March 17, 2023

➤ SPORTS: Skyline baseball hoping to take the next step; Warren’s new coach wants to restore pride; Lady Hawks hope to return to states in softball; Lady Wildcats look for improvement Pages B1-2

The Warren Sentinel

2 Sections, 12 Pages

75 Cents

Auto shop changes lives one car at a time

By LAURA BOAGGIO

For The Warren Sentinel

The Auto Care Clinic in Front Royal is a good place to get a vehicle repaired. It’s also a place that has changed 39 lives and counting.

Bill and Sandy Long, owners of the Auto Care Clinic in Front Royal and Warren County, have been running a nonprofit and ministry called Cars Changing Lives since 2020. The couple repairs donated cars and gives them away to qualifying recipients Index

Religion..................B3

Sports....................B1

Classifieds.............B5

Puzzles..................B4

Council discusses vape shop boom ~

By ALEX BRIDGES

For The Warren Sentinel

Front Royal’s elected leaders say they don’t and can’t control the wave of vape shops — now at 11 — opening in town.

Mayor Lori A. Cockrell brought up the subject during Town Council’s Monday work session, saying she felt compelled to do so in response to online comments about the increasing numbers of vape-related businesses in town.

“We are just getting so much grief, through social media and just everyone, about vape shops in our town,” Cockrell said.

Vice Mayor R.Wayne Sealock and council members Melissa DeDomenico-Payne, Joshua Ingram, Amber Morris, H. Bruce Rappaport and Duane “Skip” Rogers attended the work session.

The mayor went on to say that posts and conversations on social media appear to claim that the town seeks out vape shops to open in Front Royal. Cockrell asked

We are not soliciting but we are also not discriminating against them either so vape stores fall under retail uses — they are selling a product. We cannot discriminate against that product that they sell.

Planning Director Lauren Kopishke to explain where the town stands on the matter.

“We are not soliciting but we are also not discriminating against them either so vape stores fall under retail uses — they are selling a product,” Kopishke said. “We cannot discriminate against that product that they sell.

“So the recent vape stores

See Vape >> A2

County planners consider church, freight terminal, rentals

By ALEX BRIDGES For The Warren Sentinel

Warren County planners have put off votes on permits for a freight terminal by the fairgrounds and for a church.

Planning Commission members voted at their Wednesday meeting to table a request by the Warren County Fair Association to grant a conditional-use permit for a motor-freight terminal at 274 Fairground Road and Winners Court. The organization plans to use the terminal as an area for overflow parking of trailers from the Family Dollar warehouse and distribution center located across the road at 155 Fairground Road.

Chairman Robert Myers,

Vice Chairman Hugh Henry and members Greg Huson, Scott Kersjes and Kaylee Richardson voted in favor of tabling the permit request. A “jockey trailer” would move the off-loaded trailers from the Family Dollar lot to the terminal area. The Warren County Fair Association already uses the area for overflow parking during the county fair and any other annual events. The association rents a dwelling on the lot at 274 Fairground Road.

Warren County Fair Director Dennis Grove spoke to the commission on behalf of the association and voiced concerns about some of the conditions that

See Planners >> A2

Long, owner of Auto Care Clinic and Cars Changing Lives, posing with Sky Sherrill, the 2018 recipient

Changing

and her family.

— Lauren Kopishke

Front Royal planning director

from A1 Planners

Planning Department staff recommended the permit include. Planning Director Matt Wendling said the applicant has expressed some concerns with a proposed condition requiring that the applicant pave the trailer parking area at its own cost.

Planning Department staff recommended that the permit conditions require the applicant to restrict overflow trailer parking to Family Dollar and county fairground vehicles; limit access to the properties by Family Dollar vehicles to Winners Court and prohibiting their use of the Fairground Road entrance; hard-surface the parking areas; fully screen motor freight trailers from view of adjacent residential buildings; not store inoperable vehicles or equipment on the property; not allow vehicles to park on the drain field or conveyance line of the septic system of the dwelling. Department staff also recommended that the county allow no more than 70 trailers to be parked on the properties at any one time. Also at the meeting, commissioners voted 5-0 to recommend that the Board of Supervisors approve a request by Society of Saint Pius X for a conditional-use permit for a church at 2203 Reliance Road, Middletown. Society of Saint Pius X holds scheduled worship services for its congregation each Sunday in the Immaculate Heart of Mary Chapel, 5267 John Marshall Highway, Linden. The applicant seeks to move the congregation and services to a more permanent location. The applicant plans to convert part of a barn at 2203 Reliance Road into a church the congregation can use for worship services until it can raise enough money to build a permanent church on an adjacent, 10-acre vacant parcel. The congregation would hold services at the converted barn on Sunday mornings and occasionally on weekdays. The applicant plans to develop the property to allow for up to 150 people.

However, commis-

sioners unanimously agreed to table Society of Saint Pius X’s request for the permit the applicant would need to build a church on the adjacent parcel as planned. Wendling said four people spoke at the public hearing on the permit request and voiced concerns about the church’s potential effect on neighboring property owners’ privacy and on local traffic.

Also at the meeting, commissioners voted to recommend that the Board of Supervisors approve:

• A request by Eric W. Adams for a conditional-use permit for the short-term tourist rental at 1850 Gooney Manor Loop, Browntown. Adams is in the process of buying the property from the owner, Passage Valley Builders Inc., which is in the final stages of constructing a single-family home on the site. Adams plans to rent the property for guests when not in use by his family. Adams plans to manage the property with assistance from local professional services for trash disposal, cleaning, landscaping and maintenance.

• A request by Elena V. Gallo for a conditional-use permit for a short-term tourist rental at 242 Parnassus Road, Linden. Gallo seeks to make the property she bought in December 2021 available to visitors for shortterm lodging when not in use by her family. Gallo plans to manage the property personally with assistance from local professional services for cleaning, landscaping and maintenance.

• A request by John Randolph and Deborah Clark for a conditional-use permit for a short-term tourist rental at 1207 Buck Mountain Road, Bentonville. The applicants bought the property in 1990 and now want to make part of their home available to visitors for short-term lodging as a source of supplemental income. The applicants would live in a main part of the building and manage the property personally. The applicants will not serve breakfast to the guests.

Vape

that have come in, they have come in, they’ve gotten their zoning permit — I have no control, I have to sign off on the use,” Kopishke said. “If they fit the zoning category, they get approved.”

Morris said seven of the vape shops in town operate on South Street.

Council members addressed the subject last year, Morris recalled. The topic came up in recent conversations, she said.

“People think that council approves businesses,” Morris said. “So for the people watching at home, the people here tonight, council does not see applications for business permits.

“If you’re within the law and you apply for a business permit and you buy your building or you rent your space, we don’t see and regulate that,” Morris said. “But we did hear this last year and the reason it is coming is because they’re looking for THC [retail sales] to

Shop

in the community.

Since 2018, they have given away 39 cars. They gave away five so far this year. But as the program grows, the couple is looking toward the community for assistance.

In 2018, Bill Long decided he wanted to give a car away for Easter, and the couple started Cars Changing Lives as a contest.

They opened it up for people in the community to nominate folks that were in need of transportation. After advertising the contest, Sandy Long said they received more than 40 nominations.

The Longs gathered three community members to form a committee to review applications and choose the best candidate.

After interviewing four candidates, one of the committee members told the Longs that he had good news and bad news. The good news? All four people were deserving candidates.

“And I said ‘Well then what’s the bad news?’ And they said, ‘You need to give away four cars,’” Sandy Long said.

The Longs had two cars in the chute ready to donate, but they didn’t know where to get the other two.

The Longs and their review committee went out to dinner to discuss what they were going to do, when two of the committee members got

be legalized in the state of Virginia in the next two years and they’re in line for their permits to sell marijuana.”

The Virginia General Assembly plans to limit the number of permits in each locality for marijuana sales, Morris said.

Council members addressed the topic at their retreat last year.

“The problem that we ran into was the only thing we could do was tighten our zoning regulations because, as a pretty conservative council who also enjoys free enterprise, at what point do we start regulating businesses and ... at what point do you say ‘we just don’t like your type of business’ and it’s discriminatory,” Morris said.

Council implemented lighting regulations though some vape shops are violating those restrictions, Morris said. She said a person sent her a video of a new shop that opened in a former Pizza Hut with flashing lights, in violation of the town

In front of us was a car we’d given away a couple years ago. It just stayed in the community and it’s benefiting somebody here local in our community.

— Bill Long co-owner, The Auto Care Clinic

up to call their spouses. When they came back, they said they wanted to donate their own extra cars for the contest.

“We did it again in 2019. And that year, we gave away three cars,” Sandy Long said.

Similarly, more than 40 people were nominated that year, and the Longs only had one car to give away. But they found two more.

The Longs turned their contest into a nonprofit officially in February of 2020.

The couple works with several churches in Warren County as well as organizations like the Phoenix Project, United Way, Salvation Army and St. Luke Community Clinic.

Since a community member needs to nominate the recipient, the Longs look to case man-

regulations.

Kopishke said her department sent notices to those businesses the next day after being made aware of the violations.

Vape store owners must submit permit applications for signs. Owners can display no more than three signs at the business, including posters in the windows, Kopishke said. The Planning Department through code enforcement sends notices to stores that violate the town limit on signs, she said. The town prohibits string lights and flashing lights and signs, Kopishke said.

Shops in the entrance corridor on North Shenandoah Avenue must use muted colors or seek approval for brighter hues, Kopishke said.

“I understand and we all understand free enterprise and we love it; that’s what builds this country,” Rogers said. “It bothers me that there are so many and they’re popping up in odd places, you know,

and they’re popping up (at) an entrance to our community in bright colors.”

Rogers referred to a vape shop on Shenandoah Avenue that motorists can see as they travel on the U.S. 340522 bridge west into Front Royal.

“Anyway, it’s kind of embarrassing,” Rogers said. “You gotta wonder why there’s so many of them coming in here.”

Rappaport suggested the town look into regulatory options such as strengthening its tobacco retail licensing; review fees that could help fund the cost to monitor and enforce the businesses; set a cap on the number of new licenses for such businesses based on population and geographic area; increase monitoring of shops to make sure they are not selling to underage customers; and restrict e-cigarettes and tobacco retailers from locating near schools and youth facilities.

~agers and members of these organizations to pick the right person.

Most of the cars are donated from the community, Sandy Long said. She said the auto shop will take any car donated within a 20 mile radius to Front Royal — whether it’s running or not.

The couple repairs the vehicles at the shop but they’re looking to partner with the community as their nonprofit grows.

Since the Longs are operating the program themselves, they are looking for some volunteers. Sandy Long said they could use people to help with administrative work such as emailing, fundraising and grant writing. She said they are also looking for partners like auto mechanic schools or detailing shops to help repair cars.

And of course, they could always use car donations.

After being nominated for Cars Changing Lives, a candidate must write an impact statement so the Longs can choose the right person and have that information for potential grants.

“Some of the words written on those impact statements are truly from their heart, and it will just bring me to tears,” Sandy Long said.

One year, a mother received a car and her 16-year-old son told the Longs that he was now

able to sign up for sports and after-school programs.

“They had never had a car in their entire life,” Sandy Long said.

Not only do they get thank-you’s from the recipients but also friends of the recipient. The Longs said they’ve received many kind words from folks in the community who were giving rides to car recipients.

Bill Long said he and his wife generally try to give back to the community in any way they can.

“We just want to be good corporate stewards, and we don’t plan on stopping. It’s dreadful sometimes, but it’s very rewarding,” Bill Long said.

Sandy Long said an auto repair shop based out of North Dakota, which has given away around 350 cars, inspired the couple to put their dream into reality.

“So we’re only on 39. But you’ve got to start somewhere,” she said.

Bill Long said he and his wife were on the way to an award banquet in Woodstock when they noticed the car in front of them had a sticker on the back that read “Cars Changing Lives.”

“In front of us was a car we’d given away a couple years ago,” he said. “It just stayed in the community and it’s benefiting somebody here local in our community.”

from A1

from A1

RICH COOLEY PHOTO/FOR THE SENTINEL

Traffic moves along Shenandoah Avenue past the Tobacco Hut located just south of the South Fork Bridge in Front Royal. It is one of 11 vape shops in town.

Warren County home values still spark concern

By ALEX BRIDGES For The Warren Sentinel

A couple of Warren County residents raised concerns last week before the Board of Supervisors about higher property values and the threat of increased taxes.

Chairwoman Vicky L. Cook, Vice Chairwoman Cheryl L. Cullers and supervisors Jerome K. “Jay” Butler, Walter J. “Walt” Mabe and Delores R. Oates attended the meeting where they heard an update on the real estate reassessment process and the results of the first appeals phase.

County Administrator Edwin Daley reported to the board that Pearson’s Appraisal Services, the firm contracted to perform the reassessments for 2023, held hearings over the last month for property owners who contested the new values. The assessor lowered the assessments for 881 of the 1,110 cases heard, which reduced the county’s total real estate value by more than $30 million.

David Dennis, of 305 Kendall Court, Front Royal, spoke to supervisors during the public comment period. Dennis asked supervisors to address the roughly $2.5 million in delinquent real estate taxes owed to the county before considering raising the tax rates.

Wells R. Bill, who lives with his wife in the Bedford Heights subdivision off Rocky Lane in the county, voiced concern about the property reassessment they received in January.

“I can tell you when my wife and I first saw that (we) were shocked, dismayed and we’re more than alarmed right now at the valuation given to us,” Bill said.

Bill said he and his wife met with assessor Fred Pearson on Jan. 23 during the hearings on the reassessments. By the end of the meeting, Bill said Pearson agreed that the value of their building should be reduced and told them they would be provided with a new assessment.

Bill went on to say the county’s description of elderly and disabled on its application for real estate tax relief is “deceivingly inaccurate” and worded in such a way that he and his wife do not qualify for the program, despite their modest household finances. Bill said the county application asks for certain information about age, disability and income, some of which the Internal Revenue Service does not require. Bill said his wife is le-

gally blind.

“My wife and I were not born with, nor were we raised with a silver spoon in our mouths,” Bill said. “So far, we have worked out entire lives in the attempt to chase the so-called American dream.”

Bill said he and his wife own their home outright, having paid off their mortgage several years ago. While they hold no debt and have set aside money for their retirement, Bill said they receive no consideration for their age or disability.

“So, we ask of you: Why are we being punished for doing the right thing?”

Supervisors made no comments in response to the speakers’ concerns.

Also at the meeting, supervisors voted to:

• Approve an amended list of members’ board and committee assignments for 2023.

Set the rate of compensation for members of the 2023 Board of Equalization at $100 per day and $50 per half-day.

• Appoint Kim Lucas to the Parks and Recreation Commission to fill an unexpired term ending Feb. 29, 2024.

• Approve a request to appropriate approximately $88,224 from the Blue Ridge Shadows Proffer Fund to the Cancer Prevention Measures line item in the fiscal 2023 for the Plymovent Vehicle Exhaust Removal system; and approve the sole-source award to Air Cleaning Technology for $82,149 on behalf of the county. The total project cost of $88,224 includes the relocation of two heaters at $2,500 and electrician services at $3,575. The Department of Fire and Rescue Services determined the need for the exhaust removal system in the North Warren Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department station after an evaluation showed a higher amount of gasoline and diesel exhaust soot throughout the facility.

• Approve a memorandum of understanding to allow the use of George Watts Hill III’s private amateur radio repeater during emergency incidents within the county only in the event the normal radio system fails. Use of the repeater allows the Warren County Emergency Communications Center and Fire and Rescue Federal Communications Commission-licensed amateur radio operators operate on Hills’ personal radio repeater.

• Approve a request to modify a conditional-use permit for a commercial riding

Many Warren County homeowners win reassessment appeals

By ALEX BRIDGES

For The Warren Sentinel

A majority of Warren County property owners saw their reassessments drop when they appealed to the assessor.

County Administrator Edwin Daley updated the Board of Supervisors at its Tuesday work session on the 2023 real estate reassessments and the results of recent hearings the assessor had with property owners.

Chairwoman Vicky L. Cook, Vice Chairwoman Cheryl L. Cullers and supervisors Jerome K. “Jay” Butler, Walter J. “Walt” Mabe and Delores R. Oates attended the meeting.

Fred Pearson, with Pearson’s Appraisal Service Inc., met with property owners for four weeks hearing their concerns about the reassessments for 2023. During that time, Pearson looked at 1,110 cases and reduced the assessments for 881 or 80% of the total, Daley said.

“So 80% of those who came in to talk did a good job and they were successful,” Daley said. The administrator said he did not know the amounts of each reduction. But the total real estate values for the county decreased by $30,650,700 as a result of owners who successfully appealed the reassessments.

“So those people combined, those 800, have a total reduction in their valuation of 30 million (dollars), almost 31,” Daley said.

Oates voiced surprise that roughly 1,000 people

stable by changing the name of the previous permit-holders, William and Amy Burke, to the new property owner Shannon McCartney.

• Authorize the county administrator to approve the purchase order to Eastern Vault Co. for delivery of the precast box culverts for $695,583 on behalf of the Shenandoah Farms Sanitary District. The culverts will be installed as part of the Old Oak Lane IV improvement project. The county plans to pay for the culverts with money from the capital improvement fund.

So those people combined, those 800, have a total reduction in their valuation of 30 million (dollars), almost 31.

— Edwin Daley Warren County administrator

could appeal and reduce the total value by $30 million.

Butler asked if anyone’s property value increased during the process. Daley said he didn’t think so.

Cullers thanked Daley for presenting the information.

Cook commented: “It’s also good to see the process is working.”

“Well, it is,” Daley said. “I’m very pleased with the results of the assessments. I’m very pleased that many people — they seemed to be reasonably happy when they came and ... nobody was happy talking to the tax man, but they weren’t all upset and up in arms out in the hall so we thought it must’ve gone well.”

The Board of Supervisors has no influence on the reassessments or on the reductions in the values, Oates said, citing information she received from Daley and Commissioner of the Revenue Sherry Sours.

“It’s not even within our authority,” Oates said.

“You’re not allowed to,” Daley said. “You have no authority. I have that on the advice of our attorney.”

• Support and approve the following Virginia Department of Transportation cost-sharing projects: continue Old Oak Lane Phase IV construction and apply for additional VDOT Revenue Sharing funding this spring for Old Oak Lane Phase V; authorize the county administrator or designee to complete project administration agreements for Lake Drive Phase I and Western Lane Phase II; and continue design and construction of Youngs Drive Phase II.

• Approve an award of

~Daley confirmed for Butler that supervisors also do not have any control in the reassessment process. The state governs the reassessment process, Daley said.

Earlier in the work session, Daley reported on the board’s next steps as it works on the fiscal 2024 budget in the coming weeks. County officials expect to receive the assessor’s book, which shows the new property values, by the supervisors’ budget work session with the School Board tentatively set for March 23, Daley said. Supervisors would need to move that work session again if the General Assembly does not meet within the next two weeks to hash out the state budget, Daley noted.

Once the assessor signs off on the book, county officials and the supervisors can work on equalizing the real estate tax rate to a revenue-neutral levy, Daley said.

Supervisors also need to fill a vacancy on the Board of Equalization because a member resigned, Daley said. The alternate stepped in to that position but the board needs to appoint an additional member, Daley said. The Board of Equalization hears appeals made by property owners concerning reassessments. Supervisors can expect to address the appointment at its March 21 meeting, Daley said. They need to appoint the member as soon as possible because the reassessment appeals process is already underway, Cook noted.

$93,500 to Lance Construction to make emergency repairs to the county pool house. Chemicals stored in the pool house caused damage to the facility.

Earlier in the meeting, supervisors removed from the agenda Cullers’ request to institute a countywide hiring freeze. Cullers had broached the idea of freezing hiring until the county’s financial status for the fiscal 2024 budget is known. Cullers asked that the board remove the item from the agenda because she felt such a freeze was no longer needed.

Warren County constitutional officers see high salaries

By ALEX BRIDGES

For The Warren Sentinel Warren County’s constitutional officers, elected by voters, are among the highest-paid officials in local government.

Each of Warren County’s five constitutional offices are up for election on Nov. 7. The Clerk of Court, who oversees the circuit court, serves an eight-year term. The Commissioner of the Revenue, the Commonwealth’s Attorney, the Sheriff and the Treasurer serve four-year terms, unless elected or appointed to fill an unexpired term. The state constitution mandates that each city and county have the officers.

The officers receive the following salaries, according to informa-

tion provided by the county:

• Clerk of the Circuit Court Angela Moore, $133,471

• Commissioner of the Revenue Sherry Sours, $111,776

• Commonwealth Attorney John Bell, $138,433

• Sheriff Mark Butler, $119,220

• Treasurer Jamie Spiker, $106,452 Bell, Butler, Moore and Sours seek reelection to their respective offices. Spiker announced in January she would not run for reelection.

Bell and Butler were elected to their first, four-year terms in 2019 and took office in January 2020.

Moore was elected in 2019 to serve the remaining four years of Daryl Funk’s term that expires Dec. 31. Funk left the office after the Virginia General Assembly elected him to a judgeship in the 26th Judicial Circuit.

Sours won a special election in 2013 to serve out the remaining two years of John Smedley’s term after he died. She was elected to four-year terms in 2015

and 2019.

Constitutional officers’ salaries rank among the county’s highest-paid government employees. Those with the highest salaries who are not constitutional officers include:

• County Administrator Edwin Daley, $171,150

• Deputy County Administrator Taryn Logan, $122,978

• Fire Chief John Bonzano II, $114,249

• Department of Social Services Director Jon Martz, $107,428

• Department of

Public Works Director Michael Berry, $103,684

• Department of Parks and Recreation Director Daniel Lenz $103,684.

The Virginia Compensation Board sets the salaries for constitutional officers and the budgets for the offices, including the pay for certain staff members, based on the jurisdiction’s population. The local governing body also may include in its budget funding for each constitutional office in addition to the state allocation. The state board also decides when a constitutional officer and certain employees receive salary increases and by how much.

Compensation Board information shows it last approved an across-the-board salary

increase for constitutional officers and their employees effective July 1, 2019, provided that the local governing body used the additional funds to support the increases. Constitutional offices do not receive salary increases every budget cycle. The Compensation Board funded salary increases almost every year from the late 1980s through 2007. Since then, offices would go without increases for years at a time.

However, when county employees received salary increases, such as the 5% provided in the previous two years, the budget included raises for the constitutional officers. The constitutional officers then received a higher salary than the amount covered by the Compensation Board.

Jamie Spiker Mark Butler John Bell Sherry Sours Angie Moore

Trace Noël

Trace Noël died on February 24th in Front Royal, Virginia, at the age of 77. He loved the outdoors, the Shenandoah River, conversing with folks from all walks of life, and wellmannered frivolity.

Trace was born on December 3rd, 1945, to A.C. (Pappy) and Majorie (Nonnie) Noël. Trace’s childhood was one marked by sports, love, mischief, and exploration. Trace’s mother, Nonnie, was an avid entrepreneur and his father, Pappy, retired from the White House as News & Press Photographer. Their strong personalities inspired and informed Trace's own.

After graduating from Bethel College in 1970, with a degree in History, Trace went on to work for the Freedom from Hunger Foundation in Mexico.

However, he is best remembered for his passionate activism for protecting the Shenandoah River and leadership in working as a political strategist.

Trace adored all things political, was socially active and frequently volunteered his spare time for community projects. A great

source of joy and pride for him.

While operating his river outfitter business, as a cofounder of VAPPA (Virginia Professional Paddlesport Association), he successfully drafted and ushered in legislation in Richmond that designated Front Royal as the Canoe Capital of Virginia.

Trace truly believed in serving the community by connecting with others on their level. He believed our world could be improved if everyone simply dedicated a little bit of their time towards the common good.

Trace is survived by his son; Cameron Michaely Noël, partner Edith Appleton, sister Shawn Noël, brother Mycal Noël, niece Chelsea Raines-Noël, nephew Caleb Noël, and two grand-nieces Charlize & Cadence Noël.

To celebrate and honor Trace’s rich legacy, donations may be made to Shenandoah National Park Trust in memory of Trace. A memorial service has been planned at Maddox Funeral Home for March 25th, with visiting hours from 11am to 1pm for all. The celebration service will start promptly at 1pm.

Melissa Dawn “Missy” Eskridge

Melissa Dawn “Missy” Eskridge, 53, of Linden, Virginia, passed away on Wednesday, March 8, 2023 at her home surrounded by her loving family.

A funeral service will be held on Saturday, March 18 at 11:00 a.m. at Maddox Funeral Home with Sammy Campbell officiating. Interment will follow in Panorama Memorial Gardens at Waterlick.

Missy was born May 11, 1969 in Front Royal, Virginia, daughter of Brenda Garber Ratlief of Winchester and Howard D. Robinson of Canada. She will be greatly missed by her family and numerous friends. Surviving is her mother, Brenda Garber Ratlief, and husband Gary of Winchester; father, Howard D. Robinson, Sr. and wife Joyce of Canada; her loving husband of 22 years, Neil Thomas Eskridge; two sons, David Douglas Beaty and fiancée

Katie Mae Jenkins of Front Royal, and Joseph Elwood Beaty, Jr. of Front Royal; three daughters, Rebecca Marie Beaty of Front Royal, Amanda Lea Kindall of Front Royal and LeAnn Harmon Eskridge of Front Royal; three brothers, Laney

Randolph “Randy” Runion and wife Jennifer Nichole Runion of Stanley, Timothy Wayne Runion of Luray and Joseph Brian Runion of Fayetteville, North Carolina; one sister, Betsy Ann Taylor and husband Josh Taylor of Winchester; five grandchildren whom she adored, Brenda Noel Dawn Perry, Brantley James Kindall, Arabella Frances Nicole Beaty, Xavier Davonne Roy and Sophia Lynn Jenkins; two nieces, Hannah and Leah; five nephews, Joshua, Isaiah, Noah, Tristan and Josiah; and numerous other nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

Missy was preceded in death by a daughter, Nicole Lynn Eskridge; brother, Howard Douglas “Robbie” Robinson; sister, Angela Ross Robinson; special grandparents, Frank and Betsy Garber; and special aunt and uncle, Earl and Janet King.

Pallbearers will be family.

The family will receive friends on Friday, March 17 from 6-8 p.m. at the funeral home.

Flowers will be accepted or you can make a donation in Missy’s memory to the Warren County Humane Society, 1245 Progress Drive, Front Royal, Virginia 22630.

Condolences may be sent to the family at www.maddoxfuneralhome .com.

Arrangements are being handled by Maddox Funeral Home, Front Royal.

Long-forgotten photo of Cline presented to Texas museum

By BRIAN BREHM

For The Warren Sentinel FORT WORTH, Texas — Winchester’s most famous daughter can be seen in a recently rediscovered photo that will be displayed at the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame in Fort Worth, Texas.

The long-forgotten photo, a class picture taken for Middletown High School’s 1946 yearbook, was delivered to the museum Sunday by Middletown Mayor Charles Harbaugh IV, Winchester Fire and Rescue Chief Jon Henschel and local historian, author and researcher John Flood.

Harbaugh said on Monday that Flood found the photo in a stack of yearbooks in Middletown’s Town Office while doing research on behalf of the museum in recognition of the 60th anniversary of Cline’s death on March 5, 1963. The singer was 30 years old when she, pilot and manager Randy Hughes and musicians Cowboy Copas and Hawkshaw Hawkins were killed in a plane crash in rural Tennessee.

Cline, who was inducted into the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame in 1994, was born in

Winchester on Sept. 8, 1932, and spent many of her teenage years living with her mother and siblings in a house at 608 S. Kent St. before becoming a worldwide star.

During Cline’s younger years, when she was known by her birth name of Virginia Patterson Hensley, the family lived in several places including Gore, Staunton, Elkton and Norfolk. In late 1945, when Cline was 13, her family moved to Middletown and took up residence in a Chapel Road tenant house on the property of Herbert Larrick.

Harbaugh said Cline enrolled as a sixth grader at Middletown High School and was one of three girls named Virginia in her class. She was not well liked by her classmates, he said, because they considered her to be pushy.

While living in Middletown, the 13-yearold Cline contracted rheumatic fever and a throat infection and was placed in an oxygen tent at Winchester Memorial Hospital. Her illnesses were so severe that at one point, her heart stopped beating.

Cline slowly regained her health and emerged from the oxygen tent with a unique gift.

“The fever affected my throat and when I recovered, I had this booming voice like Kate Smith’s,” Cline said in 1957, referring to a popular powerhouse singer who also was a native of Virginia.

Cline may have still been on the mend when her 1946 class photo was taken. Harbaugh pointed out that in the picture, the teen is wearing a scarf possibly to protect her throat.

With her new voice, Cline developed an interest in music. She learned to play the piano and joined her mom in their church’s choir, and the mother and daughter also sang duets at church social events. When she turned 14, she started performing live on WINC Radio in Winchester and at local talent shows.

Cline’s parents divorced in 1947 and she, her siblings and their mother moved to the Kent Street house in Winchester the following year. She lived with her family in Winchester until March 1953, when she married Gerald Cline. The husband and wife divorced in 1957 but Cline kept her stage name — her ex-husband’s surname paired with “Patsy,” a variation of her middle name

Patterson.

In September 1957, Cline married her second husband, Charlie Dick, and they relocated to Fort Bragg, North Carolina. A short time later, the couple and their first child, Julie, moved to Nashville to restart the career that had gone into a slump following the February 1957 release of the hit single “Walkin’ After Midnight.”

With support from Dick and her manager, Hughes, Cline’s career went into the stratosphere starting with the release of “I Fall to Pieces” in January 1961. A string of hits followed, including “Crazy” and “Sweet Dreams,” until her life was cut short just two years later.

Harbaugh said he, Flood and Henschel were asked to deliver the 1946 yearbook photo of Cline to the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame by its director of research and education, Bethany Dodson. The museum

photo

collection. To

Strasburg Road crash victim’s widow sues man for causing fatality

By ALEX BRIDGES

For The Warren Sentinel

A man serving prison time for causing a fatal crash in 2021 now faces a civil lawsuit filed by the victim’s widow and an insurance company.

Charles Joshua Corathers received a 20-year penitentiary sentence in Warren County Circuit Court on Feb. 7 for committing one count of aggravated involuntary manslaughter on June 6, 2021. Judge Clark Ritchie sentenced Corathers to the maximum punishment al -

lowed under Virginia law. Ritchie also sentenced Corathers, 31, of Rivermont Acres Road, Front Royal, to 10 years with eight years suspended for cocaine possession, the same term for fentanyl possession, and 12 months for driving under the influence of drugs. Ritchie ordered all terms to run consecutively.

Corathers drove a 2006 Ford Focus while under the influence of fentanyl on June 6, 2021, eastbound on Va. 55 (Strasburg Road). His car

crossed the center line near Fort Valley Road and struck an oncoming motorcycle head-on, according to police reports. The motorcyclist, John L. Cunningham, 33, of Strasburg, who was wearing a helmet, died from multiple blunt force injuries as a result of the collision, according to court records. Cunningham was wearing a helmet.

Cunningham’s widow, Katherine Cunningham, administrator of the victim’s estate, and his motor vehicle insurance carrier, GEICO Indemnity Company, filed a wrongful death law -

suit against Corathers in Warren County Circuit Court on Feb. 27.

In the two-count complaint filed on Katherine Cunningham’s behalf by Ric hmond attorney Michael P. Murphy, the plaintiff states Corathers had a duty on June 6, 2021, to operate his vehicle with reasonable care and with regard for others using the road.

“Notwithstanding his duties, Corathers operated said vehicle in a grossly negligent manner while under the influence of drugs in such a manner that it collided with Cunningham’s vehicle with great force and

violence,” the complaint states. “In the alternative, Corathers carelessly, recklessly and negligently operated said vehicle so that it collided with Cunningham’s vehicle with great force and violence.”

Had the victim not died, he could have taken civil action against Corathers, according to the complaint. Corathers was an uninsured motorist at the time of the collision, the complaint states. Katherine Cunningham submitted a c laim as the administrator of the victim’s estate to his insurance carrier, GEICO Indemnity

Company for wrongful death. GEICO paid her $250,000 — the limit of the victim’s uninsured motorist insurance policy. A judge in Fauquier County Circuit Court approved the settlement between Katherine Cunningham and GEICO

The second count of the complaint alleges negligence by Corathers that resulted in damage to the victim’s motorcycle valued at $6,563.

Katherine Cunningham demands judgment against Corathers of $256,563 with interest from June 6, 2021, and associated costs.

plans on displaying the

alongside several other Cline artifacts that are already in its

learn more about the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame, visit cowgirl.net.

PHOTO COURTESY OF CHARLES HARBAUGH IV

This sixth-grade class photo from Middletown High School’s 1946 yearbook includes a 13-year-old student named Virginia Patterson Hensley (second row, third from right), later known by her stage name of Patsy Cline. The long-forgotten picture was recently found in a collection of yearbooks stored in Middletown’s Town Office and donated to the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame in Texas.

Charles J. Corathers

Front Royal proposed budget includes pay bumps, no tax hikes

By ALEX BRIDGES

For The Warren Sentinel

Front Royal’s proposed budget would give pay raises to town employees next fiscal year and increase staff.

Finance Director

B.J. Wilson presented the proposed spending plan for fiscal 2024 at Town Council’s work session Monday. The proposed fiscal 2024 budget of $49.7 million reflects a $1.7 million increase in spending, or 3.6%. Of that amount, the town would spend $16 million on personnel.

Mayor Lori A. Cockrell, Vice Mayor R. Wayne Sealock and council members Melissa DeDomenico-Payne, Joshua L. Ingram, Amber F. Morris, H. Bruce Rappaport and Duane R. “Skip” Rogers attended the work session.

The proposed budget does not call for increases in the town’s tax rates, Wilson said in an email Tuesday. The budget does reflect a 2.25% increase in the sewer rates as recommended in a water-sewer rate study revised in 2020, he said.

The town needs to advertise the annual budget appropriation ordinance April 5. Council needs to know by then what budget they want to advertise. Wilson added at the work session that council can adopt an ordinance within 1% of the advertised amount without needing to hold another hearing. Members could meet for a work session April 10 before holding a public hearing on the proposed ordinance for the budget. The council could take action on the budget after the hearing.

Council members also adopt an ordinance setting tax rates each year, usually by the end of March. However, the delay in Warren County’s general real estate reassessment process “caused some hiccups,” Wilson said. This may prompt the town to delay penalties and interest on tax payments due in June.

Cockrell thanked Wilson and other staff members for their work to create a “stable” budget. Wilson

lauded the department leaders for their efforts.

“Hats off to the department heads,” Wilson said. “They’re very understanding of, you know, the constraints that we’re pressed with.

“But I think we’ve done a good job bringing a balanced budget to you guys,” Wilson said. “It’s, you know, not a lot of bells and whistles in here whatsoever, in my opinion.”

Morris spoke favorably about the proposed budget.

“In a year (of) record inflation, it’s really nice to present council and our constituents with a balanced budget because the last thing we need is added expenses or more taxes,” Morris said.

The proposed budget replaces the assistant town manager position, vacant since Kathleen Leidich’s November resignation, with a director of information technology.

The proposal includes $425,117 to pay for increased salaries as recommended by a recent compensation study; $129,170 for a 1% cost of living adjustment; and $280,075 for a 2% average merit pay increase; $4,000 for employee appreciation; $4,000 for the staff holiday luncheon; and $7,500 for a worker wellness program.

The proposed spending on salaries would make up for roughly half of last year’s 6% inflation increase, Wilson explained in response to a question from Rappaport. Cockrell added that implementing the recommendations of the salary study also helps increase pay.

“And the biggest thing is we need to be able to move our pay scale,” Wilson said. “Not moving our pay scale, you know, creates problems for us.”

The previous salary study conducted in 2016-2017 recommended that the town increase the pay scale according to the consumer price index each year, Wilson said. Front Royal has not adjusted the pay scale since then, Town Manager Joseph Waltz said. Cockrell noted that the town didn’t start im-

plementing the study until 2020. But now the town needs to perform a new compensation study, Cockrell said.

The budget also includes $68,910 to cover a new police officer’s salary; $40,545 to cover part of a year’s salary for a deputy clerk of council; $52,540 to convert a water treatment plant maintenance technician position from part-time to full-time.

The town’s cost to provide insurance to employees next fiscal year increases by 1.7%, Wilson said. The town received the information a few weeks ago — the lowest increase Wilson said he’s seen in his time working for Front Royal.

Other spending items include:

• $233,000 for tourism

• $50,000 for the town’s share of drug court cost

• $47,295 for trolley operations

• $30,000 for the Black Box telephone system upgrade

• $24,300 for maintenance on the police department geographic information systems

• $21,000 on special events such as fireworks ($12,000), Festival of Leaves and Halloween ($4,000 each) and National Night Out ($1,500)

• $3,000 for the scholarship program

The proposed budget also includes the following:

• A $230,635 loan payment for the fleet maintenance building rehabilitation project

• $32,440 for the fourth of five lease payments for police bodyworn cameras

• $71,245 for the fifth of 10 loan payments for the police radio system

• A $358,700 loan payment for the police department building (the last payment being due in 2031)

• $216,665 for the second of three installments of the repayment of an economic development access grant

• $148,020 toward a Virginia Resources Authority bond for Warren County

• $26,685 for the sixth payment of 10 on a loan for a street sweeper

Shadows and Colors

Frederick County Middle School teacher investigated for possible misconduct

By CORMAC DODD For The Warren Sentinel

The Frederick County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a Frederick County Middle School teacher who may have had an inappropriate relationship with a student.

“I can conform there is an active investigation. It is in the beginning stages,” said Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer Lt. Warren Gosnell. The teacher has been placed on administrative leave, according to a March 13 FCMS Principal Jerry Putt sent to families and staff.

“This morning, I became aware that one of our teachers and a student may have en-

gaged in an inappropriate relationship,” the letter states. “Both law enforcement and school division staff are following established procedures to investigate the matter and take appropriate action in accordance with the Code of Virginia and school division policy.” The staff member “may be disciplined or terminated if it is determined such action is necessary to protect students,” the letter continues.

No further information was provided in the letter about the alleged incident that purportedly occurred at the school.

FCMS, located at 4661 N. Frederick Pike, is one of four middle schools in the county.

A similar letter was sent in late January to families and staff at James Wood High School, which is one of the county’s three high schools. The letter stated a substitute teacher was under investigation for allegedly having sexual contact with a student. The ex-substitute, Kyle Ray Hendrickson, 37, has since been indicted in Frederick County Circuit Court on two felony counts of indecent liberties with a minor while in a custodial role. The charges stem from an alleged incident at James Wood, court officials have confirmed. Hendrickson has a March 21 hearing scheduled for pretrial motions.

Middletown adding BBQ restaurant to town’s wastewater system

By JIM McINTYRE Special to The

Warren

Sentinel

MIDDLETOWN —

The Middletown Town Council on Tuesday night unanimously approved an agreement to provide wastewater services to Shaffer’s BBQ and Market at 8140 Valley Pike, which will allow the eatery’s owner to increase occupancy capacity by more than 50%.

The town will extend its sewer line and will allow a lateral line connecting to Shaffer’s BBQ, which is located just south of the town limits. The facility currently has a seating capacity of 29. The change will allow seating capacity to expand to 49, according to owner Matt Shaffer.

Middletown Mayor Charles Harbaugh IV said after the council meet-

ing that the action “is big for Matt,” and he praised Shaffer for his numerous contributions to the community. The town recognized Shaffer last year as Middletown’s Citizen of the Year. In the past, Shaffer has fed law enforcement and fire and rescue members free of charge and has held fundraisers for the town’s fire department and other community organizations.

Breanna Waddell, 14, walks along this colorful alley off Main Street in Front Royal.

Wisper caters to coffee-loving commuters

By LAURA RUBY For The Warren Sentinel

Whether you need a morning jolt of caffeine or an afternoon pickme-up, Wisper Coffee is open at the Apple House in Linden and eager to serve.

A years-long labor of love, the coffee truck launched a soft opening Feb. 25 with a menu of carefully cultivated coffee recipes. The truck is owned and operated by long-time friends

Mimi Verrocchio, Erika Zepeda, Vanessa LoStracco, Mallory Brock, Becki Barvick, and Stephen Brock.

“We all got connected through Mallory’s mother-in-law and family members who were searching for the perfect coffee for years,” Zepeda said. “Someone said you should get in touch with these people who have connections to the roaster of the coffee. When they tried it, they knew that that was the right coffee. We really bonded over coffee.”

The right coffee for the venture turned out to be Abbey Roast, a 100 percent gourmet Arabica coffee roasted in small batches by Benedictine Monks at Our Lady of Guadalupe Monastery in Silver City, New Mexico. The monks learned to roast coffee from a master roaster in Brazil, said Verrocchio, Zepeda, and LoStracco.

“Our prized, direct trade, Brazilian gourmet coffee is harvested from a small family-owned plantation located in the mountains of Nova Friburgo, Brazil,” according to the Abbey Roast website, which notes that the monastery is the exclusive importer of the coffee.

The coffee was awarded first prize in the Rio de Janeiro Specialty Coffee Competition for quality, the website says.

“It’s very prestigious to be able to win any coffee competition in Brazil, but especially first prize for the quality of the bean so that’s something to be very

Scavenger hunters seek rocks, community engagement

By LAURA RUBY For The Warren Sentinel

Looking for family-friendly fun on a Friday night? The Warren Coalition has you covered with its No Foolin’ Warren County Rocks Scavenger Hunt on March 31.

Teams will solve riddles, math problems, and other challenges as they scour downtown Front Royal for five elusive, affirmation-painted rocks, said Warren Coalition Executive Director Christa Shifflett.

The Warren Coalition, with its mission to support a safe, healthy, drug-free community for young people, is always looking for ways to build community, Shifflett said. In September 2021, the organization launched its “We See you, Warren County” program, a movement intended to promote community building. The program is “really about recognizing everyone in the community and recognizing that everyone has value,” she said.

The scavenger hunt serves the dual purpose of promoting togetherness while raising money for We See You programming, she said.

den in public places within walking distance of the church. Organizers anticipate that the scavenger hunt will take about an hour to complete.

“Once they find a rock, they’ll complete a challenge,” she said, noting that possible challenges might be tossing a frisbee at a target or completing a nursery rhyme or song lyrics. Points will be earned for the challenge, and teams receive their next clue after completing challenges.

“Everybody’s clues won’t be the same,” she said, adding that “following the crowd is not a good idea. You’re going to lose if you follow the crowd.”

proud of,” said Verrocchio.

The search for the perfect coffee took years of exploring and taste testing and, once they secured the coffee, recipe development began in earnest with more taste testing and tweaking.

Gathering in LoStracco’s Front Royal kitchen, the coffee truck owners recruited “anyone who would give us an opinion” and pumped themselves and their friends full of coffee, the group said laughing. “It was a lot of fun,” said LoStracco.

“We’re picky about our coffee. We worked really hard on the recipes and we think they’re great,” Zepeda,

pointing out that the base for all of the recipes is the award-winning Brazilian coffee.

While the owners enjoyed the creative and tasty exploration of coffee crafting, they were practical in their approach to the business. For instance, starting the business in a beverage truck gives them a lot of flexibility and required a smaller upfront investment.

“We thought a truck was a great way to test locations and also makes us versatile,” Zepeda said. “We can take it to festivals and events. It gives us a little more flexibility in this early phase. We plan for brick and mortar and we’re already looking at brick and mortar, but we’re not going to be hasty. We want to make sure it’s the right location.”

For now, they are pleased with their sweet spot along US 55 at the Apple House, next to the C&C Frozen Treats stand.

Apple House coowner Katie Tewell saw the potential for the coffee truck and the ice cream stand to benefit one another and said C&C owner William Huck was onboard to try the collaboration as well.

“So many people don’t stop for the kids for an ice cream cone, but maybe it would

be more tempting for them if mom could get a cup of coffee while the kids get ice cream. It’s a good pairing,” said Zepeda.

The Apple House location also has the benefit of loads of commuter traffic.

“My husband commutes. He takes [Interstate] 66 every day and we were looking for good coffee on this side of town,” said LoStracco.

The owners have structured their hours around commuters, opening in the mornings and early evenings, and have been pleased that business is already picking up after only a few weeks. Customers can order online and have their coffee ready as they pass through and baristas are sometimes available to deliver the coffee right to the customer’s car, they said.

“We’re still testing as far as what the people want,” Verrocchio said, adding that sugar-free items, milk alternatives, and decaffeinated coffee will be added to the menu based on feedback from customers. “That’s really what’s going to steer us is this feedback because we’re here to serve this community.”

For hours of operation and more information, visit www.wispercoffee.com.

“We were looking for things that would bring the community together,” said Shifflett, explaining how the coalition came up with the idea for its inaugural scavenger hunt. The idea is that groups will bond as they search for rocks with affirmations written on them. “Hunting for rocks was huge during the pandemic and lots of people got into it. This is a chance to do that as a team.”

An entry fee of $100 per team, which can consist of up to four members, and pre-registration by March 26 are required, she said.

Teams will earn points in three categories — amount of money raised, fastest team to collect all rocks, and completing challenges. Prizes will be given for the top team in each category.

“While $100 is all that is needed to qualify for the scavenger hunt, teams are encouraged to continue raising funds. The team that raises the most money will receive a prize and earn additional points towards the overall championship title,” said a press release from Warren Coalition.

Teams will begin their hunt from the fellowship hall at First Baptist Church on First Street in Front Royal. Shifflett said that rocks will be hid-

Having completed the scavenger hunt, teams will return to the church’s fellowship hall for a community showcase, Shifflett said. The showcase will include displays by local organizations, snacks, a trivia contest, a game of resilience bingo, and an awards presentation. The community showcase is free to participants and We See You, Warren County members. The cost is $5 per person for non-members, who can register for the program on site.

Money raised through the scavenger hunt will benefit the coalition’s education outreach programs, such as HALO (Help All Little Ones) Read program, an affiliate of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library that provides a free monthly book to children up to age 4. Shifflett said that 279 children in Warren County currently receive books every month thanks to the program. “It’s a wonderful program. Early literacy is so important for kids to be successful in school so we’re trying to support that.”

To participate in the Scavenger Hunt, gather your team and register online at www. warrencoalition.org.

LAURA RUBY/FOR THE WARREN SENTINEL

Long-time friends, from left, Erika Zepeda, Vanessa LoStracco (with her 6-month-old daughter Siena) and Mimi Verrocchio own and operate the new Wisper Coffee truck along with co-owners Mallory Brock, Becki Barvick and Stephen Brock. The truck, located at the Apple House in Warren County, launched a soft opening on Feb. 25.

LAURA RUBY/FOR THE WARREN SENTINEL

The menu for Wisper coffee truck.

Enjoy the Green

By KIP RITENOUR

Sentinel

The

This weekend is one of the most fun, dangerous, exciting, and fascinating periods on the sports calender.

The NCAA Men’s Basketball tournament begins - March Madness as they call it - and millions of people will be filling out brackets with hopes of winning a national contest or their local hangouts prize and bragging rights.

Pair that with Friday also being St. Patrick’s Day, well, I don’t have to tell you how wild the sports bars will be this weekend.

Lot’s of green. Green clothes, green beer, and green money. Throw in the Grinch, the Incredible Hulk, Kermit the Frog and Frankenstein and that’s about as much green as one could hope for.

A bar on St Patty’s Day doesn’t need any help from becoming a wild and festive place.

Throw in half-drunk patrons screaming at the TV in hopes of helping their teams win and keep their bracket clean and you have an epic party.

By Saturday night those same bars will be still be rocking the green, but many of those brackets sheets will have been thrown in the trash can -hauled away by one of those green Waste Management trucks.

The numbers say around 10 percent of Americans will fill out a NCAA bracket and pump over $100 million dollars into the coffers of casinos and other gambling hotspots.

Everyone has hopes of filling out the perfect bracket. Keep hoping. The odds are 1 in 9.2 quintillion to do so.

You actually have a better shot of winning the lottery, or learning to fly a jet plane with five days training.

Another fact about March Madness and employers don’t like it at all - estimates predict that corporations lose roughly $1.9 billion as a result of workers becoming less productive with their attention diverted to the games being played in the tournament.

But the NCAA and of course beer companies and pizza joints love March Madness.

The NCAA will bring in billions while American beer companies produce and sell between 17-18 million barrels of beer in March.

Pizza orders will increase by 19 percent.

My advice is fill out just one sensible bracket without the help of pre-tournament drinks.

Be conservative. Just to inform but the lowest seed to ever win the tournamnt was No. 8 seed Villanova in 1985.

But don’t become too conservative. Only once, 2008, was the only year that the top four seeds all advanced to the final four.

Win your local bracket and your friends will be green with envy. Probably the guys who filled out 50 brackets.

So good luck, have fun and stay green!

Skyline hoping to take next step

By KIP RITENOUR The Warren Sentinel

FRONT ROYAL - Skyline baseball coach Tyler Settle believes his team was much better than their 8-12 record indicated last season.

Settle points to the Hawks 1-0 loss to Meridian in the regional quarterfinals as an example.

The Mustangs eventually lost

in the state semifinals.

And that is just scratching the surface.

“Last year we were competitive with everyone,” Settle noted. “But we dropped some of the close games against quality opponents. We are right there, we just have to find a way to finish.”

A reason for Settle and Skyline to be optimistic is that the

Hawks will return a good bulk of last year’s squad to the fold, and also Warren County transfer Ryan Curl – one of the Wildcats top pitchers last year.

Among the seven starters returning for the Hawks are senior shortstop Sam Barber, junior second baseman/pitcher Ian

Warren’s new coach wants to restore pride

By KIP RITENOUR The Warren Sentinel FRONT ROYAL – New

Warren

County baseball

coach Michael Detweiler wants to restore the Wildcats program back to their glory days of the past.

After going 5-15 last season, and losing their top pitcher (Ryan Curl) by transfer to Skyline, the task will not be easy for Detweiler.

“I hope to get all my players to buy in and put pride back into the program,” Detweiler said.

“The goal for this upcoming season is to return to the playoffs after missing them for the last few

years.”

Besides Curl transferring, the Wildcats lost their other top pitcher, Will Waller to graduation.

Fronting the Wildcats pitching staff will be seniors Matthew Lynch and Marshall Barton.

Also seeing time on the mound will be senior Landon Pond, sophomores Adam Adlinger, Gavin Dodson, and Seb France, and freshman Landon Shell. Lynch is expected to leadoff and play centerfield when not pitching.

Lady Hawks hope to return to states

By KIP RITENOUR The Warren Sentinel

FRONT ROYAL – The Skyline Hawks softball team had their three-year streak of playing in the Class 3 state tournament snapped after losing to William Monroe in the Region 3B semifinals last season.

Overall the Hawks finished at 15-7. The hope is that this year’s squad will be able to improve and start a new streak for the postseason.

“I think the mindset is to get back to states,” veteran Skyline coach John Ritter said. “We are very capable of doing it, only time will tell.”

The Lady Hawks are boosted by the return a strong nucleus from last year’s

Lady Wildcats look for

By KIP RITENOUR The Warren Sentinel

FRONT ROYAL – The Warren County Wildcats experienced a rare losing season last year.

The Lady ’Cats finished 9-12 after their loss to Goochland in the first round of the regional tournament, but veteran coach Ted McDaniel says he expects his team to show improvemet this spring.

“We are hoping to imprpve last year’s record

since we are returning seven starters and three other players who saw playing time last year,” McDaniel said. “We know we are going to have to pitch, hit, and field better, and hopefully, with the experience gained from travel ball and other offseason workouts we will be more competitive.”

McDaniel says the teams overall experience, including both pitchers

team. Skyline lost two key starters to graduation from last year, All-Region catcher Jillian Shannon, and outfielder Astoria Free.

The Hawks will be led on the mound by senior Peyton Kaufman.

Senior Jamie Kelly will play shortstop and be one of the big bats for the Hawks as well as sub on the mound for Kaufman on occasion.

Other returning starters for Skyline is senior first baseman Ashton Spiker, senior csecond baseman Madison Payne, senior third baseman Olivia Lacombe, and senior leftfielder Madison Jenkins.

Junior Taylor Reel will handle the

coach John Ritter fist bumps senior shortstop Jamie Kelly after a home run last season.

Skyline senior shortstop Sam Barber attempts to field a low throw during last year’s 8-12 season. An experienced Hawks squad is hoping to take another step this year and challenge for the NW District title. Warren transfer Ryan Curl (inset) will help the Hawks rotation.

FILE PHOTO /THE SENTINEL

Injured second baseman PJ Dellinger is just one of four Wildcats that new Warren County coach Mike Detweiler hopes to return to the field this season.

Skyline hopes to shake off winless season

By KIP RITENOUR The Warren Sentinel

FRONT ROYAL – Last season the Skyline Hawks boys soccer team didn’t record a win, going 0-16 for the the season.

Skyline coach Steven Carey lost just two starters from last year’s squad and hopes that the frustration from going winless will spur this team to better things.

“Last season was a rough one,” Carey admitted. “If we take advantage and score a few more goals, we should put ourselves in a great position to create headaches for some teams and come away with a few more victories as well.” Skyline will be led by midfielder and junior captain Dorian Walker. Also starting midfielders for the Hawks will be junior Jayden Banks and sophomore Jonah

New

Walker.

The defense will be led by junior captain Charley Cruz Gonzalex and junior Drew Woodell. Outside defensemen will be senior Donovan Porter-Pomeroy and sophomore Isaias Requeno-Cabrera.

Sophomore Aaron Romo will came off the bench and play all over the field for the Hawks.

Sophomore Kamryn Long will be the Skyline goalkeep.

Newcomers expected to help in the midfield will be freshmen Brady Thompson and Gavin Wilson.

Sophomore Noel Cruz Gonzalez and senior Maxx Presgraves will see time up front of the Hawks attack.

“This year should be a rebuilding one,” said Carey of his young team, “where the boys gain even more experience and confidence.”

coach brings new attitude to Lady Hawks

By KIP RITENOUR

The Warren Sentinel

FRONT ROYAL – Skyline girls soccer coach Marissa Ramirez has been with the program as an assistant coach the past two years.

This year Ramirez will be the Lady Hawks head coach and her number one goal is to improveme the mindset of the team.

“What I hope to bring to the team is a new culture,” Ramirez said. “Positivity and teamwork are essential to continue success and I’m hoping to push the girls into a successful season where we learn from our mistakes and adapt to new challenges.”

Ramirez said the team uses the word ubuntu to describe themselves.

“It means, ‘I am because we are’” Ramirez said. “That reflects my coaching philosophy and the girl’s mentality that we all have something to bring to the table.”

The Hawks, who were 6-10-1 last season, will have to replace the leadership and scoring prowess of Annie O’Fallon, now playing D-1 soccer at Texas A&M Corpus Christi, and Ashlyn Rosati. Also graduated from last year is Morgan Lake and Hanna Edsell.

“I’m going to miss her drive to get goals in the back of the net,” Ramirez said of O’Fallon. “She was a player who wasn’t afraid to go one-on-one with anyone.”

Key returners for the Hawks this

Skyline

Talbott, junior catcher Kaden Rutledge, junior utility/pitcher Cayden Morris, junior outfielder Cameron Morris, and sophomore pitcher/utility Izaiah Matthews.

Kayden Hysong, a starter from a year ago will miss this season with an ankle injury.

Skyline also graduated starters Hunter King, Blake Sibert and Austin Dunlap from last year’s team.

Key newcomers to the

season will be senior defender Taylor Clatterbuck and juniors Madelyn Sperling (GK), Syndey Loy (forward), Christina Keresztesi (midfield/defense), Julianna Williams (midfield/ defense) and Mia Gibson (midfield/ defense).

Key newcomers for the Lady Hawks will be junior forward Angel Mandiak and sophomre midfielders, Grace Berry and Camila Osorio.

“Mandiak is a player that split time last year between varsity and JV, who now has shown she can play full time at the varsity level,” Ramirez said. “She has proved she has what it takes.”

Ramirez says she can already see the changes in the team as the regular season looms.

“We are more disciplined, engaged, and bring a positive mindset to every practice and game,” Ramirez said. “Soccer requires a calm mind while handling quick decisions, and we are getting there as a team and within time, everything else will fall into place.

Ramirez noted that her young team will have to patient as they progress this season.

“It takes time to learn one another and build chemistry between each player, and that is going to be one of our biggest goals this season,” Ramirez said. “Winning and scoring are always the two most common answers any coach can give, but for me, I truly want my players to learn from one another so that they can progress as a team and we build off from there.”

squad besides Curl, who will play third when not pitching are, junior outfielder Tyler Lee, sophomore outfielder Tucker Morris, and freshmen Cameron Kerns (utility/outfield), Brady Kaufman (outfielder), Kaiden Brown (outfielder), and Carl Schmitt Jr. (DH/ third base).

“Our boys have put in a lot of work this offseason,” Settle said, “and are hungry to improve on last year’s performance.”

Sophomore Dillon Lord returns behind the plate and will likely hit second in the lineup.

Andlinger will hit third and play shortstop and Barton will bat cleanup and play third and short when not pitching.

Shell will play second base, Dodson will play third, France will man leftfield and junior Hunter Wines will play first.

Senior Blaine Whited is expected to play rightfield and fill in at third.

Junior Brayden Heflin will also play rightfield for the Wildcats.

Unfortunately, the Wildcats will open the season with four injuries, including Barton. Other injured players is junior second baseman PJ Dellinger, junior Todd Jenkins and senior Joshuua Ebersold.

“I hope the four that are injured will be able to find their way back to the field at some point this season,” Detweiler said. “My hope is that we can stay healthy.”

Settle said that the Hawks strength this season should be their pitching staff.

“We returned three key pieces from our pitching staff (Talbott, Cayden Morris, Matthews) and added another quality arm (Curl) that has lots of varsity experience giving us four quality arms,” Settle said. “Cameron Kerns will also give us some innings this year.”

All-Region shortstop

By KIP RITENOUR

The Warren Sentinel

FRONT ROYAL - The Warren County boys varsity soccer team is coming off a 5-9-2 season from a year ago.

And if the Wildcats hope to improve on that mark they will have to rely on a youthful squad that features plenty of speed.

In all, Warren County graduated 14 seniors, all of whom started at one point last season.

“We’re young, energetic, and looking to build on ball control progression with build up,” Warren County coach Derek Hetz said. “We have speed all over the field.”

Warren does return some experience to the pitch in senior defender Seamus O’Reilly, senior defender Deric Mirkay, junior midfielder Brandon Reynolds, and junior forward Suleman Zeware. Key newcomers to the Wildcats this season are three sophomore midfielders, Carlos Billy, Raymond Corvarrubias and Jonathan Romo.

The Wildcats have four other seniors on the sqaud in Roger Robison, Ethan Register, Dany Perez Domingo, and Jesus Gonzalez.

“We are trying to increase our speed of play with confidence on the ball,” Hetz added.

The Wildcats will host Broadway this Friday.

Lady Wildcats expect to be competitive

By KIP RITENOUR

The Warren Sentinel

FRONT ROYAL – The Warren County girls varsity soccer team finished at 3-13 last season and graduated a handful of productive seniors from that squad.

But coach Grant Lay is optimistic about the upcoming season and expects some of his younger players to step up this spring.

“We have returned five freshmen into sophomores this year so they experienced a good bit of fight last season,” Lay said. “We have a strong midfield and attack coming back so I look for-

ward to being very competitive in most games.”

The Wildcats also will return their leading scorer from last year in sophomore Bridget Hay.

Seniors Holly Resch and Audrey Moya will also add experience to the team.

Another sophomore that Lay said would be big contributor to the team is Addison Hannagin, and junior Annie Hrbek.

Also a pair of freshmen will see time this year as well – Sadie Rosner and Lisa Hoelsher.

Warren County will open its season this Friday when they travel to Broadway.

Lady Hawks

catching duties this season for Skyine while junior Makenna Amos will patrol centerfield.

Newcomers expected to help this season are sophomore Natalee Johnson, sophomore Kyleigh Williams, and senior Riley Look. “We have a good mix,” Ritter said. “A real good balance.”

Barber will lead the Hawks infield this year and hit leadoff.

Matthews, another All-Region selection, will play first and or third when not pitching and hit third in the lineup.

Talbott will play second and bat second and Curl will likely hit cleanup.

Cameron Morris hits fifth and Rutledge will follow. Cayden Morris, Kerns, Schmitt and Morris will round out the starting lineup.

“Barber, Curl and Matthews are three very talented players and are our three captians,” Settle said. “We expect them to lead us throughout the year.”

Curl will head the rotation with Matthews following behind.

“These three have prepared themselves throughout the offseason to have a great season,” Settle said. “The rest of our core returning starters will also have a big

contribution to how much we achieve this year.” Despite a rough outing in their opener on Monday, a shutout loss to Class 4 state runnerup James Wood, Settle thinks the Hawks has what it takes to have a very strong season. “We have the talent and ability to get over the hump,” Settle said, “and make a deep playoff run, as well as compete for some championships along the way.”

Lady ’Cats

from a year ago will help the Wildcats pick up more wins this season.

Juniors Peyton Ahmed and Olivia Kelly will do the bulk of the pitching this year for the Wildcats.

Junior Rebecca Jett could also pitch some innings for Warren this spring.

The Wildcats will have to replace the offensive output of Karleigh Crabill (now playing D-2 at Converse Univeristy in Spartansburg, South Carolina). Crabill led the Wildcats in home runs and RBI last year while serving as team captain.

But the Wildcats have plenty of firepower returning to the lineup including two-time team MVP, senior third baseman Atori Lane, who will bat leadoff.

Senior Sara Waller will bat third and switch over from second to short and senior catcher Madelyn Ramsey will hit cleanup.

Ritter expects the Hawks defense to the the teams strength this spring and he expects his offense to be a good combination of power and speed.

“Most of these (girls) have been together since the eighth grade,” Ritter said of his veteran squad, “and we have some good JV players we could call if need be.”

Jett and sophomore Taylor Wrye will split time at first base with the other being the DH. Both will bat somewhere in the middle of the Wildats order McDaniel said.

Seniors Haley Robinson and Lacie Glascock will start for Warren in the outfield.

Top newcomers will be sophomore outfielder/infielder Ariel Rogers, freshman outfielder Chloee Wrye, and junior infielder Lillian Johns.

FILE PHOTO THE SENTINEL Warren County’s Bridget Hay was the Wildcats leading scorer last season as a freshman. Hay will lead a young Warren County team this season.

FILE PHOTO /THE SENTINEL

Skyline’s Jamie Kelly turns a double play as Warren’s Sara Waller is forced.

Youthful Wildcats will feature plenty of speed

Rockland prayer garden ‘oasis’ nearly complete

By JOSETTE KEELOR For The Warren Sentinel

The prayer garden at Rockland Community Church is nearly complete, and organizers are looking forward to inviting the community for a dedication ceremony from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on April 29.

There, they expect between 500 and 600 attendees, including past ministers and other clergy, past church members and visitors from around the region.

“We’d love for people everywhere to come and see this,” said John Piazza, head deacon and chairman of the church’s board of deacons.

They want the garden to be “an oasis in the midst of the community,” said George McIntyre, chairman of the church board.

The prayer garden has been a two-year project in the making and has cost about $200,000, Piazza said. Members of the church’s Thursday night prayer group first discussed the idea, and Piazza’s late wife Sheron, who had a

landscaping company, modeled the concept for the prayer garden on the couple’s backyard garden oasis in northern Warren County.

The garden, across the street from the church and two doors down from the fellowship hall, is in a field below the church pavilion where Piazza said they sometimes hold special services as well as events.

The main brick pathways of the garden form a cross and surround an 8-by-40-foot koi pond that features a life-size statue of Jesus appearing to walk on the rough waters produced by three small fountains.

Some of the 5,500 bricks are carved with dedications to loved ones, and Piazza said the church hopes to sell at least 1,000 more memorial bricks.

“There’s an incredible story with every step you take around there, and it’s going to get even better,” he said. The additional engraved bricks will “continue the story,” he said.

Additionally, several

RICH COOLEY PHOTO/FOR THE SENTINEL

John Piazza, a member of Rockland Community Church, sits on a bench outside the prayer garden near the intersection of Rockland and Fairground roads in Warren County. The garden was a vision of his church’s Thursday night prayer group. Piazza’s late wife Sheron Smith-Piazza designed the project. It includes a life-sized marble statue of Jesus created to make him appear like he’s walking on rough waters produced by the fountains in a 4-foot deep koi pond. The project is nearing completion, and an April 29 date is set for the dedication ceremony.

small memorial gardens around the walkway will feature hydrangeas, while flowering dogwoods and sunset maples are planned for the field around the garden.

White markers currently outline where 14 Stations of the Cross will find a home around the garden, each with a corresponding brick of donors who have sponsored each station.

There are also large planters to accompany benches where visitors can come and stay awhile.

“It’s a bit inspirational to just walk around and look at it,” said McIntyre. “There’s such a need and a want for reassurance in this world.”

FITS YOUR life

Throughout the winter, he’s noticed visitors stopping by to view the progress of the garden and enjoy the peaceful location that makes use of the Blue Ridge mountain view.

For the dedication, they’ve booked opera singer Melissa Chavez to lead the hymn “In the Garden” and a youth choir to walk over from the church’s fellowship hall singing hymns that include “Down to the River to Pray.”

Refreshments will be available, and everyone is welcome to attend.

For a small church of 100 members and about 60 weekly attendees, the project has been a phenomenal effort, said Piazza.

The nondenominational church, which combined a Methodist church and Baptist church several years ago, has 12 deacons who provide outreach. It recently hired on a new pastor, Rev. William Orndoff and also has an organist, Cindy Martin, as a backup ordained minister for when Orndoff is away.

“This parish is such a loving parish,” Piazza said. “When I walked through the door ten years ago, my life changed.”

Having come from the Catholic Church, he said he and his late wife were invited to visit Rockland one day and never looked back.

“We just felt some-

thing, and we’ve never left,” he said. “There’s this spirit here that when people come, they really feel it.”

He hopes that’s something that visitors will also feel when they visit the garden.

“It really is a ‘Field of Dreams’ kind of thing that a tiny little church could do [a big project] like this,” he said.

“We’ve made an enormous amount of progress,” he said. “[But] wait ‘til you see the flowers in there. It’s gonna be so pretty.”

For more information about the project or the church, call 540-635-8312 or visit https://tinyurl.com/Rockland-Facebook.

churchservices

• Bethel Assembly of God, 111 Totten Lane, worship service and kids’ church, 10:30 a.m. Visit www.bethellife.org or call (540) 635-1826.

• Browntown Baptist Church, 12 Browntown Rd, worship service at 11 a.m. Sunday school at 10 a.m. (540) 635-5924.

• Buckton Presbyterian Church, 2315 Strasburg Rd., Front Royal, Sunday School 10 a.m., worship service 11 a.m. Call 635-5393, or visit Facebook page.

• Calvary Community Chapel of Front Royal, 431 West 14th St., Front Royal, has Sunday Worship Service @ 11 am. Website: www.3cfr.org.

• Calvary Episcopal Church, 132 N. Royal Ave., worship services 8 and 10:30 a.m. Bible study 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, midweek worship with communion 1212:45 p.m. 635-2763.

• The Church at Skyline, Assembly of God, 7655 Stonewall Jackson Hwy., Sunday school 9:30 a.m. and worship service 10:30 a.m. (540) 635-9003.

• Cool Spring Church of God, 3705 Gooney Manor Loop, Browntown, has worship at 11 a.m. Sunday school at 10 a.m. All are welcome. (540) 636-6742.

• Discipleship Community Church, 922 John Marshall Hwy., has worship service at 11:15 a.m. Bible-study groups meet at 10 a.m.

• Dynamic Praise and Worship Center, 1600 John Marshall Hwy., Worship services and children’s classes, Sunday, 10:00 am. Men’s Bible study, Wednesday, 6:30. Evening service Friday, 7:00 pm.

• Fishnet Ministries Church, non-denominational, 391 Fishnet Blvd., Front Royal, has a weekly Sunday worship at 10:30 a.m. Come as you are. (540) 3632961, www.fishnetministries.org.

• First Baptist Church, 14 W. First St., has Sunday school at 9:30 a.m. and worship service at 11 a.m. Wednesday service at 6 p.m. Call (540) 635-2122 or visit firstbaptistfr.org.

• Freedom Baptist Church, 1200 N. Shenandoah Ave., Front Royal, Sunday School 9:45 a.m., morning worship 10:45, and Sunday evening Worship 6 p.m. Bible Study Wednesdays 7 p.m., (540) 692-

4353 or visit freedombchurch. com.

• Front Royal Church of the Brethren, 106 W. 13th Street, holds Sunday School at 10 a.m., and a worship service at 11 a.m. Bible study is on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday each month at 7 p.m., and also Fridays at 10 a.m. 635-2378.

• Front Royal Presbyterian Church, 115 Luray Ave, worship service 11 a.m. Call (540) 6353894 or visit frontroyalpres.org.

• Front Royal United Methodist Church, 1 W. Main St., has worship at 8:30 and 11 a.m., with church school for all ages from 9:45 to 10:45. (540) 635-2935.

• Good Shepherd Evangelical Lutheran Church, 18 W. 6th St., has worship at 9:30 a.m. Refreshments and fellowship follow. Sunday school at 11 a.m. Visit goodshepherdfrontroyal.org.

• Grace Bible Fellowship, 15 Faith Way, Sunday school 9:30 a.m., worship 10:45 a.m. All-ages Bible study at 7 p.m. Wednesday. Visit gracebibleva.com.

• Hope Free Will Baptist Church, 75 Cedar Park Court, Sunday school at 9:45 a.m., worship at 11. All-ages Bible study at 7 p.m. Wednesday. Call (540) 6361081. Van service for pick up. Call Dawn at (540) 622-2236.

• Living Waters Christian Church, 72 N. Lake Ave., has Sunday school at 10 a.m., worship service at 11 a.m. Call (540) 622-6320.

• Linden United Methodist Church, 13460 John Marshall Hwy., in Linden, offers Sunday morning worship service at 9:30 a.m., under Reverend Terry Hendricks. (540) 636-9497.

• Marlow Heights Baptist Church, 517 Braxton Rd., Front Royal, offers holds Sunday worship services in the sanctuary at 11 a.m. For those who cannot attend, watch the sermons on both the MHBC YouTube Channel and Facebook page on Sunday mornings. Call 635-2339.

• Mount Olive Baptist Church, 7893 Senseney Ave., Middletown, has Sunday school at 10 a.m. and worship service at 11 a.m. Thursday night prayer is held at 7 p.m. Call (540) 667-7081.

• Mount Vernon Baptist Church, 240 Church St., has Sunday school at 9:30 a.m. and worship at 11. a.m. Noon Day Prayer on

Wednesdays. Call (540) 6355612 for details.

• New Hope Bible Church, 80 North Lake Ave., Front Royal. Morning worship at 9:30, Sunday school at 11. (540) 636-8838

• Rivermont Baptist Church, 575 Catlett Mountain Rd., has Sunday school at 9:30 a.m. and worship at 11. Wednesday service at 7 p.m. Visit rivermontchurch.com for more details.

• Riverton United Methodist Church, 55 E. Strasburg Rd., 10:30 am. Family Worship with Children’s Church. Visit us on Facebook or at RivertonUMC.org.

• Rockland Community Church, 2921 Rockland Rd., Front Royal, has Sunday school at 10 a.m., followed by worship service and children’s church at 11 a.m. Bible Study is offered Sunday evening at 6 p.m., and again Wednesday at 11 a.m. Visit www.rocklandcommunitychurch.org or call 635-8312 for further details.

• Royal Oak Community Church, 461 South St., has worship service at 11 a.m. at 461 South St. Visit royaloakchurch.com.

• Second Guildfield Baptist Church, 230 W. Duck Street, has services at 11 a.m. with Sunday School at 10 a.m. Bible school and Bible study every Monday, from 6-7 p.m. 837-2044.

• St. John the Baptist Roman Catholic Church, 120 West Main St., has Saturday Vigil Masses at 5 PM and 7 PM (Spanish) and Sunday Masses at 7 AM, 8:30 AM, 10:30 AM and 5 PM. Novus Ordo Mass at 10:30 AM and Tridentine Mass at 12:30 PM visit sjtb.org.

• Shenandoah Farms Baptist Church, 5852 Howellsville Road, has Sunday school at 9:45 a.m. and worship service at 11. Bible study at 6 p.m. Wednesday. Call 837-2295 for further details.

• Skyline Baptist Church, 1200 John Marshall Hwy., has services at 9:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. Sunday school at 11 a.m. Call (540) 6354212 or visit skylinebaptist.us.

Church listings and events are printed free Submissions may be sent to: accounting@ pagenewspaper.com or editor@ pagenewspaper. com.

RICH COOLEY PHOTO/FOR THE SENTINEL

A brick paver that John Piazza purchased to honor his late wife Sheron is one of several memorial bricks that make up the walkway of the prayer garden at Rockland Community Church in Warren County.

* What’s in a gut bacterium? Possibly more than you might expect: Studies have shown that the types and amounts of such bacteria might influence your appetite, your food preferences and even the way nutrients are processed and stored in your body.

* While fish can cough, they don’t sneeze.

* Michael Jordan was nicknamed “Magic” in high school after Los Angeles Lakers icon Magic Johnson.

* In June 2022, the New York Public Library donated half a million books to kids under 18 so they could start their own personal book collections. Collecting and reading books has been found beneficial to learning, stress relief and even future success.

* And speaking of libraries, they’re not always just for books: The Buffalo Tool Library in Buffalo, New York, allows members to take out tools for home improvement, gardening and repair projects.

* Provincial law in Quebec prohibits a woman from taking her husband’s surname after marriage.

* Actor Morgan Freeman, after serving in the U.S. Air Force, got his first paid job in show business as a dancer at the 1964 World’s Fair.

* After having a double mastectomy in her senior years, the ever-outspoken Alice Lee Roosevelt Longworth, eldest child of President Theodore Roosevelt, took to referring to herself as “Washington’s only topless octogenarian.”

* Dolbear’s Law, which states the connection between air temperature and the rate at which crickets chirp, is accurate to within about one degree Fahrenheit for the field cricket.

* The Chinese video sharing and streaming site Bilibili used 1,500 drones to create a light show celebrating the first anniversary of the release of mobile game Princess Connect! Re:Dive, which was followed by a huge QR code to download the game.

Thought for the Day: “A champion is afraid of losing. Everyone else is afraid of winning.”

Jean King

-- Billie

1. Is the book of Galatians (KJV) in the Old or New Testament or neither?

2. In how many verses is the specific name of Satan used in the Old Testament (KJV)? 0, 1, 15, 174

3. From Genesis 36, which city was Esau’s home base? Petra, Tyre, Gilgal, Perga

4. Which of these persons hid in a cave while God passed by? Noah, Moses, Abraham, Jonah

5. From Esther 5, who/what was Zeresh? King of

Community Events & Announcements

Pancake Breakfast

FREE (offerings accepted). Riverton United Methodist Church, 55 E. Strasburg Road, Front Royal. Held on the third Saturday each month. Everyone welcome! Pancakes, sausage, scrambled eggs, biscuits, sausage gravy, juice and coffee. Every third Saturday through May (and planned to resume later in the year). Next pancake breakfast: Saturday, March 18, 7am – 10a.m. Riverton Church Fellowship Hall, 55 E. Strasburg Road, Front Royal. For more information, follow the church on Facebook or email riverton@rivertonumc.org.

Donations Needed

Thermal Shelter, a Front Royal shelter that provides housing to homeless adult men and women through the winter months, is need of the following items: Boxer briefs (all sizes); Women’s underwear (all sizes); women’s deodorant; hair brushes; gently used/new boots; slippers; sweat pants/shirts. Thermal Shelter is located in the back parking lot of the Front Royal Presbyterian Church (115 Luray Ave). Donations may be dropped off any day after 6pm. For more information, follow them on Facebook at @thermalshelterfrontroyal or call (540) 892-6108.

Tax Help

Free federal, state and local tax preparation is available at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 18 W. 6th St., Front Royal. For appointments call 540-635-5859.

FREE STI Testing

Samuels Public Library, 330 East Criser Road, Front Royal, has partnered up with the AIDS Response Effort, Inc. (ARE) in Winchester to provide free testing for many STI’s, including Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Syphilis, Hepatitis B and C. Testing is available every first Wednesday of the month from 1pm to 4pm. Walkins are welcome and encouraged! For more information, call the library at (540) 635-3153 or visit them on Facebook at @samuelspubliclibrary.

Shenandoah National Park Status Alerts

Subscribers to SHENALERTS will get emergency notifications and significant event texts. These alerts will include hazardous situations, road closures on Skyline Drive, wildland fires, and other significant incidents that may affect visitors’ time in Shenandoah National Park. To subscribe, text SHENALERTS to 888777. Subscribers may opt in and out at any time. No subscriber information is retained and text content will be specific to the channel they choose. Skyline Drive status can also be tracked via the park Facebook and Twitter feeds, or by calling 540-9993500, option 1, option 1.

Front Royal Town Council Meetings

Regular Town Council Meetings are held at the Warren County Government Center (220 N. Commerce Avenue) at 7 p.m. on the 4th Monday

of every month. Dates and location are subject to change due to holidays and unforeseen circumstances. Citizens are encouraged to attend the Town Council meetings to experience firsthand the operation of Town government and learn about issues confronting their elected officials.For more information, contact 540-6358007 or visit www.frontroyalva.com.

Shenandoah National Park Camping Alerts

A separate information channel has been established that allows subscribers to track campground availability. To subscribe, text SHENCAMP to 888777. On weekends, subscribers will receive an early afternoon text about the number of available campsites at each campground. An additional text will be sent when each campground fills. Subscribers may opt in and out at any time. No subscriber information is retained and text content will be specific to the channel they choose.

AA, NA & AL-ANON Meetings, Luray

AA, NA AND AL ANON MEETINGS Al Anon, AA and NA meetings are conducted Mondays through Sundays at 23 W. Main Street in Luray. The schedule is as follows: Mondays, noon and 8 p.m. for AA; Tuesdays, noon AA and 7:30 p.m. NA; Wednesdays, noon AA and 6:30 p.m. Al Anon; Thursdays, noon AA and 8 p.m. NA; Fridays, 9 a.m AA meeting for women, noon and 8 p.m. AA; Saturdays, noon NA and 7 p.m AA; and on

Sundays, 10 a.m. AA

Front Royal Text Alerts

Did you know that you can sign up for texts and email alerts from the town of Front Royal, for FREE? Visit the Town’s website and sign up today! https://www.frontroyalva.com.

AA Meetings in Page County

AA MEETINGS Alcoholics Anonymous meets from 8-9 p.m. every Wednesday at the Kibler Library, 140 E Main St, in Stanley. Those attending are asked to use the back entrance.

Warren County BOS Meetings

Board of Supervisors meetings are held on the first and third Tuesdays of each month at 7:00 p.m. and the Fourth Tuesday of each month at 6:00 p.m. with the following exceptions: July – No Regular Meeting held on first Tuesday; November –First Meeting held on the Wednesday following Election Day (if applicable); December – The only Meeting will be held on the second Tuesday at 7:00 p.m., EST. For more information, contact (540) 636-4600 or visit warrencountyva.gov.

Submissions:

Send in your community events to Tracy at accounting@pagenewspaper. com. Please include your contact information, in case we have any questions! The deadline for submissions each week is Monday at noon.

3 years old and seems to be cat friendly and she likes head scratches and belly rubs.

815 Remount Road 636-6143

Miss Ginger is just too cute. She loves attention and being loved on, she will curl up and look at you with those big beautiful eyes until she gets what she wants.

Bullet is 113 pounds of teenager energy, appetite and some anxiety. He loves to run and play with other dogs but is nervous meeting new people. He turned 1 year old in December and you’ll never guess his breed makeup! We have his DNA results posted to our Facebook page if you’d like to take a look! This big loveable floppy boy is here waiting on his happily ever after so come scoop him up. Bullet cannot live with cats.

Jo Dirt

Hank is a good boy and is working on manners. At only 6-7 months old he’s gone from living in motels to in and out of the shelter. Imagine the confusion! We truly love Hank so much and just know he’s gonna make someone truly happy like he does us. Come adopt this playful pup and you’ll have a friend for life!

Harper is a big goofy girl who loves to play with her toys and go on long walkies! Harper is a 5 year old Akita/ Bulldog mix who is looking for her furever family. She is spayed, up to date on vaccinations, microchipped, and 4DX tested but does need to be your one and only pet in the home.