Spotsy's sheriff leaves early, the Falmouth Bridge's $73M question, Halloween for grown-ups

Good morning, FXBG.

It's going to be sunny and in the 70s today and Friday, which feels like a small reward for a week full of public meetings. Today we've got a sheriff leaving early, a bridge whose funding just got less certain, and some Halloween plans for the grown-ups who've already done the costume stroll, the trunk-or-treat and the candy drop.

In today's Rundown:

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Last December, Spotsylvania Sheriff Roger Harris said he'd retire when his term ends on Dec. 31, 2027. He's changed the plan. In an Oct. 16 email to his staff, first reported by the Free Press this week, Harris said he'll step down on Jan. 4, 2027. That's almost a year early.

"I wanted you to hear this decision directly from me," he wrote. He also said who he'd like to take over: Lt. Col. Delbert Myrick. Myrick, 45, has been in law enforcement for 24 years, and 21 of those have been in Spotsylvania. He started in Arlington and joined Spotsy as a deputy in 2005.

Harris doesn't get to make that call himself, though. The Board of Supervisors decides between two options:

Whichever they choose, voters elect a sheriff for a full four-year term in November 2027. Four people have already said they're running: former Spotsylvania Sheriff's Office Maj. Troy Skebo, Bill Gill, Brian Bettis and Steve Maxwell. If Myrick is appointed, he'd go into that race as the incumbent. He told the Free Press that isn't necessarily a good thing: "It all depends on how you perform … It could be a curse, too."

Sheriffs around here have done this before. Caroline's former sheriff Tony Lippa left early, and his pick, Scott Moser, was appointed to finish the term. Moser then ran unopposed in 2023. King George Sheriff Chris Giles plans to retire at the end of this year and ask the court to appoint Maj. Patrick Weston. Myrick says he doesn't know which way the supervisors are leaning. The issue wasn't on Tuesday's agenda, so there's no date yet for a decision.

The Free Press story → https://www.fredericksburgfreepress.com/2026/10/27/spotsylvania-sheriff-harris-retiring-early/

If you cross the Rappahannock on Route 1, you already know the Falmouth Bridge. It was built in 1943, it carries about 40,000 vehicles a day, and it's due for a $160 million rebuild. That plan replaces the deck, girders and rails, and adds a 14-foot shared-use path with a barrier on the southbound side. Inspections in November 2024 found "rapid deterioration" in some of the steel under the deck. The emergency repairs that followed left the bridge with a lower weight limit.

The state lined up the money in two parts: $86.2 million from its State of Good Repair program and $73.8 million from its Priority Transportation Fund. The Free Lance-Star reports that the second part is now at risk. Virginia's transportation budget is short, and state officials say construction and maintenance costs have doubled over the past 10 years. To cover the gap, the state has proposed moving $705 million off its priority project list and into maintenance.

If the money for the Falmouth Bridge is pulled, the Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) could replace it with State of Good Repair money. That's not simple, though. The bridge's $73 million is more than the program's cap for local projects, so the board would also have to vote to waive that limit. "If they do not cast those two votes in favor, the Falmouth Bridge will need to find other funding," FAMPO Administrator Ian Ollis told the paper in an email.

What this means for you: Nothing changes right now. The CTB is expected to decide in December. The current schedule, which VDOT presented last year, has construction starting in 2030 and taking about three years. The bridge would stay open during the work, with two southbound lanes and one northbound lane. Mayor Kerry Devine's verdict at the time: "this is gonna hurt." Nobody has said whether losing the money would delay that schedule or shrink the project. We'll keep watching.

Funding story (Free Lance-Star, may be paywalled) → https://fredericksburg.com/news/local/article_5327ad73-af6e-4994-bdfb-59c392516560.html

The construction plan → https://www.fredericksburgfreepress.com/2025/11/21/this-is-gonna-hurt-falmouth-bridge-replacement-to-begin-in-2030-last-three-years/

We've already covered the costume stroll, the trunk-or-treats and the haunted hangar. These picks are mostly for adults, with one more for the kids.

The forecast is good. As of Wednesday morning, the National Weather Service expects a sunny Friday with a high near 77, then a clear night down to the upper 40s. Saturday is partly sunny with a high near 67. Halloween night turns mostly cloudy with a low around 47, so bring a layer you can wear over your costume. Rain chances return late Sunday and stay in the forecast through Election Day.

Friday: ghosts with a key to the lodge. History Walks FXBG runs its Halloween-season ghost tour one last weekend. It's about a mile of downtown ghost stories, and the tour goes inside Masonic Lodge No. 4 and its private cemetery. There are two flights of stairs, so it isn't wheelchair accessible. Its boozier cousin, Drunk History at Cheeky's: Crime, Punishment & Witches on Friday, is sold out, but there's a waitlist.

Ghost tour → https://fxbg.com/calendar-item/halloween-season-ghost-tours-with-access-to-the-masonic-lodge/

Drunk History waitlist → https://www.historywalksfxbg.com/service-page/drunk-history-at-cheeky-s

Friday, for the Falmouth kids we haven't covered yet: Ink Cave Tattoo is holding a trunk-or-treat with decorated mini trucks and a moon bounce, according to the FXBG Neighbors Halloween guide. Fri., Oct. 30, 6–9 p.m., 1101 Potomac Ave.

Saturday at 5:30: pick a side and run. The Angels vs Devils 5K starts two races at the same time, going opposite directions on roughly the same course. Devils start and finish at Pratt Park, and Angels start and finish at St. Clair Brooks Park. Whichever side has more runners in the top 101 gets a discount code for a future race. Walkers and strollers are welcome.

Register → https://raceroster.com/events/2026/117517/angels-vs-devils-5k

Saturday night: three ways to stay out past curfew. At LibertyTown Arts Workshop, a "Spooky" Sip n' Spin pottery-wheel class runs 6–8 p.m. for $50. It's 21+, and the drinks and spooky treats are included. Costumes are encouraged, as long as you don't mind getting clay on them. When we checked, only a few spots were left. Reclaim Arcade hosts Emo Night: Halloween at 8 p.m. for $15. It's 18+, and admission includes free play on the arcade and pinball machines. And Fun Land in Central Park opens late for its 21+ After Hours Halloween party, from 10 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. Tickets are $30 plus tax and get you unlimited attractions, non-prize arcade games and two drink tickets. Bring your ID, and get there early, because wristbands are limited.

Sip n' Spin → https://libertytownarts.com/product/spooky-sip-n-spin-wheel-throwing-class-with-kevin/

Emo Night → https://reclaimarcade.com/events/

Fun Land After Hours → https://fxbg.com/calendar-item/fun-land-after-hours-halloween-event/

Prefer your scares on a stage? Fredericksburg Theatre Ensemble ends its run of Ira Levin's thriller Veronica's Room with shows Fri. and Sat. at 8 p.m. and Sun. at 2 p.m., on the 4th floor of 810 Caroline St. The FXBG Neighbors guide says the building's elevator is out of service, so check with the company about access before you buy tickets. Tickets

Want everything in one place? The full regional list → https://www.fxbgneighborsconnect.com/p/fredericksburg-halloween-events

🏫 Spotsy schools want more from Richmond. At a budget kickoff Monday, the school division said it urgently needs nine more special education classrooms for students with autism or multiple disabilities. Staffing them would cost about $1.6 million. Enrollment of students with autism has grown 79% since 2020, and the county pays 68% of the $49.1 million special ed budget. "It's outrageous that the state is not providing additional support," the division's CFO said. The next budget work session is Nov. 16. Free Press

🩹 Twisted ankle? There's a walk-in for that now. Mary Washington Ortho Urgent Care is now open at 4900 Plank Rd. It treats sprains, fractures and other bone and joint injuries, and you don't need an appointment. Hours are weekdays 10 a.m.–6 p.m. and weekends 8 a.m.–4 p.m. And the new Patient First at 1313 Alum Spring Rd. we mentioned Monday is scheduled to open today. Mary Washington · Biz Beat

⚾ Caroline is buying a sports complex. The county will pay $3.6 million for the 112-acre Legacy Park Sports facility off U.S. 1 in Carmel Church. It has eight baseball and softball fields, a 40,000-square-foot indoor building and batting cages. Biz Beat

🖥️ Mark your calendar, Stafford: The Planning Commission meeting on four data center projects near the Rappahannock off Route 3 has moved to Nov. 18. Together, the projects would cover 1,405 acres with 48 buildings and 14 substations. Biz Beat

🌊 Kalahari opens in two weeks. The resort and indoor waterpark in Spotsylvania is scheduled to open to the public on Thu., Nov. 12. Kalahari FAQ

☔ Election Day might be wet. The early forecast for Tue., Nov. 3, has a chance of showers. Polls are open 6 a.m.–7 p.m., so pack an umbrella just in case. Early voting ends Saturday at 5 p.m.

The Falmouth Bridge carries about 40,000 vehicles a day. Do the math and that's one vehicle every 2.2 seconds, around the clock, for a bridge that opened in 1943. That's the same year the Pentagon was finished. The Pentagon has been renovated since then. The bridge is still waiting for its turn.

If the Falmouth Bridge goes down to one northbound lane for three years, what's your plan B? Hit reply and tell me your secret Stafford-to-city route, or just how you cross the river now. I'll put the best answers (no names) in a future issue. And I promise not to share the really good shortcuts.

Know someone in Spotsylvania who'll want to know who might be the next sheriff? Forward this their way.

The FXBG Rundown

A little more local. A lot more interesting.