of Jefferson Farmer's Advocate
140, No. 15 Thursday, April 14, 2005 "No government ought to be without censors: and where the press is free, no one ever will." - Thomas Jefferson
24 pages - 50 cents per copy
Scouts
Henry
nport
Davenport, III, whose.
to Jefferson County
was just one and one-
old from Charleston,
by the Shenandoah
Boy Scouts of Amer-
2005 Distinguished
Award at a banquet at
~rion in Shepherdstown
:rday night. Mr. Daven-
right receiving
rd from Robert D. Ferrell,
Davenport also
Distinguished West Vir-
Award from Gov. Joe
paid trib-
resident of Altona
Qnd his wife, Faye,
during the program) ginia with Davenport, Iongtime
I members in front of friend Brigadier General F. Wayne
platform. "Speedy" Lloyd, developer Ken
ng those speaking were Lowe, and Davenport himself.
St. Louis Cardinals proAll had praise for Davenport's
Player Sonny Randall, suplbort of the community and his
the University of Vir- compassion for his fellow man.
Davenport praised the Boy Scouts
for teaching manners and good
behavior, one of the bas[c~ngredi-
ents of people getting along with
one another.
Continued on Page 2
Surkamp Actions Said
Those
of "Spoiled Child"
County attorney Mi- Surkamp has shown high in-
appeared be- terest in the case and its effect
COunty commission on the ordinances since taking
uestion an agen- office as a commissioner. Cas-
readl "Michael sell had represented the coun-
re(garding) ty's Board of Zoning Appeals
BZA, Kletter." in the case while in his posi-
had been placed on tion as Assistant Prosecuting
by Commissioner Attorney.
but was with- During the section for pub-
Surkamp early in lic comment, Cassell, who had
Thursday. not been officially notified of
case, which the agenda item, but who saw
gone to the State Su- it on the Internet, said that
involved the "withdrawing it at this point is
of Jefferson
zoning ordinance. Continued on Page 22
Via, 97, Founding Member
Sight Foundation, Dies
97, a found-
Sight Founda-
-time chairman
Cheer Booth
Town, died Mon-
11, at Shenandoah
Center here.
a resident of Leet-
at Summit
29, 1907,
late Otho Clyde
1 Estelle (Boyd)
wife, Esther
Via, recently eel-
75th wedding
ary. ,
Coun-
arid was a member
Town Baptist
Where he had served
Deacon Emeri-
chairman of
Committee.
!retired after many
,~ sales representa-
former Merchant-
Town.
member of the
Lions Club, he
president of not
but of West Vir-
District 29-I.
tenure with Lions,
the West
years, he was
Downtown
Christmas
a position that
L.
Mr. Via
he,only relinquished in recent
years.
In addition, he was a mem-
ber and former Master Mason
of Malta Lodge #80 A.F. & A.M.
in Charles Town, 32nd Degree
Mason Scottish Rite, member
of the Grand Lodge of West
Virginia, Eastern Panhandle
Shrine Club, Osiris Temple
Wheeling, and Chapter #128
Order of Eastern Star.
In addition to his wife, he is
survived by a daughter, Sar-
ah Via, Martinsburg; three
Continued on Page 2
First De
By Toni Milbourne
After more than three hours
of deliberations, the jury con-
sisting of three women and
nine men returned a verdict
of guilty of First Degree Mur-
der against Vernon Henderson
Dunlap, Sr 46, late Tuesday
afternoon.
Dunlap's trial, took place in
Jefferson County this week a
little more than a year after his
arrest for the murder of Jenni-
fer Leigh Dodson, 20. Dodson
was found in her apartment
at 308 New Oak Tree Court in
Charles Town.
Dunlap, a resident of Mar-
tinsburg, was accused of cut-
ting Dodson's throat on Febru-
ary 18 or 19, 2004 in the Wil-
low Spring Farm Apartment.
The morning of February
19, Dunlap attempted suicide
by swallowing drugs and was
found unconscious in his vehi-
cle at the Potomac River boat
landing on Princess Street in
Shepherdstown, testimony
showed.
Deputy Mike Dumer was on
the scene and suspected an in-
toxicated person. Dumer testi-
fied that he found two kitchen
knives in the vehicle, but had
no reason to suspect foul play
until hearing Dunlap's name
later in the morning when he
responded to the Dodson home
and overheard Dunlap's name
mentioned. At that time, he
notified his superiors, Dumer
said, and the vehicle, with the
knives, was impounded.
Attorney for the State, Lar-
ry Crofford, said in opening
statements last week that the
state, while providing no fo-
rensic evidence to link Dun-
lap to the crime, would prove
through other evidence that
there was no doubt of his
guilt. The State proceeded to
call witnesses for three days
to convince the jury that the
defendant was guilty.
Taking the stand for the
Continued on Page 22
The Jefferson County Pub- the commission resolved theTown, Ranson and the dis-
lic Service District (JCPSD) is exceptions by entering an or- trict all use the plant. C, harles
among the first in West Virgin- der authorizing the district to Town and Ranson are expected
ia to obtain approval from the charge a fee of $1,127 for those to soon charge a similar the.
Public Service Commission seeking a new sewer connec-Revenues will be used to
to charge a capacity improve- tion after March 28, 2005. The reduce the debt incurred by
ment fee, commonly known as new fee is due when the dis- Charles Town for its project to
an impact fee, to new sewer trict issues its sewer availabil- add 500,000 gallons of capac-
service customers, ity letters, which are typically ity per day to the plan, which
The capacity improvement released just before a builder currently has a rated capac-
fee will assist the district in fi- obtains a building permit. Ac- ity of 1.2 million gallons per
nancing new treatment capac-cording to the PSC order, the day. That project is expected
ity and system improvements fee will immediately apply to to be completed by January of
needed as a result o~ rapid lots for which the district has 2006.
population, business and res- issued a final sewer availabil- In its order, the PSC ap-
idential growth in Jeffersonity letter prior to March 28, proved a memorandum of un-
County. 2005, but which have not yet derstanding between the dis-
District Board Chairman connected, and to all new sew- trict and the two municipali-
Marty Kable said that he is er service customers going for- ties regarding administration
very~pleased with the decision, ward. of revenues generated by the
!'HaVing this source of funding The current impact fee is capital improvement fee. In a
available to the district will calculated for the purpose of separate order, the commis-
make :~he~:first phase of the financing improvements to sion also approved an impact
Charles Town expansion proj-the Charles Town wastewa- fee for Berkeley County Public
ect possible without a related ter treatment plant. Charles Service Sewer District.
rate increase to our existing
district customers. The PSC
has rejected similar fees pro-
posed by other public service
districts in the past. We knew
that getting the PSC to ap-
prove the fee for the first time
would be hard. While this took
much longer than the district
expected, we are pleased with
the end result."
JCPSD Board Secretary
Joseph Hankins praised the
PSC for recognizing the criti-
cal need to bring new sources
of local capital to water and
wastewater infrastructure in-
vestment challenges. "Now
that the impact fee provision
is established in practice, we
have the basis of a financ-
ing mechanism that can more
fairly distribute new cost bur-
dens to the growth that is re-
sponsible," said Hankins.
The district filed an appli-
cation with the Public Service
Commission in September
2003 for approval of a capital Dr. Steven Nichols, right, is shown with United Way President
improvement fee. An adminis- Bob Baronner.
trative law judge for the PSC
issued a recommended orderNichols Named through the annual campaign,
on April 27, 2004, approving . leadership giving, planned giv-
the fee; however, the PSC staff New United Way ing and other activities that
filed exceptions to that recom- may be recommended. The
mended decision which pre-Campaign Chair chair works closely with the
vented it from going into ef- United Way staff and serves
feet. The PSC staff sought to Superintendent of Schoolson the Board of Directors.
impose the fee much earlier Dr. Steven Nichols will as- Dr. Nichols has been a mem-
in the process when a devel- sume the volunteer leadership her of the United Way Board
oper obtains a permit from the as Vice President and Cam- of Directors for almost a year,
State Bureau of Public Health paign Chairman of the United and he represents the second
for its collection system. That Way of Jefferson County. He largest employer in Jefferson
proposal was opposed by the follows Chip Bennett, of the County, the school system,
Eastern Panhandle Home Bennett Agency, who servedin with over 1,000 employees. "I.
Builders Association and the this capacity last year. see this as an opportunity to
district as unworkable. The The Campaign Choir devel-serve the community in which
commission agreed, ops and implements plans to I live and a means of pay-
On March 28 of this year, encourage voluntary giving
throughout the community Continued on Page 22
Vocal Music Program Tonight at OOH
It looks like Spring has finally arrived. One of the season's highlights will be the Jefferson Vocal
Music concert at the Old Opera House in Charles Town on April14, tonight (Thursday) at 7:30 pro.
Proceeds from the event support the Harold L. Chamblin, Jr. Scholarship Fund, and this year will also
support the group's participation in a Salute to Veterans at Pearl Harbor.
This has been a special year for Jefferson High students. Pershaps the most exciting news was the
selection of Jefferson to represent West Virginia in the Salute to Veterans, a program scheduled for
early May at Pearl Harbor. The task of raising funds to take some sixty students and chaperones to
Hawaii has consumed enormous amounts of time and energy throughout the year, according to Grant
Prillaman, this year's President of the Vocal Music Boosters. "The response from the community, veter-
ans' organizations, local governments and businesses has been tremendous", Prillaman said recently.
"We are truly grateful for everyone's support, and we are getting close to reaching our goals. We'd
love to hear from any individuals and businesses out there that can help put us ~ver the top."
These talented students have been working hard to get ready for their competitions and concerts.
Their efforts have paid off; the Chamber Choir was named Grand Champion choir at last month's
comp6tition at Martinsburg High School, with the "Pop Singers" placing a very strong fourth place in
the show choir category. This two-day event draws groups from around West Virginia and surround-
ing states. Roberta Ranelli, Director of Jefferson Vocal Music's multiple ensembles, noted that snow
days and renovations of the High School auditorium had combined to limit rehearsal time and space,
so that the fine showing of all the students was that much more noteworthy.
Tickets are available at the door for tonight's performance. You can get'more information on the
concert, and on the Salute to Veterans trip, by contacting Mrs. Roberta Ranelli at 725-2360.
