Demonstrations for and against the proposed Devlin Park Data Center occurred in freezing conditions on Tuesday, November 28, 2023.

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OmniRide will expand its service in Stafford and Spotsylvania counties starting next month.

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The Riverside Center for the Performing Arts is decked out for Christmas,  and its Christmas show reminds us what it means to be kind this holiday season.

The performance house is celebrating its 25 years in 2023 and is showing “Miracle on 34th Street” for its annual Christmas show. “Miracle on 34th Street” gets everyone in the holiday spirit.

The show’s main message revolves around kindness during the holiday season – something still as pertinent now as it was in 1947 when Valentine Davies created the musical.

At Riverside’s performance, the audience is first greeted by Christmas-themed decorations in the elaborate foyer, coupled with sparkling chandeliers, which add to the anticipation of the entertainment. The staff provides impeccable service and pays attention to every detail, catering to upward of 250 people at each performance.

Catherine Mayers portrayed Susan Walker, a girl whose well-meaning mother (played by Elizabeth Butler) has raised her not to believe in Santa Claus. When their lives intersect with that of Kris Kringle (played by Jim Lawson), an elderly man hired to play Santa at Macy’s in New York, Susan begins to suspect he may be the real St. Nick.

After a jealous fellow employee frames him for an assault, Kringle is placed under arrest. At the court hearing, Kringle and his attorney Fred Gaily attempt to prove that he is the real Santa Claus. The Story ends with Fred (Kevin Cleary) and Susan falling in love and living happily ever after.

The Riverside Theatre recently transitioned to a nonprofit organization to help promote, enhance, and fund education and participation in the performing arts in our region. The youth performers in “Miracle on 34th Street” reflect Riverside’s passion for encouraging young people to become involved in the performing Arts.

Indeed, it hosts the Annual Riverside Awards for Excellence in High School Musical Theatre and provides youth summer performing arts camps free of charge to economically disadvantaged children.

“Miracle on 34th Street” will be performed from now until Dec. 31, 2023. Tickets are available from the theatre’s website riversidedt.com, or by calling the box office at 540-370-4300. Prices range between $60 and $75 for adults and $55 to $70 for children aged 3 to 12.

The theatre is at 95 Riverside Parkway in Stafford County.

Christmas is about to arrive at ARTFactory in Manassas, as Rooftop Productions presents “White Christmas.”

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The Stafford County School Board, on November 14, voted to move forward by introducing three specialty schools at county high schools.

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The Prince William County Planning Commission doesn’t like a plan to build the world’s most significant data center complex next to Manassas National Battlefield.

In a marathon meeting that lasted more than 20 hours at the county government center in Woodbridge, the commission recommended denying two companies — QTS Data Centers and Compass Data Centers — the ability to build 23 million square feet of data center space in what’s become known as the Prince William Digital Gateway.

The Prince William Board of County Supervisors will have the final say on the project at a meeting on December 12, 2023. A majority of Democrats on the board support the measure.

During hours of public comment, residents voiced concerns that. The massive data center corridor would bring increased electricity rates and taxes.

Residents were also not convinced that the data centers would bring in the higher tax revenues for the county, all of which had been promised by the companies. Most were not against the concept of data centers, but their impact on the climate crisis, strain on infrastructure, and cost to the residents were all problems that were repeatedly spoken about.

Earlier this month, the Prince William County planning staff also recommended denying the companies the ability to build on the land. County planners have spent the better part of a year reviewing the plans.

Following the denial, QTS and Compass submitted last-minute changes to the plans.

Coles District Planning Commissioner Joseph Fontanella, Jr. said elected leaders who support the data center project pressured planners to recommend approval of the plans.

In his comments during the meeting, Fontanella the integrity of the staff needs to be protected, and pressure should not be applied to staff by impossible deadlines. It is also unfair to the applicant whose application does not get a thorough review, which could ultimately end in denial.

Many who live on the land on which data centers could be built stand to make millions by selling their properties to data center firms. Occoquan District Commissioner Raheel Sheikh was moved by comments made by the Davis family trying to sell their land. Sheik voiced concern that they were not being given the right to sell their land as they chose without having hurdles put in their way.

Sheik also expressed his approval of the diversity of citizens who attended and made comments in the public hearing.

If the Board of County Supervisors approves the development next month, it will clear the way for data centers on 2,e00 acres of land next to the Manassas National Battlefield, an area about 15 times larger than Potomac Mill mall in Woodbridge, to construct new server farms that power the internet.

Never having visited the Riverside Center for the Performing Arts before, I was unsure what to expect. Theaters always conjure images of damp, dark, old, and slightly threadbare interiors, with their glory days a dim and distant past.

However, this is not the case for the Riverside Center. Its bright interior conveyed none of that, and the welcome by the staff added to the warmth of the atmosphere. In keeping with the play’s setting in the Deep South, the three-course menu complimented southern cuisine and culminated with a generous portion of fennel cake, which would not have been out of place in any county fair.

I must confess that neither myself nor my party member had seen or read the “Bridges of Madison County,” so we watched the production without any sense of the show’s outcome. This made for some interesting discussion during the half-time break and kept me wondering how the display would end.

The performances by all of the cast were outstanding, and the singing quality was excellent. One party member commented that this production would not be out of place in a London West End Theater. It’s challenging to pick out specific people, but this review would be amiss if it didn’t mention the singing talents of Adrianne Hick as Francesca Johnson and Andrew Foote as Robert Kincaid. However, in my humble opinion, the slow, sultry, passion-filled rendition of a jazzy number by Andrea Kahane made the steamy love affair between Francesa and Robert so believable that it stole the show. Others, of course, may have differing views.

Then there’s the props and backdrop, constantly changing to reflect the changing scenes. One of my favorites, the Jeep, had the actors mimicking opening and closing doors and was the catalyst for father/son bickering. The truck also provided a background to some of the lighter moments in the play, especially the sibling rivalry between Michael and Carolyn Johnson, whose comic timing kept a smile on the faces of the audiences.

I would be remiss not to comment on the talented musicians; their performance was outstanding and contributed to making this performance so enjoyable.

It’s surprising how easy it is to visit this theater, especially from the Woodbridge area, and if, like me, you have not been here before, I would encourage everyone to keep this theater in mind. Watching live entertainment in a local setting with friendly faces is a rare treat.

The Bridges of Madison County is on until November 12. The theatre is at 95 Riverside Parkway in Stafford County.

What to know if you go:

Wednesday Matinees

• 11:30 am-12:45 pm: Meal Service & Light Fare Offerings
• 12:45 pm: Show Only Arrival
• 1:30 pm: Performance Start

Thurs. – Sat. Evenings

• 5:30 pm-6:45 pm: Meal Service & Light Fare Offerings
• 6:45 pm: Show Only Arrival
• 7:30 pm: Performance Start

Sunday Matinees

• 1:00 pm-2:15 pm: Meal Service & Light Fare Offerings
• 2:15 pm: Show Only Arrival
• 3:00 pm: Performance Start

Adult Dinner & Show – $75 (plus applicable taxes)

• Seniors (65+) Dinner & Show – $70 (plus applicable taxes)
• Children (3-12) Dinner & Show – $70 (plus applicable taxes)
• Adult Show Only – $60
• Seniors (65+) Show Only – $55
• Children (3-12) Show Only – $55

The Rose, the first gaming resort in Northern Virginia, will open later than anticipated.

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With three new proposed bus routes, OmniRide aims to continue its push into Stafford County and the Fredericksburg region.

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