Local

The Virginia Department of Corrections is looking for an inmate who walked away from a work unit Wednesday morning,100 miles from Fredericksburg and 40 miles from Culpeper.
Karan Batra left the crew in teh Shennandoah Valley, but police say he has ties to northern Virginia. He is 5-feet, 5-inches tall and weights 165 pounds. he is convicted on non-vioent crimes and is not considered dangerous. He should not be approached though and if you spot him, call the Virginia State Police.

Thursday is national dump the pump day and officials hope you will bike to work if you can or take public transportation.
The American Public Transporation Association says it is good for the environment and your wallet. The average driver in this region could save up to $800 a month or nearly $10,000 a year by picking an alternative way to get to work, school or run errands.

If you are into thrills, a Kings Dominion coaster might be just up your alley.
The park's Intimidator 305 is named one of the best coasters in the world on a recent episode of Travel Channel's "Insane Coaster Wars: World Domination". The popular 305 foot roller coaster reaches a whopping 90 plus miles per hour. KD's Volcano The Blast Coaster, will be featured in another future Travel Channel episode on July 7th at 8:30PM

A former licensed therapist convicted of sex crimes involving patients will spend 13 years in prison.

Scott Gordon Henry pleaded guilty to charges of aggravated sexual battery and indecent liberties with a child under 15.

The Free Lance-Star reports that the 67-year-old Henrico County resident was sentenced Tuesday in Caroline County Circuit Court to 52 years in prison, with all but 13 years suspended.

Henry formerly was a therapist with Rappahannock Area Community Services Board.

Five victims were children and two were adults with mental disabilities.

WARRENTON, Va. (AP) - The Fauquier Times-Democrat is changing its name due to the increasingly divisive political landscape.

In an editorial published Wednesday, the newspaper announced it would become known as the Fauquier Times. The editorial said having the word "Democrat" in the newspaper's name in such partisan political times "is no longer a very astute business decision."

The newspaper is located in Warrenton, about 45 miles outside of Washington. It's published twice a week, on Wednesdays and Fridays

The newspaper traces its roots back nearly 200 years to the Palladium of Liberty, which began publishing in 1817. In 1905, the newspaper became the Fauquier Democrat. In 1989, it changed its name to the Fauquier Times-Democrat to more closely identify with the Times Community News, the family-owned chain that owned the paper.

The extra construction workers you will start seeing on Route 17 in Stafford in a week or so will be there for the road widening project. Kelly Hannon with VDOT says it will run from Geico to Mclane Mid Atlantic. You'll start to see highway workers soon. Hannon says now that ground has been broken, work to put in an additional lane north and south from McLane MidAtlantic to Geico gets underway. Initial work starts to the north of the Celebrate Virginia Parkway. Any traffic changes or actual lane closures will take place overnight and be cleared in time for the weekday morning commute.

In all, it will take three years to complete. The work will progress closer toward I-95 as time moves on. In addition to the two extra lanes, turn lanes will also help people get into and out of Route 17 businesses. There will be sidewalks added and traffic light improvements as well.

The changes are designed to handle the nearly 50,000 vehicles on the stretch of road every day. That number is expected to skyrocket by the time the project is done at the end of 2016.

Virginia voters are evenly split in the race for governor, and overall, Virginians are pleased with the direction of the state, but a new poll shows serious concerns about the future for kids.

The Strong Kids, Strong Virginia poll revealed 48% of those surveyed believe kids in the state will grow up worse off than adults are today.

Spokesman Steve Clermont says the coalition of groups that make up the Strong Kids, Strong Virginia campaign will press local and state candidates to address issues like crowded classrooms, hunger, and access to health care.

Some inexpensive and popular entertainment heads back to the Burg' for the summer.
The Bluemont Concert series will feature everyone from the Hula Honeys to the Martinsburg Jazz Combo. The shows are at Maury Field off Kenmore Avenue at 7:30 on Saturdays, starting July 6th. Tickets are 5 bucks for adults, Seniors and Bluemont Friends get in for five and it's two for kids under 12.

Most of us keep up with what we owe our utilities, but some customers are more vulnerable than others.

Casey Hollins with Rappahannock Electric Cooperative says scam artists are praying on them, calling and demanding immediate payment for overdue bills. They are being asked to get a green dot card or find another way to pay or have their service turned off.

Hollins says utility providers never contact customers demanding money and never make a call without already having their personal account information.

If you get one, never agree to make a payment, check the number on your caller i.d. and contact local police. A similar utility scam turned up in the region and state earlier this year.

Stafford County is about to get a school resource officer for it's middle schools.

The county is just one of 24 statewide that will have such an officer provided thanks to grants approved by the Criminal Justice Services Board.

The funding originates from a $1.3 million appropriation requested by Governor McDonnell and approved by the General Assembly.

A Virginia state senator is one of the latest people to have her e-mail account hacked, but if it happens to you, what do you do?
Tim Alexander with Northern Virginia Computer Systems in Fredericksburg says you often only know if you get a call from a friend or a text message saying they got an odd e-mail from you. The best line of defense is to be smart up front. Many people pick a password that is a favorite team name, a pet or another item close to them. Alexander says that is a terrible idea. You should pick something most people would not associate with you, then add some capital letters and numbers.Even without prompting, passwords should be updates frequently. You should also install store bought virus protection and keep it current.
If you do find out that your e-mail has been hacked, disconnect your primary computer immediately and change all of your passwords. You can always call a computer technical professional in the area, if needed.

If you want to do something healthy that supports a good cause, this Sunday's Mary Washington Healthcare Cancer 5k Run/Walk is an option.
It takes place at 8 a.m. on Sam Perry Boulevard. This year's goal is to raise 20-thousand-dollars to benefit the Mary Washington Healthcare Regional Cancer Center. It will help offset the cost of services not covered by insurance.
Register on-line by Friday at racetimingunlimited.org, at VA Runner in Fredericksburg's Central Park on Saturday or at the race site on Sunday morning. The cost is $33.

It's only a drill!

People traveling through Richmond International Airport tomorrow morning might think that another incident like the one earlier in the week is happening. But that's not the case. It's a long planned emergency exercise required by the FAA.

Signs will be posted and public address announcements will be made throughout the airport.

Periods of rain over Fredericksburg on and off until mid-evening Thursday with some storms to the south, but the worst has passed. Rappahannock Electric's Anne Lewis says they have more than 5,000 in the dark south of Fredericksburg. Lightning and fallen trees are the likely culprits of the outages. She says they have line crew and tree cutters on teh ground and will work round the clock until all of the lights are back on.

One of those trees fell very close to Gary Cooper's south Stafford home. He tells WFLS they feel lucky. He says the huge maple has been in his subdivision off Truslow Road for years. It apparently fell over Thursday afternoon and ripped the entire root ball out of the ground. When it came down, it went between his garden and a swing, falling close to the house. For the most part, Cooper says it missed everything and they feel blessed. We asked if he has any advice for his neighbors or our readers and listeners. "Many of these trees in older subdivisions look great on the outside, but might be hollow." He walked around the base of the fallen tree and says the roots look rotted. He says people shouldn't take safety for granted and might want to keep an eye out on their property after bad storms.

While you are out driving through Friday morning, Fredericksburg Deputy Fire Chief Mike Jones says remember that areas near small streams and creeks prone to flash flooding. In the city, some of those are near Hazel Run, Fall Hill Avenue and Normandy Village. Though many parts of Route 1 north to Stafford and south to Massapponax could also pose problems. VDOT's Kelly Hannon says if you do come across a closed road, take an alternate route. If you can't see the bottom of pooled water never try to drive through it. If you come upon a road with a fallen tree or that is flooded and not marked, call 1-800-FOR-ROAD.

Issues with high water from the Rappahannock River could return in the area over the next couple days as the rain that fell to the west moves downstream.

If you had planned to run in the sold out Marine Corps Marathon this fall but something has come up and you can't, here's some good news.
A transfer program is open to pass your bib on to another willing participant. The new runner will pay a $30 transfer fee. You won't get a refund of money already paid from the organizers, that's between you and the person that takes your bib.
If interested, go to marinecorpsmarathon.com by the end of August..

Bob Spieldenner with the Virginia Department of Emergency Management says if you know your house is flood prone, take action now.

Keep exterior basement drains free from debris and protect anything on lower levels that could be damaged from water. Elevate big items like furnaces and hot water heaters. If they get water inside, they won't work and can be expensive to replace. You should also tie down grills and outdoor furniture to avoid it blowing away and causing damage to your home.

Sometimes weather watches and warnings come in time, but not always.

Some local hometown heroes are getting recognition from the local personal injury law firm of Allen, Allen, Allen & Allen for their local acts of kindness and heroism.

Annually, area residents are asked to nominate their favorite local hero. The winners will be honored at a Brass band event in Charlottesville next month and at the Trace Adkins Celebrate Virginia concert here in August.

There are multiple local winners. Get the complete list at allenandallen.com under hometown heroes.

Get ready for another round of severe weather across Fredericksburg and the region.

Meteorologist Eric Pindrock with Accuweather says we'll be on the south side of a June low pressure system by Thursady afternoon. It could bring torrential rain, lightning, gusty or even straight line winds and might spawn a tornado. It could mean problems for fallen trees with the ground already saturated and power outages.

The system should move pretty quickly and leave the region by later Thursday evening.

Ground is officially broken on the Route 17 construction project to ease your drive through Stafford County.
The road will be widened to six lanes for over a two mile stretch from I-95 to Stafford Lakes Parkway. VDOT hopes it will help handle the more than 40 thousand vehicles a day more expected to drive the road within the next 20 years. It should be finished by early December 2016.

Now that the planned Dominion Raceway in Thornburg gets a few green lights to move forward, its' developer wants another exception and you get another chance to speak out.
Spotsylvania's noise ordinance would let the vroom vroom go on until 10 p.m., but owners want it to be 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday nights. A public hearing on the new request will likely come within two months.

If you have driven around the area and region in the last few days, you've probably seen how high the Rappahannock is.
Local river steward Bill Micks says if it is ever over the banks, muddy, full of debris or moving fast, stay out. It only talks a few seconds for you or your friends to get into trouble. Already a group of canoeists did not heed the warning and got stuck over the weekend.

Always plan before you head out to the river and make sure the water levels are safe. A more than 30 mile spanse from Remington to Culpeper and Fredericksburg is listed on riverfriends.org.

As expected, turnout has been light for primary day around the region, but some local voters still make their presence known. Some tell WFLS they go to exercise their civic duty and others are voting to support a specific candidate.

Ballots in the Democratic primary are being cast for governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general and several other local races. Polls are open until 7 p.m.

VIDEO - RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Richmond International Airport has reopened its terminal following a threat that prompted an evacuation.

The airport announced the terminal's opening in a posting on Twitter shortly after 9:45 a.m. Tuesday.

Virginia State Police Sgt. Thomas Molnar says the airport received a threatening phone call shortly after 6 a.m. Tuesday.

Canine units were brought in to sweep the terminal and the parking decks. The airport says nothing was found during the sweeps.

Molnar says airport workers will resume normal operating procedures.

Most flights were held while the airport was checked. Molnar says five flights were permitted to land, although they were to be held short of the terminal.

The Federal Aviation Administration has been notified.

Earlier Video: WTVR.com

The Better Business Bureau says don't get caught up in the latest scam involving free airline tickets.

Tom Gallagher says area residents are receiving letters from US Airlines.

He says it's a phishing expedition to obtain personal information from you.

Gallagher says the problem is to start is that there is no US Airlines and the scammers want you to bite on the bait and call them. He says don't. You could lose your identity and ruin your credit.

Just as the widening of Route Three winds up, another major road widening project is about to get underway.
Groundbreaking is set for Wednesday morning for expanding U.S. 17 from four to six lanes for a two-mile stretch. The projects starts at McLane Drive and ends just north of Stafford Lakes Parkway.
The price tag on the project is $50 million.

It's expected that polling places will be less busy mid-morning and mid-afternoon.

Remember Virginia law requires all voters to present a valid form of ID at the polls.

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Union First Market Bankshares Corp. plans to acquire StellarOne Corp. in a stock transaction valued at $445 million.

The banks announced the signing of a definitive merger agreement on Monday in a news release. They say the merger will create the largest community banking institution in Virginia, with total assets of more than $7 billion.

The combined company will retain the Union name. Its headquarters will remain in Richmond.

Union CEO G. William Beale will lead the combined company's leadership team. StellarOne president and CEO O.R. Barham Jr. will retire, effective when the merger is completed. StellarOne chairman Raymond D. Smoot Jr. will become chairman of the combined company.

The merger must be approved by regulators and shareholders. It's expected to be completed around Jan. 1, 2014.

If you ride VRE and have questions, there is a chance to ask them on-line on the first Wednesday of every month from noon until 1.
Riders can visit vre/org/chatterbox to participate. Just click the "Ask" button to submit a question, or just sit back and watch the q & a from others.

Area forecasters are still watching a tropical depression to see what it will mean for us, but you better be ready to pack an umbrella later today and tomorrow.
Fredericksburg might be just on the edge of a heavier band of moisture along the coast, so the amount of rain we'll get is up for debate. Either way, clouds and showers enter the picture for a couple of days. There may still be some peeks of sun this coming weekend.

Better news than expected news for your wallet as plans come together for summer travel.

Crude oil falls below $93 a barrel Tuesday, driven by investors that are shaky over some weak manufacturing reports. Tammy Gobert with Triple-A Mid-Atlantic says they already thought the price at the pump would go down this summer. The lastest crude drop means they will likely fall even further.

When you head to the yard, park, pool or beach this spring and summer, stay protected.

Dr. Mark Eid with the Virginia Dermatology and Skin Surgery Center in Fredericksburg says your skin remembers every time it is burned, so always use sunscreen. One with an spf of 30 or above is the best.

Avoiding direct exposure during the hottest times of the day, between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. is also smart.

Reaching epidemic proportions, one in five Americans is predicted to develop some sort of skin cancer in their lifetime.

Photo courtesy of fredericksburg.com

More than 100 new high school graduates from the greater Fredericksburg area that are joining the military will be honored Wednesday night.
The Our Community Salutes ceremony at the University of Mary Washington is being organized by the mother of a local marine. The ceremony at Dodd Auditorium starts at 7 p.m. and is open to the public. The organization does the same thing in multiple cities across the country.

If you ever get tired of being bored while you wait for your plane at a Virginia airport, there is a service to help you meet new friends or even find romance. Meetattheairport.com lets you connect with people that might fly out of the same airport you do or even meet someone new in another state or country.
Vino Volo at Dulles International airport is rated in the top five "best date restaurants" by nearly five thousand of the sites 80,000 members.

Kids and families in Spotsylvania can celebrate the end of another school year at the end of this week.
The 11th annual Spotsylvania Movie night is this Friday in the field behind Robert E. Lee Elementary. "Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked" is free and open to the public.
Gates open at 8 p.m. and it starts after dark. Lawn chairs or blankets are a good idea, but pets are not allowed. Food will be sold on-site.

WASHINGTON (AP) - A Virginia man who admitted to tricking a memory-impaired woman out of more than $170,000 for home improvements that were not performed has been sentenced to more than 2 years in prison.

Fifty-two-year-old James F. Butler of Culpeper had pleaded guilty to theft of a senior citizen in November. He was also ordered to pay restitution to the woman, who was 93 when the crime was committed, at sentencing on Monday.

According to court documents, Butler obtained the money over a 3-month period. Prosecutors say he told the woman, who lived alone in Washington, she owed him money for work that was not done.

Authorities say on some occasions, Butler would have her write him multiple checks on the same day, knowing that she did not remember having paid him.

Stafford County breaks ground today on an $11-million indoor competition pool and gym complex.

The sports complex including outdoor athletic fields will be built in the Embrey Mill subdivision. The building will be county-owned, but will privately operated.

The Rappahannock YMCA has expressed interest in bidding for to be the operator.

Here's a reminder to check on your local personal property tax bill, if you haven't already paid it.

Personal property and real estate taxes are due this Wednesday for Caroline residents. The treasurer's office has extended its hours for the deadline, from 8:30 a.m til 6 p.m. every day until then. Like most localities, late payments are subject to a penalty and interest.

A reminder to lock up everything outside and inside of your car and to not leave items of value out on plain view.
Fredericksburg police are still looking for a man reported to be breaking into cars at VRE Lot G on Prince Edward Street Sunday around 10 a.m. Several cars had broken windows and there was evidence of glove boxes tampered with, but no suspect.
He is described as young and black wearing a white tank top, brown or tan shorts, and black glasses.

King George County residents say a proposed noise ordinance needs some tweaking.

Two groups have weighed in on the measure, which deals with those who want to enjoy weekend events at Fairview Beach and those who fear that farm machinery and animals would break a county law. The proposed ordinance is based on decibel readings.

The hearing is Tuesday evening at 6:45 p.m.

Some family friendly changes are in the works for the State Fair of Virginia.

The fair is seeking permission from Caroline County officials to relocate the kiddie rides and livestock exhibits for this year's event. Separating the kids rides away from adult midway would make the offerings safer and attract more people.

Moving the livestock exhibits to the south side of the fairgrounds across Route 30 would open up the space for moving the kids rides.

Caroline County officials are in early discussions with the Potomac and Rappahannock Regional Transportation Commission. According to The Free Lance-Star, the county is seeking information about joining the group. Currently about 75 residents ride the VRE.

But the county's main reason appears to be to enhance the the ability to make highway improvements.

Based on current fuel sales the county could expect more than $6-million annually in revenue from a 2-percent tax levy.

Get ready for a fun filled Fredericksburg weekend, but expect lots of traffic, people and closed roads.

The masses will gather at 7:30 a.m. tomorrow to cheer on dozens of young racers in the annual Soap Box Derby on William Street. Four will go home champs in different categories.

In addition to the Derby, there is an Antique Car Show off Caroline Street, it's University of Mary Washington Alumni Weekend and there is and American Canoe Association event.

Renting an apartment or house might seem like a better option than buying, but still do your homework and come prepared.

Mike Adams with Jon Properties in Fredericksburg says you should pull your most recent credit report, get a letter from your recent landlord and personal references and be ready to show a sound job history. Research the area and location and ask lots of questions. If things like trash removal, water and sewer or electric being included in the rent could save you money down the road.

AT&T cell users in the greater Fredericksburg can step out of the dark ages.

Many people watched as Verizon expanded its' 4G service to surrounding areas last Spring. Now AT&T's change means less buffering andfaster loading of web pages, with any 4G compatible device.

Read more on what it will mean down the road in Mike Zitzs' column in this Saturday's Business section of The Free Lance-Star.