Breaking News

STAFFORD, Va. – For the second time in less than a week, Stafford County students experienced a school lockdown.

Stafford High School went into lockdown twice this morning, beginning at approximately 9 a.m., due to a malfunctioning alarm. Deputies and school staff confirmed there was no active threat. The lockdowns were lifted, and regular activity resumed. Parents arriving at the school were directed to nearby Chichester Park.


Stafford

This fall, Stafford voters will head to the polls to elect their representatives in the Virginia House of Delegates. All 100 seats are on the ballot, including Stafford’s 23rd, 64th, and 65th districts. Potomac Local News continues to shine the Spotlight on our local elections, inviting all of the candidates from Districts 23, 64, and 65 to a virtual interview with the same five questions; their answers have been condensed into a series of articles.

The videos are available here.  This is the final article in our five-part series. 


Police Blotter

A woman in Manassas was targeted in a shooting where gunfire struck her home late last week, leading police to identify a suspect now wanted on multiple felony charges. Detectives say the suspect, a 35-year-old man with no fixed address, had sent multiple threats to the woman before firing several rounds into her Brandon Way residence on September 20. Fortunately, no one was injured.

Two separate assaults on police officers were reported—one involving a juvenile in Woodbridge on September 11, and another during a concert at Jiffy Lube Live in Bristow on September 19. In both cases, the suspects were reportedly intoxicated and became combative with officers.


Fredericksburg

A stretch of Fall Hill Avenue once dominated by doctors’ offices and hospital traffic is now poised for a new life as housing.

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Schools

“Start small” for now: what we know so far
In response to our inquiries, Sandra Osborn, a school spokeswoman, confirmed that Falls Run and Crow’s Nest elementary schools will open at reduced capacity, and Hartwood High will open without a senior class in its first year. She also shared new details about staffing and the teacher transfer process.

Key takeaways:


Neighborhood Notes

Kids Can Dive into Nature with ‘Splash into Water Science’ Class at Veterans Memorial Park

Dive into the amazing world of water! In this interactive class, kids will explore the water around the park to discover the creatures that call them home and the vital role water plays in our ecosystems.


Fredericksburg

FREDERICKSBURG, Va. – The city just finished installing new smart water meters in every home and business—saving money, cutting waste, and making life easier for residents.

On September 23, Fredericksburg held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the completion of Phase 1 of its Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) Project. The $4.5 million upgrade replaced nearly 8,800 aging water meters across the city with smart technology that automatically tracks water usage and helps detect leaks more quickly.


Press Release

To celebrate National Coffee Day, Sheetz is offering a free self-serve coffee with any purchase,  September 29 (National Coffee Day) through October 1, 2025.

Sheetz Bros. Coffee features four signature blends, ranging from light to dark roast, all freshly ground in-store. You must use the Sheetz app for the free National Coffee Day offer at www.sheetz.com/app.


Politics

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Rep. Suhas Subramanyam (D-Manassas, Prince William County) and Congresswoman María Elvira Salazar (R-Fla.) introduced bipartisan legislation to increase access to justice for survivors of child sexual abuse, assault, and trafficking. The Statutes of Limitations for Child Sexual Abuse Reform Act would incentivize states to eliminate civil and criminal statutes of limitations for child sexual abuse cases. The legislation authorizes $20 million in grants for states that implement these reforms and allow survivors to seek justice on their own terms and timeline.

Approximately 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 20 boys suffer child sexual abuse. Historically, nearly 90 percent of child victims never report their abuse to the authorities, and the majority of victims are unable to come forward and hold their abusers accountable due to expired claims. Many survivors don’t come forward until they are 50 years old or older, well beyond the expiration of the statute of limitations.