Prince William
“Prince William County Public Schools students earned impressive honors at the 2026 Virginia Future Business Leaders of America State Leadership Conference, with several advancing to the national competition in San Antonio,” PWCS reported. Top state finishes included first places for Drake Ludin of Charles J. Colgan Sr. High School in Hospitality and Event Management and Ameera Noor of Gainesville Middle School in Parliamentary Procedures, along with multiple second- through sixth-place awards across middle and high schools in events ranging from data analysis and marketing to entrepreneurship and public speaking.
At the national level, Eliza Ijaz of Freedom High School secured second place in Entrepreneurship—the first such finish for her school—while Autumn Cordell of Gainesville Middle School also took second place nationwide in Career Exploration, highlighting the strength of PWCS Career and Technical Education programs in preparing students for future business and leadership opportunities.
The Town of Occoquan has shared news of the recent deaths of three residents in its monthly newsletter, the Town of Occoquan reported. Melissa Hollis was found deceased in her home on June 28, John Grace was killed in a pedestrian-vehicle crash outside of town on July 10, and Bobbie Frank passed away at Westminster on July 26.
Bobbie Frank was a longtime Occoquan resident who previously served on the town council, directed the town’s Craft Show, and was a board member and supporter of the Occoquan Historical Society. Details on services were not immediately available; Frank is expected to be buried at Arlington National Cemetery in a private ceremony, with a celebration of life planned later.
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“Petty Officer 2nd Class Jose Medina, a native of Dumfries, Virginia, serves aboard USS Chosin, a U.S. Navy warship participating in the biennial Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise in and around the Hawaiian Islands,” Navy Office of Community Outreach reported. Medina graduated from Potomac Senior High School in 2017, joined the Navy five years ago, and now serves as an information systems technician.
Medina said he enlisted seeking adventure after college did not work out and credited growing up in Dumfries with teaching him respect and the ability to work with diverse people—skills that help him in the Navy. RIMPAC 2026, the world’s largest international maritime exercise involving 31 nations, runs under the theme “Partners: Integrated and Prepared.”
Volunteer Prince William shared its latest Weekly Happenings list, highlighting recognition for local professionals and a range of open volunteer roles across the county and nearby communities.
On Wednesday, July 22, Volunteer Prince William hosted a luncheon at Manassas Museum to mark Parole, Probation, and Pretrial Week. The event honored local Parole and Probation Officers for their partnership with the organization’s Alternative Service Program. Officials thanked the officers for their professionalism and ongoing service to the community.
Honeygrow opened its newest restaurant Friday at Virginia Gateway in Gainesville, the chain’s first location in Prince William County.
The fast-casual spot at 5055 Wellington Road serves cooked-to-order stir-fry, salads and honeybar desserts. It is the company’s 80th restaurant overall and its eighth in Virginia, according to a company press release. Hours are 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.
A brand-new parking garage between Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center and Wegmans in Woodbridge was sold as a win for transit riders and drivers. Two years later, it remains largely empty and nearly impossible to reach safely on foot or by bike.
Prince William County residents protested Thursday against Dominion Energy’s proposed 6.5-mile, 230-kilovolt transmission line connecting the Nokesville Substation to a planned Bristow Switching Station, WTOP reported. Demonstrators gathered outside an open house at Patriot High School in Nokesville, holding signs calling to “Bury the Lines” and “Save Our Rural Land,” while local officials and state senators voiced opposition to the project’s impact on private property and rural character.
The Coalition to Protect Prince William County organized the event amid growing concerns that data centers and development are driving the need for new infrastructure; Dominion said the line is required for reliable service as the Innovation Park area expands, but noted burying the line is not feasible due to bedrock and existing utilities.
Federal officials are considering a land swap that would allow a developer to build at least four data centers next to Prince William Forest Park in close proximity to Quantico Creek, Prince William Times reported. The proposal would exchange 73 acres of wetlands owned by Highland Digital for 36 acres of federally owned parkland along the park’s western border.
Conservation groups warn the project could harm water quality in one of Northern Virginia’s most pristine streams, while local leaders including Board Chair Deshundra Jefferson have expressed skepticism about any data center construction inside park boundaries.