Rappahannock Record The lower Northern Neck’s Neck’s most complete news source since 1916 19 75¢ Volume 97 No. 43 Thursday, August 7, 2014 www.rrecord.com County acquires ‘Brookvale Fair Grounds’ tract by Audrey Thomasson Other action Supervisors also approved a LANCASTER—County supervi- request from Treasurer Bonnie sors agreed last week to enter into Haynie to seek bids for a $2.5 million a purchase agreement for property short-term revenue anticipation note that could be used for an emergency or line of credit to cover any shortfall services station and recreational and in county expenses from September cultural facility. through December. Members voted unanimously to Other expenses approved by a purchase price of $189,000 for supervisors include $14,000 for the some 29 acres, historically known as Greenvale Creek Maintenance Asso- “Brookvale Fair Grounds,” at 8265 ciation LLC to double the length of Mary Ball Road at Pinkardstown the 150-foot jetty above the mouth of Road. Greenvale Creek in order to prevent The property is being sold by Dr. silt and sand from closing off access James and Motoko Norris, trustees to the Rappahannock River. There of the James Elisworth Chiles Norris is a public boat ramp on Greenvale estate. It is the former site of the Fall Creek. Festival and Harness Races spon- The board also approved an sored by the Northern Neck Progres- advance of $100,000 to Lancaster sive Association, an African-Ameri- schools for a second classroom for can organization and member of the at-risk 3-year-olds at the primary U.S. Trotting Association. The last school. The money will be reim- festival was held in the fall of 1959. bursed by a grant from the Kids More than 50 people attended the vigil August 3 in the courtyard of Kilmarnock Inn. District 1 supervisor Butch Jenkins First Foundation, which has raised said the appeal of the land is that it approximately $40,000 of the is “geographically dead center in the funding needed for the program, county.” according to superintendent Steven Claudine Gifford still missing: Possible future uses for the prop- Parker. The vote was 4-0. District 2 erty could be an emergency service supervisor Ernest Palin abstained, station for the county’s professional citing his position as principal at rescue squad and a recreational and the school. Family, friends remain hopeful, cultural facility or rural exposition There were no public comments center for citizens’ use, he suggested. on a request to rezone 6.35 acres at “It’s a good piece of property. 1740 Irvington Road from residen- sheriff names ‘person of interest’ These are just concepts, nobody’s tial to commercial. The request by talked about a specific use,” said the seller, Atlantic Metal Products by Audrey Thomasson According to Lancaster Sheriff Ronnie Crockett, they are county administrator Frank Pleva Inc., and purchaser, Randy Moubray, releasing the information they can release. after the meeting. was unanimously approved. Mou- KILMARNOCK—It’s hard to imagine what it would “When we first came here, they were great. But I do most While funding the purchase was bray is purchasing the property to be like to have a family member disappear without a trace. of the calling and they tell us to wait...I know it takes time not part of the discussion, Pleva indi- expand his marine repair and weld- Claudine Jaquier Gifford’s family has gone 32 days without and it’s a small police force, but it’s just going through the cated it would probably be funded ing business. knowing what happened to her. Yet, they refuse to give up days” hearing nothing, Richard said. through a $7 million long-term note No action was taken after a closed hope that she may still be safe and sound. On Monday, August 4, the sheriff’s department named the county is currently seeking to session on possible litigation and “They don’t give you a handbook for this stuff,” said James Todd Kessler, 53, of Cox’s Farm Road in Weems “a fund capital improvement projects. a personnel issue within county Claudine’s husband of 16 years, Richard Gifford. person of interest” in Claudine’s disappearance. Closure of the sale is subject to a administration. Supervisors recessed The fact that Lancaster sheriff’s investigators are telling Last weekend, Richard, daughter Gabrielle and Claudine’s land survey and environmental study, the meeting until 7 p.m. Thursday, them little about the case only adds to their anguish, they he added. August 14. said. CLAUDINE GIFFORD, continued on page A2 Intersection improvements may proceed without traffic signal by Renss Greene who oversees engineering plans for the Fredericksburg district. HEATHSVILLE—Northumber- The traffic light issue first came land County staff and two supervi- up with a request to the board of sors met with Virginia Department supervisors to approve a transfer of of Transportation officials August 4 excess funds from a project at the to make their case for a traffic light intersection of Indian Valley Road at the intersection of Academic Lane and Northumberland Highway to and Northumberland Highway. start work at the intersection with Board chairman Ronnie Jett and Academic Lane. VDOT’s plan for the member Joe Self criticized a pro- Academic Lane intersection includes posed VDOT project to extend turn longer turn lanes at the intersection lanes at the intersection, arguing that to ease congestion. The board tabled a traffic light would be more impor- the request in hopes of convincing tant for safety. VDOT to install a signal light at the “This [turn lane extension] does intersection. nothing, in my opinion, for what we Brown told the meeting that the were about, which is safety,” said Jett. proposed improvements would be the “I don’t know what the thought same whether a signal was installed process was for all of this, but I just or not, and confirmed that the longer don’t think it’s been looked at with a the funds are left unallocated, the common sense approach at all,” Self more likely they would be to wind up said, repeating a criticism he had on a different project elsewhere in the made at July’s board meeting. state. “It helps with safety by moving “How can this be made to happen those vehicles out of the through with the light at the same time?” Self lane,” said VDOT Northern Neck res- asked “Or are you saying it’s this way Carnival is a splash idency administrator David Brown. or no way?” From left, David and Ben Conley try the water gun game on July 31, opening night of the 79th annual “I know it sounds counterintuitive, VDOT officials explained that to Kilmarnock Volunteer Fire Department Firemen’s Festival. The festival continues through Saturday, but sometimes signals in and of them- install a traffic signal, an intersec- August 9, at the KVFD Carnival Grounds off Waverly Avenue in Kilmarnock. Rides, games and food selves at intersections where they’re tion must meet certain requirements concessions open nightly at 7 p.m. Saturday’s nightly drawing presentation will be followed by a drawing not fully warranted can cause acci- regarding traffic volume, pedestrian JSVE*SVH1YWXERK6EJ¾IXMGOIXWJSVXLIGEVEVI8MGOIXWGERFITYVGLEWIHEXXLIGEVRMZEPYRXMP dents as well,” added assistant district they are sold out. For more carnival scenes see the slide show at RRecord.com. Photo by Renss Greene administrator Michelle Shropshire, INTERSECTION, continued on page A3 Business ............... C6-8 Churches ..............B4-6 Directory ................D5 Obituaries ................B5 Police ........................ A3 Sports ....................C13 Calendar ...................B2 'PEWWM½IH ............. D1-5 Notices ....................D4 Opinion ................... A7 Schools ................ C4-5 Upcoming ..........B1-3, D6 6 56525 10491 6 August 7, 2014 Rappahannock Record A2 InsideNews Kilmarnock, VA 804 Claudine Gifford’s family & friends comment on nightmare Unless noted, all phone numbers in this publication continued from page A1 carry the 804 area code. sister, Julianne Jaquier, drove Returning home enforcement and tracking and from the family’s Orlando Within a couple of weeks, cadaver dogs, as well as sup- home to Kilmarnock for the Claudine was traveling again, porters from across the state, second time in two weeks to this time returning to her Flor- combed the Windmill Point appahannock check on the investigation and ida home to celebrate Father’s and Corrotoman River areas off R ecord to participate in a candlelight Day with her family. “We Hunton Lane and Cox’s Farm USPS (455-600) vigil to pray for her safe return. talked through our problems Road in an effort to find Clau- 27 N. Main St., P.O. Box 400 They joined Claudine’s and she was planning to stay,” dine. Kilmarnock, VA 22482-0400 friend, Susan Morris Page, who said Richard. Richard arrived in Lancaster 804-435-1701 met Claudine when she applied During the two weeks with soon after she was reported Fax: 804-435-2632 for a job at the Kilmarnock Inn her family, Kessler called missing and joined in the [[[66IGSVHGSQ last year around Labor Day. “I Claudine incessantly, insisting search, also distributing “miss- hired her immediately...and we she return to Lancaster, even ing” posters to businesses. At a Mr. & Mrs. Frederick A. Gaskins, became instant friends,” said “threatening to blackmail her” store in White Stone, employ- General Managers Page in an earlier interview. with her daughter in order to ees told him Claudine’s hus- Robert D. Mason Jr., Editor Saturday, the family agreed get her to return, Richard said. band had already dropped off a J.E. Currell, Publisher, 1927-1993 to sit down for an interview and “He even started calling and poster. After Richard explained talk about the wife, mother and texting me.” he was her husband, employees 4YFPMWLIH[IIOP]I\GITX'LVMWXQEW[IIO at Kilmarnock, Lancaster Co., VA sister they love.