Ben Litchfield, a consumer financial services attorney, has thrown his hat to run for state senate in the newly-created 27th District, covering portions of Stafford and Spotsylvania counties and Fredericksburg.
Litchfield and his wife Valerie have lived in Stafford since 2015. Until recently, he served as the Stafford County Democratic Committee Chairman.
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An analysis conducted by the county looked at the possible needs for department facilities soon. Those results have been incorporated into the county's Capital Improvement Plan for Fiscal Years 2022 to 2031.
The CIP contains recommendations for projects that would be important to the county looking forward. Projects that have been prioritized include rebuilding three of the department's fire stations and creating a new training center for public safety personnel.
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Matt Strickland, the famed owner of Gourmeltz restaurant in Spotsylvania County who pushed back against former Gov. Ralph Northam's coronavirus restrictions, is running for state senate.
Strickland will run as a Republican in the new 27th District that encompasses parts of Stafford and Spotsylvania counties and Fredericksburg. Strickland announced his campaign 21 months ahead of the General Election on November 7, 2023, when all 40 Virginia State Senators will be up for re-election.
Strickland received regional media attention when he bucked former Gov. Ralph Northam's Executive Order that required restaurants to the number of customers allowed in his restaurant and prevented anyone from sitting at a bar.
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[Updated Noon Friday, January 28] In his first proposed budget, Stafford County's newly-appointed School Administrator, Dr. Thomas Taylor, asks for $32 million in more funds than the division received last year.
His proposed $374 million budget delivered to the School Board on Tuesday, January 25, Taylor calls for addressing the issues of recruiting and maintaining the county's pool of teachers, managing the expected growth of its student body over the coming years, and providing on-time transportation for students.
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Some Stafford County residents asked elected leaders to fund new artificial turf fields for two county high schools.
Citing disparity and safety concerns, residents say these two schools are last in the county, lacking such amenities.
A couple of residents took the opportunity to address the Stafford County Board of Supervisors during its public comment time earlier this month on the subject of artificial turf fields at local high schools.
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[Updated 4:30 p.m.] Dominion Energy held a virtual meeting to discuss the removal of a coal ash plant near the Possum Point Power Station near Dumfries.
The meeting was conducted by Dominion Projects Director Spencer Adkins, who made a presentation to discuss the possibility of creating a new landfill for coal ash that came from Possum Point during its time as a coal-powered plant, from the late 1940s to 2003.
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Motomember Manassas, formerly Manassas Honda, is looking at a new location outside Manassas Mall.
The new location would be located on Rixlew Avenue, outside the mall. Motomember applied to Prince William County to build the store.
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Stafford County Public Schools will launch a cybersecurity program where students can earn an Associate's Degree.
The program will begin in the ninth grade and is designed to culminate in attaining four industry-recognized credentials, a high school diploma, and an associate's degree in up to five years.
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Occoquan will soon enact an amplified outdoor sound permit which will allow residents and businesses to play music for outdoor events. The licenses enable sound to be audible at 50 feet beyond a property.
The town will require businesses to renew permits annually. The cost of the license will be $100.
The town has set hours when amplified outdoor sound will be prohibited, between 10 p.m. to 2 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and between 8 p.m. and 10:30 a.m. Sunday to Thursday. The permit program is scheduled to launch in Spring 2022.
In other town news, officials want more information from the developer of The Mill at Occoquan. The building is designed to be a five-story building located on Mill Street on the waterfront.
The Mill would feature 52 apartments and 7,000 square feet of office space which includes space for a restaurant with a terrace overlooking the Occoquan River. If The Mill is built, it would be the tallest and most prominent building in Occoquan.
An application for The Mill had been presented to the Architecture Review Board at its meeting on Sept. 28, 2021. The September meeting resulted in the board asking for more information from the applicant on a range of different topics concerning the project such as who would be in charge of maintaining planters boxes, the style of door for residential use and fire safety, placement of retail signage, and copper downspouts that were mentioned but weren't in the design.
The next meeting of the Occoquan Town Council is February 1 at the Occoquan Town Hall, at 314 Mill Street. When the Occoquan Town Council meetings were supposed to take place in January, they were canceled due to the recent snowstorms.
Stafford County is participating in studies with the Virginia Department of Transportation dedicated to improving two major roadways.
As part of its update on its 2040 strategic plan, the agencies are studying Route 17 (Warrenton Road) to find safety gaps for commuters and pedestrians. The study is also looking for opportunities to provide additional bike paths, walkways, and other connections.
