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OCTOBER 27, 2017 | NORTHERN VIRGINIA MEDIA SERVICES
Express Lanes extension to open Oct. 31
AT THE STAFFORD FAIR
he $50-million extension of the Interstate 95 Express Lanes in Stafford County will open for traffic Tuesday, Oct. 31, according to the Virginia Department of Transportation. The new stretch will extend the toll lanes beyond Garrisonville Road to a new northbound entrance and a southbound exit ramp roughly a mile farther south. Construction on the extension began in July 2016 and was completed ahead of schedule, VDOT spokesperson Kelly Hannon said. It will open to afternoon traffic on Oct. 31 and to northbound traffic the following morning. As with the existing 29-mile Express Lanes — part of a public-private partnership between VDOT and Transurban — all drivers need an EZPass to pay for tolls on the Express Lanes, Hannon noted, and carpool riders need an E-ZPass Flex and three or more people in the vehicle to avoid toll charges. Around 146,000 vehicles a day travel I-95 near Garrisonville Road, according to VDOT. The extension will operate under the same rules and reversal schedule as the current 95 Express Lanes. When the extension opens, I-95 northbound traffic will be able to enter the Express Lanes earlier at a new left entrance before the Garrisonville
The annual Stafford County Agricultural Fair the past weekend offered even more rides and thrills than in previous years, and seemed to draw more vendors to the location beside Mountain View High School. Visitors got a chance to sample elephant ears and other fair food, along with testing their skills at scoring some prizes along the midway. Above, Sara Tartaglia and her 5-year-old daughter Amslia enjoy one of the traditional rides Friday evening. For more from the fair, turn to PAGE 8.
ALEKSANDER DOLZENKO | INSIDENOVA
Teacher fired for leaking SOL test content Teaching license also suspended for the 25-year educator TRACY BELL
tbell@insidenova.com
he Stafford County School Board decided to dismiss a third-grade Conway Elementary School teacher from her position Tuesday after discovering that she administered a heads-up to fellow teachers about what would be on a Standards of Learning math test.
The school board also suspended her teaching license for a year. The teacher, Rebecca Whitford, has been an educator for 25 years, according to the school board. “The school board recognizes that Ms. Whitford has had a long career as a teacher and has received strong performance evaluations,” said school board Chairwoman Holly Hazard, Hartwood District. “These, however, do not excuse Ms. Whitford’s violation of Virginia law and SOL test security procedures, or mitigate the significant impact her actions had on her school, colleagues, students
and administrators.” Four of the school board members, Hazard; Jamie Decatur, GriffisWidewater District; Irene Egan, Aquia District; and Patricia Healy, Rock Hill District, voted in favor of the dismissal and suspension. The other three members abstained from the vote, with school board member Scott Hirons, Falmouth District, indicating he is a personal friend of Whitford and her husband. School division Superintendent SOL TEST
EXPRESS LANES
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STAFFORD COUNTY SUN
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