Stafford News
The City of Manassas is home to two of Virginia’s leading industries
Two of the Commonwealths leading industries are major economic generators in the City of Manassas.
According to a recent report from the Virginia Employment Commission, Manassas-based companies in the professional and technical services offer the 4th highest wages in the state.
Healthcare and social assistance wages in Manassas rank in the top 10.
Companies like Micron, Lockheed Martin, and Novant Health UVA Health system drive local economic growth and employ thousands in Manassas; thanks in part to the availability of skilled labor and the City’s pro-business climate.
These fields account for nearly 25% of total employment and $77 billion in total wages state-wide. As innovation and technological advancement continue to be made employment and wages are expected to rise.
The City of Manassas works closely with its major employers, Northern Virginia Community College and George Mason University to ensure current and future workforce needs are met and the companies continue to grow and thrive.
To read the full report, click here.
Army vet takes control of her pain with the help of Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center
Yolanda Smith is a take-charge kind of woman. The retired Army veteran, mother of three and current Human Relations contractor is used to getting things done.
So, when her fibroids turned painful, she knew she had to take action.
“I’ve had fibroids for a number of years. I’ll say at least 10, but in the last 18 months they’ve increased their size dramatically and the pain had become unbearable,” explains Smith.
Fibroids are the most frequently seen tumors of the female reproductive system. It’s estimated between 20 to 50 percent of women of reproductive age have fibroids, although not all are diagnosed.
In the majority of the cases, the tumors are benign (non-cancerous), but the symptoms can be severe. While some women have no or mild indicators, other women have severe and disruptive symptoms including heavy, prolonged menstrual cycles, abnormal bleeding between periods, pelvic and/or back pain and frequent urination. Smith suffered through many of these symptoms.
“The pain became unbearable during my cycle and the bleeding was extreme. I cramped beyond belief. I was exhausted, I would stay home from work because I was so exhausted,” she remembers.
That’s when she turned to her doctor for help when an ultrasound showed three fibroids had increased in size. He gave her three options:
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Live with the pain
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Have surgery
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Have a hysterectomy
Dr. Venu Vadlamudi
Smith knew that a hysterectomy wasn’t the right treatment option for her, that’s when her primary care physician recommended “UFE” or Uterine Fibroid Embolization and referred her to the specialists at the Heart & Vascular Center at Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center.
“I had never been to Sentara before, I’m used to military hospitals where I’m in my safe zone. But, from the time I called to get a consultation with a physician there, Tina went above and beyond to make sure I got an appointment and got the necessary paperwork needed. She actually followed up with my military hospital to assure that documents were forwarded to Sentara to aid me in seeing a doctor there. I just thought that was exceptional,” said Smith.
Following clinical consultation, it was decided Dr. Venu Vadlamudi, an Interventional Radiologist, would perform the procedure.
“Interventional radiology is a field where we perform minimally invasive procedures using radiology guidance,” explains Dr. Vadlamudi. “I tell patients to imagine me as a plumber, working completely inside of the pipes.”
In Uterine Fibroid Embolization (UFE) or Uterine Artery Embolization (UAE) as it’s also known, Dr. Vadlamudi goes in through the artery with a catheter and blocks the blood flow to the fibroids using embolic agents (small particles or beads).” With the flow of blood compromised, the fibroids begin to shrink, taking with them the pain and symptoms.
“Over a matter of a few months’ time, these fibroids die away because you’ve taken away their blood supply. But again, nothing is physically tied, it’s not like putting a suture on top of the blood vessel or going from the outside, it’s all done from the inside of the blood vessel,” explains Dr. Vadlamudi. “We find it’s very rare new fibroids develop. So the overall success rate, especially from a technical standpoint, is well above 98 percent.”
In Smith’s case, Dr. Vadlamudi went in through a point above her wrist, leaving just a small nick after the procedure was completed.
“I don’t have a scar, just a little dot where he went into my arm,” she says.
After a short hospital stay, Smith went home to recover with doctor’s orders to start easing back into her routines. After almost two-weeks, she returned to work with her pain fading each day, but her admiration for the team continues to grow.
“It was just one of the best hospital visits I have ever had,” says Smith. “From the tech staff on down, everyone at Sentara Heart & Vascular Center was very attentive. They were very kind. Their bedside manner was exceptional.”
And, she offers this advice to other women living with fibroid pain.
“If you’re suffering from fibroids, definitely do your research, consider UFE, and consider UFE at Sentara, they have the best staff!” she adds.
If you’d like to learn more about Interventional Radiology or what Sentara Heart & Vascular can do for you, call 1-800-Sentara or visit Sentara.com.
Stafford’s newly approved capital improvement plan includes school renovations, a new courthouse, no road improvements
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Flood debris removed, River Road reopens
FALMOUTH — Crews in Falmouth bottom are done mopping up the mess.
The portion of River Road that had been closed after this past weekend’s flooding on the Rappahannock River, between Gordon Street and the entrance to Pratt Park, is now open to traffic once again.
The river spilled its banks and crested at 25 feet on Sunday. The waters brought tree trunks and debris from upstream, west of Fredericksburg, an area that was hard hit by heavy rain.
When the water receded, tree limbs and logs were left piled on River Road. Portions of the pavement were showing signs of buckling after being submerged under water.
We were in Falmouth on Monday to watch some of the clean-up efforts. Heavy equipment was called in to remove the trees, while officials at the Stafford County Government worked with the Virginia Department of Transportation to remove the debris and get the roadway open once again.
A series of homes along River Road near the intersection of Gordon Street was also flooded. On Monday, we saw those homeowners working hard to pump out the remaining water in their basements.
River Road is the popular cut-through route that carries 5,700 cars per day, according to VDOT. The road links Route 3 at the Chatham Bridge to Falmouth, Route 1, and Route 17.
Amid state’s lowest unemployment since 2008, Virginians search for jobs in Manassas
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Why is swimming an essential skill?
Throughout your children’s lives, they will learn a great number of skills that will help their long-term development. Basic skills like reading, writing, and math are picked up throughout school, while social skills like manners and conversation are taught at home.
Swimming, however, is a skill that is not specifically taught in school or at home. It is a skill that not only promotes health but is also proven to be a potentially life-saving skill.
During your children’s growing stages, swimming is a great sport that allows them to exercise with low-impact resistance routines. Often times, children take a liking to the sport and continue to practice it in their middle and high school years.
Swimming focuses on core strengthening and flexibility, two very important health aspects. Whether they do it for fun or competitively, it is important to give your children access to this skill early on.
Aside from exercise, swimming is a crucial life-saving skill to have. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there were an average 3,536 fatal unintentional drownings between 2005 and 2014.
About one of five people who die by drowning are children 14 years or younger. Many cases of non-fatal drowning injuries often lead to hospitalization and can lead to PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) in later years. By learning to swim, a child’s life can potentially be saved when an adult is not present.
The Manassas Park Community Center offers a wide variety of swimming lessons. From six-month-olds to seniors, our swimming programs give students the ability to take up the skill with a variety of levels.
Our Parent and Child course is an introductory early childhood class in which a parent or guardian is in the water with the child. Our Preschool and School Age swimming classes are divided into levels based on skills received at prior levels. We also offer basic swimming and lap swim lessons for adults and seniors. It is never too late to learn this essential skill!
The Manassas Park Community Center is located at 99 Adams Street in Manassas Park, VA. Managed by the City of Manassas Park Department of Parks and Recreation, the facility is home to basketball courts, a swimming pool, wellness areas, special events, and recreational classes. For more information visit us at ManassasParkCommunityCenter.com or call at 703-335-8872.
Free webinar focuses risks, medication challenges for older adults
Research conducted by Home Instead Inc., franchisor of the Home Instead Senior Care network, indicates that as the number of prescription medication a person (ages 70 or older) takes increases, so do challenges with medication management and potential health risks.
Register for this webinar to discover the ways medications can jeopardize an older adult’s health and independence. Learn about solutions that could help families and their older loved ones pinpoint potential threats an start the conversations that can potentially lead to effective solutions.
Participants in this webinar will be able to:
- Identify the potential risks associated with medication mismanagement
- Understand common medication challenges for older adults and signs to look for when medications are to blame for health issues
- Recognize risks of common conditions that impact medication management
- Help strengthen he role of the family in reducing the potential for medication risks
- Learn more about resources to help families feel confident about keeping older adults safe at home
The webinar will be held at 1 p.m. Wednesday, July 11, 2018, and is offered in cooperation with the American Society on Aging. For more information and to complete the required pre-registration, go to CaregiverStress.com/ProfessionalEducation
Stafford students will head back to class before Labor Day starting in 2019
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Tubes will flow exhaust out of county fire stations
There a common sight at many firehouses in the region, and now they will be installed in more stations in Stafford County.
From a press release:
Stafford County is installing exhaust capture and removal systems in its stations to protect the health of its Fire and Rescue personnel. The diesel engines parked in the bays of stations produce a mixture of toxic gases and particulates from the combustion process, many of which contain known cancer-causing substances. The systems were already installed in some stations, but Stafford’s Board of Supervisors recently authorized the County to appropriate $488,627 to purchase them for all the stations.
When a fire truck or ambulance is started in the apparatus bay of the fire station, gases and particulates are released into the air and, over time, accumulate on the floor, the walls, and in many cases the protective clothing items that are stored nearby. The gases and soot can also find their way into the living quarters of the station through ductwork, doors and stairwells. Hazardous vehicle exhaust emissions in a fire station are one of the most significant cancer health risks for a firefighter or emergency medical technician. The Plymovent vehicle exhaust system connects to the exhaust pipe of the vehicle, then attaches to the exhaust removal motor and is activated when the vehicle is started. It then removes the exhaust to the exterior of the station at the roof line.
Using the same systems in all stations will enable the continuity of operations as well as centralized purchasing of parts, repair order and any warranty needs that may arise. The system allows Fire and Rescue stations to comply with National Fire Protection Association air safety standards.
Officer shot in leg after his pistol discharges inside courthouse
STAFFORD — A jail officer is recovering after he shot himself in the leg.
It happened about 3 p.m. in the basement of the Stafford County Courthouse. Authorities were called to help an unidentified Rappahannock Regional Jail Officer who was suffering a gunshot wound.
The officer was in the process of removing a pistol from a box and placing it in his holster. While doing so, the gun discharged shooting the officer in the leg, said Stafford County Sheriff’s Department spokeswoman Amanda Vicinanzo.
The officer was taken to Mary Washington Hospital for treatment of his gunshot wound where he remains in good condition, she added.
Vicinanzo described the portion of the courthouse where the shooting happened as a “secure area” that is off-limits to the public.
No one else was injured.
The accidental shooting comes one day after two people were shot in Stafford County. One of the victims who was suffering multiple gunshot wounds was flown to a local hospital, and a second walked into Stafford Hospital suffering at least one gunshot wound to the back.
Vicinanzo said both men remain hospitalized, but it’s still unclear if the two men were shot in the same incident.
The victim who suffered multiple gunshots was shot at 303 Knollwood Court, just off Highpointe Boulevard behind the North Stafford Walmart.
