He made his threat to appeal a Rappahannock County Circuit Court decision regarding the former administrative, line officers, and life members of Flint Hill Volunteer Fire Company by Twentieth Judicial Circuit Chief Judge Douglas L. Fleming Jr. a reality. Washington Attorney David L. Konick filed an expedited hearing and decision motion with the Virginia State Court of Appeals on Wednesday. Judge Fleming ruled June 16, 2023 that the appellants case against the county board of supervisors (BOS), the county BOS-appointed directors and fire chief, and the fire company itself had failed. “He said Konick’s motion “lacked common sense.” The supervisors enacted a new resolution...

March is designated National Reading Month. Did you also know that reading to children at a young age is one of the best ways to improve literacy and enhance school readiness? That’s why Greater Piedmont REALTOR® (GPR) volunteers spent Wednesday, March 20 reading to children at the Rappahannock County Library, as well as donated a bin of books to the children that attended and to the library, in an effort to demonstrate the importance of literacy while having fun. They also helped with the arts and crafts, and even danced and sang to some songs conducted by the Rappahannock County Library. 2024 GPR President Steve Gardner was one of the REALTORS® who participated in the Read With a REALTOR® initiative. “I really had a great time interacting with the kids and emphasizing how crucial it is to read to or with them,” Gardner said. “There is so much ‘screen time’ these days in our children's lives and I think we all need reminders now and then about putting the tech items down and reading a book with our kids. “Not only does it help strengthen their reading skills, but it also creates wonderful chances to connect and instill a passion for reading.”

For most people March Madness refers to college basketball but for a local group of equestrians it is a week of unparalleled fox hunting and social events. Bull Run Hunt, a local fox hunting club based in Madison, Orange and Culpeper counties has hosted the annual event for over two decades and it brings horses and riders from all over the United States to experience the region’s picturesque countryside and warm hospitality. SLIDESHOW: March Madness. MadRapp/GreeneJournal photos by Becca Pizmoht. Playwright Oscar Wilde once described foxhunting as "the unspeakable in full pursuit of the uneatable”. The traditional country sport of following hounds chasing a fox on horseback began several centuries ago in Great Britain. Farmers...

Madison County Board of Supervisors began their regular meeting Tuesday night with a discussion about a citizen accusation of ethics violations during a recent public hearing about an animal rescue’s application for a SUP to operate a kennel. Neighbors of the kennel assert that members of the board breached the code of ethics while in the process of approving the SUP. The board briefly discussed the ethics issue before denying Mike Elias’ request by not placing it on the agenda. Supervisors Carlton M. “Carty” Yowell and Jud Buchanon both recused themselves from discussion since both had been named as violating ethics. Supervisor Dustin Dawson...

The Virginia State Police (VSP) Sex Offender and Firearms Investigative Unit is seeking the public's help with locating a convicted sex offender who is registered as living in Orange County. Sheldon Locke Davis, 63, is wanted on four counts of failing to re-register as a sex offender, as required by Virginia law. Davis was previously living in the Rhoadesville area of Orange County but has moved and has failed to update State Police with his new address. It is believed that Davis may still be living in Orange County or a surrounding county. Davis is 5-foot-9 in height and weighs approximately 175 pounds. He has brown hair and green eyes. Anyone with information about Davis's whereabouts is encouraged to contact state police by using the "TIPS" link located under the offender's picture on the Virginia State Police Sex Offender Registry website.

*****UPDATE***** SNP re-opens Byrds Nest Shelter 4, all trails and lifts fire pan At 3:00 p.m. Wednesday, March 27, Shenandoah National Park will open Byrds Nest 4 Shelter, all closed trails, and lift the parkwide fire ban which prohibited all open-air fires including any type of wood fire, charcoal fires, wood-burning camp stoves, charcoal grills, gas, and propane cooking stoves. Reopened trails include Appalachian Trail from Elkwallow to Beahms Gap, Rocky Branch, Neighbor Mountain, Jeremys Run, Hull School Trail from Skyline Drive to Thornton River Upper Trail, Thornton River Upper Trail from intersection of Hull School Trail to Skyline Drive. __________ Shenandoah National Park (SNP)...

Gives underage prospective officers an opportunity to reserve spot in upcoming academy The Virginia State Police (VSP) is offering a first-of-its-kind employment opportunity for those interested in becoming a state trooper, but are too young to apply. VSP policy requires state trooper applicants to be 21 years of age by the time they graduate the Academy. The new Virginia State Police "Pathway to Trooper" program helps those aged 18-20 who need to find employment while waiting to apply to the Trooper Basic Session Academy. Under "Pathway to Trooper,” a young adult can join state police as an emergency dispatcher in one of our seven Emergency Communications Dispatch Centers. In return, VSP will...

The physical footprint of the Rocky Branch Wildfire in Shenandoah National Park (SNP) hasn’t changed since Saturday’s rain but improved mapping of the area had delineated a smaller land mass, officials said Monday morning. Officials said Monday the fire "is 25 percent contained. "Decreases in acreage of the fire reflect better mapping,” a park official said. "The rain has decreased fire behavior and firefighters continue to refine mapping by walking the fire perimeter.” Officials state they are now in "mop-up mode.” Sunday’s weather brought cold temperatures, low humidity, and mild winds following Saturday’s rain event. Officials believe Monday’s weather is expected to be sunny with temperatures 50- to 60-degrees and 20- to...

A Greene County family and associates of a Charlottesville-based towing company have been charged with multiple felony and misdemeanor charges in Stafford County following a March 21 incident at a South Stafford McDonald’s restaurant. Two Stafford County deputies were injured in the altercation. Stafford County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) reported it received a call at 6:24 p.m. for a fight in progress involving 10 people at the restaurant located at 44 Stanstead Road in Fredericksburg. The disturbance originally evolved over alleged bad French fries. Once law enforcement arrived it was quickly determined no assault had taken place and the Ace’s Towing employees were asked to leave the restaurant’s lobby. The incident escalated...

Rappahannock County Elementary School students in PreK- 3rd grade enjoyed learning from local farmers during the 14th annual Agriculture Literacy Week, which was recognized March 18-24. Organized by Rappahannock County Farm Bureau: Women's Committee Chair Ashleigh Cannon, special guests from the agricultural community visited each classroom to read this year's featured book, Logan's Greenhouse by JaNay Brown-Wood. Each class was gifted their very own copy of the book, courtesy of the Rappahannock County Farm Bureau, as well as curriculum resources that align with the Virginia SOLs and seeds to plant! The young students enjoyed learning about carrots, leeks, Brussels sprouts, garlic bulbs,...

Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) will begin construction this week on the $4.8 million Shelby Road RCUT project in Madison County. The project is funded by a Fiscal Year 2017 Highway Safety Improvement Program grant and a FY20 SMART SCALE (Round 3) grant. VDOT has not released an anticipated project completion date. ***** The following highway work is scheduled, weather permitting, in the Culpeper District during the next week. Traffic movements may be restricted and speed limits reduced in work zones. (NEW) or(UPDATE) indicate revisions since last week’s report. Culpeper District traffic information is also available onTwitter and on VDOT’s website. Albemarle County Route 641 (Frays Mill Road)– Other bridge work. Road closed...

Prior to Tuesday, Edison Pilgrim Crawford did not exist; at least according to the Commonwealth of Virginia. Crawford was born one of 15 children to James Monroe Crawford and Polly Jane Morris on a Bacon Hollow farm in Dyke in the early 1950s. That information is certain as the family Bible says so. From there, however, it gets trickier. Since no hospital was involved in the birthing, no birth certificate was issued, even though the state code has had a law on the books requiring a certificate of birth for each live birth since March 12, 1912. Tuesday’s establish boundaries hearing in Greene County Circuit Court sought to rectify that. Crawford’s...

Shenandoah National Park (SNP) provided an update of the ongoing Rocky Branch Fire that began Wednesday and has now spread to over 1,000 acres in Page and Rappahannock counties. Firefighters from the National Park Service (NPS), Virginia Department of Forestry (VDF) continue focusing on fire control and containment. Members of the Southern Area Red Complex Incident Management Team – part of the U.S. Forest Service based out of Atlanta, Ga. – arrived onsite Saturday morning and has taken the lead command. More firefighters are expected. Personnel and equipment on the fire currently include 15 firefighters and an engine. A steady rain overnight into Saturday morning aided in that effort, officials say. SNP’s remote weather station reports 1.16-inches of rain within the past 20 hours which has slowed the fire’s spread. Skyline Drive remains closed from Thornton Gap (milepost 31.5 to Mathews Arm Campground at MP 22.1. Additionally, Byrds Nest 4 remains closed. Trails closed include the Appalachian Trail from Elkwallow to Beahms Gap, Rocky Branch, Neighbor Mountain, and Jeremys Run. Officials now have closed Hull School Trail from Skyline Drive to Thornton River Upper Trail and Thornton River Upper Trail back up to the drive. A complete fire ban also remains in effect throughout SNP.

But, you say, it’s more than two weeks to April 15. That’s true but between now and then there are only five more days in the RappTaxFree volunteers’ schedule. So go to RappTaxFree and register for an appointment; or call (540) 227-0493. The tax counselors have already put in more than 85 hours for training, certifications, and preparing returns. Other volunteers have given an additional 50 hours or more to take care of administrative tasks necessary for free tax filing to function. Thirty individual tax payers have been served. Another nine are on the schedule. Unfortunately, RappTaxFree could not help a few others because regulations do not permit free preparation of...

William Monroe sophomore Emma Taylor and senior Riley Rocha each hit homers Friday night giving the Dragons enough runs to beat host Madison County in a non-district softball game played at Hoover Ridge Park. Monroe easily won 18-3 in a five-inning slaughter-rule game, ruining the Mountaineers’ home opener. Taylor’s second-inning, two-run homer over the centerfield fence gave Monroe (3-2) a 2-1 advantage and Rocha’s grand slam over the left-centerfield fence in the third inning put the Dragons ahead 10-1. MadRapp/GreeneJournal VIDEO: Riley Rocha post-game interview. Freshman pitcher Olivia Frazier started for Madison (0-4) and lasted three innings. Frazier walked four and struck out one Dragon batter. She also threw two wild pitches....

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