Author: Uriah Kiser

I'm the Founder and Publisher of Potomac Local News. Raised in Woodbridge, I'm now raising my family in Northern Virginia and care deeply about our community. If you're not getting our FREE email newsletter, you are missing out. Subscribe Now!

Breaking News

BREAKING: Fredericksburg Schools on Two-Hour Delay Following Deadly Mass Shooting in Spotsylvania

By Uriah Kiser

Fredericksburg City Public Schools will open two hours late on Wednesday, April 9, in response to a mass shooting that left three people dead and three others hospitalized Tuesday evening in neighboring Spotsylvania County.

School officials announced the delayed opening late Tuesday, citing the “profound impact this incident has had on members of our school community.”

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Breaking News

Crews Respond to Major Gas Leak Outside Manassas at QTS Data Center

By Uriah Kiser

Emergency crews remained on scene late into the evening Monday after a major gas leak was reported at the QTS data center just outside the City of Manassas.

Prince William County Fire and Rescue was dispatched to 9540 Godwin Drive at 2:10 p.m. for reports of a gas leak. As of 9 p.m., units were still actively working the scene.

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News

No Opt-In, No Ride: Stafford County Reimagines School Transportation

By Uriah Kiser
Photo: Stafford County Public Schools

Stafford County Public Schools is moving fast to resolve its ongoing transportation crisis. A new two-tier bus system and opt-in transportation policy will debut in Fall 2025.

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Schools

Parents of Student Who Brought Gun to Lee Hill Elementary School Face Criminal Charges

By Uriah Kiser
Armstead/Carroll

The parents of a third-grade student who brought a loaded handgun to Lee Hill Elementary School have been arrested and charged following a classroom incident that resulted in the weapon discharging inside a backpack.

According to the Spotsylvania County Sheriff’s Office, Ciara Armstead, 36, and Terrence Carroll, Jr., 34, were each charged on Monday, April 7, with two offenses: one misdemeanor count of recklessly leaving a loaded, unsecured firearm in a manner that endangered a child under the age of 14, and one felony count of willfully or negligently endangering a child while having custody. Both were released on a $5,000 unsecured bond and are scheduled to appear in Spotsylvania County Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court on April 11.

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Podcast

Prince William County’s Oral History Project Aims to Preserve Voices Before They’re Lost

By Uriah Kiser

The farmland, the small-town life, and the memories that built Prince William County are fading fast. But one effort is working to preserve those stories before they’re gone for good.

In our latest Potomac Local News Podcast, we sat down with Lauren Maloy, Historic Communities Coordinator at the Prince William County Office of Historic Preservation. She shared the mission behind the county’s oral history project, which collects and preserves personal stories from longtime residents, government officials, and people who have shaped the community in unique ways.

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Publisher's Post

What We’re Watching This Week: Bee Festival Returns, REAL ID Deadline Nears, and the Top 3 Stories on Potomac Local

By Uriah Kiser
Keep the Park Beautiful, an affiliate Keep American Beautiful, kicked off their 2025 community events by hosting the April 5, 2025, Polk Park Cleanup in Manassas Park.

Potomac Local Podcasts Drop All Week — Don’t Miss These Local Voices

We’re rolling out a full slate of Potomac Local News Podcast episodes this week. Each one dives deep into the history, people, and places shaping our region. Subscribe on YouTube so you’ll be the first to know when new episodes go live.

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Breaking News

BREAKING: Gun Discharges in 3rd Grade Classroom at Lee Hill Elementary School; No Injuries Reported

By Uriah Kiser
[Courtesy of Northern Virginia Police Cars via Instagram]

Authorities say the incident happened around 10:50 a.m. when a handgun went off while inside a student’s backpack. Early interviews indicate the student did not intend to harm anyone, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

The classroom teacher immediately evacuated all 26 students and alerted the School Resource Officer stationed at the school. Thankfully, no students or staff were injured during the incident.

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Press Release

Dumfries Shifts Holiday Parade, Tweaks Concert Series for 2025

By Uriah Kiser
Dumfries is Virginia's oldest continually chartered town.

The Dumfries Town Council approved its 2025 events calendar during its April 1 meeting, finalizing several changes to the town’s lineup of annual events.

The most significant update is the rescheduling of the Holiday Parade. Traditionally held in December, the event will now take place on Saturday, November 22, 2025. The new date will help Dumfries avoid scheduling conflicts with neighboring localities and attract more marching bands and participants, notably Manassas, which hosts the region’s largest Christmas parade.

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Manassas

Manassas School Board Set to Vote on Collective Bargaining Ban

By Uriah Kiser

The Manassas City School Board will vote Tuesday, April 8, 2025, on whether to formally prohibit collective bargaining with employee unions—a decision that could halt a movement launched earlier this year by local educators.

The resolution up for consideration, R2025-03, declares that no official or employee of the school division has the authority to recognize a labor union as a bargaining agent or to enter into collective bargaining agreements. It reaffirms the board’s current stance of non-engagement with employee unions and instead promotes a “meet and confer” model for addressing employee concerns.

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