Greetings, Prince William: Although we’re in the holiday season, Martin Luther King Day isn’t too far off, and the MLK Youth Community Choir is seeking students in grades K-12 to join the choir and make a joyful noise! Participants will rehearse for a pre-event concert at Chinn Park Regional Library on Jan. 4 at 1:30 p.m. in the Community Room followed by a special performance at the Prince William Alumnae Chapter Delta Sigma Theta (PWCAC- DST) 40th Annual Dr. King Youth Oratorical Competition and Program being held Jan. 18. Rehearsals have begun, but more participants are welcome – no tryout is needed!
- If you love helping others learn, we have a wonderful opportunity for you!  The winter semester for BEACON for English Language and Literacy is currently underway! They’re still urgently recruiting for a few in-person and online evening volunteer teachers for this semester. One-day-a-week and two-day-a-week evening options are available at various class levels. Evening classes meet from 7 to 9 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays in Manassas, Manassas Park or on Zoom. No teaching or foreign language experience is required and training is provided. To learn more, please sign up for a virtual information session or contact Seth Mazzaro at 571-428-2524.
- The “Power of A Knock” can help a homebound senior get nutritious meals!  Meals on Wheels urgently needs volunteers to deliver meals to homebound senior citizens on weekday mornings. Volunteers must pass a criminal and driving record background check. Routes take about 1.5 hours to complete, training is provided. You’ll feel great when you find out how inspiring it is to serve this vulnerable population and make their day!
- The holidays may be here, but hunger never takes a holiday! The SERVE campus of Northern Virginia Family Service has an ongoing need for Food Recovery Driver volunteers age 21+ to make routine pick-ups to rescue food from grocery stores and restaurants to help food insecure families. Shifts are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to noon; their greatest need is for Monday drivers. Volunteers are asked to commit to at least one shift per week for at least six months or longer. Volunteers must have a valid driver’s license and should be prepared to lift up to 50 lbs. Ride-along training with experienced volunteers or staff and vehicle provided. Just one day a week can make a life-long impact on a family in need!
- The hard-working staff at Northern Virginia Food Rescue is looking for volunteers who are available to be On-Call to help with offloading large truckloads of food deliveries when they arrive at their warehouse located at 10535 Battleview Parkway, Manassas 20109. This role is vital in ensuring that they can quickly rescue and distribute food to families in need. Volunteers would be on call from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. with varying delivery times. Communication is done via text message when a delivery is on the way and help is needed. Volunteers should be prepared to lift heavy items. A brief mandatory training will be held for those volunteers selected for this position. You’ll feel great knowing you’re doing your part to help food-insecure families in our local community! Please text 571-370-3073 to let them know you’re interested.
- Your office, group or club can provide the comfort of a hot meal during the winter months!  Streetlight Community Outreach Ministries’ hypothermia shelter located at 14716 Potomac Mills Road in Woodbridge has an ongoing need for groups to prepare and drop off meals for 30 adult residents through March 30, 2025. Meals are needed each night and should be prepared off-site and dropped off at the shelter between 6:30 and 7 p.m. There are many openings in January, and you’ll feel great providing a hot, nourishing meal for the homeless to enjoy!
Two men were injured in a shooting outside a bar in the 9000 block of Liberia Avenue on the evening of December 22, 2024. Manassas police responded to the scene shortly before 9 p.m. following reports of an altercation.
According to police, the incident began with a dispute inside the bar, which escalated and spilled into the parking lot. During the altercation, a suspect fired shots, striking two adult males. Both victims were transported to a local hospital and are reported to be in stable condition.
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According to a press release, NOVEC will be accepting both trees and greens without any decorations, ornaments, hooks, wires or light strings starting the day after Christmas. Drop-off will be available at its Gainesville Technical Center at 5399 Wellington Branch Road.
"Recycling holiday greens is just another way we help area residents and the environment,” Rick Carpenter, NOVEC Vegetation Management manager, said.
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Stephanie Soliven, Ed.D., associate superintendent for teaching and learning at PWCS, said in the Dec. 4 School Board meeting that it'll be a helpful tool for students and parents alike.
"Through our approaches at making more tools available for students, further connection with parents and continuing the professional learning journey of our teachers and our staff, we are targeting every available option to support our student learning needs," she said. Soliven said students can also take additional courses through Varsity Tutors, either to advance in a subject or to discover new courses that may not be offered in PWCS. "You may have that fifth grader that is super excited about advanced math in sixth grade, but a little nervous about some of the skills and content — but they know they want to be on that advanced trajectory — they can do some additional coursework," she said. "[There's] a huge range of really cool high interest classes. I think this is so important because it fills some of that need at home for some of our students that maybe are missing out on some key skills, want to do some additional enrichment opportunities and can't do it in the school day." Soliven also emphasized that this service pairs students with human tutors. Students will be able to log into the platform, discuss the problem and then get paired with a person who can help them tackle it. "The live tutor is sharing a whiteboard with the student and literally mapping out the questions and the problems with them. It is not [artificial intelligence]," she said. "It is a human being on the other end guiding the students through the steps." Varsity Tutors also offers on-demand essay review, live group classes, self-study, college and career readiness and celebrity-led classes. PWCS School Board At-Large Chair Dr. Babur Lateef echoed the positives about the new service. "I can be a personal advocate on the fact that Varsity Tutors does a terrific job," Lateef said during the meeting on Dec. 4. "My kids have used them for many years. They are incredible and really work well." MCPS School Board Chair Suzanne Seaberg said she's excited for Varsity Tutors to make an impact in the district. "We are excited to partner with Varsity Tutors. This opportunity enables us to provide extra services for students so they can reach higher academic goals," Seaberg said in an email.
DST is one of the Divine Nine organizations, a group of historically African American fraternities and sororities that the National Pan-Hellenic Council governs. PWCAC-DST has been hosting this oratorical event for 40 years, which predates the first national celebration of the holiday in 1986.
Middle and high school students throughout the Prince William County area, including the Cities of Manassas and Manassas Park, will display their oratorical skills. According to a press release from the organization, this year's six regional competitors must center their speeches on "Fulfilling the Promise of Democracy: My Voice, My Choice, My Future."
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Submitted by Volunteer Prince William:
Greetings, Prince William: Breaking News:  You can still help support the Volunteer Prince William Untrim a Tree and Senior Basket Program! Head over to Texas Roadhouse, 9875 Liberia Avenue, Manassas this Saturday, December 14 from 11am until 3pm for an amazing meal and to help support Untrim a Tree! Dine in or order to go and have your server share your receipt, which will allow TEN PERCENT of your total food purchase to be donated to Volunteer Prince William! We hope to see you there!
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At its Dec. 10 meeting, the Manassas City School Board heard from Craig Gfeller, deputy superintendent, about the potential partnership and what it means for the district.
University Instructors was founded in 1994 in Richmond to provide one-on-one private mentoring by connecting students to tutors from local universities. The program expanded later in the 1990s once state test scores improved in Richmond City Public Schools, the company's website states. Now, UI works in 56 districts across the Commonwealth, including Loudoun County.
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Prince William County police are investigating an attempted sexual assault that occurred on Tuesday, December 10, at Nokesville Community Park, 12560 Aden Road, near Manassas. A woman was walking along a trail near Hickerson Lane around 9 a.m. when she was approached by a masked man who attempted to assault her. The victim fought back, and the suspect fled after a struggle. Another park visitor assisted the victim in contacting the police.
She was treated at the scene for minor injuries.
Detectives have released a composite sketch of the suspect, described as a white or light-skinned male, approximately 5'9", with an average build, brown eyes, and dark bushy eyebrows. He was last seen wearing dark clothing, including a long-sleeve dry-wicking shirt, sweatpants, and a ski mask exposing only his eyes.
Police are asking anyone with information to contact them as the investigation continues.
Also, in Prince William County
- On December 11 at 9:06 PM, officers responded to Linton Hall Road near Devlin Road in Gainesville to investigate a road rage incident. A 27-year-old man reported that another driver brandished a firearm during the encounter before the parties separated. No shots were fired, and no injuries were reported. Officers are working to identify a potential suspect.
- On December 10 at 1:35 PM, officers investigated a road rage incident on Legend Glen Drive in Gainesville. A 41-year-old man stated that while stopped at a stop sign, another driver brandished a firearm before the parties separated. There were no shots fired, and no injuries were reported. Officers are following up on a potential suspect.
- On December 11 at 8:17 AM, officers responded to Anderson Court and Arkendale Street in Woodbridge for a report of indecent exposure. A 23-year-old woman reported seeing an unknown man expose himself and make inappropriate gestures while she was driving. The suspect, described as a Black male in his early to mid-30s, was not located.
- Later that morning, at 9:57 AM, the School Resource Officer at Patriot High School in Nokesville was notified of vandalism. Investigators discovered a swastika and other inappropriate images drawn on a classroom partition. The drawings did not contain any threats to students or staff, and no additional markings were reported.
Intoxicated Stafford Teen Arrested for Assault and Alcohol Violations A 19-year-old Stafford man was arrested Wednesday, December 11, 2024, after a concerned citizen reported an assault in the Lake Carroll community near Fredericksburg. Deputies responded to Lake Shore Drive about 6:30 p.m., where the caller had observed a man assaulting a juvenile female. Deputy S.C. Steinway located the pair and recognized them from a prior incident. Both showed signs of intoxication, though the male denied drinking. A search revealed he had four bottles of Fireball whiskey. Ricardo Castro Ramirez is charged with assault and battery, public intoxication, unlawful possession of alcohol, and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. He is held on a $1,000 secured bond at the Rappahannock Regional Jail. The juvenile was returned to her home, where her mother assured deputies she would face strict consequences, said police. The sheriff's office would not provide the victim's age. Also, in Stafford County:*Missing Juvenile* (1/2)
We are asking the public's assistance in locating Consuelo Marisol Toruno Carcamo. She is a 15 year old Hispanic female, black hair, brown eyes, 5'3" tall, and slender build. She was last seen in class at Osbourn High School. pic.twitter.com/VxqhPDrr8W — Manassas City Police (@ManassasCityPD) December 12, 2024
- Truslow Road, 12/11, 2:17 a.m. Sergeant J.T. Forman and Deputy I.E. Baldi responded to an automatic crash notification. Upon arrival, they found a Toyota and its driver, who admitted to taking a turn “too fast.” During the interaction, deputies observed signs of intoxication. The driver admitted to consuming two beers before driving and revealed a bottle of alcohol hidden in the bottom of his pant leg. He was charged with driving under the influence and held at Rappahannock Regional Jail until sober.
- Quarry Road, 12/11, 5:43 p.m. Deputy J.J. Holetzky responded to a single-vehicle auto accident involving a minivan that had crashed off the roadway. The driver showed signs of intoxication and admitted to consuming a tall beer before heading to a job interview at a winery. Although the outcome of her interview is unknown, she may be late to her first day. The driver was charged with driving under the influence with a blood alcohol content above .2 and reckless driving. She was held at Rappahannock Regional Jail until sober.
- 7-Eleven, 2998 Richmond Highway, 12/11, 9:37 p.m. Deputy K.F. Bierfeldt responded to a report of an unknown problem. A caller reported a man slumped over the steering wheel of a Ford. Upon contact, the driver showed strong signs of intoxication and initially admitted to consuming “six to seven” alcoholic drinks, later changing his story to “six to seven waters.” The driver was found to have a suspended license and no insurance. He was charged with driving under the influence with a blood alcohol content between .15 and .2, driving with a suspended license, and driving without insurance. He was held at Rappahannock Regional Jail until sober.
- Fraud -- Overlook Court, 12/11, 7:13 p.m. Deputy K.P. Hall responded to a fraud report. The victim explained she had received a popup ad on her computer from someone claiming to represent McAfee Antivirus. She called the provided number, allowing the suspect to remotely access her computer and banking information.
- Larceny -- Target, 1090 Stafford Market Place, 12/11, 12:42 p.m.Deputy J.S. Torres responded to a shoplifting in progress. Staff reported a female suspect stuffing her bag with merchandise. After stopping at Starbucks, the suspect attempted to leave but was intercepted by Deputy Torres. Over $220 worth of items were recovered. The suspect was charged with shoplifting and released on personal recognizance.
In a 4-2 vote with one abstention, the School Board voted to start on Aug. 12 in the upcoming two school years. The Board members who voted in favor of earlier start dates, or Option A, said they did so to remain in line with the survey results.
According to a non-scientific poll conducted by MCPS in the fall, 59% of parents and 63% of staff members preferred Option A. Only 13% of respondents made comments on the poll, and among those most vocal were parents who preferred Option B, or a start for students in the third week of August.
