📋 In This Issue
● This Week's Weather
● Your Weekly News Brief
● Veterans Affairs Column
● Events & What's On
● Now Live on the Website
● New Business Features Landing Next Week
● Want to Reach Your Neighbors?
● We Want to Hear from You
● Until Next Monday
✉️ Opening Note
Dear Neighbors,
Big news on the transportation front this week: Prince William County has given the green light to a $64 million redesign of the Route 234/Sudley Manor Drive interchange — one of the more significant road projects in our coverage area in years. We break down what it means for your commute below.
Also on our radar: early voting for the August 4 primary wraps up this Saturday, August 1, so if you haven't cast your ballot yet, now's the time. And Prince William County's biggest end-of-summer tradition, the County Fair, is this week — gates open Friday, July 31 at the fairgrounds in Manassas. We'll have a full article on it later this week, so keep an eye on your inbox and woodbridgegazette.com.
We're currently rebuilding our website to better serve you. In the meantime, the newsletter remains your go-to source for hyperlocal news and events. We appreciate your patience as we continue improving the Gazette.
Marie & Dom
The Woodbridge Gazette
🌤️ This Week's Weather
A warm week ahead with highs mostly in the mid-to-upper 80s. Tuesday brings the best chance of storms at 75% — otherwise, expect mostly dry skies with just a few pop-up chances through the weekend.
● ☀️ Monday, July 27 — Hi 87°F — Mostly sunny, 15% chance of showers
● ⛈️ Tuesday, July 28 — Hi 81°F — Storms likely, 75% chance
● ☀️ Wednesday, July 29 — Hi 84°F — Mostly sunny, 15% chance of showers
● ☀️ Thursday, July 30 — Hi 81°F — Mostly sunny, 15% chance of showers
● 🌤️ Friday, July 31 — Hi 87°F — Slight chance of showers, 20% chance
● ☀️ Saturday, August 1 — Hi 88°F — Mostly sunny, 10% chance of showers
● 🌤️ Sunday, August 2 — Hi 86°F — Slight chance of showers, 25% chance
📰 Your Weekly News Brief
● 🚧 Route 234/Sudley Manor Drive Interchange Redesign Underway — PWC DOT issued a Notice to Proceed on July 16 for a $64 million contract to redesign the Route 234 and Sudley Manor Drive intersection as a single-point urban interchange. Sudley Manor Drive will be elevated over Route 234, allowing through traffic to flow without stopping for lights. Construction begins Fall 2026; completion expected mid-2030. Full story on the site →
● 🚆 VRE Expands Toward Its 2050 Goals — VRE has purchased the Seminary Yard facility in Alexandria for $35.8 million and received a $25 million federal BUILD grant for L'Enfant Station improvements. Together the moves support System Plan 2050, which would bring 63% more scheduled service and weekend trains by 2030. Full story on the site →
● 🗽 Virginia Primary Election — August 4 — Virginia's primary election is Tuesday, August 4. PWC voters will see U.S. Senate and House primaries. Early voting runs through August 1; polls open 6am–7pm on Election Day. Full voter guide on the site →
● 🏘️ County Offers Orientations for Affordable Homebuyer Program — Prince William County's Office of Housing and Community Development is hosting monthly orientations for its Committed Affordable For-Sale Units Program, which lets eligible buyers purchase homes built by private developers at below-market prices. Attendance at a two-hour orientation is required to apply for a Certificate of Eligibility; households earning at or below 120% of the area median income qualify. Sessions run in both English and Spanish. The next English-language session is Wednesday, August 12 at the Ferlazzo Building in Woodbridge; a Spanish-language session follows August 17 at CASA Virginia in Woodbridge. "The program helps create pathways to homeownership" for residents who might otherwise be priced out, said Housing and Community Development Director Joan Duckett. Full schedule and registration: pwcva.gov/housing.
● 🤸 KidStrong Woodbridge — now has an official opening date, and a growing age range to match. Look for our full feature on the Woodbridge location in next week's issue.
● 🧘 Pulse Yoga Ribbon Cutting — Pulse Yoga celebrates its grand opening with a ribbon cutting Friday, August 7, 12–1pm at 2225 Old Bridge Rd, Woodbridge (Tackett's Mill). pulseyogastudio.com | @pulseyogastudio
● ⚾ Battlefield Baseball Wins First State Title in Program History — The Battlefield Bobcats won the VHSL Class 6 state baseball championship on June 13, defeating Independence 6-3 in the program's first-ever state title. Junior Luke Raflo delivered a grand slam in the seventh inning to seal the win, while pitchers Alex Kamprowski and Josh Gunning kept Independence's high-powered offense to just three runs. The win marks the second consecutive year a PWC school has won the state baseball title — Gainesville won it last year. Congratulations, Bobcats!
● 🍜 Honeygrow Now Open in Gainesville — Prince William County's first Honeygrow restaurant opened Friday, July 25 at Virginia Gateway shopping center, 5055 Wellington Road, Gainesville. The Philadelphia-based fast-casual chain is known for cooked-to-order stir-fry, customizable salads, and honeybar desserts. Hours: 10:30 a.m.–10 p.m. daily.
● 🏆 Prince William County Ranked #1 in Nation for Digital Innovation — Prince William County earned the top ranking in the 2026 Digital Counties Survey for counties with populations between 500,000 and 999,999 — the first year PWC competed in the larger population category. The annual award, presented by the Center for Digital Government and the National Association of Counties, recognizes counties that use technology to modernize services, expand online access, strengthen cybersecurity, and advance responsible AI. Key highlights include the PWC311 system — integrating a resident portal, mobile app, call center, and AI-powered chat and voice bots, reducing call-handling times to under two minutes.
● 🎖️ Prince William Earns Four NACo Achievement Awards — The National Association of Counties recognized Prince William County with four 2026 Achievement Awards. Among the honored programs: the Route 1 Corridor Revitalization Initiative, which coordinates transportation improvements with economic development; and the Circuit Court Clerk's Seals on Wheels program, which brings court services to libraries and community events on select Saturdays so residents can access official documents without visiting the courthouse.
● 🏢 $18M Defense Headquarters Coming to Innovation Park — Hepburn and Sons LLC, a Virginia-based maritime technology and defense consulting firm, will invest $18.1 million to build a new corporate headquarters and innovation hub on 1.25 acres along Discovery Boulevard in PWC's Innovation Park. The project is expected to create 80 new jobs and be fully operational by summer 2028. Gov. Abigail Spanberger announced the project, calling it "a strong vote of confidence in Virginia's workforce, defense innovation ecosystem, and business climate." County leaders approved the land sale in June.
● 🏛️ Supervisors Vote to Advance Old Bennett School Demolition — The Prince William Board of County Supervisors voted 7-1 Tuesday to authorize a change order clearing the way for demolition of the 117-year-old Bennett School in Old Town Manassas as part of the judicial center expansion project. Gainesville Supervisor George Stewart cast the lone dissenting vote. Renovating the school instead was estimated at $56.25 million, a price tag board leaders called too high for taxpayers. Built in 1908 atop unmarked Civil War soldier graves, the building was one of the county's first "Freedom of Choice" schools during 1965 desegregation efforts before closing in 1969; it's sat vacant for decades. County plans call for incorporating salvaged architectural pieces and an interactive exhibit to memorialize the school. Demolition is expected to take about a year, with the full process spanning roughly 30 months. (Via InsideNoVa)
● 🏞️ Data Center Land Swap Proposed Near Prince William Forest Park — Federal officials are weighing a land swap that could clear the way for at least four 100-foot data centers and an electric substation along Prince William Forest Park's western border, near the headwaters of Quantico Creek. Developer Highland Digital's Quantico Ridge proposal would trade 73 acres of wetlands on its own property for 36 acres of federal parkland; the company has withdrawn its county rezoning and special use permit applications, though a comprehensive plan amendment request is still pending. Conservationists argue the swap would hand the developer buildable park land in exchange for acreage that, per National Parks Conservation Association program manager Kyle Hart, "would never get permitted for construction anyways." County Board Chair Deshundra Jefferson said the idea "gives me heartburn" but is skeptical it will move forward. (Via Prince William Times)
● ⚡ Lawmakers Push for Special Session on Dominion-NextEra Merger — State Sen. David Suetterlein and Del. Joe McNamara are asking Gov. Abigail Spanberger to call a special legislative session to give Virginia regulators more time to review Dominion Energy's proposed $67 billion merger with NextEra Energy. The merger application was filed with regulators in Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and two federal agencies on July 15; under state law, the SCC must rule within 60 days (extendable up to 120 more) or the deal is automatically approved. The lawmakers say Virginia's review clock is the shortest of the three states, risking the Commonwealth's leverage over customer bill credits — part of a proposed $2.25 billion package — before other states weigh in. "The Commonwealth should not spend its leverage before we know its value," they said in a joint statement. It's unclear whether Spanberger will call a session. (Via WJLA)
📅 Events & What's On
This Week in Prince William County
● 🦖 Dean Alan – Jurassic Magic — Mon, July 27 | Dinosaur-themed magic show with educational, interactive illusions. 10:30–11:30 a.m. at Bull Run Library, 8051 Ashton Ave., Manassas; 2–3 p.m. at Dumfries Library, 18115 Triangle Shopping Plaza, Dumfries. Free; tokens distributed 30 minutes before the Bull Run show.
● 🌾 Agritourism Community Conversation — Mon–Wed, July 27–29, 6:30–8:30 p.m. | Public discussion on the future of agribusiness and agritourism in PWC. Manassas (July 27, 9915 Discovery Blvd.), Haymarket (July 28, 4970 Antioch Road), Woodbridge (July 29, 13200 Marina Way, Unit 101). Registration: pwcded.org/agritourism.
● 🎸 John Mellencamp — Dancing Words Tour — Wed, July 29, 8 p.m. | Jiffy Lube Live, 7800 Cellar Door Drive, Bristow. Tickets: jiffylubelive.com.
● 🌕 Buck Moon Swim — Wed, July 29, 6:30–8:30 p.m. | Nighttime swim with glow activities, music, and games under the full moon. Graham Park Pool, 3511 Graham Park Road, Triangle. $6 per person.
● 🎒 Back to School Supply Hunt — Sat, August 1 | Two PWC locations! Woodbridge: 1:00–3:00 p.m., Potomac Festival, 14453 Potomac Mills Rd. Manassas: 11:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m., Wellington Station, 10034 Dumfries Rd. Free event — first 100 children at each location receive a backpack and free school supplies. Children must be at least 2 years old. No purchase necessary, free parking.
● 🕯️ Create & Pour: Candle + Concrete Workshop — Sat, August 1, 2 p.m. | Gathered on Center, 9082 Center St., Manassas | Paint, personalize, and pour your own concrete-vessel candle or diffuser to take home the same day. $65/person.
Image: Prince William County Fairgrounds
● 🎪 Prince William County Fair — July 31–August 8 | Prince William County Fairgrounds, 10624 Dumfries Rd, Manassas | Carnival rides, monster trucks, rodeo, fireworks, family activities.
● ⚔️ Swords Brooms & Magical Beasts — ONE Magical Day in Occoquan — Sun, August 9, 9:15 a.m. | Occoquan Historic District | $8 | A fantasy-themed event in Occoquan's historic district
● 🎭 Williams' Ordinary Revolutionary War Memorial Dedication — Sat, August 8 | Part of America 250 coverage; Dom visiting Bill Backus week of July 27 ahead of the dedication
Save the Dates
● 🚓 National Night Out — Tue, August 4, 6 p.m. | Occoquan | Sponsored by the Occoquan Police Department
● 📚 Leaves & Literacy Book Club — Tue, August 11, 6–8 p.m. | Leaf & Petal, Occoquan | Registration required
● 🎨 B&N Art Club — 2nd Tuesday of every month, 7–8:30 p.m. | Barnes & Noble Café, Woodbridge | No experience needed — bring a small sketchbook or use the basic supplies provided. Next meeting: August 11. Artist Dave Dillon on hand for tips.
● 🎨 Occoquan Fall Arts & Crafts Show — Sat–Sun, September 26–27, 10am–5pm | Downtown Occoquan | Hundreds of regional artisans, Art Park (new for 2026), Imagination Alley for families
Weekly Farmers Markets
● 🌽 Woodbridge Farmers Market — Thursdays, 2–7 p.m.
● 🌽 Dale City Farmers Market — Sundays, 8 a.m.–1 p.m.
● 🌽 Historic Manassas Farmers Market — Thursdays, 8 a.m.–1 p.m. | Harris Pavilion, 9201 Center St. — and Saturdays, 8 a.m.–1 p.m. | Prince William Street Commuter Lot
🌐 Now Live on the Website
📚 New Business Features Landing Next Week
Catch our latest feature on Buzz Bookstore's fall opening in Occoquan, with more on the way: KidStrong Woodbridge ahead of its August 31 opening, Drew's in Occoquan, and a look inside Pulse Yoga before their August 7 ribbon cutting. Keep an eye on woodbridgegazette.com!
📣 Want to Reach Your Neighbors?
Advertise with The Woodbridge Gazette and put your business in front of thousands of engaged local readers every Monday morning. Packages start at $75/issue. Reply to this email or write to [email protected] to learn more.
💛 Until Next Monday
It's shaping up to be a full week around PWC — the County Fair opens, back-to-school prep kicks into gear, and the primary election closes out. Don't forget to get your ballot in before August 4.
We'll be back in your inbox Monday, August 3.
Marie Clementi — Publisher & Editor · The Woodbridge Gazette
Domenic Clementi — Military & Veterans Editor · The Woodbridge Gazette
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