A NOTE FROM ME
Two things are true about this weekend: it will probably rain on you at some point, and half of Bowling Green is about to put a price tag on things they no longer want. I will take that trade. Keep something dry in the car and let's get into it.
WEEKEND WEATHER
Another warm one, with the wet stuff mostly saving itself for the afternoons.
Friday | High 82, Low 67. A few morning showers, then partly sunny.
Saturday | High 83, Low 69. Showers likely, maybe a thunderstorm by afternoon.
Sunday | High 86, Low 67. Partly sunny, a chance of showers after 2pm.
GOOD NEWS IN CAROLINE
Bowling Green's new playground is getting closer to real. Design Day happened back in August, the kids' drawings went to the designers, and the town has now set the build for October 28 through 30.
It needs 30 to 40 volunteers each day. No special skills, just hands and a couple of hours. If you have ever wanted to tell your kid "I helped build that slide," the Town of Bowling Green has the sign-up details.
THIS WEEKEND IN CAROLINE
Fri., Sept. 18, 7pm: Cavaliers Football HOME vs. King William, Caroline High School. (maxpreps.com)
Sat., Sept. 19, 8am to 1pm: Fall Clean Sweep, the Town of Bowling Green's community-wide yard sale. Residents host sales at their own homes and at Town Hall, so it is a whole morning of browsing without driving all over the county. Bring small bills and go early. (townofbowlinggreenva.gov)
Sat., Sept. 19, 9am to 1pm: Bowling Green Farmers' Market, Main St. Same morning as the yard sale, so downtown will have some life to it. (co.caroline.va.us)
SCHOOL & LIBRARY
For the little ones: Mother Goose Storytime (ages 0 to 2) is Tuesdays at 10am at Ladysmith and Thursdays at 10am at Bowling Green. Preschool Storytime (ages 3 to 5) is Thursdays at 10am at Ladysmith and 10:30am at Bowling Green. LEGO Club for ages 6 and up meets Thursdays 5 to 6:30pm at Ladysmith. Free, no sign up. (carolinelibrary.org)
HELP & NEEDS
Amazon Rappahannock Region Community Fund applications close Sept. 21. Local nonprofits can apply for a share of $350,000. If you volunteer with one, pass this along. (fredericksburgfreepress.com)
AT THE COUNTY
Luck Stone Corporation has applied to rezone roughly 1,111 acres near Carmel Church from Rural Preservation to Conditional M-1 Industrial, according to the Fredericksburg Free Press. The county lists the case as RZ-06-2024 and describes it as a technology and enterprise industrial campus along Jericho Road and U.S. Route 1.
On Aug. 27 the Planning Commission voted 3 to 1 to recommend denial, the Free Press reported. Commissioners Mary Hodge, Richard Williams, and Steve Rollins voted to deny, Lee Tingler voted to approve, Carol Horton was absent, and JD Young abstained. The county had not posted minutes of that meeting as of Sept. 17.
The Free Press quoted Hodge saying, "Because the applicant is not forthcoming with any information about potential tenants on this property, I am very concerned with language in the GDP narrative which states the site will include storage warehouses and distribution facilities." She said the county already has land zoned for those uses.
At the commission's July 23 hearing, Charlie Payne, an attorney for Luck Stone, said the project would not be data centers, describing it as "your typical industrial park where you're going to have logistics, distribution, warehousing, and manufacturing, R&D offices, flex office." No tenant had been announced as of the Aug. 27 vote, the Free Press reported.
Residents spoke on both sides at that hearing. Members of Oxford Mount Zion Baptist Church spoke in support, citing a community center for young people and seniors. Others spoke in opposition, citing the amount of rural land involved and not knowing what would be built there.
The Board of Supervisors has the final say and has advertised a public hearing for Tuesday, Sept. 22. The board convenes at 6 p.m. at the Community Services Center Auditorium, 17202 Richmond Turnpike in Milford, with this hearing advertised for 7:30 p.m. or as soon thereafter as the matter may be heard. The county's notice states that any person desiring to be heard is invited to be present.
ONE FUN FACT ABOUT CAROLINE
Two brothers of Revolutionary War naval hero John Paul Jones, the man behind "I have not yet begun to fight," once lived in Port Royal. It is a sleepy little river town today, but for a while it had a front row seat to one of the more dramatic families in early American history.
(Source: Town of Port Royal history)
That's all for this week. Thanks for reading.
Did we miss something, or is there an event, a person, or a bit of good news you think belongs in the next issue? Email [email protected] or send a message to our Facebook page, The Caroline Ledger. I read everything, even when I can't fit it all in.