This Week's Top Stories

public safety

Staunton Stabbing Suspect Held Without Bond as ICE Detainer Puts Virginia's Sanctuary Policies in the Spotlight

A fatal August stabbing on Orchard Avenue has escalated into a statewide fight over whether Virginia jails must honor federal immigration detainers.

A 21-year-old woman is dead and another is recovering after a stabbing in the early hours of August 30 inside a home on the 300 block of Orchard Avenue in Staunton. Freddi Chigo Mil, 32, was arrested at the scene after Staunton Police responded to an open-line 911 call around 4 a.m. He faces charges of second-degree murder and aggravated malicious wounding and remains jailed without bond at Middle River Regional Jail. Federal authorities identified Mil as a Mexican national who entered the country illegally.

public safety

Police Chief Breaks Silence on Walmart Shooting; Staunton NAACP Demands More Answers

Chief James Williams confirmed body-camera footage has been handed to state investigators but will not be released, while the local NAACP branch called the pace of public disclosure insufficient.

Staunton Police Chief James Williams issued an updated public statement on September 29 regarding the fatal officer-involved shooting that occurred September 22 in the parking lot of the Walmart on Richmond Avenue — the first substantive statement from department leadership since the incident. An officer had responded to a 911 call from a citizen and made contact with Montique Treymayne Gaston, 39, of Portsmouth. An altercation followed during which the officer fired their weapon.

library

Friends of the Library to Cut the Ribbon on Long-Awaited Outdoor Terrace October 9

A years-in-the-making terrace renovation behind the Staunton Public Library — funded entirely by a private estate gift — reaches its final phase with a public grand-opening celebration Friday morning.

The Friends of the Staunton Library will host a grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Library Terrace Project on Friday, October 9, beginning at 10 a.m. at the Staunton Public Library, 1 Churchville Avenue. The event marks the completion of a multi-phase renovation of the library's backyard first presented to City Council in Winter 2024, when it received unanimous support.

Upcoming Events

Saturday, October 3

Staunton Police Foundation 8th Annual Law Enforcement Gala

📍 316 Academy St, Staunton · 5:30 PM · Verify · Eventbrite / Staunton Police Foundation

Every Saturday in October

Free Guided Walking Tours of Historic Downtown Staunton

📍 Downtown Staunton (Historic Staunton Foundation) · 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM · Verify · Visit Staunton

Sunday, October 4

CoArt Gallery: October Featured Artist Reception — John Frantz

📍 CoArt Gallery, Downtown Staunton · 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM · Verify · Staunton Downtown Development Association

Friday, October 9

Library Terrace Project Grand Opening & Ribbon Cutting

📍 Staunton Public Library, 1 Churchville Ave, Downtown Staunton · 10:00 AM · Verify · City of Staunton

Saturday, October 10

The Reimagined Runway: Upcycled Fashion Show & Marketplace

📍 19 S Market St (former Grace Christian High School), Downtown Staunton · 4:30 PM · Verify · WNRN

More from the Community

State Resists Closure of Staunton Children's Psychiatric Hospital Despite Repeated Legislative Calls

Virginia's nonpartisan research arm, the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC), renewed its call in early September 2026 to close the Commonwealth Center for Children and Adolescents (CCCA) in Staunton —…

No School for Staunton City Students October 12–13 as First Quarter Ends

The first nine weeks of the 2026–27 Staunton City Schools academic year concludes on Friday, October 9. Students will have no school on Monday, October 12 (teacher workday) and Tuesday, October 13…

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