The week’s top stories
-Want a million-plus-dollar home, but can’t afford it? You may be in luck. For $200, you can get a ticket to an essay contest that could land you a swanky property on Prince Edward Street in Fredericksburg. Of course, you have to write an essay describing why you want to live downtown. But if you win, you’ll get the six-bedroom, five-bath dwelling in an arrangement that also aims to raise money for two local nonprofits. Joey LoMonaco has the details.
–A Fredericksburg-area judge facing a felony charge of bribery of a public official last week had his trial date set for April 2026. Richard T. McGrath, chief judge of Virginia’s 15th Judicial District, which includes the Fredericksburg region, is accused of seeking pay raises for court staff. Authorities say that, in a private meeting with public officials, he threatened to start dismissing traffic tickets, which generate revenue for Spotsylvania County, if his staff didn’t get raises. Taft Coghill Jr. has the story.
–The Spotsylvania County Planning Commission recently recommended approval of a proposed 73-acre data center campus that would be at the southern end of Cosner Drive. The project still needs approval from the Board of Supervisors, however, Coghill reports.
-Data centers may be of concern to lots of people in the Fredericksburg area, but several Spotsylvania residents came to a Board of Supervisors meeting last week with another issue on their mind: racism, and its seemingly increasing nature in the county. The supervisors responded with a resolution intended to make clear where they stand, Coghill writes.
-Women are flipping out in the Fredericksburg area. But don’t worry. That’s not a bad thing. “Women Flipping Out” is a pinball league and community that’s growing in popularity. Caitie Finlayson has the scoop on this retro recreational outlet in Free Time, our weekly entertainment newsletter.
Go figures (numbers in the news)
$490,000 — The Fredericksburg regional median home sales price in July, which was a record. Bill Freehling has more from the Fredericksburg Area Association of Realtors in Biz Beat Roundup.
What they’re saying
“This was not politics as usual. It was a deliberate act designed to sabotage the democratic process in Ward 3, forcing me into an impossible choice: either forfeit my family-supporting career or withdraw my candidacy and commitment to serve.” – Susanna Finn, candidate in the race for the Fredericksburg City Council’s Ward 3 seat. Finn, a federal employee, accused opponent Matt Kelly of orchestrating a scenario in which she’d be forced to choose between quitting her job and dropping out of the race. Kelly has said he wasn’t involved in seeking a partisan endorsement.
Pressing on (a look at the week ahead)
-The Spotsylvania County Board of Supervisors adopted development standards for data centers last week, and Stafford County’s supervisors will take up the same issue this week.
Sunday read
-Eric Bach, the Fredericksburg Nationals’ play-by-play announcer, has talked about being a gay man in baseball — to no less than The New York Times. Now, he talks to Joey LoMonaco about his craft as a broadcaster.
From the editor’s desk
My mom always used to say, “You catch more flies with honey.” Just seems like an appropriate time to share that.
-Joey LoMonaco
