Fairfax County is temporarily putting crossing guards back at 11 high schools after a student was struck near South Lakes, Stafford officials are urging residents to tell the FCC whether Verizon’s plan to end traditional copper landlines would leave them without reliable phone service, and Manassas students have been invited to design the city’s official 2028 “I Voted!” sticker.
Fairfax County Temporarily Restores Crossing Guards at 11 High Schools
According to FFXnow, crossing guard services at 11 Fairfax County public high schools will be temporarily reinstated while county supervisors assess longer-term solutions for pedestrian safety. A Fairfax County Police Department spokesperson said Wednesday that police officers and crossing guards will provide traffic and crossing support at 11 high school locations that had previously been staffed. The move comes after the Board of Supervisors approved a May budget that eliminated funding for police crossing guards at high schools.
School Board members Sandy Anderson and Seema Dixit announced Tuesday that services would return at eight schools: Edison, Chantilly, Oakton, McLean, West Potomac, Centreville, West Springfield and South Lakes. Police did not immediately name the other three schools. The announcement came the same day a 16-year-old student was struck by a car near South Lakes High School in Reston, though the student was not in a crosswalk or an area previously staffed by a crossing guard. Deputy County Executive Tom Arnold told supervisors that an immediate return to staffing the crosswalks would rely in part on uniformed officers, possibly from specialty units, while the county works to fill contracted crossing guard positions.
Stafford County Seeks Public Comments on Verizon Plan to End Copper Landline Service
According to Stafford County Government, Verizon has filed an application with the Federal Communications Commission seeking approval to discontinue certain traditional copper-based landline telephone services in Virginia and other states. The FCC is accepting public comments through Sept. 10, 2026. Verizon says replacement voice service may be available through fiber- or cable-based internet phone service, fixed wireless service or mobile wireless service, though the type of replacement available may vary by location.
Stafford County said dependable alternatives are not available in every part of the community and that a change in service could have important consequences for residents, businesses and public safety. Officials are encouraging people who rely on a traditional landline because another option is not reliable or reasonably available to file specific comments with the FCC, referencing WC Docket No. 26-227 and Comp. Pol. File No. 2178, through the agency’s Electronic Comment Filing System. Helpful details include weak or inconsistent cellular service, lack of fiber or cable broadband, reliance on landlines for 911, medical monitoring, home security or fire alarm systems, and problems during power outages or severe weather. Comments may be filed at fcc.gov/ecfs/filings/express. Additional information is available at staffordcountyva.gov/copper.
Mary Washington Healthcare, Humana Reach Deal Keeping Medicare Advantage Patients In-Network
According to the Fredericksburg Free Press, Mary Washington Healthcare and Humana have reached an agreement that will allow Humana Medicare Advantage members to remain in-network with the health system’s physicians, hospitals and outpatient facilities. The contract had been set to expire Aug. 31, and Mary Washington’s chief financial officer told patients in July that a new agreement might not be finalized. Both parties confirmed Monday that they had reached a deal.
A Humana spokesperson said the company was pleased to continue the relationship “to ensure our members continue to have access to trusted care with no disruption.” Mary Washington Vice President for Marketing and Communications Kendra Gerlach said the health system’s priority throughout the talks was “protecting access to care and avoiding disruptions for the people and families who rely on us.” Medicare Advantage plans are private alternatives to original Medicare that often limit patients to in-network providers. Other Virginia health systems, including Valley Health, Centra Health and Sentara, have dropped or are considering dropping some Medicare Advantage plans this year.
Virginia Lawmakers Urge Special Session to Extend Dominion-NextEra Merger Review
According to The Center Square, 14 Democratic lawmakers have asked first-year Gov. Abigail Spanberger to call a special session so the State Corporation Commission has more time to review the proposed merger between Dominion Energy and NextEra Energy. In a letter dated Monday, the lawmakers said the SCC’s current review timeline does not give regulators enough time to fully examine a transaction of this magnitude. Under Virginia law, the commission has 60 days after a completed application is filed to approve or reject the deal, with the option to extend that period by up to another 120 days; if the SCC does not act in time, the application is deemed approved.
The request follows a similar July 21 appeal from Republicans Sen. David Suetterlein and Del. Joe McNamara, who said Virginia could otherwise be forced to act before regulators in other jurisdictions. Dominion and NextEra filed their merger application with the SCC on July 15 after announcing the $67 billion deal in May; the combined company would serve about 10 million customers in Virginia, Florida, North Carolina and South Carolina. Public witness testimony is scheduled for Nov. 5, 9 and 10, with written comments due Nov. 9 and an evidentiary hearing beginning Nov. 17. Spanberger intervened in the case in August and has cited energy affordability, Virginia utility jobs and the state’s long-term energy needs as priorities. Republicans on Tuesday welcomed the additional Democratic support for a special session that could convene and adjourn by the end of September so any new legislation could take effect while the case is still underway.
Spanberger, Virginia Beef Farmers Criticize Trump Plan to Import Subsidized Foreign Beef
According to Cardinal News, Gov. Abigail Spanberger held a roundtable Tuesday with beef cattle farmers at a Botetourt County farm to denounce President Donald Trump’s plan to lower beef prices by importing foreign beef and subsidizing it so it can be sold 25% below market rate. Spanberger said she was “outraged” that the administration would “flood the market with beef from some other country” without saying where it came from or under what standards it was produced, calling the approach “outrageously offensive” and likely to hurt the American beef industry over the long term by discouraging investment. Last week she sent a letter to U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins protesting the policy.
Farmers at the meeting described the plan as an “abomination” and a “huge problem,” saying cheap imported hamburger would not help producers already dealing with the smallest U.S. cattle herd since 1951, high fuel costs, development pressure on farmland and limited processing capacity. Four companies control about 80% to 85% of U.S. meat processing, and JBS USA has announced plant closings that affect Virginia producers. Spanberger said her administration is examining whether the state could help stand up a beef cattle processing cooperative similar to the Virginia Poultry Growers Cooperative and is working on emergency hay shipments for drought-stricken farmers before winter feeding begins. She also noted that Canada is Virginia’s largest export market and warned that retaliatory tariffs could eventually affect cattle and beef trade.
Manassas Students Invited to Design Official ‘I Voted!’ Sticker for 2028 Election
According to InsideNoVa, Manassas City Public Schools students can design the official “I Voted!” sticker that will be distributed to city voters during the 2028 presidential election. The Manassas Department of Voter Registration & Elections, in partnership with the school division, opened the contest Sept. 1. Students currently enrolled in Manassas city schools may submit original artwork highlighting civic pride, community and the importance of voting through Jan. 15, 2027.
After submissions close, officials will select one nominee from each of the city’s nine schools to advance to a citywide public vote. The winning design will become the official sticker beginning with the next presidential election, and the nine nominees will be recognized by the Manassas City Council. General Registrar Susan Reed said the contest is intended to foster community identity and civic engagement. Participant packets are available through Manassas City Public Schools, the Manassas City Library and the Voter Registration & Elections Office.
Manassas Park City Offices Closed Monday for Labor Day
According to the City of Manassas Park, all offices at City Hall, the library, the Department of Social Services and Public Works will be closed Monday, Sept. 7, in observance of Labor Day. Offices are scheduled to reopen for normal business on Tuesday, Sept. 8. Normal trash collection will not be affected, and public safety personnel remain available and on call around the clock.
The Community Center will be open Monday until 2 p.m., and Signal Bay Water Park will operate from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Residents who have water or sewer emergencies during the holiday or after hours are encouraged to call the Police non-emergency line at 703-361-1136.
Martin Souza of Manassas Park Graduates from Wilson College
According to Wilson College, Martin Souza of Manassas Park graduated during the college’s 156th commencement ceremonies on May 3, 2026, in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. Wilson conferred more than 300 bachelor’s and master’s degrees in separate ceremonies and awarded an honorary doctor of humane letters degree to commencement speaker Ken Ohashi, brand chief executive officer of Brooks Brothers and Nautica.
Founded in 1869, Wilson College is a private coeducational liberal arts college offering undergraduate, graduate and doctoral programs, with classes available in person and online. The college said it recorded its highest total enrollment in school history in fall 2025.
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