The week’s top stories
-What can be said about data centers that hasn’t been said recently in the Fredericksburg area? Well, that there’s another one on the way, we suppose. This one’s in Spotsylvania. County supervisors there last week approved a potential 2.2-million-square-foot data center campus, Taft Coghill Jr. reports.
– Jay’s Downtown Sports Lounge in Fredericksburg has been shut down after losing its alcohol license. The revocation came following repeated violations, complaints and disturbances, including a killing near the business in December, according to the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority. Bill Freehling has the story and other business news in Biz Beat Roundup.
-After more than 300 crashes since 2019 — including four pedestrian deaths — Spotsylvania County Supervisor Lori Hayes had had enough. She implored the Virginia Department of Transportation to act, and workers have installed a traffic light at State Route 2 and Glendas Way for added safety, Coghill writes.
-Are 30 apartments what the doctor ordered for the vacant Medical Arts Building in Fredericksburg? The city’s Planning Commission apparently thought so, Joey LoMonaco reports.
-You may think that vinyl records are just an audio medium — unless you go to the 10th Remixed Vinyl Album Art Show at Ponshop Studio and Gallery. The exhibit opens Friday, and Kathy Knotts has a preview in Free Time, our weekly entertainment newsletter.
Go figures (numbers in the news)
75 — Age of Rich Serbay, famed former head football coach at James Monroe High School. Serbay is returning to the JM sidelines this year as a volunteer assistant coach for the team. He won four state championships in 35 seasons at the school.
What they’re saying
“I don’t want to be your damn conscience. I want you to vote your conscience.” – Mark Warner, Virginia’s senior U.S. senator. Warner was talking about what he would say to Republicans who supported President Donald Trump’s “Big, Beautiful Bill.” The Democrat was in Fredericksburg last week for a meeting at the Fredericksburg Regional Food Bank.
Pressing on (a look at the week ahead)
-The Free Press will hold the first of its local candidate forums, at 5:30 p.m. on Sept. 3 at Germanna Community College
(Fredericksburg Campus; 10000Germanna Point Drive, Fredericksburg, VA, 22408). This forum will feature candidates for Spotsylvania County Board of Supervisors and school board.
Sunday feature
-It’s football season again, and Jeff Kearney went under the Friday Night Lights to capture the action.
PHOTOS: Scenes from opening night of the high school football season
