Yesterday’s storm brought high winds and heavy rains to a wide area ranging from Spotsylvania to Maryland. Stafford County Sheriff’s Office reports the Hartwood Area experienced heavy damage, with trees on power lines and Spotted Tavern Road closed due to hazards.

The National Weather Service reports Fredericksburg received between 2.2 and 2.9 inches. Prince William County ranged from 1.89 inches to 3.57; Woodbridge, Gainsville, and Nokesville all received over 3 inches of rain. Measurements at the Stafford Regional Airport showed 6.87 inches, and Falmouth received just over 4 inches. Fredericksburg received 2 inches.


A Prince William County man gifted his son his Virginia Lottery Cash4Life winnings, which totaled $1 million.

Aaron Andrews, the recipient, received the gift from his father. He was married in April and since then, he and his wife have been living in his father’s basement in the county. Andrews’ father is an avid lottery player and bought a Cash4Life ticket.


Chris Strong from the National Weather Service Baltimore-Washington office noted the unusual nature of the storm, highlighting that “one of the biggest things that was more uncommon about that event was just how little wind there was in the general atmosphere for these storms to move around.” This lack of atmospheric movement allowed the storms to “evolve and develop in place,” leading to prolonged periods of heavy rain and persistent lightning across several areas.

Despite the severity, the region did not experience any tornadic activity. Strong explained that tornadoes generally require wind shear—an increase in wind speed and a change in direction at different altitudes—which was absent during this event. This contributed to the storm’s stationary behavior, causing extended weather disturbances over the same locations.


Welcome (or welcome back) to a new Potomac Local News series, “Meet the Principal.” With nearly two dozen new principals in Prince William County this school year, it’s important to get to know the folks in their new roles. The series launched on Monday with Gainesville Middle’s, Edward Schultz and continued on Wednesday with Rockledge Elementary’s Catherine Dennis.

Potomac Local has asked each principal the same questions in bold, and their respective answers will be found below.


House of Mercy, a longstanding food pantry and thrift store near Manassas, announced significant operational changes in response to a sharp increase in demand for its services. The organization will temporarily halt new client registrations and shift from offering free to discounted clothing.

“We’ve seen a 49% increase in demand just this year,” said Jessica Root, executive director for House of Mercy. “This year, we hit our capacity, serving over 134 families in a single day. We’re temporarily pausing new client registrations to focus on our current clients and ensure we maintain the quality of service.”


Uriah Kiser, Founder and Publisher of Potomac Local News, has updated a video from the scene of tonight’s storm, which has brought significant rain, lightning, and thunder to Prince William, Manassas, Stafford, and Fredericksburg.

Kiser has pulled over at a gas station and notes that traffic is moving slowly. Trucks, cars, and SUVs are all pulling over on the side of the road or driving slowly with flashers on. He said, “If you’re at home, stay there.”


At the Aug. 27 regular meeting, the Manassas City School Board unanimously adopted a draft budget schedule for fiscal year 2026, which would start on July 1, 2025.

The first budget work session will take place on Oct. 1 in the Manassas City Public School’s central office and they will discuss MCPS’ capital improvement plan. The expected adoption date is to be determined, but the Board will present the budget to City Council in a joint meeting on April 2, 2025, at the Public Safety Facility (9608 Grant Ave.).


Time and Space Comics, a new comic book store, is hosting a soft opening in Stafford this weekend.

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