On Friday, August 30, 2024, the parking lot of Winners Church at 17877 Old Triangle Road transformed into a bustling center of health and wellness. Community members gathered for a comprehensive health fair aimed at providing crucial medical screenings and education to the uninsured and underinsured.

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A Prince William County man gifted his son his Virginia Lottery Cash4Life winnings, which totaled $1 million. Aaron Andrews, the recipient, received the gift from his father. He was married in April and since then, he and his wife have been living in his father's basement in the county. Andrews' father is an avid lottery player and bought a Cash4Life ticket. He ended up matching the first five winning numbers. This means his prize was either $1,000 every week for life or a one-time cash option of $1 million. Andrews opted for $1,000 every week. “I have a great father who has done nothing but look out for me!” Andrews said to Virginia Lottery officials as he redeemed the winning ticket.

The winning ticket was bought at PJ’s Neighborhood Variety Store (19122-A Fuller Heights Road) in Triangle. The winning numbers for the Aug. 3 drawing were 25-35-36-41-59, and the Cash Ball number was 2. The father used Easy Pick and allowed the computer to randomly select the numbers on the ticket.

The ticket was bought in Prince William County, which received more than $64.6 million in Lottery funds for K-12 education last fiscal year, the press release from Virginia Lottery News stated. In fiscal year 2024, the Lottery raised more than $934 million for K-12 education, making up approximately 10 percent of Virginia’s total K-12 school budget.

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Yesterday, Thursday, August 29, 2024, Northern Virginia experienced a severe storm that brought extensive rain, hail, and damaging winds, affecting areas including Prince William, Stafford, Manassas, and Fredericksburg.

Chris Strong from the National Weather Service Baltimore-Washington office noted the unusual nature of the storm, highlighting that "one of the biggest things that was more uncommon about that event was just how little wind there was in the general atmosphere for these storms to move around." This lack of atmospheric movement allowed the storms to "evolve and develop in place," leading to prolonged periods of heavy rain and persistent lightning across several areas.

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Welcome (or welcome back) to a new Potomac Local News series, “Meet the Principal.” With nearly two dozen new principals in Prince William County this school year, it’s important to get to know the folks in their new roles. The series launched on Monday with Gainesville Middle's, Edward Schultz and continued on Wednesday with Rockledge Elementary's Catherine Dennis. Potomac Local has asked each principal the same questions in bold, and their respective answers will be found below. Today, get to know Kathleen Poe, the new principal of King Elementary School in Dale City. Poe is a Prince William county native, PWCS graduate and has been teaching in the district since 2012. Most recently, she's served as assistant principal at Covington-Harper Elementary. Why Prince William County, and why King Elementary?

I am a PWCS graduate! I attended Lake Ridge Elementary, Lake Ridge Middle School, Marstellar Middle School and Brentsville High School. After graduating from Radford University, I came back home to PWCS and haven't looked back! I have taught second through fifth grade at Leesylvania Elementary and Covington Harper Elementary. Most recently, I was the assistant principal at Covington Harper Elementary.

King Elementary has felt like home for me since day one. The community and staff have been so welcoming. King is a hidden gem in PWCS. I love that it is a neighborhood school with a diverse population. We have over 26 home languages spoken at home

How will you bring your experience as a teacher and assistant principal to your new role as principal in PWCS?

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House of Mercy, a longstanding food pantry and thrift store near Manassas, announced significant operational changes in response to a sharp increase in demand for its services. The organization will temporarily halt new client registrations and shift from offering free to discounted clothing.

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A 63-year-old Nokesville man died after his 2003 Lexus GX was struck head-on by a 2021 Toyota Tundra that crossed the center line on Bristow Rd. Near Windy Hill Dr., the investigation continues, with speed ruled out as a factor for the Toyota driver.

From Prince William police:

Fatal Crash Investigation – On August 28 at 6:24PM, officers responded to the area of Bristow Rd. near Windy Hill Dr. in Nokesville (20181) to investigate a crash. The investigation revealed the driver of a 2021 Toyota Tundra was traveling eastbound on Bristow Rd. when the vehicle crossed over the center line and into the westbound lane of travel striking a 2003 Lexus GX in a head-on collision. The impact of the crash caused the Lexus to spin off of the roadway and come to a rest in the ditch while the Tundra remained on the roadway. The driver and sole occupant of the Lexus was transported to an area hospital where he died from injuries sustained in the collision. The driver and sole occupant of the Tundra was transported to an area hospital for minor injuries. Investigators determined that speed, was not a factor for the driver of the Tundra. The investigation continues.

Identified:
The deceased driver of the 2003 Lexus GX was identified as Thomas Spencer STARK, 63, of Nokesville

The driver of the 2021 Toyota Tundra was identified as a 61-year-old man of Woodbridge

Prince William County Police sent a release at 2:34 p.m. on Wednesday requesting public assistance in locating a 17-year-old girl in the Manassas area of the county. More from Prince William Police:

*MISSING ENDANGERED JUVENILE: The Prince William County Police Department is asking for the public's help locating Maritza AMBROCIO-CHAVEZ, who was last seen leaving her home on Willoughby Ln. in the Manassas area of Prince William County around 9:00 a.m. on August 28. Maritza also sent concerning messages to family members and drove away from the residence in a 2013 Black Nissan Altima with Virginia license plates: TKX-4762, on the morning of August 28. Maritza is believed to be missing under voluntary circumstances and may be in need of assistance which qualifies her as being listed as endangered. Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of this person is asked to contact Prince William County police at 703-792-6500 or your local police department.

Maritza AMBROCIO-CHAVEZ, is described as a Hispanic female, 17 years of age, 5’3”, 125lbs with black hair, pierced ears, brown eyes, and scars on her arms and thighs

She was last seen wearing a black t-shirt outlined with green, and red/green Christmas-style pants.

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Welcome to a new Potomac Local News series, “Meet the Principal.” With nearly two dozen new principals in Prince William County this school year, it’s important to get to know the folks in their new roles. The series launched on Monday with Gainesville Middle School's new principal, Edward Schultz.

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Area police have a message for the public: Slow down in school zones because school is back in session. Prince William County Police officers were out in force this week to encourage motorists to slow down in the posted school zones.

Lt. Jonathan Perok said, “School zone safety is a serious concern that impacts students, school staff, parents, and the broader community. Enforcement in these areas is one-way police can assist in ensuring the speed through these zones during critical times is followed. Drivers and pedestrians alike are urged to follow posted signs, avoid distractions, and plan extra time in their commute, especially during this transitional back-to-school period.”

In the hour Prince William motor officers conducted traffic enforcement, Perok noted that 10 traffic citations were issued.

Prince William County motorcycle Officers Shawn Gallagher and Anthony Lynch did their due diligence by driving by all the school zone signs in the zone near Piney Branch Elementary School in Nokesville to ensure signs in all directions were visible and illuminated before beginning enforcement actions.
Potomac Local News interviewed two alleged school zone speeders as they left their traffic stops. Both said they weren’t paying attention but were distracted by construction on the road even though the school zone signs were visible and flashing.

Neither driver was willing to identify themselves, but one accepted that the charges were valid, saying he was on his way to the gym just past the school and simply wasn’t paying attention to the sign on a road he travels daily. The other driver, a woman, was forced to walk away from the traffic stop due to her expired registration and police seizing her license plates. Officers did not tow her car but advised her to fix the registration and other deficiencies before driving.

At Penn Elementary School in Dale City, a parent handbook advises parents wishing to avoid the drop-off lines that it’s better to wait in line than drop off students because the crosswalk is a “significant safety concern.” However, acknowledging the school has “many walkers,” it is crucial for parents to follow proper drop-off procedures to ensure student safety.

The vigilance by Prince William police in enforcing traffic safety laws in school zones is underscored by tragic incidents in recent years. In 2019, a 16-year-old driver struck and killed a 67-year-old woman in front of Graham Park Middle School in Dumfries on a Friday morning.
In 2021, two separate instances resulted in the deaths of two 13-year-olds who were killed while crossing James Madison Highway in front of Battlefield High School.

Drivers who violate the school zone law face stiff penalties. In addition to the average cost of the speeding ticket, violators are assessed an additional $250 fine because the speeding took place in a school zone. A 2020 Virginia law allows jurisdictions to install automated speed cameras in school zones, although the penalties for automated devices are governed separately from speed enforcement by sworn officers.

Many schools have electronic school zone signs that flash yellow lights to warn drivers 30 minutes before school starts for one full hour. They turn on again in the afternoon when schools release and remain on 30 minutes after.

As students throughout the area return to school, Prince William County Police remind the community that school zone safety is a shared responsibility. By following posted speed limits, avoiding distractions, and allowing extra time for commutes, drivers can help protect the lives of students and other members of the community. The police will continue their enforcement efforts throughout the school year to ensure that these critical safety measures are observed.