The News That Moved Us This Past Week
January 26 - February 1
by Martin Davis
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
The week just past saw the battle over library books move from Spotsylvania to King George County, a growing interest in the experiences of Black police officers, a look at what the housing market holds for 2024, and Fredericksburg city - again - locked in arguments over density. Our humorist, Drew Gallagher, resonated with readers last weekend, and the New Dominion Podcast’s interview with Dr. Thomas Taylor drew record-breaking attention. Thanks for reading, and share us with your friends!
Number 5 (Tie): Captain Lee Peters III, Lieutenant Deuntay Diggs Discuss Film
Last week we published a review of a new independent film - “The Thin Black Line” - that explores life as a Black police officer. Reviewed by Theater Critic Dennis Wemm, the film explores the extraordinary crucible that Black police officers find themselves in. Today, we follow up that review by interviewing two officers who took part in the film - Lieutenant Deuntay Diggs and Captain Lee Peters III. They talk with FXBG Advance’s Editor-in-Chief about the film, and their experience in sitting for the cameras.
Number 5 (Tie): What's the Housing Outlook for this Year?
Fredericksburg Area Association of Realtors gathers a panel to look back at 2023 and forward into 2024.
Number 4: Summit Highlights the Importance of "Regionalism"
Event organized by the area Chamber of Commerce is "an intentional step towards a regional conversation."
Number 3: Spotsylvania School Board Begins to Wade into the Budget
According to the results of a community budget survey, hiring and retaining teachers should be the top priority.
Number 2: Missing Books - Some of Them - Back in School Division Central Office
The books were banned from school libraries last year and then taken to the Friends of the Jefferson-Madison Regional Library's book sale in the fall.
Number 1: City Council Didn't Put Its Best Foot Forward
Tuesday night's City Council meeting left many in attendance feeling frustrated and unheard. There are measures the Council can take right now that will prevent a minor dust-up from becoming a storm.
New Dominion Podcast - Dr. Thomas Taylor
What precisely is the true cost of public education in Virginia? Stafford County Superintendent Thomas Taylor shares some of the challenges facing public education, including teacher retention, how COVID recovery is a more serious problem than we realized, and how the relationship between local government, public schools, and Richmond needs a serious rethink built on trust and realistic need.
Humor - Drew Gallagher
Where are Lisa Phelps and April Gillespie shuttling off to well before Board meetings end? We don’t really know, but our intrepid humorist/axolotl-loving-journalist, Drew Gallagher, has some ideas - two involve cheese.
Local Obituaries
To view local obituaries or to send a note to family and loved ones, please visit our website at the link that follows.
Weather and Traffic
Support Award-winning, Locally Focused Journalism
In less than a year, FXBG Advance has become the news leader in Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania, and Stafford through its innovative mix of:
Twice-daily newsletter - At 6 AM and 5 PM every Monday through Friday, the Advance brings the most important news directly to your inbox.
Education Reporting - Adele Uphaus has won multiple awards for her coverage of education issues locally and across the state. Now, she brings her experience, insights, and expertise to the Advance, providing our citizens some of the finest education writing and reporting in the commonwealth.
Political Reporting - From council meetings to campaigns, and fundraising to finance, the Advance is returning the Fourth Estate to its rightful place as a government watch dog.
Breaking News - From court cases to high-profile government moves, the Advance is the first to inform residents.
Investigative Journalism - Last year, the Advance broke major stories around improperly filed election documents, misleading sample ballots, disenfranchising Spotsylvania Count School parents, and book bans.
Election Coverage - The Advance offered the most complete coverage of the 2023 election, with in-depth candidate profiles, daily tracking of events, leading debates, and pre-dawn to post-midnight Election Day coverage. And 2024 brings even greater coverage.
Spotlights - From local businesses to nonprofit organizations and regional leaders, the Advance brings the people who make things happen to your attention.
Multi-partisan Commentary - Martin Davis is a 20-plus-year journalist recognized for superior commentary and political writing; Shaun Kenney has his hands on the pulse of political leaders across the Commonwealth. Together, they bring an unparalleled level of analysis and insight into the issues that drive debate in our region.
Political Cartoons - Clay Jones is a nationally recognized talent who draws weekly for CNN. He has returned to Fredericksburg to level his critical eye and razor-sharp drawing at the topics which make us both laugh, and look closer at ourselves.
New Dominion Podcast - Each week, Martin Davis and Shaun Kenney interview guests from across the region and the state. Growing to over 1,000 listeners in just six months, NDP has become a leading force in political, cultural, and social discussion.
We thank each and every one of you who have made the Advance a part of your day, and we’re excited to say that more-exciting announcements are just around the corner as we continue to innovate and expand our coverage of the region.
The donations of individual readers have made this year possible. Please join the hundreds who are supporting excellence in journalism by subscribing for just $8 a month.
Where does your money go?
It goes to support the great journalists we have - like Adele Uphaus - and the ones we look to hire in the year ahead.
If you can spare $8 a month, we’ll be both grateful, and reward your trust in us with more journalism, more stories, and more connections to organizations and people who make our region a great place to live.
If you can’t, thank you for reading the FXBG Advance!, and consider sharing us with your friends.
In 2024, let’s build an even better Advance - together!
Thank you for reading and supporting FXBG Advance.
-Martin Davis, Editor-in-Chief