Author: Mike Salmon

Business

Renovation of Historic Goolrick’s Pharmacy Slowed, Now Aiming for Spring 2026

By Mike Salmon
Jeh Hicks is the energy behind the renovation.

The inside of Goolrick’s pharmacy on Caroline Street is gutted down to the bare layers of brick and wallboard, some of which reveal antique wallpaper from another time.

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Features

From Hip Whips to Hard Hits: Roller Derby in Fredericksburg

By Mike Salmon
There are plenty of elbows being thrown on the track.

They’re ready to roll, elbow, and body slam their way onto the Fredericksburg sports scene. Still, not many have heard of the Fredericksburg Roller Derby team—a volunteer group of local women who lace up skates and create chaos on the track.

“It’s a full-contact sport,” said Scerica (pronounced Scare-ick-a), a bruising member of the team who thrives on the adrenaline. Her real name is Erica, but she explained, “I’m scary, so Scerica seemed more appropriate.”

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Fredericksburg

Fredericksburg’s Swift Water Rescue Team Has Already Saved 10 This Year

By Mike Salmon
Overlooking Fredericksburg, the Chatham Bridge, and the Rappahannock River.

With this summer’s powerful thunderstorms in our region, and a deadly flood in Texas that captivated the nation, local rivers are getting some attention, including the Rappahannock River and the City of Fredericksburg.

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Features

Rain Moves Bastille Day Party Indoors, But Spirits Soar

By Mike Salmon
Veronica and Jack East sported their French outfits on Bastille Day at Galvin’s Deli. [Photo: Mike Salmon]

Fredericksburg’s sister city is Fréjus, France, and the Bastille Day celebration on July 14 was all about this international bond.

“I’ve been there plenty of times,” Mathalie Bullock, a French resident of Fredericksburg, who loves celebrating the sister city recognition. Part of the celebration is a giant omelet that wasn’t on the menu this year, but Bullock remembers seeing it in the past. “Everyone breaks eggs. They did it once here, it was really cool,” she said.

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Features

Spotsylvania Town Center Now Has a Place for Playing Hooky

By Mike Salmon

What started as a separate movie theater and bowling alley with a myriad of names is now “Hooky,” an entertainment destination at Spotsylvania Town Centre that offers something for everyone, even if you’re playing hooky from another obligation.

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Fredericksburg

Locals Say Speeding, Not Design, Is the Problem at Kenmore Intersection

By Mike Salmon
The Purina Tower overlooks the busy intersection. [Photo: Mike Salmon]

With the Virginia Department of Transportation considering upgrading the intersection of LaFayette Boulevard and Kenmore Avenue, some nearby business owners say they wish police would crack down on bad drivers instead of reconfiguring the streets.

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Spotsylvania

‘I Saw One Giant Black Paw’: Spotsylvania Resident Recounts Backyard Bear Encounter

By Mike Salmon

 

SPOTSYLVANIA COUNTY, Va. – Spotsylvania resident Barbara Ucman was working in her garden when she heard commotion across the fence. She thought it was a dog, and but then, to her surprise, she saw a bear paw grip the top of her wood fence. 

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Fredericksburg

Fredericksburg’s New Trail Plan Has Fans and Fears

By Mike Salmon
A view down the overgrown Dixon Trail corridor reveals the dense vegetation planners aim to navigate for the proposed connector route. [Photo: Mike Salmon]

To increase the city’s bike-ability and promote a “connected communities” concept, officials and residents gathered at the south end of Caroline Street on May 29 in Fredericksburg to discuss creating a Dixon Park Connector trail.

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Features

From Pedals to Pints: A New Spin on Bike Night in Fredericksburg

By Mike Salmon
Cyclists gather in the side parking lot of Red Dragon Brewery for their weekly Wednesday evening ride through Fredericksburg. [Photo by Mike Salmon]

Early Wednesday evening, they gather in the side parking lot and head out for a 90-minute ride on a few routes through the city before coming back to wet their whistle on the wide variety of in-house brews the brew master creates at Red Dragon. 

“The group is open to everyone,” said Red Dragon owner Mark Perry. “Some ride in from Stafford,” he added.

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News

Upgrades Set a New Standard at Highmark Brewery

By Mike Salmon
Josh Alley is one of the brewmasters.

STAFFORD COUNTY, Va. – Newly added brewing equipment at Highmark Brewery in Stafford County takes this already-established name in local beer to another level.

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