Federal prosecutors have dropped a criminal charge against Henrry Villatoro Santos, a 24-year-old Dale City man once named by Trump administration officials as MS-13’s East Coast leader. Despite headlines and official statements, court records reveal no confirmation of a leadership role, and the charge was dropped without prejudice, meaning it could be refiled. Villatoro remains in custody.
In this episode of the Potomac Local News Podcast, we sit down with Rob Orrison, Manager of the Prince William County Historic Preservation Division, to talk about the Buckland Historic Center, also known as Buckland Mill—one of the county’s most historically rich and least-known treasures.
Located just off Route 29 near the Fauquier County line, Buckland was once a bustling mill town dating back to the 18th century. Today, it’s the focus of ongoing preservation efforts aimed at restoring its historic charm and opening it up to the public.
A small plane crashed Wednesday afternoon in a residential area of Spotsylvania County, marking the third major emergency response in the region this week.
Virginia State Police say the crash occurred around 3:08 p.m. in the 11000 block of Scarlett Oak Road, in the Chancellor area of the county, about six miles west of the Spotsylvania Towne Centre mall.
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
The Town of Dumfries is considering forming its own Economic Development Authority (EDA), a move that town leaders say would give them more flexibility and control over how to attract, retain, and grow businesses within the town’s borders.
At its April 1, 2025 meeting, the Town Council received a detailed presentation outlining the authority and potential benefits of creating an EDA under the Virginia Industrial Development and Revenue Bond Act, passed by the state legislature in 1966. The act allows localities to establish Economic or Industrial Development Authorities (EDAs or IDAs) as separate legal entities to facilitate economic development.
A federal grand jury has indicted a Woodbridge man on charges of obstructing the Internal Revenue Service and willfully failing to file tax returns over multiple years, federal prosecutors announced Tuesday.
According to the indictment returned in Alexandria on April 8, Omini Tete Riman, an information technology specialist, is accused of filing false tax returns and later taking steps to hinder the IRS from collecting nearly $400,000 in refunds he allegedly obtained under false pretenses.
Stafford County’s George L. Gordon, Jr. Government Center is set to undergo major renovations following a unanimous vote by the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday.
The $1 million project will expand and modernize the building’s main lobby and make critical upgrades to the Board of Supervisors’ meeting chambers. The Board approved a work order with Centennial Contractors Enterprises, Inc. to carry out the renovations, which are expected to take about eight months and conclude by the end of the year.
The Manassas City School Board has voted 5-2 against allowing collective bargaining for its employees, following a lengthy presentation and passionate discussion during its April 8, 2025, meeting. The decision came after board members weighed financial considerations and community feedback, including from Manassas City Councilwoman Sonia Vazquez Luna, a union leader who voiced her support for the proposal.
The vote on Resolution R2025-03 was preceded by an in-depth presentation from Associate Superintendent John Gefeller, who outlined the fiscal and operational implications of adopting collective bargaining. Gefeller explained that if approved, the school division would need to add six full-time positions, including a chief negotiating officer, chief legal officer, labor relations coordinator, labor specialist, budget analyst/payroll specialist, and administrative assistant.
Three young men are dead, and four others — including three juveniles — now face charges following a violent shooting tied to an illegal gun sale and robbery in Spotsylvania County.
The Spotsylvania County Sheriff’s Office announced today that investigators have charged four individuals with Malicious Wounding, Use of a Firearm in the Commission of a Felony, and Unlawful Assembly. The suspects include two 16-year-olds, a 17-year-old, and 18-year-old Jeremiah Upson, whose photo was released by the Sheriff’s Office. One of the 16-year-olds is currently being treated at a local hospital for a gunshot wound and will be taken into custody upon discharge.
Manassas is working on a major maintenance project at Harris Pavilion, a well-known community hub in downtown Manassas.
Originally scheduled to begin in March 2025, the renovation to replace leaking coolant pipes beneath the 23-year-old pavilion’s concrete surface has been delayed. The delay stems from uncertainties in the delivery timeline of construction materials—some of which are made outside of the U.S., notes a press release.
