Stafford
from the white house to widewater
Local journalist writes book about his career covering presidents
MOUNTAIN VIEW GRAD HEADING TO SPACE… FORCE MEET MS. FULL FIGURED VIRGINIA
LESSONS FROM A SNAPPING TURTLE
Your Health, Your Hospital: Stafford Hospital Leading the Way
Stafford Hospital is proud to be designated as a Center of Excellence for Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery (COEMIG). We are one of only three hospitals in Virginia with this distinction. A designation as a Center of Excellence signifies that we have met proven standards and undergone a rigorous inspection process, all in the name of bringing you the highest quality surgical care possible.
Our commitment to surgical excellence continues with our remarkable Da Vinci robotic-assisted surgery system. This state-of-the-art technology allows our skilled surgeons to perform procedures with unrivaled precision and minimal discomfort. Minimally invasive surgical procedures mean faster recovery, less pain, and less time in the hospital than traditional surgery. At Stafford Hospital, precision meets progress, setting a new standard in healthcare excellence.
PUBLISHER
Bruce Potter bpotter@insidenova.com 571-333-1538
DIGITAL EDITOR
Kari Pugh karipugh@insidenova.com
ADVERTISING
Sales Leader: Connie Fields cfields@insidenova.com (703) 303-8713
Account Executives: Rick Bockes rbockes@insidenova.com
Brenda Powell bpowell@insidenova.com
ART DIRECTOR
Kara Thorpe
STAFF
Dave Fawcett
CONTRIBUTORS
Tracy Bell
David S. Kerr
PUBLISHED BY:
Rappahannock Media LLC / InsideNoVa 1360 Old Bridge Road Woodbridge VA 22192 (703) 318-1386
PRESIDENT
Dennis Brack dbrack@rappnews.com
BUSINESS OFFICE
Carina Richard-Wheat cwheat@insidenova.com
www.staffordmagazine.com
Blazing a Trail
Mountain View grad set to join the U.S. Space Force
BY DAVID FAWCETT
Ben Johnson focused on three areas to determine his career path.
The 2020 Mountain View High School graduate wanted to do something in technology, a passion that began with his love of playing video games and fascination with how they worked.
He also felt a pull to serve in the military. His dad, Scott, had done so before retiring from the Coast Guard, and his older brother, Nolan, currently serves in the Coast Guard.
Finally, he wanted to come out of college debt-free. If he could do that through the help of an Air Force ROTC scholarship, even better. Everything fell into place.
Through hard work, discipline and a pioneering spirit, Johnson reached all his objectives and earned a special distinction when he graduated from Syracuse University in May with a degree in computer engineering: The 22-year-old is the first Syracuse graduate to go directly
from the New York-based school into the U.S. Space Force.
Founded in 2019 to protect the country’s space interests, the Space Force is the newest branch of the armed services. It’s also the smallest with just over 8,000 members. Johnson said he reports for duty in late November to Peterson Space Force Base in Colorado Springs.
He’ll spend the first year of his fouryear commitment there in the Officer
Ben Johnson (right) with his father, Scott, who is retired from the U.S. Coast Guard.
Ben Johnson with his family after his graduation from Syracuse University in May.
Training Course learning about military intelligence, cyber security, cyberwarfare and space operations.
“I’m going to be a part of the trail blazing of the Space Force, which I am very excited about,” Johnson said.
Growing up, Johnson had shown no interest in following in the footsteps of his dad and his older brother. Scott Johnson was fine with that. All he asked of his son and his other children is that they find a job where they served others.
But one day during Johnson’s senior year of high school, he said something that shocked his dad. While eating at a local Chick-fil-A, Johnson told Scott he wanted to join the military.
“I almost fell out of my chair,” Scott said. “It was like, ‘What did you say?’ I had a new Ben. He was on it.”
As he started planning more for his future, Johnson saw the wisdom in going the military route.
“It was one of those things, where I kind of reflected on who to be when I grew up,”
Johnson said. “I have a lot of respect for my father and what he did. That motivated me, along with that I had a goal that I wanted to go to a school debt-free. I wanted to start off right.”
Johnson applied for an Air Force
ROTC scholarship because he felt that branch of the armed services best suited his interest in technology.
Johnson, who graduated from Mountain View with over a 4.0 grade-point average,
received the scholarship. The question then was where to attend college. Initially, he looked at Virginia Tech, the University of Virginia and Maryland. Syracuse was not on Johnson’s list.
But then Johnson received a message in January 2020 from Capt. David Stebbins. Stebbins, a recruiter for Syracuse’s Air Force ROTC Detachment, had apparently seen Johnson’s name somewhere.
Stebbins reached out to see whether Johnson would consider Syracuse. Johnson was interested, but he needed more information. The ROTC scholarship covered about $18,000 a year at the private school, which cost over $70,000 a year overall. Johnson needed to make up the difference if he wanted to go there.
Stebbins suggested Johnson apply for scholarships through the university to pay the remaining total. Once Syracuse met that need, Johnson enrolled. After four years, he ended up only paying between $4,000 and $6,000 out of pocket to attend Syracuse.
As he became more invested in the Air Force ROTC program, Johnson needed to figure out what area he wanted to go into upon graduation.
Part of the Department of the Air Force, the Space Force appealed to him primarily because of the opportunity to learn more technology. A competitive program due to its small size, the Space Force had a limited number of slots. A few Syracuse graduates had previously applied to go directly into the Space Force, but were rejected.
Johnson applied for admission during the spring of his junior year and was informed last fall that he had been accepted.
“I felt like I would be more at home in the Space Force than in the Air Force,” said Johnson, who graduated from Syracuse with a 3.8 GPA as a cadet lieutenant colonel in the Air Force ROTC Detachment 535. Commissioned a second lieutenant, Johnson will be a developmental engineer for the Space Force. But he isn’t sure yet what he will do for the Space Force once his training is complete.
He’s unsure as well if he will stay with the Space Force once his commitment is up. Still, one thing is certain: He’s thrilled about his opportunity.
“I get to be a part of something that’s sort of brand new, but also be able to shape the future of what the Space Force looks like.”
David Fawcett is sports editor of InsideNoVa and a resident of Stafford County. You can reach him at dfawcett@insidenova.com.
Ben Johnson reports in November to Peterson Space Force Base in Colorado Springs.
BY DAVID FAWCETT
ROBERT
From the White House to Widewater
Local journalist writes book about his career
covering
presidents
BY TRACY BELL
At first, Stafford County resident Steven L. Herman didn’t want to write a book.
Despite having spent many years collecting stories while covering the White House, Herman believed there were already plenty of books on the topic, especially the presidency of Donald Trump.
But many people he encountered found his job fascinating and urged him to write a book.
So he did – and it was released this summer as part behind-the-scenes look and part memoir. “Behind the White House Curtain: A Senior Journalist’s Story of Covering the President - and Why It Matters,” is about Herman’s time in the White House press corps, the relationship between the President and the press and his career.
Today, Herman is the chief national correspondent for Voice of America, which he joined almost 20 years ago. He covered the White House as a senior correspondent for VOA during President Donald Trump’s administration and for the first eight months of President Joe Biden’s administration.
Herman has traveled to more than 75 countries and territories, including Afghanistan, Argentina, Bhutan, Burma, China, the Gaza Strip, North Korea, Peru and Vietnam.
Often, his assignments would be in war zones or unsafe, not-so-cozy conditions.
Steve Herman’s career has included reporting from Singapore (right) and appearing on CNN (below).
that he should give journalism a try, stating, “You’re good at that.”
“If my mother gave me a compliment, I thought, I must do it,” he said, adding, “I wasn’t even sure what journalism was.”
“We take calculated risks,” he said, acknowledging that “being in the backseat of a taxi in a developing country” isn’t ideal.
The VOA trains its correspondents in safety measures, he explained, but noted a degree of acceptance is necessary in such a job because the conditions come with the territory.
“You can be a certified accountant if you don’t want to accept the risks,” he said matter-of-factly.
Herman and his wife – “a serious gardener” – moved to Widewater from Fairfax County at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, citing more space, no HOA and fewer ham-radio limitations.
“I love living on the Widewater peninsula,” he said, describing being surrounded by nature. “It’s a healing place.”
Herman was born in 1959 in Cincinnati, Ohio, and started his radio career in Las Vegas.
When he was a child, most kids wanted to be a fireman or an astronaut, he recalled.
Herman, though, wanted to play baseball or be a sports announcer, so he would pretend to be on television or be a camera operator.
Going into the seventh grade, Herman had to choose a school elective.
Typically, the boys took shop and the girls took home economics, but there was a third option in journalism, he said. Herman explained that his mother never gave compliments, but that time, she remarked
From there he became a staff member of his high school newspaper and continued in the field in college, earning a bachelor’s degree from Thomas Edison State University in New Jersey and a master’s degree from Mountain State University in West Virginia. He did additional coursework and earned certifications from other colleges, including Harvard University and the University of Nevada at Las Vegas. Herman is also an adjunct assistant professor at Shenandoah University and an adjunct lecturer in the journalism department of the University of Richmond. He occasionally serves as a guest lecturer at colleges in the United States and abroad.
WHAT IS VOICE OF AMERICA?
Herman’s long-held job though, is with Voice of America, based in Washington. Voice of America is an international radio and multimedia broadcaster with a targeted non-American audience –although Americans have access, too. VOA was founded in 1942 and provides news and cultural content by way of television, radio, social media and the Internet. Its content is shared in 48 languages and distributed to affiliate stations around the world.
The U.S. Agency for Global Media – an independent agency of the U.S. government – oversees VOA.
Herman said that the VOA is mandated by law to be fair and unbiased, which is taken very seriously.
“We’re not there as stenographers or cheerleaders,” he said.
BY
NOT A ‘TELL-ALL’
As for the book, it’s not a “tell-all,” Herman said, explaining that there’s nothing shocking in it about the presidents, but it gives an insight into what they’re like. Herman also shares what it’s like to travel on Air Force One, touches on tension between presidents and reporters and details the effects of social media.
coronation of the current king. He also lived for a long time in Japan and loved the culture and food.
North Korea, which he visited for 12 days, was, on the other hand, not a favorite.
In an excerpt from his book, Herman said he posted what he thought was a humorous throw-away tweet about a sinkhole on the North Lawn. But it went viral online, he said. “It became international news and was picked up by the late-night talk shows for their comedy bits.”
At one point, Herman was one of a handful of journalists banned from Twitter (now called X) after Elon Musk bought the platform. Herman said he “tweeted about other journalists suspended from Twitter for tweeting about a banned account that tweeted flight information of Musk’s,” and the situation spiraled.
Of Herman’s travels, he loved Bhutan in the Himalayas – staying there for the
Locally, Herman is president of the Stafford Amateur Radio Association and volunteers for Stafford’s telecommunications and emergency communications commissions. He enjoys photography and his hamradio hobby, but admits, downtime from his high-pressure, unordinary career is rare.
“I’m boring when I’m not working,” he said.
Tracy Bell is a freelance writer who lives in Stafford County.
More information
HERMAN’S BOOK CAN BE FOUND on Amazon, at Barnes & Noble and other book retailers. Herman’s NATIONAL BOOK TOUR will conclude Oct. 5 at 3:30 p.m. with a reading and signing at the Central Rappahannock Regional Library-Howell Branch, 806 Lyons Blvd, Fredericksburg. For more information, visit STEVEHERMAN.PRESS
Jim Acosta, anchor and chief domestic
book is “an important reminder of why we need journalists like Steve on the front lines
A thread running through the book is
According to a promotion for the book:
“He traces the trajectory of his career as a journalist – from learning to be skeptical of government officials’ statements when he worked as a novice reporter covering nuclear testing in Nevada in the 1970s to understanding the power of on-the-ground social media coverage after the Fukushima natural and nuclear disaster in 2011 and facing the challenges of covering the Trump
A lot of people aren’t looking for true news, Herman added, but more often to
president, Herman said the press must be ready, as they are constantly in stand-by mode. It’s not a job for the claustrophobic, he said, because the press typically waits
Breaking Beauty Barriers
Stafford resident wins Ms. Full Figured Virginia 2024
BY TRACY BELL
Alexis Cofield was thrilled to capture a pageant title this summer, but she also walked away with something else she holds close to her heart.
The North Stafford resident was crowned Ms. Full Figured Virginia 2024 on June 29 at the fifth annual beauty pageant in Richmond. The two-day semi-formal event is an on-ramp to the larger Ms. Full Figured USA National Pageant, which has been held for the past 35 years.
Cofield works as an analyst for the U.S. Department of Education, enjoying pageants on the side – but what’s vital has been the friendships and support network gained along the way.
“It truly is a sisterhood,” said Cofield, who was raised in Stafford but graduated from C.D. Hylton High School in Woodbridge.
The pageant included social time, preliminary activities, a pinning ceremony and competition divisions including talent, international, fashion, photogenic, cover girl, daywear, gowns and swimwear.
Cofield said she enjoyed the fashion category the most, and performed “Spoken Word” – an oral poetic presentation – as her talent.
The audience, with a variety of vendors on site, was also treated to a step show and red-carpet contestant interviews.
Cofield and two others competed for Ms. Full Figured, with nine contestants overall. Age categories were Ms. Full Figured Virginia and Virginia Plus (ages 2139), Ms. Full Figured Exquisite (ages 40-60) and Ms. Full Figured Elite (ages 61+).
Cofield’s pageant platform was: “Behold your beauty: Building confidence and self-love through personal branding and styling.”
In her first appearance as Ms. Full Figured Virginia, Cofield volunteered at SERVE, a Stafford-based nonprofit that addresses community food insecurity. Each competitor, referred to as a
Alexis Cofield (far right) with some fellow competitors at the two-day Ms. Full Figured Virginia Pageant in Richmond in June.
“delegate,” is expected to complete a minimum of 25 hours of community service, but Cofield had more than 66 hours by the time she was crowned.
“We believe beauty is important; however, giving back is priceless,” said Cofield, who is originally from Fairfax County.
After high school, she went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a master’s degree in organizational leadership specializing in human resources, both from North Carolina Central University. There, she competed in her first pageant at a sorority event in 2015.
After a stint living in Dumfries, Cofield returned to North Stafford in 2020; however, she remains a member of Life Connect Community Church in Woodbridge, where she is a youth leader.
What’s next?
Cofield will head to Atlanta to compete Nov. 7-9 in the Ms. Full Figured USA National Pageant. More information: msfullfigured vapageant.com and msfullfigured usa.org
At her church, she started a program called Life Blossoms, which mentors girls ages 13-18 and is also open to young women outside of the church. It addresses topics such as mental wellness, self-care, individuality and etiquette, while also holding fun activities such as tea parties.
Theresa Randolph, a plus-size model and television personality from Newark, N.J., founded the national Ms. Full Figured competition with the motto, “Size has no barrier on beauty!”
Purusha Jones-Shearin, director of the state pageant, helped found the Virginia event in 2018 with the goal of empowering and building self-
North Stafford resident Alexis Cofield is named
Ms. Full Figured Virginia 2024 in Richmond.
Feeling overwhelmed?
Meet us at the intersection of hope and health.
confidence in women through pageantry and competition, to inspire others and to encourage serving the community.
In an interview with Jones-Shearin to introduce the contestants, Cofield said there was a time in her life that she didn’t feel she fit in. It was not just based on size, but on personality and confidence, she explained.
Later, she realized her worth and hit a turning point, becoming more confident.
www.rappahannockareacsb.org
Jones-Shearin agreed, noting: “When you know yourself, you’re able to do more.”
And that she has, prioritizing the importance of giving back to the community.
She helps a disabled veteran with his chores. She is a member of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women’s Prince William County chapter, where she is part of brunch and annual-gala committees. And she also serves as a corresponding secretary for the Washington-area chapter of NCCU.
Occasionally, Cofield has some spare time.
“I enjoy going to anime conventions, trying new food spots, reading and I’m also in a gospel choir,” she said.
Alexis Cofield visits SERVE in Stafford County as her first order of business after being crowned Ms. Full Figured Virginia in June. SERVE addresses food insecurity in the region. Pageant delegates all complete service hours in their communities.
Along with winning Ms. Full Figured, Cofield earned awards at the Virginia pageant in fashion, community service and social media and for most sold ads, along with a “rising star” commendation for starting the mentoring group while competing.
Cofield had some advice for anyone wanting to participate in pageants.
“I would tell them two things,” she said. “The first is to figure out their platform and to make it personal. The second thing would be to bring their confidence and not just on the stage. Pageants take money and if you're running you need to be confident in not only yourself but your platform.”
Tracy Bell is a freelancer who lives in Stafford County.
Off the Grid
After 45 years, middle school P.E. teacher retires
BY TRACY BELL
If you’re looking for H.H. Poole Middle School teacher Mike Brooks, he is now off the grid.
After teaching in Stafford County Public Schools for 45 years, Brooks retired at the end of the 2023-2024 school year with the most tenure of his fellow retirees – more than 80 educators and staff members with a collective 1,535 years of service.
Brooks taught physical education and health, coached track and led his athletes to many state and district titles over the years.
As he transitions to retired life, Brooks is amused at even small changes that come with the territory – like the loss of his school email address he had used for years.
Brooks said his son reminded him: “Dad, that’s good. You’re off the grid.”
Maybe so, but he’ll carry countless special memories with him of his time spent as a teacher and coach.
“One of my best memories of teaching P.E. was having an opportunity to run the mile with my students when they were trying to pass the physical fitness test. I would pace them so they could get a qualifying time for the national test,” Brooks said. “I was running about 12 miles a day with them.”
The Spotsylvania resident started with Stafford schools in 1979, when he taught at Stafford Middle School. He then helped open A.G. Wright Middle School in 1981 and H.H. Poole in 1995.
Originally from Huntington, N.Y., on Long Island, Brooks played football, basketball and baseball at Huntington High School. He later graduated from Cortland State in upstate New York, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in
health education and played third base for the baseball team.
He recalled his best memory coaching being his first county championship win in football and all of the successive championships in football (seven) and track (18).
Over the years, Brooks enjoyed supporting his athletes who went on to high school by attending athletic events including track, football, volleyball, wrestling, basketball, tennis and field hockey.
Brooks said he even went to some dance recitals.
One of Brooks’ favorite teaching ideas was his Wall of Fame, where he posted best fitness scores from each P.E. class on the walls so the students could be inspired to top them. He was also known to give out certificates for P.E. accomplishments, as well as for bringing a Hoops for Heart program to the school to raise money for the American Heart Association.
“I will definitely miss the daily interactions with the kids and watching them improve,” Brooks said. “I fostered relationships with many of my students that have lasted for years.”
Even in retirement, Brooks plans to keep up his own personal P.E. class at home.
“I work out, run, bike, golf and kayak – anything that keeps me moving,” he said.
Brooks said he also plans to keep up his lawn-mowing side jobs and, of course, spend more time with his wife, Patti, and their grandchildren.
A proud father, Brooks shared a love of sports with his children.
His daughter, Cheyenne, played field hockey, soccer and was an all-
Brooks was not the only longtime educator to retire from Stafford schools this spring. Here are two others:
DEBORAH TRIPP, RETIRED MUSIC DIRECTOR
Stafford County resident Deborah Tripp retired as the director of guitar, orchestra and music theory at Colonial Forge High School, where she taught for 10 years. Prior to that, she taught at Spotsylvania Middle School for 15 years and a little more than a year at James Monroe High School in Fredericksburg.
“I will miss my daily interactions with the students and the making of music together,” Tripp said. “It has been a great privilege to use the greatest tool in all of education to teach people to work and play together: Music. Music can express so much where words may fail.”
Originally from Norwalk, Conn., Tripp studied music and violin at Shenandoah University. Over the years, she led Colonial Forge students to many national, state and district orchestra awards.
For Tripp, the highlights of her teaching career were the “amazing, awesome and inspiring students, families and colleagues” she was privileged to work with. She also recalled “the great music of all genres”
developed and shared, performance trips to Florida, Canada and New York, and “the in-the-moment fun, learning and creating that have built friendships and memories that will last for a long time.”
Tripp said she’s deliberating her next steps.
“I am considering many options that are available to me to include performance on violin, piano, voice or guitar, coaching in small or large groups in the schools or community and composing. I currently perform with my place of worship and will look to expand opportunities as I am ready.”
KAREN MAYS, RETIRED ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL
North Stafford resident Karen Mays retired this past school year after 37 years in education – 17 of those spent at Stafford County Public Schools. She most recently was an assistant principal at Colonial Forge High School, where she worked for 13 years.
She also worked as a principal intern at Mountain View High School for four years.
“I have loved everything I have done in my 37 years as an educator and truly enjoyed being an assistant principal,” she said.
Raised in Manassas, Mays graduated from Stonewall Jackson High School (now Unity Reed).
She has lived in the same home in North Stafford for the past 28 years.
Before her time at Colonial Forge, Mays was a teacher, coach and assistant activities director in Prince William County for 20 years – four of those years at Potomac High School and the
remaining 16 at Hylton High School, starting when it opened in 1991.
Mays said that what’s most memorable and what she will miss the most are the relationships with her colleagues, students and “our Forge family.”
“All the wonderful people I have worked with over the years have made me love what I do,” Mays said. “No matter how hard some situations were or how long the hours were, I am always grateful for the people I shared those times with and all the experiences we had together.”
Mays played basketball, soccer and volleyball all four years of
high school and graduated with 10 varsity letters. Later, she found herself in leadership positions and jobs she loved. Her roles changed though, so she embraced what was required to reach her everchanging goals. She earned a master’s degree in education and curriculum, as well as an endorsement in education leadership. Now, it’s time for a new beginning, though Mays will treasure looking back, too.
“My plans moving forward are to enjoy having free time and taking better care of myself,” Mays said. “I am staying in the area and hope to help in the schools when needed and find some new hobbies.”
SAFE. SOUND. SECURE SINCE 1839.
As the largest community bank headquartered in the Commonwealth, our commitment to building personal relationships with our customers and communities is deeply embedded in who we are. With local bankers you know and trust, it’s no wonder businesses and individuals throughout Virginia continue to choose United Bank.
Mike Brooks has more time for biking now that he has retired from H.H. Poole Middle School.
ACU P U NCTUR E
• Allergies, Sinus, Headache
• ChronicPain/Lower Back, Neck, Knee, Joints & Muscle
• Stop Smoking
• Stress Relief, Depression, Migraine, Insomnia
• PMS, Menopause Symptoms, Infertility
The following educators and staff members retired from Stafford County Public Schools at the end of the 2023-24 school year:
Anne Adams
Joan Baker
Diane Bender
Sharon Bennett
Jessie Leigh Bolinsky
Susan Bowler
Michael Brooks
Denise Burke
Diane Butler
Guadalupe Carranza
Margaret Clark
Michael Darnell
Olivia Dow
Daphne Dudek
Thomas Dunn
Jennifer Emerson
David Eshelman, Ed.D.
Anthony Falcone
Teresa Fisher
Laura Fournier
Lynn Frohnapfel
Stephanie Fuller
Dela Gadd
Susanna Ganninger
Susan Gingrich
Chong Godin
Linda Govenides
Annette Hall
Thomas Harding
Leontyna Harris
Colleen Himelright
Colette Hokana
Angie Hooe
Gesina Hull
Brenda Iddins
Temple Jackson
Stanley Jones, Ed.D.
Deborah Judd
Michael Justice
Carol Kerstetter
Rebecca Leggitt
Helaine Love
Christine Maris
Keith Martin
Karen Mays
Deborah McBride
Karen Miller
Tyler Newton
John Pape
Vickie Parks
Rosina Raines
Dennis Raines
Lissa Shiflett
Tracy Sisk
state volleyball player at Chancellor High School. His son, Michael, played basketball and was an all-state and all-American soccer player there, later playing soccer at Clemson University.
His youngest daughter, Josi – a Junior Olympic gymnast – followed in her father’s footsteps and teaches International Baccalaureate language, literature and creative-writing classes at Mountain View High School while coaching gymnastics.
As he settles into retirement, Brooks is excited for the chapter ahead.
“I am looking forward to August 12 when everyone returns to school in Stafford County and I will be on the golf course enjoying the rest of the summer,” Brooks said. “It was truly a great 45 years and I am thankful to Stafford County for giving me the opportunity to teach and coach some amazing students. It was a spectacular ride.”
Tracy Bell is a freelancer who lives in Stafford County.
Diane Skavdahl
Susan Smith
Tatiana Someillan
Lisa Sprouse
Janis Streich, Ph.D.
Katherine Strickler
Julie Swayze
Andrea Swink
Gayle Sydnor
Kenny Thompson
Cheryl Tolbert
Gheorghe Tomoiaga
Deborah E. Tripp
Laura Turpin
Pennie Walker
Nancy Wanner
Erin Welch
Todd Welker
Laly Westendorf
Lisa Whitesell
Judy Williams Gregory
Mary Wolff
Gary Wolford
Rebecca Woods
Mary Worhatch
Calvin Zimmer
PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY FAIR
Aug. 9-17
Prince William County Fairgrounds 10624 Dumfries Road, Manassas pwcfair.com
CHARITY CAR SHOW
Aug. 17, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Stafford Regional Airport
95 Aviation Way, Stafford
Benefits Cooking With Autism; food trucks, music, raffles, trophies
FREDERICKSBURG SPCA’S VEGAS FURBALL
Aug. 24, 6 to 11 p.m.
// EVENTS
Summer is winding down, but there’s still plenty to do across the region, and the annual lineup of fall festivals and county fairs is just around the corner. For a complete list of events around the region, visit insidenova.com
Fredericksburg Convention Center Fundraiser, dinner, drinks, auctions Tickets: $150 apiece or $250 per couple fredspca.org & event.auctria. com/2024FredSPCAFurball
BOWL-A-RAMA AT CORGI CLAY ART CENTER
Aug. 31, noon-4 p.m.
Ice cream, art & animals 15 Tech Parkway, Stafford corgiclayartcenter.com
CHILDREN’S ENTREPRENEUR MARKET
Sept. 6, 5-9 p.m.
Hurkamp Park, William Street, Fredericksburg childrensentrepreneaurmarket.com
OKTOBERFEST
Sept. 21, noon-10 p.m.
Adventure Brewing Company, Stafford adventurebrewing.com
STATE FAIR OF VIRGINIA
Sept. 27 to Oct. 6, 10 a.m.-9 p.m.
The Meadow Event Park, Doswell statefairva.org
VIA COLORI
STREET ART FESTIVAL
Sept. 28 & 29, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Free Stafford Regional Airport 95 Aviation Way, Stafford
FAMILY FALL FESTIVAL
Sept. 28, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
Iroc Church, 150 Leeland Road, Fredericksburg
Vendors, arts & crafts, food, moon bounce, games
OCCOQUAN’S FALL ARTS & CRAFTS SHOW
Sept. 28 & 29, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Free Shuttle: $8 or 2 for $15 Streets of historic Occoquan occoquanfestivals.com
NATIONAL NIGHT OUT
Oct. 1, 5-8 p.m.
Stafford Marketplace, North Stafford Vendors, demonstrations, community unity/safety staffordsheriff.com
STAFFORD
ARTS FESTIVAL
Oct. 5, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Oct. 6, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Embrey Mill, 1600 Mine Road, Field 9, Stafford staffordartsfestival.com
STAFFORD COUNTY FAIR
Oct. 17 & 18 (5-10 p.m.), Oct. 19 (noon-10 p.m.) and Oct. 20 (noon-7 p.m.)
The University of Mary Washington – Stafford campus 121 University Blvd., Fredericksburg staffordfair.com
A lesson about life from a baby snapping turtle
BY DAVID S. KERR
There is a small lake not far from my house in Stafford that has been home to everything from ducks to fish and, as I found out later, turtles. Then it suffered a disaster.
The dam that held the water was declared unsafe, and until it could be fixed the lake had to be drained. All at once, species that had thrived there for decades were gone. The birds could relocate, but most of the aquatic species paid a high price. I thought they had all died. However, I was wrong. Apparently, a mother snapping turtle, not quite knowing what to make of this disaster, traveled a considerable distance, by
snapping turtle standards, to lay her eggs in the mud behind my barn. I had no idea she had done this. The lake by then had become a mass of dried sediment. This mother turtle herself probably didn’t survive much longer.
But sometime later, in early September, I was sweeping out the garage, stopping occasionally to piddle. There it was, the tiniest turtle I had ever seen. It was amazing I was able to see it without glasses. But, looking for a cool spot in his desperate and seemingly hopeless attempt to find a body of water, there he was in my garage.
I picked him up and determined he was also fearless because he didn’t retreat into his shell – rather, he stuck his head out, and looked me, as much as a turtle can, straight in the eye.
Something had to be done for this poor fellow. So, I quickly found an old aquarium, treated the water and set up a provisional habitat. It was primitive, but by day’s end, it had a filter, some flat rocks, and
of course, a plastic palm tree. Sadly, I figured that the turtle’s long-term chances were marginal at best. He hatched out of some drying mud but had never lived in a body of water before. How could he possibly survive?
Besides, he was so small.
But in spite of the odds, he grew and prospered. He was with us nearly two years. He became robust and healthy, and we also realized he was getting a little too big for indoor living.
So, at the advice of a friend who specializes in studying aquatic life I released him back to his refilled and vibrant new lake.
The dam had been repaired. According to my friend, snapping turtles are born ready for the wild. And I imagine he is still fearless. As perhaps the last surviving aquatic resident of the lake, hopefully helping to repopulate it with snapping turtles, he represents the triumph of life over incredibly bad odds.
That’s the remarkable thing about life – it doesn’t quit. In the words of the author Bill
“We can choose to help perpetuate life and to help it grow and prosper – or we can look the other way.”
GERMANNA AT CENTER STREET
OPENS OCTOBER 2024
Bryson, in his book, “A Short History of Nearly Everything,” “Life doesn’t want to be much. It just wants to be.”
All humans, born, unborn, poor, rich, old, or young, gifted or not so gifted, and no matter what country they’re from, have as much right to life, and a reasonable quality of life, as anyone else. But, through a callousness, perhaps born of our technical age, we seem to divorce ourselves from the realities facing our fellow humans. They need our help.
Whether it’s people in a war-torn part of Africa, refugees escaping gang-ravaged slums in El Salvador, a homeless family in our own community or a young woman facing a difficult choice, life just wants a chance. We’re also the only creature that has a conscious choice in the matter. We can choose to help perpetuate life and to help it grow and prosper – or we can look the other way.
In that, there is perhaps a lesson to be learned from those simpler, though possibly wiser creatures, like my snapping turtle, who value life so much that they won’t quit even when the odds say they should.
David Kerr is a Stafford resident and an adjunct professor of political science at VCU. He worked on Capitol Hill and for various federal agencies for many years.
Germanna is expanding and this fall, we’re opening two state-of-the-art buildings at our brand-new Center Street location in north Stafford County
Located off Garrisonville Road, these modern facilities will offer an enhanced learning environment for students pursuing an education in the health sciences, and information technology and cybersecurity, and business fields.
10 Center St, Stafford, VA 22554
The Barbara J. Fried Building will offer a full suite of student support services, as well as dedicated space for information technology and cybersecurity training.
• Admissions
• Computer labs
• Conference rooms
• Counseling
• Cybersecurity classrooms
• Faculty offices
• Financial Aid
• Food pantry
• Library
• Pearson VUE testing center
• Tutoring and Academic Support
• Welcome Center
• Veterans Services
25 Center St, Stafford, VA 22556
The Kevin L. Dillard Health Sciences Building is the new north Stafford hub for health sciences, offering a cutting-edge facility to train the next generation of healthcare professionals.
• Conference rooms
• Dental Hygiene labs
• Emergency Medical Services labs
• Nursing classrooms and labs
• Observation classrooms
• Physical Therapy Assistant training labs
• Robert C. O’Neill Wellness Clinic
• Science labs
• State-of-the-art healthcare simulators
• Testing center
• Virtual hospital
BARBARA J. FRIED BUILDING
KEVIN L. DILLARD HEALTH SCIENCES BUILDING
