WOODBRIDGE, Va. -- If a satellite elections office in Woodbridge closes on Saturdays, what will that mean to you?
Thatâs what the Prince William County Electoral Board wants to know. The board, and the elections office it oversees, is responsible for conducting elections within the county â everything from presidential elections to state and local offices.
The satellite office inside the Woodbridge DMV on Caton Hill Road, just off Minnieville Road, is one of two elections offices in the county. The main office is outside the countyâs courthouse in Manassas.
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WOODBRIDGE, Va. — Both Amber and Trey Porter attended Potomac Senior High School where they played basketball. Both siblings assisted their teams on a successful first round appearance to the Virginia State Basketball Championship held at Robinson Secondary School in Fairfax, Virginia; with Trey and the Panthers most recently winning a State Championship title in March 2014.
Now, the duo plays college basketball separate from one another for the first time in three years; Amber at Stetson University located in DeLand, Fla. and Trey at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia.
Trey, a freshman, will play at the forward position this season for the George Mason Patriots. His goal is to bring key extras to his new team.
âI want to add athleticism and defensive intensity to the game with some offensive putbacks mixed in,â he says.
Amber, who plays Center, is eager to try her hand as a power forward if possible in an effort to broaden her game. She averaged 14.9 points per game last season as a rookie for the Hatters and earned such titles as Atlantic Sun Freshman of The Year and Mid-Major Freshman of the Year (College Sports Madness). Amber also set Stetsonâs single-season record with 129 blocked shots on the season, breaking the previous record of 72.
Returning as a sophomore for the 2014-2015 season, Amber is working on improving her all-around game this summer; building on her gym workouts with personal trainer George Logan of G Team Sports, Inc.
â I have really been focusing on my defense and ball handling moves,â says Porter.
School selections werenât easy and many top Division-1 scholastic and athletic programs were after both of them during their recruitment period. âGo somewhere you like and that works best for you,â says Trey, âyou have to be prepared to utilize the school as well as the athletic program.â
Undoubtedly, the support of their mother over the years has been invaluable, but coupled with the support they give each other shows their dedication to family.
âI am always amazed at all the people I donât know who come up and show love for both of us,â expresses Amber, âbut of course I am always going to support my brother.â
As siblings go, each know a little known fact about the other that would interest those who are learning about the dynamic duo.
âI enjoy yoga,â said Trey. âYour body feels great afterward.â Amber whispers, âIâm shy,â despite having to conduct regular interviews on account of her rookie success.
They each share a desire to reach the professional level with the NBA and WNBA, respectively, but they understand it starts with the present. Advising rising athletes who wish to get to the collegiate level
âWork hard, practice hard and play hard…constantly,â Trey said.
For now, Amber spends this summer working on her game independently from her team before her return for the fall school year and Trey is showing off his talent at the Kenner League (Nike Pro/College League) being held at Georgetown University in Washington from July through mid August.
And who else would be at Treyâs summer league games, but Amber, an older sister supporting her younger brother.
GAINESVILLE, Va. -Â On August 12, a 31-year-old woman told police that a female suspect assaulted her and stabbed a 36-year-old man who also lived at the house. According to the report, the suspect left the scene but was arrested by police and both the victims and suspect were taken to the hospital for minor injuries.
Here's the latest from Prince William police:
Malicious Wounding | Domestic Assault & Battery â On August 12th at 10:11PM, officers responded to a residence located in the 4500 block of Logmill Rd in Gainesville (20155) to investigate a stabbing. The victim, a 31 year old woman of Gainesville, reported to police that she and the accused, a known acquaintance, were involved in a verbal altercation which escalated. During the encounter, the accused assaulted the victim and, at one point, retrieved a kitchen knife. Another resident of the home, a 36 year old man of Gainesville, attempted to intervene and was stabbed in the arm by the accused. The male victim ran to a neighborâs residence where he contacted police. The accused fled the home prior to officers arriving in the area. A police K-9 was used to search for the accused and was successful in locating her in a wooded area behind the home. Once encountered by officers, the accused refused to comply with commands and was bitten by the police K-9. The accused was eventually detained without further incident. Both victims and the accused sustained minor injuries and were transported to an area hospital for treatment. Following the investigation, the accused was arrested.
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The Poetry Society of Virginia, a statewide organization promoting the writing and enjoyment of poetry, has appointed Bristow poet Katherine M. Gotthardt Vice President of the Society's Northern Region. The Northern Region includes the D.C. Metro area, Stafford and Fredericksburg. As VP, Gotthardt will coordinate existing local programs, create new programs, raise the profile of the Society and recruit new members.
Gotthardt holds an M.Ed. with a writing concentration and has been writing and teaching for more than 20 years. A former community columnist for the News and Messenger, Gotthardt taught college level writing online and in the classroom and English as a Second Language (ESOL) at the Manassas Regional Adult Detention center. She currently freelances as a writer and editor, sets up websites and blogs, teaches blogging and writing and reports for Haymarket Beat.
Gotthardt's work has appeared in various online and text journals. Poems from the Battlefield, a collection of her Civil War themed poetry, original and archival photos and period quotes, was published in 2009. Gotthardt's illustrated childrenâs book, Furbily-Furld Takes on the World, an epic poem, was published in 2010. Approaching Felonias Park, a novel focusing on predatory lending, was released in 2011. Weaker Than Water, a second collection of her poetry, came out in 2013. Gotthardt expects to release a new collection of poetry in 2014. Her full profile can be found on LinkedIn.
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Dumfries, Triangle, Quantico Little League All-Star team (DTQ) is currently battling it out at the 2014 Little League World Series in Bangor, Maine. With today's win over Canada, the DTQ All-Stars are now 2-0 in pool play.
They will be looking for wins over host Bangor (Maine) East/West on Wednesday and Asia/Pacific on Thursday. Semifinal play will begin on Friday.
 "Getting to the World Series has been a team effort," said the team's manager Brendon Hannifin. "The kids on this team have not only a lot of skill, but incredible tenacity and determination."
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DUMFRIES, Va. -- Elected officials in Dumfries are suffering sticker shock.
Itâs going to cost $1.3 million, about a quarter of the townâs $4.4 million annual budget, to restore just one phase of Quantico Creek. The creek is a small stream that traverses the town running from Interstate 95 past U.S. 1 and flowing into Quantico Bay â a body of water where the town someday hopes to develop waterfront access for its residents.
Now, following a meeting of the Town Council, officials say they will go back and review the study that outlined how the creek should be restored and how much it will cost.
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DUMFRIES, Va. -- Grace Church in Dumfries will support over 200 families with its annual Back To School Give Away.  The church set a goal of providing backpacks for over 226 students. The Helping Hands of Grace Ministry is accepting gently used clothes, new school supplies and non-perishable lunch items.  Donations can be delivered to Grace Church by August 20.
According to the National Retail Federation, in 2013 back to school spending averaged $634.78 for families with children in grades K-12. Â The cost increases dramatically when college age students are included. Â Grace Church and its Helping Hands of Grace Ministry hopes to help families in Dumfries bear some of the financial burden.
âFor over a decade, Grace Church has been committed to being a good neighbor,â said Deaconess Teri Milton, Grace Church Helping Hands Coordinator. âThe Back to School Give Away is just one of many annual outreach activities that we host to support the Dumfries community.â
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MANASSAS, Va. -- The rising star and Grammy-nominated bluegrass group Dailey & Vincent will be performing at the Hylton Performing Arts Center in Manassas on September 13 and 14, and will be filming the performance for broadcast on PBS.
The group has performed for the Hylton Center in the past, and this relationship led to the groupâs decision to film their performance in Manassas.
âWeâve actually booked them here at the Hylton Center a few times and theyâre delightful. And both times theyâve played here, theyâve said publicly, to the audience, âHey weâd sure love to come back here and film a TV show,â which initially took us by surprise, but then we said âHey you know thatâs not a bad idea,â said Rick Davis, the Hylton Centerâs Executive Director, recalling how the idea for filming a performance came about.
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Dr. Robin Anthony Toogood resigned as principal of Jennie Dean Elementary School after state education officials said he falsified documents that helped him land his job.
Everything from Toogoodâs Bachelorâs to his Doctorate degrees were falsified, according to documents from the Virginia Department of Education.
Toogood resigned as principal on June, 27 after being presented with information from the state education department. His teaching license was revoked the following month.
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Flash flooding is occurring on roadways across the region.
A flash flood warning from the National Weather Service is in effect until 5:15 p.m.
