Kelly Sienkowski, Author at Potomac Local News

What’s On the Agenda? Stafford’s Board of Supervisors Meets Today

Published January 28, 2025 at 1:20PM | Updated January 28, 2025 at 2:59PM

Stafford Board of Supervisors (June, 2024)

Stafford County’s Board of Supervisors will hold its next meeting today, Tuesday, January 28, 2025, at 5 p.m. The meeting will be streamed live, and the agenda will be posted online.

The board will review revisions to the Code of Performance for 2025. At the last meeting, on Jan. 7, the board learned that if they wished to add new language to the draft they worked on in 2024, they would have to re-review the entire draft Code of Performance and Ethical Standards which the By-laws Committee worked on over the summer of 2024 and consider it again for adoption.

The board requested an additional consideration that County employees would be required to take leave for any board activities, work meetings, or constituent outreach. Those leave requests would be submitted to the County Administrator for public review. This rule would likely have the most impact on the new Chairman of the Board, Deuntay Diggs, who is also a Deputy with the Stafford County Sheriff’s Office. The agenda states the requests will be considered and a new draft presented at a future meeting.
The board will review revisions to the Code of Performance for 2025. At the last meeting, on Jan. 7, the board learned that if they wished to add new language to the draft they worked on in 2024, they would have to re-review the entire draft Code of Performance and Ethical Standards which the By-laws Committee worked on over the summer of 2024 and consider it again for adoption.

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Safeguarding Stafford: Fire and Rescue’s Approach to Preventing Brush Fire Damage

By Kelly Sienkowski

Published January 23, 2025 at 10:03PM | Updated January 25, 2025 at 11:16AM

Stafford experienced several brush fires in 2024.

Inspired by the devastating wildfires in California that have affected over 38,600 acres and led to evacuation orders for 88,000 residents as of Jan. 15, we reached out to Stafford County’s Fire and Rescue team to explore how they get ready for wildfires in this area.

A wildfire outbreak began in California on January 7, 2025 and continues as of Jan., 23. Over 47,000 acres have burned, with a new fire starting yesterday in Hughes County. Over 16,000 structures have burned due to wildfires in 2025.

Katie Brady, county fire department spokeswoman and Fire Life Safety Manager, clarified that “wildfire” is a broad blanket term. Stafford is likelier to experience “brush fires” than quick-moving wildfires that cause widespread destruction like California’s. Brushfires can range in size from a few feet to several acres and can be precursors to a larger wildfire capable of causing significant damage. Brushfires are more common when the area experiences drought conditions, like in 2024.

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Germanna Expands in Stafford: Ribbon Cutting Marks Opening of New $20M Campus Buildings

By Kelly Sienkowski

Published January 23, 2025 at 10:53AM | Updated January 25, 2025 at 11:17AM

Germanna Community College Barbara J. Fried Center in Stafford County.

Germanna Community College (GCC) hosted a ribbon cutting at its new Stafford expansion today, January 23, 2025. The event marked the opening of two buildings in Stafford: the Barbara J. Fried Building at 10 Center Street and the Kevin L. Dillard Health Sciences Building at 25 Center Street.

GCC was established in 1970 as part of Virginia’s Community College System and has locations in Culpeper, Locust Grove, Fredericksburg, and Stafford. The school’s website says over 13,000 students are enrolled.

The new expansion added 74,000 square feet to the campus with a $20 million investment. GCC plans to double enrollment in allied health services, like nursing. They will also expand their cybersecurity, IT, general education, and dual enrollment programs.

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Fredericksburg

Fredericksburg Welcomes Teacher-Turned-Comedian for Sold-Out Ladies Night Show

By Kelly Sienkowski

Published January 22, 2025 at 11:00AM | Updated January 22, 2025 at 1:32PM

After 17 years as a teacher, Spotsylvania’s Leslie Robinson has learned how to make her students laugh. In almost two decades, Robinson has taught every grade level from pre-school to adult high school, and currently teachers High School Family and Consumer Sciences in Spotsylvania County Public Schools. She is also a popular social media content creator, with thousands of followers and views on YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram.

Robinson said she loves bringing comedy into her classrooms, saying it helps students retain more information and also lets them find enjoyment in learning. Making the jump from the classroom to the public was a logical next step – Robinson said, “it only made sense to share that same energy and approach with fellow teachers.” Robinson honed her comedy skills in the classroom, saying, “Teenagers are the toughest audience out there,” and finding the ability to both connect with them and make them laugh is akin to “surviving ‘audience boot camp.'”

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Fredericksburg

Now that Trump’s Back, Virginia’s Representatives Look Ahead

By Kelly Sienkowski

Published January 20, 2025 at 9:14PM | Updated January 25, 2025 at 11:21AM

Photo: Virginia Department of Historic Resources

With the swearing-in of Donald Trump as America’s 47th President on Monday, considering the new administration, we asked some of the Fredericksburg area’s elected representatives about their visions for 2025.

Senator Mark Warner (D) said:

“I’ve been proud to be a member of many bipartisan gangs during my time in the Senate. In fact, it’s through bipartisan work that we managed to tackle COVID-19, fund our national parks, bring back American manufacturing, fuel investment in underserved communities, and so much more. It’s my priority to ensure that this bipartisan work continues – even under a Trump administration. As we dive deeper into the 119th Congress, I’m looking forward to defending and building on the progress we made under President Biden. To do that, I’ll continue to work with anyone who has a good idea, regardless of party affiliation.”

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Fredericksburg

What’s On the Agenda? Fredericksburg City Council Meets January 14, 2025

By Kelly Sienkowski

Published January 14, 2025 at 6:00AM | Updated January 14, 2025 at 9:43AM

Fredericksburg City Council

The Fredericksburg City Council will meet on Tuesday, January 14, 2025. The council’s work session begins at 5 p.m., and their regular session begins at 7:30 p.m.

The regular meeting will be streamed live, and the agendas for both meetings has been posted online.

During the 5 p.m. work session, the council will hold a planning commission interview and then discuss the proposed technology district overlay with the planning commission. City staff presented plans for a 250-acre technology district at a December 10, 2024 council meeting. The district will be located in Celebrate Virginia South, parallel to the Rappahannock River.

After two public meetings in October, the council voted on October 23 to amend the city code in order to allow data centers within most commercial zoning districts in the city. The purpose of the district is

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Fredericksburg

Water Main Breaks in Fredericksburg and Stafford

By Kelly Sienkowski

Published January 11, 2025 at 11:06PM

The City of Fredericksburg and Stafford County have both announced water main breaks on Saturday, January 11, 2025.

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Democrats Subramanyam and Vindman Split on Riley Laken Act as House Passes Immigration Bill

By Kelly Sienkowski

Published January 8, 2025 at 8:30AM | Updated January 8, 2025 at 4:21PM

Subramanyam / Vindman

On January 7, the U.S. House of Representatives convened for the first session of the 119th Congress and passed H.R. 29, the “Riley Laken Act,” with bipartisan support.The bill is named in memory of Riley Laken, a 22-year-old nursing student tragically murdered in February 2024 while jogging on the University of Georgia campus. Her assailant, José Antonio Ibarra, a 26-year-old Venezuelan national who entered the U.S. illegally, was convicted and sentenced to life in prison without parole.Riley’s death ignited widespread media attention and a national debate over immigration policies, focusing on the detention and monitoring of individuals entering the country illegally.The Riley Laken Act mandates the detention of certain undocumented immigrants arrested for or charged with crimes such as burglary and theft. It also empowers states to sue the federal government for perceived failures in immigration enforcement.The bill passed the House with a 264-159 vote. Eleven members abstained, while 48 Democrats joined Republicans in support of the measure.

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What’s On the Agenda? Stafford’s Board of Supervisors Meets January 7, 2025

By Kelly Sienkowski

Published January 7, 2025 at 1:02PM | Updated January 7, 2025 at 1:42PM

Stafford Board of Supervisors (June, 2024)

Stafford County’s Board of Supervisors will hold its next meeting Tuesday, January 7, 2025 at 5 p.m. The meeting will be streamed live, and the agenda will be posted online.

Supervisor Monica Gary, Aquia District, confirmed the meeting is still being held despite the county government and schools closing for weather conditions.

Tonight’s meeting is primarily organizational, with the board set to elect a new chairman and vice-chairman. They will also review their proposed meeting schedule for the new year, and consider appointments to a number of committees and boards.

Stafford’s Board of Supervisors is comprised of seven elected representatives, who each represent a district in the county.

Meg Bohmke, the 2024 chair of the board, represents the Falmouth District. She moved from the county School Board to Board of Supervisors in 2014; her current term ends December 2025.

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Forecasting a Musical Journey: From Weather Channel Fan to Featured Artist

By Kelly Sienkowski

Published January 2, 2025 at 10:00AM

In the late 1900s, before smartphones and 24/7 weather updates, people often tuned into The Weather Channel (TWC) for the most up-to-date forecasts; as a child, Tony Craddock tuned in to listen to the soothing background music that accompanied the forecasts.

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