The Restorative Justice Services brings together victims of crime and offenders, along with their families, to discuss the crime, help the offender take responsibility and understand who has been affected, and decide together how to best repair the harm. The program is improving and restoring crime victims and families.
A variety of musical treats will be on the menu during the Concert 4 Katrina, set for 2-8 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 23, at the Fauquier County Fairgrounds.
The admission charge will be $5 and a canned food item. All donations will go to the American Red Cross to help victims of Hurricane Katrina. Attendees are asked to bring a blanket or lawn chair to sit on.
In addition to music from several bands, Warrenton photographer and Red Cross volunteer Sunny Reynolds will offer a video presentation about the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
Brooksie Wells of Warrenton returns to her country and rock roots with a new CD, "Been There," to be celebrated with a CD release party from 7-10 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 22, at the Bleu Rock Inn in Washington, Va.
Also scheduled to attend the release party are artists who appear with Wells on the recording, and there will be performances from Jeff Severson and Medicine Wind.
Recorded in her Warrenton home studio, "Been There" combined local talent with well-known old friends from her early days in the music business, both to perform and produce the recording.
Wells has a Web site, http://www.brooksiewells.com, where the CD can be ordered, and the CD will also be sold during her appearance at the Bleu Rock Inn Oct. 22.
For the Circuit Court Room, use the sidewalk portico entrance off Hotel Street, next to the Warren Green Building. (This is the only access to the Circuit Court Room).
For all other business, including Clerk of the Court, Commonwealth's Attorney, personal property and business tax, and the treasurer's office, use the Ashby Street entrance.
Fall cleanup week for the Town of Warrenton is scheduled for Oct. 17-21. Town trucks will provide extra collections in all residential areas for trash, refuse and other items that cannot be handled on the weekly schedule. All items are to be placed on the street line by 8 a.m. on the day scheduled. No return trips can be made.
All trash and refuse must be placed in proper containers. Tree trimmings and brush must be placed separately; small clippings from bushes or shrubs should be bagged and placed with regular refuse. Town crews will not pick up tree trimmings and brush cut by tree companies or contractors.
To have an appliance containing Freon picked up, it is necessary to pay a $10 fee and to call Public Works in advance to make arrangements. Such items might include air-conditioners, humidifiers and de-humidifiers. If no arrangements have been made, the item will not be picked up.
This year there will be some changes. The town will no longer pick up TVs, monitors, copiers or paint. These items must be recycled at the landfill. For more information call the Fauquier County Waste Management Office at (540) 347-6811.
If any of these items are set out during cleanup week, they will not be picked up. For paint cans that are empty and dried up, remove the lid and place with the regular refuse collection.
The Town of Warrenton will be replacing a 10-inch cast iron water line in North Fourth Street with a new 12-inch ductile iron line. The project will begin around Oct. 24 by cutting the pavement; the excavation will follow in the next few days.
For the next 30 days or so, during this work, Fourth Street will be closed between Main and Homer Streets to through traffic. The street will be accessible from Main Street and from Homer Street, but delays could be possible.
As part of Warrenton's water line maintenance program, the utility department will be flushing water lines throughout the water system, from 7 p.m. and 1 a.m. from Oct. 24 to Nov. 18.
If water is discolored, this can normally be resolved by running cold water until it clears, between two and seven minutes. Customers should not run the hot water to clear up the water, because this would allow the discolored water to enter the hot water tank.
The guest of honor will be John Blackburn, dean of admissions at the University of Virginia. He will be joined on the panel by Michael Maxie, vice president of enrollment at Roanoke University; Pamela Mason, associate director of admissions at Columbia University; and Glenn Thomas, enrollment management consultant and former director of admissions at John Hopkins University.
The event is free but reservations are required before Oct. 25; contact Patrick DeBenedictis at (540) 253-5393, Ext. 205, or at pdebenedictis@wakefieldschool.org .
The festival, scheduled for Oct. 8, was supposed to be held "rain or shine," according to town officials. But when pouring rain brought the potential for dangerous weather and flooding, officials said they were forced to cancel the event.
"We were under a hurricane watch and flood warnings. I don't think anyone could have predicted that we would have that kind of weather," Deputy Town Administrator Sharon Lee told the Town Council Monday night. "Lydia (Edwards) had to make a decision, so we canceled."
Since the cancellation, Lee said that several vendors asked about getting their money back. Some of them paid $25 to secure a booth on Main Street. Those who needed access to electricity each paid $30 to secure their booths.
Wakefield School's upper and middle school theater program will start off the 2005-2006 season with a celebration of the works of the late Shel Silverstein.
Most parents know Silverstein's quirky poetry, but may not know that he was also a playwright. His plays have the same offbeat sense of humor as the poetry.
Upper school students, under the direction of theater teacher Chris Guyotte, will perform several plays from Silverstein's collection entitled "An Adult Evening with Shel Silverstein," including the hilarious "Best Daddy," "Wash and Dry" and "One Tennis Shoe."
To round out the show, Guyotte has worked with the Silverstein estate for rights to perform some of Silverstein's poetic works as well, from "Where the Sidewalk Ends," "Falling Up" and "A Light in the Attic."
The Culpeper chapter of the Virginia Deer Hunters Association will hold its annual banquet on Saturday, Oct. 22 at the Madison Volunteer Fire Department.
The doors open at 5:30 p.m. and dinner will be served at 7 p.m. In advance, single tickets are $50 and couples pay $75; admission includes one subscription to Whitetail Times.
In addition to raffles, door prizes, and live and silent auctions, an "Ultimate Hunting Package" will be raffled off for $200 a chance (only 50 chances sold). First prize is a 2006 Arctic Cat 400; second prize is a Winchester Model 70, 270 Short Mag and a Remington 870 Express; and third prize is a 710 Combo 30-06, and a ladder tree stand. Chance-holders need not be present to win.
In a free workshop series called "Guiding Good Choices" being offered in Warrenton, parents will learn how to strengthen their bonds with their children and reduce the risk that their children will use drugs. The five-week program is being offered by Fauquier CADRE from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Thursdays starting Oct. 27 at the Cooperative Extension Office conference room, 24 Pelham Street, Warrenton.
"Guiding Good Choices" is a nationally recognized, interactive program for parents of children in grades five through eight. In a lively and open atmosphere, parents will learn strategies to help children avoid drug use and other problem behavior.
Teams interested in taking part in the world's largest rocket contest can start by downloading the application for the Team America Rocketry Challenge from http://www.rocketcontest.org .
The first 750 teams to submit an application package postmarked on or before Nov. 15 will be allowed to compete in the 2006 event. About 10,000 middle and high school students took part in the last contest.
Currently at that intersection, there is a stop sign on Old Meetze Road to enter onto Falmouth Street. The intersection will be changed to a three-way stop, meaning all traffic approaching this intersection will have to stop.
Red Hot & Blue restaurant in Warrenton will be donating 10 percent of its sales every Sunday in November to the Fauquier Boys and Girls Club. This applies to dine-in and take-out sales from 11 a.m. until 8 p.m.
All proceeds from the $12 recipe book, compiled from the ideas and favorites of committee members, family and friends, will go to assist families in Warrenton and Fauquier County.
Advance orders are being accepted now; the books will arrive by Dec. 5. To order, e-mail cooking@fauquiercounty.gov or call Kristen at (540) 347-8703.
The PDRC, a Piedmont United Way Agency, received $60,000 from the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice for fiscal year 2005-06 to implement the Restorative Justice Services for Fauquier County adult offenders and victims.
The Restorative Justice Program works with the courts, schools and law enforcement. The program brings together victims of crime and offenders, along with their families, to discuss the crime, help the offender take responsibility and understand who has been affected, and decide together how to best repair the harm.
Volunteers must have flexible hours and be able to handle emotional situations. There is no cost for the 16-hour training, in exchange for a commitment to volunteer to either facilitate restorative justice conferences or act as a surrogate victim (representing a crime victim who chooses not to directly participate in the program).
Volunteers must also complete Virginia State Police criminal background, Child Protective Services and Sex Offender Registry checks, and be willing to meet twice a month.
To volunteer, or to have a representative speak to a professional, civic, or religious group about this innovative program, call Liliana Anaya at PDRC, (540) 347-6650.
A water shortage stemming from dry weather conditions, and a water draw-down because of a dam construction project on the Big Cherry Reservoir, caused officials in this southwest Virginia town to declare a water emergency.
Soldiers from the 1030th Engineer Battalion and the 1032nd Transportation Company located in Gate City; the 1710th Transportation Company located in Rocky Mount; and the 222nd Quartermaster Detachment in Staunton were called up.
The Guardsmen have the capability to provide 10 water storage units, each of which is able to hold 20,000 gallons. Also, the soldiers will be helping distribute bottled water at the Big Stone Gap Wal-Mart parking lot.
Today approximately 320 Guardsmen, soldiers and airmen, are supporting disaster recovery operations in Louisiana. Another 490 recently returned from Hurricane Katrina recovery operations in Louisiana and Mississippi.
More than 700 Guardsmen are on active federal duty status in Iraq and Afghanistan; 450 more are preparing to enter active federal service this month.
The sixth annual Blue and Gray Ball will be held at the Fauquier Springs Country Club on Saturday, Nov. 12. Guests will be treated to an elaborate buffet dinner before period dancing from 9 p.m. to midnight.
Richmond-based Southern Horizon, a four-person band, will play period dance music beginning at 9 p.m. Dance master Danny Stanton will be back to instruct and guide dancers before calling each dance.
As always, the ball will begin with a torch-light procession by Confederate re-enactors from the Black Horse Troop. But a brand-new event will precede the cavalry this year: a period fashion show at the club, from 4:30-5:30 p.m.
The fashion show, presented by Heirloom Emporium of Strasburg, will feature male and female models wearing period attire for various social occasions, as well as a verbal presentation of the clothing and its uses during the mid-1860s.
Local musicians John Tole and Anne Howard, performing as Evergreen Shade, will entertain guests upon their arrival and during dinner, as will musicians Luke Brown and James Bayse.
After dinner, but before dancing begins, the Gray Ghost Interpretive Group will entertain guests with skits from scenes or events from Mosby's life. These volunteer performers were organized earlier this year by Rich Gillespie, education coordinator of the Mosby Heritage Area Association at Atoka, and presented skits of scenes from Mosby's life at MHAA headquarters there over the summer.
Attending the period fashion show is $10 per person in advance. The fee for attending the ball, including dinner, is $80 per person for members of the Mosby Museum Foundation, and $90 per person for non-members.
All profits from the ball will go to the John Singleton Mosby Museum Foundation, which is restoring the Spilman-Mosby House in Warrenton to its 1859-80 appearance. Mosby was a Confederate cavalry officer who organized a battalion of guerrilla fighters and operated in a section of Northern Virginia known as "Mosby's Confederacy." Mosby earned the nickname "Gray Ghost" because of his and his men's elusiveness and ability to "skedaddle" after a fight.
Also needed are canned food for adult dogs and cats, as well as for puppies and kittens; distilled water; treats and toys; exam gloves; gauze pads (3-by-5 inches); laundry detergent; bleach; paper towels; Q-tips, sonic cleaner; 45-gallon trash bags; and used newspapers.
Items that would be greatly appreciated: a full-size exam table; an HP color photo printer; a small desk; a legal-size file cabinet; a microchip scanner; and two portable surgery lamps. The SPCA can even accept used cars and trucks.
Several funds have been established so that donations can be targeted for particular shelter programs or projects. These include low-cost spaying and neutering; assisting with vet care; helping to fund a cat exercise pen at the shelter; sponsor a pet's day-to-day at the shelter; or memorializing or honoring a person or a pet.
The shelter is located at 9350 Rogues Road (Route 602), Casanova. For more information, call (540) 788-9000 or visit http://www.fauquierspca.com .
The Virginia Department of Health is sponsoring a five-state exercise to test emergency planning efforts. Virginia will partner with Kentucky, North Carolina, Tennessee and West Virginia to test and evaluate response efforts during a mock exercise Oct. 24-27 in the western areas of the state.
Called "OctoberTEST," this exercise will not only test localities, agencies and hospitals on how well they work together to respond to a series of fictional emergency public health events, but it will also assess the ability to work across state lines.
This year's drill is a series of simulated disease outbreaks which will escalate into a full-scale, multi-state response to a suspected act of bioterrorism. Participants will combine table-top sessions with actual demonstrations, such as mock victims entering hospitals and health department offices to report symptoms; mock media arriving to cover the developments; and the staging of mass dispensing sites to deliver medicines.
Every three years, the Disability Services Board is required to conduct a Needs Assessment Report regarding citizens with physical or sensory disabilities in Fauquier County. The next report is due next year.
Needs Assessment Survey forms are available at the DSB office, located in the Extension Building at 24 Pelham Street in Warrenton, as well as at all three branches of the Fauquier County Library, Fauquier Hospital, and local doctor's offices and assisted living facilities. Survey forms will be sent to the director of special education for Fauquier County public schools.
Participation is important, because Virginia decides on certain grant and funding initiatives based on the reports filed in each jurisdiction. Confidentiality is assured the survey is completely anonymous.
The Virginia Department of Health is advising everyone to get vaccinated, especially people who are at risk of developing complications from influenza.
The vaccine is now available from most physicians and health departments and many pharmacies. Until Oct. 24, VDH is asking vaccine providers to give the first available doses to people in high-risk groups and to health care providers who have contact with patients in those groups.
Beginning Oct. 24, all Virginians will be eligible for vaccination. However, citizens should check with their physician or health department to gauge the status of vaccine supply and to determine which patients will be provided with vaccine. Providers will be receiving vaccine throughout the season, and supplies may vary at times.
Influenza can cause fever, cough, sore throat, headache, chills and muscle aches. Unlike the common cold, the flu causes severe illness and can be life-threatening. Complications from the flu can lead to pneumonia and other serious illnesses, such as infections of the brain and heart.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, influenza causes an average of 36,000 deaths and more than 200,000 hospitalizations each year in the United States. More people die from complications from the flu than from any other vaccine-preventable disease.
The flu is caused by a highly contagious virus that is spread primarily when an infected person coughs or sneezes. The virus can be transmitted even before flu-like symptoms appear. Immunization provides the best protection.
Two types of vaccine are available in the U.S. and their formulas are changed each year to attack the strains of the virus that are in circulation. This is why it is important to be vaccinated every year.
The traditional influenza vaccine, called the flu shot, is an injection containing an inactive, or killed, form of the virus. A spray vaccine is also available containing a weakened form of a live virus that is sprayed into the nostrils as a fine mist. The nasal spray vaccine is approved for healthy children and adults 5-49 years of age, while the flu shot can be used for children aged 6 months and older and adults.
The best time to receive influenza vaccine is during October and November; however, vaccination in December, or even later, can still prevent the flu. January and February are typically peak flu months in Virginia, but increased flu activity can last into March.
For more information, visit http://www.vdh.virginia.gov. Additional resources may be found at http://www.flushotsvirginia.org or by calling (800) LUNG-USA.
According to information provided by the office Sen. George Allen, Fauquier County was awarded $400,000 to build a bridge on U.S. 17 that crosses over U.S. 15 and U.S. 29. This bridge will be comprised of two spans, each 98 feet long, and will be constructed of state-of-the-art materials.
The money was awarded to the Virginia Department of Transportation by the U.S. Department of Transportation, as part of the Innovation Bridge Research and Construction Program. This is an initiative by the Federal Highway Administration to help bridge owners incorporate materials and technologies into their building projects. The intent of the program is to reduce congestion associated with bridge construction and maintenance, to lower the life-cycle costs of bridges, and to enhance safety.
If you have ownership interest in your property, and your house needs repairs or must have safety and health hazards addressed, you may be able to qualify for up to a $20,000 loan amortized at 1 percent over a 20-year period, or a grant up to $7,500 for those 62 years of age or older and cannot repay a loan. The grant has a $7,500 lifetime limit on it.
Some of the eligible uses of loan-grant funds are to install wells, septic systems, and related plumbing, insulation, storm doors and windows, repair or replace heating systems, electrical upgrades, structural repairs, roofs, etc.
The authorized uses have to be related to correcting or removal of safety or health hazards to the home, or make it accessible and usable for disabled people.
The household adjusted income cannot exceed the very low income limit established for the county. The income for a family of two cannot exceed $24,800 per year in Culpeper, $35,700 in Fauquier, $21,400 in Madison, $23,100 in Orange and $25,300 in Rappahannock County.
In July, the Piedmont United Way added a much-needed regional program: the Piedmont Volunteer Center, which organizers hope will mobilize the energies of volunteers and help in many ways throughout the counties of Culpeper, Fauquier, Madison, Orange and Rappahannock.
"The Piedmont Volunteer Center will work to connect people with agencies in need of volunteers," said Warren McKeen, PUW executive director. "Small nonprofits cannot afford to add staff and still meet the needs of the community; they need volunteers to carry out their programs.
"Many times, new residents are commuting out of the area to work and they only sleep here. We needed a way to help them become part of the community.
"I viewed that by creating the volunteer center we could help both people who are lifelong residents and those who are new to the area connect to our local communities," McKeen explained.
Skelton began work on the project in late June, developing connections with existing resources in the region and state, as well as support from the Points of Light Foundation and Volunteer Centers National Network.
Skelton said, "The Volunteer Center will help by connecting individuals with volunteer opportunities. Volunteers mentor children, run youth activities, provide support to those that are alone or ill, build homes, help out in disasters, clean up our neighborhoods, serve on community boards, feed the hungry, shelter the homeless and fill many other vital roles."
Additional plans include working with local leaders to engage as yet untapped volunteer resources; sponsoring forums to address the need for volunteers in solving critical community issues; and publicizing the benefits of volunteering for individuals, families, civic and faith-based organizations.
Those who would like to volunteer or discuss their organization's volunteer needs, can reach Jill Skelton at the Piedmont Volunteer Center at (540) 825-0317 or via e-mail to volunteer@piedmontunitedway.org .
Rooftop will open with "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown" in the Kellar Theater at the Candy Factory, 9419 Battle St., Manassas from Oct. 21 through Nov. 5.
The second production will be "The Glass Menagerie," which runs from March 17 through April 1, 2006. Tickets for both shows are $28 for adults and $22 for students and seniors 62+.
Pied Piper will present three shows this season, opening with the Broadway production of "Honk!", an updated version of "The Ugly Duckling." Performances will be at Freedom High School in Woodbridge from Nov. 12-20.
"Jungle Book" runs Feb. 11-19, 2006 and "Narnia, the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" runs May 13-21, 2006. Both will be performed at Gar-Field High School in Woodbridge. Season tickets for all three Pied Piper shows are $18.
Before about 100 supporters at a campaign rally held at the Wayside Inn in Middletown on Sept. 29, Delegate Clifford L. "Clay" Athey Jr., R-Warren, announced the official kickoff of his campaign for re-election to a third term in the Virginia House of Delegates. He represents the 18th Legislative District, which includes Warren, Frederick and Fauquier counties.
Chairman of the House Republican Policy Committee, Athey is also a senior member of the powerful Courts of Justice Committee. He serves on the Militia, Police, and Public Safety Committee and the Health Welfare and Institutions Committee.
Athey also cited as important the passage of his House Bill 2337, which guarantees that graduates of Virginia community colleges can transfer into the junior class at Virginia state-supported four-year universities.
He mentioned his House Bill 2330, which was adopted in the budget as a one-year pilot program last year and allows town, cities and counties to construct highway projects of up to $2 million with the state contributing 50 percent ($1 million) toward the project.
Athey then discussed a few important pieces of legislation that he patroned over the last four years that directly affected the lives of citizens in his district.
House Bill 2390, the Park and Recreational Facilities Act, secured bond financing in the amount of $6 million for the completion of the Andy Guest State Park in Warren County and $450,000 to build picnic areas and Appalachian Trail shelters at Sky Meadows State Park in Delaplane.
House Bill 991, the Commonwealth of Virginia Educational Facilities Bond Act, secured financing of $11.5 million for a Science and Health Professions building, as well as the Corron Community and Workforce Training Center at Lord Fairfax Community College.
Over $4 million in funding secured for numerous community organizations, including the John S. Mosby House Museum, were cited as significant accomplishments.
The lack of rain in August and September has dried out much of the commonwealth, so much so that it has officials with the Virginia Department of Forestry preparing for what could be one of the worst fall fire seasons ever.
"We are monitoring the situation daily," said John Miller, director of resource protection. "We need more than 6 inches of rain over the course of several days to saturate the ground."
The dearth of rainwater has dried out the ground, grasses, numerous trees and will soon do the same to falling leaves and pine needles. These items are the fuels that burn in a fire.
The last significant fall fire season in Virginia occurred during drought conditions in 2001. That year, the agency fought 995 wildfires that burned nearly 11,000 acres across the state.
Today, most of the commonwealth is running a 30-day rain deficit, and a large portion of southeastern Virginia is experiencing a 90-day rain deficit. Fall fire season in Virginia runs from Oct. 15 through Nov. 30 each year.
Fred Turck, VDOF fire prevention coordinator, said, "People burning debris, such as trash or yard waste, cause more wildland fires in Virginia than any other source. By not burning on dry, windy days, you lessen the risk significantly.
"If you must burn, clear a safe zone around the perimeter before you ignite the fire. Have a supply of water on hand to extinguish embers that escape the fire and land outside the cleared perimeter."
Judged by a jury of its peers, Fauquier County Parks and Recreation Department was recently selected as the winner in two of 13 categories: Best Promotional Effort-Electronic Media, and Best Promotional Effort-Specialty Piece.
The awards were voted on by 900 delegates from around the state who recently gathered at the 51st annual Conference of the Virginia Recreation and Park Society, held at the Hampton Roads Convention Center.
Parks and Rec received the award for electronic media for FastLink, the online system where citizens can browse facility locations and create an account for online class enrollment.
Recognition for the promotional piece category was for a FastLink brochure designed by David Henrickson of Flashpoint Communications. The piece was distributed to inform and excite the public about the launch of the FastLink system and to encourage involvement in Parks and Rec activities through the use of technology.
For sale are navel oranges, $25 a box or $14 a half-box; red grapefruit, $25/$14; orange and grapefruit mix, $18 a half box; tangelos, $24/$14; tangerines, $18; Holiday Gift Trio (oranges, grapefruit, apples), $22; Citrus Trio (oranges, grapefruit, tangelos), $18; Premium Variety Pack (oranges, grapefruit, apples, pears), $22.
Proceeds from Lions' sales provide sight testing and glasses; hearing testing and hearing aids; and Fauquier Free Clinic diabetes testing. The Lions support Hospice, the Shadow Lawn Senior Citizen Center, the Leader Dog program which trains guide dogs for the blind, and a Fauquier High scholarship and emergency aid to needy families.
October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a mammogram is the best way to detect breast cancer in its earliest, most treatable stage, when the cancer is confined to the breast. This is one to three years before a woman can feel it.
The five-year survival rate for breast cancer found in its earliest stage is 97 percent, according to the National Cancer Institute. If diagnosed at a later stage, when the cancer has spread to other organs, the five-year survival rate drops to 23 percent.
Some 5,945 women received mammograms and Pap tests last year through the Virginia Department of Health's Every Woman's Life program. The program provides breast and cervical cancer screening and followup tests to low-income Virginia residents ages 40-64 and have limited or no health insurance. Treatment may also be covered for those women who are diagnosed with cancer through the program.
Participating providers closest to Fauquier County are the Winchester Medical Center, Carol Carroll, (540) 336-7822; and the Bon Secours Richmond Health System, Nancy Malone, (804) 545-1952.
Dave McCrabb, owner of The Scoti in Old Town Warrenton, plans to create a bagpipe and drum marching band, to participate in local parades, put on summer concerts, and provide piping services for weddings, parties, funerals and other private and public events.
Initial practices have been held at the New Baltimore Volunteer Fire Department. The mission now is to recruit additional pipers and drummers, with the goal of building a band of 10-12 pipers and 6-7 drummers as quickly as possible.
The new band is open to any age or level of experience; those interested in learning to play the pipes or drums can set up private lessons with McCrabb, or attend pre-practice group tutorials. He can be reached at (540) 351-0309.
Also, the fledgling band needs instruments, kilts, music and other accoutrements, so donations are being accepted at The Scoti at 35 Main Street in Old Town, Warrenton.
A new edition of the Fauquier High School Alumni Directory is being compiled and edited by publisher Harris Connect. A representative said, "It will feature detailed personal and professional information of graduates from all class years."
Connect can be reached at (866) 416-1306 or gcupdate@harrisconnect.com . The mailing address is Fauquier High School Alumni Directory project c/o Harris Connect, 6300 Center Drive, Norfolk VA 23502.
All 1995 graduates of Fauquier, Liberty and their teachers are invited to the 10-year reunion of the Fauquier High School Class of 1995. The festivities are planned for Saturday, Nov. 19.
For more information, visit http://www.fhs1995reunion.com . If not already registered on the Web site, scroll to the bottom and click next to "Need an Account."
The first Battle of the Bands was held at St. John's Octoberfest on Oct. 1. Seven bands, mostly made up of high school students, competed for first place.
The ages of the musicians ranged from 14 to 21. Several of the bands' members boasted having invested a year or more of playing together; others informed the audience they had been practicing together for only a month or less.
Eternal Hamnation won first place. Band members are brothers Pat Mulrooney and Don Mulrooney and Aaron DeLong. The band has been together for a year and a half.
Cindy Chapman, who headed the Octoberfest outdoor festivities, organized the event. Staff and participants plan to expand the competition at next year's Octoberfest.
The Fauquier Cahpter of the American Red Cross is still looking for persons to be trained to go to the Gulf Coast and provide disaster relief to those affected by hurricanes Katrina and Rita. More than 20,000 more people are needed before December.
A house where Civil War soldiers left graffiti-covered walls, a one-room school for African-American students, and a church built by coal miners, are among the 19 additions to the Virginia Landmarks Register recently approved by the boards of the Department of Historic Resources.
Graffiti House, in the Culpeper County village of Brandy Station, has plaster walls in three rooms filled with the names and comments of Union and Confederate soldiers, who alternately occupied the house during the Civil War. The frame house is the only antebellum building with explicit Civil War associations in Brandy Station, the scene of the war's largest mounted cavalry fight.
Casanova retains a remarkably intact collection of historic structures, including a rare steam-powered mill, a late 19th-century schoolhouse, a tiny post office, a parish house and rectory, and several commercial buildings and residences.
Markham also features many historic 19th-century buildings, including an 1819 stone church, a hotel, and a train station. Markham was named by Edward C. Marshall, son of Chief Justice John Marshall and first president of the Manassas Gap Railroad. This railroad ran through the village and became a strategic rail line during the Civil War, when Union and Confederate contested for control of it.
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