The Manassas City Council will hold a swearing-in ceremony for its newly elected and returning members on Monday, January 6, 2025, Â Dec. 9, at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall.
The ceremony will feature the oath of office for Mayor Michelle Davis-Younger, Council Member Tom Osina, Council Member Mark Wolfe, and Council Member-Elect Ashley Hutson. Following the swearing-in, all participants will immediately take their seats on the dais to begin their new terms.
Outgoing Vice Mayor Pamela Sebesky will be honored after eight years on the Council. She did not seek reelection.
Exclusive interviews with Mark Wolfe, Tom Osina and Ashley Hutson offer insight into their visions for the city’s future. Davis-Younger did not respond to a request for an interview during the election.
The interviews are available to watch online:
- Mark Wolfe: Watch here
- Tom Osina: Watch here
- Ashley Hutson: Watch here
Following the ceremony, the City Council will convene its regular meeting with several key agenda items for discussion. One highlight is the decision to obtain a special use permit (SUP) for a new Subaru dealership on Liberia Avenue.
Council will review and vote on the SUP for the proposed Safford Manassas Subaru dealership at 9018 and 9020 Liberia Ave. Gramm SB Properties, LLC applied to allow motor vehicle sales, rental, and service at the site.
The city’s Community Development staff and Planning Commission have recommended approval of the permit, contingent on specific conditions to ensure the development aligns with zoning practices and the city’s land-use plan. Council held a public hearing on the matter on Nov. 25.
Approval of the SUP would signify that the proposed development is in harmony with the surrounding area and meets the city’s zoning and community standards.
Residents are encouraged to attend the swearing-in ceremony and Council meeting to witness the continuation of local governance and decision-making that shapes Manassas. For those unable to attend in person, updates and decisions from the meeting will be shared on the city’s website and streamed online.
City Council meeting begins after the 5:30 p.m. ceremony, with public participation welcome on agenda items.
Manassas Park’s downtown revitalization project is gaining momentum with the planned opening of a new B&B Theatres location. The luxury eight-screen cinema, complete with a restaurant and entertainment amenities, will anchor the city’s redevelopment initiative and fill the void left by Cinema Café’s withdrawal in 2022.
Originally, Cinema CafĂ©, a Hampton Roads-based movie theater and dining chain, had announced plans to establish a combination movie house and restaurant in Manassas Park’s Park Central development. However, by September 2022, the company backed out of the deal, citing concerns over rising inflation. This decision temporarily left the city without a major tenant for its downtown revitalization efforts.
In the city’s downtown area, an All American Steakhouse and Sports Theater and a new Jirani Coffee are also slated to open.
B&B Theatres, the fifth-largest cinema chain in the United States, has stepped in to fill the gap. With more than 50 locations across 14 states, including Virginia, the company is known for its innovative facilities, such as dine-in auditoriums and premium large-format screens. Its nearest current location to Northern Virginia is the B&B Theatres Blacksburg 11, which also features bowling alleys and arcade amenities.
The new Manassas Park location represents a significant move closer to the Washington, D.C. metro area. As part of the development, B&B Theatres will contribute to the city’s vision of a vibrant downtown hub, offering entertainment options including a restaurant and community event spaces.
The city of Manassas Park is supporting the project with $1.6 million in funding for enhancements, including a large outdoor screen and plaza improvements. Officials have also approved a $10 sale of Parcel B-2 to B&B Theatres, on which the company will build.
The Park Central project in Manassas Park is a significant redevelopment initiative to create a pedestrian-friendly downtown area. Manassas Park, in partnership with Norton Scott LLC, a leading local developer, spearheads this transformation.
A key feature of Park Central is its integration with the Virginia Railway Express (VRE) station. The development includes a new parking garage adjacent to the VRE commuter rail station, enhancing commuter accessibility and supporting the city’s transit-oriented development goals.
The city’s efforts to develop Park Central have been ongoing for several years. In April 2021, construction began on the Village at Manassas Park, a component of the downtown redevelopment.
The first phase, completed in July 2022, included the new City Hall and public library. The project continues progressing, with additional amenities and infrastructure being developed to realize the city’s vision for a dynamic downtown.
The holiday season will kick off at 5:15 p.m. Friday with Santa Lights Manassas, an annual event for more than 30 years. The tree lighting ceremony takes place the evening before the city’s big holiday parade.
According to the event website, the evening will begin with musical performances. Santa is expected to arrive around 6 p.m., then will greet children and listen to their holiday wishes. Free wagon rides will be available, as well as ice skating at Harris Pavilion.
A 78-years-long staple of the city’s holiday celebrations, the Greater Manassas Christmas Parade is returning Saturday starting at 10 a.m. More than 100 organizations, teams, businesses and bands from the city and Prince William County are expected to participate in the parade.
This year’s parade is themed “Christmas in Candyland.” It will be grand marshaled by Lucky Whitehead, a Manassas native and Osbourn High School graduate, a former National Football League (NFL) wide receiver. Currently, Whitehead plays for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, a Canadian Football League team.
Donna Sechler will be honored as the TD Bank Woman of the Year. Sechler is a Prince William County native and has remained in the area. She’s volunteered with the parade committee for more than 13 years.
Joe Martin will be honored as the Man of the Year. Martin is a Manassas native and has spent his career serving local businesses and organizations. Most recently, in December 2022, Martin was appointed the director of business development with MP Copiers.
From Prince William fire and rescue:
House Fire
Thursday, December 5, 2024
3:28 AM
Earlier this morning units were dispatched to the 9900 blk of Suheil Road (Buckhall) for a reported fire near a home. Crews arrived on the scene with the fire quickly spreading throughout the home. The amount of fire and windy conditions prompted a second alarm to assist. All occupants were safely out of the home. No injuries were reported. The single-family home sustained extensive damage. The Building Official declared the structure unsafe to occupy. Three (3) adults were displaced. The Fire Marshal’s Office is on the scene looking into the cause of the blaze.
Photos from Prince William fire and rescue.
The survey, which sought to measure resident perceptions and identify growth opportunities, underscores the city’s dual identity: a historic landmark with a vibrant, modern beat. North Star conducted the online survey, which garnered responses from 1,520 residents, including 1,118 from Manassas. Nearly 20% of participants identified as Hispanic, Latin American, or Caribbean, reflecting the city’s diverse population. The survey had a margin of error of ±2.51%.
Participants were asked to evaluate the city across several dimensions, including quality of life, economic development, and cultural identity. Key findings included:
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A Prince William County Grand Jury returned an indictment of First Degree Murder and Physically Defiling the body of Mamta Kafle Bhatt, 28, against her husband and Manassas Park resident Naresh Bhatt.
In a Dec. 2 press conference, Manassas Park Police Chief Mario Lugo said, “I feel we have a strong case despite not having a body,” His department has been working closely with prosecutors to develop the case despite Bhatt not cooperating. “Based on the evidence at the crime scene, we knew early on we were dealing with a murder,” Lugo added, “all the evidence points to one person, and that is [Bhatt].”
Bhatt’s body has never been found.
Bhatt, who at the time of his arrest on August 22, 2024, was a contractor with the U.S. Secret Service, has been held without bond since his arrest. During his arraignment on charges of concealing a dead body in August, Assistant Commonwealth Attorney Sarah Sami presented online search history from Bhatt’s Federal Government computer provided by the U.S. Secret Service, where he searched for such phrases as “what happens when wife dead,” and “how long does it take to get married after spouse dies” in the months before her disappearance.
Bhatt is scheduled for a two-week trial beginning December 9, 2024. Still, Prince William County Commonwealth Amy Ashworth said she expects the “cases will be combined and will not likely be scheduled for trial until the fall of 2025.” Bhatt’s December 3 court date, when officials read the charges to the defendant, had to be postponed because no interpreters were available.
Bhatt had been arrested after his wife, Mamta Kafle Bhatt, 28, was reported missing on August 1, 2024, by co-workers after she missed her overnight shift as a nurse at the UVA Health Prince William Medical Center in Manassas. He was initially only charged with concealing a dead body.
Holly Worth, one of Kafle Bhatt’s co-workers, expressed gratitude for the work officials have done to bring Bhatt to justice, “I am pleased that he is being charged [in Kafle Bhatt’s] murder. I want to offer my appreciation for the tireless work that has led to the grand jury indictment.”
Court records show that the Grand Jury charge sheet lists the murder offense date as one day before the offense date for concealing a body, which was the original charge at his arrest. Prosecutors now allege the murder took place on July 29 while the crime of concealing a body occurred on July 30. The new developments show the prosecution has a stronger idea of what transpired between July 27, the day she was last seen, and August 1, the day her co-workers reported her missing.
The date of the offense is essential in the case as co-workers last saw her on July 27, and she posted content to social media late in the afternoon on July 28. Friends say calls and texts to her cell phone went unanswered after that post. Captain Steve Loving of Manassas Park Police said, “We believe we have a strong timeline of what happened in this case,” when asked about the different offense dates.
Several pieces of legislation are in the works in the Virginia General Assembly to address domestic violence in the Commonwealth. Delegate Ian Lovejoy (R-22, Bristow) is proposing a bill to create a domestic violence registry that requires those convicted of domestic violence to be listed in a searchable database available to the public.
If you think you are a victim of domestic violence, there is help available. The National Domestic Violence Hotline is staffed 24 hours daily and supports more than 200 languages. Its toll-free number is 800-799-7233.
If you are in immediate need of assistance, please call 911.
Kafle Bhatt Investigation Timeline — Days Missing
– July 27
Last seen by co-workers.
Day -1
– July 28
Last social media post at 5:28 PM. Calls and texts go unanswered after this.
Day 0
– August 1
Fails to report to her shift as a nurse at Prince William UVA Hospital.
Day +4
– August 2
Manassas Park Police Department (MPPD) conducts a welfare check after reports from co-workers but does not speak directly with Kafle Bhatt. Her information is entered into a statewide database.
Day +5
– August 2–5
No apparent action by MPPD.
Days +6–8
– August 5
Bhatt is officially reported missing to MPPD.
Day +8
– August 5–8
Police later claim they were investigating, but no explanation is given for why an alert was not issued to the public.
Days +8–11
– August 8
At 2:52 PM, MPPD alerts the public that Kafle Bhatt is missing and requests tips, despite having opened an official investigation three days earlier.
Day +11
– August 21
Bhatt’s husband is named a person of interest. Crime scene investigators search his home.
Day +24
– August 22
Bhatt’s husband is seen being led away in handcuffs from his home. Their toddler is taken into custody by social services.
Day +25
The programs are both being held at George Mason University’s Hylton Performing Arts Center in Manassas. The programs focus on different topics and presented by two experts in their own right.
LLI offers two programs each year in the fall and spring for adults aged 50 and over, drawing on members, local college faculty and residents’ expertise. Classes are typically held at the Hylton Center, as well as local churches, mosques, the Manassas Park Recreation Center and the Manassas campus of Northern Virginia Community College.
The first presentation from 10:30 a.m. to noon will be given by Gene Schmiel, a retired U.S. Department of State foreign service officer, former history professor and Civil War lecturer at LLI before, on the steamboats traversing the Mississippi River following the Louisiana Purchase.
The second presentation, held from 1:30 to 3 p.m., will be given by Judge Craig Johnston, a semi-retired Prince William County Circuit Court Judge and lawyer in Manassas for more than 30 years. Johnston will discuss when and how the Constitution is applied in cases in Virginia Courts.
Registration is not required, and more information on these programs and upcoming ones can be found on LLI’s website.
Monday (Dec. 2)
- Board of County Supervisors Joint Legislative Meeting, 9 a.m. (Woodbridge)
- Holiday Gift Bringers Scavenger Hunt, All day through the month (Bull Run Library)
- Festival of Trees, All day through the month (Haymarket Gainesville Library)
- Ornament Take & Make, All day while supplies last (Independent Hill Library)
- Manassas City Council Meeting, 5:30 p.m. (Manassas City)
Tuesday (Dec. 3)
- Cardboard Gingerbread House Contest, through Dec. 8 (Manassas Park City Library)
Friday (Dec. 6)
- Holiday Through the Ages, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. (Woodbridge)
- Santa Lights Manassas and Tree Lighting Ceremony, 5:15 to 7 p.m. (Manassas City)
- Holiday Walk of Lights, 5:30 to 9 p.m. until Dec. 22 (Woodbridge)
- Kids Night Out, 6 to 9 p.m. (Woodbridge)
Saturday (Dec. 7)
- West County Household Hazardous Waste Disposal, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. (Manassas)
- Holiday Market, 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. (Woodbridge)
- Greater Manassas Christmas Parade, 10 a.m. to noon (Manassas City)
- Elementary School Strings Holiday Performance, 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. (Haymarket Gainesville Library)
- Craft & Create: Coffee Filter Snowflakes, 2 to 3 p.m. (Manassas Park)
Sunday (Dec. 8)
- Holiday Carriage Rides, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Sunday until Dec. 15 (Manassas City)
Dec. 9
- Chinn Park Library reopens (Woodbridge)
- Woven Wall Hangings Take and Make, All day (Dumfries Library)
- Manassas City Council Meeting, 5:30 p.m. (Manassas City)
Dec. 10
- Homeschool Hangout, 1 to 3 p.m. (Chinn Park Library)
- Board of County Supervisors Meeting, 2 p.m. (Woodbridge)
- Busy Hands Social Club, 6 to 7:30 p.m. (Central Library)
Dec. 11
- Coffee with a Cop, 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. (Gainesville)
- Pajama Story Time, 7 to 7:30 p.m. (Haymarket Gainesville Library)
Dec. 12
- Holiday Illustrated Poems, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Dumfries Library)
- Teens Create: Holiday Picture Frames, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. (Manassas Park)
Dec. 13
-
Kids Create: Play-Doh Snowmen, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. (Manassas Park)
Dec. 14
- Santa Trains 2024, various times and locations
- Family Gingerbread House Building Contest, 10 a.m. to noon (Woodbridge)
- Mistletoe Holiday Craft Festival, 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. (Montclair Library)
- Building Emergency Kits for a Safer Tomorrow, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. (Potomac Library)
- Yuletide Yoga, Noon to 1:30 p.m. (Woodbridge)
- Teddy Bear Picnic, 2 to 3 p.m. (Bull Run Library)
Dec. 16
- Ribbon Rendezvous, 4 to 7:30 p.m. (Chinn Park Library)
- Teen Gingerbread Challenge, 6 to 7:30 p.m. (Haymarket Gainesville Library)
- Recording in Progress, 6 to 7:30 p.m. (Bull Run Library)
Dec. 17
- Board of County Supervisors Meeting, 2 p.m. (Woodbridge)
- Adults Create: Clothespin Snowflake Ornament, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. (Manassas Park)
- Winter Snowflake Making, 6 to 7 p.m. (Haymarket Gainesville Library)
Dec. 18
- AARP Smart Driver Course, 10:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. (Haymarket Gainesville Library)
- Crochet and Coffee, 11 a.m. to noon (Nokesville Library)
Dec. 20
- Memory Café with Comfort Keepers of Greater Prince William, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. (Haymarket Gainesville Library)
- Taverns & TTRPGs, 6 to 9 p.m. (Great Mane Brewery)
Dec. 21
- BRAVA Handbells Holiday Concert, 2 to 4 p.m. (Haymarket Gainesville Library)
Dec. 22
- Bad Art, 3 to 5 p.m. (Great Mane Brewery)
Dec. 23
- Bad Art Night, 6 to 7:30 p.m. (Chinn Park Library)
Dec. 30
- Brit Lit Book Club, 1 to 2:30 p.m. (Potomac Library)
Dec. 31
- New Year’s Eve Pre-Party Palooza, 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. (Central Library)
- Countdown to Noon, 11:45 a.m. (Bull Run Library)
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For Jean Humbrecht, becoming an attorney was a lifelong ambition. "I have always wanted to be an attorney. Specifically, I always wanted to work in the field of criminal law," she shared. "I love being in court, and I love that no day is ever the same."
