The body of a young man was found the back of a van involved in a crash at Occoquan.

From Virginia State Police:

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Just across the Occoquan River from Prince William County, a memorial will be built to remember the women suffragists who fought for the right to vote.

To celebrate and honor the 100th anniversary of women gaining the right to vote, Fairfax County is hosting multiple museum exhibitions, events, and constructing a memorial. The county, according to a press release, has a 'remarkable connection to the women’s suffrage movement, beyond its proximity to the nation’s capital city.'

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The guardrail on the exit ramp from Interstate 95 to Route 123 in Woodbridge has been beaten up over the years.

It’s been so bad, the Virginia Department of Transportation needed to a new solution that would light up the guardrail so drivers would see it and not hit it. The answer: flashing yellow chevron signs noting the sharp curve of the exit ramp taking drivers from I-95 north to Route 123 toward Occoquan.

“Tracking crashes on-ramps is difficult because that data is generally not kept. What was used as a determining factor here were the number of maintenance requests due to guardrail strikes,” said Virginia transportation department spokeswoman Ellen Kalmilakis. “These ramps, the one at Route 123 in particular, saw a much higher rate of maintenance requests than other ramps in the district.”

More in a press release:

Flashing chevrons aimed at improving safety have been installed along I-95 ramps in Woodbridge and Springfield, according to the Virginia Department of Transportation.

Several flashing chevrons were added along the ramp from northbound I-95 to northbound Route 123 (Exit 160B) as an innovative way to help guide drivers along the curve, particularly at night. The improvements cost about $32,000.

Watch a demonstration video of the flashing chevrons along the I-95 to Route 123 ramp here.

Flashing chevrons were also installed along the ramp from southbound I-95 to eastbound Route 644 (Exit 169A). The improvements cost about $25,000.

These are the first flashing chevrons in Northern Virginia.

The flashing chevron signs are posted along other portions of highways in the state, to include I-81 at Buchanan, Va.

Occoquan will try again next year.

The town has canceled its Riverfest and Craft Show that was set to take place on September 27 and 28 due to the concerns over the coronavirus. is canceled this year. The Riverfest event was slated to replace the town’s annual spring craft show, which in recent years had seen a drop in attendance.

Back in April, town officials said they were pushing back the end of summer event to fall and combining Riverfest with the annual fall craft show due to health and safety reasons the pandemic has caused. Now, with social distancing orders still in place, officials at Occoquan have decided to postpone the Riverfest event until Summer 2021.

“As we head into a new season together, we resolve to keep Occoquan thriving…we continue to provide opportunities to visit and enjoy Occoquan safely,” states town activities coordinator Julie Little.

Little encouraged customers to call ahead to their favorite shops in town to pick up orders in lieu of the annual craft show. Traditionally, the spring and fall craft shows bring in the majority of funding the town uses for its annual operating budget.

The town of Occoquan is located just off Interstate 95 exit 160, on the Occoquan River.

While the craft show is canceled, farmer’s markets in Dale City and Manassas are open and urge customers to visit to practice social distancing along with wearing masks while visiting.

The nearby Dale City market is open Sundays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. and has temporarily been relocated to the Richard G. Pfitzner Stadium, behind the Prince Willaim County Government Center in Woodbridge.

In Manassas, farmer’s markets are held Thursday and Saturday. The Thursday market is located at the Harris Pavilion in Downtown Manassas and the Saturday market is located at the Prince William Commuter Lot across from the Baldwin Elementary School.

Both locations will be open from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

After seven long years, Occoquan’s kayak ramp project is nearing completion.

In 2013, Occoquan was awarded a grant through the Federal Highway Administration’s Recreational Trails Program.

The grant was to be used for the construction of an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)-compliant, non-motorized watercraft launch under the Route 123 bridge. The intent of the project is to provide free water access to all in the community, including people with disabilities. 

The ramp was projected to take only a short amount of time to build.

“The town is required to obtain a Commercial Building Permit from Prince William County for the project. The actual construction of the project will take approximately 45-60 days to complete,” stated the town council’s project summary document.

So, why has the project taken seven years to finish?

According to Mayor Earnie Porta, a number of things caused the delay, including personnel changes and securing permits.

However, one of the largest considerations was the exact site of the launch.

“One of the important things about this ramp was that it would be the only free, public access ramp on the Occoquan for people with ambulatory disabilities east of the High Dam. Although it was easy to design the launch itself that way, substantial design changes were necessary to make the slope of the access ramp to the launch appropriate for individuals with ambulatory disabilities,” Porta explained.

According to Porta, this site was chosen despite necessitating design changes because of its shallow water depth and ease of public access — there was already a parking lot nearby.

“The location that ended up being most suitable for public access has a significant slope that required a long switchback ramp to meet ADA requirements. In other words, the ideal location ended up being different than what was originally anticipated, and this necessitated a different kind of ramp,” said Porta.

To make these necessary changes, Occoquan had to find and secure additional funding for the project which, even with the help of Virginia’s Department of Conservation and Recreation, was challenging according to the mayor.

“Truth is that this project would never have come to fruition without the extensive cooperation and commitment of Virginia’s Department of Conservation and Recreation. They stayed committed to this project throughout and persevered through challenges,” Porta said.

Porta did not respond when asked when the kayak ramp would be finished.

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:

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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 AM

Monday, July 20, 2020
Woodbridge Senior Center
13850 Church Hill Drive
Woodbridge, VA 22191
Start Time: 9:00 AM

Splashdown Water Park
7500 Ben Lomond Park Road
Manassas, VA 20109
Start Time: 9:00 AM

Tuesday, 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.

The Prince William County Parks and Recreation Department has updated its tourism master draft plan for 2020, a document focused on projecting community needs in the next 10-15 years.

The plan discusses in part how historic sites are assets for tourism and looks into how to utilize these sites to boost economic gains.

The plan, which is apart of the Prince William County Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism’s Systemwide Master Plan, now includes the mergers of Prince William County’s Historic Preservation Division and Office of Tourism into the Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism.

The Historic Preservation Division has been a part of the Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism for almost two years, but this is the first time the Prince William County Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism’s Systemwide Master Plan includes historic sites in the planning process.

The expansion of the Master Plan to include tourism and historic preservation comes If the department is folded into parks and recreation, it would come three years after the department took on the role of tourism promotion after county leaders voted to dissolve “Discover Prince William/Manassas,” a partnership between the county and Manassas City that aimed to promote the region to visitors.

The tourism plan now under consideration addresses improving visitor experiences at the county’s parks, recreational facilities, historic sites, and promoting heritage and sports tourism. It also focuses on securing public and private partnerships as well as private development investments that benefit county residents and the economy.

Heritage tourism focuses on showing the history and heritage of an area through experiences, structures and historic sites. Prince William County has 15 historic sites managed by the Historic Preservation Division. Some sites are open daily, while others are open by appointment only, and others are currently closed to the public. In 2019, almost 150,000 people visited the county’s historic sites, with 35% of visitors being from out of the county.

Sports tourism draws visitors from across the east coast to the county’s 472 sports venues that host sports events and tournaments. This includes youth, amateur, collegiate, professional, minor league, and motorsports. It also offers 11 public golf courses, 2 indoor Olympic pools, an ice arena, and fields for softball, baseball, and soccer.

Furthermore, the county currently owns 63 developed parks, which offer a number of activities for visitors, including:

• Two 18-hole golf courses
• One 9-hole leisure golf courses
• 116 sports fields
• Two waterparks
• 6 outdoor pools
• 2 aquatics and fitness centers
• A skate park
• A marina
• A dog park

“The plan provides an opportunity to fully realize the synergies created by the mergers such as incorporating new historic interpretive storytelling into the Department’s recreation program and developing outdoor recreation, sports tourism, culture, history, heritage, agri-tourism opportunities and more,” said Ann Marie Maher, Director of Tourism in Prince William County.

Due to changes in consumer travel patterns brought on by the coronavirus pandemic, the state and Office of Tourism’s COVID-19 recovery plan now includes a primary marketing focus on the local and drive markets. 

“The plan is based on the level of service standards outline in the plan and is designed to address the needs of the community,” said Brent M. Heavner, the Communication Services Division Chief of the Prince William Department of Parks and Recreation.

The planned budget for the Office of Tourism this year is $1.5 million, funded by the county’s hotel tax. Budget spending will focus on supporting the coronavirus tourism industry’s economic recovery efforts.

The tourism discussions are master plan is part of the Prince William County Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Systemwide Master Plan.

“The plan is based on the level of service standards outline in the plan and is designed to address the needs of the community,” said Brent M. Heavner, the Communication Services Division Chief of the Prince William Department of Parks and Recreation.

The draft is available to the public online at pwcgov.org/parks.

Prince William County’s tourism economy currently ranks 9th in the Commonwealth in total visitor spending, and in 2018, over 6,662 hospitality and tourism professionals were employed in Prince William County. 

Occoquan approved its Fiscal Year 2021 budget, but, according to Mayor Earnie Porta, the budget is almost certain to change as the fiscal year progresses.

“At this time there is nothing in particular that I would highlight.  We adopted a budget recognizing that in all likelihood it would need to be amended during the year as conditions related to the COVID-19 pandemic develop,” Porta said.

The FY21 budget, adopted on Tuesday, June 16, brings no changes to the Real Estate tax rates.

The FY20, and now FY21, Real Estate tax rate stands at $0.12 per $100 assessed value. This means that the average tax bill for a resident of Occoquan will be $411.85.

The town’s overall budget is just under $1 million, which represents a 7% increase from FY20.

Despite the budget increase, the Capital Improvement Fund’s revenue and expenditures are down 90% and 60%, respectively, from FY20. 

When asked about this change, Town Manager Kathleen Leidich cited the near completion of the Kayak Ramp project:

“In regards to the Capital Improvement Program funding, the main difference between FY 2020 and FY 2021 is that the grant funding for the Kayak Ramp Project is no longer included, as the project is slated to be completed in the near future,” Leidich said.

Kayak Ramp Project

In 2013, Occoquan was awarded a grant through the Federal Highway Administration’s Recreational Trails Program.

The grant was to be used for the construction of an ADA non-motorized watercraft launch under the Route 123 Bridge. The intent of the project is to provide free water access to the community, including persons with ambulatory disabilities. 

Now the project is drawing to a close with the kayak ramp soon to be finished.

Occoquan is using some of the $94,000 that it received in federal CARES Act funding to provide grants to small businesses in need of immediate financial assistance.

These microgrants may be used for employee salaries and benefits, and other capital and operating expenses directly related to the immediate impacts of the coronavirus.

Aside from having an up-to-date business license and being located in Occoquan, here’s what businesses need in order to be eligible:

• Pay rent/mortgage and utilities
• Operating since at least March 1, 2020 
• Be open for business more than 20 hours a week under normal circumstances
• Must be able to show impact of coronavirus on revenue

If the business is a franchise, a bank or other financial institution, or has not been impacted by the coronavirus shutdown, it is automatically ineligible for a grant.

Businesses interested in applying must deliver an application to Town Hall by Wednesday, July 15. 

These applications will be judged for eligibility by a three-person panel. 

All businesses determined to be eligible will receive an equal amount of funding.

Mayor Earnie Porta, when asked about how much funding is available for each business, stated that the town was still working out the program’s specifics.

For further information and specifics, visit the town’s page here.