A new farm winery with a lakefront view sits on Lake Manassas in Gainesville.
The Winery at Sunshine Ridge Farm is a farm winery and craft brewery, locally owned by family friends Maria Rafferty and Tom Schrade.
"As both families' kids were grown and went to college and out of the house, he and I both just kind of found ourselves wanting to figure out some kind of the second career," said Maria Rafferty, co-owner of the Winery at Sunshine Ridge Farms. "We just talked about doing something we would both enjoy, and that ended up being the winery."
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After the Emancipation Act and the end of the Civil War, many freed slaves built communities across Prince William County.
One of those communities, known as “The Settlement,” within the triangle of Old Carolina, Carver Road and Lee Highway in Gainesville, remains, to this day, home to many descendants of those early County residents.
Mount Pleasant Baptist Church, founded in 1877, anchors “The Settlement” and has been the center of the community’s life for more than a century hosting religious services, community events and its annual “homecoming,” which is typically held in August to reunite friends and family.
Mount Pleasant Baptist Church is recorded as a Virginia Historical Landmark and is nominated for listing on the National Register for Historic Places.
The Prince William Board of County Supervisors recently recognized “The Settlement,” with its stories and structures, as a historic African American Community in Western Prince William County.
Let's face it, sometimes stuff piles up in the house, shed, or garage.
Before you know it, a film crew taping an episode of "Hoarders" could come knocking at your door.
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Flu season is fast approaching. Sentara hospitals usually see an increase in flu cases around mid-September and early October.
This year, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, doctors say it’s critical to get your flu shot.
As part of Sentara’s commitment to keeping our communities safe, on Saturday, October 17, 2020, from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m., Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center will host a free drive-thru flu shot event while supplies last. This first-come, first-served event is at Christ Chapel, 13909 Smoketown Road in Woodbridge.
This free event is available for adults, 18 years of age, and older. Patients will receive a flu shot without ever leaving the comfort of their vehicle. The public must wear a mask and all COVID-19 safety protocols will be followed at all times.
Health experts warn with nearly 200,000 COVID-19 related deaths in the United States already, another respiratory illness could increase the chances of residents catching both diseases at once. In addition, flu symptoms are very similar to those of COVID-19. Both viruses are more severe for the elderly and those with underlying medical conditions. Getting a flu shot to prevent the flu will allow healthcare professionals to better manage the COVID-19 pandemic, save thousands of lives, and preserve health care resources.
As part of Sentara’s commitment to keeping our communities safe, all Sentara employees, volunteers, and non-employed partners are required to receive a flu shot each year to help protect the communities we serve.
Drugstores and pharmacies are also offering flu shots, generally covered by insurance. Sentara patients can schedule an appointment online and
visit their primary care office for a flu shot. For more information, please visit sentara.com/flushots or to schedule an appointment with a Sentara Medical Group provider, visit sentara.com/getcarenow.
Police are investigating a fatal crash in Prince William County that took the life of a 73-year-old man.
Police tell us:
Fatal Crash Investigation – On September 7 at 9:59PM, investigators with the Crash Investigation Unit responded to the area of James Madison Hwy and Lee Hwy in Gainesville (20155) to investigate a crash.
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A historic African-American church still hopes to rebuild after an arson in 2012.
Mount Pleasant Baptist Church, located at 15008 Lee Highway in Gainesville was the scene of arson in 2012. Parishioners watched helplessly as the church was nearly reduced to ashes.
Maurice Michaely, of Haymarket, received a two and a half year prison sentence for the crime.
Today, the church is slowly but surely making its way back to life.
Founded in 1877, the church had been the centerpiece of a settlement established in Gainesville by former slaves after emancipation. On August 10, 2012, as a result of arson.
Recently, during an online meeting of the Prince William Conservation Alliance to Save Carver Road, Deacon Henry Peterson gave an update on the church’s efforts to raise money to rebuild Mount Pleasant. The church plans to rebuild in seven phases for which they’ve already raised over $60,000.
Peterson also said that an additional $1 million needs to be raised in order to complete all phases of construction.
Mount Pleasant has been accepting donations for the rebuild as well as relying on a GoFundMe page to accept online donations.
Events such as the police shooting of George Floyd have inspired a recent boost in donations, as have appealed from Virginia Delegate Danica Roem.
While no final date of completion has been set, the church does plan to use two bibles that survived the fire as the centerpiece of the new building.
Recently Mount Pleasant along with the Shady Inn Dance Hall, which is now Golden Church of God, and the settlement itself was designated as historic sites by the Virginia Department of Historic Resources.
According to its website, after Mount Pleasant had been established in 1877 it was moved to its current location after the congregation paid $10 for the property on which it now sits. The original building had been destroyed by fire in 1929 and their current building had been constructed that same year.
The congregation of Mount Pleasant has a temporary location at Northern Virginia Baptist Center which is located at 14019 Glenkirk Road in Gainesville.
The church plans to have a birthday event for parishioners to raise donations for rebuilding on November 11.
The sunflowers are in bloom and ready for picking at Burnside Farms in Nokesville.
Every summer in the middle of July, when the sunflowers bloom, Burnside Farms holds the Summer of Sunflowers: a sunflower festival that allows guests to pick sunflowers and participate in various fun activities. While certain portions of the event will be different this year due to the new coronavirus, namely their famous ‘sunflower maze,’ an abundance of sunflowers will still be available for guests to pick and take home.
“We plant over 30 varieties of cutting sunflowers on eight acres in successive crops to ensure at least six weeks of blooming flowers – through Labor day,” stated Burnside Farms’ website.
The event, which is open every day from 10 am-6 pm, allows guests to pick three sunflowers with the cost of admission ($12 for ages 13 and up, $8 for ages 3-12), as well as additional flowers for a $1.50 fee per extra flower. Children under 3 are free.
Aside from sunflower picking, the event also includes picnic areas, a JumpPad, a play area, and a short film cinema in the barn, most of which will go through daily sanitization for protection against the new coronavirus. The event also typically includes a ‘sunflower maze,’ but it has not been determined if it will open due to the current global pandemic.
“We have one of the nation’s only sunflower mazes! Due to COVID-19, our sunflower maze may not open,” stated Burnside Farms’ website.
For those looking for an evening event, the Summer of Sunflowers also hosts Sunflower Sunsets, an identical event that takes place on Thursdays and Saturdays from 6-8 pm. Adult tickets (ages 13+) are $14, while children’s tickets (3-12) are $10. Children under 3 are free.
Guests are encouraged to ‘treat a visit to the farm like you would for most any other establishment’ by wearing a face mask and social distancing, according to the farm’s website. Guests are additionally encouraged to bring their own hand sanitizer in the case of a shortage on the farm.
“We ask that you wear a mask or face covering in common areas (check-in, check out area) and maintain proper social distancing at all times,” stated Burnside Farms’ website.
The event will last until Labor Day and will only take place at Burnside Farms’ Nokesville location at 11008 Kettle Run Rd. More information can be found here.
Many have been struggling to make ends meet on their bills since the coronavirus outbreak, and now Columbia Gas of Virginia is giving its customers a break when it comes to paying their bills.
From a press release:
"Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, uncertain economy and loss of jobs, many Virginia residents are having a hard time paying their bills — some for the very first time. Trying to figure out where to go for help can be a challenge all its own.
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Who is going to operate a new logistics center that is slated to be built on nine acres of land on Wellington Road in Gainesville?
On Tuesday, the Prince William Board of County Supervisors will vote to rezone over eight acres of land from heavy industrial to industrial/transportation use. The property is located on Wellington, near the intersection of University Drive.
An arrangement has been made by the owners of these parcels to build a logistics center that will be designed by Progressive AE, an architecture and engineering firm with offices located in Michigan and North Carolina, county officials tell us.
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For those who missed out on the previous opportunity, here are more locations available for free coronavirus testing for those who live and work in Prince William County, City of Manassas, and the City of Manassas Park.
According to a Prince William County Government press release, to obtain free coronavirus testing and results, citizens must provide full name, phone number, and a home or work address that proves residence in the stated above areas.
According to the Prince William press release, here is where free testing locations can be found:
“Saturday, July 18, 2020
Development Services Building
5 County Complex Ct.
Woodbridge, VA 22192
Start Time 8:30 AMMonday, July 20, 2020
Woodbridge Senior Center
13850 Church Hill Drive
Woodbridge, VA 22191
Start Time: 9:00 AMSplashdown Water Park
7500 Ben Lomond Park Road
Manassas, VA 20109
Start Time: 9:00 AMTuesday, July 21, 2020
Metz Middle School
9950 Wellington Road
Manassas, Virginia 20110
Start Time: 9:00 AM”
These sites can accommodate drive-thru or walk-up testing. According to Prince William County Government, citizens should arrive to the testing sites early as testing is only available until testing kits are gone.
More information about testing and the county’s response to the coronavirus available at pwcgov.org.
