“In contrast to Ms. Wulf’s complaints about the assessors and the assessments, I much appreciated the opportunity I had to appeal the 43% increase in the assessed value of my home.

This assessment was made at the height of a real estate bubble that was on its way to collapsing by the time the new assessments were received in the mail.

I was overcome with fear and grief as I realized that my real estate taxes would be such a burden for my very fixed social security income. How could such high taxes be levied on people of middle to lower-middle income in my little mountain community? There are no — not even one — fancy homes in my neighborhood.

I came to the appeals assessor prepared with comps for the area, photos of my home from when I bought it to now (no significant changes), and photos of the dump two doors down from me. The assessor commented with an appreciation of my being prepared to comment that most people just come in and sit down.

My appeal was successful. It was way too high for this area and the dwelling I am in. I deserve to live in a modest home and in peace without the government taking that away and without others complaining.”

S. Fox
Warren County

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Attorney General Jason Miyares and 20 other state attorneys general warned more than 50 of the nation’s largest asset managers about Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) investments being made with Americans’ hard-earned money as annual shareholders’ meetings begin for many public companies.

In an open letter sent Thursday to 53 asset managers with $40 billion or more in assets, the attorney’s general site concerns that asset managers may be pushing the political goals of Climate Action 100+ and the Net Zero Asset Managers Initiative rather than acting in the best financial interests of their clients, which is their fiduciary duty.

“Asset managers have a responsibility and a legal obligation to make decisions dependent on the best financial interests of their clients, not unelected ESG advocates trying to achieve political gains at the cost of everyday Americans,” said Attorney General Miyares.

The coalition reminds asset managers in the letter that they have extensive legal duties to their clients under federal and state law to act as fiduciaries to their clients, which may appear to be disregarded in favor of their commitments to the Net Zero Managers Alliance and Climate action 100+, which push ESG initiatives.

In addition, the coalition note that during the 2023 proxy season, asset managers will need “to choose between their legal duties to focus on financial return, and the policy goals of ESG activists” as banks, insurers, and utility and energy companies are all facing proposals from climate activists affiliated with organizations asset managers may have joined. Additionally, abortion and political spending and race and gender quotas may also be included in numerous proposals this year but are not financially justified – and ESG aims themselves are not valid defenses.

“We will continue to evaluate activity in this area in line with our ongoing investigations into potential unlawful coordination and other violations that may stem from the commitments you and others have made as part of Climate Action 100+, Net Zero Asset Managers Initiative, or the like,” the attorneys general warned.

Read the letter here.

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Thomas Burke Boies, Jr., 96, of Front Royal, Virginia, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, March 29, 2023, at the Martinsburg VA Center in Martinsburg, West Virginia.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, April 8, at 11:00 a.m. at Grace Bible Fellowship, 15 Faith Way, Front Royal, Virginia. The inurnment will be private.

Thomas was born November 22, 1926, in Winchester to the late Thomas Burke, Sr., and Mabel Boies of Front Royal, Virginia.

He was married for 67 years to his loving wife, Mary Lou Boies, who preceded him in death in January 2023.

Thomas served 20 years in the U.S. Navy on five different ships, including two years on President Harry S. Truman’s yacht. He went to Camp David (Shangri-La) while serving with the president. He retired in 1963 while serving on the USS Saint Paul, which was used to film some of the footage for the movie “In Harm’s Way” with John Wayne and Kirk Douglas. The actors and film crew ate meals with the sailors.

He was in the battle of Okinawa in 1945 and the Philippine liberation effort and received many medals. He was a veteran of World War II, the Korean War, and the early Viet Nam war. Thomas was a lifetime member of the Giles B. Cook Post 53 American Legion in Front Royal.

He was our loving father and a warrior of our country.

Surviving is his younger brother, Joe Boies of Santa Fe, New Mexico; daughter, Julie Nowell, and husband Mike Nowell of Front Royal, Virginia; son, Thomas Burke Boies, III, and wife, Cindy Boies of Front Royal, Virginia; three grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren.

The family will receive friends on Saturday, April 8, at the church from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Grace Bible Fellowship, 15 Faith Way, Front Royal, Virginia 22630.

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Ursula “Ursi” Reneé Ellis, 37, of Strasburg, Virginia, passed away on Sunday, March 26, 2023, at her home.

A funeral service will be held for Ursula at 11:00 am on Wednesday, April 5, 2023, at Maddox Funeral Home, 105 W Main St. Front Royal, Virginia 22630, with a visitation one hour prior. Restoration Fellowship Church will be officiating. The burial will be private.

Ursula was born on January 13, 1986, in Winchester, Virginia, to her mother, Elizabeth Henry Ellis. Ursula is preceded in death by her paternal grandparents, Carroll Lee and Evelyn Welch, and her maternal grandparents, Alexander Russell and Gladys Elizabeth Mauck.

Surviving Ursula is her loving mother, Elizabeth Henry Ellis; her daughter, Teagan Naomi Delaney; her brothers, Phillip Allen Henry II (Tanya) and Robert Allen Ellis Jr.; her nieces and nephew, Phillip Allen Henry III, Nevaeh Lynne Henry, and Charlie Nadine Ellis; and numerous extended family members.

Ursula adored her nieces and nephew. She volunteered with Front Royal Volunteer Fire Department, excelled at working in hospitality, was always so personable, and loved helping people. She also worked as a communications officer in Warren County and was a licensed CNA, and attended college classes toward her nursing degree. Ursula will always be remembered for her outstanding smile and sense of humor. Above all else, Ursula loved her daughter, Teagan.

Pallbearers are Robert Ellis Jr., Kenneth Doner, Robert Stevens, Alexander Hilton, Scott Costello Jr, and William Smoot Jr.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the services of Ursula Ellis c/o Maddox Funeral Home.

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The Blue Ridge Narcotics and Gang Task Force along with the Prince William County Police Department Street Crimes Unit have concluded a lengthy investigation with the arrest of three individuals. Through the course of the investigation officers learned of a multi-jurisdictional narcotics operation throughout Prince William and Fauquier County.

On Thursday (March 23), officers executed a search warrant at a residence on Toms Way in Fauquier County. As a result of the operation, 104.17 grams of pressed fentanyl pills, 43.3 grams of crack cocaine, 38.46 grams of powder cocaine, 29.5 grams of methadone, and 51.7 grams of marijuana, $4,285.11 of US currency were seized along with 7 handguns, 1 of which was previously reported as stolen out of Prince William County.

Tanya M. Dodson

Tanya M. Dodson, 46, of Catlett, VA, was arrested and charged with one felony count of possession with the intent to distribute a schedule I/II substance, two felony counts of possession of a schedule I/II substance, and one felony count of possession of a firearm while in possession of schedule I/II substance.

Quintin J. Gilliam

, 33, of Jeffersonton, VA, was arrested and charged with one felony count of possession with the intent to distribute a schedule I/II substance, two felony counts of possession of a schedule I/II substance, one felony count of possession of a firearm while in possession of schedule I/II substance, and one felony count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

Timon D. Kornegan Jr.

Timon D. Kornegan Jr., 27, of Manassas, VA, was arrested and charged with three felony counts of possession with the intent to distribute a schedule I/II substance, one felony count of possession of a firearm while in possession of schedule I/II substance, and one felony count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Kornegan was also served outstanding warrants out of Prince William and Fauquier County.

Timothy D. Fields

Timothy D. Fields, 24, of Manassas, VA, was taken into custody and served with four outstanding warrants out of Prince William and Fairfax County.

All were held without bond at the Fauquier County Adult Detention Center.

The Blue Ridge Narcotics and Gang Task Force is composed of law enforcement personnel from the Fauquier, Rappahannock, Culpeper, Orange, Madison Sheriff’s Offices; Culpeper, Warrenton, Orange Police Departments; and the Virginia State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Culpeper Field Office.

Photos provided by the Fauquier Sheriff’s Office.

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When you think of high-paid athletes, you might think of Stephen Curry sinking long threes for the Golden State Warriors or Tom Brady slinging the pigskin for the New England Patriots (or, more recently, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers). Yet many pro athletes got started in college, including both Brady and Curry. And just as in the pros, finding talent at the college level means winning games and making money. Now, uncovering high school talent has blossomed into a big-money industry.

For one, colleges are spending big on recruiting, trying to attract the most talent so they can win the most games. For the 2019 fiscal year, the University of Georgia spent $3.67 million on recruiting, while the University of Alabama shelled out $2.66 million. Both schools have won multiple national championships in recent years. Of course, many other schools are spending millions as well, with the Big 10 and SEC conferences combined spending more than $30 million in 2019.

This should be no surprise, given how much money is at stake. In 2021, division I colleges reported bringing in over $13 billion in revenue via their athletic departments. Teams and conferences that win more tend to bring in more, enjoying better TV deals and more support from fans.

Further, spending by schools accounts for only a portion of the total money spent on recruiting. It’s hard to pinpoint exactly how much is being shelled out, but in 2007, Yahoo paid $100 million to buy rivals.com, a recruiting service that scouts college athletes and assigns them rankings. Currently, another recruiting website, 247Sports, is estimated to pull in nearly $40 million in revenue annually.

Spending and revenues are likely to increase. Previously, students were forbidden from making money off their Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL). These rules have since been rolled back, and as a result, many alumni and local businesses are pouring in millions to attract recruits to their favored universities. In the first year, NIL spending is believed to have topped $900 million. Sports news site The Athletic was shown a NIL deal for an anonymous but coveted recruit — a deal worth a total of $8 million over three years. With billions in revenue at stake, spending is likely to get bigger.

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