Merry Christmas

The Fourth Wish Foundation invites the community to a special white belt graduation ceremony on Saturday, January 25, 2025, at 1:15 p.m. at Underground Krav Maga and Fitness in Gainesville.

The event celebrates the achievements of 54 children who have completed three months of Krav Maga training as part of the foundation’s “Healthy Kid Initiative,” a program launched in 2024 to provide extracurricular opportunities to children from financially challenged families.

“We want to ensure these children can continue with this worthy program that has already made such a positive impact on their lives,” said Sue Khalatbari, Director of The Fourth Wish Foundation. The foundation is seeking donations to sustain and expand the initiative, helping more children gain confidence, physical fitness, and critical life skills.

A debate over proposed legislation targeting panhandling in road medians sparked a spirited discussion among Stafford County Supervisors during their January 21 meeting. The proposed bill, sponsored by Delegate Paul Milde (R-64, Stafford County), seeks to impose fines on motorists and pedestrians who exchange items in roadway medians to improve safety and reduce traffic disruptions.

The legislation was also a topic of discussion on the Potomac Local News Podcast, where Milde elaborated on his rationale behind the bill in an interview with Publisher Uriah Kiser.
During the podcast, Milde emphasized the safety and traffic issues posed by panhandling in medians.

A speeding incident escalated into a high-speed pursuit Wednesday, January 21, 2025, on Interstate 95, according to Virginia State Police spokesman Matthew Demlein.

At 11:33 a.m., a Virginia State Police trooper attempted to stop a silver sedan traveling northbound on I-95 near the 157-mile marker in Prince William County for speeding—clocked at 93 mph in a 60-mph zone. The driver refused to stop, prompting a police pursuit.

During the chase, the sedan struck the mirror of another vehicle, causing minor damage, but no injuries were reported. The pursuit continued onto eastbound Interstate 495 and ultimately ended at the Woodrow Wilson Bridge, marking the Maryland state line. At that point, the pursuit was terminated.

A recent cybersecurity incident affecting PowerSchool, a global provider of education administration software, has raised concerns for school systems across the country, including Fredericksburg City and Manassas City Public Schools. PowerSchool confirmed that its internal systems were breached in late December, resulting in unauthorized access to data involving students and educators from hundreds of school divisions.

PowerSchool, widely used by schools worldwide, supports over 18,000 institutions, serving more than 60 million students. The platform handles essential administrative functions such as attendance tracking, grade reporting, and student data management. While PowerSchool has restored its systems’ security, the breach underscores the vulnerability of sensitive educational information.