The week’s top stories
–Spotsylvania County schools officials were already preparing for possible cuts in federal funding last week when they discovered another potential problem: a shortfall in state funding. Taft Coghill Jr. has the details.
-The data center industry in Spotsylvania got a boost last week from a tie vote. After a public hearing Tuesday night, county supervisors deadlocked 3-3 on whether to require a special-use permit for the businesses in certain areas of the locality, Coghill reports.
-Fired federal workers are already seeking therapy for mental health, but Fredericksburg officials are afraid a localized economic depression also could follow the Trump administration’s DOGE cuts. That — and a possible drop in sales and meals tax revenue — led city councilors to agree last week to advertise a 6-cent increase in the real-estate tax rate. Joey LoMonaco has the story.
-Those jobless federal employees can look to a state website for help, Gov. Glenn Youngkin said Friday afternoon at a stop in Stafford County. Youngkin came to SimVentions Inc. to tout the job site virginiahasjobs.com.
-The George Washington Regional Commission wanted to make sure it wasn’t neglecting King George and Caroline counties, the most rural of the localities in the Fredericksburg area. So last week, commissioners made a move to create a new standing committee solely dedicated to working on transportation projects there.
Go figures (Numbers that made the news)
–33,000, population of Caroline County. But that’s not enough to attract another grocery store, restaurants and retail businesses to the locality, county supervisors were told last week.
What they’re saying
“It is not the center of these people’s lives — for two hours they are people with identities outside of Alzheimer’s.” –Michelle Crow Dolby, education and communications manager at Gari Melchers Home and Studio. She was describing a result of the historic site’s “Picturing New Connections” program, which aims to create a community for those who have memory-loss diseases.
News good enough to eat
A 6,000-square-foot First Watch brunch restaurant is expected to open in Cosner’s Corner on April 14, and another is planned for Central Park, Biz Beat’s reports. Having two of them may be a good idea. It took your Press Rewind writer weeks to actually get a table at the chain’s Woodbridge location.
Pressing on (a look at news in the week ahead)
The University of Mary Washington will hold its popular Multicultural Fair on April 5, and we’ll have full coverage of the event, now in its 35th year.
Special Sunday read
“Jesus Christ Superstar” is being performed through April 27 at the Riverside Center for the Performing Arts in Stafford County, but it’s been a favorite of Stephen Hu’s for years. Check out his take on the musical.
