🌱 Stafford Rabies Case Confirmed + Anthem & MWU Reach Agreement

Good morning, hello! It's me, Danielle Fallon-O'Leary, your host of the Fredericksburg Patch newsletter — back in your inbox with everything that's fit to print about what's happening in the community.

But first, today's weather:

Breezy in the afternoon. High: 68 Low: 38.

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Here are the top three stories today in Fredericksburg:

1. An animal rabies case has been confirmed in nearby Stafford. The Stafford County Health Department confirmed on Feb. 17 that a feral cat found on Feb. 15 at the 100 block of Ottinger Lane in Stafford County was positive for rabies. Three individuals were exposed through bites or scratches from the cat and were advised to obtain rabies preventive treatment from the local hospital Emergency Department. (Fredericksburg Today)
2. Anthem and Mary Washington reached an agreement only days before their contract was set to expire over a dispute about reimbursement rates, the parties announced Monday. The announcement means that all Mary Washington Healthcare facilities will remain in the network of the state's largest commercial insurer. (Fredericksburg.com)
3. Two Northern Virginia cities — Alexandria and Arlington, both roughly 50 miles from Fredericksburg — were among the safest 200 major cities in the United States in 2022. Research by SmartAsset analyzed data from 200 of the largest cities in the country across the following five metrics: violent crime, property crime, vehicular mortality rate, drug poisoning mortality rate, and the percentage of the population engaging in excessive drinking. (Fredericksburg Patch)

Today in and around Fredericksburg:

• Time With A Therapy Dog At England Run Branch Library (11:00 AM)
• Basic Bridge At Salem Church Branch Library (12:00 PM)
• Teen Game Night At England Run Branch Library (4:00 PM)

Tomorrow, Feb. 22:

• Christianity Explored At Grace Fellowship Church (7:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• Am Royalty Fit for a King and Queen will host its annual Cinderella Experience on Mar. 13 from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Fredericksburg Expo Center. The free event will provide prom attire to financially challenged high schoolers who otherwise would not be able to attend prom. It also includes an etiquette briefing, makeovers, and help for students to select their attire. (Fredericksburg.com)
• Register now for "Enslaved: Peoples of the Historical Slave Trade" on Feb. 23 at 6:00 p.m. The James Monroe Museum and Memorial Library will host the webinar featuring Walter Hawthorne III and Daryle Williams, Principal Investigators of Enslaved.org, as they discuss their work with the project, and how it connects to persons enslaved by James Monroe. (James Monroe Museum and Memorial Library via Facebook)
• In case you missed it: a new Goodwill store has opened up at 2010 Lafayette Boulevard! Proceeds will support Rappahannock Goodwill’s mission of helping people in our local area find jobs.

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Featured events:

• T-Mobile Tuesdays: Get Delighted Every Week (February 21)
• Add your event

You're officially in the loop for today. I'll see you soon!

— Danielle Fallon-O'Leary

About me: Danielle Fallon-O’Leary is a content manager with content creation agency Lightning Media Partners and assists Patch.com with community newsletter curation. Danielle also holds a Master’s Degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders and works part-time as a pediatric speech therapist.