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Vaccine mandate issued after School Board orders meeting room cleared

By Uriah Kiser
Residents kicked out of a Prince William County School Board meeting call elected members "tyrants" working to silence public opinion.

The school superintendent announced that the more than 11,000 teachers and employees of the Prince William County Public School division must get a coronavirus vaccination or submit to weekly testing. 

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A new savings account could help fund growth near Stafford Regional Airport

By Rick Horner
Stafford Regional Airport Terminal [Photo: Rick Horner]

The Stafford County Board of Supervisors will consider creating an Economic Infrastructure Fund that will secure future funds for infrastructure improvements along Centreport Parkway, near the Stafford Regional Airport.

Conceptually, the fund would be used as a savings account that would use a portion of the county's tax revenue to support future growth and development in the area where a new 200,000 square foot Amazon fulfillment center will open. 

The new center is expected to create at least 100 full and part-time associate jobs and potentially hundreds of driver opportunities.

The Centreport area has long been targeted by the county's Community and Economic Development Committee as an area with potential for both industrial and distribution businesses. 

According to county documents, the fund model is based on the use of future tax revenues as opposed to other options such as Community Development Authorities, which raise funds through additional taxes.

Such authorities, as well as proffers, are considered to be examples of bad incentives when trying to attract new private investment.

While the county considers the current infrastructure in the Centreport area adequate to support real estate and personal property, the committee realizes that it may be overwhelmed by potential economic development.

According to county officials, the main concerns would be stress on roads and other infrastructure by increased commuter travel and the presence of new residents in the area. They say the savings account could allow the county to use tax revenue for such infrastructure projects as roads, water, sewer, fiber, and other infrastructure needs.

The economic development committee plans to present the fund concept at a future meeting of the county's board of supervisors. The committee meets monthly inside the county Government Center on the first Tuesday of each month.

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Stafford at a crossroads with Belmont-Ferry Farm Trail

By Rick Horner

The Stafford County Infrastructure Committee has a choice to make regarding the Belmont-Ferry Farm Trail system's final phase.

Since 2019, the committee has been working towards completing the sixth and final phase of the project, which would add to the already two-and-a-half long trail from Route 3 at River Road and end at the Ferry Farm Shopping Center in the George Washington District.

However, the county has run into complications from topography issues, land acquisition, and the Virginia Department of Transportation approvals that may be difficult to achieve.

If the county decides to move forward with the construction of the trail segment, the expectation from VDOT would be to begin the effort by the end of 2020. 

The first option would be to construct the trail and align it along Old Dairy Lane to the CSX railway tunnel along Naomi Road. The trail would cross Route 3 at Jett Drive from Naomi, running along the north side of Route 3 and ultimately ending at the Ferry Farm Shopping Center.

Should the county make this decision, it would require $775,340 in additional costs to the project, that funding is expected to come from the Federal Transportation Alternatives Program. 

Known also as TAP, this program came about with the signing of the Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act by then-President Barack Obama in December 2015. The county's application for funding with the program is currently under review with the Federal Highway Administration.

The other option would be to cancel the project and repay $130,000 to the program.

The decision is expected to be taken up at the next Stafford County Board of Supervisors meeting as new business on September 21.

When complete, the Belmont-Ferry Farm trail, linking the historic Belmont Plantation with the President George Washington boyhood home, will provide residents and visitors with more than two miles of paved hiking trail through southern Stafford County.

The trail cuts through the Historic Port of Falmouth Park, a popular swimming hole on the Rappahannock River. 

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Transit agency offers prizes for those who go car-free, work from home

By Press Release

OmniRide, in partnership with Commuter Connections, is asking residents to pledge to be car-free on September 22, 2021. On this day, the agency would like residents to forgo commuting alone by car and instead choose to either use public transportation, carpool or vanpool, bike, walk, or telework from home.

Car Free Day is a worldwide event that encourages greener methods of travel. Commuter Connections hosts Car Free Day in the Washington, D.C. region to bring awareness to the benefits of travel options such as transit, bicycling, and walking; and also telework for people who can work from home.

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Shops to stay open later to kick off Christmas shopping season

By Potomac Local News
Occoquan

The Occoquan Business Guild says stores will be open later than usual this fall to help you kick off your Christmas shopping.

The Occoquan Business Partners have launched a new event, Shop Late in Occoquan, taking place four Saturdays this fall—September 18, October 30, November 20, and December 11.

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Report: Virginia is 10th most vaccinated state

By Potomac Local News
A Prince William County Public Schools teacher receives a coronavirus vaccination at Unity Reed High School outside Manassas. [Uriah Kiser/PLN]

By Tyler Arnold | The Center Square

Virginia is the 10th most vaccinated state when considering vaccines for a variety of diseases, according to a report published by the financial website WalletHub.

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Prince William

More than 1,000 served by county’s small business program

By Press Release

Prince William County Department of Development Services is celebrating its Small Business Project Management Program, a Board of County Supervisors initiative to support small business owners, startups, and entrepreneurs, which has surpassed 1,000 customers, marking an important milestone for the program.

From healthcare services and professional collaborations to restaurants and specialty stores, these entrepreneurs, startups, and small businesses have continued to innovate and to help their customers adapt to the next normal.

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