There are many facts to consider in the upcoming Board of Supervisors election next month. When Daphne Hutchinson wrote in last week’s Rappahannock News concerning the character of a candidate (“Character counts, then and now”), it reminded me of the truism that a leopard doesn’t change its spots.

This fall, the halls of Rappahannock County High School have a new, exciting feel about them as Mr. Carlos Seward has filled the position of principal. In the past few weeks, Seward has positively changed the atmosphere of our high school. Not only has he made students feel more valued, he has also brought newfound liveliness and school spirit to RCHS. 

David Konick’s 2017 write-in campaign for Rappahannock County Board of Supervisors was fueled by a longtime compassion for the county, its way of life and a desire to see things done right, absence of favoritism and the rule of law.

Following hours and hours of research over the past 18 months on the COVID-19 vaccines, tests, and the virus itself, and as a scientist who spent four years in a lab studying DNA and running PCRs for my master’s thesis, I wanted to help thwart off possible sickness here in Rappahannock County for those of us you (myself included) that have grown tired of remaining vigilant against virus by wearing worn out masks and limiting social interaction. 

It was the crime of the century in Rappahannock County when Diane Kidwell fired from her pickup truck and shot Rance Spellman, the manager of the farm next door, off his bulldozer on November 9, 1982. It drew national coverage in newspapers and magazines and cast a shadow on the local election for Rappahannock’s commonwealth’s attorney.  

Your small but mighty local public health team has been working non-stop since February 2020.  We have tried to slow the spread, through isolation and quarantine and then vaccination, so that our healthcare providers can manage sick patients within the existing system. We are tired.  Your healthcare workers are tired.

Comment articles reflect the opinion of the writer(s), not the Rapp News. Comment below or by writing a letter to the editor: editor@rappnews.com. 

I write as a former member of the Rappahannock County Recreational Facilities Authority and as a concerned citizen in Rappahannock County. The Dark Skies Park designation is an achievement, an honor and an outstanding educational opportunity for the people of this county

The petition below was created by me to communicate to our public servants public opinion in favor of following the Virginia Department of Health Guidelines and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s recommended Covid-19 mitigation practices to hasten the end of the pandemic in our community.

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This letter provides more detail to an issue the Foothills Forum article on taxation in the county touched on, being the divergence in property assessments between higher and lower-end properties. 

The members of the Board of Supervisors, who also comprise the county’s Broadband Authority, have worked decisively this summer to tap into massive and unprecedented state funding to deliver high-speed broadband infrastructure to all underserved areas in Rappahannock County.

I am the proud creator/instigator of the “Respect Rappahannock” signs. I first saw the sentiment on a similar sign down in Chincoteague, that lovely old fishing village on the Eastern Shore, which is now overwhelmed by developers and tourists. 

I wanted to write and thank all those with yard signs warmly welcoming me and my family to Rappahannock County. In this era of rampant misinformation, it helps to know who is friend and foe; to determine who is a kindly Christian neighbor and who is likely disparaging me and my kin behind my back.

There are enough conspiracy theories floating around about COVID-19 that the last thing we need is government officials withholding information. All that does is contribute to the conspiracy theories.

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If it bleeds, it leads. This widely accepted formula for selling news may be good for bottom lines, but it is it good for our own self perception? More importantly, is it good for our perception of other countries and cultures where we have no context or reference points to balance “the bad?” Below, is a little story about a bad deed that deserved to be diluted by the outpouring of love and admiration it provoked.

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I recently wrote to our county commissioner and Board of Supervisors about two problems I, and others, see at the Rappahannock County Flatwood Refuse and Recycling Center. I wanted to find out what the county proposals are for improving both the access to, and organization of, the entire enterprise.

Wow, a lot has changed since I put in my two cents on the Rappahannock growth debate. That was only two years ago, but sure enough, the winds of change Ms. Sheila Gresinger waxes about (“Adjust your sails,” June 3) have ushered in the Trojan horses Mr. Ron Maxwell warns about (“Akre’s Trojan Horse,” June 3).

CRT is an academic framework that examines the impact of systemic racism on American society. It is not taught in K-12 schools because it is used in fields of professional and academic research.

What a journey, from blowing up beaver dams to erecting BDAs, presumably until returning beavers could do the job themselves! This conversation reminded me that, in life, nothing is immutable.

I read Mr. Jones’s letter last week three times in the vain hope that a glimmer of reality might break through (“No, development isn’t inevitable,” July 15). Alas it was not to be. I would not venture to dispute Mr. Jones’ interpretation of King Cnut, or his passion for honoring our history, I would only note that when it comes to his recounting of Rappahannock’s own history or the intentions he attributes to Town of Washington officials, his reality falls short. 

On behalf of RAAC and its members, the Artist Relief Committee wants to let the arts community know that we are closing the project for the rest of the year, effective July 15.

Mr. Randall Fort’s blathering attack on the opponents of the location of the Rush River Commons  (“The tide is going to come in,” June 26) should be a serious warning to those who cherish the traditional ambience that generations of Rappahannock folks have vigilantly worked to protect.

It’s a positive and encouraging sign that Rush River Commons has stirred up strong emotions and opinions — it’s evidence that the community is engaged and paying attention.

I am not usually a fan of government-funded programs but when the Conservation Resource Enhancement Program (CREP) began about 20 years ago, I was an early adopter. This program removed cattle from streams and provided alternate sources of water. It was well funded, with significant private funds from Ducks Unlimited.  

I really dislike having this kind of dialogue about a problem. However, I think that the total negative impact of the Taylor request for rezoning is regrettable. It does nothing for affordable housing. I would love to have more young families in Sperryville. This plan does not invite them.

The playing field must be level for favorite sons and newcomers alike. This application has been on the table since October 2020, more than ample time for the applicant to come forward with proffers to back up his “vision.”

The Mt. Airy LLC application presents a special problem for Sperryville. Throughout its history it has served as a gateway to the wilderness. John Kiger once built sturdy Conestoga wagons here for the westward voyage. The wagons are gone, but visitors are still drawn by the wilderness.

Comment articles reflect the opinion of the writer(s), not the Rapp News. Comment below or by writing a letter to the editor: editor@rappnews.com.

Mr. Hobson’s response (“Change is the order of existence,” June 17) to plans for the highest-density real-estate development in Rappahannock County’s history is to say: “Nothing in the universe stays the same … change is the order of existence.” That statement, however, defies logic and is akin to surrendering to the forces of unchecked commercialism that surrounds our county, and now threatens to penetrate the county line.

I write in response to the previous commentaries, “Akre’s Trojan Horse” (By Ron Maxwell, June 3) and “Adjust your sails” (By Sheila Gresinger, June 3). Dramatic presentations can be wonderful in the world of movies, but are not always helpful in healthy real life decision making — especially when amplified by inaccuracy.

Twice in the past two weeks my name has been used in these pages by friends of mine on opposite sides of a local issue (an issue on which I have no opinion). I don’t mind this per se, but I do take exception to my name being weaponized to advance a position I haven’t taken. 

Right at the beginning let me express my support for the Rush River Commons; thank Mr. Akre for his generosity; and thank the many people who have labored long and hard to create a sustainable plan for the project taking into consideration the land, the county’s comprehensive plan and the future of Rappahannock.

Summer is here, and we just faced our first hot, sticky weekend, with many more to follow. Even though the Virginia Piedmont is much closer to New York than to New Orleans, we often experience the sultry days familiar to our neighbors to the south.

The ambition of the Rush River Commons might be the “fix” for something that simply isn’t broken, but it could and likely would have the effect of forever changing the easy, quiet pace and the “down home” way of life here.

I was struck by the differences in tone and substance between Ms. Gresinger’s letter, “Adjust your sails,” and Mr. Maxwell’s piece, “Akre’s Trojan Horse,” in last week’s edition of this newspaper.

The Rush River Commons, if approved and built, will be the single biggest real estate development in the history of Rappahannock County. Or, to put it differently, the biggest single addition of housing since the land was inhabited by its Indigenous Peoples in the early 17th Century. 

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Years ago, my late husband Jack Dwyer and I traveled to California to see some of the wondrous beauty there. Majestic Lake Tahoe was one stop and there I loved the striking sailboat surrounded by snow capped mountains. That called to my mind the quote, “You can’t change the direction of the wind, but you can adjust your sails.”

After more than a year of darkness imposed by COVID-19, the Rappahannock Association for Arts and Community (RAAC) Theater brought Rappahannock’s own theater back to life on Friday night with a magnificent performance of “Let Me Down Easy,” a very human play by Anna Deveare Smith. You can still see the performance online this weekend, Saturday and Sunday. You don’t want to miss it.

The Food and Drug Administration expanded emergency use authorization of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to include adolescents 12 to 15 years of age on May 10. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention followed with recommendations endorsing use in this age group after their advisory group meeting on May 12. The American Academy of Pediatrics also supports this decision.

After 50 years of orogenic calm, suddenly the directors of Lord Fairfax Community College (LFCC) are trying to change the college name, and the school’s public relations cadre has been in full-blown smackdown and smearing of the deceased namesake, Lord Fairfax the 6th.

The year 2020 was definitely one for the history books, and the events of last year are going to have a huge impact on our girls. During the spring of 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic closed schools across the nation abruptly. This forced parents and teachers to provide support and education under conditions unfathomable just a year before.

On behalf of the Rappahannock County Board of Supervisors and our County Administrator, Garrey W. Curry, Jr., I wish to publicly thank the Rappahannock CFC Farm & Home Center’s manager, Mike Cannon, and his staff, especially Gwen Parker, for their support in allowing the County to hold a Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day at the store.

As a representative of the people of Fauquier County and the surrounding areas primarily served by Lord Fairfax Community College (LFCC), I respectfully ask that the LFCC advisory board reconsider their decision to change the school's name. 

The year 2020 was definitely one for the history books, and the events of last year are going to have a huge impact on our girls. During the spring of 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic closed schools across the nation abruptly.