Wake up: Teacher union takeover, aging high-rises, flood watch

Happy Thursday, everyone. Thanks for starting your day smarter with us here at Potomac Local News. Here’s what’s happening in our communities today.

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Dead heat: With a week to go, Virginia’s statewide races for governor, lieutenant governor, and attorney general are tied, according to our survey of likely voters in the Nov. 2 general election.

Teacher union takeover: The Virginia Education Association took sweeping oversight of its Prince William chapter Monday night, entering into a memorandum of understanding with the Prince William Education Association’s executive board that strips the local chapter of much of its autonomy.

Flood watch: Water levels will rise in our area as a storm affects the region Friday, say the National Weather Service. A coastal flood watch will be in effect Friday morning into Saturday morning with water levels rising one to two feet higher than normal in coastal areas. 

Walkout: Dozens of Loudoun County Public School students briefly walked out of classes this week chanting “Loudoun County protects rapists,” in protest over how the schools handled sexual assault.

Fred Vets Day: Veterans Day on Thursday, November 11, kicks off in downtown Fredericksburg with a Walking Procession starting at 10 a.m. Visitors are invited to watch the procession along the Washington Avenue Mall from Memorial Park to William and Barton Street. 

Datacenter growth: Prince William officials are reviewing multiple proposals to build data centers on 2,000 acres in the Rural Crescent adjacent to the Manassas National Battlefield Park. An upcoming meeting will detail the work and the natural environment that would be lost.

Chinn turns 30: The Chinn Regional Library in Woodbridge turned 30-years-old. The community came together on Saturday, October 23, to celebrate. Chinn is one of seven “full service” libraries in Prince William County and was built in conjunction with the Chinn Aquatics and Fitness Center at 13065 Chinn Park Drive.

More days off: On Tuesday, the Stafford County School Board approved three additional holidays for all division staff and students. November 12, February 18, and April 15 will now be full days off instead of regular school days. The new holidays create four-day weekends for division staff and students.

Aging high rises: Following the collapse of a 40-year-old high-rise in Surfside, Fla., officials in Fairfax County and across the country are looking to prevent a similar tragedy. County staff has identified 202 high-rises in the area at least 25 years or older, including 100 that are 25-30 years old, 41 that are 30-35 years old, and 46 that are 40 years old or more.

ICYMI: On Monday, a Manassas City Councilman stepped down after being at the center of a federal investigation into his campaign practices and dropping his bid to keep his seat on the council.