“It’s been a while since we’ve had Restaurant Week here in Historic Downtown,” said Kristen Kiefer, Executive Director of Historic Manassas Inc. “Given that February is a slow month for restaurants, we saw this as a great opportunity to bring people downtown, support our local eateries, and introduce the community to new dining experiences.”
New Restaurants Spotlight
Stafford County is providing little information about a shooting that occurred over the weekend in the Malvern Lakes subdivision.
The Stafford County Sheriff’s Office initially alerted the public to the incident in a Facebook post at 2:09 p.m. on Saturday, February 22, 2025. The post stated that deputies were on the scene of a shooting on Malvern Lakes Circle and warned of a large police presence in the area.
At 11:45 a.m. on Sunday, February 23, Stafford County Fire and Rescue (SCFR) units were dispatched to the 400 block of Club House Road in the England Run subdivision in south Stafford for a reported structure fire. Crews arrived within two minutes and found smoke coming from the side of a three-story, end-unit townhouse.
Firefighters brought the fire under control in under 20 minutes. While searching the house, they rescued two cats. All human occupants had safely evacuated before emergency crews arrived, and no injuries were reported. Officials confirmed that smoke alarms were functioning during the fire, which helped alert residents to the danger.
Update Feb. 25, 2025 – From Prince William police:
*UPDATE Jazmine Parris Renee GRIFFIN and Kyrie Jashia Darren BONDS, who were reported as missing and endangered on February 23, have been located and are safe.
Latoya Crabbe, the Manasas woman accused of shooting and killing her estranged husband, Curtis Crabbed, was released from jail on Friday, February 21, 2025. At the county jail, she had an emotional reunion with her mother, Marilyn Martin, who patiently waited for officials to release her from the lockup she’d been in since being charged on October 21, 2024.
A short time later, at home, Crabbe waited anxiously for her three children, whom she had not seen in four months, to come home from school. “I’m relieved to be back home, but I’m still anxious about the pending trial,” she said. “The most important thing for me is to hug and kiss my babies right now.”
Prince William County residents are invited to participate in a virtual community meeting on Saturday, February 22, 2025, from 9 a.m. to noon to discuss the Proposed Fiscal Year 2026 Budget. Hosted by the Office of Management & Budget, the event allows the public to learn about the budget details and ask questions directly to county officials.
Residents must register in advance to attend. Upon approval, registrants will receive an invitation to the webinar.
Stafford County is making history with the launch of the Stafford African American Heritage Trail, a new initiative designed to highlight the county’s rich African American history. The trail, developed in collaboration with the University of Mary Washington’s Department of Geography, local historians, and community members, officially debuts this week as part of Black History Month celebrations.
Chairman of the Stafford County Board of Supervisors, Deuntay Diggs, announced the trail’s opening at the board meeting on February 18, 2025. “This trail system is part of Discover Stafford’s commitment to sharing the complete story of the county’s history,” Diggs stated. “By walking this trail, residents and visitors can learn about the powerful contributions of African Americans to our community and honor their legacy.”
A house fire that erupted on December 5, 2024, at 3:53 p.m. at 1405 Devils Reach Road in Woodbridge has been determined to have started due to an electrical issue. The fire quickly spread to the nearby Kid’s Choice Sport and Fun Center, causing significant damage to both buildings.
Investigators at Prince William County Fire and Rescue concluded that the fire began on the backside of the home along the exterior wall, near electrical outlets and lithium-ion (Li-Ion) portable tool batteries left on chargers. The fire has been classified as accidental/electrical.
The George Mason University Patriots women’s basketball team secured a hard-fought 76-66 victory over the University of Massachusetts during the annual #Play4Kay Pink Game at EagleBank Arena on Sunday, February 16. The event, sponsored for the sixth consecutive year by Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center (SNVMC), brought together fans, survivors, and medical professionals to raise awareness of women’s cancers and honor those affected by breast cancer.
A Victory Beyond the Scoreboard
