GCubed includes a development studio, offices, a conference room/command center, a tactical maze and video and virtual-reality editing suites. The editing suites allow creators to assist users in becoming quickly immersed in a story, training exercise or narrative as their brains register the experiences as real, according to AccessVR. The tactical maze addresses situational awareness and presence in virtual reality by way of avatars and teams within virtual worlds – including topics like hazardous materials training or active-shooter circumstances.

The lab will bring extended reality (XR) immersive technologies to all sectors of society, creating a shared marketplace for talent, business, services and products, according to GCubed and AccessVR leaders. XR is an umbrella term to describe all immersive technologies – including augmented, virtual and mixed reality – that blend human experience and the physical world with virtual reality.

Along with the COVID-19 pandemic, “the immersive virtual economy has pushed

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Left: Vernon Green Jr. (right) speaks during the ribbon-cutting for the Access VR lab as J.J. Ruscella, chief immersive officer and executive vice president of Access VR, looks on. Right: Attendees had a chance to experience virtual reality technology.

the need for individuals and organizations to embrace new technologies to connect ideas and talent within the workforce of the future,” Green said.

David Ihrie, chief technology officer of Virginia Innovation Partnership, expressed excitement that Virginia is leading the way in immersive training. Speaking about AccessVR and GCubed, he said, “Their abilities to help companies, colleges, public service agencies and the military adopt

these new technologies as immersive and effective job training tools is impressive.”

Green is thinking about people seeking XR technologies as well as the workforce that will be trained and prepared by the technologies. With both in mind, the mission is clear: “We want to establish Virginia as a leader and destination.”

Tracy Bell is a freelance writer who lives in Stafford County.

Did You Know…? Vernon Green’s

company, Gcubed Inc., isn’t his only focus.

Green, who has three daughters, sought to make a difference after noticing students’ disrespect toward teachers. He created a mentoring and coaching program for at-risk youth in Stafford schools, but that evolved into his own non-profit, G3 Community Services.

G3 seeks to strengthen the family unit and community by helping those in need – children, families and veterans – through a variety of programs.

Local movie buffs may recall that a few years back, G3 Community Services, Stafford deputy and narcotics detective-turned-actor, director and producer Jim Klock and actor Keanu Reeves teamed up as Klock and Reeves promoted their 2019 movie, “Already Gone.”

Green’s non-profit got a promotional boost as the Hollywood team helped him assist children and at-risk youth. Reeves even provided a video public service announcement helping Green to advance his work.

For more information on G3 Community Services, visit g3cs.org.

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Voted Best of the Burg 4 years in a row!

Wayne Kelly (bottom photo) took over The Globe & Laurel in November 2020.

The restaurant, which features military and law enforcement memorabilia, is on U.S. 1 in northern Stafford County.

PHOTOS BY PAUL LARA

The Globe & Laurel has been the name of the magazine of the Royal Marines for over 125 years.

The restaurant was founded by Marine Corps. Maj. Rick Spooner (bottom photo) and his wife, Gloria, in 1968.

BY PAUL LARA

Carrying on a Legacy NEW OWNER CONTINUES TRADITIONS AT

Globe & Laurel

BY T R ACY BE LL

A

dedication to history, military and law enforcement set The Globe & Laurel restaurant apart when it opened in 1968 – and its current owner wants to keep that legacy going strong.

Wayne Kelly said he’s committed to and inspired by the restaurant’s past, even though November will mark just two years since he became its owner – in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I was hoping COVID would last six months tops,” Kelly said. “It has changed the playing field.”

The Globe & Laurel is known for its vast collection of memorabilia that pays tribute to military, veterans and first responders, as well as its sense of history, roots and American pride.

“We are more than just a restaurant,”

said Kelly, who runs the business with his wife, Wendy. “We see ourselves being stewards of a historic property, where heroes are honored.”

The Kellys, now empty-nesters, are retired from the U.S. Marine Corps.

At the restaurant, they serve American fare, with a Southern soul-food twist.

Wayne Kelly, who is Jamaican, said Quantico Marine Corps base was his first duty station in 1993, when he was at The Basic School. That’s when he recalls first noticing The Globe & Laurel in Triangle, where officers hung out.

“How did the little kid from Jamaica end up in The Globe & Laurel?” Kelly joked about himself.

Today, it’s his purpose.

While the initial days of the pandemic caused businesses to shut down or

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UGH!!

UGH!!

There’s got to be There’s got to be an easier way to an easier way to get to work! get to work!

The Globe & Laurel’s founder, Maj. Rick Spooner (blue jacket and tie), is 95 years old but still visits the restaurant on occasion and greets customers.

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I-95 traffic is rapidly returning to pre-COVID-19 levels.

I-95 traffic is rapidly returning to pre-COVID-19 levels.

Instead of fighting traffic on I-95, hop on a comfortable Instead of fighting traffic on I-95, hop on a comfortable OmniRide Express bus. Two routes originate at OmniRide Express bus. Two routes originate at the Staffordboro Commuter Lot to the Pentagon the Staffordboro Commuter Lot to the Pentagon and Washington, D.C. and Washington, D.C. Stafford OmniRide Stafford OmniRide Express Routes Express Routes severely struggle, that struggle has shifted, explained Kelly. “People are coming back out, but COVID really changed the way people go to restaurants.”

The restaurant historically attracted older customers, and they are still more comfortable outdoors than indoors. But frequent cleaning, the use of outdoor space and semi-private dining areas have eased some of the concerns.

A Different Time

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It was different in 1968. That’s when U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Richard “Rick” Spooner and his wife, Gloria, established The Globe & Laurel on Broadway Street in Quantico.

But like now, it was a place where local Marines and law enforcement officers gathered for camaraderie, breaking bread and a brew. Some say it’s reminiscent of Tun Tavern — a Philadelphia pub and brewery known during the American Revolution as the 1775 founding spot for what became the U.S. Marine Corps.

The Spooners were married for 60 years until Gloria Spooner passed away in 2012.

BY TAVAN SMITH

Today, Rick Spooner is a smidge shy of 96 years old and lives in Prince William County. He stops by The Globe & Laurel, now in Stafford, about once a week. After all, he ran the business for 52 years.

A fire in 1973 gutted the Quantico building, but most of the artifacts were saved. The restaurant reopened in Triangle, just outside Quantico’s main gate; however, the widening of U.S. 1 in 2008 caused the restaurant to move again. It reopened in Stafford, a few miles south of the National Museum of the Marine Corps, where it stands now.

“It was a good location close enough to Quantico and the FBI Academy – that was our customer base,” Spooner said.

Eventually, he suffered a stroke, recovered and tried to carry on with his business, but couldn’t.

“It’s hard to walk away from something like that,” Spooner said. “I want to do all I can to help Wayne succeed.”

Spooner shares advice and is still a critical part of what he built, Kelly said.

Before Kelly, Spooner passed the business to his son, Rick Jr., and some friends.

They were “a group of fellows who could do a much better job,” he said. “They were younger, had good ideas and more energy.”

Spooner knew the restaurant meant a lot to many people, so he was happy to see it continue.

“They did give me $1 so I’d get something for it,” he said with a laugh.

But in fall 2020, with COVID-19 wreaking havoc, the restaurant closed.

The owners sold the business to the Kellys, who now run it with two business partners – Carey and Sherrin Lee, who are married U.S. Army personnel.

Spooner said of Kelly: “He’s doing a good job. He has a lot of enthusiasm and ideas. Not everything is exactly the way I would handle it but I’m from a different

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world – a different generation really.”

Today’s live music isn’t quite Spooner’s cup of tea, for instance.

He thought back to the good old days.

“It was old-time music,” he explained, describing a “wonderful, irreplaceable pianist,” now also in his 90s, who played at The Globe & Laurel for 12 years.

For the first few years he owned the restaurant, Spooner was a Marine by day and a restaurateur at night. His wife ran the show during the day.

He was typically sharply dressed and dapper in style, with a thin trademark mustache that all added to the appeal of establishment.

Spooner has “wonderful memories” of the early days and The Globe & Laurel.

He served in the Marines Corps for nearly 30 years – starting as a rifleman at age 17 – from the battles of Saipan, Tinian and Okinawa in World War II to the Korean and Vietnam wars, earning four Purple Hearts and Bronze Star.

He retired from active duty in 1972 — but once a Marine, always a Marine.

Today, you might find him on The Globe & Laurel’s patio with a cigar, chatting up new Marines. He wishes the younger generation was more knowledgeable about history, but they’re eager to learn and hear about a past to be proud of, he explained.

“I love to talk to young Marines when they come in – the importance of history, their heritage and how great it is to be an American,” said Spooner, who is writing his fourth book about military history.

Today’s Globe & Laurel Customers at The Globe & Laurel can dine in artifact-filled, themed rooms, including the Piano Room, Law Enforcement Room and

Owner Wayne Kelly greets a group of customers at The Globe & Laurel.

BY PAUL LARA

Belleau Wood Room.

Kelly said that “catfish, French onion from scratch, salmon, amazing flatbreads and prime rib” are customer favorites.

The restaurant offers catering, a patio, customizable event space and a cigar lounge.

“With good scotch and a cigar,” Kelly said, “it’s a really cool place to come in and relax.”

The bar, called Majestic Restaurant, Bar and Grill at The Globe & Laurel, is dedicated to Montford Point Marines – the first Blacks to enlist in the Marine Corps.

Over the years, the restaurant has been featured on The History Channel and The Food Network. It has been referenced in novels – including mystery writer Patricia Cornwell’s “All That Remains.”

“There was something reassuring about the Globe & Laurel that made me feel safe…” she began.

Although a public place open to anyone, the restaurant has a certain mystique, Kelly said.

“It’s a place where you don’t know who’s going to come in and have a meal,” he noted, stopping short of naming recognizable dignitaries. After all, privacy and mystique go hand in hand.

But everyone from veterans to activeduty military can come and see their

relevance, he added, with just a glance at the restaurant’s tribute walls. They’ll see others who “defend us day to day,” said Kelly – those who’ve served with pride alongside or before them.

Any business seeks to turn a profit, Kelly said, but he strives to run it with “class and caliber,” respectful of what came before.

As Kelly carries The Globe & Laurel torch, its roots won’t fade from memory.

“We have to adapt to a new environment,” Kelly said, “but not tarnish the image or legacy of what this place was.”

Tracy Bell is a freelance writer who lives in Stafford County.

WANT TO GO? The Globe & Laurel restaurant 3987 Richmond Highway, Stafford 703-221-5763 majestic-rbg.com

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SPORTS

Happy Together Mountain View teammates share in their recruiting success

BY DAV ID FAWC ET T

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ristopher Jones’ recruitment reached a new level May 6 when the University of Oklahoma offered a football scholarship to the Mountain View High School linebacker.

Until that point, only geographically closer schools had offered Jones scholarships. But the Sooners’ interest changed the dynamic, especially when coaches from the national powerhouse visited the Stafford County high school.

Watching this all unfold, Ike Daniels, Mountain View’s highly recruited running

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back, could have turned the recruiting process into a competition with his teammate and used jealousy as a motivator.

A number of major Division I programs had offered him scholarships as well, but Oklahoma was not among them.

Instead, Daniels took a different tack.

He was thrilled for his teammate. Daniels’ reaction underscored the nature of his relationship with Jones.

“This is not a rivalry,” said Mountain View head football coach Lou Sorrentino.

“You see two teammates who are happy for

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each other.”

In over 30 years as a head coach, Sorrentino has coached some big-time talent, including Hylton graduate Deon Butler, who went on to star at Penn State before the Seattle Seahawks selected him in the third round of the 2009 NFL Draft, and another former Penn State wide receiver, DaeSean Hamilton. Hamilton played for Sorrentino at Mountain View and was selected by the Denver Broncos in the fourth round of the 2018 NFL Draft.

But he has never had two elite prospects

BY DAVID FAWCETT

Junior Kristopher Jones (left) and senior Ike Daniels both received multiple Division I scholarship offers.

on the same team. Having Daniels and Jones complement each other the way they do makes his job and life easier.

“I like them as people,” Sorrentino said.

“They were raised the right way.”

The two are both good students who carry over a 3.0 grade-point average. They are also key players on a veteran team looking to build on last season’s success.

Mountain View had its best season in history, going 11-2 before losing to eventual state champion Stone Bridge in the Class 5, Region B championship game.

In addition to Jones and Daniels, the Wildcats have another Division I recruit in senior tight end Collin Carroll, who has committed to James Madison University.

The 5-foot-10, 185-pound Daniels is more established than Jones since he’s older.

After reclassifying as an eighth-grader to mature himself for the rigors of high school, Daniels arrived as a freshman ready to step in and make an immediate impact with his explosiveness. Last season, he totaled 1,560 total yards and 18 touchdowns.

Wanting to get his college decision out of the way before Mountain View’s practices officially started July 28, Daniels did so six days earlier when he announced on Twitter his commitment to Syracuse. The three-star recruit chose the Orangemen over his other finalist, Hawaii. Daniels plans to graduate early and enroll in college in January to prepare for spring practice.

Daniels had a strong connection to Hawaii. His family is from there, as is former record-setting North Stafford standout Nate Ilaoa. Ilaoa and Daniels’ father, Jesse, were high school teammates. Ilaoa played for the University of Hawaii before the Philadelphia Eagles selected him in the seventh round, making him the first NFL draft pick from a Stafford high school.

North Stafford played a part in Daniels’ first offer, which came from Chris Beatty, former head coach of the Wolverines.

Beatty was an assistant at Pittsburgh when the Panthers extended the offer to Daniels.

Ike Daniels FILE YEAR

Senior POSITION

Running back COLLEGE

Committed to Syracuse RANKING

Rated Virginia’s No. 17 senior by 247Sports.com

Kristopher Jones FILE YEAR

Junior POSITION

Linebacker COLLEGE

Has over 20 offers, including one from defending national champion Georgia RANKING

Rated the No. 1 junior in Virginia for the class of 2024 by 247Sports.com

Daniels enters this season vowing to let his hair continue to grow out. Daniels last had a haircut two years ago.

“I don’t plan on cutting it,” Daniels said. “My dad says I’m like the character Samson.”

Daniels took his official visit to Syracuse the weekend of June 24. Rated the No. 17 senior in Virginia by 247Sports.com, Daniels also had offers from Virginia Tech, Boston College, Virginia and Wake Forest, among others.

Jones’ recruitment took off after last season. Although he started for Mountain View as a freshman, the compressed schedule during the spring limited his exposure.

But with a full regular-season schedule plus the playoffs to showcase his skills, Jones exploded on the scene. He totaled 10 sacks, 94 tackles, two blocked kids and two defensive touchdowns. He received his first offer Sept. 18, 2021, from Arizona State.

Rated Virginia’s top high school football prospect for the class of 2024 by 247Sports. com, Jones has over 20 offers and climbing.

Among his offers is one from defending national champion Georgia.

At 6-foot-2, 205 pounds, Jones’ size appeals to recruiters. He’s versatile with an ability to rush off the edge or drop back into pass coverage. Jones is also grateful for Daniels’ success.

“People come to see Ike and that’s helped me,” Jones said.

Jones plans to play some running back this season. Daniels remains the primary ball carrier, but it’s another opportunity for Jones and Daniels to share the load.

As they go through the process, both have kept a level head. Jones has visited a number of schools this summer, including Florida, Ohio State, Notre Dame and Florida State.

“It happens only once so I’m not getting too stressed about it,” Jones said.

David Fawcett is sports editor of InsideNoVa and a resident of Stafford County.

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NEIGHBORS

New Leader at North Nation

Dashan Turner

Turner replaces Hornick as Wolverines’ principal

BY TR ACY BE LL

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orth Stafford High School, affectionately known as North Nation, will start the school year this month with a new principal after saying goodbye to Daniel Hornick, who led the Wolverines for the past five years.

Dashan Turner was officially announced and welcomed as the new principal for North Stafford at a Stafford County School Board meeting in mid-July.

“This is a happy return to school leadership for Dr. Turner,” said Stafford County Public Schools Superintendent Thomas Taylor. Turner most recently worked for Arlington County Public Schools, where he was the assistant superintendent for human resources.

He was previously the principal of Washington & Lee High School and Washington District Elementary School, both in Westmoreland County. Taylor said Turner helped both schools achieve full accreditation after a long hiatus of not being fully accredited.

Before that, Turner was superintendent for Colonial Beach Public Schools and director of administrative services for King George County Public Schools.

“My family and I are very excited to join the North Nation family,” Turner said in a statement. “I look forward to working

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Daniel Hornick with the school community, cultivating an atmosphere that is conducive to learning for all of our students and sharing the North Nation pride.”

At the School Board meeting, Turner spoke briefly as he prepared to take on his new role. He said he looks forward to being a part of the school.

“I’d like to thank Dr. Taylor and the School Board for the opportunity to work in such a wonderful school,” Turner said.

He’ll have big shoes to fill at North Stafford as he settles in to lead the school.

Hornick left North Stafford for a new job as superintendent of Orange County Public Schools. He has been an educator for 17 years, beginning as a social studies teacher, coach and mentor before taking on assistant principal and principal roles in Stafford County.

A strong proponent of career and technical education and training, Hornick insisted on and strived for a positive culture

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and climate, and he encouraged his students to pursue multiple pathways for excellence upon graduation, according to Taylor.

“Orange County is gaining a studentfocused leader that will affect incredible change in his new role,” Taylor said of Hornick. “We are definitely losing an asset, and we wish him well in this well-deserved new position.”

Hornick said he was humbled and truly grateful for the new opportunity. He thanked his “exceptional” family at North Nation for their support – staff, students and families alike.

But Turner, eyeing an Aug. 9 school transition start date for ninth-graders and an Aug. 10 start date for remaining students, is up for the task at hand.

In his most recent roles as principal, he oversaw improvements in student achievement including with special-needs students and English-language learners, according to Taylor.

He earned a bachelor’s degree from Liberty University and a master’s degree in educational leadership from American Intercontinental University as well as a doctorate from North Central University.

Tracy Bell is a freelance writer who lives in Stafford County.

Support your favorite Stafford businesses and organizations by nominating them and voting for them in our annual Best of Stafford contest.

Vote today! Deadline is August 26.

Winners will be published in the October/November issue of InsideNoVa’s Stafford Magazine, delivered to 9,000 households in northern Stafford County.

Point your smartphone at the QR code to vote. Or visit https://va.secondstreetapp.com/Best-of-Stafford-2022/

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AMAZING KIDS

A Summer in Cambridge

JMU grad from Stafford studies abroad

BY TR ACY BE LL

N

orth Stafford resident Chesney Benson graduated in May from James Madison University in Harrisonburg and then used a scholarship to study abroad this summer at Cambridge University in England.

Benson, a 2018 Colonial Forge High School graduate and varsity softball player, wrapped up her time at JMU with a $1,000 grant from The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, which helped facilitate the trip.

She was one of 125 students nationwide to receive the award.

“Through this opportunity, I immersed myself in a new environment, learned to work with diverse groups of people and experienced a different style of teaching at a foreign university,” Benson said.

“This experience empowered me to gain new knowledge while connecting with individuals from different cultures and form a network of friends from across the world.”

The daughter of Suzanne and Ryan Benson of Stafford, Chesney Benson graduated summa cum laude from JMU with a bachelor’s degree in biology, a premed track and an interest in art.

She works as a medical scribe in the emergency department at Mary Washington Hospital in Fredericksburg.

Students who qualify to study abroad don’t have to be members of Phi Kappa Phi, but membership – by invitation only – is extended to just the top 10% of seniors and graduate students and 7.5% of juniors. Qualifying students also need to be part of a college or university that has a Phi Kappa Phi chapter.

Benson started her 2½-week trip in early July traveling in Europe — first to Germany to visit extended family, and while there, she visited Munich and Neuschwanstein, as well as Prague, in the Czech Republic.

While at Cambridge, Benson studied genetics and adolescent psychology

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and attended lectures led by Cambridge professors and special guest speakers.

She lived at Gonville and Caius College with students from all over the world. Those friends and connections were her favorite part of the trip. Benson said she became particularly close friends with a fellow student, Maddy, who lives in Australia.

Cambridge is one of many study-abroad locations available to qualifying JMU students, and Benson said she is grateful for the grant.

Established in 2001, the grant program is part of a larger awards program that gives away more than $1 million each year to outstanding students and members through development programs, literacy initiatives and fellowships.

To be accepted to study abroad with the program, one of the qualifications

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Chesney Benson, who graduated from James Madison University in the spring, with her friend, Maddy, on a punting tour in Cambridge.

of Phi Kappa Phi is to have a cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.75.

Selection is also based on overall academic achievement, campus and community service, the relationship between travel and academic preparation and career goals, a personal statement and letters of recommendation.

Based in Baton Rouge, La., Phi Kappa Phi was founded in 1897. Each year, it inducts about 25,000 students, faculty, professional staff and alumni. Its chapters are located at more than 325 different colleges and universities in the United States, its territories and the Philippines.

Its mission is “to recognize and promote academic excellence in all fields of higher education and to engage the community of scholars in service to others.”

Benson had previously planned to visit London for a study-abroad trip, but COVID-19 restrictions prevented that.

However, she was able to learn about the Victorian history of medicine and its implications on modern medicine.

She is applying to medical school and the U.S. Navy’s Health Professions Scholarship program. Benson hopes to attend medical school as a commissioned naval officer.

Tracy Bell is a free-lance writer who lives in Stafford County.

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Vosburg starts work as county administrator

COMMUNITY NEWS

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BY BC PHOTOGRAPHY

UMW, Germanna partner on fast-track degree

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UMW President Troy Paino and Germanna Community College President Janet Gullickson sign the agreement.

he University of Mary Washington and Germanna Community College signed an agreement in July that creates a fast track to earning college business degrees.

The pathway program allows students to complete both an associate’s and a bachelor’s degree online in about 2½ years.

The program starts with Germanna’s “College Everywhere” program, which gives students the opportunity to earn a two-year associate’s degree remotely in just 12 months. Those who transfer to UMW can then finish the major in business administration, also online, in an additional 18 months.

“This is all about the students,” said UMW President Troy Paino. “This is about removing obstacles, creating access and opportunities, lowering costs, accelerating time to degrees.”

Germanna President Janet Gullickson praised the decades-long “special relationship” between the community college – UMW’s top transfer partner – and Mary Washington.

“We’ve grown together, and together we’ve helped our communities grow and thrive,” she said. “We’re … thrilled they’re joining us to make it easy for Germanna ‘College Everywhere’ graduates to get where they want to go in life more quickly and affordably.”

The agreement is an option for anyone interested in majoring in business at UMW. Transferring students must have completed at least 15 credits and hold a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 2.75.

The new pathway builds on agreements already in place between UMW and Germanna, including a co-enrollment agreement that allows students to take up to five courses at UMW while completing an associate’s degree.

andal E. Vosburg has begun working as the county administrator after being hired in June by the Stafford County Board of Supervisors following a national search.

Vosburg previously had been administrator of Highlands County, Fla., since 2017. In Stafford, he replaces interim County Administrator Mike Smith. The prior county administrator, Fred Presley, resigned earlier this year after two years on the job.

“Randy holds a diverse repertoire of education, experience and accomplishments that aligned impeccably with the board’s vision,” said Crystal Vanuch, chair of the Board of Supervisors.

As administrator, Vosburg will oversee all county departments and be responsible for the day-to-day management of county government in accordance with the policies and directives of the board.

“I am passionate about public service and making Stafford County a premier place to live and work,” Vosburg said.

Before his time in Highlands County, Vosburg worked in the Polk County (Fla.) Sheriff 's Office as director of strategic planning and director of professional compliance. He began his career with Polk County as a land-use planner. Vosburg has a master’s degree in public administration from the University of South Florida and bachelor’s degrees in political science and history from Florida Southern College.

Men’s Hairstylist Opens near Publix

U

p North Kutz, a local barbershop, opened in July in the Publix shopping center at 1630 Publix Way. Up North Kutz is a disabled service veteran-owned business that originated in the town of Quantico.

While growing in demand and popularity, owner Jason Jordan decided to expand to Stafford. With four barbers on staff, Up North Kutz offers men’s hairstyling services.

“In our three years of business, we have provided thousands with excellent services that have been well received,” Jordan said. “We are ready for this growth.”

Up North Kutz plans to support local youth sporting events, first responders and special interests that help active-duty military and veterans in the region.

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Visit InsideNoVa.com for more news from around the region.

Vascular surgeon joins local practice

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r. S. Sadie Ahanchi has joined Virginia Interventional and Vascular Associates and its parent group, Radiologic Associates of Fredericksburg Ltd. Ahanchi is the third boardcertified vascular surgeon at the group, joining Dr. Victor D’Addio and Dr. Larry Koenig.

Together, the practice offers services for referring physicians and vascular patients throughout central Virginia.

Dr. Ahanchi has more than a decade of experience treating vascular disease. Her medical degree and general surgery training were completed at the University of Illinois, and her vascular surgery fellowship training was completed at Eastern Virginia Medical School. She has been involved in numerous research trials and has authored or co-authored more than 50 papers. She is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons, member of the Society of Vascular Surgery and a Registered Physician in Vascular Interpretation.

“We are committed to providing the highest level of medical care to our community, ensuring that our staffing level can meet its growing needs,” said Dr. Christopher Meyer, president of Radiologic Associates.

“Dr. Ahanchi’s expertise in vascular surgery brings additional talent and perspective to our practice.”

Virginia Oncology Care opens in Chatham Heights

V

irginia Oncology Care has opened a 40,000-squarefoot hematology oncology infusion center in Chatham Heights.

The facility has 45 individual infusion suites to allow for privacy for patients as well as their family members. Virginia Oncology Care was established in 2017 to improve the standards in cancer care as well as access to infusion therapies in the Stafford region. Its team employs five board-certified physicians and 10 advanced-practice providers.

373 Garrisonville Rd #105 Stafford, VA 22554

Veteran Owned Business

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VOICES

Introducing a man with a plan

BY DAVID S. KE RR

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r. Thomas Taylor, Stafford County’s new superintendent of schools, isn’t like most school superintendents I’ve known.

He’s not that interested in the limelight. Although enthusiastic in explaining his ideas, he doesn’t use the first person much. He likes to talk about “us and we” as opposed to “me and I.” That’s refreshing.

Most of all, and it came through in my conversation with him, is that he is a man with a purpose. Make no mistake, he’s not shy, and his immediate emphasis is on helping Stafford schools recover from, as he put it, “the most trying period” in the system’s history – the pandemic. The path he wants to chart is multifaceted, is both short-term and long-term, and to some extent involves remaking the school system’s culture.

One of the most daunting challenges facing him and his team, whom he calls “the best people you’ve never heard of,” is the sheer number of new teachers to on-board this fall.

It’s well over 300, and as the

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school year starts that number will likely get larger. There are still plenty of vacancies.

The reasons behind the vacancy rate can be traced to the stresses caused by COVID, early retirements, the great resignation, career changes and the challenges of hiring new teachers during the pandemic.

However, it also means we’re getting a lot of fresh talent. That can be exciting.

How does a system our size assimilate so many new professionals? Whether they’re teaching elementary, middle or high school, all the procedures and personalities are new, and, indeed, the entire organizational culture is new.

Surely, you’ve started a job where everything seemed so overwhelming that you wanted to quit the first day? I have.

That’s what Taylor wants to avoid as Stafford schools absorb this record intake.

Through a program called “Mentor 360,” he wants to give our new teachers as much support, advice and mentorship as possible – not just on the first day, but throughout the entire year and beyond. This started well before the school year, with events, talks, some fun and a lot of time taken to soften those first-day jitters.

He is also a great believer in corporate strategic planning – the idea that we should always know, strategically, where we’re going and how we’re doing in getting there. Taylor, with the School Board’s active involvement, has engaged in detailed discussions about

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Dr. Thomas Taylor

“His immediate emphasis is on helping Stafford schools recover from, as he put it, ‘the most trying period’ in the system’s history – the pandemic.” who we are as a school system and where we want to be in the years ahead. It’s not easy, but the board and Taylor have taken it a step farther. They went to the people who’ll have to implement the plan and who will be affected by it: teachers, staff, parents, average citizens and even students. They received over 10,000 responses.

That’s a substantial part of the county’s population.

One observation Taylor offered is his concern about ensuring our students are “on track” when they leave high school – for something. He summed it up by saying that he wants to see everyone graduating our school system “… enrolled, apprenticed, working or enlisted.” To him that means developing the structure and most of all the relationships with our students that will help them set a course after graduation day.

In his conversation with me, Taylor also talked about the educational and socialization gap for students brought on by the pandemic. Many students aren’t where they need to be, academically or socially, because of the pandemic. It’s as though everyone is a year or two behind. Coping with this issue – along with the discipline concerns and the anxiety – is going to take time.

This was one of the appealing aspects of this interview. Taylor is a man in a hurry, but he also knows he is dealing with human beings, and sometimes patience and understanding are the right direction to take. That’s refreshing. Good luck, Dr. Taylor, and welcome to Stafford County. We’re glad you’re here.

David Kerr is a Stafford resident and an adjunct professor of political science at VCU. He worked on Capitol Hill and for various federal agencies for many years.

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