Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative is collecting new or gently used winter coats, hats, scarves, and gloves for underprivileged children. In addition, NOVEC HELPS, a group of employee volunteers, is collecting new, unwrapped toys and gifts for children in homeless shelters.
"We're asking Co-op customers and other residents to please donate toys and gifts for tots, tweens, and teens," says Nan Musick, NOVEC HELPS board of directors chair. "We always collect a lot of toys for little ones, but older children and teenagers appreciate backpacks, board games, books, bath gift sets, hand-held electronics, and socks."
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The westbound direction of this same 13-mile section of express lanes opened on Saturday, November 19. Drivers should use caution when traveling on I-66, as traffic becomes acclimated to the new express lanes and ramps.
Now, the entire 22.5-mile 66 Express Lanes corridor from Route 29 in Gainesville to I-495 will be open with tolling and HOV-2+ rules in effect.
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The Stafford County Board of Supervisors approved an Emergency Ordinance to temporarily eliminate penalties for tax bills paid by December 20, 2022.
This provides our citizens a little more time to pay their 2022 second-half Real Estate and Personal Property tax bills. Residents will now have until December 20, 2022, to pay these taxes normally due December 5, without incurring penalties.
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Join us in the Town of Occoquan this Saturday, November 19, for our annual town tree lighting and shop late event. While you shop from 4:00 p.m. to 8 p.m. you will be able to enjoy an adult beverage from participating restaurants as you stroll the streets of town.
Occoquan will be decorated for the holidays, the New Dominion Choraliers will perform, and from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. River Mill Park will host fire pits for roasting marshmallows, with s'more packets and hot cocoa also available for purchase. Of course, don't forget to stop in front of Town Hall (314 Mill Street) at 6 p.m. (note the time change from prior years) for the annual lighting of the town tree.
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Mary Washington Healthcare (MWHC) and Rappahannock Area Health District (RAHD) are seeing signs that the flu season may be worse than in recent years. More people are seeking care in emergency rooms and urgent care centers for influenza-like illness. RAHD has seen multiple outbreaks of confirmed and suspected influenza in schools and other settings across the district. Both MWHC and RAHD are urging residents to follow precautions to slow the spread of influenza and other respiratory illnesses.
"We have already seen large flu outbreaks locally, which is unusual this early in November," said Olugbenga Obasanjo, MD, Health Director at RAHD. "The actions we were taking to protect against COVID-19 for the past two years also protected against the flu. Because of the low spread of flu for the last two years, people do not have the immunity built up to provide protection against the influenza virus, which is part of the reason we are already seeing increased flu activity this year."
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Stafford offices, departments, facilities, and all courts will be closed on Friday, November 11, 2022, for Veterans Day.
The courts will also be closed. Both locations of the residential and commercial services of the R-Board/Regional Landfill (Eskimo Hill and Belman Road) will remain open.
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The newly-planted trees on county-owned land near the bridge crossing the Occoquan Reservoir are just saplings, but in time, they will grow and create a little ecosystem.
"After probably the second year, you'll start seeing birds on the young trees," said Tim Hughes, environmental specialist with Prince William County Public Works Environmental Services Division. "Then, the natural vegetation and grasses start growing. Once the forest grows in, after about five years, it looks natural."
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Stafford County continues to supplement the transportation work planned by the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT). While VDOT bears the responsibility for the majority of Virginia roads, Stafford has taken a bigger role in assisting with traffic problems in the county in recent years.
Stafford is beginning the process of creating its first Transportation Master Plan to guide future county transportation projects and investment decisions to improve county roads. Stafford seeks the community's input to decide which projects to plan and build in the coming years and invites the public to take the transportation survey.
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Recently released data from the Virginia Tourism Corporation on the economic impact of visitors in Virginia reports a major increase in visitor spending in the City of Manassas. During 2021, visitor spending in the City reached $54 million, a 14.5% increase from pre-pandemic levels and up 36% year-over-year.
Tourism is a major contributor to the Manassas economy, supporting over 460 jobs with an annual payroll of $13.6 million while generating more than $2.4 million in local taxes in 2021.
