DOWN MEMORY LANE
Aug. 25, 1999
Changes are underway at Rappahannock National Bank.
Bet Jones, Chairman of the Board of Directors, says that “it's an exciting time for the bank.” The bank is striving to become more community-oriented, and to be better able to serve the people of Rappahannock County.
Part of the bank’s strategic plan is for the bank to introduce new products and services for its customers and the community, services that they had not been able to offer in the past. “The people of Rappahannock County should have a bank they can trust and believe in,” says bank Vice President
Mike Leake.
The bank’s plan is divided into three phases. Phase one, which is complete, includes three components: check imaging, a VISA Check card/ATM card and the recently installed ATM at 211 Quicke Mart.
Phase two should be complete by Oct. 1. It includes interest-bearing checking for customers over 50, overdraft protection for checking accounts, and interest-bearing Now accounts: Money Manager and Super Money Manager.
Phase three is expected to be completed by Nov. 1. Included in this phase are expansion and diversification of their CDline, and an 800 number for telephone banking. In addition, Jones says that through Union Bankshares, they are able to offer full-line investment services (including stocks and bonds) and trust funds.
The Rappahannock Planning Commission addressed telecommunications towers and commercial areas during its August meeting.
The commission unanimously passed a resolution to advertise for a public hearing on the local telecommunications ordinance. The Planning Commission will hold their public hearing at its next meeting, Sept. 15 at the courthouse. The Board of Supervisors will hold a public hearing on the matter at its October meeting.
The ordinance was the main topic of discussion for the evening. County Administrator John McCarthy informed the board that one major change had been made.
Nov. 6, 2003
Sharon Winter, who has worked at Cooter’s Place in Sperryville for the last five years, was wondering what she would do when the famous Dukes of Hazzard roadside museum closed for good this month.
One recent morning she was eating breakfast at Diana’s Country Diner on Sperryville’s historic Main Street, when owner Diana Sekford told Sharon she was ready to give up her businesses if she could find someone to take over her lease. Bingo!
Just like that, Wimer saw her future unfolding and after a quick call to the building owner, the Blue Ridge Diner was born.
The new Main Street eatery opened last week and by the weekend was already doing a booming business thanks to the heavy flow of autumn leaf-peepers who visit Rappahannock County every fall.
Restaurants have been coming and going in Sperryville so fast lately that you almost need a scorecard to keep track. A place called Tomfoolery opened on Main Street and then closed before most people even knew about it. The Blue Moon Cafe on Highway 211 closed this year and was succeeded by a Tex-Mex place called the Coyote Cafe. Sunnyside Farms just opened an open-air burger bar at its new “Famous Rest Stop” on the highway, and soon the Sperryville Corner Store will open a new grill restaurant at the flashing red light on Main Street.
The Rappahannock County Association for the Arts and the Community (RAAC) welcomes local resident Richard Antony who will talk about his recently released book, “Mountain of My Dream,” as part of the Second Friday at the Library Series on Nov. 14 at 8 p.m. at the Rappahannock County library.
Antony and his wife Sandra are the owners of Long Mountain Nursery.
“Mountain of My Dream” tells the story of the couple’s evolving dreams and their struggle to create an azalea nursery on a Rappahannock mountainside though they had no formal horticultural training, no real business experience, few mechanical skills and absolutely no idea what they were getting into.
During the years they operated their small business, a number of pivotal events occurred that encouraged them to follow through with their dream.