Author: Potomac Local News

Stafford

Stafford Man Threatens to Kill Women, Plus DUI, Theft, and Vandalism Cases

By Potomac Local News

A man is in jail without bond after police said he threatened to kill two women and prevented them from calling 911 during a ride near the Wawa on South Gateway Drive. The women flagged down staff for help, leading to his arrest for Simple Assault and Preventing a 911 Call.

Elsewhere in Stafford, a woman parked awkwardly outside the Hartwood Animal Hospital admitted to drinking a bottle of vodka before driving. She was arrested for DUI with a blood alcohol content above 0.2 and held on a $2,500 bond.

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Stafford

New Trail Opens at Crow’s Nest in Stafford—With Bigger Plans Ahead

By Potomac Local News

STAFFORD, Va. – The folks at Virginia’s Department of Conservation and Recreation just told Potomac Local News that hikers now have more to explore at Crow’s Nest Natural Area Preserve in Stafford. A 1.2-mile extension to the popular Boykin’s Landing Trail is officially open—bringing the total length from Raven Road to 4.4 miles.

The new trail hugs Potomac Creek’s shoreline before climbing toward Crow’s Nest Point Trail. It’s a quiet escape in a fast-growing part of Northern Virginia, where the preserve protects mature hardwood forests and offers hiking and paddling.

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Prince William

Heads Up: OmniRide’s Changing Some Local Bus Routes

By Potomac Local News

WOODBRIDGE, Va. – The folks at OmniRide just told Potomac Local News they’re rolling out schedule and route changes starting Sunday, August 10—and if you ride the bus in Woodbridge or Lake Ridge, this could affect your commute.

Here’s what’s changing: Route 93 in Woodbridge will now loop differently around the Chinn Center and Potomac Mills. A new stop is coming to Prince William Parkway at Church Hill, while the Prince William Senior Center stop is getting cut.

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Fairfax

Deadly Crash on I-66: Manassas Man Killed After Pickup Hit, Catches Fire

By Potomac Local News
Photo: VDOT & Virginia Statewide Incidents LLC

FAIRFAX COUNTY, Va. – A Manassas man was killed Saturday evening in a fiery crash on I-66 westbound near the Fairfax County Parkway, and state police are still investigating what led to the collision.

The folks at Virginia State Police just told Potomac Local News that 20-year-old Will R. Hernandez-Villalta died at the scene after his 1996 Nissan pickup, stopped due to a mechanical issue, was rear-ended by a Honda Pilot around 5:51 p.m. on August 2.

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Opinion

Let Kids Be Kids — Bring Back the Full Summer Break

By Potomac Local News

Each year, the school calendar creeps earlier into August, cutting short a season that was once sacred in childhood: summer. I’m writing to express my concern that we’re trading sun-soaked afternoons, family vacations, and outdoor adventures for fluorescent lights, digital screens, and prematurely scheduled tests.

Not long ago, most schools in Virginia started after Labor Day. This gave kids the full summer—June, July, and August—with time to rest, travel, play, and just be kids. Today, schools in our area begin as early as August 12, while it’s still hot, bright, and perfect for swimming, hiking, and being outside. Why are we rushing children back into classrooms when summer is still in full swing?

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Prince William

Free Backpacks for Kids at Celebree School in Bristow—No Questions Asked

By Potomac Local News

BRISTOW, Va. – The folks at Celebree School of Bristow just told Potomac Local News they’re giving away free backpacks to help local families gear up for the school year.

On Saturday, August 16, from 10 a.m. to noon, you can stop by their campus at 10368 Bristow Center Drive to pick up a brand-new backpack—no registration, no cost, and no strings attached. It’s first-come, first-served, and one backpack per child while supplies last.

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Stafford

New Turn Lanes, Wider Roads Coming to Busy Stafford Intersection—Public Can Weigh In

By Potomac Local News

STAFFORD, Va. – The folks at Stafford County’s Capital Projects department just let Potomac Local News know they’re holding a design public hearing on a project that could ease traffic at a key local intersection.

The Poplar Road and Truslow Road Intersection Improvement Project aims to widen Poplar Road and add new turning lanes at its intersection with Truslow and Robeli Farms roads. The hearing happens Wednesday, August 13, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Stafford High School, 63 Stafford Indians Lane in Fredericksburg.

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Manassas

At Home Store in Manassas to Close as Retailer Declares Bankruptcy

By Potomac Local News

PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, Va. – The At Home retail store on Sudley Road near Manassas will permanently close its doors this fall, following a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing by the Texas-based home décor chain.

Located at Manassas Mall, 8300 Sudley Road, the Manassas store is among 26 underperforming locations across the U.S. that will shutter as part of a corporate reorganization plan. According to court documents and multiple news reports, the company aims to close the affected stores by September 30, 2025.

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Manassas

Charges Filed in Manassas Crash That Killed 72-Year-Old Woman

By Potomac Local News

MANASSAS, Va. – A 65-year-old man has been charged with involuntary manslaughter following a deadly crash that took place last weekend in Manassas.

Police arrested Jeffrey Fortman on July 31, five days after the crash that killed 72-year-old Earline Steward. The collision happened around 6:05 p.m. on July 26 at the intersection of Ashton Avenue and Godwin Drive. Steward, the only person in her car, was pronounced dead at the scene. Two others from the second vehicle were hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries.

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Prince William

Pedestrian Dies Weeks After Crash in Manassas; Assault and Death Investigation in Woodbridge

By Potomac Local News

A 38-year-old woman has died after being struck by a car in Manassas in mid-July. Carolina Isabel Rosales Cepeda was walking in the roadway along Centreville Road near Orchard Bridge Drive when she was hit by a southbound 2022 Honda Civic around 2:09 a.m. on July 13. She was hospitalized in critical condition and succumbed to her injuries on July 31. The driver, a 24-year-old woman from Woodbridge, remained at the scene and was not injured. Police are asking witnesses to come forward.

In Woodbridge, police are investigating the Death of a 26-year-old man found unresponsive in a bush near Cheshire Station Plaza on July 31. He was pronounced dead at the scene. No signs of foul play were found, and the Medical Examiner will determine the cause of death.

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