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Tuesday will be sunny and cool with a strong breeze turning into the occasional gust of wind.

Tuesday
Sunny, with a high near 61. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph.

Tuesday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 38. Light and variable wind.

Wednesday
Sunny, with a high near 65. Light south wind increasing to 5 to 9 mph in the morning.

Wednesday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 43.

Thursday
Sunny, with a high near 68.

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Stafford County’s ordinance on cemeteries has been repealed.

The move comes as the county is being sued by federal authorities after the county amended its cemetery ordinance after a Muslim association purchased a property in North Stafford to use as a cemetery.

The Stafford County Board of Supervisors held an evening joint public hearing on October 29 with the County’s Planning Commission to address repealing county ordinances concerning cemeteries.

The repeal was passed by the Planning Commission and by a four to three vote from the board. Before the vote, a handful of residents advised the board to not repeal the ordinance for fear of contamination of local sources of water.

One resident, Katie Schnider of the George Washington District was concerned about the effect this would have on private wells and advocated that private wells should have more or as much protection as public wells regardless of how the vote was going to proceed.

The County has been embroiled in a lawsuit with the All Muslim Association of America over ordinances that stymied the building of a new cemetery on Garrisonville Road, across from the home of Rock Hill District Supervisor Crystal Vanuch.

In June 2015, three years before Vanuch was elected to the Board of Supervisors, and while she was still serving on the county’s Planning Commission, the association had purchased 29 acres of land for its new cemetery.

The following year, the county changed it’s dictating how far away a cemetery can be located from homes, as some are concerned chemicals from corpses could leach into the groundwater. The new ordinance required cemeteries to be set back at least 900 feet from homes, making it the strictest setback rule in the state, requiring 800 more feet than the minimum state requirement.

The new rules quashed the Muslim’s association’s plans for a cemetery, as the new rules would have greatly limited the number of bodies that could have been buried on the property.

The association filed a lawsuit against the county and was later joined by the U.S. Department of Justice who says that the county violated the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act which is a law that protects religious institutions from discriminatory land-use regulations.

In August 2020, the Board changed the ordinance for cemeteries which moved the setbacks from 900 feet to 656 feet. This did not satisfy the association or the Department of Justice, which stated that only a return to the previous setback requirement of 100 feet would alleviate the ongoing situation.

Another resident, a Real Estate agent from the Aquia District named Jim Frye, opposed the repeal of the ordinance claiming that the absorption ability of the land is very poor and water would drain into nearby ditches which would eventually be carried into Smith Lake.

Frye also expressed his opinion on the lawsuit claiming that he believed that the lawsuit may not be legal and to let a judge make the decision on the case.

Now that the ordinance has been repealed, the county will rely on ordinances set by Virginia State Law which includes the 100 feet setback rule.

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In September, the Virginia Department of Transportation launched a campaign aimed at raising awareness about Virginia’s litter problem.

This campaign, entitled “Virginia is for Lovers, not Litter” encourages Virginians to commit to the No Love for Litter pledge to each do their part to keep Virginia litter free.

“This campaign is yet another important step in Virginia’s transportation sector to promote environmental stewardship,” said Secretary of Transportation Shannon Valentine. “Through Virginia is for Lovers, Not Litter, we are emphasizing the responsibility each of us has to respect and protect the public spaces we share.”

Virginia Litter Facts

  • Nearly 3.5 million taxpayer dollars are spent each year to clean up litter on Virginia’s roadways
  • More than half of roadway litter comes from motorists and another 25% is from pedestrians
  • Significant roadway litter comes from vehicles with improperly covered loads
  • Nearly three-fourths of litter comes from people consciously choosing to litter on Virginia’s roads

“VDOT and our partners across the state are committed to promoting ways to reduce litter throughout Virginia,” said Rob Cary, Virginia Department of Transportation Chief Deputy Commissioner and Chair of the newly-formed Environmental Subcommittee of the Commonwealth Transportation Board. “Having litter-free highways is something we should all be working toward. The first step is to ensure everyone recognizes the role they can play in preserving the beauty of our Commonwealth, which should change the mindset of littering on our roadways.”

The impact of litter is both environmental and economic.

Litter affects our quality of life, safety, economic development, and recruitment of businesses and families to the Commonwealth.

Virginia is for Lovers, Not Litter aims to remind drivers, passengers, and pedestrians that littering on our roadways is unacceptable. The effort is designed to encourage Virginians and visitors to keep the Commonwealth’s landscapes and roadways litter free and welcoming to all.

“Virginia Tourism is proud to partner with Virginia is for Lovers, Not Litter as keeping our state pristine is something we are all accountable for and something we all need,” said Virginia Tourism Brand Director Lindsey Norment. “Beautiful Virginia will remain a destination for travelers worldwide, but only if it is kept clean. Aligning our internationally-recognized brand with this effort directly connects with our sustainability values.”

Virginia Department of Transportation partner Keep Virginia Beautiful promotes the agency’s Adopt-a-Highway program through its website, social media platforms, and public relations channels as well as the organization’s many external partners.

“Keep Virginia Beautiful and VDOT enjoy a longstanding partnership rooted in a shared goal to protect and improve the natural beauty along our roadways and within our communities,” said Michael Baum, Executive Director of Keep Virginia Beautiful. “The Virginia is for Lovers, Not Litter campaign aligns beautifully with the work we do to promote a sense of shared responsibility to end littering, improve recycling, and beautify communities.”

Environmental stewardship is a focus for VDOT across the Commonwealth. The agency employs a comprehensive strategy for bettering the health and beauty of the state through Adopt-a-Highway, the new Beautify Virginia roadway sponsorships, Chesapeake Bay Watershed programs, and pollinator protection initiatives.

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Stafford County continues efforts on transportation projects identified in the 2019 Transportation Bond Referendum.

Stafford County’s Department of Public Works has completed several road widening safety improvements and remains dedicated to securing funding and planning for the construction of the remaining projects identified in the bond referendum.

To date, roadway segments along Andrew Chapel Road, Decatur Road and Ramoth Church Road have been widened and repaved. Enon Road, one of the eight major Road Bond projects, is scheduled to begin next.

“Budget constraints at all levels have changed drastically since the voters approved the 2019 Transportation Bond Referendum,” said Chairman of the Board of Supervisors Meg Bohmke, Falmouth District. “We remain committed to making our roadways safer for our residents and to moving forward with this program.”

Work is moving forward on Enon Road, and a variety of federal, state, and local funding sources secured so that design work can begin in October 2021. In addition to Enon Road, design work is scheduled to start on Shelton Shop and Leeland Road in 2022. These projects will widen the roadways by three lanes improving traffic flow by creating new capacity, improving safety, travel time reliability, reducing congestion and improving access to surrounding areas.

The County also recently submitted project applications for six bond referendum projects seeking approximately $92 million in SMART SCALE funding. Attaining this core funding is needed to allow the County to continue forward with the current design and construction schedule for Garrisonville Road, Onville Road Widening and Mountain View Road Improvements.

In addition to the road bond projects that remain a priority for the County, Stafford County’s Transportation Planners are working with the Virginia Department of Transportation to identify rural road segments needing additional safety improvements such as advance warning signs and guardrails or rumble strips.

While the Bond Referendum provides up to $50 million of bond financing, completing all eight major projects and 35 safety improvement projects is contingent on leveraging other funds.

One of the many side effects of the coronavirus pandemic is the decline in transportation funding on a local, state and federal level.

A decrease in driving is one factor that has had a significant impact on the County’s revenue streams dedicated to transportation, including gasoline sales tax, state recordation tax, interest earnings and transportation impact fees. County-level losses are only compounded by the decrease in funds from the state and federal government.

The bulk of federal funding comes from fuel tax, and since vehicle use and gasoline consumption have dropped nationwide, the federal government has less money to provide to states.

In the Commonwealth of Virginia, Governor Northam proposes changes to the state’s Six-Year Improvement Plan that would focus on funding current transportation projects to completion by reallocating funding for projects in the out years.

For more information on the County’s transportation projects, please visit this website.

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Voters in Manassas will head to the polls tomorrow to vote for a slew of candidates, and one of them is for city mayor.

Theresa Coates Ellis is the Republican candidate for mayor. She’s been on the City Council since 2018, and she hopes to succeed Hal Parrish II, whose been mayor since 2008 and a member of the City Council since 1993.

Coates Ellis received his endorsement in February when he announced he was not seeking reelection.

Coates Ellis has lived in the city for the past 33 years and is married to her husband, George. Both share a blended family with six daughters and one son, ages 25 to 39.

You can see our full interview with Coates Ellis below.

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The Fredericksburg Pet Show will return this year to the city’s expo center.

The pet-friendly event will take place Saturday, November 14 and Sunday, November 15 at the Fredericksburg Expo and Conference Center. The show was originally scheduled for September but was postponed, according to the show’s organizer, BMG Events.

Vendors at the show will include a variety of pet-related professionals such as veterinarians, kennels, animal hospitals, groomers, and trainers. New pet products will be on display, and shelters and rescue agencies will have a limited number of lovable animals on-site while they will have plenty of photos of others that are looking for their new home.

The Dog Lure Course, where dogs can chase a mechanical squirrel through an obstacle course, will return to the show this year. 

Tickets for the show cost $8 each and are only available for purchase online. No tickets will be available for purchase at the box office window due to coronavirus precautions. Children age 12 and under do not need a ticket to enter the event, and pets are also free.

The show comes as the show organizer has held two other successful events at the expo center in recent months.

The Fredericksburg Expo Center is located at 2371 Carl D. Silver Parkway.

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Greater Prince William County leaders and healthcare officials have banded together in an effort to stress the importance of community health as Virginians head into flu season.

According to the Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association, it’s estimated at least 39 million Americans became ill during last year’s flu season leading to 18 million medical visits, 410,000 hospitalizations and at least 24,000 deaths.

In an effort to spread this message to our communities and stakeholders, leaders from each organization recorded messages about the importance of flu shots and getting medical attention during COVID-19. These messages, recorded in both English and Spanish, are being distributed and shared through social media and health agencies to reach every segment of the community and keep them safe and informed.

Doctors say it’s critical people get their flu shot this year during the pandemic. The CDC warns with more than 200,000 COVID-19 related deaths already in the United States, another respiratory illness could increase the chances of residents catching both diseases at once.

In addition, flu symptoms are very similar to those of COVID-19. Both viruses are more severe for the elderly and those with underlying medical conditions. Getting a flu shot to prevent the flu will allow healthcare professionals to better manage the COVID-19 pandemic, save thousands of lives and preserve health care resources.

Get your flu shot today by visiting your primary care provider’s office. Area drugstores and pharmacies are also offering flu shots, generally covered by insurance. For more information, please visit vaccinefinder.org, sentara.com/getcarenow, and novanthealthuva.org. To view the videos, click here.

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One man is in critical condition after he was shot Monday in Dale City, bringing the total of people shot in Prince William County over the Halloween weekend to five.

Two men died from gunshots the suffered earlier in the day.

Prince William police report the latest showing took place in the 14700 block of Hackwood Court in Dale City about 2 a.m. today. The victim was flown to a hospital after suffering life-threatening injuries.

Sunday night’s showing comes after two people were killed earlier in the day at a house party in the 3300 block of Bristol Court.  Christopher Alan Johnson, 24, of Alexandria and Frank Chineji Sapele, 25, of Arlington were pronounced dead on the scene after police were called at 2:30 a.m. to a large house party to investigate a report of shots fired.

Two other individuals who were also shot during the encounter were identified as a 23-year-old man of Triangle and a 24-year-old woman of Fairfax and both are expected to survive.

Officers provided first aid to the woman who was shot survivors until rescue personnel arrived. She was flown to an area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

While investigating, a third man arrived at an area hospital with a non-life-threatening gunshot wound and was determined to have also been at the residence at the time of the incident, police said.

No arrests have been made and there is no threat to the surrounding community, police said.

Detectives continue to seek assistance from any witnesses to the incident. Additional information will be released when available. The investigation continues.

Anyone with information regarding this shooting is asked to contact the Prince William County Police Department tipline at 703-792-7000 or submit a web tip to pwcgov.org/policetip.

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