I'm the Fredericksburg Regional Editor, covering Stafford and Fredericksburg. If you have tips, story ideas, or news, send me an email!
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:
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.
The City of Fredericksburg and Stafford County have both announced water main breaks on Saturday, January 11, 2025.
From Fredericksburg, 10 p.m.:
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.
Stafford County’s Board of Supervisors will hold its next meeting on 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 held despite the county government and schools closing for weather conditions.
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. Years later, when his own music was featured on the channel, it was a surreal, full-circle moment for Craddock. His 2011 Christmas album was picked up by TWC and served as background music for the season’s forecasts.
Craddock’s musical journey began in sixth grade when he chose the saxophone—an instrument he describes as having a tone and command close to the human voice. His passion for the sax blossomed through mentorship, early private lessons, and the influence of his father, an avid jazz listener.
Residents of Ward 3 interested in serving for the remainder of the term, which ends December 31, 2025, are encouraged to apply by January 15, 2025.
The two step process involves submitting a Boards & Commissions Appointment Application online and emailing a resume. The Council will discuss the appointment further during its January 14, 2025, meeting and must select a replacement within 45 days of January 1, per the City Charter.
The Stafford County Sheriff’s Department has arrested Nicolas Hartman, 26, of Gainesville for a Nov. 1 hit-and-run where two pedestrians were struck on Mine Road. Hartman was charged with two counts of felony hit and run, and one count of false pretenses related to an insurance claim.
Shortly after 10 p.m. on Nov. 1, two pedestrians were crossing Mine Road near Greenspring Drive with a shopping cart when they were struck by a dark Volkswagon that fled the scene. One pedestrian was life-flighted with serious injuries after a witness performed CPR. He remains in a rehabilitation facility.
A decision made in 2019 by Stafford County’s planning staff has enabled the construction of more than 500 homes on the former Cannon Ridge Golf Course without requiring approval from the Stafford County Board of Supervisors.
The development at the end of Celebrate Virginia Parkway has drawn attention following public outcry for the site to be preserved as a regional park and a statement by George Washington District Supervisor Deuntay Diggs expressing concerns over transparency and standard procedures.
Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin and Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine released a statement Dec.19 following a classified briefing at the Capitol from the Departments of Defense, Homeland Security, Justice, and the FBI regarding the ongoing investigation into the unexplained drone sightings in Virginia.
While we appreciate the agencies taking the time to update us on the situation, this briefing was insufficient and unsatisfactory. It has been more than a year since these sightings over key military facilities in Virginia and the lack of answers about the nature, intent, and origin of these incidents is completely unacceptable. The safety of Virginians remains our top priority, and we are determined to continue pressing for additional details as well as greater coordination with state and local officials. We will be staying in close contact with the relevant federal and state agencies to ensure that these concerns are pursued vigorously.
