FREDLINES
Claire Marshall Watkins, ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Fredericksburg Free Press
Let him X-plain: Spotsylvania supervisor Mullins addresses offensive social media posts
By Taft Coghill Jr. 10/29/2026
Drew Mullins has spent the past week or so in an introspective mood.
The vice chair of the Spotsylvania County Board of Supervisors reflected on posts he’s made on the social media platform X, posts that many consider offensive and denigrating to women and minorities.
‘Now we have the information’: City council, school board discuss teen violence report
By Joey LoMonaco 10/28/2026
One component of the city’s response was an assessment conducted by WestEd, which described its 113-page report as “a shared picture of youth violence in Fredericksburg built on local data and local voices.”
The city released the report, funded by a grant from the Department of Criminal Justice Services, in September, and Tuesday’s joint work session at the Walker-Grant Center served as the first opportunity for officials to discuss it publicly.
Stafford School Board approves calendar that keeps religious, cultural holidays
By Adele Uphaus 10/28/2026
The Stafford School Board on Tuesday approved a calendar for the 2027-28 school year that preserves multicultural religious holidays such as Diwali, Good Friday, and Eid al-Adha.
The board voted 6-1 to adopt this version of the calendar, with Falmouth representative Sarah Chase dissenting.
The Free Lance-Star
UMW’s Kye Robinson named preseason 1st-team All-American (paywalled)
By Alex Murphy 10/28/2026
Robinson, the Most Outstanding Player of the 2026 NCAA Division III men's basketball tournament, was a consensus All-American last season between the National Association of Basketball Coaches and D3hoops, averaging 24.3 points, 6.9 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game as a sophomore.
Troubles mount for Stafford man accused of damaging statute (paywalled)
By Keith Epps 10/28/2026
The Stafford County man accused of inflicting extensive damage to a famous World War II monument last week is now facing federal charges, along with possible deportation.
Miguel Alonso Maldonado Soriano, 27, is accused of causing “hundreds of thousands of dollars” worth of damage to the Iwo Jima monument near the entrance to the Marine Corps base at Quantico late on Oct. 21.
Death in Stafford massage parlor under investigation (paywalled)
By Keith Epps 10/28/2026
Court records show that Stafford detectives are investigating a possible homicide that occurred early this month in the county, but it remains unclear who died and the cause of death.
According to an affidavit for a search warrant filed in Stafford Circuit Court, emergency workers responded to Fuji Massage at 385 Garrisonville Road the afternoon of Oct. 1 for an “unresponsive” male.
Fredericksburg police ask public to help identify suspects (paywalled)
By Keith Epps 10/29/2026
Fredericksburg police are seeking the public’s help in identifying three males responsible for an unprovoked attack on Thursday that sent the victim to the hospital.
City police spokeswoman Jessica Carter said the incident took place about 8:30 p.m. in the 1200 block of Townsend Boulevard. The victim, an adult, was transported to Mary Washington Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries that included multiple injuries to his face.
Potomac Local News
AOC and Vindman to headline GOTV rally in Prince William County Friday
By PLN News 10/28/2026
Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30, with the program scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m. The public listing does not publish a street address; organizers say the venue is shared after registration.
Attendance requires a signup through the party’s Mobilize event page. Only people who register through that link will be able to attend, the Democrats said.
Chief Details Friday Night Shooting as Community Demands Answers
By PLN News 10/28/2026
Manassas police recovered more than 25 shell casings from the street at the Church and Main intersection after shots were fired about 11 p.m. Friday outside Bull Run Unitarian Universalists (BRUU). No injuries were reported, and officers already within one block of the scene arrived in less than one minute.
Prince William pastor sues to block Virginia same-sex marriage ballot question
By PLN News 10/28/2026
Pastor Ben Purves of Occoquan Bible Church in Woodbridge claims proper procedures were not followed to place Question 2 on the ballot. The lawsuit was filed by Founding Freedoms Law Center in Prince William County Circuit Court.
ADVANCE READS
Donnie Johnston, Claire Marshall Watkins, Phil Huber
Make No Mistake About It: This Is the Most Consequential Midterm Election Since 1858
Donnie Johnston, ADVANCE COLUMNIST
We are less than a week away from the much-anticipated mid-term elections.
The importance of this election has been well documented, and that importance cannot be understated. This could be the most important mid-term since 1858, an election that brought a Republican majority to power in the United States House of Representatives and led to the Civil War.
My Pen-Pal, America
Claire Marshall Watkins, ASSOCIATE EDITOR
A few weeks ago, I mailed my ballot for the Virginia Midterm Elections to the Office of Voter Registration and Elections in Fredericksburg. I went to my local library, printed out my ballot, and marched straight to the post office. London is a long way from Fredericksburg, but distance isn’t an excuse to disregard a crucial civic responsibility.
This is my second year voting absentee from England. Last year, I followed a similar routine to cast my vote for the Virginia General Election. I had just started my master’s program, so I went to my campus library, printed out my ballot, and marched straight to the post office. It was classically dreary that day, but I didn’t mind walking through the rain––I was determined to make sure my ballot arrived in time. Since absentee voting means no beloved “I voted” sticker, I wore a cashmere sweater, wool skirt, and go-go boots to make the occasion feel special.
Before You Vote, Remember the Campsite
Phil Huber, ADVANCE COLUMNIST
As a Boy Scout, I learned to leave a campsite better than I found it. I have tried to practice that lesson ever since. Scouting still teaches campers to walk around before leaving and make sure the site is better than they found it.
It is a simple idea: Take responsibility for the place you have used. Remember that others will follow you.
I did not always bring the same care to voting. For years, I was a regular voter without doing enough work to know the candidates. Too often, I settled for asking which one was the lesser evil. I performed the routine without fully accepting my civic responsibility.
STATE OF THE STATE
VaNews/VIRGINIA PUBLIC ACCESS PROJECT
Va.’s Officer Mask Ban Gets Mixed Fourth Circuit Reception
By HOLLY BARKER, Bloomberg Law (Subscription Required)
A lawyer for Virginia fielded tough questions before an appellate panel over the state’s authority to require federal law enforcement officers to show their faces and identify themselves when enforcing immigration laws. The US Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit appeared more receptive at argument on Tuesday to lifting a preliminary injunction to allow the state to enforce its law dictating terms for local cooperation with federal law enforcement. Virginia brought the consolidated appeals to undo district court orders largely barring the state from enforcing the two recently enacted laws implicating Immigration and Customs Enforcement activities.
Virginia license plate could be at center of Supreme Court case on free speech
By SAMUEL B. PARKER, Richmond Times-Dispatch (Subscription Required)
Attorney General Jay Jones wants the U.S. Supreme Court to hear arguments over a license plate. In a Tuesday morning statement, Rae Pickett, a spokesperson for the state’s top lawyer, confirmed that “our office will file a (cert petition) on Oct. 29” in the matter of Whateley v. Lackey: a case that began when Lynchburg resident Curtis Whateley filed suit against the now-former commissioner of the Department of Motor Vehicles over a revoked vanity license plate that contained anti-law enforcement sentiment. Whateley believes that act violated his right to free speech. Jones and the Virginia DMV disagree.
The Virginia Public Access Project
Virginia’s early voting returns show that four out of 10 registered voters 71 or older have already cast their ballots in Virginia, more than five times the turnout of voters 40 or younger. Compare turnout by age across congressional districts, or toggle to see the total number of early ballots cast.
‘Crystal Ball’ adds another Va. House race to toss-up list
By MICHAEL MARTZ, Richmond Times-Dispatch (Subscription Required)
A nationally watched political newsletter has added another Virginia congressional race to its list of toss-ups, this time in the 5th Congressional District. Rep. John McGuire, R-5th, is seeking a second term, but former Rep. Tom Perriello, D-5th, is running hard to win back his old seat. Sabato’s Crystal Ball also moved the 7th District congressional race between Rep. Eugene Vindman, D-7th, and Republican challenger Doug Ollivant from likely Democratic to a safe seat for Democrats ...
Trump cuts slashed $156 million in Virginia solar funding. What’s next?
By ELIZABETH MCGOWAN, Virginia Center for Investigative Journalism
Norfolk pastor Brandon Praileau knows firsthand that solar leads to savings. His congregation shrank its monthly electric bills by one-fifth since a 10.1-kilowatt array of ground-mounted panels adjacent to Wesley Union A.M.E. Zion Church in Hunter’s Square went online in early 2021. That’s why Praileau is troubled that the President Donald Trump administration continues to block thousands of low-and moderate-income Virginians from tapping into solar and battery technologies designed to boost affordability. An ambitious, federal $7 billion Solar for All program was terminated in July 2025 when Trump signed H.R. 1 into law. Its fate is unclear even after two federal judges, in separate rulings, ordered the money restored in late September. Virginia’s share of Solar for All energy grants was $156 million. However, the commonwealth spent just $730,000 on planning before the new administration cut off the remaining money, according to a state Department of Energy official.
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