Prince William County Police press release: On April 26 at 2:30 a.m., officers responded to the intersection of Redwing Drive and Swallow Court in Woodbridge to investigate a single vehicle crash.
The investigation revealed the driver of a 1985 Chevrolet Monte Carlo was traveling northbound on Redwing Drive approaching Swallow Court at a high rate of speed.
The driver, who was not wearing a seatbelt, lost control of the vehicle and left the roadway before entering a ravine which caused the vehicle to roll over.
Fire and rescue personnel responded to the scene where the driver, and sole occupant of the vehicle, was pronounced deceased. Speed and alcohol appear to be factors in the crash. No other vehicles were involved in the collision. Crash investigators are asking anyone who may have witnessed this crash to contact police.
Identified: The deceased driver of the 1985 Chevrolet Monte Carlo was identified as Donnell Tyquan EPPS, 33, of Woodbridge.
On Saturday, April 27, 2024, Prince William County held its second of eight planned town hall meetings as part of its strategic planning process for 2025-2029. The event, hosted by Board of County Supervisors Chair At-large Deshundra Jefferson aimed to gather public input to shape the county's future.
The Prince William County Strategic Plan outlines the community’s vision and goals for improving various areas, such as health, safety, economy, and education, through 2024. It is crucial for residents because it shapes the county's priorities and decisions, impacting everyday life and the local environment.
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Prince William Chamber of Commerce press release: Six local high school students were awarded scholarships at the annual Education and Workforce Breakfast, held on April 24th by The Prince William Chamber of Commerce.
The 2024 winners are graduating high school students who were selected by a panel of business leaders and were all awarded $2,500 scholarships, for use at their U.S. college or university of choice.
All of this year’s scholarship winners demonstrated exceptional dedication to academics and community involvement, meeting the criteria outlined by the scholarship committee.
The Prince William County students awarded scholarships at the breakfast are Camilia Giudici, Bryce Poole, Alexa McMillan, Helen Jacob, Sean Villacorte, Jacob Skufca.
This year’s program welcomed a panel discussion from the superintendents from Prince William County Schools, Dr. LaTanya McDade, City of Manassas Park County Schools, Dr. Melissa Saunders, and Executive Director of Student Achievement, Craig Gfeller. The panelists discussed local educational topics including how businesses can get involved and support schools in our community.
Education and Workforce Breakfast is a special event that focuses on education and workforce development in our community.
George Mason University has unveiled a new logo, concluding a three-year-long rebranding effort aimed at unifying the university and its athletic program under a modern and inclusive identity. The updated logo reflects the university’s status as a top 50 national public university and emphasizes its commitment to innovation and diversity.
Manassas City Business Beat: The fourth office of its kind, Injury Relief Chiropractic has expanded its footprint into the growing Manassas market.
The company launched with at least one dedicated chiropractor in the 8807 Sudley Road office, with additional support by medical teams in the Tysons, Woodbridge, and Sterling locations as needed.
The chiropractic office fills a unique niche in the industry working most often with uninsured clients who typically suffer personal injury and auto-related accidents.
Injury Relief Chiropractic consults with clients at no out-of-pocket cost, serves and rehabilitates them, and then refers the client to one of their networks of trial lawyers on a “no win, no fee” basis. Co-0wner Frank Rameshni says he feels there is more room for these types of services in the Manassas market.
Already plugging into the business ecosystem, Rameshni called out One Million Cups Prince William specifically as a “wonderful asset to the Manassas community.” He looks forward to deepening connections with the Prince William Chamber of Commerce and local lawyer groups in the region.
VDOT:Â The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) and its contractor will begin building an intersection improvement project at Lee Hill School Drive and Old Dominion Parkway in Spotsylvania County on Monday, April 29. The intersection is just over a mile from Lee’s Hill Golf Club.
The project will transform the existing four-way intersection into a mini roundabout. Additional lighting at the intersection will be installed as part of the project.
The project cost is approximately $845,172. The federal Highway Safety Improvement Program is funding the project. The project contractor is M & F Concrete.
The contractor will start by mobilizing and placing work zone signs on Monday. During construction, travelers at the intersection can expect lane closures and periodic traffic control directed by a flagging crew. The project is scheduled to be completed by early November 2024.
Passenger vehicles will be able to pass through the intersection during construction.
Tractor-trailers, oversized vehicles, small trucks, school buses, and emergency response vehicles will be detoured for short durations to allow concrete to cure for median islands and the mini roundabout’s center island. Message boards will be posted in advance to notify travelers of scheduled detour dates.
Before construction is complete, traffic will begin traveling through the intersection in a roundabout traffic pattern. Crews will install temporary signs and pavement markings to guide travelers through the new pattern. The final construction phase will consist of pouring the concrete and allowing it to cure for median islands and the mini roundabout’s center island.
Mini roundabouts are circular intersections where all traffic moves in a counter-clockwise direction around a center island. Traffic entering the mini roundabout slows down and yields to traffic already inside. By controlling traffic with yield signs instead of traffic signals, there are fewer stops for travelers and reduced delays.
Mini roundabouts operate the same way as a traditional roundabout, but have a smaller diameter and are often installed in residential areas. Their paved central islands are able to be driven over by trucks and other large vehicles when necessary.
Watch a video on mini roundabouts and visit VDOT’s Innovative Intersections page to learn more about this design, which is intended to reduce the number of points where vehicles can cross paths, resulting in right-angle and head-on crashes.
Visit the online project page to learn more and view the project design.
Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center press release: Dedicated volunteers from the Woodbridge Woman’s Club (WWC) gather twice a month at the Sentara Cancer Network Resource Center on the campus of Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center (SNVMC) to put their sewing talents to work creating heart-shaped pillows and other comfort items. Crafted by hand and made with love, these pillows are given free of charge to Sentara cancer and surgery patients.
The Health and Wellness Pillow Making Project began as a volunteer-driven, community service project to help support individuals facing cancer diagnoses. People find relief from acute pain by holding the pillows to their chests. Just as importantly, they find reassurance in knowing that people care.
“The specific shape of these pillows is designed to be not only comfortable but a visible reminder of the love and support going out to people who are dealing with a cancer or other serious medical diagnosis,” said Sentara Cancer Navigator Heather Byrne. “Every person who receives one of these beautiful pillows is touched to know its origin.”
WWC member Phyllis Zimmerman launched the project nine years ago and continues to sew to this day. The tally of heart pillows created last year was 170 and the dedicated WWC craftswomen estimate that well over 1,000 pillows have been created since they began the project.
“Nine years ago, I was the chairperson of what was called the Home Life section of the Woodbridge Woman’s Club. Our club president at the time asked me to find a project that would be of value in the community. I discovered these pillows that I thought we could make. They are helpful to women with breast cancer because the long ties on the pillow allow you to easily carry it with you, and by adjusting the ties, you can position it under your arm to bring relief where you might be feeling very tender,” explained Zimmerman.
While the pillows were originally made for those with breast cancer, now they are gifted to people coping with various forms of cancer, to radiology patients, and most recently to heart patients receiving care at SNVMC.
The WWC sewing volunteers cut out the heart-shaped pattern from fabric donated by people in the community. Two coordinating fabric pieces are sewn together, ribbons attached, the pillows are stuffed, hand stitched closed, and a special WWC label is attached. The volunteers also enjoy spending time together during their Wednesday sewing sessions that last for two hours at the Sentara Cancer Support Network office on the SNVMC campus.
The WWC has received numerous awards for its pillow-making project. On April 6, 2024, they were honored with the Award of Excellence, presented by the General Federation of Women’s Clubs (GFWC) Northern District for the Best Single Project, Large Club: Health & Wellness Community Service Program.
The heart pillows are not the only project that the volunteers craft by hand. They also sew and assemble cancer support bags for distribution to Sentara oncology patients. The bags include items to comfort a person during chemotherapy, such as games, cards, crossword puzzles, tissues, lip balm, hand lotion, and a comfort blanket.
The WWC volunteers continue to think of new items that will bring comfort to patients. The latest pieces they are creating are handmade seatbelt pillows placed between a car’s shoulder safety belt and a medical port implanted in the chest for chemotherapy. It might be a small item, but it can reduce the pain of a safety belt rubbing against a medical port.
“We cannot thank the Woodbridge Woman’s Club volunteers enough for their ongoing passion and caring by using their sewing skills to create these pillows and cancer bags that are such a tangible sign that people care,” said SNVMC President Jeff Joyner.
GFWC Woodbridge Woman’s Club is a member of the International General Federation of Women’s Clubs and is dedicated to community improvements and enhancing the lives of others through volunteer service. WWC is always welcoming new volunteers to work on this or other projects.
More information about WWC and volunteering or donating supplies to the pillow-making project is available on the WWC website.
VDOT: PRINCE WILLIAM – Beginning Sunday night, April 28, weather permitting, a portion of the northbound and southbound I-95 general purpose lanes in Prince William County will have nighttime single- and double-lane closures until late fall for roadway joint repairs and paving, according to the Virginia Department of Transportation. At least one lane will remain open in each direction at all times.
The lane closures will occur Sunday nights through Thursday nights, with Friday nights being used as backup dates in case of inclement weather:
Northbound I-95 general purpose lanes between Russell Road (Exit 148 – Marine Corps Base Quantico) and the truck weigh station (around mile marker 154)
Sunday Nights
- 10 p.m. to 11 p.m. – One lane closed
- 11 p.m. to 4 a.m. – Two lanes closed
- 4 a.m. to 5 a.m. – One lane closed
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday Nights
- 9 p.m. to 10 p.m. – One lane closed
- 10 p.m. to 4:30 a.m. – Two lanes closed
- 4:30 a.m. to 5 a.m. – One lane closed
Friday Nights (If Needed)
- 10 p.m. to 11 p.m. – One lane closed
- 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. – Two lanes closed
- 6 a.m. to 7 a.m. – One lane closed
Southbound I-95 general purpose lanes between Joplin Road (Route 619/Exit 150) and the Stafford County line (around mile marker 148)
Sunday Nights
- 10 p.m. to 11 p.m. – One lane closed
- 11 p.m. to 4 a.m. – Two lanes closed
- 4 a.m. to 5 a.m. – One lane closed
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday Nights
- 9:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. – One lane closed
- 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. – Two lanes closed
- 5 a.m. to 6 a.m. – One lane closed
Friday Nights (If Needed)
- 10 p.m. to 11 p.m. – One lane closed
- 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. – Two lanes closed
- 6 a.m. to 7 a.m. – One lane closed
Drivers should expect delays and are advised to use alternate routes.
Roadway joint repairs are scheduled to be the focus of the work from April 28 until mid-summer, followed by paving from mid-summer to late fall. This work will not be taking place on the 95 Express Lanes.
To see all the roads scheduled for paving in the NOVA District and elsewhere in the state this year, view the VDOT Statewide Paving Status Map.
Drivers are reminded to use caution when traveling in active work zones. Be alert to new traffic patterns and limit distractions.
You can get traffic, work zone, and incident information online at 511virginia.org, via the free mobile 511Virginia app, or by calling 511 in Virginia anywhere anytime.
![Desundra Jefferson, Prince William Board of County Supervisors Chair At-large [Photo: Alan Gloss]](https://www.potomaclocal.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Jefferson.jpg){kind=link}
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