By Michael Whitlock

MANASSAS PARK, Va. – The long-awaited All American Steakhouse opened its doors to the public today at Park Central Plaza, marking another milestone in the transformation of Manassas Park’s downtown.

Located at 110 Park Central Plaza, next to City Hall, the restaurant hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Monday, July 21, 2025, at 4:30 p.m. Community members, city officials, and local business leaders gathered to welcome the new addition to the city’s growing business district.

Mike Abdo of EMSI Engineering, the developer behind the steakhouse, said the location was a natural fit. “We fell in love with the building—it was ready to go,” said Abdo. His firm completed the interior build-out to match the franchise’s standards over an eight-month period.

TJ Hasan, one of the owners, said the project was part of a long-term vision. “The city wanted a restaurant, so we picked up an All American [Steakhouse] franchise,” said Hasan. “It’s great food, great prices, and good service. We want this to be a place people come to enjoy themselves.” Hasan added that he hopes to open two more locations in the area after this one is fully stabilized.

The new steakhouse is part of the broader Park Central development, which also includes City Hall, a library, and Jirani Coffeehouse. A movie theater is still expected to be built nearby, though plans have changed since the original Cinema Café project was canceled in 2022 due to rising construction costs. The city has since partnered with B&B Theatres, which plans to bring an upscale, eight-screen cinema to the area.

Developers have been working with the city to create a walkable downtown that combines residential, retail, dining, and entertainment options. Abdo’s firm also has plans to build two new residential buildings near the Artuna building, as well as multiple other projects throughout Northern Virginia.

“This is a great example of what public-private partnerships can do,” said Hasan. “Manassas Park has come a long way since we first got involved here in 2009. We’re proud to be part of that story.”

WOODBRIDGE, Va. – Virginia Railway Express (VRE) plans to propose a 5% fare increase in Fiscal Year 2027 to address growing operating costs and a slow return to pre-pandemic ridership levels. If approved, the fare hike would take effect on July 1, 2026, and apply to all ticket types, including single-ride, day passes, 10-trip, and monthly passes.

The VRE Operations Board is expected to review the proposal in September 2025 as part of the draft FY2027 budget. The plan would trigger a public participation process in fall 2025 before any final vote.

Current Fares and Impact

VRE’s current fare schedule—effective since July 1, 2024 (start of FY2025)—includes one-way tickets ranging from $5.00 to $12.80, and monthly passes up to $354.80, depending on travel distance. A 5% increase would raise the highest single-ride fare to approximately $13.45 and the most expensive monthly pass to more than $370.

This would mark VRE’s second fare hike since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The first was implemented at the start of FY2025, following a multi-year fare freeze.

Justifying the Increase

During the July 2025 board meeting, VRE Chief Financial Officer Mark Schofield told board members that although fare revenue has improved—thanks in part to federal return-to-office mandates—it remains insufficient to cover the agency’s structural budget gap.

“Our insurance costs continue to rise, despite VRE’s excellent safety record,” Schofield said.

The year-to-date operating ratio as of April 2025—defined as the share of costs covered by fare revenue—was only 20%, far short of the typical 50% target.

VRE is also seeing escalating costs in liability insurance, as federal mandates gradually raise the coverage cap required for commuter railroads. Schofield said even modest fare increases can help VRE keep pace with inflation and maintain service reliability.

Ridership Still Below Pre-Pandemic Levels

While ridership is trending upward, it remains well below pre-pandemic averages. In June 2025, average daily ridership was 9,863, a 54% increase from the same month in 2024 but still less than half the pre-COVID benchmark of 20,000 daily trips recorded in February 2020.

The dip from 11,358 in May to 9,863 in June reflects a normal seasonal decline, VRE officials said.

Board Reactions and Rider Concerns

Board members expressed mixed views on the proposal. Several raised concerns about the impact on riders without federal commuter subsidies. Others emphasized the importance of continuing to grow ridership by focusing on reliability, affordability, and access.

City of Manassas Councilwoman Sonia Vasquez Luna encouraged VRE to enhance outreach and marketing to attract new customers and families. Prince William County Supervisor Andrea Bailey urged the board to look at both cost control and affordability options.

Suggestions discussed included:

• Adjusting pricing for multi-ride and monthly passes.
• Exploring income-based fare discounts.
• Promoting VRE’s value compared to toll road commuting costs.

Saturday service, which has been approved but not yet launched, was also discussed as a way to attract new riders and generate weekend interest.

The Operations Board is expected to review the preliminary FY2027 budget—including the proposed fare hike—in September 2025. If the proposal moves forward, the public will be invited to comment through hearings and outreach efforts in the fall. A final decision would come in December, with adoption by the Northern Virginia and Potomac and Rappahannock transportation commissions in January 2026.

Dynamic Foot and Ankle Center marked two major milestones with a ribbon-cutting celebration hosted by the Fredericksburg Regional Chamber of Commerce.

The practice is celebrating 10 years of serving patients across Virginia and five years at its Fredericksburg-area office, located on Lafayette Boulevard in Spotsylvania County. Founder Dr. Danielle VonDerLinden shared that her team has helped more than 16,000 patients over the past decade — totaling nearly 60,000 visits. “We think of our mission — exceeding our patients’ expectations when they choose us to be part of their health care team,” she said during the ceremony.

In a Facebook video, Chamber President and CEO Susan Spears praised the clinic for opening its Fredericksburg office in 2020 — during the height of the pandemic — and continuing to grow. “They are doing fantastic work helping our community with all needs, foot and ankle,” she said.

Virginia Delegate Bobby Orrock also attended the celebration, calling the practice a vital part of the area’s health care network.

Dynamic Foot and Ankle Center has offices in both Fredericksburg and Lorton, serving patients across Northern and Central Virginia. The practice specializes in podiatric care, sports injuries, and mobile wound care for patients of all ages.

FREDERICKSBURG, Va. – State and local officials plan to widen a key stretch of Route 2/17 in Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania County, a move aimed at reducing traffic congestion, improving safety, and enhancing travel options for pedestrians, cyclists, and bus riders.

The proposed $70.6 million project would expand Dixon Street (Route 2) and Tidewater Trail (Route 17) from two to four lanes between Dixon Park and Imboden Street, just south of Shannon Airport. Funded through Virginia’s SMART SCALE program and local contributions, the project combines two separate applications from Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania into one construction contract.

What’s included in the project?

According to Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) spokeswoman Kelly Hannon, the improvements will:

• Add a travel lane in each direction to reduce delays for more than 28,000 drivers who use Dixon Street and 24,000 who travel Tidewater Trail daily.
• Lengthen several turn lanes at the busy Dixon Street and Lansdowne Road intersection to increase vehicle storage and prevent backups into through lanes.
• Add a 10-foot-wide shared-use path along the eastern side of Route 2/17, helping close a critical gap in the East Coast Greenway trail network.
• Build a new crosswalk and pedestrian signals at Shannon Park Drive and Mansfield Street.
• Install a bus shelter at an existing Fredericksburg Regional Transit stop at Dixon Park.

Why now?

“Stop-and-go congestion is a contributing factor to a pattern of rear-end crashes,” said Hannon. “Widening Tidewater Trail to increase vehicle capacity will improve traffic flow and reduce stop-and-go congestion.”

Local leaders, including those at the George Washington Regional Commission, say the project aligns with long-term goals outlined in the Fredericksburg Area Metropolitan Planning Organization’s 2045 Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan. The planned improvements are also expected to support future feeder bus service between Spotsylvania’s Bowman Center and downtown Fredericksburg’s train station.

Construction still years away

While the public is invited to weigh in at a design public hearing scheduled for Wednesday, July 23, 2025, at the Elks Lodge on Tidewater Trail, actual construction won’t begin anytime soon.

Hannon said VDOT expects to advertise the project for construction bids in 2029. Once work begins, crews will need 24 to 30 months to complete the widening. The road will remain open throughout the construction period, with most lane closures scheduled during off-peak travel times.

Access to driveways will be maintained, and VDOT does not expect any long-term detours. However, residents should be prepared for temporary traffic disruptions once construction starts.

Property impacts still under review

Some business and residential relocations are likely. Hannon said a final count won’t be known until the project moves into the right-of-way phase after design plans are finalized.

Comments on the project will be accepted at the public hearing and online through Saturday, August 2. Residents may email feedback to [email protected], referencing “Route 2/17 Widening” in the subject line.

The public hearing will be held in an open house format from 5 to 7 p.m. at Elks Lodge #875, 11309 Tidewater Trail. In the event of inclement weather, the meeting will take place the following Wednesday, July 30, at the same time and location.

PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, Va. – The Virginia Education Association (VEA) has imposed an emergency trusteeship on the Prince William Education Association (PWEA), citing financial mismanagement, falsified records, and violations of Board-approved spending policies. The move marks a dramatic escalation in the long-simmering tensions between the state and local teachers’ unions.

In a letter sent July 21 to PWEA members, VEA President Carol Bauer wrote that the state union had found “gross financial mismanagement,” including altered board minutes meant to obscure the absence of authorized spending controls. VEA claimed PWEA officers ignored financial rules, failed to document expenditures properly, and reimbursed each other without proper oversight.

“You deserve the truth,” Bauer told members in the letter, promising to rebuild PWEA into “the strong, honest union you deserve.”

PWEA, the largest teachers union in Virginia, now faces a leadership restructuring and the appointment of a VEA trustee to oversee operations. A hearing on the trusteeship is expected within the next 60 days in Prince William County, though details have not been confirmed by VEA.

The takeover follows a yearlong review that began under former VEA President James Fedderman in May 2024. Bauer, his successor, has led the oversight effort since July 2024. In May of this year, Potomac Local News first reported that PWEA’s cash reserves had plummeted from $1.4 million to just $63,000 in two years. During that time, the union reportedly racked up $692,000 in credit card charges and was spending $53,000 more each month than it brought in.

Despite those concerns, VEA at the time stopped short of taking formal control, opting instead for a corrective action plan and audit. PWEA leadership, including President Maggie Hansford, did not respond to requests for comment in May—and have not commented since the trusteeship was announced.

In a statement to Potomac Local News on Tuesday morning, School Board Chair Dr. Babur Lateef said the audit’s findings are “very concerning.”

“Anyone who betrays the trust by mismanaging or possibly stealing the hard-earned dollars of our teachers, nurses, custodians, bus drivers and staff should be investigated and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” Lateef said. “This is a betrayal of trust at the most basic level. The School Board will continue to operate our collective bargaining agreement in good faith. But we have major concerns moving forward regarding the fidelity and integrity of the PWEA.”

The financial concerns come just months after PWEA and Prince William County Public Schools finalized a landmark collective bargaining agreement. Approved in January and celebrated in May, the deal expanded bereavement and parental leave, improved support for teachers changing grade levels, and continued the push for better compensation.

“When our educators have adequate employee benefits, they can devote their time and energy to their students and families,” said PWEA President Maggie Hansford in a school division press release.

Internal conflict between the two organizations has grown increasingly public. In May 2024, Hansford accused VEA of attempting to “control and defame” the local union in a mass email to members. She has served as PWEA president since 2020 and previously led the union through a VEA-imposed trusteeship in 2021. Two attempts to recall her from the presidency have failed.

Meanwhile, legal correspondence from May 2025 shows PWEA attorney Broderick Dunn, of Cook Craig & Francuzenko, demanding evidence from VEA to support its allegations. In an email obtained by Potomac Local News, Dunn asked the state union to outline specific complaints, provide dates, and share any internal or external investigative reports.

“If VEA contends that PWEA is engaged in corruption, financial malpractice, or other criminal behavior, state all facts which support that contention,” Dunn wrote.

VEA’s attorney responded that the organization would not release detailed complaints or investigation summaries, citing the ongoing nature of its review and legal privilege over internal documents.

As of this report, neither VEA nor PWEA has issued a formal comment or response to questions about the trusteeship, the planned hearing, or the future of member representation.

Potomac Local News will continue to follow this developing story.

STAFFORD, Va. – Three candidates are running for the Garrisonville District seat on the Stafford County School Board, setting up a closely watched contest centered on transparency, parent engagement, and education priorities.

Maureen Siegmund, the incumbent and current chairwoman of the School Board, will seek re-election to a second term. She faces a rematch with Wanda Blackwell, who lost to Siegmund in 2021 by just 41 votes, and Stephanie Mojica, a first-time candidate and Stafford County mother of three.

Blackwell was the first to launch her campaign, hosting a kickoff event on July 20 at Vinny’s Italian Grill on Garrisonville Road. Her campaign is being promoted primarily through her personal Facebook page, where she has shared family photos and inspirational images of Barack Obama and Martin Luther King Jr. She is raising funds through ActBlue, a platform commonly used by Democratic-aligned candidates. While school board races in Virginia are nonpartisan, political parties frequently support candidates behind the scenes.

Blackwell’s campaign messaging includes the slogan “A New Voice, A New Vision!”, though she has not yet shared specific policy positions publicly.

Siegmund, who was elected chair of the school board in January 2024, will officially launch her re-election campaign with a Family Literacy Night on Wednesday, July 30, from 5 to 7 p.m. at Porter Library. The event will feature free book giveaways, crafts for kids, voter registration, and multilingual translation services.

“Literacy is the foundation of a strong education and strong communities,” Siegmund said in a statement. “This event is a chance to celebrate that joy while hearing directly from families about their hopes for our schools.”

As chairwoman, Siegmund has led the school board through a challenging year that included the start of a superintendent search and a transportation crisis that left thousands of students without bus service at the beginning of the 2024–25 school year. She supported hiring an independent investigator to review the failures and has pledged to rebuild trust in the school division.

Newcomer Stephanie Mojica is also seeking the seat. A longtime Virginia resident and mother of three children, Mojica says she was motivated to run after dealing firsthand with “inadequacies” in the school system and hearing concerns from fellow parents. She is advocating for greater transparency, increased parental involvement, and a greater emphasis on student well-being.

“I want to ensure our children are the top priority and that parents are being heard,” Mojica said in a public statement. “From IEPs to mental health to bullying and testing, I want parents involved so we’re all working together for the success of the children.”

Mojica is promoting her platform through social media, where she has posted detailed messages outlining her positions on issues such as nutrition, device usage, and concerns about the school calendar.

The Garrisonville School Board race is one of several local elections scheduled to appear on the November 2025 ballot, with early voting set to begin in September.

AstraZeneca, a global pharmaceutical giant, has chosen Virginia for its largest-ever single manufacturing investment—but officials have yet to say exactly where in the state the facility will be built.

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GAINESVILLE, Va. – Bob Weir, the Gainesville District Supervisor on the Prince William County Board of Supervisors and a longtime fixture in local politics, died July 20, 2025, after a short but aggressive battle with colon cancer. He was 62.

Weir was known across Prince William County not just for his deep policy knowledge and procedural rigor, but for his fiery style, unfiltered commentary, and devotion to public service. State Senator Danica Roem, who covered Weir during her years as a journalist before entering politics, described him as “a curmudgeon in the most loving sense of the word.”

“Only Bob Weir is Bob Weir,” Roem said in an interview on Monday. “Don’t try to be Bob. Don’t even think you’re Bob.”

Weir’s last public appearance was on July 8, when he participated remotely in a Board of Supervisors meeting. Roem said the illness progressed quickly, and although Weir hadn’t looked well recently, the final days came swiftly.

Before joining the Board of County Supervisors in a 2022 special election, Weir served for decades on the Haymarket Town Council and Planning Commission. Residents knew him as a mainstay at public meetings and a constant presence during Citizens’ Time, where anyone can speak directly to county leaders for three minutes.

“He would speak at the board members,” said Potomac Local News Publisher Uriah Kiser. “Not to them—at them. Then he’d step outside, light a cigarette, and keep talking to anyone who’d listen.”

Roem remembered Weir’s mastery of budget documents, legislative rules, and local government operations. He was known to invoke Jefferson’s Manual or Robert’s Rules of Order during public comment. His speeches were often laced with biting humor and cutting analysis.

“He could flame you one day and then have a beer with you the next,” Roem said. “He cared deeply about transparency, fiscal responsibility, and the public knowing what was really going on.”

Although he was a Republican, Weir frequently won support from voters across the political spectrum, particularly in western Prince William County, where opposition to industrial-scale data centers grew in recent years. Weir positioned himself as a staunch critic of the Prince William Digital Gateway project, a mega-development near Manassas National Battlefield Park, which was tied up in legal red tape.

“If you want to memorialize Bob Weir,” said Roem, “defeat the Digital Gateway. That was his issue.”

Weir’s approach to politics was as nonpartisan as it was combative. Roem noted that during his time in office, Weir intentionally avoided plastering his name or party affiliation on materials from his district office.

“The tent at Haymarket Day didn’t say ‘Bob Weir,’” she said. “It said ‘Gainesville District.’ That’s how he operated—this wasn’t about him.”

Weir’s death marks the second time in recent memory that a sitting Prince William County Supervisor died in office. In 2019, longtime Neabsco District Supervisor John Jenkins passed away and was honored with a formal public funeral. Roem said Weir likely wouldn’t have wanted the same.

“Bob had no interest in pageantry,” Roem said. “He was more likely to be remembered over scotch and stories at Giuseppe’s than at a state funeral.”

In lieu of a formal service, friends and colleagues are expected to gather informally to share memories. Plans are also underway to plant a crabapple tree in his honor at Long Park in Haymarket, near another tree planted for late Planning Commissioner John Liver.

“He did so much with public service,” said Roem. “You might not have agreed with him—but you always knew he’d done his homework, and he wasn’t afraid to tell you exactly what he thought.”

Weir is survived by his wife and three children, close friends and staff, including his longtime aide and confidante Rebecca Bare, whom Roem credited as “the patron saint of Haymarket” for guiding him through his final weeks.

Plans for filling the vacant Gainesville District seat have not yet been announced.

Listen to the full conversation and read Roem’s complete statement about Weir posted to Facebook: