Author: Potomac Local News

Health

HCA Freestanding ER Approved for Southern Stafford: 24/7 Care Coming to Warrenton Road Area

By Potomac Local News

Stafford County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved rezoning, proffer amendments, and a conditional use permit for a new HCA freestanding emergency room on Warrenton Road during its April 21, 2026, regular meeting. The project will bring 24/7 emergency services to residents in southern Stafford County and the Old Forge area.

The facility, planned for approximately 3.2 acres in the George Washington Election District on the south side of Warrington Road (bordered by Banks Ford Parkway and McCourt Loop), involves rezoning from M1 (light industrial) to B2 (urban commercial). It includes amendments to existing proffers on the site and a conditional use permit for hospital use. The one-story, 30-foot-tall building will total about 11,000 square feet.

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Prince William

Data Centers, Taxes, and Schools: Where the $550 Million Windfall Went

By Potomac Local News

Prince William County supervisors faced a clear choice on April 21: deliver the deeper residential tax relief promised to residents after years of data-center growth, or route nearly every new dollar from the industry into the county’s revenue-sharing agreement with Prince William County Public Schools.

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Stafford

Stafford Shares Guide to Eco-Friendly Visits

By Potomac Local News

“Stafford County is dedicated to protecting our natural resources and promoting sustainability,” Tour Stafford Virginia announced. “We look forward to welcoming you to Stafford and sharing our commitment to preserving the natural beauty and historical significance of our county.”

“Eco-tourism is more than just a trend; it’s a way of traveling that ensures the places we love will be around for years to come.”

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Prince William

Big Tax Break Bust: PWC Board Promises $145 Relief, Serves Up $56, Keeps Meals Tax Unchanged

By Potomac Local News
Chair DeShundra Jefferson at the April 22 Prince William Board of County Supervisors meeting.

After hours of packed public testimony and last-minute deliberations Tuesday night, the Prince William County Board of County Supervisors approved a revised FY2027 budget that delivers modest residential tax relief while directing $1.115 billion to Prince William County Public Schools — a 12.5 percent increase over FY2026 but $3.9 million less than the budget-recap proposal.

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Stafford

Stafford Supervisors Review Data Center Revenue Forecast: Long-Term Gains Projected, Near-Term Questions Remain

By Potomac Local News
[Photo by Jordan Harrison on Unsplash]

The Stafford County Board of Supervisors received a detailed data center revenue forecast at its regular meeting on April 21, 2026, showing potential net gains of tens of millions of dollars annually by the mid-2030s, while highlighting near-term uncertainties and board concerns about Amazon Web Services (AWS) incentives.

Chief Financial Officer Andrea Light presented the PFM model, which covers only the five approved campuses: Stafford Technology Campus on Eskimo Hill/Route 1, Old Potomac Church near the hospital, Centerport Gateway, Vantage, and Crane’s Corner. Developers have proposed 31 buildings totaling 8.7 million square feet across the sites. The baseline scenario assumes 20 buildings constructed over the 10-year horizon.

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Breaking News

Breaking: Measles Exposures Confirmed at Grafton Village Elementary School in Stafford County

By Potomac Local News

The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) has confirmed two new measles cases, with potential exposures reported at Grafton Village Elementary School in Stafford County and KidMed Stafford Urgent Care.

The patients are a pre-school age child and a school-age child who recently traveled together domestically. Health officials are working to identify and notify people who might have been exposed.

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Prince William

Close Enough: $12.7 Million Later, Prince William to Build Pedestrian Bridge That Stops Just Short of the VRE Station

By Potomac Local News
The Woodbridge VRE station [Photo: VRE]

Prince William County is advancing a $12.7 million pedestrian bridge project nearly adjacent to the Woodbridge Virginia Railway Express station, aiming to improve safety and connectivity along the busy Route 1 corridor for local residents, pedestrians, and VRE commuters.

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Prince William

Region Sees Continued Fire Activity Amid Dry, Drought Conditions

By Potomac Local News
Photo: Prince William fire and rescue

Firefighters in Northern Virginia remained busy on Monday, April 20, 2026, responding to two structure fires in Prince William and Stafford counties as the region continues to grapple with drought-like conditions and elevated fire risk.

The first incident occurred in Woodbridge earlier that afternoon. Units were dispatched to the Meridian Bay Apartments in the 2900 block of Fox Lair Drive for a reported two-alarm apartment fire. Crews arrived to find heavy fire and smoke showing from a three-story garden-style apartment building, with residents still inside.

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News

Virginia Voters Decide Fate of Controversial Redistricting Referendum

By Potomac Local News

Polls opened across Virginia at 6 a.m. Tuesday for a special statewide election on a proposed constitutional amendment that would allow the Democratic-controlled General Assembly to temporarily redraw the state’s congressional districts ahead of the 2026 midterms. The measure, framed by supporters as a way to “restore fairness,” has ignited fierce debate over gerrymandering, voter representation, and the influence of out-of-state money in a battle that could reshape Virginia’s 11-member congressional delegation.

According to the Virginia Department of Elections, polls remain open until 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 21, with anyone in line at closing allowed to vote. Early in-person voting ran from March 6 through April 18, and absentee ballots requested by mail had a deadline of April 10. Results are expected later Tuesday night. The only item on the ballot is the constitutional amendment.

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News

Potomac River Named Most Endangered in U.S. for 2026, Citing Data Center Growth and Water Demands

By Potomac Local News
The Neabsco Creek meets the Potomac River near Woodbridge. [Uriah Kiser/Potomac Local News]

The Potomac River ranks as the most endangered river in the U.S. according to American Rivers’ 2026 list, released this month. The designation is largely driven by rapid, uncontrolled data center expansion in the watershed and by the impacts of a major sewage spill into the river in January 2026.

The Piedmont Environmental Council (PEC) issued a statement on April 16 in response to the report. PEC President Chris Miller stated that the listing underscores the cumulative impacts of data centers on natural resources, including access to clean and abundant water that serves the Washington metropolitan area.

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