Since President Joe Biden announced that he will no longer be seeking a second presidential term on Sunday (July 21) and Vice President Kamala Harris’ announced she’s running for president, elected officials across Northern Virginia have made statements and shared their thoughts on social media.

Prince William Board of County Supervisor Kenny Boddye (Occoquan)

My official statement thanking @JoeBiden & endorsing @KamalaHarris. pic.twitter.com/Yo7rMEksTO

— Kenny A. Boddye (@KennyBoddye) July 22, 2024

Prince William Board of County Supervisor Victor Angry (Neabsco)

“They live well that live for something that will out live themselves”.
Thank you @JoeBiden for your service to humanity all of these years. I fully support your endorsement of @KamalaHarris for President.
“Let’s Finish The Job”.

— Victor Angry (@Angry4Super) July 21, 2024

Prince William Chair At-Large DeShundra Jefferson

This is what it means to love your country above all else. Thank you @JoeBiden for your courage and continued service.

I pledge to work hard to support the next Democratic nominee. https://t.co/G06M3uyAmp

— Deshundra Jefferson (@DeshundraTweets) July 21, 2024

City of Manassas Mayor Michelle Davis-Younger

It’s now time to unite, pull all our resources and get behind our Vice President @KamalaHarris! President Biden has once again put love of our country first. He has chosen and endorsed who we KNOW can bring home the victory! Let’s get it done with Kamala! pic.twitter.com/vqqJRYn6Kr

— Michelle Davis-Younger (@MDY_MadameMayor) July 22, 2024

Virginia State Del. Michelle Maldonado (D-50)

Thank you @JoeBiden for your decades of service to our country. Today’s decision was not an easy one. I will be forever grateful for all the great work you have done for us as well as the skill, clarity, and grace you’ve shown as you led us through difficult times. #Leadership https://t.co/caKpXI3BlH

— Michelle Maldonado (@MichelleforVA) July 21, 2024

Virginia State Sen. Danica Roem (D-30)

As a first-time candidate for office, Kamala Harris helped co-found the @EmergeAmerica network. She earned election as D.A., AG, U.S. Senator and VP. She’s now on the cusp of making history again. I’m grateful for the kindness she showed me and for stepping up to lead our nation. https://t.co/I4K1jbOMK8

— Sen. Danica Roem (@pwcdanica) July 21, 2024

Prince William County Schools is expanding the Community Eligibility Provision from 44 schools to 68 for the 2024-2025 school year.

The CEP program is a meal service option for schools and districts in low-income areas and offers free breakfast and lunch. The program also does not require a household application from a parent or guardian to enroll in the program; instead, schools are reimbursed.

“Schools that adopt CEP are reimbursed using a formula based on the percentage of students categorically eligible for free meals based on their participation in other specific means-tested programs, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF),” the USDA website states.

This expansion comes after the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) decision to reduce the percentage of students who qualify for free meals from 40% to 25%.

PWCS media representatives said in a statement that CEP ensures all students receive nutritious meals, regardless of their family’s income.

“CEP improves meal access and promotes a more inclusive environment and equitable meal service,” the representatives said.

In the upcoming school year, PWCS can add 24 more schools — and roughly 26,516 students, according to a press release — to the program.

PWCS representatives also said they will continue to evaluate data and add qualifying schools each year.

The following schools were added for the next school year:

Elementary schools

• Antietam Elementary School

• Chris Yung Elementary School

• Coles Elementary School

• Covington-Harper Elementary School

• Kyle Wilson Elementary School

• Lake Ridge Elementary School

• Mary Williams Elementary School

• Montclair Elementary School

• Pattie Elementary School

• Penn Elementary School

• Rosa Parks Elementary School

• Signal Hill Elementary School

• Springwoods Elementary School

• Tyler Elementary School

• Victory Elementary School

• Westridge Elementary School

Middle schools

• Lake Ridge Middle School

• Parkside Middle School

• Potomac Shores Middle School
• Saunders Middle School

High schools

• C.D. Hylton High School

• Osbourn Park High School

• Potomac High School

• Woodbridge High School 

Here is a list of all the qualifying CEP schools in PWCS. 

Prince William County is partnering with Verizon to provide high-speed internet to 470 areas in the county by summer 2025.

The Board of County Supervisors awarded a contract to Verizon to expand high-speed internet access throughout the county in an effort to reduce the percentage of county residents without it. According to a county press release, the goal is to reduce the number of residents without access to less than 1.5%.

A National Institute of Health study shows that between 2018 and 2022, 96% of Prince William County residents had high-speed access; in comparison to counties in the Northern Virginia region, Prince William ranks among Fairfax City and Fairfax County (96%), Falls Church City (97%), Loudon County (96%) and Manassas City (96%).

“This project brings us one step closer to ensuring that every county resident and business has access to high-speed internet and represents a real commitment to resolve chronic issues of technology access, a?ordability and literacy across the county,” Board of County Supervisors Chair At-Large Deshundra Jefferson said.

The county released an interactive map to show the status of the project. There are dozens of active construction sites in Manassas, Catharpin and Haymarket, along with various sites in Triangle in the planning phase.

The Board allocated $1.35 million in funding from the county’s American Rescue Plan Act funding from the federal government, which was an effort to revitalize communities impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The project also comes out of the Department of Information Technology’s (DoIT) 2020 initiative, the Technology Inclusion Initiative, to increase access to high-speed internet to reduce threats to residents and local businesses.

Residents and businesses can submit a request form to demonstrate interest in gaining internet access through this program.

The Brentsville Jail, built in the 1800s and now a historic site in Prince William County, is offering an overnight experience on Saturday, July 20, where attendees can sleep in a prison cell, take part in a mock trial, take an evening tour and listen to ghost stories around a campfire.

“Guests will take part in a mock trial where we take court cases from the 1800s and we give everyone different roles,” Paige Gibbons Backus, historic site manager at Brentsville Courthouse Historic Centre & Lucasville School, said in a press release. “They go through the court case, hear the evidence and then decide if someone is innocent or guilty and we tell them if they changed history or not.”

The jail was built in tandem with the Brentsville Courthouse in the 1820s and served as the “center of law and order” for the county until 1893, the release stated. The county seat moved to Manassas, so the jail transitioned to a women’s dorm for the teacher’s college in the defunct courthouse. It was then renovated to become a private residence then the county park authority’s jail space.

Since those days, the jail has been restored by the Office of Historic Preservation to return to its original appearance. A museum is now the main occupant of the building, detailing its own history and that of Brentsville.

Up to five people can sleep in a single, air-conditioned cell and attendees will receive a light breakfast on Sunday morning, which is included in the $120 registration fee.

Manassas City Council received an update on Monday, July 15, about staff vacancies and training requirement challenges in the Fire & Rescue Department.

Chief Edward Mills, who leads the city's fire department, gave a presentation to City Council on Monday following growing community concerns over staffing of engine 501, a 750-gallon fire engine that's been in service since May 2014.

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Prince William County was named one of the top digital counties in the nation by the Center for Digital Government and the National Association of Counties.

The county received third place in the annual Digital Counties Survey in the 250,000-499,999 population category. This is the fourth consecutive year the county has placed in the top 10 in this category. Prince William was beaten out by Chesterfield County, Va., in first place and Cumberland County, N.C., in second. In 2023, Prince William won first place in this category.

This survey aims to identify the best technology practices among counties across the United States, including initiatives to streamline services, data analytics and enhanced cybersecurity with emerging technology.

“Amid falling tax revenue and growing demands on its Department of Information Technology, Prince William County nevertheless expanded and improved citizen services last year while initiating major improvements to several internal processes,” the survey results state.

The county was also recognized for its work to resolve technology access issues, affordability and digital literacy through DoIT’s Technology Inclusion Initiative. DoIT has also been working to enhance communications between residents and county leadership.

” “Four consecutive years of recognition demonstrates that our unwavering commitment to technology excellence, efficiency and value has emerged as a national example of how to deliver strong value to constituents and communities,” Rob Mancini, the county’s Chief Information Officer said in the release.

Nine other Virginia counties were placed among the nation’s top innovation counties.

• Albermarle County, seventh place (Up to 150,000 category)
• Arlington County, first place (150,000-249,999 category)
• Bedford County, third place (Up to 150,000)
• County of York, second place (Up to 150,000)
• Fairfax County, second place (1 million or more category)
• Franklin County, eighth place (Up to 150,000)
• James City County, fifth place (Up to 150,000)
• Orange County, ninth place (Up to 150,000)
• Stafford County, third place (150,000-249,999)

Happy Monday, Prince William County!

Welcome to my series of Board of County Supervisors previews, where I preview each Prince William County Board of Supervisors meeting so you know what’s going on, what to listen for, and how to talk about it later.

This is the last meeting of the summer before the Board goes on recess for the summer. The next meeting will be Sept. 3 at 2 p.m.

Sign up for our FREE news email and never hesitate to email me at [email protected] with comments, questions and/or news tips.

Important links

• Meeting agenda
• Meeting agenda packet
• Where to watch

Key agenda items

Public safety funds for the Solheim Cup

The 19th Solheim Cup, a women’s professional golf team competition that’s expected to bring in $60 million for the region, will be held at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Gainesville in September, and staff is recommending the Board appropriate $2 million for public safety operations during the tournament.

Staff estimated $2 million of safety support costs across the police and Fire & Rescue departments, Public Safety Communications and the Office of Emergency Management for personnel, equipment and contracted services, in the case of OEM.

$5 million was appropriated earlier this year by the Virginia General Assembly in the state budget to sponsor the event.

“The Virginia Tourism Authority shall use these funds to 1) promote Prince William County and other Virginia Tourism assets during this event and 2) provide grants to Prince William County to address public safety and transportation services required for the domestic and international travelers attending the event,” meeting document states.

Prince William County, if the Board approves, will submit a grant application to the Tourism Authority for $2 million from the $5 million already appropriated. But, the county needs to appropriate and budget $2 million upfront and recoup the money afterward if the application is approved.

Van Buren Road North/Route 234/Cardinal Drive project

Staff is recommending the Board approve the location of the Van Buren Road North extension between Route 234 and Cardinal Drive, which will bring a four-lane divided road with a shared-use path, sidewalk and bridge over Powell’s Creek.

This project has been in talks since 2020 and has been the subject of studies and public hearings, but is now reaching the Board’s desk for approval. If approved, the project will then be sent up the chain to the Federal Highways Administration for their approval and final design plans.

Detention center public lobby renovations

The Adult Detention Center in Manassas — which also serves Prince William County and Manassas Park — is seeking $1.75 million to renovate the public access lobby in its 2000s-era building.

The Central Building Phase I lobby became fully operational in late 2008 and, according to county documents, needs improvements to “enhance overall security measures for the facility, allow for improved security screenings and streamline operational requirements for reception and exit processes.”

This lobby is the only public access point and manages all visitors to the jail, including but not limited to family, friends, attorneys, volunteers, vendor contractors and staff. Inmates who are being released also exit through this lobby.

“The agency must make access available to the public 24/7 for magisterial services performed in the lower level of the building. Therefore, entries and exits must be managed around the clock,” county documents state.

Lobby renovations were initially slated to be part of the 2021 expansion project, but were cut due to funding constraints.

New businesses slated for the county

Several businesses are requesting special use permits across the county. Here are some of the highlights:

• Tommy’s Car Wash (Minnieville Shopping Center, Woodbridge)
• Gas station with 20 pumps (6371 John James Way, Haymarket)
• Wendy’s (6366 John James Way, Haymarket)
• Braemar Flagship Car Wash (9420 Linton Hall Road, Bristow)
• A “financial institution” with a drive-through (14890 Heathcote Blvd., Haymarket)
• Vehicle service facility (14890 Heathcote Blvd., Haymarket)
• Self-service car wash with vacuums (14890 Heathcote Blvd., Haymarket)
• Mystikos Armament (9356 Boley Place, Nokesville)
• Popeye’s (9885 Liberia Ave., Manassas)
• Starbucks (17050 Richmond Highway, Dumfries)
• Cozy Nest Family Child Childcare (16052 Barn Swallow Place, Woodbridge)

Adia Lynn Shanahan, 22, was arrested and charged with assault and battery on a law enforcement officer on July 13.

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Adam Bradley Holbrook, 44, turned himself in to Prince William County Police after an arrest warrant was obtained following a domestic dispute on July 14.

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