If you missed the Christmas Parade or want to see it again, sit back and enjoy!

This year the Front Royal/Warren County Chamber of Commerce Christmas Parade was hosted by Mike McCool, Publisher of the Royal Examiner. Thanks to Connor Clark for operating the video camera and the parade sponsor Lindsay Chevrolet.

Winners in this year’s parade are:

Best in Show – Edward Jones

Walking Group – Warren County High School Band

Best Large Float – White Horse Car Wash

Best Small Float – Samuels Public Library

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Explore Art & Clay has opened a gallery at 501 East Main Street in Front Royal. The Gallery features locally handmade pottery, ornaments, mugs, glasswork, plates, paintings, cards, ink work and so much more. Local potters, artists, photographers, and makers work added every day.  Love Front Royal? Love Virginia? This is the shop for you!

Visit their website for more information or Facebook page.

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While 2021 won’t see a new Star Wars film on the silver screen, that galaxy far, far away will still have a huge impact on the holidays. Indeed, Star Wars arguably reshaped the relationship between media and toys.

Back in the late 1970s, movie director George Lucas made 20th Century Fox an irresistible offer, agreeing to cut his Star Wars director fee by $500,000 in exchange for keeping merchandising rights. Fox jumped at the deal because movie-themed toys then were mostly an afterthought. Movie-themed toys could drum up sales while movies were still in theaters but were quickly forgotten after the theater run wrapped up.

Then Star Wars became an out of this galaxy hit. Yet what was perhaps more surprising was the massive, sustained demand for Star Wars toys. Indeed, toy company Kenner, which originally held the rights to produce Star Wars-themed toys, couldn’t keep up with demand. During the holidays, they actually had to send out IOUs.

George Lucas established one of the biggest movie franchises in history. But just as importantly, he reshaped the modern toy industry. Now, tying in ancillary products, including toys, clothing, video games, and more, is a major strategy for many film studios.

Consider the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Rather than turning to on-staff comic buffs and storytellers to decide which superheroes to base movies around, Marvel executives sought insights from kids. Children were shown drawings of various superheroes and were asked who they’d like to play with as toys. Iron Man came out as the clear winner and as a result, Marvel Studios launched the MCU with an Iron Man flick.

Hasbro, which partners with Disney to make Star Wars, Marvel, and other themed toys, generated nearly $1.1 billion in revenues through their partner brands in 2020. While this marks a drop from the $1.2 billion in 2019, it’s still a substantial sum. The Licensing Industry Merchandisers Association estimates that total licensed merchandise sales reached $262.9 billion in 2016.

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Do you dream of downsizing, adopting a minimalist lifestyle, and getting closer to nature? If so, a tiny house might be right for you. However, it’s important to be aware that this type of dwelling, while increasingly popular, often still falls into a gray area in terms of the law. Here are some things to keep in mind as you explore your options.

1. Size and style matter
A major decision you’ll need to make regarding your tiny house is whether to build it on a foundation or on wheels. If you opt for a stationary home, it’ll be subject to local bylaws regarding house sizes. The minimum ranges from 70 to 1,000 square feet depending on where you live. If you want a moveable tiny home, however, it may need to be registered as a recreational vehicle.

2. It can’t go just anywhere
How tiny houses are zoned in a particular area can greatly limit where you’ll be allowed to build or park your home. For example, in many municipalities, it’s illegal to take up permanent residence in a recreational vehicle on a property that isn’t zoned for mobile homes. This means you might be required to build your tiny house on a foundation.

3. Building codes still apply
While there can be a bit more flexibility if your tiny house is registered as a recreational vehicle, these homes usually need to comply with the local building codes. Among other things, you may need a minimum ceiling height, at least one full bathroom, and a window that can be used as an emergency exit.

The bottom line is that building requirements and other regulations for tiny homes vary widely by state and even municipality. Therefore, it’s crucial that you do plenty of research before committing to this lifestyle.

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If you’re thinking about buying a piece of land and building the home of your dreams, it’s important to consider how long the project will take. While most houses can be built in four to 10 months, there are a variety of factors that can influence this timeline.

Common reasons for delays
The first thing you should know is that it can take quite some time to obtain the necessary construction permits. Another factor that can extend a build by several weeks or more is the location. The topography and type of soil, in particular, can slow things down. Plus, certain weather conditions and shortages in building materials may also cause delays. Any last-minute design changes will like¬wise result in a setback to the timeline.

Tips to stay on schedule
Proper planning is the best way to prevent delays and keep a build on schedule. Among other things, preparation will help ensure materials such as windows and doors are delivered on time. You should also make sure you schedule service calls with plumbers, electricians, and other professionals in the right order to keep things on track. By staying on top of the project’s progress, you can greatly reduce the risk of delays.

In all cases, the experience of your contractor will have a major impact on how fast the work gets done. Be sure to meet with several professionals and select someone who has the right credentials.

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Ruth Elizabeth Linger, of Front Royal, Virginia passed away on Saturday, November 27, 2021, at Winchester Medical Center.

Ruth Elizabeth Linger

She was born on the 30th day of August 1937 in Mammoth, West Virginia, the daughter of the late James H. and Rhoda Stockwell Johnston.

Visitation will take place Friday, December 10th from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at Maddox Funeral Home in Front Royal. The funeral will be conducted on Saturday, December 11th at 11:00 a.m. with the Rev. Jim Bunce officiating. Entombment will follow at Panorama Memorial Gardens.

Mrs. Linger graduated from Walton High School in Roane County West Virginia in 1956 and married Louis W. Linger shortly thereafter. Her high school activities included membership in 4-H Club and student government. Her life in West Virginia consisted primarily of raising her four children and supporting her husband’s football and basketball coaching endeavors.

In 1967 Ruth enrolled into newly formed ECPI (Electronic Computer Programing Institute). In 1969 she became one of the first women to complete ECPI Control Panel Wiring- Tabulating Computer Programming certification.

She and her family moved to Front Royal, Virginia in 1971 where she provided childcare for hundreds of children in Warren County over several decades. And she considered all of them “her kids” and still received letters, calls, and visits from many of them. She worked with local churches and elementary schools, social services, and LFCC to help develop childcare into the Preschool models used today.

Ruth was a member of Marlow Heights Baptist Church where she attended regularly until her health prevented it.

Mrs. Linger was an avid sports fan, and her favorite sport was football. She was often found decked out in her Washington or West Virginia University gear on fall weekends. Ruth also spent many years in the bleachers of numerous athletic events as a coach’s wife, a football, basketball, and baseball mom, and a cheerleader mom.

Ruth enjoyed many activities including selling Queen’s Way to Fashion, ceramics, taking ballet and tap-dancing lessons and performing in a couple of recitals, and taking a childhood development class at Lord Fairfax Community College. Ruth especially enjoyed the company of her cats and was often found with at least one on her lap. She also traveled with her sons to places such as New York City, Mexico, and New England.

Ruth, along with Louis, spent many weekends with their grandchildren camping and playing at Kings Dominion. Her grandchildren would now declare that it can’t be camping unless ice cream lights are strung across the canopy. She made a connection with each of her grandchildren that was special and unique to each.

Ruth was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 55 years, Louis W. Linger; her brother, Joseph Ellison; and her sister Leona Cundiff.

She is survived by her sister Iris Brisendine and brothers James Johnston, Michael Johnston, Ray Johnston, and Gay Johnston; sons, Wade Linger, John Linger, Henry Linger, and daughter Kimberly Brooks. She is also survived by grandchildren, Rhoda Martin, Robert Linger, Benn Linger, David Linger, Daniel Westerfield, John Linger, Jr., Matthew Linger, Christopher Linger, Brian Linger, Heather Wilson, Kevin Linger, Amanda Bass, and Blake Brooks. She has eleven great-grandchildren.

Pallbearers will be her grandsons.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to a charity of one’s choice.

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