Santa Claus made a festive entrance at Potomac Mills mall today at 2 p.m., marking the beginning of the holiday season with a cheerful celebration in the Grand Court, located next to TJ Maxx.
Children and families were treated to a lively Santa’s Arrival Party, which included face painting, balloon twisting, ornament-making, and coloring activities. A “Letters to Santa” station allowed kids to jot down their holiday wishes, adding a magical touch to the event. Santa’s area was bustling with activity, surrounded by multiple elves, ensuring everyone had a merry time.
Adding to the festive atmosphere, a towering nutcracker greeted children as they arrived, creating an enchanting holiday photo opportunity. Families also had the chance to take professional photos with Santa, which were available for purchase.
The fun continues throughout the holiday season at Potomac Mills, with several special events planned, including:
Military Kids Santa Party (Dec. 5, 11 a.m.–12 p.m.): Military families are invited for a private celebration with Santa, featuring face painting, balloon art, letter writing, and giveaways. Each child will receive a Military Build-A-Bear (while supplies last). Reservations are required and can be made by emailing [email protected] with your name, military branch, and number of children attending. A military ID is required, and spaces are limited.
Caring Santa® (Dec. 8, 9:30–10:30 a.m.): This sensory-friendly event offers children with special needs and their families an exclusive, quieter opportunity to meet Santa. Reservations are required for this private experience.
The arrival of Santa at Potomac Mills marks the official start of the mall’s holiday events, promising joy and memorable moments for families of all backgrounds. For more information on holiday happenings, visit the Potomac Mills website or contact the mall’s management office.
By Morgan Sweeney
(The Center Square) — The average American’s energy bill could increase from 25% to 70% in the next 10 years without intervention from policymakers, according to a new study from Washington, D.C.-based think tank the Jack Kemp Foundation.
According to reports, America is facing an energy crisis, with demand for energy soaring due to the proliferation of AI and hyperscale data centers – which can use as much energy as almost 40,000 homes – the boom in advanced manufacturing, and the movement toward electrification.
Written by economist Ike Brannon, a senior fellow at the foundation, and economist Sam Wolf, the report explains partly why so many utilities and regional transmission organizations are having to get creative to meet demand.
“During the previous two decades, power demand in the United States scarcely grew as the U.S. shifted from a /;/manufacturing to a services economy,” the authors wrote.
However, the sharp increase in demand is eating up the spare capacity in the U.S. power grid, which helps protect against brownouts and blackouts in the case of extreme weather and temporary outages by power plants. That increase contributed to a huge spike in capacity market prices at the most recent auction held by the Mid-Atlantic regional transmission organization PJM.
Prices jumped from $29 to $270 per megawatt-day “across the PJM region” and from $29 to $444 in parts of Virginia, home to more than half of the nation’s data centers, according to the study.
Aaron Ruby, a spokesperson for Dominion Energy, a major East Coast utility company and the primary utility in Virginia, vehemently disagreed with the study’s claim that prices could rise to 70% in the next decade, saying the number was “way off” for the commonwealth.
“We just released a 15-year plan forecasting residential electric bills through 2039, and they’re only projected to grow by about 2.5% a year, which is lower than normal inflation,” Ruby wrote in an email to The Center Square. “Our residential rates are among the most affordable in the country. They’re 14% below the national average.”
But the surge in power demand from data centers is projected to be so great the study’s authors argue the center cannot hold (while acknowledging that rate setting is “inherently political” and “difficult to forecast” and that it’s “unclear who will bear the cost of these price increases”).
“In Virginia, the high regulation of price and capacity has kept the increased demand from data centers from impacting prices paid by ordinary consumers, but such insulation cannot hold much longer without risking service interruptions or brownouts,” the report reads. “As data center growth expands, price increases may need to flow through to consumers more rapidly.”
In Maryland, electricity bills “are projected to increase by somewhere between two to 24% in 2025, depending on the region,” the authors added.
Other states like Georgia, Ohio, Texas, Illinois and Arizona may come to resemble Virginia in the years ahead, according to the study.
The report’s authors suggest that policymakers craft and implement policy that will make data centers part of the solution to the disproportionate demand they place on the grid, including charging them more for the energy they use.
“To ease the burden on households and small businesses, AI companies should be required to bear the additional costs of the energy they consume. This could include charging data centers higher fees to reflect their disproportionate impact on electricity markets,” the report reads.
Brannon and Wolf also recommend that states and local governments stop subsidizing data center construction, arguing that the economic benefits aren’t worth the cost to taxpayers and that utility providers start including minimum take clauses in their contracts with data centers.
“A minimum take clause guarantees a minimum payment from a utility user—such as a data center—regardless of how much energy it purchases, which provides the utility with a modicum of revenue certainty,” the authors wrote.
The study concludes with several other recommendations, saying that “paying for grid modernization… can be accommodated within existing rate structures, but only if the data centers bear their proportionate share of these costs.”
On Wednesday, November 20, 2024, the Rotary Club of Manassas significantly contributed to the local community by donating $24,000 to Willing Warriors, a nonprofit organization that supports wounded service members and their families. The donation was announced during the Rotary’s noon meeting at City Tavern in Manassas.
The funds were raised during the Rotary’s annual Cornhole Tournament, held on September 29, 2024, at The Salisbury Center in Manassas. The event featured a competitive and social tournament, drawing many participants and supporters. Prizes worth over $4,500 were distributed during the game.
Willing Warriors is a privately funded 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides cost-free retreats and programs for wounded, ill, and injured service members, disabled veterans, and their families. The organization operates the Warrior Retreat at Bull Run, offering a respite from hospital environments where warriors and their loved ones can bond, reconnect, and relax. The retreat collaborates with Walter Reed and Fort Belvoir Soldier Recovery Units to create a home-like atmosphere for its guests.
The Prince William County School Board appears set to adopt a bell-to-bell cellphone ban policy.
The board discussed three possible options ahead of its Dec. 4 meeting, where members are expected to vote on a policy.
Support appears to be coalescing around a bell-to-bell policy.
According to the district's monthly incident reports, high schools in Stafford County experienced a surge in disciplinary issues in September 2024 compared to the same month in 2023. The data highlights significant increases in student non-compliance, tardiness, and communication device violations, indicating a need for enhanced behavior management strategies.
Key Findings
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During its November 18 meeting, the Manassas City Council agreed to initiate the process for a council pay raise. This increase would not occur until July 1, 2027, following the next city council election in November 2026.
The council must adopt an ordinance after a public hearing, which will require advertisement in local newspapers twice: the first notice must appear no more than 28 days before the hearing, and the second no fewer than seven days prior.
Mayor Michelle Davis-Younger and council members agreed to move forward with the procedure. Due to the limited time frame and holiday-related schedule changes, the process may extend into early 2025. Once finalized, the adjustment will align Manassas council members’ pay with the updated provisions of Virginia state law.
“We are ensuring compliance with all legal requirements while giving residents an opportunity to provide input,” said Mayor Davis-Younger, who was recently elected to a second term earlier this month.
The city council’s annual budget has increased by 10% over the past five years to $435,600. This pay raise is part of broader adjustments approved by the Virginia General Assembly to standardize council member compensation across municipalities.
In addition to Davis Younger, Mark Wolfe and Tom Osina won re-election to another four-year term. Ashley Huston won her first term on the council. All are Democrats.
Pamela Sebesky did not seek re-election.
Looking for fun activities to enjoy this weekend? From author talks to festive holiday experiences, there’s something for everyone. Check out these events happening from Thursday through Sunday. If you’re planning an event or know of one the community should check out, submit it to our event calendar—it’s easy and free.
Thursday, November 21, 2024
Teen Blackout Poetry Night
5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Manassas Park City Library, 100 Park Central Plaza, Manassas Park, Virginia
Create poetry in a fun and creative environment.
Music Trivia Night
Multiple times, November 21 – December 19
Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, 15200 Potomac Town Place, Woodbridge, Virginia
Enjoy an evening of music-themed trivia.
Friday, November 22, 2024
Adult Author Talk with Alex Matsuo
5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Manassas Park City Library, 100 Park Central Plaza, Manassas Park, Virginia
Meet Alex Matsuo and learn about their latest work.
DHS Veteran Career Fair
10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
The Clubs at Quantico, 3017 Russell Road, Quantico, Virginia
A career fair focused on resources and opportunities for veterans.
G’s Comedy Show and Live Music
8 p.m. – midnight
Giuseppe’s, 15120 Washington Street, Haymarket, Virginia
Enjoy live music and comedy at this local venue.
Riverside Christmas Spectacular: Home for the Holidays
Showtimes vary, November 20 – December 29
Riverside Center for the Performing Arts, 95 Riverside Parkway, Fredericksburg, Virginia
Celebrate the season with a festive show featuring live music, dance, and holiday cheer. Tickets range from $60 to $82.
Saturday, November 23, 2024
Spanish Storytime
10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Manassas Park City Library, 100 Park Central Plaza, Manassas Park, Virginia
Stories and fun for young readers in Spanish.
Enchantment Theatre Company: My Father’s Dragon
11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Hylton Performing Arts Center, 10960 George Mason Circle, Manassas, Virginia
A family-friendly theater experience based on a beloved book.
City of End Book Release
1 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Heritage Hunt Country Club, 6901 Arthur Hills Drive, Gainesville, Virginia
Celebrate the release of a new book and meet the author.
Financial Literacy Workshop with Amanda Lockhart Davis
2 p.m. – 3 p.m.
Manassas Park City Library, 100 Park Central Plaza, Manassas Park, Virginia
Learn valuable tips on managing your finances.
Holiday Lights Ride
5 p.m. – 10 p.m., Friday through Sunday, November 23 – January 2
Courtyard Marriott, 620 Caroline Street, Fredericksburg, Virginia
Experience the charm of the holidays with a ride in a restored 1920s Ford Model-A. Tickets are $20 per rider and include cozy blankets and festive music.
Make the most of your time and enjoy everything the community offers. If you have an event to share, submit it to our calendar to help spread the word.
Residents in Woodbridge may soon have a new grocery option. Signs for Lidl, a popular discount grocer, have appeared in the Smoketown Stations shopping center on Prince William Parkway. The signs are placed at the former site of 2nd and Charles, a bookstore that closed its doors earlier this year.
Lidl, known for its budget-friendly groceries and streamlined shopping experience, has not confirmed its plans for the site. In an email, Lidl representative Bridget Johnson stated, “We announce store openings a month in advance. If there are future updates regarding Lidl US stores in the Woodbridge area, we will reach out.”
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On November 19, 2024, the Prince William Board of County Supervisors approved the extension of Marina Way in Woodbridge. The long-awaited project will create a new road connecting Horner Road to the Occoquan Riverfront, transforming access to the area and marking a significant milestone in the redevelopment of North Woodbridge.
A Road Through History
