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.
This article is exclusively for our Locals Only members. Please Sign In or upgrade to become a Locals Only Member today!
Your support helps us continue delivering more in-depth community news that matters to you. Thank you.
“Congratulations to Germanna’s Chief of Police, Craig Branch, on his appointment to Governor Spanberger’s Public Safety & Homeland Security Policy Committee,” Germanna Community College announced. “Your leadership, integrity, and dedication to keeping our community safe make this honor well deserved.”
“Thank you for continuing to lead with purpose and heart,” the college added in its congratulatory message.
Students at Stafford High School raised nearly $450 to sponsor a litter of rescue puppies through the Old Dominion Humane Society. The school’s Future Business Leaders of America chapter led the fundraiser, which covers the $300 sponsorship fee and provides additional funds to support the nonprofit’s mission of rescuing dogs from neglect and mistreatment.
The students chose an Anime theme for the litter, naming the mother dog Maki and her seven pups Toji, Gojo, Todo, Yuta, Mahoraga, Sukuna and Yuji. The effort was organized by FBLA sponsor Maggie Bautista, an economics and personal finance teacher at the school, who said her students spent months planning, creating posters, and promoting the fundraiser through school announcements.
CoAspire, a Fairfax-based defense and aerospace company, is opening a new assembly and manufacturing facility in Manassas, further boosting the city’s status as a hub for high-tech, high-wage jobs in the defense sector. The company is best known for its work on the Rapidly Adaptable Affordable Cruise Missile (RAACM), a next-generation, 3D-printed missile designed for affordability and exportability.
The company will occupy the former 30,000-square-foot Georator facility and plans to hire more than 25 employees for roles in engineering, precision manufacturing, quality assurance, and production support. Job postings are expected to appear on LinkedIn in the coming weeks as CoAspire ramps up operations.
This article is FREE to read. Please Sign In or Create a FREE Account. Thank you.
Two Northern Virginia nonprofits — Northern Virginia Food Rescue (NOVA-FR) in Manassas and Fauquier FISH in Warrenton — received a massive food delivery earlier this month to support local families facing hunger. Each organization was given 18,000 pounds of food and pantry staples on December 11 as part of a national initiative by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The donation marks the first in the Washington, D.C. area from the Church’s America250 campaign, which pledges to donate 250 semi-trucks of food to food pantries across the U.S. by the end of 2026. Items included peanut butter, pancake mix, canned vegetables, pasta and more.
“New this year, DCR will be hosting a few guided hikes at natural area preserves, which are managed by the Virginia Natural Heritage Program,” DCR stated. “Visit the special event website for more information on how to reserve your spot for this unique way to kick off the new year.”
Virginia State Parks will offer a wide range of First Day Hike activities on January 1, including midnight hikes at Pocahontas and Lake Anna, sunrise hikes at parks such as Widewater and Sky Meadows, wildlife and history-themed hikes, and special dog-friendly programs at select locations. Visitors will receive a commemorative sticker while supplies last, and most parks will host multiple guided hikes and programs throughout the day. A full list of hikes and details is available on the DCR website.