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).
Introducing ‘Press Rewind,’ a weekly feature appearing in Sunday’s newsletter that will catch you up on the week that was and prime you for the one ahead. Inside, you’ll find a curated list of our top 5 stories — as determined by impact as opposed to web impressions — as well as other insights related to FFP content.
As we roll this feature out, we’re open to both feedback and suggestions. Email the newsroom at: [email protected] or reach out via our news tip line.
This week’s top stories
-For Micah Ministries and its partners, a July 10 Planning Commission meeting marked an important milestone on a nearly 20-year journey. Read about Jeremiah Community, its namesake and a novel plan to end street homelessness in Fredericksburg.
–Emergency repairs to stormwater pipes will close Learning Lane for two months and affect access to Lafayette Elementary and Walker-Grant Middle.
–Problems finding (and keeping) a home rink have surfaced for the popular Fredericksburg Roller Derby team, writes Kathy Knotts
-If you think our current presidential prospects are dire (and you should), turn to Fredericksburg Theatre Ensemble’s ‘POTUS’ for a not-so-dystopian bit of comedic relief.
-On Saturday, Fredericksburg’s Mayfield neighborhood offered basketball and community bonding during the 12th annual Peace in Da Paint event.
What they’re saying
“Unless maybe they’re coming across the border, where is the demand signal that requires a new school?”
—King George supervisor Ken Stroud on a referendum to fund a new elementary school in the county.
Go figure (numbers that made the news)
–2,656, the number of people who visited emergency rooms across the Commonwealth for heat-related illnesses last summer. Despite the health concerns associated with extreme temperatures, the Fredericksburg area as a whole lacks public cooling centers, writes Kathy Knotts.
16, total stops on Fredericksburg’s Civil Rights Trail after the addition of five on the University of Mary Washington’s campus last week.
For planning purposes
Put on your hard hat, lace up your boots and join the Free Press for an exclusive tour of Fredericksburg’s new middle school, which is currently under construction and set to open its doors in August 2025.
