Letter delivered to County Administrator. April 23, 2026 Mr. J. David Martin Intern County Administrator Request for Removal of County Treasurer I am a long-term resident...
Those who urge us to vote ‘no’ on redistricting desperately want us to ignore the larger picture and look at this as just a local matter....
I am grateful for the thoughtful engagement of my North River District constituent who wrote in response to the recent article about my alternative tax rate...
As a North River District constituent of Supervisor Dr. Jamieson, I’m writing as a resident of Warren County in response to the April 13, 2026, article,...
Judging from outward appearances, the MAGA movement intends to commit suicide by pursuing its unquestioning loyalty to Trump. The consequences of this mad king era, enabled...
It’s probably common knowledge – at least in my mind – that I love to travel. A day trip, a weekend getaway, or a full-blown vacation…...
I recognize that finalizing the budget may be a complex process; however, I have some reservations regarding the proposed $0.10 increase and funding of the following....
On June 26, 1984, the United States Senate passed the Uniform Minimum Drinking Age Act. The bill, backed by President Ronald Reagan, would withhold 5% of...
I’d like to express my gratitude to the great staff and volunteers at our wonderful Samuels Library for their help with last week’s Writing Workshop. Thanks also...
The recent controversy over the Warren County Republican Committee’s mass meeting has generated a great deal of anger about who should or should not have participated....
On Wednesday of this week, on behalf of dozens of petitioners, I filed a challenge to the February 12, 2026, Mass Meeting of the Warren County...
I realized something recently—I haven’t spoken to many people face-to-face in quite a while. Most days I’m walking through the woods or along the lake with...
Supervisor Richard Jamieson is correct that Virginia’s current congressional map scores well on certain proportionality measures, but proportionality alone is not the only way to evaluate...
Key Takeaways Virginia’s current congressional map is the most proportionally accurate in the nation — a gap of just 0.6 percentage points between Republican vote share...
The Front Royal Planning Commission recommended approval of an ordinance to allow a second house, aka accessory dwelling unit (ADU), to be built by-right in back...
As someone whose Quaker roots run many centuries deep in this part of Virginia, I have long been mindful of the denomination’s prohibition on the swearing...
Democracies don’t usually collapse in a single dramatic moment. They erode when powerful people normalize the idea that elections are illegitimate unless they win—and when federal...
Wednesday marked crossover at the General Assembly, the day on which bills that have passed the House matriculate to the Senate, and vice versa. Any legislation...
At a recent meeting, the Winchester Planning Commission voted to remove the Pledge of Allegiance from its agenda. One member said they were glad the board...
The vote by the Warren County Board of Supervisors Tuesday night to resume funding our library was the first step to restoring the 50-year-old Samuels Library...
At last night’s Board of Supervisors meeting, we learned that a developer is proposing a data center for a large tract of land it purchased in...
A recent letter to the Royal Examiner attempted to frame Congressional redistricting as a power grab by Democrats instead of explaining that the choice lies in...
I am writing to bring attention to a matter that I believe will have a significant impact on the Town of Front Royal as a whole....
We, the People of this remarkable Commonwealth, find ourselves challenged and disregarded by our own elected officials. We are asked to ratify by our vote on...
Two recent Royal Examiner pieces, “Democrats Redistricting Initiative a Blatant Power Grab” (Jan. 22, 2026) and “Commentary: Redistricting, Ideology, and the Risk of One-Party Rule in...
Virginia Code § 15.2-2511 states, “Localities shall have all their accounts and records, including all accounts and records of their constitutional officers, audited annually as of...
Delegates Wiley and Oates have delivered another performance of Republican grievance theater, complete with lobster metaphors and apocalyptic warnings. But as someone represented by Delegate Oates,...
Good Governance is characterized by transparency, accountability, fairness, inclusiveness, and adherence to the rule of law. You need all 5 elements. Perfect transparency and accountability are not...
No political party gets everything right. History has proven that repeatedly. Healthy government depends on competition, debate, and accountability, values that begin to erode when power...
Should the town be responsible for clearing our fire hydrants? Sidewalks are owned by the town and are in the town right-of-way, so expecting residents to...