MANASSAS, Va. — A Manassas man is charged after a woman was raped while in her bed on March 9.

Here’s the latest in an unedited police press release:

Rape | Burglary with Intent to Defile *ARREST – On March 14th, detectives from the Special Victims Unit were able to identify the suspect involved in the sexual assault which occurred at a residence located in the 7500 block of Prince Cole Ct in Manassas on March 9th. Detectives located surveillance footage which showed a possible suspect walking in the area at the time of the offense. After an extensive investigation and numerous canvasses in the neighborhood, detectives were able to identify the suspect as Jose RUIZ of Manassas. Following the investigation, detectives obtained warrants against RUIZ in connection to the incident. After a search, RUIZ was located and arrested on March 14th in the area of Keara Ct in Manassas by a police K-9 and patrol officers with the Prince William County Police Department. The U.S. Marshals’ Fugitive Task Force also assisted in the investigation.

Arrested on March 14th:

Jose Roberto RUIZ, 35, of 8711 Yorkshire Ln in Manassas

Charged with rape and burglary with intent to defile

Court date: unavailable | Bond: held WITHOUT bond

There was a surprise for a little girl in the fifth grade at Antietam Elementary School in Lake Ridge on Thursday.

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I grew up admiring  Peggy Fleming and Dorothy Hamill. They were amazing Olympic figure skaters!

One Christmas my parents bought the whole family ice skates. When the winter came to our home in Spotsylvania, and the temperatures fell well below freezing for a couple of weeks, the pond in front of my parents’ home would freeze over enough to safely go out on it. Then it was time to hit the ice. Literally. I fell a lot the first year, but after logging on many hours, I had “mastered” a few things.  By that time my Olympic rink had turned back in to a slushy farm pond.

 Thirty years have gone by.

This past Saturday, Stafford’s 350th Birthday bash included a skating rink, though there was no real ice. So naturally I dawned my skates and took to the rink.

A lot has changed in those 30 years. The ice was synthetic, the surface made of plastic. Most of the other skaters agreed it was very different from skating on real ice.

I’d like to use that as my excuse and not my age. But then I saw a young lady lace up her custom figure skates and hit the ice.  Celenia Sampson showed the crowd if you know what you’re doing, it doesn’t mater if it’s real or synthetic. Celinia coaches at the Ashburn Ice House. I may just have to get a few refresher lessons in before my parents pond freezes over again.

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Northern Virginia residents woke up to a glaze of ice on sidewalks, cars, and trees. The ice caused tree limbs to snap, making travel treacherous in the area. 

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NORTH STAFFORD, Va. — Highway crews in Stafford County spent a portion of their weekend installing new steel beams on a new flyover ramp at Garrisonville.

New steel was hoisted in place as part of a new ramp that will eventually carry traffic from newly paved High Occupancy Toll lanes that will extend from Dumfries in Prince William County to Garrisonville in Stafford County. Several lane closures and a temporary closure of the portion of the highway where work took place were put in place on Friday and Saturday nights.

The new steel comes as Gov. Robert F. McDonnell said the overall 95 Express Lanes Project is making progress and is expected to be completed late next year. The express lanes from Garrisonville to Edsall Road in Alexandria will allow drivers with three or more occupants inside their vehicles to use the lanes free with an E-Z Pass transponder, and single drivers will be given the option to pay with an E-Z Pass transponder to use the lanes.

More in a press release:

In the coming weeks, crews will complete the last major steel lifts within the project corridor, including beams for the future flyover ramp across I-95 near Garrisonville Road in mid-October and the future flyover ramp across I-395 near Edsall Road in early November.

Since starting construction of nine new bridges for the Express Lanes this past March, crews have placed more than 100 steel beams. A local disadvantaged business enterprise, Interlock Steelworkers, Inc., is performing the steel operations for the project, exemplifying VDOT’s and its partners’ commitment to providing opportunities to small and disadvantaged businesses in the local area.

As crews complete these steel operations, drivers can expect fewer full closures and detours of I-95 during the Express Lanes’ final year of construction.

Crews also are scheduled to complete the majority of new paving that must occur throughout the future Express Lanes alignment by late 2013 – placing nearly half a million tons of asphalt along I-95. The completion of paving will provide drivers with smoother and safer travel lanes, more than a year before the Express Lanes are slated to open. The paving also allows workers to shift traffic within the HOV lanes, which is necessary to complete the new Express Lanes.

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WOODBRIDGE, Va. — The Duggars came to Woodbridge on Wednesday.

The famed family from TVs “19 Kids and Counting” appeared with mom and dad Michelle and Jim Bob, and their eldest son Josh, and spoke to a crowd of more than 200 people at Heritage Baptist Church on Spriggs Road.

The event was a campaign appearance for Republican Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli who is running to be the next Virginia Governor.

The Duggars endorsed both Cuccinelli and Lt. Governor hopeful E.W. Jackson.

Cuccinelli’s wife Teiro was also there and urged the crowd to vote for her husband.

This was the last stop of several for the Duggars in their “Virginia Values Bus Tour.” While in Woodbridge, a group of the Duggar children sang and played various string instruments at the rally.

Michelle Duggar said “Packing before [the trip], and making sure we had every ones clothes” was the most difficult part.

“19 Kids and Counting” began as “17 Kids and Counting” in 2008, and then later “18 Kids and Counting” before the couple’s 19th child was born. The show premiered its seventh season in April.

The Duggars have also rallied in Tennessee for an amendment in that state that would put a mandatory waiting period for women seeking abortions.

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WOODBRIDGE, Va. — Chick-fil-A in Woodbridge held their annual “Daddy- Daughter Date Night” on Monday.

Tables in the dining room were decked out with pink tulle flowers, tablecloths, balloons, and twinkling lights. Those who made reservations for the special event were served a free meal and dessert.

Many of the girls at the event said their favorite part of the evening was being able to spend time with their fathers, with the exception of 3-year-old Oliva, who said her favorite part of the evening was wearing a princess crown on her head.

The special event took place from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m.

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Ginn Park selected to be home for late mayor’s memorial

DUMFRIES, Va. — Dumfries town officials Saturday dedicated a memorial to the late Mayor Fred Yohey who died while in office in 2011.

An engraved marker was unveiled at Ginn Memorial Park in honor of the 63-year-old. The memorial was a labor of love for Nancy West, the woman who served on the Dumfries Town Council for years and was vice mayor when Yohey passed away. She said he loved being mayor and enjoyed working with the town’s staff.

The engraved memorial is surrounded by park benches as well as new flowers.

Fred Yohey served two terms as mayor from 2006 until his death in 2011. Before that he served on the town council from 1996 until 2004.

After his passing he was honored by the Virginia General Assembly.

The newest of the town’s public playgrounds, the nearly three-acre Ginn Memorial Park opened in April.

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STAFFORD COUNTY, Va. — Robert Hamlett III got a big surprise today when his Dad, Chief Warrant Officer Robert Hamlett met him on the football field at T.Benton Gayle Middle School after returning from a 6-month deployment in Afghanistan.

As the two embraced on the field, the crowd in the bleachers cheered “USA, USA, USA.” Young Robert said he was excited.

“It feels real good to have him back,” said Robert.

Hamlett’s 9-year-old daughter Marissa was also waiting at the field for her father’s return.

The reunion took place at Gayle Middle School in the England Run section of Stafford County.