A quintet of Manassas-based companies emerged triumphant at the prestigious Annual Prince William Chamber of Commerce Business Awards, held at the Foxchase Manor events center on February 23.

Against a backdrop of fierce competition from local enterprises, four standout champions were crowned in their respective categories. ARTfactory clinched the esteemed Agnes L. Colgan Award for Arts & Education, while ECU Communications LLC secured the title of Government Contracting Company of the Year. Manassas Ballet Theatre gracefully waltzed away with the Community Outreach Award (11+ employees), and MP Copiers, Inc. proudly claimed the Veteran-Owned Company of the Year honor.


The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) invites public feedback on a series of proposed roadway improvements in Dale City and Woodbridge as part of its Strategically Targeted Affordable Roadway Solutions (STARS) study. The study focuses on enhancing traffic flow and safety along a stretch of road from Dale Boulevard, across Route 1, to Blackburn Road. This initiative addresses the growing concerns over pedestrian safety and traffic congestion in one of Northern Virginia’s bustling regions.

The STARS study area encompasses nearly two miles, assessing potential improvements on Dale Boulevard (Route 784) from Gideon Drive to Route 1, and Rippon Boulevard (Route 1392) from Route 1 to Blackburn Road. With traffic volumes averaging about 44,000 vehicles per day on Dale Boulevard and 14,000 on Rippon Boulevard, the need for strategic enhancements has become increasingly apparent.


Greetings, Prince William – BEACON for Adult Literacy is recruiting teachers and subs for their Spring Session, which begins March 18. Their current needs are for in-person morning and evening volunteers, as well as substitutes for both online and in-person morning and evening classes. No experience is necessary; they will train you! Please visit https://bit.ly/4bOEUxw to sign up for an information session. Please email [email protected] for more information.

Information submitted by Volunteer Prince William


Prince William County Service Authority: “The Prince William County Service Authority will host its 2024 Water Art Invitational Awards Ceremony on Thursday, March 14, from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. This year’s ceremony will be held at Forest Park High School, 15721 Forest Park Drive, in Woodbridge.”

“Doors open at 5 p.m. to explore the gallery of 154 pieces of student artwork submitted for this year’s Water Art Invitational. The Awards Ceremony begins at 5:30 p.m.”


On Saturday, February 24, 2024, emergency responders rushed to the scene of a house fire in the 15000 block of Michigan Road in Woodbridge. Around 8:59 p.m., the incident prompted a swift and coordinated response from local fire departments.

According to initial reports from Prince William County Fire and Rescue Lt. Matt Smolksy, the fire was discovered by one of the occupants, who detected the smell of smoke emanating from the residence. Acting quickly, the individual investigated further and observed flames emerging from the side of the structure.


“The investigation revealed that the victim, a 27-year-old female, was walking in the westbound lane of Minnieville Road, wearing all dark clothing, when she was struck by a vehicle. The striking vehicle did not stop at the scene. Fire and rescue personnel responded to the scene where the pedestrian was pronounced deceased.”

“The vehicle is believed to be an unknown model Hyundai. No further information on the driver or striking vehicle is available at this time. Investigators with the Crash Investigation Unit are asking anyone who may have witnessed this crash to contact police. The investigation continues.”


Strong-Arm Robbery

On February 20 at 10:46AM, officers responded to the 13600 block of Foulger Sq in Woodbridge (22192) to investigate an assault. The investigation revealed the victim, a 20-year-old woman, and an acquaintance, identified as the accused, were involved in a verbal altercation that escalated. During the encounter, the accused forcibly grabbed the victim’s cell phone and car keys from her possession. The parties eventually separated, and the victim contacted police. Following the investigation, officers obtained arrest warrants for the accused, identified as Michael IPANAQUE CORONADO, who was arrested the next day.


DHL eCommerce relocated from its Elkridge, Md. distribution center to a 138,500-square-foot location in Prince William County.

The new distribution center enables DHL eCommerce to process more B2C domestic volume with 130 employees while supporting its customer base in the Mid-Atlantic states.


The National Merit Scholarship Program has selected Skye Auger at Osbourn Park High School and Joseph Dietrich at Patriot High School as 2024 National Merit Scholarship Finalists.

All finalists will be considered for National Merit scholarships awarded in 2024. The National Merit Scholarship Corporation will begin notifying scholarship winners by email in March. Prince William County Public Schools posted the news to its website and congratulated to these students for demonstrating through their high academic performance, their great potential for future academic accomplishments.


The parade, slated to commence at 11 a.m., will kick off at the corner of Prescott Avenue and Quarry Road, winding its way down Center Street before culminating at the iconic Harris Pavilion. Led by Vince Fitzpatrick, President of Inisfail, Inc. Atvale, Inc., the parade is a testament to the rich Irish heritage deeply woven into the cultural fabric of Prince William County and surrounding areas.

This year’s festivities are significant as Prince William Board of County Supervisors Chair At-large Deshundra Jefferson recently proclaimed March as Irish American Heritage Month. In her proclamation, Jefferson highlighted the enduring contributions of Irish Americans to the nation’s history, from their pivotal role in shaping cities to their significant influence in government, military, and beyond.


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