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Prince William

Gainesville GOP Candidates Spar Over Growth, Data Centers, and Immigration Enforcement Ahead of Saturday Primary

By Uriah Kiser
Harders/Landrum

GAINESVILLE, Va. — The two Republicans vying to replace the late Supervisor Bob Weir clashed over land use, data center growth, fiscal priorities, and immigration enforcement during a candidates’ forum this week, just days before GOP voters choose their nominee for the Gainesville District seat.

Patrick Harders, a 24-year Gainesville resident and founder of a regional outdoor lighting company, and Brian Landrum, a historic preservation advocate serving on the Prince William County Architectural Review Board, met in a debate hosted by the Prince William Republican Committee at Guiseppie’s Restaurant in Haymarket, a haunt of the late supervisor. The forum honored Weir’s legacy, with both men praising the late supervisor’s bipartisan approach and focus on putting residents first.

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Prince William

Jefferson Slams ‘Racist’ Mailer—Landrum Fires Back

By Uriah Kiser

Chair Deshundra Jefferson is firing back after a campaign mailer sent by Republican hopeful Brian Landrum labeled her a “DEI hire”—a phrase she calls a racist dog whistle aimed at diminishing her landmark victory as the first Black Chair of the Prince William Board of County Supervisors.

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Features

Meet Prince William: Q+A with Tauheeda Yasin, Community Safety Director

By Caitlyn Meisner

Welcome back to a Potomac Local News series, “Meet Prince William.”

We’ve started this series so Prince William County residents can get to know the important people working behind the scenes to make the county run smoothly and efficiently. This is an opportunity to learn from experts on the county. Potomac Local has asked each leader the same questions in bold, and their respective answers will be found below.

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Manassas

Manassas School Year Kicks Off with New Programs, Safety Focus, and Community Spirit

By Uriah Kiser
[Photo: Manassas City Public Schools]

MANASSAS, Va. – The 2025–26 school year in Manassas opened Tuesday with excitement, new initiatives, and a shared focus on student safety and family engagement.

Several School Board members greeted students at bus stops and school entrances, marking the first day with messages of teamwork and optimism. “Today was more than just the start of a new school calendar, it’s the start of new possibilities,” said Board Chair Suzanne Seaberg. “Let’s make this year one of great learning, great connections, and great memories.”

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Health

Virginia Marketplace Health Plans Could Jump 20% Next Year — One Insurer Wants 40%

By Uriah Kiser
[Photo by Hush Naidoo Jade Photography/Unsplash]

Virginians who buy health insurance on the state’s marketplace could see big premium hikes in 2026, with most insurers proposing average increases of 20% or more — and one requesting twice that.

The State Corporation Commission says 10 insurers plan to sell individual marketplace plans in Virginia next year. Optimum Choice, Inc. has proposed the steepest average increase, 40.2%, according to SCC records. Rates in the small group market, which covers businesses with fewer than 50 workers, could rise an average of 11.2%.

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Traffic

Ride Report: OmniRide Ridership Surges Toward Record Highs, but Capacity Concerns Loom

By Uriah Kiser

OmniRide buses are carrying more passengers than they have in years, and the Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission (PRTC) is on track to set a system-wide ridership record in the coming year — even with fewer commuter trips than before the pandemic.

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Stafford

Stafford Sheriff Launches Retail Crime Task Force—But Offers No Data to Support It

By Uriah Kiser
Car batteries under lock and key at a Stafford County Walmart store in 2024.

STAFFORD, Va. – Stafford County officials have launched a new task force aimed at curbing retail theft and organized retail crime, but the Sheriff’s Office says it has no records or data to show whether such crimes are on the rise locally.

The joint initiative, announced last week by the Stafford County Sheriff’s Office and the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office, is designed to target both everyday shoplifting and more complex theft operations. According to the announcement, the task force will focus on identifying suspects, sharing intelligence, and streamlining prosecution.

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Politics

Stafford Board of Supervisors 2025 Election: Candidates Share Their Top Priorities and Leadership Style

By Kelly Sienkowski

Editor’s note: This article is part of a series by Potomac Local News introducing candidates for the Stafford County Board of Supervisors. This fall, voters will choose representatives for the Garrisonville, Hartwood, Falmouth, and Aquia Districts. To help local voters learn more about their candidates, Potomac Local News invited all Board of Supervisors candidates to a virtual interview with the same five questions. Their answers have been condensed for clarity. The remaining candidates either declined, had scheduling conflicts, or did not respond.

Videos of the interviews are available here.

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Traffic

Riding Toward a Milestone, VRE Looks at Weekend Trains and Long-Term Funding

By Uriah Kiser

Virginia Railway Express expects to welcome its 100 millionth rider this fall—and leaders hope the milestone can help bring more people on board, even as they wrestle with when to launch Saturday trains and how to keep the system funded in the years ahead.

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Prince William

Exclusive: Hansford Blocked from Returning to PWCS After VEA Takeover of Local Teachers Union

By Alan Gloss

Prince William County Public Schools (PWCS) has told suspended Prince William Education Association (PWEA) president Maggie Hansford it will not consider her for employment, citing concerns raised in the Virginia Education Association’s (VEA) recent takeover of the local teachers union.

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