Good morning – with tornado season upon us I thought I would remind everyone to sign-up for their local alert network to receive severe weather notifications. In Prince William County, go to pwcgov.org/pwcan and in Manassas go to manassascity.org/alert, and in Manassas Park visit cityofmanassaspark.us and scroll to the bottom right or the page and click on the sign-up icon. The American Red Cross has excellent apps for your cell phone as well. Stay safe out there!
· Learn more about your community! Join Volunteer Prince William and a host of other organizations Saturday May 9th during the Community Expo at Pftizner Stadium from 9am-3pm.
· I’m calling on individual’s age 55+ in the Gainesville, Haymarket area including Heritage Hunt and Dominion Valley to join our Drive a Vet Program with RSVP. We have requests from veterans or their spouses for a ride to their doctor appointments. Come join this wonderful program of simply giving someone a ride! Please call Coleen at (703) 369-5292 ext. 1 to learn more
· The Alzheimer’s Association is looking for volunteers to assist with our community outreach and awareness efforts. They need volunteers for several upcoming events. Please contact Sony for additional information: [email protected] or 703-766-9025.
· Brain Injury Services is looking for volunteers to be matched in one to one friendships with survivors of brain injury. Experience is not necessary only your interest. Please call Michelle at (703) 451-8881 ext.232 to learn more.
· BARN is in need of more raffle baskets for their upcoming golf tournament fundraiser named in honor of Senator Colgan. This is a great way for a business, group, or individual to help homeless women and children. Call Tammy at 703-369-1325.
· BEACON Adult Literacy needs an electrician to tutor an adult in the Manassas area as he prepares to take his state license exam. Please call Caroline at (703) 368-7491 to learn more.
· Literacy Volunteers of America- Prince William need volunteer tutors to work with adults in the Woodbridge area. No experience necessary as you will get all the skills needed at their tutor training beginning on May 23rd. You can be a life-changer. Please call (703) 670-5702 or visit their website at: lvapw.org to learn more.
· Grace United Methodist Church is having “Change the World Weekend” on May 16 with community hands-on projects. There will be projects for all ages: Stop Hunger Now Meal Packaging Event, Habitat for Humanity Project, Small Home Repairs, begin a community vegetable garden, and more. Please visit www.umcgrace.org to find out more.
· Please mark your calendars for Sunday May 17th to honor our fallen military by holding flags on the Marine Corps Historic Half Marathon course from 6am-11am. This movement is called Wear Blue and certainly epitomizes how we all feel for our service members. Please call Krista at (410) 932-1812 to learn more.
· Come join the fun mas the Haymarket Regional Food pantry hosts its first Annual 5K Run for Hunger on Saturday May 9th. This year’s event will be at the Vint Hill Craft Winery beginning at 8am. Registration is just $30. Please visit their website: haymarketfoodpantry.org for all the info.
· Keep Prince William Beautiful is full of fun projects this spring. Volunteers are needed on Wednesday, May 6th to conduct the quarterly litter survey! If you cannot help with that please plan to visit them on Saturday May 9th during the Community Expo at Pftizner Stadium from 9am-3pm. Please call Damir at (571) 285-3772 to learn more about this wonderful organization.
· Now that tax day has passed the Prince William Recycling Program needs volunteers to help them on Saturday May 9th from 8; 30am-1pm for their community shredding day. This event is at both the Landfill on Rt 234 and the Balls Ford facility. Tasks are easy – just direct or help folks unload their cars. They also need volunteers at the Community EXPO at Pfitzner Stadium from 9am-3pm. Please call Deborah at (703) 792-5328 to learn more.
· Capital Caring is looking for volunteer artists to do monthly art activities with nursing home residents. Please call Rachel at (703) 957-1785 for locations and times to share your love of art.
· Court Service Unit would love your help during traditional business hours helping with screening of individuals seeking protective orders, custody, visitation, and answering the phones, filing and such. This is a fun fast paced environment and includes a background check before starting. Please call Lynn at (703) 792-4785 to learn more.
· SERVE needs volunteers as well with admin tasks on Wednesday and Thursday mornings from 9am-1pm. You must be an adult, be friendly, empathetic and enjoy helping families. Spanish speakers are most welcome. Please email Jan at:[email protected] to learn more.
· Division of Historic Preservation is gearing up for spring projects at the Julie Metz Wetlands Preserve in Woodbridge. Volunteers are needed to help with trail and stream clean-up, development of interpretive materials and education programs. These volunteer opportunities continue through the fall. Please call Rebecca at (703) 499-9812 to learn more about this county treasure.
· If you are looking for other opportunities, please don’t forget to call my wonderful team at Volunteer Prince William. Coleen can help you with the Retired and Senior Volunteer (RSVP) opportunities at (703) 369-5292 ext. 1, Shelley can help with any individual or group project and send you weekly updates if you’d like. Shelley is at (703) 369-5292 ext. 0, and Bonnie can help you with opportunities available in Disaster Preparedness at (703) 369-5292 ext. 3. Please visit our newly re-vamped website at volunteerprincewilliam.org. Thanks so much for all you do in our community.
Call to Action is a column written by Volunteer Prince William Director Mary Foley.
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Join Uriah Kiser, founder and publisher of Potomac Local News, as he sits down with Dayna-Marie Miles, the newest member of the Manassas City School Board.
In this engaging episode, Dayna-Marie shares her journey to the school board, her priorities for education in Manassas City, and her vision for fostering open communication between the board and the community.
Prince William County’s plans for an indoor sports complex in Woodbridge face a significant shift following this week’s decision by the Board of County Supervisors to allocate $250,000 for a consultant to determine the best use for the site. The 21.85-acre property near I-95 and the state’s most enormous commuter lot, the Horner Road lot, had been the centerpiece of a proposal to build a large indoor recreation facility to attract travel teams and host major events like graduations.
The property, once proposed as the location for a large indoor sports and recreation facility, is now part of a broader development plan. County officials aim to aggregate the land with four adjacent parcels, totaling nearly 50 acres of county- and state-owned land, including existing commuter parking lots. The mission is to transform the area into a community hub that harmonizes living, working, and leisure spaces while generating jobs and tax revenue.
Known colloquially as Prince William Landing, the area was previously considered as a potential site for a new Washington Commanders football stadium alongside another location near Potomac Mills mall. Both sites were discussed as part of efforts to keep the team in Northern Virginia after its lease on FedEx Field expires in 2027. However, those plans did not materialize.
According to county documents, the Department of Economic Development and Tourism, along with the Finance Department and Office of Procurement Services, is leading the effort to attract a strategic real estate partner. The process will follow the Public-Private Education Facilities and Infrastructure Act of 2002 (PPEA) to identify a development partner capable of delivering a project that strengthens the county’s sense of place and meets diverse community needs.
Three amendments are one step closer to being enshrined in the Virginia Constitution after passing the Senate on Tuesday. These amendments address abortion rights, marriage equality, and the restoration of voting rights for formerly incarcerated felons.
The resolutions on abortion and voting rights passed along party lines, while the marriage equality resolution received bipartisan support with a 24-15 vote. Democrats currently hold a 21-19 majority in the Senate for the four-year terms through December 2027.
Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin cannot veto constitutional amendments. The process requires these amendments to be approved twice over two years, with a legislative election in between. If approved again, the proposed amendments will appear on the 2026 ballot for voters’ consideration.
Germanna Community College (GCC) hosted a ribbon cutting at its new Stafford expansion today, January 23, 2025. The event marked the opening of two buildings in Stafford: the Barbara J. Fried Building at 10 Center Street and the Kevin L. Dillard Health Sciences Building at 25 Center Street.
GCC was established in 1970 as part of Virginia’s Community College System and has locations in Culpeper, Locust Grove, Fredericksburg, and Stafford. The school’s website says over 13,000 students are enrolled.
The new expansion added 74,000 square feet to the campus with a $20 million investment. GCC plans to double enrollment in allied health services, like nursing. They will also expand their cybersecurity, IT, general education, and dual enrollment programs.
Travel to French soil and join us for a night filled with two of the most beloved French traditions—no plane ticket required! ?
On January 25th, we invite you to experience the magic of Galette des Rois, a 700-year-old tradition celebrated across France throughout the entire month of January (and even beyond!). This sweet, almond-filled puff pastry topped with a golden crown isn’t just a treat—it’s a celebration! The lucky person who finds the fève (a porcelain charm hidden in one of the slices) becomes the King or Queen for the Day, and don’t worry—there will be plenty of royalty to go around! ??
But that’s not all! In France, Les Voeux (New Year’s wishes) continue throughout January, often accompanied by Champagne and good cheer. We’re bringing that festive spirit to you, with a lively evening packed with French food, wine, and music.
What’s in store:
Experience the passion and drama of Puccini’s “The Girl from the Golden West”.
Featuring special guest musicians from The Chesapeake Youth Orchestra,
this performance brings Puccini’s masterpiece to life with an extraordinary cast.
