Local News
Fire safety tips from Gerry Maiatico, Warren County Fire Marshall
October 6th-12th is this year’s Fire Prevention Week, with the theme of “Not Every Hero Wears a Cap. Plan and Practice Your Escape!”
“Not Every Hero Wears a Cape. Plan and Practice Your Escape!” focuses on what a home escape plan entails and the value of practicing it. These messages are more important than ever, particularly because today’s homes burn faster than ever. Fire Chief Richard E. Mabie warns that the materials used in modern home furnishings, along with the fact that newer homes tend to be built with more open spaces and unprotected lightweight construction, are contributing factors to the increased burn rate which places the homes occupants in greater risk.
“People tend to underestimate their risk to fire, particularly at home. That over-confidence lends itself to a complacency toward home escape planning and practice,” said Chief Mabie. “But in a fire situation, we’ve seen time and again that advance planning can make a potentially life-saving difference.”
A home escape plan includes working smoke alarms on every level of the home, in every bedroom, and near all sleeping areas. It also includes two ways out of every room, usually a door and a window, with a clear path to an outside meeting place (like a tree, light pole or mailbox) that’s a safe distance from the home. Home escape plans should be practiced twice a year by all members of the household.
For more information about Fire Prevention Week and “Not Every Hero Wears a Cape. Plan and Practice Your Escape!,” along with a wealth of resources to help promote the campaign locally, visit fpw.org.
The Department also reminds our community that if your home is without the protection of a life-saving smoke alarm, contact us at 540-636-3830 to schedule to receive a free one today!
As we approach fire prevention week, we also remind our community to follow these fire and life safety tips to increase the safety in your home!
- Always unplug small appliances when they aren’t in use.
- Never overload electrical circuits, and always replace cracked or frayed wires.
- If your clothing catches fire, remember: stop, drop and roll.
- Dispose of hot ashes in a metal container with a tight fitting lid outdoors, at a safe distance from the house.
- Keep space heaters at least 3 feet away from drapes, clothing and other combustible items.
- Never force a 3-prong plug into a 2-slot outlet or extension cord.
- If a fire breaks out while you’re cooking, cover the burning pan with a lid to smother the flames. Never throw water on a grease fire.
- Have the whole family take part in routine fire drills.
- Keep towels, potholders and curtains away from flames and heat sources.
- Never leave cooking unattended. A serious fire can start in just seconds.
- Planning and rehearsing a home fire escape plan is a smart thing to do.
- Close your matchbook and hold it away from your body before striking a match. Set your cigarette lighter on low flame.
- Learn how and when to use a fire extinguisher.
- If you must escape through smoke, crawl on your hands and knees to the nearest exit.
- Keep cooking areas free of combustibles. Avoid wearing long sleeves while cooking.
- If you start to feel drowsy while watching TV or reading, extinguish your cigarette or cigar.
- Designate an outdoor meeting place for your family to gather at in the event of a fire.
- Keep lit candles away from bedding, curtains, papers and anything else that can ignite easily.
- Don’t run electrical wires under your bed or trap them against a wall where heat can build up.
- Have your furnace and chimney inspected and cleaned every year.
- Test smoke alarm batteries often, and replace them when you change the time on your clocks: in the spring and in the fall.
- Store matches and lighters in a secure spot that’s out of your children’s reach.
- Teach children how to use 911 in an emergency.
- Never get into an elevator during a fire; always take the stairs.
- Keep the underbrush around your home neatly trimmed.
- Be careful with campfire food: waving around molten marshmallows can be dangerous.
- Don’t use planters or flowerpots as ashtrays! The peat moss they often contain is highly flammable.
- Stack firewood at least 30 feet away from your home and other structures.
- If you smell gas in your home, leave immediately and call the fire department from outside the house.
- Make sure your house number is clearly visible from the road.
- Never leave lit candles unattended.
- Dried flowers, cornstalks and crepe paper are highly flammable. Keep these and other decorations far away from open flames and heat sources, including light bulbs.
- Always use stable candleholders made of non-flammable materials such as metal or glass.
- Install smoke detectors on every floor of your home, outside each sleeping area, and anywhere that flammable materials are stored.
- Keep a glass or metal screen in front of your fireplace, and make sure the surrounding area is clear of flammable items.
- Be extremely cautious when decorating with candles. Use long fireplace-style matches to light candles inside of jack-o’-lanterns, and make sure lit pumpkins are kept far away from combustible items. Supervise children at all times near an open flame.
- Never use an extension cord that’s coiled or bunched together. The wires may generate heat that could melt the casing and cause a fire.
- In the event of a house fire, your first priority is to get outside safely. Call 911 after you’ve exited the building. Never attempt to go back inside a burning house.
- Don’t leave the dryer running when you go out; it could malfunction during your absence.
- Store gasoline in an appropriate container inside your garage or shed.
- Don’t smoke in bed, when you’re drowsy, or if you’re under the influence of alcohol or medication. Smoking is a leading cause of fire-related deaths.
- Don’t play with matches or lighters.
- Never leave a lit barbecue unattended.
- Replace smoke alarms every 10 years. If you can’t remember how old the alarm is, it’s probably time for a new one.
- Keep a multipurpose fire extinguisher in your home and make sure all household members know how to use it.
- Provide smokers with large, deep ashtrays and empty them frequently. Douse butts with water before discarding.
- Don’t operate the dryer without a lint filter in place. Clean the filter before or after each use, and wipe away any buildup of lint around the drum.
- Make sure all flammable liquids are properly identified and stored away from heat and flames.
- Never use gas or charcoal grills indoors.
- In the event of a fire, check doorknobs for excessive heat with the back of your hand before using them.
Local News
The Apple Blossom Coronation Legacy Continues for the Historical Event
For the first time in the history of the Shenandoah Apple Bossom Festival® three consecutive generations in a family will have served as Queen Shenandoah. Susan Ford Bales, Queen in 1975, and Tyne Vance Berlanga, Queen in 2001, will be accompanying Joy Elizabeth Berlanga as she assumes her role as Queen Shenandoah XCVII.
The Crowning Ceremony entertains from regal pomp and circumstance to joyful enthusiasm of Little Maids and Pages who are ever present to serve their Queen. The youthful court interchange historical and educational facts from the British Crown to learning about a United States President – to asking, “Who has the Crown?,” and with dancing. The Queen will be crowned at the memorable Coronation celebration under the direction of Elaine B. Aikens. The Ceremony to install the new sovereign is sponsored by Morgan Orthodontics, on Friday, May 3 at 1:30 p.m.at Handley High School. President Gerald Ford crowned Susan. Susan crowned Tyne, and Joy will be crowned by her mother and escorted by her grandmother.
Susan, Joy’s grandmother, is a Virginia native and now resides in Texas. She is the daughter of President Gerald R. Ford and Betty Ford. Susan is the mother of two daughters, Tyne Berlanga and Heather Deavers, five grandchildren, Joy Elizabeth Berlanga, Cruz Vance Berlanga, Elizabeth Blanch Deavers, Jude Deavers, and Sullivan Bales, and three stepsons, Kevin, Matthew, and Andrew Bales.
Susan was raised in Alexandria, Virginia and attended Holton Arms School and the University of Kansas, where she studied photojournalism. She is the recipient of an Honorary Doctorate of Public Service degree, an Honorary Doctorate of Letters degree, and an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters degree. She is the author of two novels set in the Whie House, “Double Exposure: A First Daughter Mystery”, and its sequel, “Sharp Focus.”
Susan is the Ship’s Sponsor for the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78), which she officially christened on November 9, 2013. On April 8, 2016, in recognition of her service as the Ship’s Sponsor, she was named an Honorary Naval Aviator by the United States Navy, becoming only the 31st American to receive this distinction. And history was made with her selection – Susan is the first woman to be chosen as an Honorary Naval Aviator.
During her high school years, Susan lived in the White House and served as official White House hostess following her mother’s surgery for breast cancer in 1974. In 1984, she and her mother helped launch National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and Susan subsequently served as national spokesperson for breast cancer awareness. Since the founding of the Betty Ford Center in 1982, Susan worked side by side with her mother on projects at the Center and was elected to the Center’s Board of Directors in 1992. She succeeded her mother as Chairman of the Board 2005-2010, and currently serves on the board of directors of Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation.
In addition to her many charitable public service activities, Susan serves as Co-Trustee of the President Gerald R. Ford Historical Legacy, Trustee, Trustee of the Elizabeth B. Ford Charitable Trust, and the Honorary Advisory Committee of the Children’s National Medical Center.
Tyne, mother of Joy, Queen-designate, resides in Frisco, TX with her husband Hector and two children, Joy and Cruz. She serves as a marketing manager for Western Son. With a passion for community involvement, Tyne sits on multiple school booster club boards for all her children’s activities.
On Tyne’s departure as Queen she reflected, “It was easy to be kind, gracious and humble Queen when surrounded by the people of Winchester. My five-day reign as Queen Shenandoah was an occasion that will have a special place in my heart. I have formed friendships and made memories that will hopefully stay with me for a long time to come. On Sunday morning I was doing an exit interview with one of the reporters and he asked me, “If l had a daughter would I let her be Queen?” My answer was immediately “Yes, if she’s lucky enough to be given this opportunity.” Now, Tyne eagerly anticipates returning to Winchester where Joy is set to embark on a remarkable journey, echoing Tyne’s own experiences from 23 years prior. It’s truly heartwarming to be able to share this moment with both her mother and daughter.
The Queen and her family will ride in the Hang 10 Firefighters’ Parade Friday evening at 5:30 and the glo fiber Grand Feature Parade on Saturday, May 4 at 1:30 p.m. Queen-designate Joy and her family will be making appearances at Festival events during the weekend.
Tickets to Festival events are available at www.thebloom.com/events.
Community Events
Valley Chorale Announces Upcoming Spring Concerts in Middletown and Front Royal
The Valley Chorale presents “Wishing On a Song – Music in the Key of Hope”, a spring concert exploring aspirations of love, home, spirituality and compassion that unite and uplift us all. With styles ranging from light classical and sacred to vocal jazz, spirituals and pop, The Valley Chorale strives to capture the hopes that unite us.
The Valley Chorale is known throughout the Shenandoah Valley for innovation and excellence, with piano, cello and percussion accompaniment, and their concerts are often a heart-warming experience for all. They welcome babies and tots, so no need to hire a babysitter.
Tickets can be purchased on their website TheValleyChorale.org — $15 for age 21+ (free under age 21) or at the door for $17.
SATURDAY, MAY 4, 3:00 – 4:15 PM
Belle Grove Plantation (Bank Barn), 336 Belle Grove Road, Middletown, VA
SUNDAY, MAY 5, 3:00 – 4:15 PM
First Baptist Church, 14 W. 1st Street, Front Royal, VA (Community Reception to follow)
For further information, visit the website: TheValleyChorale.org: follow them on Facebook; email them at TheValleyChorale@gmail.com or call at 540-635-4842.
(From a Release by The Valley Chorale)
Local News
Warren Coalition Announces 2024 Video Contest Winners
Just before spring break, the Warren Coalition presented first-place prizes to four students for their submissions in the annual Health Video Contest. Jerry Buhl and Kenny Buhl, brothers who are both students at Warren County Middle School, won in the categories of Eating Healthy and Getting Enough Sleep, respectively. Caleb Rodman, a local homeschool student, was honored for his submission about Drinking Enough Water. Landon Marut of Front Royal Christian Academy took the top prize in the Exercise category. Each of the students received $125 in Amazon gift cards.
The contest was open to all middle school students, ages 11-14, in Warren County. Students could elect to submit a video about getting regular exercise, getting enough sleep, drinking water, or maintaining healthy eating habits. The contest was held as part of the Warren Coalition’s WAHOO (Working to Achieve Healthy Outcomes and Opportunities) program, which is funded by the Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth. Their videos will be used as healthy living ads throughout Warren County in the late spring/early summer.
Warren Coalition is a nonprofit agency established in 1994 to help fill the gaps in health care and substance abuse awareness to the community. The Coalition began under the guidance of Warren Memorial Hospital as an outreach project, but it has since grown and was incorporated in 2001. The office is currently located in the Warren County Community Center. Their mission is to make Warren County a safe, healthy, and drug free community through many programs and in collaboration with 15+ member agencies.
Local News
Warren County Habitat for Humanity Receives Major Grant to Support Housing and Community Revitalization
Warren County Habitat for Humanity has been awarded a substantial $235,466 grant from the Susan Dewey Virginia Housing Grant. This funding will enhance their ongoing efforts to revitalize neighborhoods and provide affordable housing, with a focus on the Osage Street project.
The grant, named in honor of Susan Dewey’s 25 years of dedication at Virginia Housing, underscores a commitment to eliminating substandard housing and promoting vibrant, healthy communities. It is part of a larger $1 million initiative aimed at supporting the construction, rehabilitation, and preservation of single-family homes across the state.
Warren County Habitat for Humanity is among five affiliates chosen for this generous grant. The funds are expected to aid in covering construction costs and reducing loan expenses, making homeownership more accessible to families striving for better living conditions.
Debra Siksay, President of the local Habitat chapter, expressed her gratitude, stating, “This grant from Virginia Housing is a monumental support for our Osage Street project and other endeavors. It allows us to push forward with our neighborhood improvement plans and make a lasting impact in the community.”
The organization’s mission, deeply rooted in the values of community and hope, is to ensure that every family in Warren County has a decent, safe place to call home. The Susan Dewey Virginia Housing Grant will play a crucial role in bringing that vision to life by empowering families and fostering community development.
Residents interested in learning more about the Habitat for Humanity projects or wishing to contribute can visit the Warren County Habitat website at www.warrencountyhabitat.org or contact their office at 540-551-3232.
Warren County Habitat for Humanity continues to work tirelessly towards a world where everyone has a decent place to live, supported by community efforts and generous funding such as the Susan Dewey Virginia Housing Grant.
Local News
Blue Ridge Wildlife Center Patient of the Week: Red Fox
A quick turnaround for this lucky fox!
As the only wildlife-dedicated hospital in the Northern Virginia area, we rely on a variety of other organizations to get orphaned, injured, and ill wildlife to us for treatment from various locations.
Big thank you to the Animal Welfare League of Arlington and their skilled officers for responding to a call about a fox in distress with a trap on his neck. Their quick thinking got this fox contained, the trap removed, and the fox transported to us for further evaluation and treatment.
On intake, this fox was relatively quiet but required sedation to be fully examined. While there was initially blood seen on the fox’s paw, the only major injuries found were wounds on the neck caused by the trap. The blood was likely from the fox using his paw to scratch at the trap in an attempt to remove it.
With a long-lasting antibiotic on board as well as pain medications, this fox bounced back quickly and was moved outside to a pre-release shelter for continued healing. He quickly began digging, eating, and acting appropriately towards staff.
A few good days of food and rest, this adult fox was cleared for release by our veterinary team! We are overjoyed we were able to get this beautiful guy back to the wild:
Thank you to ALL involved in this animal’s rescue, care, rehabilitation, and release. It truly takes a village and we’re so thankful to have an amazing community dedicated to the well-being of wildlife.
It’s important to note that trapping within Arlington is illegal – if you have any information on anyone setting illegal traps in Arlington, please contact the AWLA to report information!
Looking for an easy way to help native wildlife? Become a monthly BRWC donor! For as little as $5/month, you can provide year-round, sustainable support that helps us fulfill our mission.
Local News
Northwestern Community Services Board Announces Executive Director Selection
Northwestern Community Services Board (NWCSB) selected Ellen Harrison as its new Executive Director, effective May 2024. Harrison brings over 28 years of experience in public health to the role.
Most recently, Harrison served as the Chief Deputy Commissioner for the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, having been appointed to this position by Governor Youngkin. In this role, she led a division pivotal in transforming external relations and implementing key agency initiatives.
Prior to that, Harrison was the Executive Director of the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Community Services Board for over six years, following her role as Director of Acute Services. As Executive Director, she managed a staff of 250 employees and oversaw an annual budget of $17 million.
Jennifer Coker, Chairperson of the NWCSB Selection Committee, shared, “Ms. Harrison brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to our agency, and we are excited for her to take on the agency’s Executive Director role. The board is confident that Ms. Harrison’s leadership will be a benefit to our clients, staff, and community stakeholders.”
Harrison holds a master’s degree in business administration and is a Licensed Professional Counselor. She earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in psychology from James Madison University.
Commenting on her new designation, Harrison said, “Over the course of my career, I have been humbled many times by the resiliency and strength of others. I look forward to continuing my journey with NWCSB communities and specifically the employees that are dedicated to the delivery of quality services.”
Northwestern Community Services Board is a public behavioral health agency serving the City of Winchester, and Counties of Frederick, Clarke, Warren, Shenandoah, and Page. The community services board offers an array of outpatient, case management, day support, residential, and emergency programs designed to enhance the quality of life for both children and adults.