Opinion

Email at yourview@fauquier.com

Fauquier Times | November 18, 2020

Follow us on Twitter @fauquiertimes

13

OPINION

WWW.FAUQUIER.COM

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Warrenton’s water supply is vulnerable

Earth is being moved west of Warrenton. The water in Towser’s Branch where it flows into the Warrenton reservoir is a dark reddish brown. Towser’s Branch rises on View Tree Mountain on the edge of Warrenton and is one of the three streams that feed the town’s reservoir.

Cedar Run, the major stream, rises on Wild Cat Mountain and flows close to and downstream of 150 septic tanks on half-acre lots a short distance above the reservoir. A tributary of Cedar Run flows alongside U.S. 17 for a considerable distance and would be vulnerable to toxic spills.

Warrenton’s watershed is hemmed in and limited by the nearby mountains that surround the town to the northwest. The mud that we see in Towser’s Branch is evidence of the vulnerability of the town’s water supply and is one of the reasons I question the wisdom of artificially stimulating Warrenton’s population.

HOPE PORTER

Warrenton

Warrenton’s holiday plans a good mix of celebration and COVID safety

I am writing in response to the article titled “Town Council considers holding Warrenton Christmas events,” published in your newspaper on Nov. 11. I am completely thrilled, as I believe that many others of the Warrenton community are as well, to hear that our small town is continuing to spread Christmas cheer this holiday season amid the current pandemic.

While many individuals are worried about the possible spread of COVID-19 during these festivities, I believe that this situation is being handled quite graciously as there are multiple courses of action that have been suggested. As for these propositions, I believe that the preeminent option is one that creates harmony among the idea of social distancing and safety precautions, but also the concept of celebration to avoid dispute and ensure that everyone is able to ring in the Christmas spirit by attending this event.

I feel as though this is a great way to begin a feeling of normality by the jollification of spending some imperative time with family and friends, but also continuing the safety among everyone in our community. Altogether, I am eager to participate in this lively event and am considerably appreciative of this habitual opportunity that I believe will be beneficial to everyone’s lucidity.

MADISON HOLLINGSWORTH

Warrenton

Voting is a right -- it must be made available to all, with the least burden possible

Last week, a letter to the editor (from a local Republican committee official) lamented that requiring voters to present photo ID should be reinstated. [Fauquier Times, “Is this national mess where we want Virginia to go?”] “It inconveniences few …” it said. Spoken like someone who isn’t inconvenienced at all, I would venture.

Spoken like someone who isn’t a single parent working at a minimum wage job who needs to take public transportation across town with kids in tow to apply, spending hours of pay to make it happen, I would say.

Voting is a right. As such, it must be afforded equally to all with uneven burden on none. If a photo ID is deemed essential, take the picture at the time of registration and make it part of the registration data base. Pretty hard to fake that.

If counterfeit mail-in ballots are feared, place encrypted identifying information on the ballot.

If it’s believed that people will vote twice (a felony that President Donald Trump actually encouraged his supporters to commit), implement a cross check database of voters.

Instead of requiring people to deliver ballots in person, use signature verification or two-factor authentication. There are always solutions that don’t burden the voter if you care to look.

Mind you, I don’t think any of these measures are necessary. The current election “mess,” as the letter writer put it, is not due to fraud or even ineptitude. It’s due, for example, to Republicans outlawing absentee vote tallying before Election Day, and then crying foul when the massive influx of ballots due to COVID couldn’t be counted immediately.

It’s due to Trump and his enablers shouting massive fraud where none exists. Their charges of misconduct are proving embarrassingly baseless when they arrive in court with no evidence to support the cases they've filed.

In reality, the Democrats need only to get out the vote to win elections legally, and Republicans rely on selective voter suppression, which is also legal, albeit unethical. I see the latter as the real threat to fair elections.

For example, look at the Republican-imposed Texas photo ID requirement (Texas Board of Elections website): Concealed carry photo ID? Valid. Student photo ID? Sorry, not on the list.

It also happens that gun owners tend to be conservative. Students tend to be liberal.

Likewise, the fraud prevention measures mentioned in last week’s letter to the editor selectively and unnecessarily burden the disadvantaged who also happen to lean Democratic. One wonders if the Republicans would be so sanguine about fraud prevention if the law required that their prevention measures be non-discriminatory.

KEITH SELBO

Warrenton

Baby shower for the community raises $15,000 for families

On behalf of the Rotary Club of Warrenton, I want to thank The Fauquier Times for partnering with us to throw a Baby Shower for The Fauquier Community Food Bank & Thrift Store. We were overwhelmed with the response from your readers and community members and estimate nearly $15,000 of items and cash donations were donated to help families with young children in our community. It is truly humbling to see our community rally when there is a need this great.

Just as important as the items donated, your support and coverage helped the community become aware of the specific needs for babies and young children at the food bank and other organizations that support young families and we know that this awareness will help fill the gap in the future.

If community members still want to donate, The Amazon Baby Registry is still live and will remain open; they just need to search the Amazon Baby Registries for Warrenton Rotary or Fauquier Community Food Bank and buy from there – items can be shipped directly to the Food Bank on Shirley Avenue to save the drive.

Again, we deeply appreciate The Times’ and our community’s support of this project! We honestly couldn’t have made this big of an impact without it!

THE REV. WES SHORTRIDGE,

President, Rotary Club of Warrenton

Kudos to Fauquier County’s Office of the Registrar and electoral board on a smooth election process

Fauquier residents can take both reassurance and pride in our Office of the General Registrar, which administered and oversaw the recent election in our county.

I volunteered to observed the final vote tally in The Plains precinct, and also observe the verification and validation of more than 200 provisional ballots on the Friday following the election.

Approximate estimates of voter participation in Fauquier County during this election exceed 43,500 or 80% of those registered, a remarkably high participation rate, made easier by the extraordinary efforts our registrar’s office made to receive early ballots at the headquarters, plus open satellite voting offices in Vint Hill and Bealeton.

Of the total votes cast, it is estimated that more than 28,000 or nearly 65% were cast by early ballot.

Mr. Alex Ables, the general registrar, and his staff worked long, long hours during the approach to the election, on Election Day, and afterward, to ensure the process went smoothly. The Electoral Board – Ms. Jane Hurst and Messrs. David Wiedenfeld and Robert Zwick – worked harmoniously in performance of their duties, an outstanding example of cooperation and comity in our civic affairs.

As a Democrat, I am disappointed my candidates lost in Fauquier, but I take great comfort that our county’s election process was free and fair. Praise to our Office of the General Registrar.

NIGEL OGILVIE

The Plains

Letters to the Editor

The Fauquier Times welcomes letters to the editor from its readers as a forum for discussion of local public affairs subjects. WRITE: Letters to the Editor 41 Culpeper Street Warrenton, VA 20188 FAX: Editor 540-349-8676 EMAIL: news@fauquier.com Letters must be signed by the writer. Messages sent via email must say “Letter to the Editor” to distinguish them from other messages not meant for publication. Include address and phone for verification (Not to be published.) Letters are subject to editing for clarity and length. Personal attacks will not be published. Long letters from those with special authority on a current issue may be treated as a guest column (with photo requested). Due to volume, letters cannot be acknowledged. All letters are appreciated. Letters must be received by 5 p.m. Monday to be considered for Wednesday publication.