Join us for an in-depth, inspiring conversation with Mayor Derrick Wood of the Town of Dumfries, Virginia’s oldest continuously chartered town. Hosted by Uriah Kiser, publisher of Potomac Local News, this live podcast dives deep into the major transformations reshaping the town—making it a destination rather than a drive-through.

📌 Topics We Cover:

🏗️ Major development projects, including the closure and transformation of the landfill into The Rose Gaming Resort

🏞️ The town’s ambitious plans to reclaim and revitalize the Quantico Creek waterfront

🚧 Progress on the Route 1 (Fraley Boulevard) widening project, paving the way for a new Main Street

🍽️ What’s inside The Rose: Restaurants, off-track betting, and Dumfries’ own fine dining 1609 Steakhouse

🏨 Upcoming hotels, convention space, and community growth

🦅 A vision for ecotourism, vocational learning, and reconnecting Dumfries residents with their historic roots

🚀 The economic boom: 500+ jobs, millions in new revenue, and the potential return of iconic establishments like Tim’s Rivershore

✨ Whether you’re a Dumfries resident, local history buff, or someone interested in smart town development, this conversation is a must-watch!

🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more local coverage!
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In this episode of the Potomac Local News Podcast, host Uriah Kiser sits down with Tracy McPeck and Darcy Caswell from the Central Rappahannock Regional Library (CRRL) to dive into the incredible programs happening this summer.

👓 What’s Inside:

• A look at CRRL’s all-ages Summer Reading Program — from babies to seniors!
• How adults can earn a colorful tote bag and kids can win awesome prizes (hello, Raising Cane’s meals and bouncy balls!)
• Why summer reading helps fight the “summer slide” and supports lifelong learning
• 🎤 Music on the Steps – celebrating 40 years of free, weekly Monday concerts in downtown Fredericksburg
• How CRRL works with community partners like the Friends of the Library and Raising Cane’s to make it all happen
• Insider tips on finding the best books and using CRRL’s tools like Bookmatch and My Librarian

📅 Summer Reading runs from May 15 to August 15 – don’t miss your chance to earn rewards and get involved!

🔗 Learn more and sign up: https://www.librarypoint.org/summer

👍 Like this video if you love your local library, and don’t forget to subscribe for more stories that highlight community connections in Fredericksburg, Stafford, Spotsylvania, and Westmoreland!

We’re thrilled to bring you a special episode of the Potomac Local News Podcast with actor Tug Coker, who is joining us to discuss his upcoming role in To Kill a Mockingbird at the Riverside Center for the Performing Arts in Fredericksburg.

In this episode, Tug shares insights into his career, which spans TV, Broadway, and film, and talks about his return home to perform in this iconic American play. He opens up about his roots in Fredericksburg and what it means to come back and perform for a local audience. The conversation also touches on the relevance of To Kill a Mockingbird in today’s society and how theater continues to serve as a powerful medium for community connection and the exchange of ideas.

Show Details:
Performance Dates: Now through June 22, 2025
Location: Riverside Center for the Performing Arts, Fredericksburg
Website: riversidedt.com

Listen to the full interview below and get your tickets to see To Kill a Mockingbird at Riverside Center:

Don’t miss this incredible opportunity to see Tug and the talented cast bring this powerful story to life. We hope you enjoy the podcast and make plans to attend the show!

WOODBRIDGE, Va. – Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center has launched a new virtual nursing program that’s already changing how nurses care for patients—and how patients experience care.

The hospital’s Virtual Registered Nursing (VRN) Program allows experienced nurses to connect with patients through 50-inch screens in hospital rooms, handling admissions, discharges, and patient education remotely. The goal: give bedside nurses more time to focus on hands-on care, while still ensuring patients get one-on-one attention.

“The virtual nurse can come into the room through the web camera and the large televisions that we put up,” said Brooke Phelps, Director of Nursing and Patient Care Services. “They can really spend that time with [patients] one-on-one to develop those relationships and improve that patient experience.”

The program, already rolled out at other Sentara hospitals, began at the Woodbridge-based center on May 13. In less than a week, staff completed 55 virtual nurse sessions, saving over nine hours of time for bedside nurses.

Chief Nursing Officer Christy Grabus described the VRN sessions as surprisingly personal.

“The one word [a patient] said that was just amazing to me was… ‘This was so personable,’” said Grabus. “There was no interruption, and I really felt like I was the center of attention.”

The system also allows caregivers to participate remotely, a feature that could be especially helpful for families who live far from the hospital.

“We can arrange it so when we schedule your education sessions, we can have your daughter actually link in… she doesn’t even have to physically come in,” said Grabus.

During a Potomac Local News Podcast interview, Grabus and Phelps shared how the technology not only improves care but also helps recruit and retain nursing talent by offering less physically demanding roles for experienced nurses.

“This is a very physically demanding job,” said Grabus. “Think about being able to still work… even though you may not be physically capable to be out there in a hospital setting.”

Watch the full conversation in the embedded Potomac Local News Podcast episode to hear more about how this innovation is reshaping healthcare in Northern Virginia.

MANASSAS, Va. – City leaders say they were surprised to learn that the first tenant of the newly opened Brickyard Data Center on Godwin Drive won’t contribute to the city’s business personal property tax base as expected.

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What do collective bargaining, backyard chickens, and honey from Liberia House all have in common? They’re just a few of the topics we cover in this fun, freewheeling episode with longtime Manassas advocate and former City Councilwoman Lynn Forkell Greene.

Lynn joins me for a casual conversation about life in Manassas — from serious issues like teacher pay and school board decisions to lighter fare like why everyone suddenly wants chickens in their backyard and how a local honey may have cured her seasonal allergies.

We also preview one of Manassas’ most beloved events — the annual Bee Festival — and talk about the growing buzz around local businesses like Sinistral Brewing and Central District.

Give it a listen and join the conversation about what’s shaping Manassas right now.

[Click here to listen to the full episode] 
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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.

Orrison walks us through the area’s history, from its industrial beginnings to its strategic importance during the Civil War, and shares the county’s vision for transforming the site into an accessible destination for locals, students, and visitors alike.

We also learn about:

• How the county acquired the property
• What’s being done to preserve and interpret the site
• Plans for public tours, signage, and community engagement

Watch the full interview below:

For more information about the Buckland Historic Center, visit the county’s official site here:

pwcva.gov/department/historic-preservation/buckland-mill

Potomac Local News brings you closer to the people and places shaping life in Northern Virginia. Subscribe to our podcast on YouTube or your favorite streaming platform for more local stories.

Prince William County’s Office of Historic Preservation is working to restore one of the county’s most overlooked historic homes — the Williams-Dawe House.

In a new episode of the Potomac Local News Podcast, host Uriah Kiser sits down with Paige Gibbons-Backus, Historic Site Manager at the Brentsville Courthouse Historic Center, to talk about the home’s history, its many owners, and the extensive restoration work now underway.

Built in the 1820s, the Williams-Dawe House is believed to be the oldest surviving residence in Brentsville. Originally constructed for Jane Williams and her brother Philip Devereaux Dawe—both of whom were closely connected to the Prince William County courthouse system—the home sits directly across the street from the historic Brentsville Courthouse.

Although the house was once a stately structure known locally as the “White House,” years of vacancy and neglect left it overgrown and structurally damaged. In 2022, the county purchased the property to ensure its preservation and integration into the Brentsville Courthouse Historic Center.

Restoration efforts include roof repairs, chimney stabilization, and a full historic structures report to determine which parts of the house are original and which were added in later renovations, including a major restoration undertaken during World War II by the Webster family.

The Office of Historic Preservation hopes to eventually open the house to the public. In the meantime, residents can follow along, donate, or even share their own connections to Brentsville’s past.

Learn more about the project here:
Prince William County purchases the Williams-Dawe House, the oldest building in Brentsville

\Watch the full interview and explore more local stories on our YouTube channel:
Potomac Local News Podcast on YouTube

The farmland, the small-town life, and the memories that built Prince William County are fading fast. But one effort is working to preserve those stories before they’re gone for good.

In our latest Potomac Local News Podcast, we sat down with Lauren Maloy, Historic Communities Coordinator at the Prince William County Office of Historic Preservation. She shared the mission behind the county’s oral history project, which collects and preserves personal stories from longtime residents, government officials, and people who have shaped the community in unique ways.

From firsthand accounts of Prince William’s rural roots to reflections on significant moments like the proposed Disney theme park in Haymarket and the Lorena Bobbitt and D.C. Sniper cases, these stories offer rare and vital insight into how the county has evolved.

The Office of Historic Preservation is actively looking for:

• Residents with deep roots and stories to share
• Volunteers to help transcribe interviews
• Suggestions of communities or individuals to feature

You can listen to the full conversation and learn how to get involved by watching our interview with Lauren Maloy on YouTube.

To learn more about the county’s preservation efforts or read transcripts of past interviews, visit:

• Prince William County Historic Preservation
• Oral History Program

Know someone with a story to tell? Reach out and help ensure the past isn’t forgotten.

Chief Allen Sibert of the Town of Haymarket Police Department is gearing up for the second annual Senior Summit, a free, one-of-a-kind event focused on empowering older adults with vital resources and protection from scams.

The event will be held on Thursday, April 24, 2025, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Park Valley Church, located at 4500 Waverly Farm Drive in Haymarket.

I sat down with Chief Sibert for a candid conversation on the Potomac Local Podcast to talk about the inspiration behind the event, what attendees can expect, and why the summit is just as much about community building as it is crime prevention.

“We want to make sure our seniors get the education they need to protect themselves, but also have the opportunity to connect with trusted, local providers—from in-home care and emergency services to financial planning and home accessibility,” said Chief Sibert.

The event features:

• An hour-long educational summit focused on scam prevention
• A free lunch provided by local sponsors
• Access to a wide variety of resources for seniors and caregivers
• No sales pitches—just helpful information from people who care

Chief Sibert also emphasized that adult children and caregivers are encouraged to attend. “If you’re helping take care of your parents or a loved one, this event is for you, too,” he said.

Registration is required and space is limited to 350 attendees.
Register now at ParkValleyChurch.com/SeniorSummit

Watch our full conversation above or catch it on the Potomac Local Podcast YouTube playlist.