Victim injured during robbery attempt

NORTH STAFFORD — A man was struck with a pistol in a robbery attempt at about 10 p.m. on Friday night, reported Stafford County Sheriff’s Office Public Information Office Bill Kennedy on Monday.

The following is taken from calls to the Stafford County Sheriff’s Office from Sept. 29-Oct. 6:

Local graduate finishes seven-month deployment

Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Braxton Russell, a 2005 graduate of North Stafford High School, in Stafford, along with fellow Marines and sailors of 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, Marine Corps Base, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, recently completed a seven-month deployment to Al Anbar province, Iraq, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and the Global War on Terror.

CULPEPER — The Culpeper physician critically injured in a head-on collision five weeks ago was listed in good condition Monday at the University of Virginia Health System in Charlottesville, according to his office manager.

Before anything else, I have to institute a spoiler alert. If you have not seen “Nights in Rodanthe,” or think you might want to, maybe you shouldn’t read any farther just now. After all, I don’t want to ruin the movie for you.

Virginia is a battleground state for the November Presidential election, and there’s been unprecedented activity here of late, including a huge Obama/Biden rally at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, followed by an Expo Center VP Debate-Watching Party in the city honoring John McCain’s vice presidential choice, Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska.

WOODBRIDGE — Stafford resident Kelly J. Pratte, a teacher at Rosa Parks Elementary School in Woodbridge, was recently recognized through the 2008 ING Unsung Heroes awards program as one of the nation’s most innovative educators.

STAFFORD — Along with the ghosts and goblins that Halloween brings, October also represents Fire Prevention Month.

STAFFORD — The Stafford County Planning Commission approved a recommendation to pass an amendment to a controversial zoning ordinance in a four-to-three vote during its regular meeting Oct. 1.

WOODBRIDGE — It was lunchtime for the more than 3,000 walkers who lined the streets of Woodbridge dressed in pink last week.

STAFFORD — The line to enter the official Obama-Biden Campaign Headquarters in North Stafford began well before it officially opened its doors at 9:45 a.m. on Saturday.

STAFFORD — A Spotsylvania high school was put on lockdown last week after several men were witnessed taking photographs nearby.

STAFFORD — County administrator Anthony Romanello gave a presentation on the budget for the up and coming fiscal year at Tuesday’s Stafford County Board of Supervisors’ meeting.

Today is the last day for Virginia residents to register to vote in the 2008 presidential General Election.

STAFFORD — A sexual assault took place on campus at the University of Mary Washington early on Friday morning, according to campus officials. A $10,000 reward has been offered to anyone providing information that leads to the successful arrest and conviction of the suspect.

FREDERICKSBURG — Republicans went all out on Thursday night in Fredericksburg at a rally to support presidential candidate John McCain and his running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.

The Virginia Department of Transportation has released the following information to help motorists traveling in the local area from Oct. 5-11.

STAFFORD — A 23-year-old Stafford County woman has been arrested for the robbery and attempted robbery of several local businesses.

Jeremy Randolf Melvin, 19, of Parkside Lane in Stafford, was arrested at about 6 p.m. Sept. 27 on charges of possession of a controlled substance, driving while under the influence of narcotics, felony child endangerment and driving suspended.

The Kangaroo Express in Garrisonville was robbed at about 1 a.m. Sept. 26.

A proposal to reduce the Urban Service Area (USA) was made to the Stafford County Board of Supervisors at its Sept. 2 meeting.

Two Stafford County supervisors and other county officials hosted a public forum on the redevelopment of the Warrenton Road corridor in Stafford on Sept. 25 at the Riverside Center in Falmouth.

All 29 Stafford County schools have earned full state accreditation for the 2008-09 school year, the schools system recently announced.

The following list is taken from calls to the Stafford County Sheriff’s Office from Sept. 22-29.

Fredericksburg resident Helen Ross never thought she would be able to walk a block and a half to see something like Saturday’s Barack Obama – Joe Biden campaign rally at the University of Mary Washington.

STAFFORD — Several home invasion-style burglaries that occurred in Stafford in late September have police asking for help to locate the suspects.

A car travelling northbound on Interstate 95 has overturned at mile marker 148, near Triangle.

An event that draws clowns, children, a moon bounce, puppeteers and a costume parade can’t be all bad.

Jerry Reed has passed away, and the world is a slightly worse-off and less amusing because of it.

Carla Blevins said Tuesday that she is all cried out. She knows that she doesn’t want what’s happened to her family to happen to anyone else.