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AP Online Videos
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A car burns in Warsaw last week. Photo courtesy of Mark Taylor, RCSO.
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Heat wave
Maggie G. Hall
On Wednesday, June 24 around lunchtime an older model car surprised its driver, Otis Bowens, by catching fire. According to authorities, Bowens noticed a problem when smoke began to bellow from the hood. By the time fire department and sheriff's department officials arrived to extinguish the flames in the Times Square Parking lot in Warsaw, the car had been engulfed. No one was injured in the fire and no foul play is suspected, according to authorities. ....
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TOP STORIES
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Warsaw joins Farmer's Market rotation
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4/24/2009 2:47:07 PM
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A new farmer's market in Warsaw will soon be added to a schedule of regional markets this spring. Beginning in May the Warsaw market will be held on the second Saturday of each month starting in May. The new market will be held at the Buy-Rite parking lot...
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Congressman evaluates stimulus plan
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2/26/2009 1:40:46 PM
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Last week, an overview on issues facing Washington lawmakers was glum despite a thorough report by Congressman Robert Wittman.
Wittman was slated as the guest speaker at the Feb. 19 meeting of...
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Neighbors commit to cleaning up local creek
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2/11/2009 1:20:23 PM
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Residents concerned about Greenvale Creek in Lancaster County have a plan to clean up the water. One Department of Environmental Quality official said their plan was the first time a citizen group had initiated such an effort.
"This...
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Senator explains stance on conflicts of interest
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1/28/2009 1:13:34 PM
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For a Montross lawyer turned politician, it seems experience only helps guide important, seemingly intertwined decisions.
Sen. Richard Stuart has been involved in a stream of recent, well publicized...
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Fires lead to two deaths, several families displaced
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1/14/2009 4:42:36 PM
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With winter temperatures bearing down on the region and people trying to save fueling costs, a string of house fires across the region has left investigators warning others and disaster relief workers overwhelmed.
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LOCAL NEWS
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Heat wave
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7/2/2009 9:39:13 AM
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On Wednesday, June 24 around lunchtime an older model car surprised its driver, Otis Bowens, by catching fire. According to authorities, Bowens noticed a problem when smoke began to bellow from the hood. By the time fire department and sheriff's department officials arrived...
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Bolling attends RivahFest
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6/24/2009 12:38:05 PM
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Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling was back in what he calls "my old stomping grounds" Saturday as he visited Tappahannock's RivahFest.
Bolling, who is running for a second term as lieutenant governor of Virginia,...
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Parents busted for drugs; stolen church checks found
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6/24/2009 12:16:05 PM
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Captain Steve Smith, with the Richmond County Sheriff's Office reports that during the morning hours of Wednesday, June 10 a search warrant led by Deputy Jeff Hackett along with the assistance of Northumberland County Sheriff's Office, Lancaster County Sheriff's Office,...
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Stop and smell the flowers
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6/19/2009 10:02:07 PM
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Harley Phillips, 2, gave these lilies a sniff at the Warsaw Farmer's Market on June 13. He is the son of Robert and Angel Phillips of Warsaw. ...
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Judge seeks clarification from regional jailer
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6/19/2009 9:21:40 PM
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For the second time inside six months Northern Neck Regional Jail superintendent Jeff Frazier is being hauled before a general district court.
On June 2, Judge Gordon Wilkins entered an order in Richmond County's general district...
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Local grass roots effort gathers steam
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6/10/2009 10:43:50 AM
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A grass roots main street revitalization in Tappahannock is gaining steam, it seems. More than 100 people showed up last week at a presentation on the findings of a graduate student who studied the town and the best plans for revitalization....
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Kennel request pulled by applicants
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6/10/2009 10:28:17 AM
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Richmond County planners were scheduled on June 8 to hear more about a Maryland couple's request to establish a commercial kennel and dog breeding facility on 20 acres in the 1400 block of Historyland Highway, south of Warsaw near Robley.
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Freedom of information offenses alleged in lawsuit
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6/10/2009 10:27:03 AM
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After the county opened Westmoreland's doors to the O'Gara Group, the courts will soon decide whether they let them in through the front or the back.
On June 8, the first of two suits related to the county's sale of property to...
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Historic tree falls
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6/4/2009 3:17:18 PM
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It took just over a morning's worth of work with chainsaws to take down the remnants of a oak tree near Warsaw this week that officials estimate to have been at least 100 years old.
The tree, which stood near the parking lot of the Buy Rite where the old Levi's...
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Man prohibited from owning pets
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6/3/2009 9:27:43 AM
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He said he loved the animals and wanted to keep them. In a rented home without electricity or running water, he walked to a neighbors home to provide three dogs with water to drink and fed them with table scraps. Eventually, the three animals...
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Two men found, another sought
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5/27/2009 5:02:37 PM
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It took investigators less than a week to locate two people thought to be responsible for an assault and robbery that took place near CarterÕs Wharf Road on May 13.
On May 19, John Rock Davis,...
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Leads sought in assault and robbery
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5/20/2009 1:44:49 PM
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A Maryland man was assaulted and abandoned in a Newland area ditch last week.
Investigators reported that an unconscious man was dropped off on Carter's Wharf Road, a secluded route dead ending...
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Blessings sought for 39th season
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5/13/2009 10:29:59 AM
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The 39th annual Blessing of the Fleet in Reedville was held on May 10 after a week's delay because of inclement weather.
Sponsored by St Mary's Episcopal Church and Omega Protein,...
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School board process unchanged after a year
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5/13/2009 10:02:25 AM
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Additional appointments to the committee that selects school board members in Richmond County haven't been finalized after more than a year of delays.
According to the Virginia School Boards Association,...
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Bring dancing shoes to annual fundraising concert at Menokin
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5/7/2009 10:56:38 AM
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One Northern Neck tradition, the annual Menokin Festival, will feature a fresh look this year in more ways than one, according to organizer and Menokin Foundation Director Sarah Pope. The fundraiser will be held Saturday May 9 from 2-7 p.m....
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Market plans to sell only homegrown, homemade goods
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5/7/2009 10:54:10 AM
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Nearly half a dozen vendors are already lined up to sell their wares at the first regular Warsaw farmer's market this weekend.
What began as an Extension Office advisory board suggestion has evolved...
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Colonial Beach man killed in wreck
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5/7/2009 10:50:41 AM
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A single vehicle accident on May 2 claimed the life of a Colonial Beach man and injured two others. The accident occurred about 9 p.m. 0.1 miles north of Rt. 203 on Rt. 202Y near Kinsale, according to Virginia State police officer, First Sergeant...
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Hearings waived by parents' lawyers in child-driver cases
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5/7/2009 10:49:14 AM
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Except for the defendants and Jacqulyn Deanna WaltmanÕs lawyer, James Cupp, there was an entirely new cast when Waltman and her husband, David Eugene Dodson, appeared in Northumberland CountyÕs juvenile court Friday for preliminary hearings...
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Parrot portrait to benefit fireworks show
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4/29/2009 5:10:03 PM
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Dancer, a colorful tropical bird and permanent house guest of Jim and Linda Fattibene of Colonial Beach, is working to help save the fireworks component of the 58th Annual Potomac River Festival.
A large oil portrait of Dancer...
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Richmond County groundbreaking, assessment update
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4/24/2009 2:51:11 PM
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Commerce Park action
After years of delay, officials from the local Bay Transit offices in Urbanna announced last week that they will hold a ground breaking for their facility slated to...
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Taggers sought after vandalism found
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4/15/2009 1:50:10 PM
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Employees of a local funeral home were working on Monday to clean off what they could of spray painted graffiti. According to John Welch of Welch's Funeral Home in Haynesville, the marks were found on the morning of April 11 on the rear of...
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Candidate withdraws from delegate race
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4/15/2009 1:43:34 PM
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The Northern Neck's race for election to the House of Delegates veered far away from the expected Monday when Lee Anne Washington withdrew as a candidate for the Republican nomination.
Washington, a White Stone lawyer, said she...
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Property values, errors lead to concern
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4/15/2009 1:40:07 PM
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Technical errors and apparent omissions in a database created by the firm overseeing Richmond County's reassessment had leaders questioning the validity of the overall project last week.
"It's...
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61st annual shad planking to be held April 15
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4/8/2009 3:20:41 PM
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Historic shad planking held April 15
The 61st annual Shad Planking, sponsored by the Wakefield Ruritan Club, will be held at the Wakefield Sportsman's Club on Brittles Mill Road, 4 miles west of Wakefield beginning at 2 p.m. on April 15.
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Review process underway for Warsaw plan
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4/8/2009 3:06:03 PM
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Warsaw officials started the process of reviewing the town's comprehensive plan on April 2. They also looked at an application for conditional use permit to allow an apartment in the dance studio located at the corner of Main St. and Rt. 360....
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Local secrets win blue ribbon
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4/1/2009 9:55:38 AM
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A blue ribbon was awarded to seven area quilters for their entry "Best Kept Secrets" at the Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival XX in Hampton, Va.
Kathy Pitts, Faye Paige, Mary Alice Rath, Carol Korman, Jane Kimball, Teri Jones and Joyce...
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School appeal withdrawn, property closing postponed
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4/1/2009 9:51:22 AM
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Joseph W. Thompson left a lot of folks dissatisfied Monday.
Thompson had filed an appeal with Westmoreland County's Board of Zoning Appeals challenging the county's zoning administrator's decision...
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Government increases food stamp payments
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4/1/2009 9:45:05 AM
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Food stamp benefits will increase beginning on April 1 because of extra federal funding available through the Recovery Act. Eligible families will see an increase in their benefits, but the eligibility will remain the same, according to Claudette...
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Warsaw man sentenced in murder for hire case
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3/27/2009 12:20:14 PM
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Last week, Westmoreland County Circuit Court Judge Joseph Ellis sentenced James F. Oliff Jr., 42, of Warsaw to jail for 70 years, suspending all but 12 years.
Oliff had taken an Alford Plea to two counts of solicitation to commit murder against Michelle Payne and Jimmy Williams, and...
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Procedure change for driver's licenses start in Tappahannock
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3/26/2009 12:38:06 PM
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This week, the Department of Motor Vehicles began implementation of its new method of issuing driver's licenses and identification cards. Rather than issuing credentials over the counter at customer service centers, DMV will issue the credentials by mail from a secure,...
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Child-driver's parents' cases continued
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3/25/2009 11:12:52 AM
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Jacqulyn D. Waltman and her husband were due in court in Heathsville Friday to answer charges of felony child endangerment in connection with their six year-old son's 10-mile drive to school Jan. 5. The case wasn't called.
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Tappahannock project makes its own path
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3/25/2009 10:53:59 AM
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Tappahannock officials are moving forward with plans to revitalize the downtown area. They continue working on getting non profit status for the volunteer Main Street committee and two other entities that they want to organize.
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Charges of stealing hunting dog head to Circuit Court
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3/20/2009 2:53:01 PM
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A Warsaw woman will face a Circuit Court judge for a felony charge of stealing a hunting hound.
During a March 20 preliminary hearing in Richmond County General District Court, witnesses testified that Annie Davis received a nine-year-old,...
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Security firm sites in on straight answers
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3/19/2009 1:02:35 PM
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Jim Noe's visit to the Northern Neck Christian Men's Association on March 10 was a little but like Daniel going into the lions' den.
Noe is the president of the training and services component of the O'Gara...
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436-acre easement set aside in Richmond County
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3/8/2009 9:26:32 PM
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Conservation Partners, LLC, and the Virginia Outdoor Foundation announce the permanent protection of over 436 acres of farm and forestland along the Rappahannock River in Richmond County. Andrew Packett donated a conservation easement on his family property so that it would never be intensively...
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Snow blankets the Northern Neck
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3/2/2009 9:29:07 AM
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Area schools decided to close their doors for the fourth day this week after snow and ice melted too slow to clear many driveways and bus routes. Richmond, Westmoreland and Essex county schools were closed on March 5, while administrators in Northumberland and Lancaser...
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Judge pick looming
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2/26/2009 1:57:18 PM
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Sometime this week the Northern Neck will find out if Michael McKenney of Northumberland is its new Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court judge or if the General Assembly will adjourn without filling the slot vacated by Judge J. Maston...
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Bay gets boost from local Congressman
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2/26/2009 1:50:22 PM
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In an effort to speed recovery of the water quality in the Chesapeake Bay, Congressman Robert Wittman unveiled legislation he is sponsoring in the 111th Congress called the Chesapeake Bay Accountability and Recovery Act.
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Squad accounting delay
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2/18/2009 10:50:13 AM
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Four months after going into the rescue squad business in an order to save their county's emergency services, Richmond County leaders learned that the transition wasn't completely final.
During...
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Funds down the pipes?
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2/18/2009 10:45:34 AM
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Over $2 million in state grant money needed to finance part of the $10 million sewer plant upgrade project currently underway may be in jeopardy. There is a movement in the General Assembly to use the funds to cover state budget shortfalls,...
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Webb not running, yet
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2/11/2009 3:28:02 PM
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Political junkies on the Northern Neck have recently been abuzz with speculation that Allen Webb would be seeking the Republican nomination to run against Albert C. Pollard for the General Assembly next fall.
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Essex County man charged with DUI after accident
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2/11/2009 3:22:25 PM
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Two vehicles were totaled and two men injured last week in a Warsaw accident on Rt. 621. The wreck occured on Jan. 30 around 9 p.m. on Chestnut Hill Rd. when a BMW sedan and a pick-up truck hit head on.
Virginia...
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New facility will rack up debt
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2/4/2009 11:32:18 AM
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Important decisions concerning Lancaster County's new judicial center were made last week, paving the way for the project's imminent progress.
County officials heard from Randal Vaughan, principal architect with...
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Kennel gets time to comply
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1/7/2009 2:31:07 PM
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New Virginia laws have a Richmond County kennel owner scrambling to reduce the breeding stock at a local business.
At Dalin Kennels on Calvary Church Road outside of Warsaw, the number of toy poodles...
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Tax relief approved for Richmond County
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12/18/2008 9:51:06 AM
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Support for a recently passed ordinance to offer real estate tax help for seniors and disabled was hard to gauge. There were no comments received in support or against the idea at the county offices prior to a Dec. 11 public hearing to consider...
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Digging for data
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12/18/2008 9:41:41 AM
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An elderly man suffering from cancer and his disabled sister have received an early Christmas present from several churches and individuals who joined together to drill a new artesian well for the Haynesville family. Their old shallow well...
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Deer for dinner
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12/11/2008 4:09:52 PM
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A deer paid an unwelcome visit to Allen and Anne Crowder of Canal Road on December 5. The large buck leaped through a sliding glass door in the TV room, ran through the kitchen and dining room and exited by jumping out another window in the...
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Shots fired into home on opening day
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11/19/2008 1:51:14 PM
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It was early morning on Saturday, Nov. 15 when the Richmond County SheriffÕs Office received a call of distress from a resident at 1722 Folly Neck Road.
Shots had been fired from about 100 yards away into a home,...
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Westmoreland County precincts fully reported
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11/4/2008 9:27:22 PM
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at 9:12 p.m.
With all seven Westmoreland County precints reporting, the presidential race there has been called 4,576 votes for Democrats Obama/Biden and 3,718 votes for Republicans McCain/Palin. The votes totaled about 55 percent for the democratic nominee...
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Wittman claims win in First District race
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11/4/2008 8:34:10 PM
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at 9:49 p.m.
Republican Rob Wittman's campaign is celebrating a victory. Officials there say with 56 percent of the vote in, Wittman has nearly 60 percent of the votes.
Contacted via phone minutes ago, Wittman said...
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Hope for abandned, injured wildlife
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10/29/2008 10:14:05 AM
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When a tree was cut down in Bobby Hale's Westmoreland Shores yard, his only thought was to prevent dead limbs falling on people's heads. He didn't know it would destroy some baby squirrel's home.
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Comprehensive plan committee gears up for public input
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10/29/2008 9:51:38 AM
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Richmond County residents will soon be asked to fill out a 75-question survey about the county.
The countyÕs comprehensive plan review committee approved the survey Monday night. The committee...
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Needy residents could have tax relief
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10/22/2008 12:26:22 PM
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During one of the leanest economic times in American history, elderly or disabled residents in nearly all of the Northern Neck counties have the option to apply for tax relief.
The only county in the region without...
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Former coach waives extradition
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10/22/2008 12:15:25 PM
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A man who had been wanted for more than two years after being convicted of distributing steroids to and molesting Lancaster High School wrestlers for over a year beginning in the spring of 2004 has been apprehended by police in Arizona.
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Vote planned on sex shop rules
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10/10/2008 10:51:45 AM
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After years of research and discussion, the Warsaw planning commission has forwarded to public hearing an ordinance regulating sexually orientated businesses. The ordinance, which was written in the form of a resolution, was drafted by town attorney William Lewis.
Its...
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Leaders seek to spread out elections
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10/10/2008 10:34:19 AM
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Warsaw town leaders are considering an amendment to the town charter to stagger the election of council members so that only four seats will be available every two years instead of eight.
On October 9 at 7 p.m. the Warsaw town council will hold a public meeting...
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Lancaster road at heart of public hearings
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10/2/2008 11:30:09 AM
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Residents of Irvington came out in force to voice their concern about a proposed road abandonment within the town limits at the regular Lancaster Board of Supervisors meeting on September 25.
A...
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Accident leads to power outages
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9/19/2008 5:44:58 PM
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Tappahannock Police Captain Chuck Davis directs traffic around the car accident near the Downing Bridge that injured two and caused power outages and traffic delays on September 15.
A single vehicle accident in Tappahannock at about 4 p.m. Monday afternoon caused delays during...
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Sex shop standards studied
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9/19/2008 5:42:17 PM
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The adoption of rules about where to allow sexually oriented businesses is nearing completion in Tappahannock and Warsaw. The conclusion comes after nearly two years of discussing the ordinance options.
Tappahannock's planning commission recommended approval of...
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Warsaw office, apartment plans falter
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9/10/2008 3:51:46 PM
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During a two hour discussion, a plan for a 12-unit apartment complex and neighboring residential office for the Community Services Board on Main Street in Warsaw hit a major stumbling block.
At...
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Thrift shop nets benefit for community
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9/3/2008 3:14:44 PM
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For more than 23 years, Granny's Attic on Main Street has been quietly serving the community by selling donated clothes and household items to raise money for charities. It also gives away clothes to needy folks like Haven residents, fire victims...
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Squad solution stalls
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9/3/2008 2:57:44 PM
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Months after county leaders discovered that the local rescue squad needed help, not enough squad leaders can be mustered to take action to get help.
In June, a transition from volunteer driven to county run rescue squad began in...
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Warsaw seeks face lift plan
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8/21/2008 12:19:34 PM
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Warsaw leaders unanimously approved appropriating funds in partnership with the county to initiate a survey aimed at revitalizing the town.
"I see it as the town investing in itself," said Town Manager John Slusser. "I think it is a good solid investment."
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County funds town revitalization
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8/21/2008 12:10:28 PM
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In an effort to draw more business to the area, Richmond County leaders decided last week to put some money where their mouths are. After years of failed attempts to attract industry or commercial growth to the area, supervisors voted 4-1 to spend up to $25,000 on a project designed...
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Veterans honored with naming of new bridge
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8/21/2008 12:07:58 PM
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A bridge that will span 815 feet across the northern banks of Cat Point Creek, a tributary of the Rappahannock River, could soon have final approval to be named in memory of the area's sole Korean War victim.
Richmond County Board of Supervisor's voted unanimously...
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Team of youth clean up Belle Isle
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8/13/2008 1:29:57 PM
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The Youth Conservation Corps Program is supported by the Virginia State Parks and provides youth from various backgrounds the chance to help clean and develop parks. Last weekend, Belle Isle State Park in Lancaster County hosted a graduation ceremony for participants of one the programs,...
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Warsaw considers banquet hall, density concepts
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8/2/2008 8:28:26 PM
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Warsaw Town Council
A new Warsaw business was considered by the town council at its July 10 meeting and will be the subject of an August 7 public hearing.
TNT Productions- Chan'nels Banquet Facility would like to open in the former T-Ray's Banquet Facility in Times Square...
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Green development on hold again
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7/23/2008 1:44:04 PM
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The largest residential development ever considered by the Lancaster planning commission, according to chairman David Jones, has been tabled for a second month despite repeated appeals by its proponent, David Donofrio.
The 740 acre King's Charter development, located in a rough...
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Series: From addiction to conviction
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7/2/2008 12:46:23 PM
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Lisa Veney's voice begins softly, wandering slightly as if unsure of its destination. But as she speaks of her mission, her words gather strength and direction.
"There are so many people out there who want to get out from under their addictions," she said. "It...
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Richmond County responds to lawsuit
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7/2/2008 12:21:27 PM
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During an extension of its regular June meeting, the Richmond County Board of Supervisors closed out the books on June 26.
Also during the June 26 meeting, County Administrator Bill Duncanson reported the status of the lawsuit against the county and supervisors...
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Pond sites sold
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6/26/2008 10:33:39 AM
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Developers of an 84-lot subdivision near the Haynesville state prison have wasted little time in marketing the idea to prospective home builders. The effort seems to have paid off, with reportedly "almost all" of the 40 lots of the first phase of land sales already off...
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Campaign season heats up
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6/26/2008 10:12:45 AM
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After a fall and winter that had more elections in the Northern Neck than ought to be Constitutionally permissible, with federal elections this fall, politicians are stirring again after giving the region several months' respite. Jim Gilmore, who is running for the US Senate turned...
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Catfish impact on crab population to be studied
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6/13/2008 10:55:51 AM
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Blue catfish are getting renewed attention and unprecedented interagency cooperation by scientists in charge of monitoring it.
The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (VDGIF) introduced the Mississippi native into the three primary rivers of the Commonwealth...
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AREA NEWS
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Going under for fun
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7/2/2009 9:46:42 AM
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As the waterways around the 'Neck are flooded by boaters, fishermen and the dreaded personal watercraft riders, some local residents seek solace below the water.
A veteran scuba diver from Tappahannock...
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All lanes of Norris Bridge open for holiday weekend
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7/2/2009 9:24:29 AM
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At its June 18 meeting the Commonwealth Transportation Board approved the proposed service and program reductions as outlined in the Virginia Department of Transportation's (VDOT) Blueprint for the future.
On July...
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Public portion of plan overhaul begins
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7/2/2009 9:10:10 AM
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County planners, residents and elected officials are hoping to draw a crowd at an upcoming public workshop.
The event, to be held July 6 from 7-9 p.m. in Warsaw, is slated as the first comprehensive...
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