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To help local voters learn more about their candidates, Potomac Local News invited all Board of Supervisors candidates to a virtual interview with the same five questions; their answers have been condensed into a series of articles.
The Rappahannock Regional Criminal Justice Academy (RRCJA) will soon open a new indoor firearms training facility on Lee Hill Drive, a significant addition to its training capabilities. The 9,000-square-foot space in a renovated warehouse next door to the academy includes 14 shooting lanes, a classroom, a cleaning and storage area, and full indoor pistol training capabilities.
“It’ll give us the ability to send all recruits for firearms training more than just one week,” said Academy Director Michael Harvey. “Refreshers and support training will be easier to arrange.”
On Saturday, over 200 people stood in line to check out a new habit: Habit Burger launched its first of three soft openings before opening the new Chancellor’s Crossing store on Wednesday.
The California-based company’s char-grilled burgers are the star of a menu that also features chicken, sandwiches, and unusual side dishes. The new Spotsylvania location is the company’s fifth in Virginia, joining Richmond, Chantilly, Virginia Beach, and Ashburn.
Stafford County Public Schools is moving ahead with plans to eliminate artificial food dyes from school meals, following the signing of a new state law that will ban certain synthetic color additives by 2027.
Governor Glenn Youngkin recently signed HB 1910 and SB 1289, legislation that “prohibit[s] public elementary and secondary schools from serving any food that contains specific color additives for school meals or competitive food.”
On the last weekend in May, most Stafford families were abuzz with the excitement of summer’s arrival. The Allwine family was abuzz with excitement over the annual AA Farm Honey harvest.
AA Farm Honey Co., founded by Kenny Allwine, is in its third year of honey farming. Allwine, who works in software technology, started with two hives, which grew to 15 the next year, and jumped up to 25 this year. Allwine, a Stafford resident, got into beekeeping because he was curious. He reached out to local beekeeping groups to learn more, taking classes and working with a mentor from King George’s Gateway Beekeepers Association. Allwine said the classes are a valuable resource, and having a great mentor is the key to success.
Every Tuesday, hundreds of people gather in a Fredericksburg park for one reason: lunch, music, and community. What started in the early 1990s as “Lunch at Hurkamp Park” has become a regular community event known today as Picnic in the Park. Organized by Fredericksburg Parks and Recreation, the event is held on Tuesdays in May and June at Memorial (Kenmore) Park. The event was originally created by a former Parks and Recreation Director as a way for downtown employees to take a lunch break outside. Over time, it grew into a weekly event for families, drawing larger crowds and offering a wider range of activities.
When Sammy Walker took over the event planning in 2018, attendance had already outgrown Hurkamp Park. The event was relocated to Memorial Park to accommodate more people. Walker said an average of 300 to 500 people attend in May. Once school ends for the summer, attendance rises to 500 to 800 each week.
Colonial Forge High School’s Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) program is more than just a class—it’s a commitment to saving lives, a fast track to high-demand careers, and a transformation of ordinary students into certified first responders before they don graduation robes. Stafford County Public Schools offers an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) program as part of their Career and Technical Education (CTE) offerings.
Four high school seniors—Parwin Jamal, Katherine Nicole Peterson, Leslie Benyarko, and Kaiya Vazquez—are at the finish line of one of Stafford County Public Schools’ most intensive career and technical education programs: the Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) track. Each student has completed multiple levels of EMT coursework, earned certification as a Nationally Registered EMT (NREMT), and gained real-world experience through ride-alongs and emergency call response.
As Memorial Day approaches, local officials are ramping up safety efforts at Lake Anna in response to last summer’s E. coli outbreak that left two dozen people sick—most of them children.
In the summer of 2024, the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) reported a total of 25 cases of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) infections associated with Lake Anna. The majority of these cases occurred among children under 18 years old. Five of the affected children developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a severe complication requiring hospitalization.
For the first time, Stafford County will host a Relay for Life event, bringing the community together for a day of remembrance, celebration, and action in the fight against cancer.
The May 10 event is the result of months of work by organizer Tracey Phillips, a longtime supporter of the American Cancer Society. Phillips was inspired to bring Relay for Life to Stafford after years of participating in events in neighboring counties, including an unforgettable first experience in 2009 in Loudoun County.
