In partnership with
Hey neighbor! 👋
Memorial Day weekend is almost here and this edition has a little bit of everything. Buc-ee's officially got the green light in Stafford County after one very long night. There is a $24,000 wine heist story that you cannot make up. And your Memorial Day weekend is completely planned between the Luminaria at Fredericksburg National Cemetery, a WWII fighter plane at Stafford Regional Airport.
Grab your coffee and let's dive in.
Dori
Ask the Neighbors
.
🏪 Stafford County Just Approved a Buc-ee's on I-95. How Do You Feel About It?
Eight hours. Dozens of public comments. One very divided room. And at nearly 1 AM, the vote was called. Buc-ee's is coming to Stafford County.
In a 5-2 decision, the board approved a massive 74,000 square foot travel center near I-95 Exit 140 with 120 gas pumps, more than 800 parking spaces, and a 45-foot sign. Supporters point to millions in potential tax revenue and up to 300 new jobs. Opponents are not happy and say they are not done fighting.
Construction cannot begin yet. A lengthy state and federal transportation review could take well over a year.
The beaver has landed in Stafford. 🦫
Local Pulse: FXBG Edition
.
15,300 Candles. One for Every Soldier. The Fredericksburg National Cemetery Luminaria Is This Saturday.
One of the most moving Memorial Day traditions in the Fredericksburg area returns this Saturday, May 23rd. The 31st Annual Fredericksburg National Cemetery Luminaria features 15,300 candles lit across the cemetery grounds, one for each soldier, sailor, and Marine buried there. Most died during the Civil War and at least 85 percent of the graves are unidentified. Throughout the evening a bugler will play Taps every 30 minutes while park staff share stories about those interred there. Local Scouts volunteer each year to set up and light every single candle. It is free, open to the public, and one of those experiences that stays with you long after you leave.
📍 Fredericksburg National Cemetery, intersection of Sunken Road and Lafayette Boulevard
🗓️ Saturday, May 23rd ⏰ 8:00 PM to 11:00 PM
This Virginia Wine Heist Has More Twists Than a Corkscrew. 🍷
Two suspects disguised as event planners toured the wine cellar at L'Auberge Provençale in Virginia last November, charmed their way through the space, and walked out with a pinot noir worth $24,000 and another bottle valued at $7,000. One suspect boarded a flight to Vienna and has never been found. The other was caught and is expected to plead guilty to grand larceny. The bottles recently made their way back to the restaurant owners through a winding chain involving the suspect's son, a public defender's office, and the sheriff's office.
The twist? Because the bottles were missing, there is no way to verify whether they were stored in proper conditions. As co-owner Alain Borel put it, nobody is going to pay $24,000 not knowing how the wine was kept.
A big thank you to our sponsors for keeping this newsletter free for the community🙏 Want your business in front of 33,000+ Fredericksburg-area neighbors? Become a sponsor. [email protected]
.
Your Website Might Be Breaking the Law, and You Would Not Even Know It.
Most business owners assume their website is accessible to everyone. The reality is that nine out of ten websites are not and lawsuits against inaccessible sites are on the rise with settlements that can cost $50,000 or more. An accessible website is one that can be used by people with visual, hearing, motor, and cognitive impairments and the Americans with Disabilities Act applies to websites just like it applies to physical locations.
Renee Dunn, CPACC, Owner of Elevage Digital
The good news is that Renee Dunn of Elevage Digital right here in Fredericksburg offers affordable accessibility audits and remediation services, tested by certified professionals and people with disabilities. She also works with small businesses to take advantage of tax incentives that can offset the cost of making their site compliant. If you have an accessibility widget installed and think you are covered, think again. About 25 percent of sites that get sued each month have one.
📞 540-709-1662 📧 [email protected] 🌐 elevagedigital.com
👉 Is Your Website Accessible? Take the free self-assessment.
.
Community Digest
.
Someone Thought to Combine Wine, Live Music, and Helping Kids. We Are In.
Picture this. A beautiful spring afternoon at Eden Try Winery. A glass of something delicious in your hand. Live music drifting across the grounds. Good company all around. And the knowledge that every sip you take is helping protect a child.
Eden Try Winery is partnering with the LOW ChildHelp Auxiliary to raise funds for Childhelp, an organization dedicated to the prevention and treatment of child abuse. Ten percent of all winery sales go directly to the cause.
Bring your people. Grab a glass. Make a difference.
🍷 Specialty winetails and mocktails
🎵 Live music from High and Dry from 2 to 5 PM
📍 Eden Try Winery, 6818 River Rd, Fredericksburg, VA
🗓️ Sunday, May 31st ⏰ 12:00 PM to 7:00 PM
Stafford County Is Honoring Memorial Day With a Restored WWII Fighter Plane and the Story of the Tuskegee Airmen
This Friday Stafford County is hosting a Memorial Day ceremony unlike any other. The Rise Above exhibit honoring the Tuskegee Airmen and the Women Airforce Service Pilots will be at Stafford Regional Airport featuring a 53-foot mobile movie theater, interpretive displays, and a fully restored WWII-era P-51 Mustang. The formal ceremony is Friday May 22nd at 10 AM and the exhibit stays open daily through Memorial Day.
📍 Stafford Regional Airport, 95 Aviation Way, Fredericksburg, VA 22406
🗓️ Ceremony: Friday May 22nd at 10 AM
📅 Exhibit open daily May 22nd through May 25th, 10 AM to 4 PM
House Hunch FXBG
.
Can you guess the price of this real estate listing based on just one photo? Here’s a hint: 5 bd, 4.5 ba, around 4,700 sqft. on around 5.5 acres.
This listing is brought to you by:
Want to feature your listing in House Hunch FXBG? Respond to this email for info!
What’s Happening In & Around the ‘Burg
Here are some of the top events happening soon. Always check with the venue for the latest details. Got an event coming up? Add it to our calendar.
Friday, May 22
Location: City Vino, 100, Hanover Street, Maury, Downtown, Fredericksburg, VA
Sunshine Concert Series | 4:00PM
Location: SCERA, 6818 River Rd, Fredericksburg, VA
Location: Old Dominion Humane Society, 3602 Lafayette Blvd, Fredericksburg, VA
Saturday, May 23
Location: Tales & Tails, 1010 Charles Street, Fredericksburg VA
19th Annual Tattoos For Community | 12PM (through May 24)
Location: Jack Brown's Tattoo Revival, 1919 Princess Anne Street Fredericksburg, VA
Standup Comedy | 7:30AM
Location: Laudenbach Brewing, 45 Centreport Parkway, #UNIT 101 Fredericksburg, VA
Patawomeck Memorial Day Market | 11:00AM
Location: Patawomeck Museum & Cultural Center, 638 Kings Highway, Fredericksburg, VA
Sunday, May 24
Book Vase Painting + Flower Bar | 10:00AM
Location: Curated FXBG, 817 Caroline Street, Fredericksburg, VA
Location: Trinity Episcopal Church, 825 College Ave., Fredericksburg, VA
