Potomac Local News

Published July 25, 2025 at 3:10PM

MANASSAS PARK, Va. — After months of construction delays and missed opening dates, Signal Bay Waterpark will finally welcome the public back today, Friday, July 25, for a long-awaited soft reopening — and admission is completely free on Friday.

The waterpark will open its gates from 4 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., marking the first time this summer that families can enjoy the popular destination in Manassas Park. The celebration comes after an extensive renovation project that began earlier this year and included the full replacement of the park’s central play structure, new spray features, and other safety upgrades.

Manassas

Fire Breaks Out at LIDL Grocery Store on Liberia Avenue

By Alan Gloss

Published July 25, 2025 at 2:57PM | Updated July 25, 2025 at 3:23PM

PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, Va. – Updated 3:23 p.m. A small fire broke out Friday afternoon at the LIDL grocery store on Liberia Avenue near Prince William Parkway, just outside the City of Manassas.

Prince William County Fire and Rescue spokesman Matt Smolsky said the fire was discovered by a shopper around 1:15 p.m. in the 9700 block of Liberia Avenue. Store management quickly evacuated the building and called 9-1-1.

Prince William

Court Ruling Draws Fire from Oak Valley HOA Over Ignored Citizen Input in Data Center Plan

By Uriah Kiser

Published July 25, 2025 at 2:30PM

Village Place Technology Park in Gainesville, approved by the Prince William Board of County Supervisors in 2022

GAINESIVILLE Va. – The Oak Valley Homeowners Association is sharply criticizing a Virginia Court of Appeals decision that upholds the Prince William Board of County Supervisors’ approval of a controversial land use amendment—despite what residents say was a deliberate disregard for public input.

The July 22, 2025, ruling stems from a lawsuit filed by Oak Valley HOA and neighboring property owners challenging the Board’s 2022 vote to adopt the Prince William Digital Gateway Comprehensive Plan Amendment (CPA). The amendment clears the way for thousands of acres in the county’s Rural Crescent to be developed into one of the largest data center corridors in the world, adjacent to Manassas National Battlefield Park.

Event

Afternoon Matinee Movie – Under the Tuscan Sun (at BlackRock Center For The Arts)

May 31, 2026 2:45 pm -6:00 pm

BlackRock Center For The Arts

12901 Town Commons Dr

Germantown, Maryland 20874

Website Contact Social

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

Prince William

Feds Find Prince William Schools in Violation of Title IX Over Gender Identity Policies

By Uriah Kiser

Published July 25, 2025 at 2:08PM | Updated August 15, 2025 at 2:02PM

The Prince William County School Board 2024 to 2027. Top left to right: Erica Tredinnick, Justin Wilk, Dr. Babur Lateef, Lisa Zarapur, Tracy Blake. Bottom row: Jennifer Wall, Richard Jessie, Loree Williams. [Photo: Prince William County Public Schools]

PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, Va. – Governor Glenn Youngkin announced today that the U.S. Department of Education has determined that Prince William County Public Schools (PWCS) is among five Northern Virginia school divisions found to be in violation of Title IX, a federal civil rights law, due to policies allowing students to access restrooms and participate in sports based on gender identity.

In a press release, Youngkin said the school divisions—Fairfax, Loudoun, Arlington, Prince William, and the City of Alexandria—“have been violating federal law, deliberately neglecting their responsibility to protect students’ safety, privacy and dignity, and ignoring parents’ rights.”

Manassas

Police Blotter: 2-Year-Old Was Found Alone in Woodbridge—Police Are Looking for His Mother

By Potomac Local News

Published July 25, 2025 at 1:15PM

WOODBRIDGE, Va. – Police are searching for a woman accused of leaving her 2-year-old son unattended outside a home on Dawson Beach Road. Officers responded to the home around 9:17 p.m. on July 23 after a child was found alone and in poor condition. Authorities say the boy’s mother, 37-year-old Alexandra Anna Granruth, had arranged for someone to look after the child earlier that afternoon but never returned.

When police tried to contact Granruth, she allegedly refused to come back. The child was not injured and was released to known parties. Warrants have been issued for Granruth, who is now wanted for felony child neglect.

Fredericksburg

Fredericksburg’s Summer Restaurant Week Kicks Off Friday (Today) —Here’s What to Expect

By Uriah Kiser

Published July 25, 2025 at 11:15AM

A view of Downtown Fredericksburg from above Hurkamp Park [Photo: Fredericksburg City]

Newcomers to this year’s lineup include Galvin’s Delicatessen, River’s End, FIVE Chophouse, and Tales & Tales Book Cafe—joining longtime favorites to offer everything from casual bites to upscale dining. The event is designed to highlight the city’s growing food scene while giving locals and visitors a chance to try something new at special prices.

Josh Summits, the city’s Director of Economic Development and Tourism, says the event is about more than just good food—it’s also a celebration of community and culinary creativity.

Obituaries

Obituary: Lillian Eleanor Frisch

By Jazbia Chaudhry

Published July 25, 2025 at 9:30AM

Lillian Eleanor Frisch, a devoted mother, organist, and lifelong volunteer, passed away peacefully on July 22, 2025, at age 89. Most recently, a resident of a memory care unit in Lake Ridge, Lillian was known for the warmth of her smile and the light she brought to those around her.

Born on June 3, 1936, in Queens, New York, to George and Elizabeth Twarosch, Lillian was the oldest of three children. She earned her teaching degree from Queens College and began her career as a second-grade teacher on Long Island. On July 26, 1959, she married her beloved husband, John Frisch. The couple was just days away from celebrating 66 years of marriage at the time of her passing.

Prince William

Dumfries Delays Vote to Name New Park After Luke and Clarice Torian

By Uriah Kiser

Published July 25, 2025 at 9:15AM | Updated July 29, 2025 at 1:47PM

Torian

DUMFRIES, Va. – A proposal to name a new public park after Delegate Luke Torian (D-24, Prince William County) and his wife, Clarice, was removed from the July 1, 2025, Dumfries Town Council agenda — delaying what many community members hoped would be a celebratory vote.

The park, which sits atop the town’s former landfill site, is part of a major transformation that’s turning more than 80 acres of reclaimed land into a public green space overlooking Quantico Creek. The site is adjacent to the Rose Gaming Resort and represents one of the most visible symbols of the town’s revitalization.

Weather

It’s a Sizzler Today—Temps Could Feel Like 109 Degrees

By Potomac Local News

Published July 25, 2025 at 8:00AM

MANASSAS, Va. – A heat advisory is in effect across Northern Virginia and the D.C. region today, with the National Weather Service warning that it could feel as hot as 109 degrees outside.

The advisory covers Prince William County, Manassas, Manassas Park, Stafford, Fredericksburg, and surrounding areas and will remain in place from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, July 25, 2025. Forecasters say actual temperatures will climb into the upper 90s, with high humidity pushing heat index values into dangerous territory.