Am I the only one bothered by the scattered little signs which read: “Seat Belt Enforcement Area?” It isn’t just that there is far too much of this kind of unsightly litter about already. And it isn’t that a lot of us hate unnecessary warnings from Big Brother. Besides being a waste of taxpayer’s...
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Rappahannock Forecast
| Today | Thursday | Friday |
|---|---|---|
 Chance of Rain 79°/55° | Partly Cloudy 79°/57° | Partly Cloudy 81°/61° |
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This Week’s Paper
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Transportation/Traffic
Letter: Big Belter is watching
Legislative issues fueled partisan ill will
An ominous “MLK Day plot.” A proposed overhaul of the Electoral College system. Voter ID legislation. Those are issues that fueled partisanship at the Virginia Capitol this year and turned the bad blood between Republicans and Democrats into one of the most talked-about topics of the General Assembly’s session.
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Transportation creates rift among lawmakers
No General Assembly session is without its ups and downs, quarrels and disputes. However, the 2013 session may have taken the trophy for the most sparring between Democrats and Republicans – especially when it came to transportation.
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Covered: Cats, costs of roads and rescue
Three things that will be covered, or recovered, in Rappahannock County soon: stray cats, secondary roads and the cost of emergency medical transportation, as the board of supervisors approved all three at its evening meeting Monday night.
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Letter: The buses are safe, period.
Ignorance: noun; the lack of knowledge, education or information I have been the Rappahannock County Public Schools Transportation Supervisor for the past five years and the technician for the previous two years. I am replying to Ron Frazier’s letter last week with regard to the transportation department just in case there are any readers who...
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Letter: Litter, disturbing; road, adopted
I admit it: Looking at that jumbo-sized “Big Gulp” cup lying on the shoulder of Tiger Valley Road for countless weeks was driving me nuts, so I decided to do something about it. Several weeks ago, I grabbed several garbage bags and went out to pick up that particular item as well as other...
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Law against texting will save lives, group says
A new state law to stiffen penalties for Virginians caught texting while driving will save countless lives, the head of a nonprofit driving safety organization says.
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Poor pay more to fund roads, report says
Virginia’s multibillion-dollar transportation funding package will put a heavier burden on lower-income households than on more affluent families, according to a Richmond-based think tank.
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County would have to approve median crossover
If Family Dollar – or any other potential buyer of commercially zoned property on Bank Road – wants a median crossover where the road meets U.S. 211, Rappahannock County would have to approve such a request, Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) officials said this week.
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Planners approve Miller barn permit
The Rappahannock County Planning Commission voted at its monthly meeting last Wednesday (March 20) to approve an adaptive-use permit for Cliff Miller that allows him to rent his family’s old dairy barn as an event venue for 15 events a year.
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Letter: Zoning allows it, but does VDOT?
The barrage of letters opposing a Family Dollar Store amazes me. I don’t want it either, but it is not up to us to determine what entity buys a piece of private real estate that is already zoned commercial. Family Dollar doesn’t need any special-use permits, rezoning or special exceptions to put in a...
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‘Siri, how will the texting law work?’
Virginia drivers should get used to hitting “send” on their phones before they get behind the wheel. Beginning July 1, a new state law cracks down on texting while driving. Gov. Bob McDonnell approved the law Monday but recommended the proposed fines be reduced.
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Update: More spring snow
The early-spring snowstorm passing through central Virginia and the Piedmont has left 4 to 6 inches of wet snow so far. In Rappahannock County at 1 p.m. Monday, Rappahannock Electric Cooperative was reporting about 460 customers without power. Most roads in the county were reported clear.
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VDOT mobilizes for another winter storm
Crews with the Virginia Department of Transportation will report to work at 8 p.m. in the Culpeper District to prepare for the winter precipitation that is forecast to fall across Piedmont Virginia on Sunday night and early Monday morning.
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Late-season snow takes out power
It was a heavy, wet snow and it took down trees, limbs and power lines. As of 6 p.m. Wednesday (March 6), more than 1,700 Rappahannock Electric Cooperative (REC) customers in Rappahannock County were still without power.
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General Assembly blocks I-95 tolls
There will be no tolling on the southern end of Interstate 95 without the General Assembly’s say-so, thanks to approval of the transportation funding bill during the recently concluded legislative session.
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Bicyclists gear up for next legislative session
Like a bicyclist who’s taken a tumble but stays in the race, Virginia bicycling advocates say they’ll push on despite disappointments they suffered during the 2013 legislative session.
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Tourist train may roll in Tazewell
A tourist train soon could be chugging its way through historic and scenic Tazewell County and across the state line to Bramwell, W.Va.
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Senate approves transportation compromise
A divided Virginia Senate on Saturday passed Gov. Bob McDonnell’s signature issue of the 2013 legislative session – a bill to overhaul the state’s system for funding transportation.
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Opposition grows to transportation compromise
Critics of the transportation funding compromise reached by legislative negotiators say the plan would place a huge burden on Virginia taxpayers.
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House, Senate reach transportation compromise
Negotiators from both the House and Senate came to an agreement Wednesday on a transportation plan that, if passed, would be the first transportation funding overhaul in Virginia since 1986.
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Community cleans up, takes out trash
The “Community Clean-Up” of county roadsides and unsightly and illegal dump sites is once again underway. As many citizens, property owners, families, friends, churches, schools, scout groups, businesses and other organizations as possible are encouraged to participate in this annual “Spring cleaning” of the county, by taking the time to pick up trash and...
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Texting while driving bill goes to governor
Legislation cracking down on texting while driving is only Gov. Bob McDonnell’s signature away from become law after passing the Senate on Tuesday.
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Conference panel will seek transportation compromise
A conference committee of 10 legislators has less than a week and a half to hammer out a compromise between the House and Senate versions of a bill to increase transportation funding in Virginia.
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The Rapp for Feb. 14
A "real foods" rap video, a lecture and demonstration on using local dyes, living with black bears, a "Doggitiude" book signing, bringing out the artist in you with three Flint Hill workshops, American jazz classics return to the Theatre and more in this week's Rapp.
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Senate panel amends governor’s transportation bill
The Senate Finance Committee on Tuesday approved an amended version of Gov. Bob McDonnell’s transportation funding bill, opting to raise the gasoline tax instead of replacing the gas tax with a higher sales tax.
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Harris Hollow Road closed
Harris Hollow Road will be closed at Roberts Retreat Lane for a bridge replacement through Feb. 22.
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Lawmakers tout crackdown on texting while driving
The day after bills to crack down on texting while driving passed in both the House and Senate, a bipartisan coalition of legislators came together to urge their colleagues to complete the process of turning the measures into law.
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Governor urges Democrats to OK roads bill
Three days after Senate Democrats derailed his transportation funding plan, Gov. Bob McDonnell urged two key Democratic senators to support the House version of his proposal.
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Supervisors study roads, and some much older Trails
The board of supervisors initiated two requests for road quality tests by VDOT and heard a presentation on the county’s Civil War Trails program from John Tole at its monthly meeting Monday afternoon (Feb. 4).
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Governor’s transportation plan hits roadblock
Gov. Bob McDonnell expressed his disgust after his transportation funding package was derailed by Senate Democrats on Tuesday.
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Budget would boost teacher pay, Medicaid waivers
The Virginia House of Delegates released its proposed amendments to the 2012-2014 state budget Sunday, seeking to pump more money into the commonwealth’s “rainy day” fund, education and Medicaid.
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Cracking down on texting while driving
Members of the House and Senate are optimistic that at least some of the 10 bills to crack down on texting while driving will make it past the legislative deadline called crossover day.
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Governor rejoices as transportation plan moves forward
Gov. Bob McDonnell has reason to celebrate after the House Finance Committee on Wednesday approved a key part of the transportation plan that he hopes will define his term.
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Congressmen asked to oppose tolls on I-95
Ten members of the Virginia House of Delegates have written a joint letter to the state’s congressional delegation, urging the federal legislators to join in opposing VDOT’s plans to charge tolls on Interstate 95.
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In Sperryville, it’s deja vu all over again
Another errant 18-wheeler takes out the guardrail and damages a utility pole on the sharp turn at the intersection of Main Street and U.S. 211 in Sperryville.
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Conservative Caucus concerned about roads plan
Members of the General Assembly’s Conservative Caucus today detailed its concerns about Gov. Bob McDonnell’s transportation overhaul plan, which would eliminate Virginia’s gasoline tax and raise its state sales tax.
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Letter: Not-so-scenic byway
As reported in your Nov. 8 edition , the Rappahannock County Board of Supervisors also considered designating Route 729 a “scenic byway” on the stretch of road south of U.S. 211. I live on the portion of Ben Venue Road between Flint Hill and U.S. 211 that is already...
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County staff pleads case for benefits
A specially convened Board of Supervisors hearing at 6 p.m. Monday (Nov. 5) was an hour-long flood of respectful but clearly heartfelt pleas that the supervisors not be hasty with their health-care decision.
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‘Super storm’ cuts us a break
Chainsaws came in handy in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, as neighbors pitched in to clear secondary roads while rescue crews cleared the rest. Power outages were widespread, but the damage wasn't nearly as bad as it could have been.
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