Category: Local

Reminder: The Richmond Times-Dispatch declared William Frawley a “hero” back in January.

See: With “heroes” like these, who needs bad guys?

So, this is a guy that RT-D declared a “hero”:

Before he was declared a “hero”

  • Blew a 0.21 BAC (blood alcohol content) in Fairfax County, following a motor vehicle accident, and somehow managed to skirt his way out of his mandatory minimum ten days in jail (§ 18.2-270(a)).
  • The day after his arrest in Fairfax County, he was charged with DUI after driving his car around without a tire and failing to stop for police. He was also charged with failure to submit to a breath test.

After he was declared a “hero”:

  • It was discovered he had been charged in Maryland with failure to stop after hitting an attended vehicle (hit and run).
  • Had a restraining order filed against him by his wife for domestic violence.
  • He was charged with his third DUI.
  • It was discovered that he never had a Virginia driver’s license despite being the President of a Virginia university (UMW).

RT-D, want a mulligan on this one?

The Caroline BOS wants a 7.06% pay raise.

Meanwhile, Superintendent Stanley Jones and the School Board are fighting for just a 6% increase in salaries for teachers.

Not only that, but the BOS is projected to pay themselves 1.94% more than was budgeted come the end of this fiscal year. Who needs a budget, right?

And they want a 113.9% increase in benefits (medical insurance for one).

And they get to go to the National Association of Counties’s (NACo) convention in Kansas City at the cost of $13,000. Mmmm… Kansas City barbecue.

It should be noted that Spotsylvania County stopped going to NACo conventions back in 2004.

Of course, almost three years ago, Calvin Taylor and Wayne Acors went to the NACo convention Hawaii. The supposed reason for the trip to Hawaii was to learn how Hawaii has done such a great job with their rural roads (The Free Lance–Star):

Has anyone seen an improvement in roads in Caroline County?

I sure as heck haven’t. In fact, what input does the county even have in regards to roads?

Not only that, but Percy Ashcraft was talking about flying people (including members of the BOS and county staff) down to Tampa Bay for an award for the Ladysmith Sub-Area Plan (March 18, 2008 BOS Meeting – 10. Informational/Calender Items).

All this while increasing citizen’s real estate tax bill by $50/$100,000.

Weekly News Media Briefs – Week Ending April 26, 2008

From the Caroline County Sheriff’s Office: Weekly News Media Briefs – Week Ending April 26, 2008:

On April 21, 2008 Deputy J. K. Miller responded to a business in Bowling Green for a reported employee retail theft. After investigating, Gregory T. Wright, 18, of Bowling Green was charged with shoplifting. He was ordered held under a $1500 bond and a court date of April 23, 2008 was set.

On April 21, 2008, Deputy P. E. Ford responded to a residence in Ruther Glen for a 911 hang up call. After investigating, Olivia T. Gray, 40, of Ruther Glen was charged with being drunk in public. She was released on a personal recognizance bond and a court date of May 28, 2008 was set.

On April 23, 2008, Deputy C. S. Wooldridge responded to a report of shoplifting. After investigating, Cynthia K. Sanson, 42, of Ruther Glen was charged with felony shoplifting – 3rd offense and possession of a controlled substance. She was ordered held without bond and court information was not available.

On April 24, 2008, Deputy C. S. Overman responded to a business in Ladysmith for a report of shoplifting. After investigating, April L. Watkins, 30, of King George was charged with shoplifting. She was released on a personal recognizance bond and a court date of May 2, 2008 was set.

On April 25, 2008, Deputy M. J. O’Connor stopped a vehicle for a traffic infraction. After investigating, Sherwood M. Fountain, 49, of Ruther Glen was charged with felony habitual offender – 2nd offense, driving under the influence – 2nd offense in 10 years and refusing to submit to a breath test – 3rd offense. He was ordered held without bond and an arraignment date of April 25, 2008 was set.

On April 25, 2008, Deputy C. M. Polliard stopped a vehicle in Dawn for a traffic violation. After investigating, Jason B. Hurlbert, 387, of Hanover was charged with driving under the influence. He was released on a personal recognizance bond and a court date of May 7, 2008 was set.

On April 25, 2008, Deputy J. K. Miller stopped a vehicle in Carmel Church for a traffic infraction. After investigating, Lloyd Fegans, Jr., 48, of Bowie, MD was charged with driving under the influence and refusing to submit to a breath test. He was ordered held under a $1500 bond and a court date of May 2, 2008 was set.

On April 25, 2008, Deputy C. S. Wooldridge responded to a domestic in Port Royal. After investigating, Karissa Johnson, 24 and Larry Charity, 21, both of Port Royal were charged with domestic assault. Both were released on personal recognizance bonds and court dates of May 2, 2008 were set for both.

On April 25, 2008, Sergeant K. W. Mundy stopped a vehicle that had been reported taken without the consent of the owner. After investigating, Anthony L. Monroe, 23, of Ruther glen was charged with unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, driving on a suspended license and 3 counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor. He was ordered held under a $4000 bond and a court date of May 6, 2008 was set.

On April 26, 2008, Investigator R. D. Cable served indictments charging Bret A. Bowling, 23, of Ruther Glen with 2 counts of distribution of cocaine and conspiracy to distribute cocaine. Bowling was ordered held without bond and court information was unavailable.

On April 26, 2008, Deputy D. W. Mundie responded to a suspicious vehicle in Ladysmith. After investigating, Hunter K. Lyng, 27, of Richmond was charged with possession of marijuana. He was released on a summons and a court date of May 7, 2008 was set.

Caroline County Sheriff’s Office Wrap Up

According to Sheriff Tony Lippa, Caroline Deputies made 5 drug arrests, 3 driving under the influence arrest, 9 domestic violence arrests, and 53 other criminal arrests during the past week. The deputies served 203 civil papers, issued 212 traffic summonses, handled 7 motor vehicle crashes, responded to 36 alarm calls, and dealt with 11 juvenile offenders. The Sheriff’s Office Communications Center dispatched 451 calls for service and handled 1,785 telephone inquiries. The CCSO also logged 32 calls assisting outside agencies and had 238 self initiated calls.

He’s like a bad penny…

The Free Lance–Star:

A year to the day, after his first drunken driving charge, former UMW President William J. Frawley has been arrested a third time on charges of driving under the influence.

According to Maryland court records, Frawley was stopped by police at 10:50 p.m. on April 10 at 2908 Virgilia St., in Rockville, Md., driving a 1997 Toyota with Maryland tags. The court records indicate he produced a Maryland driver’s license.

He was charged with driving (attempting to drive) a vehicle while under the influence.

Some of the commenters on Fredericksburg.com are asking why he has a Maryland driver’s license. Apparently, he never had a Virginia driver’s license. For both of his cases in Virginia (Fredericksburg and Fairfax County), online court records state his address as “CHEVY CASE, MD”. That address almost, always comes from the driver’s license of the arrested person. Apparently, he never got a Virginia driver’s license and when his license was suspended due to the charges in Virginia, the Maryland DMV didn’t get the notice (that, or they’re completely incompetent).

Interestingly enough, other court records for William Frawley in Maryland include a charge of “FAILURE TO STOP AFTER ACCIDENT INVOLVING DAMAGE TO ATTENDED VEHICLE” (hit and run?) in June of 2007. The court records state he entered a plea of “Other Plea”, possibly an Alford Plea?

UPDATE: Not sure how I missed this, but Frawley also had a domestic violence charge as well in March of 2008.

What hypocrisy: Wittman condemns Speaker Nancy Pelosi for “rejecting” earmark moratorium while requesting $132,500,000.00 in earmarks.

File under: Chutzpah.

He also has yet to publish his requested earmarks on his website as he has promised.

First, one of Wittman’s press releases dated February 7, 2008:

Congressman Rob Wittman (R-VA) released the following statement after today’s procedural motion to force a vote on an immediate earmark moratorium.

“I am disappointed that Speaker Pelosi has rejected a Republican invitation to place an immediate moratorium on all government funded earmarks. I believe this is an issue that we must find common ground on, and that we must do so immediately. Unfortunately, congressional Democrats do not feel the same way.

Wittman’s views on “Wasteful Spending”:

I am committed to fight against wasteful spending and expose the fraud and abuse in Washington. We need to get back to the conservative principles of controlling spending, particularly when it comes to federal earmarks, commonly referred to as “pork barrel” projects.

From The Daily Press via the “VA GOP Network”:

About 65 people crammed into 40 seats and stood along the walls of a meeting room at the Holiday Inn Hotel and Suites in Newport News for about two hours. What they heard was U.S. Representative Rob Wittman and state Delegates G. Glenn Oder and Brenda Pogge discuss their legislative agendas while railing against excessive governmental spending and, frequently, the Democratic Party.

[…]

Wittman spoke of reforming the tax code and legislative earmarking, extending tax cuts and curtailing entitlement programs — particularly Medicaid, Medicare and defense spending, that he said would in five years account for 96 percent of federal government discretionary spending.

“If we don’t get our arms around these particular issues we’re going to have trouble, Wittman said. “We have to find ways of doing things without spending ourselves into oblivion.”

Uh…he wants to cut defense spending in the middle of two wars? Aren’t there five military bases in his Congressional District, as he is so happy to point out?

Comforting…

And from a document distributed by the Stafford County Republican Committee (.DOC file) touting Wittman’s “conservative record” (snort):

Rep. Wittman has joined the members of the Republican Conference to demand reform of earmarks by calling for a Joint Select Committee on Earmark Reform and an earmark moratorium until additional guidelines are recommended.

And now, from the Media General News Service:

As his colleagues debated a moratorium on congressionally-directed budget earmarks this month, Rep. Rob Wittman, R-Va., requested $132.5 million for local projects.

[…]

In his first budget cycle, Wittman sought funding for 52 projects. The largest is $17.5 million to replace a 40-year-old missile support facility at the Navy’s Dahlgren Division in King George Co.

Uh…didn’t he just say he was going to cut defense spending?

Did he vote for it before he voted against it?

[…]

Side-stepping the intra-party debate over new House earmark policies, Wittman said he made sure his requests were supported by local agencies, contained non-federal funding, and pledged to publish his requests on his Web site.

“What we try to do is step out in front and develop our own policy and be sure we are transparent,” Wittman said.

Funny, he hasn’t posted the information on either of his websites yet (Google search of his official website and his campaign website). I guess the media gets a list of his earmarks, but us lowly serfs in the First Congressional District don’t. And how exactly would a federal earmark not contain federal funding? Continued:

But critics said it would have been better for him to not participate in the earmark process at all.
“He’s not starting off very well,” said Paige. “If he’s already climbing on the runaway train that is the earmark culture in Congress, he’s going in the wrong direction.”

Critics also say the earmark process increases spending, because lawmakers support each other’s pet projects.

Wittman said he will suggest “spending reductions in other places to offset spending for (his) earmarks.”

Um, yeah, sure, I believe that. Apparently he’s going to reduce spending by increasing spending to pay for people’s health insurance in the tune of $5,000,000 in FY09 and 10, increasing to $10,000,000 in FY11 and 12, and hitting $20,000,000 in FY13 as a cosponsor of H.R.5405. (I must have missed the part of the United States Constitution that includes the provision to pay for people’s health insurance.) Continued:

[Eric] Cantor [R-7th CD] made no appropriation requests for the second year in a row and has called on lawmakers to follow suit while Congress considers reforms to the earmark process.

In closing, to quote P. J. O’Rourke: “Giving money and power to government is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys.”

And: “The Democrats are the party that says government will make you smarter, taller, richer, and remove the crabgrass on your lawn. The Republicans are the party that says government doesn’t work and then they get elected and prove it.“

Follow-up: Representative Rob Wittman wants to ban the sale of Playboy and Penthouse at military PX’s.

Wittman is a cosponsor. (For details on the original story, click here.)

Apparently, Wittman (who has no military experience whatsoever) believes that men (and women) that have volunteered to serve in the military are incapable of deciding what they want to read.

They can apparently volunteer to serve in the greatest armed forces in the world with the possibility that they will make the ultimate sacrifice, but are unable to decide what is appropriate for themselves to read.

Men (and women) who serve in combat zones and see death on a routine basis will apparently have their precious minds, their virgin eyes and ears, warped by the likes of Penthouse and Playboy.

Does Wittman think that because some soldiers, sailors, airmen, or Marines see the likes of Penthouse and Playboy that, to quote the bill’s sponsor, Paul Broun of Georgia, it will “escalat[e] the number of violent, sexual crimes, feeding a base addiction, eroding the family as the primary building block of society, and denigrating the moral standing of our troops both here and abroad”? (see also: Straw man)

Is our military that out of control?

And as Wittman is so eager to point out, twenty percent (20%) of his district’s residents “are military or retired military personnel”, so how many of them support this stupidity?

Do the Marines at MCB (Marine Corp Base) Quantico think it’s a Congressional prerogative to control what they read? What about the soldiers (et al.) at Fort A.P. Hill? The sailors at NSWC (Naval Surface Warfare Center) Dahlgren? What about the airmen at Langley AFB (Air Force Base) which is right outside his district (and I’m sure some of the base personnel live inside his district)?

And how comforting that Wittman will be on the subcommittee that does the first hearing on the bill (that would be the House Armed Services Committee’s Subcommittee on Readiness).

Welcome to the Republican Nanny State.

FYI: Randy Forbes (R) of Virginia’s Fourth Congressional District and Virgil Goode (R) of Virginia’s Fifth Congressional District are also cosponsors of this piece of stupidity legislation.

Unintentionally funny headline.

Ain’t it always?:

Multiple suspects sought in various crimes:

We have a crime alert about a homicide suspect who’s on the run.

Fredericksburg police are searching for this man, 25-year-old Marcious Cousins.

He’s the key suspect in a homicide that happened last Sunday in Lynchburg at a Super 8 Motel.

Cousins is known to frequent the Fredericksburg area, as well as Orange and Spotsylvania Counties.

Cousins should be considered armed and dangerous.

Call police if you see him.

Weekly News Media Briefs – Week Ending April 19, 2008

From the Caroline County Sheriff’s Office: Weekly News Media Briefs – Week Ending April 19, 2008:

On April 13, 2008, Deputy T. P. Connolly stopped a vehicle for a traffic infraction.  After investigating, Andrew K. Baker, 27, of Ruther Glen was charged with driving under the influence.  He was released on a personal recognizance bond and an arraignment date of April 16, 2008 was set.

On April 13, 2008, Deputy C. S. Wooldridge responded to a domestic in Woodford.  After investigating, John D. Kearns, 41, of Woodford was charged with 2 counts of domestic assault.  He was released on a personal recognizance bond and a court date of April 17, 2008 was set.

On April 14, 2008, Deputy J. K. Miller responded to a complaint of illegal dumping in Milford.  After investigating, Delontae M. Coleman, 20, of Bowling Green was charged on a summons with illegal dumping on private property.  His court date is July 25, 2008.

On April 15, 2008, Deputy F. L. Brennan and P. E. Ford responded to a disturbance in Carmel Church.  After investigating, Roseanna M. Sutherland, 34, and Craig F. Sutherland, 37, both of Bar Harbor, Maine were charged with being drunk in public.  Both were ordered held until sober and a court date of May 28, 2008 was set.

On April 15, 2008, Deputy R. J. Anderson responded to a domestic in Woodford.  After investigating, Kevin H. Curtis, 42, of Woodford and Henry H. Curtis, 78, of Woodford were charged with 2 counts each of assault and battery.  Judy M. Martin, 37, of Woodford was also charged with brandishing a firearm.  All were released on $1000 bond each and court dates were set for April 18, 2008.

On April 16, 2008, Deputy D. W. Mundie and Investigator M. M. Ellett were questioning a burglary suspect.  While speaking to him, they discovered marijuana growing at the residence.  Antoine T. Johnson, 18, of no fixed address was charged with manufacturing marijuana, breaking and entering, and 2 counts of felony larceny.  He was ordered held without bond and an arraignment date of April 18, 2008 was set.

On April 18, 2008, Deputy C. S. Overman responded to a domestic in Dawn.  After investigating, John D. Taylor, Sr., 57, of Dawn was charged with domestic assault.  He was released on a personal recognizance bond and a court date of April 24, 2008 was set.

On April 19, 2008, Deputy C. S. Overman responded to a report of a fight in the street in Woodford.  After investigating, Matthew C. Riley, 24, of Woodford was charged with domestic assault.  Bond and court information were not available.

On April 19, 2008, Deputy C. S. Overman responded to a domestic in Bowling Green.  After investigating, Carlos M. Gonzalez-Rodriguez, 50, of Bowling Green was charged with domestic assault.  He was released on a personal recognizance bond and a court date of April 24, 2008 was set.

Caroline County Sheriff’s Office Wrap Up

According to Sheriff Tony Lippa, Caroline Deputies made 3 drug arrests, 1 driving under the influence arrest, 21 domestic violence arrests, and 51 other criminal arrests during the past week.  The deputies served 243 civil papers, issued 249 traffic summonses, handled 15 motor vehicle crashes, responded to 32 alarm calls, and dealt with 13 juvenile offenders.  The Sheriff’s Office Communications Center dispatched 441 calls for service and handled 1,077 telephone inquiries.  The CCSO also logged 40 calls assisting outside agencies and had 226 self initiated calls.

A Tale of Two Parties (and their respective websites)

The Caroline County Democratic Committee (CCDC) has their website at http://www.carolinedems.com/

The Caroline County Republican Committee (CCRC) has their website at http://www.carolinegop.com/

Compare and contrast the two:

Website title:

  • The CCDC has a proper title for their web page (“Caroline County Democratic Committee”) which allows it to show up better on a search engine.
  • The CCRC‘s website, on the other hand, has the great title of “Page 1” — which is appropriate since it’s the only page on the server.

Links:

  • The CCDC has links to various Democratic groups in the Commonwealth and to local candidates. There’s a single 404 error message with the Spotsylvania County Democratic Committee‘s website due to the SCDC redesigning their website. That’s one out of twenty links (5%). UPDATE 2008/04/23, 8:37 p.m.: Link fixed. Zero out of twenty links do not work now (0%).
  • The CCRC has links to the “State Republican Events” (404 error), the “Virginia GOP” (404 error), a link to Bobby Orrock’s bio information (404 error), and ironically, a link to Delegate Wittman’s website and contact information. First, he’s no longer a Delegate, and isn’t his former seat represented by a Democrat (Albert Pollard) now? So that makes five out of eleven links useless (45.45%).

Upcoming Events:

  • The CCDC has information on their meetings, updated monthly (last updated for the April 19th, 2008 meeting). They also have information posted about calls to caucus and other events.
  • The CCRC apparently has a meeting scheduled for September 18th. Considering the CCRC specifies that’s it Monday, September 18th, that would mean September 18th, 2006. Also, be sure to check out “[their] upcoming booth at the Harvest Festival.” I guessing that would be the 2006 Harvest Festival.

Elected Officials:

  • The CCDC has pictures and bios of local elected Democrats.
  • The CCRC has a picture of George Felix “Macaca” Allen (he must be doing a revival tour I’m not aware of or something). ‘Nuff said.

Committee Contact Information:

  • The CCDC has contact information for their committee officers as well as a new member application.
  • The CCRC? No such luck.

Monthly Newsletter:

  • The CCDC produces a monthly newsletters and has it available on their website (as well as archives going back to July 2007).
  • The CCRC? Negatory.