From Prince William County police:

Assault & Battery on a Law Enforcement Officer [LEO] – On July 24 at 8:20 p.m., officers responded to the 7600 block of Aaron Lane in Manassas to investigate a large fight possibly involving weapons. Officers arrived on scene and located a large group in the Barron Park pavilion area.

During the encounter, an odor of marijuana was detected and the group was detained. While investigating, one of the individuals, later identified as the accused, fled on foot. An officer attempted to stop the accused, at which point, he pushed down on the officer. Officers gave chase and were able to take accused in custody.

During the chase, the accused disposed of suspected marijuana and prescription medication. The accused was transported to an area hospital with minor injuries. The officer was not injured. Following the investigation, the accused, identified as Sheldon O’Neil TAPSCOTT, was arrested. (more…)

From Senator Tim Kaine:

Tomorrow, July 28, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Armed Services and Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committees, will travel to Haymarket and Manassas to discuss the health care needs of servicemembers, veterans, and individuals with disabilities in Virginia. In Haymarket, Kaine will visit Serve Our Willing Warriors, a non-profit organization that serves as a retreat for wounded servicemembers to reconnect with their families during the healing process, to meet with the Willing Warriors founders, staff, and volunteers and discuss the needs facing veterans who have suffered from injuries in service.

In the afternoon, Kaine will tour the Independence Empowerment Center, a community-based, non-profit organization operated by and for people with disabilities, in Manassas. Kaine will participate in a roundtable discussion with the executive director and members of the Center to hear their concerns about Senate Republican plans to slash Medicaid. In Virginia, Medicaid provides health care to more than one million Virginians – including 186,000 people with disabilities. On Tuesday, Republicans voted to open debate on their health care bill that would cause tens of millions of Americans to lose their insurance.
(more…)

WOORBDRIDGE — Taxpayers will begin to see their $2.7 million investment into body-worn police cameras this fall.

Prince William County Police Chief Barry Barnard said up to 500 cameras will be given to patrol officers between Labor Day and Thanksgiving.

Officers who patrol the streets, work traffic enforcement, in the K9 division, and school resource officers will all be trained to use the body-worn camera system.

“The officers are required to turn on the camera whenever they are going to have what would be described as an enforcement encounter which could lead to reasonable suspicion or probable cause that there is criminal activity occurring or that an arrest may likely result,” said Barnard.

The department’s policy requires officers to activate their camera during traffic stops, car, and foot chases while making arrests, when taking suspects to and from jail, when an officer makes a show of force, or whenever else the officer deems a body-worn camera should be activated. (more…)

Lower temperatures and possibly heavy rainfall accompanying thunder storms are likely Thursday through Saturday. 

Showers continue along western shore areas this afternoon. Temps are below seasonable values. Possible isolated shower as far west as DC. pic.twitter.com/9fXtuY4KGu

— NWS DC/Baltimore (@NWS_BaltWash) July 26, 2017

From the National Weather Service:

Widespread showers and thunderstorm are likely Friday and Friday night. Scattered incidents of flash flooding are possible from torrential downpours. Isolated severe thunderstorms are possible as well.

MANASSAS — Manassas is giving some long overdue TLC to some of its 18 city parks.

The newly created Department of Parks, Culture, Recreation will spend $150,000 on sprucing up playing fields, adding new coats of paint to basketball courts, and upgrading playground equipment, and installing updated signs.

The new department replaces the old Neighborhood Services office. A needs assessment study identified multiple improvements to city parks to make them more desirable to residents.

The city is now focused on improving Byrd Park, located at 8528 Calvary Lane. New playground equipment for children ages two to 12 includes a cozy cocoon, q-bits, tunnel, tube slide, turtle rocker, and swings.

A new coat of paint shines on the bank shot basketball court. There’s also a new adult fitness station next to children’s playground at Byrd, so mom and dad play, too. (more…)

MANASSAS — Virginia’s Governor Terry McAuliffe stopped by Jirani Coffeehouse in Downtown Manassas and have an impassioned endorsement of the independent shop’s java.

The governor’s office posted a video of him standing next to shop owner Ken Moorman.

From the Governor of Virginia Facebook page: 

From Prince William County Department of Fire and Rescue:

On Friday, July 28th at 10:00 a.m., the Department of Fire and Rescue will hold its graduation ceremony for Recruit Class 2017-1 at the Hylton Performing Arts Center in Manassas. Battalion Chief Chris Granger will preside over the ceremony.

Class 2017-1 consists of 25 Fire and Rescue Technicians who successfully completed 26 weeks of rigorous academic and physical training at the Department’s Public Safety Training Center in Nokesville, Virginia. Each student performed in excess of 1,200 hours of training. The training consisted of 1 week of Orientation/Study Skills/Health, Nutrition and Fitness, 7 weeks of Emergency Medical Training, 13 weeks of Fire Training, and 5 weeks of Specialized Training. (more…)