Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) will host an open meeting to discuss plans for Route 17 Business and Olde Forge Drive. The public hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the VDOT Fredericksburg District Auditorium at 86 Deacon Road. An inclement weather date is set for Aug. 13.
This project goal is to reduce congestion by improving Route 17 Business (Warrenton Road) at the intersections of Olde Forge Drive (Route 1580) and RV Parkway (Route 698).
Stafford County’s Special Investigations Unit has charged two individuals in connection to an investigation into the distribution of fentanyl in the Warrenton Road area.
The Stafford County Board of Supervisors has announced Bill Ashton as the new County Administrator following a national search. Ashton has served as the Town Manager of Herndon, Virginia, since 2017, and will begin his new role on September 16, 2024, taking over from interim County Administrator Craig Meadows.
Meg Bohmke, Chairman of the Board of Supervisors, emphasized the importance of the selection, saying, “The selection of a County Administrator is vital for the Board to ensure the continued delivery of effective government services and the Board’s priorities of keeping Stafford a safe community with a strong educational system while balancing our growing needs.” She highlighted Ashton’s educational background, professional experience, and accomplishments as aligning with the community’s vision.
On June 25, Stafford County hosted a groundbreaking for NorthPoint Development’s new Austin Ridge Logistics Center. The ceremony at 2125 Austin Ridge Drive featured speakers Meg Bohmke, Chairwoman of the Stafford Board of Supervisors, and Ryan Marshall, Development Manager at NorthPoint Development.
The Austin Ridge Logistics Center will include five to seven buildings, totaling 2,078,015 square feet. Positioned along Interstate 95, the development will accommodate large-scale users, including last-mile logistics facilities, regional distribution warehouses, and data centers. This project aims to provide business and economic opportunities for Stafford County.
The University of Mary Washington’s Continuing & Professional Studies Department’s Business Acumen Series has three more events this year. This series of one-day seminars aims to build leadership and business skills in the Fredericksburg region. The series focuses on Dynamic Leadership under the theme “Dynamic Mind for Dynamic Times: Agile Leadership in the Age of Change.”
The Stafford Economic Development Authority has invested in 50 seats for the series to support the Stafford business community with educational resources. Each seminar is valued at $275. A limited number of seats are available at no cost to Stafford businesses. Interested parties are encouraged to apply for this opportunity.
Stafford County Public Schools: Stafford County Public Schools is again partnering with Giant Food on a program to help support children facing food insecurity. From July 1 through August 1, 2024, Giant Food patrons may choose to “ROUND UP AT THE REGISTER” at the end of their grocery purchase.
Donations made during this period support school food programs. Patrons may also donate through Giant Delivers, Giant Pickup, and through FLEX points that are converted to grocery dollars.
Stafford County Animal Shelter has once again reached capacity and is pleading for adoptions and fosters.
In the month of June, the shelter has “had a record 32 dogs surrendered to our shelter in just 20 days,” according to their Facebook page. In addition to the surrenders, the shelter has had 23 stray dogs, with only 18 being reunited with their owners so far. They posted “57 dogs [are] currently in our care – 41 of them are available for adoption. This situation is unprecedented and simply not maintainable. Despite reaching out to our community countless times in the past few months, we find ourselves in an even worse situation each time we catch a glimpse of relief and the fact is, we are now at a breaking point.”
Stafford County won three National Association of Counties (NACo) 2024 Achievement Awards. The NACo Awards recognize outstanding government programs and services. Stafford won two awards in the Human Services category and one in the Civic Education and Public Information category.
“Having our efforts recognized by NACo is high praise indeed,” said Stafford County Board of Supervisors Chairman Meg Bohmke. “We work daily to achieve excellence on behalf of our residents, but it is certainly nice to have our peers validate our work.”
Allie Medina, a junior at Colonial Forge High School, has been selected to represent Stafford as a National Youth Correspondent to the 2024 Washington Journalism and Media Conference at George Mason University.
“I was so excited and really surprised,” said Medina. “I love journalism, so I’m excited to get the chance to make connections and improve my writing.”
