Rappahannock County’s draft budget for the fiscal year starting in July proposes no property tax increase and fully funds the requested $11.6 million schools budget, but leaves open a big question: How to finance about $1 million in repairs and upgrades to the school buildings? County Administrator John McCarthy, disclosing the draft budget on...
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Daily Archives: Apr. 8, 2010
No tax increases in 2011 budget
The Rapp
White’s winning performance Michelle “Mimi” White, of Flint Hill, won first place for her flute solo at the Virginia Lions’ regional Bland Music Contest last month in Gainesville. Her rendition of “La Flute de Pan” qualified her for the Lions’ District Contest, encompassing northern Virginia, on April 16 in Alexandria. Two judges gave White...
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Ideas rise, fall at BOS
The idea of splitting county property tax bills into two semi-annual installments died a quiet death Monday after a discussion at the Rappahannock County Board of Supervisors’ monthly meeting. The same fate befell a suggestion that county teachers — but not other school employees — be given a pay increase for the coming school...
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Endless Mountain on top again at Old Dominion
Steeplechase riders are a notably tough lot. They “play through the pain” regularly, ignoring bumps and bruises that would send most pro athletes limping to the sidelines. While there is an attending physician at each meet, the jockey colony has no ready team of full-time physical therapists or team doctors as in the NFL....
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Star jockey wins, then hangs up tack
Gregg Ryan said the thought came to him Saturday morning that it was time to retire. America’s all-time leading amateur steeplechase jockey, Ryan, 50, was feeling fit and healthy as he kissed his wife and toddler son goodbye, then pulled out of his Middleburg driveway for the 45-minute drive to the Old Dominion Hounds...
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Settles: a tank, pump upgrade
When a customer asked Bubby Settle the other day what all the noise and dust were about at his landmark Flint Hill service station, dealership, deli and grocery, he quipped: “I’m spending my children’s inheritance.” In truth, Settle is replacing the more than 20-year-old fuel tanks and fuel pumps with state-of-the-art versions, in part...
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Washington: Easter egg hunt a success
For more than 20 years, it’s been the tradition that Washington Volunteer Fire & Rescue organizes and hosts an Easter egg hunt open, free of charge, to all county children the Saturday before Easter. And so it was again this year! And this year, unlike on some past occasions, the weather was just about...
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Sperryville: RCES’s watershed memories
Sixty-five Rappahannock County Elementary School (RCES) sixth-graders have been participating in a four-week program to learn about watersheds, water assessments and pollution sources. It culminated March 31, with a half-day “Meaningful Watershed Experience” on the grounds of the Link, led by Stephanie DeNicola-Turner, education and information coordinator at the Culpeper Soil and Water Conservation...
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Calendar: Rapp Happenings
The Rapp Happenings section lists events, generally in Rappahannock County, on a space-available basis. (The rappnews.com web site always lists all calendar items we receive.) If you your event absolutely must appear in the paper, on a certain date, please call Rappahannock News advertising consultant Patti Engle at 540-878-2417. Listings must be received by...
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Editorial: The Real News
There is no frontpage headline, much less a detailed news story. It does not appear inside any national newspaper, nor even here in the Rappahannock News. And, of course, “breaking-news” status is not merited on cable news channels or their Internet equivalent. And yet . . . And yet, in the larger scheme of...
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Letter: Another perspective on district play
I’m writing to take issue with statements made by Amy Hitt in her letter published in the Rappahannock News. Ms. Hitt believes that Rappahannock County High School (RCHS) should rejoin the Bull Run District for basketball and football. That’s an honest belief, but Ms. Hitt...
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Letter: Gods and generalizations
It would be fortunate if Ron Maxwell used the same level of accuracy and attention to detail that he attempts as a filmmaker in characterizing the mission and motivations of the nonprofit organizations which I am honored to lead . Sadly, he did not. His primary assertions — that Fauquier Housing Corporation...
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Letter: What happened to pride?
The recent letter from Nick Riedel was both inspiring and incredibly sad. The fact that a 13-year-old should have to write to your publication to remind his elders not to litter, to pick up trash and treat the land with a little respect was a sad reflection on...
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Out of the Attic
“Hey, I caught it! I don’t know what it is, but I caught it!” So read the caption under this photo in the 1972 “Rappsody,” the Rappahannock High School yearbook. The yearbook was lent to us by the organizers of the “Across the Years” multi-year reunion at the Link in Sperryville on Saturday, April...
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Fodderstack again? Oh no. Oh . . . yes!
By Max Fidler “Max, get up! It’s time to go,” I heard my mother say. I dreaded the sound of those words as I snuggled in my bed. Yeah, all I needed was a family excursion after a long week of school. I wondered if we were going to an art museum or something...
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Down Memory Lane
50 years ago April 7, 1960 Miss Shirley Brown, a forward on the RCHS basketball squad, was chosen for the tourney all-stars at the close of the season. The Rappahannock team placed fourth in District Nine. The Womans Auxiliary of the Flint Hill Fire Company met on Monday evening at the fire hall. New...
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Mullany’s language of light
Special to the Rappahannock News R.H. Ballard will exhibit new paintings by Thomas Mullany through May 2 and will hold an opening reception 4:30 to 7 this Saturday at the gallery to meet the Washington, Va.-based artist and enjoy his work. There will be light food and refreshments, and Amissville’s Narmada Vineyards will be...
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Evergreen Shade sheds light on Civil War music
On roads paved with words and notes, Woodville’s John Tole entices his listeners to travel into the past — particularly into our country’s past. “Music provides a nice vehicle for showing how people felt at various stages in our history,” says Tole. More often than not, Tole lingers in his journey in the mid-1800s,...
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RAWL Dogs: Carney
You know how sometimes you order something and what is delivered is just not right? Well, I ordered real legs and what I got was these short little stubbies. But I’m still a happy and friendly Corgi-Lab mix, a big dog with little dog legs. Carney is what you call me! I am two...
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Girls soccer Panthers: undefeated and working hard
After the first four soccer matches in mid March, Will Kulick told his Rappahannock County High School girls varsity players this: “Right now,” he said, “we are undefeated.” Those are words that the Panthers rarely hear, but a 3-0-1 start to the 2010 season could not happened at a better time to the school’s...
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School and Sports News: Panthers stymied by errors, Mustang pitching
Rapp’s varsity baseball team suffered a disappointing 8-0 loss at home against George Mason High School. “We had trouble getting our bats going against a very good pitcher,” coach Donald O’Meara lamented. The Mustangs’ strong defense was even able to resist the Panther hits. “In the bottom of the fourth, Brandon Walker got us...
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Lady Panthers roar back in Hancock
In a Panthers versus Panthers doubleheader in Hancock, Md., on April 1, the Rapp girls put two wins in the record book: 15-5 and 13-4. After a three-game losing streak last week, coach Jamie Harris was able to celebrate a team revival. “The Lady Panthers unleashed a scoring and hitting fury to down Hancock,”...
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Understanding surface water and your well
By Medge L. Carter Special to the Rappahannock News With recent spring rains, some area homeowners may notice an increase in sediment in their private wells. Besides being an annoyance, this increase in sediment may signal that the well is influenced by surface water that is somehow finding its way into the well and...
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Wasmund and Copper Fox: looking good
There are more, ongoing achievements to report for Rick Wasmund and his Copper Fox Distillery in Sperryville’s River District. Wasmund’s Barrel Kit — a two-liter American White Oak mini-barrel of either Single Malt Spirit or Rye Spirit — just earned “Best New Beverage” top award at Virginia’s annual Food & Beverage Convention in Richmond....
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Garden Club gets into the (cold) frame
By Bette S. Mahoney Special to the Rappahannock News Louise Bondelid and Sylvie Rowand, active members of the Rappahannock County Garden Club, spoke at the March meeting of the Garden Club about “Gardening in December” with the help of a cold frame. Louise Bondelid in addition to being a member of the Club is...
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RappCats: Cici
Cici is a year-old female Maine Coon — a cat known for its soft, heavy coat, handsome features and friendliness, and Cici is no exception. She has a beautiful face and a happy voice and eyes that long for an available lap. In fact, Cici is all one might wish for in a lap...
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Sullivan house, Schmidt photos featured in magazine
John and Beverly Sullivan’s historic Washington home, The Meadows, is the featured cover story in the June issue of the national magazine Old House Interiors. The article, photographed and written by Rappahannock County residents Franklin and Esther Schmidt, depicts a full house tour and describes the history of the Sullivan house dating back to...
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Correction
The Planning Commission public hearing on the Williams Tree Service application for a special exception permit and other matters is 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 21 at the county courthouse. The date and the type of decision sought were incorrect in a story in last Thursday’s paper.
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County vehicle decals
A reminder from Rappahannock County Treasurer Frances A. Foster: 2010 county vehicle decals must be displayed by April 15. All delinquent personal property taxes in the name of applicant(s) must be paid before the decals can be issued. Please bring your vehicle registration card to the Treasurer’s Office, which is open 8 to 5...
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Rappahannock Reading: Commonplace, complex ‘Kitteridge’
Olive Kitteridge By Elizabeth Strout 2008, Random House Trade Paperbacks Reviewed by Kathleen Grove This is the latest in an irregularly appearing series of reviews of books that are likely to appeal to or particularly relate to the Rappahannock reader. Many of us Virginians have spent a few days, a week, or a month...
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Flag the day: Hospice tourney set for June 14
By Nancy Walbridge-O’Connell Special to the Rappahannock News Hospice of the Rapidan will host its 2010 Golf Invitational on Monday, June 14, at Fauquier Springs Country Club in Warrenton. Proceeds from the tournament help Hospice of the Rapidan provide compassionate and dignified end-of-life care to everyone who needs it in Culpeper, Fauquier, Madison, Orange...
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