📋 In This Issue
● This Week's Weather
● Your Weekly News Brief
● Events & What's On
● Now Live on the Website
● Want to Reach Your Neighbors?
● We Want to Hear from You
● Until Next Monday
✉️ Opening Note
Dear Neighbors,
Big news on the transportation fronts this week: NVTA funding — $448 million and counting — is reshaping roads, transit, and bike paths right here in Woodbridge and across Prince William County. We break down what it means for your commute below.
Also on our radar: Virginia's primary election is Tuesday, August 4 — early voting closed Saturday, so Election Day is your last chance to vote, with polls open 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. countywide. And the Prince William County Fair is in full swing at the fairgrounds in Manassas — it's the 77th year of Virginia's biggest county fair, running through August 8, and today (Monday, August 3) is Senior Citizen Free Day if you've got an older neighbor or parent who loves a good midway.
On the business front, our new business features keep landing: Buzz Bookstore, KidStrong Woodbridge, Drew's, and Pulse Yoga are all live on the site now — see Now Live on the Website below.
We're still rebuilding our website behind the scenes, so thank you for your patience — the newsletter remains your best source for hyperlocal news and events in the meantime.
Marie & Dom
🌤️ This Week's Weather
A wet week across Prince William County — rain chances stay elevated most days, with the best shot Monday. Highs climb from the mid-80s into the low 90s by the weekend.
● 🌧️ Monday, August 3 — Hi 86°F — Rain likely, 90% chance
● 🌧️ Tuesday, August 4 — Hi 86°F — Rain likely, 60% chance
● 🌧️ Wednesday, August 5 — Hi 87°F — Rain likely, 70% chance
● 🌦️ Thursday, August 6 — Hi 90°F — Rain possible, 40% chance
● 🌦️ Friday, August 7 — Hi 91°F — Rain possible, 45% chance
● 🌦️ Saturday, August 8 — Hi 88°F — Rain possible, 50% chance
● 🌦️ Sunday, August 9 — Hi 92°F — Rain possible, 55% chance
📰 Your Weekly News Brief
● 🚏 The NVTA and Getting Around in Woodbridge — NVTA funding is reshaping how Prince William gets around — $448 million and counting toward roads, transit, and bike paths across the county. The Northern Virginia Transportation Authority funds projects through its Six-Year Program, and Prince William has landed nearly $1 billion for 40+ projects to date, funding that's only possible because those projects were included in NVTA's long-range TransAction plan. We talked with NVTA's Abigail Hillerich about what the plan means for Woodbridge commuters and everyone south of the Occoquan River. Read the full story below.
● 🗳️ Virginia Primary Election — Tuesday, August 4 — Early voting wrapped up Saturday. Polls are open 6 a.m.–7 p.m. countywide, with Prince William voters weighing in on U.S. Senate and House primaries.
● 🎪 County Fair Rolls on Through August 8 — The 77th Prince William County Fair is underway at the fairgrounds in Manassas — carnival midway, rodeo, demolition derby, 4-H and livestock exhibits, tractor pulls, and nightly concerts. Today, Monday, August 3, is Senior Citizen Free Day. Gate admission starts around $13; rides are priced separately.
● 🚓 National Night Out — Tuesday, August 4, 6 p.m. — Occoquan Police Department hosts this year's National Night Out, the annual community-building event pairing neighbors with local police and first responders.
● 🛍️ Virginia's Sales Tax Holiday Is August 7–9 — No sales tax on qualifying purchases for three days: school supplies ($20 or less per item), clothing and footwear ($100 or less per item), hurricane and emergency preparedness items (generators up to $1,000, chainsaws up to $350), and Energy Star/WaterSense products for home use up to $2,500. The holiday runs from 12:01 a.m. Friday through 11:59 p.m. Sunday. Full details at tax.virginia.gov.
● 🏛️ Data Center Overlay Rezoning Sent Back for Re-Hearing — The Planning Commission has to rehear a proposal to shrink the county's Data Center Opportunity Zone Overlay District after a public notice issue with the original July 15 hearing. The new hearing is set for September 9, with a Board of County Supervisors vote expected to follow in the fall. We'll have more once we're able to dig into it further.
● 📱 Apple FCU Adds Virginia Mobile ID at All Branches — Apple Federal Credit Union — serving Fairfax, Frederick, and Prince William counties — now accepts Virginia Mobile ID for in-branch identity verification at all 23 branches, the first East Coast credit union to do so, and one of just three financial institutions nationwide.
● 🔥 Data Centers' Backup Generators Draw Fresh Scrutiny — Following the diesel-generator smoke incident at an Ashburn data center, attention is turning to Gainesville's roughly 300 backup generators and the DEQ Tier II air-permit guidance that governs them.
● 🧘 Pulse Yoga Feature Now Live — Our feature on Pulse Yoga's Tackett's Mill studio is up on the site now, ahead of its ribbon cutting Friday, August 7, 12–1 p.m. at 2225 Old Bridge Rd, Woodbridge. See Now Live on the Website below.
● 👔 Drew's Brings the Modern Rugged Gentleman to Occoquan — Occoquan has a new men's boutique: Drew's, opened this June by Air Force veterans and husband-and-wife team Sonja and Drew, brings a curated mix of rugged-meets-refined apparel and gifts — leather briefcases, grooming gear, smoking cocktail kits — to 125 Mill St. See Now Live on the Website below.
● 🤸 KidStrong Woodbridge Opens August 31 — Local parents Nat Montha and Thanh Truong are bringing the science-based kids' program — physical, cognitive, and character-building classes for ages crawling through 11 — to Woodbridge. Read Madeline's story and why it's personal for their family. See Now Live on the Website below.
Military & Veterans
● 🎖️ Virginia Launches Job Site for Veterans and Military Spouses — Virginia Works and the Virginia Department of Veterans Services have launched VirginiaHasJobs.com/Veterans, a new site pooling job openings, career-planning tools, and employment resources for veterans, transitioning service members, and military spouses. It launched alongside Mission to Hire: The Virginia 100 Veteran Hiring Pledge, a 100-day push encouraging 100 Virginia employers to hire at least one veteran, transitioning service member, or military spouse, with a focus on high-demand fields like health care, technology, logistics, and the skilled trades.
📅 Events & What's On
This Week in Prince William County
● 🗳️ Election Day — Tue, August 4, 6 a.m.–7 p.m. | Polling places countywide
● 🚓 National Night Out — Tue, August 4, 6 p.m. | Occoquan | Sponsored by the Occoquan Police Department
● 🎪 Prince William County Fair — through Sun, August 8 | Prince William County Fairgrounds, 10624 Dumfries Rd, Manassas
● 🧘 Pulse Yoga Ribbon Cutting — Fri, August 7, 12–1 p.m. | 2225 Old Bridge Rd, Woodbridge (Tackett's Mill)
● 🎭 Williams' Ordinary Revolutionary War Memorial Dedication — Sat, August 8 | Part of America 250 coverage
● ⚔️ Swords, Brooms & Magical Beasts — ONE Magical Day in Occoquan — Sun, August 9, 9:15 a.m. | Occoquan Historic District | $8
Save the Dates
● 🎬 Movie in the Park: The Sandlot — Fri, August 14, 9–10:30 p.m. | 1 County Complex Ct., Woodbridge | Event details
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
● 🌽 Lorton Farmers Market — Sundays, May 3–Nov. 22, 8 a.m.–noon | 8994 Potomac Bend, Lorton, VA 22079
● 🌽 Occoquan Farmers Market — Saturdays, 8 a.m.–noon | Mill St. parking lot, near the Route 123 bridge
● 🌽Warrenton Farmers Market — Saturdays, 8 a.m.–noon | Public parking lots at Lee & Ashby St., Old Town Warrenton
🌐 Now Live on the Website
📣 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.
✍️ We Want to Hear from You
Have a story tip, a new business we should know about, or feedback on the newsletter? Just reply to this email or write to [email protected] — we read every message.
💛 Until Next Monday
It's a big week around PWC — the primary election closes out tomorrow, the County Fair runs all the way through Sunday, and our new business features start landing on the site. Don't forget to get out and vote if you haven't already.
We'll be back in your inbox Monday, August 10.
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 issue