MANASSAS, Va. – Historic Manassas, Inc. is celebrating its 40th anniversary with a community logo contest—and they’re inviting local residents to help shape the celebration.
Residents of the City of Manassas and Prince William County are eligible to submit original logo designs that reflect the spirit and history of downtown Manassas. The winning design will be featured throughout the anniversary year. The contest runs now through July 31, 2025.
PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, Va. – Updated 3:23 p.m. A small fire broke out Friday afternoon at the LIDL grocery store on Liberia Avenue near Prince William Parkway, just outside the City of Manassas.
Prince William County Fire and Rescue spokesman Matt Smolsky said the fire was discovered by a shopper around 1:15 p.m. in the 9700 block of Liberia Avenue. Store management quickly evacuated the building and called 9-1-1.
WOODBRIDGE, Va. – Police are searching for a woman accused of leaving her 2-year-old son unattended outside a home on Dawson Beach Road. Officers responded to the home around 9:17 p.m. on July 23 after a child was found alone and in poor condition. Authorities say the boy’s mother, 37-year-old Alexandra Anna Granruth, had arranged for someone to look after the child earlier that afternoon but never returned.
When police tried to contact Granruth, she allegedly refused to come back. The child was not injured and was released to known parties. Warrants have been issued for Granruth, who is now wanted for felony child neglect.
MANASSAS, Va. – Prince William County Police executed a search warrant at the Sunrise BP & Two Brothers Chicken Express convenience store and gas station at 9745 Liberia Avenue on July 24, 2025.
Police spokeswoman Officer Renee Carr confirmed the department was conducting an active search at the property but declined to provide further information. Officers at the scene blocked off the premises, though nearby businesses remained accessible.
MANASSAS, Va. – A new coalition aimed at ending hunger in Prince William County will launch its first public initiative this weekend at a rally and food drive in Manassas.
The PWC Hunger Free Campaign Kickoff Rally and Food Drive will take place Sunday, July 27, 2025, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Harris Pavilion, 9201 Center Street. The event will feature speeches from local, state, and federal elected officials, kid-friendly activities, and a food collection drive to support local pantries during the summer months.
Presented at the Wind River Theater, the ARTfactory’s production of Cabaret has sold out nearly every performance. The final show with tickets remaining is set for Saturday, July 26 at 2 p.m., with a pre-show beginning at 1:30 p.m.
Audience members are invited to take a seat at a candlelit table just feet from the stage inside a space reimagined as the famed Kit Kat Club. Premier table seating includes the option to purchase wine from Nokesville Winery and charcuterie boxes from Pampas Fox Catering.
MANASSAS, Va. – A Luray-based painter with more than 30 years of experience will close out his solo exhibition with an in-person artist talk in Old Town Manassas.
Scott Hillman, known for his vibrant use of color and layered compositions, will speak at the ARTfactory on Saturday, July 26, from 2 to 4 p.m. The event is free, but attendees are encouraged to RSVP in advance at insidenovatix.com.
MANASSAS, Va. – Families in Manassas may be pleasantly surprised to learn that every student enrolled in Manassas City Public Schools will receive free breakfast and lunch again this school year—but it’s not a new perk.
The school division has been participating in the federal Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) since the 2021–2022 school year, a program that allows schools in low-income areas to serve free meals to all students without collecting household applications. What began during the height of the pandemic has quietly become the new normal for Manassas schools.
The VRE Operations Board is expected to review the proposal in September 2025 as part of the draft FY2027 budget. The plan would trigger a public participation process in fall 2025 before any final vote.
Current Fares and Impact
The city was requesting approval to rezone the Manor — which was built in the early 1890s as a summer residence for Robert Portner in the Neo-Classical Revival style — to add a historic overlay district.
“The purpose of a historical overlay district is to provide an additional layer of protection to properties with historic and/or architectural significance,” Benjamin Walker, a planner with the city, said at the meeting. “[This ensures] that any exterior work or treatment is historically appropriate and does not diminish a property’s integrity.”
