Transforming the former Mary Washington Hospital into apartments is moving forward, even as the City of Fredericksburg conducts a “Land Use Plan Review.”

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Fredericksburg police have released new details in a domestic-related shooting and crash that killed two people on June 3.

Officers responded around 5:32 p.m. to reports of shots fired. A male driver pursued a female driver in separate vehicles along Olde William Street and Emancipation Highway. He fired multiple rounds at her car, according to police. The female driver crashed near College Avenue and Emancipation Highway after being shot several times. She was taken to a hospital and pronounced dead.


“An affidavit for a search warrant filed in Fredericksburg Circuit Court names a suspect in a rape on Sunday at Ficklen Island,” the Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star reported. “The description of the man and the actions described by the victims are similar to an Oct. 19 attack on the City Canal path.”

A man matching the victim’s description was detained and interviewed, with police noting a fresh laceration on his finger consistent with the victim biting her attacker. He has not been arrested.


Looking for a perfect midweek summer outing with the family? Head to Kenmore Memorial Park (also known as Memorial Park) every Tuesday through the end of June for the popular Picnic in the Park series — a beloved local tradition since 1997.

The free events run from 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM at 1401 Kenmore Ave., offering live music, food trucks and vendors, shaded areas, a playground, restrooms, and plenty of family-friendly fun. Bring a blanket, chairs, and a picnic lunch — or grab something from the on-site vendors.


Fredericksburg police responded to a domestic-related shooting and crash on Wednesday evening that killed two people and left their young children with minor injuries.

Officers were called around 5:32 p.m. after reports of shots fired. A male driver was pursuing a female driver along Olde William and Emancipation Highway and fired at her vehicle, according to police. The female driver crashed near College Avenue and Emancipation Highway. She was taken to a hospital where she was pronounced dead. Her two children, ages 7 and 3, were in the car and suffered minor injuries in the crash.


The Fredericksburg Planning Commission on May 27 received a detailed overview of ongoing, upcoming, and recently completed transportation projects across the city, with particular attention to multimodal improvements that will affect daily life in southeast neighborhoods, including Mayfield.

Senior Planner Bailey Thompson presented the update during the meeting’s other business section, directing residents to two key resources for tracking projects: the FXBG Forward Comprehensive Plan’s mobility chapter and the VDOT Project Search website.


The Fredericksburg Planning Commission held a public hearing on May 27, 2026, regarding the Area 8 Dixon Street/Mayfield Small Area Comprehensive Plan Amendment and Zoning Map Amendment.

The Commission continued the hearing without a vote, directing staff to refine the proposal based on robust community input, particularly around equity, anti-displacement measures, incentives, gateways, and implementation parity with prior plans.


Martin Davis, founder and editor-in-chief of the Fredericksburg Advance, announced his departure from the local Substack publication in a farewell column published today, along with managing editor and reporter Adele Uphaus.

Davis is launching a new statewide news outlet, Virginia Free Press, with a soft launch planned for early July. The publication is unaffiliated with the Fredericksburg Free Press.


“Something along those lines is what we’re envisioning,” Fredericksburg Free Press reported. “Maybe it’s volleyball one weekend, a basketball tournament the next weekend, soccer, indoor field hockey, all sorts of things.”

“The net new taxes generated by the higher density mixed use development can cover the debt service on the city investment required to make them feasible from a developer’s standpoint,” Woodworth said.


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