Uriah Kiser, Author at Potomac Local News

Lovesac Opens New Store in Woodbridge

Published August 13, 2026 at 2:16PM

Lovesac has opened a new showroom at Stonebridge at Potomac Town Center in Woodbridge, giving Prince William shoppers a place to try the brand’s modular furniture in person.

The 1,524-square-foot space at 15000 Potomac Town Place, Unit 120, opened Friday, Aug. 7. Shoppers can explore more than 150 fabric options and configure the company’s signature Sactionals sofas, oversized Sacs, and StealthTech sound system to fit different rooms and lifestyles. Store hours are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.

Features

Woodbridge Choir Marks 60 Years With Open Call

By Uriah Kiser

Published August 13, 2026 at 2:16PM

The Woodbridge Community Choir is inviting singers of all ages, backgrounds and abilities to join its 60th anniversary season, according to a press release from the all-volunteer group. The first rehearsal for the Christmas program is set for Monday, Aug. 31, at the Lutheran Church of the Covenant, 15008 Cloverdale Road in Woodbridge, with new members asked to arrive at 7 p.m. to register and practice beginning at 7:30 p.m. The choir rehearses every Monday at 7:30 p.m. and will present “WCC 60th Anniversary Traditional Christmas Music,” a program of sacred and secular arrangements, on Dec. 5 at 8 p.m. and Dec. 6 at 3 p.m. at the A.J. Ferlazzo Building in Woodbridge. Instrumentalists are also welcome, and the group is particularly interested in younger adults.

Founded in 1966, the non-auditioned choir has long offered free public concerts in the Woodbridge area and performed at sites including the Kennedy Center and on NBC’s “Today” show. Resident Musical Director Lee Irwin Culbreth said the group has brought people together through music, friendship and community service for six decades. The press release does not state whether the December concerts are free or require tickets, and it lists the performance venue only as the A.J. Ferlazzo Building without the full street address (15941 Donald Curtis Drive). For details on joining or attending, visit woodbridgecommunitychoir.org or call 703-672-3651.

News

Free Concert and Movie Friday in Woodbridge

By Uriah Kiser

Published August 13, 2026 at 2:16PM

Prince William County Parks and Recreation is hosting a free doubleheader Friday at Sean T. Connaughton Plaza in Woodbridge. The evening starts with a Fridays at 5 concert from 5 to 8:30 p.m. featuring Leroy Burks & The Voodoo Whiskey Band, followed by a free outdoor showing of the movie “The Rookie” starting at 9 p.m.

The band, led by 20-year Army combat veteran Leroy Burks, has been voted Best Band in Prince William County for 2024 and 2025. The group is known for high-energy performances that mix today’s country hits with classic favorites, complete with B3 Hammond organ and fiddle. Food trucks, including Hershey’s Ice Cream, Lunchbox on Wheels and Balsamo’s Pizza, will be on site, along with beer and wine for purchase for those 21 and older. DJ Moe Vibez will perform as well.

Prince William

New Girls Hockey League Launches in Haymarket

By Uriah Kiser

Published August 13, 2026 at 2:16PM

A new pickup ice hockey league for girls ages 10 to 14 is giving middle school players across Northern Virginia a chance to compete in an all-girls setting at Haymarket Iceplex.

The NOVA Girls Ice Hockey Pickup League, founded by Warrenton physician Dr. Christopher Chang and coach Kara Given of A and K On Ice Coaching, runs sessions of five to 10 full-regulation games with referees. Games take place at the rink at 15155 Washington St. in Haymarket. Organizers balance teams by skill level each week so beginners, intermediate and advanced players all get equal ice time. Full gear is required, and at least one year of recreational team hockey experience is needed.

Manassas

Manassas Exhibit Explores Black Identity and Memory

By Uriah Kiser

Published August 13, 2026 at 2:16PM

The ARTfactory at 9419 Battle Street in Manassas.

The ARTfactory in Historic Downtown Manassas, partnering with The Black Art Today Foundation, will present “Beyond the Frame,” an exhibition of work by Levi Robinson and Dion J. Pollard, from Aug. 15 through Sept. 19, 2026. An opening reception runs Saturday, Aug. 15, from 6 to 8 p.m., with RSVP available online. The free show examines Black identity, cultural memory, resilience and the narratives that extend past a canvas’s edges, according to a press release from the ARTfactory. Exhibition programming is sponsored by Micron, which operates a major manufacturing facility in Manassas.

Robinson layers history, mythology and contemporary culture through painting, collage and mixed media inspired by jazz and hip-hop traditions, while Pollard (who creates as DionJa’Y) uses vibrant color, texture and mixed media to highlight joy, family, spirituality and perseverance. The gallery is at 9419 Battle Street and is open Tuesdays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays from noon to 5 p.m.; admission is free. The press release does not list regular contact details beyond the reception RSVP, confirm whether the artists will appear after opening night, or note any related talks or programs.

Police Blotter

Police Blotter: Homicide Arrest, Construction Death Reported

By Uriah Kiser

Published August 13, 2026 at 2:15PM

**Yes — write a cutline for it.** Suggested cutline: A 17-year-old from Dumfries is escorted by Fauquier County Sheriff’s Office personnel on Wednesday after his arrest in connection with the Aug. 8 fatal shooting of 16-year-old Samuel Ojeda near Catlett. (Fauquier County Sheriff’s Office)

Fauquier County deputies have arrested a 17-year-old in connection with the fatal shooting of a 16-year-old at a Quinceañera near Catlett over the weekend. The arrest came Wednesday following an investigation that began when deputies responded to a noise complaint and found the victim with a gunshot wound.

In Prince William County, a 26-year-old construction worker died after a mobile trailer collapsed on him at a Woodbridge job site. Separate calls brought reports of two men brandishing firearms at a pedestrian in Woodbridge and the theft of an e-bike from a Bristow garage.

Manassas

SCHOOL BOARD CHAOS: Member Sues Over ‘Illegal’ Secret Vote as Kids Head Back to Class

By Uriah Kiser

Published August 12, 2026 at 3:46PM | Updated August 15, 2026 at 12:12PM

Update

On Saturday, Aug. 15, 2026, after Potomac Local published a video report on this story, School Board Member Dayna-Marie Miles provided the following statement:

Stafford

Stafford launches school zone speed cameras on first day of school

By Uriah Kiser

Published August 12, 2026 at 9:29AM

Automated speed enforcement cameras are now active in select Stafford County school zones as students return for the first full day of the 2026-27 school year on Wednesday, August 12.

The Stafford County Sheriff’s Office, working with BlueLine Solutions, has installed cameras at six schools: Edward E. Drew Middle School, Colonial Forge High School, Stafford Middle School, Stafford Elementary School, North Stafford High School, and Brooke Point High School.

Virginia

Virginia Hemp Businesses Seek to Block New THC Rules

By Uriah Kiser

Published August 12, 2026 at 9:06AM

Spanberger

Seven Virginia hemp businesses are asking a federal judge to block new restrictions set to take effect Saturday that would limit hemp products to 2 milligrams of total THC per package, eliminating the existing 25-to-1 CBD-to-THC exception, The Center Square reported. The change was included in the state budget passed in June without public hearings or industry input, and the companies argue it leaves them with previously legal products they can no longer sell.

A hearing is scheduled Wednesday in Roanoke on their request for a temporary restraining order. Plaintiffs, including Northern Virginia Hemp & Agriculture, say they stand to lose hundreds of thousands of dollars in inventory under the new rules.

Police Blotter

Police Blotter: Additional Arrests in Teen Homicide

By Uriah Kiser

Published August 12, 2026 at 7:44AM | Updated August 12, 2026 at 1:15PM

[Scott Rodgerson/Unsplash]

The shooting happened July 5 in the 16700 block of Blackjack Oak Lane in Woodbridge. Officers responded about 10:12 p.m. and found the victim with a gunshot wound to the upper body. He was taken to a hospital, where he later died from his injuries.

Police said the victim and two acquaintances arranged to confront and rob another man, Damion Jamon Atwater. During the encounter, shots were fired that fatally struck the 16-year-old. After the shooting, Darrian King Rutherford, who had been with the victim, left in a vehicle. Officers tried to stop the vehicle and began a pursuit. Rutherford later stopped and fled on foot.