I'm the Fredericksburg Regional Editor, covering Stafford and Fredericksburg. If you have tips, story ideas, or news, send me an email!
Starting Sunday, July 28, drivers on Route 3 westbound in Fredericksburg will experience brief overnight delays and a temporary rough ride as crews begin resurfacing the road and updating lane markings. The work will stretch from Gateway Boulevard to Woodlyn Drive and is expected to take about two weeks.
Josh Summits has been appointed as the new Director of Fredericksburg’s Economic Development and Tourism Team, starting mid-August. Summits has fifteen years of experience in urban redevelopment, community revitalization, and economic development. He joined Stafford County’s government in 2019 and most recently served as Business Development Manager.
Summit said he has “spent the past five years working with Stafford to bring transformative economic development projects to the Fredericksburg Region. Each locality offers diverse and unique attributes and opportunities. The City of Fredericksburg has a robust list of amazing amenities and a thriving historical downtown. My core focus and energies will target corridor redevelopment, and expanded business attraction and retention efforts.”
Fredericksburg’s annual Agricultural Fair kicks off Friday, July 26 and runs until Sunday, Aug. 4. The Miss Fredericksburg Fair Pageant will be held Thursday, July 25.
The Fredericksburg Agricultural Fair’s website says it was established in 1738 and is the oldest fair in both Virginia and the United States. The range of entertainment has varied over the years, from Williamsburg comedians in 1752 to horse racing by the Fredericksburg Jockey Club in 1774, then hot air balloons in the 1880s. The fair has weathered interruptions with no events from 1881-1886 and during the Great Depression in the mid-1920s. It was revived in 1948 by a group of local farmers and the Jaycees, a non-profit community organization.
The train that derailed on Saturday, July 20, 2024, at Cobblestone Square, an apartment complex in Fredericksburg, had been experiencing mechanical issues, so the train was parked at the city’s Virginia Railway Express (commuter rail) station before moving to its final destination in Richmond. The two crew members on board did not secure the train cars properly, resulting in five cars derailing, said Randy Marcus, a CSX spokesman during a press conference on Wednesday afternoon.
Marcus said the crew’s whereabouts at the time of the derailing are not known, and the company plans to have them complete additional training and education programs. No one was injured in the derailment.
The Fredericksburg SPCA Fur Ball Gala will be held Aug. 24 at the Fredericksburg Convention Center.
This year’s theme is Old Vegas, in the style of the Rat Pack. In addition to a silent and live auction, the 6 p.m. event will feature specialty cocktails and entertainment casino games.
UPDATE August 23, 2024: Champions FC Training Center has canceled the ribbon-cutting ceremony scheduled for Aug. 23 due to unforeseen circumstances.
Champions FC Training Center will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony for its new multi-sports complex in Stafford on August 23. The facility will feature soccer fields, basketball courts, a speed agility center, strength training, wrestling, and martial arts training.
Stafford County’s Planning Commission will meet Wednesday, July 24. The full agenda and notes are available online.
A request to rezone 503 acres from A-1 (Agriculture) to M-2 (Heavy Industrial) has been submitted by Stafford Technology Campus. The 503 acres are from two parcels – 38-124 and 38-29A. The land is located in the Falmouth district, on the east side of Richmond Highway across from Sage Lane. Proposed proffers would allow the height of data center buildings to be 105 feet, allow six substations on the property and set requirements for substations, and establish tree preservation and noise limit standards. They will also consider compliance for up to six electric substations on 476 acres in lot 38-124.
Early this morning, deputies responded to a shooting in the 11200 block of Ashby Drive, about four miles from Riverbend High School, finding a man and woman with multiple gunshot wounds. The suspect shot the victims during an argument outside their home, ran over the female victim with his vehicle, and later turned himself in, police said. Both victims are in stable condition at a trauma center.
Deputies responded to a reported shooting this morning shortly after 1:00am in the 11200 block of Ashby Drive. Deputies arrived to find an adult male and female suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. The victims were transported to an area trauma center with serious injuries, but are listed in stable condition. Witnesses advised that an acquaintance arrived at the home where several people were and was asked to leave. The subject refused to leave and an argument ensued outside the home in the front yard where he brandished a gun and shot the two adult victims multiple times. The suspect then left the property and while doing so, ran over the female victim with his vehicle. The suspect later turned himself into authorities. Joseph Alfonza Jackson, age 43 of Spotsylvania was arrested by Detectives for malicious wounding (3 counts). Jackson was incarcerated at the Rappahannock Regional Jail under no bond.
Virginia Department of Health (VDH) has extended a swimming advisory for Lake Anna as a harmful algae bloom continues. The VDH cautioned this algae bloom is not connected to the Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) outbreak that occurred after Memorial Day.
According to the VDH, some harmful algae, called cyanobacteria, can cause skin rashes and gastrointestinal illnesses. Algae blooms can occur when warm water and nutrients combine to make conditions favorable for algae growth. Most algae species are harmless; however, some species may produce irritating compounds or toxins. Avoid discolored water or scums that are green or bluish-green because they are more likely to contain toxins.
Update July 23: City Council members will attend the CSX public statement on July 24. The event is at 3 p.m. in the gravel parking lot behind VRE Lots G and H. The entrance is at the corner of Prince Edward and Frederick Streets.
Mayor Kerry P. Devine addressed the recent train derailment behind Fredericksburg’s Cobblestone Square apartment complex, expressing concern for the community’s safety.
