Stafford, Va. — When the power went out Saturday night at his home, Michael Campbell knew he had to go somewhere.
He lives on a back road in Stafford County in a wooded area with large trees. Add Hurricane Irene with wind gusts reaching up to 51 mph and soaking rains saturating the ground making the trees more likely to fall, Campbell decided to come to an emergency shelter at Brooke Point High School.
Woodbridge, Va. — The place for some boaters to ride out Hurricane Irene was on the dock at Hampton’s Landing Marina.
It was here at 7 p.m. at least two boaters decided to batten down the hatches, tie up their boats to the dock, and wait out the storm – while having a few drinks.
Woodbridge, Va. — A tractor trailer crashed into a telephone pole on U.S. 1 near Dumfries about 8:40 p.m. Friday, causing a large fuel spill on the highway.
Fire and rescue crews from Dumfries Triangle Volunteer Fire Department, as well as a HAZMAT crew, were called to the crash near the area of U.S. 1 and Powell’s Creek Boulevard following the crash.
In addition to the declaration, a special phone line has been set up for residents who have non-emergency questions about the storm and its impacts on the area. Residents can call 540-659-5362 to reach operators on the special line.
Woodbridge, Va. — With what is predicted to be a violent storm on the way, Virginia State Parks announced they will be closing several state parks by this afternoon.
Dumfries, Va. — The Dumfries Town Council discussed reasons why the town’s requirement that “massage technicians” pay an annual $1,000 fee should be eliminated at their most recent meeting.
Kimberly Blanton, a Dumfries resident and massage therapist, originally brought the issue to Councilwoman Michele D. Jurgensen. Blanton spoke to the council during the work session saying that the $1,000 fee is too much for her to have to fork over after all that she has done to get licensed and certified. She told the council that, since this fee would have to be paid for each massage therapist every year, she would never be able to grow her business, at least not in Dumfries.
Occoquan, Va. –– Occoquan is bracing for the effects of flooding caused by Hurricane Irene
The area along Mill Street, the town’s main thoroughfare, is prone to flooding during storms.
Update 8:30 p.m.
Dominion now reports 157 outages in Stafford County.
Update:
Germanna Community College announced Thursday the college will return to class Tuesday, Sept. 6, following the 5.8 magnitude earthquake that rocked the East Coast on Tuesday.
Nursing and dental hygiene students will resume classes Friday, Aug. 30, according to college spokeswoman Barbara Taylor.
Woodbridge, Va. — Prince William officials plan to honor the 22 residents from the county who died on Sept. 11, 2001.
Nineteen of them were killed in a terrorist attack the Pentagon in Arlington and three at the World Trade Center in New York City.
