May 5, 2023

Front Royal council members show support for town EDA

By ALEX BRIDGES

For the Warren Sentinel

Most of Front Royal’s elected leaders say they back the town’s economic development authority — at least for now.

Town Council members and the mayor discussed at their work session on Monday the status and direction of the Front Royal Economic Development Authority. The town created its own EDA several years ago, independent of

the Front Royal-Warren County Economic Development Authority, which was at the time embroiled in financial and legal challenges centered on an alleged embezzlement scandal.

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, each expressing their views on the

Apple House celebrates 60 years

George McIntyre, coowner of the Apple House, pulls off pork butts out of the indoor smoker. The Apple House generally smokes 600-700 pounds of pork butts a week. During the fall season, it doubles to over 1,200 pounds a week. Pork barbecue is their top selling sandwich.

Obituaries

Front Royal EDA. A consensus of members voiced support for maintaining Front Royal EDA (FREDA). Town

See EDA >> A2

By ASHLEY MILLER

For the Warren Sentinel

Every small town has a place that’s a gathering spot for locals and tourists to come together, enjoy a home-cooked meal, and talk about what’s happening around the neighborhood. In Linden, that’s The Apple House on John Marshall Highway. For co-owners George McIntyre and Katie Tewell, it’s more like home.

Founded in 1963, The Apple House served as an apple packing facility. McIntyre’s stepfather and a local orchardist purchased the building that now serves as The

Front

Royal council changes zoning rule for church cemeteries

By ALEX BRIDGES

For the Warren Sentinel

A Front Royal congregation wants to bury its pastor near the church he founded and led for more than 20 years.

The Front Royal Town Council took action at a special meeting on Monday that lets Dynamic Life Ministries take the next step toward interring the late Walter Carlton Rogers on its property on John Marshall Highway. Council members voted 6-0 in favor of approving changes to the zoning ordinance to allow cemeteries by permit in a residential district. The church property is zoned R-3 Residential.

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 voted in favor of the zoning ordinance changes following a public hearing. Mayor Lori A. Cockrell attended the meeting, but she votes only in the event of a tie.

Morris and Rappaport expressed support for expediting the approval process for the special-use permit the church would need to bury the late pastor. Members agreed to take up the permit soon. Cockrell on Tuesday called a special meeting for May 22 to take up the church’s special-use permit.

Rappaport and Morris also commented on the long process.

“I’m ashamed and sad that the government is involved in it and takes this long to do something of this nature, especially when you’re trying to mourn and honor,” Morris said.

Former councilman Gary L. Gillispie spoke at the public hearing about Rogers.

“He loved children in this community so much and this would be the honorable thing to let them do,” Gillispie said and noted that time is also a concern. “I would just love for you guys to push this along.”

Eloisa “Elvi” Rogers, the late pastor’s widow and now senior pastor at Dynamic Life Ministries, spoke about the church leader.

“He’s in heaven with the Lord,” Eloisa Rogers said. “He’s alive, just in a different place, so

See Apple >> A3 See Zoning >> A2

Photos by Rich Cooley/For the Sentinel

Katie Tewell, left, co-owner of the Apple House, makes their famous apple cinnamon donuts while Laytonis Caison, right, assistant manager, looks on. The Apple House will make 2,000 donuts on a typical weekend and 4,000-6,000 a day during the fall season.

Peggy Wayland, 86, Manassas, Va Vivian L. McEathron, 90, Front Royal, Va.

Authorities: Man kills himself amid sexual abuse claims

By ALEX BRIDGES

For the Warren Sentinel Warren County authorities say a man shot and killed himself on Monday in response to allegations he sexually abused two children.

The Warren County Sheriff’s Office received a report on Monday from an out-of-

EDA

Attorney George Sonnett advised that council now needs to make three appointments to the FREDA board of directors — two expired terms and one vacancy created by a resignation. No members of the FREDA board attended the work session.

Virginia’s General Assembly enacted legislation April 9, 2020, that allowed Front Royal to create its own economic development authority. The council on Feb. 22, 2021, formally established the town’s EDA effective March 15 that year. The council appointed then-Town Manager Steven Hicks to oversee the EDA as its executive director, which it announced in a Feb. 23, 2021, news release. Council did not appoint the seven-member board until Dec. 12, 2021. The board had its first meeting Jan. 20, 2022.

The FREDA board has not met since July. On Aug. 8, three council members and then-Mayor Christopher W. Holloway voted to fire Hicks. The EDA’s future remained uncertain. In the months that followed, then-Assistant Town Manager Kathleen Leidich stepped in as interim head administrator only to re -

Zoning

I speak of him in the present tense, but (he) truly has a heart for the down-andout and, as Gary mentioned, was actively involved in our pregnancy center here, the Phoenix Project, Salvation Army.”

He donated to the local food bank and helped the House of Hope shelter, she said.

“He truly had a heart for any need that someone in the community would have,” Eloisa Rogers said.

The late pastor said he wanted to make Dynamic Life a place for people in need to come for help, Eloisa Rogers said. She listed ways in which her late husband

state resident concerning the alleged sexual abuse of two children involving a relative of theirs, according to an agency press release.

The Sheriff’s Office also received information that the father of one victim was enroute to confront the alleged abuser and that firearms may be involved, the release states.

Deputies went to the suspect’s address based on the potential for escalating violence with weapons, according to the release.

Deputies arrived at the scene near the 4000 block of Remount Road where they found a vehicle parked by the property’s edge. Deputies discovered an injured man with

a suspected gunshot wound to the head, the release states. Deputies attempted life-saving measures and called for emergency medical services.

Emergency responders took the victim to Warren Memorial Hospital where he was pronounced dead, the release states. The Sheriff’s Office did

not release the names of the shooting victim, or the person reported to be traveling to the county to confront him.

The Sheriff’s Office considers the incident an isolated matter and evidence suggests the death is likely to be a self-inflicted response to the sexual abuse allegations, with no evidence indicating other-

wise, the release states. The Sheriff’s Office does not plan to release more details about the ongoing investigation because the initial report of abuse involved children, the release states. Authorities ask that anyone with relevant information about this case to contact Investigator Clark McDaniel at 540-635-7100 ext. 3.

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sign at the end of November. Council hired Joseph Waltz as town manager — the position he held several years earlier. FREDA board Chairman Rick Novak approached the council publicly more than once asking where they stood on the authority’s future but did not receive a definitive response. Council members said only that they would discuss the matter at future meetings.

At Monday’s work session, Cockrell asked Waltz to contact the FREDA board members and find out if they want to continue to serve. If the two members whose terms expire do not wish to be reappointed, Cockrell said the council may need to have three new directors train. Waltz said he would poll the FREDA members on their willingness to continue and the town would need to advertise for at least one director.

Not all council members wanted to keep the FREDA going. Rogers proposed that the council “do away” with the town’s EDA.

“I think it’s a tool that was misused at the time and I think it’s a distraction for our community,” Rogers said.

Rappaport suggested council members hold off on deciding whether or not to keep the town’s EDA and wait to see how it “evolves.”

“I don’t have a fear of ... the other board right now,” Rappaport said. “I don’t know if anyone sitting at this table has any concerns about that but I do believe that we could go further if we found a way to work together.”

But Rogers questioned the town EDA’s creation in the first place.

“As I’ve said before, I think FREDA was established in a time period that is of serious concern to me in terms of the individuals who were involved,” Rogers said. “I think decisions were made that I would question today.

“I think ... we need to take a look at FREDA as an entity,” Rogers said. “My feedback from my community, which is extensive on this subject, this very subject, is that the business leaders that I have spoken to as well as the residents feel like we’re wasting our time with FREDA.”

Sealock suggested that the council let FREDA use the money allocated to the authority and see what

it does for a year. Morris pointed out that three council members, but not Sealock, supported the idea at their last meeting. Ingram expressed support for the direction.

DeDomenico-Payne said she also had concerns about redundancy. None of the current council members were in office when the town took steps to create FREDA, Morris noted. She went on to say that members can’t know what the EDA, similar to tourism, will produce for the town.

“I will say that the people who were appointed prior to my time on council are very respected, successful businessmen who have high reputations in the community, from the people that I’ve heard from and I don’t think it’s fair, much like tourism, that they were appointed, whoever appointed them, and they were held hostage,” Morris said.

Morris said she trusts the town staff and the EDA members, the latter of whom she thinks would dissolve the entity if they felt they were on a “sinking ship.”

DeDomenico-Payne said she supported the suggestion that the council let

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FREDA continue to operate during this “exploratory” period.

Morris commented that the FREDA worked handin-hand with the Front Royal-Warren County EDA until that relationship came to a “screeching halt” when several council members resigned last year. Morris said she generally opposes government-involvement in economic development, although it can support that effort.

“It is a risk and we’ve

been burned before and we still aren’t over that, unfortunately,” Morris said.

“I feel like at this point it would be irresponsible,” Morris said. “We paid to train them.”

Cockrell said she supported the creation of the town EDA. She pointed out that the Virginia General Assembly showed its support for the initiative by passing legislation that enabled the town to create its own EDA.

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and the church helped the community.

Eloisa Rogers recalled that when her husband died, and the family was making funeral arrangements at a local cemetery, her eldest daughter suggested they bury him at Dynamic Life church. Eloisa Rogers said she hadn’t thought of that, so family and the church congregation started the process to seek the town’s approval.

“It was so important to us that we could have a place that our church family and generations to come can hear about this great man and have a place to honor him,” Eloisa Rogers said.

Strasburg resident Sarah Kessler said Rogers changed her life. She said to have a place at Dynamic Life to honor the man would mean a lot to the staff, his family and other people he helped. Also at the special meet-

ing, council members approved an amendment to the town code to make the real and personal property taxes effective upon their passage in April instead of the July 1 beginning of a new fiscal year.

The Warren Sentinel (USPS 666-400) is published weekly by The Warren Sentinel, 429 North Royal Ave., Front Royal VA 22630. Periodical postage Paid at Harrisonburg, Va., and additional mailing offices.

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Busal Pub and gift store; the original doors, used to fill up the trucks, remain today as part of the Pub’s decor.

“It’s been fun all along,” McIntyre, The Apple House’s CEO, said. “One of the most important things for me, when you talk about The Apple House, is that we are a family. Even back then, some of those same people that worked at the orchard worked here, and on and on that story goes. It’s a family business, emphasis on family.”

On Saturday, the family-owned restaurant and gift shop will celebrate 60 years of serving the community with food, live entertainment, and kid’s activities at their Beer, Bacon & Butts Bash from noon-6:00p.m. General admission is free. Beer admission which includes a souvenir cup, two beer tickets, and a pulled pork tasting, while supplies last is $20.

In the early days of The Apple House, they sold many of the same items they sell today: donuts, country ham sandwiches, and apple cider. They no longer sell apples, McIntyre said, because like all small businesses, they’ve had to evolve. They became a popular stop for both locals and tourists alike, as there wasn’t much in Linden at the time.

“We expanded our operation a bit and served more food, as an example,” he explained. “And became more of a destination ... because for

one, the apples we had, but for the products we also had. We grew and learned as we went along.”

McIntyre noted that the expansion of Interstate 66 into the area in the ‘80s not only helped The Apple House grow but also the Valley. Tourism began to boom; The Apple House partnered with the Virginia is for Lovers campaign, offering popular products for guests to take back home.

McIntyre noted that they are well known not only in the United States but internationally as well.

Catering was a major aspect of The Apple House back in the day. But as Tewell was out in the community, she said she began to realize there was a bigger need for food trucks, especially at wineries and breweries. Fork’d, The Apple House’s food truck is entering its seventh year. She said it is nice to be able to attend local festivals, breweries, and wineries. While The Apple House no longer caters, Tewell said it was an important part of the puzzle, as it allowed them to get their name out and grow.

“It’s been amazing,” she said. “To be able to go where people want and need us. It also lets me get out of the building, which I appreciate some days.”

The Busal Pub, entering its fifth year, was introduced when Tewell said she recognized that there was no alcohol on the premises. As Vir-

ginia continues to grow its beer and wine market, The Apple House felt like it was important to jump on the bandwagon. They pride themselves on only serving Virginia-based beer and wine.

“Like Dad said, Virginia is where we are. There’s so

much to be proud of, so why not limit it ” Tewell and her siblings grew up in The Apple House. She has fond memories of helping her dad at an early age and has found her footing over the years. Similar to McIntyre, Tewell does a little

bit of everything. Recalling some of their favorite moments, the duo laughed about the time they installed a coffee machine that connected to the water line. Tewell said it was like hitting the jackpot. Other favorite memories include coloring donut boxes during the pandemic for guests, the time the kitchen didn’t have AC, and anything that involved their family — immediate or extended.

While looking back on the past 60 years, McIntyre recalled the 1993 fire that left much of The Apple House destroyed. While recovering, the family quickly learned to pivot, something Tewell said they had to do once again during the COVID-19 pandemic. In roughly 36 hours, Tewell said they pivoted their business plan and made sure all 35 employees remained employed.

“We’ve always wanted to know what can we do next, how can we grow, how can we make it better,” Tewell said. “As much as it is for ourselves to succeed, it’s also for

our staff.”

Encouraging and supporting their staff is something Tewell and McIntyre take to heart. Tewell said that, over the years, they have found unique ways to thank their employees. Most recently, she took the managers on a trip to the Bahamas.

“It’s because they’re important to us,” McIntyre said. “We truly believe what goes around comes around.’ We hear it all the time; there are too many whiners not enough doers. Think of it like a farmer, you reap what you sow.”

McIntyre admits they made mistakes along the way. But supporting their local community is one thing he said they have always enjoyed.

“We got involved in all sorts of things in the community. For instance, the Chamber of Commerce is such a vital organization. We played roles there that were helpful. And we also got to know our neighbors better,” McIntyre explained. “One of the biggest things we have found with our family is we’re first of all truly family oriented. And we share a lot of love. So, with that thought, we found the same in our community.”

McIntyre said it’s not like going to work every day at The Apple House. Tewell agreed.

“It’s kind of like a love of life,” he said. “It’s like going where you love, with the people you love.”

The future of The Apple House is entering its fourth generation. Tewell has her thinking cap on for another big project, but she’s not sure exactly what it is. A distillery has been in the back of her mind, along with more parking.

“We feel like we are truly blessed in life,” McIntyre said. “God’s given us things, and opportunities to do things, that we would never have dreamed it. It’s just, so heartwarming to know how much we’re supported in this community.”

To learn more about The Apple House and the 60th-anniversary celebration, visit www.theapplehouse.net or find them on Facebook.

Rich Cooley/For the Sentinel

The Apple House stocks wines from 12 different Virginia wineries inside their gift shop.

Rich Cooley/For the Sentinel

The Apple House Restaurant and Gift Shop, located at 4675 John Marshall Highway in Linden.

Warren County Sheriff’s Office to bury unclaimed cremains

By LAURA RUBY

For the Warren Sentinel

When Warren County Sheriff Mark Butler took office in January of 2020, he inherited the unclaimed cremains of several people. His office recently announced plans for the burial of those cremains.

“When Sheriff Butler came into office, a number of bodies were already in the property room and we needed to find a respectful way to dispose of their cremains,” said Sgt. Terry Fritts of the Warren County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO), noting that there are currently 19 unclaimed cremains in the possession of the office. “We didn’t really know what the proper protocol should be. There’s no manual to say how you’re supposed to property dispose of the cremains. And since the Sheriff had inherited so many, we didn’t know how the previous Sheriff had handled it. This was an initiative of Butler’s to get them buried.”

Next week, WCSO will

take part in a veterans’ burial for one couple, and has plans to bury the remaining cremains at Prospect Hill Cemetery at the end of the month, Fritts said.

Fritts explained that when an individual dies, local authorities attempt to notify their next of kin. In cases when a family member or friend does not step forward to claim the person, Virginia law dictates that their body is transferred to the Sheriff’s Office, which is then responsible for disposing of the body properly. Typically, unclaimed bodies are cremated and held in storage, Fritts said, noting that how the cremains are

handled from there depends on the jurisdiction.

As the Sheriff’s Office approached the issue, officials wanted to determine if any of those unclaimed individuals had a military service background, Fritts said, adding that he reached out to Skip Rogers of the Able Forces Foundation in Front Royal who helped connect him to the Missing in America Project (MIAP).

Launched nationwide in 2007, MIAP is a non-profit created to locate, identify and inter the unclaimed cremains of American veterans. The MIAP visits funeral homes, mortuaries, and Sheriff’s Offices, across the country in search of

the unclaimed cremains of veterans and their eligible dependents, said Forrest Lingenfelter, Virginia’s coordinator for the project.

“When we find those unclaimed cremains entitled to a burial at a national or state veteran cemetery, we see to it that they receive what they’ve earned, with honor,” Lingenfelter said. “In Virginia, we have so far been to 145 funeral homes, mortuaries, and Sheriff’s Offices, and located 958 unclaimed cremains. Of those, we’ve identified and laid to rest 231 veterans and 29 spouses. We currently have 12 more that will be laidto-rest within the next few months.”

After a search of military records, MIAP identified two unclaimed people at the Warren County Sheriff’s Office who are eligible for that service. Marine Sgt. Edward Anthony Bonjonia, Jr., and his wife, Arlene Francis Bonjonia, died three months apart in 2017 and will be put to rest in a veterans’ ceremony next week.

On Friday, May 12 at 9:30a.m., representatives from the WCSO and the MIAP will lead a funeral procession from the Sheriff’s Office on Skyline Vista Drive in Front Royal to the Culpeper National Cemetery to bury the couple, Fritts said. Local veterans’ groups and the public are

invited to participate in the procession, but must attend a safety briefing that morning scheduled for 9:15a.m., Fritts said. The burial ceremony will follow at the cemetery at 11a.m.

The Sheriff’s Office is working with one family to reunite them with the unclaimed cremains of their loved one. And plans to bury the remaining 16 unclaimed cremains at Prospect Hill Cemetery in Front Royal in a simple ceremony at 1p.m. on Friday, May 26.

“We have a grave there that will be dedicated to all the unclaimed bodies of Warren County,” Fritts said, adding that the burials are some of the first of their kind in the area. He said WCSO reached out to other agencies to learn how they handle the process and will likely model the local program after one in Prince William County where there is an annual burial of unclaimed cremains.

For information or the names of unclaimed cremains at the WCSO, call Fritts at 540-635-4128.

Warren County judge affirms manslaughter sentence

By ALEX BRIDGES

For the Warren Sentinel

FRONT RO AL A man failed to convince a judge to reduce his 20-year prison sentence for accidentally killing a motorcyclist in 2021.

Judge Clark Ritchie sentenced Charles Corathers in Warren County Circuit Court on Feb. 6 to serve 20 years in the state penitentiary, with no time suspended, for one count of aggravated involuntary manslaughter.

and, if granted, what should the new punishment be.

Ritchie denied the motion to reconsider the punishment based on the defense argument that the guidelines do not apply.

“I have been absolutely aware of what guidelines I was operating under,”

Corathers

Corathers, while under the influence of fentanyl, drove a 2006 Ford Focus on June 6, 2021, that crossed the center line on Va. 55 (Strasburg Road) near Fort Valley Road and hit an oncoming motorcycle, according to authorities. Court records show that the motorcyclist, John L. Cunningham, 33, of Strasburg, died from multiple blunt force injuries as a result of the collision. Cunningham was wearing a helmet.

Corathers, 32, of Rivermont Acres Drive, Front Royal, pleaded guilty to the charge and to two drug offenses on Sept. 16 and left it up to the judge to determine punishment. Ritchie also sentenced Corathers to 10 years with eight years suspended for possession of cocaine; the same term for possession of fentanyl, and 12 months in jail for driving under the influence of drugs.

Corathers’ attorney Howard Manheimer filed a motion to reconsider the “fundamentally unfair” sentence. Manheimer argued that the court used inappropriate sentencing guidelines more than double the recommended high that apply to a second-degree murder conviction, not aggravated involuntary manslaughter.

Harrisonburg attorney Tiffany Hickerson represented Corathers at the hearing, having replaced Manheimer about two weeks earlier. Warren County Assistant Commonwealth Attorney Ilona White prosecuted the case. At the hearing on Friday, Ritchie addressed the motion in two parts: whether or not the court should grant the request for reconsideration

Ritchie said. “I spent an extraordinary amount of time considering those guidelines and reviewing those guidelines that were made part of the pre-sentence investigation, which I had well-prior to trial and reviewed wellprior to trial.”

Ritchie pointed out that judges may consider but do not have to follow state sentencing guidelines.

“I absolutely and unequivocally did consider (the guidelines),” Ritchie said. “I also considered other facts and circumstances that I believed, and still believed, that warranted a deviation from the guidelines like you mentioned and so I stand by that.”

Ritchie went on to say he felt Manheimer “very capably” represented Corathers.

“He was extremely familiar with the case,” Ritchie said. “He was passionate in his arguments in his advocacy for his client.”

Hickerson had said the court should reconsider the sentence and impose a punishment within the guidelines. The state sentencing guidelines recommended that Corathers serve a maximum of 10 years in prison. Hickerson said that the court should consider information about Corathers’ background, specifically that he lived with a drug-addicted mother and stepfather, which the defense did not present at sentencing.

White argued that the court advised Corathers that he was pleading guilty to the charges without a plea agreement and would be sentenced to the maximum allowed by state law. White addressed Manheimer’s argument that the court used sentencing guidelines for second-degree murder, not manslaughter.

“The commonwealth would submit that, no, we can’t charge second-degree murder because that doesn’t

fit the elements for an aggravated DUI because of the issue of intent,” White said. “The court acknowledged that he did not intend to go out and kill anybody. However, that was the result of his actions.”

In addressing Ritchie’s decision to sentence above the guidelines, the court took into account the testimony of witnesses at the nearly three-hour sentencing hearing, White said.

The court also considered Corathers’ prior convictions and took notice that he denied having substance abuse problems and failed to take the opportunities for rehabilitation, White said.

Hickerson said the court did not hear from witnesses who would have spoken on behalf of Corathers.

“This court does not know his upbringing,” Hickerson said. “This court does not know him as a person. This court knows him of his acts that he has done, criminal behavior.

“This court does not know what led to this criminal behavior,” Hickerson

said. “This court does not know about his drug-addiction problems, and that is what I would like to present to the court today, evidence-wise, is not excuses but situations that led to Mr. Corathers’ decisions ...”

Ritchie asked Hickerson why the defense did not present the information at Corathers’ sentencing. Hickerson noted that she did represent Corathers at that time but she understood that his previous attorney thought the present report included the defendant’s background information. Hickerson said she did not feel the report addressed Corathers’ background.

Ritchie asked Hickerson why Corathers’ upbringing didn’t come up at sentencing.

“ our honor, I don’t think Mr. Corathers completely realized that the upbringing he had was not normal per se and, however, in speaking with his sister and even his mom now, I have learned that his upbringing was absolutely not normal in the sense of what we’re used to,”

DonnaL.McEathronof Browntown;onesister, BetteL.Volenecand husbandMarcofMadison, Wisconsin;13 grandchildren;and22greatgrandchildren.

Mrs.McEathronwas precededindeathbyher parents;son,DanielT. McEathron;andasister, MarianJ.Giese.

Hickerson said. White argued that the time for witnesses to testify on Corathers’ behalf was at sentencing.

Ritchie allowed Hickerson to summarize her defense witnesses’ testimony. Hickerson said Corathers’ sister would have testified that she and her brother lived with their mother who suffered from drug addiction. His sister was “res-

cued” from the residence at around 7 years old and sent to live with her father, visiting the mother once or twice a year, Hickerson said. Her brother continued to live with the “drug-addicted” mother, Hickerson said. Corathers’ mother now admits to having used drugs with him and would have told the court she made a lot of mistakes in his upbringing, she said.

PeggyWayland

PeggyWayland,86,passed awaypeacefullyonApril 24,2023,atherhomein Manassas,VA.

PeggywasbornSeptember 1,1936,tothelateJames andMaggieClater.

Peggywasbornandraised inSperryville,VA.In1957, shemarriedRichardV. Wayland,whopassedaway inOctober2020.Dickiewas theloveofherlife;they weremarriedforover61 yearswhenDickiepassed away.

earlyage,DennisandKelly spenttimewiththeir grandparentsattheirhome inSlateMills.Many memoriesweremadeover theyears.Peggywas particularlyenamoredwith great-granddaughter,Mia. Atfamilygatherings, Peggy’sfacewouldlightup wheneverMiawasaround. In2016,PeggyandDickie movedtoCulpeper,VA. FollowingDickie’spassing, PeggymovedtoManassas, VA,tobeclosertoher family.Shemademany friendsatCatonMerchant Houseassistedlivingin Manassas,andwasvisited oftenby familyandfriends. Shewaspredeceasedbyher husband,RichardV. Wayland,threebrothers, Joe,Bobby,andRandolph, andasister,Shirley.

VivianL.McEathron,90,of FrontRoyal,Virginia, passedawaypeacefully surroundedbyherloving familyonThursday,April 27,2023atherhome.

Mrs.McEathronwasborn March18,1933inMayville, Wisconsin,daughterofthe lateRaymondRobertand SylviaElizabethCoulter Schellpfeffer.Shewasa memberofGoodShepherd LutheranChurchinFront Royalformanyyears.

Survivingisherlovingand devotedhusband of72 years,GeneMcEathron;one son,DavidG.McEathron andwifeJackieofNew Braunfels,Texas;three daughters,DebraL.Hite andhusbandBruceof Browntown,DoriA. McEathronofLively, VirginiaandDeanaM.Goss andhusbandDaveofFront Royal;daughter-in-law,

Pallbearerswillbeher grandsons,PastorNoah Goss,ZacharyMcEathron, JoshuaHite,EliMcEathron, B.J.Carrier,andDrewGoss. Honorarypallbearerswillbe JacobMcEathronand AndrewMcEathron.

Afuneralservicewasheld onMonday,May1at2:00 p.m.atGoodShepherd LutheranChurchwith PastorIngridChenoweth andPastorNoahGoss officiating.Entombment willbeprivate.Memorial donationsmaybemadeto theGoodShepherd LutheranChurchVivian McEathronMemorialFund, 18West6thSt,FrontRoyal, Virginia22630.

Condolencesmaybesentto thefamilyat www.maddoxfuneralhome.com

Arrangementsarebeing handledbyMaddoxFuneral Home,FrontRoyal.

PeggywasaUSNavywife, andsheandRicktraveled withDickietopostsin Portsmouth,VA,and MillingtonNavalAir StationinMemphis,TN.

PeggyandDickieretiredto SlateMills,VA,afterhisUS Navycareer.Whilelivingin SlateMills,Peggyworked atTheCornerStorein Sperryville,whichwas ownedbyherbrother, Randolph,andbrother-inlaw,WilsonBurke.Mostof hertime,however,was spentbeingawifeandmom, andtendingtotheirhouse. Shelovedflowersandhad severalbeautifulflower gardensintheiryard.She hadaknackforflower arranging,andherbouquets couldoftenbeseenadorning theirdiningroomtable.

Peggywasanexcellent cook,andhaspassedon severalofherrecipestoher grandchildren.Twofamily favoriteswerehercorn puddingandsalmonball. Peggydearlylovedher grandchildren,andfroman

Sheissurvivedbyason, RichardClaterWayland (Cindy);twograndchildren, Dennis(Kate)andKelly; andagreat-granddaughter, MiaWayland.Sheisalso survivedbyhertwinsister, JeanBurkeofNorth Carolina; brother,Ernest (Evon)ofFrontRoyal,VA; andyoungersister,Ruth Merchant,ofFrontRoyal. Sheisalsosurvivedbya numberofniecesand nephews.

Arrangementsarebeing handledbyClore-English FuneralHomeofCulpeper. Atimeofvisitationwilltake placeatthefuneralhomeon Wednesday,May3at12:00 noon,immediatelyfollowed byafuneralserviceat1:00 p.m.andintermentat CulpeperNational Cemetery, whereashort gravesideceremonywillbe held.Thefuneraland intermentwillbeofficiated byRev.RonaldPoeof WoodvilleBaptistChurch, wherePeggyandDickie wereactivemembersfor manyyears.

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VivianL.McEathron

When Sheriff Butler came into office, a number of bodies were already in the property room and we needed to find a respectful way to dispose of their cremains

Sgt. Terry Fritts of the Warren County Sheriff’s Office

Warren GOP to hold primary Friday for local, state races

By ALEX BRIDGES

For the Warren Sentinel

The Warren County Republican Committee will hold a “firehouse” primary on Friday to nominate candidates to run for local and state offices in November.

Voters can cast ballots in the primary, held in conjunction with the 31st Legislative District Republican Committee, from 2-7 p.m. at the North Warren Fire Station, 266 Rockland Court, Front Royal.

Voters can decide who receives the party’s nomination to run for the Shenandoah Magisterial District seat on the Board of Supervisors and for Virginia’s 31st House of Delegates representative. House District 31 covers all of Clarke County and parts of Frederick and Warren counties.

Ralph Rinaldi and John Stanmeyer are seeking the Republican nomination to run for the Board of Supervisors seat. All registered voters who live in the Shenandoah Magisterial District can vote in the primary.

Rinaldi, 76, a 28-year resident of the Shenandoah Farms subdivision, represents the Shenandoah District on the School Board. Rinaldi’s term on the board ends Dec. 31. Rather than seek another term on the board, he chose to run for the supervisor’s seat. Rinaldi also has served on the Warren County Planning Com-

Supervisors show support for bi-annual reassessments

By ALEX BRIDGES For the Warren Sentinel

mission, the Warren County Board of Well and Septic Appeals and on the Property Owners of Shenandoah Farms Board of Directors.

Stanmeyer, 49, a business executive and consultant, graduated from the University of Virginia with bachelor of arts degree in economics.

Stanmeyer has worked in the corporate world in various industries, including management consulting, telecom, international trade and aviation.

Michelle Lane-Smithwick and Delores Oates are vying for the Republican nomination to run for the 31st District seat in the House of Delegates. Any registered voters in Front Royal, the northern part of Warren County and the southern half of Clarke and Frederick County may vote in this primary.

Oates, 60, a Front Royal native, serves as the North River Magisterial District representative on the Warren County Board of Supervisors. Her term ends Dec. 31. Oates announced last year she planned to run for the delegate seat and not for a second term on the board.

Lane-Smithwick, 57, lives in Middleburg and is a registered nurse. Lane-Smithwick owns and operates Middleburg HomeCare Nursing Services LLC, which she started initially in her home state of Maryland in the late 1990s, then expanded into Virginia in 2015, according to the business’ website.

Warren County may change how often it reassesses real estate in response to the roughly 40% increases taxpayers saw this year.

The Board of Supervisors voted 5-0 at its Tuesday meeting to direct county officials to start the process in order to switch the reassessments from every four years to every two years. Chairwoman Vicky L. Cook, Vice Chairwoman Cheryl L. Cullers and supervisors Jerome K. “Jay” Butler, Walter J. “Walt” Mabe and Delores R. Oates voted in favor of a motion to move forward with the process. The county must hold a public hearing on an ordinance to make the switch.

Supervisors voiced support for moving to bi-annual reassessments as a way to possibly soften the blow to taxpayers. Real estate values skyrocketed since the last reassessment four years ago. Pearson’s Appraisal Services Inc. performed the reassessments and based the values on a robust housing market last year. But critics say the new values do not reflect the cooling market.

The county must hire a full-time appraiser in order to conduct bi-annual assessments, County Attorney Jason Ham told the board. The county must hire the appraiser, approved by the Virginia Department of Taxation, before the board can change the reassessment period. Supervisors must hold a public hearing on the proposed change before taking action. Supervisors could switch to 3-year reassessments without needing to hire an in-house appraiser, Ham said.

Reassessments typically cost $500,000-$600,000, which pays for the contracted appraiser, stipends for the Board of Equalization members, advertisements and related expenses, Commissioner of the Revenue Sherry Sours said. The cost also could include pay for a Board of Assessors, though the county chose instead to have Fred Pearson serve as the assessor.

Reassessments with a contracted appraiser cost the county about $460,000, covered by funds supervisors set aside in each budget. County Administrator Edwin Daley said it would cost approximately the same amount if the county conducted reassessments with staff every two years.

Daley told supervisors they would need to decide soon whether or not to switch to a 2-year reassessment cycle. The reassessment process takes about 18 months, and the values would be effective for calendar year 2025, Sours said.

Butler pointed out a benefit of going with two-year reassessments.

“Well, see, I think that there’s also the cost to aggravation ... because of the fouryear period and everybody gets aggravated over the fact that their property (assessment) went up so much or down so much, we can save that aggravation,” Butler said.

Sours agreed.

“It’s less of a change,” Sours said.

“Less of a change and less of an aggravation for everybody,” Butler said.

Cullers echoed Butler.

“Well, and when you have such an extreme high like we did this year, they’re not stuck with (the assessed value) for four years,” Cullers said.

In two years, the market may level out and lower the assessments, Cullers said. By

the time the 4-year reassessment concluded, property values had started to fall, which upset many taxpayers, Cullers said. The county couldn’t back out of the process already underway, she added.

The county can still hire a contractor if supervisors go with a two-year reassessment.

Officials recommend that if supervisors go that route that they do at least the first, twoyear reassessment with inhouse staff and a contractor, Daley said. The county would need to hire a contractor soon.

Supervisors ideally should have decided earlier in the year if they wanted to switch to a two-year reassessment, Daley said. The current cycle began in January. Supervisors must decide soon, Daley said. If they decide to go with a twoyear reassessment, they need to vote on an ordinance, for which the county must hold a public hearing, Ham explained. The board could make those steps over the next 30 days, Daley said. Switching to three-year reassessments did not require a public hearing and supervisors could take action at the meeting.

“We want to mitigate these crazy, you know, highs and lows in the real estate market so that right now we’re on this peak side, if it levels off, we want our constituents to get the benefit of that sooner than a four-year cycle” Oates said. “So, if for instance, the market, you know, drops and we do another assessment in two years, then the benefit is felt by our constituents, and they’re not stuck with a fouryear assessment that was so high to begin with.”

County real estate assessments increased on average by more than 40%, Oates noted. Property owners would see a tax benefit if assessments decrease over the next two years, Oates said.

Many other localities con-

duct one- or two-year reassessments, Sours said. Frederick County conducts annual reassessments; Winchester, biannual. Warren County used to conduct reassessments every six years and then closed the gap to four years. The county probably should go to a twoyear reassessment given the significant change in property values, Sours said.

Also at the meeting, supervisors voted to:

• Authorize county staff to advertise several matters for public hearings.

• Grant Shenandoah Valley Electric Cooperative a 15-foot-wide perpetual utility services easement across county-owned property at 232 Shangri-La Road, Bentonville. The cooperative needs to install a utility pole on the easement to provide electricity to a maintenance attendant building on the Bentoneville transfer station property.

• Name the 20-foot-wide, private access easement off of Bentonville Road as Melissa Lane after the late Melissa Cook who died last May. Her parents made the easement into a private road that runs through their family subdivision and asked the county to name the road in memory of their daughter. The county requires numbering for three or more dwellings where the driveways meet on a final, platted by-way in a subdivision. The subdivision allows two more homes, bringing the total to four that would share the by-way, which requires that the county name the road. The county covers the $151 cost to install the road sign pole with signs identifying the intersecting roads.

• Authorize the county administrator to sign the ClearGov service order for budgeting software. The county can buy the service with money from the Asset Replacement Fund.

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Author, advocate seeks to make beekeeping accessible for all

By LAURA RUBY For the Warren Sentinel

The last several years have been challenging for Front Royal resident Justin Ruger. After suffering serious injuries in a car accident, Ruger found healing in honeybees and now he works to share his love of hives, with the goal of making beekeeping more accessible to children and the disabled community.

The author of four books, Ruger will offer book readings and other bee-centric activities at 2 p.m. on May 27 in the garden at Samuels Public Library in Front Royal, said Michal Ashby, head of the library’s children’s department.

“We’re excited to get him here,” Ashby said. “He’s an extremely good author and very much an advocate for people with disabilities, as well as the importance of beekeeping. He’s quite a hero, in many ways. He’s a really good role model.”

The event will include a book signing opportunity as well as a honey bee observation tower, honey tasting, and wildflower planting, Ruger said. Registration for the event opens on Thursday, Ashby said.

Now 32, Ruger was a 25-year-old PhD candidate in nuclear physics at Catholic University in Washington, D.C., when he suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI) in a car accident.

“That completely changed what I was able to do. My mother started beekeeping, and I would go out and take photos and videos and then, once I was able to start walking a little more, I was able to go into the aviary and help

her with the bees,” he said.

As part of his recovery, Ruger began writing a kids book about beekeeping.

“My aunt wanted a book that she could read to her grandchildren to teach them about honeybees and pollination,” he said. Ruger had completed writing “Henry Meets a Honeybee,” when seizures caused by TBI led to a stroke in 2022, which significantly limited the mobility of his right side.

“I needed something to rehab my right arm,” Ru-

ger said, explaining that prior to his accident he “couldn’t draw a stick figure to save my life.” Because of damage to his right side, he used an IPad for illustrating — and it took him two years — but he has now written and illustrated four books. Three children’s books introduce kids to honeybees, beekeeping, and pot ants in addition to a book he wrote for older kids and adults about beekeeping.

While he enjoyed working in the apiary with his

mother, Dee Diesman, Ruger said his physical limitations — he is in a motorized wheelchair most of the time — made that difficult so he focused his efforts on education. After attending the Hive Life conference last winter to sell his books, Ruger began to shift his focus.

“What began as a nonprofit to put beekeeping in schools slowly grew into a nonprofit to make beekeeping accessible to not just kids, but to anyone with limitations like myself,”

Ruger said, noting that last spring he launched a YouTube channel and a podcast called “Accessible Beekeeping and More!” where he interviews beekeepers to learn about their struggles and what they have done to overcome their limitations. “We have had blind beekeepers, beekeepers in wheelchairs, and someone with cerebral palsy thus far. The more that I interviewed and researched beekeeping and disabilities, I realized that there was a limited amount

of resources for those that would like to keep honey bees but struggle because of physical or mental limitations,” he said.

The goal is to make beekeeping not only accessible but sustainable for all ages and abilities, Ruger said, noting that the current market is severely limited in hardware, support, and knowledge of beekeeping with disabilities. “Accessible Beekeeping was started so that we can build a community that helps each other be successful beekeepers regardless of limitations,” he said.

In pursuing this initiative, Ruger met Thomas DeGan and they discovered that they only lived about 30 minutes apart. DeGan, who lives in Midland, is now president of the nonprofit and houses its experimental apiary on his property. The apiary is set up to research, design, and fabricate different hardware to help make beekeeping accessible, Ruger said, noting that he has begun testing different hive types and offering insight on their pros and cons in terms of accessibility and functionality. For instance, innovations like horizontal hives that tilt forward allow easier access for people in wheelchairs or with diminished upper body strength and mobility.

In the future, the apiary will also have a kids learning center where Ruger’s books will be used to teach about bees alongside hands-on activities in beekeeping.

For more information about accessible beekeeping, visit www.accessiblebeekeeping.org. Ruger’s books are available for purchase on Amazon.

Rich Cooley/For the Sentinel

Justin Ruger, a beekeeper and children’s author and illustrator, holds a set of books he’s published on beekeeping for children. The Front Royal resident was a former PhD student in nuclear physics when a car accident left him with a traumatic brain injury. His disability hasn’t kept him from turning his attention to beekeeping, which his mother introduced him to when he was younger.

Ruger is an advocate of beekeeping as an activity for folks with disabilities.

Big George Letdown?

By KIP RITENOUR

The Warren Sentinel

After watching the Ben Af eck, Matt Damon movie Air, based on the signing of NBA rookie Michael Jordan to wear Nike shoes, I was excited to go watch the new sports-based movie, ‘Big George Foreman’.

My thinking was that if Big George Foreman was even half as good as Air, then it would be time well spent.

After all, who doesn’t like Big George, one of the greatest heavyweight boxers of all time.

The TV pitch man for the George Foreman grills.

The George Foreman that named all of his male children George.

The George Foreman who retired from boxing at the age of 28 after a scare in the ring to become a preacher.

The George Foreman who then came out of retirement because of nancial problems to win the heavyweight crown once again at the age of 45.

Sounds like this could be a great movie.

But after scouring through many reviews, I’m not no sure that Big George Foreman is on my must see list any longer.

Director George Tillman Jr., got solid enough reviews for his direction and all of the actors involved – including Forest Whitaker – also were lauded for their work, but it seems something is missing from this story that could add up to a snoozefest in the theatre.

Most reviews were very adament about how lame the movie actually is.

Big George Foreman seems to be geared toward the Christian cinema crowd instead of the sports movie crowd – not that there is anything wrong with that, but the nished product has been reported to ramble on and skip over many relevant facts about the life of Big George.

Boxing fans hoping for some Rocky type action will be disappointed.

The overall story feels forced reviewers conclude.

De nitely not the rst lm to paper over the aws of the main character, but this movie doesn’t bother to hide it all that well, many say.

Maybe this lm will inspire some who watch it. Maybe Big George will follow with a sequel.

But something tells me that this so-called boring and forced lm will miss it’s mark.

Instead of being inspirational and leaving its the crowd wanting to see more, it appears Big George Foreman will have the opposite affect.

The plot meanders and the ght scenes are as state as two-week old Dunkin Doughnuts, not a good description at all.

As likeable as the real George Foreman is, this movie is like comparing the George Foreman Grill to a top-of-the-line Weber grill, one respected writer noted.

Despite this, I may still go check out the movie.

After all, can so many reviews be so spot on? I shall see.

Skyline’s Alyea signs on to wrestle at VMI Carter to wrestle at D3

By KIP RITENOUR

The Warren Sentinel

FRONT ROYAL – Skyline senior Phoenix Alyea, one of the more decorated wrestlers in program history, has signed a letter of intent to wrestle for Virginia Military Academy in Lynchburg next season.

Alyea compiled a 173-19 record as a four-year starter for the Hawks – the highest winning percentage in program history – and was a four-time region champion and a 2022 Class 3 state champion.

Alyea was also a four-time state place winner and a

Washington

three-time state nalist.

“I’m excited to be able to continue my wrestling career at VMI,” Alyea said.

“It’s a great school and I have developed a great relationship with the coaches there during the recruiting process. They are very invested in my development, and I’m excited to get down there and get to work.

“I want to thank my coaches and teammates who have helped me get to this point, and my family and the community for supporting me along the way and helping me reach this level.”

Alyea is the third Skyline wrestler from the graduat-

& Je erson

ing class of 2023 to sign on to wrestle at a D1 program.

Dustin Gue earlier committed to Clarion University and Hunter Salomon will join Alyea at VMI.

“It’ll be an easy transi-

ABI serves as springboard to postseason

By KIP RITENOUR The Warren Sentinel

WINCHESTER

– With the upcoming district and regional Class 3 meets looming, last Saturday’s Apple Blossom Invitational at James Wood High School, always proves to be a good tuneup and challenge for both Skyline and Warren County.

The 17-team Apple Blossom Field features a good mix of larger and smaller schools and provides plenty of challenges. Although both the Hawks and Wildcats boys and girls teams nished in the middle of the pack in the team standings, both squads had several impressive individual performances sprinkled thoughout the meet.

Leading the way was the Lady Wildcats 4x800 relay team, who won the event in a time of 10:05.49, eight full seconds ahead of runnerup Meridian.

Softball

Love of softball inpires Hawks

McGuire to a successful career

By TOMMY KEELER JR. For the

Warren Sentinel

FRONT ROYAL -- Kiley

McGuire started playing softball at an early age, and it's a sport she immediately fell in love with.

The Skyline senior said it's the one sport she's always done and enjoyed the most.

"I really like the weather, being outside," McGuire said of her favorite thing about softball. "I de nitely like being able to play with my friends. I've just always liked it."

Lady Wildcats optimistic heading down the stretch

By TOMMY KEELER JR. For

the Warren Sentinel

FRONT ROYAL — Warren County’s softball team hasn’t had the results they’ve been looking for, but the Wildcats have plenty of reasons to feel good about the

The Skyline Hawks baseball team improved to 9-4 on the season with a 10-3 romp over the Handley Judges last Friday in Winchester.

Cameron Morris led the way offensively for the Hawks with a pair of singles, one RBI and three runs scored.

Cameron Kerns added a triple, and a single with two RBI. Izaiah Matthews chipped in with a pair of doubles and three RBI. Ryan Curl tripled.

The Skyline girls

rest of the season. Warren County has been competitive in a lot of games and the team is looking to get over the hump.

softball team improved to 8-5 last Friday with a 23-2 ve-inning thumping over Handley.

Ashton Spiker tripled and added two singles and three RBI to lead the Lady Hawks. Maddy Payne doubled and singled and Olivia

McGuire said her rst experience with softball came from playing on a travel team, and she's played on travel teams since she was 8.

She said travel teams were a great experience.

"I do think it helps a lot," McGuire said. "You are playing almost every other weekend against people the same level as you, if not better. It helps you."

McGuire plays for Team Virginia Mizuno out of Warrenton. She plays on that team with several of her Skyline teammates -- Peyton Kaufman, Jamie Kelly and Ashton Spiker.

Lacombe and Peyton Kaufman added doubles and ve combined RBI.

The Warren County girls softball team trounced Manassas Park 25-3 in ve innings last Friday to snap a seven-game loing streak and improve to 5-9.

Atori Lane led the way for the Wildcats with ve RBI. Lane doubled, tripled and had two singles. Haley Robinson added four singles and three RBI. Taylor Wrye doubled and added a pair of singles and Lacie

McGuire said the friendships are some of the best parts of playing travel ball.

"I played with all the seniors (on Skyline's softball team), I've played with all of them in travel," McGuire said. "They were probably some of my rst friends to be honest. Even in elementary because I hadn't went to elementary with any of them. It was nice. It was nice knowing people, people you bonded with, had similar aspirations with. It was nice."

McGuire said she also loves traveling to different places and being able to hang out with her teammates.

"It is really nice, because even though you're playing softball most of the time you still have down time where you can go to the beach if you're in a beach area," McGuire said. "Or you can go around town with your friends. I know me and my friends on the team whenever we would stay somewhere, we would go to someone's hotel room and just stay there

Glascock had three hits, including a double.

The Warren County girls soccer team knocked off rival Skyline 3-0 Tuesday in Front Royal. Warren (4-6) were led by goal scorers Bridget Hay, Sadie Rosner and Jaelin Henry. Skyline fell to 3-7 on the season.

The Warren County boys tennis team

PAUL RANNEY PHOTO/ FOR THE SENTINEL Skyline’s Anisha Carter (left) cant hold off a diving Caitlin Gray of Musselman (right) to finish fourth in the girls 100 hurdles at last Saturday’s Apple Blossom Invitational held at James Wood High School.

See

>>

RICH COOLEY PHOTO / FOR THE SENTINEL

Warren County senior catcher Madelyn Ramsey tags out a William Monroe player during action last week in Front Royal.

tion for him and Hunter, since both are going to the same school,” Skyline coach Kyle Symons said.

“Phoenix’s lifestyle and the way he carries himself will serve him well in terms of the level of success that he achieves at VMI, both on and off the mat. He wants a military

career when wrestling is over for him and VMI is an amazing place for him to be able to do that.

“We’re very proud of everything that he has accomplished here at Skyline, and we look forward to watching him compete at the next level.”

Symons also said that he and his staff are also very proud of senior Peyton Carter, who will wrestle next season for D3 Washington & Jefferson College in Pennsylvania.

“When he was a freshman he was not a great wrestler, but his work

ethic wouldn’t be denied,” Symons said. “He has put in so much work over the last four years, just in an attempt to call himself a state place winner, and this year he accomplished that goal by nishing fourth at the state tournament.

“He is a shining ex-

ample of what hard work can do for someone.”

Symons noted that Carter having the chance to compete at the next level is a big deal and speaks for the time and effort that he has put into the sport that he loves.

“I’m just really happy to have the opportunity,”

Carter said. “I really loved the school when I went to visit there and when I practiced with the team I could tell it was a great atmosphere and similar to what we do at Skyline. I’m excited to continue to improve and to see what I can do with this opportunity.”

from B1 Track

The Wildcats 4x800 team comprised of Bella Eriksson, Kaley Tanner, Nicole Ranney and Amber Riley have been improving all season and their Apple Blossom performance was a season best time for the group.

“I think they are just scratching the surface of what they can run in the postseason,” Warren County coach Mike Tanner said.

Kaley Tanner also won the girls 3,200 meter run with a time of 11:40.56, 14 seconds better than her previous best this season.

Also standing out for the Warren girls was Faith Schultz with a second in the long jump (16-01).

Overall, the Lady Wildcats nished ninth.

The Skyline girls nished sixth overall and were led by senior Ava Bordner who won the 800 in a time of 2:21.10 and a third in the 1,600 (5:15.11)

Kayla Haislop also continued to perform well for the Lady Hawks in the throws, nishing second in the shot (33-09), and third in the discus (100-01).

Anisha Carter added a fourth in the 100-hurdles (17:81) and fth in the triple jump (30-09).

“Those three all had good days,” Skyline coach Richard Allanson said. “But we were without our best athlete, Ashan Abuk Qasim.”

Qasim is an integral part

of the Hawks boys team but missed the event due to an illnes.

Qasim excels in the high jump, long jump, triple jump, and the 100 and 400 meter runs.

“That’s 60 points down the drain,” Allanson said,

referring to the possible points the team will lose if Qasim cannot go in the district meet. “Time for the old next man up speech. If we are healthy, both the boys and girls should win the disstrict meet.”

Without Qasim, the

Hawks nished 13th in the Apple Blossom boys meet.

Leading the Hawks was Marcellis Diamond with a third in the 300 hurdles (42:70) and a fourth in the high jump (5-10).

The Warren County boys nished 11th overall and

were led by throwers DJ. Rizzo with a rst in the discus (152-05) and Malachi Vinson-Proctor (MVP) with a second in the shot (47-02).

“Rizzo and MVP have been working hard and you can see by the results that they are gaining distances

every week,” Warren County assistant and throw coach Adam Orndorff said. “They have both quali ed for states, Rizzon in disc and MVP in shot, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they ended up making it to states in both events.”

B1 Wildcats

After a 9-6 loss to William Monroe last week, Warren County softball coach Ted McDaniel said he told his players to stay positive.

“I told the team afterwards ‘you just got to keep on working,’” McDaniel said. “’You just got to believe in yourself rst, believe in your teammates next.’ And I said ‘everything will fall into place.’ We’re looking forward to our remaining (six) games. We think we can really move up in our seeding in our region. I’m really looking forward to the rest of the season.”

The Wildcats started the season off well, but then lost seven straight before beating Manassas Park 25-3 last week.

Warren County senior Atori Lane said the team

from B1

knocked off rival Skyline 5-4 on Tuesday afternoon.

The Wildcats got single wins from No. 2 Jonathan Panciera (8-6), No.3 Cameron Schaeffer (8-1), and No. 6 Vincent Lamendo (8-4). Doubles winners for the Wildcats were No. 1 Raymond Slifka and Panciera (8-3), and No. 3 Phillip Maddox and Lamendola.

Skyline had singles wins from No. 1 Cole Logan (8-3), No. 4 Warrick Blewett (8-6), and No.

5 Phoenix Alyea (8-3). Doubles winners for the Hawks were from No. 2 Logan and Blewett (8-1).

Warren improves to 4-8 while Skyline falls to 2-11.

chemistry has been good despite the losses.

“The season’s going better as far as a team perspective,” Lane said. “We get along very well. The team chemistry’s good. The games aren’t really going our way, but we’re getting better as the season goes on.”

The Wildcats have a strong group of seniors, most of whom have played at the varsity level for four years.

Seniors Lacie Glascock, Lane, Madelyn Ramsey, Haley Robinson and Sara Waller have formed a strong bond over the years.

“We’ve been together for so long,” Ramsey said. “We get along so well and we work together on the eld. The group — it’s a really great group.”

Offensively, the Wildcats

Love

all night and talk and gossip and do girl things. It's always been nice, it's good memories."

McGuire has made an impact on Skyline's softball team over the last three years both offensively and defensively.

As a sophomore in a shortened season due to COVID, McGuire had a strong season. McGuire had an area-best six home runs, three doubles, an area-best 22 RBIs and 14 runs scored. The team lost in the state semi nals that season after winning the Region 3B title.

"It was de nitely one of my favorite years for sure," McGuire said. "I do think we could have won states, but it happens to everyone. I think that team was really good, and I think we're right up there with them this year. I feel like we can do good."

McGuire played a key role

are hitting .374 as a team. Lane is batting an areabest .522 (24-for-46) with two homers, three doubles, one triple, nine RBIs and 24 runs scored, and Glascock is hitting .463 (17-for-41) with two doubles, six RBIs and eight runs scored. Waller is hitting .400 (14-for-35) with two doubles, two triples, nine runs scored and 14 RBIs, and Ramsey is hitting .390 (16-for-41) with three doubles, two runs scored and 11 RBIs. Haley Robinson is batting .359 (14-for-39) with two doubles, eight RBIs and 16 runs scored, and Taylor Wrye is hitting .357 (15-for42) with three doubles, ve runs scored and 11 RBIs.

“We’re hitting the ball,” Ramsey said. “We’re just hitting it right to people, and we’re just not catching a

break on that.”

Olivia Kelly has led the way pitching for the Wildcats. Kelly has thrown 59.2 innings with 42 strikeouts and a 4.22 ERA. Peyton Ahmed has thrown 15 innings with 19 strikeouts, and Rebecca Jett has thrown six innings with seven strikeouts.

Ramsey, a catcher, said the pitchers have been solid for the Wildcats this season.

“Our starter, Olivia Kelly, she has done well,” Ramsey said. “She’s really stepped up. She’s been stepping up, but this year especially — she just knows her role. And she goes out there and does it. And Peyton comes in a lot after (Kelly). She’s been throwing the ball hard, harder than I’ve seen her before. She’s very consistent, but she lacks some con dence.

And once she gains that condence she’ll be good. Becca (Jett), Becca doesn’t come in too much. But Becca’s our lefty.”

Ramsey said she will be playing next year at Stevenson University and she’s excited for that as well.

“I’m very excited,” Ramsey said. “I have a female coach, I’m very excited about. She’s a young coach, and they keep a small roster — 23 girls. I’m excited to be with a team of girls that want to be there, and want to play softball. So

I’m excited for that.”

The Wildcats (5-9, 1-3 Class 3 Northwestern) play at Skyline on Tuesday. The Wildcats have had close games with many of the other top teams, including Brentsville and William Monroe. Lane said that gives

the Wildcats some con dence going into the nal stretch of the season.

“It lets us know what we have to do for the next games with them,” Lane said. “We can x our mistakes, get the little things done. And hopefully pull it out the next time.”

“I think if we can just put forth that effort, and just eliminate our mistakes we can beat anybody left on our schedule,” McDaniel said.

Ramsey said one of her biggest goals for the team is just to relax and have more fun.

“I think we put too much pressure on ourselves,” Ramsey said. “And it hasn’t been as fun as a whole team. So I think we just need to try at the end of the season to have a good time.”

B1

in the team getting to the state tournament as she hit a three-run homer to lift the Hawks over rival Brentsville 8-5 in the regional nal.

"I hit it and it was just a really good moment, because there was so many people here," McGuire said. "And I know if I didn't hit it, we would have lost. It was just a good memory."

Skyline softball coach

John Ritter said she's always a threat at the plate for the Hawks.

"When she gets it together she does well because she can hit for power. She can hit base hits," Ritter said. "Right now I think she's leading the team in RBIs. She's had some bigtime hits. ...Offensively-wise she's always been that kid that no matter where you put her in the lineup she can get stuff done for you. She's denitely a deep ball threat when she's hitting."

The 5-foot-10 McGuire, who also plays basketball at Skyline, plays at rst base for the softball team. She said she's always enjoyed playing there and it's always been a good t for her because of her height.

Ritter said McGuire's a very solid defensive player.

"She plays great defense," Ritter said. "You don't see a lot of errors her way. She keeps a lot of stuff out of the dirt. She's got that arm span stretch and she tends to pick up a lot of stuff, makes it look easy."

Last season was a rough one for the Hawks. The team had high hopes, but faced some hard adversity. One of their teammates, Harlee Hire, died during the season, and they also had a few injuries that set them back as well.

"It was a rocky season," McGuire said. "I feel like we had the heart and then things

happened, and you can only deal with so much. You try to deal with it as best as you can."

McGuire hit .317 (19-for60) with three homers, four doubles, 16 RBIs and 15 runs scored.

McGuire, one of eight seniors on this year's roster, said despite a slow start she believes the team can have a lot more success.

"I really do think we'll do well," McGuire said. "I think right now it's about molding back together in the season. I think once we get our crap together, we'll be ne. I really do think we can make it really far."

Next year McGuire will play for Potomac State College in Keyser, West Virginia. She said it was the perfect t for what she wanted.

"I wanted to to play at the collegiate level, but I didn't want to do a whole four years,

because I wanted to have some time off from softball eventually," McGuire said. "So it is a JUCO and I'm only going to go for two years. I'm going with Jamie (Kelly) as well, so that will be nice. it's not too far from home. I can always come down on weekends. It's really pretty up there; it has mountains. The coaches are really nice. I think it's going to be a really fun season."

McGuire said she's hoping to nish this season off strong and believes the team can achieve the success it wants to.

"I really hope we can win states," McGuire said. "I really think we can do it. We just have to put everything we got in it, and we just have to really work together. I feel like we all know each other well enough, and we all get along. I feel like we're close enough to being a family, and I think we really can do it."

PAUL RANNEY PHOTOS /FOR THE SENTINEL Skyline senior Ava Bordner crosses the finish line first, winning the girls 800-meter run (top). The Warren County 4x800 relay team of Bella Erikisson, Nicole Ranney, Amber Riley and Kaley Tanner (left) won the girls event with their season-best time.

The Weekly Pulpit

Let the Healing Begin

By Pastor Melody Riggs

The world is unraveling as each day passes just as it was prophesied in scripture. The desperate need for the healing of our land has become a greater need throughout the generations. However, our God is capable of all healings! As we look at the news and social media, we can see imminent threats from all sides, BUT there is good news for believers! We have direct access to heaven’s army. We are victors because of our Lord Jesus and no longer bound to our brokenness. Healing is attainable!

The Bible records a story of a women who had an issue of blood for twelve long years. After years of doctor visits and the depletion of her nances, she had run out of options until she heard of the “miracle healer” named Jesus. She devised a plan and pressed through the crowd to secretly touch the hem of His garment. She thought if she could just touch it, she would be cured. She was right! She received an instantaneous healing! The key to this story in Luke 8:43-48 is that her hope in Jesus prompted a plan to act, and her faith in Jesus cured all her iniquities.

In our everyday lives, we should be taking action to draw closer to Jesus who is our divine Healer. The world will continue to move, but our daily living must be aligned with His will. Staying close to the Lord enables us to walk by faith and not by sight while being continuously healed in every area of our lives. Brokenness is not a place we should reside, but a place we walk through. Do not allow yourself to become complacent during trials but press through the crowd to receive your divine help! Luke 8:48 states, “And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.” Allow Jesus to give you the cure and heal you completely this month. May the Lord bless you and may you walk in peace.

The Weekly Pulpit is provided as a community service in cooperation with the Warren County Ministerial Association

Submit church briefs to

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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 (540) 635-5393, or visit Facebook page.

• Calvary Community Chapel of Front Royal, 431 West 14th St., Front Royal, has Sunday Worship Service @ 11 a.m. 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 12-12:45 p.m. (540) 6352763.

• 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 Life Praise and Worship Center, 1600 John Marshall Hwy., worship service and children’s classes 10:30 a.m. Prayer and healing school 9:30. All-ages Bible study 6:30 p.m. Wednesday.

• 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) 363-2961, 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 Baptist Temple, 25 W. 18th Street, Front Royal VA, 22630. 540-635-8370. Sunday School 9:45 a.m., Morning Worship 11 a.m., Evening Service 6 p.m., Wednesday Evening 7 p.m., Wednesday Kids Bible Club 7 p.m., Wednesday Teens 7 p.m.

• 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. (540) 635-2378.

• Front Royal Presbyterian Church, 115 Luray Ave, worship service 11 a.m. Call (540) 635-3894 or visit frontroyalpres.org.

• Front Royal United Methodist Church, 1 W. Main St., has worship at 10 a.m., with church school for all ages from 11:15 a.m. (540) 6352935.

• 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) 636-1081. 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 (540) 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) 635-5612 for details.

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

• Rivermont Baptist Church, 575 Catlett Mountain Rd., has Sunday school at 9:30 a.m. and worship at 11 a.m. 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 (540) 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 p.m. and 7 p.m. (Spanish) and Sunday Masses at 7 and 8:30 a.m. Novus Ordo Mass at 10:30 a.m. and Tridentine Mass at 12:30 p.m. visit sjtb.org.

• Shenandoah Farms Baptist Church, 5852 Howellsville Road, has Sunday school at 9:45 a.m. and worship service at 11 a.m. 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) 635-4212 or visit skylinebaptist.us.

Church listings and events are printed free. Submissions may be sent to:

Business Card Directory

* Competitive swimmer Tim Duncan grew up in the U.S. Virgin Islands, where he trained for the 1992 Olympics, until Hurricane Hugo destroyed his island’s only Olympic-size pool. Since the only alternative was to swim in the ocean, and he was afraid of sharks, he decided to play basketball instead.

* Red Bull was developed in Thailand as an energy drink for truck drivers.

* Georg Gartner, a German POW, escaped his American prison camp near the end of World War II and lived in America for 40 years under a fake name before finally confessing his true identity on “The Today Show.”

* History’s longest prison sentence, a whopping 384,912 years, was given to a mailman -- for not delivering the mail.

* Johnny Depp dropped out of high school to become a rock musician. When he attempted to return two weeks later, the principal told him to follow his dream of being a musician.

* A shopping center in Zimbabwe uses an air conditioning system inspired by African termite hills. Ventilated and cooled by natural means, it uses less than 10% of the energy of a conventional building its size.

* The largest-known bird nest belonged to a pair of bald eagles and measured 9 feet wide by 20 feet deep, with an estimated weight of 4,400 pounds.

* Colorblind people tend to have better night vision and can sometimes see a luminosity of colors that normal-sighted people can’t. As a result, the U.S. Army discovered that they could perceive camouflage colors that are difficult for those with normal color vision to see, giving them the unique ability to better make out hidden enemies at night.

***

Thought for the Day: “If you are working on something that you really care about, you don’t have to be pushed. The vision pulls you.”

-- Steve Jobs

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

2. What city mentioned in Revelation is also the name of a city in Pennsylvania? Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Erie, Bethlehem

3. How many times does the word “eternity” occur in the Bible? 0, 1, 74, 212

4. From Numbers 12:3, who was the most humble man on earth? Jacob, Elijah, Noah, Moses

5. “Here am I; send me” comes from which book? Genesis, Exodus, Isaiah, Malachi

6. What’s the longest book of the Old Testament? Esther, Job, Psalms, Proverbs

Community Events & Announcements

Ask a Master Gardener

Master Gardeners are now in the Warren County Extension Office in the Warren County Government Center every Monday, except for holidays, through September to answer your gardening questions and problems. Hours are from 10:00 - 1:00. Come in or call (540) 635-4549. You can also send questions togreenhelpline.warrenco@gmail.com.

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 6 p.m. 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) 6355859.

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. Walk-ins 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 s ignificant 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 chan nel they choose. Skyline Drive status can also be tracked via the park Facebook and Twitter feeds, or by calling (540) 999-3500, 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, contac t (540) 635-8007 or visit www.frontroyalva.com.

Shenandoah National Park Camping Alerts

A separate information channel has been established that allows subscribers to track campground avail-ability. To subscribe, text SHEN-CAMP to 888777. On weekends, subscribers will receive an early af-ternoon text about the number of available campsites at each camp-ground. 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 o n 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 editor@pagenewspaper.com. Please include your contact information, in case we have any questions! The deadline for submissions each week is Monday at noon.

Panther (Black)

in with other cats but seems to prefer her own company over other kitties, we’re not sure about dogs.

American Legion Giles B. Cook

Post 53

Luke

Rappawan

815 Remount Road 636-6143

PANTHER was born and raised in our own back yard. There has been a feral colony nearby our shelter for the last decade. Panther is 10+ years old, very shy but incredibly gentle, and loves spending time with shelter mascot Larry in the play room.

Harper

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.

cute erbitewe’ve

Luke has the cutest underbite we’ve ever seen! Just look! This handsome big boy is looking for his furever family! He is a 5 year old bulldog mix who just wants love. He’s a big goofy boy with a heart of gold. He loves to play, go on long walks and give big hugs.

• Sponsored By • 409 South St. 635-2249 www.martinsfoods.com

Bullet

Sydney

•

Sydney is a handsome 2 year old tabby. He was left to fend for himself when his owner passed away, but thankfully made his way to our little shelter. He is incredibly friendly, but for some reason he has been stood up for not one but TWO adoption appointments!

Royal Oak Animal Clinic

25 W. Jackson Street 636-7387

Cookie

Cookie is a spayed fox hound mix who turns 7 in May. She is extremely sweet, friendly and playful. She loves everyone! As her name suggests, she loves her dog cookies! She absolutely LOVES squeaky toys and going on long walks. Cookie has lived with children and another female dog who was said to be her best pal.

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.

Neko

Neko - Have you ever met Neko? Chances are if you meet this sweet guy, you will fall in love. If you have no other pets and are looking for a young (2ish yrs. old), spunky, loyal, loving and playful doggo, please call at us 540-635-4734. We’d love to get you approved and set up an appointment to meet our handsome boy.

Snowflake