Prince William County Public Schools, the second-largest division in Virginia, opened the 2026-27 school year today while regional residents tracked water use, climate planning, student achievements, and upcoming constitutional amendments.
Prince William County Public Schools Begin 2026-27 School Year
According to Prince William County Public Schools, Monday, August 24, 2026, marks the first day of school for the division, the second-largest in Virginia.
Families are directed to the division’s Back to School Guide for access to bus and student schedules, first-day-of-school signs, and other resources intended to support a successful start to the academic year.
Virginia Voters to Decide Three Constitutional Amendments This Fall
According to a report from The Daily Signal, Virginia voters will consider three proposed constitutional amendments on the fall ballot, with early voting scheduled to begin around Sept. 18.
One amendment would revise the state constitution’s marriage section, removing language that limited marriage to one man and one woman and instead providing that the Commonwealth shall not deny a marriage license to two adult persons on the basis of sex, gender or race and shall treat all lawful marriages equally under the law. Ballot wording summarizes the change as removing the ban on same-sex marriage and affirming equal treatment of marriages regardless of sex, gender or race. The remaining amendments address restoration of rights for felons and abortion-related provisions.
Virginia Water Use Declines Despite Growing Data Center Demand
According to a report from Cardinal News, overall water withdrawals in Virginia fell by 5% between 2019 and 2024, equaling 288.61 billion fewer gallons per day, even as data centers continued to increase their consumption.
The primary driver of the decline was the retirement of coal-fired power plants, which produced a sharp drop in the fossil power category, according to Virginia Department of Environmental Quality data. Nuclear plants remain the state’s largest water users, while data centers accounted for an estimated 0.5% to 1.4% of total statewide use in recent years and are typically recorded under public water supplies.
Virginia Establishes New State Climate Office at George Mason University
According to a report from Cardinal News, the new state budget creates a State Climate Office to be housed at George Mason University in Fairfax, restoring an official climate office that Virginia last maintained until 2021.
Professors James Kinter and Luis Ortiz will lead the office, with plans to partner with Virginia Tech, other state universities, agencies and agricultural groups. Priorities include expanding a network of local weather stations, providing regional climate data and assisting localities with issues such as water supply, heat islands and shifting hardiness zones.
PWCS Hosts Annual Back-to-School Event with Free Backpacks and Resources
According to a news release from Prince William County Public Schools, thousands of students, families, staff and community volunteers gathered at Freedom High School on August 15 for the annual Back-to-School Community Event ahead of the 2026-27 school year.
In partnership with the Prince William County Community Foundation, volunteers distributed more than 5,000 free backpacks filled with school supplies while the C.H.O.W. Wagon and Capital Area Food Bank provided 12,000 pounds of groceries. Attendees met Superintendent Dr. LaTanya D. McDade and school staff, connected with nearly 150 vendors, and enjoyed free food, music, performances and hands-on activities including STEM stations and a fire preparedness course.
Two Osbourn Park Students Win National Gold at NAACP ACT-SO Competition
According to a press release from the Prince William NAACP, Osbourn Park High School students Michelle Marfo and Gabriel Hamilton each earned gold medals at the 2026 National NAACP ACT-SO competition held July 15-19 in Chicago.
Marfo, a June 2026 graduate, won in Mathematics for her project modeling synaptic dysfunction, while Hamilton, a rising senior, took gold in Original Essay for “Flawed by Design.” The dual gold medals mark the first time in the five-year history of the Prince William Area ACT-SO program that two students have claimed national championships, making it the only Virginia program to do so in 2026.
Region Marks 10th Annual First Responders Appreciation Breakfast
According to a Facebook post from the FXBG Chamber, the 10th Annual First Responders Appreciation Breakfast was held August 19 to honor individuals and teams serving Caroline County, King George County, the City of Fredericksburg, Stafford County and Spotsylvania County.
The event recognized life-saving actions, acts of heroism, innovation, mentorship, emergency communications and careers dedicated to public safety. Chamber officials thanked first responders, public safety agencies, sponsors and community partners while congratulating the 2026 award recipients for their ongoing commitment to the region.
Virginia State Police Graduates 45 New Troopers
According to a report from the Richmond Times-Dispatch, the Virginia State Police celebrated the graduation of 45 new troopers from the 145th Basic Session on Aug. 21 at the State Police Training Academy in North Chesterfield County.
The recruits completed 29 weeks of training that included more than 1,300 hours of instruction in over 100 subjects such as de-escalation, mental health crisis response, ethics, constitutional law and emergency medical care. They will now report to duty assignments across the Commonwealth.
FredNats GM Robbie Perry to Leave After Regular Season
According to a report from the Fredericksburg Free Press, Fredericksburg Nationals general manager Robbie Perry will step down after the regular season ends on Sept. 6 to join Union Omaha, a United Soccer League team in Nebraska.
Perry has served as general manager since 2023 and previously held the roles of assistant GM and vice president of creative services. He will reunite with former FredNats general manager Nick Hall and described the move as an opportunity to build on the foundation established in Fredericksburg, where he has lived and worked for the past four years.
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