Setback for Disabled Veterans Exemption Reimbursements
Senator Jeremy McPike’s SB 1312, which sought supplemental payments for localities heavily impacted by real estate tax exemptions for disabled veterans, has died in committee. On January 23, the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee voted 7-6 to pass the bill indefinitely, effectively halting its progress this session.
The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) is testing a new way to manage parking at commuter lots through the innovative ParkZen app. Initially launched in November 2024, the pilot program has been extended through May 2025 to further evaluate the app’s effectiveness in providing real-time parking availability at six commuter lots in Northern Virginia and Fredericksburg.
What Is the ParkZen App?
Armed Robbery in Manassas
On January 26, around 11:33 p.m., two men, ages 19 and 21, were robbed at gunpoint at the Gardens of Crestwood Village on Provincial Drive. Suspects, described as Black males with thin builds, brandished firearms and stole various items, including a camera and recording equipment, before fleeing in a Toyota Camry. One victim was struck with a firearm and sustained minor injuries.
Join us for a delightful Sunday afternoon at the BlackRock Center for the Arts as Cruise Planners Beth & Rod present a special travel-inspired matinee featuring the beloved film Under the Tuscan Sun.
Date & Time: Sunday, May 31 | 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Just before 10 p.m. on Sunday, January 26, 2025, Stafford County Fire and Rescue (SCFR) units responded to a reported large boat fire at Hope Springs Marina on Hope Springs Lane.
Crews arrived on the scene within 10 minutes to find a large vessel, still attached to the dock, fully engulfed in flames. Firefighters acted swiftly, extending lines along the dock to contain the fire. Simultaneously, personnel used Fire Boat 1500 at Hope Springs Marina to attack the flames from the water.
Say “Meowdy” to Little One, a gentle one-year-old feline who has been waiting patiently for her forever home at the Stafford County Animal Shelter for 229 days. Little One arrived at the shelter at just six months old after her previous owners had to move and could no longer keep her. While she was initially shy and reserved, she has blossomed into a sweet and playful companion with a little patience and the company of other cats.
Although Little One may play hard to get at first, she warms up beautifully with time and attention. She thrives in the company of other cats, making her an excellent choice for a home with feline friends. While her experience with dogs is unknown, the shelter believes she could adjust with proper introductions. Little One is spayed, microchipped, rabies vaccinated, and ready to find her forever family.
The United Campus Workers of Virginia, a statewide union representing workers at the University, Virginia Commonwealth University, William & Mary and Virginia Tech, rallied in Richmond’s Capitol Square Jan. 17 to demand collective bargaining rights and advocate for systems reforms in higher education. Following a morning of lobbying sessions with state legislators, the union called for legislative action to address issues such as delayed graduate worker pay and the high cost of living near the represented universities, the Cavalier Daily reports.
The central demand of the rally was to allow for collective bargaining, the process of negotiation between employers and groups of employees to establish provisions for wages, benefits and working conditions. Union members emphasized that without this legal right in the state, public-sector workers and higher education employees alike lack a formal instrument to address issues such as insufficient or delayed pay, suppression of free expression and inadequate workplace conditions. Rally speakers argued that collective bargaining would allow workers to secure fair contracts — holding higher institutions accountable to treating their employees fairly.
Virginia took another decisive step in its ongoing reckoning with its Confederate past as the House of Delegates in a bipartisan move approved legislation to strip tax-exempt status from organizations tied to the Confederacy, reports Virginia Mercury.
House Bill 1699, which passed by a 53-42 vote on Friday, targets groups like the Virginia Division of the United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC), ending their property and recordation tax privileges.
Enjoy tasty treats while chatting about this delightful, cozy mystery at 13051 Fitzwater Drive. Need the book? Stop by Nokesville Library to grab a copy, or check out the e-book or e-audiobook on Hoopla. Questions? Email [email protected].
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