“Stafford County is dedicated to protecting our natural resources and promoting sustainability,” Tour Stafford Virginia announced. “We look forward to welcoming you to Stafford and sharing our commitment to preserving the natural beauty and historical significance of our county.”
“Eco-tourism is more than just a trend; it’s a way of traveling that ensures the places we love will be around for years to come.”
Virginia voters narrowly approved a constitutional amendment on April 21, 2026, allowing the General Assembly to redraw the state’s congressional districts mid-decade. Unofficial results from the Virginia Department of Elections show the “Yes” vote received 1,574,505 votes (51.45%) to 1,485,657 “No” votes (48.55%) — a margin of roughly 88,848 votes, or about 2.9 percentage points.
The measure now faces significant legal uncertainty. Multiple challenges — primarily originating in Tazewell County Circuit Court — are pending before the Supreme Court of Virginia. These cases argue that the General Assembly violated procedural rules, the single-subject requirement for constitutional amendments, and that the ballot language was materially misleading about the proposal’s scope and duration.
Planned Parenthood of Metropolitan Washington, DC (PPMW) will host its 2026 Impact Gala on Saturday, April 25, 2026, from 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., dinner, dancing and impactful programming, at the beautiful Waldorf Astoria downtown Washington, DC. The annual event will bring together a stylish crowd of advocates, community leaders, and supporters to raise critical funds for the organization’s “Fight Forward” campaign, which supports access to reproductive health care, education, and advocacy across the region. Along with live music, diner and programming, special guest appearances include actress and activist Sophia Bush, professional soccer champion Ashlyn Harris, and other special invited guests. Join us for a fabulous evening for an important cause.
The Stafford County Board of Supervisors received a detailed data center revenue forecast at its regular meeting on April 21, 2026, showing potential net gains of tens of millions of dollars annually by the mid-2030s, while highlighting near-term uncertainties and board concerns about Amazon Web Services (AWS) incentives.
Chief Financial Officer Andrea Light presented the PFM model, which covers only the five approved campuses: Stafford Technology Campus on Eskimo Hill/Route 1, Old Potomac Church near the hospital, Centerport Gateway, Vantage, and Crane’s Corner. Developers have proposed 31 buildings totaling 8.7 million square feet across the sites. The baseline scenario assumes 20 buildings constructed over the 10-year horizon.
The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) has confirmed two new measles cases, with potential exposures reported at Grafton Village Elementary School in Stafford County and KidMed Stafford Urgent Care.
The patients are a pre-school age child and a school-age child who recently traveled together domestically. Health officials are working to identify and notify people who might have been exposed.
Firefighters in Northern Virginia remained busy on Monday, April 20, 2026, responding to two structure fires in Prince William and Stafford counties as the region continues to grapple with drought-like conditions and elevated fire risk.
The first incident occurred in Woodbridge earlier that afternoon. Units were dispatched to the Meridian Bay Apartments in the 2900 block of Fox Lair Drive for a reported two-alarm apartment fire. Crews arrived to find heavy fire and smoke showing from a three-story garden-style apartment building, with residents still inside.
Polls opened across Virginia at 6 a.m. Tuesday for a special statewide election on a proposed constitutional amendment that would allow the Democratic-controlled General Assembly to temporarily redraw the state’s congressional districts ahead of the 2026 midterms. The measure, framed by supporters as a way to “restore fairness,” has ignited fierce debate over gerrymandering, voter representation, and the influence of out-of-state money in a battle that could reshape Virginia’s 11-member congressional delegation.
According to the Virginia Department of Elections, polls remain open until 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 21, with anyone in line at closing allowed to vote. Early in-person voting ran from March 6 through April 18, and absentee ballots requested by mail had a deadline of April 10. Results are expected later Tuesday night. The only item on the ballot is the constitutional amendment.
The City of Fredericksburg celebrated the University of Mary Washington’s national basketball championship with a drive-thru parade through downtown on Saturday, complete with blue and white balloons, smiling basketball players, and streets lined with enthusiastic onlookers.
At the first corner where the trolley full of players turned onto Princess Anne Street, Chloe Paino was waiting to greet them. Paino’s father is Troy Paino, president of UMW, and she wore a UMW sweatshirt.
