Prince William County supervisors approve a collective bargaining ordinance they admit is a work in progress — The Prince William Board of County Supervisors voted Tuesday to adopt a collective bargaining ordinance that will allow most of its 6,000 employees – including hundreds of police officers and firefighters – to choose a representative to negotiate their pay and benefits with county executive staff and elected officials. [Prince William Times]
Man charged with killing Va. man, intentionally running him over in Philadelphia: Police — Police have arrested and charged a 22-year-old man for allegedly killing a Virginia man after running him over with a car in Philadelphia, Pa., authorities said. [WJLA-TV]
Crash in Spotsylvania leaves one dead — Spotsylvania County man died in a head-on crash on Courthouse Road in the county Tuesday evening. The Sheriff’s Office said in a news release that the crash happened at 6:45 p.m. in the 5900 block of Courthouse Road, near Lawyers Road. [Fredericksburg.com]
Indicted former registrar, struggling to raise funds for a lawyer, appears in Prince William County court — Former Prince William County Registrar Michele White is struggling to raise funds to defend against corruption charges she says are motivated by politics. White, 51, of Occoquan, appeared in Prince William County Circuit Court on Friday for a hearing on the status of her legal counsel. [Insidenova.com]
Data center decisions could have big land use impacts in Virginia’s Prince William County — A growing number of environmental groups and residents have come out against data center development in Prince William County, VA, where they say it would imperil water quality, natural resources and a national battlefield. At the same time, officials in the county continue to approve changes that are paving the way for such projects. [Bay Journal]
Va. college enrollment is bouncing back, while most of the country isn’t — Since the start of the pandemic, college enrollment has cratered throughout the country. But in Virginia, the number of students is on the rebound. National college enrollment dropped an additional 1% this year and is down 6% since before the pandemic, according to newly released data from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. Fewer people have chosen college because of high tuition costs and a favorable labor market. [The Roanoke Times]
Stolen otter statue returned to downtown Fredericksburg — Adeline, the mother otter statue at Hurkamp Park in Fredericksburg, VA, was returned after it was stolen last weekend. “Thank you to the Good Samaritan who saw her and called us. Adeline, you’re one of the reasons we #LoveFXBG,” said Fredericksburg Police Department in a Facebook post. [WTTG-TV]
Prince William School Board passes collective bargaining rights as rancor continues between board and education association — The Prince William County School Board adopted a collective bargaining resolution Wednesday night, formally enshrining the right to collective bargaining on compensation and working conditions for thousands of county school employees in a 7-1 vote. [Insidenova.com]
Funeral costs for Dale City homicide victims to be paid by donations — Three GoFundMe fundraising campaigns are live to help pay for the funeral expenses for victims of the quadruple homicides in Woodbridge. [Patch]
Renovations coming to Fredericksburg Expo & Convention Center — Significant renovations are on the way for the Fredericksburg Expo & Conference Center. On Monday, the city’s Economic Development Authority approved an agreement between SAJ Entertainment, the Expo Center operator, and Fredericksburg that paves the way for $750,000 in improvements to the facility over the next five years. [Free Lance-Star]
GOP’s Cao opposes Ukraine aid in debate with Wexton — Republican congressional candidate Hung Cao expressed opposition to both aid for Ukraine and a bipartisan infrastructure bill that passed Congress last year in a debate Thursday with incumbent Democrat Jennifer Wexton. The low-key debate in front of the Loudoun Chamber produced no real fireworks, but Cao’s differences with Wexton on Ukraine and infrastructure spending place him at odds even with many members of his own party. [Associated Press]
‘It’s really sad’: Friends gather to mourn Dale City family slain in mass shooting — about 200 people gathered Tuesday night outside 5297 Mansfield Court, the Dale City home Flores and Sotelo had rented for more than a year for themselves and Sotelo’s three children: an adult son and two daughters, ages 19 and 13. [Prince William Times]
Silver Line Phase II could start ‘in time’ for Thanksgiving, but more trains needed, Metro says — The second phase of the Silver Line may finally be ready to begin in time for the start of busy Thanksgiving travel, Metro announced today. But the opening of the long-anticipated and long-delayed extension into Loudoun County is pending security certifications from the Washington Metrorail Safety Commission. Metro says it also still needs more trains to officially support the extension. [FFXNow]
Stratford University’s closure followed several years of problems with accreditor — Many college students who were on track to graduate from Stratford University are realizing they will need to redo some of their studies or end them entirely following the recent closure of the for-profit institution. Mushiya Tshibaka, a former nursing student and mother of three, said she was only five classes shy of graduation when she got the news. Now, with few options to transfer most of her credits, she may have to start over. [Virginia Mercury]
Two companies eye Stafford for solar farms — Stafford County supervisors have asked the Planning Commission to study what impact solar facilities might have on the community after two out-of-state companies filed applications to build separate solar facilities in the southern portion of the county. [Free Lance-Star]
Virginia records another surplus, inflation could cost the state — Virginia recorded another revenue surplus through September, but the state may need that money to account for the high inflation rate and the potential for an economic recession. Through the first quarter of the fiscal year, Virginia’s revenues exceeded expectations by more than a half of a billion dollars, according to the September Revenue Report. First quarter revenue is up 7.6% year over year and September’s revenue was up 10.7% year over year. [The Center Square]
Protests continue as ‘PW Digital Gateway’ data center plan heads to the planning commission — Amid residents’ protests, ‘Devlin Technology Park’ data center on hold, for now, developer says The proposed “Devlin Technology Park,” a project that would have allowed between seven and 1…But that didn’t keep about 150 people from protesting in front of James J. McCoart Administration Building Tuesday night to call for county officials to put the brakes on both the Devlin Technology Park – and the much larger, 2,100-acre Prince William Digital Gateway. — Prince William Times
Fredericksburg-area community comes out in support of public library — The community came out in a show of support for the local library and its staff as public libraries across the U.S. have come under increased scrutiny since last summer. — Fredericksburg.com
Report: UVA is 3rd best public university; William & Mary drops — The University of Virginia is the third-best public university in the country, but The College of William & Mary dropped to 13th, according to the newest ranking from U.S. News & World Report. — The Center Square
Amid residents’ protests, ‘Devlin Technology Park’ data centers on hold for now, developer says — The proposed “Devlin Technology Park,” a project that would have allowed between seven and 11 new data centers to be built behind homes in Bristow, is on hold for now. [Prince William Times]
Dominion Energy announces it will delay Blackwell Substation Project, suggests transmission line may not be necessary — Dominion Energy announces it will delay Blackwell Substation Project, suggests transmission line may not be necessary [Fauquier Now]
King George’s Confederate monument is moved to cemetery — The obelisk, dedicated in 1869 with the inscription to honor the “officers and soldiers of the Confederate Army from King George, who gave their lives for the South,” was moved Saturday from the lawn of the King George County Courthouse to the grounds of Historyland Memorial Park, off U.S. 301. [Fredericksbrug.com]
Virginia Election Integrity Unit gets mixed reviews from lawmakers — A new Election Integrity Unit created in the Virginia office of the attorney general has garnered support from Republicans, but has also faced some opposition from Democrats. [The Center Square]
About 100 protest data centers proposed, approved for Bristow —
Citing concerns about noise, huge buildings visible from their homes and years of destructive blasting from construction, about 100 people protested along Linton Hall Road in Bristow Saturday to urge the Prince William Board of Supervisors to put the brakes on “runaway” data center development that they say is destroying their neighborhoods. [Prince William Times]
Nearly 60 new security assistants coming to Prince William County elementary schools –– Prince William County Schools will be adding new full-time school security assistants for every elementary school this year, intended to help monitor entrances to school buildings and deal with any security issues on the property. [Insidenova.com]
Manassas loses out on roundabout funds –– Manassas is once again looking for money to fund its Centreville Road roundabout and Mathis Avenue road diet after being snubbed by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s RAISE grant program for the third time. [Insidenova.com]
Despite law, few Virginia school districts adopt state model transgender policies — Two years after a law passed the General Assembly requiring Virginia school districts to adopt policies for transgender and nonbinary students, few have opted to embrace model policies developed by the state. [Virginia Mercury]
Virginia cuts taxes on military retirement pay but several states go further — Virginia cuts taxes on military retirement pay but several states go further [WRIC-TV]
Police: Fairfax detective arrested in Stafford, faces DUI charge — Fairfax County detective was arrested early Friday after being accused of driving while intoxicated in Stafford County, police said. [Fredericksburg.com]
Virginians set to get student loan forgiveness, but analysts say the policy could have consequences — About 12.5% of Virginia residents owe some amount of student debt that could be reduced through President Joe Biden’s student loan forgiveness plan, but some scholars are warning that the plan could have some negative consequences. [The Center Square]
Piecing it together: How Chesterfield’s months-long LEGO deal finally clicked into place — When Gov. Glenn Youngkin and Denmark’s LEGO Group CEO Niels Christiansen took to the stage together at the Science Museum of Virginia to unveil the company’s plans to locate its first U.S. toy manufacturing factory – a 1.7 million square foot facility occupying 340 acres in Chesterfield’s Meadowville Technology Park – the news rocked headlines across the county and continents. [Chesterfield Observer]
Restaurant receives backlash for insensitive 9/11 menu, issues apology — A manager at a [Stafford County] country club apologized on Facebook Tuesday after receiving backlash on a 9/11 special menu that included a Remember-tini, Flight 93 Redirect and Pentagon Pie. [WJLA-TV]
How the Gun Trafficking Problem in Virginia Compares to Other States — The United States has nearly 121 guns per 100 people, according to the Small Arms Survey, a Swiss-based research project. That figure may be higher today since it was reported in the organization’s report published in 2018 and was already an increase from 88 guns per 100 people in 2011. (These are states with the most gun purchases per person.) [Virginia Mercury]
U.S. House members raise doubts about Manchin environmental permitting deal — More than 50 U.S. House members are objecting to a push to revise federal environmental permitting requirements for energy projects — part of a deal Democratic leaders struck with U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin III to win passage of their climate, health and taxes bill that passed last month. [Virignia Mercury]
