Especially during the holidays, but also throughout the year, people have a giving spirit.
Recently, a group of City of Manassas staff met to devise ways to give back this holiday season. They came up with the 12 Days of Giving Campaign. The project helped city staff to be involved with non-profit groups working to serve those in our community by giving the gift of time and talent.
City staff worked packing bags for Catholic Charities; cleaned up the Boys & Girls club; helping with bingo at the senior center; restocking the Habitat for Humanity Restore; ringing the bell for the Salvation Army; visiting residents at Caton Merchant House; helping children with homework at Don Bosco Center in Georgetown South.
Project Mend-a-House; sorting and packing food at St. Lucy’s food pantry; cooking dinner for residents of SERVE; and helping with Wreaths Across America.
In total, City of Manassas staff gave more than 380 hours of service to the community in just 12 days. There were also community partners who joined in. Brown’s Manassas Kia heard about the project and jumped on board. As others in the community saw these projects happening, they joined as well.
Another opportunity to give back in the City is at the Rescue Station.
Members of the Greater Manassas Volunteer Rescue Squad (GMVRS) and the City of Manassas Fire and Rescue Department serve as one of the 2015 official drop off locations for the US Marine Corps Reserve's Toys for Tots program in Prince William County.
This is the third year the Squad has hosted the program. With the help of its members, auxiliary, and career staff, they have collected more than 800 unwrapped toys and gifts to be distributed by the USMC Reserves to needy families in the city and county.Â
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An instructor for Tiger Martial Arts Academy in Bristow has been charged with felony child abuse after throwing five-year-old child over his shoulders and then onto the ground resulting in the victim losing consciousness, police said.
Felony Child Abuse – On December 22nd, detectives from the Special Victims Unit responded to investigate an assault which was reported to have occurred at the Tiger Martial Arts Academy located at 10306 Bristow Center Dr in Bristow (20181) on December 21st.
The investigation revealed that the accused, identified as an instructor at the business, grabbed the victim, a 5 year old male juvenile of Bristow, by the ankle then threw him over his shoulders and onto the ground causing the victim to lose
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Two men are charged with two counts of armed robbery and aggravated malicious wounding during a drug transaction with the 31-year-old victim.
The victim's friend was also wounded after intervening.Â
Here's more in a police press release:Â
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The first-annual Stafford County Christmas Parade took place on Saturday, December 19, at 5 p.m.
The parade route started at Stafford Middle School and ended at Brooke Point High School. All the parking spots quickly filled up at Brooke Point so attendees had to park along Courthouse Road.
The theme for this year was "All I want for Christmas."
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A new bridge on Old Carolina Road in Haymarket is set to open, and that means Old Carolina Road will reopen, too.Â
More in a Virginia Department of Transportation press release:Â
The Virginia Department of Transportation will reopen the Old Carolina Road/South Jefferson Street bridge over I-66 Wednesday, December 23, nearly five months earlier than scheduled. The bridge has been closed since September 2014.
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Police made an arrest in a series or robberies that occurred Saturday night, the first in Nokesville and second near Manassas.
Here's more in a press release:Â
Armed Robbery – On December 18th at 7:13PM, officers responded to the Nokesville Deli located at 13051 Fitzwater Dr in Nokesville (20181) to investigate a robbery. An employee reported to police that an unknown man entered the store brandishing a handgun and demanding money. The suspect then fled the area on foot with an undisclosed amount of money. No injuries were reported.ÂA police K-9 responded to search for the suspect who was not located. Later that evening at 9:16PM, officers responded to the Sunoco service station located at 9053 Wellington Rd in Manassas (20109) to investigate a second robbery. The Sunoco employee reported to police that an unknown man entered the store brandishing a handgun and demanding money.ÂThe suspect then fled the area on foot with an undisclosed amount of money. No injuries were reported. A police K-9 responded to search for the suspect who was not located. On December 19th, detectives from the Robbery Unit were able to identify the suspect involved in both robberies as Matthew LACLAIR. Following the investigation, detectives obtained warrants against the accused relating to these incidents. LACLAIR was eventually located and arrested without incident in Fredericksburg. The investigation is still on going.ÂArrested on October 13th: [No Photo Available]ÂMatthew Allen LACLAIR, 26, of No Fixed AddressÂCharged with 2 counts of robbery, 1 counts of burglary while armed, and 1 counts of use of a firearm in commission of a felonyÂCourt Date: February 5, 2016 | Bond: Held WITHOUT bond
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Sexual Assault Investigation – On October 19th, detectives from the Special Victims Unit began an investigation of a sexual assault which was reported to have occurred at the Carient Heart and Vascular medical clinic located at 8100 Ashton Ave in Manassas (20109) on June 9th, 2014.ÂThe investigation revealed that the victim, a 71 year old woman of Manassas, was sexually assaulted by the accused, a staff member, during a medical examination. Following the investigation, detectives obtained a warrant for the arrest of the accused on December 17th. The accused was located and arrested at the medical clinic without incident on December 18th.ÂArrested December 18th:ÂThomas A PURCELL, Jr., 42, of 6913 Traditions Trial in ManassasCharged with aggravated sexual batteryCourt date: February 16, 2016 | Bond: Held WITHOUT bond
Years of vandalism have prompted Manassas Park to restore the Conner House.
The Conner House is currently being restored due to deterioration and vandalism and is not open to the public. Many organizations are helping to restore the Conner House to it’s former glory. Some of the restoration will include new railings, repairing broken windows, and other parts of the vandalized interior.
City leaders also erect a fence around the property to stop the recurring vandalism.
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The tent was set up and light was barely coming over the horizon when the crew from Twin Productions began filming two commercials for Wawa, the food and gas chain of Pennsylvania.
“Manassas was like a perfect Hollywood back lot,” said Sasha Levinson, director for the Wawa commercials. “So many areas to create stories in, Manassas was an ideal place for our story to come to life.”
“Manassas was the perfect combination of beautiful locations and a cooperative and helpful infrastructure that made shooting our Wawa commercial a wonderful experience,” commented Angela Edwards, Producer for Twin Productions.
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A 20-year-old man was killed in a car crash in Aquia Harbour.
Authorities were called to a crash in the gated neighborhood in Stafford County at 12:02 a.m. Saturday. A car traveling on Aquia Drive had run off the road, hit a telephone, and multiple trees, said Stafford sheriff's spokesman Bill Kennedy.
Investigators said speed was a factor in the crash.
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