David Karaffa, Eve of Election

"The People Have a Choice Here in Augusta. "


David Karaffa and his wife, Katie.

This Tuesday’s election has caught attention in the last week. Many things have been said by me, my opponent, the newspapers, blogs, and emails. Boiled down, the people of Beverley Manor, and three other districts, have a choice here in Augusta. Do we continue with what we have had for the last four years on the Board of Supervisors or do we change direction with new representation.

I am honored to have the endorsement of The News Virginian and of Jim Bailey, Republican Supervisor of the Beverley Manor District from 2001-2007. I have also had the privilege of multiple Volunteer Fire Fighters on my campaign along with Letters to The Editor in both newspapers supporting my bid for supervisor.

I am married to my beautiful wife Katie; we have two children, Grace and Hope. I have a degree in applied sciences from Blue Ridge Community College with a focus in nursing. I am a conservative, and I am running as an Independent for the Board of Supervisors. As an Independent, I am answerable to the people not constrained by party affiliation. I believe in small government, property rights, and government transparency, low taxes, and proper funding for education. I am pro-life and believe in our right to bear arms. If voters are confused about whom the Republican is in this race, it probably stems from the fact that my ideas and principles are directly in line with common sense conservatives. But I am more than that, I think outside the box. I don’t believe in voting as a block or gang, however I do believe in working together for common goals. I believe government has its place in our society and that the role of an elected Representative should be making sure core services are provided responsibly and efficiently, holding down growth of government, and shrinking its intrusion into our lives.

I have many ideas on how we can improve Augusta County. For example, I support immediately beginning a new property assessment and implementing a tax holiday for new small businesses in their first year. I have a proposal on how to lessen the burden of accounting for small business assets, incentives for volunteer fire fighters to increase their ranks, and changing the county budget to a zero based process. I am also in favor of staggering the elections of our Board of Supervisors here in Augusta.

This election is about new ideas and a new direction and an opportunity to put conservative values back on the Board of Supervisors. I ask you, the voter, to take the time between now and tomorrow to research the issues and make an informed decision before coming to the polls.

Thank you.

David A. Karaffa

Candidate Beverley Manor District

www.davidkaraffa.com

Tracy Pyles wants to stagger...........

He does walk with a Conservative swaggerAt Wednesday's Augusta County Board of Supervisors meeting, Pastures District Supervisor Tracy Pyles broached the idea of changing to staggered elections in the county.

Swacgirl covers the story
See more at NewsVirginian

Augusta County: Jean Shrewsbury testifies against law to help taxpayers

Jean Shrewsbury, Commissioner of Revenue, Augusta County,
testifying against a law to help taxpayers.
Photo courtesy of Family Foundation.

After 10,500 taxpayers battled with Augusta County the past year over unfair increases in real estate assessments at a time of financial downturn, it was incredulous to learn that Jean Shrewsbury, Commissioner of Revenue for Augusta County, testified in Richmond against a proposed law that would help lessen the burden on taxpayers.

Thanks to the Family Foundation who provided the following:

... several days ago, HB 570 was before the Senate Finance Committee.

It preceded this infamous bill hearing (you must see this if you haven’t; click here).

This bill, patroned by Delegate Sal Iaquinto (R-84, Virginia Beach) would level the playing field when property owners appeal their often over assessed homes in order to reduce their already overwhelming tax burdens. Besides, if the government has a good case, it will still win. A no-brainer, right? Not!

Currently, and the way it will now remain for at least another year, the homeowner is the equivalent to guilty until proven innocent, and low-income people can’t even afford to hire an appraiser and other expenses required to overcome the burden of proof. (That’s why advocates for low-income families joined us in supporting the bill.)

Tellingly, the bill’s defeat was heavily targeted by a plethora of local governments and associated organizations whose goal is to further government’s prosperity and not that of the family or individual.

One witness favoring the bill exposed their intentions by asking if they would be against this bill would help them overcome an unfair burden against the homeowner.

Be sure to watch the video.

Citizens become frustrated when government does not listen to them as we saw in Washington when 1.2 million marched on 9/12/09 against government-mandated health care, and in Augusta County in March 2009 when 1,000 taxpayers turned out for a Board of Supervisors meeting to protest high real estate assessments.

A lone pro bono attorney, Francis Chester, defended taxpayers who could not believe their outrageously high real estate assessments ... and he has been punished by Augusta County who asked for and received sanctions from Judge Victor Ludwig who called Mr. Chester a modern day Robin Hood.

Is there no representation for the little guy against BIG GOVERNMENT?

Even the Rocket Boys had difficulty finding local representation against Augusta County, noting that 30 lawyers were contacted but were afraid of retaliation from Augusta County, so Francis Chester took on their case.

As one commenter asked, "Why is it that we see the Augusta County government consistently working against the interest of the citizens of Augusta County?"

Why, indeed?

Please contact our reps and let them know how you feel:

Jean Shrewsbury, Commissioner of Revenue
(540) 245-5640
Larry Howdyshell (North River)
(540) 350-2591
Gerald Garber (Middle River)
(540) 234-8388
David Beyeler (South River)
(540) 943-3202
Wendell Coleman (Wayne)
(540) 430-1350
Jeremy Shifflett (Beverley Manor)
(540) 294-2289
Nancy Sorrells (Riverheads)
(540) 377-6390
Tracy Pyles (Pastures) - Supv who supported taxpayers
Please tell him "thank you" - (540) 337-7010

Sen. Emmett Hanger
(540) 885-6898 / district24@senate.virginia.gov
Del. Steve Landes
(540) 245-5540 / steve@stevelandes.com
Del. Dickie Bell
(540) 448-4763 / DelDBell@house.virginia.gov
Del. Ben Cline
(434) 946-9908 / DelBCline@house.virginia.gov

Augusta County shuts down Rocket Boys ... 14: Dreams of space

Part 14: Dreams of space ... Augusta County shuts down Rocket Boys

Part 1 ... October Sky
Part 2 ... Who is VAST?
Part 3 ... What is agri-tourism?
Part 4 ... Francis Chester
Part 5 ... Launch location -- Croft Field
Part 6 ... How it began ... anonymous complaint
Part 7 ... "It's only a formality"
Part 8 ... VAST prepares for BZA meeting
Part 9 ... VAST presents case to BZA meeting
Part 10 ... VAST denied Special Use Permit
Part 11 ... Augusta County denies BZA hearing tapes
Part 12 ... The legal case begins
Part 13 ... Community reaction
Part 14 ... Dreams of space

Remember the movie October Sky that told the true story of Homer Hickam of West Virginia, a coal miner's son who was intrigued by the Soviet Sputnik satellite in the 1950s that streaked across the October sky?

That incident inspired Homer to study rocketry, win a science contest, go away to college, and eventually earn his Ph.D. and become a NASA scientist. And it all began when he and his friends put together and launched model rockets even though some of the town people tried to shut them down.

Just imagine ... in Augusta County there is a new generation of Rocket Boys who could be future NASA scientists, much like Homer.

And in western Augusta County with its large tracts of land, there appears to be the perfect place for a local rocket club to teach science in the wide open spaces, smack in the middle of 500 acres of land, isolated from surrounding properties. But you would be wrong.

This series looks into the background of a group of boys and adult volunteers who were blindsided by an anonymous complaint that brought the government into what should have been a recreational, educational activity in the middle of a 500-acre farm field void of government involvement.

It looks into Augusta County's desire to cultivate agri-tourism, and Del. Steve Landes' agri-tourism bill that passed this year's General Assembly, and questions the fairness of the decision of who can participate in agri-tourism ... and who can't.

And it looks at community reaction ... questions that have been brought up by county citizens who wonder if they will be next by what is perceived as an overbearing Big Government mentality.

I had not seen the movie October Sky for a number of years so checked it out of the Churchville Library to once again get the feel of students who dream ... and the adults who nurture those dreams. In the movie, one adult who encouraged Homer was his teacher Miss Riley who died at age 31 of Hodgkin's Disease but not before she planted the seed for him to look beyond the coal mines and pursue his dreams of space.

In Augusta County, we hope to one day see local dreams played out once again, and we hope the Rocket Boys are allowed to again fly the skies of western Virginia.

Feedback about this series is welcomed.

Related stories:
- SWAC Girl: Del. Landes' agri-tourism bill passes House
- WHSV TV-3: Agritourism Brings Boost for Augusta County
- NBC 29: Rocketry club goes to court to get permit
- Staunton News Leader: Sparring launches in rocket case
- Staunton News Leader: Rocket club grounded
- Staunton News Leader: Aerospace Team may scratch launches
- Staunton News Leader: Why can't we give rocket club a chance?
- Staunton News Leader: Zoning board denies permit for rocketry club
- Waynesboro News Virginian: Throttle up: Rocketry appeal heats up
- Waynesboro News Virginian: Zoning board denies liftoff of Swoope rockets

Other bloggers write about Rocket Boys:
- Yankee Phil: Local boys trying to be good ... denied in Augusta County
- Yankee Phil: More info on ... Local boys trying to be good ... denied in Augusta County
- The Journey: No rockets on company property
- Virginia Virtucon
- StrictlyVA

Augusta County shuts down Rocket Boys ... part 3

Part 3: What is agri-tourism?

See part 1 and part 2.

I received an email in mid-December from Charles Neff, president of Valley AeroSpace Rocketry Club, who questioned Augusta County's desire to bring in agri-tourism when they appeared to contradict themselves by shutting down the rocket club. He wrote:

I listened to the “Agri-tourism Brings Boost For Augusta County” story on WHSV this morning with great fascination … especially since an activity that would be considered Agri-tourism was shut down in Augusta County by the Board of Zoning Appeals.

The December 17, 2009, TV-3 story was about Augusta County supervisors' desire to bring agri-tourism into the area:

Agritourism may be helping to generate income in Augusta County during a time when farmers are struggling the most.

While farm land may be vanishing in Virginia, in Augusta County, it's still increasing. Officials believe that agritourism may be bringing in a boost.

Weddings and horseback riding may seem unrelated, but they're both a part of what's bonding tourism and agriculture in Augusta County.
...
Augusta County Board of Supervisors member Nancy Sorrells believes this is just the beginning for agritourism.

Sorrells says, "There's no doubt it's bringing in money but I just don't think it's reached it's full potential."

The money agritourism is bringing to the county may be worth just a little bit more. "If I take a dollar and spend it in the community, that's just a dollar. But this community has to build roads that I use, has to build schools. But, if a visitor comes here and spends a dollar, it's really worth $5 because they go home," says Sorrells.

Del. Ben Cline (24th District) supports agritourism in Augusta County and is taking the message all the way to Richmond.

Cline says, "Agriculture is our top industry and in Augusta County, it's extremely important. So, we want to encourage all aspects of farming, including agritourism."

While agritourism is getting a lot of attention, Sorrells says if it's bringing in money, it's a good thing. Sorrells says, "I think we need to explore all kinds of ways to bring money into our area and the money that would come in that has the least impact on our tax bases is good money. So, if we need to find ways to hype that up, I say go for it."

The Augusta County Board of Supervisors has delayed any decision about rezoning its exclusive agriculture district until its meeting in January 2010.

From 2002 until 2007, Augusta County farmland increased two percent.

At that meeting in January the Augusta County Board of Supervisors voted to eliminate exclusive agriculture and, yes, open it up for agri-tourism, as reported by the Staunton News Leader:

County leaders hope by eliminating a restrictive agriculture zoning district, it will provide farmers more freedom to pursue alternative business options on their property.

The Board of Supervisors informally voted Wednesday to preliminary approve eliminating the county's exclusive agriculture district and convert that land to a general agriculture designation.

The move would open up more agriculture land to be able to have additional operations, which range from small business to agritourism uses. Unlike those on general agriculture-zoned land, residents in the exclusive agriculture district cannot apply for special-use permits to allow non-farming business.

Two comments were left on the WHSV TV-3 website about agri-tourism. The first:

The Augusta County Board of Zoning Appeals disagrees with Ms. Sorrells and Mr. Cline. The BZA effectively shut down the activities of a safe, educational, and family oriented model rocket club in Sep 09. They sided with a small group of residents who were terrified that a cardboard rocket from a 10 yr old might land on their property once or twice per year. The County has lost a free educational resource and agritourism income as a result.

The second comment:

This is very interesting! Someone needs to inform the Augusta County Board of Zoning Appeals about this! Our club, which had held monthly rocket launches in a Swoope (Augusta County) farm pasture for 14 months, was notified that a Special Use Permit was required which the Zoning Board subsequently denied. Although not huge, our events brought people to the County. They stayed at local hotels, they ate at local restaurants, and they shopped at local stores. If you think rocket launches shouldn't be considered Agri-tourism since it's unrelated to agriculture (other than the farm field), you should know that Hot Air Balloon Rides, Hang Gliding, Cross-Country Skiing, Music Festivals, Biking, etc. are all considered Agri-tourism. None of them have any closer relationship to agriculture than our activity. I believe the County is contradicting itself...

In Colorado agri-tourism is recognized as a growing industry and includes all the above-mentioned activities plus fishing, hunting, wildlife photography, horseback riding, farm and cannery tours, cooking classes, wine tastings, cattle drives, harvest festivals, corn mazes, roadside vegetable stands, and much more.

Does Augusta County want agri-tourism?

Next -- Part 4: Francis Chester ... the only lawyer willing to represent VAST in Augusta County?

Cross-posted at Virginia Virtucon and SWAC Girl

Augusta County shuts down Rocket Boys ... part 2

Part 2: Who is VAST?

See part 1.

Who is VAST? From their website:

Located in the heart of the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, the Valley AeroSpace Team (VAST) is the area's only public rocketry club. VAST is a chartered Prefecture of the Tripoli Rocketry Association (Tripoli Western Virginia #36) and a chartered Section of the National Association of Rocketry (NAR Section #687).

What Do We Do? The Valley AeroSpace Team holds meetings, workshops, and launches for the purpose of aiding and encouraging all those interested in rocketry. We also strive to increase public understanding and interest in rocketry by engaging in fun, scientific, and educational activities.

Why Hobby Rocketry? Since we can’t all work for NASA or catch a ride on the Space Shuttle, we’re left to do the next best thing … launch our own. The thrill of watching something you built streak out of sight riding a tail of flame and smoke is hard to beat. Whether they’re small model rockets or the larger, high-powered versions, they’re all fun and educational. Rocketry is an activity enjoyed by families and enthusiasts of all ages. People from all walks of life enjoy this hobby.

Is Hobby Rocketry Safe? Following strict safety codes has made rocketry one of the safest recreational activities available. In more than fifty years of hobby rocketry, there has not been one fatality or serious injury. Under the umbrella of our two national sanctioning organizations, the Tripoli Rocketry Association (TRA) and the National Association of Rocketry (NAR), Valley AeroSpace Team members launch rockets ranging from small scale models to custom designed high power rockets.

A safe, family-oriented, educational activity for young people in a rural area sounds like a good thing. After all, we could use more wholesome activities because meth and other drugs are a big problem.

Instead of doing drugs or hanging out at the mall or getting in trouble, young people overseen by volunteer advisors were fortunate to participate in what could be a stepping stone to future education and careers.

I can almost hear Captain James Kirk on the USS Enterprise saying, "Space ... the final frontier...."

Next -- Part 3: What is agri-tourism?

Augusta County shuts down Rocket Boys ... part 1

Part 1: We have our own October Sky in Augusta County

Remember the movie October Sky that told the true story of Homer Hickam of West Virginia, a coal miner's son who was intrigued by the Soviet Sputnik satellite in the 1950s that streaked across the October sky?

That incident inspired Homer to study rocketry, win a science contest, go away to college, and eventually earn his Ph.D. and become a NASA scientist. And it all began when he and his friends put together and launched model rockets even though some of the town people tried to shut them down.

Just imagine ... in Augusta County there is a new generation of Rocket Boys who could be future NASA scientists, much like Homer.

And in western Augusta County with its large tracts of land, there appears to be the perfect place for a local rocket club to teach science in the wide open spaces, smack in the middle of 500 acres of land, isolated from surrounding properties.

Wrong.

Not in Augusta County. Just like the town went after Homer and his friend, the county has shut down the kids in the local rocketry club. One anonymous complaint was all it took to deny further launchings. The complainer's identity was never revealed but the name has been widely circulated through the western Augusta rural grape vine.

An activity that had been ongoing for 18 months with the landowner's permission was suddenly over. A county that had a supervisor and state delegate promoting "agritourism" seemed to contradict itself by shutting down the rocketry club.

Since the club was first founded in 2005, over 400 area youth launched their first rockets. In October 2007 VAST co-hosted 250 Boy Scouts as part of their District Camporee in Rockingham County called "October Fly" as part of the 50-year anniversary of the launch of Sputnik.

At the current location, known as Croft Field, there were usually four to eight children at launches that were held monthly over a Saturday and Sunday with less participation during the winter month and more during the summer. The most fliers they had was the last launch in August of 2009 when 19 showed up. Usually an average of 15-25 spectators were present. Bad weather sometimes prevented launches on one or both days.

The club has outlined and documented the entire case on the club's website where the following announcement is now posted:

Until Further Notice
VAST was denied a special use permit by the Augusta CountyBoard of Zoning Appeals on September 3rd, 2009. The decison has been appealled to the Circuit Court of Augusta County. VAST is awaiting a hearing date.

And that's where I began my research into a case that was in the local newspapers and specifically brought to my attention by the club's president. A "routine" request for a special use permit ended up not so routine and VAST went to court to appeal the Zoning Board's denial of a group of boys who wanted to fly rockets in Augusta County, Virginia.

Next: Part 2: Who is VAST?

Augusta BOS: "Be careful how you speak out against our decisions"

Staunton News Leader cartoon by Jim McCloskey

~Board seeks financial sanctions against local citizen~

Churchville attorney Francis Chester goes to court today in a return of Mr. Smith Goes To Washington ... Augusta County style.

In exercising his First Amendment right and representing over 10,500 citizens against the County of Augusta, the board of supervisors, and commissioner of the revenue Jean Shrewsbury, Mr. Chester has been smacked up side the head by Augusta County government with a lawsuit asking for financial sanctions against him for having the audacity to question his public officials.

Today's Staunton News Leader editorial, appropriately named "The fly and the hatchet," illustrates the reality of the little guy going up against City Hall when City Hall has unlimited taxpayer funds to fight against the very taxpayer who dares to question the public servants he voted into office.

The News Leader wrote:

An irritating little fly has landed at the Augusta County Government Center. It's notification of a lawsuit filed in circuit court claiming the Board of Supervisors erroneously assessed real estate values in the most recent reassessment.
...
The county in turn asked its lawyer to file a motion asking the judge not only to dismiss Chester's lawsuit — it's frivolous, after all, because there's no such thing as a class action lawsuit in Virginia — but they also asked the judge to sanction Chester for filing it. In other words, ask for attorney's fees and related charges.

In doing so, the county has raised a hatchet to kill the irritating little fly.
...
In asking that Chester, a county resident and a spokesman for thousands of residents angry about what they saw as unfair property assessments, be sanctioned, the supervisors are sending a clear message — be careful how you speak out against our decisions. [Emphasis added]

County attorney Pat Morgan admitted to News Leader reporter Trevor Brown that this action is extremely unusual ... but the county is going through with it anyway:

"It is kind of an unusual procedure," Morgan said of his decision to move for the sanction, "but I did not file it on behalf of the defendants lightly."

The News Leader editorial concluded:

Rather than asking for sanctions against Chester, the supervisors need to let it go. Let the case go before the judge and let justice rule. No need for a hatchet, no need for recrimination. No need to send the message that disagreement will not be tolerated.

This time when the supervisors picked up the hatchet to kill the irritating little fly, they didn't realize the fly had landed on their own forehead. [Emphasis added]

Because of their actions, the Augusta Board of Supervisors has come across as extremely arrogant to the citizens they were elected to represent.

The county has indicated it wants all 10,500 cases be tried individually in the court system. The court filing fees alone for that many cases would equal almost $1 million, and the sheer number of cases could tie up the court for years, something Mr. Chester was trying to avoid to save taxpayer money and time.

Augusta is a microcosm of the larger taxpayer unrest going on nationwide as manifested by the tea party events and the 9/12 March on Washington three weeks ago. As pointed out in this editorial, the supervisors have little interest in working with the "little people."

The hearing is today, October 1, 2009, at 1:30 at Augusta County Circuit Court at the corner of Johnson and Augusta Streets in downtown Staunton. The public is invited and ecouraged to attend.

We will remember in November 2011.

Recent articles about today's court action:
- Staunton News Leader: Judge to hear reassessment case
- Waynesboro News Virginian
- SWAC Girl: Augusta pursues lawsuit against local tax assessment hero
- Staunton News Leader editorial cartoon

Augusta County First Amendment Case

First Amendment:
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.

**** PRESS RELEASE *** FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WHAT: Augusta Co. Real Estate Assessment Case
WHERE: Augusta County Courthouse, Downtown Staunton
WHEN: Thurday, Oct. 1, 2009
TIME: 1:30 pm

CONTACT PERSON:
Francis Chester, Esq.
(540) 337-7270 office
(540) 997-5277 home

Churchville attorney Francis Chester filed lawsuit against the Augusta County Board of Supervisors and the Commissioner of the Revenue Jean Shrewsbury to roll back 2009 real estate tax assessments to 2005 levels. As a result, Augusta County filed suit against Francis Chester stating he had filed a frivolous lawsuit and asked the court to assess financial penalties against him.

Although the original 1,200 copies of the tax assessment petitions containing 10,600 signatures were filed with the court, the judge required a separate set of copies of the petitions for each plaintiff in the suit.

Those ten copies -- one for each of the seven supervisors, the commissioner of the revenue, the county attorney, and the court -- and consisting of 86 pounds of paper and numerous reams of copy paper -- will be delivered to the courthouse on Thursday, October 1, 2009, at 1:30 pm.

Mr. Chester has filed a mass appeal for 10,600 appellants and thus has a mass appeal for the mass assessments.
See more here

SWAC area loses more jobs

Western State Hospital in Staunton is laying off 25 workers due to Commonwealth budget cuts, a move that will affect workers who come from surrounding areas.

Today it was announced that McQuay in Verona will lay off 48 workers effective Monday. That plant was hit with a workers' picket in June 2009, at which time I posted, McQuay union employees picket ... have they not seen the economy?

What drove Augusta County-based McQuay's employees to stand on the street and picket yesterday? Union members of the United Electrical Radio and Machine Workers of America lined the street and held signs proclaiming they wanted a fair contract from the company.

Right down the street from McQuay, American Safety Razor has downsized to the point where the employee parking lot is overgrown with weeds. In surrounding Augusta, Staunton, and Waynesboro, hundreds of jobs have been lost as companies struggle in these very difficult economic times ... companies such as Invista, Mowhawk Carpet, Gem Ply, Unifi, Hershey. Citizens have tightened their belts because of job losses, decrease in wages, and cutback in hours.

Is the timing right to stand on the street and protest?

Now 48 workers are being let go.

The economy is not rebounding, as erronerously reported by the Obama administration. Jobs are still being lost, companies are still folding, employees are taking pay cuts, and senior employees are retiring to make room for younger workers.

Look at the millions of dollars in lost pay from approximately 75 jobs just to the SWAC area.

New 135 Acre Marketplace in Augusta

The Augusta County Board of Supervisors unanimously passed the rezoning of 135 acres of county land at the I-81 and Woodrow Wilson Parkway highway interchange. The developer, Northern Virginia firm of Pence Friedel, presented a plan to build a three phase commercial and business marketplace. It would include three “Big Box” stores, a movie theater, several independent restaurants, and a 180-room hotel. The construction of the Augusta Marketplace would be the biggest commercial development in the history of Augusta County, according to The News Virginian.

See More at Augusta Conservative.

Augusta BOS gives green light to new shopping center

Bob Stuart with the Waynesboro News Virginian wrote:

A major hurdle for the largest commercial development ever in Augusta County was cleared Wednesday when supervisors voted 7-0 to approve rezoning from agriculture to business for Augusta Marketplace.

The 135-acre development, when built starting in 2011 by the Northern Virginia firm of Pence Friedel, would contribute nearly a million square feet of retail development, a 180-room hotel and amenities such as big box stores and a movie theater off Interstate 81 and Route 262 near Verona.

See more over at Swacgirl

Augusta BOS gives green light to new shopping center

Bob Stuart with the Waynesboro News Virginian wrote:

A major hurdle for the largest commercial development ever in Augusta County was cleared Wednesday when supervisors voted 7-0 to approve rezoning from agriculture to business for Augusta Marketplace.

The 135-acre development, when built starting in 2011 by the Northern Virginia firm of Pence Friedel, would contribute nearly a million square feet of retail development, a 180-room hotel and amenities such as big box stores and a movie theater off Interstate 81 and Route 262 near Verona.

See more over at Swacgirl

Reassessment Trial Set for October

NBC-29 reports.........
The battle over Augusta County's property reassessments will go to court this fall.
Churchville attorney Francis Chester filed suit against county supervisors in April. He wants a judge to order the county to scrap the 2009 real estate appraisals. He has a petition with the names of more than 10,000 land owners.
Tuesday, the Augusta County judge scheduled a trial for October.

Augusta: Motocross park info meeting tonight

A local businessman is trying to win approval from Augusta County to build Valley Xtreme Sports Park in Greenville. A public informational meeting will be held tonight, May 15, at 7 pm at Riverheads High School.

The Board of Zoning Appeal will be in attendance and others are welcome to attend to hear from the developers as they address economic growth, job opportunities, and all aspects of what will be inside the park.