We spoke to organizers of the third annual Gospel-Fest event held Saturday, June 15, at the Gazebo-anchored Village Commons Park at the intersection of East Main and Chester Streets in Historic Downtown Front Royal. The event, organized in support of Habitat for Humanity efforts on behalf of families struggling to maintain a livable home situation in this community, featured Gospel music performances by a number of area musical and church-based groups.

A full list of featured performers was supplied to us by event organizer Pastor Shannon Roman of The Embassy Deliverance & Worship Center, Front Royal, Va. Campus, they were: Mary and Wimpy Kenny, Band of Brothers, Voices of Grace, Meade Skelton, The Diamond Warriors, House of God Path to Heaven Worship Team, Heart of Worship Dancers, and Grace by Faith. Below band and choir shots were provided by organizers without IDs – But let’s just say you all know who you are and how great you all were on Saturday.

From the Gazebos stage, Gospel and spiritually oriented choirs and musicians expressed the spirit of unity of purpose in providing community assistance to families in need. While we don’t have IDs for the musical performers photos, you and the crowd, knows who you are and how GREAT you all were. A full list of performers is included in the story text. – Courtesy Photos Gospel-Fest organizers

Pastor Roman cited Virginia Housing as the event’s primary sponsor and added this observation about the impetus of the now annual Gospel-Fest: “This event was to showcase the Christianity in Habitat For Humanity and show people that we care about helping people to live safely and get affordable housing in our community. We thank the Lord for allowing us to have such a great event that didn’t only showcase singers but also brought churches together to serve one mission and that’s to glorify God for allowing us to come together to build in our community for families in need.

“It was an awesome event … the 4th year is in the works,” she enthused of a project she helped launch three years ago.

We also reached out to Habitat for Humanity, whose director Andrea Ross responded. “Warren County Habitat for Humanity would like to take the time to thank all of the vendors and churches that came out and showed their support. There was soul stirring music, dancing, delicious food and everyone had a good time.

Let’s have some fun – I think we already are!!! – Courtesy Photos Gospel-Fest organizers

“The kids got to get their faces painted, made slime, painted rocks and enjoyed the bounce house. We are grateful for the support of the community to be able to present what fun, faith and unity looks like. Events like the Gospel Fest allow us to remind our citizens publicly that we are a resource for affordable housing and home repairs for the residents of Warren County,” Ross observed, adding, “A special thank you to Virginia Housing as our premium sponsor, Premier Home and Lawn Care LLC for donating the bounce house, State Farm agencies of Bill Powers and Ellen Aders,” Ross added with a nod to all those others who contributed to the event. “We are excited to prepare for our 4th Annual Gospel Fest and we are looking forward to it getting bigger and better as it has every year.”

Event booths, starting with Habitat for Humanity’s Deborah Siksay chatting with neighboring business owner Jim Justice of the Chester St. Tavern, and on reflected the spiritual unity in joining together to provide community assistance to those in need. – Royal Examiner Photos Roger Bianchini

Sponsors included: Harvest Mission, Latter Day Saints, Luxor Detailing, Leaf Home, Laura’s Lemonade, Capture the Moment by Jenn, Artsifi Gems, Seniors First, Kim Roivas, Just Serve, Sewfanciful ETC, A Little of Heaven Catering, Merry Mountain Mama, EM Woodworking, Bad Dog Barbeque LLC, Signs and Designs by Laura, Grace Bible Fellowship, Warren County Democratic Committee, Romans Hair School Front Royal, Embassy Deliverance & Worship, Warren Coalition, Orchard Ministries International, Guts Media, Busy B Wood Art, Riverton United, Gonewestern Tack & Apparel.

The Front Royal Catholic community will sponsor the first of two “Catholic Nights” at Bing Crosby Stadium. The second game will be held on Friday, July 19th. Our Catholic neighbors have graciously invited us to join them as their guests on either or both evenings.

The Knights of Columbus, Christendom College, and the Lloyd Law Group sponsor the games.

Admission Details:

• An entire family will be admitted free by presenting a copy of the attached flyer (reproduced on a home computer or tear-off flyer below).
• The goal is to fill all 1,500 seats at the stadium.
• An entire family with a single flyer will be admitted at no cost.

These two games, sponsored annually by our friends, have always attracted a large crowd and provided a fun night for the entire family.

There’s something deeply American about watching the national game in a small community on a warm summer evening. The games feature college kids recruited from all over America, spending two months of their lives in a small town they may never visit again, trying to bring a championship to this small community.

Post-Game Fun:

• Kids get to run the bases after the game, which is always a big hit.

The Cardinals, our home team, are among the 12 teams in a college summer baseball league in the Shenandoah Valley, playing 44 games during June and July. They have won five games and are fighting hard for a playoff spot.

Contact Information:

• If anyone has questions about how to get an entire family into the game for free, tell them to call John Lundburg at 253-273-2951.

Go Cardinals!

Click here to download the flyer.

Are you looking for the full movie-going experience without having to wait in the long lines that often accompany that experience? Then look no further because Royal Cinemas movie theatre is the answer. Get the whole gang together and enjoy a movie! Reserved seating in all auditoriums.

Here is a list of this week’s showtimes at Royal Cinemas as of Thursday, June 20:

Today, we rely heavily on smartphones, computers, and the internet to communicate. However, our connectivity can be disrupted when disasters strike and damage these systems. For over a century, Amateur Radio, also known as ham radio, has provided a vital service by enabling communication without needing cell phones or the internet.

Amateur Radio allows enthusiasts from diverse backgrounds to explore electronics and communication techniques. More importantly, it serves as a crucial public service during emergencies. In Warren County, a group of ham radio enthusiasts, Warren County EmComm, is dedicated to this cause. They volunteer their time to ensure they are ready to assist Warren County and Front Royal if a disaster occurs.

Greg Butler, the group’s spokesperson, highlights the vulnerabilities of modern communication systems. “The complexity of today’s communications systems provides many points for potential failure. Floods, hurricanes, earthquakes, and winter storms can all wreak havoc on public utility systems. Police, fire, and rescue services are not immune from catastrophic events. If an interruption of cellular telephone or Internet systems occurs, many people are left with no way to communicate,” he explains.

“Butler emphasizes the resilience of ham radio operators in such situations. “Ham radio operators can throw a wire into a tree for an antenna, connect a transmitter powered by a generator, battery, or solar panels, and communicate locally, regionally, and beyond. We can also use our radios to send email out of a disaster-stricken area with no Internet service. This is a huge asset to any community during disasters if the standard communication infrastructure is damaged or destroyed.”

This capability will be fully displayed during the national Amateur Radio Field Day exercise on June 22-23. Members of Warren County EmComm will demonstrate their skills by setting up temporary radio stations and operating without commercial power.

The public is invited to attend this free event and witness firsthand the group’s communication abilities. Starting at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 22, at Fantasyland Playground on Commerce Avenue in Front Royal, attendees can see and hear Warren County EmComm contact other ham radio operators nationwide. Look for the big green military truck to find their setup!

Join the Community

Field Day is not just a demonstration; it’s an opportunity for the community to engage with ham radio operators and learn about the importance of amateur radio in emergency situations. Visitors can ask questions, see the equipment in action, and even try operating a ham radio.

Warren County EmComm’s commitment to community service and disaster preparedness makes them invaluable to the region. Their participation in the Field Day exercise underscores the critical role of amateur radio in maintaining communication when conventional systems fail.

Supporting Ham Radio

Amateur Radio Field Day celebrates the ham radio community’s dedication and service. Field Day is a chance to see these skills in action and understand their importance, whether you’re interested in technology, emergency preparedness, or simply curious about ham radio.

Stay Connected

By supporting amateur radio, you help ensure that our community remains connected, even in the face of disasters.

The public is invited to this free event to see and hear Warren County EmComm as they contact other ham radio operators around the country, beginning at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 22, at Fantasyland Playground on Commerce Avenue in Front Royal. Look for the big green military truck!

You may be a minority in your home community but in statewide and national elections every vote is very important. — That was one of the messages conveyed by Virginia’s U.S. Senator Tim Kaine during a luncheon gathering on the outdoor deck patio of Vibrissa Beer and Kitchen in Front Royal’s Historic Downtown Business District Tuesday, June 11. Also appearing, and responding to questions along with Senator Kaine, was Democratic candidate Ken Mitchell, who will challenge Republican incumbent Ben Cline in Virginia’s Sixth District Congressional race this year.

The WC Democratic Committee promotional for Senator Tim Kaine and 6th State Congressional District challenger Ken Mitchell’s visit to Historic Downtown Front Royal. And we were informed the promised coffee was provided by Doppio Bunny Coffee – a little more caffeine on the side, please. Graphic courtesy WC Democratic Committee

And while every vote is important, it appears that for local Democrats that vote won’t come until the November general election. For as Warren County Democratic Committee Vice-Chair Jessica Reynolds explained to us, neither Mitchell or Kaine faces primary challenges from within the Democratic Party on June 18. However, five Republicans are vying to challenge Kaine for his U.S. Senate seat. They are: C.L. “Chuck” Smith Jr., Edward “Eddie” C. Garcia Jr., Hung Cao, Jonathan Emord, and Scott Thomas Parkinson.

Kaine stressed the importance of the coming national Presidential and Congressional elections as the very concept of our democratically based Constitutional Republic form of government seems to increasingly be at issue. That appears to be based on acceptance by some Republicans of Donald Trump’s claim that his recent Stormy Daniels hush-money payment, election-interference criminal jury trial and conviction in New York City was a politically manipulated fraud, as opposed to a trial based on legitimate evidence that would have brought any American citizen to trial before a jury of their peers, including an ex-president of the United States.

Describing his experience as a young man in Honduras when there was a non-elective dictatorship in place, Kaine said, “I was naive but at the end of the year I wasn’t naive. I was like, wow, dictators are real, authoritarians are real. You can’t just take for granted that you can vote because in Honduras when I lived there, you couldn’t vote. And people I lived with prayed for the day when they might be able to choose their leader. So, I came back in 1981 feeling like, okay now I’m not naive. I understand what’s out there in the world.

‘But I was still naive’

“But I was still naive, because I never would have thought that I’d see that same authoritarian impulse here in this country. And yet we’re seeing it all around the world, we’re seeing it in Hungary, in El Salvador, in the United States. The battle between democracy and authoritarianism is not like a settled issue. No, it is a live issue. And we are on the verge of celebrating 250 years as a nation in 2026. And the burden and responsiblility and opportunity has been placed on our shoulders to be a generation that revitalizes and then puts the functioning democracy we have at the time in the hands of our kids and grandkids.

Tim Kaine and Ken Mitchell, the latter speaking below, on the primary stump, but pointing for November with no primary challenges for either Democratic candidate on June 18. – Royal Examiner Photos Roger Bianchini

“And I believe we’re up to it, Virginians are up to it, I think Americans are up to it, and I think that’s why we’re going to be successful come November,” Kaine told his audience of Democrats and independent voters, drawing applause.

The Democratic candidates also faced some tough questions about the Biden Administration’s apparent support of Israel’s ongoing counter-attack on Palestinians in the Gaza Strip where they have been relocated as a stateless people with no military defense system, only a rogue, minority terrorist organization, Hamas, which claims, questionably many Palestinian might suggest, to act in the interest of Palestinians. Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel resulted in 1200 Israelis reported killed and 250 taken hostage. The consquent Israeli military actions, which still continue, are generally being defined internationally as a genocide, with Palestinian casualties estimated at least at 38,000, now approaching 40,000 or more. A woman questioning Kaine on the Israeli/Palestinian situation, cited 14,000 children among those Palestinian casualties.

The ‘situation’ in Gaza

“What you call a ‘situation’ in Gaza is more than 14,000 children killed. I have a 5-year-old. I see my kid in every one of those children,” she began emotionally, adding, “And I’m going to tell you, yes, talking about a two-state solution where Palestinians and Israelis can live in peace would help. But I don’t know if that would be enough for me to be able to vote Democratic on the ballot,” she said of the coming November election.

“I am completely conflicted because it’s the lesser of two evils, we are still supporting genocide. And how can you support and be behind people that have not yet put an end to this but have the power to do so?” she asked, apologizing for her nervousness. “But I had to be here to tell you this in person,” she added, pointing to frustration at seeing no result from “calling the White House, sending emails, going to protests.

“It is not enough when you’re seeing children just like my child that just had the privilege to be born in this country versus being born there. There’s nothing different between her and the children of Palestine,” she concluded, drawing applause from much of the audience.

Kaine did not back away from a meaningful exchange with a mother, pictured below, critical of the Biden Administration’s stance on the Israel/Palestinian Gaza situation. It is a ‘situation’ that has resulted in what has been reported at over 14,000 children killed, she said, of approaching 40,000 Palestinian deaths over the 8-month Israeli response to the Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attack that killed 1200 Israelis, with another 250 kidnapped.

“And that’s true. I’ve spent time with hostage families who’ve had their loved ones kidnapped and brutalized,” Kaine began in response. “And I’ve spent time with Israelis who’ve lost families, and I’ve spent time with a lot of Palestinians. And Americans who’ve been in Palestine like doctors on medical missions who are coming back with heartbreaking accounts. It is just, it is heartbreak, it is absolute heartbreak,” Kaine said, adding the observation, “And the U.S. doesn’t have the complete ability to just change the situation in another part of the world. We have influence, we have leverage, more than most,” he admitted, adding, “And it’s taken too much leverage, frankly, for us to get Israel to up the pace of humanitarian aid …

“But Israel does have actors in the Middle East: Hamas, Iran, Hezbollah, who want to wipe it out,” Senator Kaine observed of the multi-faceted Middle Eastern political chess board. However, the senator added, “That doesn’t excuse similar violence against Palestinians on the West Bank. That doesn’t excuse throttling humanitarian aid into Gaza. That doesn’t excuse indiscriminate activity that it might get somebody in Hamas, but also wipes out lots of civilians,” Kaine observed of what a majority of the UN Security Council nations appear to define as genocide of Palestinians in Israel’s response to the October 7 Hamas attack.

“And so, it’s very hard to figure out how do we stand to defend Israel at the same time leveraging what we hope would be better behavior” by Israel’s leadership, Kaine asked rhetorically of a situation he observed has been evolving problematically since 1948 in the wake of World War II and the West’s response to the Nazi holocaust of European Jews.

Kaine cautiously noted some developments over the past few days that gave him some hope for progress toward resolution of the now one-sided conflict moving into its eighth month of Israel’s reaction to the October 7 Hamas attack. However, in response to a related question from another person, Senator Kaine observed that from his past statements and actions, current Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appears not to favor the two-state solution that would establish a Palestinian nation that could coexist on equal terms with its neighbors, including Israel.

This reporter is reminded of the comment he read a number of years ago from an Israeli peace activist after the first three or four years of Netanyahu’s leadership and his treatment of Palestinians: “Israel is like the abused child who grows up to be the abuser,” she lamented.

With a world in escalating turmoil, welcome to national election year 2024 in America.

Are you looking for the full movie-going experience without having to wait in the long lines that often accompany that experience? Then look no further because Royal Cinemas movie theatre is the answer. Get the whole gang together and enjoy a movie! Reserved seating in all auditoriums.

Here is a list of this week’s showtimes at Royal Cinemas as of Friday, June 14: