The lower Northern Neck’s most complete news source since 1916 75¢ Volume 100 No. 21 Thursday, March 2, 2017 www.rrecord.com Supervisors endorse legislation seeking changes in watermen license revocation procedures by Audrey Thomasson offenses” such as if the wind blows a letter that could be sent prior to last your license off the window of the Saturday’s final day of the term. The LANCASTER—Waterman Lisa boat, Rose said. She described how bill passed the House and Senate and Rose appealed to Lancaster County one waterman lost his license when he is awaiting action by Gov. McAuliffe. supervisors last week for their sup- got a third ticket over a 26-year period. Other issues port of legislation to protect what she “You’re called a repeat offender, even Ernest Kallus asked supervisors to called the 98% of watermen who obey when the offenses are different…He take action against a blight problem the law. lost his license…and had to sell his in the county which is causing harm During the public comments section gear and take a minimum wage job,” to fisheries and the landscape. Kallus of the February 23 board of supervi- she said. said people are dumping in a ditch at sors’ meeting, Rose asked supervisors The VMRC has become very the 4000 block of Merry Point Road. to send an endorsement of House Bill aggressive in policing the waters, to “The swell is full of junk,” he said. 1573 to Gov. Terry McAuliffe to help the point of nearly causing accidents Kallus noted that whatever is dumped protect the livelihood of watermen. in their haste to issue a ticket on could be secreting into the creek and According to the Virginia General waters jammed with boats, she said. harming marine life, including crabs Assembly Legislative Information In one instance, she was knocked off and oysters. “The top guardrail is System, the bill, patroned by District her feet when a VMRC boat cut in deformed where people throw refrig- 91 Del. Gordon C. Helsel Jr. of Poquo- front of her vessel in order to get to erators into it. Two televisions sets son and District 100 Del. Robert another waterman. were dumped this afternoon. I’d like S. Bloxom Jr. of Mappsville, pro- “VMRC is one of the most corrupt to see something done,” he said. vides that when the Virginia Marine agencies in the Commonwealth of “What do you expect us to do?” Resources Commission (VMRC) Virginia,” said District 1 supervisor asked Jenkins, noting it would be revokes fishing privileges for a vio- Butch Jenkins. “It represents special impossible to continually monitor the lation of the tidal fisheries law, it can interests. Unfortunately, our repre- area. only revoke the particular type of sentatives in the General Assembly Planning and land use director Don license that is applicable to the fishery tie our hands. Bad government is bad Gill said staff would investigate. He in which the violation occurred. government. While our Common- noted the property may belong to the Under current law, the VMRC is wealth is blessed with good govern- Virginia Department of Transporta- Historic Christ Church & Museum volunteer Elizabeth Warren joins authorized to revoke all of the fishing ment, they are not,” he added. “I have tion or be privately owned. Brent Heath at his presentation on “Heirloom Bulbs for Restoration privileges a person has been granted, no confidence in our government and In other business, supervisors Gardens.” Warren recalls as a young girl meeting Heath’s grandfather, irrespective of the location and type none in VMRC.” approved a revised service agree- who in 1900 started the business that Heath and his wife, Becky, of fish described in the license. The Noting the 2017 session of the ment with the Middle Peninsula Juve- operate today as Brent and Becky’s Bulbs. bill also reduces the maximum dura- General Assembly ended on February nile Detention Center and granted tion of the license revocation from 25, District 5 supervisor Wally Beau- approval for Treasurer Bonnie Dick- five years to two years and requires champ said Rose should have made son to change the accounts of the Lecture series begins with the VMRC to accept credit card pay- her request earlier. Greentown Gaskins roads sewer proj- ment of any civil penalty it assesses Board chairman and District 4 rep- ect in order to start funding for future for fishing under a revoked license. resentative William Lee asked county repairs when sewer service fees are heirloom bulbs presentation “Watermen are ticketed for minor administrator Frank Pleva to draw up enacted. istoric Christ Church & Museum’s 2017 Sunday Lecture Series “Vir- Hginia’s Gardens: Past & Present” opened February 26 with Brent Heath’s presentation on “Heirloom Bulbs for Restoration Gardens.” Churning out the pages to become literary judge A daffodil and flower expert, Heath discussed the range of colors, seasons, heights, shapes and sizes in bulbs 50 to 500 years old used in restoration gar- by Lisa Hinton-Valdrighi dens, reported education director and curator Robert J. Teagle. His illustrated Everybody has a story slideshow highlighted bulbs and flowers from across the world. WICOMICO CHURCH—An ac- Heath shared useful tips for planting these bulbs and creating beautiful complished wordsmith, Gail Wilson gardens throughout the year, said Teagle. He also brought samples of some of Kenna has transitioned from compet- have to give grades,” she said. these flowers from his shop in Gloucester, Brent and Becky’s Bulbs. ing to judging. Two of her RCC students won in “Virginia’s Gardens: Past & Present” continues March 19 with Peter Hatch The Northumberland County resi- last year’s PEN contest, which has presenting “Thomas Jefferson’s Revolutionary Garden.” The lecture will dent is headed to California this week- nine categories, including seven for be held from 2 to 4 p.m. at Historic Christ Church & Museum, 420 Christ end to attend the Soul-Making Keats adults and two for youth. Church Road, Weems. Literary Competition. There she will But at 73 years old, Kenna decided A celebrated author and professional gardener who served as Monticello’s be honored as a multi-winner in the “my time is finite, so what is it I really director of gardens and grounds for 35 years, Hatch will explore the revolu- 2016 writing contest and recognized want to do.” tionary garden and cuisine Thomas Jefferson created at his 1,000-foot-long, as a judge for the 2017 competition. She decided what she really wanted terraced vegetable garden. “Writing makes people aware of to do was rewrite her most recent Tickets are $35 and include a wine and cheese reception and book signing the most wonderful, mysterious con- book, Of Love and Circumstance, a after the talk (book not included). To purchase tickets visit https://christ- nections in their lives,” said Kenna, a work of fiction about loss and sur- church1735.ticketleap.com/2017-sunday-lecture-series/. free-lance writer with over 30 years of vival. magazine and newspaper publishing “I said if I’m going to rewrite this credits and the author of four books. book, I have to believe in it really “I’m really delighted, after all these deeply and concentrate on that,” said Kilmarnock Town Council years of entering the contest, that Kenna. I’ve been chosen to be a judge,” said The book is set in 1998 in sev- Kenna. eral locations including California, adopts resolutions for park The Soul-Making Keats Literary Columbia and Southeast Asia. Competition is sponsored by the For all of her books, Kenna has project reimbursement, use National League of American Pen pulled from her own life experiences. Women and holds its annual awards Gail Kenna She has literally lived all over the ceremony in San Francisco. Kenna world. of assigned police vehicles has attended as a winner for four different cultures.” “If you only spent a holiday in years. This year she won two first The judges are named now with the place ‘X,’ you can’t really write about by Madison White Franks advances made or to be made by the place, one second and two honorable contest deadline in November. it, but my [ideas and books] come town to pay the costs of the project mention awards and will be reading Kenna and her husband moved to from deeply lived experiences,” she KILMARNOCK—The Kilmar- from the proceeds of its debt or other her award-winning selection “Ink Wicomico Church from Lima, Peru, said. nock Town Council on Monday finances, but the maximum amount of Stained Wench,” which won first in in 2004. She has extensive teaching Although most of Kenna’s books adopted a resolution that allows the debt or other financing expected to be the Jamie Cat Callan Humor cat- experience and has taught at univer- have been expository, she will be town to reimburse itself for expenses issued for the project is $3 million. egory. sity programs in Germany, Malaysia, judging the creative non-fiction cat- related to the development of Town Council member Rebecca Nunn Her piece, “A Woman Reader from Venezuela and Colombia. She also egory. Centre Park. introduced a motion to adopt the the West,” also won first in the Li taught at the American University “They’ll be writing something According to the resolution, the resolution and council member Betsy Miao Lovett Intercultural Essay cat- in Washington, DC . In the Northern that’s cast as a story but it’s real,” she town has determined it may be neces- Crowther seconded it. The vote was egory. Neck, Kenna has taught for Rap- said.