Good morning, Fredericksburg.

Fredericksburg nurses are collecting new essentials for women & girls to support local shelters and service groups, and organizers say donations are being accepted now with plans to distribute items to families in need.

Ferry Farm Elementary students, teachers, parents and Stafford County sheriff's deputies marched through the Ferry Farm neighborhood on Oct.

29 for the school's annual D.A.R.E. parade, a tradition of more than 30 years supporting the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program.

Forbes released its eighth annual America's Best in State Employers list, and Mary Washington Healthcare was named to it for the second straight year, marking it as a top local employer.

VDOT has scheduled lane closures Nov.

1-6 on I-95, Route 1, Route 3 and other district roads for pavement marking, soil sampling, bridge beam installation and repairs, with overnight and daytime alternating closures at Exit 143, Chopawamsic Creek and the Falmouth Bridge; check 511 Virginia for updates.

UMW men’s basketball was picked preseason No. 1 (D3hoops.com Top 25) and is favored to win a third straight Coast-to-Coast Conference title; the defending national champions open Nov.

6 at the University of Scranton tournament and host No. 7 Randolph-Macon Nov. 14 at 7:30 p.m.

Courtland defeated King George (3-0) to win the Battlefield District volleyball championship on Thursday, Oct.

29, 2026, and the Cougars will advance to the Region 4B playoffs.

Colonial Forge's girls won the Region 6B title Thursday at Willowmere Park, edging Patriot 59-63 while Mountain View's Lauren Uhle took the individual girls crown; Riverbend's boys won Region 5D Thursday at Oatlands Plantation, paced by Ethan Hacking's second-place finish.

Chancellor defeated Courtland 2-0 to win the Region 4C field hockey championship (Thursday, Oct.

29), and the Chargers will host a Class 4 state quarterfinal at home while Courtland must play on the road in states.

VDOT says Route 1 near Quantico will be reduced to two lanes overnight from Wednesday, Nov.

4 through Friday, Nov. 6 (7 p.m. to 7 a.m.) while crews install new beams on the Chopawamsic Creek bridge, with the same closures planned Monday, Nov. 9 through Wednesday, Nov. 11 if weather delays work.