Originals - Page 94 of 431 - Potomac Local News

Stone challenges Delegate Danica Roem in Prince William

Published April 12, 2021 at 3:56PM | Updated June 30, 2022 at 12:15AM

Stone

This one’s for the people who really care about local news. Locals Only members get deeper reporting, more context, and fewer shortcuts. Think that’s you? 👉 Join Locals Only Already a member? Sign in

This one’s for the people who really care about local news.

Locals Only members get deeper reporting, more context, and fewer shortcuts.

Think that’s you?
👉 Join Locals Only
Already a member? Sign in

Manassas railway festival to bring return of in-person events

By Rick Horner

Published April 12, 2021 at 2:25PM | Updated April 12, 2021 at 5:09PM

The Manassas Railway Heritage Festival is coming down the tracks this year.

This year’s event will mark the 26th time the festival has been held in the city, which celebrates the history of the railroads. The festival will include model train displays, memorabilia, specialty vendors, as well as live performances.

Manassas Park names new schools superintendent

By Potomac Local News

Published April 9, 2021 at 3:27PM | Updated June 30, 2022 at 12:16AM

Saunders

Dr. Melissa Saunders was appointed as the next superintendent of Manassas Park City Schools at tonight’s school board meeting.

This one’s for the people who really care about local news.

Locals Only members get deeper reporting, more context, and fewer shortcuts.

Think that’s you?
👉 Join Locals Only
Already a member? Sign in

Turn lanes not required for new Muslim cemetery in North Stafford

By Rick Horner

Published April 9, 2021 at 2:58PM | Updated April 9, 2021 at 3:38PM

A new cemetery to be built on Garrisonville Road won't have turn lanes into the property.

Original plans for the All Muslim Association of America cemetery slated to go in just west of Joshua Road included installing turn lanes onto Garrisonville Road's property.

Turn lanes are usually required by county ordinance whenever land is being developed on a high-traffic street. But the Stafford County Board of Supervisors recently voted to grant a waiver to the Muslim association that would relieve them of paying for the addition of those turn lanes.

According to information from Stafford County, the decision to grant relief was made based on research that showed that such turn lanes may be unnecessary due to the lack of traffic the cemetery may get.

Stafford reviewed data provided by the Institute of Transportation Engineers via their Trip Generation Manual. According to that data, while a typical cemetery generates 181 vehicles per day, this may not be the case for the new cemetery.

Observations made at the Muslim association's existing cemetery on Brooke Road in Stafford County, about 15 miles from where the new cemetery will go, found about 20 vehicles per day visit that cemetery.

Due to that information, the board voted 5-0 to not require the turn lanes.

The cemetery development has been a constant source of controversy for the county since 2015 when the association bought the land. Since then, the association had to deal with changes in ordinances that stymied the cemetery development and led to lawsuits filed by the association and the U.S. Department of Justice against Stafford County.

That lawsuit between Stafford County and the Muslim Association of America is ongoing.

Haymarket police chief, town part ways. Former mayor disputes reasons for dismissal

By Rick Horner

Published April 9, 2021 at 2:47PM | Updated June 30, 2022 at 12:16AM

Lands

In a press release, Haymarket officials said they accepted the resignation of Police Chief Kevin Lands.

This one’s for the people who really care about local news.

Locals Only members get deeper reporting, more context, and fewer shortcuts.

Think that’s you?
👉 Join Locals Only
Already a member? Sign in

Stafford kills move to rename Route 1 after fallen Virginia State Trooper

By Rick Horner

Published April 9, 2021 at 1:57PM | Updated June 30, 2022 at 12:16AM

The Stafford County Board of Supervisors voted 5-2 to not pursue naming the county's portion of Route 1 after fallen Virginia State Trooper Jessica Cheney.

The Board of Supervisors was going to request the Virginia State Superintendent Gary T. Settle petition the Commonwealth Transportation Board in Richmond to advocate renaming the road in Cheney's honor. However, a vote to table the issue was presented by Garrisonville District Supervisor Mark Dudenhefer, stopping the renaming in its tracks.

Cheney gave her life in the service of Virginians. At 23, only two years after becoming a trooper, a car collided with Cheney at a work zone on Route 1 at the Stafford Courthouse on January 17, 1998. The county had considered renaming the four-lane road after Cheney in response to a bill by Rep. Joshua Cole (D-Stafford, Fredericksburg), passed into law by Gov. Ralph Northam, to rename the roadway from Jefferson Davis Highway, which honors the president of the confederacy. Portions of Route 1 that have not already been renamed, or jurisdictions that don't petition the state for their own name, will have their portion of the road automatically named Emancipation Highway.

During Tuesday's Board of Supervisors meeting, residents took to the podium to voice their opinions regarding the renaming of Route 1 after Jefferson Davis, saying they agreed with renaming the highway, but none could agree on what to rename the road.

Those who spoke in favor of naming the road after Cheney touted her accomplishments as the first woman to become a member of the Virginia State Trooper and wanting to honor her memory.

Some residents however were against renaming the section of Route 1 after Trooper Cheney citing the recent actions of police last year during the summer protests done in the name of Minneapolis resident George Floyd who had died while under arrest due to a knee pressed against the back of his neck by former Minneapolis police officer Officer Derek Chauvin, who is now on trial for Floyd's death.

They mentioned that the trooper already has an overpass bridge that was named in her honor in 1999. The overpass carries traffic on Route 610 over Interstate 95.

Rock Hill District Supervisor Crystal Vanuch started the push to rename Route 1 after Cheney in March.

The County still has until 2022 to choose a new name Route 1. Initially, the Board floated the name Richmond Highway, which has already been adopted by Prince William and Fairfax counties.