I'm the Fredericksburg Regional Editor, covering Stafford and Fredericksburg. If you have tips, story ideas, or news, send me an email!
On June 30, at 3:16 a.m., deputies were dispatched to Spotswood Drive for a domestic disturbance involving a firearm.
On arrival, deputies saw a man pointing a gun at a woman. A deputy fired his gun and struck the man.
On June 25, 2024, Governor Glenn Youngkin signed 18 bipartisan bills aimed at enhancing support for individuals with developmental disabilities. These laws improve accessibility in education, recreation, law enforcement, and transitional services. The governor also signed a biennium budget allocating $247 million for 3,440 priority one waiver slots, increasing the total under his administration to 4,540 slots.
“I’m pleased this legislative package and our?Right Help, Right Now?plan has instituted life-changing impacts that will benefit Virginia families, this community, and transform our level of care for Virginians with developmental disabilities for decades to come,” said Governor Youngkin.
The University of Mary Washington’s Continuing & Professional Studies Department’s Business Acumen Series has three more events this year. This series of one-day seminars aims to build leadership and business skills in the Fredericksburg region. The series focuses on Dynamic Leadership under the theme “Dynamic Mind for Dynamic Times: Agile Leadership in the Age of Change.”
The Stafford Economic Development Authority has invested in 50 seats for the series to support the Stafford business community with educational resources. Each seminar is valued at $275. A limited number of seats are available at no cost to Stafford businesses. Interested parties are encouraged to apply for this opportunity.
June 27 is National Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Screening Day. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) offers an online screening tool for those who may be experiencing symptoms.
The VA website says it is the world’s leading research and educational center of excellence on PTSD and traumatic stress, and explains “PTSD is a mental health problem that some people develop after experiencing or witnessing a life-threatening or traumatic event.”
Stafford County Public Schools: Stafford County Public Schools is again partnering with Giant Food on a program to help support children facing food insecurity. From July 1 through August 1, 2024, Giant Food patrons may choose to “ROUND UP AT THE REGISTER” at the end of their grocery purchase.
Donations made during this period support school food programs. Patrons may also donate through Giant Delivers, Giant Pickup, and through FLEX points that are converted to grocery dollars.
Stafford County Animal Shelter has once again reached capacity and is pleading for adoptions and fosters.
In the month of June, the shelter has “had a record 32 dogs surrendered to our shelter in just 20 days,” according to their Facebook page. In addition to the surrenders, the shelter has had 23 stray dogs, with only 18 being reunited with their owners so far. They posted “57 dogs [are] currently in our care – 41 of them are available for adoption. This situation is unprecedented and simply not maintainable. Despite reaching out to our community countless times in the past few months, we find ourselves in an even worse situation each time we catch a glimpse of relief and the fact is, we are now at a breaking point.”
Stafford County won three National Association of Counties (NACo) 2024 Achievement Awards. The NACo Awards recognize outstanding government programs and services. Stafford won two awards in the Human Services category and one in the Civic Education and Public Information category.
“Having our efforts recognized by NACo is high praise indeed,” said Stafford County Board of Supervisors Chairman Meg Bohmke. “We work daily to achieve excellence on behalf of our residents, but it is certainly nice to have our peers validate our work.”
The Prince William County Criminal Justice Academy Basic Law Enforcement 57th Session graduated on June 21, 2024, at Gainesville High School.
Prince William County Police Department: The class consisted of nine Prince William County Police officers and two Prince William County Sheriff’s deputies. They completed a 24-week training course covering firearms, use-of-force decision-making, driver training, legal training, patrol techniques, criminal investigation, and crash investigation.
The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS), Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), and Virginia State Police (VSP) urge farmers to ensure their farm-use vehicles comply with a new law effective July 1, 2024. The law mandates unregistered farm-use vehicles display a DMV-issued permanent farm-use placard on the front and back of panel trucks, pickup trucks, and sport utility vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating under 7,500 pounds.
Unofficial tags will be unacceptable starting July 1, 2024. “As farm vehicles are key to agricultural productivity, it is important that Virginia farmers can continue to use them in their operations while preventing farm use tags from being used on other vehicles inappropriately,” said VDACS Commissioner Joseph Guthrie. “We hope those who have not already done so will apply for their DMV-issued permanent farm use tag today.” A first violation is punishable by a fine of not more than $250, a second or subsequent violation shall constitute a traffic infraction punishable by a fine of $250.
