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Photos by Flickr user Manassas City 

Before a 15-year-old Osbourn High School Student goes into a surgery that will be the fight of his life, the Manassas City Fire Department helped him check off some items on his bucket list. 

Today, Jamie Martinez got a ride in a ladder truck operated by the city fire department and was later taken to Manassas Regional Airport where he was given a helicopter ride. 

From Jamie’s GoFundMe page: 

Jaime has an inherited disease that causes progressive damage to the nervous system. It has led to his use of a wheelchair, Cardiac Arrhythmia, Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy and deterioration of his spine.

Jaime will be having a life-threatening surgery at the end of March called a posterior spinal fusion. We are praying for a miracle. His family, both parents work full time, is struggling with medical co-payments, medications and taking time off work to care for Jaime and his sisters. Jaime has a younger sister who is 12 and she has the same inherited disease. The last daughter (10) does not have this condition. 

Money raised will be used for medical costs, medications, medical equipment and basic costs of living for the family. If possible, the family is hopeful to acquire a handicapped capable van as they have two children in wheelchairs and no way to easily transport them to medical appointments.

Submitted:

“Police officers in Manassas City installed a new windshield on Thursday that will help combat police impersonations within the city. The windshield; created by DeAndre McKenzie of Woodbridge, will give citizens the safety and security of knowing they are being pulled over by an actual police officer.

The Smartshield is used as a verification method that the vehicle is an actual law enforcement vehicle. This windshield offers a more secure relationship between the officer and the citizen in a routine traffic stop. Citizens will now know that they are safely being pulled over, without the need to drive to a lit area or call 911 for help. The hope is that this windshield will become the solution to the rapidly growing problem of police impersonation.”

The Manassas City Police Department installed two windshields — one on a patrol car and another on a vehicle in its investigations unit. Read More

Submitted:

Paintings from the Manassas Art Guild are on exhibit in The Hall at City Hall through March 13, 2017. Pieces range from mixed media, acrylics, watercolors and quilling. The Manassas Art Guild is an organization that promotes participation and appreciation of the visual arts.

Exhibits in The Hall rotate on a monthly basis and include different forms of visual art. Visiting The Hall is free and open to the public from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays and later when evening meetings are held in the building.

Photo by Flickr user Gage Skidmore

From Manassas Park City Councilman Preston Banks: 

I hope everything is going well.  This is just an FYI to let you know that Ed Gillespie will be in Manassas tomorrow for a small business roundtable at 10:00 a.m. at Jirani Coffee House. It’s part of campaign for Governor.  

https://smallbizroundtablemanassas.eventbrite.com

Fire and rescue crews evacuated 62 children from a Minnieland Academy daycare center on Technology Drive.

A construction contractor working in the area struck a gas main, and that prompted the evacuation said Manassas Fire and Rescue Batallion Chief Mark Nary.

No injuries were reported, and no gas was found inside the daycare center located in Manassas. Two office buildings sit next to the daycare center, and neither were impacted by the gas leak, said Nary.

Minneland Academy used private buses to evacuate children from the center. Evacuees were taken to Minnieland Academy at Wellington off Hastings Drive in Manassas.

We asked Minnieland if parents could come pick up their children from the Wellington center. They responded:

@PotomacLocal Once the children get to our Wellington center, the directors will be calling parents directly with more information.

— Minnieland Academy (@Minnieland_VA) June 29, 2016

Repair crews were called to fix the leak.

A mini storage facility is being built behind the Minnieland Academy, said Manassas City Economic Development Director Patrick Small.

Founded in Woodbridge, Minnieland  Academy is one of the largest childcare providers in the region with locations  in Prince William, Stafford, Fairfax, and Loudoun counties, and in the Richmond area. 

Eight seniors got a second chance in the cockpit at Manassas Regional Airport on Thursday, June 23, 2016.

From a press release: 

Eight Arbor Terrace Sudley Manor residents, ranging in ages from 76-96 will take off on Dream Flights in a 1942 Boeing Stearman – the airplane used to train military aviators in the 1940s. Former pilots will be were invited to take the stick and maneuver the plane. Each participant will take took a 15-20-minute flight, soaring 1,000 feet above the heads of the participants’ neighbors and friends.

The flights are courtesy of Ageless Aviation Dreams Foundation, a non-profit organization founded by Darryl Fisher in 2011 to honor U.S. military veterans living in long-term care facilities. To date, the foundation has provided more than 1,500 Dream Flights to veterans nationwide.

Here’s who went on the trip:

Dan Selders – 95, 20 year Navy Aviator, Served in WWII from 1940-1945

Jack Sherer – 80, Navy Seaman, Served for 22 months during years 1955-1957 on the Admiral Staff

Anita Bishop – 83, Army Women’s Army Corp served 1950-1952

Irene Duncan – 96, her husband, William Duncan, served as an Army Engineer from 1942-1947 during WWII

Jerry Hetherman- 76, United States Airforce, E-3 served from 1958-1962

Dan Kriss – 88, Navy Seaman Quarter Master joined at the age of 14 ½ years served 1943-1945 in WWII

Ann Julius-Army- 92, United States Airforce

John Marcario- 92, Air Force- WWII

@WildTurkey Bus outside @BayRidgeWine & @AnnSmokehouse 3-8 today. Free tasting seminar. #nevertamed #teamcampari pic.twitter.com/rDTHJMFlVs

— Gavin (@gavinskimball) June 16, 2016

You’ve always wanted to know more about how Wild Turkey bourbon is made, right? 

And, you’ve often thought to yourself, “what if there was a bus that could come to my hometown to give me this knowledge that I seek?”

From The Virginia ABC: 

Who: The public is invited to tour the Wild Turkey “Distillery-on-Wheels” Bus, which includes a full distillery experience showing how products are made.

When and Where: Thursday, June 23, from noon to 8 p.m. at Virginia ABC’s store at 8095 Sudley Road, Manassas; and Friday, June 24, from noon to 8 p.m. at Virginia ABC’s premier store at 506A Fort Evans Road N.E., Leesburg

What: The Wild Turkey “Distillery-on-Wheels” Bus is a bus-sized replica of the famed Wild Turkey Visitor Center in Lawrenceburg, Ky. The 50-foot bus offers a behind-the-scenes glimpse into what makes Wild Turkey such an iconic American brand – from its history and place along the Bourbon Trail to the people and products who have catapulted it to global stature and success.

Why: Wild Turkey’s “Distillery-on-Wheels” bus is touring these Northern Virginia communities to offer insights into its history and provide information about how Wild Turkey is produced. Wild Turkey will offer tastings of its products Wild Turkey 81, 101, Rare Breed and Russell’s Reserve in the stores on each day.

No big plans for his birthday

World War II veteran Archie Schiff, of Manassas, will turn 105-years-old next month. 

His daughter Susan Murphy is excited about her father’s birthday and is hoping the White House honors a request to send him a birthday card.

So far she has no big plans for her father’s big day.

More from Murphy:

Just wanted to let you know that my father, who is a WWII vet, is going to be 105 on July 22, 2016.

He was in the Army Air Corp during the war in the Burma-India-China theater. He worked in the office and did the scheduling of when the planes needed maintenance after doing sorties.

He also wrote a news and humor newsletter for the troupes to keep them entertained, although he had to be careful what he wrote about. He lives in my husband’s and my house in Manassas, although he lived alone and took care of himself in his apartment in Pennsylvania until he was 103.

I’ve requested for him to receive a birthday card from the White House for his 105th birthday and sent his name in for a chance for them to mention the birthday on the Today Show. Maybe they will announce it for a birthday like the 105th! My father is good mental condition and pretty good physical condition for his age.

I guess he has good genes; his mother lived to 101 and he still has a 96-year-old sister alive. 

He lived in his own apartment until he was 103

My dad [has] lived in Manassas since September 2014. He moved into my husband’s and my house after falling and coming out of rehab from breaking a pelvic bone.  Before that he took care of himself in his own apartment and lived in Pottsville, PA his whole life until he was 103.

A brother who passed in 2013 at age 95 and my father lived in the same city and helped take care of each other.  

He was married to my mother in 1949 until her death in 2009.  He has two children, a son, Larry Schiff who lives in Texas and a daughter, Susan Murphy (me). 

After the war, Archie owned and managed a window cleaning company.  He had played in a minor league baseball team when he was younger but couldn’t join the majors because he had to help his father run his business. 

My father used to enjoy reading the newspaper and doing the Jumble puzzles, but his eyes aren’t very good for that now.  He does enjoy watching baseball and game shows on the tv. 

So far, no birthday plans because my husband and I take care of my father 24/7 so no time for much planning.  Last year my father’s previous care giving company had a small party at my house for my father.

She added: 

Just wanted to let you know, another paper is coming here for a small get together on my Dad’s birthday at 1 pm. They are bringing some cupcakes to celebrate.

At least four police cruisers came to Davis Ford Shopping Center about 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday. At least one person was arrested. 

Here’s what we know so far from Manassas City Police spokeswoman Adrinne Helms: 

“It looks like someone was pulled over and ran so the initial officer called for backup. The driver was apprehended.”

More as we have it.