🌱 Winchester Man Pleads Guilty To Planting Bomb + Billboard Stolen

Hello, everybody. I'm back in your inbox this warm morning to walk you through everything you need to know about what's happening in town these days.

But first, your local weather:

• Friday: Very warm with clouds and sun. High: 87 Low: 60.
• Saturday: Heavy rain and a thunderstorm. High: 68 Low: 43.

Are you a business owner or marketer in Winchester who wants to build awareness, connect with customers and increase sales? If that's you, then I invite you to see how our newsletter sponsorships combine our local audience reach with your expertise to attract new customers. Click here to learn more.

Here are the top three stories today in Winchester:

1. On Tuesday, Apr. 18, 63-year-old Gerald Leonard Drake of Winchester plead guilty to charges that he planted a pipe bomb at the Cedar Creek Battlefield during a 2017 reenactment. He also pleaded guilty to writing letters falsely blaming Antifa protesters for the bomb. U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Virginia Christopher Kavanaugh said, "This defendant sought to intimidate and harm innocent people, and further, he tried to sow discontent by falsely claiming that the attempted bombing was politically motivated." (WJLA)
2. On Saturday, Apr. 15, a Frederick County man was arrested and charged with felony grand larceny after he allegedly stole the vinyl cover from a billboard on Millwood Pike (U.S. 50). Christopher Maher Sr., 58, was caught on camera holding something that resembled a knife and the next picture showed the political sign was gone. The sign displayed a message that read, "Any Vote Against A Ludwig Is A Vote For Frederick County" and "Say No To A Ludwig Campaign." The local political billboard referenced Frederick County Board of Supervisors Shawnee District representative Josh Ludwig, a conservative Republican who is running in the upcoming election. (Subscription: Winchester Star)
3. The new Winchester VA Clinic, formerly Stephens City Community Based Outpatient Clinic, is coming soon! It will be located at 100 Dawson Drive in Winchester. More information about the new clinic will be announced soon. (Martinsburg VAMC via Twitter)

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.

Today and tomorrow in Winchester:

Friday, April 21

• Kreek Water Band At Winchester Moose Lodge (7:00 PM)

Saturday, April 22

• Winchester Elks At 466 Front Royal Pike (7:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• Do you love black cats? The Winchester Area SPCA has seven black cats waiting for new homes! You can check them out at the link. (Winchester Area SPCA via Facebook)
• The next City Council Regular Meeting will be held on Apr. 25 at 6 p.m. You can find the agenda for the meeting at the link! (Winchester City)
• Sometimes shopping for a house online doesn't quite do the trick. Check out open houses in the Winchester area, including a four-bedroom on Cahille Drive on Sunday, Apr. 23. (Winchester Patch)

Now you're in the loop and ready to head out the door on this Friday. I'll see you soon!

— Rose Mendez

About me: Rose Mendez is a freelance writer. She is studying English Literature at Hunter College. She loves reading, walking around the city, and coffee!