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See voting data by precinct page 4
November 4, 2020
Our 203rd year | Vol. 203, No. 45 | www.Fauquier.com | $1.50
Election ‘feels more important’ By Robin Earl and Coy Ferrell Times Staff Writers
Alexis Poland, 72, teared up as she slid her ballot into the scanner at the Warrenton Presbyterian Church polling location. “I always cry when I vote. I’m not sure why. I feel that if I never do anything right all year, at least I voted,” she said. By noon on Tuesday, about 300 people had voted at the courthouse precinct. The flow was steady, agreed precinct co-chiefs Jeff Michel and Ken Gray. “Everyone has been cordial and cooperative,” Michael said, adding, “99.5% have worn masks and are social distancing.” He said he thought “early voting probably cut our activity down 50%.” At Grace Episcopal Church, the polling place for The Plains Precinct, almost 600 people had cast a ballot by noon. At least during the late morning, there was never a line. “It was simply like it always is,” said voter Amy Adams, of The Plains, about the voting process. “I was expecting lines.” Kenny Payne, of Marshall, who voted for each Republican candidate on the ballot, said he was glad the election was finally reaching its culmination. “I’m relieved this day has come and I just See ELECTION, page 6
Good leads Webb by 18% with thousands of absentee votes still unreported By Daniel Berti
Times Staff Writer
TIMES STAFF PHOTO/ROBIN EARL
CC Collins leaves no doubt as to who she is voting for as she stands by the GOP tent in front of the voting location at the Warrenton Presbyterian Church on Main Street.
Fifth Congressional District Republican candidate Bob Good was leading his opponent Democrat Dr. Cameron Webb 59% to 41% with all in-person votes counted and thousands of absentee ballots still unreported in several of the district’s counties as of 10:30 p.m. Tuesday. In Fauquier County, Good won 75% of votes cast on Election Day to Webb’s 25%. However, results from the county’s absentee ballots had not yet been reported as of 10:30 p.m. Absentee ballots accounted for nearly two-thirds of votes cast in Fauquier County. The 5th Congressional District stretches from the North Carolina border to Fauquier County. Absentee votes have still not been reported in Albemarle, Bedford, Campbell, Fauquier, Fluvanna, Franklin and Prince Edward counties as of 10:30 p.m. The final results will not be known until all ballots are counted. Localities will report as much of the absentee votes as they are able on Tuesday at 11 p.m., but will have until Friday See 5TH DISTRICT, page 9
Three towers set to be added to broadband network By Coy Ferrell
Times Staff Writer
Three towers will be added to the county-subsidized wireless broadband network “in the next few weeks,” according to Supervisor Rick Gerhardt (Cedar Run District). Last year, the county government entered into an agreement with Data Stream Broadband, which currently broadcasts a fixed-wireless signal to its Fauquier County customers from 15 locations. The new broadcast points will be
the Turnbull water tower, located along Springs Road west of Warrenton, and two temporary towers, which will be placed near Orlean and Somerville until permanent towers can be erected on the same sites. The equipment used by Data Stream has a maximum broadcast radius of approximately five miles, depending on the surrounding terrain. “Transmission equipment inventory has been a challenge to procure recently, due to worldwide demand resulting from COVID,” Gerhardt
said. “however, we have been told by Data Stream that inventory is now available.” It could take up to two years to arrange the leases, permits and commitments from cellular carriers necessary for building the permanent towers near Orlean and Somerville, said Calvert Crossland owner Barb Pivoc on Tuesday. Calvert Crossland is the company building the towers. The temporary towers will remain in place until the permanent towers are erected, Gerhardt said.
In Turnbull, Gerhardt said, “Over the next few weeks the tower will be modified to accept transmission equipment that will operate on the Data Stream network.” So far, the county has committed $4.1 million to Data Stream as part of an incentive program to expand access to broadband to county residents, according to Deputy County Administrator Erin Kozanecki. The company receives $235,000 in incentives for each site put into opSee BROADBAND, page 9
INSIDE Classified............................................23 Opinion...............................................12 Obituaries...........................................20 Puzzles...............................................14 Sports.................................................15
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