F%@& that: Swearing no longer a crime in Fredericksburg Fredericksburg City Hall [Photo: Fredericksburg Va. Government Facebook page]
Fredericksburg citizens can now swear without fear of arrest.
The Fredericksburg City Council recently amended the city’s code to remove public swearing as a criminal offense.
Fredericksburg follows the 2020 Virginia General Assembly’s lead that adopted legislation to remove it from the state code.
The law, also known as the public intoxication statute, had been on the books since 1792 and weaved the act of swearing with public drunkenness. The statute remained on the books in the commonwealth despite the results of Cohen v. California, a 1971 Supreme Court case that ruled that banning offensive messages was a violation of First Amendment rights.
Federal grant to boost Fredericksburg river rescue team
The Fredericksburg City Council approved a grant for $76,000 for the City Fire Department’s Water Rescue Team.
The grant was originally awarded to the fire department in October 2019 through the Virginia Department of Emergency Management which got funding from the Department of Homeland Security.
The goal seeks to expand and improve water rescue operations throughout Virginia. The Fire Department will use the grant to purchase equipment to bring its water rescue squad up to code with the rules set by the state Department of Emergency Management.
The equipment is expected to upgrade the water rescue squad to a National Incident Management System Type Three team. This level would certify the team to be deployed statewide to where water-related emergencies are occurring. Such emergencies would include situations such as hurricanes and localized flooding.
EDITORIAL: Slow down rezoning in historic core fredericksburg.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from fredericksburg.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Train station feeder bus, commuter lot expansion wanted Amtrak and Virginia Railway Express trains serve the Fredericksburg train station.
The Fredericksburg City Council endorsed an application for two transportation projects for FRED transit, the city’s municipal bus service.
The first project will be constructing a Park and Ride Lot at the FRED Central Transit Center, which is located in the Lawrence A. Davies building at 1400 Jefferson Davis Highway next to Umi’s Sushi Restaurant. According to city council documents, the project would provide additional commuter parking and easier access for a park and ride at the lot, which has had limited parking since its opening in 2007.
Fredericksburg raises towing fees A view of Downtown Fredericksburg from above Hurkamp Park [Photo: Fredericksburg City]
The Fredericksburg City Council recently voted to increase towing fees in the city.
The City Council’s vote aligned towing fees that are deemed reasonable which are set in Virginia law.
According to the language of the code, localities are authorized to set reasonable fees charged with the removal of motor vehicles, trailers, and their component parts left unlawfully on private property.
This code applies to all counties and localities within Virginia’s Planning District 16, of which Fredericksburg is a member. The planning district also includes the counties of Caroline, King George, Spotsylvania, and Stafford.