Author: Press Release

Woodbridge, VA (April 11, 2014) – The Youth Orchestras of Prince William (YOPW) is delighted to announce the addition of a Youth Chorus for the 2014-2015 season. This treble voice choir will be open to both male and female students in grades 3 through 8. The chorus will perform a variety of repertoire including classical, folk, and world music and collaborate with YOPW’s orchestras.

John Devlin, Music Director said, “YOPW’s mission is to serve the area’s youth by providing them with high-level musical opportunities. We saw a need for an excellent choral program that will bring together talented youth from around the region. Our unique position within the county allows YOPW to do this and will give the chorus the chance to perform with our instrumental ensembles.”

Triangle, Va. — St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church will celebrate its second-annual “St. Francis Earth Day” on the parish grounds on Sunday, April 27, 2014, after the 9 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 12 p.m., and 1:30 p.m. (Spanish) Masses. The event is free and open to the public. The parish is located at 18825 Fuller Heights Road, Triangle, Virginia 22172.

The event will feature a variety of resources and displays that will address such topics as “Mass Transit and Commuter,” “Reducing Home Toxins by Reducing Hazardous Chemical Use,” “Go Organic, Go Local, Go Veg,” “Community Gardens,” “Improving Virginia’s Air Quality,” “Ways to Help Virginia’s Environment,” “Energy Tips,” and “Rain Barrels.”

On Friday night, April 4, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) will close two left lanes on I-95 north in Prince William County prior to exit 156, Dale Blvd., between mile markers 156 and 157 to allow crews to erect an overhead sign structure.

Starting at 9:30 p.m., one left lane will close, followed by the second left lane at 10:30 p.m. Beginning at midnight, there will be intermittent full roadway closures of up to 20 minutes through the overnight hours. The two left lanes will be re-opened by 5 a.m. Saturday, April 5.

The Stafford County Sheriff’s Office is pleased to announce that the week of April 13 through April 19 is National Telecommunicator Week. The Sheriff’s Office would like to recognize the outstanding efforts of the Communications Officers who staff the Stafford County 9-1-1 Emergency Communications Center, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The Communications Officers receive and process all calls for service via 9-1-1 (both landlines and cell phones) as well as emergency and non-emergency administrative telephone calls and support first responders through dispatch services.

The Stafford County Emergency Communications Center would like to invite the public to an Open House on Saturday, April 12, 2014 from 9:00am – 1:00pm, located at the Public Safety Center, 1225 Courthouse Road in Stafford. The ECC will be open to the public to tour this state- of- the- art facility. This will be an excellent opportunity for the public to get an up close and personal look at what goes on in a 9-1-1 Center.

The Prince William SPCA proudly announces it will celebrate its 10th anniversary in 2014. From just a handful of volunteers in 2004 to more than 200 volunteers today, the organization has become the voice of companion animals in the greater Prince William County region. Over the last ten years, it has been instrumental in its efforts to improve the lives of companion animals in our community. Whether it is promoting shelter pet adoptions on the P.A.W. Express Mobile Adoption Van or raising money for coupons to offset the cost of spay/neuter surgeries, the PWSPCA is focused on animal welfare. Where there is a need, its volunteers work to address it.

“The Prince William SPCA, like many organizations, was formed out of a need that was not being addressed in the community,” says Jennifer Tomb, board member and co-founder of the PWSPCA. She adds, “In 2004, adoption rates at the local shelter were low and euthanasia rates were high. Rescue organizations were at capacity. The community was growing, yet services for animals were not keeping up with the demand. It was apparent that the community needed a new group to help solve the larger problems facing companion animals.” In September 2004, several animal lovers came together and decided to form the Prince William SPCA. Taking its mission in a different direction than rescues, the PWSPCA’s continues to focus its volunteer and financial resources on increasing spay/neuter options, improving the lives of shelter pets and providing more programs for companion animals.

At a special board meeting held on February 25, 2014, the Lake Ridge Parks and Recreation Association (LRPRA) voted unanimously to enter into an agreement with the Prince William County Department of Parks and Recreation to lease LRPRA common ground as part of the McCoart-to-Occoquan Trail System.

Lake Ridge is a 42-year-old unincorporated planned community of 41,000 residents on the banks of the Occoquan Reservoir. With over 7,300 members and stretching over 4,000 acres, Lake Ridge is among the largest homeowners associations in the nation.

George Mason University has chosen S. David Wu, the dean of a prestigious engineering college, to be its next provost and executive vice president.

Wu joins Mason after a 27-year career at Lehigh University, including the past decade as its dean of the P.C. Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science. He brings a wealth of experience that will strengthen George Mason and its mission to set the standard for public universities in the 21st century.

The Prince William Historic Preservation Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, is raising funds for the Curation and Conservation of American Civil War Artifacts at the Old Brentsville Jail using one of the newest tools in philanthropy, “Crowdsourcing”.

“Crowdsourcing harnesses the power of the internet and engages small donors in the important work of philanthropy,” according to Chuck Mills, a member of the Foundation’s Board. “We are using the Indiegogo platform for this exciting initiative which went live on March 15 and will run for sixty days”, says Mills, “Even very small donations are welcome, appreciated, and important in preserving history for future generations.”

OCCOQUAN, Va — Mr. Terence Quinn, owner and president of Quinn’s Goldsmith, received a custom design award at the Independent Jewelers Organization (IJO) Conference in San Antonio, Texas. Jeff Roberts, IJO president and CEO, presented Mr. Quinn with the prestigious award at the awards banquet.

The competition was open to all IJO members from Canada and the United States. There were four categories each determined by price.

The Rotary Club of Lake Ridge Virginia will be hosting its 17th annual Celebrity Luncheon on April 23rd at Bistro L’Hermitage in Occoquan to raise money for local and international charities.

The popular fundraiser features local elected officials and community leaders as waiters and waitresses, with a catch. “While everyone can enjoy a delicious lunch from our favorite upscale restaurant, they may find they are missing silverware, napkins and water, “ explained Lance Frye, Lake Ridge Rotary’s President-elect, who is heading up the event. “In order to receive their glass of water, for example, our guests will be expected to tip the celebrities. So once you give your celebrity server a buck, you get your water. It is a fun way to raise money in addition to the ticket price.