Join

The City of Fredericksburg’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Events received four awards at the 71st Annual Conference of the Virginia Recreation and Park Society in Norfolk, Virginia. Over 400 delegates, exhibitors, speakers, and volunteers from across the state attended the event, which highlights excellence in parks and recreation programs.

Out of 140 applications across 16 categories, Fredericksburg was recognized in four areas:

  • Most Creative Marketing Piece for FXBG Park Picks
  • Most Creative Marketing Strategy for Garret the Carrot
  • Best Health and Wellness Initiative for the Farmers Market Sprouts Program, and
  • the Distinguished Private Sector Service Award for the Sunshine Ballpark Foundation.

Parks, Recreation and Events Director Todd Brown expressed pride in his staff’s achievements, saying, “Our team works hard to bring creative programming to the Fredericksburg community and I’m proud of what we are achieving.”  Mayor Kerry Devine said, “The great work that our Parks, Recreation and Events Department provides on an ongoing basis is vital to the health of
community and I encourage everyone to explore the City’s program offerings and outdoor park spaces.”

0 Comments
Stafford Board of Supervisors (June, 2024)

Stafford County’s Board of Supervisors will hold their next meeting on Tuesday, October 1. at 5 p.m. The meeting is streamed live, and the agenda is posted online. To provide the public with more information about the board meetings, we’ve assembled a list of some of the items on the agenda.

On the agenda:

The Board will recognize several awareness campaigns in October:

  • October 6-12 – Fire Prevention Week
  • October 24 – World Polio Day in Stafford County
  • Breast Cancer Awareness Month
  • Domestic Violence Awareness Month
  • Cyber Security Awareness Month

Parks and Recreation

  • A request to increase the rent on the Stafford County Gymnastics Center at 500 Nelms Circle from 2% to 5% for the next term of the lease. The landlord cites increasing insurance costs, higher property values, and recent improvements to the facility in its request for higher rent. This will add $5,310.27 to the FY2025 Operating Budget. The department leases the entire 25,500 square foot building and hosts over 600 children each week for gymnastics and other activities.
  • A request to approve another five-year contract with Stafford Area Soccer Association (Stafford Soccer), which oversees the county’s recreational soccer program and also hosts a travel league. Stafford Soccer pays the county a fee from each player registered.  Over 4,000 players participate in the league each year, and the program uses over 32,000 volunteer hours and over 5,500 paid staff hours.

Treasurer’s Office

  • A request for the county to provide approximately $49,000 towards the renovation of the Treasurer’s office. The full project cost is $299,201; the Treasurer’s DMV Funds will cover the remaining $250,000. The renovations will add ADA-compliant service windows, remove non-ADA features and safety hazards, reconfigure the office space, and add more safety features.

Public Safety

  • A request to approve a $1.33 million contract with BKV Group DC PLLC for the design and construction of a new Fire and Rescue Station 8 in Rock Hill. The current building is outdated and no longer meets the needs of the department or the community. The new 17,000-square-foot facility will replace outdated buildings and improve efficiency by combining fire and rescue services in one location. The station will be a full-service facility providing administrative, living quarters, and operational areas. The funding will come from budgeted Capital Improvement Project (CIP) funds.
  • A request to approve a contract for the design and construction administration services for the Fire and Rescue Station 9 rebuild project in Aquia. The current building is outdated and no longer meets the needs of the department or the community. The new full-service station will be approximately 20,000 square feet, providing administrative offices, living quarters, and operational areas for up to 15 personnel. The $1.12 million project is funded through budgeted CIP funds.

Human Resources

  • Proposed updates to Stafford County’s Salary Administration Policy include bonuses, pay increases, and other incentives to enhance recruitment and retention efforts. A public hearing will be held for certain bonus-related policies, while other changes can be implemented upon approval. The plan includes bonuses rewarding tenure and for completing related or necessary licensing and certifications.

Planning and Zoning

  • Proposed regulations for tree canopy to promote tree preservation during the development process. These regulations aim to enhance environmental benefits while allowing for flexibility and exceptions in development plans, guided by state code provisions. The regulations would outline minimum canopy coverage requirements for various zoning types, promote tree preservation, and provide guidelines for calculating canopy coverage while allowing for reasonable exceptions.
0 Comments

This October, Olde Virginia Gourmet, a family-run shop in Stafford, marks 20 years of offering gourmet products and gifts to the community. What began as a home-based gift basket business, run by owners Annabelle and Sean Tarallo, has developed into a local store focused on Virginia-made goods.

The celebration will be Oct. 5, from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m., when they'll host a free event with Gabriele and Tim Rausse, of Gabriele Rausse Winery. In addition to a wine sampling, the store will offer a sampling of other gourmet food products and a raffle of give-aways, coupons, and gift certificates.

This article is FREE to read. Please Sign In or Create a FREE Account. Thank you.

0 Comments
A truck full of pumpkins sits below skeletons climbing above Irish Eyes.
RappArts is hosting a pop-up art competition for 5th through 8th graders. Art turned in by 1 p.m. Saturday will be featured in an art gallery at next week’s First Friday; prizes will be awarded.
Fillagreen, Fredericksburg’s new refill station has opened.
The Rappahannock River sits a few inches below the dock at Riverfront Park. The stairs are closed by caution tape due to mud covering the steps.

What did you do around town this weekend?

Share your photos or comments on our social media!

0 Comments
Ferry Farm

Ferry Farm, the historical boyhood home of George Washington, will host a Deaf and Hard of Hearing Community Day on Oct. 6. Visitors will be provided with American Sign Language (ASL) tour guides at 1 p.m. and 2:30 p.m.  Tours begin at the back porch of the Washington house, a five-minute walk from the Visitor Center, and pre-registration is encouraged. Each session is limited to 10 guests.

The event began around 10 years ago as part of Virginia Archaeology Month in October.  In 2018, the focus of the tours shifted to the Washington House, and in Spring of 2023, the program was added to Historic Kenmore as well. Allison Ellis, the George Washington Foundation’s Manager of Public Programs, said in addition to programs at Ferry Farm and Historic Kenmore, they are adding a new archaeology-focused Deaf and Hard of Hearing Community Day where guests will be able to speak with Ferry Farm archaeologists at the lab and at the dig site with an ASL interpreter.

Ellis said, “These events are on our calendar every year, so anyone who wants to come visit either of our sites and learn more about the history of the region can do just that with confidence.  We host these events as part of our mission to make history accessible for all.” She also noted the first floor of the reconstruction of the Washington House is wheelchair accessible, as are the Ferry Farm and Historic Kenmore Visitor Centers.

Ferry Farm offers guided tours of the Washington House replica that explore the lives of George Washington, his mother Mary, other Washington family members, and the enslaved community who lived there. The tour highlights the hardships these individuals faced after the death of George’s father, Augustine Washington. Visitors begin at the Visitor Center, where they can purchase tickets and explore The Science of History at Ferry Farm. This exhibit showcases colonial and Civil War artifacts excavated at Ferry Farm and offers a view into the Archaeology Lab, where experts study thousands of artifacts.

A new mini-exhibit displays artifacts related to the presence and use of horses, focusing on the safety of both horses and riders. Visitors can view the grounds before and after their guided tours.

0 Comments

We continue our survey series with our fifth question to our candidates. To help voters in Virginia’s 7th District and state-wide make an informed decision, we continue a feature series offering insights into each candidate’s stand on critical issues affecting our area.

Candidates are emailed a question and asked to reply by a deadline. This format lets voters quickly compare the candidates’ views on critical issues, helping them make an informed choice come election day.

Early voting began Sept. 20. Senator Tim Kaine and Hung Cao are running for the District 10 seat in the U.S. Senate. Derrick Anderson and Eugene Vindman are running for the District 7 seat in the House of Representatives.

We asked our candidates the following question:

Our state has a significant veteran population. What specific policies will you advocate for to improve healthcare, employment opportunities, and support services for veterans and their families?

 

Tim Kaine

Kaine responded:

No state is more closely connected to the military than Virginia. As the father of a Marine, I know firsthand that military families, veterans, and service members face unique challenges and need leaders who understand them. That’s why I’ve made it a top priority in the Senate to support veterans, servicemembers, and their families.
In 2022, I helped pass the PACT Act, which expanded health care and benefits through the VA to toxic-exposed veterans and marked the largest expansion of VA health care in nearly 30 years. I have also passed legislation to ease servicemembers’ transition into the civilian workforce by helping them use the skills they developed in the military to obtain a workforce credential to help them get a good job, and help remove barriers to maternal and postpartum mental health care in the military. Last month, I cosponsored legislation to help end homelessness among veterans by guaranteeing access to a housing voucher for all veterans who need it and protecting veteran families using a voucher from facing housing discrimination.
Additionally, I worked to pass the Brandon Act to provide servicemembers with key mental health support by empowering them to get the help they need confidentially. The legislation was named in honor of Brandon Caserta, who died by suicide in 2018 while he was stationed at Naval Station Norfolk. I continue to relentlessly advocate for DOD to fully implement this law.
Hung Cao

Cao responded:

Veterans’ issues will always be near and dear to my heart as a twenty-five year Navy combat veteran who served in Iraq, Afghanistan and Somalia. Our servicemembers and veterans deserve to have access to appropriate and timely healthcare, and mental health services. The idea that we are feeding and clothing illegal aliens while 80,000 of our veterans are homeless on the streets makes my blood boil. Our men and women in uniform deserve to have a Commander-in-Chief and Congress which supports their efforts across the globe. We continue to fight a proxy war in Ukraine without robust debate about the financial burden or national security implications to our country. Americans deserve to know from the Administration the desired end-state. Our military must have the resources it needs to face growing instability around the world. Right now, we face abysmal recruiting numbers and deficits in overall readiness. This is a leadership problem first and foremost and our active duty servicemembers deserve better. Make no mistake, as your United States Senator, I will work to ensure our veterans receive the resources and support that they deserve.

We asked our House of Representatives candidates this question:

How do you plan to reach out to and engage with voters from across the political spectrum, and what would you do to ensure that your representation reflects the diverse perspectives and needs of all citizens in our district?

Derrick Anderson

Anderson responded:

Freedom isn’t free, and our veterans have earned the support and respect of a grateful nation. There are significant number of veterans, military families, Gold Star families, and military installations in the district. I want our veterans to get the best possible care and benefits. I want to serve on the Veteran’s Affairs Committee because that will be the best place to advocate for my fellow veterans. I use VA health care and will always fight to make it better.

 

Eugene Vindman

Vindman responded:

As a 25-year veteran of the U.S. Army, and the husband of a current U.S. Army Reservist, I don’t just appreciate the unique needs of our veteran population—I’ve lived them. The servicemen and women who’ve dedicated their lives to protecting our country and our freedoms deserve leaders who are focused on following through on the solemn duty to our veterans, not just using them as props for their political gains. In Congress, I will:

First, I will protect the existing, hard-earned benefits of veterans from attacks from MAGA extremists. The Project 2025 blueprint for a MAGA-controlled federal government has proposed slashing funding for veterans’ healthcare and housing programs, and cutting dual compensation benefits for disabled vets. It also has proposed replacing the career civil servants at the VA—men and women who have decades of experience—with partisan actors who don’t know the first thing about delivering for our veterans. If elected, I will fight tooth and nail to stop this extreme agenda and ensure that there are no cuts to existing programs to support our veteran community.

Second, I will build on recent bipartisan progress, such as the landmark PACT Act that veterans have fought for decades to make a reality. The PACT Act has meant that millions of veterans previously denied care can now access their hard-earned benefits without having to fight tooth and nail to prove their eligibility. In Congress, I will work to both ensure this legislation is effectively implemented by the VA and build on it so we can ensure that no veteran’s legitimate claims are doubted or turned away when they go to seek vital medical benefits.

Last, if I am elected, I will fight to secure the necessary resources to provide holistic support to our veterans. From guaranteeing funding for job training and placement support, to providing funding for home ownership to end the crisis of veteran homelessness, expanding physical and mental health support, and promoting increased qualified professional staffing at VA hospitals and outpatient centers. As your Congressman, I will ensure our veterans are supported and cared for across Virginia, and the country. I also know that more funding alone is not enough to solve these problems. In Congress, I will demand increased oversight so that problems are addressed and not simply swept under the rug.

Serving for 25 years in the Army was the honor of my life, and I can think of no mission more important than ensuring our nation upholds the solemn responsibility we have to our veterans. My brothers and sisters in uniform had my back for 25 years, you can bet your bottom dollar that I will have theirs.

0 Comments
Hundreds of players and family filled Willowmere Park’s soccer fields. Stafford Parks & Recreation partners with Stafford Soccer.

 

Governor Glenn Youngkin, Sentator Tara Durant, District 10 Candidate Hung Cao, Lt. Governor Winsome Sears and District 7 Candidate Derrick Anderson at a rally in Stafford.

 

The Fredericksburg Area Service League hosted its 7th Annual Rock Lobster Shake and Bake fundraiser at High Mark Brewery, with local band Radar Theory playing. (Photo | Callie Ortiz)

 

What did you do around town this weekend?

Share your photos or comments on our social media!

0 Comments

A new craft brewery with a distinct German flair, Laudenbach Brewing, will bring a unique mix of classic German beers and modern craft favorites to Stafford this fall. Founder Zack Guy's vision is to create a warm, friendly atmosphere that mimics a Bavarian courtyard and offers a diverse selection of beers that cater to all tastes. The brewery is located at 45 Centreport Parkway.

“The goal is to create a quaint taproom with a sense of comradery. We want our customers to leave wanting to come back,” he explained.

This article is FREE to read. Please Sign In or Create a FREE Account. Thank you.

0 Comments

All four candidates answered our fourth week of candidate survey questions. To help voters in Virginia’s 7th and 10th Congressional Districts make an informed decision, we continue a feature series offering insights into each candidate’s stand on critical issues affecting our area.

Candidates are emailed a question and asked to reply by a deadline. This format lets voters quickly compare the candidates’ views on critical issues, helping them make an informed choice come election day.

Early voting in Virginia begins Sept. 20. Senator Tim Kaine and Hung Cao are running to represent Virginia in the U.S. Senate. Derrick Anderson and Eugene Vindman are running for the District 7 seat in the House of Representatives.

We asked Senate candidates the following question:

Given the current climate of political division, what specific initiatives would you propose to foster bipartisan cooperation in the Senate and work toward policies that benefit all Virginians, regardless of political affiliation?

 

Tim Kaine

Kaine responded:

For my entire career, I’ve rolled my sleeves up and worked across the aisle to do what’s best for Virginia. Whether it be working with a Republican-controlled legislature to increase Pre-K enrollment when I was Governor, working with the Trump administration to strengthen our Navy and bolster Virginia’s shipbuilding industry, working with Republican Leader Mitch McConnell to save lives by raising the federal age for purchasing tobacco products from 18 to 21, or working with the Biden administration and Senators from both parties to rebuild our infrastructure and bring good-paying jobs to Virginia — I am willing to partner with anyone if it means delivering for Virginians. We need more leaders in elected office who work together to pursue common-sense solutions.
Hung Cao

Cao responded:

When I was in the Navy, I wasn’t thinking about Republicans or Democrats. I was defending the freedoms of all Americans. I will do the same in the United States Senate. For far too long, Washington DC has been broken. Our elected representatives don’t get things done on behalf of the people who sent them there, and they stay far too long on our dime. I’ll work with anyone in Congress, regardless of party, if they share our goals of securing the border, lowering prices, and preserving the freedom of Virginians to live as they choose.

We asked our House of Representatives candidates this question:

How do you plan to reach out to and engage with voters from across the political spectrum, and what would you do to ensure that your representation reflects the diverse perspectives and needs of all citizens in our district?

Derrick Anderson

Anderson responded:

I strongly believe that country comes before political party. During my time as a Green Beret, no one cared about political affiliation, and I’ll take that same approach to representing you in Congress. In contrast, my opponent is a down-the-line partisan. That’s one reason why he won’t debate me on TV – his positions are mired in the failures of the past, while I’ll work with anyone to improve the future of people in my home district. For example: I’ll work to get costs down; he’ll continue the same inflationary spending policies. High gas and grocery prices affect everyone regardless of political affiliation or beliefs, so that’s what I’m focused on. I will meet with anyone and talk about any issues in any setting. That’s how I campaign and that’s how I’ll operate in Congress, because I am there to serve the entire 7th district, no matter what party affiliation.

Eugene Vindman

Vindman responded:

In my 25 years in the Army, I worked with folks of every race, religion, class, and educational level. In every instance, there was far more that we had in common than what made us different. As a paratrooper it never mattered if the soldier standing next to me on a jump was a Democrat or Republican, we saw the mission through. Labels just get in the way.

I’ve brought this same mission-first focus to my campaign for Congress, and every day out on the trail reaffirms to me that there will always be more that unites us than what divides us. I’m willing to work with anyone that will help move our community forward.

On this campaign, I have gone everywhere. I’ve joined Sunday services in one-room churches in rural Spotsylvania, toured immigrant-owned grocery stores in Prince William, knocked on doors in the Piedmont, attended NASCAR races in Spotsy and rodeos in Culpeper, chatted with folks at Black barber shops, and visited family farms. At every event I attend or voter I meet with, I listen more than talk. Frankly, that’s where I get some great ideas, from regular folks.

In Congress, I pledge to be a fighter for every person who calls our community their home, not just those who voted for me. I will work across the aisle to protect our freedoms, lower costs, and make it easier for middle-class families to thrive. I will keep visiting every corner of this district, holding accessible town halls, and making sure my office is working to deliver for Virginians.

This is my home. My wife and I are raising our two kids in public schools here. I’ll never stop fighting for our community.

0 Comments
Ă—

Subscribe to our mailing list