Thursday will be cloudy with a calm breeze.

Thursday
Mostly cloudy, with a high near 79. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph in the afternoon.

Thursday Night
A slight chance of showers after 2am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 57. Southwest wind 3 to 6 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

Friday
A chance of showers, mainly after 8am. Partly sunny, with a high near 77. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Friday Night
A chance of showers, mainly before 2am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 59. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Saturday
Partly sunny, with a high near 80.

During a visit to my barber this week, I learned that many small business owners and their employees are still hurting financially. Many in shops across our region are longing to see their customers’ faces.

Box-box stores and drive-through restaurants appear to be fine. Now — when they’re struggling the most — we must provide small business owners the tools necessary to help them and their employees win back customers and rebuild their businesses.

That’s why, starting today, we’re going to help small businesses get Back on Top!

You can submit a link/post in the Community Bulletin Board section that appears at the TOP of our email newsletter (a section formerly called “A Word From Our Sponsors”) for only $49 per link/post.

• When clicked, the reader is taken to a press release or short blurb, and photo you’ve submitted.
• We will provide you a full content analytics report for your post at NO extra charge.
• I regularly charge $299 per link/post.
• SAVE $250, and put that money back into your business.

The Community Bulletin Board is the first thing readers see at the TOP of our weekday email newsletter

• Our newsletter reaches more than 13,500 0pt-in registered users — absolutely no spam here.
• You can post to the Community Bulletin Board using this link.
• Click this link to see a copy of yesterday’s email newsletter.
• Our email newsletter is the biggest thing we do every weekday!
• The link/post will show in the section for at least three to five days (display time will vary depending upon the number of submissions). I want it to show for as long as possible.

If you have questions, please email me at [email protected].

Thank you for the continued support of small businesses in our community.

The Workhouse Arts Center is in the running to receive a $25,000 grant from State Farm which will provide additional funding for its arts programming.

The grant will be given to the nonprofit that receives the most votes.

Voting starts Sept. 23 at midnight and ends Oct. 2 at 11:59 p.m.

Any U.S. resident who is 18 and older with a valid email address can vote up to ten times a day for the Workhouse Arts Center here.

As the only multi-disciplinary arts center in Fairfax and Prince William Counties, the Workhouse offers art experiences unavailable anywhere else in the community.

“We are deeply honored to be selected to compete for this grant. Being nominated from 2,000 applicants truly means that grant organizers and the community we serve share our belief that the arts are critical, especially in the time of crisis. This truly solidifies our belief that the arts unite, educate, bring peace and enjoyment, feed our souls, and make life better. This funding will allow the Workhouse to offer creative opportunities to engage in art-making and education,” said Elena Romanova, Chief Development Officer.

On Nov. 4, whether or not the Workhouse has won a $25,000 grant will be announced online.

The Workhouse Arts Center is now offering in-person and virtual art classes across all art disciplines where visitors can learn a new skill, interact with working artists, explore unique exhibits, and visit the Lucy Burns Museum celebrating the Workhouse’s history as a former D.C. Correctional Facility.

Anyone interested can visit the Workhouse website here to learn of all offerings and events.

Flu season is fast approaching. Sentara hospitals usually see an increase in flu cases around mid-September and early October.

This year, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, doctors say it’s critical to get your flu shot.

As part of Sentara’s commitment to keeping our communities safe, on Saturday, October 17, 2020, from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m., Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center will host a free drive-thru flu shot event while supplies last. This first-come, first-served event is at Christ Chapel, 13909 Smoketown Road in Woodbridge.

This free event is available for adults, 18 years of age, and older. Patients will receive a flu shot without ever leaving the comfort of their vehicle. The public must wear a mask and all COVID-19 safety protocols will be followed at all times.

Health experts warn with nearly 200,000 COVID-19 related deaths in the United States already, 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.

As part of Sentara’s commitment to keeping our communities safe, all Sentara employees, volunteers, and non-employed partners are required to receive a flu shot each year to help protect the communities we serve.

Drugstores and pharmacies are also offering flu shots, generally covered by insurance. Sentara patients can schedule an appointment online and
visit their primary care office for a flu shot. For more information, please visit sentara.com/flushots or to schedule an appointment with a Sentara Medical Group provider, visit sentara.com/getcarenow.

On Saturday, Oct. 3, the Fredericksburg Nationals will be unveiling a new addition to their stadium, the “History of Baseball in Fredericksburg” Wall.

Located behind the batter’s eye on the centerfield concourse, the wall will be 80 feet long and 12 feet high showcasing some of Fredericksburg’s history ranging from the Civil War to the present, including some lesser-known baseball factoids.

Gates will open at 5 p.m. to the first 1,000 fans in order to properly social distance.

A ceremony to unveil the wall and hear about the project will begin at approximately 6:30 p.m. prior to the movie showing at 7 p.m.

“The Fredericksburg Nationals are thrilled to introduce this unique element into the ballpark for baseball and history fans to enjoy,” Team Treasurer Seth Silber stated. “This project brings together the rich history of Fredericksburg and the rich history of our national pastime into one incredible display that will stand the test of time. It was only possible through the support, talents, and creativity of three incredible community partners, Germanna Community College, the Fredericksburg Area Museum, and Dovetail Cultural Resource Group – all of whom had the vision to help bring this dream to reality.”

Dovetail President Kerri Barile said the exhibit tracks the legacy of baseball in the area as:

Union and Confederate soldiers watching each other play baseball games across the Rappahannock River.

Abner Doubleday, who is rumored to have invented the game, was an officer in the Union camp and was said to have organized games there in Falmouth.

The beginnings of baseball teams and leagues in Fredericksburg in 1866, as troops who learned the game during the war brought it home to friends and families when hostilities ceased.

The world’s eyes turned to Fredericksburg in February of 1936 when Hall of Fame Washington Senators pitcher Walter Johnson recreated George Washington’s legendary silver dollar throw across the Rappahannock.

In a brilliant publicity stunt, Johnson was brought to town and more than 4,000 people turned out to watch, with 90 radio stations across the country broadcasting the event live.

“Baseball has mirrored social change in America and, at times, even played an important role, as it did when Jackie Robinson broke the game’s color line 73 years ago,” said Germanna President Janet Gullickson. “We’re proud to be part of this five-year project chronicling the history of baseball in our area, along with the FredNats, Dovetail and the Fredericksburg Area Museum. And we are very happy to be working with the City and the Silber family.”

A driver who tried to provide false identification during a traffic stop in Stafford County yesterday ended up with numerous charges and jail without bond, according to the Stafford sheriff’s office.

On September 22 at 10:07 p.m., Deputy B.E. Vaughn saw a Dodge pickup turn from Staffordboro Boulevard onto Foxwood Drive and strike the stop sign. They deputed stopped the diver made contact with the driver and asked for identification. The driver explained he did not have his license but provided a name and date of birth.

The deputy ran a DMV check on the information provided by the driver and discovered the description of 6 feet 3 inches tall did not match the driver’s 5 feet 11-inch stature, says sheriff’s office spokesman Shawn Kimmitz. The DMV photo was also distinctly different from the driver’s appearance, he adds.

A search of the vehicle revealed a pipe with suspected cocaine residue, as well as Suboxone pills, said Kimmitz. The driver was then placed in handcuffs and finally admitted he had lied about his identity due to outstanding warrants in another state.

Donald McPherron, 44, of Stafford is charged with a traffic lane violation, possession of a controlled substance, identity theft, false identification to law enforcement, obstruction of justice, driving suspended, and unlawful name change. McPherron also has a warrant in Ohio for failing to appear and obstruction of justice, said Kimmitz.

Authorities in Ohio were notified. The suspect is now being held without bond at the Rappahannock Regional Jail.