Ben Schumin Photography Portfolio

"No Kings" rally, protesting the policies of the Trump administration. Held on October 18, 2025 in front of the Augusta County Courthouse in downtown Staunton, Virginia.

This person's sign was unique because unlike the rest of the demonstration, which focused on national political issues, this one focused on a Staunton-specific issue.  According to the woman, she learned through a small footnote in a report that the city had stopped adding fluoride to its drinking water in 2023 following an equipment failure, opting to quietly stop fluoridating the water because they weren't technically required to provide it rather than repairing the equipment.  What I could find online about this issue comes from a city water quality report that states that fluoridation did indeed stop in 2023 in order to upgrade equipment, but that fluoridation will resume once the new equipment is installed, without any indication of when such a resumption would occur.

More at The Schumin Web:
https://www.schuminweb.com/2025/10/19/no-kings-day-in-staunton/

Ben Schumin is a professional photographer who captures the intricacies of daily life. This image is all rights reserved. Contact me directly for licensing information.