Chances are, as you’re going through life, there are things that you’re going to want to do, see or accomplish. These goals often end up filed mentally in a, “bucket list,” for a time where you feel gutsy enough, or find the opportune time to check them off your list. I got to check off an item on my bucket list this past week; that being, to run and host my own fashion show. While this sounds trite, and may conjure up images of a sequel to the Devil Wears Prada, it’s not for the glamorized and vain reasons as one may imagine.
In high school I was studying fashion merchandising, and loved every minute of the clothing, the managing, and the glossy paged magazines. As part of our graduation requirement I was to host a fashion show in my senior year. I pored over every detail of the show for seven months, creating seating charts, clothing line up, researching trends to showcase, and putting together a music playlist. After all, what’s a fashion show without a killer playlist? That fashion show consumed my free time, and my mental energy. I was electric with excitement to host the show and achieve my goal.
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UPDATED: PRINCE WILLIAM FIRE CHIEF REMARKS
WOODBRIDGE, Va. — The first and only Prince William County firefighter to die in the line of duty will be remembered today.
Kyle Wilson, 24, was killed five years ago today when he went inside a burning home on Marsh Overlook Drive in Woodbridge to search for those who might have been trapped inside the home. County officials read a message over the public emergency radio at 6 a.m. and will repeat it at 6 p.m. commemorating Wilson’s death.
“Five years ago today Technician I Kyle Wilson made the ultimate sacrifice while operating at Box 1209, 15474 Marsh Overlook Drive. Kyle was staffing Tower 512 and was killed in the line of duty while performing a primary search looking for possible trapped occupants. The Department of Fire and Rescue has made a solemn promise, we will never forget Kyle or the sacrifice he made,” the statement reads.
On the day of the fire, all the occupants of the home had made it out safely unbeknownst to Wilson. Inside the home, he became trapped under a stairwell, radioed for help, but fire fighters couldn’t reach him in time.
While widely covered in Prince William County, Wilson’s death received little attention in the region as he died on the same day as the Virginia Tech shooting massacre.
Prince William fire and rescue chief Kevin McGee issued a statement this morning about Wilson.
“Our Department and our fire and rescue system will never be the same as it was prior to the dispatch to 15474 Marsh Overlook Drive. It shouldn’t be the same and it won’t. We have done much together to improve and make corrections over the past five years to enhance firefighter safety and improve service to our community. We have more work to do,” stated McGee.
The chief asked residents to keep Wilson’s family and friends in their thoughts today.
Kyle Wilson’s family, friends, and and fellow firefighters remember him now each year during the fifth annual “Kyle Wilson 10K Walk for Fitness,” as a way to remember his service to the community and provide a scholarship for those who wish to attend the athletic training program at George Mason University – Wilson’s alma mater.
The walk will be held this year at 9 a.m. at C.D. Hylton High School in Woodbridge.
By Brian Hill
Capital News Service
RICHMOND, Va. – Motorcyclists are eager to legally burn rubber side by side now that Gov. Bob McDonnell has signed legislation permitting them to ride two abreast in a single driving lane in Virginia.
House Bill 97, sponsored by Delegate Tony Wilt of Harrisonburg, allows two-wheeled motorcycles to drive alongside each other in one lane. Current state law prohibits motorcyclists from doing that; violators may be charged with reckless driving.
HB 97, which McDonnell signed into law on Feb. 28, will take effect July 1.
More to the story: Two motorcyclists were killed this weekend on Joplin Road in Prince William County.
“The bill allows riders to use their own judgment in determining when it is appropriate to ride beside someone, but does not require them to do so,” said Wilt, a Republican who has served in the House since 2010.
“One goal is to eliminate the harsh punishment placed on riders for doing something as innocent as pulling aside another rider while stopped or taking off together after being stopped.”
The American Motorcycle Association frequently hears complaints from out-of-state riders about Virginia’s prohibition against two-abreast riding.
“When our members and even non-members have ridden in Virginia, some of them have received citations for riding side by side at some of the major events that occur in Virginia,” said Imre Szauter, the association’s government relations manager.
“Where they come from, it is perfectly legal to do so.”
It’s perfectly legal almost everywhere. Virginia will become the 49th state to accommodate two-abreast riding. Vermont remains the only state to prohibit the practice.
“Riding two abreast is already allowed in 48 of the 50 states,” Wilt noted. “In 2010, the Virginia General Assembly extended this privilege to law enforcement officers on duty. I saw no reason why it should not be extended to everyone.”
HB 97 was approved 87-10 in the House of Delegates and 38-2 in the Senate in mid-February.
Safety was a concern. Opponents believe side by side riding is dangerous, especially if riders must suddenly swerve to avoid a road hazard.
However, no one has come up with data to prove that two-abreast riding causes an increase in traffic accidents or injuries, Szauter said.
“In the absence of statistics that indicate this is blatantly unsafe, it’s just another reason to somehow harass motorcyclists for something they don’t believe is an issue,” Szauter said.
“If there are circumstances where riding side by side is appropriate, and it can be done in a safe manner, we believe that the code should be modified. And that’s exactly what happened with this legislation.”
When riding side by side, it’s vital for motorcycle operators to communicate. Some riders use predetermined hand signals. Motorcyclists may need to speak to each other in advance to determine their plan of action.
A benefit of riding side by side is that motorcyclists also can signal each other on the road.
“It is often helpful for riders to be able to pull beside each other to communicate information – for instance, if they need to stop,” Wilt said. “This legislation allows them to do so.”
PotomacLocal.com congratulates Barbara Dorver of Woodbridge for winning a $50 gas card for submitting her commuter tale to Slug Tales – the weekly online column that’s focused on your commute in Northern Virginia.
Read below for Barbara’s harrowing account of being stuck in traffic on “The Day the Springfield Interchange Iced Over.”
During Ice Storm, Bathrooms on I-395 Hard to Find
 If you are a native of the Northern Virginia area, I am sure you have a traffic nightmare horror story. Nothing in this area is gauged by sheer mileage, it gauged by a complicated equation based on mileage, weather conditions, time of day, direction traveled and percentage of roadwork being done on that particular day.
My horror story comes from the fateful evening of February 12, 2008 or as most of you natives know it as “The Day the Springfield Interchange Iced Over.” Oh yes, for most of us it was a glorious commute home of no less than a ridiculous amount hours. For me, it was six hours in the car with two slugs I picked up from the Pentagon–who just happened to be Officers in the Army. First there was the Colonel, a stern man who took the front seat and stared straight ahead for most of the trip. The Lieutenant Colonel took the backseat.
The first hour stuck in the dead stopped traffic was not so bad. Some small talk ensued as we sat between the concrete barricades on the HOV lanes on 395. Into about the third hour, we realized we hadn’t moved at all. This caused my bladder (and myself) to come to terms with the fact we were all going to have to pee at some point.
The Lieutenant Colonel was first to admit he needed to utilize the facilities (which at this point was an open door to the car facing the concrete barrier. Easy enough for him. In the fourth hour I realized I couldn’t hold it anymore. Being female, it was a more complicated process. I had to kindly ask both gentlemen to exit my car, stand on the opposite side of the vehicle while I opened both doors and relieved my bladder…and peed all over the back of my pants.
The next two hours were complete akward silence in my car, which now reeked of urine-and embarrassment.
I have never picked up slugs again as I envision they told all their slug friends of my misfortune. I was officially labeled “The girl who peed herself” and self exiled from the slug world. That, my friends, is a risk you take everyday as a resident of the NOVA area.
PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, Va. — Police are on the scene of the second fatal motorcycle crash on Joplin Road this weekend.
According to a statement from police, drives are asked to avoid the area of Joplin and Aden roads in the Independent Hill area tonight as investigators look into what caused the fatal crash. Police have not released the identity of the victim.
This is the second fatal crash involving a motorcyclist on Joplin Road in as many days. Another motorcyclist was killed Saturday on Joplin Road near Triangle.Â
View Joplin Road Fatal Motorcycle Crashes in a larger map
By URIAH KISER
WOODBRIDGE, Va. — Prince William’s Corey Stewart now wants to be Virginia’s Corey Stewart.
The Prince William County Board of Supervisors Chairman threw his hat into the ring to become the 40th Lt. Governor of the commonwealth and will seek the office during the 2013 Gubernatorial Election.
Against a backdrop of construction at Woodbridge’s Potomac Town Center, Stewart gathered supporters who applauded as the Republican read aloud his accomplishments.
“Prince William was one of the few localities that was truly hard hit in by the decline in home values and foreclosures. At one point, 80 percent of the sales in Prince William County were bank sales, they were disclosure sales… we knew we had to take the steps necessary to prepare for the economic growth we knew would come,” said Stewart.
The foreclosure crisis strapped Prince William with the highest rate of foreclosed homes in the nation, and Stewart said he worked with other officials to improve efficiency in local government.
He also touted the county’s AAA bond rating during his speech, and said more mixed-use commercial and residential development like Potomac Town Center is needed to bring jobs to the county and keep commuters working close to home.
Statewide, Stewart said the commonwealth continues to be business friendly but needs to do more with public infrastructure.
“The one thing it has not done right, the one thing it needs to do right if economic growth and prosperity will continue, is to build adequate public infrastructure and that especially means roads,” said Stewart.
Touting methods used in Prince William to build $300 million in road projects through voter-approved bonds, Stewart said state monies need to be prioritized to transportation infrastructure without raising taxes.
In 2007, Stewart led a widely debated charge against illegal immigrants in Prince William County that gained national attention. The original resolution passed allowed police to check the legal presence of anyone suspected of being in the country illegally. The policy was later amended and persons arrested now have their legal presence checked in jail.
In addition to his top donors, the Republican Party of Virginia and Potomac Nationals Baseball, many of Stewart’s top donors to his campaign are property developers. Stewart landed in hot water last fall when he took a sizeable donation from a developer just weeks before voting to – along with the rest of the Board of County Supervisors – to approve the development in western Prince William.
Since Virginia governors are limited to serving just one consecutive four-year term, current Lt. Governor Bill Bolling is automatically next in line to be the Republican nominee to replace Gov. Robert F. McDonnell. But Attorney General and Prince William resident Ken Cuccinelli has expressed interest in the governor’s mansion.
By TIM SWARTZ
Potomac Nationals
WOODBRIDGE, Va. — Tommy La Stella drove home three runs and J.R. Graham went six strong innings as the Lynchburg Hillcats snapped their two-game losing streak knocking off the Potomac Nationals by the final score of 6-4. Matt Chaffee picked up his second save of the season striking out the possible tying run in Adrian Sanchez to end the game.
Lynchburg scored in five of the nine innings against Potomac pitching and had the leadoff man reach in all of their scoring innings. La Stella was 2-for-4 on the game and drove home the first three runs of the game for the Hillcats. He now leads the Carolina league with 12 RBIs on the season.
Graham (2-0) struck out six batters on his outing giving up three runs on four hits in six innings of work.
Lynchburg (6-3) took their first lead of the series in the opening half inning thanks to a Tommy La Stella RBI double that scored Matt Lipka.
Kevin Keyes tied up the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the 2nd inning with a towering solo home run to left field. Keyes has now homered in back-to-back games.
The Hillcats regained the lead in the top of the 3rd inning as Tommy La Stella added to his RBI total with a two-run double off P-Nats starter Adam Olbrychowski to make it 3-1.
Potomac (3-5) was able to battle back once again in the 4th inning to tie up the game. After Blake Kelso and Justin Bloxom reached to begin the inning, David Freitas lined a two-run double to the wall in left center field to tie the game at 3-3.
Nick Ahmed gave Lynchburg the lead once again in the 5th inning with an RBI single that brought home Kyle Rose.
Nationals starter Adam Olbrychowski (0-2) was chased from the game in the top of the 6th and took the loss allowing five runs on six hits and two walks.
Leading 5-3 in the top of the 7th inning, Matt Lipka provided an insurance run for the Hillcats with a solo home run, his first of the season, to increase the lead to 6-3.
Nationals finish their series with the Lynchburg Hillcats tomorrow afternoon at the Pfitz at 1:05 p.m.
LAKE RIDGE, Va. — Investigators are looking into an allegation that a 13-year-old boy was tied to a chair with a rope, beaten and abused.
Police said the abuse was reported Wednesday, and that the child was struck in the face, head, face, neck, and arms with a belt. At one point the child was tied to a chair and then to a stair handrail with an electrical cord and rope, according to police documents.
The child suffered severe lacerations and heavy bruising, police added
The abuse took place in the 12300 block of Wadsworth Way in Lake Ridge on April 7, police stated.
The victim’s family member, 34-year-old Daniel Black, of Wadsworth Way, is charged with child abuse and abduction, police stated.
Another woman accused of knowing about the abuse but not reporting it to police is Melissa Black, 38, of Edinborough Court in Dumfries, police documents state. She’s charged with child abuse.
Both were held without bond.
UPDATE: A second crash over the weekend took the life of another motorcyclist.Â
PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, Va. — One person is dead after a motorcycle crashed on Joplin Road near Triangle on Saturday.
Prince William police reported the crash took place late Saturday morning near the intersection of Park Headquarters Road. Further details and the identity of the victim who was on the motorcycle have not been released.
The 10-mile stretch of Joplin Road between U.S. 1 in Triangle and Independent Hill is lined with sharp curves and blind hills.
View Joplin Road Fatal Motorcycle Crashes in a larger map
WOODBRIDGE, Va. — After a Bank of America in Woodbridge was robbed Thursday afternoon, police quickly apprehended their suspect.
Bank employees told police a man walked into the bank at 13976 Jefferson Davis Highway at 1:36 p.m. and approached the counter, handed the teller a note demanding cash, and then implied he had a weapon but never displayed one. The teller handed over the cash and the man fled the scene, according to police documents.
The man was found about a block away on Church Hill Drive and Prince William Parkway. No one was injured in the incident.
Khalil Ibrahim Sillah, 27, of 4728 Kellogg Mill Drive in Woodbridge, is charged with robbery. He is scheduled to be in court June 19 and was held without bond.
