According to a concept plan document from 2024, the goal of the Innovation District — placed around the GMU SciTech Campus — is to connect jurisdictions and industry to create “lasting benefits for the community.”
“Serving as a catalyst, convener, connector, communicator and capacity-builder, the Innovation District will be a destination for ambitious minds to fuel lasting economic growth and well-being in the City of Manassas, Prince William County and beyond,” the document states.
Throughout a tight budget cycle, the Board was unsure if they would be able to fund a 5.5% salary increase due to budget constraints from both City Council and the Commonwealth. Many Board members had expressed a desire for a 7% salary increase to match other neighboring jurisdictions.
Prince William County Schools, for example, came to an agreement with the Prince William Education Association for a historic $160 million investment over a two-year period. This results in a 7% wage increase in fiscal year 2026.
MANASSAS PARK, Va. – The Manassas Park Governing Body is considering a new ordinance that would ban firearms in city-owned buildings, a move Vice Mayor Darryl Moore says is about protecting the public before tragedy strikes.
During a meeting on Tuesday, June 24, Moore introduced the proposal, which would prohibit residents and visitors from carrying firearms into facilities such as City Hall, the Community Center, the MAP Clinic, and the Planning Department office at Blooms Park.
MANASSAS, Va. – Historic Manassas, Inc. is preparing for a leadership change as Executive Director Kristen Kiefer steps down after two years of service that brought much-needed stability to the downtown revitalization nonprofit.
Kiefer, who was the third person to hold the position in a short span of time, helped steer the organization through a transitional period, following the departures of previous directors Debbie Haight and Laurel Howard. She was named interim director in April 2023 and officially took the helm that September. Her time as director was marked by the rebranding of the Manassas Farmers Market, expansion of downtown events, and a renewed strategic direction.
PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, Va. – A new episode of RV There Yet on the Discovery Channel is giving viewers a scenic and heartfelt tour through Prince William County, highlighting its natural beauty, rich history, and growing entertainment scene.
The episode, which aired Saturday, June 28, 2024, follows the show’s hosts as they explore several top destinations in the area. Their journey begins at Prince William Forest Park, where they meet Ranger Joshua Stringer and learn about the park’s origins as a 1930s New Deal project designed to give urban families access to the outdoors. The hosts hike, bike, and camp while discovering the area’s deep Native American and Civil War roots.
MANASSAS, Va. – Northern Virginia’s fireworks fans are in for a double dose of celebration this Independence Day, as both the City of Manassas and the City of Manassas Park host major events packed with parades, live entertainment, and fireworks shows.
In Historic Downtown Manassas, the fun kicks off Friday, July 4, 2025, at 3 p.m. Sponsored by Historic Manassas, Inc. and the City of Manassas, this free, family-friendly event promises an afternoon of games and rides for kids, face painting, 4th of July memorabilia, and food and craft vendors. Patriotic favorites like Uncle Sam and Lady Liberty will roam the crowd, while attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets and stake out a spot on the Manassas Museum Lawn and surrounding areas. The evening will close with one of the region’s best fireworks displays, launching at 9:15 p.m.
WOODBRIDGE, Va. – Brew Republic Bierwerks, a longtime fixture in the Stonebridge Town Center, will permanently close its doors after nearly nine years in business.
According to a message shared by the brewery, its landlord has terminated the lease, and with the high costs of relocating and ongoing challenges in the restaurant and brewery industries, the owners have decided not to reopen elsewhere. “This isn’t the opportunity-rich environment breweries had experienced in 2016 when we opened,” they wrote.
Warm, humid weather will give way to scattered thunderstorms this afternoon as a weak cold front drifts through the region, according to the National Weather Service.
Forecasters say the day will start mostly sunny with highs reaching the upper 80s to low 90s, but the combination of heat and moisture will create unstable conditions leading to thunderstorm development. Areas west of the Blue Ridge and into the Shenandoah Valley could see storms as early as noon, while the D.C. and Baltimore metro areas can expect storm chances between 2 and 8 p.m.
As we head into the July 4 holiday weekend, here’s what to know before you hit the road.
Heads up! VDOT will suspend many highway work zones and lift lane closures on interstates and other major roads starting at noon Thursday, July 3, through noon Monday, July 7. But here’s what’s happening before and after the break:
