The McDermott Report
Environmental groups are suing a chicken waste treat plant for exceeding discharges into the Shenandoah River by 6,000%, the Possum was a little grumpy at first, and it was one hot July. Here’s Dan McDermott’s take on the news.
“I don’t believe this is a smoking gun, I don’t want to relate it to the fish kill,” Shenandoah Riverkeeper Jeff Kelble said in the wake of the Aug. 11 filing of an intent to sue Valley poultry business Sheaffer International, L.L.C., for numerous violations of environmental laws at its wastewater treatment facility in Timberville, Virginia. “But we have a river that has got a lot of problems and we feel compelled to address each and every one of them in the hopes of eliminating all of the issues that we see. And if you push at all the problems the river faces, it should eliminate what’s hurting the fish.” Kelble also stressed that he does not view Schaeffer International as a villain in the story of what is affecting the river. “The Schaeffer concept is a very strong concept of recycling nutrients within the agricultural community and were this system to be operating at full capacity and full functionality, I would be a great supporter and I hope that our involvement, that of the Shenandoah Riverkeeper, Potomac Riverkeeper and the Waterkeeper Alliance, will insure the fastest resolution to eliminate any roadblocks that currently exist [to full implementation of the Shaeffer plan] because it does appear that there are roadblocks coming from multiple places. “We can’t wait for the fish kill task force to give an opinion about what they feel is killing the fish, that likely could be years off,” Kelble concluded of why the decision to file against Shaeffer was made.
Rosie Lee McCloud, 25, and Catherine Antoinette Pena, 19, plead guilty in a Front Royal vandalism spree.
The Warren County portion of Adelphia Cable, which was used by it’s founder as a piggy bank, was bought by Comcast. In it’s first week, the new Comcast system suffered a lengthy outage and told customers that it was scheduled maintenance.
Travis Tritt played at the Warren County Fairgrounds in July at the site’s first non-fair week concert. The fair association made lots of money--but not as much as Travis Tritt.
George Jones played a wonderful concert during this year’s Warren County Fair. He showed up 45 minutes after the stated 7:00 PM concert time and fussed about the sound through several songs. “Two much echo...” But once he got into his groove, all was forgiven. He played all the hits that made him famous over 50 years. Some folks felt the show could only have been better had the fair sold beer--a topic of some of Jones’ better work.
Ashely Brooke Ballentine and Heather Elaine Pond were crowned Miss & Jr. Miss Warren County Fair 2006. Last year’s winners, Lacey Lancaster and Chelsea York, got a hug from George Jones before his show.
Kimberly N. Klotz was indicted for not returning a rental car to Virginia Auto Group.
Warren County sued the town of Strasburg for not notifying them about a proposed housing development located within a half mile of the Strasburg/Warren line before holding a public hearing on it and approving it. One of the project’s supporters was voted out of office and three chose not to run for re-election. Warren dropped the suit after determining it would have no adverse effect on the county. Taking a page from the Save the Gateway playbook, two of the projects remaining elected supporters walked out of a Strasburg Town Council meeting to deny a quorum to the majority who wanted to reconsider it. The developer is threatening to sue if the project is revisited for “frivilous reasons.”
The Town of Front Royal is paying an unprecedented sum of money and making other concessions to a prospective planning director from Prince William County hoping she won’t leave as quickly as many other top level town officials have. Outgoing Vice-Mayor Daniel Pond, III insinuated that micromanagement could be an issue between town council members and senior staff.
John Martin Delarosa, 22, was arrested and charged with robbing the 7-Eleven on John Marshall Highway. He was easy to find since he was in jail for allegedly getting drunk after the robbery. He admitted to the robbery but told the judge that he was stoned when he did it.
A lot of local folks are worried about the housing market--especially those who recently bought a home that had almost doubled in value in 5 years.
Jessie L. Shifflett was indicted for stealing from Foodway. If convicted, it would be his third larceny.
Wanda A. Brown, 58, was accused of pretending to be a Hurricane Katrina victim to get money.
Senator George Allen questioned his opponent Jim Webb’s lack of support for the war in Iraq. Former Reagan Navy Secretary Webb responded by calling Allen a coward who sat out Vietnam on a dude ranch in Nevada while Webb’s aid repeatedly referred to Allen as “Felix,” the middle name Allen hates and never uses.
July was really, really hot.
Quelman Quiroz, Jr. was indicted for robbing Rick Phillips.
Rappahannock resident Thomas Edward Lee III went to trial for trying to steal a $1,200 parrot from Noah’s Ark Pets and Aquarium. Unfortunately for Lee, an off duty Fairfax cop and Warren County Magistrate Leilani Monahan were in the store shopping that day. The two’s trained legal eyes sensed something was up when Lee allegedly stuffed the bird into his backpack. Lee said he was just testing the bird out. Judge Dennis Hupp didn’t buy it and convicted him.
A lot of folks went to Front Royal stores on Virginia’s first sales tax free holiday for back-to-school shoppers. The state says they think it was a success but aren’t sure since the stores didn’t have to report anything.
A lot of restaurants and other businesses are slow. Most folks think it’s because gas prices are so high. You can’t spend the same dollar twice. Oil producing countries aren’t complaining.
Someone vandalized the new and improved Bing Crosby Stadium right before it opened. The police offered a reward. Apparently in the 4+ million dollar renovation plans, no one thought to buy some hundred dollar cameras and a VCR.
Someone did $5,000 worth of damage to townhouses that are being constructed on Kerfoot Avenue.
H. N. Funkhouser President Bob Claytor said the big BP Alaskan oil pipeline shutdown won’t effect gas prices here much since most of that oil is sent to Japan anyway because the U.S. hasn’t built a new refinery in thirty years.
Christopher Nelson Munday was indicted for possession of heroin.
Mason Dixon spent a bunch of money polling Virginian’s and discovered that most of us don’t support new taxes but wouldn’t mind some shiny new roads.
A Gold’s Gym is opening next to the new BB&T bank in Royal Plaza Shopping Center.
Former Front Royal Town Manager David Reynal, who was forced out by Town Council before his first anniversary, got a job running West Melborne Florida.
Timothy Duane Hall was sentenced jail with all but two years suspended for assault and battery of three people: Terry Daniels and Front Royal Police officers D.L. Fogle and J.A. Grohs.
Excavation continues on 522 north of I-66 at the Riverton Commons and the Crooked Run retail centers. Warren County will be the new home of a Wal-Mart, Target, Lowes, Cracker Barrel , and other stores, restaurants, and banks.