Advance Saturday News
Today, the editor takes a look back at the outgoing governor, what Martin Luther King Jr. Day asks of us, and the week's top stories.
ESSAY: Turning the Dream into Action
By Hailey Zeller
Martin Luther King Jr. Day was never meant to be a pause. It was meant to be a push. Here are some opportunities to reflect and serve this weekend and in the coming weeks.
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FROM THE EDITOR: Youngkin Never Learned to Connect
By Martin Davis
Youngkin strengthened the state’s economy and weakened its cultural fiber. Consequently, he missed an opportunity to move Virginia’s people, as well as its economy, forward.
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The Week’s Top Stories

Columns, Opinions, Analysis
ANALYSIS: Conspicuous in its Boredom: Monday night’s Spotsylvania School Board Meeting featured a welcome return to adult behavior.
DONNIE JOHNSTON: It’s Been a Week, Even by Trump Standards: First Venezuela, now he wants Greenland, Colombia, Canada and Cuba. The world is taking notice.
General Assembly
A Second Overview of Legislation Introduced by Local Lawmakers: More from Josh Cole, plus legislation from Nicole Cole and Tara Durant.
Local Government
First Spotsylvania Board of Supervisors Meeting Reveals Rifts: The decision not to name Dr. Deborah Frazier as vice-chair, and yet another discussion about by-right data center development exposed fractures in the Board.
Fredericksburg’s Gun Give-Back Program Could be Model for Statewide Program: A bill introduced this week by Josh Cole, Fredericksburg’s representative in the House of Delegates, would establish a statewide firearm give-back program.
Data Centers
DIGITAL INSIGHTS: The Status of Data Centers in Spotsylvania: How many data center campuses are there in Spotsylvania County, how much land do they consume, and when will they start generating tax revenue? Answers to these questions are becoming clearer.
Most-Read Story of the Week
EXCLUSIVE: “Something was Different”—An Immigrant’s Worst Fears Realized: Mirna Benitez feared the worst when she was summoned to an off-hours appointment with ICE. Her fears paled to the reality of the treatment she experienced.
Local Obituaries
To view local obituaries or to send a note to family and loved ones, please visit the link that follows.
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