STAFFORD -- The Stafford County School Board is considering new revisions to its existing nondiscrimination policy that are raising unanswered questions.Â
One of the biggest proposed changes is the inclusion of protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity; however, many questions still remain as to how these anti-discrimination protections will be carried out by the county and how the policy will affect students and teachers directly.
The proposed additions come nearly nine months after an incident last October in which a transgender student was denied access into either locker room during an active shooter safety drill.Â
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STAFFORD COUNTY -- The Patawomeck Indian Tribe hasn’t had a permanent home for 300 years, but the Stafford Board of Supervisors voted 7-0 in favor of leasing a portion of a county-owned property at Duff Green Park to the tribe.
It is a 10-year lease and can be renewed up to four additional times.
The property will be used as an Educational Museum and Cultural Village with the purpose of educating the public on tribal history, displaying artifacts, and using interactive displays to show the tribe’s way of life.
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STAFFORD -- Beehives could become common in Stafford County’s suburban neighborhoods.
The Stafford County Board of Supervisors voted 7-0 to refer to the planning commission the consideration and review of an ordinance outlining changes to the planning and zoning of apiaries.
This comes after two Board members have received letters from beekeeping enthusiasts requesting apiaries to be allowed in residential neighborhoods.
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STAFFORD -- The Stafford Board of Supervisors has decided to move forward with plans of a bond referendum in order to help fund transportation projects. Developing a funding plan for transportation is listed as one of Stafford’s 2040 strategic priorities.
County officials say 10 major road construction projects are desperately needed after they reviewed the results of a year-long Comprehensive Road Study. Together the 10 projects cost $180 million based on preliminary estimates.
At a Transportation Work Session on June 4, the Board was presented with two options for the bond as not all ten projects can be funded with the bond.
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STAFFORD -- Plastic straws are now banned in Stafford County Public Schools.
Conway Elementary School fourth-grade student Lily Tipling pushed for change and convinced the School Board to ban plastic straws at all Stafford County Public Schools. The ban went into place on Tuesday, May 6.
“While plastic straws are only a small fraction of the plastic we discard, they are detrimental to our environment,” said Lily at the School Board meeting on March 26.
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STAFFORD -- Embrey Mill of Newland Communities, a planned community located on 819 acres off of Courthouse Road, is undergoing its second phase of construction. The plan calls for 300 additional lots, and estimates that housing will accommodate 900 families.
It will be completed next summer.
The new development comes just as the new Amazon Headquarters in Arlington County is projected to create 50,000 new jobs according to a report published by Stephen Fuller, Ph.D. at George Mason University.
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NORTH STAFFORD -- Olde Virginia Gourmet has hit a small-business milestone and is now in its fifteenth year in business.
Beginning as an out-of-the-home gift basket business called All Wrapped Up, it has evolved over the years to become known as   “Stafford’s hometown country store.”.
Owners Annabelle and Sean Tarallo both bring unique talents and skills to the shop. Annabelle works more on the creative side of operations with gift baskets and outsourcing while Sean is the wine consultant and focuses on advertising and accounting.
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STAFFORD -- School officials are ready to make their funding case to the Stafford Board of Supervisors.
This year, the Stafford School Board has unanimously voted to allow Superintendent Scott Kizner to present his proposed 2019-20 budget for Stafford County Public Schools 2019-2020 to the Board of Supervisors, which is responsible, in part, for funding it.
Included in the $308 million budget is an $18 million, a 6.4 percent increase in funding.
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STAFFORD COUNTY -- Behind the doors of a conference room in Howell Library, formerly England Run, Moms Demand Action held a panel discussion on gun violence.
Fourteen people attended and voiced their insights and concerns regarding gun violence in the community. There were three panelists at the event: “community mom” Eunice Haigler, Captain Lee Peters from the Sheriff Office, and Joshua Cole, assistant pastor and local NAACP chapter president for Stafford County.
The panel opened with a discussion on the perception and assumptions involved with “black crime.”
