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!

Manassas

New Chair Jill Spall Sets 2026 Agenda for Manassas City Public Schools

By Uriah Kiser
Manassas School Board Chair Jill Spall reads to a classroom of children. [Photo: Manassas City Public Schools]

Incoming Manassas City School Board Chair Jill Spall is outlining her vision for the year ahead as the division enters 2026, while Potomac Local News recaps a busy and at times divisive 2025 marked by academic performance concerns, policy debates, and major budget and governance decisions.

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Prince William

Elevate 2030: Prince William schools target universal pre-K, career pathways, and AI training

By Uriah Kiser
Prince William County Public Schools Superintendent LaTanya McDade, Ed.D. [Alan Gloss]

Prince William County Public Schools is charting a new course for the next four years with Elevate 2030, a strategic plan that places artificial intelligence, early childhood education, workforce preparation, and family support at the center of the division’s future.

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Prince William

Mayoral race takes shape in Dumfries with Wood, Fields announcements

By Uriah Kiser
Wood/Fields

Two announcements this week set the stage for a contested mayoral race in the Town of Dumfries: incumbent Mayor Derrick R. Wood confirmed plans to seek another term, and Town Council Member Brian Fields formally launched his campaign for mayor.

Mayor Wood, who has led Dumfries since 2018, issued a statement clarifying his intentions after what he described as recent outreach from residents, business owners, and community leaders seeking certainty ahead of the upcoming election.

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Weather

Is it too early to start talking about snow for our region?

By Uriah Kiser

Short answer: not really — but it’s too early to panic.

As of Sunday, January 11, 2026, forecasters at the National Weather Service say the second half of the upcoming week and next weekend could bring multiple chances for wintry weather, especially for areas west of the Blue Ridge — with lower, but not zero, chances farther east.

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Traffic

What December Ridership Shows — and Doesn’t — About OmniRide Commuter Demand

By Uriah Kiser

OmniRide reported higher commuter bus ridership in December, even as local routes declined, offering a mixed picture of transit demand in Prince William County heading into winter.

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Stafford

Brooke Point senior TJ Wilkerson scores 1,000th career point

By Uriah Kiser
Screenshot

Brooke Point High School senior TJ Wilkerson reached a major milestone Friday, January 9, 2025, scoring his 1,000th career point during a game in Stafford County.

According to TJ’s press agent, his doting mother, Wilkerson became just the second player in Brooke Point High School history to reach the 1,000-point mark. The milestone was achieved during Friday night’s game and was celebrated by the Brooke Point community.

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Prince William

Forum says Virginia abortion amendment could reach voters in 2026

By Uriah Kiser

A public educational forum in Woodbridge examined how soon Virginians could vote on a proposed reproductive freedom amendment, with panelists outlining scenarios that could place the measure on the ballot as early as April 2026.

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Traffic

At least six crashes trigger hours-long gridlock near Quantico and Garrisonville Road

By Uriah Kiser
A crash at Taylor's Grocery on Route 1 in North Stafford was one of six crashes that snarled area roads for hours on Thursday, January 8, 2026. [Reader submitted photo]

A series of crashes across Interstate 95 and nearby roadways caused severe northbound traffic gridlock in North Stafford and the Quantico area for hours during Thursday evening’s rush hour.

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Business

Shining Sol Candle Shop to close Old Town Manassas storefront after nearly a decade

By Uriah Kiser

The owner of Shining Sol Candle Company says he plans to close the company’s Old Town Manassas storefront later this month, ending a nearly 10-year run on Center Street while keeping the business alive online and at its Myrtle Beach location.

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Features

Leopold’s Preserve draws 20,000 visitors a year, foundation tells Haymarket officials

By Uriah Kiser

Representatives of the White House Farm Foundation presented an overview of Leopold’s Preserve to the Haymarket Town Council on Monday, detailing the conservation property’s history, public access, and ongoing stewardship efforts.

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