Editor’s Note:
This is the second in our three-part series on the future of Virginia Railway Express (VRE). We’re breaking down VRE’s bold System Plan 2050 — and what it means for you.
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News
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OCCOQUAN, Va. — A series of notable developments unfolded at the April 15, 2025, Occoquan Town Council meeting, including a leadership change and updates to the town’s ongoing budget planning.
Councilwoman Nancy Freeborn Britain, who was elected to the Town Council in 2022, formally announced her resignation, citing a new career opportunity that will take her to Staunton during the workweek. Britain was recently hired as the Program Director for a master’s degree program at Mary Baldwin University, where she will oversee 120 students and serve as a department chair.
FREDERICKSBURG, Va. — Germanna Community College is inviting students, employees, alumni, and the broader community to weigh in as it begins the search for its next president.
The college launched a community survey this week, asking participants to rank the importance of various leadership priorities, from fostering student success and expanding career-focused programs to strengthening partnerships with business and education leaders. Germanna officials say public input will help define the values, qualities, and goals the next president should embody.
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At the April 18, 2025, VRE Operations Board meeting, planners unveiled a sweeping System Plan that would transform VRE from a traditional commuter service into a true regional backbone — connecting communities across the region with frequent, reliable rail service.
FREDERICKSBURG, Va. — Residents gathered along the Rappahannock River today to celebrate Earth Day with a mix of environmental stewardship, family fun, and even goat cuddles.
The city’s annual Earth Day Festival, now in its 20th year, drew hundreds of visitors downtown for a day of activities focused on caring for the environment. This year’s festival also marked the 55th anniversary of the first Earth Day celebration in the United States.
Live Music and Performances
Art Exhibitions
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PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, Va. — Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears, the Republican candidate for Virginia governor, will headline this year’s Lincoln-Reagan Dinner hosted by the Prince William County Republican Committee on Saturday, May 3, 2025. The event will take place at 7 p.m. at Foxchase Manor, located just outside Manassas.
Republican Committee Chairman Jacob Alderman says this year’s dinner will be the largest the committee has ever hosted. “We’re on pace to double, maybe even triple our normal turnout,” Alderman said in an interview on the Potomac Local News Podcast. “I think we’re going to have over 300 people there. We’ve only got maybe 40 or 50 tickets left to go.”
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HAYMARKET, Va. — The Haymarket Town Council is set to revisit a controversial Chick-fil-A drive-through expansion proposal during its upcoming work session on Monday, April 28, 2025, as questions remain about the project’s approval from key regulatory agencies.
Earlier this month, the council narrowly approved Special Use Permit (SUP) #2024-001 in a 4-0 vote, allowing the Chick-fil-A at 15186 Washington Street to proceed with a revised site plan known as “Exhibit 6.” The updated plan proposes extending the restaurant’s rightmost drive-through lane onto an adjacent property owned by Virginia National Bank, creating a bypass lane and adding a mobile order pickup point aimed at improving traffic flow and reducing wait times.
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MANASSAS PARK, Va. — Manassas Park homeowners could see their tax bills rise by hundreds of dollars under the proposed Fiscal Year 2026 budget, despite a planned reduction in the city’s real estate tax rate.
City Manager Carl Cole presented the $129 million budget to the Governing Body on April 22, 2025, proposing a one-cent reduction to the real estate tax rate, which would lower it to $1.395 per $100 of assessed value. However, because the average assessed value of residential properties increased by 7.48%, the typical single-family homeowner, with an average home value of $507,689, would still pay approximately $483 more in real estate taxes next year.
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STAFFORD, Va. — Chairman Deuntay Diggs of the Stafford County Board of Supervisors says the county is making “a good faith effort” to improve collaboration with the school board and engage residents following the passage of the Fiscal Year 2026 budget, which includes increased funding for schools, county services, and a higher property tax rate.
In a recent interview on the Potomac Local News Podcast, Diggs previewed a joint town hall scheduled for Monday, April 29, 2025, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Colonial Forge High School Library (note: location changed from the auditorium). The event will feature members of both the Board of Supervisors and the School Board, including Maureen Siegmund, Chair of the School Board.