Kelly Sienkowski, Author at Potomac Local News

Hike, Hunt, and Holiday Cheer: Stafford’s Annual Candy Cane Hunt Returns

Published December 9, 2024 at 1:30PM

Stafford County Parks, Recreation and Tourism is hosting its annual Candy Cane Hunt on Government Island on December 14. The family-friendly event runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and registration is required in order to receive the activities bag, which contains the scavenger hunt information.

Giant candy canes will be hidden in the woods throughout the island. Participants can use a scavenger hunt map provided by Stafford Tourism to mark off their finds.

Business

Shop Local, Gift Local: Olde Virginia Gourmet’s Picks for Holiday Gifts

By Kelly Sienkowski

Published December 9, 2024 at 10:30AM | Updated December 11, 2024 at 10:39PM

Olde Virginia Gourmet's festive decorations

We’ll be featuring local businesses in our holiday gift-giving series. We’ve asked local businesses to tell us about their holidays, and to suggest gift ideas for a wide range of people.

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Fredericksburg

Greenbrier Shopping Center Faces Redevelopment: Mixed-Use Plan Includes 173 Townhouses

By Kelly Sienkowski

Published December 4, 2024 at 1:21PM

The Fredericksburg Free Press reports a developer plans to demolish a portion of the Greenbrier Shopping Center and put in mixed-use buildings.

The shopping center was formerly home to Burlington Coat Factory, now in Central Park, and Big Lots, which closed and has not been replaced. Several small businesses, including Taj Indian and Two Times New, still reside there. In March, Taj owner Sandeep Singh said he was not aware of any plans to develop the center that would affect the long-standing restaurant, and as of November 13, he had not been notified of any plans.

Breaking News

Blaze on Warrenton Road Extinguished in 15 Minutes; No Injuries Reported

By Kelly Sienkowski

Published December 3, 2024 at 11:21PM

{Photo | Stafford County Fire & Rescue}

Stafford County and Fredericksburg City Fire departments responded to a structure fire on Warrenton Road on December 3.

Chased, Cornered, and Caught: Alleged Armed Robbers Sniffed Out by Stafford K-9 Titan

By Kelly Sienkowski

Published December 2, 2024 at 3:55PM

Jermaine Koonce, 32, of Callao. left, and Dion Parker, 24, of Burgess.

On December 1st, Stafford deputies pursued and apprehended two suspects connected to an armed robbery in Fredericksburg. A red pickup truck, identified in a BOLO alert, was spotted by Deputy D.S. Jett. The driver refused to stop, leading to a chase through multiple roads until the truck was cornered in a residential area. The driver, Jermaine Koonce, 32, was detained after deputies deployed pepper balls. He admitted to driving under the influence and resisting arrest to smoke a cigarette.

The passenger, Dion Parker, 24, fled on foot but was tracked by K-9 Titan and located using a drone. He was apprehended in nearby woods. Both suspects were confirmed as those suspected to be involved in the robbery. Koonce faces multiple charges, including felony eluding and DUI, while Parker is charged with eluding, property destruction, and public intoxication. Additional robbery charges will be filed in Fredericksburg. Both are held without bond.

News

Kenmore’s Annual Gingerbread Contest Returns with a Sweet Take on “Past, Present, and Future”

By Kelly Sienkowski

Published November 25, 2024 at 1:35PM | Updated November 25, 2024 at 2:29PM

A previous contest theme was "Architectural Wonders of the World."

The George Washington Foundation’s (GWF) 38th annual Gingerbread House Contest & Exhibit returns to the Visitor Center at Ferry Farm this December, inviting creative confections with the theme “Holidays: Past, Present, & Future”.

GWF Public Programs Manager Allison Ellis said the event began at Historic Kenmore, the foundation’s first historic property, in the 1930s after the Kenmore Association and the Washington-Lewis Chapter of Daughters of the American Revolution found Mary Washington’s gingerbread recipe. The pair collaborated with the Dromedary Cake Mix Company to produce mixes based on the original recipe, with a portion of the proceeds returning to the Kenmore Association and its efforts to preserve Historic Kenmore.

News

Spotsylvania Bus Drivers Help a Sick Fox Catch a Ride Back to Health

By Kelly Sienkowski

Published November 25, 2024 at 12:53PM | Updated November 25, 2024 at 1:15PM

Several Spotsylvania County Public Schools (SCPS) bus drivers noticed a regular visitor with a shabby coat. The team saw a fox that seemed to be missing a lot of fur and sent a video to FoxTales Wildlife Rehab. CEO and Founder Elizabeth Negron said the video confirmed the fox was in moderately bad condition, so her team helped set up a trap and coordinated with the transportation crew to make sure the trap was checked regularly.

After weeks of waiting, the Spotsylvania bus team let Negron know the fox was trapped around 7 a.m. on Nov. 18. She had just finished a 12-hour overnight shift as a hospital imaging technician and drove straight to the trap by 9 a.m. Spotsylvania County Public Schools did not respond to a request for comment.

News

Spotsylvania Woman Arrested on Child Exploitation Charges Following Cyber Tip

By Kelly Sienkowski

Published November 20, 2024 at 12:47PM

Ashley Kriesten

The Spotsylvania Sheriff’s Office arrested Ashley Kriesten following a cyber tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) regarding suspected child sexual abuse material. Investigators executed a search warrant at Kriesten’s residence, seizing electronic devices, and charging her with multiple counts of child pornography possession, distribution, and aggravated sexual battery. The investigation is part of the office’s collaboration with the NOVA-DC Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce.

Spotsylvania County Sheriff:

News

Residents Rally to Support Recreation and New Traffic Plans

By Kelly Sienkowski

Published November 19, 2024 at 11:54AM

Stafford residents, led by former Hartwood District Supervisor Joe Brito, are rallying ahead of tonight’s Board of Supervisors meeting to advocate for transforming the closed Cannon Ridge Golf Course into a regional historical riverfront park and for transportation impact fees on developers. Brito served as the Hartwood District’s Supervisor from 2006 to 2009.

Tonight’s Board of Supervisors meeting will discuss the Transportation Master Plan (TMP), and proposed Transportation Impact Fees for developers. The board will discuss amending the Capital Improvement Plan to add the TMP as an appendix. The TMP includes projects already in process, like road repairs and safety fixes; short-term projects designed to improve safety and flow, like bike paths and pedestrian walkways; and long-term plans like a new river crossing route. The plan includes just over $1 billion in road projects.

News

Nights at the Museum: A Unique Learning Experience for Local Teachers

By Kelly Sienkowski

Published November 18, 2024 at 3:00PM | Updated November 18, 2024 at 6:46PM

The National Museum of the Marine Corps (NMMC) is offering a professional development opportunity for local teachers through its Nights at the Museum program. This innovative series, led by the Museum’s Teachers in Residence, Katie Malec of Prince William County Public Schools (PWCS) and Christine Russ of Stafford County Public Schools (SCPS), aims to deepen educators’ understanding of the United States Marine Corps history and its role in shaping America.

Malec said these quarterly evening events “provide a rewarding experience that brings history to life.” Malec is in her second year as a Teacher in Residence after 17 years of teaching 7th-grade U.S. history. Russ has over 23 years of teaching preschool through sixth grade and this is her first year as Teacher in Residence. Malec said the two work as a team to “empower educators with tools and primary sources that make history relevant and engaging for their students.” The program’s goal is to “promote United States Marine Corps history and its contributions in creating, developing, and defending our country.”