PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, Va. – Speed cameras are here to stay outside schools and highway work zones in Prince William County.

The Board of County Supervisors voted 7–1 on June 3, 2025, to make permanent the use of automated photo-monitoring systems aimed at catching speeding drivers in high-risk areas. The decision removes a sunset clause from the 2023 pilot program and allows enforcement to continue indefinitely.

County officials say the cameras are working as intended. In monitored zones, the average speed of drivers dropped by 3 to 6 mph—a statistically significant improvement that’s helping protect children and workers on busy roads. There’s also been no increase in crashes where the cameras are in use.

Cameras Already Watching These School Zones

As of now, speed enforcement cameras are operating at the following locations:

• Battlefield High School – Route 15
• Woodbridge High School – Old Bridge Road
• Old Bridge Elementary School – Old Bridge Road
• Fitzgerald Elementary School – Benita Fitzgerald Drive
• Patriot High School – Kettle Run Road
• T. Clay Wood Elementary School – Kettle Run Road

More sites are expected to be announced in the coming months. County staff say all camera locations will be clearly marked with signage.

Here’s What to Expect if You’re Caught Speeding

Drivers going 10 mph or more over the speed limit in an active school or work zone can be fined up to $100. The violation is a civil penalty—it won’t impact your insurance or driving record unless a police officer issues a traditional ticket.

Citations are mailed to the vehicle owner. If someone else was driving, the owner can contest the citation. All images are reviewed and certified by law enforcement before a summons is issued.

Not About the Money, Officials Say

Supervisors backing the measure said the program is about saving lives, not generating revenue.

“This isn’t about the money—it’s about saving a life,” said Supervisor Victor Angry, who also pushed for higher fines. “People run through those red lights… clearly 30 seconds after they’ve turned red.”

Supervisor Kenny Boddye reminded colleagues that the program started after several fatal crashes, especially on Cardinal Drive. “Our officers can’t be everywhere at once,” he said.

Supervisor Margaret Angela Franklin, who initially opposed the cameras, said public feedback changed her mind. “They’re happy we’re taking proactive steps,” she said.

Supervisor Andrea Bailey added, “This is our answer… to make sure we’re addressing what’s going on in the community.”

Supervisor Bob Weir was the only vote against the ordinance.

The system is managed by Elovate, formerly Conduent, under a county contract approved in December 2023. The company is paid for its services—not by the number of tickets issued—to avoid any incentive to over-ticket.

All data collected is strictly regulated. It can’t be used for marketing, and all photos must be deleted within 60 days unless a summons has been issued.

While only six school zones currently have cameras, the program allows for expansion. County officials say additional sites will be rolled out, with public notice, in the near future.

“This is about sending a message,” Angry said. “If you’re speeding in our school zones, there will be consequences.”

PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, Va. – Covington-Harper Elementary School marked a special milestone this spring as its very first students returned—this time as high school seniors.

The school, which opened in 2017, welcomed back its original group of students for a celebratory “senior walk.” The event, shared by Prince William County Public Schools on Facebook, gave graduating 12th graders a chance to visit their former elementary teachers and inspire younger students.

Located at 2500 River Heritage Boulevard near Dumfries, Covington-Harper was established to serve the area’s growing population. Since then, it has faced overcrowding. As of 2024, the school was operating at 124% capacity, with 988 students enrolled in a building designed for 796. Eight trailers have been added to accommodate the overflow.

To help ease the strain, two new elementary schools are planned in Prince William County. One near Marumsco Plaza is expected to open in the 2026–27 school year, with another in Potomac Shores following in 2027–28.

Photos: Prince William County Public Schools

WOODBRIDGE, Va. – Prince William County is on track to open a 24/7 mental health Crisis Receiving Center (CRC) in October 2025, following a years-long effort to expand behavioral health services and despite an ongoing Medicaid reimbursement challenge that has delayed the project.

Chief Transformation Officer Lisa Madron confirmed the opening during a May 20 presentation to the Board of County Supervisors. The facility in the former Gander Mountain building on Worth Avenue, outside Potomac Mills mall, will feature separate adult and youth units, with 16 23-hour observation units and 16 crisis stabilization beds in each.

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WOODBRIDGE, Va. – It’s time for another Friday Family Movie in the Park event.

Prince William County Parks & Recreation will show Mufasa: The Lion King (PG) on a giant outdoor screen at Veterans Memorial Park on Friday, May 30. The free movie night runs from 8:30 to 10:30 p.m., making it a perfect end-of-week outing for families.

The park is located at 14300 Veterans Drive, Woodbridge, VA 22191. Guests are encouraged to bring blankets, lawn chairs, and snacks for a cozy evening under the stars. The event is part of a summer series of free outdoor movie nights hosted throughout the county.

WOODBRIDGE, Va. – A woman was killed in a two-car crash Tuesday morning at a busy intersection in Woodbridge, police said.

The fatal collision happened just after 9:30 a.m. on Monday, May 27, at the intersection of Minnieville and Summit School roads. According to a preliminary investigation by Prince William County Police, the crash involved a 2020 Honda Accord and a 2021 Toyota Highlander.

Investigators said the Honda, heading southbound on Minnieville Road, attempted a left turn toward Summit School Road while the traffic signal flashed amber. The car crossed into the path of the northbound Highlander, and the vehicles collided.

The driver of the Honda, identified as Seema Rizvi, 45, of Woodbridge, had to be extricated from the wreckage and was taken to a nearby hospital, where she later died. The driver of the Highlander, an 18-year-old woman also from Woodbridge, suffered non-life-threatening injuries and received treatment at an area hospital.

Police say neither drugs nor alcohol appears to be a factor in the crash. Charges may be pending as the investigation continues.

PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, Va. – The county’s largest stream restoration project at Powell’s Creek is now complete, marking a big step in protecting local waterways.

The restoration spans nearly a mile behind the Montclair and Four Seasons communities and includes stabilizing eroded streambanks, rerouting the creek, and planting native vegetation to improve water quality. In a Facebook post, the county shared that staff from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality recently toured the site, which is part of a broader initiative to meet Chesapeake Bay cleanup goals.

The Powell’s Creek effort is one of several stream restoration projects underway in Prince William County. Others include work at Cow Branch, Flat Branch, Marumsco Creek, and Neabsco Creek. A major restoration is also planned at Chinn Park, where 2,300 feet of stream channel will be restored along with stormwater upgrades.

All of these projects are managed by the Department of Public Works and aim to reduce erosion, improve habitat, and protect nearby infrastructure. More information can be found on the county’s Stream Restoration page.

WOODBRIDGE, Va. – A man has been arrested and charged with murder following a deadly shooting that took place in a wooded area behind a shopping center on Smoketown Road Wednesday evening.

Prince William County Police say officers responded to the 14200 block of Smoketown Road at 5:13 p.m. on May 21, 2025. Initially, there were no signs of injuries in the area, but a search led officers to discover three adult males with gunshot wounds in a secluded wooded section behind the shopping complex.

Fire and rescue crews pronounced one victim, 29-year-old Tevon Dean Haskins of Woodbridge, dead at the scene. The two other victims, both 42 years old, were taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

According to investigators, Haskins was approached by a man he had previously encountered. The two got into a verbal argument, which escalated until the suspect fired multiple shots, killing Haskins and injuring the others. Police say the suspect fled the area before officers arrived.

The next morning, detectives located the suspect, Dean Campbell, 45, of Fredericksburg, and arrested him without incident.

Campbell is charged with murder, malicious wounding, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He is being held without bond. A court date is pending.

Police emphasized that this was not a random act.

WOODBRIDGE, Va. – Police say three men were injured in a shooting that broke out Wednesday afternoon, May 21, 2025, in a wooded area behind a busy shopping center on Smoketown Road.

According to an update from Prince William County Police, the incident occurred in the 14200 block of Smoketown Road, behind the center that includes stores such as Mom’s Organic Market and Ross Dress for Less. Officers responded to reports of a shooting and found two men with gunshot wounds. A third victim was later confirmed.

The extent of their injuries remains unknown, and no suspect information has been released at this time.

The scene has since been secured, but a heavy police presence remains as the investigation continues. Authorities emphasized that the incident was “contained to the wooded area” and does not pose an ongoing threat to the public.

Anyone with information is encouraged to contact Prince William County Police.

WOODBRIDGE, Va. – Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center has launched a new virtual nursing program that’s already changing how nurses care for patients—and how patients experience care.

The hospital’s Virtual Registered Nursing (VRN) Program allows experienced nurses to connect with patients through 50-inch screens in hospital rooms, handling admissions, discharges, and patient education remotely. The goal: give bedside nurses more time to focus on hands-on care, while still ensuring patients get one-on-one attention.

“The virtual nurse can come into the room through the web camera and the large televisions that we put up,” said Brooke Phelps, Director of Nursing and Patient Care Services. “They can really spend that time with [patients] one-on-one to develop those relationships and improve that patient experience.”

The program, already rolled out at other Sentara hospitals, began at the Woodbridge-based center on May 13. In less than a week, staff completed 55 virtual nurse sessions, saving over nine hours of time for bedside nurses.

Chief Nursing Officer Christy Grabus described the VRN sessions as surprisingly personal.

“The one word [a patient] said that was just amazing to me was… ‘This was so personable,’” said Grabus. “There was no interruption, and I really felt like I was the center of attention.”

The system also allows caregivers to participate remotely, a feature that could be especially helpful for families who live far from the hospital.

“We can arrange it so when we schedule your education sessions, we can have your daughter actually link in… she doesn’t even have to physically come in,” said Grabus.

During a Potomac Local News Podcast interview, Grabus and Phelps shared how the technology not only improves care but also helps recruit and retain nursing talent by offering less physically demanding roles for experienced nurses.

“This is a very physically demanding job,” said Grabus. “Think about being able to still work… even though you may not be physically capable to be out there in a hospital setting.”

Watch the full conversation in the embedded Potomac Local News Podcast episode to hear more about how this innovation is reshaping healthcare in Northern Virginia.

After six months of analysis, Prince William County has released its findings on the Fettler Park area in hopes of boosting the vital corridor in the Potomac District.

According to a press release on May 8, the county's Department of Economic Development and Tourism worked with outside firms Hunden Partners and Convergence Design to better understand the supply and demand in the area, the opportunities available in the corridor and what was needed to revitalize the area to create a Small Area Plan.

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