From Prince William fire and rescue:
On Wednesday, October 11th at 1:10 a.m., fire and rescue units were dispatched to a structure fire in a single family home located in the 11400 block of Mercury Drive in Manassas.
Upon entry fire and rescue crews discovered a fire in a bedroom. Firefighters immediately extinguished the fire with no further extension.
The occupant was awoken by a smoke detector sounding and heat from the fire. The mattress she was laying on had caught fire. The victim then gathered her 3 children and vacated the house and called 9-1-1.
No injuries were sustained by the victim or her children The home sustained extensive damage estimated at $75,000; the Building Official was
notified and called to the scene for further evaluation.The fire originated in the bedroom; the cause was smoking in bed and has been determined as accidental.
Photos: Prince Wiliam Fire and Rescue
From a press release:
Manassas Park-based Storage Strategies, Inc. (SSI) recently hosted a visit by Carl Knoblock, Richmond District Director of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). Knoblock recognized SSI’s Career Resource Center, a community service project that SSI offers as part of its participation in a Manassas Park HUBZone.
Steve Mackie, President of SSI commented on the strong reception the Career Resource Center has received in the community, with demand for their services growing over time. SSI has created 16 new jobs in Manassas Park since locating there in 2014. SSI hires, trains, and certifies local residents as Microsoft Office Specialists. These employees then provide IT skills coaching, free of charge, to other local residents. The Career Resource Center’s one-on-one customized IT skills tutoring and fully equipped IT training lab provide Manassas Park with one of the most unique work force development programs in Northern Virginia at no cost to City residents.
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Stacey and Blane Perry are about the open Manassas' next brewery: Sinistral Brewing Company.
Like many in the craft brewing industry, the two are still working full-time jobs and never thought they dive headlong into beer as a business.
Blane is the brewer who got his start, like most, brewing at home.
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Russell Harrison is running to the be the next Manassas City Treasurer. This is his second time around running for the office.
This is his second time around running for the office. Harrison lost by three points to current officeholder Patricia Richie-Folks during a special election held last November.
This election season, we’re asking candidates who wish to reach our readers a “why you should vote for me” email by Oct. 27, 2017.
Harrison sent us this email below:
I am a nonprofit executive and former Manassas Volunteer of the Year, and I would like to be the next Manassas City Treasurer. I am running to restore the professional standards to the office that many in Manassas believe have slipped.
The City Treasurer is a full-time professional position. We need someone who understands how to run an office, understands laws and regulations, and who understands complicated finance and budgeting. We need someone who can lead.
I do and I can. I am the only candidate with the background to do the job right.
I am currently a senior executive with the IEEE, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. There I manage a professional staff that I built over the past several years. My career with nonprofits has spanned over 20 years and includes earning my CAE (Certified Association Executive), the highest level of professional certification in the nonprofit world. Read More
This summer, we first told you about improvements coming to Byrd Park in Manassas.
City officials cut a ribbon, heralding the end of a $150,000 capital improvement project at the park.
Park improvements include a new playground suitable for all ages featuring the cozy cocoon, funnel tunnel, tube slide, rocking turtle, music panel and more. The Cozy Cocoon is specially designed for children with autism with features like a space to escape overstimulation and windows on both sides for adult supervision. This is the second cozy cocoon in the City.
Along with new play equipment, the basketball, roller hockey, and Bankshot basketball courts were resurfaced and repainted. Bankshot basketball is designed to encourage players to play with, not against, others. This is a non-running, non-exclusionary sport that accommodates wheelchair players, the physically and cognitively challenged and anyone else who wishes to play.
A new sail shade was added near the concession stand for picnics and shade.
Other park improvements include:
Two new picnic tables
Six new benches
Seventeen new trash/recycling receptacles
Refurbished basketball posts, backboards, and nets
Refreshed picnic pavilion; and a grill
The project included removal of hazardous trees, repairs around the courts, a refreshed parking lot; and flyer holders in the park restrooms for City of Manassas events.
Two Girl Scout troops, Troops 6848 and 4413, have adopted the park to keep it clean and have just recommitted for two more years.
From a press release:
Expedia.com, a major travel websites, named the City of Manassas one of America’s most tourist-friendly cities. Criteria for this designation were: helpful tourism board; things to do; quantity/quality of hotel options; access to an airport or major transit center; city/discovery tours; and amenities and weather ratings.
On a scale of one to five star ratings, the City of Manassas scored five stars in amenities, and scored highly in other areas as well. On expedia.com, the City of Manassas is described as:
“Thirty miles from Washington, D.C., and surrounded by nature, Manassas is happily situated for tourists who like to explore. The Manassas Museum System offers tours for the knowledge-thirsty, while just plain thirst is quelled at family-run BadWolf Brewing Company, where the atmosphere is way friendlier than the name suggests. Get your days going at cozy Jirani Coffeehouse, complete with an in-house library. Visiting in fall? Take the family to nearby Cox Farms for the Fall Festival and meet the locals (and a few llamas, rabbits, chickens, and goats). Back in town, fill up at Okra’s Cajun Creole and see a show at Hylton Performing Arts Center.”
“We are thrilled to receive this designation,” said City Manager W. Patrick Pate. “The City, with our tourism partners and businesses, work hard to create the events and amenities that make our City welcoming to both residents and visitors.”
Democrats in Manassas and Manassas Park protested Thursday night and threatened boycott city businesses over a vendor table at the Manassas Fall Jubilee.
Democrats requested a booth at the 35th-annual festival last night after learning Republican Congresswoman Barbara Comstock would have a similar booth. Of the 110 vendors at the sold-out event, most include craft makers and food vendors.
In previous years, politicians have not been invited to exhibit at the fair.
A city spokeswoman confirmed with Manassas Local that Comstock requested and was granted her booth two months ago. Following the protest, we’re told the Democrats will now also have a table at the fair.
Prior to getting the booth, some Democrats took to email to express their outrage over Comstock’s table at the Jubilee, and some of those emails were obtained by Manassas Local.
“This is such typical bullshit. It’s obvious which party they support.
I am planning to boycott all merchants who are members of [Historic Manassas, Inc.] and will encourage everyone I know to do the same.
No more trips to Old Town Manassas for me.”
To get the booth, Co-chair of the Manassas and Manassas Park Cities Democratic Committee Allen Muchnick sent this email:
On behalf of the Manassas and Manassas Park Cities Democratic Committee, I ask that HMI designate a well-sited vendor booth space for our organization at your Fall Jubilee event this Saturday.
According to your vendor application guidelines for this Saturday’s event posted on page 2 at [ https://visitmanassas.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Fall-Jubilee-Application-20172.pdf ],
Vendor space is limited. Vendors are selected based on relevance to the event. No political parties will be accepted.
[emphasis added].
Furthermore, multiple members of our local Democratic Party Committee repeatedly asked HMI staff about granting our organization booth space at the 2016 and 2017 Fall Jubilees, and they were consistently told that both events would be closed to political party organizations.
Nevertheless, we learned today that both the Manassas Republican Committee and Rep. Barbara Comstock are listed as 2017 Fall Jubilee vendors.
Such blatant partisan political favoritism is patently unfair and will not stand.
I ask that you promptly approve our request for a well-sited vendor booth space at the Manassas Fall Jubilee this Saturday. We are prepared to supply our own 10’x10′ canopy, folding table and chairs, and 2017 political campaign materials.
The annual Fall Jubilee is Saturday, Oct. 7 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Downtown Manassas.
From police:
The Manassas City Police Department regrets to announce the death of retired K9 Mako, a five year veteran of the Manassas City Police K9 Unit. Mako worked a quality career, certified in patrol tactics and narcotic detection, before retiring in May 2013.
Mako passed away peacefully yesterday of natural causes at the home of his handler, MCPD Officer Russ McAndrews. The Manassas City Police Department asks that the community hold the McAndrews family in its thoughts and prayers.
