Planet Fitness opened its first location in Stafford. The new 30,900-square-foot facility, located at 1455 Stafford Market Place in the Stafford Market Place shopping center, is designed to provide a welcoming, judgment-free environment for individuals at all fitness levels.

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

The Central Rappahannock Regional Library (CRRL) will close all its locations early at 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, January 8, citing icy road conditions that make travel hazardous. This decision follows a two-day closure of all CRRL locations earlier this week due to heavy snowfall that blanketed the region.

The library system made the announcement at midday on Wednesday, emphasizing the importance of ensuring the safety of staff and patrons.

CRRL serves a broad region, including the City of Fredericksburg and the counties of Stafford, Spotsylvania, and Westmoreland. With 10 branches and a robust online resource platform, the library offers services ranging from book lending and computer access to educational programs for all ages. The early closure will impact planned events and services scheduled for Wednesday evening. Patrons are encouraged to use the library’s extensive online catalog and digital resources during the closure.

The winter storm that prompted these closures brought significant disruptions across the area, impacting schools, businesses, and local government operations. Library staff have worked to ensure buildings are safe and accessible during this challenging weather. However, today’s icy conditions pose continued challenges for travel in the region.

The Stafford County Board of Supervisors began its first meeting of 2025 with a significant leadership transition. Supervisor Deuntay Diggs was elected chairman in a 4-3 vote, succeeding outgoing Chairwoman Meg Bohmke. Diggs addressed his new role during the meeting and outlined his expectations for the year ahead, emphasizing transparency and teamwork.

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

Several schools in our region have announced closures and delays for Wednesday, January 8, 2025, due to inclement weather and hazardous road conditions. Here is the full list of updates:

Prince William County:
All Prince William County Public Schools will be closed under Code Green for students and teachers.
– 250-day employees and pay grade 13 and above report at 10 a.m.
– The closure will allow VDOT additional time to clear secondary and neighborhood roads to ensure bus safety.

Stafford County:
Stafford County Public Schools are closed on Wednesday, January 8, 2025, due to ongoing adverse weather conditions.
– All activities and events scheduled are canceled.

Manassas City:
Manassas City Schools and offices will be closed on Wednesday, January 8, 2025.
– Code BLUE for employees.

Manassas Park:
All Manassas Park schools are closed on Wednesday, January 8, 2025, due to remaining snow and ice.

Spotsylvania County:
Spotsylvania County Public Schools will be closed on Wednesday, January 8, 2025.
– Code 2: 12-month employees report two hours late as safety permits.
– Essential personnel should report at specified times.
– All school-sponsored activities, including student externships, are canceled.

Fredericksburg City:
Fredericksburg City Public Schools will be closed on Wednesday, January 8, 2025, due to road conditions and low temperatures.
– Temperatures are expected to remain below freezing until the afternoon.

Fairfax County:
All Fairfax County Public Schools are closed on Wednesday, January 8, 2025.
– School offices and central offices will open to the public at 11 a.m.

King George County:
King George County Schools will be closed on Wednesday, January 8, 2025, due to inclement weather conditions.
– Code 2: 12-month employees report at 10 a.m.
– Liberal leave will be in effect.

Colleges and Universities:

– Germanna Community College:
All Germanna locations will open at 12 p.m. on Wednesday, January 8, due to challenging road conditions.

– Northern Virginia Community College:
Normal operations under Code Green for Wednesday, January 8, 2025. All campuses and services are open.

Stafford County's Board of Supervisors will hold its next meeting on Tuesday, January 7, 2025, at 5 p.m. The meeting will be streamed live, and the agenda will be posted online.

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

 

Stafford County offices, departments, and courts will open on a two-hour delay on Tuesday, January 7, 2025, as the region recovers from the recent winter storm.

However, Juvenile and Domestic Relations (JDR) courts will remain closed for the day. Circuit and General District Courts will open at 10 a.m., with cases beginning at 11 a.m.

Both locations of the R-Board/Regional Landfill—Eskimo Hill and Belman Road—will open on time, with the residential and commercial sides operational starting at 8 a.m.

Stafford Public Schools will be closed due to ongoing weather-related challenges.

Residents are encouraged to visit the county’s emergency information page for the latest updates, resources, and information.

 

OmniRide has announced adjusted operations for Tuesday, January 7, in response to anticipated inclement weather conditions. Fredericksburg Regional Transit (FXBGO!) has also confirmed the suspension of all transit services on Monday, January 6, due to the weather, with plans to resume operations on Tuesday at 10 a.m.

OmniRide Service Updates for Tuesday, January 7

OmniRide services will operate as follows, weather permitting:

• Express Commuter Service: Buses will run hourly between 6 a.m. and 5 p.m. Service will begin at 6 a.m. from commuter lots to Metro Stations, with the last trip leaving the Metro Stations at 5 p.m. Rides will be free.
  • Western Service area: University Commuter Lot to West Falls Church Metro Station
  • Eastern Service area: Horner Road Commuter Lot (Stop #1) to Franconia-Springfield
• Metro Express: No service
• Local Service: Local routes and the East-West Express will operate on weekend schedules
• Connect Microtransit: No service
• Connect Paratransit: No service

Any further updates will be sent via Rider Express messages and posted on OmniRide.com. For inquiries, OmniRide’s Customer Service Team is available at 703-730-6664.

Due to inclement weather, Fredericksburg Regional Transit (FXBGO!) will not operate on Monday, January 6. Administrative offices will remain closed. Service is expected to resume on Tuesday, January 7, at 10 a.m. Additional information is available on the FXBGO! website or by following @FXBGO on Facebook.

Following Monday evening’s winter storm, school divisions across the region have announced closures for Tuesday, January 7, 2025, due to hazardous road conditions and ongoing winter weather concerns. Below is a roundup of closures and policies for the affected school systems:

Prince William County Public Schools

All schools and offices will be closed Code Red on Tuesday. Inclement Weather Employees are the exception and should follow their assigned schedule.

Stafford County Public Schools

Schools will be closed on Tuesday due to adverse weather and an extended winter storm warning. All activities and events scheduled for the day are canceled. Tuesday was originally a professional learning day, so students were not scheduled to attend.

Manassas City Public Schools

Schools and offices will be closed Tuesday. Code BLUE is in effect for employees.

Fredericksburg City Public Schools

Schools will be closed, and buildings will remain closed as crews work on clearing parking lots and sidewalks. Essential personnel will be contacted by their supervisors for report times.

Manassas Park City Schools Closure for Tuesday, January 7, 2025

All Manassas Park City Schools will be closed on Tuesday, January 7, 2025, due to snowy conditions. **Code RED** is in effect for employees.

King George County Schools

Schools will be closed Tuesday. Code 1 is in effect for 12-month employees.

Fairfax County Public Schools

All schools and central offices will be closed on Tuesday.

University of Mary Washington

All UMW campuses, including Fredericksburg, Stafford, and Dahlgren, will be closed all day Tuesday following the January 6 snowstorm.

Germanna Community College: Due to inclement weather, all Germanna locations will be closed on Tuesday, January 7.

Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA)

Code Purple for Tuesday, January 7, 2025. All NOVA campuses are operating virtually, with classes and services available online only.

Spotsylvania County Public Schools

All schools and offices will be closed on Tuesday, January 7, 2025. Code 1 is in effect—essential personnel should report to perform emergency services as necessary. All school-sponsored activities, including student externships, are canceled.

As the heaviest snowstorm in years blanketed Stafford County and the Fredericksburg region, Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) crews have been working tirelessly to clear roads and keep essential routes passable. Stafford County saw some of the highest snow totals in the area, with accumulations reaching up to 8 inches, and more snow is expected later today.

Kelly Hannon, spokesperson for VDOT’s Fredericksburg District, emphasized the challenges faced by crews during the storm. “Our teams have been making repeated passes since it started snowing around midnight,” Hannon said. “We’ve focused on major routes like I-95, Route 1, Route 17, and Route 610 to ensure access to critical areas, including public safety facilities.”

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