Schools

Stafford Board Responds After Unicorn Protester Warned, AG Says Parents’ Voices Must Be Heard

By Uriah Kiser
Shamgar Connors wore a unicorn costume while addressing the Stafford County School Board on Sept. 9, 2025. The board chair later sent him a letter warning that disruptive behavior could lead to his removal from future meetings.

STAFFORD, Va. – A Stafford County parent who wore a unicorn suit to School Board meetings has been warned about his conduct, even as the U.S. Attorney General issued a memo affirming parents’ rights to speak at public meetings.

On Sept. 10, 2025, Board Member Maureen Siegmund sent a letter to Shamgar Connors, a former teacher with a son in county schools. The letter cited his conduct at the Aug. 27 and Sept. 9 meetings, where he crawled on all fours, mimicked animal behavior, and used stuffed unicorns as props during public comment. Siegmund wrote that while free speech is protected, speakers must maintain decorum, noting that disruptive behavior could result in his removal from future meetings.

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Features

From Local Breweries to UK Charts: The Rise of Uncle Drew and the Scoundrels

By Mike Salmon
Rachel Fleming and Drew Fleming

“Americana” is the word Uncle Drew returns to again and again when describing the sound of Uncle Drew and the Scoundrels, a band rooted in the Manassas area. On October 25, the group will host an album release party at Sinistral Brewing Company in Downtown Manassas.

Breweries have become a signature setting for the group, which has also performed at Heritage Brewing, Tin Cannon Brewing, and 4J’s Brewing, all in Prince William County.

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Features

From Local Breweries to UK Charts: The Rise of Uncle Drew and the Scoundrels

By Mike Salmon
Rachel Fleming and Drew Fleming

“Americana” is the word Uncle Drew returns to again and again when describing the sound of Uncle Drew and the Scoundrels, a band rooted in the Manassas area. On October 25, the group will host an album release party at Sinistral Brewing Company in Downtown Manassas.

Breweries have become a signature setting for the group, which has also performed at Heritage Brewing, Tin Cannon Brewing, and 4J’s Brewing, all in Prince William County.

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Features

Woodbridge Dad Marks National Daughters Day with Song for His 9-Year-Old

By Uriah Kiser
Jon Freeman, who writes songs under the name Witlove, with his daughter Kennedy. Freeman released a song called “45 Minutes” on National Daughters Day as a tribute to her.

WOODBRIDGE, Va. – For Jon Freeman, who writes songs under the name Witlove, National Daughters Day carried extra meaning this year.

Freeman, a local country songwriter, released a new track called “45 Minutes” for his 9-year-old daughter, Kennedy. The song tells the story of the first moments he held her after she was born, weaving in memories of singing Randy Travis’ “Forever and Ever, Amen” and Thomas Rhett’s “Star of the Show” in the hospital.

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Fredericksburg

$5.6M Plan Could Turn Fredericksburg’s One-Way Streets Into Two-Ways

By Uriah Kiser
A view of Downtown Fredericksburg from above Hurkamp Park [Photo: Fredericksburg City]

Several of downtown Fredericksburg’s one-way streets could be converted to two-way traffic under a $5.6 million draft plan presented to City Council this week.

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News

Alex Kang, of Woodbridge, in Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine program, receives white coat

By Press Release

Alex Kang from Woodbridge was one of 457 Des Moines University Medicine and Health Sciences students from five programs to receive their white coat during the university’s annual White Coat Ceremony.

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Features

ARTfactory Presents: What the Walls Remember – A Haunting Factory of Fear Group Art Exhibit Featuring Over 80 Works by Local Artists

By Press Release
The ARTfactory at 9419 Battle Street in Manassas.

MANASSAS, Va. – In conjunction with ARTfactory’s annual Factory of Fear event and fundraiser, the Caton Merchant Gallery is pleased to announce the opening of “What the Walls Remember,” a juried group exhibition featuring over 80 compelling works of art by 60 talented artists from across the DMV region.

Running through November 8, this evocative exhibit explores themes that encompass the eerie, the mysterious, and the surreal. Instead of focusing primarily on traditional Halloween imagery, the exhibition casts a broader net, inviting viewers to explore the darker corners of artistic expression. Featured pieces include shadowy landscapes, haunting portraits, abstract expressions of emotion, and visual explorations of mortality and the unknown.

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Police Blotter

Burglary at Fredericksburg Tobacco Store, Vandalism, Thefts, and Arrests

By Uriah Kiser

Three masked suspects broke into Tobaccoville on Lafayette Boulevard on September 21, making off with merchandise in a late-night burglary. All were dressed in black with ski masks and hoodies.

Elsewhere in Fredericksburg, several residents reported vehicle-related crimes, including vandalism, tampering, and thefts. Vehicles were keyed or damaged on Caroline and Charlotte Streets, rummaged through on Saunders Drive, and had items like wallets, tools, and license plates stolen from locations including Carl D. Silver Parkway, Wallace Street, and Plank Road.

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Police Blotter

Assault with Racial Slurs Leads Stafford Police Blotter, Plus Vandalism and Auto Shop Probe

By Uriah Kiser

A man riding his electric bike on Stony Hill Road in Stafford was assaulted by a group of juveniles who also yelled racial slurs at him, according to the Stafford County Sheriff’s Office. The incident happened around 4:50 p.m. on September 23. The case is under investigation.

Also on September 23, a woman reported her vehicle had fresh damage and unexplained mileage after leaving it at One Stop Auto on Richmond Highway. Deputies found suspected drugs and a stray shoe inside the vehicle. The investigation is ongoing.

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Stafford

Howell Branch Celebrates 15 Years of Service

By Press Release

FREDERICKSBURG, Va. – Central Rappahannock Regional Library’s William J. Howell Branch is celebrating 15 years of service on Thursday, October 9. A brief ceremony with refreshments will be held at 4 p.m. The branch is located at 806 Lyons Boulevard in Stafford County. Howell Branch’s anniversary celebration is open to the public and free of charge.

Opened in 2010 as England Run Branch, the library was renamed in 2018 to honor William J. Howell, retired Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates and Stafford County resident. “Over the last 15 years, Howell Branch has become a community hub for inspiration, learning, and connection,” said Executive Director Rebecca Purdy. “The branch has grown and thrived—thanks to the incredible support from Stafford County.”

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