Fredericksburg

“The travel audit is still in process,” division superintendent Marci Catlett told the Advance. “During the course of our audit, we noted School Board travel expenditures which did not fall within the school division travel guidelines. We have been engaged to perform a detailed review of School Board travel.”

A special audit of Fredericksburg City Public Schools Board travel expenses, originally due by the end of December 2025, remains unfinished amid staffing changes in the Central Office. Emails and documents show the comment regarding travel in the general fiscal year 2025 audit was edited after pushback from a School Board member, with language about purchase card use and policy recommendations removed from the final management letter.


Police Blotter

Other notable incidents include a vehicle pursuit in Fredericksburg, where the driver nearly struck officers and was charged with assault on law enforcement, along with fraud reports and an assault arrest in Stafford County.

This daily police blotter summarizes reports from the Stafford County Sheriff’s Office, Fredericksburg Police Department, and Prince William County Police.


Fredericksburg

“All citizens are encouraged to mail their payments as soon as possible or to schedule their payment online to avoid penalties due to mail service delays,” FXBGgov announced. “Payments for both are due June 5, 2026.”

Payments may be made in person at the Treasurer’s Office at 715 Princess Anne Street in Fredericksburg, online at fredericksburgva.gov, or by phone at 540-372-1001.


Stafford

“Seeing America’s national bird up close is always incredible, but these calls are also a reminder of how important it is for the community to report injured wildlife when they see it,” Stafford County Sheriff reported. “Blue Ridge Wildlife Center relies heavily on volunteers to help transport injured and orphaned wildlife to their hospital because staff cannot leave the facility for rescues.”

Animal Control responded to two more injured bald eagles on the same day — one with a wing injury on Richmond Highway and another with a leg injury in the Doral Court area — bringing the week’s total to three. Both birds were safely transported to Blue Ridge Wildlife Center in Boyce, VA, for treatment.


Politics

“I am humbled to continue the fight to take on corruption, deliver real results, and make life more affordable for every Virginian,” CBS19 News reported. “I will continue to fight like hell for our military families, federal workers, and every working family in the District.”

Republican challengers in Virginia’s 7th Congressional District include John Gray and Philip Harding, both of Prince William County, along with Douglas Ollivant, and Waverly Washington. Tara Durant, who had been a frontrunner in the Republican primary, has dropped out. John Gray currently leads the field in fundraising among remaining candidates with over $228,000 in receipts, followed by Douglas Ollivant ($175,000).


Traffic

Repaving work on the Interstate 95 E-ZPass Express Lanes began Tuesday night and will continue for about three months. Travelers should expect single- and double-lane closures from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m., followed by full closures starting at 10 p.m., Monday through Friday. The lanes are scheduled to reopen each morning in time for northbound rush hour. Officials are urging drivers to seek alternate routes during the overnight work.

The first phase affects the stretch from near Franconia Springfield Parkway to near Marine Corps Base Quantico. Traffic in the 95 and 395 Express Lanes will be diverted to the general-purpose lanes on I-95, and access points to the construction zone will be closed. The reversal schedule remains unchanged and will follow the summer pattern.


Quantico

The Stafford County Board of Supervisors heard a proposal on May 26 for a new utility agreement with Marine Corps Base Quantico (MCBQ) that would increase the base’s water allocation from the county’s system while renewing long-term access to shared infrastructure.

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Schools

George Mason University has selected Marion Underwood as its next provost and executive vice president, effective July 27. Underwood comes to Mason from Colorado State University, where she most recently served as provost and executive vice president. She brings 35 years of academic leadership, research and student success experience.

President Gregory Washington said Underwood’s background at institutions similar to George Mason makes her a strong fit. At Colorado State, she created the Strategic Roadmap 2025, advanced student mental health initiatives, helped refine the budget model and hired multiple academic leaders. She previously served as dean at Purdue University and the University of Texas at Dallas.


Manassas Park

City Treasurer Donald E. Shuemaker Jr. reminded residents to submit payments on time. The current tax rate is $1.395 per $100 of assessed value for fiscal year 2026, which runs from July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026. Real estate taxes in the city are paid in two installments each year, with the first half due Dec. 5 and the second half due June 5.

The city offers real estate tax relief for qualifying elderly and disabled homeowners. Applicants must live in the home as of July 1, meet income and net worth limits, and submit renewal forms by June 30 each year. First-time applicants can apply after that date.


Stafford

Stafford County Public Schools reported a technical difficulty Wednesday morning with the geotracking software that powers the MyRide K12 bus tracking app. Parents may experience delays in seeing real-time bus locations on this near-final day of the school year.

The district said all bus delays will continue to be posted on the official delay dashboard. Officials asked families for patience as they work through the issue.


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