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I hope htis man who has killed this young boy gets what he deserves which in my opinion is a very long prison sentence. come on we all know what young love is and as a father of 5 daughters i always thought i would end up in prison over some young boy sneaking around trying tosee one of my daughters not kill them just whip themreal good but i never did you just hope they make good choices but if not you still love them and stand behind themmy heart goes out to this young BOYs family and his young girl frend the man is a coward and needs to stay locked up i hope that justice will be served in this case cause if that was my son thats the most safe place for you you have a twisted mind jody boy

This is certainly a tragedy for all of the family memebers involved, the students who know these fellow students and for the entire community. These are the times when we all need to pray for all of the people involved, very heartful prayers to help heal and to help to try to understand , as it is not in our places to judge another person, but to pray for understanding and healing. We need also to pray for Sheriff Tim Carter and his deputies who will be investigating this tragedy, that God will lend them to answers. My prayers go out to everyone involved, and hope that the community will pray also for them and give respect to the families of everyone who is affected by this. I can't imagine for a minute how hurt they must all be feeling right now. My many many prayers go to everyone involved.

Sharon Hollar

The most difficult question that we are asking is WHY???? This is so senseless! My prayers and love go out to all who have been effected by this tragedy!!

I would like to take a minute to first of all say thank you to Sharon Hollar for giving her prayers to everyone in this tragedy. So many people out there I know are going to be totally against Jody but no one knows what happened behind closed doors in his home. Yes I agree he should have never taken this lil boys life he took someone's lil boy away from them never to be seen again until the day they meet on the other side of the gate. My thoughts and prayers also go out to everyone in the tragedy.I think Sarah the daughtershould have never brought him into the home knowing her father dislike the boy and had warned him not to be there especially after there was a trespassing notice in effect. Her father was very protective of his lil girl, I would also like to say I have heard so many father's say they would be seating on the porch with a shot gun when there daughter became of age so I know a father is protective of their babies and yes I know there are other ways to go about it but we never know what the motive behind this tragedy was and may never know.I think Jody acted to quickly and didn't stop and think about what he was doing and I truly think he is in deep sorrow after he did this. Alot of people around the area know Jody and this is not him. May god be with everyone thru this.

Tannery girl,
Are you saying that the daughter is to blame for her father's actions?

It is kind to offer prayers and also to remind us that we should not judge especially without knowing all the details but if we could also remember that children are going to be children. No behavior gives a man the right to take the life of a child. As mentioned earlier, this was s senseless crime, one that not only will destroy and punish Mr. Bradley but all the family and friends of the children involved.
Those involved are strangers to me no one is a stranger to loss. You will all be in my thoughts...

Eight months ago, I lost my 15 year old son under differnent circumstances, but the same result. You have parents that have lost thier child.

As a community, our main concern is prayers for all those involved, but especially Brendon's friends and family. It will be a tough road ahead.

My prayers will not only be for Brendon's family, but also the Bradley family. I am not a judge. I am a person with feelings that realizes that other people have feelings too.

God Bless All Involved!

My thoughts and prayers go out to the Barker family. It must be the hardest ever to lose your son like this. My prayers are also with Sarah Bradley. This poor child had to witness a horrible, horrible, tragedy and then her father blames her! Tells her it was all her fault and she ruined their lives. Jody, you deserve life in prison for taking the life of this innocent little boy.You are sick and twisted.
Jen Parker

no i do not think the daughter is to blame for her fathers actions i just think she should of respected her father alil more knowing her father did not want him there and had already warned them. iam not at all saying that what jody did was right what iam saying that before everyone goes against him they should put into consideration that the girl was his only lil girl, although yes he should not have at all taken his life. there are other ways to go about things. like i said i think jody did not think before he acted in which caused a severe tragedy.

its like this the man was wrong idont care if he went up in that attic and found those kids engaged in a compromising situation thats young love we all know what thats about i am thefather of 5 daughters and be lieve thats hard to deal with once they start seeing boys thinking boys and sneaking around even at home WHO OUT THERE NEVER DID SNEAK AROUND oh yeah some of you self rightous adults are doing that now .noquit acting like this murderer is the victim here i bet the coward will eventually take his own life because he cant face the fact that what he did is wrong and he want be able to accept a life in prison where he belongs the ones that need your prayers is the boys family and friends the girl that is a student said it right i know right from wrong and thats wrong and it is so quit feeling sorry for the coward he caused this not the kids but others have to suffer from his actions for a long time some the rest of their lives like i said i have 5 daughters i always thought i would go to jail just for roughing up someyoung boy ,but i never did you know why cause i was a young boy in love myself and i knew how that felted to sneak out and see her PRAY FOR THE VICTIMS HERE IM SURE THAT COWARD IS CRYING OUT TO GOD FOR HIS OWN SELFISH REASONS HE BETTER CAUSE MEN IN PRISONS MAKE EXAMPLES OUT OF KID KILLERS

I attend Strasburg High,where Brendon also attended.This has been a huge tragedy for the school and the people around Strasburg.The family and friends of Brendon are in deep loss.For someone to say that Jody didn't think before he did that,thats wrong.He definitely did think and he did what he wanted to do.And what he did was the worst thing any man could do,to a 16 year old who had a life planned for himself.For Brendon to be able to come to the house for six or seven months and nothing happen to him,AFTER JODY SAID NOT TO,doesn't make sense for him to just snap right then.As Officer Tim Carter said,he has no right to take the boys life.If he wasn't happy with who Sarah wanted to be with,then that was something he needed to take up with Sarah.Thats when he should have stepped up and became a father to the girl.Jody has no brain/heart if he was able to take a KIDS life.I hope he realizes that he took someone who meant the world to a lot of people and he is going to regret it.I hope the courts give him what he deserves and whoever is sticking on Jody's side you should find some heart yourself.I got mine.I will be praying for the Barker family and friends and Sarah.I know this is going to take a lot of healing to do and its not going to be easy.Death gets the best of people and this one is hard.We love you Brendon and we know your watching over us all and your in a better place now.God Bless the Barker Family!
-Courtney

I attend Strasburg High school as a junior. I was a class mate of Brendon Barker and at one time with Sarah. Brendon was an all around nice guy. He was nice and friendly to everyone. He always walked around with a smile on his face. It is a HUGE loss of the Class of 2010. It's really tragic loss. There are a lot of people close to Brendon and people are really torn up. It's hard to believe someone could do something to him. I don't understand why someone would do this to him. So all you people who really didn't know him and are talking about this situation. I was a fellow class mate and friend of Brendon Barker. My prayers are with him and his family. its a hard loss and it will be hard for the rest of my high school life. May god be with you Brendon. You are truly missed at SHS!

yes, i agree jody did do wrong very wrong but as we all know none of us have the rite to judge,and yes i feel for all envolved in this tragedy and as a parent and grandparent i could and hope i never have to experience losing any of my children,but at the same time i cant imagine jody as a parent doing this with any kind of thought of intentionally harming the boy.my thoughts are that jody snapped at the time and i know that still does not justify what he did but wat will he also go thru the rest of his life with this on his mind.i know alot of you say who cares but at the same time he needs help to get thru this too.im not making excuses for him, but no one knows wat he may be going thru. we all know wat the familys are going thru and even though he cant redo all of this im sure if he could he would.i am also praying for all involved and hope everyone can find a way to get through this.praying for each of the families and all the ones involved. my prayers are with you all.

First I apologize for any misspelling. This is truly a tragedy. Unfortunately this story or stories like it are being told all over the US every day. Our “so called civilized society” isn’t much of a civilized society is it? What are we doing with all these comments? What do we "think" we know about what happened that night? The answer is nothing but what the papers and police reports state. The only ones that know ALL the facts of that tragic night are the three people that were there. Some are pointing fingers, some are saying he deserved it because there was a trespass warrant, some are saying send Bradley to the chair, some are just saying we are praying for you. All to often when these situations arise we as humans "THINK" we have the right to judge those involved where in fact we DONT. That is Gods job and those of a jury. True Jody should have never shot the boy even though he "may" have felt he was protecting his own. Personally I would have sent him home with a good old whooping. Actually better yet, whooped him and took him home and had a talk with his parents. But as I said I don’t know what I would do in this situation. True the boy should have been disciplined enough to respect the law and not gone back after being served a trespass warrant and being told what would happen if he came back. Although I personally remember what it was like to be a teen boy and "think" I'm in love. Those hormones can be our own worst enemy. Although that is still no excuse for going back. Its also true that maybe the young mans parents should have stepped in just a little further and put a size 12 in his rear end after getting the warrant and made sure he didn’t go back. These are all personal opinions that I have heard and agreed with from all kinds of friends and family on both sides. So what are the facts? A man shot a young man and it’s a tragedy. The boy lost his whole life ahead of him. Sarah will be scarred for life and Jody will most likely spend the rest of his life in jail. The lives’ of two families ruined because quite a few people didn’t do what they should have and hind sight is always 20/20. I have a daughter and a son both still young but I hope in the future if god forbid something even remotely close to this comes up, I hope I make the right decisions to avoid such a tragic result. As I stated before I can’t say what I would do in this situation but over the last 18 months I have seen enough death and devastation to learn this one thing. We all need to learn a little humility. We ALL need to stop pointing fingers and quit thinking we have the right to judge and cast dispersions and spend more time praying for ALL the people and families involved. At the end of the day all the blaming and finger pointing and getting bent out of shape does nothing but breed more anger and evil in our hearts and all that does is tear what’s left of our communities and our country apart. I pray for us all. Remember no matter how big or little the crime or sin the Bible says “Let he who is with out sin cast the first stone”.

I am very someone that was very close to Brendon. I would like to thank everyone for their prayers and well wishes. What has happened to Brendon, his family, Sarah, his friends and the community at large is a tragedy. I have read the comments that have been written and agree that Brendon should have respected Sarah's father's wishes, but who of us hasn't experienced the thrill of our first love? Who of us hasn't taken chances to be with that certain someone? Even as adults, some of us now are or have been sneaking around risking everything that we have to see that special person. I am certainly not pointing fingers or condoning either...just stating fact. I can truly say that I would have risked EVERYTHING for my first love...and did. The true victims in this horrible crime are, first and foremost Brendon and his family, Sarah and her family, Brendon's countless friends, and every single life that this has been touched. I hope that maybe we can learn to listen to and try to understand our children a little more and maybe hear your parent's pleas to protect yourselves and make wise choices; to learn from our mistakes. But mostly to learn one thing from our Brendon TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER! I can say that the comment that I have heard most frequently about him is that he NEVER had any negative to say about anyone....not even Jody Bradley. As for him...we have faith that Sheriff Carter will find the truth's that will give us the closest thing to justice that we will be able to accept. At least we will have comfort in the knowledge that he will be in a place where he will not be able to hurt anyone else. May God Bless You All

My heart goes out to Brendon's family and friends, but especially to Jody's daughter, Sarah, who not only lost her boyfriend that evening but also her Dad and to have witnessed it in such a horrible fashion. She will need lots of counseling and lots of prayers. So many people are blaming Sarah for inviting her boyfriend over, knowing how her Dad felt about Brendon, but there is no excuse for murder in my book. No one has the right to take another life no matter how you feel about that person. If Jody would have just called the police that evening he would still be farming his land and his daughter would still have her Dad.

I graduated with Jody and we are in the process of planning our 30th Class Reunion this year. It's a real shame he won't be attending...and in reality, he will probably get the death penalty or life in prison with no parole if he is lucky. I pray God forgives his bitter heart.

Because I am a little too close to this situation knowing Jodi & Sarah and his son at one time very closely, I will not comment because I know there is something we all don't know, that Jodi lived to farm for his family..and would never have pre planned this as is being said now. He does not have a twisted mind or heart. My best friend who I lost last year, used to always ask me a question when I felt strongly against someone...for example the young mother in Fla. who allegedly killed her 3 year old daughter. He would say to me~"What are you going to do if you get to heaven and Hitler is there?" I won't tell you my reply years ago when he first asked, but I got the point. None of us are allowed to judge another, especially when none of us REALLY knows what actually happened. Nor is it our business....we have our own families and lives and pasts to deal with. For every finger you point..there are 4 more pointing back at you....prayers are the best we can do for all in this situation....

One of my grandchildren went school with Brendon Barker--according to him Brendon was a very well liked kid. I understand the teachers had no trouble from Brendon. I guess he had respect for them. I guess all of you that say he should have respected Bradley don't realize that respect is something that has to be earned..No matter what this young boy and girl did - they did not deserve this. I wonder if he really loved and respected his daughter enough to sit and talk to her or Brendon about this situation? He killed Brendon-really got himself respected there-he blamed his daughter, who will probably never and I do mean NEVER get over this. I hope this is not what you belive respect is all about. I personally believe jail or the death penalty is really to good for this man--or cowardly mouse. Maybe he will get what most child killers in jail get. We can only hope....Yes I know I should not judge but I bet God is really angry about this, too! Bradley not only hurt these two families he also left a mark on all those kids that loved Brendon too. I wonder what they did to him? My most heartfelt sympathy goes to the Barker family...I am so..so..sorry. And to you Sarah. May God bless you all.

LOSS

When the knife of separation cleaves our heart, and sections this time in space from the rest, the pain comes in a heavy dark fog, a suffocating blanket. It wends its way along the hidden by-ways of the mind, and touches the empty spaces in the heart, where love or longing for love once resided, but is no more.

In a tick of a second, the loss plunks a chunk from the heart, and in that moment, the pain overwhelms us, and we feel it will never heal.

But time soothes the wound, for new love grows around it. It never completely disappears, it will be touched again, when a new space is created.

The spaces remain, regardless of the passing years, they become part of the heart, the part that never lets you forget the joy, and love and life that once filled them. Memories of love now fill the voids, although pain is mingled with joy.

Would life be better for not suffering loss? Never losing what we love? Without the empty spaces, how would we know fulfillment?

Life is strange, for love is never lost. Love never grows cold, it never dies. Love lives on, to warm the cold morning hours, and blooms in the snow like a boquet of flowers....

There is always another door that opens when one closes, and always a lesson to be learned from any tragedy. No one who leaves this earth ever really leaves for good...for having walked here once, we walk here always....
I wish all involved in this tragedy peace and forgiveness and healing someday......

This is certainly a tragedy for all of the family memebers involved. I think the best thing everyone can do is pray for both familys. It is not our job to judge anyone on this earth and non of us actually knows what and how this happened. My prayers will go for both familys.

I am one of the people who have serious doubts about Eddie's guilt. I have stood by this since he was arrested and I still believe that if they go through with the execution then they are killing an innocent man. May god have mercy on the souls of those involved in the execution.

I want to say that I think a terrible tragedy occurred at 9pm tonight when Eddie was executed. I want to commend your reporters all of them who have gave Eddie a chance from the beginning.I hope that someone writes a book about this conspiracy and how someone died today simply because they were the the wrong color at the wrong place at the wrong time.When I listened to the story Eddie gave about being scared and hiding because it reminded him of back home,I knew for sure at that moment he was telling the truth because i have heard many Jamaicans same the exact same thing.This man came from a different culture,and some rugged ways of life.However,that did not make him a killer,it made him a martyr. Eddie Bell is sadly but a statistic of what happens when you have no money and are accused of a crime.Had Eddie been wealthy there is no doubt that he would be setting somewhere listening to some smooth reggae and enjoying his life,now his children and family are left with the heartache and despair.To the Bell family:May god bring you peace and comfort in this time of tragedy,but know that Eddie is with his father and at peace,the others will live on and one day will see that Eddie was innocent. I wonder how they will apologize to you.Mr.Shipley write this book and tell Eddie's story,then he will rest in peace.

I'm just not convinced that Mr. Bell is guilty. Seems like a cover up will one day be exposed...and at what a cost. May peace be with his family, for he had one as well.

I'm just not convinced that Mr. Bell is guilty. Seems like a cover up will one day be exposed...and at what a cost. May peace be with his family, for he had one as well.

Well it never seems to fail that just because a black jamaican man was executed for a police officers death, this automatically becomes a racism issue?? No. Not hardly, I do not agree with any of that statement. Although, I do believe that had the victim of the shooting been one other than an officer of the law, he'd have not been on death row. Yes, it's very possible that Bell could've easily been in the wrong place at the wrong time, but who's to know for sure? Noone. Noone but himself. I'm not for nor against the death penalty, I believe the sentencing lies solely on the case itself. At times, I do believe that.. why should you be given the gift of life if you feel the need to take anothers? Especially depending on the reasoning. Then again, Bell has a family that is going to be without a father.. and that's something that deep down truely can't be replaced. I do feel that the death penalty in this case is something that should've been given a closer look and more thought put into the process, but that's the way our courts system works around here. They don't see the future, all they see and know is that Bell has been the one accused of killing one of their men. That's all they care about. But noone is to say that he wasn't guilty.. or that it was because of his race or ethnicity. That's just foolish.

This is a true travesty and one day when everyone involved comes to the realization that they executed an innocent man I hope that god understands. To the Bell family, my thoughts and prayers are with you and I hope you take some (however little) comfort in knowing that there are people out there that believed in Eddie and will continue to do so.

I Started out in SHS then moved to CHS so i knew both of the kids in this one! I just dont understand who in the right mind would take the life of a child! Jody NEEDS the death pentilty because he needs to die the same way that Brendon died, Because he needs to feel what he did!!! Sarah and the Baker Family when i read this i wanted to break down in tears! I didnt know them that well but just knowing that i went to school with both of them! But it was sad and i will keep you in my prayers and the church will be praying for both families!!

GOD BLESS EVERYONE THAT WAS HURT IN THIS!!

Interesting....but I think they failed to mention the nearly 100 people who got the ax at corporate headquarters in Winchester within the last couple of weeks. Some of those folks had 15, 20, 30 years in...and came to work one morning only to be told that they were laid off.

So Republicans can't wait to tell those unfortunate folks that are looking for a job,tough luck.It's time to tell the party of no to take a hike this november.

Benefits need to be extended as the unemployment situation increases and businesses either cut back or shutdown all together. The people on unemployment need the additional weeks to ensure that they have even a better chance to find work. Unemployment is risning not because new businesses are coming in but because existing businesses are either cutting back or shutting down and Im not just talking about new companies Im speaking of companies that have been in business for years. The state legislature needs to get behind the people who are out of work and give them a better chance to find work by extending the benefits.

So it's been a few days now and I am not in the area so update me please...what's happening with the calls that have come in since company 25 was shut down? Who is running those calls? Paid crews? At whose expense? The next closest volunteer squad? Hmmm...that's a real change huh? Do they now have to cover 100% of Strasburgs calls instead of just running mutual aide at a time of need? What's the response time now? Are people in crisis waiting even longer sometimes for help to arrive?

I just fail to see how the county's actions are a benefit to anyone but themselves. If they had to do something why not come up with an emergency action plan to assist Strasburg with recruiting and retaining members?

To the community, if you get the chance in the future you NEED to get involved, FIND some time to help out or your wallets will!

Once again I would like to thank Shenandoah County Fire and Rescue for picking up the slack of Co. 25!! Without their passion for their careers and their training, the residents of Strasburg would've only suffered longer. Special thanks to Gary Yew, Timmy Williams, Billy Street and the Shenandoah County Board of Supervisers for keeping the best interest of Shenandoah County first!

What is the minimum education requirement for SCFR employees? After reading some of the emails written by SCFR employees, I would say 1st grade.

First off some of these complaints are petty and the paid guys are acting childish, just saying anything because Timmy Williams told them to voice their complaints.

Second, its funny how ALL of the SCFR guys were or still are volunteers and most of them volunteer in the NORTH end of the county so do you really want them picking you up??

Third, as a former volunteer in Shenandoah county this stuff goes on at every station 25 is just being picked on, the citizens do not know half of what does go on so why dont we just let it all out...because we all know that its not just that and you know what i am talking about

Fourth, Mistakes happen at every station and well there are volunteers throughout every station in this county I wouldnt want picking me up. So maybe the county should be monitoring the mistakes of all the stations.

i honestly think that the career staff are just complaining about every little thing that goes on so they can take over 25 and eventually the whole county

I feel that this article only shows a one sided view to the public about SVRS. I believe if the allegations made in the e-mails were discussed with the members of Strasburg, you would see that there are two sides to every story-including this one. It blows me away that these documents were published as they were.

It is amazing to me that so many people who are not involved with SCFR or SVRS appear to know the answer to every problem that has been mentioned in this article. It appears that SCFR needs you; so go volunteer or would you be worried that everything that you were doing would be viewed under a microscope?

All of the firefighters/EMTs for SCFR are very well-trained men and women; so are the volunteers. If the SCFR staff had known that e-mail and letters that had submitted to SCFR administration would become public, I think the comments would not be written the same. Not that I believe they would have felt differently, but the comments would have been written in a professional manner.

It is usually protocol for correspondence between employees and their supervisors to be kept confidential and names left out of the equation if these comments do become public. SCFR administration shouldn't have let their employees names in any form be connected to the complaints. This has accomplished even stronger hard feelings between SCFR staff and volunteers-for what purpose?

The Board of Supervisors, Strasburg Town Council and SCFR administration should not have closed down Co. 25; they should have changed them to supplemental staffing. This would have accomplished several things:

1. If the career staff had issues with volunteer training, it could have been addressed on a one-on-one basis. Constructive criticism is something we can all learn from.

2. Would it be so bad if the SCFR paid staff had an extra set of hands on their units?

3. The citizens of Strasburg would have 2-4 units ready to help; right now there is only 1.

Please ask Mr. Yew, Mr. Williams and possibly Mr. Street where their love of the fire/rescue service started...all with a desire to ride on a big red truck, running lights and sirens. They got to feed that desire by starting as a volunteer. While all three have the welfare of Shenandoah County in mind, I simply say-do the right thing and stop all these walls from being built up between career and volunteer staff.

I would like to say that Iam a vol. with this fine county. And to Mr. funkhouser I say that sure some might not be as wonderful as you, however you should be ashamed of yourself for calling co. 25 follies. And let me tell you I am a very caring person with a great bed side manner and I am very well trained. I have not spent 10 years away from my husband and children for training and running calls just to have someone to say that Iam not. You along with scfr paid staff and especialy Mr williams have built yet another wall between paid help and vol. help and rest assure the public will know this. There is no doubt that as your email in late 2006 stating that you know you wont have to put up with co. 25 much longer, or how you were told by Mr. Williams to report all of the childish things that you did in your emails is proof that SCFR DID NOT COME INTO STRASBURG VOL. RESCUE SQUAD TO HELP THEM BUT YOU ALL HAD EVERY INTENTION OF SHUTTING THEM DOWN. To all vol. companies I say bewear they are trying to take over all compaines, you know to start Mr. Williams new little Fairfax he should be so proud. I wonder what happens to some of those envented paid jobs if this plan fails and svrs reopens. Thats a thought all citizens should ask Mr. Williams and Mr. yew. After all they both stated at the meeting at Toms Brook that after spending hours of tax payers dollars on their clock that they did not have a game plan for working with svrs only one for taking it over. To all citizens svrs will tell their side and hopefully all will see the facts for what they are. Even though they couldnt meet all calls atleast our citizens would not be waiting 25 min. for a rescue squad while the very people who shut them down stood by and watched. I wonder how the town council and the shen. county board members felt that day while they watched. I say let those guys and girls run. If the paid staff would be as caring as they say they are then we all together could be answering all the calls for strasburg. Gee it doesnt take a real smart person to know thats all we needed. Not a take over, a come in and help us out.

After reading all of the correspondence written between SCFR and other professional staff as well as my own experiences in the community. I am thankful that when I call 911 there is no doubt in my mind that a squad will respond to my home or to a unfortunate accident quickly. This was not always the case in the Northern end of our county.
We should be thankful that these men and women put their lives on the line each and every day to help others. Whether they are being paid to do so or volunteering their time.
Having moved back to the area from a neighboring county who has had paid fire/rescue personnel for many years I was in shock that Shenandoah County had not yet reached this level of providing for their citizens. In fact my homeowners insurance doubled simply because there was no guarantee response time. (Also paid personnel and volunteers can work well together, because I was a volunteer with those paid guys, it would appear that Co. 25 has some Ego's that need to be checked at the door and remember what is in the best interest of their community)
Thank you to our Supervisors for recognizing the best interest of the citizens of this great county. Timely fire/rescue response can not be traded at any costs.
Furthermore, how do the think the citizens of Frederick County felt about paying for their fire/rescue services to continuously be responding to cover Co. 25's lack of responding? We wouldn't want our tax dollars to cover another county's troubled rescue squad. I believe at one time Middletown responded over 600 times in one year for Co. 25.

I am surprised that SVEC is not covering Shenandoah County since it neigbors on Page, Warren and Frederick.

In the end the truth will come out we all know that Timmy Williams and Gary Yew just want this to be an all paid county which will never happen.

They say that there are two sides to every story and i believe that is true. Most f the allegations made by SCFR towards the volunteers at SVRS sound horrible in the text that they have been presented in, but here's some food for thought to those that are not associated with a fire or rescue agency or are not famililar with protocols:

* Volunteers in personal vehicles were photographing and videotaping career staff at a fire scene.
-This sounds slightly arrogant to me. First, who's to say that they were specifically taking pictures or videotaping career staff? Who's to say they weren't taking pictures of the fire or their company members or friends from the fd to look back on in an few years or even at the end of the year? Can you say, company slideshow at Banquet?

* A Middletown Fire and Rescue medic told paid firefighter-EMT Billy Cook that a Strasburg volunteer who had arrived at a medical call did nothing for the patient in the seven minutes before the Middletown medic arrived.
-This is hard to believe. In seven minutes time, a full set of vitals can be taken, the patient placed in O2 and loaded onto the cot, waiting for the medic and patient history can be obtained. I doubt that any EMT would stand around for 7 minutes doing nothing in front of a patient.

* Volunteers were directing traffic at a car crash rather than assisting a patient."I find it unacceptable that the first arriving EMS unit chooses [to] complete a task, non related to their purpose (traffic control) rather than assess multiple patients on the scene," firefighter-EMT Joseph Hickey wrote in a memo to county Operations Chief Tim Williams.
-Any EMT or Firefighter knows that you do not enter a vehicle at the scene of an accident until it has been stabilized. If the ambulance was the first piece their I applaud the EMT's for looking out for their own safety, by not entering a potentially unsafe vehicle, and for directing traffic away from the patient that was still in the vehicle and themselves to prevent further injury to the patient or to a member of their unit.

* In a Nov. 11 e-mail to Williams, Richard Funkhouser refers to the rescue squad as "the [Co.] 25 follies."

His e-mail says a crew showed up to a call with lights and sirens, only to tell the paid staff "they could not transport because they did not have time they just wanted to see what was going on."

"Co. 25 only has crew on Friday night if there is a home football game," the e-mail says.Funkhouser adds that one volunteer always wears "holey" cut-off shirts on calls; that two volunteer units went to Food Lion with lights and sirens on to assist someone who locked his keys in his car; and that volunteers had a medic from Middletown join them en route to the hospital to help with a patient who may have dislocated his elbow."If Co. 25 does not feel comfortable they will call Middletown medic to ride with them," the e-mail says. "This happens all the time and most of the time it is a [basic life support] call."
-a career guy is complaining because theres a call crew on every friday night that theres a home football game? Werent they just complaining that there was never a crew on? Be happy that there is a crew there, whatever the reason. I believe the fire department also assists people who have looked there keys in their car. Holey Shirts on calls, again complaining about the fact that theres someone there running calls. Yes they shouldnt be wearing holey shirts, but at least theres someone there. That is an issues that is easily solved. Has someone set down with this individual to address proper dress code while running calls? And the EMT that called for a medic on a dislocated elbow, pain killers anyone? That would be painful for a patient to endure and an EMT can't administer pain killers, even if it is a bls call, that medic was there to provide patient comfort.

* An EMT-paramedic from Frederick County sent an e-mail to Williams last November concerned that a Strasburg ambulance crew that picked him up at the I-81 Middletown exit was transporting a patient who had overdosed in Woodstock to Winchester Medical Center.
-Nothing against SMH, but Wincester has better facilities and as long as the Patient was stable and the family requested that the patient be transported to Winchester, why not? My thoughts wonder to, where in earth was the Medic from shenandoah county on this call and why weren't they dispatched to the scene of an ALS (advanced life support) call?

* Hickey e-mailed Williams in September 2007 that before he could dress and get into his gear for a night call, volunteers had left with the unit reserved by the career staff, and thrown his turn-out gear on the ground. His helmet was also missing.
-It's the middle of the night, you dont make a call, and you get to climb back into bed and go back to sleep. WHY ARE YOU COMPLAINING?! So the volunteers took the truck that you, carelessly left your gear on. When you got off the piece why didnt you set your gear off along the wall where its within easy reach and you wouldnt of had to worry about it being "thrown off" and as for your missing helmet, i'd personnally be glad that they didnt "throw" my helmet off the truck, it hitting the ground adds to wear and tear potentially ruining the helmet before its time. Also, they didnt steal your helmet, im sure you found it on the truck when they got back, so why the childish fuss? Further more, career staff is there to supplement the volunteers, the career guys complain anyother time they have to run a call so why are they complaining this time that they didnt have to? Also, if the career staff is sleeping upstairs and the volunteers respond from home, why did it take so long for the career staff to get out of bed and get to the truck? Shouldn't they have beaten the volunteers?

Again, theres always two sides to everystory and so much of the story behind these acqusations have been left out. But from what i can piece together from the little information there is, there are such frivilous complaints. Surely tax payers money is going to better use then this??

Valley Girl-

I think you need to move back to the county you were in. I dont think you are comprehending this problem very well.

Now that there is only ONE rescue squad in Stasburg you will have a SLOWER response time if 10-1 is out on call. Another rescue squad has to come from a DIFFERENT town taking up to 30mins to get there. Listen to the scanner every now and then. 10-1 has been running there behinds off lately and the county has been calling in toms brook, middletown, and even woodstock. That is taking another ambulance out of another town that may need help for one of there OWN calls.

The papers and Tim Williams, Gary Yew, or BILLY STREET FAILED TO MENTION THAT THE DAY OF THE "DISSOLVING" 10 UPCOMING EMT WENT TO TEST. MOST PASSED AND NOW THEY HAVE NO WHERE TO PRACTICE! they were trying to make a difference.

In one quote it says there were two volunteers who were standing in the parking lot at the time of a call and they were still there when paid staff got back.
I have one question about this. Was one a EVOC certified? And was the other EMT certified? because with out both being one or the other then that ambulance CANNOT leave the building. The paid staff STILL would of had to transport!!!

"* Hickey e-mailed Williams in September 2007 that before he could dress and get into his gear for a night call, volunteers had left with the unit reserved by the career staff, and thrown his turn-out gear on the ground. His helmet was also missing." _
-Stop WHINING!!! You didnt have to go on the call and you got to go back to bed!

****************************************************
-Firemanswife!!!

I said it before and ILL say it again. Stop sucking up to SCFR!! Your prob one of the SCFR wives! The volunteers have a passion for fire and rescue and they have just as much training as the paid staff does. The Strasburg residents are SUFFERING MORE NOW thanks to the SCFR and Board of Supervisor because if that ONE ambulance is now on a call its going to take at least 15-20minutes for another to get there! They didnt have the best interest in Shenandoah COunty because if they did they wouldnt have shut the rescue down and would have continued to help them get on there feet. They wouldnt have plotted against them and had meetings behind everyone back! And no offense but I hope you LIVE in STRASBURG because if you local paid staff is out on a call and you get hurt no one will be there to save you for awhile since its going to be another ambulance from another town coming to save you!!!!! Keep that in the bac of your mine.

Volunteer4SC--

Please remember that I was a volunteer in a county where career staff and volunteer staff were able to work together. I do live in the Strasburg area and I have no fear that I will have a good response time and great medical attention given to me should I need to call 911. I have faith in not only our career staff but in those who volunteer. If the certain individuals can't move on from this and work for the greater good of the community, only our citizens will be hurt. As EMT's and FF's we volunteered to help people, not harm them.

Before you throw stones at people, remember that your house probably has windows too. Several years ago one of the leaders of Strasburg Rescue Squad was in the newspapers for his actions at Woodstock Rescue Squad, and it appears all was forgiven by Strasburg Rescue Squad wasn't it? Should I make the assumption based on prior history of this one individual that Strasburg Rescue Squad's financial records should be scrutinized?

Whoa Whoa Whoa! Talk about a pissing contest! I understand that everyone is still emotional about SVRS being shut down, but seriously, have some dignity people. You can stay on here all day arguing back and fourth over who's right in this situation and who isn't. The point is this, all of the facts aren't out on the table. So far all we know is that Strasburg went from having 4 operational ambulances to 1, SCFR's 1 ambulance can't handle all of the calls, and everyone thinks they know everything about whats going on. The only people that know the real true reason SVRS was shut down is Timmy Williams and Gary Yew. And honestly, with all of the "support" they've been given by the town do you think they are gonna tell anyone anything? No. SCFR, the board of supervisors, and the town council have not gotten the support from the citizens of Strasburg like they believed they would. Which I find humorous. Everything will play out, and one way or another, there will be proud volunteers still serving the community of Strasburg. I just hope that its in a 25 piece rather than a 10 piece.

I think it is irrelevant to include the opinion of a neighbor who says "having such an incident occur nearby wasn't "really a big deal" to him." This incident WAS a BIG DEAL to many of the people who knew and loved "Fat Scott" I am appalled that the author of this piece used such a flat tone in describing a disturbing and shocking incident. Next time find a credible source who has something to lend other than cheap opinions of someone completely unknown to him! Rotten Tomatoes NVDaily!!!!!!!

I am soo sorry for the parents of the slaters and also the plamondon parents and family.i know there are alot of people hurting over this, it is the most selfish act..sadly no punishment can fit this crime and no one can fix it..so sorry, just say no to drugs .he is clearly a sick person-

What a senseless act...my prayers go out to the Plamondon family and to the Slater family. My only question is WHY would a hospital and the Physicians allow a psychotic person talking about suicide and other people needing to die allow this person to walk away?? Seems like this boys' father did the right thing by trying to get help for his son and the health care communtiy did the wrong thing. If Mr. Slater had been admitted to a psych unit would things have turned out differently?

To bad the article doesnt tell about the number of employees this particular plant laid off in January of this year. I just wonder if those 30 new jobs will be filled by any of those laid off

I switched to AT&T service because it was very good in the northern parts of Shenandoah County. I bought my equipment at the store in Woodstock. I had no idea that the service would be marginal in downtown Woodstock.

As AT&T upgrades its service in the Winchester area, I sincerely hope they will upgrade their service in my hometown. I worry that the closing of the AT&T store in Woodstock signals their disinterest in getting better service to this area.

I totally agree there needs to be an ordinance in Woodstock as well as Edinburg for pet owners to pick up their pets poop. I lived in Loudoun County for years and the county provides trash containers as well as plastic gloves along parkways and in parks. Residents are fined a samll fee if they do not pick up their pets poop. I take walks in Woodstock and I do not want to see dog poop along the street or in yards and I surely do not want to step in it.

Does he even deserve a trial?

The great sadness about this situation is he totally destroyed his own family (his parents have lost both their sons) and he created a horrible loss for Kayleigh's family. I am sure he is sorry for his acts; isn't everyne sorry when they are caught?

I wonder how much weight, other than the actual paperwork, these additional charges will make considering he has already confessed to the murder of two people. On top of a capital murder conviction, these additional charges will, I'm sure, heap on the years of incarceration.
Slater has absolutely nothing to lose by creating more paperwork by wreaking more havoc. Are we to think he will be a good little boy now that more charges have been added? I can't wait to read what's next.

Lemme tell you what's next. The Frederick County Commonwealth Attorney will plea bargain the capital murder charge down to life in prison and drop all of these little charges that Slater's racked up while in custody. However, the Clarke County Commonwealth Attorney will go after the death penalty, because she's got salt. This is assuming they determine the young girl was murdered in Clarke County.

My children have been saving all summer to go to the fair. After saving $210.00, I told them that their chosen night to go to the fair, there would be no arm bands, and they might get to ride one or two rides after buying tickets. They had the choice since they worked for that money too. At ages ranging from 6 to 11, they decided it was a ripoff and chose to go have a picnic instead. Its a shame when even children can see how overpriced things are.

Hey Bob, sounds good to me that you don't qualify...
You would have to spend money which it doesn't seem you like to do.It would probably hurt the economy more because you would not support American made again and give more american jobs to overseas people that wants to take your freedom away from you.
I think they made a good choice for you to help the economy in America.
Lee in America

I agree that I-81 can be a scary place to drive, and most of what you listed is relevant, except for "foreign drivers." Do you mean drivers with loads that originated in Canada or Mexico, or do you just mean immigrants? Either way, I think it needs explained. People who are already quick to point at the "@$%&&# immigrants" don't need to have their newspapers pour gas on the fire. Being foreign shouldn't be a blanket reason to blame anyone for anything.

I would have to agree that the "foreign drivers" comment was a bit out of line..... it's not like british folks are constantly driving down the wrong side of the road and causing accidents.

Have you ever driven in L.A. or Miami?????

There's a special place in Hell for people like that. I only wish I had been there to see it happen, things would have had a different outcome then.

I agree with Ms. Adams assessment.

If Springsted doesn't ask questions about dirt under fingernails, how will they learn about dirty fingernails?

If the Springsted review of Social Services is to generate any constructive improvement, its genesis will not be found in the employee questionnaire answers. I have obtained a copy of the questions. It reads like a multiple choice customer satisfaction survey for a motel chain. The conclusions to be drawn will inevitably say "When things are good, it's great; when things are bad, it's still pretty good". Is this what management wants to hear?

I am disappointed at Springsted's lack of curiosity outside the narrowly defined scope of the questions. Where is the opportunity for an employee to leave the confines of the questionnaire without fear of retaliation for requesting a formal interview?

Perhaps the best insight for where change is most needed will come from the face-to-face interviews conducted at the request of former employees and former DSS Board members? I understand many individuals have voluntarily stepped forward to discuss their experiences with official and unofficial DSS management practices.

Did you ever think that maybe this wasn't bears but coyotes? I just never heard of black bears attacking livestock or pets unless they were threatened by them.

"However, the jury found her guilty of assault and battery and felony child abuse."
Can this be serious. A woman is found guilty of felony child abuse and assault and battery of a minor and gets nothing.
"If I could have re-done that day, I would have handled it much better," she said. "My anger got the best of me." I guess she wouldn't have re-done the day she posted the video on the internet.
How can we expect any better from our children in this is the best we get from adults?

I would have to agree with the first comment. More than likely a coyote.

Fred is a wonder! We had three different bear problems in our neighborhood in Front Royal last year. While black bears are normally not aggressive, the bears in the national forest are over-populated and starving, and they have been coming into the town of Front Royal more and more frequently. A starving animal is dangerous. A bear was in my front yard every night and, while fascinating to watch, it terrorized my family. Everyone was afraid to go out after dark. I spent almost an entire day on the phone before I got Fred's number. While he knows that black bears are usually shy and run away, he also knows they can be very dangerous. He set traps and caught and relocated two of the bears; the third has not reappeared. Thanks again, Fred!

i could not agree more i live 300yds from the park in july and august there is always bears in my yard mostly around 200 lbs i would look more @ rogue/wild dogs or coyote

Please do not kid yourself....about 5 years ago VA Game and Fisheries decided that relocating bears does not work. They kill the bears. It is a simple fact.

This year I have had up to 5 different bear in my yard in one day. I doubt these are bear taking down your cattle, I would say a coyote or even cougars. Yes, Virginia does have cougars..it also has bobcats. We have several bobcats on our mountain.

I'm saddened that these individuals have a permit to kill the bear when the bears, as the article states are only "SUSPECTED" in killing the cattle.

For those who don't think bears eat livestock or forest animals including deer fawns, there is lots of information on the Internet available about bear predatory habits. The findings from a Pennsylvania study indicate that black bears eat just about as many fawns as coyotes do. The main cause of death among young fawns is predation, with coyotes and black bears taking the majority. Bobcats came in third, far behind the bears and coyotes.

In addition, records of bear attacks resulting in human deaths (which can be found on the Internet) indicate just as many deaths caused in North America by Black Bears as Grizzly Bears, probably because the Black Bears live in more populated areas and more commonly come into contact with humans. With over one-hundred years of records of bear attacks resulting in human deaths available, I found that 75 percent of them occurred in the last 15 years, probably because humans have moved more and more into the bear's territory.

In the last five years, we have seen black bear attacks on humans resulting in deaths fairly close to Virginia, in New York and Tennessee, for example. A little child was pulled from its stroller from a front porch in New York. The bear broke the child's neck.

Reports on a recent episode of Monsterquest (on the History Channel) reported New Jersey is having a lot of trouble with bears in suburban neighborhoods just a few miles from New York City. The bears hang out at school bus stops and in backyards, where children play.

It's sad and scary to hear about bear attacks, especially when it involves children, but I don't like to think about bears attacking pets and livestock, either. I love bears, but I don't want to see kids, pets, and livestock killed by them.

Most of the problems we have with bears are caused by humans, though. Bear hunters indicated at this year's Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries Board Meetings, where the public can speak about changes to hunting regulations, that they have changed their approach to bear hunting by taking fewer bears than in the past. They indicated at the meetings that they want to grow the numbers of bears so they can see more bears in the woods. They have been successful in growing more bears, but I'm worried when I hear reports about how some of them might be doing this.

From talking to hunters who are out in the National Forest in the western part of Virginia, I've heard that some bear hunters do feed bears on their private land bordering the forest, although it is illegal. They do this to encourage the bears to hang around in an area and produce cubs. Fat bears produce more cubs. I heard a bear hunter at the board meeting explain that they think feeding is necessary, because the habitat is becoming more compromised, due to old-growth forests and failed mast crops of acorns. The intent is good, but the intent to raise more bears may be so successful that we now have too many for the forest to sustain. Thus, we're seeing them moving into populated areas and becoming more bold.

The allegation of people feeding bears needs to be investigated by the VDGIF to stop the practice. This year, more hunters need to take bears, to bring down the numbers so bears don't starve. When hunters report seeing more bears in a day of hunting than deer, there's too many bears.

Deer herds in the National Forest of western Virginia have fallen so low that restrictions have been put on hunting does, to help bring the number of deer back up. Restrictions in western Rockingham county include both public and private lands. I'm concerned that with the rising number of bears, fawn crops on the National Forest were all but decimated this year on public lands. Let's hope that ethical hunters, members of VDGIF, and citizens can all work together to preserve wildlife and protect animals and people from predators. I'd hate to see bears have to pay the price for something people did to them, but I sure don't want to see more articles like this one, where livestock is getting killed. I feel sorry, too, that people have to fear letting their children go outside to play. Bears should be taken very seriously when we start hearing they are resorting to attacking and killing livestock.

No human would have a chance if a 250-pound bear knocked them down and started chewing on them. One book I read indicated that carrying a gun or pepper spray is pretty useless, because the bear would have you down before you'd get the chance to use either of them. They are fast. Never run from them and don't try to climb a tree. Situations involving bear attacks indicate that more people who have tried to run or who tried to climb trees were killed than if they had just faced the bear and stood still.

Good luck with this problem. I'm thinking that VDGIF will want to take stock after this year's hunting season, to see if new hunting regulations allowing for more bear hunting have a positive effect.

What a wonderful and caring contribution to the police department. So many times the police lay their lives on the line with little appreciation. It's so nice that Wayne and Sue Sealock thought and cared enough to give something back, that will help protect the police and others. Many thanks and blessings to you for your thoughtfulness, caring and trying to do your part, to make your city a better and safer place!

For Heaven's sake, leave the family alone. If they are involved or not will be discovered by the police. The Daily spreading rumors and innuendos will in no way help the investigation.

I can't believe the other girl's mother was not held accountable for her daughter's behavior. At the very least, she should be charged w/ child neglect.

51 year old man, 14 year old girl, there aren't a whole lot of things more disgusting than that. Yet, another plea agreement from Williamson. Will he ever prosecute a case through a trial and truly get someone the punishment they deserve? Doesn't look like it.

If you charged every parent that had a child that got in a fight you'd flood the system. Its one thing to have a child involved in a fight. Its quite another to condone it, encourage it, record it, and publish it. Not to mention put your hands on someone elses child. Not trying to break it up but make sure yours didn't get beat. The whole thing is pathetic. Michael Vick did jail time for letting dogs fight. This is a joke.

May God Bless ALL involved in this case, and I hope it is realized at some point that there is not just 1 person to blame in this all. It may be 1 person sentenced for it, and I nor anyone I know have had to go to such great lengths to keep someone away from my daughters when they were growing as Jody did. I judge no one, but see the situation with very open eyes and heart...and pray that all heal from this, some day. Including Jody....so much of this county judged him without knowing him or the entire situation, and that's pretty sad. We all have our own lives and inventories to tend to.....when you point your finger at him..make sure you caount how many are pointed back at you...

I think the schools and the County need to rethink this. The safety of our children should come first. The amount of money is reasonable to assure safety for our children. Many of the County Schools sit in close promity to Interstate 81 which allows easy access to school property. It is about establishing priorities. Safety should be at the top of the list. While media attention to this issue may have lessened the threat of harm remains constant.

Completion of corridor H west would ease congestion on 81. Too bad Frank Wolf is against corridor H.

This guy is clearly out of touch. The "preexisting condition" issue isn't about being dropped, it is about applying for new coverage. How about you read the bills Wolf?

What really chaps me about the current proposals is the fact that I will be penalized if I exercise my rights as a free American to opt out and do not purchase coverage. If I don't purchase a policy (one that is padded with profit and fat executive salaries and lobbiest expenses) I will face a 2% punitive tax.

How much of that insurance company money has Wolf received?

I remember reading somewhere an old law school adage that said, "If you have facts on your side, stress the facts; if you have the law on your side, stress the law. But if you don't have either the facts or the law on your side, pound the table, scream and shout."

County Attorney Blair Mitchell's latest "objections" seem to prove this adage.

We live on senedo road about 1 mile from town limits and our rain gauage measured 5 inches.

The father gave warning and obtained a no tresspass against
the punk. WHY is he on trial? NOT GUILTY!!!
Iwould do the same.

This man should hang.

What a moron. He is on trial because it was an execution. Not self defense, not protecting his home, an execution. There are a lot of other ways he could have been handled the situation. That's what grownups are supposed to do. He didn't break in, he was invited. Before you say you'd do the same imagine what trauma your daughter would experience seeing someone, not to mention her boyfriend, executed in front of her.

UHHH He killed a person. He should get the death sentence, and how can he say to his daughter 'My life's over, Brendon's life's over, but you still have yours. Do with it what you wish. UMMM now she can do what she wishes with her life after he kills her boyfriend?? I understand as a parent you want the best for your children but he went about it the wrong way. The more you try to control a teenager the more they are going to react. Teenagers are going to want to experience things in life, thats what you have to except when you have children. Plus the girl is the one who pushed the issue of the boy coming over, so it's partly her fault. In any case her father sounds like a mental case anyway.

Are you kidding me??? I don't care how many times he warned that kid. No child deserves to be killed. He knew who it was, he SHOULD have called the police again.

Granted the boy had no business being there but he did not deserve to die. He was just a kid who wanted to spend time with his girlfriend.

the guy you call a punk his name was brendon and he was a great guy. He was sweet and kind and could make anyones day. But you wouldn't know that because you didn't know him and his life got taken away before he really got to live it. I don't know what the jury will decide but I hope that they put bradley away for a long long time. Nothing will ever bring brendon back but bradley deserves to be punished for taking him away from everyone who loved and cared about him.

Not Guilty? How does one admit to shooting a child in the head become not guilty? He's using drugs as his defence and yet he knew of the drugs. He didn't think before he acted made a mess up and has no way to fix it. My heart goes out to Sara and her family as well as Brendon's family. I only hope our judicial system works for these families and places this man where he belongs so that he can't hurt another child!

It's a crappy tennis court, that's probably why no self respecting tennis player uses it. As far as Kids Cove goes, it's dangerous!!! There are loose boards that the kids hurt themselves on, the swings are always falling apart, most of the times that I visit there I see that something is gone, just because it had been falling apart. I don't recommend anyone letting their children play on it, besides the fact it is filthy and not taken care of. I would gladly travel to the Woodstock park and pool.

I do not agree that Bradley shot Barker to death but he had several warnings to not be there.
If Barker really cared for Sarah he would have respected the fact that her father would not allow him over to see her and this would never have happend.
The question we should be asking is why didn't his parents make sure he was not going back to the Bradley's home when he had been served with trespass notices?
Instead of just putting down Mr. Bradley why don't we also blame Barkers parents for having no control over their child?

I have lived this an if the law would do anything [like there job ] chances are this wouldn't never have happen.. but they didn't an here he is -- I feel sorry for all of them but understand him taking care of his daughter

Healthcare Reform ...

"Do not be in a hurry to change one evil for another"
Aesop (620 BC-560 BC)

obviously you ARE not a parent beckrose, what he did was wrong but this trajedy could have been easily avoided if either of these two young people had any respect for a parent or the law. I guess everyone has to decide how far they are willing to go to protect the people they love as well as be willing to pay the price. As a parent I would give my life to protect any of my children, I guess this man felt the same way

Think you should go to trial and hear evidence before you call anyone a moron. He was wearing a hood covering both sides of his face, and Jody had already decided Sarah had told the truth and was noone up there and on his way OUT when in the dark a hooded figure moved startling him. I kind of would have liked to see toxicology reports myself...because kids who admit to doing drugs usually don't make wise decisions. I know..I was young once too. I was smart enough to sneak out..not bring in a boyfriend to my dad's house. Jody is also a very good person, who works very hard for his family & children whom he loves very much. Jody did everything legally he was told to do. He did not see Brendon's face, and even if he had...it startled him and he shot...just as he does groundhogs etc. It was NOT an execution. The whole situation is a sad lesson not only for teenagers who disobey their parents, do drugs and think that at 16 they can do what they want...it is also a VERY good lesson for every parent out there with a rebellious teen. Jody loved his daughter enough to do all he could to straighten her out...and now he may be punished for being a father? And the really sad thing he is...to him I think as long as her life has gotten better, he seems willing to take the fall for the actions and NON actions of many other people in the situation. My prayers go to all, I work with recovering addicts...and this is just another sad story of life today in this world it seems....

This is quite common in some of the Residency Programs in the USA!

While Mr. Bradley taking a life wasn't right, this all could have been avoided if the rules were followed. How quick we are to say that Mr. Bradley is at fault for everything. There is a lot of fault to go around.

Brendon was no angel, as was made out when this first happened. Sarah definetly played a huge role in all of this and really should be facing some charges herself. And where were this boys parents in teaching him right from wrong? There were papers served on him to stay off the property and he did not. How many times does one have to be told NO?

It would be nice if the younger generation would realize that they are not above the rules that are laid down. Sadly, someone lost their life because they felt it was more important to disobey and do drugs.

The proper thing for this judge to have done was, to reject both final arguments. As soon as the judge saw this cover letter for, yet again, another final stab at the process, the judge should have instructed the Clerk to return this paperwork to Mr. Mitchell without reading it. Since he didn't do this, then one must question the integrity of our system, considering our judges can't seem to follow proper procedures!

I can see where this is heading without a decision from this judge.

This is sham journalism. One of the major responsibilities of residency program directors is to protect patients from physicians in training who are not appropriate for promotion or who may not even be appropriate for clinical care of patients. You present the story as if Dr Dennehy et al are guilty and in fact they may be heros and life savers for protecting patients from an unqualified resident.

The article seems to offer no opinion but merely states facts pertaining to a lawsuit as it was filed- is this sham journalism? You propose that Dennehy et al may be heroes for removing an unqualified resident. Couldn't it be instead that Dennehy et al are monsters for taking away a qualified doctor from the community that could have saved a life...

How dare every single one of you to say that Brendon deserved this. How can you sit there and blame him? Blame his parents? He was a 16 year old CHILD in love with his girlfriend. Teenagers make mistakes. It happens. Sarah made it very clear that Brendon was not 'poisoning' her. Bradley is an adult. And yes while adults make mistakes as well, killing an innocent child with so much life to live is not one that is excusable. He is guilty. He stood 2 feet away and pulled the trigger. We can sit here and debate all day about the fact that Brendon was not supposed to be on the property. What was Sarah thinking when she invited him over? But the bottom line is Brendon was taken away from his family and his friends far sooner than anyone ever deserves to. Sarah lost two of the closest people in her life with one shot; with one awful, horrendous decision. Brendon was not a punk. He was not a bad kid. He made mistakes like everyone does. But what makes any of you think that he deserved to of been killed for that, is beyond me.

Wow, what has to be proven to get a jury to know first degree murder vs. second? Do they not understand that blocking the access of his daughter and boyfriend and then getting a gun and flashlight does constitute first degree? Do any of these jurors ever read a paper or watch the news to see that drug dealers have gotten more time than they gave Jody Bradley? 9 years--a decision that should certainly haunt these jurors every day of their lives! I am not sure how they could of come to this punishment for the evidence presented. God help any of them that have children that experience their first love during their teen years--these were children being children and the one person, the adult should have been able to make good choices. Wow, I hope the judge decides that the juries decision is not an appropriate sentence and gives Jody Bradley one that is appropriate for murdering someone. God help the citizens of Shenandoah County and pray that future juries make better decisions.

I would just like to say that this jury my heart really goes out to...they have had a VERY hard job, and it was very apparent to all how much it affected them emotionally to make difficult decisions in a difficult case. Especially one young lady who I hope will read this and knows I will be saying an extra prayer for all of them tonight..and especially her. I think she will know who she is. May God Bless all of you for the wonderful job you really toiled to bring closure to all involved. Thank you....Cathy

Let me get this straight. A man shot and killed a sixteen year old boy because the boy liked his daughter and the father gets 12 years? I hope he has a heart attack on the day before he is to be released and dies. I don't care if Bradley had a no-tresspassing notice against him. Call the cops!

i really dont think 12 yrs is enough for killin a child.. this man will only be 60 when he gets out and can still live..the child is not liveing.

Somebody please tell me that the judge does not have to listen to this joke of a sentencing recommendation and will give him the full 40 years.

It is one of the biggest fails I have seen. 9 years, for very intentional murder.....If that is what actually carries out all I know is that man will have a very hard life to live even when he moves out of Edinburg. People will hear of what he did and hate him for it. I feel very sorry for all the family members, all I can do is just keep shaking my head in disbelief.

This very intentional murder (as described above) would not have happened, if this young man would have obeyed the tresspass order that was placed against him. Although I don't think shooting someone over it was the answer, what is done is done. Hopefully people will realize, when they are told not to come on someone's property, that means to stay off. Who is to say someone else wouldn't do the same thing? People can only be pushed so far, and obviously this guy was pushed too far.

There should be outrage with the parents of this boy for not getting their son to stay away from this home. There should be outrage at this young lady for not obeying her father and creating this situation to happen. It all could have been avoided if they followed the rules, but they felt they were above that. Or maybe it was the drugs that was hindering their thinking. Oh, but wait, they were both upstanding kids, doing drugs and disobeying the rules.

There is plenty of blame to go around for this entire situation. Instead of blaming the jury, people need to look at the entire situation. This man will live with what he did the rest of his life. I hope Sarah remembers what her part is, every day of her life also. She brought most of this on and should be facing charges also.

Hi guys,
First of all my dictionary defines Punk as
1. Nonsense. 2. A petty hoodlum. 3.A young inexperienced
boy or man:a contemptuous term. -adj. 1. worthless. 2.unwell.
So I call it like I see it.
Under Va. law fortunatly a judge may reduce but not increase
a juries recomendation.
The punks mother stated "Being a mom is my pourpose". She was told in no uncertain terms what would happen if she allowed her petty hoolum to continue destroying a young girls life. And she has the nerve to try to profit by suing MR. Bradley.
Hold your head high Jody. You did what needed to be done.
We do not hate you and will be there for you.
God Bless,
Hank, and your many friends.

It is as simple as this... Bradley is not God and had not right to take Brendon's life. My heart goes out to Brendon's family and Sarah. They were just kids experimenting like most of them do ... young love.

Something is quite wrong here. Conviction for MURDER gets nine years (plus 3 for use of gun), while Page County's ex-Sheriff Presgraves could get THREE-HUNDRED years for alegedly taking a $600 bribe? By my book, this is patently unfair. Duh!

I can't believe this, a man kills a 16 year boy and gets nine years. This is an outrage, this makes me sick. In nine years he will be free to live the rest of his life, and this family will never see this child again. Justice was far from being served in this case everyone involved should be hiding their faces in shame.

It is not hard to understand the outrage of the family of the victim, however, if after being warned many times is there not some responsibility to advise your teenager not to trespass on a property where he is clearly not welcome? I do not condone the method of which Jody chose to deal with the unwanted and unwelcome intruder but clearly the boy should not have been there. The blame lays on many people, the system which let the father down, the disobedient daughter, the family of the victim and the outraged father who pulled the trigger. What would we be saying if Jody had simply chosen to shoot the boy in the leg? Being the parent of a teenager can be a difficult journey. Open communication and a remembrance of your own teenage years should be a guide. I feel sadness for all of the involved, let a lesson come from this tragedy for both the young and old alike...

this comment goes to the punk named hank that has all the friends high fiving each other over this messed up jury ,this man has used a dictionery to describe himself .how can any grownup man make some statments youve made is beyond me (by the way thats my real name)this KID must have been a threat to your punk buddy named jody cause if it was my situation i wouldve whipped the boys butt, he would have gotten the message and i would have went to jail and went to trial and the judge would have strighten both of us out kid would still be alive and daughter would still be sneanking around .i have 6 kids 4 of them daughters kids will be kids young love is like that i used to sneak around to see some young pretty girl too ,i guess since your a punk,you hung with guys always. any ways ol punk jody has at least 10 years to be abused by the good ol boys in the dept of corrections they hate child killers

I can't believe that a jury full of PEOPLE HUMAN BEINGS just like brendon could sit there and basically say Jody its ok for you to murder a 16 year old child . Its ok for you to play GOD!!! This is basically a slap on the wrist compared to what they could have given him. Brendon was an amazing person he was fun and outgoing and if you were upset he could put a smile on your face. & JODY BRADLEY THAT MONSTER!!! took that away from all of us . Jody took someones son, brother,boyfriend,and bestfriend after everyone has gone through all this pain the jury hurt everyone more when they recomended that ridiculus sentence. I can't believe the world has to this to where Justice is not served for a crime as horrendous as this. I agree with ryan I hope that they have nightmares Knowing that this crazy man will be walking the streets again!!!! I hope the judge is sane and ups this sentence alot!!!

Look,,this boy did not have to die at all! This man knew better. Weren't we all 16 year olds at one time, didnt obey one time or another because we was in "love"? I know i have. This man took a life and he needs to be punished for it, to me 9 years is just a ridiculous sentence. This county gives the darndest senteces ever! And I'm sure Mr. Bradley wishes he could go back but he can't. He killed a 16 year old boy and he needs to be punished to the fullest extent of the law!

How in the world can anyone sit back and tell Jody to hold his head high for killing a 16 year old boy?!? That just makes me sick to my stomach. Yes, the teenage boy and girl should have stopped sneaking around behind Mr. Bradley's back. BUT, none of that gives him the right to take a KID's life. A KID...he was 16...with so much life left to live and learn. There's no excuse for it and Im absolutely disgusted with the jury. Mr. Bradley stated several times he was going to kill Mr. Barker if he came on his property. Just because he warned him...does that make it ok?? Murder is murder people! They are teenagers. If any of you have teenage kids, then you will know that it's not the easiest task in life to raise one...but I guess now its ok to go and kill kids everytime they disobey your wishes since Mr. Bradley did it. This trial makes me ashamed of living in Shenandoah County. Others have pointed out that people with drug charges get more time, and they were absolutely right. Clearly, some of you are just as messed up in the head as Jody Bradley.
For those of you who are blaming the mother...What else could she have done? Obviously Mr. Bradley couldnt stop his daughter from seeing Mr. Barker...so what makes you think the mother was able to? My prayers are with Barker's family.

I almost got physically ill today when I read the recommended sentence for Jody Lynn Bradley. To give such a light sentence to a man who shot an unarmed boy, BOY! is unconscionable and outrageous. I can only conclude that the jury in this case is morally bankrupt and mean-spirited. To Mr. Bradley, as well as the jury, I might remind that there is one more judgment to be handed down, and it might not go as easy as this one did.

One person can not destroy someone elses life. Everybody makes their own decisions. So because Jody killed one person to keep from his daughter, does that mean he should shoot anybody he does not like or doesn't agree with their way of living? His daughter has her whole life ahead of her, how is he going to stop every not so good decision she makes? So what your saying is if you don't like someones boyfriend its ok to shoot them? Or your making it ok to say if someone doesnt like you its ok to shoot you? Because basically thats what your statement is saying. This ingorant person that is suppose to be called a "father" did not act like a mature adult would. If the boy was trespassing all he had to do was call the police. HE SHOULD GET THE DEATH PENALTY!!

How is it you "hunt someone down" when they are hiding in your dark attic against a trespass notice?

You who were not there have NO CLUE how hard this jury worked..or the toll it took on them, because this was a VERY difficult case. Jody did NOT intentionally hunt down someone hiding in a dark place in his attic who startled him after he thought Sarah had told the truth and no one was up there..so he began to make his way OUT...of a 4 ft high attic..when Brendon moved a little startling Jody who already had his gun cocked. A daughter who admits to drug use...is now clean. Her father, went through months of doing all he could to help her. What was scary to me was to hear a school official say they hear dads threaten all the time that they will shoot their daughters boyfriends...so that it seems like no big deal. It IS a big deal...and what is scary is that this may be history now here...but I dare say it may happen again. Drugs and alcohol are a recipe for disaster...EVERY DAY. Watch your children, and their friends. Many are not aware their own kids are doing the same thing...today, and will be tomorrow. And until you walk in a father's shoes who had a situation dumped on him...you should not judge. Ultimately God is the judge..and I dare say Jody has pleaded his case where it mattered most.

I do not think what this man is right, he went through the proper channels and even asked the boys parents to keep him from trespassing, some people believe they are above the law. The boys parents should have heeded this warning. Let this be a lesson to all of our children.

There is something kind of scary when a 16 year old boy puts in his My Space profile that he hopes to die by gun shot...what 16 year old thinks about their death and how they want to die?

well,i'll try again i guess the n.v.daily did'nt approve of my first comment toward hank (a.k.n. PUNK) jody was and is a coward ,to kill a boy like that is shameful i have 6 kids and 4 of them are daughters they are all of age now but i always thought i would go to prison over one of them messing around with some young boy well that never happen .but i did go to prison over a drug charge 6 years and that was a first offence.i know that judge Hupp is a fair man and he has compassion toward people,im sure he will do the best he can to bring some type of justice to this sad situation.myself i would have put the fear in the boy to stay out of my house with a good ol butt kicking i would have been charged ,locked up and tried and the judge would have put the law to me and the BOY.my way would be wrong too ,and i wouldnt have stop 2 kids from sneaking around but he would be alive. jody will get he's in prison

Hold your head up high???? You took a life!!!!! Nine years is a joke! 40 years isn't even enough. "You did what needed to be done." Taking the life of a child is not what needed to be done in this case. You act like you were never a teenager, you never disobeyed your parents, you never snuck around. Wouldn't you want someone to serve more than 9 years if they killed someone point blank in your family? I am ashamed of this county and have lost all respect for it's joke of a judicial system.

Twelve years is a joke, what, you given out brownie points since he kept admitting he did it? Picture your own teenager "in love" and sneaking around, how would you feel if your child was blocked in a room while the killer found a gun to calmly kill them with? Life sentence isn't even what this man should get, but I do know if he chooses to live in Edinburg when he gets out live will be extremely difficult for him.

Well for those of you who want to point fingers,your day is coming!How can you sit and say i would have done this or that when you dont even know what was goin on in Jody's mind!!!
If only you were at the trial maybe things would be more clear to you!!If Jody really wanted to kill this bot it could have been done long before this.So did you ever think he was at the end of his rope and didnt really know who was up there or that he was shooting at the boy.For those of you to say there will be another judgement day and he will pay there, or it wont be so easy ,only one man can answer that and im sure its none of you!!!I have grown children to and when they were teenagers i did what i could to keep them out of harms way no matter how cruel it seemed to me. I was young once and been there done that and didnt want to take any chances with my kids.Where were the boys parents and at 16 i would think they would have more control.SO stop and think how many people are to blame in this situation,its not only Jody were was her mother???WHY did she not step in and help?It sounds to me like there was no parental control over either one of these kids other than Jody and he was at the end of his rope because he got no help from anyone!!!!!How far do you have to go to keep kids out of trouble these days??It should only be a phone call away to get help!!!Or at least a start to help!!!He was doin all he could were was all the rest???Dont put the blame were it dont belong!!!!Start by askin yourself what would i do to protect my kids!!!I dont think it was a matter of hate but a matter of raisin his daughter rite not exsposeing her to all bad stuff!!!!he wanted better for her!!!!!Jody really does love his daughter.Those of you who dont know Jody dont know what a caring and good person he is!!!He has enough to live with what has happened and no one in this world know's how he feels and what he's going through!!!!!!!Put yourself there!!

i want to reply that i have 6 kids and 4 of them are daughters.yeah you are real protective over daughters,because i remember i was once a young boy that when you hit that age and all the hormones get to racing in your system ,when you start to have a eye for some little girl friend its exciting first love and you want to explore the newness of it.i do not know any of these people but i do know that decent minded people use wisdom and common sense when it comes to stubborn teenage kids.there have been and will always be what our society calls crimes of passion you know what im talking about .a man or a woman will make threats about killing a spouse when and if they catch their wife or husband with so and so or any one .what this punk did was thought thru ,on purpose and with a thinking mind .he wasnt protecting his daughter from harm she wasnt in harms way ,the boy was invited by her into the home yeah he knew he wasnt suppose to be there and even voiced that concern to the girl ,but as i said earlier the hormones get to boiling over and he went against what he really knew to do stay away ,let her come out to meet him .this punk named jody killed him in cold blood and there is something awful twisted about him to feel that was what needed to be done .as a father of 4 young women now im glad i always used common sense when it came to my daughters and all the hormone over dosed boy friends cause the worst that would have happen was a charge of assault against one of them ,but that never happen cause i had to believe that i had taught them to respect their selves enough to draw a line ,yeah im sure they explored their youthfulness like so many of us parents did the man could have called the law with the boy locked in his attic and they would have charged him and took him thru the system may have changed his thinking about sneeking around then maybe not point is the man deserves more than 12 years and then the sick friends who say hold your head high and be what proud thats messed up .we have real heros that are in war and the stress of it has them shooting people in iraq that they feel threaten by that is not a threat killing for the sake of killing and getting more time this coward wont make it 10 years in the va.penal system cause he's a punk and a coward i guess he will do all his time in solitary confinement .cause thats where all the cowards hide or the punk that he is will have the protection of bubba.he is twisted ,you want best for your daughters but he missed what that statement means hes losted her respect and love it really makes me sick ,but i know that judge Hupp is a fair and compassionate man he will do the best he can to make sure justice is served to the best of his ability

I am ill. I have lost all faith in the justice system. This sickens me. Anyone who is behind Jody Bradley has serious problems. If the man thought there was an intruder in his house and he cared so much about his daughter he would not have barricated her in the attick with him when he went to get his gun. Makes alot of sense doesnt it? Its not justice. 9 years for such a violent crime. He told too many people he would kill Brendon. Thats Malice. Whats up with the Sherriffs Dept ? Does the word of an assistant Principal mean anything to you? Brendon was invited to the Bradley home by Sarah. He was not an intruder. Name one 16 year old boy that would not go to his girlfriend when she asked. We do not own our children. We do not have the right to take the law into our own hands. Is this open season on all teenage boys? If you dont like the boy your daughter is dating, is it ok to murder them and claim you thought it was an intruder? Yes, the jurors had a hard job...but come on? What in the hell were they thinking? I really wish they would explain thier desicion to the community, family, friends, classmates of Brendon.

It was a survey on myspace I would answer if I was asked . What is patheitic is that you really read into the answer you can't tell me that no one thinks about how their life might end . we think about it but that dosn't mean we want it to happen but brendon didn't have a choice. In every post you defend this monster . I don't understand how anyone can condon someone killing a child .

Romans 2:1
"You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things."

People why dont we think about things before we start to judge.
Jody is human and I am sure he has lots of regrets along with the loss. Not alone did the Barker's have a loss but so has Jody now that his daughter wants nothing to do with him.
Lets not just think of the victim... Jody has a family also.
So unless you were there lets not judge and assume things.
Only those three people know what happened that day and only they will know the truth and that may never be told.

There is only one person who can judge us and that's up to the man up above to do so. Let him do his job!

Kids make mistakes. They break the rules; it’s what you’re supposed to do. It’s how we learn. We learn from our mistakes to know that we shouldn’t break the rules again. Who hasn’t broken the rules? Everyone has, everyone should. Teenagers don’t think about the consequences of our actions. We break the rules. We break laws. It’s not right but its life. And for a sixteen year old boy’s life to be taken because he broke a rule, a law, that’s absolutely preposterous. What is even more preposterous is that the man who took that life, gets off with practically a slap on the wrist. Lawyers say, “The punishment should fit the crime.” How does 12 years in prison, 3 of them not even for the murder of a 16 year old who had his whole life in front of him, fit the crime of taking a life. How do 9 years compare to the life of Brendon Manning Barker. I knew Brendon. He and I weren’t close, which is something I have come to regret through not knowing him, because from everything that has transpired through all of this, his friends, I wish I had known him. And for anyone who thinks that what Jody did was “right” or “legal” think about this, what if Brendon was your son, or your brother, your boyfriend, your best friend, would you still think that is okay? It doesn’t matter what rule or what law he may have broken, he was somebody to so many people. Just think if he was your somebody. Rest in Peace BMB.

He knew what he was doing, he put himself there. Whatever he is going through is his own doing. No one made him trap those kids in that room while he looked for his gun to kill a defenseless child.

mommie2...the judge doesn't have to accept the jury's sentence, u r right. He can't INCREASE it, but he can DECREASE it. Chances are he won't..but I hope that answers your question. If you are a mommie of children,..listen to:Teach Your Children Well by Crosby Still Nash & Young. Then...Listen to Steppenwolf's song about about The Pusher Man. Most of all..be afraid. Be VERY afraid of computers, cell phones, and the lies teenagers can tell parents. I raised 2 girls a lot like Sarah acted...went so far as to ground one once while she lived at her dad's..and I slept in an Escort outside her dad's apt. to make sure she did not sneak out. Sarah lied to her father, Brendon lied and disobeyed his mother, and the law. Jody has NEVER been in trouble, did not go out to bars, he farmed and that was ALL he did and saw his children every other weekend. His lawyer said it best when he said Jody had a 16 year old mess dumped in his life....and it was not Jody who raised her those 16 years. We all need to pray for all of these families,....period. It was and is in God's hands. He also has a son who needs him...and now will have to wait..becausre his Daddy had to try to save his sister first, and this is how it ended....everyone let him down in the end. And he is more sorry than any of you know....I know, he has told me. Not that those of you quick to judge will care, but he has a son and feels terrible for what he did. It was NOT pre meditated...but I guess it was inevitable, he was determined to save his daughter from a drug problem..and after all legal routes failed...he did what I also would have done had I found a hooded figure in my attic who scared me on my way out. You are a mommy..and he is a daddy, who did his best to care for his daughter. In the end, he laid down his life trying to save hers..and it worked. It is done now...and I hope at least 1 parent and child learned a great lesson here.....

So You're saying that people who are at their end of the rope should be able to shoot someone to just get rid of them. That makes a lot of sense---not. I do believe the blame is suppose to be put on bradely. He's the one that pulled the trigger--no one else. That's why he was at trial. He killed a kid. It doesn't matter if Barker was a unruly kid or was the best.I'll say it one more time--he was a kid. You can TRY to put blame on other people such as the mother, the girl, or the boy but in the end Bradely point blank shot him. And please don't ever try to say again that he didn't know it was the boy or "it had to be done" because those are just ridiculous and crude statements.

"Thank You" for your thoughts, compassion and your prayers.

how can you say a loveing and careing parent.. HE KILLED A CHILD. there was a million other ways to handle this.. as a mother of 3 grown children.. i would have never thought of killing another child and trust me there has been some i didnt like..loveing and careing dont go in the same phrase as killing .. and your right.. there is only one man to judge him and thats god.. do you think god wanted him to kill a child?

as i sit here and read this comments it floors me how one person can say he did the right thing? how would hank feel had his first loves father shot him? wonder what jody would have done had the tables been turned and his daughter was the one killed? everyone keeps sayin he was ruining her life.. did he hold her down and make her smoke dope? seems to me they were 2 teenagers in young love. no matter who you point you finger at... killin was not the right thing to do..and 9 yrs is nothing since this child can never breath again.

This is a feeble attempt to right a wrong. I am the unfortunate spouse of one of the much maligned jurors in this case and would be doing my spouse an injustice if I did not speak out. First of all to the comment of the sister: you have your wish. Nightmares are a fact of life now for the 11 jurors who wanted the maximum penalty but had to quote, "make a deal with the devil" to get what they could in the way of justice. A hung jury or a mistrial would have been a larger travesty and these fine people did what they could with what they were given to work with. One juror could not be swayed to the majority and no assistance was provided by the court even after numerous requests.
Now a few words about the jurors. they were PEOPLE doing their civic duty as good citizens and showing up when called. None had an inkling going in what horrors and nightmares were waiting for them that day. With no advanced warning they were thrown into this morass and left to pick up the pieces of their lives when all was said and done. And for what? $30 a day and a feeling of loss and sadness. My loving spouse who is as bright as the sun and full of love was ORDERED not to discuss the things that were eating at her very soul. We have always talked through life's bumps in the road and now that avenue was closed to her. For three days she lived in torment and fear. Now that is doubled. When faced with an unyeilding person, she and her fellow jurors did what they could to see justice done. For this she and they are condemned? Where is the justice in that? Their hearts went out for the losses and the demeanor of each should have been evident. Is none moved by tears anymore? For all those who seek so called justice.... where is the justice in attacking the jury without ascertaining all of the facts?
11 jurors wanted the maximum penalty for MURDER ONE with one abstaining. No amount of forensic evidence, expert testimony, or evidence was convincing to this individual. So what swayed him from his verdict of innocent? The impassioned pleas of these regular moms, dads, grandparents, fellow human beings. For trying to do a very thankless and gruesome task these fine people are reviled and attacked. Their one small comfort is that God has the final judgement. What would YOU have done? Let yea without sin cast the first stone.

The trial should have been held in Harrisonburg. Donna Hockman got life for the same thing. What is the difference here? Shame on the other jurors. They should have stood their ground and let it go to a hung jury and let the judge know what was happening. One man did this? That is shameful. Why didn't someone notify the judge during deliberations about what this man was doing? Where are the backbones of the other 11? If you all had stood your ground and not let this happen, the worst would have been a second trial.....Were you the same 11 people that let one woman remove prayer from school? I think so.

Actually I think it was 55 men in Philadelphia that removed prayer from school, back in 1789.

This is a feeble attempt to right a wrong. I am the unfortunate spouse of one of the much maligned jurors in this case and would be doing my spouse an injustice if I did not speak out. First of all to the comment of the sister: you have your wish. Nightmares are a fact of life now for the 11 jurors who wanted the maximum penalty but had to quote, "make a deal with the devil" to get what they could in the way of justice. A hung jury or a mistrial would have been a larger travesty and these fine people did what they could with what they were given to work with. One juror could not be swayed to the majority and no assistance was provided by the court even after numerous requests.
Now a few words about the jurors. they were PEOPLE doing their civic duty as good citizens and showing up when called. None had an inkling going in what horrors and nightmares were waiting for them that day. With no advanced warning they were thrown into this morass and left to pick up the pieces of their lives when all was said and done. And for what? $30 a day and a feeling of loss and sadness. My loving spouse who is as bright as the sun and full of love was ORDERED not to discuss the things that were eating at her very soul. We have always talked through life's bumps in the road and now that avenue was closed to her. For three days she lived in torment and fear. Now that is doubled. When faced with an unyeilding person, she and her fellow jurors did what they could to see justice done. For this she and they are condemned? Where is the justice in that? Their hearts went out for the losses and the demeanor of each should have been evident. Is none moved by tears anymore? For all those who seek so called justice.... where is the justice in attacking the jury without ascertaining all of the facts?
11 jurors wanted the maximum penalty for MURDER ONE with one abstaining. No amount of forensic evidence, expert testimony, or evidence was convincing to this individual. So what swayed him from his verdict of innocent? The impassioned pleas of these regular moms, dads, grandparents, fellow human beings. For trying to do a very thankless and gruesome task these fine people are reviled and attacked. Their one small comfort is that God has the final judgement. What would YOU have done? Let yea without sin cast the first stone.

12 jurors walked into a room and after deliberation came out with a verdict. This is the system of justice that our country has used since its beginnings. Is the system flawed? Likely yes, one can look at the OJ fiasco and see that their are problems. Is their a better way? I really don't think so. No matter how this could have turned out people would be disgruntled. There is no way to please everyone and all opinions. This trial probably should have been moved outside of Shenandoah County but then how do you get a jury of one's peers? It is perhaps best to accept the verdict and learn a lesson here. Personally I would not have wanted to be a juror on this case, my compassion for all involved would have overwhelmed me and made sentencing impossible. Does anyone actually think that after serving his time that Jody Bradley will ever have a normal life? He will forever be the man that shot and killed his teenage daughter's boyfriend. His daughter must live forever with the choices she herself made. The boyfriend's family will forever live with a grief that no amount of time will completely heal. There are no winners here. Even the judge and jury will be villified for years to come. After all this is the justice system of our land and by the way have you hugged your teenager today?

It makes me sick to think that people will stick up for Jody Bradley in this situation. He KNEW it was Brendan Barker in the attic and still shot him. You don’t just shoot a 16-year-old boy for sneaking around. Sure, Sarah should have been a little more cautious about it, but they were young.
It’s common knowledge that when a parent puts more restraint on a teenager then teenagers are going to rebel and go around the rules. That’s exactly what happened. For the people who believe what Jody did was right, just think for a second: you have a sixteen year old who has a boyfriend/girlfriend and you find out that their upstairs doing God knows what. Would you get out a gun and shoot them, or would you call the cops? What if you had a relationship when you were young and ‘in love’ and you were upstairs with your boyfriend/girlfriend when all of a sudden your father comes in and shoots them. It’s messed up that someone would go to the point of killing a teenager when there were other options.
Did Jody ever talk to Brendan’s mother about the situation? I’m sure that if she knew more about what was going on then she would of put a stop to some of the things that was going on. Also if this was such a serious problem that involved drugs and a trespassing violation then Jody should of just called the cops. Parents can try to be as interactive and pry into their children’s business all they want, but they’re still going to find a way to get around them.
Just think about it.

How can that one juror say the shooting was accidental? I feel so bad for the others, I know I would have not wanted to be in their shoes, but if you are being blackmailed into a decision then this is mistrial.

I think this was a terrible thing to have happened. Yes, he should have gotten a harder sentence but why didn't the daughter and Barker listen when they were told not to be doing anything together? With the trespass notice against him he should have listened to the father and the court. I believe I read in an earlier article that the county police were called out to the house more than a dozen times because he was trespassing? Why didn't the law do anything about this before it came to murder? I know that it was wrong to shoot to young man but why weren't things stopped before it came to this?

well its like this,this is the worst case of injustice that in my 52years of living i have ever heard of .no i dont know any of these people .i didnt know brendon which that doesnt matter i know that human life has more worth than our puny minds can comprehen .you have one woman cathy c thinking justice was served along with good ol boy hank (aka punk)i dont even live in the area anymore i used to for about 7yrs. i know judge hupp is a fair man and a man that has compassion toward people,life no doubt a good man he has sentence me to prison ,but i cause that he had no choice but thats beside the point the point is im sure hes frusterated himself .i am in the process of trying to bring national exsposure to this case i may get it done i may not. but if all you people that are mad about a injustice here think what you can do to change this injustice, ive always thought something was funny about this jury someone and now that someone is the man that has bullied 9 women and why would 2 men allow it of course i know many women that would have stood their ground it would have came out a hung jury,he would have been tried over again oh well its not like he doesnt have the time to wait on round 2 he aint going nowhere period.. this man has flat out lied about who this twisted minded punk murderer is to him he knows him ,you cant sit on a jury and know the person on trial your not even suppose to know any family members yeah GOd is a just God he doesnt allow injustice to go un punished.in his time it all comes to light

anguscat,
you have to take into consideration that Donna Hockman commited the crime in Lacy Springs so that would mean that it would fall into the jusrisdication of Rockingham county..Bradly commited the crime in Edinburg so that would mean it falls under the Shenandoah County Jurisdiction. Also the jury had to take into consideration that the boy had been warned multiple times and even had a trespass notice..last I checked that meant that he couldnt come anywhere near his property..so if the kids wanted to see each other then why couldnt they go somewhere else like dinner and a movie? that is nowhere near his property and all of this could have been avoided...if the daughter knew that her father didnt approve of her seeing him at his house then she should have had the brains to say 'hey lets go to your house'or hey lets go to the park or the movies somewhere so that we dont make my father angry.

People charged with tax evasion will serve more time than Bradley - how sad. When will we all understand A LIFE IS A LIFE, whether you personally know someone that has been taken so brutally or not, the bottom line remains the same: a heart stops beating, family and friends grieve beyond all comprehension, but lawyers still get paid and a criminal who more than likely doesn't comprehend or care about the consequences of his actions will sit behind bars for little to no time. We can keep asking "why didn't she do this?" or "why didn't they just go somewhere else?" - what does it matter? What was Barker hurting? He wasn't stalking her and he wasn't abusing her. They were just two kids and it happens everyday. The only difference is that Bradley didn't "like" Barker, and he took it upon himself to knowingly end a life that can never be brought back.

hokiefan540, you are right of course. This did not happen in Rockingham as Donna's case did. I flew off with a comment before getting emotions in check. I am not judging anyone (re: comment by disillusioned above), and true, not being on the jury, one does not know what happened. But there are consistencies in the two cases which are still unfair in that both people had weapons and stated they would use them, both were done in the heat of the moment but still planned, etc. Something is definitely wrong with the system and it needs to be fixed. All the what if's won't change anything either unfortunately.

To Disillusioned - I hope your spouse is now able to open up and talk about the trial and the worries and concerns and I am sorry if she has been traumatized by this.

Schoolboard: If those 55 men took it out of schools in 1789, then someone needs to check on our mail delivery system.

Again, I am not condemning nor judging, just stating what a lot of people are probably feeling about this situation. And yes, what is done against someone will come back 10 times, so Mr. Bradley will get his due. In time.

Justice was served. People may think that it is wrong that he is only getting 9 years, but the kid was warned by police and by a trespass notice..that means the kid was not welcomed in or at his house..yes it was wrong that he took his life but they should have used some kind of common sense.

Let us all take a walk down memory lane....we are 16 and in love.....our desire to be together surpasses every other emotion and boundary there is....the thrill....the gentleness of that time in our lives.....Haven't we all been there? Haven't we all disobeyed our parents in those types of things? Haven't we all been young and impetuous? I remember that part of my life with a smile sneaking to the corners of my mouth. I am also a parent....I have watched and experienced my children grow through those phases too. We all do and have done things our parents don't approve of. I know Brendon's mother and never was a child more loved and watched over. I know that steps were taken to stop Brendon and Sarah from seeing one another. I also know that when I was a teenager and I was doing something I knew my parents didn't like I certainly didn't make a broadcast about it and the same went for my own children. They tell me things today as adults that they did as kids that make me shiver. My point is that teenage love is a strong force to be reckoned with and certainly not punishable by death. Jody Bradley was a man acting like a jealous boyfriend, not a father. There is no doubt, by his own admission that he knew who was there and also that he wasn't feeling threatened. I know Sarah's mother as well, it seems that the marijuana usage is just a smoke screen and Sarah admitted on the witness stand to have smoked it with her father once. Bradley's sentence is a travesty, I can only hope that there is hope for some sort of justice at his sentencing. Brendon, we love you and miss your beautiful spirit, your unconditional love and your warm smile...you will indeed live in our hearts forever!!!

Before you can Judge anyone, you must know the facts. 12 Jurors had to make a decision based on facts. Not what their heart said but straight facts. The whole situation is very very disturbing. There was no blackmail in the jury room, thats a ridiculous thought. If a person can't agree with everyone else then they should have stood up and been an adult and said I'm sorry but I can't do this, we have to come up with a second option. Each person in the jury room was told to do what they felt was right, based on facts. Just FACTS. I can assure you total strangers cried and are very ill over this case. Even if Mr. Bradley received 40 years, Brendon still wouldn't be here. Know the facts before you voice your opinion.

Thank you, I agree.

One Juror feels they were blackmailed. Trying to justify her part in agreeing with the outcome so she could sleep better. Know the facts.

Sarah was not allowed to leave the house.

Do not comment on a situation you know nothing about.

I am no lawyer, but read a lot of true crime books, watch lots of Courtroom TV , Nancy Grace etc. And I'm kinda thinking that such a slanderous statement from 1 juror speaking for 10 more, and saying what she has....in my mind it seems much like a case I once saw which ended up being called a mistrial......but maybe I'm wrong. But I surely would not have wanted 1 woman to come out and say she was speaking for me too when she said they were blackmailed. I have alwqays associated that word with money, or bribes. I'm thinking Judge Hupp, who repeatedly gave them chances to NOT come to agreement with fellow jurors..and then polled them ONE BY ONE.....is probably NOT going to be too happy with this article...or woman.

Now that it comes to light that one juror bullied the others I wonder if Judge Hupp can set aside the verdict and order a new trial? I certainly hope so, because as it is this is a gross miscarriage of justice that needs to be corrected by any legal means possible.

if its one of your children would you still feel the same?

Hi might have had to order a new trial for a hung jury as the commonwealth's Attorney would surely have insisted on it with a HUNG jury. I do not think he can make the Bradley family PAY for a new trial....this had to have been admitted to on VERDICT NIGHT. It's too late now. You do not get a chance to see people are mad at you and change your mind about your verdict and sentence, even I know that. They had MORE than one chance to complain of this supposed man, and they chose NOT to take it. It's too late to turn back now. Both sides presented their cases excellently, and the jury made their decision. As I said before, it is DONE. All I can see from my research on here is a mistrial that would set him free, or the original sentence being given Nov 18th. I am sure there will be a heated debate, and those who chose to undo all the work that all 12 had dobne, will undoubtedly be in trouble. The instructions were very, very clear. And those of us who were on the defense side should not have to sit again in all those hours both sides had to..but 1 side was paying for their case. It saddens me 1 person has tried to give a bad name to a jury who worked so hard to come up with a verdict. As I have from the start..I just continue to pray for all, and am relieved for the jury to not have to sit all those hours again debating this very sad case for ALL concerned.........and shame on the one or two who have created this article to be written.

So you feel that two children made the wrong decision and the adult was justified in his actions? Bradley had many options available that night, he CHOSE to murder someone, there was no justification for that. He knew that Brendon Barker was in the attic with his daughter. He blocked the door, went and got a gun and flashlight, opened the door and pushed his daughter out of the way, hunted Brendon down, shined the flashlight on him and shot him in the forehead. Now tell me how the two kids were to blame! Life is about choices and when Bradley hunted him down he made the choice to murder Brendon. He has to live with the consequences of his actions, he also needs to apologize to Brendon's family and his own daughter for his actions, and accept responsibility for murder. I have to believe that there is a special place in hell for people like Jody Bradley, people who murder unarmed people without remorse. Bradley testified that he shot an intruder because he was protecting his family--hmmm let's think about that one--"his family--Sarah" was in the attic! How concerned was he about her when he blocked her in the attic also, and then shot her boyfriend in front of her. It's easy to say these teens should've made better decisions on being at Sarah's house--but it was her house too. And how many of us, when we were their age, made choices that we shouldn't have made because we were in love? Only one person is to blame for the murder of Brendon Barker and that is Jody Bradley. Nothing can change that fact!!

it can be declared a mistrial ,when it comes out this man knows the punk or the family,he shouldnt have been on the jury at all. any decent human being can tell its a tainted jury..you can bet this will be looked in to further than this debate on line,mark my word

A juror can be removed during deliberations for misconduct, but you cannot change things after the trial, unless to let the man go free PERMANENTLY. The U.S. Constitution does not allow for a man to be convicted and sentenced for the same crime twice, because of double jeopardy. This is over.

P.S. to Anguscat: In the 1860s, the Constitution was also changed to give blacks equal protection under the law. Just because it took the "mail delivery system" a long time to get that one correct with Brown v. Board of Education, does not mean it is not the law of our land. If you want the official sanctioning of one religion in our schools or anyplace else by our government, you are perfectly free to call for a constitutional amendment to fix things to your liking.

Cathy c,
You say he did everything he was legally told to do. I assume this means the no trespassing notice, and, o wait? He was legally given a murder notice with that? How can you say he did everything he was told to do legally? When did they start handing out those murder certificates? He was not startled, whether the kid was wearing a hood or not. He was fully prepared to kill this boy, he suspected it was him in the house when he blocked the door and went for his gun. Legally he wasn't even supposed to use that firearm, since he was held in commission of a felony. I don't even know what that felony would be, but it raises more red flags in my head as to what type of person this man is.

Speaking from a friend of the Bradley's..I cam assure you theyknew no one. In this small town we may know people by faces..like when you work in 7/11 and it seems EVERYONE knows you..but only by name and look. It is still stunning to kme that any juror would speak in such a manner after such a serious case...and while I am no lawyer...I am sure that both lawyers in this case know exactly what can happen now. I will wait to see the outcome, but I know Jody cannot be tried again, or his family have to pay for another trial..period. Once was hard enough for all involved, and this article and the word blackmail sound really, really bad...I don't hear 10 other jurors affirming it either. It is done everyone..it is done.

Enough...my heart makes me wonder if we know each other. And while Sarah was not allowed out...Brendon was not allowed in. That is the bottom line in all of what happened in the end. Had both tenns obeyed their parents and trespass notice, Brendon would still be here. AS much as that might hurt...it's the truth.

I cannot believe the JURY here is being attacked STILL. You cannot imagine the HOURS spent in a brightly lit, and small room for way over TWELVE hours trying to come uop with this decision. And if you were not AT the trial, I think you have NO RIGHT to point fingers and blame them when you did not attend to hear BOTH sides of this case. It was not a real glamorous setting for them to have to debate in all those hours....and if you had HEARD both sides of this trial, you cannot say what you would have come up with as a sentence. Please leave them alone and let them try to get back to their lives and live normally again. My prayers continue for them, and for both families..this case was very, very difficult. Leave them be...you would not have wanted their job...you should be praying for them..and for these families really..not tearing people apart..ESPECIALLY not the jury.

A 16 year old child does not have the judgment of, say, a 48 year old man. The boy was invited to the home by a resident of the home who assured him that things would be OK. He was shot down in cold blood for the transgression of wanting to engage in courtship with a girl his own age, something that is natural and human. It may upset some of the high minded out there that the boy was caught on occasion with his "pants down" but if we start gunning down every child who engages in the normal, natural act of communing with the opposite sex then things are going to get mighty bloody.
If some of the jurors didn't agree with the sentence they should have put there foot down and stood their ground, mistrial be damned. There would have been another trial and maybe justice would have been done.
There are two things I hope for: one, this case goes "national" and people are outraged. Two, Brendon's mother gets a "good" lawyer and sues the hell out of Mr. Bradley, preferably in a "fair" venue like Richmond or Fairfax, and makes sure that when he walks out of prison in less than 10 years he won't have much to come home to.

Yes, these two teens did not obey their parents but what a fine example Jody Bradley set! He didn't obey the law--murder is not allowed by law. You can spin it anyway you want but Jody Bradley committed murder! Brendon Barker violated a no trepassing notice, he should not have had to lose his life for that! It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see who's at fault.

by baracading them in while you go get your weapon! If he truly thought brendon was an intruder then why did he lock his daughter in there with the intruder? Get real Cathy!

did anyone look at the article 2 below this one.. a man will serve 14 yrs for sexual battery.. jody only got 12 for murder..how does that seem right. not that im sayin either crime was ok.. they both should rot..

So here's my question. If he is incompitent to stand trial because he can't understand his actions, do you allow him to go free? Or do you lock him up in a mental hospital so he is not a danger to himself or anyone else.

It really doesnt matter who is to blame. The fact is Brendon was a child. Jody is an adult. He committed murder. For all of you cold hearted people out there who think it is even remotely Brendons fault I feel sorry for you. All children make mistakes. We do not own our children. I do not know very many young boys who are in love that would not have done the same thing.We can cast blame at Brendon or his parents or Sarah or the jury but the fact is Jody took Brendons life. He murdered a child. Someones son, someones brother, someones friend. He knew exacally what he was doing. It is very sad that he will be getting out of jail and he will be able to continue his life while Brendon doesnt get the chance. I am sure he would not have like any boy Sarah would have dated. The murder was pointless...I just wish the community would stop pointing fingers at one another and have compassion for Brendons family. Put yourself in thier shoes. Imagine how they feel. Wait...none of us can even pretend that we know how they feel. Nothing really matters now except the fact is Jody murdered Brendon. Those are the facts. I am just glad that I believe in a God that is holding him tightly and taking care of him for his mother.

What trial? He has already confessed and the evidence is overwhelming against him. Put him in jail for the rest of his life THEN get him help.
While this solution may sound over simplified, I am more concerned about his competency to ever rejoin society than his competency to stand trial.

Brendon Barker was my cousin and I am outraged that this injustice happened. Not only did Janeen Johannson and Gene Barker lose a son, they now have to suffere the injustice of their son's murderer going free after nine years! The Judge and Jury should be ashamed of themselves; the Jury for the sentencing reccomendation and the judge for going along with that reccomendation instead of overruling it and granting a harsher judgment. It is quite transparent that justice was not served for Brendon's murder. Their only son killed at sixteen. I remember the cute kid on the beach loving the sun, beach and ocean. A sweet kid who didn't choose to leave this world but was taken from it before he entered the prime of his life. I hope JLB burns in hell.

And by the way, regardless of double jepordy, the sentencing CAN BE APPEALED. The Prosecutor's office can APPEAL this sentencing and ask for a new one. Should there be any justice in this world, this will be the first thing the Prosecutor works on this week. APPEAL! APPEAL! He deserves LIFE IN PRISON.

I have seen these kids many times. They are good spirited teenagers trying to raise money for good causes. Some of them are old enough to drive, and all of them will be soon. If they don't know the dangers of standing on the side of the road, this is a good time for them to learn. It's not like the intersection of Royal Ave and Main Street is considered to be a dangerous place.... it doesn't even have its own traffic light! If the town wants to crack down on undesireable youth behavior, they should focus on the blight of hoodlums who have infested the gazebo area lately.

This is probably a defense tactic to avoid the death penalty for their client. He's gonna be locked up either in prison or a mental institute for a long time, if not forever. Too bad there may not be punitive justice for the victim's families though...but I don't think he will end on the streets any time in the near future.

Not sure if they can wait until he is competent and try him then or not...perhaps an attorney reading this can enlighten us on what the future holds for him.

This is probably a defense tactic to avoid the death penalty for their client. He's gonna be locked up either in prison or a mental institute for a long time, if not forever. Too bad there may not be punitive justice for the victim's families though...but I don't think he will end up on the streets any time in the near future.

Not sure if they can wait until he is competent and try him then or not...perhaps an attorney reading this can enlighten us on what the future holds for him.

I agree with you (ryank) 100%..

I agree these are good spirited teenagers. I'm more concerned about the overall ramifications (read: leering Johns). I know these girls are raising money for a good cause, but I've seen some of the skeevy "clientele" and it's a little disconcerting. It sometimes seems the disgusting old onlookers are more of a threat than the traffic.

Also, "hoodlums" who infest the gazebo area are doing so because there's nothing for kids between the ages of 10 and 21 to do for leisure in this town.

yeah as sad as it is to know , he cant be tried again thats fact on this earth in that court .but he still will answer to a higher court one day and thats fact. life in prison will be hard on him and he really deserves that, to fight for basic space and air to breath.i shouldnt feel the way i do i suppose but ,it really makes sick that this was the outcome of such a senseless crime.this boy didnt deserve this i know in my heart this man killed this boy in cold blood .now the jury has spoken and yes thats a done deal .but no its not a done deal,he will answer to another court one day as we all will .but there is really a such thing as prison justice and he falls right in the group that has the spot light on them and i hope the coward can take whats in store for him ,instead of hiding from it in a hole ,either way he has to do 10 years,but we aint promised tomorrow ,we are only a heart beat from judgement all of us .my prayers are with the boys family and girl friend ,i guess im suppose to pray for all .i cant, i wish hard time on the murderer

Why in the world does this town need to "attract" development? It has seen more development in the last 5 years than most residents wanted to see in a lifetime.

Here we go again. More homes to bring more businesses. It didn't work last time and I doubt it will work this time. Strasburg is located between three good sized towns, with plenty of "shoppers" to spend money here if the right businesses came along. Perhaps the planning commission should be trying to bring businesses here to give us a decent tax base before bringing more town homes and small houses under the guise of "Planned development" which so far has given us Cedar-less valley, unfinished Taylor Ridge and who knows what else.

Growth is inevitable, we all know that, but a business base is what we need (another supermarket) before more houses.

maybe the county needs to open all it volunter services up and they can help out some. the county said that bad turn around and waiting times would stop for strasburg residence when they took over. and on there first day started failing at that with there still being long waits for ambulances responding fron kernstown. the county is not doing that much better then the strasburg rescue squad was but it still refuses to open it back up. the officials in this county need to get things fixed. the voters in this county need to remind them who they work for and take the "good ole boy" club down. maybe it is time for some new blood on the councel. not put there burden on a paid ambulance company and cost people more money. the county officials must not worry about the cost to the tax payers.to say valley health needs to do there jobs. that is what we are paying the county guys to do and the volunters do for free. why cost taxpayers even more money then the have to. maybe the county should have thought thru there plan a little better when they shut down a volunter agency.

This article leaves even more questions about the choices everyone made. If Bradley was such a loose cannon why wasn't more attention paid to the threats that he made? If an ex-wife had to "tiptoe" around this man then why was the daughter allowed to even live there? Reading this article makes one think that Bradley was a dangerous man with his own addictions and not competent enough to raise a child whom he had only the briefest of contact with throughout her life. The ex wife being a police officer makes this tragedy even more ludicrous. Having had first hand experience with Mr. Bradley and his temper and a law enforcement background why wasn't more attention paid to the threats and why were the kids not warned of the danger of violating the trespass? I realize the article is showing a very slanted viewpoint but the questions still remain about how many people involved could have stepped in to help avert this young man's death. It is also very sad to know that the family is at odds although it sounds as though the younger child does at least have some memory of a genuine father. Perhaps the best way to help these children would be for everyone involved to admit to some culpability in the outcome, forgive one another, learn from the mistakes made and move forward as a family and a community united to see that something like this never happens again...

THANK YOU...Dylan wants to see his father and has once

The day of the shooting, in that house, who was the adult in the situation? Everyone knows it's wrong to shoot and kill. I'm tired of hearing people sticking up for the father he knew what he was getting ready to do that day. He's a grown man. There might be more to this story but I would think that if there was anything else it would have come out already especially in the trial. Bottom line is it's wrong to kill someone, that doesn't just go against state and fed. law that goes against a higher power.

sounds like the boy has written the JERK off,thats his own words ms cathy c accept others opinion of the worthless piece of ....

If the restraining order was the issue for defense, why didn't he call the police while he had the "intruder" barricaded in the attic? He premeditated the whole thing and the world has lost a wonderful young man!!!!!!!!!!! Mr. Bradley has GREATLY impacted so many people -- not only his family and Brendon's family, but their friends and classmates and all those who loved and knew Brendon and love and know Sarah. Shame on everyone who makes excuses for this man!!!!!!!!!!

This is the 3rd comment that i have submitted maybe it will be printed .The 3 people that know this piece of .... has spoken.The girl sara has said that his family has disowed her. sara thank the lord above that these people wont be a part of your life any longer.Blood is thicker than water,but come on what their blood did was senseless and their is no excuse.its ashame the ex-wife didnt do this to this coward long ago when he defied a no trespass order.The daughter said it was jealousy and a lack of attention .from who ,her a young daughter ,.kids are not companions for us our wives and girlfriends are suppose to be that. The man has made a mockery out of our system,with the help of a jury that didnt have the back bone it takes to do whats right ,because a few couldnt stand against one hold out .what was more important at that moment in your lives ?? what ever it was ,it wasnt justice for this young boy ???thats crazy this sentence doesnt fit the crime .a 17 yro was sentenced to 7 yrs robbery yesterday in warren county,but thats the fairness of judge hupp to make the boy do a little hard time ,but also give him a chance to grow up and mature and do something with life.if this boy would have been tried by a jury he would have recieved more time than jody boy, smart on his part to take a bench trial.But then again if ol jody had a bench trial we all would be some what satisfied with the punishment ,its done but this piece of .... has losted a lot more than we can see right now.... he needs to pay every red cent to this mother and father in the civil suit.im sure a jury will see it right during that trial.and when he gets out ,if he does he has to fork over his money every week the rest of his life,even starting with the 20 cent an hour job in prison .i hope its slow and painful on him....

Ok first of all if Jody was soo mean and you had to tiptoe around him why in the world would you send your daughter to live with him? The mother says Sarah is not a wild child well then why couldn't she handle her? Now they are trying their hardest to dig up things Jody MAY have done in the past to make him look bad. Im sure we all have done things in our younger years that we do not want our kids to do, just because someone MAY have tried things early in life does not mean we are hypocrites for not wanting our children to follow our foot steps. Now Sarah is saying she is afraid of her father and thats crazy he was protecting her if he did not love her he would not have cared that her grades were droping and wouldn't have been concerned she was doing drugs. No I don't think Jody should have shot the boy but I also feel he was driven to do it, he turned to so many people for help and got no where. I think he should have beat his butt good for him instead of killing him though. This is a very bad situation, if only the Barker family would have done more to four fill Jody's wishes of the boy to stay away from his daughter, a man don't just call someone and make that sort of threat for someone not to take him serious. The family should have done more to keep the boy away. Sarah instead of looking at her father soo bad saying she's afraid of him needs to look at why he is setting behind bars if she would have listened to him instead of going against him sneaking the boy in this would have NEVER happened and now for her to say she's scared of him is awful Jody loved her with all his heart. It's not like Jody is a free man he will be behind bars for at least 12yrs.

I dont agree that if there were more to this story it would have came out!!! If thats the case then why are they tryin to dig up dirt on Jody??????As personally knowin Jody for 40years,hes not at all the bad,crazy person everyone wants him to be!!!!!Jody is as normal as you or anyone else!!!All the boy did was farm and work hard all his life!!I agree if they knew he was a bad person and was jealous and didnt want an animal or anything to be close to Sarah why was she aloud to live with him??As for custody the mother always seems to get that, unless shes rotten to the core!!!That would be the only reason most men get thier children or the mother just walks out!!!He always had visitation and the mother went back a second time ,so if it was that bad i would not have went back for any reason,especially pregnant!!All i would want is safety for my kids and if he was what they are tryin to say that would not be safety!!!As for the grandmother disowning her has Sarah tried to make sure that is true??If it is would you see why,its been alot said about the family and all!!!!All of Jodys family are good people and would not harm anyone,By the way i havent seen or heard of any articles from that family,I havent heard them try to run anyone in the ground not even Brendon, no matter whos fault they may think it was!!!!until people know what really happened why dont everyone just keep thier mouth shut!!!Opions are like........everyone has one and they dont mean....!!!!!!!so stop all the bull of guessing!!

That has to be the most ignorant statement I've heard yet. If he was trying to protect her why did he barracade her in with him. No matter what excuse you use to justify what he did, it still sounds plain stupid. The daughter witnessed her father shoot her boyfriend in the head in the same room she was in. She has the right to say whatever she wants.

Curtis. I wondered how long it would take for someone to jump on thier soap box about the Strasburg Rescue Squad. For your information representatives from the squad were at this meeting to discuss getting back up and running. This was not mentioned in this article. To blame the Board of Supervisers or SCFR or whoever for the squads ills is just redirecting the blame from the real problem.
Recent advances in health care make it possible for patients with acute and life threatening conditions to have better outcomes if appropriate care is received quickly, IE: heart attacks,and strokes. SMH provides many services to it's patients but it is still a community hospital. The bottom line will always be the patient. Yes there are some issues right now as far as deciding who can be handled locally and who needs to go north or south. I'm sure this will be addressed. As far as the last line of the article, Valley Health has contributed greatly to improve the care and services available at SMH and will continue to do so

First of all, I imagine Mr. Bradley was frustrated with the situation, there is no doubt in my mind that he was...but what parent hasn't had to deal with a similar situation? My kids often hung around with people, snuck out, had people snuck in, etc. I was frustrated and at my wits end on MANY occasions. It's what teenagers do! Did I ever once consider killing the bad influence boy who I did not like? NO!!!! Never crossed my mind! And that's the difference. A reasonable and logical person wouldn't go to the extremes that Mr. Bradley did!

As far as the ex-wife saying all this stuff now. Just because an ex-wife has to tip-toe around an ex husband, doesn't mean the child has the same issue with her father Lets remember here, Sarah was not the one who was killed, Brendan was. Doesn't necassarly mean Sarah was ever in danger just because of the issues with the ex, although I understand now why she is fearful.

Furthermore, wasn't the daughter just as much of a problem as Brendan? Didn't she allow him into the residence when she knew her father didn't want him there? Yes, she did. It would be one thing if Brendan was the sole problem in the situation and Sarah felt to be in danger of him. But that wasn't the case. She was just a responsible for him coming in the home, if not more than Brendan himself. Maybe Bradley should have been more pro-active in reguards to her.

I also think it's important to note, that when a trespassing order is placed, if a household member invites that person into the home, the trepassing paper becomes void. The can and does include juvenilles inviting the person in.

Bottom line. As parents, we have all been frustrated with our children and the choices they make. However, we didn't shoot and kill the "problems".

you think you know EVERYTHING. you don't talk to dylan or the family so stop act like you know whats going on.

being a friend of sarah I completely understand why she is upset about the sentencing of her dad, how can you just kill somebody an only get 9 years for murder? when he saw brendon in his house why couldn't he just call the police an let them handle it? instead of shooting a innocent 16 yr old boy an taking the life of a great person, a great friend. sarah was not a wild child, so some of you who keep saying "if she wasnt such a wild child then how come she was sent to live with her father?". she could have fun just sitting in the house talking. some of you are acting like you knew them but you really dont. your just reading a newspaper an going off of that. sarah has told me stories of her father an they werent good. I just think his sentencing should have been more then just 9 years for murder an 3 years for having a firearm !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! well after all when he does get out, there are going to be so many people still angry about what happened. I feel real sorry for Brendon's family.

i guess blondedisaster91,told you!didnt she? who are you the aunt or the girlfriend? who ever you are? you need to look in your heart and asked your self what if it was my son ?? and come on be honest with yourself cause we dont buy any of the bull .... that you keep dishing out and no one but you and the sorry few that thinks he was justified ,can travel and spend your money and time to go visit this loser....and cry each other a river cuz he will get his,I HOPE THAT HIS NAME AND CRIME GETS TOLD QUICK ONCE HES IN D.O.C AND THEN LET THE GAMES BEGIN !!!!!!AND FOR ANY ONE INTERESTED THERE IS A WEB SITE DOC AND HAS INMATE LOCATOR ON IT TO KNOW WHERE THIS LOSER IS AT ALL TIMES....

I WOULDNT HAVE BEEN SICK MINDED TO HAVE KILL THE KID YOU MUST BE THE MOTHER ,KIN SOMEHOW ALL OF YOU STAND OUT LIKE A SORE THUMB YOU ARE MESSED UP WITH YOUR THINKING HE WAS WRONG ,DONT CONDONE OR MAKE EXCUSE FOR THE LOSER

Part of your post has some credibility. The points you make about the advances in health care are very prudent and to the point.

I do not think that Curtis was "jumping on a soap box" when he made his comments. I feel that he was simply stating the obvious. The policy makers in Shenandoah County, Strasburg, and SCFR did not look into the repercussions of closing one of the county's volunteer rescue stations. They only listened to the input of one person who either thought that he had a better idea, or had some sort of vendetta to serve.

The problem of turnaround times has always been an issue but when there was more than one unit from a station available to cover these instances, it made it easier to deal with. As the situation stands now, there is only one unit available unless resources are tapped from another county or agency. I know that personally I have seen and heard Middletown dispatched to "Assist Shenandoah County" just as much if not more now than when SVRS was operational.

While it is admirable for you to defend your employer, it is probably best to keep those defenses out of the newspaper.

What was this jury thinking,(Bradley) should have gotten the Death penatly, instead he gets a slap on the wrist and the jury basically says its okay to shoot someone. This probably encourages other losers like(Bradley) to shoot someone, hey he got off easy.

I want to send my support and condolences out to the (Barker Family & Sarah) I can only imagine the pain and suffering you are going through because of this A**. He deserves pain and suffering and I pray to god that he gets what he deserves.

Not one of those Jurors spoke up for (Brendon), his voice was taken, by an inhuman animal, they needed to give (brendon) a voice, speak for him and for his family, but they coward... If it matters, I will speak out and say that justice and the system have failed one again to punish the true criminals who deserve the death penatly. (Bradley) doesn't deserve to sit behind bars... He deserves much more than that.

All I know is that god will repremand him, and punish him for taking a childs life who had his entire world infront of him. If someone doesn't speak up against this killer and protect our children the who will, I think he will kill again, its like a dog with the taste of blood, it comes back for more... I think (Bradley) will be a threat to society. He is a killer. May peace come to the (Barker Families Hearts) know that (Brendon) is in a better place and we will all join him one day, God has made him someones Gaurdian Angel.

Deja vu all over again. Like peas in a pod, with big developer profits at stake, Front Royal citizens can obtain an inkling where the Vazzana rezoning application is headed by reviewing Warren County's handling of their Comprehensive Plan as applied to the Crooked Run II rezoning.

Both developments require major modification of their respective comprehensive plans.

Both developments have planning commission directors working hard to facilitate the developers application and to minimize the developers true proffer costs. Which side of the butter is the bread on?

Both developments have a cheerleader saying the comprehensive plan is only a recommendation, a mere suggestion of what is the best use for the land under consideration. Clay Athey used this argument with success on behalf of Crooked Run II.

Both projects have a developer claiming they will change the property into something better than it is today. Better for who?

Both projects bring major traffic increases with them.

Both projects claim increased traffic flows will not impact existing homeowners in the area. Have you been to Target or Wal-Mart lately? Does amusement park dodge'em cars come to mind?

Both governments, and by extension their citizens, will be burdened with infrastructure expenses to support the completed developments. Doug Stanley has a finger in both pies; ask him.

The only thing left to complete this comparison is having Clay Athey step forward on behalf of Vazzana.

But wait! Who is that person standing in the shadows, ready to lead a small handful of developers who already own hundreds of acres in the area, eager to modify comprehensive plans to better suit their clients commercial development needs? Could it be.....?

Now comes Stanley opening the door for Vazzana to add some commercial development to his project because at $20,000 proffered per home "residential development does not pay for itself".

This is good to know should Centex reappear. Maybe proffering $50,000 to $100,000 per home is getting closer to having a development pay for itself? Whoops, there goes the profits.

You guys in Happy Creek need more chain restaurant dining experiences? Maybe a soccer field or two? Skate parks are nice. Five dollar cups of coffee? Bumper-to-bumper at traffic lights is always high on the list of things that add to everyday quality-of-life benefits.

History has spoken. What have we learned? He who has the money makes the rules?

It's interesting to hear from the hold-out juror's point of view, however inflammatory. His own experiences seem to have weighed heavily on his mind. I don't think his decision is going to win him too many friends in Shenandoah County, however, he is entitled to his own interpretation of the evidence. The article leads me to believe that some of the jurors had already decided the case without any debate and a dissenting opinion was neither welcome or wanted. I suppose we will never really know what was in Jody Bradley's mind the day of the shooting and as for his demeanor I couldn't begin to imagine what he feels. I seriously doubt that he doesn't regret his actions. I hope that some of his family and friends come forward to be interviewed to give an account on his behalf. People make bad choices everyday and thankfully most of us do not have to pay for them with our lives or our freedom.

Yeah, he's right that more should go into the jury selection process. They need to weed out people who think it's OK to shoot unarmed, cowering children in the face. I don't know how some people can look themselves in the mirror.

I spoke with Susan Bradley 2 or 3 days after the accident, hoping to speak to Sarah & Dylan...I alo know Dylan has written to his father on occasion...until recently. As for how Jody appears to those of you who don't know him, he has a very kind heart, and at one time I was lucky enough to have been a part of he & his children's lives on the family farm for 3 years. I sat through this, and not across the street at the cafe. I would not comment if I did not know Susan and the children too. I wanted to reach out to Sarah, but she was not available. Again I wish to say that I still am praying for every family involved.

whats the point in making a comment ,if your going to censure it???the man used this trial as a outlet for some type of unfinished pain he was feeling about his own child. she was your baby though right same as this boy not yet a man was some ones baby.you sir shouldnt have sit on this jury. and you know this now right .you never did address the issue if you knew this piece of .... but you wont admit that now will you

I will never give an interview, but I can assure even though Jody did not know it was Brendon, I speak with him, and I know his sorrow & pain. He would NEVER intentionally hurt his mother who is a HUGE part of his life. I know Jody well, and his demeanor is just how he is on the outside. To see him with his children when they were young...a happier man I never saw. This is a man who could not work indoors..and for him jail is even worse than it is for many, he wants to be in his fields working for his family..including his children. This paper does not seem to want to print that when i try to reply he is very different than he appears when you see him when he's being serious..so am I. Being deaf in 1 ear I truly believe has caused a lot of that affect. In no way does he feel cold toward Brendon's family, and all he has hurt. Especially his family including his children. They were and still are his life in his heart. He also has a son, this was all just a horrible tragedy, and I truly feel he was let down by society. I work with recovering addicts online..and he had no idea what to do with the mess that was given to him to try to fix. I wish that she had been able to be put in treatment....that would have been a start. Addiction is never just suddenly gone..u work every day to stay clean. I hope that those of you condemning Jody never really have to know what it is to lose a child to an overdose as this poor juror has. Only by the grace of God do we get a chance to straighten our lives out..and thankfully Sarah now has that chance and looks good to me. I pray for all who deal with this in your life, our children have access to so much we not even know, it is scary. I also am very sorry any juror has been threatened...that is very sad and changes my opinion of the county where I live now.

Absolutely none of this is going to bring Brendon Barker back. I'm reasonably sure that no two people are more singularly aware of this than the Janine and Jimmie Johansson. The constant finger pointing, threatening and airing of dirty laundry is only making deeper the significant wound that has been left for the entire community to deal with. Spend five minutes speaking to any teenager who is aware of the situation and you will hear in their voices just exactly what was taken from ALL of our children that day - their sense of security. As a COMMUNITY, we should be most concerned about how to best prevent this from ever happening again - to anyone's child - to anyone's family.

Opining that one person knows better than the law of the land and can hold themselves above it historically has rarely resulted in anything less than tragedy. One child is dead, the lives of two families are in shambles and our community is fractured. This surely meets the standard of tragedy for me. The greater tragedy will be if we as COMMUNITY continue to spit and spare amongst ourselves, rather than doing our level best to direct our energies toward healing for everyone involved.

I agree with you, Bill. Strasburg did the same thing during their re-zoning "relay" of a few years ago. The Island Farm was also in the comprehensive plan marked for no residential development, but surprise, the developer made enough deals to get it re-zoned. Clay Athey was involved in that too.

There is a choice for conservatives who have had enough of Clay Athey. Check out the Constitution Party and their candidate, Todd Jack. Now is the time to stop all the partisan Democrat v. Republican non-sense and vote third party. Until we get past the two party system nothing will ever change!

All i would like to say and ask everyone who has followed and read this story is all of you have been 16 yrs old or have a child who has been 16 yrs old. You and your children at that age have been somewhere you should not have been. How would it feel to have someone knock on your door and tell you your son or daughter was shot and killed. I really would like everyone to really think about that WHAT IF THAT WAS YOU OR YOUR SON OR YOUR DAUGHTER? Would everyone that supports Mr. Bradley feel the same if that was your son or daughter?

And if you say you would feel the same you would be lying through your teeth! I do not know Mr. Bradley nor am i saying he was a bad person before this incident. But if someone knocked on your door and told you that your son or daughter was shot and killed how would you react! I dont think you would say my son or daughter deserved to die b/c they were somewhere they shouldnt have been. So just remember to think what your saying before you say it b/c this situation could one day be in your court. So I will leave with a sorry for your loss the Barker family had to suffer and may the lord be with you.

the fact that a juror is threatened upsets you? But the fact that a grown man killed a 16 year old child dosn't? thats kinda odd

If you really want to complain about eyesores in Front Royal, try the pink disasters on Royal Ave across from Jack Evans.

You are so right about that house. What an atrocity! Inflatables all over that front yard!

Oh my gosh, I forgot about that, not sure how I did that. I actually meant the pink leaning tower of pisa-like apartments near the County Seat with the peeling paint. Oh and how could I forget the historic formerly beautiful Inn on the corner of Main and Royal. I love that building and hope someone someday with restore it.

I agree why dont people stop pointing fingures and keep the mouths shut!!!!!!EVERYONE SAYING GOD WILL DO THIS AND THAT ARE ONLY HYPOCRITS,becuase only GOD can and will do what is rite no one in this world but him knows what he will do and thats only judging.THOW SHALL NOT JUDGE,so let both families go on and try to get over all the pain including Jody,im sure he is paying dearly for what has happened.Im praying for all involved,no matter what or whos to blame only one man can judge,and thats none of us.

How do you live with yourself constantly defending this man?
He KILLED A CHILD!!!!!!!!! and why would anyone want to talk to you about anything so you can preach about how he didn't know it was brendon & he did it out of love .what a lie. In my opionon the only person jody bradley loves is jody bradley!

Deja vu all over again.

Months ago when Clay Athey was championing the trashing of Warren County's Comprehensive Plan, benefiting his client, Crooked Run II, Supervisor White and others predicted Athey's alteration of the County plan to accommodate developers would set a precedent allowing other developers to jump through the loophole. Vazzana is possibly the first of many to attempt forcing the Town to follow the County's lead. Centex is all ears.

With the economy improving, could Centex reappear with their plan for 4,000 homes? Centex was well into the process before withdrawing due to the slipping economy. What is that ticking sound?

Of all the landscape architects in the whole wide world to extend an invitation to present "suggestions" concerning the Town slope ordinance, Planning Chairman David Gushee thought Vazzana the best source? Are Gushee and Conlon members of the Good Ol' Boys Club?

Did Gushee not know Vazzana had rezoning business before the Town government that hinged on the slope ordinance being changed? Did Gushee expect Vazzana to offer unbiased "suggestions". Who else received a Gushee invitation to offer "suggestions"?

Is it true if the slope zoning rules and the Comprehensive Plan are changed, thanks to "suggestions" from Vazzana, the developer can potentially triple his profit? How convenient. Centex is all ears.

And the usual suspects, with un-smiling straight faces link arms and say in unison, nobody did anything wrong....again. This stuff is getting old.

The best suggestion so far is de-annex the land and give it back to Warren County. Will Tony Carter and Clay Athey know what to do? Is Centex on someone's speed dial?

Strasburg will be holding a TEA party rally on September 5th in the Old Town Lot, behind the fire station from 1:00-4:00 PM. Speakers will be local and hopefully, if time permits, we will open the forum to citizens to voice concerns AND give ideas on how they think things will best be fixed...without the single payer option. There will be more discussed than health care, and if we can, we will be sending a video of it to Senators Webb and Warner. If they won't come to us we'll come to them. Let your voice be heard. You can google strasburg tea party to find a link to our web site.

My hat is off to Mr. Mowery and all of the volunteers at Strasburg Rescue Squad. This group of volunteers appears to be working hard to formulate a plan and re-group; all of the things that the county has asked for up until this point. Mr. Mowery is quoted as saying "we want to get out and help the community." What a great attitude considering all of the negative things that were said about them by county reports-they still want to help.

If the Strasburg Rescue Squad provides all of the information listed above and is still not allow to run calls, what a sad situation for the people of Strasburg. For the people of Strasburg not to have the Strasburg Rescue Squad members to assist them in need when others are already on a call is very sad.

We have had these members go through months of being told they are not needed when clearly that is not the case considering the LONG runs to the hospital Mr. Yew is now noticing. Wouldn't it be great for the county to know that there is an ambulance still in Strasburg and ready to respond if another call comes in...Oh wait! There is 3 ambulances in Strasburg ready to answer calls and the county states they are not needed-that doesn't make sense.

It appears that some of the supervisors are ready to speed up the process of gettting Strasburg Rescue Squad up and running quickly; wonderful job Mr. Morris and Mr. Hensley. I am sure that this last ditch effort to 'clean-up' your record and race to reclaim your supervisor seat will be remembered when I go to the polls.

Perhaps these esteemed senators would be more eager to attend an event like this if the audience intended to be civil and attentive, rather than acting like a bunch of attention-starved preschoolers.

Will everybody be bringing their guns and knives? If there are going to be guns all over the place I will stay at home. Too many crazies bring guns to these events. Sooner or later somebody will flip out and start shooting at somebody for saying the wrong thing at the wrong time. Too dangerous. I am staying safe at home.

Where is the justice here?

Whoopee you watch too much main stream media outlets. The only violence that has happened at a tea party was the violence of the Union Thugs who showed up, at the calling of the president, and beat people senseless or threw them out of meetings. Name one instance of a tea party having a shooting. I can't think of one. Stay home if you're such a coward, but for those of us who will not be victims of this administration's scare tactics and fear mongering we'll be there celebrating our Constitution and protesting the progressive policies, by both sides of the isle, that have been eroding our freedoms since the days of FDR.

BTW people have a right to carry weapons that they own legally. The people you need to fear are the ones who carry them illegally...like criminals not law abiding tea party goers.

Who are these goons packing pistols at tea parties? What sane person attends town hall meetings with storm trooper militia whackos brandishing Uzi's slung over shoulders? These events are simmering caldrons of hot headed psychos, eager and itching for a fight with anybody who disagrees with the far right conservative agenda. Ms. Bishop is kind enough to demonstrate the smears and intimidation dissenters will face if they show up. Who is dying to face the gun toting miscreants wearing the tin foil hats? Coward no, fearful yes, when looking down the barrel of a gun being held by someone foaming at the mouth who spends most of their time on another planet speaking to people floating in the air.

Who wants pie?

Whoopee, thank you for re-enforcing what I suspected about who the "real" loons are out there. I'll be sure to let you know if I see any uzi totin', tin foil hat wearin', hot headed psycho miscreants at the tea party.

Maybe so there can be even more foreclosures driving down the value of the rest of our houses? Thanks, Mountain Man, you said it best in just two sentences.

Oh, boy! A tea party right here in Shenandoah County! Are the guest speakers Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh? The only way I would remotely consider attending something like this is if all attendees have READ the actual healthcare bill and know what the heck they are taking about!

An edit to my previous comment...."if every attendee has actually READ the healthcare bill and knows what the heck they are TALKING about." Oops, sorry! Wanted to be clear on that!

Residency training directors wield tremendous power, even after residency. Is there a body that exerts regulatory control over them ? What are the facts of the case ? Was the program in violation of work hour limits ? Is this case the first of its kind ?

That would be just great! Hold that thought. With those nasty leftist loons in mind, did somebody suggest it might be a good idea to bring a gun for defensive purposes?

Please give us the full tea party FAKE GRASS ROOTS PROTEST attendance report in twenty-five thousand words or less. More about this in a moment.

The far right continues to demonstrate they can not be trusted. They can not discern fact from fantasy or what's "real" from what's "fake". It becomes permissible to allow real corporate cash to warp fake policy decisions.

Can the Whackos honestly believe they showed up just in time to receive our everlasting gratitude for saving us from ourselves? Sure they can, because they are the true believers on an important mission funded by the vast expansion of corporate cash influence. Cash drenched politicians place considerations of profits before considerations of people.

The Tin Foil Hat Tea Party Fake Grass Roots Protest promoters employ the Stanley Kubrick method of determining what is real and what is not real. Real is not what "we" without tin foil hats see, real is what "they" with tin foil hats see. The Kubrick method works well for weak-willed people with one foot firmly planted on each side of the sanity fence.

Speaking of loony men straddling the sanity fence, remember Unabomber Theodore Kaczynski, a Montana mountain man with his own unique insight of what was real? A twenty-five thousand word manifesto later and everybody knew the tin foil was fatally tarnished, never mind shaped like a hat too.

Crazy is a pre-existing condition your health insurance won't cover. Does that make you feel better? Or safer?

Now... who wants pie?

From your rambling I'd say you learned that last statement from experience.

Tell me something, how can it be a FAKE grass roots protest if these are REAL americans showing up to them? Or does the fact that they do not agree with your ideology make them fake americans?

Wow. I didn't think a simple invitation to a tea party would spark so much anger. I don't understand why the pro-health care people are so angry. If you're right and the people want it, it will happen. We have a right to disagree. All of the people out there calling tea party attenders uncivil and non attentive obviously haven't ever been to one, so come out and see for yourself.

Tea parties are about more than health care, they're about smaller, fiscally conservative government. If you want big out of control government (like you had with Bush) than keep on belly-aching, but if you really want what Obama "promised"...fiscal responsibility and transparency this is the place to be.

On a personal note, I'm not protesting the government. The government is the people and the Constitution. I'm protesting the politicians on both sides of the isle who can't control their wasteful spending. And Whooppee the only place a gun has been seen (leagally btw) was a town hall meeting, not a tea party. And Tstar Glenn and Rush will not be attending and no politicians have been asked to speak, only real people from the valley who see things differently than you. I hope you'll come out and give it an honest chance...you may be surprised.

The American Chemistry Council (ACC), which represents the energy-intensive chemical industry, believes House climate legislation includes improvements over past versions. However, changes still need to be made in the Senate version of the bill, especially with respect to emission allowance provisions. Without sufficient emissions allowances for U.S. manufacturers, U.S. industrial production, jobs and greenhouse gas emissions would be transferred to more carbon-intensive nations. The unfortunate result would be a net increase in global GHG emissions, a less competitive U.S. manufacturing sector and the increases energy costs would be passed on to local businesses and consumers.

ACC is will to work with legislators to craft a climate plan that will effectively create new job opportunities, reduce green house gas emission and limit the negative impact on regional economies.

All I have to say is if he appeal's it an gets a lighter sentence there is something seriously wrong with our court system!!!! 9 year's is nothing, he should have got more or death. Basicially our system is saying it's alright to shoot a innocent person an only get a light sentence.

Now there is an interesting twist usually heard during husband and wife conversations. You disagree with me so you must be angry. Are you so angry because you disagree with me? Circular logic goes nowhere in a hurry.

Regarding the topic under discussion here, tea parties and today's version of town hall meetings are virtually indistinguishable, organized by the same far-right minority funded by K Street lobbyists for the purpose of self promotion of far right conservative values. Nothing abnormal with this concept. Everyone promotes something. So where is the problem?

Tea parties and today's version of town hall meetings are not grass roots bipartisan in origin or support. These groups are one-trick ponies with one track minds.

The fallacy being perpetrated with the tea party concept is the claim their origins began as a spontaneous bipartisan grass roots response to protest tax issues on 15 April. Remember? Then the claim became bipartisan solving of problems with big governments lack of fiscal responsibility concerning the economic recovery program. Then the claim became nothing is wrong with health care so it does not need any reform. The common denominator behind all these claims was one basic idea: to discredit anything and everything if it wasn't invented by the far-right. The most egregious claims said to keep socialized medicine from taking over the country our grandmas would be killed by death squads arriving in those famous black helicopters. The comedian Ron White said it best; "You can't fix stupid."

Tea parties are nothing more than pep rallies for like minded folks to share their ideological coziness, a mutual back-slapping love fest. Town hall meetings have became shout down contests preventing the exchange of ideas and the bipartisan solving of society's problems.

Who wants pie?

Innocent???? He was violating a trespassing order. He knew he was violating it, Bradley's daughter knew he was violating it. Bradley even said he would shoot him if he caught him there. Personally, I probably would have just beat the crap out of the kid if I'd caught him, but hey, to each his own. I believe a man has a right to protect his children and his property. I hope the appeal gets his sentence lowered.

patriot.. how in the world could you want a man that shot and killed a child to get a lower sentence? you must not have children.. now i agree that the child shouldnt have been there that night, but still gives NO MAN the right to take anothers life..lets not forget he was a invited guest by the daughter.. guess you were never young and in love either or you would understand what it is like to want to be with the one you think you love at such a young age...

hum this man only wounded someone and is lookin at life in prison.. maybe he should have killed them then he would have only gotten 9 yrs like the bradley man...

Kim,

I just finished reading your press release online regarding the Strasburg TEA Party Rally and was quite taken aback by your statement of "This is a time for the people who actually WORK and supply the taxes to government to stand up and let ALL of the parties in Washington..."

Maybe you are not aware of the thousands of people who USED to actually work, but from no fault of their own are now unemployed and thus not able to pay said taxes to Washington because they have lost their jobs due to our current economic status. A lot of those people can now no longer afford thousands of dollars for COBRA health insurance...maybe they didn't have insurance to start with. Does your statement mean that unless you are working you cannot attend this TEA party? These people too have a story to tell.

Some of those very same people may have made comments or had thoughts that anyone on assistance did so because they were lazy, living off the government and were a real drain on our society, but now they find themselves in a new reality and maybe have a new understanding of just how quickly life can throw you a devastating curve. Now they find themselves in the very same situation they used to abhor in others. No, circumstances among our citizens are as diverse as we are a people. You cannot categorize us into 4 neat little packages and get a decent healthcare package for all.

I do not proclaim to be with the right, left, conservs or liberals, but more center so I can see what is all around me, not just my corner of the world. Ask the woman who just underwent a mastectomy on an outpatient basis what she thinks of our current healthcare situation. Ask the patient that just had a growth removed from their bladder on an outpatient basis what they think. Ask the 62 year old man who worked all of his life and gets laid off from job what he thinks of our healthcare system.

Ask the cancer patient who has been battling the disease for years via very expensive cancer treatments, who by the grace of God can still work and has insurance, but has their wages garnished because their idea of "as much as I can afford to pay" was not the hospital's idea of a minimum payment, what they think of our present healthcare. Ask the patient in an emergency room filling out paperwork who is asked for a "deposit/deductible/dowpayment" right then and there even though they HAVE insurance what they think of our healthcare system. BTW, in this situation all you need to do is tell the hospital to file your insurance and bill you. Only the deductibles listed on the back of your insurance card are required. Check with your insurance company for verification. I could go on...but won't.

Unless we know and understand the WHOLE problem, we'll never find the WHOLE solution. All voices should be heard and not over a roar of anger. They all have their stories to tell.

Sure, the kid was guilty of trespassing. He was guilty of a Class I Misdemeanor according to the Code of Virginia; the same type of crime as shoplifting a pack of gum from Food Lion.

So I guess it's okay for the manager of Food Lion to shoot a child in the head at near point blank range the next time one of them steals a pack of gum. According to your way of thinking all he has to do is prove that he was protecting his business.

I say let the punishment fit the crime even though in this case it doesn't. He should never see the light of day again.

People in prison love those who abuse or kill children. I can't wait to see what happens to him in prison, even though he won't be there long enough.

I guess the Dems had to go back 20 years to find something they could construe as negative. Desperation is such a sad state.

Obviously, Ms. Callahan did not have a firearm, and obviously, there is more to this story than what was presented. However, the law in Virginia states that in a case of brandishing, you do not have to actually use a firearm. If the other party believes with reasonable certainty that you are threatening or pointing a weapon at them, then you can be arrested. The Courts will have to sort this one out.

Perhaps he has rehabilitated himself and no longer thinks the same way he did 20 years ago. Would that be important to you?

Do citizens get to pick and choose what information they want to learn about a candidate or is a candidate allowed to tell us only what he wants us to know?

Is it important to learn something about an obscure state legislator now running for a higher statewide office? Is he affirming or denying he still has the same viewpoints as those from 20 years ago? Can you have your cake and eat it too?

Who wants pie?

Half a story! "Local TV Reporter" What station? Some of us don't know. And what kind of station didn't carefully do a background check before hiring this "reporter" ? Do I blame to station? No. But they do have a greater responsibility, as do school systems, police, political parties, etc. to screen their prospective employees ON A REGULAR BASIS since we are supposed to trust them!
Let's not consider O'Connor guilty yet, but we do have opinions and questions.

Now why would a working reporter NOT be able to afford his own legal counsel?

I believe your question of whether Mr. McDonnell is affirming or denying he still has the same viewpoints as those from 20 years ago is clearly answered in his responses. He certainly is entitled to change his views over a twenty year period. My goodness, as a federal worker, a taxpayer, and as a citizen, I've certainly changed my views just since January 20th! I actually welcomed change but now I'm counting days till the next change comes.

How come when we are talking about a Republican candidate it seems important what he thought 20 years ago?
But somehow bringing up what President Obama thought 20 months ago about the need to have a single-payer Socialized health care system implemented in the US is out-of-bounds...

i have son he is 13 years old yes Mr. Bradley was in the wrong if knew that Brendon was there he should have called the cops and let them handle it but no he had to shot him thanks to Bradley,the parents of Brendon has lost a child i think he should get life in prison cause there was know need for him to shot that Brendon don't get me wrong Brendon knew he wasn't supposed to be there and so did Sarah not only did Sarah lose a boyfriend but i bet she lost her best friend but i feel sorry for Brendon's parents cause they lost a child I still say put Bradley in prison for life cause noone needs to shot or shot a person dead.

What about the responsibilities of everyone else? If I was the parent of a young man who someone had threaten to kill. I would do my best to keep him away from them, as I am sure they did...but some of the blame would be mine.

What about the young lady? Why would she invite someone over when your father, who you now say you were so frighten of, had threaten to kill. Is she not also responsible, does she not share in the blame?

What about the young lady's mother? She has allot to say now about what a bad parent Mr. Bradley was. Why did she leave her there, does not some of the blame go there?

I would think so.

Why is it obvious that she did not have a firearm?? Because she said so? I hope you are involved in the criminal justice system. Five individuals were THREATENED, including an infant. Why? Because these individuals were working in the garage--the building that they rent--down the alleyway from Ms. Callahan's residence, where she had no business going to.

For several years, I have been disturbed to find such coverage of the demolition derby and NO COVERAGE of what makes our county, the farmers. There are farmers that take several tractors to the county tractor pull each year. Each tractor costing a farmer at a minimum $7500 to some $30,000 not to mention the time away from their farms. We have all heard the saying “make hay when the sun shines”. It seems that they are not getting any of the sun shining on them just grease spots that stain the souls of our roots. These hard working gentleman (and ladies) put on the show at their expense. They must pay to get in the gate, to pull, and possibly to fix the broken parts (although we hope this doesn't happen - we must face reality, it does) - all with not a word of "thank you" or "job well done" from the local newspaper. Isn't this an agricultural fair? HM! Interesting considering a $200 piece of junk gets front line articles AND pictures. I ask you to think the next time you decide to eat the grilled hamburger, which derby car fed the cattle or which driver spent long nights hauling grain to the mill. Once again I will wait and ponder...will they cover our agriculture next year?

I wonder if Whooppee feels the same way about Obama. His view points and associations from the much less distant pass give cause for much questioning.

How much more tax money is going to be wasted? Wonder what the cost of the two-way conversion has increased to now?

Did not the study beforehand bring up these issues?

These issues came up during the Public Comment period. The purpose of the public comment period is to allow issues such as this to be revealed. You should be thankful that we have the opportunity to provide our input during the planning stage, rather than just submitting complaints when decisions are made without any outside review. You are correct that it may result in additional expenditure of funds, but this may be in your best interests in the long run, and it is based on public input.

What if I told you I am an ethnic minority female born and educated north of the Mason-Dixon line? Would that change your thinking about how to deal with criticism of your ideology?

I am not condoning what happened. I think a good butt whippin' would have been sufficient. However, kids today ignore the rules and sometimes when that happens you pay. If anything good can come out of this maybe it will serve as a reminder to obey your parents, don't do drugs, and live a straight life. You can still have a great time and it makes life a lot better. My prayers go out to both families.

What if I told you I am an ethnic minority female, born and educated north of the Mason-Dixon line. What does that information do to your perspective on my opinions?

Republican President Eisenhower saw you and the John Birchers coming when he said, " ... possessing no standing or expertness as they themselves claim it, attempt to further their own ideas or interests by resorting to statements more distinguished by stridency than by accuracy.”

Clearly McDonnell lacks the same enthusiasm for his religious based ideas today as he did 20 years ago. Religious based political ideology brings a certain fervor to propound the absolute certainty of political righteousness by association. The overall change in public acceptance of 20 year old McDonnell pronouncements written in an academic exercise hurt his ability to garner votes in a changed society.

Is it possible politicians alter their public persona while keeping their personal beliefs intact? How can we find out if this is true?

"Preliminary engineering is also under way for a similar project on the South Fork bridge."

Translation: Prepare to be frustrated again soon.

I lived in Shenandoah county for over 20 years and due to my occupation i was frequently in court there.I saw misjustice there all the time,i saw police with tears in their eyes they were so mad about the verdicts in the trials they were involved in.I saw people who were guilty as sin get away with crimes and walk out smiling knowing they beat the system.Your counties judges(and recently retired ones)are so spineless its disgusting.Long story short.....IN SHENANDOAH COUNTY YOU CAN GET AWAY WITH MURDER(and a whole lot more as well).I am happy to live now in a place where justice is served,not abused.

Claymore, you are right about people in prison loving anyone who abuses or hurts children and as the sentance stands he will not be there very long. I truely believe that the ones in prison he needs to be scared of will make him pay for how ever long he is there. Granted whatever "love" they show him will in no way be enough to make up for what he did, but they will have fun doing it.

We are taught at an early age that we shoudl trust in our justice system from beginning to end. I wonder how the children that knew Brendon and Sarah will ever find a way to trust the judicial system after this farce of a sentance??

Clearly McDonnell lacks the same enthusiasm for his religious based social ideology today as he did 20 years ago. Religious based political ideology brings a certain fervor to propound the absolute certainty of political righteousness by religious association. The overall change in public acceptance of 20 year old McDonnell pronouncements written in an "academic exercise" he now discredits has hurt his ability to garner votes in a changed but still mostly conservative rural Virginia society. Changing philosophies in mid-stream reminds conservatives of politicians as "flip-flopping" charlatans.

Is it possible politicians while pursuing votes alter their public persona while keeping their personal beliefs intact? How can we find out if this is true?

Can't come soon enough for the workers who currently occupy the small spaces they now inhabit. Its a WIN-WIN situation for everyone. Time to bring Warren County up to this century both technology wise and space wise.

So sad that the daily chose to misrepresent this TEA party. It was a lot of fun and there were many people who learned new things they didn't know before including the Constitution and quotes of our founders.

The politics of resentment are impervious to facts. The combination of unrestrained partisanship and the corrosive influence of big money have all but paralyzed the political process.

Actually turning this country around is going to take years of siege warfare against deeply entrenched lobbying interests who are intent on defending a deeply dysfunctional political system.

Partisan condemnation is not the answer when fault lays equally with both political parties. The answers sought must correct the deficiencies of our political system.

Beware of the personalities who protest the dangers of seeking freedom from the burden of democracy and the stress of seeking higher education to become an educated citizen.

Knowledge is real power.

I'll give you an amen to that one Whoopee. When we as a people start to hold our eleced officials accountable for the votes they cast and the money they accept, we will see a change.
Republican or Democrat, left or right, our politicians are more concerened with who is lining their pockets or relection campaigns. The average salary for these "public servants" is 175000. Not to mention the benefit packages associated with them. I could stand to be a "servant for that".
We need to quit taking sides and come together for a common goal. They can't speak on the house floor without acting like 5 year olds, and we can't hold a simple rally without doing the same.
And we wonder why our kids can't get along.

"So sad that the daily chose to misrepresent this TEA party"

Misrepresent the TEA party? This article consists of 14 paragraphs, four of which were quoted directly from you, 6 paragraphs contain quotes from your colleagues, and the remaining four paragraphs contain factual information about the event and an upcoming bus trip taken directly from your press release. Would you care to elaborate on your allegations of misrepresentation? Your only specific gripe related to a lack of coverage of the Constitutional lessons and quotes from our founding fathers. In my opinion, these topics, and your devotion to them, were adequately covered in the sentence "...Kim Bishop, was adamant that the nation needs to revert to living as its Founding Fathers had designed...". If you want additional publicity for your political agenda, consider starting a blog instead of accusing the Northern Virginia Daily of bias.

Those crosses are an annoying distraction when I drive southbound on 81. They deface the natural, timeless beauty of our homeland. If anything they say 'Don't Exit Here Travelers'.

$750,000? The money should have been used to assist church members who have aspirations to earn a college degree, to those facing housing issues, to those fearing the winters chill without heating fuel, or to those crippled with medical debt. How can they not maintain emergency money also. $200,000 in debt?

I am an honorably discharged veteran and there is nothing that draws me there. A sign on 81 isn't going to do it for me. If they get a sign then all of our 500 junkyards should each get a sign. They need help attracting visitors.

Supervisor Baroncelli is smart being concerned. She typically is (smart & concerned). I like that in our leadership. She will get my vote again.

Get your facts straight NVD.

William Sharp was not the judge today. Elizabeth Kellas Burton was. Were you even there????

TV3 is an ABC affiliate, not NBC.

Should we believe anything you print?

This is shotty reporting.

WincReader00, where does it say that this was an NBC report? Also, genius, they are saying that Judge Sharp was at the first bond hearing and denied him. Hence the name of the story, Einstein, Judge again Denies Bond to TV3 reporter. I think you need to tell the NVD you are sorry. Also wouldn't hurt for you to take a college composition class!!

Good day to you sir or maam!

AND, a spelling lesson. Its not shotty its SHODDY.

It's shotty.
As in the cheap shots they took at Mr. Bradley
in the biased articles that were not news but a
personal attack on a man who was in no position
to defend him self.
I am glad I am not the only one who regards the
NVD as a joke.
Please feel free to defend your attempts at being
regarded as a worthwhile read.

Whooppee, if this is what you believe than you should have been at the TEA party. There was no partisanship, everyone was opposed to the special interests and fighting the dysfunction of the current system and taking it back to the small government envisioned by the writers of the Constitution.

I am all for getting educated, but if everyone was a manager who would do the work. Our TEA party was about the people who work hard not just those who go to college and talk about problems and fixing them, but the people who actually do the hard work and pay the taxes. Knowledge is more than books it also comes from experience. When we quit looking down on those who don't have degrees and realize that they are just as important and just as intelligent as those who do, we can stop all the silly class warfare that is dividing us and start building the unity that you and so many others say you desire.

It was a peaceful assembly of citizens voicing their educated opinions as well as their ideologies, and you might be surprised to know that we didn't agree on everything but managed to get along. There were no tin foil hats or uzi's, so perhaps before you disparage a whole group of people you don't know, maybe next time you should check out the truth for yourself.

The town should start by enforcing the state sanitary and maintenance codes on certain residential properties instead of making excuses for certain priviledged people. I've complained numerous times about the dump across the street and have been promised action only to sit for over a year with nothing done. In my opinion, the town is negligent in its duty to its citizenry.

Polls suggest the events promoted as tea parties have had little or no effect on changing public opinion to favor Republican positions on any issue, whether it be taxes, economy, health care, or foreign policy. Replace civility with acrimony and your supporter base shrinks to the hard core true believers, the ones wearing the tin foil hats and the far away gaze.

The tactics of aggrandizement of flawed minority ideologies using obstructionism, coupled with obfuscation by lying and misrepresentation, has proven to be a poorly planned, infantile strategy. Rejection of these tactics is widespread. Acceptance, as mentioned by the reporter writing this article, Mr. Knight, is limited when the proponents preach to the choir. By default, these like-minded supporters have become the only audience enjoying the spoon fed, vitriolic, fact free propaganda.

Tin hat folks will not embrace any idea, including their own, if it seems politically more attractive to scream ‘socialist’ at their adversaries. Considering what Republicans have to offer, people have left the party, (myself included) leaving behind not a pragmatic coalition but a group of ideological naysayers who are against universal health care, immigration reform, and renewable energy. When your side of the ideological debate lacks substance, you can not regain lost ground by obnoxiously yelling louder.

As for you, Ms. Bishop, I will refrain from personal attacks. However, I firmly believe there are some people in this world who deserve to be insulted.

I agree Whooppee! I watched President Obama's empowered speech last night and the man just moves and inspires me as he strives to bring about healthcare reform and calm the fear of those who listen to too much Fox News. Of course, I am not so naive that I think his speech really reached the brains of the small minded, mean spirited, fear mongering, misrepresenting-the-facts few, but I have no doubt that he did reach a lot of people!

That shameful outburst from Rep. Joe Wilson last night as he shouted "You lie!" as the president was speaking is proof of how low the Republican party has sunk!! Big deal he apologized to the President...the damage was done! Words are like stones, once thrown, they cannot be taken back!

I have voted Republican at least 90% of the time, but I prefer to vote for the candidate, not the party which is why I voted for President Obama. After watching all of these tea parties, town hall meetings, Fox News, Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh and certainly reading a lot of these blogs not to mention the asinine Republican booth at the Shenandoah County Fair last week with their idiotic t-shirts, I am absolutely ashamed of the Republican party!! I will still vote for the candidate BUT if the candidate happens to be Republican...I'll just stay home! I denounce any further affiliation with the Republican party!

What can I say except that I'm stunned. I guess whooppee and Tstar don't ever read anything I write. I am not a republican. I actually had Republicans refuse to come to the TEA party because I said I wouldn't let any pundits speak. I don't know why I should be insulted for using my first amendment rights. I guess if I'd gone to a NE college then I would be allowed to have a thought. Those of us who chose to serve our country or work in the factories should just shut up and let you "educated" (and I use that word loosely) people decide our fates, huh? Well not anymore.

You call those who disagree with Obama small minded, mean spirited, fear mongering, misrepresenting the facts few (let's not forget tin foil hat wearing), but in fact it is you who fit those descriptions because you will not engage in any form of debate. It's agree with you or shut up, well the fact is we're not the "few" you are which is why the congress is thinking of taking up the nuclear option. If they had the support of the majority there would be no problem getting the 60 votes needed. Anyone with an ounce of common sense can see that Obama did lie all throughout his propaganda speech last night and that government run anything fails! Tell me one social program that isn't bankrupt or on its way. If you're so right and we're so wrong how about using some real life, practical arguments to convince us rather than statistics and paper argumentsthat can and have been spun to suit the speakers will. Hopefully common sense will win the day.

We must have been listening to different speeches last night! I was listening to President Obama address Congress about healthcare reform and you were listening to a propoganda speech he was giving in which he was lying? What channel were you watching?

After Obama's adversaries were called out last night and fictious excuses for "free speech" was replaced by facts such as #1 there is NO death panel as stated by Ms. Palin, #2 there will be NO federal healthcare coverage for illegal aliens #3 there's nothing remotely suggesting in any one of the several versions of healthcare bills out there now that abortion will be paid for by this insurance #4 medicare will stay, but that the doughnut hole in place now will be reduced or eliminated...now we are going to switch the conversation to nuclear options?? No substance to the first argument so we just switch topics we think we can win or that will just deflect from the loss of the first argument? Unreal!

According to your post, you consider those who serve our country as not receiving as much education as college students? I will have you know that my husband served our country and the training and education he received while doing so would surely equate to a college degree and then some!! The only one that ever calls you and yours stupid is you! You are the one that thinks college is overrated, but an idle mind is a dangerous mind. With today's economy and rising healthcare costs one cannot afford NOT to go to college, vocation school or at the very least graduate from high school! President Obama tried to give that same talk to our nation's children Tuesday, but some thought it was too politically motivated and kept their kids home or some schools decided not to air that speech. If any of the opposition actually saw that talk, I would hope they would feel a bit foolish for being so paranoid over nothing!

What will it take to get the opposition out there to realize that we are all in this together and the tactics of pitting one idea against another and dividing our citizens as they are now is ridiculous?!!! We have a basis for healthcare reform. President Obama admittedly stated that it is a work in progress, but at least he and others are trying to get this done! Best idea would be for it to be a bipartisan effort. Wonder if the Republicans have ever heard of brainstorming? You know, help become part of the solution instead of the problem?

If you use common sense and look to other nations that have done these things you will see that everything Obama said won't happen will. You just refuse to see it.

As for me saying military people aren't educated, I said no such thing. I said people who chose to enter the military instead of going to college are not stupid. Pay attention. I also never said people shouldn't graduate from high school, vocational school or college, what I said was that people who choose not to go to college are not necessary stupid or idle minded. Do you have to go to college to read or learn? I don't think so.

Finally what do you consider a bi-partisan effort? From what I've seen Republicans have been kept out of the discussions on health care and it's the democrats fighting within their own ranks. You don't need one republican vote to get this nightmare passed. The republicans and some democrats are standing up for what the majority of their constituents want and that is health care reform but no public option. You are the one who won't be a part of the solution by continually calling me the opposition. I'm not opposed to change, but you will never accept that because I think bi-partisan means to you, anyone who doesn't agree with you needs to shut up. I've never asked you to stop stating your opinion, I've simply been stating mine while disagreeing with you and yet I'm the one whose the problem? PLEASE!

In almost every post I have read of yours, you ASSUME to know what someone is saying even though the words never materialized on their post. Your spin on things is incredible!

All I know is that this is a waste of time and effort to even try to reason with the obstinate. Oppose all you want! As for your snarky and insulting remarks, I have become immune since it is so frequent. Speaks a lot about a person's character though.

I would like to send out a special invitation to Vice Mayor Hrbek to present his ideas for preserving this building and any other building in the historic district that he deems appropriate for preservation. As the Chairman of the Board of Architectural Review, I would welcome any application and adhere to the standards of preservation that the Town Council has set forth upon us.

Respectfully,
Gregory A Harold
Chairman--Board of Architectural Review

Hank, if you are speaking of the same Mr. Bradley that shot his daughters boyfriend dead, then you need to reexamine your classification of "cheap shots". The guy killed a young man, admitted to it, and now you feel sorry for him? If the NVD is such a joke, why do you continue to read and post here? Are you just waiting for the next piece of gossip to come out? You are hanging on every word. You are like a trained monkey. HA HA!!!

The only thing I saw that I assumed was that you think bi-partisan means the opposition should shut up. If I'm wrong could you please tell me what your definition of bi-partisan is and how the republicans or myself could ever say anything against the public option that could be considered bi partisan. I really would like to know. And before you demean my character perhaps you should re-read your comments. They were alot more insulting and snarky than mine.

I think that if in fact he did impose himself on the girl, AND if was unwanted, the family should've stuck to their original charges that were being sought out to begin with. They are right in saying this will stick with her for the rest of her life, and just listing him on the internet with the rest of the creeps that do or try this sort of thing isn't harsh enough of a punishment to keep him or anybody else from doing/trying this ever again.

Always be mindful the far right is a discredited minority of angry hooligans who are habitually wrong at the top of their lungs. The anti-tax tea parties have morphed into a catch all forum for every pet peeve gnawing away in the far right's bag of gripes. Town hall meetings have been invaded with mob mentality shout downs proposing fairy dust solutions intended to prevent serious exchanges of ideas and views working towards democratic solutions.

Rank, willful stupidity and prideful wrongness, not terrorism, are the greatest threats to this country. Democracy's freedoms require responsible, appropriate responses from its citizens to refuse to stand idly by and allow unchallenged hogwash, misrepresentations, deceptions, distortions, and willful lies easily proven false.

The anti-tax tea party promoters all claim to champion the weak and helpless as a stepping stone to achieve credibility. However, they fail to realize they are so self-righteous, so ill-informed, and so dogmatic that nothing can be said, nothing can be done, to change their minds so entrenched by siege mentality.

Unfounded stubbornness turns the stomach. Appeasement is not possible. There is no level of achievement sufficient to escape the stultifying bonds of their 'we are good, you are bad' bigotry. It is impossible to be smart enough or accomplished enough to earn their respect for intellectual honesty, however well reasoned and presented. Lost in translation within their murky mind is the idea of big emotions do not originate with big words.

Suddenly these hideously pompous denizens of the far right are all concerned about inequalities due to education, or lack of it? This concern expands in a style reminiscent of McCarthyism to allow finding it in places where it doesn’t for a moment exist. Not just finding it, but being outraged by it to the point of apoplexy. Oh, they tell us, this is a bad thing. No, straw man arguments are a bad thing. Straw man arguments create the illusion of refuting an opponent’s argument by mischaracterizing it and then knocking down that mischaracterization.

Another favorite ploy is wrapping themselves in flag waving patriotism, waving this banner on high as proof their position is offered for the good of all mankind. Having our well being standing at the forefront of their concern for the underprivileged and downtrodden everyman masks their desire to be recognized by their tin foil hat wearing peers as a 'somebody'.

Tin foil hat viewpoints are incredibly different than the American opinion as a whole, and like a child having an emotional breakdown in the supermarket as mom passes by the candy aisle, the attention they have brought upon themselves is skewed out of proportion to the actual importance of their self-generated drama.

The vast majority of citizens don't buy into the bogus tea party minority viewpoint, this fallacy represented and espoused as our salvation. This protection is unneeded and unwanted. We are told all we need do is believe in their unfailing ability to have our best interests as their core belief, much the same as the fox in the hen house having a sincere interest in the longevity of the chickens.

Whooppee, while I can agree with alot of the points you make I'd like to make one. I don't consider myself to be on the right, but I do share some of the same beleifs. What I notice is that there are these same extremists at both ends of the spectrum, left and right. Alot of the ones on the far right behave in the ways you listed. Those that are far to the left respond in similar ways. Labeling the far right as bible toting southern rednecks, or uneducated morons. I think its far time we left these partisan actions and their pompous representatives to the far ends and brought our country back to the middle. As you said before, thats where a bulk of the people are. So let them have their tea parties, let the other side have their signs on times square that say 911 was an inside job. Lets put our efforts to something a little more productive, like civil, meaningful, debate.

"I don't know why I should be insulted for using my first amendment rights."

wait, didn't you start this string of comments by trying to deprive the article's author, Preston Knight, of his first amendment rights? I am still waiting for you to clarify your venomous accusations against the NV Daily.

"Those of us who chose to serve our country or work in the factories"

Are you trying to say that everyone who works in a factory or serves their country is uneducated? Speak for yourself.

"I would welcome any application and adhere to the standards of preservation that the Town Council has set forth upon us."

and hopefully the words "vinyl siding" won't appear in the application this time...

OK ryank I will try and answer you question, since no one ever answers mine. You are right, Preston did a fair job on his article and I liked his quotes, I guess I had just hoped that he would've pointed out the non-partisan nature of it and perhaps used some of the ways people can use their first amendment rights. I honestly thought your question was rhetorical.

Second, I did not in any way say that military or factory workers were uneducated. I said that elitists and the "educated" look down on those jobs as has been seen over and over the last 8 years when the Democrats ran down the military and tried at every turn to pit the lower and middle classes (of which I am one) against the upper classes. Why did Whooppee point out her/his NE education if she/he didn't think it made her/him more important? Why does tstar call all the tea party people small minded, mean spirited, fear mongering, misrepresenting the facts few when she's never even been to a TEA party or talked to any attendees?

I tried to explain that I'm not a Republican NUMEROUS times and yet I still get accused of being one. I've asked TONS of questions and never gotten answers just name calling. I'm civil, I've tried to bring up what I think and what I feel, but never have any of you, with the exception of the Irishman, ever had a civil discourse with me. You all either ignore my questions or accuse me of being republican or mean spirited or tin foil hat wearing (which I never have nor do I know any one who has or does). Perhaps before pointing the finger at me you could look to your comments first. Does that answer your question?!?

Ms. Bishop, did you not understand my comment about your use of 'Straw Man' arguments? You stated above:
"Why did Whooppee point out her/his NE education if she/he didn't think it made her/him more important?"

Copied below is my posted comment you made reference as indicative of imagined importance. More important than what? You? If that were not true, what does that information do to your perspective on my opinions?

"Whooppee replied to kim bishop | September 3, 2009 10:10 AM | Reply
What if I told you I am an ethnic minority female, born and educated north of the Mason-Dixon line. What does that information do to your perspective on my opinions?
Republican President Eisenhower saw you and the John Birchers coming when he said, " ... possessing no standing or expertness as they themselves claim it, attempt to further their own ideas or interests by resorting to statements more distinguished by stridency than by accuracy.”"

Clearly, in this instance you have misrepresented my comments, cherry-picking content to fit your contrived agenda. It is a tremendous leap to imagine an 'ethnic minority female' thinks this label made the wearer 'more important". More important than what?

No, if anything, my attitude towards you in particular is 'condescending', You confuse yourself with imagined inferences made by imagined tormenters. I believe this condition is commonly called 'delusional'.

What if I told you I only completed the 9th grade of a formal education. What does that information do to your perspective on my opinions?

It was so cool to be there this morning and I want to personally say, "Congratulations to the Soccer League and everyone who has worked so hard on this project." Back in the year 2000, when this farm came up for sale, I thought to myself, "Oh no, here comes another truck stop!" However, there are some people in this community who do have a great love for children and a vision for a better tomorrow. It is to all of you that I also want to say, "Congratulations!" As one of the owners of the rest of the property surrounding the SoccerPlex, I would like to say that the fun has just begun. There still remains about 35 acres along this beautiful Shenandoah River which would be ideal for additional fields, park area, playgrounds, and nature and historic trail. Let's keep working together to make a beautiful and safe place for our families and children. As Dave Ferguson said during the opening presentation this morning, the citizens of this county can do more with less money when we come together. If anyone reading this is interested in becoming a part of the vision for the the next phase of this property, please email me at drproactive@gmail.com

This is my final comment on this topic. Whooppee, Tstar and Ryank, call us whatever you want but as of 12:30 the DC police had the estimated number of people marching against wasteful government spending at 1.2 MILLION with many more still coming. It was peaceful and jam packed. You could hardly move. A few? I don't think so! God bless America! We the People!

It sounds like you must have eaten a thesaurus during your 9th grade year to me. Words with four syllables do not necessarily make you sound intelligent.

1.2 million? Poppycock! Authorities in the District do not give official crowd estimates. You have simply misplaced the decimal. It is "point one two million" - 120,000 -

Washington Post quote: "...Saturday's throng appeared to number in the many tens of thousands."

NY Times quote: "The demonstrators numbered well into the tens of thousands, though the police declined to estimate the size of the crowd."

This weekends 'big protest' was organized and paid for by Freedom Works, the K Street lobby group headed by former House majority leader Richard Armey (R-Tex.), the same outfit that brought us this summers town hall meeting shout downs staged by the unclear far right minority rage of the tin foil hat disciples. Co-sponsors of this weekends event were the Tea Party Patriots and ResistNet. These are the same tin foil hat patriots who love their country so much they want their state to secede from the union. Secede from the union? Wasn't that issue settled by the outcome of the Civil War?

Some people just can’t believe a black man is president and will never accept it. South Carolina's Joe Wilson is the new middle-aged white guy poster boy for reborn racism. I did not hear him say the word, but I believe he wanted to say it, "You lie, boy."

Which brings me to ask the question, where did the motivation and money come from to pay for Strasburg's tea party? Dick Armey? I hope the kids college fund was not depleted. Do college degree credits normally include credit transfers for home schooling? Probably not.

Laughable sentences, as usual.

You are one sad sad close minded individual. Where was the outcry when President Bush was booed and heckled by the left side of congress? Where was the outcry when a movie was made about his possible assassination? If a movie like that were made abour our Savior Barack Hussein Obama, the director would be tarred and feathered. It seems to me that any dissenting voice that you liberals hear is automatically equated to be racial. Get a life or move to Canada.

I think that your paper should had coverage on the guy that held back the airplanes. There was no pictures of him nor was there any mention of him. WHY?? I think he was the main event but had no coverage.I have heard folks talking that they went out to see him to see if he was really that strong. I was also told that alot of folks left once he was finished. So why no coverage??

The estimated number of attendees to Saturdays 'protest' has fallen from make-believe-pie-in-the-sky 1.2 million all the way down to 70,000 +/- like minded individuals, pleased and proud to be enjoying their 15 minutes of notoriety.

Does this 70,000 include the 5 or 6 bus loads from Shenandoah Valley? The question becomes who paid for the busses? Dick Armey? Perhaps tickets were sold to pay for the round trip?

Someone stated the purpose of the 'protest' was to debate the issues concerning health care and taxes. Very little, if any, of Saturday's happenings had to do with health care or taxes. Perhaps symptomatic of the attendee's collective mind-set was one big sign with big red letters carried by a man from Montana and shown on TV news programs that said, "We came unarmed.....this time."

The vast majority of the home-made signs being displayed contained messages of threats and hostility, fomenting a climate of violence to provoke weak minded people. Saturday's event had little to do with policy differences over health care or taxes and everything to do with racial bigotry and threats of violence. A rose by any other name is still a rose.

Strong language can poison weak minds, as it did in the case of Timothy McVeigh.

Everyone exaggerates numbers, ie Million Man March, Million Mom March, its an accepted deception. Touting racial bigotry as the primary reason for the assembly is a statement thats embedded in that same bigotry. We as a people have the right to assemble, for whatever reason we choose. It could be to protest government spending and taxes, civil rights, or the anti-Bush rallies that took place over the last eight years. I don't know if you were so outspoken about those rallies where the people acted like uneducated bigots or not, but I'd say it's safe to assume they come in all shapes, colors, and sizes. Quit being devisive and antogonistic in youre statements and try suggesting a solution to the problem.

Try suggesting a solution to the problem? OK. Lies left unchallenged are not acceptable in a democracy.

Accepted deception? Only if limited to tall tales by fishermen and Don Juan Saturday night exploits with the fair ladies.

Speaking of Bush and lies left unchallenged are not acceptable in a democracy, how long should we wait to find weapons of mass destruction in Iraq?

Did Bush tell America an accepted deception?

Beautiful pic!

I wouldn't call it an accepted deception and I also would never expect to hear the completed truth from either side. In my opinion we acted hastily in regards to Iraq, and only Iraq. I beleive it was a kneejerk reaction in response to alot of bad blood. The problems with Iraq should have been handled over the 8-10 years prior to the later Bush. Enough said on that.
Solutions are what I'm interested in, along with a majority of the American public. One senator acts like a child and interrupts the president. It was stupid, we all, correction, most of us know it. He apoligized to the president, move on. Now congress wants to waste time with a meaningless slap on the wrist.
Why can't they get past it and get to work. Put something together from both sides, make a compromise, and get something accomplished.
Why don't we as a people quit splitting hairs and looking at ways to put the other side down and come together with a common goal. Make our legislators responsible to us and not to the corporations and special interests that feed the reelection campaigns. Maybe then we can get true reform and not just another way to pad someone elses pocket.

Excellent post.

Perhaps there is more to consider regarding one Representative's outburst? I disagree the offense was trivial and without a need for an apology to the House of Representatives whose Rule was broken and whose Rule was disrespected. Offending the President was incidental to the breach of conduct.

First and foremost, actions have consequences. Wilson's outburst was a breach of the House Rules regarding member conduct. Wilson's refusal to apologize to his congressional peers for disrespecting House Rules he violated has consequences. He swore to uphold and obey these rules when he became a member of the House of Representatives.

Wilson's apology to the President was appropriate as it appears there is bipartisan agreement no illegal immigrants will be eligible to receive government subsidized health care.

Ignore the offense and move on? It is not my decision to make. The House members will decide if turning the other cheek endorses anarchy or House censure enforces compliance to the rules Rep. White swore to obey. Both decisions lead to a conclusion; actions have consequences. On balance, which should prevail?

The simplest solutions have the greatest probability of being correct. My opinion is White should apologize to his Congressional peers for violating the Rules. Failure to do so may result in consequences.

At this time, Rep. White controls his future. The evening news will reveal his decision.

I appreciate the story, but it would be nice to know the actual enrollment of each school. Is one high school much more crowded than the other? Especially considering the trailer being added to an elementary school, actual numbers would be helpful.

Thought for the day...

Your children are outside playing with other neighborhood children. After a while you hear a lot of commotion and loud, angry voices, so you go outside to see what is going on. What you find are your kids along with the other neighborhood kids shouting outrageous comments, name calling and insults towards each other over just how a game is to be played.

What do you say to your kids about this?

I continue to pay them an average of 174000 a year and go back inside. After all what can we do, they are just children, I mean congressmen. Next question of the day. Can you criticize the president and not be racist, or is Jimmy Carter trying to recapture his 15 minutes.

I asked a simple question and I get that for an answer??? We are in more trouble than I thought! Let me explain this to you...I did not mention racism and I did not mention criticizing anyone. Seems that is what a lot of this gripe fest is all about! Someone asks a question and they get an answer that has nothing to do with the question as a response.

I'm sorry the last question left off talking about the congressman. You will have to forgive me that was kneejerk reaction. Okay here goes. I'd pull my kids in and explain to them that we don't behave that way and problems aren't solved that way. I would hope the other parents would do the same. I'm assuming we are talking about the "tea parties" being held so here is how I'd tie the two together. There are those on both sides that believe if they shout loud enough it will be true. Its happening now from the right, it happened the last eight years from the left, and I'm sure the next time an administration changes we can expect the loudest screamers to change again. The problem is the parents(voters) are not in a position to correct them. We don't hold the purse strings necessary to dictate change. And as with most arguments with children there are those that are forced to stand by and watch while to two sides scream about disagreements. The problem is those children, like us as adults just want to play, or in our case work towards a common goal. As far as an answer to the problem, it may be the evolution of a strong third party, I don't know.

I accept that. After going around the "blog" a few times, it can make you a little punch happy because it leaves one so frustrated...myself included!

I was trying to get on a common ground where we could mostly agree. All of this has created behavior in people that we would be appalled at if it were coming from our kids. Not just people on these blogs, but people in the media...even our own government. I can agree to disagree, but there are those who have taken this to a whole new level with all the effigies etc. you see on the news etc. It's downright scary!

Heck, it's not even just about this healthcare reform. Take the rudeness of Rep. Joe Wilson. Do I think of him as racist? No, just rude. Do I think Congress should be wasting time with a resolution when we have so much more important things to tend to? No. While reading about Kanye West disrupting Taylor Swift's acceptance speech the other night on the VMA's, I cruised the comments section of that article, I couldn't believe what I was reading and what people were saying! Those people are going to throw us right back into the Civil War era! I am speaking of racism of any kind anywhere. I thought we were so much more evolved than that. Please, people! Disagree all you want, but keep race out of it! That is my personal plea to all people! Sorry to get off point, but this really worries me!

A third party? Maybe, but as a rule with kids, if you have 3 playing you will have problems because 2 will play together and leave one out and that one will whine loudly! In a perfect world, maybe get rid of all parties! The only thing 2 parties accomplish is dividing the people of the United States. Sounds like an oxymoron.

I'm with you b2866...I'm not sure what the answer to the problem is either!

"waived deportation proceedings and will not illegally return to the state after his removal by the Department of Homeland Security"

Remember Judge Wetsel. They used a weapon. He'll be back, and he'll kill someone the next time. Deportation with a stiff sentence if found in the Country again! would have worked a lot better.

Can somebody explain it to me? I mean, I don't get it. These guys rob a place, the police catch them, they go to court, they are sentenced to a bunch of years in prison, then the judge says" Well, we're going to suspend 4/5ths of this sentence so you can get right back to preying on the public" I think about all the hard work that goes into catching the bad guys, all the work that goes into prosecuting them and then we pretty much let them go. If I was a cop or a prosecutor, I think I'd go crazy watching all my hard work essentially go down the drain.

I am extremely grateful that this parcel of land has been secured for future generations. I have been involved in the protection of other local battlefields but somehow missed the movement to save this piece of history. Third Winchester is noted for many reasons. The largest calvary battle of the war (or I am told any war) , it's pivital role in the future of the breadbasket of the south. (Shenandoah Valley) and it large nummber of causualties. My great grandfather was captured at 3rd Winchester. William Henry Ritter. He spent the rest of the war interred in a POW camp . Camp Delaware where ironically enough my other great grandfather John Tyler Sager was also confined. He had also been captured in 1864 . Both lived to be released and returned home to their beloved Shenanandoah Valley.

Satisfying the needs of each participating community is not the driving force behind the regional jail concept. As it exists today, each local government compromises their needs by buying into the regional jail concept.

The Commonwealth dangles a financial incentive to coerce consideration of a solution that compromises community needs. The only benefit is allowing local supporting politicians to dubiously claim they are saving money and avoiding local tax increases. Don't local citizens also pay taxes to the Commonwealth? Peter gets robbed so Paul can be paid?

Do the math; three local jails cost the Commonwealth $75 million. A single three participant regional jail costs the Commonwealth $50 million. Some state delegates recognize the unfair pressure different funding formulas create attempting to impose state will over local government.

Who benefits most?

If Federal government should not meddle in State governments, should State governments meddle in local governments?

Take the local share contribution towards the regional jail and let that become the base budget for improving the local jails. No wretched excess Taj Mahal monuments to stupidity, please. Just bricks, mortar, steel bars, and a place to hang the keys.

I agree with sheriff carter, if it is going to take away the jobs of deputys than, keep the deputys. A regional jail yes is nice but it is a much bigger upkeep than your average little town jail, and the numbers of inmates increase locally as well as federally, because regional jails house federal inmates up to 3 years and are paid for keep them, I believe there are other alternative to pay for this regional jail besides cutting deputies jobs. The sheriff needs to get more grants for extra road patrol on the interstate, the tickets that are written and court costs make up for that grant as well as bring thousands more dollars in to fund for other projects. If some people would put there heads together and think. I'm for the regional jail as long as it doesn't dip into the deputies budget. Keep all the scum in one place and keep these lil towns nicer. Besides in a regional jail rules on inmates are enforced more than these lil town jails.

Thank God this came to light before the supervisors vote maybe NOW they will finally listen to the people and Sheriff Carter !

This opposition just makes me shake my head, lets put the shoe on the other foot for a moment and see what these folks would say if it were one of their children that suffers from a mental disorder.
This is STILL America Damm it and your concern about losing value on your home because of the location of a facility to house mentally challeged individuals is nothing more than SELFISH GREED.
Where should these folks be housed? a basement in a federal hospital in some big city? or should we just put them out of their misery so you won't have to be botherd by them living in your community.
We can only hope that "Carma" works and these very folks that fight this home's placement end up being lost and un-cared for in some mismanaged, filthy nursing home when their day comes for needed care.

I can't express enough how all this saddens me..... I have worked in the business for 25+ years. Never in my life have I met a man that i respected more. He has taught me so much about dignity and respect. Love, courage and so much more. Part of the mission statement for GoodLife is to provide our clients with a fun and good life. George is not only merely a businessman he is a humanitarian. He provides these clients with beautiful homes to live in far above what he is required to provide. He supports local businesses even when it may cost him much more than if he were to go elsewhere for services. The group homes that he owns are clean, the yards are always well maintained. The clients that live in in his homes are a family. They live together as a family. They cry together, they laugh together, they celebrate and they mourn together. Just like any other family. They may not be as smart as some, they may use a wheelchair to get around, some may wear hearing aids, or glasses, or look a little different, or act a little different. Do you have anyone in your family that fits this description? Open your hearts and your minds people. These people deserve to live just as you and I do. All they want is to be able to live in peace, free of discrimination and persecution. To be able to love and be loved. What gives anyone the right to take that away from them? Why would anyone want to? Please do not judge these wonderful people that you have not met. Give them the chance to put the smiles on your face the way they do mine every single day!

When the discussion was about jobs and moving the Virginia economy forward, McDonnell was winning hands down. Now the discussion is government provided birth control and he's only winning slightly. I guess the point to consider is what is more important today, a candidate's views on birth control or his ability to pull Virginia out of the economic slump and provide good, forward thinking leadership and jobs. McDonnell is the best choice for Virginia's workers.

He may be the best choice for Virginia's workers, but I have a hard time voting for somebody who is going to take away my right to decide what is best for me and my family. Every person needs to be able to make the choice for themselves whether birth control is right for them or not.

I have a group home in my neighborhood and the house is beautifully maintained, the residents are friendly and there has never been an "incident" of any kind. I think overall it has been an asset to my neighborhood. Two doors down from the group home is a house that is in foreclosure and looks horrible. The yard of the group home is always mowed, is beautifully landscaped and I am thrilled that my neighborhood has this home. People opposing this simply don't understand how a home such as this can help people as well as be an asset to a neighborhood.

"Jail staff felt it was important just to go ahead and transport [Embrey] from our facility to another facility pending the investigation," McEathron said. Don't you have any faith in your jail staff to be able to handle the situation?

"All the information has to be taken to the commonwealth's attorney to determine whether and who we charge." Doesn't sound like you have any information as you also stated "There's a reason this happened and we'll find out the reason it happened."

"People forget,...,but they're all criminals..." No, some have ONLY been arrested, right??? Just because you are in jail doesn't make you a criminal.

"When you run out of options of where you can put them, people gotta get along." You now expect criminals to get along just because it's crowded now in the jail? Where is that type of logic coming from?

For Virginia to be this far in the hole, there had to be severe budget mismanagement in times of prosperity. Our leaders must develop a long term agenda of fiscal responsibility if we're going to be financially viable through difficult periods. If we expect individuals to save in order to weather a storm, we must require the same of governments. Significant tax hikes place too high a burden on individuals and small businesses. Although it was necessary here, I think better long term planning and fiscal responsibility is more effective approach.

I think that if you house inmates, you have a responsibility to keep them safe and secure. This is not to suggest that the staff did anything wrong, but if there was an assault that led to a man passing out, perhaps increased supervision is required. Additionally, it might be helpful to segregate those convicted/arrested for murder and other violent crimes from those who are incarcerated for other types of offenses.

FIRST, WHEN YOU HAVE A JAIL THAT IS ALREADY WAY OVER THEIR CAPACITY AND DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO HAVE A SECTION FOR MOST OF THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF CRIMES, IT IS DIFFICULT TO SEPARATE THEM. AS YOU READ, THE NEED FOR A REGIONAL JAIL IS A PRIORITY FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS & FOR THE ABILITY TO SEPARATE INMATES. SECOND, MOST JAIL SYSTEMS NOW HAVE CAMERAS IN AND OUTSIDE THE JAIL BUILDINGS. IF YOU HAVE EVER GONE TO VISIT ANYONE (AT THE LEAST) YOU WOULD KNOW THAT. IN REGARDS TO THE COMMENT OF: "Just because you are in jail doesn't make you a criminal."; IF YOU WOULD HAVE READ THE WHOLE ARTICLE THE BOY WAS NOT IN JAIL FOR WAITING FOR HIS COURT DATE, HE WAS IN JAIL FOR VIOLATING HIS PROBATION FROM PREVIOUS CHARGES. YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT HAPPENED YET, THAT IS WHY THEY ARE INVESTIGATING, BUT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE WOULD NOT HAVE RELEASED ANYTHING TO THE PRESS UNLESS THEY HAD ENOUGH INFORMATION TO MAKE A STATEMENT AND I AM SURE THE SHERIFF DIDN'T GIVE HALF THE INFOMATION HE HAS ALREADY ACCUMULATED. THE MEDIA ONLY GETS WHAT THEY ARE ALLOWED TO GIVE OUT UNTIL THE INVESTIGATING IS OVER. AS FOR JOHNSON, HE COULDN'T EVEN DO THAT ON HIS OWN WITHOUT HAVING TO GET SOMEONE ELSE TO HOLD HIM DOWN AND ATTACK HIM THAT WAY, INSTEAD OF FACING HIM TO HURT HIM. WHAT A WIMP!!!!!!!!!!

i think they all should get something out of it because they shouldn't of did it in the 1st place i am a mother of 3 kids and i do not believe in doing drugs let alone drinking you learn from you mistakes everyone does

Maybe it's time for the "ADA" Americans With Disabilities Act" Attorneys to step in and let these folks know that their cute little gated community resides in the "United States" and some little rule book for the home-owners Association means squat when it comes to FEDERAL LAWS protecting those of us who are disabled.

THe community needs to understand that these people deserve to live in a nice house where they can be treated like human beings. They do not need to be isolated and deserve a better quality of life. Gone are the days of suclusion and rejection. These people are no more dangerous than your neighbors and are constantly under supervision. Theses people have mental disabilites, not mental illness. Believe it or not, there is a difference. I work with many of these people and can vouche for thier behavior. I also know first hand of the level of care given by the Good Life Inc to their residents. It angers me that the community rejects their fellow human beings. These people they see as a threat to their community are some of the most loving and friendly people you will ever meet. They do not hold grudges or pass predjudice on anyone and they never know a stranger. Maybe the opponents to this new house need to take a lesson from our special friends. The next time you go to Kohls and hold a hanger in your hand, a person with a disabiltiy reboxed that hanger before it was sent back to the store so that your new blouse could be hung on it. When you play Bingo, a person with a disability set up the tables and chairs. If they were such a threat, how could they be so productive? I could go on all day about the rights these people have to live in this home and how I cannot believe how there is still a small town small mind attitude about this situation. Do we not have enough to worry about than whether or not people with disabilities are a danger?

of course the jail is crowded. of course there is a reason each individual is residing there. of course everyone is not going to get along. and no, there may be cameras, but the guards are not babysitters. even incarcerated individuals enjoy some freedom. freedom to beat one another is one of those freedoms apparently. heck, if a gal can hang herself in there...

*The idea that these people are considered dangerous disappoints Good Life's staff.*

it disappoints me as well, because i know that in reality, these folks are more caring and grateful than most of our society.

i also understand that people who are not familiar with challenged folks tend to be afraid. this is what needs to be addressed, i think. we have come so far in society as far as helping mentally disabled folks. it is true that any one of us could find ourselves in that position in a new york minute, but sometimes "normal" folks feel threatened.

how sad..if they only would get to know the reason behind the project and be supportive.

i bet some of them would actually like it.

My thoughts on this particular case out rages me! I am a mother of three boys and I under no circumstances agree with drugs, but i can some what understand the devastation that drugs can leave a family! I am in fact the sister of one that was convicted and yes each and every one of them should have been punished. But what i cant understand is how some get this tremendous amount of time and then those who were in fact in this god forsaken mess doesn't get hardly any?? I love my brother and yes he did wrong, but how do you explain to his family that oh were sorry but that's just the way the system works! The only closure i can feel is to know that when my brother comes home he will indeed be a changed person, with his daughter, wife, sister, and parents here for him! What about the true cheaters that only get a slap on the wrist? Will they really be a better (individual) to society? Those of you that made your decision ask yourselves that!

Well it looks like councilmember is up to his old tricks. He doesn"t want any big box stores in this area. So he wants to take away your oppurtunity to shop in this town and make you shop somewhere else and spend your tax dollars there. Then he can say he has a reason to raise your taxes and rates. The store on 522 in Front Royal bring in almost 1 million dollars to them in taxes and fees. Don"t we want that revenue in our town. Send Mr. Terndrup a message on election day and get him off of council and get someone on there that wants you to spend your tax dollars here and not somewhere else

Steve, it sounds like you're going to run for council again. Are you?

Besides the train idea I have not read anything in this paper about Mr. Lesinski except vague promises of jobs and insults at Mr. Gilbert. Unless Mr. Lesinski has no solid ideas for his plans could this paper PLEASE print some of his concrete ideas. I would like to know more about him besides "Mr. Gilbert isn't doing enough." What's Mr. Lesinski going to do...specifically?

Forgive me, but when did it become the responsibilty of government to create jobs? The last time I read the consitution, there is no mention thereof. Rather, the creation of jobs has always been the rightful responsibility of the private sector. All government is to do is provide as friendly an environment for business as possible. By friendly I refer to low taxes, only absolutely essential regulation, and unlimited encouragement. To expect the government to create jobs is like asking your dentist to cut your hair. Sure, he/she is probably able to physically cut your hair, BUT ITS NOT THEIR JOB.

The notion that government is an engine of job creation misconstrues the entire nature of our capitalist system. If one takes the time to truly investigate the issue, what becomes abundantly clear is that the only jobs the government ever creates are more government jobs. And for each government job, the private sector suffers all the more.

I think this is a wonderful idea. I have a daughter that attends Shenandoah County Public Schools. She has a significant health problem that requires a lot of medical attention and sometimes hospitalization. I don't think it is fair for her to not receive an award because of her health issues. There are many other children out there in the same situation. This is a good move for the school system!!

Today I rose from bed and showered,shaved, and ate breakfast. I had coffee and pancakes, fruit. I thought to myself its going to be a busy day at work. I worked my full shift only stopping for lunch.Soon it was time to make the trip home.
I live in New Market. Once home I sweep the porch and walk.I then feed my goats and spend a few minutes visiting with them. I go to the house and get a cold drink and relax on the front porch after a busy work day.Within the next hour I will go to the club to exercise and then home for supper.I will clean up after supper,wiping tables and counters clean,doing dishes, etc. I will brush my teeth and wash my face and comb my hair. My appearance is very important to me.Tonight I may go bowling,to the movies or maybe shopping. I'm off for vacation soon and I have items to buy to take along.Of course I will return home and grab a snack. Most likely fried apples,since they are in season and a hot cup of coffee.I will watch some t.v. and try to make it to bed before too late. I have such a busy weekend planned.
WOW, DOES THIS SOUND LIKE YOUR DAY?
Well its not.Its not even my day. If it were my day I would run out of steam half way through. This is a typical day for one of those horrible neighbors moving into the subdivision near your home.I used to feel the same way. I now admitt I was stupid.Ignorance is no excuse for fear. We are a educated society. Do your homework.
" He is blind whom thinks he sees everything."

Thank You!

Wow...I actually agree with you on this one, Kim.

I think the NV Daily should definitely print more of Lesinski's specific plans for creating jobs. A few weeks ago, I saw a TV-3 news piece about his plan to create over a thousand jobs in the 15th District by providing targeted tax cuts for businesses. But I never saw that story in this paper.

There was a similar proposal a few months ago about giving tax cuts to small businesses, and I'm not sure they covered that story either. We need to make sure the local papers are giving folks enough information to understand where Lesinski (and Gilbert for that matter) stand on job creation.

i think those who are nervous about the new neighbors should go and visit the other group homes and get to meet them as people and not think of them as dangerous. any person can be dangerous thats why you watch over your kids all the time. go ask the neighbors of the group homes if they have ever been molested or bothered by them, i grew up with them and they have never harmed me. george and chris jetter have helped our community establish a bit of class by educating many of us about these wonderful people who just want to be loved and accepted. just visit with them for one hour and you will be awed by their gentlness.

Obviously, our leaders in this community never read pass the fluff in this report, which is approximately the first 13 pages. Demographics were discussed, but no mention on how many employees are employed by WCDSS. We know how many employers are in the area and how many employees they have.

If you get past the fluff, as I've reviewed this report. It clearly shows serious problems within the WCDSS and it's staff. Repeated problems where Mr. King filed a report with VDSS stating this problem has been corrected; when obviously, due to the repeat findings, it had not been corrected. Could this be called falsifying state documents?

There were 8 areas of concern in the Administrative Section; 10 areas of concern for Adult Services; 8 areas of concern for Child Care Services, to include that WCDSS has made overpayments and continues to make overpayments (which is wasting tax dollars) to vendors; in Child Welfare Services is where they speak about the safety of the children, which is rated very poorly; in Fraud Program, there are 19 areas of concern; In the Medicaid Services area, they found 3 areas of concern; in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, they found 3 areas of concern; in TANF/VIEW Services, they found 4 areas of concern.

In the majority of these areas of concern it appears supervisors are at fault here for not monitoring cases as they should. One of the repeated excuses was, "I wasn't aware."

How many of our vulnerable children and adults have to die before someone takes notice of these areas of concerns?

One particular child they spoke of in this report had to wait 6 months before the child and it's sibling were removed and this was after 3 additional reports of abuse WCDSS had received! I wonder how many times this child had to suffer abuse before WCDSS finally stepped in to remove these children?

If you weren't aware of certain policies, who is at fault?

And Ms. Mathews, Mr. Fox and Mr. Tracyzk say they are all pleased with this report! Shame on all of you!

Blah, Blah, Blah!

Warren County could really use a good political scandal leading to a long overdue housecleaning.

Supervisor Tony Carter is strangely silent on this DSS problem. Wasn't he on the DSS Board for 4 years? What did he do for those 4 years? Why isn't the normally verbose Carter flapping his lips alongside the other good ol' boys? Maybe Carter is trying to keep a lid on his participation in the alleged shenanigans, at least until the upcoming 'running unopposed' election is over and his lips are suddenly loosened? It wouldn't look good on a political resume to have to say you lost an unopposed election.

DSS Chair Mathews glowing comments are not exactly those of a "clean hands" bystander, are they? Did spin-doctor Traczyk actually read the QMR report or are his comments mere sugarcoating on a bad pill from the Mathews medicine cabinet? Supervisor Fox, good politician that he is, has one foot solidly planted on each side of this fence.

If we drink the Mathews Kool-aid, will it solve all the problems?

I'm hoping Tony Carter is sweating bullets. What did he do during his 4 years? The glossing over of this report screams of problems.

Veronica, you sound like a board member! Same ole blah blah blah . . .

How could they leave a child in an abusive home? Why did it take over a month to finally talk to this child? Worse yet, almost 6 months before children were removed. What is wrong with this agency? Will there be another Valerie Smelser incident or has there been one already?

And may I quote one of our ELECTED supervisors saying, "The report sounded fairly good to me," Fox said." Mr. Fox, a child being abused sounds good to you?

And Mr. Traczyk saying in part, "the areas the agency were deficient in included those that the supervisors were already aware of . . ."

Can anyone say cover-up?

I'd love to see the Board of Supervisors do this for the county as well. It's a dangerous situation when you see so many people in an intersection trying to do fundraising activities.

I support my local fire department, however, they should not be allowed to park the fire trucks in the median obstructing views and traffic to do fundraising. This is an accident waiting to happen.

No wonder the fire departments are hurting for members and $$ in Warren County. The town/county does not even provide 50% of what it costs to run a bare bones department -members are turning away due to the time it takes to run a fundraiser and keep their skills current. Now the town kicks them in the pants for wanting to hold one of the most lucrative fundraisers we have in our pocket. Well, don't whine when you call 911 and no one shows up.

I attended this meeting last night when Mr. Walker said the Agency is not in a crisis.

However, after listening to the findings and recommendations, clearly there are serious internal problems that exist in that agency. One suggestion was to disband the DSS Board. The other important recommendation was that Mr. King be more forthcoming in his disclosures from his budget line items, as to how the County's monies are being spent. It appears Mr. King has always used a broad paint brush when advising the BOS how their money is being spent. Now it's time for the BOS to ask specific questions and maybe a forensic audit to be conducted of the books.

When will a proper investigation be conducted into Child Welfare cases? If problems were found, according to the QMR presented, why is it that the State did not pull more cases to review how all the child welfare cases were being handled? There was already one death; what really happened to the 6 month old baby?

I also saw what appeared to be concerned on most of the supervisor's face with one exception. Mr. Carter kept his head hanging low and sometimes even in his hands. Mr. Carter were you hanging your head in shame? After all, you served on the DSS Board for over 4 years!

If your not having german beer, and only some german food, how can it be Oktoberfest. Call it something different and do what you want. You can't have Oktoberfest without a beer tent and polka music. Not to mention a decent bratwurst

Trying to get people to admit things after rulings have been handed down? Sounds like a waste of time and energy...and for four years? These are goals?
Mr. Morris has it right...its garbage. I'm voting for the person who pushes for an ever improving county. Who thinks and plans ahead. Who cares and listens. Sounds like District 5 needs to retain its Supervisor.

First of all, I would like to commend the NV Daily for their due diligence in the reporting of these most recent surveys.

Mr. King in the article, "said Wednesday that he had only given the report a cursory review and was not in a position to answer questions about the document."

If the public believes this I may have the Golden Gate Bridge to sell you.

If I was the director, I would have read and re-read this survey from front to back at least two times to see what was written about me! This comment appears to be an escape clause for Mr. King.

I believe this report combined with the State's QMR recently published, shows Mr. King's Agency in which he is the director has 85 areas of concerns (Findings and Recommendations), great job Mr. King, you nearly have a perfect score of 100 for problems found with recommendations on correcting these problems!

Now it's time for our elected officials to finally take control of this situation. How much more evidence do they need to say, the BOD of WCDSS apears incompetent and have not done due diligence in their JOB!

The agency may not be in crisis, but what about the clients? I think it's obvious from the QMR that children were in a crisis and nothing was done in a timely manner. When a state official conducting a review finds 7 out 8 cases out of conformity and children were at risk; why didn't they review each and every child welfare case to see exactly how many more children were put in harms way before action was taken? Could it be, they didn't want to know?

I think in order to protect our vulnerable children and adults, the police should be the first responders in these matters. Then, after the police confirm there is an abused child or adult, then call the Department of Social Services to do something. The most important thing here, is the police DOCUMENT the abuse! Right now, I believe it's up to the the Department of Social Services if and when they decide to call the police to report this crime!

One child recently died in Manassas, Alexis Lexie-Glover. One child died here in 2007. What is it going to take for our elected officials to take action, so another child doesn't have to suffer?

Give me a break Mathews. Now you're looking forward to resolving these issues. When all along you've said, there aren't any problems here!

The problems that were found in both the QMR and Springsted survey speaks volumes of not only Mr. King's lack of ability as a director, it also speaks volumes of the lack of supervision on the WCDSS Board's part.

In my personal opinion, you are just one of the many problems here! The board has been clueless of the proper way to operate. Your board has been using a rubber stamp of approval since you've been there.

It's time to disband this board and get people who are qualified, with fresh ideas on how to better improve this agency, and, who represents each Magisterial District in Warren County.

Sorry, Mathews, I don't buy your empty words and new found commitment to making things right at DSS. The first step towards rehabilitation is admitting responsibility for your actions.

Together, the Springsted and QMR investigations identified 85 problems at Social Services. Dozens of these problems related specifically and directly to the DSS Board of Directors and Mathews expresses total surprise? Hasn't she been on the DSS Board for 12 years?

For two years I have spoken to the DSS Board and the Board of Supervisors and my general message has always been "there is something wrong going on at DSS". For two years Mathews denied my allegations.

Mathews refuses to accept responsibility for her lack of oversight. Mathews refuses to accept responsibility for her lack of governance. Mathews refuses to accept responsibility for her lack of leadership. Mathews refuses to accept responsibility for not maintaining financial accountability.

Most importantly, Mathews refuses to accept responsibility for not using the DSS Boards By-Laws power to control and govern Director King. Instead, she willingly allowed King to control the Board.

In short, after 12 years on the DSS Board, Mathews refuses to accept responsibility for ANY problem facing Social Services, including none of the 85 problems identified by the Springsted and QMR investigations.

Who should Mathews blame for 85 problems, Director King?

Mathews and King must resign to make way for a new beginning unencumbered by old baggage.

Allow Director King a week to review the Springsted Report. Perhaps then he could answer a few questions?

Isn't it about time Public Servant King offered a few comments to Warren County citizens to reflect upon his activities?

If better use of time is what is needed, a great way to go, without adding extra anything, is simply to go to a year round schedule. In Colorado we had a simple 9 weeks on 3 weeks off schedule with two weeks at Christmas and two weeks in the summer. It was set on a four track system where three tracks were always on and one off. Not only does this fix problems with having an empty building 3 months out of the year, it helps maintain continuity throughout the learning year and gives kids and teachers a much needed three week break in between sessions. That way burn-out is lessened.

Believe me after three weeks off kids are usually ready to return to school. I have used this schedule for the past four years of homeschooling my kids and it really works well. You still have 180 days, but they are used much more efficiently. Everything doesn't have to become a big government nightmare.

Mr. Brill was doing his job and protecting our community. Why should he have to stand trial for doing his job, he was ordered by higher ups to go in the house and try to calm this man down. The man tried to attack Mr. Bill. Mr. Brill tried everything to make the man calm down but obviously the pepper spray didn’t work. He had no other option then to shoot the man out of fear for his own life and other officers.

Why do people sue for money in cases like this? No amount of money will bring this gentleman back. I instead Mr. Brill gets tried for doing his job and protecting our community.

I believe that Mr. Brill was justified in the shooting. People are always looking for a way to make the police look bad. When really the are just doing their jobs and putting their lives on the line.

Perhaps the Obama administration needs to look at the actual numbers and realize that it's not quantity that matters but quality. Many Asian countries' students actually spend less time in school than do american students (they have more but shorter days) yet they consistently outscore American students in math and science. You can stick them in class 24/7 and it won't amount to a hill of beans if your not teaching quality material in a quality way. The only thing longer hours will lead to is higher taxes as they will need more money to pay for a larger government program.

I'm not against spending more money on education but it needs to be spent the right way, training, highering and retaining quality teachers then not hamstringing them with ridiculous rules.

One can assume that this absurd lawsuit will be dismissed rather quickly. It is a shame that the judicial system is used by some for frivolous purposes.

Was he just carrying a gun or do witnesses think he was "brandishing" a firearm? At least the man was not carrying a cellphone, which would surely have landed him in jail.

Before town officials proceed down a slippery slope, they should talk to Robert A. Levy of CATO to get a quick lecture on constitutional law and gun rights. In the meantime, they could read the Supreme Court decision in District of Columbia v. Heller, and the cert petition in McDonald v. Chicago, which the high court has just agreed to hear.

I would hope this would cover the use of non-working, or at least seemingly permanently parked, step van type trucks that are being used more and more to act as signs. They are being parked near the road, often in a parking space, like they are just being parked there, but never move.

Seeking resident input to fashion the Comprehensive Plan to serve as guidelines for development is wonderfully noble.

But, let the first politically connected special interest developer, led by local attorney/State Delegate Clay Athey, show up with hands full of money and a development project outside the guidelines and Supervisors Traczyk and Carter will collapse and fold like cheap lawn chairs in their haste to accommodate; remember Crooked Run Phase II?

Why should the BOS dissolve the WCDSS Board of Directors? Let's review why.

In the Springsted Report it states (from the Budget Authority and Process section, page 7):

In reaching it’s decision regarding the amount of local funding to provide, the County considers the request made by the Department of Social Service by means of the annual budget process.

Finding: Information submitted to the County by the Department of Social Services as part of the budget process does not fully meet the written request for information issued by the County Administrator to all departments and agencies that receive money annually from the county. In fact, the Department of Social Services is the only such agency that consistently fails to meet the County’s information request.

Ms. Mathews' occupation is a bookkeeper, she prepares income tax returns, payroll, any many other functions per her sign outside of her office. You would think, one with this type of knowledge should know exactly what is expected of this agency. Did the agency supply it? No. In fact, as it states above FINDING, it is the ONLY agency that does not explain in detail their budget. Why?

Did our BOS have knowledge this information should have been provided? Did our County Administrator have this knowledge? If they did, why wasn't it demanded from WCDSS?

Is there something wrong in DSS. Yes!

To our BOS: Don't shoot the messenger. I hope with the most recent studies and reviews, the BOS will start looking at these problems more seriously and take the appropriate action.

A slippery slope indeed!

I went to this event around 2:30 on Saturday and was very disappointed. I thought the $10 fee to get in was outrageous. There was no samples of the bbq's (for another $5 fee you could sample) and I could not find the tent where you could sample any micro brews. Trust me, in 5 minutes you could see everything that was there. I tried to ask someone and they said they worked for the fairgrounds and didn't have anything to do with it and I wasn't the first person they heard complaining about it. I'd give it a 0 out of 10 score.

And businesses along Rt. 11 should stop placing the temporary signs out at the edge of the road where they block the view of traffic. I know if I have an accident and their sign is even remotely contributory, that business will be involved in the process.

That specific sign hazard at Radio Station Road is about to be resolved with a traffic light but it's still a problem at Founders Way, an increasingly busy and dangerous intersection.

Since when did a BB gun become a firearm?

A firearm is a device which projects either single or multiple projectiles at high velocity through a controlled explosion. The firing is achieved by the gases produced through rapid, confined burning of a propellant. This process of rapid burning is technically known as deflagration. In older firearms, this propellant was typically black powder, but modern firearms use smokeless powder, cordite, or other propellants. Most modern firearms (with the notable exception of smoothbore shotguns) have rifled barrels to impart spin to the projectile for improved flight stability.

While most firearms are primarily used as weapons, some exist that are used primarily as tools.

I wonder if the NV Daily knows the difference between an air rifle and an airsoft rifle. An air rifle is a firearm and can shoot a bullet. An airsoft rifle is a toy and as such is identified as a toy by the orange/red tip on the end of the barrel. It also fires projectile but the projectile is a small plastic BB. I think it is deplorable that this news agency has taken an simple misunderstanding and tried to turn it into a sensational story. I wonder if there is any thought given for the young man whose future and reputation are in jeopardy for playing with a toy at his own home.

"Since when did a BB gun become a firearm? "

Fortunately the judge was more concerned with justice than semantics, but to answer your misguided question, Virginia law allows a very broad interpretation of the word "firearm" at the local level to include any type of gun, pistol, rifle, airgun, etc., particularly when it is being used as a weapon. Hope that helps.

I think that making the small parking lot in front of the Judicial Center into a park is an excellent idea. We have three multi-level parking garages within 2 blocks of the courthouse, so parkiing isn't an issue.

I also feel that Sheriff Milholland's fears are unfounded. The building could just as easily be expanded into a park as a parking lot and security is less of an issue with a park. U.S. Army Anti-Terrorism/Force Protection criteria does not allow parking lots next to inhabited buildings due to the threat of truck bombs. Remember the Murrah Buidling in Oklahoma City.

I'm sorry if I came off wrong with my previous post. I agree that the kid definetly needs punishment. There is no sense in that type of stuff. I was simply curious as to how the bb gun became a "firearm".

I hope the council will also look into ways of fixing the inconsistencies with the water and sewer usage in the summer. Many citizens have voiced their concern about paying for water going into the sewer when in fact, in the summer months, much of it goes into the trees, grass and other plants through watering. Perhaps now is the time for the town to revisit these concerns as well.

Many communities deal with this issue in different ways. Surely Strasburg could do the same instead of just saying (as in the past) we need the money even if you don't use the service.

As much as I loathe these "loiterers" and their associated spitting, cussing, yelling and other uncivilized behavior, the downtown area seems to be set up to encourage a certain amount of "loitering". With all the benches and the lovely gazebo area, it will be almost impossible to set up regulations that are effective for the shop owners and fair for the local citizens, who are certainly entitled to sit around and enjoy the downtown area just as much as tourists or shoppers. What are the shop owners proposing exactly? Time limits on the benches? A blacklist of particularly wretched malingerers?

You people are crazy i dont believe this at all i've known corey for about 3 years and hes not the kind of person to do that so i think its a bunch have BS and you guys just doing this stuff for fun because you have nothing better to do.

Why is a candidate's legal action self-serving and political, but an incumbent's legal action (spending taxpayer dollars to do it) not self-serving? Seems to me that the current political climate is, "All's fair in love and politics."

Deeds has supported everything the Obama administration has put forward. During his time in the State Senate he prefered raising taxes consistently. For him to try and come forward now and say he's opposed to raising taxes and against cap and trade is ridiculous and I hope people will not listen to his vacillating comments but focus on his actual record. Politicians make promises all the time and then break them. Before voting for Deeds or any of the people running check their records and see how they have voted. Not just the spin that the opposition is putting out there.

Cop a plea and spend 2 years in jail? Does not make sense. If you commit the crime, do the time. I think that because these two arsonists could find nothing better to do than to set fire to buildings, they should spend more time in jail. Anyone else find this disturbing?

also, posting his address is just disgusting. do you know what you are doing to his family and to his future relations with society? what is the point of posting his address, really?

Every citizen in this county, state, or in these United States of America has the right to question every facet of government, especially when it relates to decisions made by our elected officials that affect the people.

What is especially telling is the comment made by supervisor Morris is that he/ we, meaning the Board of Supervisors, leaves decisions to be made, up to the county attorney?

What does that say about leadership in Shenandoah County?

A big congratulations to Mr. Pierceall!

Come on now Mr. Lesinski, are you really trying to get people to believe that Todd Gilbert has not been trying to get tax credits for businesses and that somehow this was your idea first? I think Todd and Republicans have been raked across the coals for trying to help businesses with tax credits for years and years and years. The fact that you would have happily voted to accept federal stimulus funds, which in the long run will hurt business and eventually raise taxes on all, shows that either you're trying to mislead people or that you are simply naive.

Perhaps this paper could do an article comparing and contrasting JUST THE FACTS about each candidate running for office so that the electorate can make an informed decision. While I know that most of us only will get to choose between a Republican and a Democrat there are actually other parties running candidates in some of these races. It would be nice to read about what the other parties have planned.
It would be nice to read the proposals of candidates (not parties) without all the name calling and spin. Isn't that what a "non partisan" media is supposed to do?

Excellent planning, execution, - and now re-execution. Our tax dollars hard at work folks!

Trish, the Mayor, and the Contractors don't care either, their salaries come from your tax dollars, too!

Remember this article when you pay your Personal Property Taxes.

hmmm. well- I think that who ever signed off on their initial location, in the first place, should have to pay the 25,000.00. eh?

Read the article again and then attend the BOS meetings. You will learn that the BOS budgets our tax money on our behalf not for any matter of self interest.
There are budget concerns and then there are planning concerns. Their job is complex in that the two are interrelated. This complexity deepens when time in interjected (planning needs change as does the funding and by a different set of factors). Now mix in community sentiment or emotion and you have a four dimensional job.
This brings me to my next point. We pay our attorneys to interpret the law. They are schooled, examined, and licensed experts at this. It is their job to do this for us not the Supervisors. If they feel laws have been broken they will act.
Choose your candidate wisely. The persons in place now have proven diligence. These are not jobs for anyone who thinks inversely.

a child's parent is responsible for the child until they become an adult. where was this little girl's parents and why haven't they been charged as well? Women this age do this to Winchester's little boys ALL THE TIME and I've YET to see any female sexual predator from Winchester get the same treatment.

Hope and Opportunity sound a lot like Hope and Change! YIKES!!!

Where were the parents when all this was going on? Why was a 14 year old and a 17 year old drinking in the first place? Maybe if people would quit writing into papers telling young people that this sort of behavior is OK "because that's just what young people do" this sort of thing might be stemmed. To any young people out there please learn from this, drinking is not OK and leads to this kind of horrible incident. Reason is impaired after consuming alcohol and many things happen that ordinarily wouldn't. My prayers go out to the young girl that went through this and to the young men, I hope they receive a just punishment. No means No.

I have been unfortunate enough to have been in that jail. I had plenty of time on my hands, enough to count the square footage. If a cell block is full ,8 people, each inmate has 4 square feet of living space(not counting your 2.5 x 5.5 foot bed). They should keep a murderer away from general population but they don't have enough space.
Point being this. Don't do the crime if you don't want to live in a 2x2 square with your fellow criminals.

wow Scott Proctor is a Sheriff? I went to school with him many yrs ago .
How things change in the yrs .
Pam

I think that it is a good thing that the Town is looking into this. I hope that when the staff presents the options to the Council, they take into consideration giving citizens the option to pay their utility bill online. I know that this will benefit all citizens, not just me.

I think mr.embry got what he deserved .

The teasurer was probably to honest for Mayor Brown. Belive me there is more behind this story than what is being said. Middletown had best start standing up for themselves. Many long time property owners are getting picked on. They are picking and choosing who to pick on, also. Middletown council is like Kangaroo Court. The cloud over Middletown is getting to dark. Many who loved this town now hate this town. I'm not sure my last comment was submitted correctly.

Why is this even called a "Balloon" festival any more? What used to be a wonderful event that we attended every year has devolved into just another wine and music venue. We've stopped attending.

All I can say is that when the balloon launch gets cancelled due to rain or wind, as it usually does, the attendees will be glad to have wine, music, crafts, food, fall views, displays, and a historic setting to enjoy. But I would be happy to refer to it as "just another" delightful Fall Festival if you prefer. Hopefully you will still enjoy the weekend, and perhaps you may even catch a glimpse of the balloons from your own backyard.

I think Jody Wagner should be careful how often she runs a "part-time lieutenant governor" ad. Isn't our current governor a part-timer? By the time the new governor is sworn in, Governor Kaine will have spent an entire year splitting his time between governing the commonwealth and deepening partisan dividers as Chairman of the DNC. His "second hat" is not only one that takes him away from his elected duties, but one that precludes a spirit of consensus-building; especially in an election year.

But then again, when is it not an election year? And since when do we expect politicians to not be partisan?

Again the city council egnored the people and the city manager to do their own thing as always.

I can't believe the people that run this city of Winchester are capable to do so with no concience.

We pay a hefty water and sewer bill in the county of Frederick with just a raise not to long ago that i was told was just 33% but more like 65% in my area.

These are the same people that want use to pay more and have the audasity to allow an business in the area to make us pay more and they always are saying that there may not be enough water for the area in 2010 and we still build and let things like this happen to the residents of the city and county.

This business pays a substandard pay for the are area residents to live on and expecially help pay the taxes for the city to have the people that run the city way overpaid for this area,but they don't seem to have a conscience for their pay scale of 40 to 50 dollars an hour but want the people that make the city and county to do with a whole lot less. They also have created to many gov. jobs and could run on a far less scale of positions that have been created instead of cutting back when need to. My years here have never seen a cut in jobs at that level of the city of Winchester or Frederick County. They just sit back and raise taxes and utilites to keep their enormous salaries. I have not seen a job filled yet with the stimulas but alot given to out of town businessess that our own could do to make the changes being done.

I think Morris is scared and is on his way out. While Prince may not be the perfect candidate, I think it is time for some new blood to be injected into the Board.

Morris' involvement in the Strasburg Rescue Squad debacle should be evidence of that...

He went along blindly with the rest of the board without a murmur when they voted to close SVRS. Once he found that he made a political miscalculation and misgauged public opinion, he flip-flopped his stance and then became sooo happy that SVRS was reopened.

I hope I am not the only one who can see through all of this....

I know who me, my family, and friends are going to vote for... or more importantly AREN'T going to vote for.

Mr. King appears to lack the knowledge he needs to stay in his current position. He didn't even know the proper title of an agency he thinks he should take control of. How much more money is the county going to allow Mr. King to waste and not know where it is going?

Yesterday, he held a staff meeting where he told staffers there would be layoffs and possible terminations coming due to the budget cuts.

If you go to DSS doors after 4 p.m. you will find the doors locked. It is my understand that Mr. King has also instructed his staff to closed DSS doors at 4 p.m. so his clerical staff could get caught up on paperwork. Isn't this denying services to the public? Did he get DSS board approval to lock the doors at 4 p.m.?

There is more to this than meets the eye. I question DSS Director King's motivation to absorb the Comprehensive Services Act responsibilities within his agency.

The Springsted Study reported disputes between DSS Director King and virtually everyone else associated with the Comprehensive Services Act team, including the members of the Community Planning Management Team, the members of the Family Assessment and Planning Team, and the Finance Department. See page 18 of the Springsted Report, available on the Warren County website.

The Board of Supervisors should investigate whether or not these efforts by Mr. King represent an act of retribution and/or retaliation as a result of interpersonal disputes with members of CSA, CPMT, FAPT, and the Finance Department.

Before DSS employees suffer loss of income due to layoffs or furloughs, King should cut discretionary costs such as his "luxury company car" and return to using the DSS motor pool vehicles. His DSS credit card records need to be audited as well as his use of taxpayer money in other endeavors.

In the executive corporate world, King would have been gone a long time ago. Why does Warren County continue to suffer?

Page 18 of the Springsted Report:
It is evident from the review of CPMT meeting minutes and relevant correspondence that there have been some disagreements in the past regarding the role, responsibilities and authority of the CSA Coordinator in the performance of daily job functions. It is further evident that there have been disputes between the Director of Social Services, the Director of Finance, the CPMT team members, the Family Assessment and Planning Team (FAPT) team members, and the CSA Coordinator regarding the interpretation of CSA program policy as well as disputes
regarding the authority to make decisions in CSA and CPMT matters.

I would like to know why the police did not notify anyone living near the robbery where informed of this situation. What if he had tried to rob or hide out in one of the houses close by?

It seems unfortunate to me, that many times people speak or write their opinions, based simply on what they read.

The one thing that was never mentioned, is the fact that Mr. Nolan was a Dad. He has two young children, whose lives have been forever changed, by the senseless acts of one man.

Mr. Nolan was not a criminal, he was Bipolar. Sadly, there were no attempts made to protect Mr. Nolan's rights or safety. Mr. Nolan was beaten and gunned down like an animal.

I pray that the nightmares, and pain that the Nolan family have, will go away at some point.

Are you kidding me? 30 years with all but 2 suspended, and if convicted in Shenandoah County a concurrent sentence. This is ridiculous.

HISTORIC DISTRICK IS NOT WANTED by those most effected. Citizens are not being listened too by their Governing Body in Middletown.
According to successful municipalities that have instituted "Historic overlay Districts" it all begins at the local neighborhood level. Property owners of the proposed district hold meetings to determine districk boundaries and to design guidelines but NOT in Middletown.
51% of the property owners within a given district must sign a petition stating that they are in favor of the creation of a Historic Districk.

Our real estate taxes are very reasonable and by comparison are low. The Supervisors only make changes when they must to meet our needs. They are residents here too.

I want all of those who teach or enforce the law, those who remain postured to rescue us or who maintain our infrastructure or provide services to be paid well and have quality supplies to perform their duties.

I want the funding available to modernize existing or construct new facilities as needed (and this only benefits our county contractors and suppliers as well). All of the aforementioned equates to most of our money staying at home anyway.

I work out of town and pay a real estate tax that is well above average if not one of the highest. When I come home I don't want to see anything in disrepair or hear that a civil servant lost his or her job. I don't want to hear that our school system's state or national test scores have dropped...and I surely don't want any of our rescue personnel or our sheriffs hurt because they were ill-equiped or outgunned (I would also write that I don't want to hear that crime is on the rise but I know that our sheriffs/Sheriff Carter won't allow that).

Raise my real estate tax if thats what is needed so long as all else has been examined for frugality and efficiency first, which I believe is the case.

Tear them down, I agree with Mr. Stother...Its about the future not the past...They r eye sores.

As Prince Hamlet said,"Something is rotten in the state of Denmark."

Instead of spending money on stabilization, tear them down and use the money to build modern buildings that are historically accurate. Recycle the brick and wood and use it in the new buildings.

The only ones that want the historic disctrict is the new comers to Middletown, some being antiquic store owners, like the Mayor that was not voted in. There are things happening in the town hall that are not for the majority. Middletown residence best get a back bone or you all might reget it. Donna Gum did nothing wrong, they just needed to get someone in that position that they could keep under thier influence. They are making it like they had a reason to dismiss the Treasurer. I'm sure they are personal reasons, not buisness reasons. At one point they don't need a full time teasurer and the next they do. Do they have a clue?

With the dissolution and dismissal of the current DSS Board followed with its replacement by an effective single entity administrator or an advisory group, one from each voting or magisterial district, the Warren County Board of Supervisors will reach the half way mile-marker on the way to improving DSS.

The second half of this process will include a forensic financial audit to discover what happened to ALL Warren County taxpayer money handed over to DSS. This audit will also investigate alleged employment and benefits awarded to family, relatives, and associates of DSS Board members and determine if Director King was a willing participant.

Thank you Mr. White for speaking out!

Should we remove the concept of a local board, or should we remove the stagnant board members who do nothing but place their rubber stamp of approval on everything?

According to Mr. White this agency [DSS and the Board] has been in shambles for the past two years. Let me make an observation, it's been a lot longer than two years, considering Mr. Tony Carter was sitting on the board, most likely doing absolutely nothing! And the scary thing is, he's going to be re-elected as a Board of Supervisor.

Mr. Grahams Kool-Aid tastes funny for two reasons.

First, he has fallen victim to Murphy's First Law of Economic Policy which states in part, "Economists have the least influence on policy where they know the most and are most agreed."

Second, with regard to stimulus package benefits to the country, Mr. Graham has taken an oath to the Republican Party to support all Republicans no matter who they were or what they stood for.

Blind loyalty is no substitute for clear headed thinking. Pay heed to the genuine Shenandoah County residents grass roots tax protest. (See article in today's issue.)

Tax revenues from all sources are down. Don't spend it if you don't got it and don't raise taxes to get it.

Woodstock resident. Single mom of three. Own a home with a mortgage for more than it's worth. Now my tax assessment is more than my resent appraisal. Don't tell me this is right. Would happily move from this town I once loved but can't afford too. So your stuck with me. See you at the polls.

Was anyone there that knows anything about planning? No, according to the quotes. The Supervisors were not there, like thousands of others, because there is nothing upon us to protest.

My assessment didn't go up enough at 8%, which is basically nothing, since it was so low to begin with.

Considering recent events (Brendan Barker), do you really think this is the best title for this article?

Well good for you. Maybe you'd like to pay the 22% mine went up. Maybe if the planners wanted to inform the citizens they could have shown up and explained why there was such an increase when every street you drive on in this county has houses that have been empty for months. I always thought demand drove prices up, not the need for revenue.

Whooppee, I don't understand your second paragraph, but surprise! I must agree with your assessment in the third and fourth. However, I don't understand your intense dislike of the "TEA party" grass root protesters when you obviously agree with the main points being made. We agree with you, "Don't spend it if you don't got it and don't raise taxes to get it."
I wish you would come to the TEA party rally set for October 31st in Front Royal and give an informed opinion of what you hear. While you won't agree with everything (who does) I think you might be surprised...and I promise not to bring a tin foil hat.

All of this is incredulous! Mr. Gilbert, from what I just read, it seems that deperation was YOUR motivation in all of this. At the very least, this is highly unethical if not down right criminal!

I have a wonderful idea! Wouldn't it be fantastic and highly unusual for 2 or more people to run for office using an ethical, decent, compassionate, and yes, intelligent campaign and the best man or woman won based solely on merit?

Candidates anymore stoop so low in their bid to win an election that it makes one wonder if they don't troll the seedy parts of a town or city to find these candidates. I know it's just a pipe dream, but an honest, MATURE, hard working, intelligent people person is what I look for as an ideal candidate. I guess that means I won't be voting for either Mr. Lesinski or Mr. Gilbert.

The picture caption says: "Tim Ratigan talks about a Freedom Day Rally Event held on July 4 in Front Royal in June."

If the rally was held on July 4, how could that be in June?

Doesn't anybody read what they type? If you read it like it's typed, it's not very clear.

It should say something like: to be held July 4 or back in June.

Writers for newspapers these days!!!

For someone with nothing to hide Delegate Gilbert is trying hard to hide something. Shame on him!!!

Citizens have become weary of electioneering wars, attacking opponents with the vilest of accusations, feebly clinging to their last levers of power, blissfully oblivious to the new America that is crashing down on their heads and reducing their juvenile antics to a sideshow as ridiculous as it is obsolete.

While I would prefer to have the option of a third party candidate in this race it's been obvious to me that Mr. Lesinski has been running a total campaign of lies...at least with his mailers. I actually was ready to go out and campaign for Mr. Gilbert after the last mailer went out, it was so full of lies. I'd prefer a new candidate (I think two terms is enough) but as it is Mr. Lesinski has not given fiscally conservative voters ANY reason to vote for him. I have been waiting for details of his plan and all I've read is vague plans and out right lies. I truly hope next time there will be another choice besides a democrat and republican, honestly I'm sick of both of them, but for the sake of our state and country's fiscal health I will be voting for Mr. Gilbert.

I'm afraid that no matter how many candidates we have running, it will still boil down to which liar to believe and which are the lesser of the
2 + evils to elect. Sad, but true I guess!

Are integrity and honesty a lost art or is it that it never really existed on the political front?

Not sure where Mr. Lesinski's opponent "heard" he has a nasty temper and can come unglued. I worked with John Lesinski for six years in the commercial real estate industry and have sought his counsel many times since then. When my own temper got out of hand and I thought I might come unglued, I could always rely on the guy in the organization who was the most thoughtful, level-headed and even-tempered gentleman among all of us - John Lesinski. I know John not only as a friend, but an admired individual who has served his community and country well. Don't believe the rumors.

Mr. Gilbert's assertions that John Lesinski is quick-tempered are a laugh riot! It would be funny if not so sad. If Mr. Gilbert would lie about this, I wonder what other stuff he's been lying about to you, his constituents. I probably know John better than anyone besides his family. He is one of the most friendly, patient, intelligent, patriotic, thoughtful, and generous people I know. I worked with John for more than 20 years. I took a significant pay cut to follow him to another company, just so I could continue working with him. I cried when John left my company to move from Northern Virginia to his current home. He wanted to live, work and serve there because your area of Virginia so much better reflects his values (family, patriotism, ethics...). I have always voted Republican, but if I could I would certainly vote for John because I trust him implicitly. And he's such a gentleman. It truly is your loss if he is not your next Delegate.

I can not believe that we have a candidate that is crying foul over something petty as this. Obviously Mr. Lesinski is on the same playing field if he is planting trolls on Mr. Gilberts facebook site. It is obvious who the trolls are, all you need to do is read the posts there.

This mailer was being sent out to the public as a campaign flier, it isn't as if it was confidential information. I think Mr. Lesinski should focus on what he is going to do if he gets elected instead of crying foul over minor things. Is this what he will do if he is elected? We need someone like Mr. Gilbert to take a stand on things, not act like a cry baby.

I'm not sure how Mr. Gilbert got this flier in advance, but maybe, just maybe someone in his own campaign isn't honest and sent the information to Mr. Giblert trying to make him look bad, so Mr. Lesinski can cry to the press that he is being treated unfairly.

I also find it interesting that Mr. Lesinski mailed this flier from Harrisonburg. Why not mail it from one of the jursidications you would be representing? I believe that the postal services bases funding and employment on actual mail counts. If that is so, that flier you just sent out could have boosted a jurisdiction in your area, but I guess creating jobs isn't too important to Mr. Lesinski.

My vote will still go to Mr. Giblert, as he has stood his ground on things that I feel need to be addressed, like outrageous government spending. In addition, he has been there when local issues arise that needed to be addressed. It will take a lot more of this grade school behavior to get me to change my vote.

"crying foul over something petty as this"

that's why they call it petty LARCENY

This is good thing for a town that can produce job opportunities and lessen the cost of electricity and at the same time prevent from worsening the pollution. Compared to other countries that they try to switch plans to produce electricity through Coal Fired Powered plant which is in my opinion, a man-made geothermal source of energy as it imitate the production of heat to electricity but with unsure consequences as others say it results to some environmental issues.

I have known John for the better part of two decades, having served with him in the Marine Corps during that period. In all that time, I have never seen anything that could remotely be termed a bad temper. On the contrary, he's always demonstated himself a thoughtful, level-headed professional in what is often a stressful and high-stakes environment that tests one's character to the maximum. Any suggestion of him being prone to over-reaction is rubbish. Indeed, he's the kind of guy you can count on when the chips are down, as he's proven when I've found myself in some tough situations. Bottom line--he's a good man whom I'm proud to know.

Is this the same Tim Ratigan who is the Warren County Republican Party chairman for the North River District? That's what it says on the Warren County Republican Committee website.

Is this the same Tim Ratigan who was the cheerleader for the phony "grassroots inspired" Front Royal Tea Party? That's what it said in the newspapers.

Is this the same Kim Bishop who organized the phony "grassroots" Strasburg Tea Party? Will she offer Ratigan one of her Tin Foil Hats to wear or will Ratigan bring his own?

Are these folks still dragging around all that bogus Tea Party baggage, still begging the Tin Foil Hats to support their agenda? That's what it says on the Tea Party website amidst generous and numerous displays of the American Flag. Wrapping oneself in the flag is far removed from being patriotic.

On a good day, the far right or the far left might inspire 20 per cent of the population to jump up and down, waving their arms in the air, but always remember, to enjoy power in a democracy, you need 50 per cent plus one.

Historically, lunatic fringes never seem to reach 20 per cent of the population. Paraphrasing the declining rock group Spinal Tap, their volume goes all the way to eleven.

Obviously he doesnt live in the neighborhood. The roads are awful! I'm wondering who is going to pay for my front in alignment thanks to the pot holes that are all over our neighborhood. I know in the end it will look nice but totally destroying our roads and leaving it like that through winter was not a good game plan! What happiens when it snows and they plow??? I'll tell you its only going to get worse then what it already is!!!!!

The county taxes we pay are also passed on to City Taxes if you live in a city. The assessments have been done about every 2 years. Who is responsible for ordering these assessments and if able we should gather together and vote this individual out. Soon we will be taxed out of our homes. Even if we think we will own our homes some day, we only rent because of taxes on our payed off homes!!! Something needs to be done about these reassessments. During Obama's campaign, he said that no one under $250,000 would see a raise in taxes; this didn't refer to local (State,County and City) taxes and now we are getting hit in the trenches where we live. We are paying for new buildings, landscaping, etc, that the state, county, and cities "think" are necessary. State, County, and Town coucels have forgotten that there is a financial crisis nation wide and they need to dictate tax money wisely and for crucial needs only!!! Thank you.

Virginians who care about education should definitely NOT vote for McDonnel. He is the one who will take money away from our children to repair and build roads in No. Virginia! That is all he talks about; how he grew up in No. Virginia and will help with transportation there!! I don't give a hoot about that!! I care about the education of our children and issues affecting the small rural areas! Deeds is the person who is looking out for the small man; don't let McDonnel fool you with all of his rhetoric!! Vote Creigh Deeds on Nov. 3 if you want Virginia to move in the right direction!!

I think being a school board member and then having a famiy member as a teacher gives the appearance of a conflict on interest.

"In my opinion, that is not the place for recreation," said Carl Rinker.

Translation = We can't bring in any tax revenue from a park. We need to build something there.

That area has been used for recreation for decades, now all the sudden it is unsuitable? God forbid they leave some open space in this town.

How about if they worry about getting someone to do something with that debocle they call Cedar Valley or any of the other sites in town that have been cleared and left like barren wasteland before worrying about where they can send the bulldozers next.

The point of public relations slogans like "Call To Action" is that they don't mean anything... That's the whole point of good propaganda. You want to create a slogan that nobody's going to be against, and everybody's going to be for. Nobody knows what it means, because it doesn't mean anything. Its crucial value is that it diverts your attention from a question that does mean something: Do you support our policy? That's the one you're not allowed to talk about.

No, Mr. Ratigan, I do not support your phony baloney "Call To Action" any more than I supported your phony baloney grass roots Tea Party. You want a grass roots reaction, look to the residents of Shenandoah County who protest real estate assessments.

"(the area) is also exposed to the noise and smell from traffic on I-81."

I have traveled on I-81 hundreds of times, but never noticed a distinctive stench. I would have to agree with the town planners that the proximity to the highway and railroad make the property highly suitable for industry, but why not just be straight forward and say that, instead of making up excuses?

I'm all for keeping parts of Strasburg natural, but the triangle has been set aside for industrial use for longer than I've been here. Strasburg has a beautiful park and honestly the Island Farm would make a much better place for out door, even indoor activities. However the town went against the old comprehensive plan and rezoned it for homes.

Whether you like it or not, Strasburg needs another tax base besides homes. No one is going to be able to afford to live here unless something changes. Hopefully, this planning commission and Town Council can lure industry into our town. I learned long ago that the comprehensive plan makes no difference to a council's decisions. They do what they want. The triangle should be used for industry, not recreation but never fear a future council may choose to ignore the industrial use and turn it into a park anyway.

Tess, why do you think your protest is more grass roots than the TEA party?

Whooppee, sticks and stones. It's about time you grew up and learned to play nicely. After all, what have we ever done to you?

While solar power as an energy option would be great in this area, the people of Front Royal need to be very wary when the words, "I don't know what's confidential and not" come into the picture from Council Members in conjunction with a new building project.

The most important thing I learned from the meeting is that the Board has the POWER to refuse the entire reassessment. Since we have less than 50,000 people in the county Virginia law says a reassessment must be done at least every 6 years. The choice of time the board has set is their own. These reassessments do not seem to be based in reality.

They can throw out this new assessment and if the board really has the best interests of the citizens at heart they will do so.

Ms. Bishop,
Your question to Ms. Stickels is an easy one to answer; You and Ratigan are seeking publicity by performing an organized P.R. stunt to promote Republican Party principles. The citizens of Shenandoah assembled before their locally elected supervisors and made their presentation for redress. They did not seek publicity; it found them. It was spontaneous self-recruitment for a common cause.

Ratigan and you are best characterized as a carnival sideshow intending to generate attention for national political purposes. In short, it is a wacky GOP recruitment drive to replace lost membership.

In Woodstock, everyday citizens came together, motivated by a spontaneous empathy towards one of their own to accomplish a common goal shared by each who will then return to their lives free of political encumbrances. They did it for themselves.

Your efforts to do good for the benefit of the community are becoming lost in a masquerade of deception, misdirection, and outright distortion. A core tactic of any wing-nut brigade is misrepresentation.

What do I mean by misrepresentation? Well, if I gave you a thumbs up signal you would mischaracterize it as a one finger salute.

Hmmm, not a bad idea given the circumstances.

Stick to your guns folks -
Those assessments are rediculous. The key now is to get them to lower your tax rates in reply.

They SHOULD be taking those assessments, looking at the overall budget needs and cuts, and if NO ADDITIONAL money is needed to pay for the budget - your tax rate should be LOWERED to keep them from collecting too high of a surplus of un-needed tax revenue.

Make sense? You want to have a say in all this? Just check the budget and make sure they are spending your money wisely. If you tie their hands and they can only collect from you what the voted budget needs, then these higher assessments won't mean a thing - since they will HAVE to lower your TAX RATE!

It's amazing to me to be called a GOP recruiter, when I actually had Republican candidates refuse to come to the Strasburg TEA party because I wouldn't let them speak, because it wasn't meant to be a partisan event. Think what you will, but you are so blinded by hatred of anyone who disagrees with you, you simply don't look at the facts. My speech that is planned for tomorrow will be encouraging people to leave the two parties and vote for people who actually stand for Constitutional principles. You will never believe it, because you will refuse to do your homework. Shame on you for propogating lies. What Mr. Ratigan does is his business, but I am NOT in league with Republicans. Once again, you need to grow up learn to play nice with others. Good day.

Do you really believe this guy is John Hinkley?

If you do, we'll be hearing from him again in about 20 years when he kills again.

I urge the citizens of Shenandoah County to call the number on your reassessment notice to schedule an appointment if you feel your assessment is not correct.

I was there last night and I don't blame the Supervisors for sending out these erroneous assessments. Who is in the county goverment office who did not question the assessment's validity? It should have been questioned before ever being mailed out to the public when they saw the increases and analyzed the figures given by the appraisal group.

Please make your concerns known!

Can anyone fathom our Supervisors paying over $400,000 of our money for a flawed reassessment -- a reassessment that showed huge property value increases over a period of declining real estate values? Absurd.
Great turnout at the protest meeting. We all know the reassessment was an underhanded way of ultimately raising our taxes to pay for the recent capital expenditures we do not want or need.
We must persist until the Supervisors reject this reassessment for what is: flawed, and an underhanded attempt to raise our taxes.

Please examine and compare the assessments of industrial/commercial properties against the assessments of residential properties.

As an example, if residential assessments went up 100% and industrial/commercial assessments went up 75% and the same tax rate is applied to both reassessments, industrial/commercial property owners tax bills were lowered; homeowners tax bills went up, business owners tax bills went down.

It seems this young man is displaying the effects of being caged, with nothing to do but think about what he has done. Most people would be delusional if they had committed such an act. If our system lets this case slip by because the lack of competency. It will be a terrible injustice.

I too attended the meeting Thursday evening and found out I was not the only person in the county whose properties appraised value had increased by more than 71%. It seems that the largest increases were on farm lands. These are the properties the counties need to help protect. It is to a point where the small farmer has to work a full time job to support the rising cost of operating a farm.
The county should look at reducing or eliminating the taxes on real state a person owns after they turn 65. Most retirees have to live on a fixed income and if they are a farmer all they may have is social security. This is barely enough to buy groceries not to mention the high cost of medication. If the taxes are too high to be paid the farm has no recourse but to sell. It is time for the elected officials to do what they were elected to do. Look out for the best interest of the people of Shenandoah County.
After listening to our elected officials last night I have concluded we do need a change. Please get out and vote!

Sorry to hear this is happening so far out from the beltway... Born and raised in Loudoun and moved to Stephens City a few years ago. Not sure how far you have to run to get away from unjust taxing. But I know I have not made it far enough. Keep fighting guys. Loudoun couldn't fight it but maybe you can...

Polls suggest the events promoted as tea parties have had little or no effect on changing public opinion to favor Republican positions on any issue, whether it be taxes, economy, health care, or foreign policy. Replace civility with acrimony and your supporter base shrinks to the hard core true believers, the ones wearing the tin foil hats and the far away gaze.

The tactics of aggrandizement of flawed minority ideologies using obstructionism, coupled with obfuscation by lying and misrepresentation, has proven to be a poorly planned, infantile strategy. Rejection of these tactics is widespread. Acceptance is limited when the proponents preach to the choir. By default, these like-minded supporters have become the only audience enjoying the spoon fed, vitriolic, fact free propaganda.

Tin foil hat folks will not embrace any idea, including their own, if it seems politically more attractive to scream ‘socialist’ at their adversaries. Considering what Republicans have to offer, people have left the party, (myself included) leaving behind not a pragmatic coalition but a group of ideological naysayers who are against universal health care, immigration reform, and renewable energy. When your side of the ideological debate lacks substance, you can not regain lost ground by obnoxiously yelling louder.

once again, the town is working with their eyes closed.Every project that would be beneficial (to the citizens of Warren County and the Town ) seems to get bogged down by power plays by a few. Who in their right mind turns down jobs and potential revenue in this economy? My family bought a home here in 1993, with the hope of seeing a 66 interchange, along with the development that comes with it, the widening of Happy Creek Rd and other improvements. My husband is being laid off on the 7th of Nov, and my jobs ends on the 13th. WE NEED JOBS IN THIS COUNTY. PERHAPS EVERYTHING ASSOCIATED WITH THIS PROJECT SHOULD GO PUBLIC AND ALL CORRESPONDENCE ASSOCIATED WITH SAME SHOULD BE PUBLISHED. And as to the towns reaction to a private company merger that they were not advised of the pending deal, get over it. My boss did not ask me if i cared if the business was sold .

Mr. Carter, when something is given to you in closed session, there is a reason. It's to be kept confidential! Or was this an illegal closed session to begin with?

Carter again? Always trying so desperately to be "a somebody".

Okay, I'll say it: "Cuter than a bug."

I am surprised that Ed Joslin was surprised that there were no kids or grandkids at this rally. Quite frankly, I wouldn't take my kids or grandkids to something like that. One can never trust that it will be a civil gathering nor can one trust that the language is appropriate for kids. Kids are best left out of this.

Oops. I'd forgotten how close the 150th anniversary was. Looks like a trip to the attic. By Spring of 2011, the mothball smell should be dissipated.

"...standing like a stonewall. Rally behind the Virginians, boys!"

I'm surprised this group was not around sooner.
We really needed a group like this to voice their opinions when the last administration was in office. A record national deficit, horrible foreign policy, a homeland security embarrassment (katrina), a ridiculously named and unconstitutional "patriot-act", a failing economy, a falling dollar, record oil prices, and the most unpopular administration in the history of our great country. All while invading a country to search for the WMD's that posed an imminent threat to our borders, which (oops) turned out to not really be there in the first place.
Thank goodness this group has come to action NOW, when we need them the most.

Ratigan is a farce attempting to create a cult of far right wing followers eager to eat their own by pushing the same tired old rhetoric expected from evangelical cultists against everything. Who really controls the Republican Party? Is grass roots anger now the driving force in politics? Is this a wise winning strategy for Republicans? At 11:15, I counted 39 people watching Ratigan read his boiler plate speech that was filled with "sacred" this and "sacred" that, followed by Kim Bishop who wants her god in charge of everything, including "un-teaching public school lies" followed by Suzzanne Curran who began her speech with "Hey, Christians". I thought folks landed at Pilgrim Rock to escape religious persecution in England. Our Constitution guarantees freedom of religion, speech, and separation of church and state. According to Ratigan, Bishop, and Curran, if there is going to be a god in charge of everything, why can't it be my god and not their god? Can you feel me?

YUK! I think I'm gonna be sick.

Ratigan wants to reorganize the village to suit the village idiots?

I'd love to know where in the Constitution Min Gent finds the words "separation of church and state". It was actually Mr. Jefferson who uttered those words, of course he meant that Government should let people worship as they pleased, not that God had no place in government.
Jefferson declared that religion is deemed in other countries incompatible with good government and yet proved by our experience to be its best support.
However you may take Jefferson's faith, he very much believed that God should be in government, schools and life, and most of our other Founding Fathers specifically called ours a Christian Nation. So sad that the facts upset you, but they are what they are.
"The only foundation for useful education in a repubic is to be laid in religion." THOMAS JEFFERSON.
"God who gave us life gave us liberty. And can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are the Gift of God?" THOMAS JEFFERSON
"We have staked the whole future of American civilization, not upon the power of government, far from it. We have staked the future of all of our political institutions upon the capacity of each and all of us to govern ourselves, to control ourselves, to sustain ourselves according to the Ten Commandments of God." JAMES MADISON
If we don't start teaching our children that they are more than animals, created by God and more than the collective our way of life will vanish, so yes anyone out there please "un-teach" your children the lies of the public education system.

"The Republic is not dead."

Really? Because all of those gravestones they surrounded themselves with would suggest otherwise. That might also explain the lack of children in attendance.

I have been to five of these events, including two in Front Royal, and the one in D.C. I have yet to see anything but a civil gathering. These are law abiding citizens who simply want our country to adhere to the constitution and regain our freedoms that it guarantees. They also want our government to stop spending us and our children and grandchildren in to poverty. If I had children, I would have taken them, and they would have not heard bad language, or seen anything except a peaceful gathering. In fact, children likely hear and see much worse at school and elsewhere.

Kim Bishop is 100% correct in her comments about God (not "god") and the statements our founding fathers made concerning the necessity of God in government.

Hey Bishop:
The same Constitution that gives you the right to peaceably assemble in the Warren County Government Center parking lot also gives the rest of us (ok, and you too) freedom to practice our religion. Convenient of you to forget these small details when it suits you.

First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution:
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

The 13th Amendment abolished slavery. Didn't Thomas Jefferson own slaves? Jefferson was a mere mortal and wasn't infallible after all? Surprise, surprise!

"so yes anyone out there please "un-teach" your children the lies of the public education system."

although as an anti-socialist, I am sure you send your kids to private school right?

Furthermore, I am confident that Berkley Pearson avoids the socialist-stigma of hunting on public land, which is clearly a socialist value. What's next? Public apple groves?

Far be it from me to jump on any side of this, but this is what I know.

At least they are doing something. If we are not satisfied with how things are, we must make our voice heard. Maybe they don't speak for you, or me, but they have a right to be heard.

Our leadership has forgotten their purpose. From the Board of Supevisors to Congress, no one is hearing whats being said. Disagree with them, sure, but realize that without people like them (willing to speak out) we would be under the rule of a tyranical government.

Well, I am not one that typically finds myself on the side that Ms. Bishop is on, but here's how I feel about this...

With regard to religion, the Founding Fathers seemed pretty clear that they took no issue with our nation being a Christian nation. The difference between us and where we came from was supposed to be that we wouldn't persecute anyone for differing religious views and for the most part we've held true to that as a nation.

Now I am certainly of a more liberal mindset than Kim (you don't mind me calling you Kim, right? ;) ),so as far as schools are concerned I offer a bit more leeway with my views.

I'd have no problem removing reference to God and prayer and such from our schools IF we could somehow keep from losing the core values that religion teaches us from our schools and children.

I it too big of a coincidence that our society and our youth have lost their moral compasses in almost complete unison with this "War against Christianity" that is seemingly being waged in this country.

On almost any other topic I would probably find myself at odds with this "Call for Action America" group, but not on this one...

Your always welcome to call me Kim, Irishman. You're one of the few who have ever taken the time to have a civil discourse with me, even though we often disagree. I appreciate your words of support (at least on this issue). ;) I'm sure we'll have many more opportunities to disagree in the future.

blessings

AMEN!!!!

Bishop stated she wanted children to unlearn "public school lies". Does Bishop want the science curriculum in public schools to be written in deference to religious beliefs? Does Bishop quarrel with modern biologists, geologists, astronomers, paleontologists, and chemists? I dare say she has no quarrel with math, language, literature or phys Ed.

If Bishop insists that life is the creation of a god, not the happenstance consequence of random occurrences, what do we do when man creates life in a test tube? Does he become a god?

Hello,
This city and county will never have enough monie to run because of the outrageous salaries
they are paid and still want more by given raises this year to the Mayor and council and over paid cilty attorney and then a new incoming city manager must have a raise to put them in good with the city council that runs the town.
Everyone's else pay frozen that auctually work and not just sit for their money.
By the way my average water bill in the county
is $125 for a family of 2.
Tell me i am supporting my leaders to have a better living for no work..

Min Gent,

I would like science books to give both arguments about creation, uniformitarianism and catastrophism. Modern biologists, geologists, and paleontologists are questioning many of Darwin's conclusions and since Science is always changing, always being questioned (by experimentation) why are public school science books stuck in the theories of the past. Darwinian evolution has never been proved into law and is actually being disproved often.
Man has never created life in a test tube, they have simply taken the building blocks of life and combined them outside of the natural order of things. I'm not afraid of teaching my children evolution, I have given them both arguments and it will be up to them to decide what they believe. Do you believe in only indoctrination? I believe school should be about giving facts and letting people decide on their own, but the public schools do not offer differing opinion.

I'd like to know how you judge right from wrong, Min Gent, if you don't believe in a higher power. Where does you morality come from or do you have none. Do you consider murder, suicide, theft, rape, child molestation or any other criminal activity wrong? If we are just a bunch of random happenstances who's to say what is right or wrong or that anything is wrong. There must be something more than ourselves otherwise we are no better than animals and should behave as such. Awaiting your reply.

Why the heck is Liquor still Legal..???? Pot is not legal .!! BUT how many people have been killed by smoking . I feel bad for this young man's family. Just a thought..

It just goes to show what an ignorant and unenlightened electorate we live in. The Shenandoah Valley deserves the backward governance it will get.

This election confirms once again what I long have suspected, and that is that the average intelligence of the electorate in the Shenandoah Valley simply isn't very high.

I am still a little bit confused about this loitering issue. Why do the gazebo and adjacent benches even exist, if not for the purpose of "loitering"? Are there posted time limits helping people understand how long they are welcome to hang out downtown? And do the volunteers receive any type of training? Is there any consistency as to what is considered "profanity" and what are protected forms of free speech? Is there any evidence to support the belief that kids are openly using drugs on main street, right next to the police station? It almost sounds like the local business owners want to keep the local population hidden so that the main street can be reserved exclusively for the use of out-of-town tourists with deeper pockets and nicer clothing.

These are just a few questions that come to mind.

Well, the Virginia Taliban won - looks like the Commonwealth is in for a hard few years. The people of the "Valley" will get more of what they voted for - low employment and low wages. They deserve it.

OK,I understand that the young people can be a nuisance, but you have to look on the other hand.There is no real rec center or teen center/club for them to go.When i was growing up we had a teen club held out of an old church , it was the best u could play basket ball, pool , board games, listen to music and dance Why not create a place for them to go to for a few hours an hang out with there friends and it should be founded by down town business owners . .

What a bunch of hypocrites. Maybe if the Democratic Pary would have put up some decent nominiees they would of had a chance. I guess you three are no different than the morons on the right that put bumper stickers on that read "Nobama" or One Big A-- Mistake America. Aren't you proud?