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Stafford Parks and Recreation is gearing up for a fun-filled spring with a lineup of family-friendly special events designed to entertain kids and parents alike. From egg hunts to reptile encounters and sensory-friendly activities, there’s something for everyone in the coming weeks.
Families looking for engaging ways to spend time together should mark their calendars and register soon—these popular programs tend to fill up quickly.
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Prince William County Police have upgraded their investigation into Monday evening’s shooting near the basketball courts in the Potomac Shores community to a homicide after an 18-year-old man from Dumfries succumbed to his injuries at a local hospital.
The incident occurred on March 9 at 5:33 p.m. in the 1800 block of Potomac Shores Parkway, near Dumfries, an outdoor recreational area in the master-planned Dumfries neighborhood known for its family-friendly amenities, including the Shores Club and nearby basketball courts.
In a decision that underscores the protections afforded to union leaders under Virginia’s collective bargaining laws, a neutral arbitrator has ruled that Prince William County Public Schools (PWCS) committed unfair labor practices by refusing to rehire former Prince William Education Association (PWEA) President Mary “Maggie” Hansford in August 2025. Hansford, who led the union through historic wage negotiations, described the ruling as a moment of “relief and gratitude” in an exclusive statement to Potomac Local News.
The case centers on PWCS’s denial of Hansford’s applications for a speech-language pathologist position and a substitute teacher role. The school division cited media reports of a Virginia Education Association (VEA) audit alleging mismanagement during Hansford’s PWEA presidency, which led to an emergency trusteeship imposed on July 21, 2025. The trusteeship, which suspended Hansford and the PWEA board, was upheld following a contentious 14-hour hearing in August 2025.
Prince William County voters in the Woodbridge Magisterial District head to the polls tomorrow, Tuesday, March 10, 2026, in a special election to fill a vacancy on the Prince William County Board of Supervisors.
The seat became vacant after former Woodbridge District Supervisor Margaret Franklin won a special election in January 2026 for the Virginia House of Delegates’ 23rd District. The Circuit Court ordered the special election to replace her.
Officers responded around 6:45 p.m. March 8 to the intersection of Cardinal Drive and Whips Run Drive in Woodbridge after reports of a multi-vehicle collision, according to Prince William County police.
Investigators say a 2015 Hyundai Genesis was traveling the wrong way in the eastbound lanes of Cardinal Drive when it struck a 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe head-on. The force of the crash pushed the Santa Fe into a 2025 GMC Hummer also traveling eastbound. Debris from the crash struck an unoccupied 2024 Honda Accord parked in a nearby driveway on Whips Run Drive.
Stafford County Schools Adjust Calendar for April 21 Special Election on Congressional Redistricting
In a letter sent to families, Superintendent Daniel W. Smith, Ed.D., explained that the Stafford County Board of Elections designated 22 schools as polling sites for the statewide special election, prompting the need to swap instructional days.
The superintendent noted that the division learned only recently that the election would proceed as planned, limiting the ability to provide earlier notice.