Manassas - Page 40 of 68 - Potomac Local News

Manassas Eyes $700K Cleanup Grant as It Prepares Downtown Site for Parking Garage, Hotel Project

Published April 3, 2025 at 9:00AM

Manassas is preparing to tap into $700,000 in state funding to clean up petroleum-contaminated soil beneath the former Manassas Ice and Fuel Company, Inc. (MIFCO) site. This will pave the way for a second public parking garage and a long-sought hotel development in the heart of downtown.

City leaders recently purchased the former MIFCO property next to City Hall for $3.1 million. Once home to an oil company, the site will eventually house a new multi-level parking garage—a critical component in revitalizing the city’s hotel plans following the 2023 demolition of the Old Towne Inn, which the city acquired for $5.75 million.

Councilmember Vasquez Luna Pushes for Higher Business Tax Rate, Council Decides to Hold Off — For Now

By Uriah Kiser

Published April 2, 2025 at 7:00AM

Vásquez Luna

A push by Councilmember Sonia Vasquez Luna to raise the business computer equipment tax rate met resistance Monday night, as the Manassas City Council instead chose to maintain the current rate of $2.15 per $100 of assessed value.

Vasquez Luna proposed aligning the computer equipment tax, data center tax, and personal property tax (vehicles) at a uniform $3.50 rate, saying it would offer consistency and potentially allow the city to reduce the tax burden on vehicle owners.

Events Around Prince William, Manassas in April

By Caitlyn Meisner

Published April 1, 2025 at 9:00AM

[Pixabay via Pexels]

Tuesday (April 1)

Wednesday (April 2)

Surging Ridership on VRE and OmniRide Buses Strains Capacity Amid Funding Challenges

By Uriah Kiser

Published March 30, 2025 at 8:51PM

Public transportation in Northern Virginia is seeing a significant rebound as ridership continues to climb on both Virginia Railway Express (VRE) trains and OmniRide commuter and local buses. However, transit leaders warn that increased demand may soon outpace available resources, especially for locally funded services.

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Manassas School Board Honors Top Spellers, Musicians, and First-Ever Debate Team

By Uriah Kiser

Published March 28, 2025 at 1:00PM

It was a night of celebration at the Manassas School Board meeting as students from across the city were recognized for excellence in academics, fine arts, and public speaking.

The evening opened with a standing ovation for this year’s Spelling Bee champions, including Charlotte Vargas, an eighth-grader at Metz Middle School, who emerged as the division champion.

Manassas School Board Approves Budget with Many Priorities Unfunded

By Caitlyn Meisner

Published March 28, 2025 at 9:00AM

The Manassas City Public School Board. [Courtesy of MCPS]

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Manassas Council Voices Support for Competitive Teacher Pay Amid Budget Constraints

By Uriah Kiser

Published March 27, 2025 at 10:00AM

Members of the Manassas City Council voiced support for efforts to keep teacher pay competitive with neighboring Prince William County Schools during a joint meeting with the city’s School Board on March 26, 2025—even as the city faces tighter fiscal limitations and a far smaller student population.

The meeting came one day after the School Board adopted its overall budget for the next fiscal year on March 25, which includes $60.9 million in funding for Manassas City Public Schools. While the budget already includes a 5.5% average pay raise for all school employees, School Board members said an additional $1.7 million would allow them to offer a 7% increase—matching the raise announced by Prince William County Schools.

Bridge Repairs Begin on Route 28 as City Prepares to Remove Canceled Bypass from Long-Range Plans

By Uriah Kiser

Published March 25, 2025 at 4:01PM

Drivers should expect delays on Route 28 (Centreville Road) as the Virginia Department of Transportation begins repairs to the bridge over Bull Run, located at the Fairfax County and Prince William County line.

Weather permitting, the work will involve single-lane closures between March 31 and April 24, during daytime hours:

Protest Against Trump Held in Manassas as More County Voters Back Him at the Ballot Box

By Uriah Kiser

Published March 22, 2025 at 10:00AM

A small group of demonstrators gathered outside the Prince William County Judicial Center in Manassas on Friday afternoon to protest President Donald Trump’s alarming consolidation of executive power.

The protest, organized by Will Stewart of Indivisible NoVA West, drew about 10 attendees. The group selected the courthouse as a symbolic backdrop to highlight what they described as the judiciary’s critical role in holding the executive branch accountable.

Five Years After Ending 287(g), Jail Board Faces New Pressure to Reconsider

By Uriah Kiser

Published March 21, 2025 at 11:54AM

Prince William County Sheriff Glendell Hill [Photo: Uriah Kiser/PLN]

A Manassas City resident says he was turned away from a public meeting of the Prince William-Manassas Regional Jail Board as calls to reinstate a controversial immigration enforcement program resurfaced.

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