Six candidates gathered at the Red Rose events center in Manassas to discuss the issues facing Prince William County in the Nov. 5, 2019 Election.

• In the Brentsville Supervisors’ race, there’s Republican incumbent Jeanine Lawson and her challenger Democrat Maggie Hansford.
• In Gainesville, it’s Republican incumbent Peter Candland and Democrat Danny Funderburk.
• In Coles, political newcomers Yesli Vega, a Republican, and Raheel Sheikh, a Democrat.

Debate moderator, Northern Virginia Community College Provost Dr. Molly Lynch first asked about a plan to borrow up to a combined $396 million for new roads and park improvement projects.

• Since June, Candland has opposed the bonds because of the way the Board of Supervisors hand-selected the respective projects,  and said last night, “if this bond referendum fails in November I will start the discussion for a new bond so the new board can have a discussion.”
• Funderburk supports them because there is $200 million included for improving Route 28 between Manassas and Fairfax County, saying “Now is the time to act and stop kicking the can down the road.”
• Hansford said the $41 million park bond will provide more recreational opportunities for residents.
• Lawson said she fears the road bond would lead to more homes built in the county’s rural area, the kind of development she’s opposed.
• Sheikh says, as a business owner in Prince William County, “I pay every tax known to mankind, but we need money to fix these roads.”  
• Vega doesn’t support the bond, saying, “it’s an irresponsible approach to allocate these fund to parks when we still have [school] children seated in trailers trying to learn” 

When asked what type of new businesses would benefit the county, answers varied from attracting more job training and development facilities, to what types of businesses the county tries to attract.

• “Our economic development staff spends a lot of time chasing whales,” said Candland. “We need to do more for small business owners who want to expand.” 
• The county economic development office has a nearly $3 million annual budget, and Candland’s opponent, Funderburk, said it is “grossly underfunded” and would be more successful with more resources.
• Vega doesn’t much favor the county’s economic development process, saying “I don’t believe in crony capitalism with the government picking winners and losers.” 
• Hansford said business owners avoid coming to Prince William County because the school division boasts the region’s most overcrowded classrooms, while Sheikh called for building more centers for job training.

Lawson and Hansford traded jabs for most of the evening, but especially when it came to Lynch’s question about how to deal with a growing panhandling problem in the county.

• Hansford said panhandling could be reduced if more educational opportunities were afforded to county residents.
• “We’re not going to resolve panhandling by sending people to preschool,” Lawson said. 
• A U.S. Supreme Court ruling now prevents police from stopping panhandling, which occurs at intersections across the county.
• Funderburk called for a deeper examination of the panhandling problem, saying many panhandlers are veterans suffering PTSD, those suffering mental illness, and “some people who don’t want to work.”

One the preserving the Rural Crescent, candidates all said they want to protect the land.

• Candland and Lawson call for barring water or sewer lines to the Rural Crescent, as that, they say, is what would invite new home construction.
• Sheikh called for funding a purchase of development rights program that would use taxpayer money to purchase private property in the Rural Cresent in order to preserve it.
• Vega signed a pledge to protect the crescent in order to protect the rural way of life there, saying, “who is going to pay for new schools, new roads [that will be needed if the land is developed], it won’t be the [housing] developers.” 

The debate was hosted by the Prince William Committee of 100 and the Leauge of Women Voters, Prince Willaim Chapter.

• Voters will head to the polls on November 5.
• Read our special newsletter for more on info on the candidates.

Rockwood Bar and Grill Chef and owner Mike Cordero will serve oysters, chilled wine, cocktails, and beer.

• Guests are invited to taste samples of the restaurant’s locally caught oysters from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 26.
• Afternoon highlights include live music from local favorites the Dave Thong Band, an oyster buffet, and open bar
• Rockwood’s dog-friendly patio is furnished with artificial turf and features long beer-hall style tables with outdoor games like corn hole, giant Jenga and giant Connect Four.

Rockwood’s oyster menu features raw oysters harvested from Northern Virginia.

• Rockwood is serving all-you-can-eat fresh shucked oysters, grilled oysters, oyster fritters, po boy oyster sliders, oysters Rockefeller, gourmet salad, potato salad and hush puppies.
• Rockwood’s Oyster Fest 2019 is open to all age groups (21+ will be given wristbands and drink tickets).

Tickets are $49 a person and can be purchased prior to the event.

• The event will be held weather permitting.
• Rockwood is located at 7505 Iron Bar Lane in Gainesville.

The library has waived half of its patron-owed late fines for October.

• So, for example, if you owe the library $10 in late fees, now you only owe $5.

Prince William County Public Libraries spokeswoman Rachel Johnson said that the library started the late-fee forgiveness program last year.

• It wanted to remove barriers that may stop patrons from coming into the library, she said.
• Patrons can pay off their outstanding fines for less so that returned items will go back into the library’s collection and other patrons may enjoy them.

Last year, the forgiveness program saw the waiver of $33,000 overdue fines compared to 2017.

• Many patrons took advantage of the program and zeroed out their overdue balances.

To take advantage of this benefit, go to any branch checkout desk and ask about the program.

• The library accepts all late materials that have not been damaged, lost, or have interlibrary loan fees.
• “We hope patrons that have overdue fines will consider taking advantage of the Fine Forgiveness Program. More than anything, this program is about getting patrons back to the library, even if they have fines that may have discouraged them from coming in,” said  Johnson.

Three Prince William County Supervisors today introduced a plan that will be addressed at its regular 7:30 p.m. on October 15.

• It’s something they hinted at on Sept. 16.

Per the plan announced at a rare press conference, any action on developing in the Rural Crescent — 117,000 acres of land between Quantico Marine Corps Base and Manassas National Battlefield Park — would be suspended.

• Supervisors Jeanine Lawson, Peter Candland, and Frank Principi introduced the plan.
• It’s a bi-partisan effort of two Republicans and a Democrat, respectively.

It comes after the county’s Planning Office released its recommendations for how to proceed in the Rural Crescent.

• They include introducing water and sewer lines into the area for the future development of new higher-density, residential “cluster” developments.
• And a transfer of development rights (TDR) program that would allow landowners in the Rural Crescent the option to sell their right to a build on their land to another housing developer.
• That developer then could take those development rights and build on any one of three locations inside the Rural Crescent.
• It’s a far cry from an older proposal that would have sent TDR rights for development on Route 1, in the county’s more urbanized Woodbridge District.
• Many of the recommendations stem from a study of the Rural Crescent, ordered by the Board of County Supervisors in 2012, that’s been collecting dust since 2014.

The only recommendation from the study the three leaders’ support — a Purchase of Development Rights (PDR) program.

• Here, taxpayer monies would be used to purchase property inside the rural area.
• The land would be placed in a conversation easement and could not be developed.
• The property owner would still keep the land for farming use only.

“It’s absurd to me, the notion that in order to preserve the Rural Crescent, we must develop it,” said Lawson, about the county’s recommendation for adding water and sewer for cluster developments.

Supervisors accused home builders of working to lessen or remove building restrictions in the Rural Crescent since it was created in 1998.

• Under the current rules, landowners can sell to developers who will build new homes — one per 10-acre lot.
• Those who call for preserving the rural area say that it will be an undue burden on taxpayers to fund the construction of new roads, schools, fire stations etc. to accommodate the new growth.

“It’s time to draw a line in the sand and stop all of this out-of-control development,” said Candland.

Principi lost a June Primary Election to fellow Democrat Margaret Franklin, who is now the Democratic nominee for Woodbridge Supervisor’s seat.

• He told Potomac Local today he plans to become a “citizen activist” to promote the urbanization of Woodbridge, especially near its the Virginia Railway Express station at the intersection of Routes 1 and 123.
• He would not confirm what multiple sources told us in August — that he would mount a write-in campaign against Franklin.
• Principi on Sept. 16 cast doubt on Franklin’s desire to preserve the Rural Crescent, calling her political positions “to the extreme left of me.”
• Franklin maintains she’s working to build consensus on how to best preserve the Rural Cresent.

Lawson and Candland are running contested races on November 5 to keep their respective seats in Brentsville and Gainesville.

Zandra’s Taqueria owner and founder Miguel Pires will open a third location in Haymarket.

“We’re finishing up the buildout now,” Pires said, and added that the Haymarket location will be open the end of October.

Pires had been trying to open a Zandra’s in Haymarket for three years, but he had faced challenges with finding a space.

• The new restaurant will open inside the Quality Business Engineering (QBE Building) – a 1940’s era school building once owned by the Prince William County School division.
• The building is located at 14600 Washington Street.
• Many Zandra’s customers from Prince William County visit the chain’s original location in Downtown Manassas., particularly the Gainesville/Haymarket/Bristow area, Pires said.
• Pires said that the QBE building has a similar historic charm to their Old Town Manassas location.

Clarke Congdon, one of the partners at Georgetown Caterers along with Pires and Chris Sellers, will be the executive chef for Zandra’s.

• Congdon has introduced and developed four signature sauces that are available in the restaurants – a chimichurri, a peach habanero, a salsa verde, and a red chile sauce.
  Congdon and Pires are considering production for the sauces and will look to sell the sauces at farmers’ markets.
• The Haymarket location would be a “test kitchen” of sorts, Congdon explained.

“You always want to dream big when you start anything,” Congdon said.

This month also marks the first anniversary of Zandra’s opening its second location in Fairfax.

• Pires said that business in Fairfax has been good. 
• The faculty and staff at nearby George Mason University nearby provide a lot of their business, so it slowed down a little over the summer. 

The Town Council voted in a special session September 18, appointing an interim Town Clerk, and the Town Council’s liaison to the Architectural Review Board.

Town Manager Christopher Coon was unanimously voted in as Interim Town Clerk by the Town Council.

• He will replace former Town Clerk Shelley Kozlowski who resigned earlier this month.

Coon was hired as Town Manager on September 9 and is also the town’s Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Officer.

• Coon held these same or similar positions when he worked for Occoquan Town.

“ I will say that even though it is only a temporary position, dictated by the Town Code, I am honored that the Town Council has faith in me,” said Coon.

Coon will serve as interim until a full-time applicant can be found.

• The position is still currently open at this time.

During that same meeting, Vice Mayor Susan Edwards was also unanimously voted to be the new liaison to the Architectural Review Board.

• Edwards will replace Bond Cavazos who not only resigned from that position, but also her seat on the Council on September 10.
• Her seat is still open, and the town is accepting applications for those who want to fill it on an interim basis.

Edwards had previously been the council’s liaison to the board but stepped down in favor of Cavazos stepping into the position.

“I’m happy to be back in this position, I believe it’s an important board in town with all the growth that’s going on,” said Edwards.

Haymarket Town Councilwoman Bond Cavazos resigned from her post on September 10. She had been elected in June 2018 and her term would have ended June 2020.

She also resigned from the town’s Architectural Review Board.

• “It is painfully obvious that for most issues facing Haymarket I have stood almost alone on the council in opposition to positions taken by the mayor and most council members,” said Cavazos. “It is obviously and exceptionally stressful that one voice on the council can not affect change, mostly because that voice is drowned out by the lockstep marching of the mayor’s drumbeat. It is exhausting knowing that I may always be one of possibly two no votes on too many important issues where I think the Haymarket council is completely and utterly out of step with the desire of its residents.”

When reached for comment Mayor David Leake said, “In my opinion, this is simply inaccurate. She voted with a majority of council 87.9% of the time and only against the majority of council in three matters.”

Cavazos did vote with the majority of the council nearly 89% of her time as a member, according to her voting record.

On only three items did Cavazos break with the majority of the town council.

• In September 2018, she voted against giving special use permits to two drive-thru restaurants at the Crossroads Village Project.
• Cavazos later changed her vote in October 2018 which overturned a veto by Mayor Leake to deny the permits to those restaurants.
• In August 2019, she voted against the council for a demolition permit for a building on Jefferson Street which would allow for the building of a new four-story Hilton Hotel.
• The Architectural Review Board, of which Cavazos was a member, had previously denied the permit.

The third was during a closed session that also took place in August 2019.

During her statement, Cavazos also made mention of the former town clerk Shelly Kozlowski who had tendered her resignation a few weeks prior to Mrs. Cavazos resignation.

• “…we cannot afford to lose another valued member like Shelly Kozlowski who provided infinite passion, resources, and hard work for our town”

We asked Cavazos to expand on her statement.

• “My resignation statement to the Council stands on its own. It is not based on the quantity of votes taken by the council, but rather looking at the importance of the individual votes. Out of respect for Shelley Kozlowski, I cannot speak on her behalf.”

The Council will appoint a replacement within the 45-day requirement to fill the position and will serve until the end of Cavazos term, June 2020.

HAYMARKET — The Battlefield High School (BHS) Bobcat varsity football team of Haymarket will kick off its first annual Military Appreciation Football Game on Friday, Sept. 27 at 7 p.m.

This event, presented by BHS Athletic Booster Club and sponsored by Honor Brewing Co. of Manassas, will take place at Battlefield High School at 15000 Graduation Drive.

The game will showcase a special military game jersey, honoring the WWII M18 Hellcat tank of the U.S. Army’s 4th Armory Division, which was the most effective U.S. tank destroyer of World War II.

The event will also honor active and retired military members attending the game as special guests and feature pre-game tailgate entertainment from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.

This entertainment includes country singers, the Feehan Brothers (who are former BHS football players), a rock-climbing wall, games and food from Honor BBQ of Manassas.

Game tickets are $6 per person at the gate.

All-you-can-eat barbecue tickets are $10 if purchased online or $15 at the gate.

Programs will be sold at the game and online for $20.

Rock-climbing wall and games are free.

To purchase tickets or get more information, go online.

The pre-game tailgate events, sponsored by Homestead Realty of Haymarket, will open with entertainment from local country singers.

Also performing are former BHS football players Connor and Brendan Feehan of The Feehan Brothers band. The Feehan brothers’ father served in the U.S. Army during Desert Storm and their great-grandfather served in WWII.

BHS will honor all active and retired military service members and provide special recognition on the field for WWII veterans, including Senior Master Sergeant Harry F. Miller, USAF (Ret.) from the WWII DC Chapter.

At 16 years old, Miller served in WWII as a tank crewman in the 740th Tank Battalion, as well as in the Korean and Vietnam Wars. He resides in Washington, D.C.

During the half-time show, Homes for Heroes will present a new home, built in Virginia Beach, to U.S. Navy Lt. Patrick Ferguson.

Ferguson sustained several physical and psychological injuries as a result from many training operations and deployments.

He was awarded two Combat Action Ribbons, the Iraq Campaign Medal with Bronze Star, two Joint Service Commendation Medals, five Navy/Marine Corps Achievement Medals and the National Defense Service Medal.

Active duty military members from all military branches will also be on-hand to answer questions, discuss career opportunities, and display military vehicles.

“This area is home to many veterans and military families, and many of our BHS students have had parents that have served or are currently serving in the military,” said Matt Jones, Battlefield High School Athletics Booster president. “We’re thrilled with all the community support and participation from our BHS families who helped us show our gratitude to the military.”

The BHS Bobcats will play Freedom High School’s varsity football team of Woodbridge.

WARRENTON — Novant Health UVA Health System’s Prince William and Haymarket Medical Centers have been recognized by the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association.

Both medical centers received Gold Plus Quality Recognition in the Get With The Guidelines-Heart Failure.

The award recognizes the hospitals’ commitment to ensuring heart failure patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally-recognized, research-based guidelines founded on the latest scientific evidence.

The goal is speeding recovery and reducing hospital readmissions.

To earn the award, Prince William Medical Center and Haymarket Medical Center met specific quality achievement measures for the diagnosis and treatment of heart failure patients at a set level for a designated period.

These measures include evaluation of the proper use of medications and aggressive risk-reduction therapies.
Before discharge, patients also receive education on managing their overall health, get a follow-up visit scheduled, as well as other care transition interventions.

Prince William Medical Center is also recognized on the American Heart Association’s Target: Heart Failure (SM) Honor Roll.

The honor roll includes a select group of hospitals that have met specific criteria that improves medication adherence, provides easy follow-up care and coordination, and enhances patient education.

In addition, Prince William Medical Center received the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association’s Get With The Guidelines Target-Stroke® Honor Roll Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award.

To earn this award, the hospital successfully demonstrated its commitment to provide stroke patients with appropriate treatment aligned with nationally-recognized, research-based guidelines founded on current scientific evidence.

Specifically, Prince William Medical Center met quality measures developed to reduce the time between the patient’s arrival at the hospital and treatment.

“Novant Health UVA Health System is dedicated to improving the quality of care and bringing the best of health to our patients with the convenience of being treated in their own community hospital,” said Stephen Smith, M.D., President and COO of Prince William Medical Center and Haymarket Medical Center. “We are honored to receive these accolades from the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association. Tools and resources provided by the Get With The Guidelines programs help us track and measure our success in meeting evidenced-based clinical guidelines developed to improve patient outcomes.”

This brings national recognition to Novant Health UVA Health System medical centers for improving patient care and outcomes for heart failure and stroke patients.

HAYMARKET — Jersey Mike’s Subs, known for its fresh sliced-and-grilled subs, will open in Haymarket on Aug. 14.

Franchise owner Chris Brown will hold a grand opening and free sub fundraiser from Wednesday, Aug. 14 to Sunday, Aug. 18 to support Haymarket Regional Food Pantry.

The new restaurant, located at 6424 Trading Square, is circulating 7,500 coupons throughout the community offering a free regular sub for a minimum $2 contribution to the Haymarket Regional Food Pantry. Customers must have a coupon to be eligible.

“We want to raise awareness along with funds to highlight the contribution the food pantry makes throughout northern Virginia,” said Brown.

Brown is an exemplary Jersey Mike’s franchise owner who shares the company’s commitment to quality products and exceptional customer service, and who are dedicated to giving back to the local community.

Since 2010, Jersey Mike’s locations throughout the country have raised more than $41 million for local charities and have distributed more than 2 million free sub sandwiches to help numerous causes.

In 2019, the company’s 9th Annual Jersey Mike’s Month of Giving in March raised more than $7.3 million for more than 200 charities throughout the country.

Started in 1956, Jersey Mike’s now has 2,000 restaurants open and under development nationwide.

Jersey Mike’s was named the country’s Fastest-growing Sandwich Chain in the 2019 Nation’s Restaurant News Top 200 and #1 Most Admired Fast-casual Brand in QSR’s 2019 Reader’s Choice Awards.

The restaurant’s hours are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., seven days a week.

Photo: Jersey Mike’s Facebook page