🌱 Historic District Renovations Dispute + Poverty Simulation

Hello, everybody. It's me, Danielle Fallon-O'Leary, your host of the Winchester Patch newsletter — back in your inbox with all the most important things happening in town.

But first, your local weather:

• Friday: A t-storm around in the p.m.. High: 87 Low: 66.
• Saturday: Humid with a t-storm or two. High: 82 Low: 67.

From our sponsor:

Today’s Winchester Patch newsletter is brought to you in part by T-Mobile. T-Mobile has invested billions to light up their best network ever, covering 99% of people in America with LTE, which helps to keep communities like ours informed and connected. We thank T-Mobile for their support and for making today’s Winchester Patch newsletter possible.

Here are the top three stories in Winchester today:

1. A dispute over renovations and approvals in Winchester's Historic District dominated the City Council meeting on Tuesday. The controversy revolves around a property owner, John Megale, who made unauthorized changes to his home, leading to a "stop work" order. The Winchester Board of Architectural Review initially allowed Megale to keep the renovations but later rescinded its approval of the columns, while the debate regarding the fence remains active. (Subscription: The Winchester Star)
2. The poverty simulation held at Daniel Morgan Intermediate School on Tuesday aimed to provide participants with an interactive experience to understand the challenges faced by those living in low-income situations. The event highlighted the difficulties of making ends meet and showcased the barriers individuals encounter when lacking resources. With Winchester having a significant poverty rate, the simulation aimed to increase empathy and empower administrators to make informed decisions regarding families in need. (Subscription: The Winchester Star)
3. The Winchester City Sheriff's Office expressed gratitude to Deputies Matt and Doug Watson for their exceptional dedication in teaching self-defense to a group of women on Tuesday. The collaboration with The Laurel Center and Our Health, Inc. provided a valuable partnership and space for the training. The positive experience resulted in increased preparedness and enjoyment, prompting plans for future sessions. You can view photos from the self-defense class at the link. (Winchester City Sheriff's Office via Facebook)

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Today and tomorrow in Winchester:

Friday, June 30

• Blue Ridge Professional Center Ribbon Cutting At 2654 Valley Ave. (12:00 PM)

Saturday, July 1

• Champagne Saturday At The Briedé Family Vineyards (12:00 PM)
• John Wasowicz Book Signing At Winchester Book Gallery (2:00 PM)

In partnership with T-Mobile:

Father's Day has come and gone, but that doesn't mean we have to stop celebrating rad dads, past and present. Patch partnered with T-Mobile to shine a light on exceptional fathers in communities like Winchester. Click here to meet 13 awesome dads and learn more about the legacies they're leaving behind.

From my notebook:

• Air quality alerts were issued for Roanoke and Winchester this week due to high levels of air pollution caused by smoke from Canadian wildfires. The Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) advises people with heart or lung disease to avoid strenuous outdoor activities, while others should limit such activities until conditions improve. The Virginia DEQ website provides current air quality information. (WSET)
• Thinking of dipping your toes into the housing market? Check out the list of open houses happening this week in the Winchester area at the link. (Winchester Patch)
• The Frederick County Virginia Sheriff's Office congratulated Dep. Samantha Garrison on her recent promotion to sergeant! (Frederick County Virginia Sheriff's Office via Facebook)

You're all caught up for today. See you all soon for another update!

— Danielle Fallon-O'Leary

About me: Danielle Fallon-O’Leary is a content manager with content creation agency Lightning Media Partners and assists Patch.com with community newsletter curation. Danielle also holds a Master’s Degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders and works part-time as a pediatric speech therapist.