
The internship is an eight-week-long program for students enrolled in higher education institutions and are interested in local government. According to a county press release, the program provides students the opportunity to go through training, mentoring, networking with executive leadership, field excursions, short-term projects and hands-on experience. The program will run from May 27 through July 18.
âPublic service is one of the most meaningful ways to make a lasting impact on the lives of others, and our internship program is an incredible opportunity for students to step into that role,â County Executive Chris Shorter said. âThis program is about more than just gaining experience; itâs about inspiring the next generation of public servants who will shape our communities and lead us into the future.â
Interns will also be responsible for a collaborative capstone project to be presented at the programâs commencement ceremony. Interns are also expected to work on-site for 37.5 hours a week and will be paid $18 per hour.
Students must be 16 years old or older at the time of application, be able to provide their own transportation, have a legal right to work in the United States and commit to all of the program dates excluding Juneteenth and the Fourth of July holidays.
All applications, the countyâs page for the internship states, must be submitted through the countyâs job application portal.
âThis program not only equips students with valuable skills and professional development but also provides a glimpse into the impactful and rewarding careers available in local government,â said Veronica Marquez, human resources business services analyst who runs the intern program. âItâs a chance to grow, learn and make meaningful contributions that can shape their future and the future of our community.â

According to a press release, the county hopes to encourage residents to ârethinkâ how they give. Rather than donating directly to panhandlers, the county is directing residents to donate to local organizations and nonprofits that address housing, food insecurity, mental and health and job training.
This initiative was approved on Nov. 26 by the Board of County Supervisors. The campaign will run through December and will resume during the spring and summer, the press release stated.
âMany people want to help, but direct handouts often do not provide the long-term assistance individuals need,â said Board of County Supervisors Chair At-Large Deshundra Jefferson. âBy choosing to donate to nonprofits in our community, weâre empowering organizations that can deliver real solutions and make a meaningful impact.â
By visiting the countyâs dedicated website for panhandling, donating has become more accessible. Panhandlers can generate as much as $200 a day but these funds do not address the root causes behind their situation.
The county has provided some of the most impactful ways to help the community:
Give to the non-profit organizations that can provide the needed services rather than directly to the panhandler.
Let us know if you see people panhandling in the community so that we can provide outreach services and get them connected to the help they may need. Call 703-792-3939 or email pwcpanhandling@pwcgov.org and leave a detailed message about the location where you saw the panhandler.
Consider volunteering at one of the local shelters or at one of the nonprofits that provide resources to those who panhandle.
Use the material in the toolkit to help spread the message that handouts donât help and to give where it counts!

In a 4-2 vote with one abstention, the School Board voted to start on Aug. 12 in the upcoming two school years. The Board members who voted in favor of earlier start dates, or Option A, said they did so to remain in line with the survey results.
According to a non-scientific poll conducted by MCPS in the fall, 59% of parents and 63% of staff members preferred Option A. Only 13% of respondents made comments on the poll, and among those most vocal were parents who preferred Option B, or a start for students in the third week of August.
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On Monday, leaders from Prince William County gathered to celebrate the start of improvements to two of the soccer fields at George Hellwig Memorial Park in Manassas.
The improvements are scheduled to be completed by March 2025.
According to a county press release, fields three and eight are undergoing renovations to upgrade and install synthetic turf, respectively. Field three is scheduled to also receive a large underground stormwater management system, new concrete walkways, fencing, goals and behind-goal netting.
Hellwig Park is 132 acres with eight soccer fields, five baseball diamonds, three tennis courts, two basketball courts, a pickleball court and a small playground. The park is located at 14420 Bristow Road in Manassas, located in the Coles District of the county.
âAs a coach who has spent countless hours on these fields, Iâm so excited to support the turf improvements here at Hellwig,â Coles District Supervisor Yesli Vega said. âThese upgrades not only enhance the experience for our local athletes of all ages, but strengthen Prince William Countyâs commitment to health, wellness and community.â
The park was named in 1987 for George Hellwig, a president of the Coles District Volunteer Fire Department for three years as well as a rescue caption and chairman of the board. Heâs most known for his efforts in getting an emergency medical training program started in the county.

Council will be on a two-week recess beginning Dec. 16 through the holiday season. Their first scheduled meeting back will be in early January.
Council unanimously approved the combination of the service and sales buildings of the Safford Subaru dealership on Liberia Avenue. The special use permit filed by the dealership details a nearly 40,000-square-foot building with interior and exterior updates to help the business run more efficiently.
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A Slick City Action Park, an indoor slide and air court park, will open in the spring of 2025 at Woodbridgeâs Potomac Mills shopping center.
According to a release, this location will be the companyâs first on the East Coast. Slick City Action Parks was founded in 2021 by entrepreneur Bron Launsby and the first locations were opened in Colorado, Missouri, Texas and Arizona.
Slick City Action Parks typically include indoor slides, air courts, a âJunior Jungleâ for smaller children and other structures suitable for play. The release also states the Slick City will have dining, party rooms and a retail store.
âWe are excited to bring Slick City Action Park to Potomac Mills and provide a unique entertainment option for our shoppers,â said Bethany Webb, director of marketing and business development at the Potomac Mills. âThis new addition perfectly aligns with our goal to provide diverse and engaging experiences for our visitors. We believe Slick City will become a favorite destination for families and thrill-seekers in our community and beyond.â
Slick Cityâs website states the Potomac Mills location will become operational in the spring of 2025. Itâs one of 12 locations marked as âcoming soonâ on the companyâs website; other locations include Tulsa, Okla.; Columbus, Ohio; Oceanside, Calif.; and Mesa, Ariz.
The action park is only the latest entertainment spot thatâs been welcomed to Potomac Mills. In recent months, Round 1 Bowling & Arcade, ZavaZone and AMC Theaters have become operational at the mall.

The parade organizers released a comprehensive list of winners in performance and float categories. The Chairmanâs Award was given to the Manassas Park High School Marching Cougars, who earned a perfect score for their performance during the parade. The Parade Committee Award went to Caporales San Simon VA USA, a Bolivian cultural association.
All of the award winners will be celebrated at a ceremony on Jan. 13 at 5:30 p.m. at Manassas City Hall. Winners will receive a trophy and certificate.
Here are the rest of the awards:
Marching Bands1st Place: Woodbridge High School Mighty Viking Marching Band2nd Place: Patriot High School Marching Band3rd Place: The Pride of Unity Reed Marching Band
Dance CompanyCheerleading, Majorette, Step Teams1st: Unity Reed High School AF JROTC2nd: Grace E. Metz Middle School Cheer3rd: Osbourn Park High School Cheer ProgramFloat â Other2nd: St. Thomas United Methodist ChurchFloat â Business3rd: Ameri-CansBusiness Vehicles2nd: Move4Free Realty LLCNonprofit Organization
Vehicle Club1st: Drunk Monkey Jeepers2nd: Capital VW Club3rd: TKO Jeepers

- Get into the holiday spirit by supporting the Town of Dumfries Holiday Parade on Dec. 14! Volunteers age 18+ are needed to help direct patrons, provide traffic control, act as route monitors and any other help needed to make this a fun and safe event for everyone. Volunteers should report beginning at 7 a.m., the parade steps off at 10 a.m. and will end around noon. It happens rain, snow or shine and youâll feel loads of Christmas spirit as you get to enjoy the bands, floats, car clubs and performing groups who are participating! Please contact Yvette at 571-363-5200 for more information.
- 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, and they are still urgently recruiting for a few in-person and online evening Volunteer Teachers for this semester. They have one-day-a-week and two-day-a-week evening options 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. Please sign up for a virtual information session or contact Seth Mazzaro at 571-428-2524.
- You can provide new, warm clothing for a vulnerable child! The fantastic staff at Boxes of Basics need sponsors who can make the holidays brighter for a local child by sponsoring a Box of Basics. Itâs super easy: 1) Visit their Sign Up Genius page; 2) Select a size/gender Box of Basics and sign up; 3) Use their shopping list to buy items to help fill Boxes of Basics; 4) Drop off your unwrapped purchases at one of their convenient donation locations by Dec. 20. Please visit their website for a list of donation sites. Imagine how happy youâll make a child and their family feel this Christmas when they receive new clothing they are proud to be seen in!
- If you enjoy decorating for the holidays, hereâs a wonderful opportunity for you! CRi, Choice. Respect. independence needs volunteers aged 12+ to put up decorations around the exterior of their group homes. Decorations can be homemade or purchased, just please make sure they can withstand the weather for the duration of the holiday month. While third parties are not allowed inside the homes, decorations can be made and given to staff to hang indoors. Commercial holiday decorations are welcome such as string lights, Santa, ornaments and Christmas trees; string lights are a HUGE hit with residents in all the group homes! This family friendly opportunity will be sure to put you in the holiday mood as you brighten up the lives of these clients who deal with developmental disabilities and/or mental health issues.
- The wonderful staff at House of Mercy need volunteer Elves to support their Christmas with Mercy program which started Dec. 3. Preparation help is still needed from Monday to Thursday. Help is also needed Saturday and Sunday to assist clients with âshoppingâ for their families. Volunteers age 16+ are welcome, volunteers age 12 to 15 are welcome to volunteer with a parent or guardian. All sorts of fun jobs are available, and youâll get into the holiday spirit as you help provide vulnerable families with a wonderful Christmas! Please visit the SignUp Genius page for more information and to register.
- Although weâre in the holiday season, Martin Luther King Day isnât 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 special performance at the Prince William Alumnae Chapter Delta Sigma Theta 40th Annual Dr. King Youth Oratorical Competition and Program being held on Jan. 18, 2025. Rehearsals have begun, but more participants are welcome â no tryout is needed!
- The âPower of A Knockâ 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. Youâll feel great when you find out how inspiring it is to serve this vulnerable population and make their day! Please visit their website for more information.
- Your office, group or club can provide holiday comfort during December! Streetlight Community Outreach Ministriesâ 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 still several openings in December, and youâll feel great providing a hot, nourishing meal for the homeless to enjoy! Please visit their website to sign up and get more information.
- If you want to get firsthand experience working directly with the homeless, hereâs a perfect opportunity! Streetlight Community Outreach Ministries needs volunteers age 25+ to assist staff at their hypothermia shelter, 14716 Potomac Mills Road, Woodbridge. Two volunteers are needed each evening through March 31, 2025, from 6 to 10 p.m. Duties include assisting with preparing and serving dinner, passing out supplies as needed and light set-up and/or clean-up. Youâll feel great knowing you are providing this vulnerable population with a way to get out of the cold for a hot meal and a warm place to sleep! Please visit their sign up page.

According to a release from the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), Sinclair Lane closures will take place between Brentsville Road and Smithfield Road. Closures will occur each weekday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The VDOT release states those needing to access Sinclair Lane will be able to, but drivers will not be able to go beyond the point of pipe replacement near the property at 11824 Sinclair Lane.
More information about these closures can be found on VDOTâs website or by visiting the 511Virginia app.