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Fredericksburg’s Iconic Purina Tower Makeover Begins, Swapping Red for Blue in Historic Restoration

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For the last few months, speculation and arguments have been flying around the Fredericksburg Purina Tower like a magnet for opinions about this local landmark. On May 20, a cherry picker crane hoisted up some paint professionals to put a stop to all the talk.

All the areas that used to be red will now be blue, and the blue areas will be red.

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New Business Remains a Mystery Despite an Active Rumor Mill

Construction on an existing building is moving slowly along Lafayette Boulevard in Fredericksburg, and everything about it is a mystery.

On the front window of this gray building, there are several city permits, dating from the original permit from July 2022 to more recent electrical, mechanical, and plumbing permits, showing that something is going on.

The rumor is that a new “Carbonaro’s Latin Kitchen” is coming, but none of the permits actually say “Carbonaro’s Latin Kitchen.”

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UMW’s Small Business Development Center helps local businesses grow and expand

UMW's Small Business Development Center has worked with Olde Towne Butcher

Making it as a small business today can be difficult, but small business leaders in the Fredericksburg area can look to the University of Mary Washington’s Small Business Development Center (SBDC) for lessons on succeeding. The center guides future entrepreneurs in pursuit of economic growth through education, consulting, connecting, and supportive research.

“A lot of people want to be their own boss,” said Susan Ball, the Director of the SBDC. She sees this as the number one reason people want to own a small business, followed by the opportunity to make more money and the feeling that they can do it better.

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New Digs and Drinks for New ‘Always Flavored’ Location in Fredericksburg

Always Flavored is moving into 610 Caroline Street

The commercial space at 610 Caroline Street is starting to show life, beginning with a new neon “Bistro,” sign in the front window. In early May, the new tenant “Always Flavored,” will complete their move from the current location on Princess Anne Street, giving the Fredericksburg dining crowd another option but this time adding beer and wine.

“We’re super excited,” said Rita Witte, the owner who has been at Princess Ann for the past 18 months. She’ll keep the same menu to start, the same green motif for the interior, and the overall feeling will be the same. At Always Flavored, the goal is simple: to bring people together through delicious food.

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Purina Tower and Dog Chow linked by a grain of truth; Makeover ahead

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The checkerboard tower next to the train station in downtown Fredericksburg is getting a makeover that will say less “Purina,” and more “upgrade,” as officials go with a blue checkerboard pattern and “Welcome to Fredericksburg.”

The red checkerboard pattern looked like the logo on the Purina dog food containers, and people around town always thought that was where the dog food was made. But is this true? Was it full of Purina Dog Food that emptied into Purina trucks that went all over the country, serving up dog food to hungry canines?

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Goolrick’s Pharmacy: Restoring history, refreshing tradition for the next 100 years

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In 1892, K.N. Goolrick opened the Goolrick pharmacy on Caroline Street in Fredericksburg, specializing in things people wanted, like milkshakes and medicine.

Fast forward 132 years, and the pharmacy is still there, but the windows are whitewashed because this iconic landmark is getting a major renovation as it adapts to the times. And soda fountain fans need not worry; the historic soda fountain behind the café bar will be a focus of the new pharmacy.

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Planners show several options for new Rappahannock Crossing

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At Fredericksburg, three bridges cross the Rappahannock River to keep traffic flowing at Interstate 95 and points east. West of I-95, the closest bridge is over 40 miles away, increasing congestion and stress for many drivers.

This fueled much discussion at the “Rappahannock River Crossing Parkway Alternatives Study,” a Fredericksburg Area Metropolitan Planning Organization meeting.

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Hope for area rivers flows from Fredericksburg film festival

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Fredericksburg and the Rappahannock River have a rich history, and this bond was prominent at the recent Wild & Scenic Film Festival at the University of Mary Washington. River enthusiasts and filmmakers highlighted the positive effects that rivers bring to an area.

Ten films were selected to show the needs of various rivers, and each approached an environmental theme or message. Amongst the first films viewed, a theme surrounded the idea that the well-being of a fish upstream could predict the well-being of other fish hundreds of miles away downstream. The brook trout and the striped bass were used as one example. “As those fish go, so go our stripers down in Kent Island,” said a Maryland fisherman in a film called “A Journey Upstream.” Water quality is an issue here, too. “The biggest threat to the Chesapeake Bay is water quality,” said one of the narrators.

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Crews work to finish transportation fixes ahead of Fredericksburg Veterans Affairs Clinic opening

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As the Veterans Affairs Clinic enters the final year of construction, there are several transportation improvements north of Exit 126 in Fredericksburg to improve access to this needed facility for area veterans.

This May, the ribbon will be cut on one of those improvements: the Route 17 bridge over Interstate 95 at Mills Drive, just south of the clinic. The $23.5 million project includes a four-lane bridge with pedestrian accommodations. The old bridge was "structurally deficient," VDOT said.

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