Investigators make an arrest in a fatal DUI crash in Frederick County

Frederick County Sheriff Lenny Millholland confirmed by text an arrest in a fatal driving under the influence (DUI) crash.

Just past 11 p.m. July 22 Frederick County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to the report of a woman being struck by a vehicle.

Authorities arrived at 140 Walter Mills Lane where they found a Hyundai Elantra with an unconscious woman near it.

The driver of the Hyundai was identified as Alan Arthur Burkhart of Winchester.

Witnesses reported that Burkhart followed the woman and another individual from Winchester’s Italian Touch Restaurant.

Burkhart pulled behind their vehicles in a parking lot off Martinsburg Pike.

Burkhart reportedly began accusing them of kidnapping the woman.

Investigators were able to determine that Burkhart struck the woman with his vehicle dragging her approximately 20 yards causing her severe injuries.

Those injuries included a broken neck, skull fracture, and broken right femur.

Despite emergency medical efforts the woman was pronounced deceased at the scene.

Burkhart and the 32-year-old victim has been identified as Courtney M. Yates of Winchester.

Yates and Burkhart reportedly knew one another, but the nature of their relationship is still under investigation.

The 68-year-old Burkhart was arrested and is facing charges of aggravated involuntary manslaughter related to driving while intoxicated.

The investigation into the incident continues by the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office.

For more news from across the Shenandoah Valley, click here.

The NWS confirms additional tornado strikes in Virginia during the July 21 storms

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The National Weather Service (NWS) confirms additonal tornado strikes during the July 21 supercell disturbance.

In addition to the conformation of the  West Virginia strikes indications are that tornadoes hit parts of Virginia.

Tornado strikes were confirmed in parts of Frederick and Shenandoah Counties.

On July 21 the supercell produced the tornadoes that struck Hampshire County which traveled into Frederick County.

The NWS rated the tornado that struck Frederick County as an EF-1 which could pack winds up to 110 miles per hour.

The storm traveled approximately 3 and a half miles.

In about 10 minutes it touched down in the Wilde Acres area of Frederick County.

The storm left a path approximately 225 yards wide in Frederick County.

Officials observed uprooted or sheared off at the top trees and considerable leaf and small branch debris throughout the path of the storm.

Damage was visible on Otter Trail and extended southeast to near Fawn Drive with the greatest concentration of damage on Cardinal Drive.

The tornado that touchdown in Shenandoah County was classified as an EF-0.

That storm produced winds up to 85 miles per hour for approximately 100 yards.

That tornado touchdown in the Mechanicsville Road area where several trees had tops snapped off.

Some farm equipment was tossed about with one chicken coop damaged by a tree fall in the New Market Depot Road area.

No deaths or injuries were reported in any of the strikes from July 21.

For more news from across the Shenandoah Valley, click here.

News Maker Beth Phiel on Protect Warren County from Data Centers

Protect Warren County is on a campaign to attempt to stop Data Centers from entering the county.

We spoke with Protect Warren County representative Beth Phiel about the campaign in our latest news maker.

News makers are sponsored by Warren County.

Experience Warren County Where History, Nature, and Family Come Together.

Beth tells us of the petition that is available for county residents to sign to help keep county and town representatives from writing in ordinances allowing Data Centers.

She gives us some of the reasons why Protect Warren County believes Data Centers may harm the county.

Beth also tells us of a further-coming town hall meeting being planned and how to stay informed about the meeting and more.

Click here for Beth’s news maker.

For more news from across the Shenandoah Valley, click here.

Buy or Sell…and Training Camp Opens

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(Posted 7-28-26)

Greetings from The Booth!

Well, it’s been a minute since we got together. I got back last week from a nice week off, and a relaxing vacation at Deep Creek Lake, where I played a round of golf, ate very well, and as I always do, watched a fair amount of The Open Championship, as well as the MLB All-Star Game and Home Run Derby. A lot of folks in the lake house were glued to the FIFA World Cup. I must admit, once the USA was eliminated, I checked out. As the late NFL great Sonny Randle would say, if a soccer game broke out in my backyard, the shade wouldn’t go up.

We’re kind of in a down time in sports, with baseball’s “dog days” approaching, and football season not quite here, but I did want to weigh in on those two sports, specifically your Washington Nationals and Washington Commanders. We’ll start with the Nats. As of this post, the Nationals are a hair above .500 at 54-53 after last night’s loss to Toronto.

(Sidebar: it was really strange seeing former Nats’ great Max Scherzer in a Blue Jays uniform last night. In an emotional return to DC on his 42nd birthday, “Mad Max” got the start and threw 2 and 2/3 gutsy innings, and received 2 well-deserved standing ovations from the Washington fans, who appreciated his contributions to a great Nationals’ run over 6-plus seasons. At 42, and on a one-year contract, last night was probably his last appearance in the Nation’s Capital.)

With the trade deadline a week away, should the Nats buy or sell? It’s a tough question. The team is very much in contention for a Wild Card berth, but also very much in need of pitching for the long haul. The name being brought up most often in trade rumors is Nationals shortstop CJ Abrams, who was last week’s NL Player of the Week and has been red hot recently. As a fan, I want Abrams in Washington, and I want to see the team go all in on a playoff run. This is why GM’s get paid the big money. Do you throw all your cards on the table for 2026, or do you stay the course and get some young arms for the future? We’ll find out soon.

And, we head to Ashburn, where the Commanders open training camp this week. NFL training camps have become less important in the modern age of football, because of OTAs and year-round conditioning advances, and the strides that have been made in nutrition. Back in the day, players would arrive at camp vastly out of shape, having sold insurance or used cars in the offseason. There is no offseason now in the NFL, so camps are refresher courses for the veterans, and for developing chemistry for rookies and new acquisitions.

That’s why I think this is a very important camp for the Commanders, as the team tries to cleanse its palate from a 5-12 campaign. With an almost complete overhaul of the defense, this will be a camp where everyone on that side of the ball must get on the same page. Offensively, we need to see a hungry Jayden Daniels, who wants to show his critics that his injury-plagued 2025 was a fluke, and that he is not a one-year flash in the pan.

Interesting times are ahead for the Nats and Commanders. Until the next visit from The Booth…GO NATS…and HTTC!

RW