At the Occoquan Town Council’s November 6 meeting, members revisited the Riverwalk Project, a long-anticipated expansion to connect more of the town’s waterfront to its main pedestrian pathways.
This discussion followed up on plans from the September 20, 2022 meeting, when the council authorized the Berkley Group to develop a comprehensive project vision covering the Riverwalk and Riverwalk Overlook expansions. This plan, funded through the State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF), involved a survey of local conditions, community feedback sessions, and preliminary diagrams, ultimately completed in September 2023.
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Today, November 10, the National Museum of the Marine Corps honors the 249th birthday of the United States Marine Corps with special events and a live stream, allowing Marines and supporters worldwide to join in the celebration.
Since November 10, 1775, the Marine Corps has stood as a symbol of Honor, Courage, and Commitment. The museum at Quantico plays a vital role in preserving the Corps' history and legacy, offering a space where Marines from all generations can reflect, remember, and inspire others.
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The Rose Gaming Resort celebrated its grand opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony held in its newly built multi-story parking garage. Local and state leaders, including Mayor Derrick Wood, Virginia Delegate Luke Torian, and Virginia Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Matthew Lohr, joined senior officials from Churchill Downs Incorporated (CDI), the company behind The Rose.
The $460 million facility promises to be Northern Virginia’s premier gaming and entertainment destination, offering a wide array of amenities, including 1,650 historical horse racing machines, eight restaurants and bars, over 100 hotel rooms, and a vibrant event space.
Churchill Downs Incorporated CEO William C. Carstanjen praised the dedication of the 500-member team and the intense efforts that went into transforming the site, a former landfill, into what is now a state-of-the-art gaming and entertainment complex. “This project has faced its share of challenges,” Carstanjen said, referencing the technical and construction obstacles posed by building on a reclaimed landfill. “But for us, the opportunity to convert this site into a new facility has been a labor of love.”
Mayor Derrick Wood echoed these sentiments, reflecting on the landfill’s past and the significant transformation it symbolizes for Dumfries. “Today’s ribbon cutting is more than just an event; it’s the beginning of a new era for our town,” he stated. He highlighted the evolution of the property from an eyesore to a “landmark” that will redefine Dumfries, not only visually but economically. The Rose Gaming Resort, he noted, is projected to inject millions in tax revenue and create hundreds of jobs, further enhancing the town’s growth and revitalization efforts.
The event emphasized community engagement and CDI’s commitment to the Dumfries area. Mayor Wood praised CDI’s "Rosie's Gives Back" program, which has pledged $100,000 in donations to local initiatives, reinforcing The Rose’s role as an engaged community partner. Local residents now look forward to the economic and cultural impact of this new landmark, which is expected to attract visitors from across the DC, Maryland, and Virginia region, solidifying Dumfries as a go-to destination for entertainment and hospitality.
Hundreds lined up to enter the game room while the ribbon cutting took place.
The grand opening signifies a major milestone in Dumfries' ongoing development and a promising future fueled by public-private partnerships and community-focused growth, according to its mayor.
The Rose held a ribbon cutting on Thursday, November 7, 2024, to mark the completion of the $460 million gaming resort in Dumfries, Virignia. pic.twitter.com/4278fn4PqI
— Potomac Local News (@PotomacLocal) November 8, 2024
According to the Virginia Public Access Project (VPAP), a nonpartisan nonprofit that provides accessible financial and campaign information for elections, Trump decreased the Democrats' lead on him in the county this year. In 2020, President Joe Biden won the county with 63% of the vote share, while Trump only took 36% of the vote share. In 2024, Vice President Kamala Harris (D) won the county with 57% of the vote share, and Trump captured 40% of the vote.
Trump performed best in certain parts of the county, as is shown in the chart above. His best performance — or precincts where he commanded a larger, more comfortable lead — were Independent Hill, Brentsville, Nokesville, Catharpin, Gravely and Evergreen. In each of these precincts, Trump captured more than 60% of the vote share of Election Day voters.
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The conversation centered around the effects of an ongoing pilot program restricting phone use during instructional time. The board considered two potential paths: maintaining the current guidelines with limited phone access or adopting a stricter “bell-to-bell” policy.
The board first implemented a cell phone pilot program at the start of the 2024–25 school year, following Gov. Glenn Youngkin's order to schools to develop and implement plans for cell phone-free learning by 2025. Prince William County Public Schools' current policy requires that cell phones be turned off and put away during class periods, with high school students allowed access during lunch and passing periods. The goal is to foster a more engaging classroom environment with increased face-to-face student interactions.
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Uriah’s note: Welcome to another installment of our History and Heritage Feature Series, which was made possible through the support of Sentara. This series celebrates the rich cultural heritage and history of Prince William County, Stafford County, Manassas, Manassas Park, and Fredericksburg.
Through articles on crucial historical events, profiles of notable landmarks, and personal stories from residents, we aim to connect you to the past meaningfully. Sentara’s commitment to community involvement helps bring these stories to life, preserving our region’s heritage for future generations.
Thank you for supporting local journalism.
In Fredericksburg, there are a couple of newspapers and radio stations but no local television station. Residents must rely on TV broadcast signals from Washington, D.C., or Richmond, beaming from as far as 53 miles and 58 miles away, respectively.
However, in the early 1970s and mid-1980s, a couple of entrepreneurs took a stab at bringing local broadcast TV to Fredericksburg. In October 1973, WHFV-TV was launched from a building of the current-day TV Drive just off Patriot Highway. The tower is still there.
“It was local, board meetings and stuff like that,” said one of the staff at the Spotsylvania Animal Shelter, which sits across the street from the old TV station and tower. “Used to be in that building…” they said, pointing to a tower right across TV Drive from the shelter. Another member of the staff named Natalie “used to do one of the worker’s hair,” when she dabbled as a hair stylist.
Captain Willy Tydings works in the shelter and remembers his stint at the Rappahannock Cable Company or RCCTV in the mid-1980s. “I remember being on that station when I was a young man,” he said, remembering his role as a representative for the Future Farmers of America he said.
Delegate Bobby Orrock (R-66) was the newscaster at RCCTV and remembers rushing from one job, changing into a coat and tie and dashing into his studio. “I did the evening news for four to six months,” he said, “we never had a large audience.”
The lead sentence in a Free Lance-Star article dated October 8, 1973, states, “Telecasting will begin today by WHFV-TV, an NBC-affiliated television station in Fredericksburg.” It had a local news show called “Newswatch,” and the program director, Monty Smith, quoted it. It mentioned the 499-foot transmitting tower on Hudgins Road, still standing today. In addition to Fredericksburg, it covered Stafford, Spotsylvania, Caroline, and King George counties.
Another Free Lance-Star article, dated December 18, 1974, stated that an evangelist, Chris Panos, was slated to buy that station. Panos was working with executives from the KVRL station in Houston, namely Marvin Picard. While in town, Picard was interviewed by the then-news director Tom Delancy, and Picard discussed a plan to keep the station in operation.
On Wikipedia, the station was listed as WHFV TV 69. It started in 1973 but only lasted until 1975, when it “found itself in debt and losing money. “
Fredericksburg has dabbled with the television station idea several times since the early 1970s. In May 1971, an application was filed to create a UHF station; in 1976, another application was filed to start WNVI, but it was unclear what happened to them. In March 1981, more station efforts went forward, and in 1984, plans were made for another Channel 69 station, which ended up being RCCTV. However, the ads could not support it, so it folded after a few years.
In October 1976, the empty television station building on Hudgins Road was slated to become a media center for various churches. “Media center” was a common term used at that time when libraries expanded by carrying many electronic means too. This effort was led by Tower Ministries and included rooms for the churches for meetings, banquets, counseling with food, and piped-in gospel music. Now TV Drive has the animal shelter, a few car repair shops, and a 499-foot, red and white tower as a reminder of the local stations that once gave it a try.
A proposal to grant Stafford County employees additional holiday time around Thanksgiving and Christmas led to a heated debate among members of the Stafford County Board of Supervisors at their recent meeting. The proposal, which would give employees an additional four hours off before each holiday — effectively turning them into full days off — failed in a 3-3 tie, with one board member absent. The issue is set to be revisited at the next board meeting.
Supporters of the proposal argue that granting these extra hours shows appreciation for county employees and would boost morale. "Our employees work incredibly hard throughout the year, and this is a small gesture of thanks that can go a long way in showing them we value their efforts," said Aquia Supervisor Monica Gary. "Taking care of our staff helps us retain talented people and makes Stafford County a more attractive place to work."
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Germanna Community College (GCC) has expanded its presence in Stafford County with the opening of two new state-of-the-art locations designed to serve local students and support workforce development, including specialized resources for military personnel stationed at Quantico. The facilities, located on Center Street in Stafford, mark a significant milestone in the college’s mission to offer accessible education and workforce training across the region.
Dr. Cheri Maea, Dean of Academic and Workforce Operations and site supervisor for the new Stafford location, expressed enthusiasm for the expansion and its potential impact on Stafford County’s educational landscape. "These new facilities will allow us to double our nursing program and provide our students with modern resources and programs right in their community," Maier said. "Our goal is to make it easier for students to get the education they need to excel in high-demand fields without having to travel far."
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The proposed Bristow Campus data center project, slated for consideration by the Prince William Board of County Supervisors on November 19, 2024, has been deferred.
Gainesville District Supervisor Bob Weir noted that the applicant may have anticipated a lack of support for the project. “I think they know they don’t have the votes,” said Weir. It’s unclear when supervisors may take up the case.
The Bristow Campus development, led by Stack Infrastructure, aims to rezone agricultural land near Nokesville Road and Broad Run Creek into a Planned Business District. This rezoning would permit two high-rise office buildings and light industrial structures up to 75 feet tall.
The proposed site plan includes a 50-foot buffer to protect critical areas, 25 acres of preserved open space, and nearly 14 acres dedicated to parks and recreation. A trail along Broad Run Linear Park is also planned.
Community leaders and residents have expressed growing concern over the increasing presence of data centers in Prince William County. Kathy Kulick, Vice Chair of the HOA Round Table of Northern Virginia, highlighted the potential impacts of data centers on residential communities.
“We’re essentially a discussion and information exchange forum for residential community leaders,” said Kulick, explaining her organization’s role in helping local communities understand development projects. Data centers, according to Kulick, often bring noise, environmental concerns, and infrastructure strain. “Data center noise is real… residents don’t really realize what’s going on until one night they can’t sleep,” she said, adding that diesel generators and air quality impacts are additional concerns.
Kulick also noted that this development falls outside the Prince William County Data Center Overlay District, a designated area approved in 2017 to provide infrastructure suited for data centers. The Overlay District aims to ensure new data centers have access to adequate water and power, yet, as Kulick pointed out, “This Bristow Campus… is located outside of that area.” This deviation has raised questions about whether the county’s infrastructure can support the energy demands of the data center, prompting discussions around alternative energy sources, including small modular nuclear reactors.
The Bristow Campus project mirrors other controversial data center developments in Prince William County, including the recently approved Devlin Technology Park. This project, backed by Stanley Martin Homes, has faced ongoing legal challenges from residents of the Bristow area, who formed the group Defend Devlin. These residents, represented by attorney Donna Gallant, are appealing a previous court dismissal of their case, hoping to prevent data centers from being constructed near Chris Yung Elementary School and several neighborhoods.
If approved, Bristow Campus would be part of a larger trend bringing data centers to residential areas, despite objections. Prince William County residents, particularly in the western region, are facing the possibility of high-rise data centers encroaching on neighborhoods, schools, and parks, potentially altering the character of these communities.
The HOA Round Table of Northern Virginia is working to alert residents across multiple counties, including Loudoun, Fairfax, and Fauquier, about potential developments. In addition to noise and environmental concerns, Kulick raised the issue of rising utility costs for residents, as extensive infrastructure upgrades would be necessary to support the Bristow Campus and similar developments.
