Stafford County faces a housing problem amidst its growing population.
According to the background report submitted to the Stafford Board of County Supervisors, the region has experienced some of the fastest population growth in Virginia. By 2040, the population will increase to nearly half a million people. This will require the county to consider where new and existing residents will live as housing prices continue to grow.
In November 2020, the George Washington Regional Commission (GWRC) conducted a study outlining the problems and its major findings. This included a community survey, focus group discussions, and individual interviews with representatives from government, non-profit, and private sector companies.
This article requires a paid Locals Only Membership to read. Please Sign In or Upgrade to a paid membership. Thank you.
A golf club in Stafford County is asking for federal funds for repairs to its parking lot.
The parking lot at The Gauntlet Golf Club was built in 1995 when the golf course opened, and since then, it has undergone six different leases and operators. The paving is currently ten years past its life expectancy and has potholes, cracks, and crumbling asphalt areas.
In March 2018, New Direction Golf Management assumed the lease. Since then, it has invested about $300,000 in improvements to the golf course, including adjusting the drainage and lifting trees for better airflow to make the course more playable. Other improvements include:
This article requires a paid Locals Only Membership to read. Please Sign In or Upgrade to a paid membership. Thank you.
Stafford County makes plans to assume full ownership of the Abel Lake Dam.
The lake formed by the dam is one of the county's key drinking water reservoirs.
Abel Lake Dam was built in the late 1960s in partnership with the federal government and the Department of Agriculture, now known as the National Resource Conservation Service (NRCS). Its original purpose was for flood and erosion control and is currently used for the County's water supply and recreation.
This article requires a paid Locals Only Membership to read. Please Sign In or Upgrade to a paid membership. Thank you.
Farmers' markets are coming back to Manassas and Prince William County.
This year, Historic Manassas Inc. is hosting their Manassas Farmers Market during peak season, which will run through mid-November.
The Market is split between Thursdays at the Harris Pavilion in Historic Downtown Manassas and Saturdays at the Prince William Commuter Lot across from Baldwin Elementary School.
This article requires a paid Locals Only Membership to read. Please Sign In or Upgrade to a paid membership. Thank you.
A new farm winery with a lakefront view sits on Lake Manassas in Gainesville.
The Winery at Sunshine Ridge Farm is a farm winery and craft brewery, locally owned by family friends Maria Rafferty and Tom Schrade.
"As both families' kids were grown and went to college and out of the house, he and I both just kind of found ourselves wanting to figure out some kind of the second career," said Maria Rafferty, co-owner of the Winery at Sunshine Ridge Farms. "We just talked about doing something we would both enjoy, and that ended up being the winery."
This article requires a paid Locals Only Membership to read. Please Sign In or Upgrade to a paid membership. Thank you.
A grassroots coalition is protesting the possible removal of African-American cemeteries in Thoroughfare, Virginia.
Thoroughfare, located just off Interstate 66 at the Prince William County/Fauquier County line, was established and settled by freed African-American and slaves, and Native Americans. It has homes and graves dating back to 1860. Earlier and the descendants of freed slaves and Native Americans still live in the community.
Now, the cemeteries in the face the threat of obstructed access and removal from land developers. Frank Washington and his brother Dulaney Washington created the Coalition to Save Historic Thoroughfare to fix this.
This article requires a paid Locals Only Membership to read. Please Sign In or Upgrade to a paid membership. Thank you.
On April 15, Manassas Park held a ceremonial groundbreaking for its new downtown development, the Village at Manassas Park, at Park Center Court.
The event marked the first phase of project construction.
The development is a private-public partnership between the city and Norton Scott, LLC, a privately held real estate developer and investment firm in McLean. In October 2019, it submitted a proposal to the city to redevelop the area around City Hall.
This article requires a paid Locals Only Membership to read. Please Sign In or Upgrade to a paid membership. Thank you.
According to a WalletHub study, Virginia has the fourth most Coronavirus restrictions.
WalletHub is a personal finance website based out of Washington D.C. The study was written by its financial writer, Adam McCann and posted on the website on April 6, 2021.
“The purpose of this study is to show exactly what the level of restrictions in each state is, seeing as more and more people are getting vaccinated and states are opening up as a result,” said WalletHub analyst Jill Gonzalez.
This article is FREE to read. Please Sign In or Create a FREE Account. Thank you.
A lot of poeple know about Peruvian chicken, but fewer know about the sweeter side of Peruvian cuisine.
That's why Jennifer Solis opened Dolce Amore Sweets Peruvian Bakery in Manassas. She and her family moved from Long Island, New York to Manassas in 2014.
They started their business selling sweets at the Manassas and Dale City farmers markets, and it grew from there.
