Potomac Local News

Published July 23, 2026 at 7:54AM

As part of the ongoing Rappahannock Canal Trailway Improvement Project, the Canal Path will be temporarily closed Thursday, July 23, from Washington Avenue to U.S. Route 1, including Higgins Bridge on Dale Street, to allow crews to complete milling and paving after recent vegetation removal, the City of Fredericksburg announced. The work was rescheduled from the previously planned July 30-31 dates, and the detour will follow the same route used in earlier closures, with an extended path to Washington Avenue.

Crews expect to finish Thursday, though weather delays could push the closure into Friday, July 24. The temporary shutdown supports continued improvements aimed at enhancing safety and accessibility along the popular Fredericksburg trail.

Stafford

Bus Driver Charged in Deadly Stafford Crash Granted Bond, Release Hinges on Second Hearing

By Uriah Kiser

Published July 23, 2026 at 7:48AM

The bus driver facing five involuntary manslaughter charges in the deadly May 29 crash on Interstate 95 in Stafford County was granted $25,000 secure bond on three of the counts Wednesday, but cannot be released until a second court weighs in, WTOP reported. Stafford County Circuit Court Judge Charles Clark ordered Jing Sheng Dong, who lives on Staten Island, to remain under house arrest in Virginia, surrender his U.S. and Chinese passports plus driver’s licenses, avoid alcohol or drugs, and have no contact with crash victims or their families.

Dong was driving a charter bus from New York to North Carolina when it struck a line of slowing vehicles in a construction zone near Marine Corps Base Quantico around 2:30 a.m. A bond hearing in General District Court on the remaining two charges could be scheduled as early as this week, with the trial currently set for Oct. 6.

Police Blotter

Police Blotter: Firearm Incident, Tow Truck Driver Arrested

By Uriah Kiser

Published July 23, 2026 at 7:45AM

Photo: Scott Rodgerson / Unsplash

Stafford County deputies also investigated two fraud reports involving unauthorized transactions and identity theft, plus a vehicle vandalism call. In Fredericksburg, officers arrested a tow truck driver on multiple charges after a traffic stop, including providing false identification and outstanding warrants from Stafford County.

Here is the daily police blotter roundup of incidents reported by local agencies.

Event

Dialogue for Democracy

November 3, 2026 1:00 pm -5:30 pm

Event location

George Mason University, Buchanan Hall

4379 Mason Pond Drive

Fairfax, Virginia 22030

Add to Calendar

High school students from across the Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia (DMV) region are invited to participate in Dialogue for Democracy at George Mason University!

Hosted by the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution, this event offers high school students an opportunity to engage in meaningful conversations about democracy, civic engagement, and the importance of understanding different perspectives.

Features

Haymarket Author Signs Book Saturday

By Uriah Kiser

Published July 23, 2026 at 7:00AM

A Haymarket author will sign copies of his new book about the St. Louis Cardinals’ first World Series championship from 4 to 7 p.m. Saturday at Aroma II Wine, 14871 Washington St. in Haymarket.

Terry Lemons’ “The Year St. Louis Became a Baseball Town: The Cardinals, Babe Ruth, & The 1926 World Series” was published June 9 by Arcadia Publishing’s The History Press. The 192-page book examines how the Cardinals’ 1926 upset of Babe Ruth’s New York Yankees and the celebrations, radio broadcasts, and fan energy that followed turned St. Louis into a lasting baseball town. Lemons, a St. Louis native who later worked as a White House reporter and spent 25 years leading communications for the Internal Revenue Service in Washington, said the championship created traditions still felt today.

Police Blotter

Police Blotter: Murder Arrest, Trooper Injured in Pursuit

By Uriah Kiser

Published July 22, 2026 at 1:40PM

France

A 19-year-old Manassas man was arrested Tuesday on felony murder and related charges in connection with a June shooting death, while a Virginia State Police trooper suffered minor injuries early Wednesday in a high-speed pursuit involving a stolen vehicle that ended with a crash in Prince William County.

Prince William County police also investigated two separate brandishing incidents in Woodbridge in which a man displayed a firearm and, in one case, claimed to be a police officer.

Prince William

7-1 vote clears path to demolish Bennett School for Judicial Center expansion

By Uriah Kiser

Published July 22, 2026 at 10:21AM

Bennett School at the Prince William County Judicial Center campus in Manassas. County staff on Sept. 9 said memorialization concepts, including possible imagery on the planned parking garage, will go to a public meeting targeted for November. Photo: Potomac Local News

The Prince William Board of County Supervisors on July 21 approved moving forward with Judicial Center expansion plans that include demolition of the long-vacant Bennett School while directing consultants to study memorialization options, voting 7-1 with Gainesville District Supervisor George Stewart dissenting.

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Manassas Park

Manassas Park Main Phone Lines Temporarily Offline Midday Wednesday

By Uriah Kiser

Published July 22, 2026 at 8:26AM

“The City of Manassas Park’s main phone lines will be temporarily unavailable today from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. as we transition to a new phone system,” the City of Manassas Park reported on Facebook. Residents needing assistance during that window should email Customer Service at [email protected]; emergency and public safety lines will remain fully operational.

The brief outage affects only administrative lines as the Northern Virginia city upgrades its system, with officials thanking residents for their patience during the transition.

Fredericksburg

Bailey Resigns from City School Board Two Weeks After Opposing Audit Agreement Vote

By Uriah Kiser

Published July 22, 2026 at 8:20AM

Jarvis E. Bailey’s resignation from the Fredericksburg City School Board comes roughly two weeks after the board split 4-2 on July 6 over whether to ratify a special engagement agreement that former chair Matt Rowe had signed with RFC consultants in October 2025, allowing an audit of board spending to move forward.

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Fredericksburg

Structure Fire Extinguished in 600 Block of Kenmore Avenue; No Injuries

By Uriah Kiser

Published July 22, 2026 at 7:52AM

“B-Shift personnel responded to a structure fire in the 600 block of Kenmore Avenue. The fire was extinguished. No injuries,” Fredericksburg Fire Department reported. Stafford County Fire and Rescue and Spotsylvania County Fire, Rescue, and Emergency Management also assisted at the scene.

The incident occurred in the Fredericksburg area. Officials provided no further details on the cause or extent of damage.

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