Byers Street is open again for the first time since March 2025, and West Johnson Street closed near the parking garage at 7 a.m. Thursday so crews can excavate the next section of the downtown stormwater tunnel. A Manassas workplace shooting that killed two men ended Wednesday morning on I-81 in Augusta County, where the suspect shot himself after a pursuit and an hourlong standoff. VDOT has scheduled an Oct. 29 open house at Bessie Weller Elementary on a plan to reduce Greenville Avenue to one travel lane in each direction and add bike lanes, a median, and sidewalk. Staunton's police chief released an account of the Sept. 22 shooting at the Richmond Avenue Walmart, and Augusta County's sheriff removed two Flock license plate cameras.
Lead Stories
Byers Street Reopens as West Johnson Street Closes for Tunnel Work
Byers Street reopened this week for the first time since March 2025. At 7 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 1, West Johnson Street closed to through traffic near the parking garage so crews could begin excavating that section of the stormwater tunnel beneath it. Byers now serves as the main eastbound detour.
Both changes belong to the city’s Downtown Tunnel Repairs project, which covers the creek tunnels beneath Byers Street, West Johnson Street, and New Street. Byers was phase one and West Johnson is phase two. WHSV reported the project’s cost at $4.6 million.
The new traffic pattern
The city’s plan, as reported by Rocktown Now, closes Johnson Street to westbound traffic at Augusta Street and to eastbound traffic just past the entrance to the Johnson Street Parking Garage. Byers Street runs one way eastbound from Lewis Street to Johnson Street. The open section of Johnson Street between Central Avenue and Augusta Street becomes eastbound only, and Central Avenue stays open to cars.
The city says pedestrians keep access to the Wharf from Central Avenue and the garage entrance. A detour map is posted at staunton.va.us/tunnelrepairs.
Parking
The city reports that downtown now has about 25 more available parking spaces than during the Byers phase, because the eastern Wharf lot has reopened. Some areas in the eastern half of the lot remain fenced off. The lower section of the western Wharf lot stays open, and parking in the Wharf lot and the Johnson Street Garage remains free.
How the work reached this point
Contractor Virginia Infrastructure of Lexington began mobilizing on Feb. 17. Its preliminary schedule for Byers Street called for tunnel roof removal in late February, sewer line relocation in March and April, wall removal and footer excavation from April through July, and precast tunnel section installation in July and August. The city’s goal was to reopen Byers by September.
When the contract advanced in December 2025, City Manager Leslie Beauregard said the repairs would come before a more serious failure can occur, and called them essential for public safety. The city announced that phase one would end Sept. 25, and a Yahoo News report said the construction fence around the Byers sections came down Wednesday.
The News Leader’s report, syndicated on Yahoo, identified three repair locations: New Street south of its intersection with Greenville Avenue, Byers Street at the southeast corner of the Wharf lot, and Johnson Street at the northwest corner of the Wharf lot.
The schedule ahead
The Johnson Street phase is scheduled for completion in spring 2027. Phase three, the New Street tunnel, is expected to finish by late spring 2027.
Staunton also adopted its first Flood Resilience Plan in August, which qualifies the city to apply for state and federal flood grants. The tunnel contract is a separate project.
A Manassas Workplace Shooting Ends on I-81 in Augusta County
A shooting at a Manassas equipment rental business Wednesday morning ended roughly three hours later on Interstate 81 in Augusta County.
Marvin Grant, 37, of Charlotte, North Carolina, went to work at the United Rentals facility at 9415 Wellington Road around 7 a.m. and told a coworker that three people were going to die, Manassas City Police Chief Douglas Keen said. Police said an altercation came first. “He then pulled a pistol from his waistband and shot the three victims,” Keen said, describing a shooting that took place in a garage area of the business.
All three victims were Grant’s coworkers. Two died later that morning, and police identified them as Richard Lamont, 48, and Christopher Serrano, 33. The third man remains hospitalized. Police have not released his name or his condition.
The pursuit
Grant left the scene before officers arrived. Detectives used cellphone technology and witness information to track him south on I-81, and a statewide lookout alert went to law enforcement agencies. A Virginia State Police trooper spotted his Toyota southbound near mile marker 235 in Augusta County. Grant pulled into the rest area at mile marker 232, where troopers attempted a traffic stop. He got out of the car, returned to it, and continued south, and troopers began a pursuit.
The pursuit ended near mile marker 227. The standoff there lasted about an hour, according to state police. Around 10:30 a.m., Grant shot himself. He was taken to a hospital and pronounced dead, and state police said troopers did not use force.
Road impact
VDOT reported that the police activity initially closed I-81 in both directions at mile marker 227. By 11:09 a.m. only the southbound lanes remained closed, backups were about five miles long, and southbound traffic was diverted at exit 235. Route 616 was blocked in both directions as well. Interstate 81 southbound has since reopened.
What remains unanswered
Manassas City Police are investigating the shooting, and Virginia State Police are investigating the pursuit and the standoff, according to state police. Neither agency has released a motive or described the altercation that police say preceded the shooting. We will report what either agency releases.
If this week has you or someone close to you struggling, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is free and available around the clock by call or text.
Queen City Mischief & Magic Turns Eleven, With Oz at the Wharf
Queen City Mischief & Magic filled downtown Staunton on Sept. 26 and 27 for its eleventh annual festival. Admission to the festival is free, though some activities are ticketed, and the festival describes itself as an army of volunteers working year-round.
No official attendance figures or post-festival reports have been published yet.
A new realm at the Wharf
The News Leader called the biggest addition a new fantasy area inspired by “The Wizard of Oz” and “Wicked” at the Staunton Wharf. The festival’s schedule listed Oz characters including Glinda, Elphie, Fiyero, Dorothy, the Lion, the Tin Man, the Scarecrow, the Wizard, and a Flying Monkey. The Oz area also listed Glinda’s Bubble photo op, which the schedule said depended on the weather, and live chalk art by Robert Mott.
The same News Leader guide reported expanded character encounters downtown and new locations for some popular attractions. Quad Ball, the sport formerly called Quidditch, moved to the Sunspots Pavilion at the Wharf.
The characters and the train
Visit Staunton counted more than 100 characters this year, and the Characters page on QCMM.app profiles 67 costumed characters who roam the festival. Special guests arrived by train at the Staunton Train Station (billed as Platform 9¾) on Saturday and Sunday. The News Leader’s guide listed the Saturday arrivals as Hogwarts faculty and first-year students, and later second-year students, wandering Weasleys, visiting professors, and baddies. Sunday’s arrivals were listed as third-year students and “Wicked” characters.
The News Leader also reported that this was the final full-time season for Craig and Melanie Brimhall, who portray Dumbledore and McGonagall. Virginia Living has described the couple as the festival’s “character wranglers”.
From a birthday party to a downtown takeover
According to “Visit Staunton”, the festival began in 2016 as a modest one-day party. Founder Lynch told the Daily News-Record last year that the first event, a birthday party for Harry Potter, turned into 8,000 people coming from all over the place, according to the paper’s report.
By 2018 the festival drew nearly 10,000 people and spread beyond West Beverley Street into the Wharf district. The festival did not take place in person in 2020 and 2021, and returned in 2022.
Attendance estimates now vary by source. The festival says it welcomes more than 20,000 visitors, Virginia Living wrote that it regularly draws nearly 20,000 people, and the Daily News-Record reported crowds sometimes exceeding 30,000. Virginia Living reported that roughly 300 helpers make it happen, including city officials, volunteers, and a 30-person steering committee.
Anyone who attended this year will tell you, this seemed like a lot more people than 20,000.
QCMM’s Facebook Page has photos and posts on the event.
Did you attend the QCMM? Provide your feedback
The QCMM is asking for you to fill out this form to give your feedback of this year’s event.
VDOT Proposes Cutting Greenville Avenue to One Lane Each Way
The Virginia Department of Transportation will hold a public hearing on Greenville Avenue (Route 11) improvements between Statler Boulevard and Commerce Road from 4 to 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 29, at Bessie Weller Elementary School, 600 Greenville Ave. The project covers 0.92 mile of the road, which the Staunton study describes as the city’s southern entrance, connecting I-81 exit 220 and Woodrow Wilson Parkway to Richmond Road and downtown.
The hearing is an open house. Residents can arrive at any point during the hours and talk with VDOT officials and designers one on one.
What the design changes
That section of Greenville Avenue is five lanes wide, with two through lanes in each direction and a two-way left-turn lane in the center. Under the proposal, a single travel lane in each direction would serve vehicles throughout the project limits. A median of grass in some places and concrete in others would replace parts of the center turn lane to limit the number of full access points and reduce crashes. VDOT’s announcement does not say where the access points would be.
From Statler Boulevard to just south of Richmond Avenue (Route 250), the right lane in each direction would become a five-foot bike lane with a four-foot buffer from traffic. Between Richmond Avenue and Commerce Road, the bike lane would become a shared-use path connecting to a planned path on Commerce Road. New sidewalk would close gaps between Statler Boulevard and Commerce Road, and the plan includes crosswalks and ADA-compliant curb ramps.
Traffic counts and the federal guidance
VDOT reports that Greenville Avenue carried an average of 11,000 vehicles per day in 2023 and projects 14,000 vehicles per day by the 2048 design year.
The Federal Highway Administration says a road diet is typically implemented on a roadway with current and future average daily traffic of 25,000 or less. The agency lists fewer rear-end, left-turn, and right-angle crashes, and fewer lanes for pedestrians to cross, among the possible benefits. An earlier FHWA evaluation found that road diets had minimal effects on vehicle capacity under most traffic volumes tested, and that above roughly 20,000 vehicles a day congestion becomes more likely to divert traffic to other routes. Those studies examined four-lane roads converted to three lanes, a different layout from Greenville’s five lanes.
Background and cost
The proposal traces to a STARS (Strategically Targeted Affordable Roadway Solutions) study of the Route 11 corridor. VDOT presented draft recommendations to Staunton City Council and the Augusta County Board of Supervisors in August 2019 and held a public information meeting at Bessie Weller Elementary that October. The project was selected for funding through SMART SCALE, the state’s process for prioritizing transportation projects.
The estimated cost is $3.9 million: $750,000 for preliminary engineering, $100,000 for right of way and utility relocation, and $3.1 million for construction, according to the same VDOT release. The release gives no construction date.
VDOT also scheduled a Feb. 25 public hearing on a shared-use path on Commerce Road that would repurpose the southbound travel lanes between Statler Boulevard and Greenville Avenue.
How to comment
Written comments are accepted at the meeting or within 10 days afterward. Mail them to Sabrina Tarbell, Project Manager, Virginia Department of Transportation, 811 Commerce Road, Staunton, VA 24401-9029. A court reporter will record oral comments at the meeting. VDOT’s project page lists an online survey open through Nov. 8.
Quick Hits
Staunton Police Chief Jim Williams released a statement on the Sept. 22 shooting at the Richmond Avenue Walmart. Police say an officer responded to a citizen’s 911 call and made contact with Montique Treymayne Gaston, 39, of Portsmouth, in the parking lot. An altercation followed, the officer fired, and Gaston died at the scene. The officer’s body camera recorded the entire incident, and the footage has gone to Virginia State Police, who are conducting the independent investigation. The officer was placed on administrative leave. After state police finish, a prosecutor independent of the city and the police department will review the case. Williams said the death raises concerns for many residents tied to racial inequality and distrust of police. Nadia Ware, president of the Staunton NAACP, said, “Transparency is not the enemy of a fair investigation.”
Augusta County Sheriff Donald Smith removed the two Flock license plate reader cameras on Jefferson Highway in the Fishersville area, Augusta Free Press reported. Augusta Free Press has editorialized against the cameras. In a release, Smith said his office received calls from residents with concerns about how the cameras collect and use information, and that he removed them as the office continues to evaluate those concerns. A dataset he shared with supervisors the previous week showed 182 positive hits from 3,495,807 vehicle reads in 2026 so far, according to the same report.
VDOT is hosting an open house on the Interstate 81 widening project on Oct. 15 in Harrisonburg.
Out & About
Thursday, October 1
West Johnson Street closure. The new downtown traffic pattern began at 7 a.m. Details are in the lead story above.
Staunton Augusta Art Center. Kyle Epps’s exhibit runs Sept. 26 through Nov. 2. Gallery hours are Tuesday through Friday, 1 to 4 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Visulite Cinemas. Current showtimes are at visulitecinemas.com.
Friday, October 2
Hogfather opens. Staunton High School’s fall play runs Friday through Sunday. Tickets for Friday are on GoFan, and our full preview is linked below.
Shop and Dine Out. Visit Staunton lists the downtown promotion on Oct. 2, 3, and 4 from 4 to 11 p.m.
Blackfriars Playhouse. StayHappening lists Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein at the American Shakespeare Center on Friday, Oct. 2. Check the ASC calendar for showtimes.
Saturday, October 3
Hogfather. The second performance, with tickets on GoFan.
Free Guided Walking Tour. The Historic Staunton Foundation leads a downtown tour from 10 a.m. to noon.
Celebration of the Animals. The free event begins at 10 a.m. at Trinity Episcopal Church.
Gypsy Express. Mini-train rides run at Gypsy Hill Park from 1 to 5 p.m.
Thornrose Cemetery. “Shadows, Secrets, and Sin: The Dark Side of Thornrose” is listed for 4 p.m.
Staunton Police Foundation Gala. The foundation’s 8th annual Law Enforcement Gala is listed for 5:30 p.m. at 316 Academy St.
Sunday, October 4
Hogfather closes. The final performance, with tickets on GoFan.
Gypsy Express. Rides continue from 1 to 5 p.m.
CoArt Gallery. The opening reception for featured artist John Frantz runs 4 to 6 p.m.
River Watch
For current conditions on the South River near Waynesboro, check the USGS live dashboard for Station 01626000 the morning of any outing. IQAir’s Staunton forecast shows rain chances of 70 to 80 percent at several points on Saturday, and river levels can change quickly after regional rain.
The Sneeze Index
Air quality in Staunton read Good at 6 a.m. Thursday, with an AQI of 33 and PM2.5 at 6 micrograms per cubic meter as the main pollutant, according to IQAir. IQAir’s daily forecast shows an AQI of 61 on Friday and 51 on Saturday. Tree and grass pollen read none, and weed pollen reads Moderate. The same forecast shows a Friday high of 29 degrees Celsius (84 Fahrenheit) and a Saturday high of 15 degrees Celsius (59 Fahrenheit).
The Weekly Pump
Virginia’s average price for regular gas was $4.21 a gallon on Sept. 29, according to AAA. Premium averaged $5.07 and diesel $6.34, and the national average for regular was $4.46. WSET reported on Sept. 27 that the Virginia average was up 34 cents over the past month and $1.28 over the past year, and AAA pointed to rising crude oil prices.
Real Estate Watch
Staunton’s median home sale price was $314,742 over the three months ending in August, up 7.5 percent from the same period last year, according to Redfin. Homes spent a median of 11 days on the market, compared with 9 days a year earlier. Redfin counted 93 home sales in August, down from 105 in August 2025, and scores the market 85 out of 100 for competitiveness.
Anyone actively buying or selling should talk with a local agent with direct MLS access, since aggregate figures like these lag what’s happening street to street.
Who’s Hiring
Manufacturing Operator, Hollister Incorporated, Stuarts Draft, paying $28.67 an hour. Listed on Indeed.
Production Operator, The Hershey Company, Stuarts Draft, starting at $26.88 an hour. Listed on Indeed.
Package Handler, part time, FedEx, 7 Industry Way, Staunton, paying $18.00 to $18.25 an hour. Listed on Indeed.
Entry-Level Residential HVAC Service Technician, Vailes Brothers, Fishersville, paying $17.00 to $25.00 an hour based on experience. Listed on Indeed.
Restaurant Team Member, part time, Love’s Travel Stops, 3499 Lee Jackson Highway, Staunton, paying $15 to $18 an hour. Listed on Indeed.
Salary figures above are listed only when explicitly stated by the employer. Full listings and current openings can be found on Indeed and through the city and schools’ shared jobs portal.
Ongoing Threads We’re Watching
Virginia State Police are investigating the Sept. 22 police shooting of Montique Treymayne Gaston at the Staunton Walmart, and an independent prosecutor will review the findings, according to Staunton’s police chief. No timeline has been announced.
DEQ has said it will announce its decision on Northrop Grumman’s Waynesboro air permit by Oct. 22.
The Beverley Street and Johnson Street intersection project is on the city’s project page. We are still watching for a formal public hearing date.
Augusta County deputies are still looking for the person who fired a gun during a fight at the Orchard Hill Shopping Center, according to Rocktown Now’s report. We have not found a report of an arrest.
From The Stauntonian This Week
Death Takes the Sleigh: Staunton High Puts Pratchett’s Hogfather on Stage. Staunton High School’s theater students perform Stephen Briggs’s adaptation of Terry Pratchett’s Discworld holiday comedy Friday through Sunday. In the story, the Hogfather has gone missing and Death takes his place. Eight cast and crew members told us about the assassins, the Tooth Fairy’s castle, the rewritten carols, and a set that turns city streets into a castle. Tickets for each night are on GoFan.
Note from the Editor
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