Snow joke
Autumn finally arrived in Rappahannock County last week. Or was it winter?
In the space of 24 hours, weekend temperatures that had reached into the 70s gave way to measurable snowfall by Sunday evening along Skyline Drive. And now it’s November — and we’re back into the 70s.
That said, much welcome rain fell for almost the entire day Sunday, with 1.71 inches of moisture measured in Woodville, 2.12 inches in Sperryville, 2.35 inches in Washington, and 2.94 inches surrounding Chester Gap. The precious moisture will certainly put a dent into the state-issued groundwater “emergency” for Rappahannock County, but we can use more.
Since we brought up snow, VDOT tells us it’s prepared for whatever white stuff falls this winter, including pretreating the county’s major roadways with brine whenever
significant snowfall is in the forecast. Brine is produced from pond runoff at VDOT’s salt facilities and helps prevent the frozen precipitation from bonding to the asphalt.
VDOT also informs us that the Route 604 (Green Road) bridge over the Hughes River at the Rappahannock-Culpeper county line, built way back in 1954 and closed for rehabilitation on Sept. 25, was officially reopened to traffic on Halloween Day.
RAAC Art Tour
Don’t miss one of the great events in Virginia — the Rappahannock Association for Arts and Community’s 13th Annual Artists of Rappahannock Studio & Gallery Tour, this Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 4 and 5, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
More than 100 Rappahannock artists, several of them recognized worldwide for their amazing creations, participate in the RAACsponsored tour. All told, the artists will be presenting original works at 8 galleries and 30 studios scattered throughout the county.
The tour begins at the Old School House at 567 Mt. Salem Avenue in Washington, where tickets and maps to all of the artists’ locations can be obtained. Attendees are encouraged to visit the website http://www.raac. org/raacwp/2017-art-tour/ for complete details of the much-anticipated tour.
Friday flick
Grab a date! RAAC will screen “The Big Sick” this Friday, Nov. 3, at 7 p.m. at the Little Washington Theatre. The R-rated flick is a 2017 romantic comedydrama, directed by Michael Showalter and starring Kumail Nanjiani, Zoe Kazan, Holly Hunter and Ray Romano.
The film follows an interracial couple that has to deal with their cultural differences and is loosely based on the real-life courtship between Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon.
The film had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in January, began a limited theatrical release in June and went worldwide in July. It has become one of the most critically acclaimed films of the year.
Admission is only $6. The concession stand has popcorn, candy and water. And yes, subtitles will be shown.
Music of Ella
Fans of Ella Fitzgerald take note: Two-time Grammy-nominated music historian John Hasse and internationally renowned jazz performer Sharón Clark will join members of the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra (SJMO) Octet for a performance and discussion of the iconic life and music of the great Fitzgerald, this Sunday, Nov. 5, at 4 p.m. at Castleton
The Castleton in Performance (CiP) concert will begin with a multimedia lecture by Hasse on Fitzgerald, followed by the SJMO’s performance of some of Fitzgerald’s greatest hits, featuring Clark singing famous works that include Accentuate the Positive; A-Tisket, A-Tasket; Lady Be Good; and Cheek to Cheek.
Hasse founded the SJMO in 1990 through appointment by the U.S. Congress, and now serves as curator of American music at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History.
Tickets range from $20 to $40, and the one-of-akind performance will be held in the Theatre House at Castleton. Call 703489-8704 and visit www. CastletonFestival.org to purchase tickets.
RappCats is 10
RappCats is celebrating its 10th anniversary of rescuing abandoned, homeless, and abused cats by hosting Catstravaganza! The popular evening of jazz benefits county residents and their cats as well as homeless cats. Monica Worth, vocalist, and Bob Bennetta, pianist, will blend their musical talents in an intimate setting — the mayor’s house!
Catstravaganza will be held at The Meadows, home of John and Beverly Sullivan on Friday, Nov. 10 from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Beverly is vice president of RappCats. The Meadows is located at 260 Porter Street in Washington. Guests will enjoy an evening of live jazz, drinks, and heavy hors d’oeuvres. Tickets are $50, which can be purchased in advance by check to RappCats, P.O. Box 307, Washington, VA 22747, or online using PayPal at www. rappcats.org. Tickets will also be available at the door on the night of the event.
RappCats operates the only state-approved cat shelter in Rappahannock, known as the RappCats Adoption Center. The county is the only one among adjacent counties that does not have a publicly supported cat shelter. RappCats volunteers feed and care for the cats twice a day, every day of the year. Other volunteers take cats to vet appointments, wash laundry, and foster kittens and sick cats.