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Author: Uriah Kiser
In Prince William County, David Nathaniel Maine, 27, was sentenced to six life terms plus 53 years for the 2022 murders of four people in a Dale City home where he was living as a tenant. Maine pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting and killing 19-year-old Karrie Sotelo, the daughter of homeowner Kelly Sotelo. He then fatally shot another tenant, Richard Revollar Corrales, as well as Kelly and her husband, Miguel Flores. A 13-year-old girl, Kelly’s younger daughter, escaped the scene. The case was described by Commonwealth’s Attorney Amy Ashworth as “one of the most horrific crimes in Prince William County history.”
Also in Prince William, a 45-year-old man was shot early Thursday morning at the Shorehaven apartments in Dumfries. He was treated for a non-life-threatening gunshot wound to the lower body but refused to cooperate with police. Officers say the incident does not appear to be random.
A grassroots campaign is working to keep space shuttle Discovery at the Smithsonian’s Udvar-Hazy Center near Dulles Airport as federal lawmakers push to move it to Texas.
Joe Stief, founder of KeepTheShuttle.org, joined the Potomac Local News podcast to explain why he and other advocates believe Discovery should remain in Northern Virginia. He said removing it would risk damage, waste taxpayer dollars, and diminish the Smithsonian’s collection.
MANASSAS, Va. — Newly obtained emails cast doubt on claims that security threats forced George Mason University to decline hosting a hearing on the future of the Prince William Education Association.
The VEA had previously suggested that threats and disruptive behavior forced the cancellation of an in-person hearing at George Mason University’s Manassas campus. But emails from GMU officials indicate no such threats were ever reported.
STAFFORD, Va. – The folks at Sheehy Toyota of Stafford just handed over a $30,000 check to Stafford County Public Schools—and it’s going straight to the classrooms and kids who need it most.
The donation, presented to the school district Director of Engagement Hunter Berry, will fund everything from early childhood programs and classroom supplies to winter coats for students and appreciation events for hardworking staff. It’s all part of a partnership that’s been going strong since 2017.
Catch up on major local developments and fun events across Northern Virginia, from data center debates and national school honors to live concerts, Oktoberfest celebrations, and sweet treats from Cupcake Heaven.
A jury has convicted a man of two counts of first-degree murder in a 2020 Dale City house party shooting that left two dead and two others seriously injured—leading a week full of serious charges, arrests, and property crimes across the region.
Separately, police made two domestic-related felony arrests:
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GAINESVILLE, Va. – Patrick Harders says he’s ready to carry on the legacy of the late Gainesville District Supervisor Bob Weir as he campaigns for the seat in this fall’s special election.
Harders, a Republican and longtime Manassas resident, won his party’s nomination on August 16. The Prince William County Republican Committee announced Harders’ win that evening, saying he earned 1,838 votes to Brian Landrum’s 840. He will face Democrat George Stewart in the November 4 election to fill the seat left vacant after Weir’s death in July.
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Christopher Miller, president of the Piedmont Environmental Council, says Virginia is at a breaking point when it comes to data center growth.
On the Potomac Local News Podcast, Miller announced the launch of Virginians for a Smarter Digital Future, a new initiative aimed at bringing transparency and oversight to the state’s fast-moving data center industry. The campaign rests on four principles: transparency, state oversight, protection of families and businesses, and incentives for efficiency. “We call it a crisis by contract,” Miller said, pointing to local governments approving projects without fully considering power, water, or environmental impacts.
FREDERICKSBURG, Va. – The hills—and the Riverside stage—are alive with The Sound of Music as the beloved Rodgers and Hammerstein classic officially opens today in Fredericksburg.
The cast and creative team at Riverside Center for the Performing Arts say they’ve “poured their hearts into every note, step, and scene,” according to a Facebook post announcing the show’s debut. The production tells the inspiring story of Maria and the Von Trapp family, brought to life through cherished songs like “Do-Re-Mi,” “My Favorite Things,” and “Climb Ev’ry Mountain.”