The Manassas Symphony, under the baton of Music Director James Villani celebrates the music of English composers with From the British Isles. The performance will be held in Merchant Hall of the Hylton Performing Arts Center on Saturday, March 5, 2016 at 7:30 pm. The concert includes music by Malcom Arnold and Frank Bridge, and it closes with Vaughan Williams’ rhapsodic Symphony No. 2 (A London Symphony).

The concert features MSO Principal Cellist Diana Chou who takes center stage for a performance of Elgar’s Cello Concerto in e minor, Op. 85. Diana received her Bachelor of Music Education from Ithaca College and a Masters of Music in Orchestral Conducting from Houghton College. She is establishing a reputation in Northern Virginia as a dynamic performer, educator, and conductor.

During the school day, she teaches approximately 300 elementary students within the Fairfax County Public School system, and in the evenings maintains a private studio with students of all ages. She has coached various youth orchestras through the region, and is well known for her ability to engage students. During the summer Diana is the cello coach for Stallion Summer Strings camp at South County High School. She currently sits principal cello with the Manassas Symphony and Fairfax Chamber Players, and is the founding member of the Gemini Ensemble.

All seats for the Manassas Symphony Orchestra concerts in Merchant Hall of the Hylton Performing Arts Center (HPAC) are reserved and everyone needs a ticket.  Individual concert tickets are available at the Hylton Center Ticket Office open Tuesday-Saturday 10 am to 6 pm and Thursday 10 am to 8 pm and two hours before the performance begins.   Tickets may also be purchased through Tickets.com by calling 888-945-2468, or by visiting the HyltonCenter.org. Tickets are also available for sale at the Center for the Arts Box Office on George Mason University’s Fairfax Campus.  Individual concert tickets are priced as follows:

• Adults $20
• Senior Citizens 62+ $16
• Educators w/ID only at Ticket Office   $16
• Children/Students, Free – must obtain ticket at the Ticket Office

College Students must show ID to obtain free concert ticket.

Do you wonder what it would be like to be a police officer? How do they make the decisions they make? What does a detective do? How are they trained?

The Citizen Police Academy gives citizens an overview of the Prince William County Police Department. Graduates of the course will have a better understanding of the operation of the Department, and a greater awareness and appreciation of the challenges and decisions faced by Prince William County police officers each day.

The 10-week program meets Tuesdays from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., starting on April 5, 2016. Graduation will be on June 7, 2016. The program consists of classroom and hands-on instruction. Topics to be covered include virtually every aspect of police work, including Patrol Operations, Criminal Investigations, Tactical Operations, Crime Scene Management, Internal Affairs, and Special Operations. In addition, participants will be given the opportunity to ride a shift with a patrol officer and be familiarized with police equipment, including firearms.

There are a few slots still available for the upcoming session. To apply, simply complete the Citizen Police Academy Application Form, which is found on our website at www.pwcgov.org/police. From there, select “Volunteer Center,” then “Citizen Police Academy.”

Once the application is submitted, a background check is completed and letters are mailed to those who are selected approximately one month prior to the available session. Eligible applicants who do not get into the upcoming session in the spring will be placed on a waitlist for future sessions in order of receipt of their application.

For more information, please call the Criminal Justice Academy at 703-792-6599

The Plant NoVA Natives Campaign presented Kim Hosen, Executive Director of the Prince William Conservation Alliance, with its first ever “Plant NoVA Natives Champion Award” in recognition of her work to preserve and improve environmental quality in the county.

Hosen and the PWCA have used plants native to the region to transform the landscape surrounding the Stone House Nature Center into the Merrimac Farm Conservation Landscape Garden.

Their work has created a diverse habitat for birds, butterflies, moths, turtles, amphibians, and more. Here creatures great and small can find nesting sites, food and water, and places to rest and hide among a wealth of Virginia’s native plants.

The garden serves as an example for residents who are interested in creating landscapes with plants that are adapted to the local ecosystem.

In addition to their work at Merrimac Farm, PWCA coordinated a number of volunteer organizations to plant natives at K9 Gunner Memorial Dog Park in Lake Ridge.

The PWCA also identifies and pursues conservation opportunities throughout the county. The Plant NoVA Natives Campaign is a local social marketing campaign created to educate the public about the importance of implementing native plants into our local landscapes.

Learn more at www.plantnovanatives.org

Doris Riley Hinderliter, 88, of Fredericksburg, passed away Friday, January 29, 2016 at Mary Washington Hospital. She was a graduate of Stafford High School and then worked at Quantico Marine Corps Base.

Here she met her future husband, James Hinderliter, who was serving in the U.S. Marine Corps. They were married for 53 years. She served as a dedicated volunteer for many years at Potomac Hospital in Woodbridge.

Doris was preceded in death by her husband, James R. Hinderliter and son, James R. Hinderliter Jr. She is survived by sons, Michael L. Hinderliter and Thomas L. Hinderliter (Laurie); daughter Debra A. Berrey (Michael); brother Robert D. Riley (Marsha); and sister Joyce R. Mulcahy (Thomas). She is also survived by nine grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held at a later date and internment will follow in Quantico National Cemetery. Online guestbook is available at covenantfuneralservice.com.

In order to commemorate the grand opening of Bach to Rock Music School in Bristow, we have scheduled a ribbon cutting ceremony on February 1.

The ribbon cutting will begin at 11:30 a.m. at Bach to Rock Bristow located on 9070 Devlin Road, Suite 100, in Bristow.

Representatives of the Prince William Chamber of Commerce will be on hand to assist with the ribbon cutting.

After the official cutting of the ribbon, there will be a social time with refreshments.

Bach to Rock Bristow is America’s Music School- offering private lessons, studio recording, camps, and birthdays.

Monza of Historic Manassas collected more than 100 gently used coats to donate to SERVE in exchange for a $10 Monza or Carmello’s gift card and free hot chocolate and coffee during the Greater Manassas Christmas Parade.

“We appreciate all the support to help SERVE provide coats to those in need,” said Alice Pires, owner of Monza and Carmello’s in Historic Manassas, Va.

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On Friday, Jan. 8, 2016, the Virginia State Police graduated 74 new Troopers and one Special Agent Accountant at its Academy in North Chesterfield County. Upon receiving their diplomas, members of the 123rd Basic Session finish a rigorous 28-week training session. The new troopers have received instruction in more than 100 different subjects spanning hundreds of hours. Academy training includes such areas as crime scene investigation, survival Spanish, judicial procedures, self defense, cultural diversity and firearms.

All six graduates from Northern Virginia are returning home for their final phase of training, which begins Monday, Jan. 11, 2016, when they report to their respective duty assignments. Each will spend the next six weeks with a field training officer learning his or her new patrol area and day-to-day duties.

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Prince William middle school students awarded $23,000 GrantThis grant was made possible through the Haymarket Fund, a donor advised fund at the Community Foundation for Northern Virginia. This fund supports families and children with an emphasis on health, education, community development and improvement, and arts and culture.

The after-school program kicked off last week with a special program at George Mason University’s Science and Technology campus in Manassas. Organized by Jeff Girvan, Supervisor of History and Social Sciences for Prince William County Public Schools, the students heard from Virginia Delegate Richard Anderson, enjoyed a reenactment by LeCount Holmes about the life of Frederick Douglass, and learned about a life of service from Colonel Richard Camp, USMC, Retired.

Their learning will continue with workshops and sessions in which they will identify a problem to study, gather information, examine solutions, develop a public policy, and create an action plan to influence the appropriate government or governmental agency to adopt the proposed policy.

In February, the students will take a field trip to Richmond for a tour of the state capital with Delegate Anderson. The program will culminate in June with final presentations to government officials or agencies responsible for implementing the new policy.

“We funded this new Civic Engagement Program in Prince William County Public Schools because we believe it will both teach and encourage active citizen engagement with all levels of government,” said Eileen Ellsworth, President of the Community Foundation for Northern Virginia. “It is a terrific opportunity for these middle school students to acquire a much deeper understanding and appreciation of the role of government in our society and their capacity to influence the course of events.”

Cub Scout Pack 501 ‘rocked out’ at Santa’s Lake Ridge Parade on December 12.

The pack won the “Best in Parade” trophy this year for their ‘rock n’ roll’ themed Christmas float.

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Mr. Marvin Clyde Smith, age 80, of Bracey, died January 2, 2016 in Retreat Hospital, Richmond. He was a retired Interior Communication Chief for the United States Navy.

Mr. Smith is survived by his wife of fifty-six years Myrtle Frances Smith, two daughters; Cynthia Lescault (Robert) and Mary Catherine Spooner (Mark) all of Gainesville, Va., two sons; Timothy D. Smith of Bracey and Andrew C. Smith (Lydia) of Richmond, a sister Jean Russell of Niceville, Fl., two brothers; Howard C. Smith, Jr of Clarksburg, WVA. and Gail Lee Smith (Sharon) of Venice, Fl., eleven grandchildren, five great grandchildren and a step brother Blaine Gooden of Maryville, TN. He was predeceased by a step brother Thomas Gooden.

A funeral service will conducted Wednesday at 11:00 A.M. in All Saints Episcopal Church in South Hill with interment to follow in Canaan Cemetery, Brodnax, with full military honors. The family will receive friends Tuesday from 6:00 to 8:00 P.M. at Crowder-Hite-Crews Funeral Home. Memorial contributions may be directed to the Wounded Warrior Project, P. O. Box 758517, Topeka, Kansas 66675. Condolences may be sent to www.crowderhitecrews.com.

Crowder-Hite-Crews Funeral Home and Crematory is in charge of the arrangements.