In my opinion, Harry Wiggins’ Op-Ed Letter of September 10 misses the issue at hand and badly.
I’ve known Harry on a personal level for many years and I consider him a friend, however his letter is a red herring. James Young’s election as President of the Committee of 100, on a slated ballot for which Harry and many Democrats voted for, is not the issue.
On September 3, I had the opportunity to attend the Roundtable Discussion at Brooke Point High School with Governor Terry McAuliffe and Secretary of Education, Anne Holton. The event took place in the brand new library – a high-tech learning space to foster collaboration and innovation among students. The takeaway from the discussion with 20+ parents that morning was that investing in teachers, reducing classroom size, and bringing innovation back into our schools will build a more prosperous Virginia for us all.
These parents made it abundantly clear that we must reform the SOLs. As one parent mentioned, previous generations sent a man to the moon and they never took a single SOL test. We need to empower teachers to be creative and innovative in the classroom again.
As Prince William County tackles the various issues affecting our schools, the residents in this community deserve a School Board Chairman with leadership experience, values, integrity, and a proven record of success.
They also deserve someone they can trust. Tim Singstock’s leadership skills and sense of public service are rooted in the greatest institution in our nation, the United States military.
One of the main reasons I decided to run for Dumfries Town Council in 2010 was that I was tired of sitting on the sidelines while local home values plummeted, property taxes and several additional fees were raised, and the local governing body seemed determined to make Dumfries less and less competitive with our neighbors.
In 2009 – the year before I ran for office – the Town Council nearly doubled the local property tax rate, approved more borrowing, increased Business, Professional and Occupational License (BPOL) rates 10% across the board, increased vehicle tag fees, doubled the cigarette tax and hiked storm water management fees. With Northern Virginia residents besieged by plummeting wages and non-existent economic growth, the last thing government should be doing is adding to their burden by raising taxes and fees that allow government to continue spending without regard for the economic and fiscal realities we are all facing.
Prince William & Manassas has a variety of places to sit back, relax and root for your favorite teams this season. With flat screen TV’s lining the walls, a variety of local and imported beer on tap and a team spirited atmosphere that every sports fan loves, here are some of the best places to can catch the next game.
In Historic Downtown Manassas, discover “All Sports, All the Time,” at the Olde Town Sports Pub where there is an easy-going atmosphere for even the most dedicated fans. With 22 flat screen TV’s lining the walls you definitely will not miss any a minute of the action. Not only are they serving up the latest sports game, but the pub also offers juicy buffalo wings, stacked burgers, and a large list of beers for all palates. In between games you can play a round of pool, on the house, or try your hand and compete in the weekly corn hole tournament for a chance to win a $50 gift card!
[ngg_images gallery_ids=”530″ display_type=”ds-nextgen_royalslider”]
Murder Investigation *UPDATE – Detectives from the Homicide Unit have determined that this incident was not random and had stemmed from a physical altercation just prior to the shooting. All three victims were known to one another. The relationship between the shooting suspect and the victims is currently being investigated. The second seriously injured victim in this shooting is still hospitalized. This homicide investigation has been classified as a murder. This is Prince William County’s 3rd murder of 2015. Please note the correction to the age of the third victim in the below information previously released this morning. The investigation continues.
Identified:
Good morning Prince William – Habitat for Humanity is moving in Manassas! They have secured the old Food Lion store on Hastings Drive as well as a second store in Woodbridge. Volunteers are needed for all kinds of jobs. You won’t want to miss this very exciting time. They also need volunteers to bring lunch for the volunteers, distribute door hangers or shop at Amazon.smile. Come be part of this progressive team. You can sign up online at: habitatpwc.org.
· Virginia Cooperative Extension is looking for volunteers interested in strengthening families. If you would like to become a facilitator for Systematic Training for Effective Parenting (STEP) Groups contact Janice at 703-792-4678 or via email [email protected]. All training is provided!
U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders on Monday will travel to Lynchburg, Virginia, where he will speak at Liberty University’s Convocation. The Democratic Party presidential candidate will hold a rally in Manassas later that night. [Read morehttps://berniesanders.com/press-release/sanders-to-visit-virginia/]
From Prince William police:
Unlawful Wounding – On September 11th at 1:19AM, officers responded to the Marriot Hotel located at 10701 Battleview Pkwy in Manassas (20109) to investigate an assault. The victim, a 25 year old man of Brooklyn NY, reported to police that he was sleeping in one of the rooms of the hotel when the accused, a known acquaintance, entered and the two began to argue. During the encounter, the accused bit the victim just above his right eye. A second occupant of the room was also assaulted by the accused. The parties eventually separated and police were contacted. Minor injuries were reported. Following the investigation, the accused was arrested.
