A NOTE FROM ME
Hey Caroline. Friday is forecast at 75 and sunny, the weather equivalent of a good hair day. Sunday brings the rain back. Enjoy the middle, and maybe pack a snack for the four-day weekend.
THIS WEEKEND'S WEATHER
Friday | High 75, Low 53. Mostly sunny.
Saturday | High 72, Low 59. Partly sunny, with showers possible overnight.
Sunday | High 69, Low 63. Showers likely, mainly after 8am.
(National Weather Service, issued Oct. 8: forecast)
GOOD NEWS: HOMES RISING IN LADYSMITH
According to the Fredericksburg Free Press, Habitat for Humanity homes with zero-step entries are taking shape in Caroline, and volunteers turned out Sept. 22 to speed the work along. Walls going up is a good sight any week. (Fredericksburg Free Press: read more)
THIS WEEKEND IN CAROLINE
Tonight, Thu., Oct. 8, 6:30 to 8pm: Community meeting on data centers. St. John's Baptist Church, 17080 South River Rd., Woodford. Free and open to the public. Questions: [email protected]. (event page)
Fri., Oct. 9, 3 to 7pm: Rich Earth Farm Farmers' Market, 17013 New Baltimore Rd., Milford. The Garden Club's Native Plant Sale (see Help & Needs) is at the same address and hours. (market calendar)
Fri., Oct. 9 and Sat., Oct. 10 at 7pm, Sun., Oct. 11 at 1pm: Caroline Community Theatre presents Arsenic and Old Lace, 7278 Ladysmith Rd., Ruther Glen. Tickets are $20 ($21 with fees). (tickets)
Sat., Oct. 10, 9am to 1pm: Bowling Green Farmers' Market, Main St. The last one of the season, and an easy outing for little ones. (calendar)
Sat., Oct. 10, 9am: Ladysmith Ruritan Club benefit kickball tournament, rescheduled from Oct. 3 after rain. $10 per player, all ages. 19366 Chilesburg Rd., Beaverdam. (event page)
Planning ahead: Music On The Green, Fri., Oct. 16, 6 to 8pm, and the 36th Annual Harvest Festival, Sat., Oct. 17, 9am, both in Bowling Green. (town calendar) Caroline Community Theatre's Beetlejuice Jr. runs Oct. 22 to 25, with $10 tickets; the remaining shows are Oct. 23 at 7pm and Oct. 24 at 1pm and 7pm. Pianist Ralph Diekemper performs Sat., Nov. 14 at 6:30pm, and auditions for the 2026-2027 season are Nov. 10 and 11. (tickets and details)
And mark Saturday, Oct. 31: the Frog Level Volunteer Fire Department's Fall Festival, 30240 Richmond Tpke. Parade lineup is 8am, the parade starts at 11am, and awards follow at noon. Brunswick stew is $10 per quart, with pre-orders open through the department and onsite sales and pickup after the parade. Event page: Fall Festival
SCHOOL & LIBRARY
Four-day weekend alert: the first quarter ends today. Friday, Oct. 9 is a teacher workday and Monday, Oct. 12 is a holiday, so no school either day. All library branches are closed Oct. 12. (school calendar)
Story times for the little ones continue: Mother Goose on Tuesday, Oct. 13 at 10am in Ladysmith, and Story Time on Wednesday, Oct. 14 at 10am at Dawn. (library schedule)
The Virginia Department of Education lists all five Caroline schools as fully accredited for 2025 to 2026, a designation based on meeting state compliance requirements. On the state's separate performance framework (current ratings), Caroline High and Lewis and Clark Elementary meet expectations, Bowling Green and Madison elementaries are approaching expectations, and Caroline Middle is rated needs intensive support. (state ratings)
PUBLIC SAFETY & ROADS
According to VDOT, intermittent full traffic stops are planned on Route 1 near Rogers Clark Blvd. tonight, 8pm to 4am, for utility work under permit. Through Friday, Route 639 (Ladysmith Rd.) is down to a single lane with flaggers, weekdays 9am to 3pm, between Route 1 and Partlow Rd., for fiber installation under permit. (VDOT alert)
AT THE COUNTY
The Board of Supervisors meets Tuesday, Oct. 13 at 6pm in the Community Services Center Auditorium, Milford. (meeting details)
Separately, Supervisor Reginald Underwood hosts a Reedy Church District community meeting tonight, Oct. 8 at 6:30pm at Second Mt. Zion Baptist Church, 31220 Old Dawn Rd. The posted agenda is an update on the Dawn Community Center, plus questions. (meeting notice)
HELP & NEEDS
Caroline County Garden Club Native Plant Sale, a scholarship fundraiser: Fri., Oct. 9, 3 to 7pm, and Sat., Oct. 10 starting at 9am, 17013 New Baltimore Rd., Milford. Pickup orders can be placed in advance, and the club says it needs to sell 250 plants to fund its $750 agriculture scholarships. Magnolia Marsh Nursery is providing the plants. Details and ordering
Rabies clinic for cats and dogs, Sat., Oct. 17, 2 to 5pm, hosted by Caroline County Animal Control at Caroline Middle School, 13325 Devils Three Jump Rd., Milford. Rabies vaccines are $15, and 2027 county dog licenses are available ($5 for sterilized dogs, $10 for unsterilized). Animals stay in vehicles, and cats must be in carriers. Pre-registration is encouraged through Oct. 14, by calling the shelter at 804-633-9041. Event page
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 Oct. 22 using the department's registration form. (event page)
ON THE BALLOT
Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3, polls open 6am to 7pm. The voter registration deadline and the mail ballot request deadline are both Friday, Oct. 23. Early voting is at the Annex behind 212 N. Main St., Bowling Green: weekdays 9 to 5 (closed Oct. 12), Sundays Oct. 18 and 25 from 11 to 4, and Saturdays Oct. 24 and 31 from 9 to 5. Details: Caroline General Registrar and Virginia Department of Elections.
ONE FUN FACT ABOUT CAROLINE
The whale on display at the Caroline County Visitor Center is a resin cast of a whale found in 1990 at the Carmel Church Quarry, a new species named Eobalaenoptera harrisoni. According to the county, about half the skeleton was recovered, making it one of the most complete whales found in the eastern U.S. The original lives at the Virginia Museum of Natural History. (county page)
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.