Stafford

Stafford supervisors will study whether to accept three acres of land from the Autumn Ridge Homeowners Association that could expand Autumn Ridge Park and make way for new amenities, including a long-sought dog park.

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Prince William

GAINESVILLE, Va. – Families at The Goddard School of Gainesville (Haymarket) collected 436 food items for the Haymarket Regional Food Pantry.

The donations came from families and staff at the preschool and will go to support individuals and families in Haymarket, Gainesville, and surrounding communities.


Fredericksburg

The Fredericksburg City School Board has selected Elizabeth Rehm to temporarily fill the Ward 3 seat left open after Jennifer Boyd resigned on Sept. 8, 2025, when she moved out of the city.

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Event

Join us for a delightful Sunday afternoon at the BlackRock Center for the Arts as Cruise Planners Beth & Rod present a special travel-inspired matinee featuring the beloved film Under the Tuscan Sun.

Date & Time: Sunday, May 31 | 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM


Manassas

MANASSAS, Va. – Get ready for laughs, ghosts, and plenty of spooky fun—ARTfactory’s Pied Piper Theatre is staging Beetlejuice Jr. at Metz Middle School from October 10–12, 2025.

The show, based on the Broadway hit and Tim Burton’s cult classic film, follows Lydia Deetz, a teenager who teams up with a mischievous ghost to shake up the afterlife. Directed by Ahryel Tinker, the production features more than 40 young actors from the area.


Neighborhood Notes

🎶 FREE Bluegrass Festival This Saturday in Brentsville!

Just a quick reminder that we are just seven days out from the Brentsville Bluegrass Festival. Enjoy a beautiful fall day next Saturday from noon to 6 p.m. at the historic Brentsville Courthouse Historic Centre. There will be food vendors, games, and, of course, bluegrass music!


News

Stafford County Schools are equipped with multiple lockdown activation points that allow staff to immediately secure a campus in the event of a potential threat. When triggered, these points activate alarms throughout the school and simultaneously notify both Stafford Schools’ Safety and Security personnel and local law enforcement.

The activation was quickly confirmed by the on-duty School Resource Officer at Mountain View High School, who responded to the auxiliary gym after receiving unclear school radio traffic referencing that location. A large-scale law enforcement response followed, including members of the Stafford Sheriff’s Office SWAT Team who were still on duty after an unrelated earlier operation. Other law enforcement agencies with ties to the school also chose to respond to assist.


Police Blotter

NORTH STAFFORD, Va. – A standoff in the Garrison Woods subdivision ended late Friday night with the arrest of a wanted woman and a second man who was also wanted out of Fairfax County.

Deputies spotted a 33-year-old woman in the kitchen of a home during a routine foot patrol around 10:42 p.m. When deputies tried to make contact, she allegedly turned off the lights and ignored commands to surrender. Three men inside complied and exited, but the woman continued to shout obscenities at law enforcement.


Prince William

GAINESVILLE, Va.  – MercyFest is almost here, and this is your last chance to get tickets at $15 online before prices go up. It’s happening Saturday, September 27, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at House of Mercy, 8170 Flannery Court, Manassas, and it’s shaping up to be a massive day of food, fun, and community.

MercyFest is the annual fundraiser put on by House of Mercy, a nonprofit that helps families across Northern Virginia with its food pantry, thrift store, and donation center. It serves over 100 families every day, and last year provided groceries, clothing, and other basics to thousands—impacting more than 50 zip codes in the region.


Police Blotter

MANASSAS, Va. – A suspicious death on the 8800 block of Liberia Avenue in Manassas led to a heavy police presence on Monday. Authorities began their investigation shortly before noon and later confirmed the Medical Examiner’s Office is working to determine the cause of death.

Police say there is no immediate threat to the community, and the area has since been cleared. Details about the individual involved or the circumstances surrounding the death have not been released. The investigation remains ongoing.