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Flu season is fast approaching. Sentara hospitals usually see an increase in flu cases around mid-September and early October.

This year, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, doctors say it’s critical to get your flu shot.

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Police are investigating a fatal crash in Prince William County that took the life of a 73-year-old man.

Police tell us:

Fatal Crash Investigation – On September 7 at 9:59PM, investigators with the Crash Investigation Unit responded to the area of James Madison Hwy and Lee Hwy in Gainesville (20155) to investigate a crash.

The investigation revealed that the driver of a 1989 Chevrolet 1500 pickup truck was traveling southbound on Lee Hwy while the driver of a 2018 Hyundai Elantra was traveling eastbound on James Madison Hwy.

Both vehicles collided at the above intersection as the driver of the Elantra attempted a left turn onto Lee Hwy, crossing paths with the driver of the Chevrolet. Both drivers were transported to area hospitals where the driver of the Chevrolet died as a result of his injuries sustained during the collision.

The driver of the Elantra sustained life-threatening injuries and remains hospitalized. Investigators are currently working to determine which vehicle had the right-of-way at the time of the collision.

Investigators are seeking to speak with anyone who may have witnessed the crash. Additional information will be released when available. The investigation continues.

Identified:

The deceased driver of the 1989 Chevrolet 1500 was identified as Kelly Wayne SMITH, 73, of Mineral, VA

The driver of the 2018 Hyundai Elantra was identified as a 45-year-old woman of Haymarket

Anyone who may have witnessed this crash is asked to contact the Prince William County Police Department tipline at 703.792.7000or submit a webtip to: www.pwcgov.org/policetip.

A historic African-American church still hopes to rebuild after an arson in 2012.

Mount Pleasant Baptist Church, located at 15008 Lee Highway in Gainesville was the scene of arson in 2012. Parishioners watched helplessly as the church was nearly reduced to ashes.

Maurice Michaely, of Haymarket, received a two and a half year prison sentence for the crime.

Today, the church is slowly but surely making its way back to life.

Founded in 1877, the church had been the centerpiece of a settlement established in Gainesville by former slaves after emancipation. On August 10, 2012, as a result of arson.

Recently, during an online meeting of the Prince William Conservation Alliance to Save Carver Road, Deacon Henry Peterson gave an update on the church’s efforts to raise money to rebuild Mount Pleasant. The church plans to rebuild in seven phases for which they’ve already raised over $60,000.

Peterson also said that an additional $1 million needs to be raised in order to complete all phases of construction.

Mount Pleasant has been accepting donations for the rebuild as well as relying on a GoFundMe page to accept online donations.

Events such as the police shooting of George Floyd have inspired a recent boost in donations, as have appealed from Virginia Delegate Danica Roem.

While no final date of completion has been set, the church does plan to use two bibles that survived the fire as the centerpiece of the new building.

Recently Mount Pleasant along with the Shady Inn Dance Hall, which is now Golden Church of God,  and the settlement itself was designated as historic sites by the Virginia Department of Historic Resources.

According to its website, after Mount Pleasant had been established in 1877 it was moved to its current location after the congregation paid $10 for the property on which it now sits. The original building had been destroyed by fire in 1929 and their current building had been constructed that same year.

The congregation of Mount Pleasant has a temporary location at Northern Virginia Baptist Center which is located at 14019 Glenkirk Road in Gainesville.

The church plans to have a birthday event for parishioners to raise donations for rebuilding on November 11.

The sunflowers are in bloom and ready for picking at Burnside Farms in Nokesville.

Every summer in the middle of July, when the sunflowers bloom, Burnside Farms holds the Summer of Sunflowers: a sunflower festival that allows guests to pick sunflowers and participate in various fun activities. While certain portions of the event will be different this year due to the new coronavirus, namely their famous ‘sunflower maze,’ an abundance of sunflowers will still be available for guests to pick and take home.

“We plant over 30 varieties of cutting sunflowers on eight acres in successive crops to ensure at least six weeks of blooming flowers – through Labor day,” stated Burnside Farms’ website.

The event, which is open every day from 10 am-6 pm, allows guests to pick three sunflowers with the cost of admission ($12 for ages 13 and up, $8 for ages 3-12), as well as additional flowers for a $1.50 fee per extra flower. Children under 3 are free.

Aside from sunflower picking, the event also includes picnic areas, a JumpPad, a play area, and a short film cinema in the barn, most of which will go through daily sanitization for protection against the new coronavirus. The event also typically includes a ‘sunflower maze,’ but it has not been determined if it will open due to the current global pandemic.

“We have one of the nation’s only sunflower mazes! Due to COVID-19, our sunflower maze may not open,” stated Burnside Farms’ website.

For those looking for an evening event, the Summer of Sunflowers also hosts Sunflower Sunsets, an identical event that takes place on Thursdays and Saturdays from 6-8 pm. Adult tickets (ages 13+) are $14, while children’s tickets (3-12) are $10. Children under 3 are free.

Guests are encouraged to ‘treat a visit to the farm like you would for most any other establishment’ by wearing a face mask and social distancing, according to the farm’s website. Guests are additionally encouraged to bring their own hand sanitizer in the case of a shortage on the farm.

“We ask that you wear a mask or face covering in common areas (check-in, check out area) and maintain proper social distancing at all times,” stated Burnside Farms’ website.

The event will last until Labor Day and will only take place at Burnside Farms’ Nokesville location at 11008 Kettle Run Rd. More information can be found here.

Many have been struggling to make ends meet on their bills since the coronavirus outbreak, and now Columbia Gas of Virginia is giving its customers a break when it comes to paying their bills.

From a press release:

“Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, uncertain economy and loss of jobs, many Virginia residents are having a hard time paying their bills — some for the very first time. Trying to figure out where to go for help can be a challenge all its own.

We urge Columbia Gas of Virginia customers who are behind on their gas bills to reach out to us now. We can work with you on affordable payment plans and provide information on other assistance available — not just for utilities but other household expenses.

One of the assistance programs available is HeatShare, a program administered by the Dollar Energy
Fund. HeatShare uses money donated by Columbia Gas, its customers and employees to help eligible
customers pay their Columbia Gas bills.

Our customer care team can help you get connected to this program or customers can reach out to them directly. More than ever before, we want to help our customers get through these tough times by providing solutions to what can feel like insurmountable problems.

We’ll work with their budgets and timelines so they can feel some financial relief and maintain gas service. Our customer care teams are ready to help at columbiagasva.com/bills-and-payments or at 800-543-8911.

In addition to the HeatShare, there are many other selfless organizations serving communities across the Commonwealth. We want to thank all of the non-profit organizations across the state that are stepping up to help those who are struggling.

Columbia Gas of Virginia has taken a number of actions to help customers through the COVID-19
pandemic, including voluntarily suspending shutoffs for non-payment and late fees, as well as offering its
most flexible payment plans to customers impacted by or facing hardship due to COVID-19. The company
is continuing to provide essential natural gas services, operating under health and safety protocols.

For full details of the company’s COVID-19 response, visit columbiagasva.com.”

For any questions, please contact Monique Finneran at 804-777-3079 or by email at [email protected].

Who is going to operate a new logistics center that is slated to be built on nine acres of land on Wellington Road in Gainesville?

On Tuesday, the Prince William Board of County Supervisors will vote to rezone over eight acres of land from heavy industrial to industrial/transportation use. The property is located on Wellington, near the intersection of University Drive.

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For those who missed out on the previous opportunity, here are more locations available for free coronavirus testing for those who live and work in Prince William County, City of Manassas, and the City of Manassas Park.

According to a Prince William County Government press release, to obtain free coronavirus testing and results, citizens must provide full name, phone number, and a home or work address that proves residence in the stated above areas.

According to the Prince William press release, here is where free testing locations can be found:

“Saturday, July 18, 2020
Development Services Building
5 County Complex Ct.
Woodbridge, VA 22192
Start Time 8:30 AM

Monday, July 20, 2020
Woodbridge Senior Center
13850 Church Hill Drive
Woodbridge, VA 22191
Start Time: 9:00 AM

Splashdown Water Park
7500 Ben Lomond Park Road
Manassas, VA 20109
Start Time: 9:00 AM

Tuesday, July 21, 2020
Metz Middle School
9950 Wellington Road
Manassas, Virginia 20110
Start Time: 9:00 AM”

These sites can accommodate drive-thru or walk-up testing. According to Prince William County Government, citizens should arrive to the testing sites early as testing is only available until testing kits are gone.

More information about testing and the county’s response to the coronavirus available at pwcgov.org.

The Prince William County Parks and Recreation Department has updated its tourism master draft plan for 2020, a document focused on projecting community needs in the next 10-15 years.

The plan discusses in part how historic sites are assets for tourism and looks into how to utilize these sites to boost economic gains.

The plan, which is apart of the Prince William County Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism’s Systemwide Master Plan, now includes the mergers of Prince William County’s Historic Preservation Division and Office of Tourism into the Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism.

The Historic Preservation Division has been a part of the Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism for almost two years, but this is the first time the Prince William County Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism’s Systemwide Master Plan includes historic sites in the planning process.

The expansion of the Master Plan to include tourism and historic preservation comes If the department is folded into parks and recreation, it would come three years after the department took on the role of tourism promotion after county leaders voted to dissolve “Discover Prince William/Manassas,” a partnership between the county and Manassas City that aimed to promote the region to visitors.

The tourism plan now under consideration addresses improving visitor experiences at the county’s parks, recreational facilities, historic sites, and promoting heritage and sports tourism. It also focuses on securing public and private partnerships as well as private development investments that benefit county residents and the economy.

Heritage tourism focuses on showing the history and heritage of an area through experiences, structures and historic sites. Prince William County has 15 historic sites managed by the Historic Preservation Division. Some sites are open daily, while others are open by appointment only, and others are currently closed to the public. In 2019, almost 150,000 people visited the county’s historic sites, with 35% of visitors being from out of the county.

Sports tourism draws visitors from across the east coast to the county’s 472 sports venues that host sports events and tournaments. This includes youth, amateur, collegiate, professional, minor league, and motorsports. It also offers 11 public golf courses, 2 indoor Olympic pools, an ice arena, and fields for softball, baseball, and soccer.

Furthermore, the county currently owns 63 developed parks, which offer a number of activities for visitors, including:

• Two 18-hole golf courses
• One 9-hole leisure golf courses
• 116 sports fields
• Two waterparks
• 6 outdoor pools
• 2 aquatics and fitness centers
• A skate park
• A marina
• A dog park

“The plan provides an opportunity to fully realize the synergies created by the mergers such as incorporating new historic interpretive storytelling into the Department’s recreation program and developing outdoor recreation, sports tourism, culture, history, heritage, agri-tourism opportunities and more,” said Ann Marie Maher, Director of Tourism in Prince William County.

Due to changes in consumer travel patterns brought on by the coronavirus pandemic, the state and Office of Tourism’s COVID-19 recovery plan now includes a primary marketing focus on the local and drive markets. 

“The plan is based on the level of service standards outline in the plan and is designed to address the needs of the community,” said Brent M. Heavner, the Communication Services Division Chief of the Prince William Department of Parks and Recreation.

The planned budget for the Office of Tourism this year is $1.5 million, funded by the county’s hotel tax. Budget spending will focus on supporting the coronavirus tourism industry’s economic recovery efforts.

The tourism discussions are master plan is part of the Prince William County Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Systemwide Master Plan.

“The plan is based on the level of service standards outline in the plan and is designed to address the needs of the community,” said Brent M. Heavner, the Communication Services Division Chief of the Prince William Department of Parks and Recreation.

The draft is available to the public online at pwcgov.org/parks.

Prince William County’s tourism economy currently ranks 9th in the Commonwealth in total visitor spending, and in 2018, over 6,662 hospitality and tourism professionals were employed in Prince William County.