Governor Glenn Youngkin visited Stafford County on Friday, highlighting more than 250,000 open jobs across Virginia—even as concerns mount over federal job cuts. Speaking at SimVentions, an engineering and technology services firm in Stafford, Youngkin told the crowd, “Virginia has jobs. Lots of jobs.”
The event, hosted at SimVentions’ headquarters, was organized with the help of State Senator Tara Durant (R-28, Fredericksburg, Stafford), who said the initiative behind the state’s jobs rollout has been years in the making.
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Governor Glenn Youngkin (R) visited Stafford County today, urging Northern Virginia officials to reinstate cooperation with federal immigration authorities following the high-profile arrest of a suspected MS-13 gang leader in Dale City.
“It is not rocking the boat. It’s collaborating to keep communities safe,” Youngkin said, referencing renewed calls from residents to restore Prince William County’s participation in the controversial 287(g) program. The program allows local jail officers to identify and refer undocumented immigrants to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for possible removal.
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It was a night of celebration at the Manassas School Board meeting as students from across the city were recognized for excellence in academics, fine arts, and public speaking.
The evening opened with a standing ovation for this year’s Spelling Bee champions, including Charlotte Vargas, an eighth-grader at Metz Middle School, who emerged as the division champion.
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Fredericksburg is getting ready to paint the town red, white, and blue to honor its hometown heroes—the Fredericksburg Nationals—after their 2024 Carolina League Championship victory.
Fans are invited to join the Carolina League Championship Celebration and Ring Ceremony on Monday, April 7, at noon at Riverfront Park in downtown Fredericksburg. The event will honor the FredNats' thrilling 2024 season and their second league title since the team's arrival in the city.
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A fire that broke out Wednesday afternoon in a Woodbridge townhouse could have turned into a devastating incident—but thanks to a working sprinkler system, it was largely brought under control before it could spread.
At around 4 p.m. on March 26, 2025, fire and rescue crews were dispatched to the 14700 block of Mason Creek Circle, near Potomac Library on Opitz Boulevard, for reports of a townhouse fire. When units arrived, they found a fire at the rear of a set of double-stacked townhomes, with flames stretching from the ground level up to the attic.
According to a report from Prince William County Fire and Rescue, the exterior sprinkler head of the home’s built-in system had already activated and was effectively controlling the blaze before crews arrived.
“This is an excellent example of today’s building and fire codes preventing a much more serious incident,” the department noted in a statement. “Property damage was limited, life safety was enhanced, and firefighting efforts were reduced. Sprinklers save lives and property.”
Firefighters quickly completed extinguishment. Officials confirmed no injuries and that the fire had not extended into adjacent townhomes.
However, the fire caused enough damage that the Building Official declared two homes unsafe to occupy. Three adults and one child were displaced, and the American Red Cross is assisting them.
The Fire Marshal’s Office investigated and determined that the fire was caused by an electrical event at the electric meter located at the rear of the home.
On Thursday afternoon, a single-vehicle crash brought down power lines and shut down a heavily traveled portion of Route 610 (Garrisonville Road).
According to Stafford County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Ryan Wilbur, the crash occurred in the 1200 block of Garrisonville Road, between Tech Parkway—near the WaWa gas station—and Joshua Road, by a Tractor Supply store.
Wilbur said emergency crews took the driver to a hospital out of abundance of caution.
Both directions of Garrisonville Road remain closed as emergency crews respond to the scene. Deputies from the Sheriff’s Office and personnel from the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) are working together to assess the damage and clear the roadway.
Drivers are asked to avoid the area and seek alternate routes until further notice.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
While officials provided few details about the suspect — whose name has not been released — U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia Erick Siebert said the individual was involved in gang-related criminal activity along the East Coast. The arrest is the latest in an ongoing effort to target violent gang members with suspected immigration violations.
“This arrest stems from a task force we launched on March 3, 2025, to identify and apprehend individuals in the country illegally who are involved in criminal enterprises,” said Siebert. “We are using an intelligence-based model to locate and arrest suspects.”
Of the 575 individuals identified so far by the task force, 342 have been arrested. Authorities say 81 of those arrested have confirmed gang ties, including to MS-13.
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, FBI Director Kash Patel, and other high-ranking officials joined Siebert at the press conference. Prince William County Police have a representative on the task force, but the department declined to comment on this specific arrest.
Prince William Board of County Supervisors Chair At-large Deshundra Jefferson responded to news of the arrest in a statement.
“Let me assure you that there is no welcome mat for criminals. Gang violence is not welcome anywhere – especially within Prince William County,” Jefferson said. “For too long, MS-13 has been terrorizing the communities where it has taken root, and I hope this arrest relieves some anxiety.
“We are still gathering additional information about this arrest that I hope will soon be shared publicly. But I would like to add that Prince William County follows all applicable state and federal laws.”
Several locally elected officials and members of the Prince William Board of County Supervisors said they were unaware of the arrest or Thursday’s press conference. Many regional and local media outlets were also not notified in advance.
The press conference is available to view online. Authorities say more information will be released as it becomes available.
Alan Gloss contributed to this report.
Members of the Manassas City Council voiced support for efforts to keep teacher pay competitive with neighboring Prince William County Schools during a joint meeting with the city’s School Board on March 26, 2025—even as the city faces tighter fiscal limitations and a far smaller student population.
The meeting came one day after the School Board adopted its overall budget for the next fiscal year on March 25, which includes $60.9 million in funding for Manassas City Public Schools. While the budget already includes a 5.5% average pay raise for all school employees, School Board members said an additional $1.7 million would allow them to offer a 7% increase—matching the raise announced by Prince William County Schools.
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Prince William County is grappling with dozens of long-term staff vacancies, prompting concern among officials about recruitment, retention, and the impact on services.
During the county’s first Finance and Budget Committee meeting on Tuesday, David Sinclair, Director of the Office of Management and Budget, delivered a detailed vacancy analysis at the request of the Board of County Supervisors. The analysis focused on county government positions that have remained unfilled for 270 days or more.
