WoodbridgeNaz Church announces the grand reopening of its Food Pantry on August 13 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at noon and free grocery distribution for clients from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. The pantry will be open on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month. The church invites the community to volunteer and support the initiative.

Press release:

WoodbridgeNaz (a Church of the Nazarene) is pleased to announce the grand reopening of the Woodbridge Nazarene Food Pantry Aug.13 featuring two events.

At noon, community representatives and donors are invited to a ribbon-cutting ceremony and tour. Please RSVP at [email protected]

That evening, from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m., clients will receive free groceries. Thereafter, the pantry will be open the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month. On-site registration is required and is provided during distribution hours. No income qualifications are required. The church is located at 14001 Smoketown Road, Woodbridge, Virginia, 22912. The food pantry pavilion is at the rear of the building.

“Re-opening our pantry has been journey built on patience, collaboration, and trusting God. This celebration is a blessing for us and the community we serve,” said the Rev. Pamm Fontana, Senior Pastor. “Isaiah 58:10 teaches us, ‘Feed the hungry, and help those in trouble. Then your light will shine out from the darkness, and the darkness around you will be bright as noon.’ We are grateful for the opportunity to use the resources God has entrusted to us to be a good neighbor to our community.”

The food pantry paused in November 2023 to allow for construction. Prior to the administrative pause, the pantry served more than 20,000 people in the past year. Community members can volunteer to prepare and serve groceries. Contact [email protected] for pantry orientation dates. Potential clients can register for pantry updates in English and Spanish by texting (833) 417-5568.

The pantry is a joint effort between WoodbridgeNaz and Iglesia del Nazareno de Woodbridge. Generous support from surrounding communities helped make it happen. The Human Services Alliance of Greater Prince William provided funding for installation of a walk-in cooler and pavilion. Sentara Cares donated to remodeling the kitchen. Capital Area Food Bank and Northern Virginia Food Rescue (and their partners) generously provide food.

WoodbridgeNaz has long partnered with other organizations to be a food distribution site for our zip code, 22192. This area, along with neighboring zip codes 22125, 22193, and 22191, currently have high food insecurity rates.

The church actively serves the community in a variety of ways. A free Clothing Closet is available by appointment. A Community Connection Closet connects new, donated household goods to local non-profits and case workers. Together, these charitable endeavors are called the Community Connection Ministries.

The WoodbridgeNaz Community Connection Ministries mission statement is “Demonstrating the love of God through compassionate commitment to the community one person at a time” which support’s the church’s overall mission statement of making Christ-like disciples in all nations who are real, relevant, and relational.

WoodbridgeNaz was established in Woodbridge, Virginia, in 1966. Members built the current campus on the then-rural Smoketown Road in 1974. For over 55 years WoodbridgeNaz has worshipped Jesus and ministered to the needy and homeless in Prince William County and DC, while supporting the Church of the Nazarene’s ministries in 165 world areas. Church of the Nazarene is a protestant denomination in the Wesleyan-Holiness tradition. There are over 30,000 Nazarene churches globally with 2.7 million members.

For more information on the pantry and church, call (703) 670-2252; email [email protected]; or visit https://www.woodbridgenaz.com.

A town hall meeting is scheduled for tonight, Tuesday, August 6, 2024, to discuss the proposed development of 300 new homes at Belmont Bay in Woodbridge. The conference, hosted by developer Miller & Smith, will occur at 7 p.m. at The Osprey Community Building, 401 Belmont Bay Drive, Woodbridge.

Prince William Board of County Supervisors Chair At-large Deshundra Jefferson and Woodbridge District Supervisor Margaret Angela Franklin will attend the event to inform residents about the development project and offer a platform for community feedback.

Dr. Jack Kooyoomjian, President of the Lake Ridge-Occoquan-Coles Civic Association (LOCCA), emphasized the importance of resident participation in this Open House to ensure the developers hear community concerns and suggestions.

Residents of Belmont Bay are encouraged to attend to learn more about the project and to have their questions addressed by representatives from Miller & Smith. The developers will present details about the new homes and gather input from the community regarding the proposal.

Chiquita Pena is set to compete in the Miss Veteran America competition in Orlando this October.

Pena, of Woodbridge, has been a Virginia resident for 13 years, originally hailing from North Carolina. “The military is how I found my way to Virginia,” Pena said. She served as an Army reservist, working in banking and later as a financial specialist and public affairs professional, with deployments to Afghanistan twice. “I served for 16 years,” she added.

Pena is now a Realtor in Virginia and juggles multiple roles, including government contracting and raising two children. She credits her Army training with her ability to handle diverse tasks.

Miss Veteran America is a competition that highlights the woman beyond the uniform, aiming to benefit women veterans through the nonprofit Final Salute, Inc. “Their sole mission is to provide safe and suitable housing for women veterans and their children,” Pena explained. She shared her personal connection to the organization, having lived in one of their transitional homes after returning from Afghanistan. “My daughter and I were able to make a thriving life with the help of Final Salute.”

Final Salute Inc. operates a transitional home in Alexandria, where women veterans can live for up to 24 months while receiving financial counseling, non-perishable food items, diapers, and other essential resources. Final Salute has assisted over 8,000 families through its services, emphasizing a hand-up approach to help women veterans regain their independence and dignity.

The nonprofit offers a range of supportive services, including transitional housing, financial assistance, and peer support, to help women veterans rebuild their lives and achieve stability.

The Miss Veteran America competition involves various elements, including interviews, advocacy, and a talent portion. “We are measured by our knowledge on Miss Veteran America, Final Salute, and issues surrounding women veterans,” Pena said. She emphasized her advocacy efforts, such as spreading awareness about women veterans’ homelessness and participating in fundraising efforts.

For the talent portion, Pena performed a lip-sync to “QUEEN” by Janelle Monae. She previously won the push-up competition, known as GI Joanne, in 2016. “Whoever reaches muscle failure last is the winner,” she explained.

As she prepares for the competition, Pena hopes to treat her 13-year-old daughter to the sights of Orlando. “Maybe going to the park or Disney would be great before the competition,” she said. She is also grateful for the support of her friends and family.

Pena represents Virginia in this national competition and encourages her community to support her through social media and sponsorship opportunities. “Please go to Miss Veteran America’s website and learn about the competition. Look at Final Salute’s mission and see how you can help,” she urged.

Washingtonian: Tommy Richman’s “Million Dollar Baby” is one of the biggest hits of the summer. The track debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 just below Taylor Swift. There are viral TikTok dances to the song. And it’s catapulted the Woodbridge, Virginia, native into the international spotlight. Read More

Press release:

Brew Republic Bierwerks, a craft brewery known for great beer and delicious food since 2016, took home three medals at the 2024 Virginia Craft Brewers Guild’s Virginia Craft Beer Cup on Monday night.

A record 128 breweries competed in this year’s competition, including 20 new participants. Brewers submitted up to four beers each, judged in 33 different categories. This year’s competition saw a record 473 beers entered—it continues to be the largest state competition of its kind in the United States.

Brew Republic won three medals this year:
Inception Imperial Coffee Stout won a bronze medal in the strong ale category. Inception (11.6% ABV) features coffee beans infused with the previous batch of beer, then beer infused with those coffee beans, then later more coffee beans infused with this beer, for a dizzying inception.

Weizenbock won a silver medal in the German and American wheat category. Weizenbock (10.7% ABV) was brewed in collaboration with the founding brewer of Brew Republic. Born of our Hefe yeast, banana and clove dominates, closely followed by a sweet breadiness from Munich and caramel malts.
Eisbock (last year’s gold medal winner) defended its crown and won gold for the second time in the strong European lagers category. Eisbock (10.3% ABV) is a strong lager—a Dopplebock that is taken to freezing temperatures, which removes some of the water content to strengthen the beer further.

Our Eisbock will be featured at the Virginia Governor’s Mansion at an event later this year.

These three medal winners, along more than a dozen more of our delicious beers, are available on tap in the Brew Republic taproom, located in the Stonebridge shopping center in Woodbridge, Virginia. To-go formats are available as well in limited quantities. All our beer is brwered is brewed on-site, just steps from the taps that serve it.

Brew Republic also features a kitchen with a rotating selection of entrée sized and small-plate menu items, all designed and crafted by the brewery’s chef and kitchen team. The food is prepared to pair with the beer, and uses fresh and locally-sourced ingredients when available.

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At a press conference Thursday night, Derrick Anderson, the Republican candidate for Virginia’s 7th Congressional District, spoke about the riots at Union Station on Wednesday, July 24, 2024, where pro-Hamas protestors defaced federal monuments and burned the U.S. flag. Anderson, an Army Green Beret, drew on his military service to underscore the gravity of the protestors’ actions and the impact on national unity.

“Hamas is coming” was scrawled in red across the face of the Columbus Monument at Union Station, alongside slogans, such as “free Gaza” and “all Zionists are bastards.” The riots coincided with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to Congress.

Anderson described the flag burning as a personal affront. “As someone who’s a former Green Beret who spent over 10 years in the U.S. Army, someone who did over 150 funerals in Arlington National Cemetery where I laid that flag on our service members before their family members saw them laid to rest, it hit hard to me, it hit incredibly hard,” he said. He recounted his experiences in Afghanistan, including the loss of five of his own soldiers and returning home with their flag-draped coffins for their last fight home. Anderson emphasized that the desecration of the flag at Union Station symbolized a broader disunity within the country.

Anderson criticized his opponent Eugene Vindman for remaining silent in the wake of the riots, calling for greater transparency and action from political leaders. “My opponent has been silent until a few minutes ago, but that’s a day late and a dollar short. It’s time for leaders to act and say what they mean. Transparency is important, and the folks here in the 7th Congressional District deserve transparency, they don’t need a politician that waits to see where the political headwinds blow before standing up for something” he asserted.

Vindman posted to his X account one minute before Anderson began his scheduled press conference, writing, “Violence and destruction are not peaceful protests; it’s not about left or right, it’s about right and wrong. And it was wrong when rioters stormed the Capitol on January 6, and it’s wrong when anti-Israel protesters assaulted police officers and spray-painted Hamas slogans on Washington, DC monuments. I ask my opponent to join me in calling out all forms of violence immediately.”

Violence and destruction are not peaceful protests; it’s not about left or right, it’s about right and wrong.

And it was wrong when rioters stormed the Capitol on January 6 and it’s wrong when anti-Israel protesters assault police officers and spray paint Hamas slogans on… https://t.co/LRYdVMDXQc

— Eugene Vindman (@YVindman) July 25, 2024

Condemnation of Pro-Hamas Support
The candidate also highlighted the role of foreign influence in the protests, referencing reports that Iran had been funding some of these demonstrations. “Our enemies are watching—Iran, China, Russia. In fact, we just saw reports that Iran has been funding some of these protests that are happening in Washington, D.C. and continue to happen,” he said.

Congressman Rob Wittman’s Support
Congressman Rob Wittman (R), who represented part of Prince Willliam County until redistricting in 2021, who joined Anderson at the press conference, echoed his sentiments. Wittman condemned the burning of the U.S. flag and the display of pro-Hamas and Palestinian flags, describing these actions as disrespectful and un-American. “It was disrespectful. It was disloyal to who we are as a nation. Those things can’t be allowed to occur without speaking out against those efforts,” Wittman stated.

Wittman’s district’s boundaries shifted out of Northern Virginia and further southeast, toward Virginia’s Northern Neck and Williamsburg.

First Amendment and Moral Rights
Anderson reiterated his support for the First Amendment but stressed the difference between the legal right to protest and the moral rightness of actions. “While you might have the right to do something, it doesn’t necessarily make it right. And that’s something that we’ve lost as a country,” he said.

Accountability and Prosecution
When asked about the potential for prosecutions following the riots, Anderson noted the lack of specific laws against flag desecration but highlighted other illegal activities, such as graffiti and assaults on law enforcement. He emphasized the need for accountability and consequences for breaking the law.
Call for Unity

Anderson emphasized the need for national unity and common sense throughout his remarks. He called on the residents of the 7th Congressional District to demand transparency and accountability from their leaders and to work towards a more united country. “We see hope. We see a future for our country. But it takes all of us coming together and being unified,” Anderson concluded.

Anderson faces Vindman in the November 5 General Election. Early voting for that election begins on September 20, 2024, at local voter registrar’s offices. Some of the jurisdictions included in the district include eastern Prince William County, Stafford, Spotsylvania, Caroline, King George countries, and Fredericksburg city.

Prince William County

In March 2024, detectives launched an investigation into multiple sexual assaults in Woodbridge, Prince William County, involving a female victim under 18 and her acquaintance, Keith Richard Wilson, who allegedly assaulted her on several occasions, including in a commuter parking lot. Wilson, who had a supervisory role over the victim in the Civil Air Patrol, was charged with two counts of indecent liberties and turned himself in on July 22; his court date is pending, and he was released on a $25,000 unsecured bond.

Sexual Assault Investigation – On April 5 at 2:51PM, detectives began an investigation into sexual assaults that were reported to have occurred in the Woodbridge area of Prince Wiliam County in March 2024. The investigation revealed the female victim, who was under the age of 18 at the time of the offenses, was sexually assaulted by an acquaintance, identified as the accused, on more than one occasion. One incident occurred in a vehicle at the Occoquan Commuter Lot located near Gordon Blvd. and Old Bridge Rd., while a separate incident occurred in a parking lot located in the 5100 block of Dale Blvd. The victim later reported the incidents to a family member who contacted the police. The victim and accused were both members of the Civil Air Patrol at the time of the offenses where the accused had a supervisory role over the victim. Following the investigation, detectives obtained arrest warrants for the accused, identified as Keith Richard WILSON, who turned himself in to police on July 22.

Arrested on July 22:
Keith Richard WILSON, 48, of 2919 Madeira Ct. in Woodbridge
Charged with 2 counts of indecent liberties by a person in a supervisory relationship Court Date: Pending | Bond: $25,000 Unsecured

On July 22, police were called to the Longview Condominiums in Woodbridge after a Good Samaritan found a 6-year-old girl unsupervised and poorly clothed. Following the investigation, the mother, Lidia Violeta Perez, returned home and was charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor; she has been released on a court summons with a pending court date.

Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor – On July 22 at 5:42AM, officers responded to the Longview Condominium complex located in the 13600 block of Lynn St. in Woodbridge (22191) to investigate a found child. The investigation revealed a Good Samaritan located the victim, a 6-year-old girl, outside unsupervised wearing insufficient clothing. While investigating the incident, the mother of the child, identified as the accused, returned home. The child was unharmed and turned over to known parties. Following the investigation, the accused, identified as Lidia Violeta PEREZ, was charged.

Charged on July 22: [No Photo Available]
Lidia Violeta PEREZ, 30, of the 13600 block of Lynn St. in Woodbridge
Charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor
Court Date: Pending | Status: Released on a Court Summons

In Prince William County, a catch-and-release style revolving justice system keeps more criminals on the street in the name of fairness.

A shooting at Manassas Mall on July 9, 2024, left two people injured, including one of five suspects in the case, underscores a more significant problem with the justice system in a much more progressive Prince William County.

At odds are those who want to reform the judicial process to make it more fair for criminals and those who wish to prosecute crime to get them off the streets for a determinate period. Caught in the middle are county residents.

Revolving Justice System and Its Implications

In a July 10 letter to her constituents, Coles District Supervisor Yesli Vega, whose district borders the Manassas mall, highlighted two cases where individuals previously accused of felony offenses were released from custody and re-offended. In the mall shooting, she highlighted that 18-year-old Daevon Russell, one of the individuals involved in the gun battle that left a shooter and a bystander wounded, had been previously arrested after an August 2023 shooting for reckless handling of a gun causing permanent bodily severe injury, a felony.

Court records show Russell went to a classmate’s house and shot the cousin of the classmate, who was also inside the home, without provocation. Russell ran from the home, leaving the victim there to bleed. The victim went into cardiac arrest several times on the life flight to Inova Fairfax Hospital, where doctors were able to stop the bleeding and save his life.

Controversial Decisions and Judicial Diversion

When the case went to court, Judge Petula C. Metzer, on a recommendation from county Commonwealth Attorney Amy Ashworth, released Russell with nothing more than a promise to appear and the stipulations that he “not consume intoxicants and have no contact with the victim.” Ashworth claimed her office argued for no bond at a previous hearing, but she could not produce the bond document to prove her claim.

There was no stipulation in Metzler’s order to not possess or carry a firearm. Russell is now accused of going to the mall armed and getting into an altercation in the food court that escalated to shots fired between the two groups.

In a separate case in her letter, Vega highlighted Arial Moya Claros, who has 11 previous charges involving alcohol and family violence over the last two years, before his arrest on July 7, 2024, for felony abduction by force and misdemeanor domestic violence assault and a second driving while intoxicated (DWI) charge.

Six months earlier, in a January 2024 case, Claros’ landlord sought a restraining order against him after the landlord claimed Claros “took the eviction process personal” and claimed Moya Claros was caught on camera attempting to damage the landlord’s vehicles. A verbal confrontation ensued, and the police responded. The landlord also claimed in his petition for a restraining order that Claros followed his pre-teen daughter home, and she had to hide and call her parents because she was scared.

Claros’ case was adjudicated in a family court diversion program in the two earlier domestic violence instances. Had he been convicted in either of the other domestic violence cases, he would be facing a Class Six felony charge for the Domestic Violence assault, which carries a penalty of up to 20 years in jail.

Now, he faces only a misdemeanor assault charge because there were no convictions in the earlier cases, for which carries a much lighter potential sentence. Despite his history of violence and the escalation of violence with this same victim, Claros was released within hours of his arrest on a simple promise to appear.

Commonwealth Attorney Amy Ashworth points to Virginia law that judges only consider convictions, not pre-trial adjudications, when making bail decisions. This requirement by the code to only consider convictions and Ashworth’s focus on diversionary programs sidesteps the more intense consequences convictions provide for re-offenders.

Citing a long-standing prohibition on making statements about open cases, Ashworth said that her office “takes domestic violence cases very seriously and would never agree to a bond if [her office] believed the accused was a danger to anyone or there was a risk the accused [would abscond].” She also said that her office makes good faith recommendations to the judges regarding bail and diversion, but “the Judges unfortunately do not issue reasons for the decisions that they make.”

Diversion Programs vs. Public Safety

Diversion is a broad term referring to alternatives to prosecution that minimize an offender’s exposure to the criminal system by offering an alternative to prosecution and incarceration. These programs bank on an offender’s desire to stay out of jail, to get them on a path to not re-offend.

Diversion programs can help first-time offenders, but experts warn that overusing them for repeat offenders could weaken domestic violence prosecutions. This overuse might unintentionally support the ongoing cycle of violence that victims experience.

Elisa Castillo, director of domestic violence services at Action in Community Through Service (ACTS) in Prince William County, said, “Diversion programs have their place, but some people, for whatever reason, don’t take the chances they are given seriously and jail has to be part of the equation.”

With Ashworth’s election in 2019, county prosecutors shifted focus from a reputation of being tough on crime to a more diversionary justice system that incarcerates fewer criminals and focuses prosecutorial efforts on programs to rehabilitate criminals before they go to jail. The result is a record-low incarceration population in the county lockup and a heavier workload on the probation office.

Prince William County Sheriff’s Chief Deputy Terry Fearnley said the jail population hovers around 540 and represents only the worst of the worst offenders. That number is about half of the jail’s average under former county prosecutor Paul Ebert, who retired after 50 years. Under Ebert, the jail averaged 1,000 inmates.

The jail population is not a bellwether of a healthy justice system but can indicate problems. According to Steve Austin, the county’s director of criminal justice services, referrals from the courts to his pretrial release program have risen nearly 19% during Ashworth’s tenure. Yet, recidivism rates, or the number of accused who commit additional crimes, in his programs have increased by two percentage points in the same period.

Ashworth has said that she does not maintain recidivism statistics, so we are unable to compare how many times people not involved in pre-trial supervision re-offend on her watch. In a statement to Potomac Local, Austin said he could not pinpoint why the recidivism rate in his program has increased despite increased staffing and budgeting.

Community Impact and Political Reactions

Supervisor Vega, reserve Prince William sheriff’s deputy, has been critical of Ashworth’s soft-on-crime policies for some time. She highlighted the two cases because they are “but two examples of the catch and release justice system she sees under Ashworth’s watch.” Vega said she has a unique vantage point of the justice system, previously as a patrol cop and now in her reserve capacity working in the courthouse. “I hear complaints from law enforcement officers telling me that they are dismayed how quickly people they arrest for serious crimes are back on the streets within hours of their arrest and back re-offending, and I hear from constituents that are worried about how unsafe our community has become.

Ashworth is a founding member of the Virginia Progressive Prosecutors for Justice (VPPJ), a left-leaning political activist group. VPPJ has been a leading proponent of justice reforms in Virginia that make crime less detrimental for criminals in the name of equal justice.

VPPJ has called for the state legislature to end mandatory minimum sentences and cash bail. A 2021 letter to the General Assembly argued that these reforms would make it more fair for poorer Virginians. Ashworth does not think making the accused put up collateral to leave jail will help criminals return to court, “Requiring a cash bond punishes people for being poor, and it makes bail bond companies rich,” she said.
With the largest prosecutorial team in the commonwealth, Ashworth has made headlines for prosecuting significantly fewer cases and instead focusing on diversionary efforts as an alternative to prosecution. On average, Ashworth’s predecessor, Paul Ebert, prosecuted 350 felony cases monthly. Ashworth comparatively averages to indict 75 125 felonies per month despite a massive influx in funding and personnel.

Her opponents have blamed the lack of prosecutions as the reason for the county’s alarming 70 percent increase in violent crime between 2019 and 2023. In an unsuccessful bid to unseat Ashworth in 2023, Matt Lowery held a press conference highlighting the rise in violent crime last year. “Ms. Ashworth has charted a course virtually identical to the ultra-liberal prosecutors all around us, and Prince William County residents have paid the price with their property, with their health, and even sometimes with their lives,” Lowery said.

In a 2019 interview with Potomac Local News, Ashworth stated that the fair handling of domestic violence cases was one of her top three issues when running for office. “I will assign a senior attorney to exclusively handle domestic violence so we can pay more attention to the serious domestic violence cases and sort out the minor ‘push-and-shove’ cases,” Ashworth said.

According to The National Domestic Violence Hotline, domestic abuse almost always escalates to something bigger without intervention. This escalation appears to be present in the Moya Claros case, where he is now accused of abducting his victim by force- a felony- in his current case.
Russell’s trial on the December charges is set for August 5, 2024. He remains at the Prince William Adult Detention Center with no bond after his arrest for the Manassas Mall incident. He’s scheduled for a preliminary hearing on the mall charges on September 19, 2024.

Moya Claros’ case is set for another adjudication hearing on November 19, 2024. He remains free on a promise to appear.

*This story has been corrected.

Costco Wholesale is set to expand its fuel station at Potomac Mills Circle. The current setup, which features eight fuel pumps, will be increased to twelve fueling positions. The expansion aims to improve service efficiency for the members.

The expansion request involved amending the conditions of the Special Use Permit, approved by the Board of County Supervisors on July 16, 2024. This amendment will add more fueling positions and revise the existing layout to enhance circulation within the station.

The Costco fuel station is located on the north side of Potomac Mills Circle and New Bedford Way, near the intersection of Gideon Drive and Telegraph Road.

The Prince William County Planning Commission recommended approval of the expansion on April 24, 2024. Following a staff review, the recommendation for approval was upheld.

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