Prince William County Government: “Prince William County leaders, staff and members of the Lake Ridge community came together to celebrate the officially opening of the Occoquan Greenway Hedges Run Segment 3 Bridge that was installed earlier this summer.”
“The new bridge, for both pedestrians and bicyclists, is an upgrade to an existing trail, leased for public access from Lake Ridge Parks and Recreation Association, in the Lake Ridge community near the Occoquan Reservoir. The bridge and associated trail reroute replaces three splash-through creek crossings with a single elevated pedestrian/bicycle route.”
The ribbon cutting took place on December 7, 2023.
Richmond Times-Dispatch: “Two newly elected members of the Virginia House of Delegates — even before they take office — are sounding the alarm about the costs of the rapidly expanding data center industry in Virginia.”
“Josh Thomas, the Democrat, and Ian Lovejoy, the Republican, were elected last month to represent parts of Prince William County that are at the epicenter of an escalating fight over the proliferation of data centers that require enormous amounts of electricity, water and land to serve the global demand for digital data storage.”
Prince William County Commonwealth’s Attorney Amy Ashworth: “The commonwealth attorney’s office announces the successful prosecution of Gentil Mwenze Banze arising from the June 18, 2022, accident that killed a Lake Ridge man and his dog. On July 6, 2023, Gentil Mwenze Banze pled guilty to Involuntary Manslaughter while Driving Under the Influence. The case was heard by Judge James A. Willett of the Prince William County Circuit Court.”
“On November 16, 2023, Mr. Banze was sentenced by Judge Willett to 10 years in prison, the maximum term allowable under the law, and three years of active probation following his release from prison. The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Sarah Sami.”
Commonwealth v. Gentil Mwenze Banze: “In the early evening hours of June 18, 2022, the Defendant, Gentil Mwenze Banze, was driving his motor vehicle westbound on Old Bridge Road. Witnesses described the Defendant’s vehicle as swerving in and out of his lane of travel, almost striking other vehicles, before veering to the right and leaving the roadway. The Defendant’s vehicle entered the sidewalk and struck a pedestrian, Mr. Luis Alfredo Perez, Jr., who had been out walking the family dog that evening. After the Defendant struck Mr. Perez, Jr. and his dog, he crashed into the utility pole located in the area of Cape Cod Ct, bringing down live power lines causing an audible and visible explosion on Old Bridge Rd.”
“Investigator Chad Mason of the Prince William County Crash Investigation Unit noted that the Defendant had an odor of alcoholic beverage coming from his person, had a slight sway to his body as he was standing, had bloodshot and watery eyes, and exhibited signs of impairment in all three standardized field sobriety tests that he attempted. The Defendant later admitted to drinking Guinness Beer prior to driving and testing later confirmed the Defendant’s blood alcohol content to be 0.11g/210L of breath approximately three hours after the crash had occurred. Unfortunately, both Mr. Perez Jr. and his dog succumbed to the injuries they sustained as a result of the crash.”
“The Office of the Commonwealth Attorney would like to commend and thank the Prince William County Crash Investigation Unit, particularly Investigator Chad Mason for their investigation of the case, and Arturo Guzman, Case Manager for the Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney Victim/Witness program for the assistance provided to the victim’s family.”
Prince William Living: “Inova-GoHealth Urgent Care has doubled the number of its locations over the past year. Today the urgent care network celebrated the opening of its 14th center in Lake Ridge, off Old Bridge Road. The 15th center has opened in Ashburn.”
“The new Lake Ridge center is conveniently located in Dillingham Square next to Food Lion, Gold’s Gym and Inova Health Care Services. It features an award-winning center design. With bold colors, warm wood accents and an open floorplan, the new center fosters a comfortable experience for the whole family.”
Prince William Parks & Recreation: “Please join us for a ribbon-cutting ceremony as we celebrate the addition of the Occoquan Greenway Hedges Run Segment 3 Bridge.”
The event will take place on Thursday, December 7, 2023, at 11:00 a.m. You can find the bridge between Hedges Run Drive and Mohican Road. Parking details can be found online.
Prince William Public Libraries: “Prince William Public Libraries will temporarily close Lake Ridge Library beginning November 20 for renovations.
“The renovations are expected to last six weeks and will include multiple enhancements and upgrades to provide a versatile, inviting space for visitors. Planned renovations include:”
- Revamped Shelving: The library will feature revamped shelving, making it easier to find your favorite books and discover new ones. In addition, the shelving will provide more space for programming once the library reopens.
- Enhanced Seating Options: Lake Ridge Library is prioritizing your comfort and convenience. With the renovation, you can expect more seating options. Whether you prefer group tables for collaborative projects or individual seating for focused reading or study, you’ll find a spot that suits your needs.
- New Service Desk: The service desk is also getting an upgrade. The new service desk will make it easier to access the resources and support you need.
- More Public Computers: We’re committed to providing more digital access, and to address this need, we’ll be adding more public computers. Whether you’re working on a project, researching, or simply surfing the web, we’ve got you covered.
The improvements will cost taxpayers $96,000.
A library spokeswoman tells PLN:
Prince William Public Libraries is committed to its strategic goals, of which “Versatile, Inviting Spaces” outlines our efforts to enhance multi-functional, inviting spaces to create attractive, modern community destinations.
In recent years, we have made great strides in achieving this goal, including Central Library’s renovation in 2020 and its opening of Central Green in 2022, the opening of Manassas City Library in 2021, Dale City Library’s renovation in 2021, and Bull Run Library’s renovation in 2022. When proffer funds became available in the Occoquan District, it presented the opportunity to renovate Lake Ridge Library.
The library branch should reopen in January 2024.
A Prince William County Public Schools spokeswoman confirmed tonight that Woodbridge High School administrators are bracing for a student walkout tomorrow, Friday, November 17, 2023.
According to information emailed to parents by Principal Heather Abney, the students will join others who support Palestine, who have called for a cease-fire in an ongoing war with Israeli soldiers following Hamas militants who invaded Israel and killed citizens in their homes on October 7, 2023.
Hat tip to a reader for sharing this information with us:
November 16, 2023
Dear Woodbridge High School Students, Staff and Families,
I am writing to let you know that I met with students who informed me of the potential for a student-led demonstration that may occur tomorrow afternoon at 1:40 p.m. This walkout is not sponsored by PWCS or Woodbridge High School. The information we received from student leaders is that the student-organized demonstration is in support of a cease fire in Gaza.
We understand students have a right to assemble and express their views, particularly on issues of political speech. Consistent with past student-led events, I met with the students to learn of their plans, and we worked to ensure the possible disruption to our school day and instruction is minimized. Please know that instruction will continue in classrooms and students who choose to participate in this protest will be responsible for any work missed.
Due to the sensitivity of this issue, the school will provide adult supervision and extra security to ensure the demonstration is conducted in a peaceful manner. Any non-peaceful acts, or noncompliance with staff direction, will be subject to the PWCS Code of Behavior. PWCS employees are expected to be viewpoint-neutral related to this protest. The school day will end as regularly scheduled at 2:10 p.m and students will be expected to leave at that time.
I appreciate your support as we work together to ensure our school is a safe and supportive place to learn.
Sincerely,
Heather Abney
Principal
Press release: “Occoquan District Supervisor Kenny Boddye again invites animal lovers to Barktoberfest, a celebration of Prince William County’s (PWC) furriest residents. This year, the event is being held in conjunction with the Chinn Regional Library Fall Festival on Saturday, Oct. 21, 11:00 am to 2:00 pm, 13065 Chinn Park Drive, 22192.”
“Attendees can connect with local resources and service providers for pets, and learn how they can get involved in animal advocacy efforts ranging from volunteering at the shelter or dog park to fostering opportunities. Well-behaved, leashed pets are welcome at the event, and costumes are encouraged in the spirit of the season. Barktoberfest will feature:”
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Animal adoptions
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Pet-friendly photo booth
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Dog agility course
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Free treats, tennis balls, & other giveaways
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Resources & services for pet owners
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Ways to support animal welfare in PWC
“Exhibitors include the PWC Animal Shelter, PWC SPCA, PWC Dogs (the volunteer group for K9 Gunner Dog Park), Dapper Chap Cofee, Dirty Dogs Mobile Grooming, Feisty Dog Xchange, Mr. Woof Dog Care, Squishy Face Crew of Virginia, Petsuites of Manassas, Operation Paws for Homes and Wagging Warriors.”
“Additionally, the Chinn Fall Festival will offer a range of children’s activities, a petting zoo, crafts, music, food trucks and a used book sale. Seals on Wheels, the PWC Circuit Court Clerk’s mobile service center, will also be there offering services such as the filing of applications for marriage licenses and notaries.”
Occoquan-Woodbridge-Lorton Volunteer Fire Department: “OWL VFD Open House event is scheduled for Saturday, October 14th from 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Fire Station 14 (12400 Hedges Run Drive, Woodbridge). OWL VFD welcomes the community to visit the station.
OWL VFD President Dave Williams shared, “This event is a traditional favorite for OWL VFD to host. The community is invited to visit “our house” to see fire and rescue apparatus up close, talk with firefighters and EMTs, and enjoy refreshments provided by the OWL VFD Auxiliary.”
Sparky the Fire Dog will also be hanging out. At approximately 2:00 p.m., OWL VFD members and Prince William County Department of Fire and Rescue personnel will demonstrate a vehicle extrication.
OWL VFD Department Chief Wayne Haight explained, “The demonstration is one of the highlights of our Open House event. We’ll have a team of technical rescue firefighters who will show the audience how they use various tools to remove an entrapped patient from a car.”
OWL VFD has proudly served the community for over 85 years. To learn more, join or donate, visit www.owlvfd.org
