The Manassas Park Governing Body has appointed Kevin Moreau to fill a vacant seat on the Governing Body (City Council) following the recent election of Alana Mensing as mayor. Moreau will serve as an interim council member until a special election fills the vacancy.

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Manassas Park, the youngest city in Northern Virginia, is celebrating its 50th anniversary with a year-long series of events and activities that began on July 1, 2024. The town, which gained independence from Prince William County in 1957 and became an independent city in 1975, has grown into a vibrant and diverse community.

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Prince William County's ambitious $300 million Route 28 Bypass project is dead.

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Updated –Members of the community gathered to honor the Manassas Park police department for their diligent efforts in the investigation of Mamta Kafle Bhatt, a mother who has not been seen since July 2024. The recognition ceremony highlighted the role of law enforcement in uncovering key evidence in the high-profile case.

During the ceremony, 11 officers from the Manassas Park Police Department were presented with traditional Topi headdresses provided by Kafle Bhatt’s Nepalese family. Sunita Basnet Thapa, a coworker and mentor to Kafle Bhatt during her nursing career, explained the cultural significance of the Topi. “The headdress is traditionally presented to Nepalese men to identify them as honorable and hardworking,” she said.

This ceremony represents how far the police relationship with the community has developed. Early into the disappearance, residents harbored animosity toward what they perceived as police inaction and organized rallies and search parties to put pressure on local officials during the 22 days of her disappearance before police arrested the missing woman’s husband, Naresh Bhatt, on August 22, 2024.

Holly Wirth, another coworker of Kafle Bhatt, emphasized the importance of recognizing police contributions at this stage of the case. “We don’t have closure. We don’t have full justice. The truth is, what we have is only the work you did to bring us to this point. What happens now is really out of the control of the Police Department,” Wirth said.

Mamta Kafle Bhatt was last seen on July 30, 2024. Early in the investigation, police determined she was presumed dead. Her husband faces multiple charges related to her murder. Law enforcement alleges that Mamta was killed in her home, her body dismembered, and the remains disposed of in various trash receptacles across Northern Virginia.

A search of the home found what police describe as large pools of blood in the master bedroom and bathroom that had been cleaned; however, crime scene investigators used technology that allowed them to see where blood had been.

A significant development in the investigation came when the police obtained a warrant for GPS data from the couple’s Tesla. Police allege the data shows Naresh Bhatt’s movements in the days after she was last seen as he disposed of evidence. Forensic analysis matched DNA found on a reciprocating saw in the home to hair from Kafle Bhatt’s hairbrush, further substantiating the charges. Despite the GPS data, no human remains have been found despite dozens of searches.
Naresh Bhatt, a former contractor for the U.S. Secret Service, remains in custody at the Prince William Adult Detention Center without bond. Initially charged with concealing a dead body, the charges were later upgraded to include first-degree murder and defiling a dead body.

CourtTV, a cable TV broadcaster providing legal analysis of live court cases, has petitioned the Circuit Court to televise the trial. As of now, the court has not scheduled a hearing to address this request.

Bhatt’s trial is scheduled to begin September 8, 2025, and is expected to last 16 days.

Prince William County Public Schools

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Due to inclement weather, the Prince William County Judicial Center will be closed tomorrow, Monday, January 6, 2025. This closure affects all courts at the Judicial Center, including the Circuit Court, General District Court, and Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court.

The Prince William County Judicial Center, located in Manassas, is a significant facility serving the legal needs of a county with a population of over 482,000. The center houses several courtrooms, offices for judges and clerks, and resources for public access to judicial services. Its size and capacity make it a central hub for legal proceedings in one of Virginia’s most populous counties.

Residents and legal professionals are encouraged to check the Prince William County Government website at pwcva.gov/ei for updates on closures and rescheduling. Additional information about other government office closures due to the weather will also be available.

For those with scheduled court appearances, further details regarding rescheduling or deadlines will be communicated by the Clerk of the Circuit Court in the coming days.

Manassas Park City Schools (MPCS) announced that all schools will be closed on Monday, citing snowy conditions as the reason for the closure.

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Prince William County Police Officer Latrell Guy, who was a member of the 50th class, said he now better appreciates the hardships people face in dealing with mental illness.

“I just have a better understanding of what the person themselves might be going through and get them the help they need rather than go to a more restrictive route,” Guy said. “We need to understand what they have to live with and how we can help them get through their day. It’s something everyone should take in general to be more knowledgeable about these situations.”

According to a Dec. 31, 2024, press release from the county, the program, which was created in 2012, trains officers and community partners on how to help those experiencing a behavioral health crisis. The training also provides information on resources throughout the community.

“We want to get better trained in de-escalation techniques, at being able to recognize signs of mental illness and becoming familiar with and providing information about the resources available. We want to put that all into one package,” Prince William County Police Sgt. Eric Beard, the CIT assistant program coordinator, said.

Since the start of the program more than 10 years ago, more than 1,000 people from the various agencies have successfully finished the 40-hour training. In the county’s police department, nearly 500 officers have graduated. The program initially held two to three sessions per year, but now is able to hold closer to six or seven each year.

“[The program] has led us to … other collaborations – the Marcus Alert initiative, co-responders, our entire response system in Prince William – has been because of relationships we’ve built through starting this program,” Heather Baxter, behavioral health program manager with the county’s Community Services department, said. “I think this sets Prince William County apart from the rest of the state. Our relationships and the way we work together between mental health and the police departments has just made for an open relationship that has led to so many opportunities for us.”

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!