STAFFORD — A mix of teary-eyed parents and wide-eyed school children were welcomed to Widewater Elementary School on Tuesday for the first day of school.

STAFFORD — Stafford County Historical Society members revisited Stafford’s past as they explored the history of music in the county at last week’s society meeting.

WOODBRIDGE — Two Alexandria men were hospitalized after a stabbing early Sunday morning outside the Waffle House at 17137 Dumfries Road in Dumfries.

STAFFORD — Four Stafford County Sheriff’s Office deputies have been cleared of any wrongdoing in the shooting death of a Falmouth man.

STAFFORD — Henry Scharpenberg spoke on behalf of the Stafford Regional Airport Authority at Tuesday’s Stafford County Board of Supervisors’ meeting.
He asked for a property tax rate decrease from $3 per $100 to $.01 per $100, bringing it in line with Manassas Regional Airport’s rate, their primary competition.

OCCOQUAN — Local, state and federal officials gathered last week to discuss new High Occupancy Toll lanes designed to bail commuters out of gridlock.

STAFFORD — Eighty-four people came out to donate blood in the Stafford Marketplace shopping plaza on Labor Day. Together, their donation equaled 71 collected units of blood, and will help numerous people in need.

STAFFORD — The Fredericksburg region is quickly becoming an exerciser’s paradise as multiple runs and walks are planned to benefit local charities. 

The following is taken from calls to the Stafford County Sheriff’s Office from Aug.25 to Sept. 1:

STAFFORD — Several vandalisms took place over the Labor Day holiday, reported Stafford County Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer Bill Kennedy on Tuesday.

Air Force Reserve Airman 1st Class Joseph P. Marrujo has graduated from basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas.

Rockhill Elementary is in need of a family to adopt the habitat each month. If you are able to help by coming to school one or two times a week for a month, contact the school at (540) 658-6360.

FREDERICKSBURG — The Alzheimer’s Association in Fredericksburg will offer Dementia 101, a series designed to give family caregivers basic knowledge of caring for someone with memory impairment.

STAFFORD — Four Stafford County Sheriff’s Office deputies have been cleared of any wrongdoing in the shooting death of a Falmouth man.

STAFFORD —  A 34-year-old man accused of killing a Chinese-food delivery driver is now facing capital murder charges in Spotsylvania County.

STAFFORD — Richard Ramsey visit Stafford teachers and administrators on Monday, seeking to motivate and inspire.

STAFFORD — A former Virginia governor turned state senate hopeful came to Fredericksburg last week to help a local organization celebrate a milestone.

FERRY FARM — One of the nation’s most significant archeological discoveries is going away to be preserved for the next generation. A team of archeologists discovered the foundation of George Washington’s boyhood on July 4, after seven years of searching.

STAFFORD —  The Stafford County Sheriff’s Office hosted two seminars concerning MySpace on Saturday, and again on Wednesday. Admission to the sessions was free of charge and open to the general public.

A 27-year-old Culpeper man has been arrested on felony charges related to a sexual assault of an acquaintance on Monday, Prince William County police reported Wednesday

WOODBRIDGE — Personal information belonging to more than 2,600 Prince William County students, employees and volunteers was exposed through an Internet file-sharing program for about five weeks this summer, school division officials said Tuesday

Virginia Railway Express executives are seeking two fare increases in the coming months, with the first 4-to-7-percent increase proposed for January and the second 3 percent raise set for July

WOODBRIDGE — Prince William was number 96, Loudoun, number 5, and Stafford, 77.

QUANTICO — A total of 838 parking tickets, worth $20,450, written by the town of Quantico’s police officers since 2005 remain uncollected or unaccounted for, according to an audit of the police summons.

The following was taken from calls to the Stafford County Sheriff’s Office from Aug. 18-25:

Donette L. Mathison has been promoted to the rank of technical sergeant in the U.S. Air Force. Mathison, a medical service craftsman with 10 years of military service, is assigned to the 440th Airlift Wing, Pope Air Force Base, Fayetteville, N.C. The sergeant is a 1997 graduate of West Craven High School in Vanceboro, N.C.

Rockhill Elementary School welcomes new staff members Jennifer Bogard, Lisa Carter, Sandra Davidson and Cheryl Lopez.

HARTWOOD — A man was assaulted outside his house on Cropp Road early Aug. 21 as he investigated smoke billowing from the vents in this home, reported Stafford County Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer Bill Kennedy later the same day.

Police have identified a 49-year-old Dale City man who died in a boating accident Monday morning, said Officer Erika Hernandez, Prince William police spokeswoman.

With his shot at running for vice president behind him, Gov. Timothy M. Kaine said yesterday that he expects to finish his term and thinks the newly minted Democratic ticket with Delaware Sen. Joseph R. Biden Jr. for vice president will play well in Virginia.