Author: Potomac Local News

Politics

Prince William Chamber Backs George Mason’s President Amid Federal Scrutiny

By Potomac Local News
Dr. Gregory Washington became the eighth president of George Mason University on July 1, 2020. [Photo: George Mason University]

The chamber is one of several signatories to a public letter released July 23 by the Northern Virginia Technology Council (NVTC), urging business groups across the state to rally behind Mason and recognize its essential role in the region’s economic future. The statement calls on the university’s Board of Visitors to reaffirm its support for Dr. Washington’s leadership.

“Mason is a cornerstone of Northern Virginia’s economic strength, and its students are the future of our workforce,” said NVTC President and CEO Jennifer Taylor. “We support Dr. Washington because his vision aligns with the needs of our business community.”

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Features

Manassas Gallery Hosts Artist Talk with Painter Behind 30-Year Retrospective

By Potomac Local News

MANASSAS, Va. – A Luray-based painter with more than 30 years of experience will close out his solo exhibition with an in-person artist talk in Old Town Manassas.

Scott Hillman, known for his vibrant use of color and layered compositions, will speak at the ARTfactory on Saturday, July 26, from 2 to 4 p.m. The event is free, but attendees are encouraged to RSVP in advance at insidenovatix.com.

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Schools

Kaine and Vindman Push to Restore Disability Program Funding Cut from Spotsy Schools

By Potomac Local News

SPOTSYLVANIA, Va. – A new bill from Senator Tim Kaine and Congressman Eugene Vindman aims to restore federal funding cut earlier this year from a program that supported high school students with disabilities in Spotsylvania County and across the country.

The “Charting My Path for Future Success” program—launched in 2019—was canceled by the U.S. Department of Education in February 2025, halting services like tutoring and mentoring for more than 1,600 students nationwide. Spotsylvania schools say the funding loss put them in a $2 million bind, threatening over a dozen staff positions and programs for students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs).

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Prince William

Dumfries Woman Dies After Crash on Four Seasons Drive, Police Suspect Medical Emergency

By Potomac Local News
[Scott Rodgerson/Unsplash]

Officers responded to the scene at 7:41 p.m. on July 18 in the area of Four Seasons Drive near Dumfries Road (Route 234) after a report of a single-vehicle crash. According to police, a 2011 Toyota Highlander was traveling westbound on Four Seasons Drive when it veered off the road to the left, entered the median, and struck multiple trees before coming to a stop.

Investigators believe the driver, 60-year-old Diedra Adare White, of Dumfries, suffered a medical emergency just before the crash. Police noted White was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the incident. She was transported to a nearby hospital, where she died on July 20.

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News

Traffic Deaths in Virginia Are Up 29% Since 2014

By Potomac Local News

A new report says Virginia traffic deaths are up 29% over the past decade, despite a recent drop in fatalities since 2021. Released by TRIP, a national transportation research nonprofit, the report details both the human toll and financial cost of crashes in the state—estimated at $35 billion in 2024 alone.

The study highlights a troubling rise in pedestrian, cyclist, and motorcyclist deaths nationwide, and notes that although Virginia saw a 6% decline in fatalities from 2021 to 2024, the longer-term trend is still heading in the wrong direction. Between 2014 and 2024, the state’s fatality rate per 100 million vehicle miles traveled increased by 23%.

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Features

All American Steakhouse Opens in Manassas Park’s Park Central, Bringing Flavor to Downtown Revitalization

By Potomac Local News

By Michael Whitlock

MANASSAS PARK, Va. – The long-awaited All American Steakhouse opened its doors to the public today at Park Central Plaza, marking another milestone in the transformation of Manassas Park’s downtown.

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Prince William

VEA Imposes Emergency Trusteeship on Prince William Education Association

By Potomac Local News
[Photo: Prince William Education Association Facebook page]

In a letter sent July 21 to PWEA members, VEA President Carol Bauer wrote that the state union had found “gross financial mismanagement,” including altered board minutes meant to obscure the absence of authorized spending controls. VEA claimed PWEA officers ignored financial rules, failed to document expenditures properly, and reimbursed each other without proper oversight.

“You deserve the truth,” Bauer told members in the letter, promising to rebuild PWEA into “the strong, honest union you deserve.”

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News

AstraZeneca to Build Massive Drug Manufacturing Facility in Virginia, But Where?

By Potomac Local News
SimVentions President Joe Claire and Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) in Stafford County.

AstraZeneca, a global pharmaceutical giant, has chosen Virginia for its largest-ever single manufacturing investment—but officials have yet to say exactly where in the state the facility will be built.

Governor Glenn Youngkin announced the project alongside company CEO Pascal Soriot, calling the multi-billion dollar facility a “cornerstone” of AstraZeneca’s $50 billion U.S. expansion plan. The company says the Virginia facility will be powered by AI, automation, and data analytics, focusing on treatments for cancer, heart and respiratory diseases, and rare conditions.

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Prince William

‘Merry Christmas’ and Three Minutes of Fury: The Lasting Legacy of Bob Weir

By Potomac Local News
"In true Bob Weir fashion — serious about policy, not about posing. This light-hearted snapshot was taken during official portrait day, capturing Supervisor Weir’s trademark wit and unapologetic style.

GAINESVILLE, Va. – Bob Weir, the Gainesville District Supervisor on the Prince William County Board of Supervisors and a longtime fixture in local politics, died July 20, 2025, after a short but aggressive battle with colon cancer. He was 62.

Weir was known across Prince William County not just for his deep policy knowledge and procedural rigor, but for his fiery style, unfiltered commentary, and devotion to public service. State Senator Danica Roem, who covered Weir during her years as a journalist before entering politics, described him as “a curmudgeon in the most loving sense of the word.”

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Stafford

Stafford woman charged with murder in domestic shooting

By Potomac Local News

STAFFORD, Va. – A Stafford County woman is charged with second-degree murder after deputies say she shot and killed her ex-boyfriend at a home on Rocky Run Road. This is the second homicide in Stafford County this week, and the second time authorities have withheld the victim’s name, following a separate deadly shooting in an England Run apartment earlier this week.

Press release:

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