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Dumfries woman named Prince William County’s Foster Parent of the Year
Dumfries resident Linda Cheeks is a salon owner, avid volunteer, veteran – and mother to many. The last role is what earned her the title of Prince William County 2024 Foster Parent of the Year from the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments. In addition to raising her daughter (who...
Charles health officer pushes 'Blue Zones' designation
Charles County could begin the process of becoming a Blue Zone, which examines community health and strives to have citizens live longer. “It’s about health, and anything that’s going to improve the health of Charles County is an interest to me,” Dr. Dianna Abney, health officer for the county, said at the June 25 commissioners' meeting. “A healthier Charles County is the vision of the health department.” Abney told the...
‘This is a really good day for commuters’: $40M in funding approved for Route 28 project in Va.
Transportation planners have approved a second round of funding in long-range plans to improve the commute on Virginia Route 28 between Manassas Park and Fairfax County. Virginia state Sen. Danica Roem (D-Prince William County) said the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority OK’d $40 million to fund road improvements that include innovative intersection designs, a raised median and a 1.75 mile-long sidewalk between Manassas in the Yorkshire area of Prince William County.
WATCH: Spotsylvania Fire, Rescue and Emergency Management on the front lines studying firefighter cancer
Assistant Chief Lonzo and Chief Cullinan talk about the issues and changes going forward. Agencies from around the state recently met in Fredericksburg to talk about the issue.
Fredericksburg (VA) Moving Ahead with Plans for a Third Fire Station
The Free Lance-Star, Fredericksburg, Va. Jul. 11—So far there’s only a sign. But eventually, Fredericksburg officials hope, the city will have a new fire station at Snowden Park in the area of Fall Hill Avenue and Wicklow Drive. City Council has committed to building the city’s third fire...
Mount Vernon Announces New Weekend Programming on 18th Century Life
July 4, 2026, may still be two years away, but museums, monuments, institutions, and historic sites throughout the region are already prepping for what’s expected to be a big moment for tourism—America’s 250th birthday. This includes George Washington’s Mount Vernon, which closed its education center earlier this month for extensive renovations that will transform the layout and update the scholarship of the center. (Its mansion is also undergoing a major preservation project ahead of 2026.)
Charles school board approves elementary redistricting plan
The Charles County Board of Education at its June 11 meeting approved an elementary school redistricting plan that will create an attendance zone for the new Margaret Jamieson Thornton Elementary School, set to open in August 2025. The approved plan moves 1,044 existing students from the following schools: Berry, Billingsley, William A. Diggs, Mary H. Matula, T.C. Martin, Arthur Middleton, Walter J. Mitchell, J.P. Ryon and William B. Wade elementary schools. ...
1 in 20 students drop out of school in Charles County
Charles public schools' dropout rate approximately doubled from 2019 to 2023, according to information presented at a recent school board meeting. Kevin Lowndes, chief of teaching and learning for the school system, presented the most current data during the board of education’s work session on June 17, showing the county’s dropout rate, which was less than 3% in 2019, increased to almost 6% in 2023. This increased dropout rate indicates...
Press Rewind, July 7-13
Editor’s note: We’re in the news business here at the Fredericksburg Free Press, and as such, strive not to miss any stories of import to our community. But we also know that our readers are busy people whose lives don’t revolve around our daily 5 a.m. newsletter (as much as we would love that to be the case).
Stafford County theater teacher honored for impact on student’s life
Longwood University student Aidan Brown never forgot his H.H. Poole Middle School theater teacher. He said she’s made him who he is today. Brown, a rising junior at the Farmville college, nominated his former teacher, Andrea Candea-Carroll, for a Teacher of the Year award that Longwood has presented for the past three years.
VDOT public meeting on Wednesday
VDOT is holding an in-person design public hearing from 5-7 p.m. this Wednesday at Hugh Mercer Elementary in Fredericksburg to learn more and comment on a project that would modify the off-ramp from I-95 N to Route 3 eastbound at exit 130 in Fredericksburg, and include spot improvements at multiple locations along Route 3 between I-95 and Dixon Street.
'Commonwealth Conversations' to focus on cellphone-free education; Northern Virginia events in Manassas, Fredericksburg
The Virginia Department of Education announced Tuesday it will host eight “Commonwealth Conversations” with parents, educators and community members on cellphone-free education. The announcement comes after Gov. Glenn Youngkin issued an executive order last week directing the Department of Education to draft guidance for public school divisions to...
Cooling centers in short supply across Fredericksburg region
This summer may be remembered as the one when we all stayed indoors. On Monday and Tuesday, the greater Fredericksburg region is under either an excessive heat warning or heat advisory as defined by the National Weather Service. Monday and Tuesday’s high temperatures are expected to hit triple digits —...
City, UMW unveil on-campus stops for U.S. Civil Rights Trail
Five new stops on the U.S. Civil Rights Trail were unveiled Tuesday morning in front of Combs Hall on the campus of the University of Mary Washington. The U.S. Civil Rights Trail is a national collection of landmarks that spans 15 states and includes churches, schools, museums, and other locations that played a pivotal role in the Civil Rights Movement. Fredericksburg was officially added to the U.S. Civil Rights Trail on Feb. 8.
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