Prince William

Mayor Earnie Porta expressed gratitude, stating, “Thanks to the efforts of the Congresswoman and her staff, the town now is the recipient of almost a million dollars in funding that is going to enable us to be able to do the remediation and improvements on our stormwater system that, again, we simply could not have done ourselves.”

The nearly one million dollars allocated will be utilized to address various critical needs related to stormwater management. Porta outlined the intended use of the funds, stating that they will enable the town to undertake “the remediation and improvements on our stormwater system” that are essential for the community’s well-being and safety.


Business

Ballywhack Shack Café marked its grand opening with a celebratory ribbon-cutting ceremony this past Saturday, March 9. The café began on the town’s main drag, Mill Street, Ballywhack Shack, and has found its new a second home at 126 Commerce Street, neighboring the Golden Plum (previously known as Mom’s Apple Pie).

In a candid moment during the event, Sherry Mangas, owner of Ballywhack Shack, reminisced about the journey that led to this exciting milestone. Mangas shared her story, tracing back to her tenure at the Blue Arbor Café in 2007, where she discovered her passion for the culinary arts. Following the closure of Blue Arbor, fate intervened as she stumbled upon a humble shed on Mill Street, which she transformed into a thriving sandwich shop and hot dog stand.


Features

The Occoquan Town Council unanimously approved a new town seal following a comprehensive review process that included over 20 submissions curated through a crowdsourcing initiative supervised by Vice Mayor Jenn Loges.

The seal, designated for official town documents and related materials, was crafted better to encapsulate the town’s historical narrative and essence, incorporating visual elements emblematic of its commercial heritage, contemporary identity as a communal hub, and the significance of the Occoquan River and its surrounding natural landscape, states Mayor Earnie Porta.


Prince William

Occoquan Mayor Earnie Porta announced the passing of 19-year-old Occoquan resident Jason Brunsman, who lost his life in a car accident on Route 1. Brunsman, a lifelong resident of Occoquan, was involved in the accident early on the morning of February 14.

According to reports, Brunsman was driving a Ford Transit Van southbound on Route 1, nearing Giles Run Road in Lorton, when the vehicle collided with the rear end of a roll back dumpster truck that was stopped in the left lane, waiting to turn left. Brunsman sustained fatal injuries in the collision and was pronounced deceased at the scene. The driver of the roll back dumpster truck emerged from the accident unharmed.


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