The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) has confirmed two new measles cases, with potential exposures reported at Grafton Village Elementary School in Stafford County and KidMed Stafford Urgent Care.
The patients are a pre-school age child and a school-age child who recently traveled together domestically. Health officials are working to identify and notify people who might have been exposed.
Firefighters in Northern Virginia remained busy on Monday, April 20, 2026, responding to two structure fires in Prince William and Stafford counties as the region continues to grapple with drought-like conditions and elevated fire risk.
The first incident occurred in Woodbridge earlier that afternoon. Units were dispatched to the Meridian Bay Apartments in the 2900 block of Fox Lair Drive for a reported two-alarm apartment fire. Crews arrived to find heavy fire and smoke showing from a three-story garden-style apartment building, with residents still inside.
Polls opened across Virginia at 6 a.m. Tuesday for a special statewide election on a proposed constitutional amendment that would allow the Democratic-controlled General Assembly to temporarily redraw the state’s congressional districts ahead of the 2026 midterms. The measure, framed by supporters as a way to “restore fairness,” has ignited fierce debate over gerrymandering, voter representation, and the influence of out-of-state money in a battle that could reshape Virginia’s 11-member congressional delegation.
According to the Virginia Department of Elections, polls remain open until 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 21, with anyone in line at closing allowed to vote. Early in-person voting ran from March 6 through April 18, and absentee ballots requested by mail had a deadline of April 10. Results are expected later Tuesday night. The only item on the ballot is the constitutional amendment.
The Potomac River ranks as the most endangered river in the U.S. according to American Rivers’ 2026 list, released this month. The designation is largely driven by rapid, uncontrolled data center expansion in the watershed and by the impacts of a major sewage spill into the river in January 2026.
The Piedmont Environmental Council (PEC) issued a statement on April 16 in response to the report. PEC President Chris Miller stated that the listing underscores the cumulative impacts of data centers on natural resources, including access to clean and abundant water that serves the Washington metropolitan area.
Just before 1 a.m. Sunday, April 19, units were called to a structure fire along Glen Oak Road near Deacon Road. First-arriving crews found smoke and flames coming from the rear of a single-family home. Firefighters quickly contained the blaze to the back deck, with only minimal heat damage to the exterior of the residence. The Stafford County Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating the cause as routine procedure. Units were assisted on scene by the Fredericksburg Fire Department.
Earlier on Saturday, April 18, two other fires kept crews busy. Just before 1:30 p.m., units responded to a reported structure fire in the 500 block of Sanford Drive near Greenbank Road. Crews arrived within about five minutes and found a large shed heavily involved in flames that had begun spreading to the surrounding area. Firefighters extinguished the fire and confirmed it did not extend into the adjacent residence, though the home did sustain some damage. The Fire Marshal’s Office is also investigating this incident.
The City of Fredericksburg Parks, Recreation and Events Department invites the community to its annual Earth Day Festival on the Rappahannock this Saturday, April 18, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Old Mill Park, 2201 Caroline Street in downtown Fredericksburg.
The region’s largest Earth Day celebration offers free family fun with more than 70 local vendors, live music, food trucks, hands-on environmental activities and a sensory tent. Attendees can try kayaking in a paddling pool, climb a rock wall, join goat yoga or relax with live music. Activities suit all ages.
