The Free Lance-Star Photos of the Year 2022
With both words and pictures, The Free Lance–Star staff has worked to chronicle the Fredericksburg region’s most newsworthy happenings of 2022. Along with the many highs and lows, the tragedies and the triumphs, we have shared stories of inspiration and everyday joys.
Here, we revisit some of the most memorable images captured by Free Lance–Star photographers this year. These photographs were selected because of their depiction of emotional moments and milestones, remarkable feats and stunning local views.
King George graduates
The 43 members of King George High School graduating class who attended King George Elementary take a victory lap, of sorts, at their old school on May 20 during a “Senior Walk.” More than 700 elementary school students were on hand to cheer and wave checkered flags for the older students, who once stood in their shoes, as part of the event’s theme of “Life is a Highway.”
Surprise homecoming
Sgt. Michael Golding, who had been deployed to Jordan for nearly a year, hugs daughters Harmony (left) and Trinity after a surprise homecoming before a junior varsity soccer game at Spotsylvania High School in early April. Golding had concealed his identity by donning the costume of the school mascot, a knight.
First pitch at Fredericksburg Nationals
Retired U.S. Marine Ralph Wilcox throws out the first pitch before a Fredericksburg Nationals game at the Virginia Credit Union Stadium in May. The World War II veteran, who marked his 100th birthday June 4, served on Guadalcanal and Peleliu in a constant line of fire for the duration of the war.
Eastern at UMW volleyball
The University of Mary Washington Eagles celebrate their 3–0 victory over Eastern University in an NCAA tournament second-round game in November.
Dr. John Howell
Dr. John Howell, 82, negotiates a slalom course on Lake Anna in March. The athletic dentist, who one friend described as "a Tom Brady, only older," later won both the men’s slalom and overall categories in the 2022 Goode Water Ski National Championships.
Children’s Heart Institute
Mikhael Perez Cevilla’s aunt, Valerine Valdez (middle), shows the child a video and comforts Rosa Cevilla Bonilla as Mikhael gets an echocardiogram at the Children’s Heart Institute in Fredericksburg in February. Mikhael was born with two congenital heart defects, but surgery corrected the problems, allowing the youngster to thrive and reach all his developmental milestones.
Clouds
Altocumulus clouds float over St. George's Episcopal Church in downtown Fredericksburg on April 1, 2022.
January snowstorm
Two people walk down the middle of Caroline Street in Fredericksburg on Jan. 3. The winter storm blanketed the region with snow and ice, created widespread outages and closed businesses and schools. Along an icy 48-mile stretch of Interstate 95, some motorists were left stranded in their vehicles for up to 24 hours as emergency personnel worked to clear the roads.
American Legion Post 55
Bobbe Spicer receives a folded flag from a Navy service member as part of the funeral honors for her brother, Vince Miller, at American Legion Post 55 in Fredericksburg in August. Miller, a World War II veteran, had joined the Navy in 1943 at age 16. After retirement, he kept busy carving wood until June, when he died in Fredericksburg at age 94.
Jail protest
Hugh Hall (right) embraces his sister-in-law, Jo Cohen, during a protest outside the Rappahannock Regional Jail in Stafford County on Nov. 5. Hall’s son, an inmate, died by suicide while at the facility in October. Hall and other advocates are calling for the jail to take more measures to prevent such deaths.
Fredericksburg National Cemetery Luminaria (copy)
Brody Kester of Boy Scout Troop 1717 relights a candle during the 27th annual luminaria at the Fredericksburg National Cemetery in Fredericksburg on Saturday, May 28, 2022. Local Scouts lit 15,300 candles in the cemetery which marks the number of graves there. The cemetery holds the remains of 15,243 soldiers, sailors and Marines, most of whom died during the Civil War.
night to shine (copy)
The varsity baseball team from Fredericksburg Christian School cheer for one of the guests during the Night to Shine at Salem Fields Community Church in Spotsylvania on a Friday night in February.
marvin gavin (copy) (copy)
Martin Gavin high fives his dog, Bear, in Saint Clair Brooks Park in Falmouth.
puppy (copy)
Ricky Gomez and Conrad Kilinski get to know Archer, an 8-week-old black Labrador retriever that’s part of the Guiding Eyes for the Blind program, at Gateway Academy in March.
Bald eagle (copy)
A bald eagle perches on a branch above Courthouse Road near Brooke Point High School during a steady rain in Stafford County on Thursday, March 17, 2022.
tree times (copy)
Tyler William of Tree Times Tree Service, uses a chainsaw to remove a tree that fell on a house in Falmouth.
Cedric Rucker (copy)
Retiring Dean of Student Life Cedric Rucker holds up the ceremonial scissors after the ribbon cutting during a naming celebration for the Cedric Rucker University Center at UMW in Fredericksburg. At left is UMW President Troy Paino.
Chancellor at King George boys soccer
Chancellor at King George soccer Region 4B semifinal on Tuesday, May 31, 2022.
King George at Dinwiddie Region 4B final (copy)
King George’s Maurocicio Blanco (foreground) and quarterback Zach Ferguson (background) react following the Foxes’ 47-41 overtime loss to Dinwiddie in the Region 4B final.
spanberger (copy)
Abigail Spanberger supporters (from left) Rebecca Eichmann, Abby Holland and Isabel Coughlin laugh and hug at the congresswoman’s watch party in Fredericksburg on election night.
Yesli Vega (copy)
Supporters of Republican congressional candidate for Virginia’s new 7th Congressional District Yesli Vega watch results of the race come in during her election night gathering at the Electric Palm Restaurant in Woodbridge on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022.
braehead feature (copy)
A bee flies around a sunflower in the field at Braehead Farm in Fredericksburg on Thursday, Sept. 15, 2022.
frednats playoffs
Fans wave rally towels in the air during the first playoff game at the Virginia Credit Union Stadium in Fredericksburg on Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2022.
Itty Bitty City 2022
Roof line of the former Nest Realty at 530 Princess Anne St.
MLK Day
Hashmel Turner (front left) and Ernest Woodson III lead a group over the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Bridge on Fall Hill Avenue in support of voting rights. The others are Moe Petway (back left), Eunice Haigler and Josh Cole.
police award (copy) (copy)
Hugh Mercer Elementary School student Lincoln Pretz (right) hugs classmate Aaron Ramsey after Aaron received an award from the Fredericksburg Police department in March.
snow baby (copy)
Jessica Witter smiles and looks at Tyler Hoad as she holds their daughter, Madelyn, in their home in King George County. Madelyn’s birth is a story that would have ended in tragedy were it not for a team of helpers.
Virginia State Fair (copy)
Jonathan Payne, of King William County, loses his sunglasses as he rides the mechanical bull at the Virginia State Fair in Doswell on Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022.
Virginia State Fair (copy)
Reiley Overbaugh, 10, (left) and her younger brother, Patrick, 8, spin around on the “Tornado” at the Virginia State Fair in Doswell on Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022.
juneteenth
Cleo Coleman, dressed as Harriet Tubman, stands on the lawn of Town Hill after a performance in Colonial Beach during Juneteenth observations.
juneteenth
Reverend Barbara Ashton (left) and Sheronda ‘Ifatunmise Sangodele’ Baylor laugh with a friend at a Juneteenth celebration in Colonial Beach. Ashton is wearing Dashiki, a West African garment, and Baylor is dressed in her African clothes.
Dahlgren Heritage Railroad Trail (copy)
Roger Summers walks his dog, Jack, along the Dahlgren Heritage Railroad Trail in King George County. A study by the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation concluded the trail ‘appears suitable’ to become part of Caledon State Park, but some issues need to be resolved.
fireworks (copy)
A woman watches the fireworks show from the bed of a truck near downtown Fredericksburg.
Ian rainbow (copy)
A rainbow forms as remnants of Hurricane Ian continued to douse the region.
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