Manassas Park City Hall, the Department of Social Services, the library, and public works are closed Monday, Oct. 12, for Indigenous Peoples Day, the city said. The Community Center stays open 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Offices reopen Tuesday, Oct. 13. Trash collection is not affected. Public safety stays on call. Water and sewer emergencies on the holiday go to the police non-emergency line, (703) 361-1136.
Jury selection continues in the trial of Naresh Bhatt, charged in the 2024 disappearance and presumed death of his wife, Mamta Kafle Bhatt, InsideNoVa reports.
Bhatt has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder, concealment of a dead body, and physical defilement of a dead body. No body has been found. Mamta, a Manassas Park nurse and mother, was last heard from on July 29, 2024. Judge Kimberly A. Irving is presiding. The trial is expected to run for weeks.
Naresh Bhatt pleaded not guilty Monday to first-degree murder, concealment of a dead body, and physical defilement of a dead body, InsideNoVa reports.
No body has been found. Mamta Kafle Bhatt, a Manassas Park nurse and mother, was last heard from on July 29, 2024. She is presumed dead.
Mathis Avenue in Manassas Park is shut down between Conner Drive and Hardees Drive after a hit-and-run crash struck a telephone pole, a Manassas Park Police alert said.
The department said crews expect the road to stay closed about 12 hours while the pole is repaired. The alert did not name a driver, a vehicle, or injuries, and it did not give a crash time.
The Manassas Park Governing Body approved a proclamation marking the 25th anniversary of Sept. 11 and set a local flag-raising for 8:30 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 11.
Mayor Alanna Mensing presided. A 2021 Governing Body resolution already named Sept. 11 a “day of heroes” in the city. The new proclamation, read into the record, notes nearly 3,000 people killed in New York City, at the Pentagon, and in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, and honors first responders, military service members, and the city’s pledge to educate future generations. The motion carried. Officials invited residents to the Sept. 11 flag raising at 8:30 a.m., described as the time the attacks began.
Treasurer Donald Shuemaker says personal property tax bills for Manassas Park are leaving the printer and should reach taxpayers this week, with payment due Oct. 5.
Shuemaker gave the update during an early September 1, 2026 meeting. Mayor Alanna Mensing was presiding.
The Manassas Park Planning Commission voted 4-1 to recommend approval of a rezoning and related waivers that would allow a 321-unit mixed-use redevelopment of a former auto sales and service site near the city center.
The recommendation covers Rezoning RZ 2026-01, Zoning Waiver WAI 2026-01A, and Public Facilities Waivers PFW 2026-01A through PFW 2026-01D and PFW 2026-01F. The motion, subject to the fourth submission of the general development plan and a proffer statement dated August 12, 2026, now advances to the Governing Body for a final decision.
About 30 community members gathered at the Manassas Park police station on July 31 for a vigil marking two years since the disappearance of local nurse and mother Mamta Kafle Bhatt, InsideNoVa reported. Bhatt was last heard from on July 29, 2024, and is presumed dead; her husband, Naresh Bhatt, was arrested in August 2024 and faces charges of first-degree murder, concealment of a dead body and physical defilement of a dead body, though no body has been found.
Manassas Park Police Chief Mario Lugo described the investigation as a lengthy process with a strong case, while family members including mother Gita Kafle and community supporters expressed continued hope for justice. A pre-trial conference is set for Sept. 25, with the trial scheduled to begin in early October.
“The City of Manassas Park’s main phone lines will be temporarily unavailable today from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. as we transition to a new phone system,” the City of Manassas Park reported on Facebook. Residents needing assistance during that window should email Customer Service at [email protected]; emergency and public safety lines will remain fully operational.
The brief outage affects only administrative lines as the Northern Virginia city upgrades its system, with officials thanking residents for their patience during the transition.
