News - Page 151 of 1912 - Potomac Local News

Spotsylvania’s Republicans Applaud Additional Funding for Broadband

Published July 26, 2024 at 1:57PM

Photo by Irvan Smith on Unsplash

The Republican Delegation of Spotsylvania issued a joint statement praising Governor Glenn Youngkin’s recent announcement of more than $10 million in grants through the Virginia Telecommunications Initiative (VATI) that will help Spotsylvania families.

“Access to high–speed broadband is essential for our residents and businesses,” said Senator Richard Stuart. “This significant investment will bring us closer to achieving universal broadband coverage in Virginia, ensuring that no community, including Spotsylvania County, is left behind.”

Road Resurfacing to Begin on Route 3 in Fredericksburg

By Kelly Sienkowski

Published July 26, 2024 at 11:00AM

[Photo: VDOT Fredericksburg District]

Starting Sunday, July 28, drivers on Route 3 westbound in Fredericksburg will experience brief overnight delays and a temporary rough ride as crews begin resurfacing the road and updating lane markings. The work will stretch from Gateway Boulevard to Woodlyn Drive and is expected to take about two weeks.

Environmental Groups Voice Concerns about Fredericksburg Data Centers

By Uriah Kiser

Published July 26, 2024 at 10:15AM

A data center under construction on Hornbaker Road outside Manassas.

Fredericksburg Free Press: A meeting room at the downtown Fredericksburg branch of the Central Rappahannock Regional Library was filled to capacity Wednesday evening, as concerned citizens gathered to hear from local representatives from the Sierra Club and Friends of the Rappahannock about data centers.

(more…)

Fredericksburg Names New Economic Development and Tourism Director

By Kelly Sienkowski

Published July 26, 2024 at 10:00AM

Josh Summits

Josh Summits has been appointed as the new Director of Fredericksburg’s Economic Development and Tourism Team, starting mid-August. Summits has fifteen years of experience in urban redevelopment, community revitalization, and economic development. He joined Stafford County’s government in 2019 and most recently served as Business Development Manager.

Summit said he has “spent the past five years working with Stafford to bring transformative economic development projects to the Fredericksburg Region. Each locality offers diverse and unique attributes and opportunities. The City of Fredericksburg has a robust list of amazing amenities and a thriving historical downtown. My core focus and energies will target corridor redevelopment, and expanded business attraction and retention efforts.”

America’s Oldest Fair Opens July 26

By Kelly Sienkowski

Published July 25, 2024 at 12:45PM

2023 Fredericksburg Agricultural Fair (Instagram: FxbgFair)

Fredericksburg’s annual Agricultural Fair kicks off Friday, July 26 and runs until Sunday, Aug. 4. The Miss Fredericksburg Fair Pageant will be held Thursday, July 25.

The Fredericksburg Agricultural Fair’s website says it was established in 1738 and is the oldest fair in both Virginia and the United States. The range of entertainment has varied over the years, from Williamsburg comedians in 1752 to horse racing by the Fredericksburg Jockey Club in 1774, then hot air balloons in the 1880s. The fair has weathered interruptions with no events from 1881-1886 and during the Great Depression in the mid-1920s. It was revived in 1948 by a group of local farmers and the Jaycees, a non-profit community organization.

CSX Attributes Train Derailment to Human Error

By Kelly Sienkowski

Published July 25, 2024 at 10:30AM

The train that derailed on Saturday, July 20, 2024, at Cobblestone Square, an apartment complex in Fredericksburg, had been experiencing mechanical issues, so the train was parked at the city’s Virginia Railway Express (commuter rail) station before moving to its final destination in Richmond. The two crew members on board did not secure the train cars properly, resulting in five cars derailing, said Randy Marcus, a CSX spokesman during a press conference on Wednesday afternoon.

Marcus said the crew’s whereabouts at the time of the derailing are not known, and the company plans to have them complete additional training and education programs. No one was injured in the derailment.

Fredericksburg Gears Up for Summer Restaurant Week

By Uriah Kiser

Published July 25, 2024 at 10:25AM | Updated August 5, 2024 at 1:02PM

Photo by Cork and Table restaurant

Fredericksburg’s biannual Restaurant Week kicks off this Friday, July 26, and runs through Sunday, August 4, 2024, offering patrons a variety of dining experiences. According to Danelle Rose, Tourism Marketing and Communications Manager for the city, this summer’s event promises a diverse range of specials across over 30 participating restaurants and businesses.

“Restaurant Week allows the restaurants to showcase their creativity with the flexibility to offer specials that suit their capabilities and resources,” said Rose. Each establishment has the autonomy to design its menus, ensuring that offerings cater to all budgets—from gourmet three-course meals to budget-friendly treats like cupcake specials at coffee shops.

Stafford County Public Schools Revamps Bus System, Bans Cell Phones for 2024-2025 School Year

By Uriah Kiser

Published July 25, 2024 at 10:00AM | Updated July 27, 2024 at 11:44AM

Stafford County Public Schools is set to implement significant operational changes for the upcoming school year, which begins on August 13, 2024. The school division has introduced a new system for identifying school buses and a district-wide ban on cell phones in the classroom.

Starting this school year, buses will no longer be identified by fleet numbers but will use route numbers instead. This change is designed to streamline the process of locating and tracking buses, especially when substitute buses are deployed. Sandra Osborn, the spokeswoman for Stafford County Public Schools, explained the decision, stating, “Identifying buses by route number simplifies the sub-bus process as any bus may be identified quickly with the route number. We no longer need to issue updates to which bus number a family needs to look for – they will simply look for the route number on any of our buses.”

Viva Las Vegas: Fredericksburg SPCA’s Fur Ball Gala Returns

By Kelly Sienkowski

Published July 25, 2024 at 8:00AM

SPCA Fur Ball Gala 2023 (Bryant Cox Photography)

The Fredericksburg SPCA Fur Ball Gala will be held Aug. 24 at the Fredericksburg Convention Center.

This year’s theme is Old Vegas, in the style of the Rat Pack. In addition to a silent and live auction, the 6 p.m. event will feature specialty cocktails and entertainment casino games.

Sally Struthers Returns: Riverside Center for Performing Arts presents ‘Love Letters’

By Uriah Kiser

Published July 24, 2024 at 10:45PM

Riverside Center for Performing Arts showcases “Love Letters,” featuring Sally Struthers and Patrick A’Hearn, for a limited two-week engagement ending August 4, 2024.

“Love Letters” centers on the lifelong correspondence between Andrew Makepeace Ladd III and Melissa Gardner, childhood friends from affluent backgrounds. Their story unfolds through exchanges of letters and postcards, revealing their personal journeys and romantic tensions spanning decades. The play navigates their separate paths through school, careers, and tumultuous personal lives, culminating in a poignant conclusion.