1,950 jobs proposed for Caroline, and a big homecoming weekend

Hey Caroline. Friday tops out at 84 and Saturday at 56, which is a 28-degree plot twist. Wear layers, and keep a rain jacket handy for Friday night.

Friday | High 84, Low 52. Cloudy early, clearing later, with showers Friday night.

Saturday | High 56, Low 38. Showers likely before 8am, then partly sunny.

Sunday | High 57, Low 41. Sunny.

forecast

The Cavalier Corner Bookstore & Cafe at Caroline High School holds its soft opening Friday, Oct. 16, from 4:30 to 6:30pm. According to Caroline County Public Schools, it is a student-run enterprise, and everyone is welcome to browse the shelves, grab a pastry or a meal, and meet the student entrepreneurs behind it.

The students worked to get it ready for Homecoming, and the timing shows. The doors open two and a half hours before kickoff at the same school (19155 Rogers Clark Blvd., Milford), so Friday evening can be one stop. (CCPS Facebook post)

Also in the win column: varsity field hockey won three straight at home this week, over James Monroe, Spotsylvania and King George, per NFHS Network listings.

Planning ahead: Registration for the Parks & Rec Fall Pickleball Tournament closes Friday, Oct. 16. The tournament is Sat., Oct. 24 at 9am at Caroline Recreational Park, $20 per team. (Parks & Rec) Caroline Community Theatre's Beetlejuice Jr. runs Oct. 22 to 25 at 7278 Ladysmith Rd., Ruther Glen, with $10 tickets. As of Oct. 15, tickets remain for Fri., Oct. 23 at 7pm and Sat., Oct. 24 at 1pm and 7pm. (tickets) The Sheriff's Office Cops 4 Kids Golf Tournament is Fri., Oct. 23 at Mattaponi Springs Golf Club, 22490 Penola Rd., Ruther Glen: registration 7am, shotgun start 8:30am, $125 per person or $500 per team. (registration form)

First-quarter report cards go out Wednesday, Oct. 21. The division's calendar shows no early releases or closings through Oct. 25. (CCPS calendar)

Story times for the little ones run Tuesday through Thursday next week at the Ladysmith, Dawn and Bowling Green branches. (library calendar)

For grown-ups: a virtual author talk with Cherie Dimaline, live-streamed in partnership with the Caroline County Library, Thu., Oct. 22 at 7pm. Registration is on the library's event page. (event page)

Construction begins Monday, Oct. 19 on two I-95 bridges over the CSX Railroad in Caroline, near mile marker 103, just south of exit 104. According to VDOT, the $13.3 million project will replace the bridge decks and repair beams on the northbound and southbound structures. Brief delays are possible, especially at weekday peak commute hours, and periodic lane closures are expected in the work zone this fall. VDOT says larger impacts come in 2027, and completion is expected in May 2028. (VDOT release)

This week on Route 1, VDOT lists right lane closures between Ladysmith Rd. and Route 207 (Rogers Clark Blvd.), weekdays 9am to 3pm, for utility work under permit. VDOT posts each week's closures on Friday afternoons, and the Oct. 18 to 24 list was not up yet. Check 511virginia.org or dial 511. (VDOT alert)

On Tuesday, Oct. 13, Gov. Abigail Spanberger and the Virginia Economic Development Partnership announced support for M.C. Dean's proposed expansion of its manufacturing campus in Caroline. According to the county's Oct. 14 press release, the company plans to invest $412.5 million and create 1,950 jobs, and the state's support includes up to $45 million that remains subject to General Assembly approval. The county says the proposal must still win all required local approvals, including zoning, with public hearings before the Planning Commission and the Board of Supervisors. (county release)

At its Oct. 13 meeting, the Board of Supervisors took up a resolution approving a real estate purchase agreement for Legacy Sports Park, according to the county agenda. The Fredericksburg Free Press reports the purchase is $3.6 million for a 112-acre sports complex, with a 60-day inspection window. The county's resolution text and minutes were not posted at press time. (county agenda and Fredericksburg Free Press)

The county sells tax delinquent real estate on Thu., Oct. 22 at 11am, online and live in the Community Services Center Auditorium, 17202 Richmond Tpke., Milford. The notice lists 43 parcels in two sales with different terms: 12 judicial parcels subject to Circuit Court approval, and 31 non-judicial parcels subject to Treasurer approval, with full payment due Oct. 29. Most are vacant lots in the county's lake communities. To bid, register at bid.forsaleatauction.biz or call 540-899-1776. (property list)

Meetings: The county Planning Commission meets Thu., Oct. 22 at 6:30pm in the Community Services Center Auditorium; the agenda was not posted at press time. (county calendar) Separately, the Town of Bowling Green's Planning Commission meets jointly with Town Council the same evening at 6pm; the town has not posted a location, so call 804-633-6212. (town page) The Board of Supervisors next meets Thu., Nov. 12 at 6pm.

Trunks and tables wanted: the Frog Level Volunteer Fire Department needs participants for its Trunk or Treat on Sunday, Nov. 1, 6 to 8pm, 30240 Richmond Tpke. RSVP by Thursday, Oct. 22 using the department's registration form. (event page)

Stew crew wanted: the Frog Level Volunteer Fire Department needs volunteers to help stir its Brunswick stew for the Saturday, Oct. 31 Fall Festival and Parade. The crew stirs from 3am to noon, and the department says anyone who volunteers three hours or more gets a thank-you gift. (sign up)

Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3, polls open 6am to 7pm. Friday, Oct. 23 is the deadline to register or update a registration, and 5pm that day is the deadline to apply for a mail ballot. Early voting runs through Sat., Oct. 31 at the Annex behind 212 N. Main St., Bowling Green: weekdays 9 to 5, Sundays Oct. 18 and 25 from 11 to 4, Saturdays Oct. 24 and 31 from 9 to 5. Caroline's ballot includes the U.S. Senate, the U.S. House (7th District), and three proposed amendments to the state constitution, plus town council seats in Bowling Green and Port Royal. No county-level office is on the ballot this year. Sample ballots and details: Caroline General Registrar and Virginia Department of Elections.

From 1981 to 2010, Fort A.P. Hill hosted the National Scout Jamboree eight times, with attendance growing from nearly 30,000 Scouts in 1981 to more than 43,000 in 2010. (Order of the Arrow)

That's all for this week. Thanks for reading.

Did we miss something, or is there an event, a person, or a bit of good news you think belongs in the next issue? Email [email protected] or send a message to our Facebook page, The Caroline Ledger. I read everything, even when I can't fit it all in.