Murder Suspect Identified, Indicted
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Circulation 13,000 Free August 7, 2015 MURDER SUSPECT IDENTIFIED, INDICTED Story and photo by Linda Cicoira A murder suspect was identified Wednesday in documents filed in Ac- comack General District Court in the death of a county resident found on the side of a country road last month. Robert James (R.J.) Northan Jr., 30, of Daugherty Road in Onley was indict- ed by an Accomack grand jury Monday. Northan was already in the Accomack Jail awaiting trial for other charges. Northan now faces a count of premed- itated murder in the death of Ronnie Lenwood Washington, 47, of Nelsonia. He also was indicted on counts of use of a firearm in a murder, robbery of Wash- ington and use of a firearm by a felon. Washington’s body was found near the intersection of Bear Town and Metompkin roads in Mappsville July 7. According to the Norfolk Medical Examiner’s Office, Washington died of multiple gunshot wounds. Accomack Sheriff Todd Godwin said Northan has been held without bond since July 14 on unrelated charges. The defendant was brought Wednes- day to General District Court, where Judge Gordon Vincent appointed East- ville lawyer Tucker Watson to defend him for the most recent charges. Attorney Terry Bliss was appointed last month to represent Northan for al- Northan legedly shooting at an occupied vehicle, putting the occupant in peril; and pos- if he committed the murder. session of a firearm by a felon on Feb. Also indicted Monday was a New 3. He also was charged with brandish- York bus driver, charged with hit and ing a firearm and discharging a fire- run in connection with a traffic acci- arm in or near a public road. His ad- dent that killed a local man last March. dress at that time was listed as White’s The victim, Brice Sauver, 66, of What’s Up (at the) Dock? Photo by Bill Sterling Neck Road in Parksley. Dreamland #1 in Accomac, was found Kenny Heath of Cape Charles backs down the Pound Netter as crew Northan posed for a photograph dead in the median strip of Lankford members prepare to tie the boat in the team competition of the Clam when returning to jail Wednesday and Highway in front of Perdue Foods Slam boat-docking contest in Cape Charles Sunday. emphatically replied, “No” when asked (Continued on Page 4) 2 • EastErn shorE Post • august 7, 2015 Feathers Predicted To Fly as Dozens of Chicken Houses Are Proposed By Linda Cicoira “These new poultry farms are being south of Oak Hall. staff that they are finding it difficult to The new trend in Accomack is for proposed with six to 12 poultry houses This year, two have been approved find appropriate tracts throughout the poultry houses to be put on “fairly on each farm” and “are also generally for southwest of Parksley, three for county and are also looking into plac- large tracts of land” where such struc- larger than ones constructed in the north of Metompkin and one for west ing houses in Northampton. Tyson in- tures have never been located before. past,” the report notes. of Melfa. Pending applications include formed staff that generally speaking, And there could be hundreds more “Clearly, the trend is to produce 10 for northeast of Painter, eight for no more than 8-12 houses would be of them, according to a report distrib- more chickens per farm than was done northeast of Nelsonia, 12 northeast of placed on individual parcels.” uted to the county Board of Supervi- historically,” the report continues. “An- Melfa, five northeast of Parksley, six Tyson officials said they prefer for sors this week. ecdotally, it seems apparent that the east of New Church, five southeast of the houses to be close to the Temper- Six poultry houses have been ap- number of concerns and complaints Hallwood, 12 in New Church, eight anceville and Snow Hill, Md., plants. proved so far this year and another 75 by neighboring property owners and east of Belle Haven and nine north of According to the report, “It is possi- are pending, states the seven-page doc- folks living close to the new operations Craddockville. ble … that poultry operations could be ument prepared by Accomack Planning will rise … the Board (of Supervisors) Tyson officials told staff “they hope proposed with more than 12 houses on and Community Development Direc- will likely be hearing from neighbors to have approximately 50 to 100 hous- a parcel.” tor Rich Morrison and planner Kristen and others as these new poultry farms es built throughout Accomack … ideal- Staff also learned that Amick, Allen Tremblay. Information for the report begin construction; staff has already ly, they would like to have upwards of Harim and Mountainaire are planning came from figures gathered on July 27. been hearing about it.” 100 poultry houses at a minimum over for four houses in Accomack this year. Per- “Staff members have met with a “All indications are that the trend the next two years. They also informed due reported an additional eight houses. large producer based out of North Car- will continue for at least the next one olina that is considering up to 72 new to two years,” the report predicts. OV NNOUNCES ALLOPS ROGRESS poultry houses in Accomack County,” Last year, two poultry house ap- G . A W P according to the report. “Those … num- plications were approved for north of Gov. Terry McAuliffe announced this national asset.” bers are not reflected in this report as Temperanceville, two for west of Belle Thursday that an agreement has been Transportation Secretary Aubrey no applications have been filed.” Haven, three for north of Metompkin, reached between the commonwealth Layne commented, “The governor was At the same time last year, 21 poul- 12 for west of Oak Hall and two for and Orbital ATK regarding repair costs clear in his direction following the Octo- try houses had been approved and nine northwest of Mappsville. Still pending and insurance coverage following the ber 2014 launch mishap that the Virginia were pending. There were none in 2013 from last year is a replacement house October 2014 launch mishap that dam- Space Authority was going to change the and four in 2012. north of Mappsville and eight houses aged portions of the Mid-Atlantic Re- way it conducted business and become a gional Spaceport (MARS). The agree- sustainable entity. The new agreement ment provides funding to complete re- protects the commonwealth’s assets at FOR SALE maining repairs to the pad as well as MARS against damage while at the same property insurance for future launches. time providing a state-of-the-art launch Historic Waterfront Estate in Accomack County The governor also announced a sepa- facility for our customer, Orbital ATK, at rate agreement with NASA for the Vir- a highly competitive price.” ginia Commercial Space Flight Author- The Mid-Atlantic Regional Space- ity to build a 3,000-foot Unmanned Air- port continues to make progress on craft Systems runway at Wallops Island, pad reconstruction and repair efforts, providing a major business opportunity targeting a completion date this fall. for the unmanned aircraft systems in- “I am encouraged with the agree- dustry. Construction will begin this fall, ment reached and look forward to with the first flight operations in 2016. seeing future launches,” said state Speaking at an event at Old Do- Sen. Lynwood Lewis. “The Spaceport minion University, where the Virgin- business is essential to the region’s ia Space Authority is headquartered, economy.” McAuliffe re-inforced his commitment According to Virginia Space Authority to the commonwealth’s spaceport, Executive Director Dale Nash, “The cost which is one of only four sites licensed of repairs to Pad 0A is expected to be ap- by the Federal Aviation Administra- proximately $15 million at completion, tion to launch rockets into orbit. split equally between Virginia Space, “The aerospace industry is a cen- Orbital ATK and NASA, and rebuild ef- tral part of my administration’s efforts forts are on schedule as we continue to to create high-tech jobs and build a work with our partners to return the new Virginia economy,”said McAuliffe. spaceport to operational status.” “This agreement will strengthen the Orbital ATK has announced plans to MARS facility and better protect tax- return Antares to flight at MARS with payers in the future. I am committed a “hot fire” test anticipated for late this to supporting this industry and MARS, year and the maiden voyage of the up- and look forward to a return to flight at graded Antares in 2016. August 7, 2015 • EAstErn shorE Post • 3 Photo courtesy of easternshorefire.com Restaurant Burns Firefighters from across the Eastern Shore responded to a blaze tion, officers from Exmore Police Department, Northampton County that swept through the Sage Diner on Lankford Highway in Ex- Sheriff’s Office and the State Police; and workers from Accomack- more last Saturday night. The fire was reported at nearly 10:15 p.m. Northampton Electric Cooperative and the Virginia Department of Units from Exmore, Nassawadox, Painter, Melfa, Wachapreague, On- Transportation assisted. The cause of the blaze was not available at ley, Onancock, Eastville, Tasley and Parksley responded. In addi- press time. T-Bone Wharton Williams February 28, 2004 July 30, 2015 A handsome, nice, lovable smooth coated Chihuahua-mix named T-Bone passed away Thursday, July 30, 2015. T-Bone was an outgoing SIZZLIN SUMMER SALE dog that had the privilege of traveling many places across the bay. T-Bone also visited Metompkin and Accawmacke Elementary Schools IS ON NOW on Guest Reader’s Day on his 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th birthdays.