The Virginia Department of Health’s Office of Drinking Water and the Rapidan Service Authority issued a continued “Do Not Use Water Advisory” for the Wilderness Water Treatment Plant. The advisory, first implemented on August 21, is still in effect following reports of an unknown odor in the drinking water.

Despite extensive testing and sampling by a VELAP-certified private lab, the cause of the odor has not been identified, and no harmful contaminants have been detected. The odor is noted to be dissipating, but the advisory will remain until it is sufficiently reduced or eliminated. The Rapidan Service Authority is actively working to address and mitigate the odor.


A 225-year-old family-run farm in Spotsylvania will open a winery. 

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Route 636 (Hood Drive) in Spotsylvania County will reopen to two-way traffic on the morning of Friday, July 19. The reopening will allow southbound traffic to travel from Route 208 (Courthouse Road) to Route 1. Westbound Courthouse Road traffic can turn left onto southbound Hood Drive or make a U-turn to eastbound Courthouse Road.

Hood Drive had been limited to northbound traffic only since July 2023 for construction. Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) says two road improvement projects are nearly complete, with full completion expected by August 2024. The projects involved adding new turn lanes, a raised median, sidewalks, and pedestrian crossing equipment. Hood Drive sees about 11,000 vehicles daily.


On June 30, at 3:16 a.m., deputies were dispatched to Spotswood Drive for a domestic disturbance involving a firearm.

On arrival, deputies saw a man pointing a gun at a woman. A deputy fired his gun and struck the man.