DOWN MEMORY LANE
Sept. 6, 1990
Reinhardt Lynch, 42, co-owner of the world-famous Inn at Little Washington, was charged last week with a violation of Virginia’s voting laws in connection with the town’s election on May 2.
According to an affidavit filed in Rappahannock County General District Court, Sheriff’s Department Capt. Ed Streapy stated “My investigation revealed that Reinhardt Lynch did procure, assist, council (sic) or advise another to vote, in the town of Washington election on or about May 2, 1990 knowing such person was not duly qualified to vote where and when the vote was given.”
Charged along with Mr. Lynch were Alan Rene Margreithor, 20, David William Howard, 35, and Eric Matthew Schwier, 33. The three ware charged with voting in an election district in which they did not reside. All were employed at The Inn at Little Washington at the time.
The Commonwealth’s Attorney said this is the first time he can remember a criminal investigation into election fraud in Rappahannock County.
Two little girls have been attending preschool this summer because of a grant the Child Care and Learning Center received from the state. They are part of a group of six children that CCLC director Rose Ann Sharp expects to grow to 17 before the grant runs out next summer.
Mrs. Sharp explained that the state set up a pool of money for localities that do not have Head Start programs funded by the federal government to propose similar programs for serving four-year olds. Rappahannock is one of 47 counties and 15 cities in the state which do not have Head Start.
Since getting the grant in July, Mrs. Sharp has been working with the county’s health and social services departments and the Literacy Volunteers to identify children who qualify for the program.
The center has purchased a van and has also employed an additional teacher and teacher’s aide to help with the additional children. The van is being used to provide transportation for children in the new program and also for field trips for all the students, Mrs. Sharp said.
Nov. 3, 1999
The sign has been up for nearly a month at 195 Main Street announcing Alan Dranitzke’s new law practice. Even through the office is only partially furnished and the smell of fresh paint is overwhelming. Dranitzke is open for business.
Nearly five and half years ago, Alan and Sue Dranitzke bought a house and property on Gid Brown Hollow as a vacation home.
Dranitzke says, “I had no idea we would spend so much time here. I didn’t know what we were getting into. Initially, I thought we’d spend one or two weekends a month here. Now it will three to four days a week.”
Now, business will keep Dranitzke here two days a week. He will travel into Washington, D. C. three times a week.
And the first of the year, the Dranitzkes will establish residency in Rappahannock County.
The new office will be a branch of the law firm Liotta, Dranitzke and Engel, which Dranitzke started with his partners fourteen years ago. In effect, Dranitzke will be expanding the business, but also breaking free.
Ted Pellegatta has achieved his success in photography primarily by shooting landscapes. But over the years in Rappahannock County, Pellegatta has collected “snapshots” of people.
Currently, about 150 of these photographs are on display at Mountainside Market. The display has been dubbed “The People’s Wall of Rappahannock” by Pellegatta. And it is creating interest in locals and tourists as well.
Pellegatta came down to the county for the first time in 1971, when a friend of his was filming a documentary on the area entitled, Come Day, Go Day, Come Sunday.
The film depicted the black community in the area who worked on farms, either their own farms or others. And how they waited for Sunday to come when they would go to church, play music, and have picnics.
His friend asked him if he would come down and see this place. And Pellegatta became a weekender in the county until 1990, when he became a permanent resident.