By Susan Larson
The National Park Service will host the 19th annual Fredericksburg National Cemetery Luminary on Saturday, May 24, 2014.
A luminary will be lit for each of the 15,300 soldiers buried there.
The Fredericksburg National Cemetery Luminary is open to the public 8 p.m. – 11 p.m. In the event of rain, the event will be held on Sunday, May 25.
Story and photos by Susan Larson
A sea of 15,300 luminaria glowed in Fredericksburg National Cemetery from 8 – 11 p.m. May 24 for the 19th annual Memorial Day Saturday ceremony.
The tradition began in 1995, when representatives of local Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts presented to National Park Service staff the idea of starting an annual luminaria program to honor United States soldiers who had died in service to their county.
By Susan Larson
Rob Wittman and Anthony Riedel are the candidates in the 1st Congressional District Republican primary on June 10, 2014. The winner will be on the November 4, 2014, ballot for the U.S. House of Representatives.
Richard and Janet Dalby of Stafford won the top prize in the Virginia Lottery’s $4 Million Mega Multiplier Scratcher game.
The Virginia Lottery presented the Dalby’s their money on May 30. They had a choice of taking the full $4 million prize over 30 years, but chose the one-time cash option of $2,149,572.
Mr. Dalby bought the winning ticket at Taylor’s Market, 3306 Jeff Davis Hwy, in Stafford.
By Susan Larson
Voters in the region have the opportunity to head to the polls June 10 in Republican primaries for Virginia’s 1st and 7th Congressional districts.
By Susan Larson
Norm Moser is the Democratic candidate for Virginia’s 1st District. He was nominated June 7 at the First Congressional District Democratic Convention.
The retired Navy captain is a resident of Irvington, a town in Lancaster County on Virginia’s Northern Neck.
By Susan Larson
U.S. Rep. Rob Wittman defeated Anthony Riedel in the 1st District GOP primary June 10.
By Susan Larson
Eric Cantor’s loss in Virginia is going to create a very difficult environment for more moderate Republicans, said Stephen Farnsworth, political science professor at the University of Mary Washington.
By Susan Larson
Fredericksburg’s City Dock public boat landing and parking lot on Sophia Street will be closed June 30 through August 31 for improvements.
Virginia’s Department of Game and Inland Fisheries will be replacing the concrete boat ramps and courtesy piers. In addition, an ADA accessible fishing trail will be constructed along the shoreline with three stations designed for shoreline fishing.
By Susan Larson
The first week of July should be typical Virginia summer, with hot, humid temperatures and a chance of thunderstorms, according to the National Weather Service.
Wednesday could be the worst, with heat indices expected to reach 105 in some locations Wednesday afternoon and evening. Thunderstorms are most likely Wednesday and Thursday for the Fredericksburg region, the NWS said.
John Morrell Palmer, III, 55, of Fredericksburg pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court July 2 to conspiring to commit wire fraud.
In a statement of facts filed with a plea agreement, Palmer admitted that from 2009 through 2013 he conspired with the president of an unnamed grocery retail chain to submit fraudulent incentive program documents to The Kellogg Company and SuperValu, a grocery wholesaler through which Kellogg sold product to retailers. The incentive program documents reduced the cost of certain products.
By Susan Larson
Dominion Virginia Power personnel and nearly two dozen local, state and federal agencies are participating in an emergency drill at the North Anna Nuclear Power Station on Tuesday, July 8.
“The full-scale exercise is to test preparedness and response procedures involving plant security,” said Kathy Smith, public information officer for Spotsylvania County.
Hot Spots for the Fredericksburg Region
July 6, 2014 – July 12, 2014
By Susan Larson
Spotsylvania County received an “exceptional” rating from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for its Virginia Operations Plan Exercise (VOPEX) emergency drill at the North Anna Nuclear Power Station on Tuesday, July 8.
By Susan Larson
As of July 1, 2014, Virginia voters must show a photo ID when they go to the polls or apply for an absentee ballot in person.
Acceptable photo identification includes a Virginia driver’s license or DMV ID card, or any photo ID issued by the U.S. Government, Virginia Government or any Virginia local government. These include:
MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va. – Residents in the immediate vicinity of Marine Corps Base Quantico may experience an increase in noise as an affect from ground/aircraft training or range clearance operations from July 11 – 18, 2014.
The Fredericksburg Economic Development Authority (EDA) has approved $22,000 in grants to support city businesses and events.
Grants include:
Asphalt milling and paving will impact traffic and parking in downtown Fredericksburg July 21 – 25, 2014.
The work will begin in the 700 block of Princess Anne Street on Monday and finish later in the week on Charlotte Street. Areas affected include:
By Susan Larson
Fredericksburg’s Architectural Review Board will hold a supplementary meeting Monday, Aug. 4, to review the recently released concept design for Riverfront Park.
The meeting will begin at 7 p.m. in Council Chambers at City Hall, 715 Princess Anne St. The public is welcome to attend, but there will be no opportunity for public comment, the meeting notice said.
By Susan Larson
Parents can save money August 1 – 3 during Virginia’s 2014 back-to-school sales tax holiday.
During this three-day period (Friday, Saturday and Sunday), purchases of qualifying school supplies selling for $20 or less per item, and purchases of qualifying clothing and footwear selling for $100 or less per item will be exempt from sales tax, according to the Virginia Department of Taxation. Online purchases are included.
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