Author: Potomac Local News

Press Release

Mass Bee Poisoning at Stafford County Farm Prompts Criminal Investigation, $5K Reward Offered

By Potomac Local News
Jerry Mattiaccio, owner of Rock Hill Honeybee Farms, surveys the damage after discovering more than 50 bee colonies dead on his Stafford County property. Authorities are investigating the incident as a suspected case of pesticide poisoning.

STAFFORD COUNTY, Va. — Authorities are investigating a suspected case of mass pesticide poisoning at a local beekeeping operation, where more than 50 honeybee colonies were found dead in what the farm’s owner believes was an intentional act of vandalism.

The Stafford County Sheriff’s Office responded to Rock Hill Honeybee Farms, located at 45 Pinto Lane, on Monday, April 14, at 4:05 p.m. after the property owner discovered thousands of dead bees outside their hives. Deputy B.E. Vaughn took the report, and sheriff’s spokesman Ryan Wilbur confirmed a total of 50 hives were affected. The case remains under active investigation.

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Manassas

Fire Damages Apartment on Oliver Court in Manassas; Four Displaced

By Potomac Local News
Emergency crews work to extricate a driver from a pickup truck after it was struck by an Amtrak train at a railroad crossing on Bristow Road near Manassas on Tuesday, April 15, 2025. The driver was transported to a regional hospital with injuries. No one on board the train was hurt. Photo courtesy of Prince William County Fire and Rescue.

MANASSAS, Va. — Firefighters from the City of Manassas, Manassas Park, and Prince William County responded to an apartment fire this afternoon at 8872 Oliver Court, just off Liberia Avenue, where smoke was seen billowing from a second-story unit in a three-story building.

The fire broke out in a bedroom on the second floor shortly before 2 p.m. on Tuesday, April 15. According to Manassas Fire Chief Edward Mills, the unit was unoccupied at the time. Crews arriving at the scene reported smoke showing but no visible flames from outside.

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Breaking News

Amtrak Train Collides with Pickup Truck at Bristow Crossing; Driver Hospitalized

By Potomac Local News
Emergency crews work to extricate a driver from a pickup truck after it was struck by an Amtrak train at a railroad crossing on Bristow Road near Manassas on Tuesday, April 15, 2025. The driver was transported to a regional hospital with injuries. No one on board the train was hurt. Photo courtesy of Prince William County Fire and Rescue.

BRISTOW, Va. — A pickup truck driver was hospitalized Tuesday morning after a collision with an Amtrak train near the Bristow Road railroad crossing, just south of Manassas.

According to Prince William County Fire and Rescue, the crash occurred at 9:21 a.m. on April 15, 2025. A southbound Amtrak train had departed Manassas Station only minutes before when it struck a privately owned pickup truck at the crossing on Bristow Road, east of Nokesville Road.

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News

Woodbridge Named Fastest-Growing Suburb in U.S.

By Potomac Local News
The Neabsco Boardwalk bridges the gap between Leesylvania State and Neabsco Regional parks in Woodbridge.

WOODBRIDGE, Va. — Woodbridge has been named the fastest-growing suburb in the United States, according to a new report from Travel + Leisure, shining a national spotlight on eastern Prince William County and prompting praise from local business and government leaders.

The article, published April 10, 2025, highlights Woodbridge’s explosive 887% population growth between 2018 and 2023, jumping from approximately, in what it cited as 4,000 to more than 43,000 residents. However, anyone who has lived here knows there were more than 4,000 residents in Woodbridge in 2018.

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Manassas

The Five Things You Need to Know About This Year’s Manassas Farmers Market

By Potomac Local News

The Historic Manassas Farmers Market is back for the 2025 season — and it’s bringing fresh produce, handmade goods, and community vibes to Downtown Manassas all spring, summer, and fall.

Whether you’re a market regular or planning your first visit, here are five things to know about this year’s market:

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Fredericksburg

Take Me Home Tuesday: Meet Honey, the Rescue Bringing Healing and Hugs

By Potomac Local News

FREDERICKSBURG, Va. — When Diane Wheeler and her family adopted Honey from Old Dominion Humane Society (ODHS) five years ago, they quickly realized she had a calm, friendly personality well-suited for more than just home life. After five years as a beloved family pet, Honey began the process of becoming a certified therapy dog.

In 2024, Honey earned her certification from the Alliance of Therapy Dogs (ATD), an international registry that tests and certifies dogs for animal-assisted activities. The process ensures each dog has the right temperament, obedience, and relationship with its handler to provide comfort in therapeutic settings.

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Manassas

Bill Reeder, Founding Dean of George Mason University’s College of Visual and Performing Arts, Dies After Battle with Cancer

By Potomac Local News

MANASSAS, Va. — Bill Reeder, the founding dean of George Mason University’s College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA), died over the weekend after a battle with pancreatic cancer. He was surrounded by family in hospice care, according to a message shared by current Dean Rick Davis.

Reeder joined George Mason University in 2001 and led the newly established CVPA for 14 years. Under his leadership, the college expanded its offerings to include now-thriving programs in Film and Video Studies, Computer Game Design, and Arts Management. These additions played a pivotal role in shaping the college into a comprehensive institution for arts education.

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Breaking News

Third Victim Identified in Fatal Spotsylvania Shooting; Five Suspects Charged

By Potomac Local News

The Spotsylvania County Sheriff’s Office said the shooting stemmed from an attempted illegal gun sale and robbery.

Four suspects—two 16-year-olds, one 17-year-old, and 18-year-old Jeremiah Upson of Caroline County—have been charged with malicious wounding, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, and unlawful assembly. One of the 16-year-old suspects, who had been hospitalized with a gunshot wound, has since been released and is now being held at the Rappahannock Regional Juvenile Detention Center.

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Features

SuperCon Returns to Manassas with Star Power, Cosplay, Gaming, and After-Hours Fun

By Potomac Local News

SuperCon is back in downtown Manassas and promises a weekend packed with geek culture, gaming, cosplay, and a brush with Hollywood.

The convention, hosted by ARTfactory, will take place Saturday, April 26, and Sunday, April 27, 2025, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day at 9419 Battle Street. This year’s headliner is Jamie Flanagan, a Bram Stoker Award-winning writer and actor known for their work on Netflix series including “The Haunting of Bly Manor,” “Midnight Mass,” and “The Fall of the House of Usher,” as well as AMC Shudder’s “Creepshow” and “Peacock’s Hysteria!”.

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