✉️ A Note from Your Editors
Dear Neighbors,
July 4th is five days away — and this year, America turns 250.
This week’s issue is our biggest of the summer. Dom wraps up his three-part July 4th essay series — if you haven’t read Parts 1 and 2 yet, now is the time. Our complete Prince William County July 4th guide is live on the website with fireworks, parades, and 250th programming from Dale City to D.C. Also, this week: five historic WWII warbirds are landing at Manassas Airport Thursday through Sunday — a B-29 Superfortress, P-51 Mustang, C-47, and more. One thing worth knowing before you go: on July 4th itself, the B-29 and P-51 will be over New York City for America’s 250th flyover. Plan for Friday July 3 or Sunday July 5.
In the news this week — new Virginia laws take effect Tuesday, including pay transparency, renter protections, criminal record sealing, and an assault weapons ban. And starting July 5, Virginia’s maximum weekly unemployment benefit increases from $430 to $478 for new claims. Ground is officially breaking on Prince William County’s first-ever Publix at Ashland Square in Manassas — we were on site this week and the crews are moving. Haymarket became the first locality in the county to crack down on e-bikes and scooters on sidewalks. The Manassas water treatment plant had a chemical spill Thursday — drinking water is fine, but here’s what happened. And two Prince William County hospitals made a national best-of list.
Coming up soon: the Occoquan Town-Wide Sidewalk Sale is July 11. OmniRide Local is free to ride all summer to Potomac Mills, Manassas Mall, and VRE stations. And Manassas Airport is finally replacing its 60-year-old air traffic control tower — the one trucked in from Colorado in 1992 that’s been leaking and dealing with bees ever since.
One reminder: it’s going to be a hot one. Temperatures are expected to hit the mid-to-upper 90s Thursday and Friday. Stay hydrated, wear sunscreen, and find some shade between parade floats.
Enjoy every moment of the holiday weekend. We’ll see you back here July 6.
Happy Fourth,
Marie & Dom
The Woodbridge Gazette
🌤️ This Week's Weather
🌧️ Monday, June 29 — Hi 86°F — Rainy, 45% chance of showers
☀️ Tuesday, July 1 — Hi 89°F — Storms possible, 30%
☀️ Wednesday, July 2 — Hi 96°F — Hot and sunny
🌤️ Thursday, July 3 — Hi 99°F — Very hot, sunny
🌡️ Friday, July 4 — Hi 101°F — Dangerously hot, sunny
⛈️ Saturday, July 5 — Hi 96°F — Storms possible, 40%
☀️ Sunday, July 6 — Hi 99°F — Hot and sunny
🎆 America’s 250th — Your Complete July 4th Guide
July 4th is five days away and we’ve built out a full Prince William County guide on the website — fireworks, parades, and America’s 250th programming.
📍 Dale City Independence Day Parade — July 4, 10 a.m.
The parade marches along Dale Boulevard from Kirkdale Drive to Gemini Way. This year’s theme: Show Your Spirit for Our Nation’s 250th. Over 100 entries, including a Virginia State Police helicopter landing at noon. Family Fun Day runs noon–2 p.m. at the VDOT commuter lot on Gemini Way. Free. A 54-year Dale City tradition.
🎇 Fireworks Near You
• Old Town Manassas — Fireworks 9:15 p.m., rides from 3 p.m. Free.
• Dumfries Community Park — 9 p.m. Free.
• Workhouse Arts Center, Lorton — fireworks over the arts campus.
• Plus, Great Falls, Warrenton, Fredericksburg, and more in the full guide.
🏛️ Free National Parks This Weekend
All National Park Service sites that normally charge an entrance fee are free for U.S. residents the entire Independence Day weekend — July 3, 4, and 5. That includes Manassas National Battlefield Park and Prince William Forest Park right in your backyard.
Note: only entrance fees are waived. Timed-entry reservations, camping, tours, and other amenity fees may still apply. And the free entry applies to U.S. citizens and residents only.
The National Archives in Washington D.C. has the original Declaration of Independence on display — free admission always, and worth the trip for America's 250th.
🏛️ Make a Day of It — Museums & Historic Sites
🏡 George Washington's Mount Vernon — July 4, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Daytime fireworks over the Potomac at 1 p.m., Revolutionary War encampments, naturalization ceremony, Declaration readings, meet "George Washington," military drills, and family activities. Shuttle available from King Street Metro. Adults $30, Youth $16, under 5 free. 📍 3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Hwy | mountvernon.org
🎖️ National Museum of the Marine Corps — Triangle, VA. Open daily 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Free. Special 250th programming July 2–5: exhibits, family activities, $4 Rifle Range, Summer Concert Series with the U.S. Marine Drum and Bugle Corps and U.S. Army Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps. Complimentary flags available for planting in Semper Fidelis Memorial Park while supplies last. 📍 18900 Jefferson Davis Hwy, Triangle | usmcmuseum.com
🪖 National Museum of the United States Army — Fort Belvoir, VA. Open daily 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Free — but reserve timed-entry tickets in advance at theNMUSA.org. 📍 1775 Liberty Dr, Fort Belvoir
🏚️ Rippon Lodge Historic Site — One of the oldest homes in Prince William County, built in 1747 on the Potomac. Open Fri–Mon, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Guided tours at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., $5 per person. Grounds free dawn to dusk. 📍 15520 Blackburn Rd., Woodbridge | 703-499-9812
🏛️ All Smithsonian Museums on the National Mall — Washington D.C. Open July 4th, 10 a.m.–5:30 p.m. Always free. Expect large crowds — arrive early.
🌲 National Parks Free All Weekend — All NPS sites including Manassas National Battlefield and Prince William Forest Park are free for U.S. residents July 3–5. Entrance fees only waived — other fees may apply.
🎖️ Dom’s July 4th Series
Part 2: When in the Course of Human Events
What does it actually mean to declare independence from the most powerful empire on earth? Our Military & Veterans Editor Domenic Clementi continues his three-part July 4th series with a close look at the words Jefferson chose — and why they still matter 250 years later.
Part 3: Thomas Jefferson Survives
Dom wraps up his series this week with a meditation on Jefferson, Adams, and what the Declaration still demands of us as citizens. If you haven’t read Parts 1 and 2 yet, now is the time.
✈️ WWII Warbirds at Manassas Airport — July 3 & 5
Five historic WWII aircraft are coming to the APP Jet Center ramp at Manassas Airport this holiday weekend — and you can get up close, go for a ride, or just listen to engines that haven’t been common since 1945. The Commemorative Air Force is bringing a B-29 Superfortress, P-51 Mustang, T-6 Texan, PT-13 Stearman biplane, and C-47 to 10550 Harry J. Parrish Blvd., Manassas.
Ride & Tour Schedule:
• PT-13 Stearman & T-6 Texan rides — available all three days
• P-51 Mustang rides — Friday July 3 and Sunday July 5 only
• B-29 rides — Friday July 3 and Sunday July 5 at 9 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.
• C-47 rides — Sunday July 5 only
• B-29 cockpit tours — Friday and Sunday at noon
One thing worth knowing: on July 4th itself, the B-29 and P-51 won’t be here — they’ll be over New York City as part of America’s 250th birthday flyover. Plan for Friday July 3 or Sunday July 5.
📍 APP Jet Center, 10550 Harry J. Parrish Blvd., Manassas | 9 a.m.–5 p.m. | $20 adults, $10 ages 11–17, free 10 and under | Book rides at AirPowerTour.org
Source: Commemorative Air Force / AirPowerTour.org
📰 Your Weekly News Brief
⚖️ New Virginia Laws Take Effect July 1 — and July 5
Tuesday marks a significant round of new Virginia laws. Key changes for Prince William County residents:
• Assault weapons ban: Manufacture, sale, and transfer of certain semi-automatic rifles and large-capacity magazines now prohibited. Note: some local prosecutors and sheriffs have said they will not enforce this law.
• Safe storage: Homes with children under 18 must securely store firearms.
• Renter protections: New limits on rent increases and eviction procedures.
• Pay transparency: Employers must disclose salary ranges in job postings.
• Criminal record sealing: New pathways for eligible individuals to seal certain records.
• Unemployment benefits increase July 5: Maximum weekly benefit rises from $430 to $478; minimum goes from $112 to $160. Applies to new claims filed on or after July 5 only — claims filed before that date are not eligible for the increase.
🛴 Haymarket Bans E-Bikes and Scooters from Sidewalks
Haymarket has become the first locality in or near Prince William County to pass e-bike regulations stricter than Virginia state law. The town council voted unanimously June 24 to ban electric bikes, scooters, and skateboards from town sidewalks, requiring them to use roadways instead. The ordinance also mandates helmets for riders 14 and under, requires riders under 14 to be supervised by someone 18 or older, prohibits riding with earphones in, and sets a 25 mph speed limit. Businesses renting e-bikes or scooters face new insurance requirements and a $5,000 town fee. Prince William County has its own e-bike work group underway, and Haymarket is already in contact with them.
Source: Prince William Times, June 24, 2026
🚰 Chemical Spill at Manassas Water Treatment Plant — Drinking Water Not Affected
About 2,500 gallons of sodium hypochlorite — concentrated bleach used to disinfect drinking water — leaked from a supplier’s truck hose at the City of Manassas Water Treatment Plant on Glenkirk Road in Nokesville early Thursday morning, June 25. City officials say there is no risk to the public, drinking water supply, wildlife, or local waterways. Plant staff contained the spill before it reached any waterways. No injuries were reported and the plant is continuing normal operations. If you live near the facility, you may notice a faint bleach odor. The Virginia DEQ and U.S. EPA have been notified.
Source: City of Manassas / Prince William Times, June 25, 2026
📌 Quick Notes
• 🏥 Two PWC hospitals earn national recognition: UVA Health Haymarket Medical Center and UVA Health Prince William Medical Center were both named to Becker’s Hospital Review’s list of 100 great community hospitals for 2026.
• 🛫 Manassas Airport is replacing its 60-year-old air traffic control tower with a new 125-foot facility, funded in part by a $26 million federal grant. The current tower was bought secondhand from a Colorado airport in 1992, trucked to Manassas, and has been leaking and dealing with a persistent bee problem ever since. Groundbreaking targeted November 1; completion June 2029. The airport — recently renamed Washington Manassas Airport — is also working toward commercial passenger service beginning spring 2027.
• 🚌 OmniRide Local is free to ride this summer throughout the local area — to Potomac Mills, Manassas Mall, grocery stores, and VRE stations. Check schedules at OmniRide.com or call 703-730-6664.
• 🛒 Prince William County’s first Publix is now under construction at Ashland Square at the corner of Dumfries Road and Spriggs Road in Manassas. The Woodbridge Gazette visited the site this week and found the land fully graded and cleared, with erosion control fencing and gravel base work already underway. Opening targeted Fall 2027. Full article on website.
📅 Events & What’s On
🎆 This Weekend & July 4th
• WWII Aircraft at Manassas Airport — July 3 & 5, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. | 10550 Harry J. Parrish Blvd., Manassas | $20 adults, $10 ages 11–17, free 10 and under | AirPowerTour.org
• Dale City Independence Day Parade — July 4, 10 a.m. | Dale Blvd., Kirkdale to Gemini Way | Free
• Family Fun Day — July 4, noon–2 p.m. | VDOT lot, Gemini Way | Free
• Manassas 4th of July Celebration — July 4, 3–10 p.m. | Historic Downtown Manassas | Fireworks 9:15 p.m. | Free
🗓️ Coming Up
• Occoquan Town-Wide Sidewalk Sale — Saturday, July 11, 9 a.m. | Historic Occoquan |
🌽 Weekly Farmers Markets
• Woodbridge Farmers Market — Thursdays, 2–7 p.m. | 2300 Opitz Blvd., Woodbridge
• Tackett’s Mill Farmers Market — Tuesdays, 3–6:30 p.m. | 2230 Tacketts Mill Drive,
• Dale City Farmers Market — Sundays, 8 a.m.–1 p.m. | 14050 Gemini Way, Dale City
• Historic Manassas Thursday Market — Thursdays, 8 a.m.–1 p.m. | 9201 Center St., Manassas
• Haymarket Farmers Market — Sundays, 9 a.m.–1 p.m. | 15000 Washington St., Haymarket
• Gainesville Central Farm Market — Saturdays | 7500 Iron Bar Lane, Gainesville
🏛️ Free & Ongoing
• Bristoe Station Battlefield Tours — Free, 11 a.m., 1 & 3 p.m. on second and fourth weekends through October | 10501 Ten Alabama Way, Bristow | 703-366-3049
• Wednesday Walk at Bristoe Station Battlefield — July 5 | Reserve your spot at pwcgov.org
• Level Up Reading Challenge — Ongoing through summer | Grades K–12, track reading, earn prizes | Chinn Park Library, 13083 Chinn Park Drive, Woodbridge
🌐 Now Live on the Website
Everything we’ve published recently — find it all at woodbridgegazette.com:
• 🏭 The Most Advanced Memory Chip Made in America Is Built Right Here in Manassas
• 🎆 Light Up the 250th: Where to Watch July 4th Fireworks Near Woodbridge
• 🥁 Dale City’s July 4th Parade Returns — Bigger Than Ever for America’s 250th
• 📋 Your Complete Guide to America’s 250th Fourth of July
• ⚖️ New Virginia Laws Taking Effect July 1
• 💰 PWC Income Outpaces State as Virginia Ranks #1 Nationally
• 🎖️ Dom’s July 4th Series — Parts 1, & 2
💛 Until Next Monday
July 4th is almost here. America’s 250th birthday. Five days.
Our complete guide — parades, fireworks, 250th programming — is live at woodbridgegazette.com. Whether you’re watching fireworks over the Potomac, lining Dale Boulevard for the parade, or spending the morning with eighty-year-old warbirds on the Manassas Airport ramp, we hope it’s a weekend worth remembering. And stay cool out there — it’s going to be a hot one.
We’ll be back in your inbox Monday, July 6.
Happy Fourth,
Marie Clementi
Publisher & Editor · The Woodbridge Gazette
Your weekly neighbor along the Potomac.
Domenic Clementi
Military & Veterans Editor · The Woodbridge Gazette
Honoring service. Covering community.
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