A spokeswoman for the Catholic Arch Diocese of Arlington told us apartment homes at 1423 G Street in Woodbridge, built in 1952, have been renovated thanks to the help of at least three organizations. 

From a press release

Six formerly homeless families have a refurbished apartment home – thanks to Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Arlington (CCDA), HomeAid Northern Virginia, and home builder Toll Brothers and its trade partners.  They just completed a $126,000 renovation on 12 individual apartments and a children’s activity center at Catholic Charities’ St. Margaret of Cortona Transitional Residences in Woodbridge.

HomeAid Northern Virginia, a non-profit that builds and renovates supportive housing and shelter facilities teamed CCDA with Toll Brothers. CCDA contributed $20K toward builder costs and provided hotel accommodations for residents until the renovations were complete, while still providing case management and counseling services. HomeAid Northern Virginia, Toll Brothers and their construction trade partners covered [$106,000] of the renovation costs as well as onsite storage for the residents’ furniture during the renovation.

Of the 12 refurbished apartments, six are occupied by families –mostly mothers with young children. The remaining six vacant apartments will soon house more families exiting homeless shelters. Those units have new furniture and décor donated by Staged Interior. 

The renovations took three months to complete. Improvements included updated bathrooms, drywall repair, new flooring, and upgraded kitchens with granite countertops.

Veronica Roth, program director for Catholic Charities’ St. Margaret of Cortona Transitional Residences says the families are thrilled about the renovations. “The apartments look so fresh and new now, and for working moms, it also makes house-keeping easier. The laminate flooring is such an improvement over the old commercial carpeting and the new cabinets and counters are spacious,” she said.  Roth says one family has a disabled child in a wheelchair, and she just can’t say enough about the new floors – making it easier to get her child around. 

From a press release: 

Teens who want the freedom to get around town independently but lack a driver’s license or access to a vehicle need OmniRide’s Teen Summer Bus Pass. With the pass, teens can travel around the Prince William County area without relying on their parents for a ride.

The pass enables those ages 13-19 to get unlimited rides on OmniRide local buses from June 1 – September 1, 2018 for $30. The pass is perfect for summer jobs, trips to area malls and libraries, and just hanging out with friends.

Through the years, many teens have told us they like the Summer Bus Pass because it allows them to get to summer school and other activities without having to rely on others for a ride. And because each OmniRide local bus has a bike rack, teens can take their bikes with them for even greater mobility.

The summer pass costs $30 if the teen already has a SmarTrip card, otherwise there is an additional $2 fee. PRTC’s one-way local fare is currently $1.55, so a teen who takes more than 10 local round-trips over the summer will save money with a pass.

In addition, teens can use their Summer Bus Pass to get discounted fares when traveling on OmniRide express buses to nearby Metro stations and Washington, D.C, simply by paying the difference between the local and express bus fare!

Pass sales begin on Tuesday, May 29 at the OmniRide Transit Center in Woodbridge. For more information about bus routes, schedules and the Teen Summer Bus Pass, call (703) 730-6664 or visit PRTCtransit.org

From a press release: 

Bank Robbery – On May 23 at 2:25PM, officers responded to the TD Bank located at 16714 Jefferson Davis Hwy in Dumfries (22026) to investigate a robbery. The investigation revealed the suspect approached the teller counter and passed a note demanding money. The teller complied and the suspect fled with an undisclosed amount of currency. No weapon was displayed and no injuries were reported. A police K-9 and helicopter assistance from Fairfax County police aided in the search for the suspect who was not located. The investigation continues.

                  Suspect Description:

                  Black male, unknown age, approximately 5’10”, 140lbs with a thin build

                  Last seen wearing a long, dark colored wig, a black & white skirt, black socks, black sandals, and a black jacket, carrying a black purse

PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY — Those who serve the community were recognized on Sunday.

Volunteer Prince William held its annual community-wide Volunteer Recognition Ceremony at Ben Lomond Historic Site just outside Manassas, at 10321 Sudley Manor Drive. The event drew more than 200 volunteers from across Prince William County, Manassas, and Manassas Park who were all recognized for their service to various organizations.

Retired Air Force Colonel and former Virginia Delegate Richard Anderson served as the keynote speaker during the event and encouraged volunteers to continue contributing to their community through service.

Attendees feasted on hamburgers, hot dogs, velvet sheet cake, and cookies.

Here are the awardees:

Prince William CountyDepartment of Public Works – Six Weeks to Make a Difference

• Burrows Family
• Carrasco Family
• Park Family
• Salahuddin Family

Prince William County Department of Public Works – The Green Community Awards

• Cindy Smith
• Citizen Water Quality Monitoring & Awareness Program
• PWC Service Authority Water Academy
• Prince William Recycles Day

Girl Scout Troop 6229

• Fatema Anis (Troop Leader)
• Humaira
• Mariam
• Mashal
• Eman
• Sheza
• Mahnoor
• Amina
• Maria

CTS (Action in the Community Through Service)

Sexual Assault Services

• Waldinda Belt
• Mysti Scott

Greater Prince William Medical Reserve Corps

• Jennifer Castellon
• Sonya Cooper
• Mai Elshazly
• Shonda Godfrey
• Dr. Shuyan Huang
• Donna Leahy
• Nghi Lu-Tran
• Judy Merring
• Stephonia Owolabi
• Preciosa Protiar-Hoffman
• Desi Rukongeza
• Lyndsey Veizaga
• Peggy Watkins

Habitat for Humanity – Prince William

• John Driscoll
• Betty Riechert

Helping Neighbors in Need Outreach Center

• Thomas Ardis
• Gala Crum
• Jeannette Darku
• Dexter Edmonds
• Madlin Edmonds
• Angela Hill
• Thurman James, Jr.
• Darlene Johnson
• Michael Johnson
• Leotha Wilkins
• Lee Wilson, III

Literacy Volunteers of America – Prince William

• Christian Abbott
• Deborah Abbott
• Jacqueline Baird
• Patti Beattie
• Stacy Henderson
• Thomas Matochik
• Noris Quintanilla
• Thanatip Reedy

MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving)

• Debbie Sausville

Novant Health UVA Health System

• Laverne Alston
• Inga Chase
• Michael Favole
• Alex Joseph (Staff)
• Jude Kelly (Staff)
• Pat Montgomery
• Dinu Patel
• Edward Rodemsky
• Liz Rodemsky (Staff)

Prince William Area Agency on Aging

• Holly Cooke
• Sarah Henry (staff)
• Jane Lehman
• Rene Lehman
• Robert Skipper
• Evelyn Smith
• Carolyn Streat
• Lowell Thomas

Prince William County ARES (Amateur Radio Emergency Services)

• David Lane
• Jon Ortgega
• Karlton Wirsing

Prince William Historic Preservation Division

• Presley Abreu
• Meredith Atkinson
• Linda Daubert
• Ruth Hill
• Justine Huheey
• Paul Kilday
• Katherine Lameraux
• Lance Russell

Prince William County Solid Waste Division Recycling Program

• Deborah Campbell
• Pauline Hunter
• Roger LeBlanc

Prince William Forest Park

• Michael Rubin
• Jesus Cervantes

Prince William Health District – Community Health Worker Network

• Clara Sendolo
• Kimberly Morton
• Valeria Hernandez

Prince William Humane Society

• Angie Arce
• Da’Laja Reddrick
• Sandra Schmied
• Lynda Streeper
• Derek Sulton
• Sherry Turner

Prince William Little Theatre

• Aimee Charboneau
• Chris Charboneau
• Rose Charboneau
• Deborah Franck
• Becca Harney
• Harry Kantrovich
• Chrissy Mastrangelo
• Nick Mastrangelo
• Susy Moorstein
• Tina Mullins
• Jay Tilley
• Melissa Jo York-Tilley

Photo: David Lane

Prince William Soil and Water Conservation District

• Dale Alling
• America Nepal Society
• Buck Arvin
• BAE Systems
• Janis Cook
• Devils Reach Condominium Association
• Dunbarton Community Association
• Friends of the Square
• Ingrid Guillen
• Gustavo Gutierrez
• Breanna Joan
• Princedale/Ridgedale Community Pride
• Angela Shoemaker
• Water Health Educators
• PWSCD – Board of Directors/Staff

Project Mend-a-House

• Barbara Reese

RSVP (Retired & Senior Volunteer Program)

• Laverne Alston
• George Ashley
• Dee Brown
• Ted Campbell
• David Garner
• Faten Hatab
• William Hunter
• Celeste Jones
• Jane Lehman
• Rene Lehman
• Harry Logel
• Glen MacDonald
• Ellie Marshall
• Leo Moore
• Sandy Myers
• Dinu Patel
• Carolyne Sickels
• Ron Sickels
• Lystra Smith
• Gloria Velez

Saved Hands Foundation

• Aletha Allen
• Tanekwa Bournes
• Ginette Braziel
• Jane Delbridge
• Virginia Dempsey
• Mary Dunivan
• Breanna Gantt
• Aishia Fulcher
• David Gantt
• Mary Harrison
• Jennifer Inabinet
• Fay Lesane
• Annie R. Mickle
• Teri Prichett
• Teresa Reeves
• Dara Porter Robinson
• Gwendolyn Robinson
• Charles Scott
• Pamela L. Wright
• Pamela M. Wright
• Pamela Young

SERVE Campus of Northern Virginia Family Service

• Joe Becker
• Debbie Chumley
• Betty Duke
• Phyllis Hall
• Gina Mobley
• Raymond Spence
• Tracy Reed
• Ana Villarreal

Virginia Cooperative Extension – Prince William

(Financial Education & Housing)

• Pat Contrades & Husband

Virginia Cooperative Extension – Prince William

(Parenting Program)

• Eunice Bonner
• Leo Bonner
• Tackett Guest
• Renee Lane
• Valerie McDonald
• Manuel Solis
• Estela Solis
• Jacqueline Tackett

Volunteer Prince William – Board of Directors

• Sarah Harrover
• Bill Finnie
• Christine Finnie
• Michael Higgins
• Nora Jewell
• Sue Khalatbari
• Uriah Kiser
• Nancy Lindgren
• Kathleen Miller
• Bridget Mullins
• Sandy Myers
• Mark Olsen
• Andrea Oswald
• Sharon Owen

Volunteer Prince William – Disaster Services

• Leonard Augustine
• Debbie Bowers
• Dee Brown
• Kim Kirkwood
• Glen MacDonald
• Heidy Valdez

Volunteer Prince William – Un Trim a Tree

• Sandy Myers
• Karen Raiford

The winner of the Coleen J. Hinson Award for Volunteering Excellence was given to Dinu Patel from Novant Hospital.

Volunteer Prince William Executive Director Mary Foley explains:

The Coleen J. Hersson Award for volunteering excellence is given in memory of our colleague who died suddenly 2 years ago.  (Coleen had a stroke and died two days later- she was only 63 yrs. old.) Coleen was the RSVP Director for several years, She was a lifelong volunteer, very involved in the community, Smart, funny, team player and very committed to her senior volunteers.  Her passing shook all of us and we thought this annual award was a great way to honor her legacy. It reads:

The Coleen J. Hersson Award for Volunteering Excellence-  inspiring with compassion and joy

Those who don’t want to make the drive to discount grocer Lidl may not have to anymore.

Grocery delivery service Shipt announced this week it will now pick up and deliver items from area Lidl stores, has opened locations near Manassas, Lake Ridge, south Stafford and outside Fredericksburg.

More in a press release:

Shipt, a leading online grocery marketplace, today announced they will be expanding with Lidl, one of the world’s largest retailers. Starting May 22, Shipt will begin home delivery from Lidl stores in Ashburn, Fredericksburg, Manassas, and Woodbridge, Va. to residents in the surrounding area. 

Cumulatively, the expansion gives more than 360,000 households in Northern Virginia access to Lidl products, such as fresh foods and household essentials, delivered by Shipt in as little as one hour. To celebrate the announcement, new Shipt members who sign up will receive an annual membership for $49 (normally $99).

Founded in 2014 in Birmingham, Alabama, Shipt is committed to simplifying its members’ lives by offering a new, convenient same-day shopping experience. Shipt’s marketplace gives members the ability to browse, search and shop the in-store assortment of products online. Members can note preferences, choose a one-hour delivery window and pay for their order, all within the app. Shipt’s expert team of shoppers takes care of selecting, bagging and delivering the items. The annual membership grants access to free, unlimited delivery on orders over $35.

From Prince William police: 

Fatal Crash Investigation – On May 23 at 8:11AM, investigators from the Crash Investigation Unit responded to the area of Old Carolina Rd and Piedmont Vista Dr in Haymarket (20169) to investigate a crash involving a Prince William County school bus and a 2007 Ford F-150XLT landscaping pick-up truck.

The investigation revealed that the landscaping truck, with an attached trailer, was stopped in the right travel lane on Old Carolina Rd just prior to Piedmont Vista Dr. Workers from the truck were preparing to mow and landscape the area property when the vehicle and one of the workers were struck from behind by a 2015 Thomas passenger school bus traveling in the same lane.

There were no students on the bus at the time of the collision. A worker from the landscaping truck, identified as an adult man, was standing near the rear of the vehicle and setting up a sign when the collision occurred. He was wearing a reflective safety vest at the time. The worker was pronounced dead at the scene.

The driver of the landscaping truck was inside the vehicle and was extricated from the cab area by the Department of Fire & Rescue. A third worker from the landscaping truck was able to safely avoid being struck and was not injured.

The drivers of the pick-up truck and the bus were transported to an area hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Additional information will be released when available. The investigation continues.

Identified:

The deceased worker was identified as Eusebio JOYA CASTRO, 53, of Aldie, VA

The driver of the 2007 Ford F-150XLT was identified as a 62-year-old man of Chantilly, VA

The third worker was identified as a 41-year-old man of Annapolis, MD

The driver of the 2015 Thomas passenger school bus was identified as a 57-year-old woman of Front Royal, VA