News - Page 21 of 1911 - Potomac Local News

Himalayan Grill Opens in Haymarket with Grand Ribbon Cutting Celebration

Published April 21, 2025 at 2:42PM | Updated April 25, 2025 at 6:16PM

HAYMARKET, Va. — The Town of Haymarket welcomed a flavorful new addition to its dining scene on Friday, April 19, with the grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony for Himalayan Grill, located at 6624 Watts Rd, Haymarket.

Mayor TracyLynn Pater, joined by Police Chief Allen Sibert, members of the Town Council, police officers, local business owners, family, and friends, helped celebrate the occasion. The ribbon was ceremoniously cut by Mayor Pater and Aanvi Thapa, the 8-year-old daughter of owners Nepal and Anita Thapa, who are longtime Gainesville residents.

Developers Reduce Density, Add Trail Connection in Latest Mayfield Crossing Plans

By Potomac Local News

Published April 21, 2025 at 1:29PM | Updated April 25, 2025 at 6:16PM

A rendering of the proposed Mayfield Crossing development shows its location near Manassas Drive and Signal View Drive. The image, presented during the Manassas Park Governing Body meeting on April 15, 2025, highlights nearby amenities including Signal Hill Park, the VRE Manassas Park Station, and downtown Manassas Park. (Image: City of Manassas Park meeting agenda)

MANASSAS PARK, Va. — A major residential project proposed just outside Manassas Park’s borders is moving through its second round of review in Prince William County, and city leaders are taking a close look at the plan’s potential impact on local roads and services.

Representatives from D.R. Horton, the developer behind the Mayfield Crossing project, and attorney Noah Klein of Venable LLP presented an updated site plan to the Manassas Park Governing Body during its April 15, 2025, meeting. The project site, approximately 20 acres located at the intersection of Manassas Drive and Signal View Drive, is nearly surrounded by Manassas Park city limits.

Civil War-Era Artillery Shell Unearthed at Historic Liberia House in Manassas

By Potomac Local News

Published April 21, 2025 at 9:31AM | Updated April 25, 2025 at 6:16PM

A Civil War-era Schenkl artillery shell, still unexploded, was uncovered during stream restoration work behind the Liberia House in Manassas. The shell was safely removed and documented by authorities. [Photo: Manassas Museum]

MANASSAS, Va. — A piece of American history has been unearthed at the Liberia House, one of the most historically significant sites in Northern Virginia.

During a stream restoration project on the property on April 9, 2025, contractors uncovered a Civil War-era three-inch Shankle artillery shell, a rare and potentially dangerous artifact dating back over 160 years. The find was made during excavation work intended to reroute the stream back to its original course as part of a more comprehensive stormwater management effort.

Ashworth Asks for More Staff as Supervisors Look to Approve Budget

By Caitlyn Meisner

Published April 21, 2025 at 9:00AM | Updated April 22, 2025 at 8:41AM

[KATRIN BOLOVTSOVA via Pexels]

Ahead of fiscal year 2025, Ashworth similarly requested more staff members despite the Board being reluctant to fund additional positions. In response, Ashworth sent a letter to the Board stating she would withhold prosecution of certain misdemeanor charges if the Board didn’t approve her request.

“The bottom line is that this office was not properly staffed and funded for decades as the County grew up around us,” Ashworth wrote in an email to Potomac Local in April 2024.

Stafford Property Taxes Up 62% Since 2012 as FY2026 Budget Clears

By Potomac Local News

Published April 18, 2025 at 1:23PM | Updated April 18, 2025 at 4:47PM

STAFFORD, Va. — The average homeowner in Stafford County will pay $130 more in property taxes starting July 1, 2025, after the Board of Supervisors approved a three-percent increase to the real estate tax rate—the county’s central funding source for local government and schools. Homeowners with a property assessed at the county average of $434,400 will receive a $4,069 bill.

According to data from Commissioner of the Revenue Scott Mayausky, average residential tax bills have increased 62% since 2012, when the typical homeowner paid $2,506. Over the same period, the average home value rose nearly 60%, slightly trailing the pace of tax increases.

Lights, Camera, Fredericksburg! Film Festival Brings Indie Cinema to Town

By Mike Salmon

Published April 17, 2025 at 3:00PM | Updated April 25, 2025 at 6:16PM

Dalton Okolo, filmmaker and co-organizer of the Fredericksburg Film Festival, reviews shots on his camera during the opening night reception. [Photo: Mike Salmon]

Event organizer Dalton Okolo sported two high-powered cameras as he mingled with the crowd. “This is our second year, we have to figure ourselves out,” he said. The festival is supported by the Fredericksburg Office of Economic Development and Tourism, as well as several local businesses. At the opening reception, it was too early to predict the outcome, but Okolo was optimistic. “There are large amounts of enthusiasm online,” he said. Okolo is joined on the management side by Executive Producer & Experience Designer Wa’ad Adam, and producers Carlos Naranjo, Antonella Membreno, and John Heyn.

Okolo is a director, writer, and producer based in Fredericksburg, known for his Virginia-based short films, including “She’s Mine Now” (2022) and “Missing You” (2021). He is with 1108 Media, where he encourages Virginia-based filmmakers, strengthening the local film community. After the reception, there was a “Shorts Block,” with films “Dirty Towel,” “How to Feel Fullfilled at Work,” and “Waiting for April,” a film by a couple of Alexandria filmmakers Timothy Parsons and Kyle Schick.

Fire Damages Apartment on Oliver Court in Manassas; Four Displaced

By Potomac Local News

Published April 16, 2025 at 8:00AM

Emergency crews work to extricate a driver from a pickup truck after it was struck by an Amtrak train at a railroad crossing on Bristow Road near Manassas on Tuesday, April 15, 2025. The driver was transported to a regional hospital with injuries. No one on board the train was hurt. Photo courtesy of Prince William County Fire and Rescue.

MANASSAS, Va. — Firefighters from the City of Manassas, Manassas Park, and Prince William County responded to an apartment fire this afternoon at 8872 Oliver Court, just off Liberia Avenue, where smoke was seen billowing from a second-story unit in a three-story building.

The fire broke out in a bedroom on the second floor shortly before 2 p.m. on Tuesday, April 15. According to Manassas Fire Chief Edward Mills, the unit was unoccupied at the time. Crews arriving at the scene reported smoke showing but no visible flames from outside.

Woodbridge Named Fastest-Growing Suburb in U.S.

By Potomac Local News

Published April 15, 2025 at 2:00PM

The Neabsco Boardwalk bridges the gap between Leesylvania State and Neabsco Regional parks in Woodbridge.

WOODBRIDGE, Va. — Woodbridge has been named the fastest-growing suburb in the United States, according to a new report from Travel + Leisure, shining a national spotlight on eastern Prince William County and prompting praise from local business and government leaders.

The article, published April 10, 2025, highlights Woodbridge’s explosive 887% population growth between 2018 and 2023, jumping from approximately, in what it cited as 4,000 to more than 43,000 residents. However, anyone who has lived here knows there were more than 4,000 residents in Woodbridge in 2018.

Manassas Tax Hike, Congressional Forum, and Stafford Tensions Lead This Week’sNews

By Uriah Kiser

Published April 15, 2025 at 7:30AM

Manassas residents should prepare to pay more in taxes and utility costs starting July 1.

The city is working to finalize a $327.9 million budget for the upcoming fiscal year. While the real estate tax rate would remain at $1.26 per $100 of assessed value, rising property values mean most homeowners will still see higher bills.

Manassas School Board Reviews Plan to Adopt New Math Curriculum for 2025-26 School Year

By Potomac Local News

Published April 14, 2025 at 9:00AM

The Manassas City Public Schools Board approved its new budget on June 10.

MANASSAS, Va. — The Manassas City School Board on Tuesday heard an update on the division’s plan to adopt a new primary mathematics curriculum resource, set to be implemented in the 2025-26 school year.

Dr. Ed Stevenson, director of instruction, and Deputy Superintendent Craig Gefeller presented the plan and explained how the state’s accelerated rollout of new math standards forced the division to revise its typical adoption process.