Updated 4:15 p.m. — Residents say they’re doing the heavy lifting and negotiating with data center firms to help protect their neighborhoods and quality of life.
They want the local Prince William County Government to step in and do more to protect residents as more data centers — the backbone of the internet — encroach on the surrounding areas outside Manassas and western Prince William County.
Northern Virginia officials discuss affordable housing, transportation and education during a regional chamber forum — Housing was among the many topics touched on by top elected officials Thursday at the seventh annual Northern Virginia Regional Elected Leaders Summit at George Mason University in Arlington. [Insidenova.com]
Surprise: Borrowers May Face Up to $1,100 in State Taxes on Forgiven Student Loans — Residents of New York, Virginia and eleven other states could end up with a surprise tax hit of hundreds of dollars next year on forgiven student loans. [Bloomberg]
A suspected intoxicated driver faces multiple charges after a multi-car crash on Route 3.
On August 28th at 5:45 p.m., a Stafford County sheriff’s deputy went to a crash on Route 3 near Ferry Road, in the Ferry Farm section of Stafford County. The investigation revealed the driver of a green Ford Fusion passed through the red traffic signal at Blue and Gray Parkway at a high rate of speed and struck a red GMC Sierra, police said.
Police tell us:
Shooting Investigation – On August 28 at 4:10PM, officers responded to investigate a shooting that reportedly occurred in the 13900 block of Richmond Hwy. in Woodbridge (22191) earlier that day. Officers were initially called to an area hospital where a 46-year-old man was being treated at the facility for non-life threatening gunshot wound. While investigating, officers were informed a second gunshot wound victim, a 22-year-old man, who was also being treated for non-life threatening injuries at an area hospital. The investigation revealed a group of individuals, including the victims, were in the above area when multiple rounds were fired from a vehicle towards the group, striking both victims. The light-colored sedan immediately fled the area. No additional injuries or property damage were reported. While checking the area, officers located shell casings in the roadway.
More than 200 poeple attended the opening of Yesli Vega’s campaign office in Spotsylvania County on Saturday, August 27, 2022.
While they always haven’t had a town hall in Occoquan, they’ve held regular town business meetings for years.
Town Mayor Earnie Porta tells us the town staff uncovered meeting minutes dating back about 90 years to the early 1930s. Porta says some meetings were held inside shops and inside people’s homes.
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A small-scale replica of Aerodrome No.5, a lighter-than-air craft launched near Quantico in 1896, seven years before the famed Wright Brothers flight in Kitty Hawk, N.C. [Photo: Rick Horner][/caption]
The Stafford Regional Airport held an event to announce the launch of its Aerodrome No.5 project, which will tell the story of the county's connection to early American aviation.
Professor Samuel Pierpont Langley is noted for successfully conducting the first heavier-than-air flight on May 6, 1896, with the designated Aerodrome No. 5. Langley chose Chopawamsic Island, a small land mass in the Potomac River between Quantico and Stafford County, as his launching point.
The 14-foot structure was launched from a houseboat off of the island's coast and flew approximately 3,300 feet for 90 seconds before having a gentle landing on the river. The Aerodrome No.5 flight is the first instance of mechanical flight in the U.S., event organizers said.
Until now historians have credited The Wright Brothers are credited for being the first to fully when they flew a heavier-than-air contraption at Kitty Hawk, N.C., on December 17, 1903. The state coined the phrase "first in flight" and printed it on its vehicle license plates.
Langley beat his record on November 26, 1896, when Aerodrome No.6 was launched from the same location and flew 4,200 feet at an average speed of 30 miles per hour.
"Stafford's history is so rich and deep, we want to get it out there and talk about it," said Scott Mayausky, treasurer of the Langley Flight Foundation. "What Langley achieved changed the course of world history, he was an instrumental part of that, and it happened right here in Stafford County. We want to recognize that, acknowledge that, and be proud that it happened here in Stafford County."
In addition to his position with the foundation, Mayausky is also the president of the Stafford Museum and Cultural Museum and the county's Commissioner of Revenue.
The Foundation and the Stafford Regional Airport have formed a partnership to have a to-scale model of Aerodrome No.5 built to display it in the airport's terminal. The 14 by 14 model intends to use it for educational purposes for students interested in STEM fields such as engineering, aviation, and mathematics.
Other possibilities of use for the Aerodrome No.5 exhibit include spurring more economic development and tourism, which could attract aviation enthusiasts and airplane and drone development.
"This is an incredible opportunity to not only educate people not only about a little-known aspect of Stafford's history but to give people a sense of the whole concept of what happened here and how we can move forward in the future," said Hank Scharpenberg, a member of the Stafford Regional Airport Authority.
The event was-co sponsored by the Langley Flight Foundation, a 501c3 corporation, seeking funding of $350,000 for constructing a replica of Aerodrome No.5. The Wright Experience in Warrenton would build the model, to be housed at the Stafford Regional Airport.
The original Aerodrome No.5 sits at the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C.
The Langley Foundation has set up a GoFundMe page as one method of raising funds for the exhibit. Donations for the project can also be made on the foundation's webpage at langfound.org.
Manassas seeks further protection for Liberia House — As Manassas officials aim to add density in and around the Mathis Avenue corridor, the city is working to maintain the green space around one of its historic assets. [Insidenova.com]
Two key Virginia congressional races could impact control of U.S. House — Voters from across the country will determine who controls the U.S. House of Representatives in November, and the outcome of two key Virginia races could affect the final result. [The Center Square]
