This Charming Little Virginia Town Might Just Be The Happiest Place In America

There are towns you visit and forget, and then there are towns like Orange, Virginia, that quietly rearrange your whole idea of what a good day looks like. Orange sits in the Piedmont region of Virginia, about an hour and a half from Washington, D.C. and 26 miles northeast of Charlottesville, and it has been recognized as one of the happiest places in America.

Knakal's Bakery, one of Culpeper's oldest businesses, goes up for sale

Knakal’s Bakery, one of Culpeper’s oldest operating businesses, has put its historic downtown home on the market. The buildings at 146 and 150 E. Davis St. housing the 91-year-old bakery and a neighboring commercial space, were listed last Friday night for $1.2 million by Duckett Corbin Team Realtors with RE/MAX Gateway. The real estate is offered separately from the bakery business itself, though acquisition inquiries for the business are welcome, the realty team said in a Facebook post . Dwayne and Beth Whitt, who have owned and operated Knakal’s since 1977, were on vacation Monday and could not immediately be reached for comment. The bakery opened in 1935 and has only had two owners, the Knakals and the Whitts, who retained its original layout, vintage display cases and decades-old recipes for its signature donuts and apple bread. "Everything is made here and baked fresh daily,” Beth Whitt told the Culpeper Times in 2023. “At Christmas, a few holiday cookies are brought in, but everything else is made on site.” The bakery sells an assortment of donuts, polka rolls, cake bars, different kinds of cupcakes, cakes, cookies, spice bars, fudge nuts, pecan sandies, yeast biscuits and the locally-famous apple bread. Its

Applebee’s restaurant throws in the towel and serves its very last meal after 23 years

AN APPLEBEE’S restaurant has closed after more than two decades as a company partnership has continued to gain speed. The restaurant chain is currently working towards its goal of 80 dual-branded restaurants with IHOP, closing many single-branded locations in the process. Applebee’s has closed its restaurant at the Stafford...

There’s A Historic Train Depot In Virginia That Whisks You Back To The Early 1900s

There’s a spot in Montpelier Station, Virginia where the calendar on the wall still reads 1927, the telegraph equipment sits ready for the next message, and the only thing missing is the sound of a steam whistle cutting through the trees. The Historic Montpelier Railroad Depot, built around 1910,...

Nailed It: Insight on Seniors Alayna Champ and Aisha Calloway’s Nail Businesses

Many students at Liberty High School start their own businesses before graduating and seniors Alayna Champ and Aisha Calloway did just that. Both Champ and Calloway have started their own nail businesses this year and hope to continue their nail journey in the future. “I started my nail business because I’ve always loved making art. After starting cosmetology, doing nails became the best way to show off my creativity,” Champ said.

‘We will not stop’: Despite concerns, city council approves updated Small Area 8 Plan

On Tuesday night, the Fredericksburg City Council held a public hearing that could shape the future of the city’s Mayfield neighborhood. But first, Ward 4 Councilor Chuck Frye — a fourth-generation Mayfield resident who represents the historically-Black neighborhood — wanted to talk about its past. Frye recounted...

VDOT seeks public input on two Route 29 intersections

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WVIR) - The Virginia Department of Transportation wants public input on two Route 29 intersections as the state studies possible improvements in Albemarle and Fauquier counties. In Albemarle County, the study covers Route 29, also called Seminole Trail, at Airport Road and Proffit Road. In Fauquier County, the...

Voters in reliably red Fauquier County on the election’s blue wave

Voters in Fauquier County, Virginia, tend to be Republican stalwarts. The last time they supported a Democratic candidate for president was 1964, when Lyndon B. Johnson defeated Barry Goldwater in a landslide. In this year’s election, the county’s voters backed Republican Senate candidate Bert Mizusawa, who lost his bid to...

Four Virginia Lunch Counters Where Grilled Cheese And Milkshakes Still Taste Like 4

Some lunches are about more than food, and a grilled cheese at a real counter is one of them. Virginia still has a handful of spots where shakes are mixed to order and sandwiches come off a flat grill the old-fashioned way. These four places stretch from Fredericksburg to Floyd,...

Four Virginia Barbecue Pits Where The Smoke Has Been Rolling Since Your Grandparents Were Young

Some Virginia barbecue spots were already old favorites back when your grandparents were teenagers. The four places on this list have been feeding hungry families for decades, and one of them has been around since 1904. They are not fancy, and that is a big part of their charm. If...

Fredericksburg Women Spread Warmth, Compassion and Hope Through Blanket Drive

While serving at the International Christian Embassy of Jerusalem in 2023, Fredericksburg Community Organizer Reedema Rock received a vision from God to help the homeless and be a blessing to those in need.

Culpeper officials weigh broadband expansion, jail planning, and new support for agriculture

When Culpeper County’s board of supervisors pulled the plug with All-Points Broadband in March 2025, more than 4,300 unserved homes and businesses didn’t know if they’d have reliable fiber internet for years to come.  The All-Points contract called for running 536 miles of fiber in the county and came about due to a 2024 Virginia Intercommunications Technology (VATI) grant administered […] The post Culpeper officials weigh broadband expansion, jail planning, and new support for agriculture first appeared on The Piedmont Journal Recorder .

From cellophane to wastewater, FMC ‘was what the community needed at the right time’

For Brian Orrock, the official decommissioning of the FMC Wastewater Treatment Plant was “bittersweet.”. “It’s kind of like a funeral, but a good funeral, if that makes sense,” said Orrock, the manager of wastewater treatment for Spotsylvania County who used to work “on ship” at the plant in a variety of different roles. “This place gave us a career and it fed our families.”

Verizon tries easing copper concerns; customers not convinced

Verizon held court with customers opposed to the company’s proposed copper landline cuts in a Culpeper ballroom Thursday night. The company reiterated its plans to move forward, while customers continued to voice objections. “I want my landline, quote me on that!” Rixeyville resident Michelle North told the Rappahannock News....

Eagles fight through adversity to capture Region 6B volleyball championship

Colonial Forge volleyball entered Tuesday night’s Region 6B championship against Woodbridge with a unique challenge it would have to overcome. On Friday, the Eagles lost junior Kendal Walker, the Commonwealth District player of the year, to an injury during the fifth set of their regional semifinal against Colgan. But...

All-Commonwealth District football team

Offensive player of the year: Jaelyn Cox, Brooke Point. Defensive player of the year: Mason Cachola, Colonial Forge. First-team offense: QB Mason Fine, Colonial Forge; C Brock Mangano, Colonial Forge; OL James Sharon, Riverbend; OL Kenyon White, Colonial Forge; OL Ashby Smith, Stafford; OL Allie Bangura, Brooke Point; RB Jaelyn Cox, Brooke Point; RB Adrien Picot, Riverbend; RB Amare Johnson, Riverbend; WR Aviance Young Jr., Brooke Point; WR Luke Flynn, Stafford; WR Justin Davis, Brooke Point; TE Sebastian Smith, Stafford; PK Colin Robinson, Stafford; KR Zyvion Hicks, Riverbend; All-purpose Brayden Dalton, Stafford.

PHOTOS/WATCH: Veterans Day in Fredericksburg

Dogs Are the No. 1 Customer at This New Bakery in Fredericksburg

There’s a new bakery in Fredericksburg — but it’s not your typical dog-friendly bakery. At Hound & Crumb Dog Bakery + Café, the dog is the customer. The new spot officially opens on Saturday, November 14. Don’t expect to find coffee and sandwiches on the menu...

Spotsylvania student rep: “Prioritize student art over AI”

In her last meeting as student representative to the Spotsylvania School Board, Cora Shields asked division staff for support. “I would like to ask SCPS staff to consider asking art students to create their school flyers and posters,” Shields said during her comments at Monday’s school board meeting.

Where to Find Santa in Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania & Stafford

The holiday magic is already in the air, and guess who’s making his list of stops around town? That's right – Santa Claus!. From festive tree lightings and holiday parades to special visits, breakfast dates, and photo opportunities, Santa is already making his rounds through Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania, and Stafford. Whether your little ones want to share their Christmas wishes, snap a photo, or simply say hello, we've rounded up places and times to catch the jolly old elf this holiday season. Grab your calendar, bundle up the kiddos, and get ready for a little Christmas magic!