News

Are you tired of how hard it is to find out what’s really happening in your community?

Local events your family would love, school board decisions affecting your kids, tax hikes, development projects, safety updates — too often this vital information is buried, spun, or simply missing. At Potomac Local News, we’ve spent 16 years solving that problem: delivering straight facts about local events, government, and fun things to do in the community, so residents in Fredericksburg, Manassas, Woodbridge, and across Northern Virginia can stay informed and engaged.


Breaking News

The Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney for Prince William County announced the passing of the Honorable Paul B. Ebert, the longest-serving commonwealth’s attorney in Virginia history.

Ebert, who served 52 years as the top prosecutor for Prince William County and the cities of Manassas and Manassas Park, died at age 88. He retired in 2019.


Prince William

An Alexandria man with a prior conviction in a Potomac Mills shooting was sentenced to four years in prison for illegally possessing a machine gun.

Jamarion Dawon Jackson, 23, was driving more than 100 mph on the right shoulder of Interstate 95 in Fairfax County on April 17, 2025, when a Virginia State Trooper tried to pull him over. Jackson crashed into a parked vehicle and two others on the roadway, then fled on foot before being apprehended after trying to enter several vehicles. A loaded handgun with a machine gun conversion device was found in his car.


Fredericksburg

The City of Fredericksburg’s FY 2027 budget includes a $1 million transfer from the Fredericksburg City Public Schools operating fund balance to the city’s operating fund.

The transfer was detailed during a budget work session and second reading ahead of final approval on May 12, 2026. Deputy City Manager Mark Whitley noted that city and school staff, along with Vice Mayor Charlie L. Frye, Jr. and Council Member Jannan W. Holmes, met regarding the move. Whitley described it as “a good option” that allows the schools to accomplish their goals.


Manassas

The Manassas City Council on June 15, 2026, outlined its 2026 legislative priorities for the General Assembly, focusing on protecting water resources, streamlining local processes, ensuring tax equity, and enhancing quality-of-life measures.

City staff presented an initial set of priorities, which were later expanded during discussion. These will be addressed at a legislative breakfast scheduled for July 14.


Features

A Fredericksburg gem reveals the human side of America’s fifth president — and a lifelong reminder of the fight for independence.

As the nation prepares for its 250th anniversary in 2026, the James Monroe Museum and Memorial Library offers more than dusty textbooks. It brings to life the personal sacrifices and bold vision of the fifth U.S. president through artifacts that still carry the weight of the Revolution.


Prince William

The Town of Dumfries stands to receive $7 million to support redevelopment along the U.S. Route 1 corridor, thanks to a budget amendment advanced in the Virginia General Assembly’s conference report.

The amendment, Item 103 #8c, was included in the conference report for HB30 released on Friday, June 19, 2026. It provides $7 million in the first year (FY2027) from the General Fund to the Department of Housing and Community Development for projects in Dumfries.


Stafford

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) released its preliminary report on the deadly May 29, 2026, charter bus crash on southbound Interstate 95 in Stafford County, revealing that the bus “did not slow” as it approached a traffic queue formed by a work zone.

According to the report, the bus, traveling at a high rate of speed, struck the rear of a Chevrolet Suburban and an Acura MDX at the end of the backup before continuing nearly half a mile (0.44 miles) through the queue, involving eight additional vehicles and resulting in a post-crash fire in one vehicle. The crash killed five people and injured dozens more.


Prince William

During its June 2026 meeting, the Dumfries Town Council received clarification on landfill fees charged to residents and discussed potential options to ease the burden on local households.

Town Manager Tangela Innis addressed the issue in the manager’s report, noting that Dumfries residents pay landfill fees under the same structure applied to all Prince William County residents and incorporated towns.