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Police across Virginia will increase patrols on New Year’s Eve as part of a statewide push to curb drunk driving. Kurt Erickson with the Washington Regional Alcohol Program says impaired-driving fatalities rose 8.5 percent last year. While Fredericksburg, Stafford and King George recorded fewer drunk-driving crashes overall, injuries spiked—up 40 percent in Fredericksburg and tripling in King George from 2023 to 2024.

Erickson urges people to plan a ride home before celebrations begin, use SoberRide in Northern Virginia, host responsibly by offering non-alcoholic options, always wear a seat belt, call #77 to report suspected drunk drivers, and remember that one safe decision can prevent a life-changing crash.  wrap.org

1.  Rappahannock Education Farm in White Oak donates 40,000+ pounds of vegetables
2.  Janel Donohue talks about the end of Rappahannock United Way after 85+ years
3.  Jaimie Ashton develops a Memorial Park for Spotsylvania students who died young
4. Micah Ecumenical Ministries a finalist for the million dollar Opus Prize
5. Centennial Broadcasting's Allen Shaw gives the first of four $25,000 checks to Rappahannock Adult Activities as part of the year long 100K of Kindness to local charities
6. Buc-ees debated in Stafford
7. The James Monroe Museum and several Fredericksburg residents help bring the remains of the daughter of James Monroe back from France and to Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond
8. Spotsylvania-based Leashes of Valor provides more service dogs to post 9-11 veterans
9. Living Legacies opens at the Fredericksburg Area Museum:  African American History in the Fredericksburg area
10. Victory and Valor--the USO celebrated for its work at the Dorothy Hart Community Center in Fredericksburg during World War II
11. Rappahannock Education Farm breaks ground on a barn
12. Micah's now annual Coldest Night of the Year walk raises money for the homeless
13. Sound the Alarm. FailSafe-Era holds rally after local shootings
14. New Visitor Center dedicated in Fredericksburg
15. Local goats used to clear brush at Old Mill Park
16. National Night Out in Stafford continues to turn out massive crowds
17. Stafford dedicates the African American Heritage Trail
18. Love Scrub at Hurkamp Park in Fredericksburg
19. Dr. Janet Gullickson retires as President of Germanna Community College
20. Kalahari on track to open late 2026 in Spotsylvania
21. New Walker-Grant Middle School opens in Fredericksburg
22. Retired Ambassador Pamela Bridgewater of Fredericksburg writes a biography:  "Bridging Troubled Waters:"
23. Tree Fredericksburg honors Carl and Anne Little
24. New citizens ceremony at Stratford Hall in Westmoreland
25. Leslie Leahy and Stacy Horner-Dunn discuss the grief that comes with losing their daughters-Ceili and Austen
26. Save Jane event in Fredericksburg remembers child abuse victims

Lt. Tom Cornell with Spotsylvania Fire, Rescue and Emergency Management says unattended cooking is one of the biggest reasons crews get called out this time of year. He and Fire Chief Jay Cullinan urge people to stay in the kitchen while food is on the stove, keep towels and packaging away from burners, and never dump hot embers until they’re completely cooled. They say most of these calls are preventable—and a little attention can keep a small mistake from turning into a 9-1-1 emergency.

“Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” is underway across Virginia this holiday season, with increased patrols targeting impaired driving. Kurt Erickson with the Washington Regional Alcohol Program says Governor Glenn Youngkin’s support has helped keep the enforcement effort strong.

Erickson explains what the added police presence means for drivers, reviews the latest impaired-driving numbers, and stresses that every one of these crashes is preventable. He also warns a DUI conviction is expensive and long-lasting, and shares simple party-hosting tips to keep everyone safe.  wrap.org