News

On Saturday, March 21, members of Boy Scout Troop 218, the Northern Neck Master Gardeners, and Friends of the Rappahannock joined Stratford Hall staff in planting its first saplings as part of the “250 for 250: Improving the Northern Neck’s tree canopy for the Semiquincentennial” project. The new trees are located along the southwestern border of the preserve, near Stratford Hall Road and the entrance gate.

The Northern Neck Master Gardeners’ (NNMG) Shoreline Evaluation Program (SEP) is celebrating 15 years of offering shoreline advisory services to the Northern Neck community. During this time, team members have evaluated 28 miles of shoreline, 1,826 acres of waterfront property, and met with 540 homeowners.

Last week, Rappahannock Community College officials, community leaders, and project partners gathered to break ground on the long anticipated Health Sciences building at the college’s Warsaw campus.

Legislation aimed at curbing “forever chemicals” in farm-applied biosolids has cleared the Virginia General Assembly and is now headed to Gov. Abigail Spanberger’s desk. Proponents of stricter controls acknowledge the measure is far weaker than they wanted. Still, they are urging the governor to sign the legislation into law, viewing it as an important first step to build upon.

Following the Rappahannock Tribe’s legal challenge to a state approved water withdrawal permit, the Tribe has launched a fundraising and coalition building campaign seeking public support for what tribal leaders expect to be a long term fight to protect the Rappahannock River.

The Warsaw Town Council is moving forward with a proposed cannabis ordinance, anticipating action at the state level that could pave the way for retail sales in Virginia.

Photo: Environmental Quality Services The living shoreline restoration project on Simonson Road in Farnham, near the public Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources boat landing and parking area, is the only one of its kind in the Northern Neck in VDOT’s naturebased solutions initiative, according to Kelly Hannon, communications manager for VDOT’s Fredericksburg District.

At the beginning of March, Jim Taylor resigned from his post as Westmoreland County Administrator in the wake of a closed‑session performance review.