These two Julia Wagner shelter dogs, the miniature pug Ophelia (Barr) and Max (Coolidge), the boxer, in a post-adoption meeting at Ophelia’s (Rockland) home – Photo/Malcolm Barr

Following a year of missteps and tragedy, bravely fought through by the Board of Directors of the Humane Society of Warren County (HSWC), 2019 launched in a new and encouraging direction – highlighted last week by a $25,000 Petco donation – under revived humane society and animal shelter management.

HSWC Board President Ellen Aders announced what she called “the most generous donation by Petco” on Saturday, February 16, the day after Executive Director Meghan Bowers delivered an upbeat, maiden speech to the Rotary Club of Front Royal just two months after her appointment. Bowers came to the Warren County Humane Society from an animal rescue operation in Aldie, Virginia.

Early last year, when members were called in to receive assurances that the HSWC was not being allowed, as some had complained, to “go to the dogs,” Aders and her board stepped up to the plate and pulled the society from its downward spiral, culminating in the appointment of Bowers as HSWC executive director. Bowers and new Julia Wagner Animal Shelter Manager Kayla Wines tenures included a four-month saga involving the rescue of 30 dogs and cats from an embattled former breeding kennel operation. The animals were recently released for adoption.

“Hard work and dedication has paid off,” said Aders. “Our board has worked tirelessly doing things that most boards never have to do. For example, I’d never written a grant before but ‘somebody had to do it’ and that’s how we functioned before Meghan joined us (in December) … like, somebody has to do it … and everyone stepped up!”

Bowers, who includes successful community outreach as one of her goals, gave her first speech locally to Front Royal Rotarians last Friday (February 15), recounting her initial few weeks on the job and providing her priorities in the work before her.

She emphasized the importance of “our TNR program” which is shorthand for the “Trap, Spay and Neuter” of stray or feral cats. “It is the only proven effective and humane method of dealing with feral cat populations, of which there are many in this area,” she said.

Cats need love too – as this dog seems to understand. Public Domain Photo/Pixabay

TNR involves trapping feral cats, vaccinating, spaying or neutering them, and returning them to their colony. The program fast reduces feral cat populations.

She admitted TNR has “always been a little bit controversial, with opinions ranging from “kill all feral cats” to “bring them to the shelter and adopt them out (TNA).” She chose TNR over TNA as the doable middle ground and called on the service club and the general public to help support the program to bring the burgeoning problem of feral cats under control. The cost is high – $80 to catch, fix, and release each cat.

Even in a down year, HSWC did many things right – reunited 270 lost animals with their owners; adopted out 900 animals over the previous 12 months; spayed or neutered 6,000 animals through a low-cost partnership with the Ancira Veterinary Clinic; and according to Bowers’ statistical report also maintained the Wagner Shelter’s “no kill” status.

To better meet the already high overhead of operating the72-year-old shelter, Bowers described a new way of donating. It is through the “HSWC Legacy Giving Program.” This involves including the animal shelter in a will.

“Lasting gifts such as this help us better plan for the future and give us peace of mind and stability,” she said.

Local real estate expert, Rita Rutledge, is once again available to serve you directly after 20+ years in real estate management! As a managing broker, Rita helped many new agents launch successful careers at Weichert Realtors. Now it’s her turn for a new beginning by aligning with Century 21 Campbell Realty. This strategic alignment has created a unique (powerhouse) brokerage with over 80 years of experience just between Broker Jeannette Campbell (1978) and agent Rita Rutledge (1979)!

Born a coal miner’s daughter in McDowell, WV, Rita learned about hard work and dedication to family. It is at this time she also developed her special sparkle and infectious positive attitude that has proven to be a true Rita quality for those who know her. At age 11, the family moved to Abingdon, VA where she remembers attending a modest 2 room elementary school with no indoor plumbing! After graduating John Battle High School, Rita married her childhood sweetheart in 1963 and started a family.

In 1979, Rita decided to pursue a career in real estate which would give her the flexibility needed as she continued to raise her family.  Keeping true to her life motto, “Education is everything,” Rita achieved a great education from Lord Fairfax Community College in Real Estate Brokerage and all associated business branches. In 1984, she completed her Broker’s license. At this point, the industry did not have many female agents in the Shenandoah Valley. Rita explains, “It was a battle at times to break into the man’s world of real estate.” With a lot of perseverance and that positive attitude, Rita not only achieved her goal to become a real estate professional, she was one of the top listing agents of the area supporting 20+ listings at one time.

When looking to the future, Rita expresses excitement at the thought of reconnecting with old friends from the industry. She has enjoyed getting back out on the road and discovering new places with buyers. If you are looking for a unique opportunity to work directly with one of the most experienced agents in our local real estate industry, you just might want to turn to Rita.

Rita Rutledge, Associate Broker
Licensed in real estate from 1979 – Present

• Mt Vernon/Weichert Realtors from 1985 – 2019
• Weichert Realtors Managing Broker 1996 – 2017
• Century 21 Campbell Realty 2019 – Present

Century 21 Campbell Realty
408 South Royal Ave | Front Royal, VA 22630
Cell: (540) 671-0016 | Office: (540) 636-2971
ritarutledgebroker@gmail.com

Whether you spend two weeks or two years planning your wedding, it’ll be over in the blink of an eye. To ensure you capture the event with beautiful photographs you’ll appreciate for a lifetime, take a look at these three inspiring wedding photography trends:

1. Drone photography. If your wedding is taking place in a beautiful outdoor location, a drone can create awe-inspiring photos that are impossible to get from the ground. Since photography drones are basically miniature helicopters with cameras attached to them, be sure to hire an experienced and licensed operator to avoid disaster.

2. Smoke bombs. Photographers are now incorporating colorful puffs of smoke that add an unexpected and untraditional element to wedding photos. Available in any color, smoke bombs can be used in different ways to add touches of whimsy or drama to your pictures.

3. Photojournalistic photos. Also called reportage style photography, these photos have a more candid and natural look than traditional shots. While your photographer will likely still cue you for some pictures, they’ll be using smaller, less obtrusive cameras to capture intimate moments from your wedding ceremony and reception.

No matter what type of pictures you eventually want to see framed on your mantle, the key to having beautiful photographs you and your partner will love is to work closely with your photographer.

Are you too embarrassed to ask about the difference between stocks and bonds or what it means to “diversify” your investment portfolio? Here’s a brief glossary defining some key investment terms.

Bonds: bonds are formal “IOUs” that specify how a loan will be repaid over time. Government bodies and corporations borrow money from investors to fund projects and pay them interest until the bond reaches maturity and is repaid in full.

Diversification: a diversified investment portfolio means having a mix of different assets to reduce risk. For example, you own stock in a variety of companies and also have bonds; you won’t lose everything if one company fails.

Liquidity: liquid investments can be cashed in or sold quickly. This is important if you’re investing on a short-term basis.

Mutual funds: with mutual funds, investors pool their money together into one professionally managed investment. An investing expert then determines where the money should go to generate the greatest returns for the investors.

Return on investment (ROI): the profit you make on an investment. It comes in two forms: income generated, including interest and dividends, and increases in values, which means you can sell your shares for a profit.

Stocks: stocks represent partial ownership of a company. When you buy stock, you become a shareholder and earn money when the company does well.

Now that you know some of the basic terminology, it’s time to get your feet wet and start investing.

The Warren County School Board called a special meeting on February 13th to hear Superintendent Greg Drescher overview of PayPoint Compensation Study and the report on the Compensation and Benefits Study.

Drescher indicated that all of the work on these studies is about being competitive in the local market and not being done to just pay people more money. The local market includes all of the school divisions that touch Warren County and the City of Winchester. He also said that in order for WCPS to attract and retain a quality workforce, WCPS needs to offer competitive pay and benefits.

Download the Studies:

• Compensation and Benefits Study Presentation
• Final Report Compensation and Benefits Study

Royal Examiner’s camera was there:

Related story: Warren County School Board Public Hearing on FY 2020 Budget 

What’s Happening

As weather conditions allow, crews will continue corridor wide roadway maintenance and address issues as needed, with daily multi-lane closures during daytime and overnight hours on eastbound and westbound I-66. Additional construction activities include:

• Constructing bridge abutments at Route 28 and I-495 interchanges
• Constructing box culverts inside the Route 123 Interchange for shared-use path
• Constructing retaining walls near Jermantown Road and Route 123 (Chain Bridge Road)
• Grading, excavating, clearing trees and brush, and drainage installation at the Route 28, Route 123, Route 50 and I-495 interchanges, and other work zone location along the corridor
• Clearing trees and brush at the future Balls Ford Park and Ride Lot near Manassas
• Grading, excavating, and small charge blasting for storm drain trenches at the future University Boulevard Park and Ride Lot
• Grading and excavating for the new E.C. Lawrence Park Access Road
• Relocating underground and overhead utilities along I-66 and Route 28

The Transform 66 Outside the Beltway project will add express lanes stretching 22.5 miles from the Capital Beltway to Route 29 in Gainesville, rebuild major interchanges along the I-66 corridor, create thousands of new park and ride spaces, and expand trail options for cyclists and pedestrians. Learn more at Transform66.org.

Upcoming Lane Closures and Traffic Changes

The following planned lane closures are expected to have significant traffic impacts. All work is subject to change based on weather and schedule. Find the latest information on travel conditions and work zones by visiting 511virginia.org or downloading the Virginia511 app.

ROUTE 29 (LEE HIGHWAY) / GAINESVILLE

Route 29 North and South between Heathcote Boulevard and University Boulevard

• Thursday, February 21, and Friday, February 22: 11 a.m. to Noon
• Traffic will be temporarily stopped for up to 15 minutes for small charge blasting operations at the future Park and Ride Lot. Additionally, the ramp from I-66 West to Route 29 North (Exit 43B) will be temporarily closed for 15 minutes beginning at 11 a.m.

ROUTE 234 BUSINESS (SUDLEY ROAD) / MANASSAS

• No significant traffic impacts are scheduled.

ROUTE 28 (SULLY ROAD) / CENTREVILLE

• No significant traffic impacts are scheduled.

ROUTE 286 (FAIRFAX COUNTY PARKWAY)

• No significant traffic impacts are scheduled.

ROUTE 50 / FAIRFAX

• No significant traffic impacts are scheduled.

ROUTE 123 (CHAIN BRIDGE ROAD) / OAKTON – CITY OF FAIRFAX

• No significant traffic impacts are scheduled.

ROUTE 243 (NUTLEY STREET) / VIENNA

I-66 East and West from I-459 to Route 243 (Nutley Street)

• Friday, February 22, and Saturday, February 23: 9 p.m. to 9 a.m.
• Three lanes will be closed with periodic 20-minute stoppages between midnight and 5 a.m. to remove an overhead sign gantry.

I-495 (CAPITAL BELTWAY)

I-66 East and West from I-459 to Route 243 (Nutley Street)

• Friday, February 22, and Saturday, February 23: 9 p.m. to 9 a.m.
• Three lanes will be closed with periodic 20-minute stoppages between midnight and 5 a.m. to remove an overhead sign gantry.

Commuter Alternatives

VDOT and the project team have invested in a broad range of programs to help commuters and others stay mobile and safe during construction. Learn more about carpool, vanpool, telework, and commuter bus alternatives.