“On Sunday afternoon, nearly 100 people gathered in a Taco Bell parking lot less than a mile from the clinic’s doors with a shared aim: taking ownership of its now-precarious future. Many carried red signs with white lettering that read: “Support the Moss Free Clinic,” as well as hand-crafted messages critical of Mary Washington Healthcare, which decided it will cease discussions with the clinic’s Board of Directors regarding funding.” reports Fredericksburg Free Press.

Virginia Department of Transportation press release: Paving work will close the Interstate 95 northbound local lanes overnight north of exit 133 (Falmouth/Warrenton) in Stafford County from 11 p.m. to 3:30 a.m. on Tuesday, April 23 – early Friday, April 26.

Closing the local lanes will affect local travelers’ ability to merge onto the northbound I-95 through lanes north of exit 133 in Stafford.

When the local lanes are closed, there will be no access to the through lanes of I-95 northbound for any traveler entering I-95 northbound from Route 3 in the City of Fredericksburg. All local lanes traffic will exit to Route 17 at exit 133 (Falmouth/Warrenton). The on-ramps to I-95 northbound from Route 17 northbound and southbound in Stafford will also be closed during these hours.

Local travelers seeking to enter I-95 northbound between 11 p.m. and 3:30 a.m. on Tuesday, April 23-early Friday, April 26 will detour to Route 17 Business to Route 1 northbound to Centreport Parkway in Stafford. Travelers can enter I-95 northbound at the exit 136 interchange.

Signs and message boards will be posted to guide motorists along the detour. View an online detour map.

Intense paving activity will be underway on I-95 between exits 130 and 136 this spring, as well as on Route 17 near I-95 in Stafford. Crews are finishing construction for the I-95 Northbound Rappahannock River Crossing in May 2024 and for the 95 Express Lanes Fredericksburg Extension in June 2024. New travel lanes opened for these projects in 2023. Crews are now applying the final travel surface and pavement markings.

View a full list of scheduled lane and ramp closures on I-95 next week in the Fredericksburg area. Work has been scheduled weather permitting. Please check 511Virginia for updates.

I-95 Northbound: Exit 104 (Carmel Church): Monday – Friday, 9:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. – 5 a.m. Single lane closure at mile marker 103, just before the exit 104 (Carmel Church) interchange, at the bridge over CSX railroad tracks for bridge washing.

• Exit 118 (Thornburg): Monday – Friday, 9:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. – 5 a.m. Single lane closure at mile marker 117, just before exit 118 (Thornburg), at the bridge over the Matta River for bridge washing.
• Monday – Friday, 9:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. – 5 a.m. Single lane closure at mile marker 119 north of exit 118 (Thornburg) at the bridge over the Po River for bridge washing.
• Exit 118 (Thornburg) to Exit 126 (Spotsylvania): Monday – Friday, 9:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. – 5 a.m. Single lane closure at mile marker 121 at the bridge over the Ni River for bridge washing.
• Exit 126 (Spotsylvania): Monday – Friday, 9:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. – 5 a.m. Alternating single lane closure at the bridge over Route 1 near the exit 126 (Spotsylvania) interchange for bridge washing.
• Exit 130 (Route 3) to Exit 136 (Centreport Parkway): Monday – Thursday, 9:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Single lane closures between mile markers 129 to 134 for the I-95 Northbound Rappahannock River Crossing.
• Sunday – Friday, 9 p.m. – 4:30 a.m. Alternating single and double lane closures on I-95 northbound in the local and through lanes. Paving for the I-95 Northbound Rappahannock River Crossing and 95 Express Lanes Fredericksburg Extension.
• The I-95 northbound local lanes will close north of exit 133 (Falmouth/Warrenton) in Stafford from 11 p.m. to 3:30 a.m. nightly starting Tuesday, April 23 through early Friday, April 26. Traffic in the local lanes during these hours will be required to exit at Route 17. Travelers can use Route 17 Business to Route 1 northbound to enter the I-95 northbound through lanes at the exit 136 (Centreport Parkway) interchange. View the detour map. Single lane closures for paving in the local lanes start at 7 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday evenings. All local lanes will reopen by 4:30 a.m.
• Exit 133 (Falmouth/Warrenton): Closure of Route 17 Northbound and Southbound On-Ramps to I-95 Northbound: Tuesday – Thursday, 11 p.m. – 3:30 a.m. The on-ramps from Route 17 northbound and southbound to I-95 northbound will close between 11 p.m. and 3:30 a.m. Paving for the I-95 Northbound Rappahannock River Crossing and 95 Express Lanes Fredericksburg Extension. View the detour map.
• Exit 140 (Stafford) to Exit 143 (Aquia/Garrisonville): Monday – Friday, 9:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. – 4:30 a.m. Single lane closure at mile markers 141-142 for the 95 Express Lanes Fredericksburg Extension project. Construction of a noise barrier and guardrail installation.

I-95 Northbound and Southbound: Exit 126 (Spotsylvania): Sunday – Thursday, 9 p.m. – 5 a.m. Single lane closures on both I-95 northbound and southbound starting at 9 p.m. followed by double lane closures at 10 p.m. between mile markers 125-126. All lanes will reopen by 5 a.m. Construction of a new overpass of I-95 at Route 17 (Mills Drive).

I-95 Southbound: Exit 140 (Courthouse Road): Monday – Thursday, 9 p.m. – 10 a.m. and Thursday – Friday, 9 p.m. – 6 a.m. Single lane closure at mile markers 139-138 for 95 Express Lanes Fredericksburg Extension work.

• Exit 136 (Centreport Parkway) to Exit 133 (Falmouth/Warrenton): Monday – Thursday, 9 p.m. – 10 a.m. and Thursday – Friday, 9 p.m. – 6 a.m. Single lane closure on I-95 southbound at mile markers 135-134 for 95 Express Lanes Fredericksburg Extension work.
• Exit 136 (Centreport Parkway) to Exit 133 (Falmouth/Warrenton): Sunday – Tuesday, 9 p.m. – 10 a.m. Varying single and double lane closures between mile markers 135-133 for paving as part of the 95 Express Lanes Fredericksburg Extension. Double lane closures between 10 p.m. and 4:30 a.m.
• Exit 133 (Falmouth/Warrenton): Closure of I-95 Southbound Off-Ramp to Route 17 Northbound and Southbound
  Monday – Friday, midnight – 3:30 a.m. The I-95 southbound off-ramp to Route 17 will close between midnight and 3:30 a.m. early Monday through Friday mornings. Construction for the I-95 Northbound Rappahannock River Crossing and the 95 Express Lanes Fredericksburg Extension project.
• Exit 133 (Falmouth/Warrenton): Closure of Route 17 Southbound On-Ramp to I-95 Southbound Monday – Friday, midnight – 3:30 a.m. The on-ramp from Route 17 southbound to I-95 southbound at the exit 133 interchange in Stafford will close from midnight to 3:30 a.m. early Monday through Friday mornings. Construction for the I-95 Northbound Rappahannock River Crossing project.
• Exit 130 (Route 3): Monday – Friday, 3 a.m. – 3 p.m. Single lane closure at various points between mile markers 132 and 130 for sewer work and paving of an interstate crossover for the I-95 Northbound Rappahannock River Crossing project.

Spotsylvania County: Route 3 Westbound: Wednesday – Thursday, 8 p.m. – 7 a.m. Single lane closure near Lick Run for guardrail installation.

• Belmont Road: Wednesday – Thursday, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Single lane closure near Dillards Bridge for guardrail installation.
• Chancellor Road: Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 7 p.m. Milling and paving. One-way, alternating traffic directed by a flagging crew between Old Plank Road and Gordon Road.
• Courthouse Road: Wednesday – Thursday, 9 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Single lane closure near Robert E. Lee Drive intersection. Crews will gather soil samples for traffic signal equipment work.
• Days Bridge Road: Monday – Friday, 7 a.m. – 7 p.m. Alternating, one-way traffic on Days Bridge Road at the bridge over Lake Anna for maintenance. Automatic flagging devices will direct traffic through the work zone. Flagging crew members operate the devices, which can be adjusted to respond to congestion.
• Grand Brooks Road: Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 7 p.m. Single lane closure for pavement patching between Lawyers Road and Stubbs Bridge Road. One-way, alternating traffic directed by a flagging crew.
• Mudd Tavern Road: Thursday – Friday, 8 p.m. – 4 a.m. One-way, alternating traffic between I-95 and Route 1. Traffic will be directed by a flagging crew. Utility work.
• Seays Road: Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 7 p.m. Milling and paving. One-way, alternating traffic directed by a flagging crew between Post Oak Road and Robert E. Lee Drive.
• I-95 Southbound Exit 126 Off-Ramp and Route 1 Southbound: A second right turn lane is under construction from the I-95 southbound off-ramp at exit 126 onto Route 1 southbound. Route 1 southbound is being widened from the off-ramp to Southpoint Parkway with an additional turn lane. A second right turn lane is being added from Route 1 southbound to Southpoint Parkway. Traffic islands will be installed along Southpoint Parkway as a safety improvement to allow left turns into driveways but restrict through and left-turning traffic exiting from side streets. Additional right turn lane added to Southpoint Parkway to Route 1 southbound. Project completion in Aug. 2025.
• Route 3 and Orange Plank Road: Utility relocation is underway ahead of construction to modify the intersection of Route 3 and Orange Plank Rd. to a new traffic pattern to enhance safety, improve traffic flow, and reduce conflict points. Project completion in spring 2024.
• Route 17 (Mills Drive) Overpass Replacement and Widening: Construction started in Dec. 2020 to replace the existing two-lane interstate overpass on Route 17 with a four-lane bridge. Route 17 is being widened to four lanes until just east of the Hospital Boulevard/Germanna Point Drive intersection. A shared-use path, sidewalk, and pedestrian crossing equipment will be added as part of the project. Project completion was scheduled for late Feb. 2024. The project is now anticipated to be completed in May 2024.
• Route 208 (Courthouse Road) and Hood Drive: Hood Drive is reduced to a single lane between Route 1 and Route 208 (Courthouse Road), carrying only northbound traffic. Southbound traffic should follow the posted detour along Courthouse Road and Route 1 southbound. New right and left turn lanes are under construction at an entrance to a future Veterans Health Administration clinic. Additional turn lanes will be built on northbound Hood Drive approaching Courthouse Road. A raised median on Hood Drive will separate northbound and southbound traffic between Courthouse Road and McGowan Drive. Additional sidewalks, crosswalks, and pedestrian crossing equipment will be installed at the intersection. Project completion in July 2024.
• Route 606 (Mudd Tavern Road) Widening: Mudd Tavern Road is being widened to four lanes between I-95 and Route 1. A new secondary access route, Route 2092, will be built parallel to Mudd Tavern Road, and will connect with South Roxbury Mill Road and Dan Bell Lane. Project completion in May 2025.

Stafford County: Route 1: Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Lane closure on Route 1 at Courthouse Road for permit/utility work.

• Route 17 Northbound: Sunday – Friday, 7 a.m. – 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. – 6 a.m. Alternating single lane closures on Route 17 northbound between Short Street and Sanford Drive for I-95 Northbound Rappahannock River Crossing construction.
• Route 17 Southbound: Sunday – Friday, 7 a.m. – 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. – 7 a.m. Alternating single lane closures on Route 17 southbound between Sanford Drive and Short Street for I-95 Northbound Rappahannock River Crossing construction.
• Route 17 Business Southbound: Wednesday – Thursday, 11 p.m. – 7 a.m. Single lane closure near the intersection of Washington Street. Guardrail installation.
• Route 610 Westbound: Sunday – Thursday, 9 p.m. – 6 a.m. Alternating lane closures on Garrisonville Road at the Interstate 95 overpass. Bridge maintenance.
• Brent Point Road: Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 7 p.m. Alternating one-way traffic on Brent Point Road for pavement patching between Arkendale Road and the end of state maintenance. Flaggers will direct traffic through the work zone.
• Courthouse Road: Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 2:15 p.m. Lane closure on Courthouse Road between Route 1 and Stafford Avenue for permit/utility work.
• Decatur Road: Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 7 p.m. Alternating one-way traffic on Decatur Road for pavement patching between Indian View Road and Norman Road. Flaggers will direct traffic through the work zone.
• Old Courthouse Road: Monday – Thursday, 9:30 a.m. – 3 p.m. and Friday, 9:30 a.m. – 2 p.m. Lane closures for paving between Route 1 and Red Oak Drive.
• Poplar Road: Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 7 p.m. Alternating one-way traffic on Poplar Road for milling and paving between Branch Creek Way and Tacketts Mill Road. Flaggers will direct traffic through the work zone.
• Richland Road: Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 7 p.m. Alternating one-way traffic on Richland Road for pavement patching between Route 17 and Hartwood Road. Flaggers will direct traffic through the work zone.
• Sanford Drive: Monday – Friday, 9:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Alternating one-way traffic on Sanford Drive between Route 17 and Simpson Drive for paving.
• South Gateway Drive: Monday – Friday, 9:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Alternating lane closures on South Gateway Drive near the Route 17 intersection for paving.

—Virginia Department of Transportation

 The Rappahannock Regional Solid Waste Management Board (R-Board) and Aquia Harbour Host Lions Club’s Electronics Recycling Program was recognized as a silver medal winner for the 2024 Governor’s Environmental Excellence Awards.

The awards were announced on April 9, 2024 at the Environment Virginia Symposium held at the Virginia Military Institute in Lexington. The awards recognize innovative programs that are improving Virginia’s environment.

In 2021, the R-Board and Aquia Harbour Host Lions Club partnered to create an Electronics Recycling Program. The program for the awards describes the R-Board’s recycling program as focusing on refurbishing or recycling electronics. The program partners with students at Brooke Point High School to identify reusable electronics components and ensure the responsible dismantling and disposal of other elements. A second collection location was added in 2023 to the Belman Road Convenience Center. The program is dedicated to reducing electronic waste in the City of Fredericksburg and Stafford County by offering convenient recycling collections.

Francesca Johnson, Recycling Manager of the Rappahannock Regional Landfill, said the award is in “recognition of the hard work of R-Board staff and Lions Club volunteers, the recycling program prevents harmful e-waste from entering the landfill and provides extensive community support through the Lions Club.”

Collection is offered year-round at the R-Board and the Belman Center.

City of Fredericksburg: With the completion of the major construction sites at Riverfront Park and William Square, final parking signage is planned to be installed by the City of Fredericksburg in these two areas by the end of May 2024.

The Riverfront Park parking lot, located on Sophia Street near Wolfe Street, will be converted to 2-hour parking 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Additionally, the final on-street parking signage around the William Square project (focused on the 600 and 700 blocks of Amelia Street, as well as Douglas, William and Winchester Streets and Washington Avenue) will be implemented by the City in an effort to support the nearby businesses while protecting area neighborhoods.

The William Square project, which was approved in 2021, is nearing completion with the grand opening of the new Publisher Hotel planned for early June 2024.

As long planned, areas of on-street parking on Amelia, William, and Winchester Streets and Washington Avenue will be converted to 2-hour parking 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday. The north side of Amelia Street, which is lined by residential homes, is designated “Resident Permit” parking.

Both of these changes are consistent with the other parking regulations downtown, encouraging turnover to support businesses while encouraging long stays to utilize parking decks. Please watch for these updated parking signs coming soon.

More information can be found online.

Rappahannock Education Farm (REF) Manager Rich Larochelle said he and a squad of volunteers prepped a 360-square-foot plot of Fredericksburg farmland to plant hundreds of seeds of produce last week.

Nearly 3,000 people in the Fredericksburg area suffer from food insecurity, according to Stacker, a government data-collection website. Food-insecure households can’t afford regular access to healthy meals. The Fredericksburg Regional Food Bank supplies food to 31,000 people every year.

Larochelle said they’re using land outside of Fredericksburg Regional Food Bank in exchange for supplying fresh vegetables to the bank. Larochelle said the Fredericksburg food bank farm is the first official project on his mission of engaging the community with growing local before work starts on a future expansion.

“We’re taking an area that had been a garden many years ago and we’re preparing it for some new plants,” Larochelle said to Fredericksburg Free Press, “It’ll all go to reducing our food insecurity.”

Larochelle explained that the mini-farm is just the first step. He said the farm currently owns no land but is working to change this with the purchase of nine acres in Stafford. This size plot can hold up to 18,000 crops at one time. Larochelle said price negotiations are pending. According to Zillow, the average price for nine of undeveloped land in Stafford is $50,000.

Larochelle plans to model the new farm after the Fauquier Education Farm, which also grows produce for food banks. “We propose to learn from these successes as we create a similar entity for our community,” said the farm’s website. “[Where people can] come together around the positive activities of growing and harvesting foods.”

The REF Facebook page said the current Fredericksburg mini-farm and future acreage are made possible by grants from the Mary Washington Healthcare Foundation and the Stafford Health Foundation.

Larochelle said the mini-farm in Fredericksburg will grow tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, beans, and other veggies requested by the food bank.

Larochelle said they needed to make the soil farmable again after years of disuse. He said he and over 30 volunteers removed old plastic netting from previous farmers and tilled the soil. Larochelle said soil samples were tested by Virginia Tech’s College of Agriculture to determine the soil’s fertility. After a week, Virginia Tech deemed the soil “adequate on most measures and even better on others.”

REF Master Gardener Jonathan Stevens said the next step is getting topsoil donations from the community.

“We want to teach people how to garden, reduce food insecurity, and have fun in the process,” Larochelle said. “It’s a beautiful day to garden.”

Chas Chappell is a freelance reporter for Potomac Local News.

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“A Howard University student has died after he was struck last week by a car reportedly driven by a faculty member…Mohamed Samura, of Fredericksburg, 18, was a computer information systems major at the university,” reports WTOP.

On April 16, Bonaventure celebrated the opening of a new multifamily community on the former Sears lot at Fredericksburg’s Spotsylvania Towne Center Mall. The project broke ground in April 2022 and was completed on schedule. The project is expected to create over $1.15 million in tax revenues and has 271 rental units.

Bonaventure press release: Bonaventure, an integrated alternative asset manager focused on the development, construction and property management of innovative lifestyle multifamily communities in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions, hosted the grand opening of Attain at Towne Centre – a 271-unit Class A multifamily community that replaced the former Sears anchor at Spotsylvania Towne Centre mall in Fredericksburg, Virginia. The community, which broke ground in April of 2022 and delivered on-time, is part of a bigger revitalization effort for the mall and brings a high-quality rental housing option to Fredericksburg’s growing population.

“This project was truly exceptional because we had the opportunity to partner with Cafaro Properties to help densify Fredericksburg’s premier retail center and ensure it has the supporting foot traffic and patronage from new residents who will add to the live, work and play experience of the property,” said Dwight Dunton, founder and CEO of Bonaventure. “We’re proud to deliver an in-demand rental housing option that will complement the mall’s tenants to make Spotsylvania Towne Center an in-demand destination for years to come.”

Prior to the ground breaking, an impact study estimated the project would have significant economic impact throughout Fredericksburg, creating more than 380 construction-related jobs and generating more than $1.15 million in real estate and other tax revenues.

Attain at Spotsylvania Town Centre opens with upscale interior design and state-of-the-art appliances and resort-style amenities, including a resort-style pool with deck, an artificial turf recreational area, cabanas and an outdoor kitchen and more. With Spotsylvania Towne Centre being Fredericksburg’s major retail hub, the new community is centrally located and proximate to all major transportation routes and the mall’s exciting tenant mix.

About Bonaventure

Headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia, Bonaventure is an integrated alternative asset management firm focused on the investment, development, construction and management of innovative lifestyle multifamily communities in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions. Bonaventure has over $2.3 billion of assets under management, is an expert at utilizing low-cost financing, and manages over 7,500 apartment units across 38 communities primarily in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions. Since its founding in 1999 by Dwight Dunton, with the intent to create best-in-class capabilities connecting capital to assets, the focus of the firm has been to generate excess returns on a risk-adjusted basis while building enduring value through ingenuity. To learn more, visit www.bonaventure.com.

Kelly Sienkowski is a freelance reporter for Potomac Local News.

In 1892, K.N. Goolrick opened the Goolrick pharmacy on Caroline Street in Fredericksburg, specializing in things people wanted, like milkshakes and medicine.

Fast forward 132 years, and the pharmacy is still there, but the windows are whitewashed because this iconic landmark is getting a major renovation as it adapts to the times. And soda fountain fans need not worry; the historic soda fountain behind the café bar will be a focus of the new pharmacy.

Jeh Hicks is part of the restoration of this “beloved Fredericksburg landmark,” he called it in a four-part video they made of the project. In a building this old, reconstructing while preserving history has its moments.

“There are all kinds of challenges,” he added, standing in the dark interior of the structure and examining the different sizes of bricks that were used, the mosaic tile floor that was under layers of flooring, and a second level that was concrete at one time. The tiles dated to “around 1933,” he said.

There were two fires of note and a third fire in the records somewhere, but years ago, documentation was not as stringent as it is today. “Beams deteriorated because of the fire,” Hicks added. Peculiar things were uncovered as part of the project, too. “JW Masters” was written on one beam and sandstone from Aquia Creek was found in another area. One of the handmade bricks has a paw print because it most likely was laid out in the sun to dry, and a small mammal stepped on it while it was still wet.

Several old bottles with thick glass were found in the basement. Heavy beams were wedged in there to hold the ceiling up, and the main floor fluctuated seven inches from the front to the back. “Liberties were taken with the walls,” he said. “It was nowhere near level,” he added.

Goolrick’s has undergone many changes over the past century as Fredericksburg grew. Recently, a carpenter was working on one of the street-level windows. It used to be a double window, but the street had been repaved so many times since the shop opened that the bottom pane of the window had to be bricked up. “The street level was way below this back in the day,” he said.

Out on Caroline Street, there were many gawking eyes, and the whitewash had a clear spot to see inside a little. Ulman’s Jeweler’s Next Door has been the unofficial spokesperson for the project, and people call frequently to see what’s going on next door. “It’s a historic place, we need it to be here, it’s a landmark for us,” said Linda Yohman at Ulman’s. It’s the same thing at Sight Studio across the street. “Patients always come in and ask,” said Rebekah Olsberg, who has her favorite Goolrick item. “I do miss the milkshake,” she said.

The renovation is expected to be completed in late summer or early fall, and a grand opening gala is not out of the question. “We are thrilled to have the chance to bring this treasured space back to life for another 100 years,” Hicks said.

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