Residents in the immediate vicinity of Marine Corps Base Quantico may experience an increase in noise as an affect from ground/aircraft training or range clearance operations during the week of Feb. 21-27.

Thursday, Feb. 26 – Live Fire Training is scheduled from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Friday, Feb. 27 – Live Fire Training is scheduled from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.

All questions regarding training should be directed to the Quantico Public Affairs Office at (703) 784-2741.

**Please Note: Aircraft supporting training or support to other agencies from the Marine Corps Air Facility at Quantico can also generate noise. The frequency and number of aircraft supporting training can occasionally generate higher volumes of noise. Additionally, atmospheric conditions can amplify aircraft noise volume and the distance sound travels.**

**All questions regarding this training should be directed to the Quantico Public Affairs Office at (703) 784-2741.**

Noise advisories for the upcoming week will be posted to Marine Corps Base Quantico’s website (www.quantico.marines.mil), official Facebook page (www.facebook.com/OfficialMarineCorpsBaseQuantico) every Friday.

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has commended the Virginia Railway Express (VRE) and four other rail and mass transit agencies for earning the “Gold Standard” — the administration’s highest security rating, agency officials announced on February 17.

The ratings are part of TSA’s 2014 Baseline Assessments for Security Enhancement program, which involves a voluntary review of various security measures, ranging from security plans and training to public outreach efforts and background check programs.

The five agencies to achieve the rating were VRE, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, MTA Long Island Rail Road, Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority and Hillsborough Area Regional Transit.

“These agencies are to be commended for their commitment and hard work that this level of achievement requires and for their continued dedication to ensure the security of travelers nationwide,” said TSA Acting Administrator Melvin Carraway in a press release.

Doug Allen, CEO of VRE stated, “It is a high honor for VRE to be awarded TSA’s ‘Gold Standard’ for our comprehensive security efforts. VRE is proud of the commuter rail service we provide and our focus on safety and security. While we are excited about this recognition, we will continue to review our system to keep pace with the changing security landscape.”

Update

The snow emergency has been lifted at 9 a.m. on Feb. 22, 2015. Be safe.

— Manassas VA (@CityofManassas) February 22, 2015

Original post

On February 21, 2015, the City of Manassas is declaring a Snow Emergency effective at 7 p.m. tonight.  This means that cars parked along designated snow emergency routes are subject to towing and fines.

Snow emergency routes in the City of Manassas are as follows:  Dumfries Road/Route 234, Hastings Drive, Godwin Drive, Liberia Avenue, Richmond Avenue, Fairview Avenue, Grant Avenue, Wellington Road, Ashton Avenue, Cockrell Road, Nokesville Road/Route 28, Center Street, Prescott Avenue, Sudley Road/Route 234, Church Street, Zebedee Street, Centreville Road/Route 28, Mathis Avenue, Portner Avenue and Euclid Avenue.

Once the snow event is over, the City will issue a termination of the snow emergency and will reopen these streets to parking.

A winter storm is forecast for the Interstate 95 corridor and Fredericksburg area on Saturday, and Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) crews will have staff, materials and equipment ready to deploy early Saturday.

Snow is expected to begin falling in the Fredericksburg area late Saturday morning and continue through late afternoon. Road conditions may be hazardous during the storm.

Motorists are advised to monitor weather forecasts and road conditions before traveling, and consider delaying nonessential travel, if possible. Motorists can check real-time road conditions at 511Virginia.org, by calling 511, or downloading VDOT’s free mobile 511 app.

Today, crews in the 14-county Fredericksburg District continue to treat and plow subdivision streets and cul-de-sacs from the previous winter storm.

Crews are also responding to areas of drifting snow in the Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula, where high winds have pushed small amounts of snow back into travel lanes.

I-95 and primary roads are clear in the Fredericksburg area, Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula. Many secondary roads are clear, with trace amounts of snow and ice present due to persistent low temperatures.

As Saturday’s snow concludes, warmer temperatures and rain are forecast for the Fredericksburg District on Saturday evening.

VDOT’s Customer Service Center is open 24 hours a day to answer questions and take reports of roadway hazards at 1-800-FOR-ROAD (800-367-7623).

Stafford Utilities will start sampling homes for lead at the tap in homes built before 1987. There is no lead in our water system. This sampling tests for lead in the home. This effort is to comply with the 1991 EPA lead and copper rule that requires all public drinking systems to regularly test a sample of homes for lead. Utilities is looking for 100 volunteers to give samples.

If you would like to volunteer to have your water tested, please contact Janet Spencer, Utilities Department Deputy Director, at (540) 658-8620, or by email at [email protected].

William Allen Coppage Keller of Dumfries, VA, died peacefully and surrounded by family, Feb. 12, 2015. He was born in Hawaii in 1940 to Mary Virginia Coppage Keller and Navy pilot Clarence Armstrong Keller but considered himself a son of Virginia, where he was raised and generations of his family had lived.

He loved sports and played on every boys team at Robert E. Lee High School in Staunton, VA. He also enjoyed watching sports, especially his beloved Duke Blue Devils, and, with his son Charles (Woody), the Washington Capitals.

Mr. Keller studied political science at Duke University, graduating in 1962, and received his law degree from William & Mary Law School in 1965. At Duke, he was a member of Kappa Sigma fraternity. Following law school, Mr. Keller joined the FBI as as special agent serving in Detroit and, after attending the Army Language Institute in Monterrey, CA, in Tampa, Florida.

In 1968, he left the FBI to practice law in Northern Virginia, where he specialized in land title issues. He did not retire fully until 2014 and was known to younger practitioners, who often consulted him, as “the professor”.

Mr. Keller was also, with his wife, publisher of Prince William County’s local Messenger newspapers, serving Montclair, Dumfries, Dale City, Woodbridge and Lake Ridge during the 1980s and early 1990s.

Mr. Keller is survived by his wife of 45 years, Gail Stern Keller, children, William Allen Coppage Keller Jr. and his wife Margret of Augsburg, Germany; Virginia Keller of Danville; Rebecca Lucie Keller Mulder and her husband Kenneth of Stafford; and Charles Edward Keller and his wife Carisa of Woodbridge; eight grandchildren, Dmitri, Tristan, Solveig, Selma, and Charlize Keller, and Katherine, Charlotte, and Elaina Mulder, and numerous nieces, nephews, and friends.

The family held a private service. Arrangements were handled by Mullins and Thompson of Stafford, VA. Memorial contributions in his name can be made to the American Heart Association or the giver’s charity of choice.

Clearing subdivision streets and low-volume secondary roads is the leading task for Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) crew members today in the 14-county Fredericksburg District.

VDOT crews and contractor staff worked overnight to plow state-maintained streets in neighborhoods and apply sand for additional traction. Crews will continue working 24 hours a day, in 12-hour shifts, until all roads are clear. VDOT’s goal is to have all state roads passable by Thursday morning, which is 48 hours after the end of this storm.

Snow showers are forecast for the Fredericksburg District during the afternoon rush hour, which could quickly cover the road and affect driver visibility. Approximately an inch of snow is anticipated.

Motorists can check real-time road conditions before traveling at 511Virginia.org, by calling 511, or downloading VDOT’s free mobile 511 app. 

Motorists will find clear conditions on Interstate 95 and primary roads this morning. However, trace amounts of snow and ice may still be present in travel lanes. Extra caution should be used while entering turn lanes and crossovers on primary roads.   

What Motorists Can Expect:  

• Use extra caution in turn lanes and crossovers, where patches of ice and snow still exist on primary roads.
• Due to the extremely cold temperatures, trace amounts of snow and ice may remain frozen to subdivision streets even after a plow has passed.  
• VDOT can apply sand to give motorists extra traction in locations where ice and snow is frozen to the ground. Road treatment chemicals are less effective below 20 degrees. Warmer temperatures will be required to completely remove trace amounts of ice and snow, especially in shaded areas.
• Avoid shoveling snow from driveways and parking lots into state-maintained roads, where it could become a hazard for oncoming traffic.

VDOT’s Customer Service Center is open 24 hours a day to answer questions and take reports of roadway hazards at 1-800-FOR-ROAD (800-367-7623).

For 40 years, families in need from Manassas and Western Prince William County have turned to SERVE for the most basic of needs: a safe place to sleep, their next meal, or perhaps a warm winter jacket. On Friday, March 20, members of the community will come together to mark the first 40 years of SERVE with a special dinner dance at the Continental Events Center, 9705 Liberia Avenue, in Manassas, at 6:30 p.m.

The program will feature a buffet dinner, silent auction, dancing and music provided by the Type A Band. Special Founder’s Awards will be given to the individual, civic group, faith-based organization, and company who have been particularly strong supporters of SERVE over the years.

“SERVE was founded by local churches who wanted to ensure that our neighbors’ needs were being met in a compassionate, professional and also fiscally responsible way,” says Pam Ryan, director of Anti-Hunger Programs at SERVE. “After forming a network to provide these basic needs, the organization formally incorporated on March 20, 1974.

We are coming together to celebrate the achievements of our clients, the growth of our programs, and to reminisce about all that we have achieved since our humble beginnings 40 years ago.”

The SERVE Campus, located at 10056 Dean Drive, houses a 92-bed shelter for homeless families, an 8,800 square foot Food Distribution Center and an Early Head Start classroom. Other programs located at the facility include health and dental access; counseling; workforce development assistance; homelessness prevention programs including emergency assistance for rent and utility payments and housing services; and the Healthy Families child abuse prevention program.

Tickets and sponsorships are available at www.nvfs.org/serve40th. For more information, please contact Pam Ryan at 571.748.2531.

Ways to Help Prevent Frozen Water Pipes:

Seal air drafts around fixtures.

Insulate pipes in unheated areas.

When freezing weather is coming, turn off water to outside spigots and drain all water from the line.

Drain in-ground lawn irrigation systems. (Check manufacturer instructions.)

Report broken or missing meter lids to the Service Authority to help prevent frozen meters.

During extended absences from home in the winter, set the thermostat to at least 55° F or simply shut off the main water valve to protect pipes.

If Your Water Pipes Freeze:

Relieve pressure from expanding ice in pipes by turning on the closest cold water faucet.

Gradually thaw pipes by wrapping them with towels soaked in warm water.

DO NOT attempt to use a blow torch or hairdryer to thaw pipes.

Intense heat can cause pipes to crack or burst.

In case of a total service disruption, please call Emergency Dispatch at (703) 335-7982.

Find Your Main Shut-Off Valve Don’t wait!

Avoid the panic caused by a flooded house.

Locate the main shut-off valve, mark it, and make sure everyone knows where it is.

As yet another brutal cold front bears down on our area, the Prince William Professional Fire Fighters are happy to relay that with the help of our community we have been able to supply over $2,000 in winter coats to children right here in our community. As public servants we are often called to help our neighbors in the most desperate moments of their lives. We are afforded, like it or not, a raw view of the struggle that families are enduring right here in Prince William County. It is awe inspiring to see the community that we serve rally to help those in need.

We held multiple fundraising efforts throughout last year. These included church collections, a poker run, and first annual Prince William Cup Soccer Tournament between PWC Career Fire Fighters and PWC Police. The coats were distributed through Elizabeth Vaughan Elementary School in Woodbridge and BARN Transitional Housing for homeless women and children in Bristow.

We were able to give brand new, AMERICAN MADE, coats to over 60 children throughout the county. As we have a special insight in to the lives of these children, we know these coats are much more than a gift of warmth. Kids who are used to hand me downs were given a brand new garment because of hard work and the generosity of the community we serve. This is a priceless present that makes members of Local 2598 proud to serve the caring community of Prince William.

Unfortunately, we know that efforts like we have collectively shown will be needed for many years to come. We will strive to better our community well beyond our “on the job” responsibilities and hope you will be willing and able to help in the future.

If you are interested in partnering with our organization for this year’s effort please contact us at [email protected].