STAFFORD, Va. – A fake water advisory notice found on residents’ doors in north Stafford has prompted concern and an investigation by the Stafford County Sheriff’s Office.
Health
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WOODBRIDGE, Va. – Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center has launched a new virtual nursing program that’s already changing how nurses care for patients—and how patients experience care.
The hospital’s Virtual Registered Nursing (VRN) Program allows experienced nurses to connect with patients through 50-inch screens in hospital rooms, handling admissions, discharges, and patient education remotely. The goal: give bedside nurses more time to focus on hands-on care, while still ensuring patients get one-on-one attention.
FREDERICKSBURG, Va. – Mary Washington Hospital has installed a new antenna system to help first responders communicate more clearly when responding to emergencies inside the hospital.
According to a press release from Mary Washington Healthcare, the hospital’s new Distributed Antenna System (DAS) cost $268,000 and is designed to boost radio signals throughout the hospital, improving communication in areas where coverage is typically poor. Hospitals, with their thick walls and complex layouts, are some of the toughest places for emergency radios to work correctly.
FREDERICKSBURG, Va. – Health officials have confirmed a raccoon found near the 7000 block of Stubbs Bridge Road in Spotsylvania County tested positive for rabies, according to the Rappahannock Area Health District.
Anyone who may have had contact with the animal is urged to seek medical care right away and contact the Spotsylvania County Health Department at 540-507-7386. Pet owners concerned their animal may have been exposed should call their veterinarian and contact either the Health Department or Spotsylvania County Animal Control at 540-507-7549.
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As Memorial Day approaches, local officials are ramping up safety efforts at Lake Anna in response to last summer’s E. coli outbreak that left two dozen people sick—most of them children.
In the summer of 2024, the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) reported a total of 25 cases of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) infections associated with Lake Anna. The majority of these cases occurred among children under 18 years old. Five of the affected children developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a severe complication requiring hospitalization.
DUMFRIES, Va. – Dumfries Mayor Derrick Wood invited the community to join him for a workout event just days after the unexpected death of his younger brother, 37-year-old Darron Smith.
Smith passed away suddenly on Saturday, May 2, 2025. In a heartfelt message, Mayor Wood described his brother as someone born for greatness—sharing a birthday with Super Bowl legend Doug Williams—and a constant presence in his life. “We shared so many moments side by side—from family to food trucks to faith,” Wood wrote. “And now my heart is broken.”
Virginia health officials have confirmed the first measles case of 2025, reported in a child from the Northwest Region who had recently traveled internationally. Health officials are now working to identify anyone who may have been exposed to the disease, including individuals who visited two medical centers in Woodbridge and Fredericksburg.
The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) urges residents, particularly those in these areas, to check their vaccination status and seek the MMR vaccine if needed. Measles is highly contagious, but vaccination remains the best defense against the disease.
Rep. Eugene Vindman, a Virginia Democrat and former whistleblower, criticized President Donald Trump’s second term, calling its first 45 days an “abomination” during an MSNBC appearance. In response, the White House issued a scathing statement, dismissing Vindman’s remarks as “moronic” and accusing him of having “Trump Derangement Syndrome.” (The Center Square)
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The George Mason University Patriots women’s basketball team secured a hard-fought 76-66 victory over the University of Massachusetts during the annual #Play4Kay Pink Game at EagleBank Arena on Sunday, February 16. The event, sponsored for the sixth consecutive year by Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center (SNVMC), brought together fans, survivors, and medical professionals to raise awareness of women’s cancers and honor those affected by breast cancer.
A Victory Beyond the Scoreboard