Appomattox Times – CMS

Author: spawelczyk

  • Second Opinion: Appomattox’s Future Depends on How We Treat Our Schools and Our Teachers

    Second Opinion: Appomattox’s Future Depends on How We Treat Our Schools and Our Teachers

    Appomattox’s ability to thrive in the years ahead depends on how much we are willing to support and invest in our public schools, through funding, engagement, and sustained attention, beginning today. 

    I am both a parent and someone who’s spent years pursuing higher education. I know from experience that children’s futures are shaped not just by what happens at home, but by what happens every day in their classrooms. I see the dedication of our teachers and staff, the excitement (and sometimes anxiety) on students’ faces as they head off to school, and the way a good education can open doors to a lifetime of opportunity. 

    But I also see the challenges, some of which can’t be ignored any longer. The truth is that our schools are under real pressure. One building operates at over 100% of its student capacity. Others are operating at over 90% capacity, with more students arriving every year. The county wisely approved $1.13 million for much-needed repairs and upgrades, but bricks and mortar are only part of the story. What about the people inside? 

    Let’s talk honestly: Teachers are being asked to do more with less. When enrollment goes up and resources don’t keep pace, it’s not just an inconvenience. It’s a recipe for teacher burnout and student frustration. I know teachers who spend their own money on classroom supplies, who take work home night after night, and who worry constantly about reaching every child in their care. I have seen, firsthand, the impact a caring, well-supported teacher can have on a student, and I have also seen the toll it takes when teachers are stretched thin. 

    The county’s FY 2025 school budget is $37.14 million. On paper, that looks like a lot. But when you break it down to cover staffing, transportation, technology, facility maintenance, extracurriculars, and rising costs for everything from textbooks to electricity, it becomes clear just how tight things can get. Last year, Appomattox schools nearly lost $800,000 in state funding simply because a $300,000 local match couldn’t be secured. These are not just numbers, these are lost opportunities for our kids. 

    What does all of this mean for families? It means we risk larger class sizes, fewer programs, and teachers leaving the profession altogether. That is a future none of us want. Our children deserve better, and so do the teachers who give so much of themselves every day. 

    This is not about finger-pointing or politics. It’s about priorities. Are we willing to step up, not just in moments of crisis, but year after year to make sure Appomattox is a place where families want to stay, teachers want to teach, and students want to learn? I believe we can and should. 

     
    If we want a strong, thriving future for Appomattox, we must invest in our public schools and the people who make them great. That means more than the occasional budget boost or facility fix. It means committing to adequate funding, hiring enough staff to reduce overcrowding, supporting professional development, and giving teachers the respect and compensation they deserve. 

    Let’s make Appomattox known for more than its past. Let’s build a future where every child leaves our schools prepared, confident, and proud of where they come from. That future starts with us, and it starts right now. 

  • Second Opinion: The Price of Health

    Second Opinion: The Price of Health

    Have you ever stopped to think about what would happen if a real emergency occurred and how the time it takes to reach a doctor could mean the difference between recovery and something far worse?

    Not every crisis begins with flashing lights. Sometimes, it’s a child with a fever that won’t break. Sometimes, it’s chest pain you hope is nothing. In those moments, access to timely care matters. But in Appomattox, that access is limited and the consequences are real.

    Right now, Blue Ridge Medical Center is the only primary care provider in town. And while they do their best, they simply can’t meet the demand of an entire town, let alone the surrounding county. Getting an appointment is a challenge. Wait times are long, and by the time you’re seen, the window for early treatment might already have passed.

    And for those who can’t wait? Emergency rooms become the fallback. But even they aren’t close. Lynchburg General or Centra Southside in Farmville are both more than 20 miles away. In a true emergency, those miles stretch impossibly long.

    If you’re hoping for urgent care, it gets worse. There is no real urgent care in Appomattox. The closest options are again 20 to 30 minutes out. A quick Google search might tell you there’s a MedExpress Urgent Care here in town but that’s false. It doesn’t exist. For someone in distress, that misinformation costs time. You end up circling back, frustrated and still without help. By the time you realize it’s fake, you could have been halfway to Lynchburg.

    For a growing community, this is unacceptable. Families are moving in, new homes are being built, and yet our access to basic medical services has not kept pace. There are parents driving sick kids across counties. Elderly residents trying to make the right call, hoping they won’t regret waiting too long. People shouldn’t have to choose between delay and distance when they’re scared and vulnerable.

    What we need is simple. We need a real urgent care facility in Appomattox. We need expanded access at our local clinics. We need accurate public information about what’s truly available. And we need the people with the power to prioritize this issue and recognize that access to health care is not a convenience it’s a necessity.

    Because when every minute matters, every mile does too.

  • Opinion | We Can’t Live on History Alone—Appomattox Needs a Future Too

    Opinion | We Can’t Live on History Alone—Appomattox Needs a Future Too

    Appomattox is a town built on history, from the fields where the Civil War ended, to the little shops and family-run businesses that have kept the town going for generations. The town has always been about resilience; about community and showing up for each other.

    There was a time when this town thrived. Agriculture, railroads, tobacco, tourism; they each had their moment., and through it all, Appomattox stood strong. The town where Lee surrendered to Grant. The place where a war ended, and healing began. That history is something to be proud of.

    But history alone won’t carry the town forward, and as the world around us keeps shifting, from coal to code, from farming to fiber optics, the town is at a crossroads. Other small towns are changing, adapting, finding ways to grow. If not careful, Appomattox will get left behind.

    Right now, the median household income here is about $58,000, which is lower than both the state and national averages. That number isn’t just data, it’s a sign that people are working hard, but not always getting ahead. And the next generation? They’re leaving. Not because they don’t love this place, but because they don’t see a future in it. And honestly, who could blame them?

    We can’t keep repeating the same pattern; empty buildings, low-wage jobs, another dollar store we didn’t ask for. What we need are businesses that attract, not distract. Places that spark energy, offer real jobs, and bring something new to the table. Tech startups, clean energy companies, more local businesses. Grocery stores like Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods that value wellness and community. We need options that make people want to stay, and make new folks want to come.

    Because let’s be honest, Gen Z isn’t looking for parking lots and strip malls. They want a walkable downtown with fast Wi-Fi, green spaces. organic food and most of all a sense of purpose. They’re building lives around value and experience, not just convenience.

    So why not give them a reason to choose us?

    Picture it: a downtown full of life co-working hubs for remote workers, live music on the weekends, food trucks lining the square, art festivals and open-air concerts that bring people together. Imagine the local history coming alive through reenactments, interactive exhibits, and festivals that not only educate, but inspire. Kids laughing in community gardens. Artists finding space to create. Visitors staying the night, not just passing through. In the end the town and the people in the town prosper.

    We don’t have to erase the towns roots; we just need to let them grow. Appomattox already has the story. Let’s tell it louder, bolder, and with a vision for the next chapter. Because here’s the truth: if we don’t act or invest in our people, Appomattox could slowly slip into being just another ghost town. A memory, instead of a destination. Why continue letting Lynchburg, Farmville and Richmond take our revenue, let’s make it a town to work and shop in.

    I didn’t grow up here. But I chose this town. The pride, the grit and the possibility. Let’s stop waiting for change to find us. Let’s build something that ensure the stability of the town for future generations.