Despite the congestion of the presidential election and national politics, there were several important local races that voters decided on last week, including the Manassas City Public Schools (MCPS) Board.

In the race for four Board seats, the eight candidates ran spirited campaigns discussing a variety of issues, including absenteeism, standardized test scores, community engagement and the like.

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Around 100 Unity Reed High School (URHS) students attended a skilled trades expo sponsored by Prince William County's Department of Facilities and Fleet Management (FFM) earlier this month.

Held at the school driver's education range, the event was meant to "inspire students to consider careers in public service and skilled trades," a county press release stated.

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Prince William County’s Office of Housing and Community Development (OHCD) is now conducting its Housing and Community Needs Survey to gather resident perspectives on these needs.

Because the county, the City of Manassas and Manassas Park receive $3 million in federal funds from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the county is administering this survey to best determine where the highest needs are in the community.

Some of the questions on the form are:

• In your opinion, what type of housing is needed?
• What type of public improvements are needed?
• What public service needs do you see in your community?
• What groups of people have the most need?
• What types of community facilities are needed?
• What types of needs are in your community for people experiencing or at risk-of homelessness?

Joan Duckett, the director of OHCD, emphasized the importance of community input.

“Hearing directly from residents provides us with valuable guidance on how to prioritize and direct our resources. Community feedback is essential to shaping programs that meet the unique needs of our area, and it allows us to make informed decisions that support a stronger, more resilient community,” Duckett said.

There is an opportunity to participate in a work group to discuss further the housing and community needs. Responses are kept anonymous.

Click here to be taken to the form.

ARTfactory’s community theatre, Rooftop Productions, will be functioning under a new name, ARTfactory Actors Theatre, and paying its actors beginning Jan. 1, 2025.

The ARTfactory’s transition marks a significant one for the area, as it is the only professional theatre company in the Greater Manassas area.

Talya Conroy, CEO of the ARTfactory, said paying actors is part of the organization’s mission and the nonprofit was ready to take the leap.

“We have worked hard to be able to pay production teams for their time and talents, and now the ARTfactory is in a position to extend that professional credit to local actors,” she said in a press release.

In an interview, Conroy said this was a big step for the nonprofit to take, but it provides more grant opportunities both in the Commonwealth and in the United States if they were to pay their actors. She also noted with the community’s support and volunteers, this was made a possibility.

As for the professional status, this was another leap the nonprofit took on its own. Conroy said she and Producing Artistic Director Kimberly Kemp presented the opportunity to gain a professional status to the ARTfactory’s Board of Directors.

Conroy clarified the only difference moving forward is that the nonprofit now pays its people, but it will always be community-oriented.

“Our culture … will always remain: that community-based culture. We are just going to the next step, but we are community-based and invite everyone to participate and audition,” she said.

Update Nov. 12, 2024, at 5:30 p.m.: An earlier version of this article stated the ARTfactory would become the only professional theater company in the Greater Prince William County area. There is another professional theater company in Bristow. This article has been updated with the correct information.

Founded in 2020, Commonwealth Aviation has merged with Aero Elite and expanded to a new office space in Manassas, becoming one of the largest flight schools in the mid-Atlantic. The new location was celebrated with a ribbon-cutting on November 1, offering a professional and welcoming environment for students and pilots.

Press Release:

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Kelly Wasson, an art teacher at Independence Nontraditional School, will receive the Council for Art Education’s Award of Excellence for her efforts in the state’s Youth Art Month.

Wasson was the Youth Art Month Chair for the Virginia Art Education Association (VAEA), which takes place each year in March across the United States. Wasson is being recognized for her digital portfolio, which highlights various activities that took place during Youth Art Month across the Commonwealth.

According to a Prince William County Schools press release, Wasson’s portfolio included many events and celebrations. Youth Art Month is often a way for art educators to showcase their students’ artwork via festivals, social media posts or community events.

“It feels truly wonderful to receive recognition. When I began my journey as a new art teacher, I relied heavily on VAEA and gained invaluable insights from their numerous professional development opportunities. Now, as a veteran art educator, I am eager to give back as much as possible. It’s inspiring to consider that Virginia stands out as one of the leading states in promoting the arts,” Wasson said.

The veteran teacher has always strived to create opportunities for students and unite them through art, Manassas’ Independent Nontraditional Principal Stephanie Bretzke said.

“Her passion and belief that art unites our students’ minds and lives and creates opportunities for them to make cross-curricular connections through the visual arts is what makes [her] unique,” Bretzke said. “I have known that she is a huge advocate for students at Independence Nontraditional School and PWCS, but to know that her knowledge and skill is being recognized at the national level is a true testament to the work she does as an educator.”

We’re getting our first look at Christmastime events in and around Manassas, and it’s shaping up to be a season full of festive fun for the whole family.

Manassas City has a lineup of holiday happenings in early December. On Friday night, December 6, at 5:15 p.m., the city will light up with Santa Lights Manassas. Santa will arrive to bring holiday cheer and officially kick off the season with the lighting ceremony. The celebrations continue with the 78th Greater Manassas Christmas Parade on Saturday, December 7, at 10 a.m. This year’s theme, Christmas in Candyland, promises a delightful parade filled with sweet surprises, from colorful floats to festive marching bands.

If you want to get some winter fun on the ice, Harris Pavilion in Manassas will transform into an ice skating rink from November 15, 2024, through January 5, 2025. Visitors can enjoy skating under the winter sky, with all the details on times, costs, and skate rentals available on the Manassas City Parks, Culture & Recreation website. For those looking to make it a private affair, the pavilion offers one-hour private ice skating sessions for groups of up to 20, perfect for family get-togethers or office holiday parties.

Manassas Park is also joining in the festivities with their Light Parade & Viewing Party on Saturday, December 7, from 5 to 10 p.m. at Manassas Drive & Park Central Plaza. The event will feature a light parade, tree lighting, food trucks, a holiday movie, and even a chance to grab a photo with Santa. It’s a great way for the community to come together and enjoy a night of holiday lights and cheer. For more information, you can check out mpdpr.com/mplightparade.

In Nokesville, two cherished holiday traditions are back. The Nokesville Tree Lighting kicks things off on Friday, November 29, at 6 p.m. at 12923 Fitzwater Drive. Bring the family out to meet the Claus family, enjoy caroling, and soak up the holiday spirit. Then, on Saturday, December 14, at 4 PM, Santa will make a special return for the annual Nokesville Christmas Parade. With Santa riding on a holiday-themed float and community participants adding to the cheer, this parade will light up the season. Miller Toyota and Prince William County F.U.N sponsor both events.

Vice President Kamala Harris (D) outperformed — commanded a larger, more comfortable lead — President Joe Biden in Manassas City in the 2024 presidential election, gaining a higher percentage of the city's voters than Biden did in 2020.

According to the Virginia Public Access Project (VPAP), a nonpartisan nonprofit that provides accessible financial and campaign information for elections, in last week's presidential election — despite President-elect Donald Trump's performance in other Virginia counties and cities — the City of Manassas shifted more to the left, a trend not seen in many neighboring jurisdictions.

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The American Legion Post 10 is hosting its annual Veterans Day ceremony in the City of Manassas Saturday (tomorrow) at the Harris Pavilion.

The ceremony will take place at 10 a.m. Saturday, but attendees should be seated in the pavilion by 9:30 a.m. There will be several performances this year by the following:

• Osbourn High School Marching Band;
• Unity Reed High School Air Force JROTC;
• Northern Virginia  Firefighters Emerald Society Pipe Band;
• The Young Marines; and
• The Boy Scouts.

And several people will give their remarks at the ceremony:

• M.C. Gunnery Sgt. M. Lewis;
• Steve Botello (Chaplain, American Legion Post 10);
• Douglas Keen, Manassas City Police Chief/Interim City Manager;
• Rick Raskin (Veterans of Foreign Wars, Post 7589);
• Cmdr. Stan Moore (American Legion Post 10);
• Lt. General Dan O’Donohue (USMC retired); and
• Rebecca R.Neiss.

Post 10 was formerly charted in 1986 and is named for Robert “Bobby” Vincent McMaugh, a member of the Marine Security Guard at the U.S. Embassy in Beirut, Lebanon, on April 18, 1983. According to the Post 10’s website, McMaugh was killed with 16 other Americans and dozens of Lebanese citizens when the embassy was attacked.

If you’re going:

• What: Veterans Day Ceremony by the American Legion Post 10
• When: Saturday, Nov. 9 at 10 a.m.
• Where: Harris Pavilion (9201 Center St., Manassas)