News

Traffic Deaths in Virginia Are Up 29% Since 2014

By Potomac Local News

A new report says Virginia traffic deaths are up 29% over the past decade, despite a recent drop in fatalities since 2021. Released by TRIP, a national transportation research nonprofit, the report details both the human toll and financial cost of crashes in the state—estimated at $35 billion in 2024 alone.

The study highlights a troubling rise in pedestrian, cyclist, and motorcyclist deaths nationwide, and notes that although Virginia saw a 6% decline in fatalities from 2021 to 2024, the longer-term trend is still heading in the wrong direction. Between 2014 and 2024, the state’s fatality rate per 100 million vehicle miles traveled increased by 23%.

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Features

All American Steakhouse Opens in Manassas Park’s Park Central, Bringing Flavor to Downtown Revitalization

By Potomac Local News

By Michael Whitlock

MANASSAS PARK, Va. – The long-awaited All American Steakhouse opened its doors to the public today at Park Central Plaza, marking another milestone in the transformation of Manassas Park’s downtown.

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Manassas

VRE Proposes 5% Fare Hike for FY2027 Amid Rising Costs and Slower Ridership Recovery

By Uriah Kiser
A Virginia Railway Express train pulls into the Fredericksburg train station. [Photo: Uriah Kiser/PLN]

The VRE Operations Board is expected to review the proposal in September 2025 as part of the draft FY2027 budget. The plan would trigger a public participation process in fall 2025 before any final vote.

Current Fares and Impact

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Fredericksburg

Dynamic Foot and Ankle Center Celebrates 5 Years in Fredericksburg, 10 Years in Virginia

By Uriah Kiser

The practice is celebrating 10 years of serving patients across Virginia and five years at its Fredericksburg-area office, located on Lafayette Boulevard in Spotsylvania County. Founder Dr. Danielle VonDerLinden shared that her team has helped more than 16,000 patients over the past decade — totaling nearly 60,000 visits. “We think of our mission — exceeding our patients’ expectations when they choose us to be part of their health care team,” she said during the ceremony.

In a Facebook video, Chamber President and CEO Susan Spears praised the clinic for opening its Fredericksburg office in 2020 — during the height of the pandemic — and continuing to grow. “They are doing fantastic work helping our community with all needs, foot and ankle,” she said.

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Fredericksburg

Widening of Route 2/17 in Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania Aims to Ease Traffic, Improve Safety by 2029

By Uriah Kiser
Route 2/17 (Dixon Street) near Dixon Park in Fredericksburg, where VDOT plans to widen the road to four lanes and add a shared-use path as part of a $70.6 million improvement project. [Photo: VDOT]

The proposed $70.6 million project would expand Dixon Street (Route 2) and Tidewater Trail (Route 17) from two to four lanes between Dixon Park and Imboden Street, just south of Shannon Airport. Funded through Virginia’s SMART SCALE program and local contributions, the project combines two separate applications from Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania into one construction contract.

What’s included in the project?

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Prince William

VEA Imposes Emergency Trusteeship on Prince William Education Association

By Potomac Local News
[Photo: Prince William Education Association Facebook page]

In a letter sent July 21 to PWEA members, VEA President Carol Bauer wrote that the state union had found “gross financial mismanagement,” including altered board minutes meant to obscure the absence of authorized spending controls. VEA claimed PWEA officers ignored financial rules, failed to document expenditures properly, and reimbursed each other without proper oversight.

“You deserve the truth,” Bauer told members in the letter, promising to rebuild PWEA into “the strong, honest union you deserve.”

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Schools

Three Candidates Enter Garrisonville School Board Race, Promising Parental Voice and Accountability

By Uriah Kiser
Blackwell, Siegmund, Mojica

STAFFORD, Va. – Three candidates are running for the Garrisonville District seat on the Stafford County School Board, setting up a closely watched contest centered on transparency, parent engagement, and education priorities.

Maureen Siegmund, the incumbent and current chairwoman of the School Board, will seek re-election to a second term. She faces a rematch with Wanda Blackwell, who lost to Siegmund in 2021 by just 41 votes, and Stephanie Mojica, a first-time candidate and Stafford County mother of three.

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News

AstraZeneca to Build Massive Drug Manufacturing Facility in Virginia, But Where?

By Potomac Local News
SimVentions President Joe Claire and Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) in Stafford County.

AstraZeneca, a global pharmaceutical giant, has chosen Virginia for its largest-ever single manufacturing investment—but officials have yet to say exactly where in the state the facility will be built.

Governor Glenn Youngkin announced the project alongside company CEO Pascal Soriot, calling the multi-billion dollar facility a “cornerstone” of AstraZeneca’s $50 billion U.S. expansion plan. The company says the Virginia facility will be powered by AI, automation, and data analytics, focusing on treatments for cancer, heart and respiratory diseases, and rare conditions.

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Prince William

‘Merry Christmas’ and Three Minutes of Fury: The Lasting Legacy of Bob Weir

By Potomac Local News
"In true Bob Weir fashion — serious about policy, not about posing. This light-hearted snapshot was taken during official portrait day, capturing Supervisor Weir’s trademark wit and unapologetic style.

GAINESVILLE, Va. – Bob Weir, the Gainesville District Supervisor on the Prince William County Board of Supervisors and a longtime fixture in local politics, died July 20, 2025, after a short but aggressive battle with colon cancer. He was 62.

Weir was known across Prince William County not just for his deep policy knowledge and procedural rigor, but for his fiery style, unfiltered commentary, and devotion to public service. State Senator Danica Roem, who covered Weir during her years as a journalist before entering politics, described him as “a curmudgeon in the most loving sense of the word.”

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