News
The Bull Run Rotary Club will host its 8th Annual Flags for Heroes event from November 8 to November 16, 2024, at the Manassas Museum lawn at 9101 Prince William Street, Manassas. This event will feature hundreds of American flags displayed in honor of Veterans, Active Duty Service Members, frontline workers, and Local First Responders who have sacrificed significantly to protect and serve their communities and country.
The opening ceremony will be held at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, November 8, 2024, marking the beginning of this week-long tribute. All proceeds raised through hero sponsorships will benefit the Warrior Retreat at Bull Run, a facility dedicated to supporting wounded veterans by providing them a peaceful place to heal and reconnect with their families.
Town Manager Tangela Innis is thrilled to announce the hiring of Mr. Curtis M. Eatman as the new Chief Financial Officer (CFO). With over a decade of public finance and leadership experience, Mr. Eatman has a proven track record of driving fiscal sustainability and operational improvements in local government.
Prior to joining Dumfries, Mr. Eatman served as the Finance Director for the Town of Hamden, CT, where he eradicated a $3M deficit and significantly improved the Town’s financial outlook. He also served as Finance Director for the Town of Bloomfield, CT, and held positions such as Principal Legislative Financial Analyst with the New York State Senate and Deputy Commissioner of Finance for the City of Schenectady, NY.
Update from Mayor Earnie Porta:
Join us Saturday, October 26, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. for our annual family-friendly Halloween Costume Parade and Contest. Meet at the Riverwalk Shops at 125 Mill Street, from which we will begin our parade down Mill Street to River Mill Park. At the park judging will take place for the categories of cutest, scariest, funniest, most original, and family/group. First place winners in each category will receive $25 gift certificates that can be used at select businesses in town. No advance registration is necessary, there is no fee to participate, and this event is open to everyone. (To accommodate the parade Mill Street will be closed briefly on a rolling basis between 10:00 and 10:30 a.m.). For more information go to the Visit Occoquan web site at https://www.visitoccoquanva.com/costumeparade. Hope that you can join us for this popular annual Occoquan event.
The City of Manassas has maintained high credit ratings with the two major global credit rating agencies, Moody’s and S&P Global, according to a Monday press release.
These credit ratings ensure the city can borrow money at lower interest rates and signal the city is in a stable financial condition. The lowest rating an entity can receive is a C or D, depending on the agency issuing the rating. These ratings, according to Investopedia, help investors determine the riskiness associated with investing in bonds issued by a company, government or a government agency.
Potomac District Supervisor Andrea Bailey, the district in which the station will reside, said this is of the utmost importance to the community.
“With Station 27, we’re bringing faster emergency response times, state-of-the-art equipment and a dedicated team of firefighters and first responders,” Bailey said. “… It’s an investment in our future and a testament to the hard work of everyone involved in making this vision a reality.”
Fredericksburg Community Health Assessment Prioritizes Mental Health, Housing, and Healthcare Access
The Fredericksburg City Council recently heard an update on the ongoing Community Health Assessment from Rappahannock Area Health District Director Dr. Oleg Benga Obasanyo.
Obasanyo’s presentation focused on the progress made since the last health assessment and the priorities identified for improving the well-being of the Fredericksburg community and surrounding areas. The three main priorities—mental health, affordable housing, and access to healthcare—remain focal points for improvement.
Out of the Blue Seafood restaurant in Gainesville has closed its doors after seven years of serving the community. The restaurant announced its closure on its Facebook page on Wednesday, October 23, 2024. Shortly after the announcement, the restaurant’s phone line was disconnected, and its Facebook page was removed.
Since opening in 2017, Out of the Blue has been a popular gathering place in Prince William County, hosting numerous community events, including several organized by the Prince William Chamber of Commerce. The restaurant quickly became known for its fresh seafood and welcoming atmosphere, drawing in regulars and new patrons alike.
“The cultural value of the cottage within the community cannot be underestimated,” Mayor Michelle Davis-Younger said.
The cottage used to be the Manassas Industrial School for Colored Youth (MIS) and was chartered in 1893 by Jennie Dean, a former slave and resident of Prince William County. The structure was originally built on Wellington Road by the existing Jennie Dean Elementary School building but was moved to Jefferson Street in the 1960s.
On Wednesday, October 23, a note containing a threat of bodily harm was found at North Stafford High School, located at 839 Garrisonville Road. The note was initially discovered by a student and circulated among other students before eventually being passed to an adult, who alerted authorities.
Deputy A.N. Taormina, the school resource officer, was informed of the situation at approximately 1:15 p.m. The Stafford County Sheriff’s Office, school administration, and school security quickly began investigating the potential threat.