Fredericksburg, VA
Obituaries
Danielle Spencer, ‘What’s Happening!!’ Star Who Played Dee Thomas, 60, Dies In Virginia Danielle Spencer, ‘What’s Happening!!’ Star Who Played Dee Thomas, 60, Dies In Virginia
Danielle Spencer, ‘What’s Happening!!’ Star Who Played Dee Thomas, 60, Dies In Virginia Actress Danielle Spencer, best known for her role as younger sister Dee Thomas on the popular show "What's Happening!!", passed away in Virginia following a lengthy battle with cancer, her loved ones confirm. Born in Trenton, New Jersey, Spencer starred on the ABC program as the precocious Thomas for several years until the show was cancelled in 1979.  She died at Chippenham Hospital in Richmond on Monday, Aug. 11, at the age of 60, her family confirmed.. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Haywood Nelson (@haywoodnels…

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by Zak Failla
Ridgefield Park-Hasbrouck Heights, NJ
News
$1M Powerball Ticket Sold In Hasbrouck Heights $1M Powerball Ticket Sold In Hasbrouck Heights
$1M Powerball Ticket Sold In Hasbrouck Heights The New Jersey Lottery has made yet another millionaire. A $1 million Powerball ticket from the Monday, Aug. 11 Powerball drawing was sold in the Garden State. The ticket was sold at Minit Mart on the 300 block of Boulevard in Hasbrouck Heights, lottery officials confirmed. A $50,000 ticket was sold at BK One Stop Shop, a convenience store on East 9th Avenue in Roselle. The winning numbers were 6, 16, 33, 40, 62 and the red Powerball 2. The Power Play multiplier was 2x, according to the New Jersey Lottery. While no one nationwide matched all six numbers, New Jersey was one of just three s…

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by Cecilia Levine
White Plains, NY
Business
Cookies Sold At Target Stores In 20 States, Including NY, Pulled From Shelves Cookies Sold At Target Stores In 20 States, Including NY, Pulled From Shelves
Cookies Sold At Target Stores In 20 States, Including NY, Pulled From Shelves A sweet treat sold at one of the nation’s biggest retailers is now under a safety alert covering 20 states and Washington, DC. The recall involves Favorite Day Bakery Frosted Sugar Cookies, a 10-count product sold under Target’s private label brand.  According to the Food and Drug Administration, manufacturer Give and Go Prepared Foods Corp. of Canada pulled the cookies due to possible contamination with wood. A total of 803 cases are affected. The cookies were distributed through three Target distribution centers — in Connecticut, Maryland, and Ohio — and reached stores in: Connect…

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by Joe Lombardi
Fredericksburg, VA
Police & Fire
Holiday Heist: ATM Ripped Open In Virginia, Suspects Nabbed Months Later: Police Holiday Heist: ATM Ripped Open In Virginia, Suspects Nabbed Months Later: Police
Holiday Heist: ATM Ripped Open In Virginia, Suspects Nabbed Months Later: Police Three people accused of smashing open a bank ATM and making off with a large sum of cash the day before Thanksgiving in Virginia have been arrested months after the brazen heist. A pair of Maryland residents were among the trio who were linked to the brazen holiday burglary in Culpeper that came to a head on Monday when each was arrested and charged, according to the Culpeper Police Department. The burglary happened around 3:19 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, at Atlantic Union Bank in the Southgate Shopping Center, according to the Culpeper Police Department. Investigators said the suspects…

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by Zak Failla
Hartford, CT
Business
Cracker Barrel's Remodel Plan Hits Nerves With Loyal Fans: 'Country Charm Is Gone' Cracker Barrel's Remodel Plan Hits Nerves With Loyal Fans: 'Country Charm Is Gone'
Cracker Barrel's Remodel Plan Hits Nerves With Loyal Fans: 'Country Charm Is Gone' Cracker Barrel Old Country Store is giving its restaurants a brighter, modern look, but the makeover is polarizing among the restaurant's biggest fans, with some saying the chain is losing its country charm. Cracker Barrel is in the process of remodeling dozens of its roughly 660 locations nationwide. The effort includes lighter paint, fewer antiques on the walls, updated menus, and streamlined cooking processes aimed at attracting a wider range of diners. Early remodels have already rolled out in multiple states, The Wall Street Journal reported in May. Cracker Barrel plans to update or re…

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by Chris Spiker
Fredericksburg, VA
Business
Virginia Boar’s Head Plant Linked To Deadly Listeria Outbreak Set To Reopen: Reports Virginia Boar’s Head Plant Linked To Deadly Listeria Outbreak Set To Reopen: Reports
Virginia Boar’s Head Plant Linked To Deadly Listeria Outbreak Set To Reopen: Reports The Boar's Head deli meat plant in Virginia, linked to a listeria outbreak that killed 10 people and sickened dozens more, is set to reopen, according to reports. In September 2024, millions of pounds of deli meat were subject to recall after a listeria outbreak was reported at the facility in Jarratt, Virginia, where liverwurst samples tested positive for the bacteria.  The outbreak sickened at least 60 people in more than a dozen states, according to federal officials. The facility was shut down in September, leaving nearly 200 workers without a job. “It pains us to impact the livel…

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by Zak Failla
Worcester, MA
News
MA Ranked Best State To Have Baby, New Study Says: Here's Why MA Ranked Best State To Have Baby, New Study Says: Here's Why
MA Ranked Best State To Have Baby, New Study Says: Here's Why Families in some Northeast states may have a much easier time welcoming a new baby than others, according to a new study. WalletHub released its 2025 list of Best & Worst States to Have a Baby on Monday, Aug. 4. The study compared all 50 states and Washington, DC, across 31 metrics, from average hospital bills to infant mortality rates and child-care availability. The leaders boast strong health care systems, parental support programs, and child care access. "The best states for having a baby minimize costs while providing top-notch care for both newborns and their …

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by Chris Spiker
Hartford, CT
Business
Bed Bath & Beyond Returns: First New Store Opens, Dozens Planned In Comeback Bed Bath & Beyond Returns: First New Store Opens, Dozens Planned In Comeback
Bed Bath & Beyond Returns: First New Store Opens, Dozens Planned In Comeback Bed Bath & Beyond is officially making its comeback, opening its first physical store since the last location shuttered more than two years ago. The new store, called Bed Bath & Beyond Home, opened in Brentwood, Tennessee, on Friday, Aug. 8. The Brand House Collective is planning to start with six locations in the greater Nashville area. The launch marks the first phase of a broader rollout that could see about 75 stores open by the end of 2026. Brand House was previously named Kirkland's until shareholders approved the company's name change in late July. T…

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by Chris Spiker
Stafford, VA
Police & Fire
100+ MPH Drunk Driver Spun Into Woods After PIT Maneuver In Virginia Chase (PHOTOS) 100+ MPH Drunk Driver Spun Into Woods After PIT Maneuver In Virginia Chase (PHOTOS)
100+ MPH Drunk Driver Spun Into Woods After PIT Maneuver In Virginia Chase (Photos) An intoxicated man in Virginia led deputies on a high-speed chase through North Stafford before crashing into the woods and trying to run—unsuccessfully, the sheriff’s office said. Edgard Martinez Martinez, 38, was arrested late Thursday night, Aug. 7, after what the Stafford County Sheriff’s Office described as a reckless and dangerous attempt to flee law enforcement. The chase began around 11:45 p.m., when a deputy spotted an Acura going 58 mph in a 35 mph zone near Stafford Marketplace on Garrisonville Road.  When the deputy tried to stop the car on Staffordboro Boulevard, the driv…

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by Zak Failla
Amherst, MA
News
Friendly’s Recalls Popular Ice Cream Flavor Over Labeling Error Friendly’s Recalls Popular Ice Cream Flavor Over Labeling Error
Friendly’s Recalls Popular Ice Cream Flavor Over Labeling Error A labeling mistake has prompted the recall of a popular Friendly’s ice cream product sold in three East Coast states. Friendly’s Ice Cream, under parent company DFA Dairy Brands, is voluntarily recalling 324 cartons of Cookies & Cream ice cream due to undeclared wheat and soy allergens.  The product was mistakenly packed in Friendly’s Vanilla Bean containers — creating a labeling mismatch that could pose serious health risks for individuals with allergies. The recalled ice cream was distributed to retail locations in Maryland, Virginia, and Pennsylvania via a single distribution c…

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by Joe Lombardi
Woodbridge, VA
Police & Fire
Woodbridge Man Sexually Abused Child Under 10 For Several Years, Police Say Woodbridge Man Sexually Abused Child Under 10 For Several Years, Police Say
Woodbridge Man Sexually Abused Child Under 10 For Several Years, Police Say A 52-year-old Virginia man is behind bars after being arrested in Fort Myer for allegedly sexually assaulting a young child over the course of more than two years, police said. Woodbridge resident Gabriel Benitez Vasquez was taken into custody after detectives with the Prince William County Police Department concluded an investigation into the reported assaults, authorities announced on Thursday, Aug. 7. The investigation found that the victim, who was under the age of 10 at the time of the alleged assaults, was sexually abused on more than one occasion between January 2019 and March 2021 b…

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by Zak Failla
Arlington, VA
Business
Repeat Jobless Claims Hit Four-Year High Amid Weak July Jobs Report Repeat Jobless Claims Hit Four-Year High Amid Weak July Jobs Report
Repeat Jobless Claims Hit Four-Year High Amid Weak July Jobs Report The number of Americans continuing to file for unemployment benefits has surged to its highest level in nearly four years, according to new federal data. Continued unemployment claims topped 1.97 million during the week ending on Saturday, July 26, the Department of Labor said on Thursday, Aug. 7. That's the most since early November 2021, when the insured unemployment level reached 2.04 million. Repeat claims rose by 38,000 from the previous week. The DOL data signals that more jobseekers are struggling to find work and remain on unemployment. In the Northeast, se…

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by Chris Spiker