The Shadow
Welcome back, Shadowers! I’m so dang proud of each and every one of you who voted! Last week, democracy strutted its stuff in the Highlands, serving up a delicious reminder that even the most unsavory local officials can’t outlast a fed-up electorate armed with ballots. While some incumbents were returned to office, others who seemed to forget the meaning of their oath of office found themselves unceremoniously shown the door. While we’re still waiting for the official stamp after the provisional ballots are counted, the current results scream loud and clear: the people have spoken, and their patience has officially run out.
Clifton Forge voters decided they liked the incumbents Jeff Irvine and Carl “Shorty” Wolfe and gave them another stamp of approval. However, challenger Michael Foster put in a very good effort and was close, with only 41 votes separating him and Wolfe. Iron Gate had a surprise pick for a new Mayor, with Persinger ousting Craig with a whopping 67.61% of the votes. Persinger is now facing a substantial job to solve Iron Gate’s financial and operational woes.
In the AHPS School Board race, Jay Woodson cruised into his seat unopposed. Meanwhile, Jacob Wright got schooled the hard way that his nine political lives had all been used up, as Robert “Bob” Umstead handed him a decisive defeat with 62.01% of the vote. But let’s not forget the other winner of the night: Rylee Reynolds. Wright, you’ll recall, faced allegations from Reynolds about harassing her while he was allegedly intoxicated during a recent incident at a local restaurant. And apparently, even after notching up multiple public intoxication detention slips on his rap sheet spanning over decades, Wright apparently still refused to pay attention in class. So the voters decided it was time Wright needed to be expelled and voted overwhelmingly for Umstead and, symbolically, for Reynolds.
Thank you, Rylee, for your outstanding bravery.
The City of Covington saw the most substantial changes to its leadership. Hunter kept his seat against Roe, while Mayor Sibold lost definitively to Wolfe. One of the most stunning upsets was the Covington City Council race between Vice Mayor David Crosier and Susan Crowder. Crowder got a whopping 75.96% of the vote, to Crosier’s dismal 23.70%, rounded off with two write-in votes.
What’s fascinating—no, downright entertaining—about Crowder’s landslide victory over Crosier is the sheer magnitude of the political aftershocks. For starters, Crosier’s reign over the embattled Alleghany-Covington Department of Social Services has come to a screeching, tire-squealing halt. No more behind-the-scenes meddling, no more creative reinterpretations of “ethics.” And let’s not forget, the infamous Conflict of Interest variety show—one hand on the government wheel and the other gripping the media megaphone—is officially canceled. So for the council members and other public servants in City Hall that have forgotten what being an ethical ‘public servant’ means over the past year, well, the curtain has come down, the spotlight has dimmed, and all we can say is:
Buzz, buzz, buzz… Votes served, Results deserved.
410 Main Street is back in the news for a couple of good and bad reasons. On the good news front, Mountain Rush has announced they are leasing the building and will bring a much-needed go-to entertainment place for our youths. Everyone is voting for their success and what they can bring to our Main Street, so please do what you can to help out and support this new business.
However, a murky stream still seems to be flowing beneath the 410 on Main St. owners and the City. Remember the 410 project—fondly (and ironically) nicknamed “Project Sparkle.” What a glittering spectacle of apparent gross negligence, favoritism, and behaviors so questionable they might as well have been scribbled in invisible ink. Let’s not forget the grand finale: the Commonwealth Fire Marshal swooping in to shut down not only the building but also the City’s building department. If this were a movie, it’d be called Fire Marshal: The Sparkling Reckoning.
Well, it seems the sequel just dropped, and it’s a doozy. Turns out, the City cut a $5,500 check to CHA Engineering for services back on March 11, 2024, to evaluate the privately owned 410 on Main building. Yes, you read that right—your tax dollars apparently went to a private company for what should’ve been their own expense. When pressed with a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request about why on earth the City is footing the bill for a private business, the response was, “The City followed up to ensure public safety.” Oh, of course, because nothing screams public safety like a five-grand favor for a private corporation.
Let’s back up a bit. The deal between the City and 410 on Main was crystal clear: the City gifted the building to 410 on Main, and in return, 410 on Main was to invest ($250,000 or more) in renovations—including, wait for it, any necessary engineering reports and evaluations. So why, exactly, is the City playing the role of sugar daddy here? There have been other reports of allegedly using the taxpayer’s checkbook for private company matters, and the Shadow team is currently sifting through that dumpster. Did someone misplace the memo, or is this just another episode of The City Hall Chronicles: Raiding the Taxpayer’s Piggy Bank for Personal Favorites?
Perhaps it’s more akin to alleged “gross abuse of power and embezzlement?”
I’m truly sad to hear the news that Jim Kern Jr. passed away Oct 30. The one thing that keeps resonating over and over is how every time you saw him he had a big smile on his face and just how much he loved his family. We will all miss Jim greatly.
Finally, the Virginian Review was also on the ballot this year. When the paper changed ownership in 2020, it faced a pivotal decision: continue as a bystander in local affairs or step up and serve the community as it was mandated by our constitution, and be a true watchdog for another 100 years in the Highlands. And let’s not sugarcoat it—there were plenty of folks rooting for them to fail, including several politicians who found themselves in the Truth or consequences spotlight. But you, our loyal subscribers and readers, never wavered. You stood by us, fueled our determination, and gave us the courage to do what other news agencies in the area wouldn’t dare—report on what’s really happening behind closed doors in our local government.
The Virginian Review humbly thanks you for your vote—through your subscriptions, readership, and your unwavering support for the newspaper. And because of you, The Virginian Review is now the largest newspaper and news outlet in the Highlands, stronger and more financially stable than it has been in over a decade, reaching 10,000-15,000 readers around the Highlands every day. We are blessed by the vote of confidence from our growing list of advertisers too. And let’s be clear, each subscription, each shared article, each word of encouragement is a vote for independent journalism and a free press that isn’t afraid to hold power accountable. You’ve proven that our community values truth over complacency and that the role of journalism as the “Fourth Pillar of Government” is alive and well in the Highlands. Journalism isn’t just about reporting the news; it’s about observing and reporting to a community that values honesty and accountability. With your help, the Virginian Review will continue shining a light where others prefer darkness—and that’s a mission worth subscribing to.
I’m out of time, and out of coffee, but will leave you with the words of holocaust survivor Viktor Frankl. “When we are no longer able to change a situation,” he wrote, “we are challenged to change ourselves.” And that, dear readers, is just what you did. Each and every one of you receives this week’s “Pat on the Back” award.
