Author: Mike Salmon

Business

Prince William Chamber turns 10, installs new chair Kathie Johnson, of Sentara NVMC

By Mike Salmon
Prince William Chamber Building at 9720 Capital Court in Manassas.

The Prince William Chamber of Commerce started in the summer of 2010 to a world that saw President Barack Obama in office, craft breweries on the rise, and the price of gas at about $2.73 a gallon (it averages $1.96 in Virginia today).

During the past 10 years, the chamber has experienced ebbs and flows with growth, continuing to be an asset for businesses in the area adapting to population growth, express lanes on the area highways, and the transition of the county’s smaller community hospitals into larger regional medical centers.

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News

Sorority sisters launch Woodbridge investment club

By Mike Salmon

A group of Betta Sigma Phi sorority sisters in Woodbridge has started their own investment club.

When this group talks about Starbucks, they aren’t discussing the newest latte or their favorite muffin, they talk about their stock in the coffee giant. Their share of stock in Starbucks has risen from $29.28 a share when they first got it in September of 2007, to the current value of about $75 a share.

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Business

National Museum of the U.S. Army at center of new tourism plan

By Mike Salmon
National Museum of the U.S. Army.

Fairfax County officials just launched a tourism plan that could impact commerce in Prince William County in an indirect way, solidifying the global economics theory on a smaller scale.

While there is a river boundary between the two counties, the main elements in Fairfax County’s plan are within easy access to key river crossings, making it an easy trip if taken during the right time of day.

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Originals

After 40 Years, the Dumfries Town Crier retires

By Mike Salmon
Town Crier Gary West rings his bell. Photo: Historic Dumfries, Virginia.

Hear ye, hear ye, after 40 years Gary West is hanging up his bell and revolutionary war outfit and retiring at the Dumfries town crier.

No more ringing the bell, marching in the Christmas Parade and being the man with the voice around the Town of Dumfries. He’s a long-time resident of the town, and after turning 80, it was time for someone else to take on the duty.

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Features

New Year surprise: Lake Ridge woman wins $2,500 a week for life

By Mike Salmon
The Publisher’s Clearing House Prize Patrol awards Joan Grainger, of Lake Ridge, $2,500 a week for life. [Photo: Mike Salmon]

The Publishers Clearing House Prize Patrol stopped for flowers and to fix the balloons at Dillingham Square on Monday before swooping down on the home of Joan Geringer, a Lake Ridge resident who is now the recipient of $2,500 a week for the rest of her life.

“This is amazing,” said Geringer, after she answered the door. It was a complete surprise. There were contractors at her house redoing her bathroom, so Joan couldn’t hesitate. “I can now pay you,” she said, joking with the construction crew, and they told her now she needs to do the kitchen too.

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Features

Winning teacher at Brentsville knows how to manage his turf

By Mike Salmon
Miller

Teachers take pride in their classrooms. Cleaning, dusting and decorating to provide the prime learning atmosphere for the students.

Andrew Miller, the turf management teacher at Brentsville District High School, took that effort to the next step when he and his students cut an award-winning design on the Brentsville football and soccer field.

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News

Actress Alyssa Milano in Woodbridge urges Virginia legislators to approve women’s rights amendment

By Mike Salmon
Actress and activist Alyssa Milano addresses a crowd in Woodbridge, urging Virginia legislators to ratify the Equal Rights for Women Act.

WOODBRIDGE — Virginia is one of the states that has yet to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment, but a group in Prince William County is trying to change that.

It kicked off their effort on Women’s Equality Day, Sunda, Aug. 26, at the Ferlazzo Building in Woodbridge where they watched Iron Jawed Angels and shared the microphone with ERA champ and television star Alyssa Milano.

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News

New project starts, Route 1 widening efforts expand in Woodbridge

By Mike Salmon

WOODBRIDGE — Beginning this month, motorists in the Woodbridge area may start to see the dreaded orange traffic cones slowing things down as construction crews begin to relocate utilities for the widening of Route 1 from Mary’s Way to Featherstone Road.

This 1.3-mile section of Route 1 will go from being a four-lane undivided highway to a six-lane divided highway.  Work will include the construction of a 1 0-foot-wide multi-modal trail and a 5-foot-wide sidewalk along the sides of the route.

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News

Lacking matching funds, Woodbridge ferry yet to be torpedoed and sunk

By Mike Salmon
U.S. 1 and CSX rail lines cross the Occoquan River between Prince William and Fairfax counties. (Mary Davidson/PotomacLocal.com)

WOODBRIDGE — For commuters in Woodbridge heading to the Pentagon and beyond, there’s carpooling, rail and single-occupancy vehicles going up congested Interstate 95.

But to Woodbridge District Supervisor Frank Principi there’s another choice, and that’s the high-speed ferry up the Potomac River.

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News

Key intersection at Manassas center city may be fit for a roundabout

By Mike Salmon

MANASSAS — In Manassas, officials are looking for more efficient ways to move more people through one of the city’s busiest intersections.

They’ve assigned a team of engineers to fix the intersection at Route 234 and Route 28 at the center of the city. It’s a place where a roundabout would possibly work.

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