A RAPPAHANNOCK NEWS / FOOTHILLS FORUM SPECIAL REPORT
The county faced a host of challenges from school masking to taking steps toward universal broadband
DEVELOPMENT
How to use – and not use – local land drove Rappahannock debates
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SCHOOLS
Persistent pandemic frustrates public schools
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BROADBAND
‘Great, great news’ for connectivity
(Click links above to read the stories)
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Even as the COVID-19 roller coaster continued to rise and fall through the Virginia Piedmont in 2021, signs appeared that Rappahannock Countians were emerging from the pandemic’s fog and returning to normal.
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The Fodderstack 10k was among county events that resumed in 2021 after pandemic pauses in 2020.
High school seniors had a traditional graduation in May. Indoor dining at restaurants returned. The Food Pantry reopened its doors to in-store shopping. Sperryville celebrated its 200th (plus one year) anniversary with a block party. The Fodderstack 10k returned, as did the Farm Tour and the Fall Art Tour. Costumed trick or treaters showed up in force in Sperryville and Washington, and both villages held Winter Wonderland festivals.
But with these welcome returns to normalcy, the county faced no shortage of issues in 2021. School masking policies, a new broadband initiative, development and housing projects, upgrades to the emergency 911 response system, and Board of Supervisor and School Board elections kept citizens and county officials fully engaged.
Here are some highlights:
School Masking Policy
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U.S. Rep. Bob Good, center, visited the high school in October and urged students to resist mask mandates.
As students planned to return to the traditional five-day school week in August, the School Board grappled with the thorny issue of masking. The board held a special meeting Aug. 4 to consider new universal masking guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. After hearing from a number of citizens, most of whom were opposed to a masking requirement, the board voted 4-1 against mandated masking in classrooms. On Aug. 10, just before school started, the board amended that policy giving the school superintendent the authority to require masks if a COVID outbreak occurred. Two days later, that board policy was made moot when Virginia Health Commissioner Dr. Norman Oliver mandated masking in all K-12 public schools throughout the Commonwealth.
The masking issue also figured prominently in local politics. Two School Board members seeking re-election in November were challenged by opponents who supported optional masking. In October, U.S. Rep. Bob Good (R-Fifth District) made national headlines when, addressing a Rappahannock High School government class, he urged students to ignore the masking mandate.
Local Elections
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David Konick and Van Carney competed for the Stonewall-Hawthorne Board of Supervisors seat. Carney won in November.
Both School Board incumbents were returned to office by big margins. Rachel Bynum, the lone vote in favor of requiring universal masking, won with 67.56% of the vote. Larry Grove, who supported the state masking mandate, won with 55.15% of the vote.
The issue is likely to re-emerge early in 2022 when Governor-elect Glenn Youngkin may rescind the order mandating masks in public schools.
In addition to the two School Board races, voters returned incumbent Christine Smith, of Piedmont District, to the Board of Supervisors and elected Rappahannock native and local brewer Van Carney to replace retiring supervisor Chris Parrish of Stonewall-Hawthorne District. Both elections were hotly contested with many candidate signs displayed throughout the county, numerous letters of support and opposition published in this newspaper, and posts on social media sites. Smith beat Sperryville businessman Cliff Miller IV by garnering 52.18% of the vote and Carney defeated local attorney David Konick with 53.18% of the vote.
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In other races, Republicans swept Rappahannock with voters giving close to 60% of the vote to incumbent Del. Michael Webert, Youngkin (governor), Winsome Sears (lieutenant governor) and Jason Miyares (attorney general).
Businesses Pivot
Emerging from COVID’s restrictions, the county’s business community saw other changes.
The award-winning Three Blacksmiths restaurant in Sperryville was sold to D.C.-area chefs Jake and Sara Addeo. The Kramer Building and the office housing the Rappahannock News in Washington were purchased by Robert Grey, proprietor of Whippoorwill Farm to Table on Piedmont Avenue. To be determined is when the now-closed Tula’s restaurant space may reopen.
Also in Washington, Patty O’s Cafe & Bakery, named after Inn at Little Washington chef Patrick O’Connell, opened on the site of the old post office and Country Cafe.
Ten new tourist homes were approved in 2021, a 100% increase from 2020, bringing the total number to approximately 36. Real estate sales continued their brisk pace with 122 home and 66 land sales by mid-December 2021. Along with increased real estate prices came a rise in property tax reassessments which averaged 15.3%.
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In February, Rappahannock County High School Principal Jimmy Swindler announces he will retire at the end of the school year.
2021 News Ticker
A photographic look back at the major stories in Rappahannock County last year.
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Foothills Forum is an independent, community-supported nonprofit tackling the need for in-depth research and reporting on Rappahannock County issues.
The group has an agreement with Rappahannock Media, owner of the Rappahannock News, to present this series and other award-winning reporting projects. More at foothillsforum.org.
