As a Virginia 501(c)(3), the Fredericksburg Free Press has set out with a noble mission: to deliver impartial and nonpartisan digital news coverage to educate and inform the residents of the Fredericksburg region.
Reflecting on the significance of the occasion, Seth Silber, one of the founding members of the board of directors, expressed gratitude for the overwhelming support from the community. Silber, whose familial ties include the ownership of the Fredericksburg Nationals Baseball team, highlighted the communal spirit that drives endeavors like the Free Press, stating, “It’s incredible… when it comes together, and it sees a need, and it wants to do something, it does it.”
With a team of three full-time reporters onboard—Kathy Knotts, Taft Coghill, and Joey LoMonaco—the Free Press boasts a wealth of journalistic experience, with each member contributing to publications such as The Washington Post and the Free Lance-Star and the Wytheville Enterprise in southwest Virginia.
Mitzi Brown, legal services director for Gerlach Law Firm, PLC, played a pivotal role in shepherding the establishment of the online news operation within a relatively short timeframe. Brown, emphasizing the critical need to address the local news void, remarked, “Fredericksburg is a local news desert,” stressing the importance of informing residents before stories gain traction on broader platforms.
Looking to the future, the Fredericksburg Free Press sets its sights on expansion, with ambitions to double its reporting team within a year and potentially quadruple it within two to three years. This growth trajectory underscores the publication’s commitment to providing comprehensive coverage of local affairs.
Central to the Free Press’s ethos is its pledge to uphold journalistic integrity and independence. As stated on its website, the publication aims to deliver news objectively and honestly, free from any undue influence from funding sources or special interests, its website states.
Noteworthy is the Free Press’s origins, which can be traced back to Fredericksburg.Today, an online local news platform previously owned by Chris Muldrow. Muldrow, who now serves on the Free Press’s board of directors, donated the website as the cornerstone of the new venture.
“This is something of the end of a ten-year journey for me,” said Muldrow, highlighting the collaborative effort and the pivotal role of community support in shaping the future of local news coverage in Fredericksburg. “And we kind of planted a little flag in the sand, and the Free Press is sort of becoming what we thought that might be, which is a news operation to cover this community.”
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On June 22, 2024, the Ira Dorsey Scholarship Ball, hosted by Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., Xi Alpha Lambda Chapter, seated in Prince William County, VA, awarded $73,000 in scholarships to 17 students through the chapter’s foundation, the Ira Dorsey Scholarship Endowment Fund. These scholarships will support their college journeys at prestigious universities such as Virginia Tech, Virginia State University, Purdue University, Howard University, Shenandoah University, Old Dominion University, Virginia Commonwealth University, University of Virginia, Cornell University, Spelman College, North Carolina A&T State University, and Norfolk State University. The event highlighted the commitment of the Ira Dorsey Scholarship Endowment Fund to fostering academic excellence and supporting the educational aspirations of young scholars in our community.
FREE Leadership Sessions will be conducted at the George Mason University –Arlington Campus for High School Latinas. The program runs from Monday 7/15 through Friday 7/19 from 10:00AM to 3:00PM EST each day (1-week).
Las sesiones de liderazgo GRATUITAS se llevarán a cabo en el campus de George Mason University – Arlington para latinas de secundaria. El programa se desarrollará desde el lunes 15 de julio hasta el viernes 19 de julio, de 10:00 a.m. a 3:00 p.m. EST cada dĂa (1 semana).
Our goal is to equip students with the fundamentals of self-promotion and guide them in shaping their personal brand for future success. What sets this program apart is its integration of self-awareness activities and mentorship by seasoned professionals.
Sessions begin with a thorough assessment of leadership dynamics on July 15th, participants delve into the intricacies of personal branding and etiquette on July 16th, followed by practical guidance on crafting compelling LinkedIn profiles and resumes on July 17th. July 18th emphasizes the art of storytelling through personal statements, while July 19th culminates in portfolio presentations, allowing participants to showcase their newfound skills. The program concludes on July 20th with a memorable graduation ceremony, celebrating the accomplishments of the ELITE Academy’s graduates and their journey towards leadership excellence.
