✉️ A Note from Your Editors
Dear Neighbors,
It's been a big week on the data center front. The Prince William Board of County Supervisors voted 8-0 Tuesday to reject the nearly 2,000-acre Dulles South Innovation Center — a proposal that would have been even larger than the now-dead Digital Gateway. The vote followed a tense procedural fight and five hours of public comment, and it came the same night Stafford County halted a separate data center project over concerns about a historic cemetery. If you're still getting your bearings on what a data center actually is and why this county can't stop talking about them, Dom's plain-English explainer is a great place to start.
On a warmer note: Haymarket's Rainbow Therapeutic Riding Center now has a permanent municipal waterline, thanks to a $77,000 gift from the Heavy Construction Contractors Association. Supervisors also approved a $64 million contract for the long-awaited Sudley Manor interchange, and Prince William opened its first-ever Purchase of Development Rights application window for landowners looking to preserve farmland.
And if you've been waiting for a wider grocery selection, Manassas is having a moment: Grocery Outlet holds its grand opening July 16, and we rounded up every other new business across the county worth knowing about — from Publix's ongoing construction to a new pickleball club, a Peruvian chicken spot, and a lot more.
Marie & Dom
The Woodbridge Gazette
P.S. You may notice some sections of our website are still being built out — we're actively working to improve woodbridgegazette.com and make it a better experience for you. All of our stories are fully accessible in the meantime, and as always, you can find everything here in your inbox every Monday.
🌤️ This Week's Weather
After a stormy weekend, the week ahead brings a brief break before the heat cranks back up — mid-week temperatures are heading back toward triple digits, so plan outdoor activities for earlier in the day.
☁️ Monday, July 13 — Hi 86°F — Partly cloudy, pleasant start to the week
☀️ Tuesday, July 14 — Hi 92°F — Sunny and warm
☀️ Wednesday, July 15 — Hi 99°F — Sunny and very hot; heat precautions advised
🌤️ Thursday, July 16 — Hi 96°F — Partly cloudy, still very hot
🌤️ Friday, July 17 — Hi 92°F — Partly cloudy
☁️ Saturday, July 18 — Hi 90°F — Cloudy
🌧️ Sunday, July 19 — Hi 88°F — Rain possible, 65% chance
🏛️ Supervisors Reject Massive Dulles South Data Center Complex
The Prince William Board of County Supervisors voted unanimously Tuesday to reject a comprehensive plan amendment that would have cleared the way for the nearly 2,000-acre Dulles South Innovation Center — one of the largest data center proposals the county has ever considered.
The 8-0 vote came after roughly five hours of public comment and marks a rare unanimous rejection for a data center proposal in a county that has spent recent years wrestling with the pace and scale of the industry's growth. The path to the vote wasn't entirely smooth, either — the applicant, Sanders Lane Assemblage I LLC, the developer behind the project, made an eleventh-hour request to defer the case, triggering a procedural dispute and a 10-minute recess before the board voted 7-1 to proceed with the hearing as scheduled.
The same night, Stafford County's Board of Supervisors voted to halt planning on a separate 99-acre data center over concerns it would encroach on a 200-year-old cemetery believed to hold the remains of enslaved people — echoing a 2024 dispute involving NOVEC and two historic African American cemeteries in Prince William.
👉 Read the full story: woodbridgegazette.com/p/supervisors-reject-massive-dulles-south-data-center-complex
👉 New to the topic?
Read: What Are Data Centers, Really? A Plain-English Look at PWC's Biggest Issue. woodbridgegazette.com/p/exactly-what-are-data-centers
📰 Your Weekly News Brief
🚧 $64 Million Sudley Manor Interchange Approved
Supervisors awarded a $64 million contract to Wagman Heavy Civil, Inc. for a new grade-separated interchange at Route 234 and Sudley Manor Drive, plus related work at Wellington Road. Groundbreaking is expected this fall, with completion targeted for mid-2030 — the second major interchange investment in the county after a similar $61 million project approved in November near the Quartz District.
🌾 Farmland Preservation Program Opens for Applications
Prince William County opened its first-ever Purchase of Development Rights application window July 1, running through August 31. Landowners with 20+ contiguous acres of agricultural land can apply to sell their development rights to the county in exchange for compensation — permanently protecting the land from future development while keeping ownership and agricultural use. Contact the Planning Office at [email protected] or (703) 792-6930.
🦅 Eagle Rescued from Waste Tank at Dale City Treatment Plant
On June 24, two bald eagles landed inside an open waste tank at American Water's Dale City treatment plant. One flew off on its own, but a juvenile eagle became too exhausted to escape after its feathers were soaked through. Plant operator Gerard Galione and Animal Control Officer Brent White worked into the night to free the bird, which was treated by the Wildlife Rescue League and released two weeks later at George Hellwig Park in Manassas.
🐴 Rainbow Therapeutic Riding Center Gets New Waterline
The Heavy Construction Contractors Association donated a $77,000 waterline to Haymarket's Rainbow Therapeutic Riding Center, connecting the nonprofit to municipal water for the first time. Supervisor George Stewart and Del. Josh Thomas joined the ribbon-cutting, celebrating a project that will support the center's work serving over 300 families annually with equine-assisted activities.
From Publix breaking ground to Slick City's 70,000-square-foot waterless slide park at Potomac Mills to Grocery Outlet's July 16 grand opening in Manassas, Prince William County keeps growing. We rounded up every new restaurant, shop, and service opening across Woodbridge, Occoquan, Gainesville, and Manassas this year — plus what's still coming, including Sprouts Farmers Market in Dumfries and a Home Depot at the long-vacant Gordon Plaza.
🎓 NOVEC Awards $32,500 in Scholarships
The Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative bumped its senior scholarship amount from $1,500 to $2,000 this year and handed out 13 awards across its service territory — including local students Wyatt Atwell and Jill Jansen (Brentsville District High School) and Bree Chandler (Charles J. Colgan Sr. High School). Congrats to all our local award winners! (Source: princewilliamliving.com)
🚧 County Launches New Department of Transportation and Capital Construction
Prince William County restructured its transportation and capital project functions July 1 into a single new agency, the DTCC — aiming to streamline delivery of the county's $1 billion-plus capital improvement program. The consolidation brings together staff previously split across multiple departments and is intended to speed up project delivery as the county manages a growing list of major infrastructure investments, including the Sudley Manor interchange, the Van Buren Road extension, and dozens of other road, park, and facilities projects already in the pipeline.
🛣️ Van Buren Road Extension Wins Major Regional Funding
The controversial Van Buren Road extension — a $191 million, 2.5-mile road project running parallel to I-95 between Cardinal Drive and Route 234 — is now “fully funded” after the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority allocated $179 million to the project July 10. The road has long been pitched as a fix for regional traffic congestion, but it's also drawn controversy: the current alignment would split the Cardinal Grove neighborhood in half, funnel over 1,000 additional cars a day through the community and create new road access for two proposed data center complexes and two electrical substations near the Four Seasons over-55 community in Dumfries, where residents would lose more than 100 wooded acres. Design work is expected to wrap next year, with right-of-way acquisition starting in 2029 and construction completion targeted for 2032–33. This is a developing story we'll continue to follow. (Source: Prince William Times)
🏈 2026 High School Football Schedules Are Out
All 15 Prince William County high school football teams open their regular season Aug. 28, with playoffs beginning Nov. 13. Last year's top team, Woodbridge, reaches into the regional slate again this fall. Full team-by-team schedules are available via Prince William Times. (Source: Prince William Times)
PWC Events
📅 Events & What's On
This Week in Prince William County
● 🦎 Raging Reptiles — Mon, July 13, 10:30–11:30 a.m. | Montclair Library, and 2–3 p.m. | Bull Run Library | Live animal program, tokens distributed 30 min. before each show
● 🎡 Rec on Wheels — Wed, July 15, 5:30–7 p.m. | Cloverdale Park, Woodbridge | Free lawn games & family fun, Park & Recreation Month
● 🛒 Grocery Outlet Grand Opening — Thurs, July 16, 7 a.m. | 9546 Liberia Avenue, Signal Hill Shopping Center, Manassas
● 🏛️ Board of County Supervisors Meeting (Last Before Recess) — Tue, July 21, 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. | McCoart Administration Building, Woodbridge
Ongoing Through Mid-Summer
● 🎭 “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” — Through July 19 | Hylton Performing Arts Center, Manassas | Musical based on the classic story; $25–$35, tickets
● 🎨 “Nostalgia” Art Exhibit — Through Aug. 9 | ARTfactory, Manassas | Works by 25 local artists exploring memory and personal experience
● 🏰 Bristoe Station Battlefield Tours — Free tours 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 3 p.m. on the 2nd and 4th weekends through October
● 📖 Barnes & Noble Summer Reading Challenge — Through August 31 | Students in grades 7–12 can earn $5 off one book and $1 off a grande-or-larger Frappuccino at Barnes & Noble Woodbridge by completing the store's Summer Reading Challenge. Redeemable at BN Woodbridge only. (Source: @bnwoodbridgeva Instagram)
Weekly Farmers Markets
● 🌽 Dale City Farmers Market — Sundays, 8 a.m.–1 p.m.
● 🌽 Historic Manassas Thursday Market — Thursdays, 8 a.m.–1 p.m.
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🌸 July's Gemstone: The Ruby
July's birthstone is the ruby — one of the rarest and most prized gemstones in the world, known for its deep red color and long association with passion, protection, and good fortune. In ancient times, warriors carried rubies into battle believing they made them invincible. If you know a July baby, there's no better month to celebrate them.
💛 Until Next Monday
It's been a full week — a landmark vote on data centers, a waterline restored for horses and the families who love them, and a grocery store about to open its doors in Manassas for the first time. Prince William County is never short of news, and we're grateful to be the ones covering it for you. Stay cool out there, and we'll see you back here next Monday.
We'll be back in your inbox Monday, July 20.
Marie Clementi — Publisher & Editor · The Woodbridge Gazette
Domenic Clementi — Military & Veterans Editor · The Woodbridge Gazette
📲 Follow us on Instagram @WoodbridgeGazette and X @WBGazetteVA for updates between issues.