The Fredericksburg Clean and Green Commission and R-Board sponsored a paper recycling contest at the school this month. When the kindergarteners in Ashley Rogers’ class at Hugh Mercer Elementary School learned that they could win a pizza party for recycling the most paper, they knew they were up to the challenge. “They were like, ‘Oh, […]
Mid-Year Raises Extended to Some Stafford County Department Directors
Not all directors got a raise. A handful of Stafford County government department directors and both deputy County Administrators have received raises—one over $10,000—outside of the annual budget cycle. The raises were not extended to all department directors. According to information received by the Advance through a request under the Freedom of Information Act, the […]
James Monroe Chamber Orchestra Makes Music Come Alive for Themselves and the Community
Kayla Gullage, then a junior at James Monroe High School, was watching YouTube videos of chamber music groups one day and thought, why don’t we have one of these? Two years later, Gullage, a violinist, is heading off to the Rochester Institute of Technology on a performing arts scholarship, but the Chamber Orchestra she founded […]
Governor’s Office Spurns FOIA Request
The Advance’s FOIA request for information surrounding the arrests of UMW students and others surfaced 16 pages of responsive records that the governor’s office will not turn over. Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s office is withholding in full 16 pages of records responsive to a request under the Freedom of Information Act, citing the exemption provided for […]
Cell Phone Ban Proposed in Stafford Schools
School Board will vote on proposed new regulation, as well as other updates to the Code of Student Conduct, next month. The Stafford School Board is considering banning use of cell phones and other personal electronic communication devices during the regular school day. The Board at its regular business meeting on Tuesday reviewed a proposed […]
Spotsylvania School Division on the Hook for Courthouse Road Improvements
Board members agree that they’d like funding support from Supervisors for the project. Two Spotsylvania School Board members who usually always oppose each other agreed Tuesday night that the school division should not be responsible for funding $1 million worth of improvements to Courthouse Road in front of Spotsylvania Middle School, which is undergoing expansion. […]
Investigation, Legal Fees in Spotsylvania
The School Board has retained a Norfolk-based law firm to investigate the Riverbend Swim Team debacle; plus, information on fees for “legal services” outside of general representation. The Spotsylvania School Board has retained the Norfolk-based firm Yeng Collins Law, PLC to conduct an investigation “related to certain issues surrounding the Riverbend High School swim team,” […]
Mountain View Senior Overcomes to Earn Eagle
Thomas Gill, who has spina bifida, led his troop in a green infrastructure project for Widewater State Park. Fewer than 6% of Scouts earn the rank of Eagle Scout. Eighteen-year-old Thomas Gill, 18, a senior at Mountain View High School, celebrated earning the BSA rank of Eagle Scout on Saturday, April 20, with a ceremony […]
University of Mary Washington Celebrates the Class of 2024
From COVID-19 to commencement in four years. The seniors who graduated this past weekend from the University of Mary Washington started their college careers in the fall of 2020, when the world was still in the grip of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many of their high school graduation ceremonies were cancelled and much of their college […]
Local Home Prices Continue Climb
Spotsylvania and Stafford both see average home sales price in April of $500,000 or above, the most expensive in the region. In Fredericksburg and Orange, the average sales prices declined from 2023. The most-recent housing report for the Fredericksburg region is out, and at a high level there are no real surprises. Everything is up. […]