Harrisonburg Blogs

Augusta County said yes to a $2 million sports park that includes a controversial motorcross track.

The board of zoning appeals granted a permit for the complex, which will be located behind the Pilot Travel Center off Route 11 near Greenville. Plans call for an indoor skate park, climbing walls and paintball arenas as well as BMX and motorcross racing. That drew sharp criticism from neighbors who said the noise would be like listening to chainsaws for hours on end every weekend.

"The sound may be within the decibel limit. But it's the nature of the sound. It's a whining up and down...it's something that catches your attention...it's very different from the interstate. This is not a white noise," said Richard Falls, who opposes the complex.

Sports park co-developer Terry Argenbright said, "It's not about motorcross, it's not about skate park. It's about providing for the families at large, where everybody is welcome and everybody gets to participate."

Zoning board members voted 4 to 1 in favor of the sports park, saying developers took great pains to minimize traffic noise.

This weekend dozens of folks are strapping on helmets, and taking part in the 14th annual Tour De Burg.

Thursday night cyclist hit a five mile race on Rocktown Trail, at Hillandale Park which was just a timed trial.

Participants will spend the next two days hitting some of the valley's most unique and challenging trails.
Cyclists are looking forward to seeing more pedal pushers around town, and not just for the event.
"We'd also like to see more bike lanes, and more roads that are friendly, but more trails are a great thing as well," says
Mike Carpenter, the director of the event.

A number of rider say the event is also good for camaraderie, your health, and the enviroment.
The fun continues through Sunday

The Harrisonburg Community Health Center is converting paper records to electronic. They're using a program called "e-clinical works"

Handwritten forms from old visits are scanned into the program, and new visits will be typed in. The program even allows a doctor to speak using voice recognition software, which converts words into text.

Doctors will no longer have to deal with poor handwriting, either. The center's director Dr. Jonathan Moss says it's more efficient than the paper system.

"We can pull up a patient's name and then go to what they call the patient hub, and it's one screen that has everything about the patient on it," says Dr. Moss

The Community Health Center hope to have all their patient record moved to the new electronic system by the end of the year.

Workers at the Frederick County Landfill were surprised by what they found in a large trash bin trucked in from a Goodwill Industries store: a woman who had apparently gotten trapped.

"They opened the door and she got out," said landfill manager Ron Kimble.

Maj. Robert Eckman of the Frederick County Sheriff's Office said the 48-year-old Boyce woman crawled into the bin at the Winchester store sometime BWednesday night, couldn't get out, and fell asleep.

A truck picked up the bin just after 8 a.m. Thursday and hauled it,
along with the unwitting passenger, to the dump.

An Elkton man was in fair condition at the University of Virginia Medical Center Thursday after a motorcycle wreck sent him flying off the road.

Cecil James Watts Jr., 49, was driving his 2007 Honda Shadow west toward Harrisonburg on U.S. 33 at about 7:30 a.m., when he hit a block of wood in the road, police said.

"The car in front of him ran over it but he wasn't able to see it coming," said 1st Sgt. Bryan Hutcheson with the Virginia State Police.

Watts slid for more than 200 feet and was thrown from the bike, police said. He was airlifted to U.Va. with serious but not life-threatening injuries.

Watts was wearing a helmet and speed was not a factor in the crash, Hutcheson said. He will not be charged.

Del. Matt Lohr, R-Broadway, has hired experienced Republican political operative Peter Foster to engineer his campaign for a third two-year term in the 26th House District.

A native of Chester and a Roanoke College graduate, Foster, 33, began working on Lohr's re-election effort on Wednesday. He is living in Linville.

"He has a solid track record of winning elections in different parts of our commonwealth," Lohr said in a statement, "and he has experience working here in the Valley."

Most recently, Foster was a regional field director for former U.S. Attorney John Brownlee, who unsuccessfully sought the Republican nomination for Virginia attorney general.

In the Shenandoah Valley, Foster was Jill Holtzman Vogel's campaign manager in 2003. That year, Vogel dropped out of the nomination contest in the 27th Senate District, which includes Winchester and Frederick County. Vogel won the seat in 2007.

His other campaigns include the successful runs by former Dels. Tom Bolvin of Fairfax County, Melanie Rapp of York County, Preston Bryant of Lynchburg, and Allen Dudley of Franklin County.

Harrisonburg Democrat Gene Hart is challenging Lohr in the Nov. 3 general election.

The 26th District comprises Harrisonburg and a portion of Rockingham County.

HARRISONBURG - State police attribute a decline in traffic deaths in Virginia to an economy that is slowing travel as well as efforts by authorities that are slowing motorists.

Still, they urge drivers to be careful when hitting the highways this Fourth of July weekend.

According to a report by the Virginia State Police released this week, traffic fatalities throughout the state for 2009 are down by 16 percent when compared to the same time year. As of Monday, a reported 345 people had died in vehicle-related accidents on Virginia's roads, compared to 412 in 2008.

Sgt. Les Tyler, public information officer for the state police in Culpeper, said Thursday that less travel due to higher fuel costs is one factor behind the decline in highway deaths.

"Due to increases in gas prices, there are a reduced number of vehicles on the roadway," Tyler said. "And we've increased our enforcement efforts."

As to how much credit goes to motorists for the lower death totals, Tyler remarked that state police have "done a number" of public-education campaigns to encourage safe driving.

"We would hope that [such campaigns] would also be a contributing factor," he said.

Key Programs

Two programs by state police, Checkpoint Strikeforce and Operation C.A.R.E., will be in force this weekend to promote highway safety.

Checkpoint Strikeforce, a statewide initiative that begins Saturday and runs through Jan. 4, focuses on alcohol-impaired driving by means of sobriety checkpoints and "saturation" patrols.

Operation C.A.R.E., a state-sponsored national program, involves added surveillance by state police on four major holiday weekends: Memorial Day, the Fourth of July, Labor Day and Thanksgiving.

Meanwhile, local police say that while the reduction in highway fatalities is good news, officers will still prepare for the task of keeping crowded roadways safe.

Both Harrisonburg police and Rockingham County sheriff's deputies say they will be on the lookout for intoxicated drivers.

"We'll have a heightened alert for drunk drivers," said Mary Hope-Gangwer, public information officer and crime analyst for the Harrisonburg Police Department.

Lt. C.L. Krech, a patrol officer for the Rockingham County Sheriff's Office, said his department is bracing for drunken drivers and heavier traffic.

"We anticipate more drivers this weekend because we don't think many people will be traveling outside the county," Krech said.

Well, it isn't much of a drop, but it's a drop nevertheless. And just in time for the Fourth of July weekend.

The average price for a regular gallon of gas in Harrisonburg dipped below the $2.50 mark on Wednesday, according to an informal survey of city stations. The drop likely came as a welcome relief to holiday travelers after motorists in the city and across America watched nearly two months of consecutive price increases.

According to AAA's survey of more than 60,000 self-serve stations, the nation's prices averaged $2.63 on Thursday. Just a week ago, drivers nationally paid about 4 cents more for a gallon of gas on average.

The average price of gas began its retreat last week, when crude oil fell below $70 a barrel. That came on the heels of a record 54 consecutive days of fuel price increases, which ended June 22.

That record is nothing compared to last year, however. Crude oil prices hit $147 a barrel last July, sending the price of gas over $4. Still, Wednesday's price for crude is more than double the $32.40-a-barrel low in December.

"Over the past few months, speculation and the weak dollar have been the root cause behind the rise in oil prices, and consequently, the $1-a-gallon increase in gas prices," said Martha Meade, AAA Mid-Atlantic spokeswoman, in a statement. "But speculation can only carry the market so far, especially when the basic fundamentals of supply and demand indicate prices should be moving downward."

By The Numbers

The highest price in the lower 48 states for a gallon of regular was recorded in California, which averaged $2.98, according to AAA. The lowest price was reported in Missouri at $2.42.

In Virginia, prices averaged $2.50, down 5 cents from $2.55, according to the auto association. The average price in Norfolk hovered at $2.48, in Charlottesville at $2.56 and in Roanoke at $2.41.

Virginia's average is still $1.48-a-gallon cheaper than a year ago, when prices hit $3.98.

AAA expects long-distance travel will be moderate for this holiday, down 2.6 percent from 2008. The declining gas prices, however, could prompt more people to make last-minute decisions to hit the road, Meade said.

Contact Heather Bowser at 574-6218 or hbowser@dnronline.com
B

Virginia's Transportation Board approved the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) 2010 fiscal budget last week, including a wide array of cuts across the Commonwealth.

The budget is reducing its 42 rest areas to 23 and closing several residency offices and equipment shops.

Reducing the number rest areas will save the state roughly $9 million.

For the residents here in the Valley, these widespread cuts mean the closure of the I-81 southbound rest area, two miles outside of New Market, and the neighboring Luray residency office.

The New Market rest area is set to close some time after July 1, once the budget becomes active. According to Marshall Barnhill, of the Staunton VDOT office, the exact date of closure has not been released at this point.

New Market officials voiced opposition to the closing of the rest area, according to Town Manager Chris Boies. Boies has concerns on the effects the closing will have on the town.

"It's obviously going to have a negative effect on our water and sewer revenues," he said.

The rest area purchases its water and sewer utilities from the town. The town is also concerned with truckers who may stop, looking for a place to rest.

"Truckers are still going to need a place to stop and with our narrow roads this may create a traffic issue," said Boies. "And to be fair to the truckers, they should have a place to rest."

Boies says once the rest area is closed and issues arise, the town may have to work with VDOT to place signs on I-81 stating that New Market is not trucker-friendly.

As for the Luray residency office, the closure will not take place until 2010.

"As far as we know, we will be notified some time in December of this year, and the closure will occur around March 2010," said Jeff Lineberry, Luray's residency administrator. "Those dates are subject to change, of course."

According to Lineberry, services to Page County will then be handled out of VDOT's Harrisonburg office while Warren and Clarke counties will be handled out of Edinburg.

Two years after a Massanutten Military Academy student fell to his death from his dorm room window, the student's parents are suing the school for $25.3 million.

Noel Patrick Bailey, better known to his family and friends as “Sandy,” died April 20, 2007, suffering multiple injuries to his lungs, neck and skull. Police later ruled his death as a suicide.

A wrongful death suit filed in Shenandoah County Circuit Court by administrator of Bailey's estate, Joseph E. Stevens Jr., claims that MMA officials should have known the devastating effects caused by their expulsion of the popular student athlete. At age 17, Bailey was weeks away from graduation at the time of his death.

The suit also names then-MMA-president Col. Roy F. Zinser Jr., as well as the school's alumni association, board of trustees and several other MMA officials — including Sen. Jill Holtzman Vogel (R-Upperville).

Bailey was expelled after an April 16 fistfight, after another student made a vulgar comment regarding his girlfriend. Prior to that, his record at the school was reasonably clean.

Bailey had enrolled at MMA in April of 2005 as a sophomore. He was known to be a good student and a talented athlete on the football field. In the fall of 2006, he was named Homecoming King.

On April 19, 2007, Bailey had appeared before the school's review board. The board ultimately recommended that Bailey be expelled for his part in the April 16 fistfight.

Upon the board's decision, Commandant Maj. Stephen Mayer contacted Bailey's father, Steven W. Bailey, on April 20 informing him of its recommendation.

Bailey's father then contacted then-President Zinser, asking for leniency in his son's case. As President, only Zinser could make the decision to expel Bailey.

However, the suit states that Zinser refused leniency, specifically citing the tragic Virginia Tech shooting that had occurred just days before.

According to the suit, Bailey's father had asked that school administrators delay informing Bailey of the decision until his family or friends could be there. Once again, Zinser refused, saying that he wanted Bailey off school grounds by that evening.

Zinser left MMA in November of 2008, taking a position as superintendent at Fishburne Military Academy in Waynseboro. Zinser did not return a call for comment for this story.

After speaking with Zinser, Bailey's father spoke again with Mayer. According to the suit he explicitly stated that no one from the school inform Bailey of the board's decision until family friends could arrive.

Mayer told Bailey's father that he would wait until classes were over to tell the student, and that he should “not worry” about his son. The academy had a “tight” procedure for handling such dismissal situations, he said.

Mayer also said he would stay with Sandy, until his friends arrived. However, after informing Bailey of his expulsion shortly before 5 p.m., Mayer left him under the supervision of teacher and adviser Sgt. Major Wayne D. Sharp.

According to the suit, Sharp was “not fit, competent and qualified to have Sandy entrusted to him at this extremely distressing time.”

The suit states that Sharp locked Bailey in his dorm room while he went to look for other cadets to help him pack.

Visibly distressed, Bailey banged on the door and yelled and then “jumped, slipped or fell” from his third-story dorm room window in an escape attempt.

This contradicts the explanation given by MMA's then-communications director Lt. Col. Jim DeLaney on the night of Bailey's death. According to DeLaney's statement Bailey had not been alone at the time and there had been no indication of trouble.

“Someone turned their back and he ran for the window,” DeLaney said. “He didn't say anything to anybody.”

While current interim-Head of MMA, Thomas N. Connors, refused to comment on the litigation earlier this week, he expressed sadness over Bailey's death.

“We are very sorry that this young man died,” said Connors.