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!

Prince William

Occoquan to Spark Holiday Cheer With Annual Tree Lighting November 22

By Uriah Kiser
Santa lights the Christmas tree at Occoquan Town Hall.

“The annual Occoquan Tree Lighting is coming up on Saturday, November 22, at 6 p.m.,” the Town of Occoquan announced. The event will take place at Occoquan Town Hall, 314 Mill Street, and will feature festive lights, music, and community celebration to kick off the holiday season.

A free shuttle will run from 1 to 9 p.m. between the Old Bridge Road and Route 123 commuter lot and downtown Occoquan. This year’s celebration is generously sponsored by Westminster at Lake Ridge.

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Manassas

New Chipotle to be first in Manassas City

By Uriah Kiser
Stafford, chipotle, virginia
Chipotle Mexian Grill opens in Stafford.

“Plans are underway for our first location, slated for in-fill development at Canterbury Village on Sudley Road,” Choose Manassas announced. “The restaurant will provide a much-anticipated dining option for guests and staff of UVA Health Prince William Medical Center—one of our largest City employers—and others along the Sudley Medical Corridor.”

Chipotle’s arrival marks the popular chain’s first location within Manassas city limits. An opening date has not yet been announced.

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Stafford

Ribbon cut for new MyEyeDoctor at Embrey Mill in Stafford County

By Uriah Kiser

A new MyEyeDoctor office is now open at Embrey Mill Town Center, adding to the growing list of businesses locating in one of Stafford County’s busiest developments.

Community members joined local officials and MyEyeDoctor staff on Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025, for a ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating the opening. The event featured remarks from Dr. Andrew Chan, the new office’s optometrist, who said the location is a perfect fit for his growing practice and his family.

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Breaking News

Three Charged in Connection to October Woodbridge Homicide

By Uriah Kiser
ATTAKORA

“On November 5, Prince William County detectives, with the assistance of additional local and Federal law enforcement, arrested three men and executed multiple search warrants in connection to the murder of a 21-year-old man during a shooting that occurred in the 15200 block of Potomac Town Place in Woodbridge on October 2,” Prince William County Police announced. “The investigation revealed the three suspects targeted or otherwise assisted in the confrontation with the victim at the above location that ultimately led to his death.”

One suspect, Shawki Saah Fofanah, 23, of Dumfries, was arrested in Surprise, Arizona. The two other suspects, George Kwasi Attakora, 22, of Stafford, and Musa Abraham Sesay, 25, of Dumfries, were taken into custody in Stafford County and Washington, D.C., respectively. The shooting also injured an 18-year-old man, who sustained a non-life-threatening grazed wound. Multiple search warrants were executed in Dumfries, Stafford County, Washington, D.C., and Arizona with the assistance of the FBI, U.S. Marshals Service, and local law enforcement.

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Stafford

Governor Glenn Youngkin Announces $2 Billion Vantage Data Centers Investment in Stafford County

By Uriah Kiser

“Thanks to companies like Vantage, Virginia is leading the world into a future powered by the limitless possibilities of artificial intelligence,” Governor Glenn Youngkin announced. “With this $2 billion in investment, Vantage is paving the way for a stronger Stafford County and a stronger Virginia. This project reflects our commitment to innovation, job creation, and economic growth — and it’s another example of how Virginia is winning for families and businesses alike.”

“Fredericksburg offered a significant opportunity for Vantage to serve our customers seeking capacity and access to the resources of Data Center Alley,” Vantage Data Centers North America President Dana Adams said. “The region’s proximity to major metros, access to robust infrastructure, and growing technology ecosystem make it an ideal location to meet skyrocketing demand.”

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Features

Virginia State Parks Launch Ranger Conservation Corps Internship Program

By Uriah Kiser
Life in the Dark: Widewater State Park (via Tour Stafford VA)

“This program is an investment in the future of Virginia State Parks and in the people who will carry forward our commitment to conservation, recreation and education,” Virginia State Parks Director Dr. Melissa Baker said. “Ranger Conservation Corps will prepare the next generation of leaders while positively benefiting our parks and visitors.”

The Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation and Virginia State Parks announced the creation of the Ranger Conservation Corps (RCC), a new internship program designed to build career pathways in outdoor recreation and conservation while strengthening park operations across the commonwealth. The program combines elements from past successful initiatives — the Virginia Service and Conservation Corps and the Park Ranger Career Development Program — offering immersive, hands-on training across multiple park operations and career tracks.

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Prince William

Town of Dumfries to Host Business Expo at The Rose Gaming Resort

By Uriah Kiser

“Attend this event to learn how to create, maintain, and grow your existing or proposed business,” the Town of Dumfries announced. “Various business resources will be present to share valuable information.”

The Dumfries Business Expo will be held Thursday, November 20, 2025, from 6 to 8 p.m. at The Rose Gaming Resort & Hotel, 17680 Colonial Street in Dumfries. Resources available include banking and finance, business insurance, accounting and tax consultation, merchant and payroll services, networking opportunities, and a business roundtable event. Space is limited, and pre-registration is required at this link.

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Stafford

Stafford County Supervisors to Consider Renaming Regional Airport

By Uriah Kiser
Stafford Regional Airport Terminal [Photo: Rick Horner]

“Last year, the Stafford Regional Airport Authority (SRAA) hired a marketing consultant to assist us in increasing our fuel sales, which are a significant portion of our revenue,” Stafford Regional Airport Authority stated. “One of the consultant’s recommendations was to change the airport’s name, which pilots use, to signal to potential customers that the airport provides a range of capabilities and services consistent with larger airports.”

“The airport investigated further and found that several local airports have already changed their names to identify themselves as ‘executive’ airports,” the SRAA continued. “Since Chesterfield Airport, now Richmond Executive – Chesterfield County, has a footprint and mission similar to Stafford, I contacted their Airport Director and learned that Chesterfield’s fuel sales increased about 15% since the name change.”

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Features

Central Rappahannock Regional Library Hosts Ninth Annual Rappahannock Writers’ Conference

By Uriah Kiser

“The conference will feature keynote speeches from Austin S. Camacho, author of the Hannibal Jones mystery series and the Stark & O’Brien adventure series, and New York Times-bestselling author and Emmy and Writer’s Guild of America-nominated writer-producer Tom Straw,” Central Rappahannock Regional Library announced.

The daylong event will be held Saturday, November 8, from 8:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., at Germanna Community College’s Fredericksburg Area Campus, Workforce and Technology Center. Sessions will include “Books and Beasties,” “Why Your Second Draft Should Be the First Time You Start to Self-Edit,” and “The Intersection of Fiction and Nonfiction—How to Blend Genres and Keep Readers Hooked.”

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Politics

Prince William GOP Chair Urges Members to ‘Lift Your Head and Get Ready’ After Election Losses

By Uriah Kiser

“Last night was a difficult one for Republicans across the Commonwealth and in many states across the country,” Jacob Alderman, Chairman of the Prince William/Manassas Park Republican Committee, stated. “We worked, we hoped, we prayed, and still came up short.”

“Our principles have not changed, our values have not wavered, and our resolve has not weakened,” Alderman added. “We are walking away from this fight standing upright, with the tools to rebuild and strike back.”

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