by Catherine Hubbard, Bull Run Observer

11 August 2006, p. 5

“[passage omitted] Covington, who has a bachelor’s degree in agriculture and economics from Virginia Tech and a law degree f:rom the University of Richmond, first ‘got the political bug’ working on a few campaigns for state and local GOP politicians, including an early campaign of now-U.S. Senator George Allen (R). He then ran in a race for sheriff, worked on the electoral board and served in various other political positions before winning the election for district supervisor in 2003.

“Traffic congestion in the area was a key focus of Covington’s campaign.  ‘A big issue was transportation. I wanted to see some of these road projects completed,’ he said.

“A better network of roads would reduce stress for area families, including this father of three, who fights traffic to attend the children’s soccer games and practices. Often he and his wife Connie drive all the way to James S. Long Park in Haymarket, a 20-minute trip on a good day, to watch their children play soccer. He’d like to see soccer fields built off Linton Hall Road as an alternative.  ‘We need the soccer fields. It’s so difficult to drive up to Long Park,’ he said. [passage omitted]

“In his spare time, Covington, born and raised in Virginia to a long line of farmers, likes to spend time on his Nokesville farm where he has about 40 head of cattle, the very farm his parents started in 1958.  ‘I still like to piddle around the farm,’ he said, adding that, for him, splitting wood ‘is a good stress reliever.’

“A supporter of the Rural Crescent, Covington said he’d like to see more cluster housing and allow homes that are currently on septic to hook up to sewer. ‘I’d like to keep the rural areas rural,’ he said. ‘There’s more that we can do to have more orderly development.’

“A big Virginia Railway Express supporter, Covington would also like to see the rail expanded from the current Broad Run Airport station to Gainesville. Commuter buses, while a positive step toward reducing traffic, are a less-practical solution until the road issues are resolved, he said.

“Although the Virginia Department of Transportation has helped to fund some road improvements, the county had to chip in a substantial amount, Covington said.  He added he would like the state to contribute more. ‘I think we’ve made a lot of progress, but there’s a limit on what the county can do.’ [passage omitted]”