Help the Handley Regional Library celebrate a century of service. To mark the upcoming 100th anniversary of Handley Regional Library in 2013, the library will publish a beautiful 250-page, full-color, hard-back book. All profits from book sales will be used for special centennial projects and for library operations. Slated for publication in November 2012, preorders and sponsorship opportunities are now available.

In August 1913 the Handley Library opened its doors and began to serve local residents. During a century of service, the library grew into a present-day regional community resource.  Handley Regional Library: the First One Hundred Years will tell the remarkable story of those one hundred years. Illustrated by many never-before-seen photographs, the recollections of area residents and former staff members bring history alive – revealing behind-the-scenes stories along the way.

We hope that community members will help us celebrate this important milestone.  Printing Handley Regional Library: the First One Hundred Years will be funded by presales and sponsorships. The Friends of the Handley Regional Library have contributed $5,000 toward publication of the book.  Other community members and organizations can join them in supporting this publication by choosing from several levels of sponsorship. Each contributing sponsor’s name or business name will be featured prominently in the book. Sponsorships must be received by June 1, 2012 to be included.  Those interested in becoming a sponsor should contact Trish Ridgeway, Library Director.

Preordering a copy of Handley Regional Library: the First One Hundred Years will help make publication possible. The pre-publication price of the book is $36.75 (includes sales tax). Pre-order forms are now available at all Handley Regional Library locations and through the Library website (www.handleyregional.org) where payment by credit card is a new option. Pre-ordered books will be available for pickup in November, 2012. Only a limited number of copies will be printed – those who want to be sure to share in the history of Handley Regional Library should order today.

The hourly rate will stay the same at $0.50; however, the daily maximum for hourly parkers will increase from $4.00 to $10.00. For example, to reach the $10 daily maximum rate, a vehicle would need to park between 20-23:59 hours at one time.  The fee structure starts over at midnight. The monthly parking rates will also increase to $42 for covered spaces and $35 for roof spaces.

Proposed Project Details:

- The EDA will pay for the construction of the stadium with bonds and will be the owner of the stadium and 12 acres of land
- The 12 acres of park land will hold the new stadium and additional parking added to better accommodate the expected stadium capacity (approx. 4,000)
- Estimated cost of the stadium is $16 million minus any fees paid for naming rights
- The existing BMX track will be relocated to another location in the park
- The EDA hopes to negotiate a lease with a minor league baseball team and begin construction of the new stadium in 2012
- The project is contingent upon Council’s vote a the February regular meeting, the EDA’s ability to secure a funding package and successful completion of a lease agreement with a minor league team

Council discussed the EDA’s request at a work session on Tuesday, January 24th.  An official vote will take place at the February 14th regular Council meeting (7:00 pm, Rouss City Hall, Council Chambers).

ver the next two weeks, the community will have three opportunities to be heard concerning this Winchester Economic Development Authority (EDA) project.

Public Input Opportunity #1
Yesterday, the City’s Office of Public Information launched a minor league baseball informative web page which includes important project information such as a list of frequently asked questions that will continually be updated as questions arise in the community or as this project evolves; press releases; and project information and news.

Local residents are encouraged to check this web page for the answers to their questions. If questions remain after looking over the web page, the City requests that they submit their question to pio@ci.winchester.va.us.  Within 24 hours, their question and an answer will be posted to this site.

www.winchesterva.gov/minor-league-baseball

Public Input Opportunity #2
A public open house has been scheduled for Tuesday, February 7th at 7:00 pm in the Jim Barnett Park Social Hall.  City staff involved in this project will be available to answer questions, provide details and collect feedback from residents who attend.

Public Input Opportunity #3
A public hearing will be held on February 14th prior to Council’s official vote.  At this public hearing, residents can address City Council directly with any concerns or comments.

A site visit and walk-through of the buildings for potential interested bidders will be held on Monday, January 23, 2012 from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Pertinent documents; including but not limited to a site plan for the property, asbestos inspection report and original construction drawings are on file with the County’s Public Works Department. Parties interested in viewing this information should contact Rhonda Sargent of the Public Works Department to schedule a time to do so. Questions regarding the former school buildings should be referred to Harvey E. Strawsnyder, Jr., P.E. at 540-665-5643. Any questions regarding the zoning of the property and/or specific permitted uses of same should contact the Planning and Zoning Department at
540-665-5651.

All bids should be in a specific dollar amount, good for a minimum of 90 days and must be submitted in a sealed envelope, clearly marked “Gainesboro School Property” and sent to the Frederick County Finance Department, ATTN: Julie Cotterell, 107 North Kent Street, 3rd floor, Winchester, Virginia 22601. Bids must be received no later than 2:00 p.m. on Friday, February
10, 2012. Respondents who are mailing bids should allow for normal mail delivery time to ensure timely receipt by Frederick County. Bidders assume the risk for method of delivery chosen. Frederick County assumes no responsibility for delays or failure of any delivery service to meet the submission deadline or failure to deliver to the designated recipient. Submittals may not be
faxed or otherwise electronically submitted.

Frederick County reserves the right to reject any and all bids. Any contract that may result from a bid in response to this IFB is subject to approval by the Board of Supervisors, following a public hearing, pursuant to the requirement of Section 15.2-1800, Code of Virginia.

Berryville sits west of the Blue Ridge mountains and across the Shenandoah River, yet the performing arts juggernaut has hired the DC firm Arent Fox LLP to file suit against the bucolic outpost for the arts.The suit filed on December 14th 2001 in U.S. District Court in Alexandria states that The Barns of Rose Hill, by the use of its name, will confuse Wolf Trap’s patrons and concert-goers and thus harm Wolf Trap’s concert and cultural activities business.

Read full story via Wolf Trap Foundation Sues Tiny Arts Center in Rural County Over Name – Fairfax News.

Wait, what?

Berryville sits west of the Blue Ridge mountains and across the Shenandoah River, yet the performing arts juggernaut has hired the DC firm Arent Fox LLP to file suit against the bucolic outpost for the arts.

The suit filed on December 14th 2001 in U.S. District Court in Alexandria states that The Barns of Rose Hill, by the use of its name,  will confuse Wolf Trap’s patrons and concert-goers and thus harm Wolf Trap’s concert and cultural activities business.

In what amounts to a classic David and Goliath story, the Wolf Trap Foundation seems to have made a massive public relations blunder. The community organization they are now suing has an annual budget of $150,000 a number which Ann St. Clair Lesman, Chair of the Board of Directors for The Barns of Rose Hill, says is roughly one-third of the salary for the CEO of the Wolf Trap Foundation.

The genesis of the project and the name has a clear lineage in the Town of Berryville where it stands. “Rose Hill” was a dilapidated farm donated to the town in 1964. In the 1970s civic leaders proposed that it be turned into an arts center.  In 1978 the mansion burned, so the plan shifted to  the property’s two dairy barns.  Over the next forty years, the barns fell into increasing disrepair as the town lacked restoration funds and several citizen efforts fell short.

Then in September 2004, the present group of local volunteers, organized The Barns of Rose Hill as a nonprofit.  In a six year effort, they raised the $2.4 million necessary to transform the old barns into a 21st Century arts and visitors center.   The Barns of Rose Hill is the largest private undertaking in Clarke County, Virginia, and represented a true community effort.

One week after its Grand Opening on September 6, 2011, Wolf Trap attorneys sent The Barns of Rose Hill a letter asserting trademark infringement.

A month later on October 7, 2011, Wolf Trap filed application with the U.S. Trademark Office to attempt to lock down “The Barns.”

Finally a summons was served on The Barns on Thursday January 12, 2012.

Residents are outraged at the lawsuit. Comments are pouring in from all over the area decrying what residents call “Bullying with Cash.”

Unfortunately this may turn out to be a losing battle for the little guy in the fight. Lesman said that the Barns cannot possibly go up against a giant foundation like Wolf Trap in court whose annual operating budget is in the range of $28 million. They have however started a fund to “Save our Name,” and plan to raise money for the fight. For more information visit their website at www.barnsofrosehill.org

BERRYVILLE AVENUE
The Berryville Avenue route will now include a stop at Jim Barnett Par at the War Memorial Building. The route will no longer return to the transfer station via Liberty Street and Kent Street but will utilize Cork Street when returning to the Boscawen Street transfer station. The new bus stop locations will be as follows:

Eastbound Bus Stops
Kent Street @ Fairfax Lane
Kent Street @ Elk Street
Kent Street @ Kern Street
Kent Street @ Liberty Avenue
Liberty Avenue @ Highland Avenue
Liberty Avenue @ Gray Avenue
Kern Street @ Fairview Avenue
Van Fossen Street @ Virginia Avenue
341 N. Pleasant Valley Road (across from Post Office)
Berryville Avenue @ Woodland Avenue
Berryville Avenue @ Baker Lane
Berryville Avenue @ CVS
Berryville Avenue @ Elm Street
Elm Street @ Berryville Avenue (bus shelter)
Elm Street @ Woodland Avenue
Elm Street @ Franklin Street
Franklin Street @ Allen Drive

Westbound Bus Stops
Woodstock Lane @ Morgan Apts.
Woodstock Lane @ Pine Street
Christopher Street @ Woodstock Lane
Grove Street @ Purcell Avenue
Jim Barnett Park @ War Memorial Building
Boscawen Street Terminal

The bill, HB 908, Delegates Minchew and Webert offered provides that a charitable open space easement donor would be afforded the option to apply to the Department of Taxation for land preservation tax credits prior to making any irrevocable grant of an open space easement as of
January 1, 2013. Under this proposed new law, the Virginia Tax Commissioner would, upon application by a landowner, be required to provide prospective donors with a determination letter that will conditionally allow the land preservation tax credits in whole or in part, or deny the application for tax credits within 120 days of a complete application.

In explaining the rationale behind their bill, Delegates Minchew and Webert explained, “We both have the great honor of representing some of the most scenic and historic land in the Commonwealth, the Virginia Piedmont. We have a thriving rural economy, outstanding
wineries, a world-class equestrian community, and Civil War heritage areas that exist in beautiful and awe-inspiring settings. We believe that this bill and land conservation tax credits are crucial to the preservation of these critical areas, and we support Governor McDonnell’s
worthy goal of preserving 400,000 acres of Virginia land for future generations by 2014.  Hopefully many acres will be preserved in our two Piedmont districts. By adding additional certainty to the land conservation tax credit process, we believe that we will see a greater use of conservation and open space easements.”

Delegate J. Randall Minchew currently represents Loudoun, Clarke, and Frederick Counties, while Delegate Michael J. Webert represents Fauquier, Rappahannock, Warren, and Culpeper Counties.  Both are serving their first term in the House of Delegates.

Middletown, VA

Kilby is the Associate Director of Development for the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding at Eastern Mennonite University.  She has advocated equal justice, peaceful conflict resolution and opportunity for all on a personal, local, and global level through her volunteer and professional activities.  Kilby was featured on CNN for her work in “Coming to the Table”, a program which seeks to acknowledge, understand and heal the wounds of slavery.  Kilby has also served as hotline volunteer and Board member of Response, Inc. (the program serving victims of sexual and domestic violence in Shenandoah County) and LFCC.

Humbert was an instructor of Mathematics at LFCC who passed away in June of 2011.  In his time at LFCC, Humbert worked to promote and atmosphere of equality and acceptance while advocating for students to embrace the values of hard work, commitment, responsibility, and service to others.

As the First Place Essay Winner, Williams received a $250 LFCC Scholarship.  Van Waldruff received a $100 LFCC Scholarship for her Second Place Essay.  Special music for the program was provided by Jordan Markwood, choral director at Stone Hill Middle School in Ashburn, VA and Worship Arts Coordinator at Round Hill United Methodist Church in Winchester.  Humbert’s award was accepted by his widow, Mary Lynn Wilkins Humbert, and his mother, Judy Humbert.  Kilby’s award was accepted by her cousin, James Kilby, who received the first “Walking King’s Talk” award in 2006.

Capt. Rice was in a class with two hundred sixty-one other law enforcement professionals from 49 states and 25 international countries. The Academy consists of 11 weeks of intense training in investigations, management and fitness. On average, attendees have 19 years of law enforcement experience and return to their departments to serve as senior executives.

Capt. Rice has been with the Winchester Police Department since 1995 and is a graduate of Shippensburg University. Capt. Rice has served in Patrol, CID and Administration.

Forms are available in City Hall; on the City’s website under Commissioner of the Revenue; or by mail upon request. The Commissioner has mailed applications to prior applicants and potential applicants who have already made requests.

Completed applications, with required documentation, must be filed April 1, 2012 to be considered for real estate tax relief. As the City requires annual filing for this benefit, the Commissioner of the Revenue reminds current recipients that they are required to file and qualify anew in order to continue receiving benefits.

Visit the City’s website at www.winchesterva.gov/crev, stop by Rouss City Hall, or call 667-1815 for forms and more information.

1) water accessibility, and 2) a small dog area.

Thanks to this generous donation, these two requests can now be fulfilled. Work is expected to begin within the next few weeks, weather permitting. Otherwise the project will be completed in the spring as the ground warms. It is expected that the planned improvements will take only one to two days to complete. If there are any funds remaining, Winchester Parks & Recreation is interested in purchasing several permanent play structures.

Craig Gerhart, Interim City Manager for Winchester

At the regular Council meeting held Tuesday, January 10th, City Council voted to extend Interim City Manager, Craig Gerhart’s contract through April 2012, while the City continues its search for a permanent replacement.  City Council also voted to change search firms and hire Springsted, the same company that performed the searches that lead to Jim O’Connor’s hiring in 2009 and to Gerhart’s last August.

During construction, the Bridgeforth Drive entrance into Jim Barnett Park will be temporarily closed to thru traffic to ensure driver and pedestrian safety. Access to and from Bridgeforth, Rotary, T-ball, and Eagles Fields will be routed to the Cork Street/Maple Drive, Pleasant Valley Road and Millwood Avenue entrances of the park. The City of Winchester will install temporary signage along Bridgeforth Drive near the intersection of War Memorial and Bridgeforth Drives informing drivers that the Cork Street interchange is closed to traffic.

VDOT contractors have been authorized to use a small portion of the gravel parking lot near Bridgeforth Field and the BMX track as a construction staging area. VDOT is aware of the public need for this lot and will limit their use so it does not impact access to and use of this parking lot. City officials have also requested that VDOT stop work on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday of Apple Blossom weekend and during other large events throughout the spring and summer months.

User groups are encouraged to post alternate routes to park facilities on their websites and communicate this information with fans, traveling teams and participants.

Thank you for your patience and understanding during this VDOT bridge improvement project.

Shenandoah Valley Westminster-Canterbury Administrator Cathy Farmer (left) and resident June Hess loading artwork on January 5, 2012, to take to Virginia’s General Assembly Art Show.

Winchester, VA – On January 5, 2012, Shenandoah Valley Westminster-Canterbury joined 23 other retirement communities in Virginia to exhibit residents’ artwork in the Virginia General Assembly building in Richmond. The exhibit is sponsored annually by the Virginia Association of Nonprofit Homes for the Aging, or VANHA. Twelve residents of Winchester-based Shenandoah Valley Westminster-Canterbury, ranging in age from 67 to 97, are displaying 14 pieces of artwork. The subjects span from landscapes and cityscapes to floral and still-life art.
The Virginia General Assembly has hosted the art exhibit for more than a decade, according to Sydney Thomas, VANHA’s member services manager and the person spearheading the project.
“The artwork considerably brightens an otherwise drab General Assembly building,” said Thomas. “The legislators, media, and public look forward to our art show each year.”
The exhibit runs from January 5 to March 8, 2012. In late February, VANHA and the Virginia General Assembly will host a reception honoring the artists.
“We’re very excited about including our residents’ artwork in this important show,” says Cathy Farmer, Shenandoah Valley Westminster-Canterbury’s administrator. “Art is such an integral part of the lives of so many of our residents. We appreciate that the General Assembly shares this venue that exposes the amazing talent of these seniors to such a wide audience.”
Following the exhibit in Richmond, Shenandoah Valley Westminster-Canterbury will display its residents’ artwork for a short time in the retirement community’s Lawrence Gallery.

“This landmark report paints a clear picture of the devastating impact these violent acts have on the lives of millions of Americans,” said Secretary of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. “The information collected in this ongoing survey will serve as a vital tool in the Administration′s efforts to combat domestic violence and sexual abuse. And the report underscores the importance of our Administration′s work to combat domestic violence and sexual assault.”

The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey, or NISVS, is one of CDC′s latest public health surveillance systems and is designed to better describe and monitor the magnitude of sexual violence, stalking and intimate partner violence victimization in the United States. It is the first survey of its kind to provide simultaneous national and state-level prevalence estimates of violence for all states. Launched in 2010, NISVS also provides data on several types of violence that have not previously been measured in a national population-based survey.

Key findings in the NISVS 2010 Summary Report include:

For women:

• High rates of sexual violence, stalking, and intimate partner violence were reported by women.
• Nearly 1 in 5 women has been raped at some time in her life.
• One in 4 women has been a victim of severe physical violence by an intimate partner in her lifetime.
• One in 6 women has experienced stalking victimization during her lifetime in which she felt very fearful or believed that she or someone close to her would be harmed or killed. Much of stalking victimization was facilitated by technology, such as unwanted phone calls and text messages.
• Almost 70 percent of female victims experienced some form of intimate partner violence for the first time before the age of 25.
• Approximately 80 percent of female victims of rape were first raped before age 25.
• Female victims of violence (sexual violence, stalking, intimate partner violence) were significantly more likely to report physical and mental health problems than female non–victims.
• Across all forms of violence (sexual violence, stalking, intimate partner violence), the vast majority of victims knew their perpetrator (often an intimate partner or acquaintance and seldom a stranger).

For men:

• About 1 in 7 men has experienced severe physical violence by an intimate partner at some point in their lifetime.
• One in 19 men has experienced stalking victimization at some point during their lifetime in which they felt very fearful or believed that they or someone close to them would be harmed or killed.
• Almost 53 percent of male victims experienced some form of intimate partner violence for the first time before age of 25
• More than one-quarter of male rape victims were first raped when they were 10 years old or younger.
• Male victims of violence (sexual violence, stalking, intimate partner violence) were significantly more likely to report physical and mental health problems than male non-victims.

“This report highlights the heavy toll that sexual violence, stalking, and intimate partner violence places on adults in this country. These forms of violence take the largest toll on women, who are more likely to report immediate impacts and long-term health problems caused by their victimization,” said Linda C. Degutis, Dr.P.H., M.S.N., director of CDC′s National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. “Much victimization begins early in life, but the consequences can last a lifetime.”

The report findings also underscore violence as a major public health burden and demonstrate how violence can have impacts that last a lifetime. For instance, the findings indicate female victims of violence had a significantly higher prevalence of long-term health problems, including irritable bowel syndrome, diabetes, frequent headaches, chronic pain, and difficulty sleeping. And nearly twice as many women who were victims of violence reported having asthma, compared to women who did not report violence victimization.

“The health problems caused by violence remind us of the importance of prevention,” said Howard Spivak, M.D., director of the Division of Violence Prevention in CDC′s Injury Center. “In addition to intervening and providing services, prevention efforts need to start earlier in life, with the ultimate goal of preventing all of these types of violence before they start.”

NISVS provides data that can help inform policies and programs aimed at preventing violence as well as addressing the specific information needs of state and national governmental and nongovernmental organizations, while providing an initial benchmark for tracking the effectiveness of prevention efforts.

For more information about NISVS, including the executive summary and study details, please visit http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/nisvs.

Primary Roads
* Various roads – Mowing.

Secondary Roads
* Various roads – Ditching, grading, mowing and pipe cleaning.
* Various roads – Utility tree trimming. Flagger traffic control during daylight hours, Monday to Friday.

As a result the bank claims at least 232 purchases were made using Bank of Charles Town customers’ debit cards leaving the Bank of Charles Town with damages in the amount of $29,919.74 plus interest, according to the suit.

The bank is seeking judgment in the amount of $29,919.74 with pre- and post-judgment interest.

This decision was agreeable to the City and The Mercer Group.

The City compensated The Mercer Group $5,000 for the initial position advertising and collection and review of the resumes received.

Police say the vehicle  had the right of way and the pedestrian was not in the crosswalk at the time of the accident.
There were charges placed at the time and no charges are pending.

The investigation was conducted by Cpl. Neer & Ofc.Shelton of the Winchester Police.

“I have been unemployed since my termination from Shenandoah University on December 5, 2011,” Broy said. “This action is especially concerning to me due to all of the other factors that were involved, including my love and loyalty to the institution. My roots run deep there, but apparently not deep enough.” He added, “No one will ever know the full extent of the grief and persecution I endured on a daily basis. This is not that difficult of a situation to figure out. The residents of the valley aren’t stupid.”

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is responsible for enforcing federal laws that make it illegal to discriminate against a job applicant or an employee because of the person’s race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age (40 or older), disability or genetic information. It is also illegal to discriminate against a person because the person complained about discrimination, filed a charge of discrimination, or participated in an employment discrimination investigation or lawsuit. The laws apply to all types of work situations, including hiring, firing, promotions, harassment, training, wages, and benefits.

“Shenandoah University has committed an especially malicious and reckless act of discrimination against me and has caused a great deal of mental anguish, inconvenience, and loss of enjoyment in my life,” Broy said. “The EEOC system is in place for a very good reason, to act in the common good of us all and I am confident that it will find that Shenandoah University is in the wrong once this process has had a full opportunity to play out.”

“I can’t make any further comment at this time related to the specifics of the charges filed,” Broy added. “As for me, this is a difficult time of the year for this to happen to anyone, but I will be just fine. I wish everyone a very enjoyable Holiday Season. The truth will prevail.”