The opening day of camping season in Virginia State Parks is changing. Campgrounds will open Friday, March 6.

“In years past, we opened campgrounds on March 1, regardless of the day of the week,” said State Parks Director Craig Seaver. “To better serve our visitors, we will open on the first Friday in March this year and in the future.”

Managed by the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, Virginia State Parks offers more than 1,800 campsites, ranging from primitive camping to RV sites with electric and water hookups.

Exceptions to the new schedule include Lake Anna, Pocahontas, Smith Mountain Lake, and Staunton River state parks, where camping will open on March 1 this year.

Campgrounds at Fairy Stone and Twin Lakes state parks are scheduled to reopen May 1 after bathhouse renovations in those parks.

Because of elevations of more than 5,000 feet, Grayson Highlands State Park opens primitive camping March 6 and full service camping May 1.

Full-service camping is available year-round at Douthat, Shenandoah River and Hungry Mother state parks.

Also new this year, site-specific reservations are available for some sites in six campgrounds. Campsites are normally available on a first-come basis. For more information about the pilot reservation program, visit www.dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/site-specific.shtml.

Reservations are recommended and can be made 11 months in advance and until 2 p.m. on the day of arrival at nearly all locations by booking online at www.virginiastateparks.gov or by calling the Customer Service Center at 800-933-7275 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Stafford County Schools will celebrate Dr. Seuss’ birthday on Monday, March 2, 2015, by welcoming volunteers in our schools to participate in the Read Across America campaign. 

An annual event at Rocky Run Elementary School includes inviting a number of community members and central office administrators to the school to read to the classrooms.  This year, Superintendent Bruce Benson will read to Mrs. Caswell’s class at 12:30 p.m.  Other administrators scheduled to read at Rocky Run Elementary include:  Assistant Superintendents Lance Wolff and Scott Horan, and staff members, Karen Duffy, Sarah Crain, Angela Hall, Tanya Green and Quinton Sullivan. 

We invite all of our other schools, community members and staff to use social media on Monday to share with the community how we “Read Across Stafford”.    Please share your tweets with us @SCPSchools or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/StaffordSchools.  #readacrossamerica 

Read Across America is a signature program of the National Education Association that promotes reading and literacy.

Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) crews are prepared to treat roads for icy, slick conditions that may develop overnight on streets that were cleared today in the Fredericksburg area, Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula.

While all roads in the Fredericksburg area are currently clear, any moisture remaining on the roads may re-freeze overnight as temperatures drop. Crews will be ready to apply sand and salt as needed, especially in locations most likely to freeze, such as ramps, bridges and overpasses.  

Commuter lots in the Fredericksburg area have been cleared in preparation for tomorrow morning’s rush hour.

In the Middle Peninsula, crews will continue to plow and treat secondary roads and subdivision streets this evening. Primary roads in the Middle Peninsula are in minor condition, with bare pavement visible and isolated patches of snow and slush. Crews are working to remove snow from turn lanes and crossovers.

Primary roads are clear in the Northern Neck, and secondary roads are clear in King George and Westmoreland counties. Bare pavement is visible on secondary roads in Lancaster, Northumberland and Richmond counties, with trace amounts of snow and slush.

Before starting a trip, motorists are advised to call 511, visit www.511Virginia.org, or use VDOT’s 511Virginia free mobile app to find real-time road conditions in any area of the state.

Motorists traveling overnight or tomorrow morning are encouraged to:

• Slow down and allow extra travel time to reach your destination
• Be aware of potentially icy areas such as bridges, ramps, curves and overpasses
• Keep a safe following distance of at least five seconds behind other vehicles and trucks that are treating or plowing the road.
• Use extra caution on roads carrying less traffic, such as subdivision streets

Russian National Ballet Theatre brings two of the most enchanting and magical fairy tale ballets to audiences in the greater D.C. area this spring. This illustrious ballet ensemble from Moscow performs “Cinderella” at the Hylton Performing Arts Center in Manassas on Friday, March 27, 2015 at 8 p.m. The Russian ballet dancers then appear at George Mason University’s Center for the Arts in Fairfax, performing“Cinderella” on Saturday, April 18, 2015 at 8 p.m. and “The Sleeping Beauty” on Sunday, April 19, 2015 at 4 p.m. Pre-performance discussions, free to ticketholders, will be held 45 minutes prior to each performance in the Buchanan Partners Art Gallery at the Hylton Center and Grand Tier III at the Center for the Arts (sponsored by the Friends of the Center for the Arts).

“Cinderella” tells of the virtuous and mistreated servant girl who is magically transformed by her benevolent fairy godmother so that she may attend the grand royal ball. She captures the heart of the handsome prince, but dashes off at the stroke of midnight, leaving only her glass slipper behind. With Russia's finest dancers, Prokofiev's exuberant music, sumptuous costumes, lush scenery and comical stepsisters, this performance is a treat for audiences of all ages. 

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Snowfall is slowing or stopping across the 14-county Fredericksburg District, and Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) crews are making progress clearing roads in the Northern Neck, Middle Peninsula, and the Fredericksburg area. 

Road conditions vary greatly across the District depending on the amount of snow accumulation. To check real-time road conditions in a specific area of Virginia, motorists can visit 511Virginia.org, call 511, or download VDOT’s free mobile 511 app.

Middle Peninsula

Motorists are advised to postpone unnecessary travel if possible in the Middle Peninsula, where main roads in Gloucester, Mathews and Middlesex counties are mostly snow-covered. This afternoon, crews will continue to focus on plowing and applying sand and salt to primary roads such as Route 3, Route 14, Route 17, Route 198, and key secondary roads.

Additional equipment from the Fredericksburg area is being sent to the Middle Peninsula to assist with snow removal.

Fredericksburg Area

Interstate 95 is clear, with bare pavement visible in all travel lanes. Motorists are advised to use caution and stay alert for isolated areas of slush and snow, and on interstate bridges, ramps and overpasses.

Primary roads and high-volume secondary roads in the Fredericksburg area are clear. Crews are beginning to concentrate on subdivisions this afternoon to plow and apply sand as needed.  

Northern Neck

Primary roads have improved to clear to minor condition, with mostly bare pavement and small amounts of snow and slush. Crews are treating and plowing secondary roads.

What Motorists Should Know:

• VDOT’s goal is to have all roads passable within 48 hours after a storm’s end.
• Don’t pass a snowplow or spreader unless it is absolutely necessary. Treat these as you would emergency-response vehicles.
• Shovel snow from your driveway to the right as you face the street. This will minimize the snow pushed into your driveway by plows clearing the road. Consider waiting to shovel the last several feet closest to the street until after plows have passed.

VDOT’s Customer Service Center is open 24 hours a day to answer questions and take reports of roadway hazards at 1-800-FOR-ROAD (800-367-7623).

The Regional Landfill’s new “Pay As You Throw” program provides customers with many options, allowing residents to only pay for how much they use the landfill. Customers have the option of paying a one-time fee for a visit, purchasing a coupon book for multiple visits or buying a yearly, unlimited pass.

The new fee program provides the following options to users:

• Customers may purchase an annual pass. A pro-rated 2015 pass is available for $75. Starting in 2016, annual passes will cost $100. The purchase of one annual pass entitles the pass holder to two stickers. The stickers may be displayed in two household vehicles for access for both to the landfill.  Each purchased pass comes with two stickers.
• Customers may purchase a 10-coupon booklet for $30. Each coupon is good for one visit to the landfill.
• Customers may pay $4 per visit to the Eskimo Hill landfill location only. The scale house will accept payments in cash or by check. Access to the scale house is through the commercial entrance to the landfill.
• Recyclable materials will continue to be collected for free, along with household hazardous waste and fluorescent bulbs.

Revenues from the program will be used to help pay for the facility’s operations. This is the first time that customers using the convenience centers on Eskimo Hill Road and Belman Road will pay a fee. The landfill has operated free of charge to residents of both Stafford County and the City of Fredericksburg since it was established in 1987. The facility has operated with fees charged to commercial customers. The fee program is less expensive than the average curbside recycling service, which can range from $25 to $30 per month. Revenues have decreased in recent years, and the new fees will help pay for operating costs and additional space at the landfill for waste disposal.

Customers may purchase the passes and coupon books in person or by mail. Passes and coupon books may be purchased from the offices of the Treasurer in the City of Fredericksburg and Stafford County, the R-Board office and the scale house at the landfill on Eskimo Hill Road. Payment must be in the form of cash or check. Credit cards and debit cards are not accepted at this time.

Passes and coupon books are currently for sale. The fees will go into effect on March 2, 2015. 

The Rappahannock Regional Solid Waste Management Board (R-Board) operates and maintains the Regional Landfill and recycling drop-off facilities for the benefit of the citizens of Stafford and Fredericksburg. 

Addresses for Offices That Will Sell Passes and Coupon Books

Stafford County Treasurer’s Office                                                   City of Fredericksburg Treasurer’s Office

George L. Gordon, Jr. Government Center                                        715 Princess Anne Street
1300 Courthouse Road                                                                            Room 118

Stafford, VA 22554                                                                            Fredericksburg, VA 22401

R-Board Office                                                                                   Regional Landfill Commercial Entrance

1739 Jefferson Davis Highway                                                          489 Eskimo Hill Road

Stafford, VA 22554                                                                            Stafford, VA 22554

Following a tour of the Rowser Building to honor Black History Month on Wednesday, February 25, 2105, at 5:00 p.m., a special guest will give a presentation. Jim Thomas, Director of the U.S. Slave Song Project will speak at 6:00 p.m. The Rowser Building is located at 1739 Jefferson Davis Highway, Stafford, VA 22554. For more information, please click on the link below.

April 4th Saturday, 11am – 4pm
Over 20 Occoquan Shops displaying creative dioramas using
Easter Peeps.  These marshmallow peeps will be doing amazing things….
there will be Peep Artists, Peep Santas, Peep Wine Connoisseurs, 
Peep Fashion Show, Peep and more…..
Free “Peep Hats” while supply lasts.  
Look for yellow balloons at participating shops.
Vote for your favorite Peep Diorama and be entered to win a Peep Swag Bag

703-201-8499
www.HistoricOccoquan.com  

Worldwide, every three minutes a child is diagnosed with cancer. In the U.S., one in five children with cancer will not survive. This is unacceptable to a group of members at the Occoquan-Woodbridge-Lorton Volunteer Fire Department who are prepared to make a bald statement. These fire and rescue workers will be shaving their heads in solidarity with kids fighting cancer while helping to fund life-saving research with the St. Baldrick’s Foundation.

The members will be reaching out to the community to raise donations for the St. Baldrick’s. To pledge, visit https://www.stbaldricks.org/events/mypage/229/2015. From there, one will be to see all of those who have pledged to share their head as well as the team’s main page. Here, those interested may donate.

Donations for OWL VFD effort are being accepted through March 13th. On that day the volunteers will be shaving their heads in solidarity with the children they are working to save.

According to OWL VFD Chief Jim McAllister, “We are doing this as a team to help find a cure for childhood cancer.” He stated “Most of us have unfortunately been touched by a family member or close friend battling cancer. As difficult as it is for an adult to deal with, imagine the emotional pain a family feels as they watch their child fight this terrible disease.”

For the 10^th year in a row OWL VFD will host this St. Baldrick’s fundraiser, having raised more than $40,000 last year. This year’s goal is $50,000, a yearling combined total of $300,000. Please visit https://www.stbaldricks.org/events/mypage/229/2015 to donate. You may also visit Glory Days in Woodbridge or Manassas, tell your server you are dining for dollars for OWL VFD St. Baldrick’s and put your receipt in the donation box. If you own a business and would like to donate items for the silent auction, contact Tony Carroll at 571-285-7383 or [email protected]