After 85 deaths, Rappahannock is not safe

What started out as a simple news conference about the installation of new safety signs along the banks of the Rappahannock turned into a big story, as we learned Stafford County could have prevented the drowning death of a 17-year-old Maryland teenager.

The teen was swimming with his church group June 8 at the Falmouth Waterfront Park, in Stafford County, when he went under the water and never resurfaced. Fredericksburg Fire and

Rescue officials discovered his body in the river the next morning.

Stafford provides lifeguards for its other riverfront park, Aquia Landing, at a cost of nearly $9000 per year. They do not provide it at the Falmouth park; a park that is regularly advertised as a destination spot to tourists, and has seen more than 75 drowning deaths at the park since 1972.

The new signs have large pictures on them warning river swimmers of the possible dangers in the water.

Stafford officials said strong currents, deep holes in the river bottom, and floating debris like large trees, may have contributed to the teens death.

Lunchtime graduates

I have no idea what part high school graduates are going to at noon on a weekday, but I’m sure they will find one.

It seems more and more area high schools, including all five in Stafford County, are holding their graduation ceremonies in the early hours of the day. Most of the ceremonies have been scheduled at 9 a.m.

When I was in high school the graduation ceremony was held at the high school football stadium in the late afternoon. It was a giant party with a football game-like atmosphere.

Everyone was celebrating sitting through 12-years of the public education system, and now we we’re actually getting out!

Immediately following the ceremony my friends and I went to a celebration called Grad Night. This was where we gathered to play games, hang out and sign the last few yearbooks, and see all of our friends for one last big hurrah.

We didn’t know at the time, but this was going to be one of the last times we would ever see so many familiar faces in the same room again.

For many, it was also the first time high school students turned official adults showed their teachers they smoked cigarettes. They were adults now. Who was going to stop them?

I look back on that challenging, but fun time in my life 8-years ago and remember having so many questions as to what I was going to do next? Who was I going to be? Where was I going to go? For the most part none of them have been answered yet. But I am working on them.

So weather you go home and watch soap operas immediately following the graduation ceremony, or you gear up the beach cruiser for a week in the sun, remember these times because they will never come again.

Congratulations Class of2008!

Weg-mania

Relationship experts say the produce section is one of the best places to meet your next date. If the saying is true hundreds of potential singles hooked up today as the Wegman’s grocery store opened in Woodbridge, Va.

Thousands in all turned out for the 7 a.m. store opening, snarling traffic on congested roads leading into the shopping center. Prince William County Police braved the nearly 100-degree heat and directed traffic throughout the parking lot.

In addition to its many eateries that offer freshly cooked seafood, sandwiches, pizza and Asian delicacies such as a fresh sushi bar to dine at; the 140,000-sqaure-foot store offers a full grocery store shopping experience.

The company is hoping to make the store a destination experience for local grocery shoppers throughout the area, offering the slogan “Food shopping will never be the same” on many of the printed materials handed out at the supermarket.

This is the company’s third store to open in Virginia, with another store planned to be built in Fredericksburg, and could open as early as 2009. In all the company operates 70 stores in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia.

I had some pizza that was not bad. My girlfriend had some Indian food – she loved it.

Wild weather

This is just one of those days that make you want to stay inside. With temperatures in the high 90’s, and heat indices making it feel over 100 degrees outside, many in the Washington area are warning the extreme weather can kill.

It has been another week of extreme weather this week, as the second tornado to hit Stafford County this year touched down Wednesday night near the airport.

The F-1 tornado, with winds in excess of 112 mph, hit a mostly rural area but was blamed for some minor home damage in the area.

More than 10,000 customers were without power immediately following the storm.
Area roads were closed in separate stretches, and firefighters were dispatched to more than 15 reports of fallen trees on homes. One family was trapped under a tree but was freed when firefighters arrived.

There were no storm-related injuries reported.

Lessons from an armed man

On Wednesday a Stafford man abducted a Fairfax man who reportedly was involved with his wife. The man was abducted at gunpoint, and was brought the suspects Stafford residence.

The man escaped through the abductor’s garage and called the police to tell them what had happened. When police swarmed the residence, the suspect forced his wife into his car at gunpoint and escaped, leading police on a high-speed pursuit. Police boxed the suspect into a parking lot. There police got the woman out of the car, and learned the suspect was armed.
The man negotiated with police for nearly three hours yesterday. When it was all over, police used a taser gun to subdue the man.

During the ordeal, what looked to be someone related to the suspect arrived on the scene and was talking with police. When he was through, he walked back to his car and ignored many of the questions that I was asking him. Frustrated that I was being ignored, I asked him, “Can you tell me anything about what’s going on?” The man continued to ignore me and drove away.

When he unexpectedly returned, I again approached him. He immediately told me to stay away from him, and that he clearly was not going to speak to me. The man promptly went to the other reporter on the scene, from a competing publication, and gave him an exclusive interview.

I learned that day that as a reporter the people who are going through emotional stress are not required to talk to me. I am there for them. If I had showed a little more compassion for the situation, and less angst about getting a great story, perhaps I would have gotten that interview.

Burning questions

Never before have I had so many representatives from the county call me at the same time to try and sway my story. While writing about ongoing developments in the Stafford County Fire and Rescue Department, the county spokeswoman and the fire dept. spokesperson asked me not to write anything about the controversial fire chief, the he was the headline of the story.

Volunteer firefighters are upset with the county’s first-ever fire chief as he aims to make sweeping changes. The volunteers do not like a new rule that requires at least three people in each station at all times, new recruiting and marketing practices, and the fact that they do not receive any type of retirement compensation.

When I asked to speak with the fire chief, I was told that he was unavailable and could not comment on the matter at all. The spokeswoman went on to say they would like to see the whole issue play out in county meetings and away from the media.
I’m not sure if Stafford is used to having someone ask controversial questions about polarizing issues within the county, but they should know that I am here and it’s my job to ask.

Some stayed home

I went to a local ice cream shop today and took a small survey. I asked a random three people if they had traveled anywhere for the Memorial Day holiday weekend?

Besides Thanksgiving, Memorial Day is supposed to be the most busy travel times of the year. AAA did estimate that the number of highway travelers would be down by one-percent over the number of travelers just a year ago.

They were probably right, because once I asked the question many more than just three people spoke up and said that the price of gas kept them at home this weekend.

The average price of gas in Washington, D.C. is $4.02, up from $3.20 one year ago, according to AAA.

Now in Face Book time

So I have taken a moment over this beautiful Memorial Day weekend to join the ranks of Face Book. Because I have no idea how much of it works, if anyone would like to add me and tell me what giving someone a cupcake means, that would be great!

Oh yeah, someone sent a “poke” to me. I don’t know what that means but I’m assuming that it is harmless fun. Do you think that we can set-up a ‘hater poke” for when you want to by down right nasty to someone?

A good press day

Wednesday’s are deadline day. All of our articles must be in and the newspaper laid out on the page. Running late on a story, I had to wake up at 6 a.m. and be at a high school to cover a teacher strike. Then my pants zipper broke this morning, so naturally I thought I was going to have a bad day.

But this week, as if someone was smiling down from above, everthing has worked out for the best. We made deadline sooner than ususal!

Now that I have some extra time, lets talk for a second about enjoying the work that you do. For years I went from job to job, working as a restaurant manager, a Cable Internet phone help guy, I even moved furniture for a few summers.

But now that I am doing what I have loved to do since high school, I am finally happy about my job – which sounds snotty because most cannot say that.

But how long will this feeling last?

I disagree with some of the intricacies of how our paper is produced each week, and the long overtime hours that for some reason are necessary to produce the product. Yet even that does not deter me from coming in each day and yearning for more.

I guess you could say I like the exposure. It is the best way that I know how to use my talents and help others.

Through my reporting I have been able to get VDOT to post new road safety signs on a dangerous curve in Stafford. I was able to help a tractor-trailer driver get his rig unstuck in a flood and get moving again.

I don’t know exactly what it is, but we all have our good days and our bad ones – I know I will have more. I guess you never know which one you are going to get.

If my pants had a hole in them though, that would have been another story.

I was just staying

While covering an event at one of the Stafford County Firehouse’s this week, where volunteer firefighters were airing grievances about their boss, the chief of the house said that he didn’t want me there. He claimed that it was a private meeting and the press had no business interfering.

Unfortunately for Mr. Chief, when you have three or more local government officials in one room, as it did, the county’s press secretary is required to notify the press. Then I usually show up.

According to the chief, the press declines to tell the whole story, or doesn’t fully take the time to understand what is going on. I asked him if he had bothered to communicate the story to us, or did he simply not want us there because he had something to hide?

Where there are journalists out there looking for the next juicy story, there are those of us who try to do our jobs the best we can.

If you have never been burned by me before, why not try to use me to get your story out there. I will then in-turn use you to tell a great story. See how it works here Mr. Chief?

On the wall for all to see

I took a moment on Saturday to browse the fourth floor art gallery at the Woodbridge Campus of Northern Virginia Community College, and what I saw brought a smile to my face.

I could take some time to write about the extensive tornado coverage I provided to my newspaper this week, or about the relentless rains that are causing low-lying flooding as I write this, but I would rather talk about some images that make us who we are.

Two side-by-side images in one frame caught my eye immediately, as an art student found an old picture of his grandmother’s 1950’s-era car sitting outside a Woodbridge home. The student went back to the home, nearly 60-years later and took another photo of a Honda minivan parked in the same spot.

The comparison was striking, not only because the shot captured how much time had changed the home, but probably because the house looked to sit on or near Botts Ave., an old hang-out from my younger days.

Other photos displayed were similar comparison streetscape shots of Old Town Manassas and Qccoquan, with big finned black-and- white cars on one side of the street, and sub-compacts in full living color on the other. They showed me how much has changed over such a relatively short period of time.

Another shot depicted the infamous corner at U.S. 1 and Prince William Pkwy., where day-laborers stand daily and wait for work.

Because these pictures showed places me the places I grew up near, they gave me a sense of place.

Other areas of the commonwealth have their own look and feel; Richmond has historic neighborhoods that are quickly becoming an arts Mecca. Further down I-64 travelers will find the beach and the first colony in the New World. In Southwest Virginia, the mountain music and friendly smiles define the state’s portion of Appalachia.

What is Northern Virginia’s culture? Other than being located outside of DC, who are we and what do we stand for? We are known for great schools, military and good government salaries;
but will this region ever have the “cool” factor?

We know that you can raise a family here, and as long as the Federal Government remains in business, so will the area’s commuting faithful. But only time will tell what NOVA will look like in another 60 years from now.

Right now may be a good time to take a look at who we are.

Lessons from a quadruple murder-suicide

I was assigned to cover my first multiple homicide / suicide Tuesday, and it was for lack of a better term – an eye-opening experience.

In the tragic episode Monday night, a 24-year-old father of two shot both of his children in the head, both no more than 2-years-old, while they lay in their cribs. After shooting the children’s 23-year-old mother, who was also his girlfriend, the shooter turned the gun on him.

It brought Stafford County’s death toll to five so far this year, with four of the deaths being children.

At the scene were reporters from the major Washington, D.C. and Richmond televisions stations, and dailies like The Washington Post.

By the time I had arrived all of the police had left the scene, leaving just us reporters to find someone, anyone else who wanted to talk about this tragedy.

I found one distraught lady who declined to talk to my video reporter who was working alongside me, but did agree to speak with me off camera.

As she began describing the horror that happened the night before, a reporter from Channel 7 in D.C. honed in on my interview and tried to again convince the woman to talk on-camera. She again declined, until the reporter tugged on her heart strings a bit and said she should talk “for the children’s sake”. The woman teared up and then went on camera.

This reminded me of a lesson that I learned a long time ago while working in TV news, and that is I am more than just a reporter of the facts, but also a persuader of people.

It takes a certain kind of finesse to get people to talk to you, and these are skills that I learned in previous jobs I held prior to taking this Stafford reporter job.

The manager of my newspaper, who comes from and works in advertising, says that “even reporters are sales people too, we just don’t know it.”

Where I’m not selling you the news when I write my stories, I do try to tell them in a manner that will make you want to read them. I hope that you will choose us when you want to know what is happening around the area.

But after covering this tragic story, I am reminded that the people I talk to don’t have to necessarily have to talk back to me.

I have to let them know how important their side of each story is, and why they should trust me with it.

No more Disney for Cyrus?

This is pure speculation and even more fun, but don’t you think that the recent story of Miley Cyrus being upset about some photos being taken – photos that she agreed to pose for – is a little weird?

The child actress turned pop star is reportedly worth $3.5 million, and judging by her current image, one might think that she doesn’t want to maintain her lead role in Disney’s Hannah Montana forever.

This might just be the first move of the young star to get out from under the vehicle that made her famous, and move on to the next part of her career. Or she really might be the victim of some bad photos. What do you think?

Comment or vote on the poll to the right of this post.

The Internet wins again

It’s not that surprising that out of everyone who voted, the Internet is the number one place you turn to get news and entertainment information. It won over TV, radio, and print – beating them by 100%.

This is in no way a scientific survey, but as always, thanks for playing.

Keep the emails coming

I seem to be receiving more emails and press releases from people who are very interested in me coming to their event or telling their story. Being that there is only one of me in the newsroom, getting to all of these events is impossible no matter how thin I attempt to stretch myself.

I do enjoy the emails and the news tips, and because I feel that it is my job to both help people and hold government officials accountable, I want to write about everyone. Plus, good stories are good for my readers. As long as you’re reading, interacting with me, and hopefully patronizing the local business owners who advertise, I know that I can continue to do what I love.

I’ll be talking with someone from Stafford’s child protective services this week in an attempt to find out what is behind a recent rash of child molestations in the area. It seems like the cases have been extremely prevalent this year. I’ll also update the continuing trash hauling feud that has brewing in Spotsylvania over recent weeks. This is one of those stories that you’ll want to keep an eye on.

Have a great Cinco de Mayo Day

Channel 9 follows my lede

They say that all great reporting beings with a newspaper reporter rolling up their sleeves and digging in to get the facts. I must have done this and got noticed, as the story that I broke about the trash feud was picked up by a reporter from Channel 9 - Washington, D.C.

Their reporter followed my very footsteps at the Spotsylvania Courthouse, speaking with the same people I did to bring the story to my readers.

It feels good to scoop them!

Kaine visits, trash companies feud

I just wanted to take a moment from a very busy news week and update the blog. Today I had another chance to cover the governor as he came to Stafford County to hail the creation of a wildlife preserve. Timothy Kaine, D-Virginia said the purchase of the 1,700-acre site is a gemstone of his goal to preserve 400,000 acres of land in four years. Kaine said he is halfway to his goal with 18 months to go.

Another major story that I covered this week was a feud between two area trash companies. Shifflett’s Trash service, based in Stafford, is looking to expand into neighboring Spotsylvania County. Davis Disposal, the company who has many Spotsy garbage customers apparently does not want the company operating in their neck of the woods.

Danny Shifflett told Spotsy authorities that William Woodrow Davis, an employee of the family-owned Davis Disposal, attacked him in broad daylight while out hanging flyers to advertise his trash service. Davis was arrested on a misdemeanor charge and later released on summons.

Late word today from the Commonwealth Attorney’s Office is that Virginia law enforcement has stopped investigating the case, citing the issue is now a civil matter that would require a lawsuit. There is much more to this story on our Web site – staffordcountysun.com- including how an unidentified member of the community is trying to get Davis out of Spotsy, due to the fact that he is a convicted violent sex offender.

Galaxies gone wild

For years artist and performers have been singing and writing songs about world’s colliding, but now NASA has released images from the aging Hubble Telescope that confirm just that.

Scientists say the new pictures are solid evidence that galaxies in the universe do collide with each other, providing a variety of intricate structures.

Experts note that our galaxy, the Milky Way, is no more that 2.5 million light years away from the Andromeda Galaxy. The close proximity makes them twins.

“As the galaxies interact, the large reservoir of gas in their discs is compressed into stars,” said Lars Lindberg Christensen, a scientist with the European Space Agency in Garching, Germany.

Scientists speculate when both the Milky Way and Andromeda galaxies ultimately collide, it will be the demise of Earth.

Now that you know this… have a great weekend.

Bill Maher attacks Pope, Catholic Church

The American Life League, a Stafford-based catholic defense organization wants comedian Bill Maher off the air.

On the April 11 episode of Maher’s highly rated HBO talk show, “Real Time with Bill Maher,” he accused the Pope of being a Nazi and of promoting sexual abuse of young boys in the Catholic Church.

“If you have a few hundred followers and they let you molest a few hundred children, they call you a ‘cult leader.’ If you have a few thousand, they call you Pope,” said Maher.

Drawing a correlation between recent government raids of a polygamist cult in Texas, Maher said the Catholic Priests should be held in the same regard any other child molester would.

The comedian, who is admittedly against all forms of religion, went on to say that “cults get raided, religions get parades.”

“If he had said anything about the Jews, Muslims or blacks he would have already been fired by now,” said Michael Hichborn, media advisor with ALL. “They expect Catholics just to turn the other cheek.”

The following week after Maher made the comments, he apologized for calling the Pope a Nazi, but said his protest of organized religion would continue.

More this week in the Stafford County Sun and online at staffordcountysun.com.

Saving the planet with green soup

Earth Day is tomorrow, April 22. Each year since the late 1960’s, the day has been used to draw attention to conservation, recycling, and many other means of reducing waste and prolonging the life of the earth. Though it’s not an official holiday, according to the United States Government, the day is internationally recognized.

Companies like Campbell’s Soup are jumping onto the Earth Day bandwagon, letting you know they are earth-friendly people too. This is a photo that I took while shopping at local retail store. Stacked high on a shelf were tiers of green-labeled chicken noodle soup cans. This is the first change to the Andy Warhol-designed label that I can remember.

So whether you bike or take the bus to work tomorrow, turn off the television or wash your clothes in cold water to save energy, Campbell’s wants to make sure you eat a can of chicken noodle while you are saving the planet.

"Drunk goggles" at Stafford High School

Each of Stafford County’s High Schools sent five of their best student drivers to an annual skills rodeo on Friday.

The students were tested on their ability to demonstrate safe driving tactics, and were treated to many demonstrations such as a roll-over simulator, and a “drunk goggle” test to simulate the effects of alcohol on the driver.

I was fortunate enough to take the test with a sheriff’s deputy safely by my side. I have to say even with the goggles designed to impair my vision, I think I did pretty well. I only knocked one cone over, I think.

Sups vote to keep raises

The Stafford County Cord of Supervisors voted 4-3 Tuesday night to keep their pay raises that went into effect last December. They did however decide to freeze another pay increase that was slated to take affect in 2009. With the increase still in place, Stafford Supervisors salaries increased from $20 - $25,000 per year, with the chairman of the board making $25,900.

“We are charting new ground in the tax rate…we are telling people to work harder and we are not offering more compensation for it,” said Mark Dudenhefer, R-Garrisonville. “I think that this is an issue that the supervisors should have shown leadership on.”

Cord Sterling, R-Rockhill took some time to speak with me today. He says that he will put a resolution to the board at the April 29 meeting, requiring 25 percent of any raise in salary be tied to performance. He says the supervisors should get raises only if they are actually solving problems with traffic, education, and parks

A politician who doesn't want more money?

One of the major things we will be covering this week is a motion by Stafford County Supervisor Mark Dedenhefer, R – Garrisonville, and his proposal to freeze the pay-raises members of the board sucessfully voted on in December. The raises are set to be in full in January of next year, according to Dudenhefer.

"The thought of possibly laying employees off and not giving raises to the rest while board members pad their wallets is repulsive to me. Some may say this is ‘grand standing,' but I for one have been consistent and vocal in my position,” said Dedenhefer in a released statement.

It’s no secret the county governments are strapped for cash these days. Spotsylvania County is looking to take similar measures. It will be interesting to see how this one plays out in Tuesday’s board meeting. Look for coverage of this story this week in the Stafford County Sun.

A radio legend says goodbye

At three-o'clock Friday the airwaves signaled the end of an era as Michael Source, better known as Don Geronimo, ended his 23-year run as the head of the top rated Don and Mike Show.

Don says he will be moving on to spend more time with his family, and focus on his relationship with his fiancée, Janet.

Geronimo lost his long-time wife, Frieda, in a fatal 2005 car accident. Geronimo said doing his radio show on a daily basis was too much a constant reminder of his late wife, who for years was a regular caller on the show.

When Geronimo was paired to work with Mike Omera in the mid-eighties to do a morning show, the two formed a partnership that spanned 23 years.

Omera will continue the show under his own name beginning Monday on WJFK in Fairfax, Va.

On a personal note I would like to say thank you to Don Geronimo.

Listening to his morning show as a child, and following his career through today, it was always apparent that Geronimo strived to be real.

He openly talked about his life and his relationship with is family on the air everyday, as if he was welcoming us into his home. He was the only disc-jockey that talked openly about the inside workings of the broadcasting industry, sharing his knowledge about how to connect with the listeners. He always strived for better radio.

As he moves on with his career, and I prepare to move into mine, he should know that over the last 20 years I have had one of the greatest teachers a student of this profession could ever ask for.

Good luck you Radio God.

Not even the Weather Channel is safe

Family-owned and operated media companies are quickly becoming a thing of the past here in the commonwealth.

A Richmond Times-Dispatch article today discusses some of the perils of two of Virginia’s largest family -owned media companies.

Richmond-based Media General, the parent company of the Times-Dispatch and Stafford County Sun, currently has an activist investor firm looking to replace three members of its board of directors with it’s own handpicked people . Due to a major devalue in the company’s stock, the firm is looking to revamp some of the companies underperforming markets.

Norfolk-based Landmark Communications announced in January that it planned to sell it’s properties, which include The Weather Channel, Virginian Pilot and The Roanoke Times.

Both media companies are struggling with lower advertising revenue, mostly attributed to the slowed economy nationwide.

Hello Governor

Virginia Governor Timothy Kaine came to Northern Virginia this afternoon to address issues he felt was important around the state. Kaine then held a public question and answer session for the remaining hour of the meeting.

After the Q and A, Kaine took direct questions from members of the press, where he answered three of mine. After fielding the usual questions about transportation, education, and immigration fixes, the governor answered my final question and said he would be taking his family to Douthat State Park over the Memorial Day weekend. The governor says he takes his family to a Virginia State Park each year.

Kaine was a very approachable guy and very easy to talk to. When it comes to many of the people I have interviewed, he was one of the better ones. And though I do not agree with the governor on every issue, he easily knows how to connect with people.

An interesting side note: Virginia is the only state that extends to it's governor the title of "His Excellency", according to Kaine. Virginia is also the only state to remove it just as quickly by allowing its governors to serve only one term.