Following a summary analysis by Finance Director B. J. Wilson at a Special Work Session of Wednesday evening, March 22nd, the Front Royal Town Council, minus one member — Amber Morris was absent, reached a consensus to advertise the setting of a Public Hearing on Real Estate and Personal Property Tax rates at its April 24th meeting. The Real Estate Tax rate must be reset to equalize tax revenue or justify any increase, in the wake of real estate reassessments that generally saw significant increases in values. While at the county level those increases have been estimated as high as 40% on average, Wilson said in town real estate values increased an average of 27.8%.

The finance director’s recommendation, based on council’s stated goal of not increasing the tax burden on citizens, was to reduce the existing Real Estate Tax rate of 13 cents per $100 of value to 10 cents per $100 of value to essentially equalize the Town’s real estate tax revenue to its previous level. As reported earlier, by state code any reassessment resulting in a greater than 1% tax revenue increase must be either equalized to within 1% if its previous revenue level or advertised as a tax increase if the new rate produces more than that 1% revenue increase.

The Town’s Real Estate Tax rate has bounced back and forth between 13 cents and 13.5 cents since 2014, when it was raised to 13 cents from 11 cents where it had stood for three years. It had been at 13 cents in 2006 before dropping to 7 cents for four years (2007 to 2010).

B.J. Wilson fields question from Councilman Josh Ingram, seated upper right of table, on tax revenue variables.

An agenda packet chart accompanying Wilson’s presentation indicated that based on the 2023 real estate assessed values, 1 cent of real estate tax equals $185,630 of revenue to the town government. The 10-cent rate was estimated to produce $1,826,050 of revenue, falling $64,635 short of the proposed Fiscal Year-2023/24 budget revenue. Various ways to compensate for that loss were discussed.

Wilson also advised council to defer late fees and penalties on the Town’s first Real Estate Tax billing due in June (the second is due in December) because of the late April setting of the rate resulting in the billings being sent out very close to the first installment payment coming due.

On the Personal Property Tax side, Wilson reported a reduction in Personal Property assessed values in town of approximately 20% or $36,586,875. Initial numbers on vehicle values, which skyrocketed last year, was a 12% loss of value from a year ago. His recommendation was to leave the Personal Property Tax rate where it is, at 64-cents per $100 of value.

Regardless of valuations up or down annually, the Town’s Personal Property Tax rate has been at 64 cents since 2011, when it was increased from 60 cents.

Following this discussion, council adjourned to a Closed/Executive Session to discuss “legal matters requiring the provision of legal advice by such counsel, specifically, proposed agreement with Discover Front Royal, Inc., and proposed agreement with Warren County.” There was no action out of the closed session.

As media exits the scene, Council and staff go into Closed Session to discuss legal variables of the proposed agreement with DMO ‘Discover Front Royal, Inc., and proposed agreement with Warren County, on joint tourism efforts.

See the tax discussion in the open portion of the meeting in the Town video.

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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, March 23:

• Thurs – Fri: 6:00 & 8:55
• Saturday: 12:10, 3:05, 6:00, 8:55
• Sunday: 1:10, 4:05, 7:00
• Mon – Wed: 7:10
Rated PG13

• Thurs – Fri: 6:05 & 9:00
• Saturday: 12:20, 3:10, 6:05, 9:00
• Sunday: 1:25, 4:10, 7:05
• Mon – Wed: 7:20
Rated PG13

• Thurs – Fri: 7:00
• Saturday: 12:25, 4:00, 7:35
• Sunday: 2:10, 6:00
• Mon – Wed: 7:00
Rated R

Ticket prices are as follows:

• Adult: $10
• Child (under 12): $7
• Military: $8
• Student (college): $8
• Senior: $8
• Matinees, All Seating: $7
• 3D: add $3

COMING SOON:

• “Guardians of the Galaxy: Volume 3″
• “Dungeons And Dragons: Honor Among Thieves”
• “Super Mario Bros.”
• “Fast X”
• “The Little Mermaid”

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The Warren County Department of Fire and Rescue Services has renewed our partnership with the American Red Cross – West Virginia Region, Central Appalachia and will participate in their “Sound the Alarm, Save a Life” campaign. The department will conduct a “10-A-Day Campaign” to assist in their endeavor.

Our “10-A-Day Campaign” will challenge each of our staffed stations to complete the following activities for each day during the week of April 2 through April 8, 2023, with the focus on:

• Visiting a minimum of 10 homes each day.
• Providing lifesaving education on smoke alarms to a minimum of 10 people each day.
• Inspecting a minimum of 10 existing smoke alarms for their appropriate operating condition, placement, and adequate date.
• Replacing a minimum of 10 out-of-date alarms or installing new alarms where needed.

Warren County Fire and Rescue is proud to collaborate with the American Red Cross and to have been part of the success of the “Sound the Alarm, Save A Life” campaign. The American Red Cross and its partners have installed over 2.5 million free smoke alarms, making over 1 million homes safer. The department plans to continue to assist with their goal of 50,000 smoke alarm installs during April by challenging our staff to install 80 smoke alarms a day, every day, during the week campaign, for a total of 560 smoke alarm installs.

According to the American Red Cross, “Home fires claim seven lives every day, but having working smoke alarms can cut the risk of death by half.” Warren County Department of Fire and Rescue is committed to further reducing this number by partnering with the American Red Cross, educating the community, and providing free smoke alarm installs.

For a free fire and life safety home evaluation and to receive your free smoke alarms, please contact us at 540-636-3830 or visit www.warrencountyfire.com.

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There will be a free community Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday, April 1 on the Newton Commons at 5165 Main Street in Stephens City from 12:30 to 3 PM.  The Egg Hunt is being held by Stephens City UMC and will be accompanied by a United Women of Faith (UWF) Flower and Bake Sale from 11 to 3 PM. It is estimated about 1,000 folks attended the event in 2022, so the anticipation is an even larger event this year.

Easter Egg hunt for 4–6-year-olds was packed with frenzied children. The roped-off egg hunting areas will be double the size from last year to accommodate more children. Courtesy Marty Barley.

Pastor Bertina Westley invites the entire community to visit the Easter Egg Hunt on the Commons. “The Commons is located right in the middle of town,” said Pastor Westley. The location is perfect as it allows many people in the Stephens City area to conveniently walk with their families to the event and enjoy the festivities. Everyone in the community is welcome.

All participants, if they have not already preregistered, are requested to stop by one of the two registration tables. One registration table, located along Main Street, can be found by an inflatable Easter Bunny. The other registration table is under the picnic shelter pavilion next to another inflatable bunny. Please sign in to hunt for 4,000 plastic eggs filled with candy and prizes and grab an event map and church activity schedule.  Parents are encouraged to bring their own bag or basket for their children to collect eggs.

L and R, Donna Steward (Lay Leader) and Pastor Bertina Westley pose with the Easter Bunny. EB will be available for photo opportunities at the Newtown Commons music stage. Courtesy Marty Barley.

Cathy Barley is the Missions Chair at Stephens City UMC. “As Chair, I am tasked with organizing our 2nd annual community Easter Egg Hunt. After last year’s stunning success, our church congregation has been actively aspiring to continue outreach to our Stephens City “neighbors” and what better way than to hold this event again on the Newtown Commons, right off Main Street. It takes several months of preparation, and the assistance of many, many church, civic, and student volunteers, but the results are well worth the effort. We are estimating about 1,000 to 2,000 adults and children will attend, weather permitting,” Barley said.

Stephens City UMC purchased 2,500 candy and prize filled plastic eggs from Sunny Bunny Easter Eggs in Springfield Missouri. The company provides meaningful employment to people with disabilities.

A group of Sherando High School Students are volunteering to help stuff 1,500 plastic eggs at Stephens City UMC.  The church’s Caring Outreach ministry has also volunteered their time to assist with stuffing the Easter eggs.

Stephens City Mayor Mike Diaz will kick off each of the egg hunts beginning at 1 PM. The egg hunts are divided into four different age groups (from toddlers to age 12) at four different locations. Ages 0–3 egg hunt starts at 1 PM; ages 4–6 at 1:30 PM; ages 7–9 at 2 PM; and ages 10–12 at 2:30 PM. To accommodate more children, the roped-off egg hunting areas will be double the size from last year. There will be plenty of eggs stuffed with candy and surprises to be found by each child in attendance.

An Egg Freeze Hunt will challenge the 7 to 9-year-old children. When the music is playing, they can look for the eggs but as soon as the music stops, they must freeze!  Mayor Diaz said that last year, this was his most favorite egg hunt.

For the oldest group of 10 to 12-year-old children, there will be a unique 15’ x 20’ 3-Dimensional “challenge maze,” constructed with steel fence posts, PVC tubing, rope, colorful string, hula hoops and pool noodles. Two bunny flags will fly on the 10’ high center posts. Last year the older kids began to gather around the maze an hour prior to the event to strategize in advance, determining how they can quickly move about the maze to accumulate the most eggs.

The 3-Dimensional “challenge maze” for 10–12-year-olds was a crowd favorite last year and is bigger and more complex this year. Courtesy Marty Barley.

The eggs are beautifully colored and enthusiastic children will enter the sport of hunting for them with a zest which none but children understand. Two eggs for each age group will contain a gold disk — the children who are lucky enough to find them will each receive a totally full Easter basket of assorted goodies as a bonus prize. Quite a large group of parents and grandparents will crowd the roped-off areas and the bright faces and merry laughter of the children should make for an enjoyable occasion.

The always popular and crowded face painting sites will be in the picnic shelter area of the Commons. We will have 3 to 4 face painting stations operating simultaneously. Sherando High School is again providing student volunteers who will support this activity as well as running the festival games to include Corn Hole, Bowling, Potato Sack Relay, Ring Toss, Bean Bag Toss, and Egg/Spoon Relay.

There will be a “take your own” Easter Bunny photo opportunity for all children from 1 to 3 PM on the Newtown Commons outdoor stage. Parents always look forward to watching their children interact with the Bunny at Easter.

Self-taught artist Michael Bulley (Balloon Man) will skillfully use his balloon artistry to create hundreds of free balloon animals for the kids. Children are always fascinated by the magic that comes from the timeless art of balloon twisting and balloon animals. “I feel I am in the right place doing what I should be doing at this time in my life,” Bulley said. Mr. Bulley is a member of the Disabled American Veterans Department of Virginia, Chapter 9, in Winchester.

Michael Bulley (Balloon Man) can craft about a dozen or so unique creations to include swords, giraffes, butterflies, bunnies, hummingbirds, turtles, hearts, balloon hats and bracelets. Courtesy Scott Saylor.

Lolo the Clown from Winchester, will be roaming the Commons amusing children with her antics in between egg hunts and participating in the festival games. Lolo is colorful, kind, silly, and entertaining and will make your children laugh.

Lolo the Clown from Winchester will be roaming the Commons entertaining children in between egg hunts and festive games. Courtesy Scott Saylor.

Stephens City Volunteer Fire and Rescue (SCVFR) will provide a Fire Truck on site. Children will have the opportunity to meet and take photos with the much beloved Sparky the Fire Dog. The fire truck will blare its siren at precisely 1 PM to announce the start of the egg hunting activities. SCVFR provides outreach to the community, offering fire prevention awareness, educational material, and equipment displays to day care, elementary and middle schools, and church and civic groups.

Stephens City Volunteer Fire & Rescue (SCVFR) mascots, Sparky the Fire Dog, and Ember the Dalmatian. Engine 11 Pierce Arrow Velocity Custom Pumper, 2,000 GPM and 1,000 GWT, 6-person cab in the background. Courtesy SCVFR.

Tree of Crafts, (located at 5187 Main Street, Stephens City and opened last May), will be offering free craft projects during the egg hunt. Owner Amber Holmes will have a crafts tent and room for ten children to participate in custom made projects to include Easter salt dough ornaments. “Kids can paint an egg, bunny, or Easter basket with your favorite colors, let dry and take home with you that day!  Come out and visit our exclusive workshop. Custom apparel, cups, tumblers, and décor. Learn how to make art from scratch,” said Holmes.

Tree of Crafts will offer a tent with free craft projects (Easter salt dough ornaments) for children during the egg hunt. Courtesy Amber Holmes.

Winchester native Chris Huntt Jr. will be playing music at the Commons pavilion from 1 – 3 PM. Chris is an up-and-coming singer/songwriter who performs western country, Americana, and bluegrass! You can find him on Facebook and YouTube at Chris Huntt Jr. Music.

Stephens City UMC’s United Women of Faith will sell a variety of market flower packs (Easter flowers, lilies, daffodils, tulips, and hyacinths). “Proceeds from the flower and ‘grab and go’ bake sale will support mission projects,” UWF president Michele Hruska said. According to Hruska, UWF’s mission pledge supports programs and staff such as deaconesses, and missionaries who serve the United Methodist Church globally and nationally. “Stephens City UWF also supports local missions such as Congregational Community Action Project (CCAP) which provides a food pantry, clothing house, and financial assistance to ALICE families, and Bright Futures, a non-profit organization through Frederick County Public Schools that helps connect student needs with available resources in the community,” Hruska said.

The Town of Stephens City has graciously placed our event flyers in their newsletter mailings and made the flyer available to town residents at their office on Locust Street.

Stephens City police officers will be on hand to manage traffic control around the Commons and provide secure oversight. Say hello to them – they love visiting with and getting to know our local community!

A requested addition to the egg hunt for this year is there will be three food vendors on site at the Commons: Bam Bam’s Barbeque, Anthony’s Pizza of Stephens City, and Mattie’s Premium Soft Serve Frozen Custard! Some food vendors will be cash only, so please come prepared.

For more information about Stephens City UMC’s free community Easter Egg Hunt, or to pre-register for the event, please visit www.stephenscityumc.org.

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Let’s Learn about Wildlife! From now until June, Blue Ridge Wildlife Center will be hosting Wildlife Look-and-Learn events in the classroom and the Wildlife Walk every Sunday, Tuesday and Wednesday.

These run from 11:30am to 2pm and provide visitors the chance to visit our wildlife walk and classroom areas, where our 20 animal ambassadors are on display.

Each day features a special topic or activity, and highlights one or more of our ambassador animals. You do not need to stay the entire time, nor do you need to come at exactly 11:30 – these events are continuous and you can come anytime between 11:30am and 2pm.

In the rare cases when there are specific activities that have a required start time, it will be noted on the calendar on our website.

Tickets are only $5 – reserve your spot today!

Be there for…

• Ambassador highlight!
• educational program!
• crafts and activities!

Sundays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays through June 6th!

Where: 106 Island Farm Lane, Boyce, VA 22620

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As you get older, your nutrition needs change. Your body needs more of certain vitamins and minerals. Here’s a list of some essential nutrients for older adults.

• Calcium is found in dairy, tofu, and dark-green leafy vegetables. Older people at risk of bone loss need calcium in their diets. Men between 51 and 70 need 1,000 milligrams daily, while women over 51 and men over 71 need 1,200 milligrams daily.

• Vitamin B6 helps your body form red blood cells and is found in foods like bananas and potatoes. Men over 51 need 1.7 milligrams, while women of the same age need 1.5 milligrams.

• Vitamin B12 is found in meat and keeps your red blood cells and nerves healthy. Older adults may have trouble absorbing this vitamin from food and require a supplement. Aim for 2.4 micrograms per day.

• Vitamin D helps your body retain and use calcium and phosphorus. Only a few foods, like fish, contain it. Your skin also produces Vitamin D in sunlight. Therefore, a supplement may help you get the recommended amount if you live and work indoors. People between 50 and 70 require 600 international units (IU), while people over 71 require 800 IUs.

• Sodium in high doses can lead to elevated blood pressure, which can result in a heart attack or stroke. Men and women over 51 should limit their sodium intake to 2,300 milligrams per day.

Talk to your doctor before taking supplements, as some may have severe side effects.

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