Calls for service to the Manassas City Police Department (MCPD) have decreased in recent months as traffic stops and enforcement citations have increased in 2025, a recent presentation to City Council shows.
Chief of Police Douglas Keen presented crime data for the city from January to June 2025 in an effort to “push back and fight incorrect information” from social media, he said.
Each year, the school calendar creeps earlier into August, cutting short a season that was once sacred in childhood: summer. I’m writing to express my concern that we’re trading sun-soaked afternoons, family vacations, and outdoor adventures for fluorescent lights, digital screens, and prematurely scheduled tests.
Not long ago, most schools in Virginia started after Labor Day. This gave kids the full summer—June, July, and August—with time to rest, travel, play, and just be kids. Today, schools in our area begin as early as August 12, while it’s still hot, bright, and perfect for swimming, hiking, and being outside. Why are we rushing children back into classrooms when summer is still in full swing?
The pilot funding request was approved unanimously by the MCPS School Board on May 13 and needed to be formally approved by City Council. The Board requested $2 million from its fund balance be used to get the program off the ground.
Council’s approval of this funding went hand-in-hand with its approval of the Board’s purchase of 8700 Centreville Road, where the program would be housed along with the district’s Central Office staff and operations.
Prince William County officials recently unveiled a new beautification project in the Potomac District, focused on the area known as the Southern Gateway—stretching from Marine Corps Base Quantico through the Town of Quantico and north toward Dumfries.
North Potomac District Supervisor Andrea Bailey, who serves as vice chair of the Board of County Supervisors, announced the project in a recent video, highlighting its emphasis on native landscaping, environmental awareness, and community pride.
BRISTOW, Va. – The folks at Celebree School of Bristow just told Potomac Local News they’re giving away free backpacks to help local families gear up for the school year.
On Saturday, August 16, from 10 a.m. to noon, you can stop by their campus at 10368 Bristow Center Drive to pick up a brand-new backpack—no registration, no cost, and no strings attached. It’s first-come, first-served, and one backpack per child while supplies last.
The event, held in the parking lot of Target at Stafford Marketplace, featured music, giveaways, children’s book readings, and the collection of filled Empower Packs—backpacks stocked with school supplies for students in need.
SCOUT, which stands for Strengthening Community through Outreach, Understanding, and Trust, was unveiled at 9 a.m. to applause and chants of “Roll out SCOUT!” led by School Board Chair Maureen Siegmund. The vehicle is designed to bring educational resources, enrollment help, wellness information, and support services directly into neighborhoods across Stafford County.
STAFFORD, Va. – The folks at Stafford County’s Capital Projects department just let Potomac Local News know they’re holding a design public hearing on a project that could ease traffic at a key local intersection.
The Poplar Road and Truslow Road Intersection Improvement Project aims to widen Poplar Road and add new turning lanes at its intersection with Truslow and Robeli Farms roads. The hearing happens Wednesday, August 13, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Stafford High School, 63 Stafford Indians Lane in Fredericksburg.
