WOODBRIDGE, Va. – The National Weather Service has issued a Severe Thunderstorm Watch for much of Northern Virginia, in effect until 10 p.m. Friday, May 16, 2025.
Areas included in the watch are Prince William, Stafford, Fairfax, Fauquier, Culpeper, Loudoun, Frederick, and surrounding counties, along with the cities of Manassas, Manassas Park, Alexandria, Falls Church, Fairfax, and Winchester, according to the National Weather Service.
SPOTSYLVANIA, Va. – Hundreds of community members, business leaders, and state officials packed into the Village at Spotsylvania Towne Centre today to celebrate the official ribbon-cutting for Success Space, a new co-working hub offering workspace, business coaching, and a café.
Dr. Fallon Hutcherson and Felicia Minor-Caliste, co-owners of Virginia’s first Success Space, thanked the crowd for their two-and-a-half years of support that helped bring their vision to life. “Even with us, we didn’t do it alone,” they told attendees, acknowledging family, friends, and community members who stood by them throughout the process.
PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, Va. – A new 28,000-square-foot event venue in Manassas is preparing to open its doors to the community this weekend.
Magnoliya Grand, located at 6991 Infantry Ridge Road near the Northern Virginia Community College Manassas Campus, will hold its Grand Opening and Open House on Sunday, May 18, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event will include an opening ceremony at 11 a.m., live performances from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., and an open house from 1 to 4 p.m., according to the venue’s announcement.
FREDERICKSBURG, Va. – Health officials have confirmed a raccoon found near the 7000 block of Stubbs Bridge Road in Spotsylvania County tested positive for rabies, according to the Rappahannock Area Health District.
Anyone who may have had contact with the animal is urged to seek medical care right away and contact the Spotsylvania County Health Department at 540-507-7386. Pet owners concerned their animal may have been exposed should call their veterinarian and contact either the Health Department or Spotsylvania County Animal Control at 540-507-7549.
DOSWELL, Va. – Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative (NOVEC) lineworkers are among hundreds of utility professionals heading to Meadow Event Park this weekend for the 21st annual Gaff-n-Go Rodeo, one of the largest events of its kind in the U.S.
According to the Virginia, Maryland & Delaware Association of Electric Cooperatives, which hosts the event, this year’s rodeo will feature more than 350 competitors from 12 states — including teams from as far away as Hawaii — making it the biggest turnout in event history. NOVEC crews will join linemen from across the region to showcase their safety skills, speed, and teamwork in events that simulate real-life challenges, including pole-top rescues and equipment operations.
DUMFRIES, Va. – In the 1984 movie Footloose, a small town famously banned dancing, sparking pushback from teens who just wanted to have fun. This week in Dumfries, a similar debate surfaced over whether the small town is going too far with proposed new rules for music festivals.
During its May 6, 2025, meeting, the Dumfries Town Council held a public hearing on a proposal to revise the town’s Musical and Entertainment Festivals Ordinance. Among the proposed changes is a requirement that anyone under 18 be accompanied by an adult at outdoor concerts and festivals.
The updated policy, Policy 7205 – Access to Division Transportation Services, now allows not only bus drivers but also bus attendants to bring their minor child or grandchild on board during their assigned routes. This change, approved as part of the Board’s consent agenda, builds on the previous rule that limited this option to preschool-aged children of bus drivers only.
What’s Changing?
RICHMOND, Va. – Prince William County Public Schools (PWCS) students have once again claimed top honors at the 47th Annual Model Judiciary Program Supreme Court Round, marking their third consecutive victory at the state level.
According to a PWCS release, Battlefield High School students Anandya Sampath, a senior, and Sakshi Gowda, a sophomore, were named overall winners after presenting appellate arguments before justices from the Virginia Supreme Court and Court of Appeals. Their performance topped the competition, which simulates real court proceedings.
FAIRFAX, Va. – More than 7,500 Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) students were celebrated this week during one of the college’s largest-ever commencements.
Held May 12 at George Mason University’s EagleBank Arena, the graduation ceremony drew over 1,600 graduates and more than 5,000 guests. The crowd was so big that overflow seating and a livestream were set up in a nearby concert hall, according to a release from the college.
