Press Release:
Domino’s stores across Greater Woodbridge are teaming up with Ghostbusters Virginia to collect Toys for Tots from now through Dec. 8 at participating locations. Domino’s hopes to help bring the joy of the holiday season to children in need through donations from community members.
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Press release:
The National Museum of the Marine Corps is hosting a series of festive events to celebrate this year’s holiday season. From classic holiday films to creative crafts and Santa visits, there are activities for everyone to enjoy. Admission to the Museum and parking are free, and all events are open to the public. The full list and schedule of events can be found on the Foundation’s website.
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The National Museum of the Marine Corps (NMMC) is offering a professional development opportunity for local teachers through its Nights at the Museum program. This innovative series, led by the Museum’s Teachers in Residence, Katie Malec of Prince William County Public Schools (PWCS) and Christine Russ of Stafford County Public Schools (SCPS), aims to deepen educators' understanding of the United States Marine Corps history and its role in shaping America.
Malec said these quarterly evening events “provide a rewarding experience that brings history to life.” Malec is in her second year as a Teacher in Residence after 17 years of teaching 7th-grade U.S. history. Russ has over 23 years of teaching preschool through sixth grade and this is her first year as Teacher in Residence. Malec said the two work as a team to "empower educators with tools and primary sources that make history relevant and engaging for their students.” The program's goal is to "promote United States Marine Corps history and its contributions in creating, developing, and defending our country."
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The National Museum of the Marine Corps unveiled two new galleries to the public on Sunday, commemorating the exhibits with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
The galleries feature hundreds of artifacts from all major United States Marine Corps operations from 1976 to 2021, including Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. As the 250th anniversary of the Corps approaches, this new exhibit will showcase the most recent 50 years.
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“The President’s Own” United States Marine Band will perform at the National Museum of the Marine Corps on August 22. The concert will start at 7 p.m. in the museum’s outdoor plaza.
The band, the premier band of the United States Marine Corps, will play various music. This includes patriotic and martial favorites, selections from the wind band repertoire, works by contemporary composers, and scores from film and theatre.
Guests are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or picnic blankets. The Museum, Medal of Honor Theater, Rifle Range, and Museum Store will stay open for extended hours until the concert starts. Tun Tavern will offer service from 4 to 6 p.m., and outdoor concessions will be available during the performance. Admission and parking are free, and no tickets are required.
Updates will be posted on the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation’s Facebook page in bad weather.
Event Details:
– When:Thursday, August 22, 7:00 p.m.
– Where: National Museum of the Marine Corps, 1775 Semper Fidelis Way, Triangle, VA 22172About the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation:
The Marine Corps Heritage Foundation, established in 1979, is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to preserving and promoting Marine Corps history. The Foundation supports historical programs of the Marine Corps through grants, scholarships, and the renovation, restoration, and commissioning of historical Marine Corps artifacts and landmarks. The Foundation funded the construction of the National Museum of the Marine Corps and Heritage Center and continues to expand its programs. More information can be found at MarineHeritage.org.
The U.S. Navy Band Cruisers are set to deliver a performance at the National Museum of the Marine Corps on July 25, 2024, at 7 p.m. This event is part of the ongoing MCHF Summer Concert Series.
Formed in 1999, the band consists of nine Navy members. The name, inspired by the Navy’s multi-missioned Cruiser ships, symbolizes the band’s versatile musical capabilities. Their repertoire includes jazz, rhythm blues, classic rock, and pop.
The concert will take place outdoors on the museum’s entry plaza, with provisions for weather conditions. Attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or picnic blankets for seating.
Before the concert, the museum and its facilities, including the Medal of Honor Theater and Rifle Range, will remain open until 7:00 PM, while Tun Tavern will close at 6:00 PM. Guests are reminded that alcoholic beverages are not permitted on museum grounds. The event is free to the public.
The Marine Corps Heritage Foundation (MCHF) announces that the last remaining USMC Mounted Color Guard will appear at the National Museum of the Marine Corps on May 23 and 24. Visitors will have the opportunity to meet the Mounted Color Guard and watch live demonstrations. This event is a rare occurrence for the west coast-based Mounted Color Guard.
The Mounted Color Guard’s origin dates back to 1911 during the Chinese Revolution when the Mounted Detachment, known as the “Horse Marines,” was the Marine Corps’ only designated cavalry unit. This elite unit, stationed in China, was tasked with maintaining contact with American citizens in Peking, conducting census, patrols, and delivering dispatches.
The visit coincides with MCHF’s annual tradition of placing flags in Semper Fidelis Memorial Park for Memorial Day to honor fallen Marines. The event will take place on May 23 from 3 to 6 p.m. and on May 24 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the National Museum of the Marine Corps, located at 1775 Semper Fidelis Way, Triangle.
Established in 1979, the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to preserving and promoting Marine Corps history. The Foundation supports the historical programs of the Marine Corps in ways not possible through government funds.
By Alan Gloss and Sarah Romero
Dumfries is celebrating its 275th anniversary this weekend, amid budgetary woes as it prepares for a three-day extravaganza to mark the occasion. Originally, the town council approved a $100,000 budget for the celebration, but it was revealed Tuesday that planners had overspent by $28,000.
The result is a cost-overrun of more than 130%. Meanwhile, they were only able to sell 12 tickets to the gala and still needed more money to hire a local musician to entertain gala guests.
In a post made to X this afternoon, the town government maintains the gala event is “sold out.”
One of the main contributors to the budget overrun was that planners approved a menu of braised beef tips and salmon without regard to the cost of catering such a meal, said town officials. The catering company Aramark is being paid nearly $40,000 for the meal and is expected to make 350 plates.
During a town council meeting held Tuesday, May 7, 2024, Vice Mayor Monae Nickerson, expressing frustration at the overspending, raised numerous questions during council discussions. “To be $28,000 over budget seems pretty fiscally irresponsible to me,” Nickerson said. “Did it ever occur to anyone that a $40,000 menu was too much to spend on food? We’re a local non-profit government.”
Responsibility for the overspending was a matter of contention among council members. Vice Mayor Nickerson and Councilman Tyrone Brown pointed fingers at Mayor Derrick Wood, who they claimed not only oversaw the citizen committee responsible for the celebration but also worked closely with the planning company hired to plan the event. “You are a chef; you should have known that braised beef and salmon is more expensive than chicken,” said Nickerson, citing Wood’s personal business running a barbeque food truck.
In response to the criticism, Wood attempted to shift the focus to finding solutions. “We can go back and forth for 30 or 45 minutes [placing blame], but town manager, do you have any solutions for this?” Mayor Wood asked.
The town manager, Tangela Innis, offered ways to cut spending, such as not hiring musician Marcus Johnson, who commands a rate of $5,000 an hour for his performances, or cutting the fireworks planned for Saturday at nearly $11,000 for the 20-minute display. Councilman Sean Peet asked for ways to keep the fireworks “for the children” so as not to disappoint them. Ultimately, none of Innis’s suggestions were adopted.
“I work in the hospitality business and understand how expensive food has become,” Wood told Potomac Local News when pressed on the cost overruns.
Adding to the budget woes, planners had originally thought they could sell 300 tickets at $100 each for the gala, to be held Friday, May 10 at the National Museum of the Marine Corps. The town could only manage to sell 12 at that price, then distributed the remaining 288 tickets for free the week before the event.
“It doesn’t make sense to me,” Nickerson stated. “Why would we use taxpayer money to entertain them in the celebration but then charge them to be a part of it?”
The council did not cut any events from the schedule and ultimately authorized an additional $35,000 for the event, with Nickerson voting against the measure.
The town council announced the three-day celebration in January. Among the many promises made at the time, officials said gala attendees could expect a well-orchestrated evening featuring a cocktail hour, musical performances by either the Army or Marine Corps bands, a buffet dinner, VIP recognitions, presentations, and keynote speeches.
The celebration, taking place this weekend, May 10-12, will include a series of events and activities designed to bring the community together to honor the town’s history, in addition to the gala. According to what little information is posted on the town’s website, there will be activities on May 11 and 12 at Garrison Park behind the town hall.
The 1.5-square-mile town in Prince William County is home to 6,000 residents and a soon-to-open The Rose gaming resort. The resort includes a hotel and restaurant and several video slot machines. It will be the first gambling business of its size to open in Northern Virginia.
As we gear up for the much-anticipated 275th-anniversary gala of the Town of Dumfries, we're curious to know how many of you are already in the loop about this historic event. Scheduled to take place at the prestigious National Museum of the Marine Corps. Potomac Local News has written multiple stories about the upcoming event, dating back to January 2024.
![U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Benjamin T. Watson, the Commanding General of Training and Education Command and Sgt. Maj. Stephen Griffin, the Command Sgt. Maj. of Training and Education Command, cut a ribbon at the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Triangle on Sunday. [U.S. Marine Corps Photo by Lance Cpl. Juaquin Greaves]](https://www.potomaclocal.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/marine-corps-new-exhibit-2.jpg){kind=link}
![Civilians look at displays at the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Triangle on Sunday. [U.S. Marine Corps Photo by Lance Cpl. Juaquin Greaves]](https://www.potomaclocal.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/marine-corps-new-exhibit-1.jpg){kind=link}
![Civilians look at displays at the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Triangle on Sunday. [U.S. Marine Corps Photo by Lance Cpl. Juaquin Greaves]](https://www.potomaclocal.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/marine-corps-new-exhibit-3.jpg){kind=link}