Month: September 2008

Charges brought in vandalism spree in Lake Caroline.

From the Caroline County Sheriff’s Office:

According to Sheriff Tony Lippa, during the late evening of August 12 and early morning of August 13, approximately 31 incidents of vandalism were reported in the Lake Caroline subdivision.  The majority of these involved vandalism to mailboxes but included other property damage as well.  The total damages reached into the thousands of dollars.

On August 29, 2008, Investigator B. L. Fedder obtained information on suspects in these offenses while investigating another matter.  As a result of the follow up investigation by Deputy DiGravio-Ferguson, Investigator Fedder and Sergeant Rozell, a total of 93 juvenile petitions are being obtained on 3 juvenile suspects.  These charges clear all of the vandalisms that were reported that night.  While their innocence is presumed until conviction, if convicted, restitution will be sought.

“I am very pleased that we were able to solve these crimes through the efforts of our deputies.  Vandalism is typically one of the hardest crimes to solve, and this evening was particularly disturbing because it did involve so many victims,” said Sheriff Lippa.  “I encourage anyone who may have information about this or any crime to call our anonymous tip line at (804) 633-1133.  Only by working together will we continue to solve these types of crimes.”

While these juveniles are not currently suspects in other incidents, it is still an active and ongoing investigation.

A great post about morality at Ace of Spades HQ.

A sample (with some editing for language):

Another goon steps in to say…

Actually, this is not a good thing. It is a statement that some of those familly values that Sarah [Palin] is advancing could not even be passed along to her own kid.

I still like Palin, but, if true, this is not good.

It’s this punitive and unrealistic worldview that gives conservatives, and especially conservative Christians, a bad name.

Listen up, Stupid: You can do “all the right things” and live your life according to Christ and teach your kids values and all that stuff, but guess what? You’re still going to sin.

Your religion, in fact, explicitly states that no one is without sin, except Christ, so implying otherwise is a direct heresy against Christ’s teachings.

And furthermore so will your kids sin. And their grandkids.

The worldview is utterly naive and unrealistic, which would simply be chuckleworthy, if not for the other part of it: Because there is among some this heretical belief that accepting Christ is a perfect defense against all sins, these j***offs become nasty and gleefully judgmental about others falling short. It’s not really morality; it’s just a pretext for self-celebration and exulting in the travails of others.

Christ didn’t ask you to be smug nasty p****, did He? No, I don’t think that’s among his teachings.

[…]

No one wants to be preached at. Or rather, some like being preached at, but for a couple of hours on Saturday or Sunday, thank you, and by a representative off the church we’ve selected, and not 24/7 by an endless parade of Concern Scolds who have appointed themselves Conscience Ministers Without Portfolio and General Universal Missionaries for Caring.

But the same effect happens when strict moral conservatives just won’t give it a f***ing rest about sex and older forms of conventional morality. There is not a much bigger audience for that, either. It’s not as if people are looking to be bullied without pause by self-appointed Morality Inspectors all godd*** day long, and it’s just that we dislike the particular service offered by the liberal moral scolds.

Call this Morality Fatigue. Yes, I kind of agree with most of what you say about morality, at least to some extent. But you know what? I didn’t f***ing ask you to serve as my substitute conscience, nor to be my proxy in moral scolding anyone who errs, and if I were seeking someone to fill such a position, I’d want to see a resume and references first. I’d want to know that you actually are qualified for the position.

And, quite frankly, your enthusiasm for this job does not count in your favor, nor does your presumptuousness in performing the job’s fuctions before I’ve made you a formal offer of employment.

A bit of reluctance to accept the title, even if offered, might just increase your odds of landing the job.

I really don’t see how this buffoonish, cartoonish view of human morality (and immorality) serves the purposes of moral teaching at all. It makes mockery of the whole idea of morality and thereby drives people towards nihilism. People confuse message and messenger all the time. And if the messenger seems like he’s full of s***, it’s easy to conclude that so must the message be, too.

So, where’s that $3,200,000 YMCA at in Caroline County?

Short Answer:

It’s been put on hold “indefinitely”.

Long Answer:

Way back in 2005, the Caroline County Board of Supervisors, in their infinite wisdom, decided to spend $3,200,000 — $2,800,000 of which were proffers — to build a YMCA at Ladysmith.

The vote was 3-1, according to The Free Lance–Star, with Maxie Rozell dissenting (no idea who was absent or abstained). Rozell wanted to verify first that “the county [would] have enough proffer money to pay for new schools, roads, and fire and police stations, before considering the YMCA.” Rozell objected to the location of the YMCA, as well.

Schools, road, fire and police stations? Nah, can’t have those!

At the time of the approval of the YMCA in Caroline County, it was stated that the Caroline County YMCA should be opened around the same time as the King George County YMCA.

The King George YMCA is currently slated to open in September. Meanwhile, the Caroline County YMCA hasn’t even broken ground.

According to Percy Ashcraft, the Caroline County YMCA has been put on hold “indefinitely”.

So, right now the county has been sitting on $3,200,000 for three years. As Joey Schiebel pointed out while discussing the proposed expansion to the wastewater treatment plant, building costs suffer around a 5% inflation every year.

In three year period from 2005 to 2008, that means the county has lost around $504,400; that means that the YMCA is going to cost more or the project will have to be smaller than was originally proposed.

So, not only is the county sitting on $3,200,000, but they also are considering borrowing $4,500,000 to expand the county park in Milford. Percy Ashcraft noted at one of the Board of Supervisors meetings earlier this year that the county was almost at their established maximum ceiling for borrowing.

Not only that, but the county will see their debt increase in the coming years since they opted to set up interest-only payments for the first couple years on several projects. I guess the county is another “victim” of “predatory” lending.

Percy Ashcraft himself has said if there is any more borrowing by the county, the tax rate will have to go up.

Who rude can someone be?

Take for instance, Bobby Popowicz’s community meeting at Port Royal Volunteer Fire Department on August 28th.

A man entered about 15 minutes into the meeting. His phone proceeded to ring three times — loudly — during the meeting and he had the nerve to carry on an conversation with someone with two of the calls.

Who was this man?

Calvin Taylor.

Yeah, that’s right, the same person that got beat by Bobby Popowicz last year, showed up to his community meeting — however, not the one in his area — and proceeded to be a rude, obnoxious brat.

Not only did he let his phone ring three times, but he also tried to stir turmoil and further polarize the Port Royal and Rappahannock Academy areas (as if that was possible), by insinuating that the Planning Commission — any by extension, the Board of Supervisors — was in the wrong to forward a special exemption permit to the Board (the special exemption permit in question would permit sand extraction on property owned by Emmet Snead).

If Calvin Taylor has a problem with the Planning Commission, perhaps he should talk to the Port Royal District appointee on the commission. You know, the same one that he appointed to that position last year.

I guess Calvin Taylor is already starting his election campaign for the 2011 election.

If he keeps this up, he’s going to get crushed in 2011.