Rappahannock Record The lower Northern Neck’s Neck’s most complete news source since 1916 191 75¢ Volume 98 No. 20 Thursday, February 26, 2015 www.rrecord.com Emergency services needs top $8.1 million requested for capital improvements by Audrey Thomasson be built on county-owned property at Mary Ball and Pinckardsville roads. LANCASTER—Planners last According to chief of emergency week got a wake-up call on the coun- services Terry McGregor, members ty’s growing emergency services on duty used to sleep on a cot in the needs as they took their first look at county office before they moved to capital improvement project (CIP) the Family Maternity Center after requests for fiscal years 2016-19. its closure as a birthing facility. Cur- Replacement of aging emergency rently they only pay for utilities and communications systems and a new upkeep; however, the U.S. Depart- emergency operations center top the ment of Agriculture (USDA) has request list, amounting to $4.5 mil- started foreclosure proceedings on lion of the $8.1 million in requests for the facility. the next four years. “Whenever the USDA forecloses The county defines a CIP item as on the building, we’ll have to incur Busting loose acquisition of real estate or personal expenses for a temporary facility,” Patrick Oliver’s boat (above) cuts through property such as a school bus or said McGregor. “The county needs the ice on the Rappahannock River near the improvements of $10,000 or more to provide a space for ALS (advanced Robert O. Norris Jr. Memorial Bridge last week with a minimum life expectancy of life support) personnel” including when subzero temperatures froze creeks and five years. sleeping quarters, a food preparation rivers throughout the Northern Neck and Emergency Management Services area, laundry, a training center, gen- Middle Peninsula. The freezing temperatures (EMS) requested an estimated $2.5 der-specific showers and restrooms, hampered efforts by watermen to harvest million to build an operations center four offices and a conference room, oysters before the end of the 2014-15 public to house at least six of the depart- harvest season on the Rappahannock River this week. There are still areas on the James ment’s 14 full-time and 20 part-time PLANNING, continued on page A2 EMS providers. The facility would River where hand tonging is allowed through April. Kellen Williams of Rappahannock River Oyster LLC (right) chips away at ice surrounding a boat at Locklies Marina in Topping last Wednesday. With temperatures dropping below zero for two days last week, snowfall totals of between 6 and 12 inches and high winds last Thursday, most oyster harvesters were stuck on shore. Rappahannock River Oyster harvesters went out Wednesday to survey the frozen river but did not harvest Tuesday, Thursday or Friday, according to Anthony Marchetti. Photos courtesy of Rappahannock River Oysters LLC Laundromat water rate, new polling place on agenda by Renss Greene Polling place maray said. “We also want to move The Lancaster electoral board has out of the rescue squad. That’s also KILMARNOCK—The Kilmar- requested the town move its polling not good parking; it could be a safety nock Speedwash has requested place from the Kilmarnock firehouse issue.” a special water rate as owners which it says does not have adequate Kilmarnock museum Chesapeake Bank and Joe Hudnall facilities. The board has requested Nunn also reported from the make plans to reopen, said council a move to either Grace Episco- administration and finance commit- member Michael Sutherland at the pal Church or Kilmarnock Baptist tee that the Kilmarnock Museum has town council meeting February 23. Church for town elections. requested funding assistance from the “The committee requested that “We feel that Grace would have town to repair water damages at the we get a business plan of some sort better parking, mainly,” said electoral museum. from Speedwash so we can evaluate board secretary Marilyn McGlamary. Museum president Carroll Lee whether or not an adjustment to the Vice mayor Rebecca Nunn made a Ashburn said an upstairs water pipe rates for the water supplied to the successful motion to begin the pro- burst after a heating failure, causing Speedwash is justified,” Sutherland cess of moving the town polling place “significant” damage to the foyer and Lift from a champion said in his report from council’s to Grace Episcopal, 303 South Main one room, but no artifacts were dam- From left, Lancaster coaches Sam Terry and Craig Oren water and sewer committee. Street, Kilmarnock. A public hearing aged. get a lift from wrestler Sam Bouis after he won the state If such a rate were granted, it will be held on the move during the Ashburn said the museum has had Group 1A heavyweight championship last Friday night at would be the only such exception March 26 council meeting. to tear a wall out and will open late Salem Civic Center. The Red Devils produced two state to water rates in town, according to This change would only affect town this year after repairs are completed. GLEQTMSRWMR&SYMWERH/IRMUYI7XI[EVX ERH½RMWLIH deputy town manager Susan Cock- elections, but McGlamaray indicated Repairs are in progress now, and Ash- ½JXL MR XIEQ WGSVMRK 6IEH EPP EFSYX XLI WYGGIWW SJ &SYMW rell. the electoral board is planning on sev- burn estimates they will cost around 7XI[EVXERHXLIVIWXSJXLIWXEXIUYEPM½IVWJVSQ0ERGEWXIV Town manager Tom Saunders said eral other polling place changes. $3,000. Museum donations can be and Northumberland high schools on C1. Photo by Billy Pipkin the town is awaiting a response from “We’re changing actually hopefully sent to P.O. Box 2276, Kilmarnock, the business owners. five different polling sites,” McGla- VA 22482. Audience needed for The Great Northern Neck Spelling Bee obert Mason Jr., Kylie Bransford, David Record, Northern Neck YMCA’s Fitness RValadez, Debbie Cook and Mark Gates Bees, Kilmarnock Baptist Church Spell- are itching to test the spelling skills of 14 ers, St. Andrew’s Bee-attitudes, Team RCC, teams competing for bragging rights in the Charles Lawson’s Spellraiser 3: Spell on The Great Northern Neck Spelling Bee. Earth, Montessori Movable Alphabet, The event will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday, Martha Crittenden’s Earth Maintenance & March 1, at the new Lancaster County Irrigation, Chesapeake Academy Ospreys, Library building, 16 Town Centre Drive, RW-C’s Alphabet Soup, Janice Stewart’s Kilmarnock. Spelltastics and Lin Ross’s Spellbinders. Cook and Gates will pronounce the The Great Northern Neck Spelling Bee words, and Mason, Bransford and Valadez will raise funds towards the capital cam- will judge the four-person teams for correct paign goal of $1.5 million to renovate the spelling. new library, said library director Lindsy “I hope that we have lots of folks who Gardner. Each team contributed $100 will come out to cheer on these spellers. to participate, and audience members This is not going to be your typical bee,” are asked to make a $5 donation at the said library board member and event chair- door. Teams can purchase mulligans for $10 man Amy Lewis. each to buy back into the competition after Teams represent a variety of organiza- misspelling a word. tions from the community including the “I’m so excited about this unique fund- Campbell Calvinists, National Association raiser, and I hope lots of people will come for Retired Federal Employee Patri-ettes, out to see the new building and support From left are David Valadez, Robert Mason Jr., Kylie Bransford, Debbie Cook and Bettie-Lee’s Bees of the Rappahannock these brave spellers,” said Lindsy Gardner. Mark Gates. Business ................B4-6 Churches ..............B4-6 Directory ................D5 Obituaries ............B5-6 Police ........................ A3 Sports .................. C1-4 Calendar ...................B2 'PEWWM½IH ............. D1-3 Notices ................ D3-4 Opinion ................A5-6 Schools.................C5-6 Upcoming ....................B1-3 6 56525 10491 6 February 26, 2015 Rappahannock Record A2 InsideNews Kilmarnock, VA 804 Planning commission hears fiscal needs Hospital to celebrate its Unless noted, all phone numbers in this publication continued from page A1 recent teleneurology and carry the 804 area code. “...and in a building that will For fiscal year 2017, the withstand category two hurri- school district has included cane force winds.” $178,000 for two new buses stroke care advancements McGregor said the build- and $37,900 for site selec- KILMARNOCK—Bon Sec- appahannock ing must also provide climate- tion and planning for future ours Rappahannock General ecord controlled parking for “at least schools. Bus purchase requests Hospital, 101 Harris Road, R two EMS response vehicles” total $89,000 for fiscal year Kilmarnock, on Friday, Febru- USPS (455-600) in order to protect medications 2018 and $178,000 for fiscal ary 27, will host its one-year 27 N. Main St., P.O. Box 400 and equipment contained in the year 2019. Also listed in fiscal anniversary celebration of Pri- Kilmarnock, VA 22482-0400 vehicles. year 2019 is $240,000 for a mary Stroke Center Certifica- 804-435-1701 District 2 planner Glendon new chiller at the high school. tion from the American Heart Fax: 804-435-2632 Pinn Jr. asked about the depart- The county list includes $1 Association. [[[66IGSVHGSQ ment’s expanding paid staff million for public access sites Beginning at 2 p.m., the hospi- and the county’s role in EMS and $400,000 for the Green- Mr. & Mrs. Frederick A. Gaskins, tal will offer refreshments, give- General Managers services. town/Gaskins Road sewer aways, information and demon- Robert D. Mason Jr., Editor McGregor replied that with system project. The amounts strations in the cafe, reported the state’s tougher standards are split evenly for fiscal year marketing and public relations J.E.