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A Promise To Jean
After Jean passed, a phone call to Dad became the moment grief, family, and responsibility met. As loved ones began making calls and arrangements, the burden shifted toward caring for Dad through the first hard hours. Read More
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Prayers, Rain, And Family
A reflective family update about Jean’s hospice journey, a rare reunion with Dad and all the siblings, quiet moments of prayer and memory, and the love, laughter, grief, and gratitude found in taking one day at a time. Read More
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Prayers For Dad And Jean
A personal request for prayers as Jean’s Alzheimer’s journey reaches a difficult moment, reflecting on her love for Dad, the life they built together, and the family gathering around them with care, gratitude, and hope. Read More
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Nickel Books and Hidden Libraries: Front Royal’s Tabard Inn Library
While researching Samuels Public Library’s past, I uncovered Front Royal’s forgotten Tabard Inn Library: a 1903 book exchange hidden inside Trout & Turner’s drugstore, connecting local history to a national network of nickel books and circulating libraries. Read More
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A Completely Neutral Response From Someone Who Was Not Invited to Dance
Royal Examiner: A playful letter about Dueling Disco sparked a public back-and-forth with Sue Laurence, turning dry humor, NASA jokes, pastoral plus-one confusion, and disco compliance into extra attention for Hike Kidz Foundation and Cars Changing Lives. Read More
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Budget Trust And Mandated Costs
I questioned whether residents can trust the adopted budget when large additions appear afterward, while Social Services explained that CSA costs are difficult to forecast because foster care and special education needs can change unexpectedly. Read More
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Comparing Employee Bonus History
Authorizing Employee Bonus Payment. I asked how a proposed state-funded employee bonus compared with prior years, whether two percent was typical, and learned it was a standard one-time state bonus separate from ongoing cost-of-living salary increases for county staff. Read More
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Proffers And Public Benefit
Rezone 28 parcels: Residential-1 to Commercial. Diamond Ridge & Emerald Lane. I supported new commercial development and economic activity while asking whether the proposed fifteen-cents-per-square-foot contribution would meaningfully support the property’s future needs or simply function as a small one-time payment. Read More
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Protecting Kids At The Road
CUP: 123 Brinklow Road. Mobile-home park expansion. I supported proposed safety improvements while asking whether children waiting for the bus would be visible, protected from wind, & served by lighting, while also raising a question about trailer ownership and displacement risks. Read More
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Overflow Hearings Need Audio
I raised concerns after an overflow crowd could not hear a Town public hearing held in the county meeting space, urging better hallway audio, speakers, screens, signage, and planning so residents can follow proceedings and speak when called. Read More