Prince Wiliam County is teaming up with the Northern Virginia Conservation Trust (NVCT) to conserve Doves Landing Regional Park in Manassas.

NVCT is a regional nonprofit founded in 1994 to safeguard the region's wildlife and natural landscapes. According to the nonprofit's website, it has protected more than 9,000 acres of land across the region in both urban and rural areas.

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The UVA Health Prince Wiliam Medical Center in Manassas has earned a top spot in the U.S. News & World Report list of Best Hospitals for Maternity Care, a recent press release stated.

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On Dec. 13, 2024, Circuit Court Clerk Jacqueline Smith hosted a "Seal the Deal" event in the Town of Occoquan, where couples could get married without the hassle of planning an elaborate ceremony and reception. According to a press release from the clerk, Smith married 18 couples during the event. Couples were able to marry in the decorated Occoquan Town Hall with family and friends. Each ceremony was intimate and festive as the hall was decorated for the holidays with festive lights.

"This modern approach to the wedding experience provided couples with an exclusive moment to marry— without the stress of planning an elaborate wedding, the burden of excessive costs or the pressure of social expectations," the press release stated.

In addition to "Seal the Deal," Occoquan hosted the Firelight Night event. Local businesses also donated wedding gifts for the couples to take home after their respective ceremonies. Smith will host her "Valentine's Day Bash" in February, which will be similar to the "Seal the Deal" event where couples can have an intimate ceremony. For more information, please visit the clerk's website or social media.

In late December, the Prince William County Police Department celebrated the graduation of its 50th Crisis Intervention Training (CIT) class. The students were made up of professionals from the county, Manassas, Manassas Park, the Adult Detention Center, Prince William County Sheriff's Office and various state agencies.

Prince William County Police Officer Latrell Guy, who was a member of the 50th class, said he now better appreciates the hardships people face in dealing with mental illness.

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January is going to be a busy month around Prince William County and Manassas with several events and activities scheduled. Take a look at some highlighted events and meetings.

Jan. 6 (Monday)

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Prince William County is accepting Christmas trees and other holiday greenery at the curb for waste collection and select sites to recycle.

Starting Jan. 1 through Jan. 17, Prince William County residents can leave their greenery out on the curb. There are also three sites around the county that are accepting trees and additional greenery during this period:

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On Dec. 27, Prince William County Library released its list of the most popular books of 2024 in several categories, including adult fiction, e-books, biographies and more.

Here are the top 10 in each of the categories the library released:

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On Dec. 20, 16 men and women completed the 59th session of the Prince William County Criminal Justice Academy Basic Law Enforcement school.

The Prince William County Police officers completed a 24-week course of training in several aspects of police work, including firearms, use-of-force decision-making, driver training, legal training, patrol techniques and investigations.

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Volunteer Prince William has opened up several new opportunities through the holiday season. Make sure to check out some below.

Greetings, Prince William: Although we’re in the holiday season, Martin Luther King Day isn’t too far off, and the MLK Youth Community Choir is seeking students in grades K-12 to join the choir and make a joyful noise!  Participants will rehearse for a pre-event concert at Chinn Park Regional Library on Jan. 4 at 1:30 p.m. in the Community Room followed by a special performance at the Prince William Alumnae Chapter Delta Sigma Theta (PWCAC- DST) 40th Annual Dr. King Youth Oratorical Competition and Program being held Jan. 18.  Rehearsals have begun, but more participants are welcome – no tryout is needed!

• If you love helping others learn, we have a wonderful opportunity for you!  The winter semester for BEACON for English Language and Literacy is currently underway!  They’re still urgently recruiting for a few in-person and online evening volunteer teachers for this semester.  One-day-a-week and two-day-a-week evening options are available at various class levels.  Evening classes meet from 7 to 9 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays in Manassas, Manassas Park or on Zoom. No teaching or foreign language experience is required and training is provided.  To learn more, please sign up for a virtual information session or contact Seth Mazzaro at 571-428-2524.
• The “Power of A Knock” can help a homebound senior get nutritious meals!  Meals on Wheels urgently needs volunteers to deliver meals to homebound senior citizens on weekday mornings.  Volunteers must pass a criminal and driving record background check.  Routes take about 1.5 hours to complete, training is provided.  You’ll feel great when you find out how inspiring it is to serve this vulnerable population and make their day!
• The holidays may be here, but hunger never takes a holiday!  The SERVE campus of Northern Virginia Family Service has an ongoing need for Food Recovery Driver volunteers age 21+ to make routine pick-ups to rescue food from grocery stores and restaurants to help food insecure families.  Shifts are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to noon; their greatest need is for Monday drivers.  Volunteers are asked to commit to at least one shift per week for at least six months or longer.  Volunteers must have a valid driver’s license and should be prepared to lift up to 50 lbs.  Ride-along training with experienced volunteers or staff and vehicle provided.  Just one day a week can make a life-long impact on a family in need!
• The hard-working staff at Northern Virginia Food Rescue is looking for volunteers who are available to be On-Call to help with offloading large truckloads of food deliveries when they arrive at their warehouse located at 10535 Battleview Parkway, Manassas 20109. This role is vital in ensuring that they can quickly rescue and distribute food to families in need.  Volunteers would be on call from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. with varying delivery times.  Communication is done via text message when a delivery is on the way and help is needed.  Volunteers should be prepared to lift heavy items.  A brief mandatory training will be held for those volunteers selected for this position.  You’ll feel great knowing you’re doing your part to help food-insecure families in our local community!  Please text 571-370-3073 to let them know you’re interested.
• Your office, group or club can provide the comfort of a hot meal during the winter months!  Streetlight Community Outreach Ministries’ hypothermia shelter located at 14716 Potomac Mills Road in Woodbridge has an ongoing need for groups to prepare and drop off meals for 30 adult residents through March 30, 2025.  Meals are needed each night and should be prepared off-site and dropped off at the shelter between 6:30 and 7 p.m.  There are many openings in January, and you’ll feel great providing a hot, nourishing meal for the homeless to enjoy!