It looks like the building that hosted Vice-President Kamala Harris in the final days of the 2021 Virginia Gubernatorial Election will become a community center.
A motion before the Dumfries Town Council on Tuesday, February 1, will direct the town manager to explore the possibility of youth and senior center inside the former home of the Dumfries Rescue Squad, at 3800 Graham Park Road.
Best in biz: On Thursday, February 24, the Chamber will celebrate 12 years of Excellence in Business for Prince William, Manassas, and Manassas Park. [Press release]
Dumfries to Kings Dominion: Drivers can expect mobile work zones to remove storm debris from shoulders and median in Stafford, Spotsylvania and Caroline counties this week. [Press release]
Just before 8 p.m. on January 29th, Stafford County Fire and Rescue units were dispatched for a fire in a barn at home on Cannon Knolls Drive in the Hartwood area.
Fire crews found a 30 foot by 30-foot barn fully engulfed in flames with fire. Crews worked to bring the fire was under control in about 10 minutes. Several animals could escape. However, some did suffer injuries. The extent of those injuries is not known, said authorities.
The sheriff’s office obtained an arrest warrant was obtained for a suspect in an attempted child abduction that occurred during the afternoon on Friday, January 28. The SWAT Team surrounded William’s home on Owens Street, in the Eastern View subdivision near North Stafford High School, about 9 p.m. Friday, January 28.
The suspect barricaded himself in the house, according to authorities. The sheriff’s office sent a drone into the home to search while the SWAT Team used a robot to open doors and search for the suspect. A crisis negotiation team attempted to speak with the suspect, but he refused, a sheriff’s spokesman said.
When complete, the wider bridge will untangle the east coast’s worst rail bottleneck and allow VRE to provide bi-directional, evening, and weekend service. Amtrak trains between Washington and Richmond will also double in frequency.
“We’re already talking about….reverse service so people could come from other areas to Fredericksburg or earlier afternoon service so people can get back and forth,” said Fredericksburg City Councilor Matt Kelly, who represents the city on the VRE Operations Board. “Basically, expanding our clientele, as it were so that more people can enjoy being here in Fredericksburg and go up to Washington, or go from Washington, come down here and spend the day.”
Libraries in the Fredericksburg region will once again allow people into its branches starting Monday, January 31.
A spokesman says falling coronavirus rates in the library’s service region prompted the change. Customers will again be able to visit branches to browse the collection, check out materials, use computers, print, copy, scan, fax, and use meeting and study rooms.
NASA chooses Manassas students: A team of students from Metz Middle School was selected as one of 57 winners in an inaugural nationwide challenge designed to attract, engage and prepare future science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) professionals. [Press release]
Prince William libraries an innovator: The Urban Libraries Council announced Prince William Public Libraries as one of 10 Top Innovators during the 2021 Innovations Celebration held virtually on January 21. [Press release]
Free rides: Fredericksburg Regional Transit (FRED) will begin fare free service on all routes beginning Monday, February 28, 2022. FRED received grant funding through the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT) through the Transit Ridership Incentive Program (TRIP). [Press release]
Fredericksburg VRE improvements: Rehabilitation of the Virginia Railway Express’ (VRE) Fredericksburg station took a step forward on January 21, 2022 when the commuter rail service’s Operations Board approved a task order for construction management services. Construction on the $5 million project is expected to begin this summer, following the selection of a construction contractor. [Press release]
On January 25 at 2:15 p.m. Sgt. Assur and Deputy Phillips responded to the Bank of America at 1525 Stafford Market Place for a suspicious person. Employees of the bank were aware of a female using a fictitious name at other Bank of America branches.
They recognized the name when the female attempted to withdraw funds, according to police.
