SPORTS: Q&A with Potomac Nationals star Carter Kieboom. Page 21
June 20, 2018 | Serving Haymarket, Gainesville and Western Prince William County | Vol. 17, No. 25 | www.PrinceWilliamTimes.com | 50¢
Vote for your favorite local businesses in our first Readers’ Choice Awards, Page 18
Will Stewart’s spotlight cast a shadow on Prince William? By Jonathan Hunley and Jill Palermo
who helped organize the deadly protests in Charlottesville last summer, and Paul Nehlen, an admitted “pro-white” Wisconsin congressional canCorey didate who Stewart Stewart called his “personal hero” in early 2017. Stewart has since disavowed his associations with both Nehlen and Kessler, saying he didn’t fully understand their views when he made
Times Staff Writers
Corey Stewart’s win in the June 12 Republican primary for U.S. Senate brought national attention to Prince William County, where Stewart has served as chairman of the board of supervisors since 2006. But much of the news coverage cast Stewart in a critical light, noting his past associations with Unite the Right rally organizer Jason Kessler,
the remark about Nehlen, in January 2017, and stood alongside Kessler later that spring at a Charlottesville rally that preceded the August 2017 protest during which a counter-protester was killed. But whether the hot national spotlight on Stewart is casting a pall on Prince William County was up for debate this week among Stewart’s fellow members of the board of supervisors as well as leaders in the wider community. Local Democrats have long been
critical of Stewart and his extreme political rhetoric, particularly on immigration. Harry Wiggins, former chairman of the Prince William County Democratic Committee, called Stewart’s candidacy a “poke in the eye” for the county. Supervisor Frank Principi, D-Woodbridge, said he’s concerned about Stewart’s continued absence from his role as chairman of the board of supervisors. See STEWART, Page 4
Prince William, Dumfries win $244.3 million for local roads By Jill Palermo
Times Staff Writer
Big changes are coming to major thoroughfares in Prince William County as a result of more than $244.3 million in money for local road-construction projects awarded this week by the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority. Projects slated in the NVTA’s new sixyear plan, which covers 2018 through 2023, include $81 million toward three, new “grade-separated” intersections on Va. 234 – at University Boulevard, Brentsville Road and Clover Hill Road. The new overpasses will replace the existing traffic lights at high-volume intersections near where Va. 234 approaches Interstate 66. The money fully funds a $24.2 million overpass at Va. 234 and University Boulevard and a $54.9 million overpass at Va. 234 and Brentsville Road, while partially funding the Clover Hill interchange, according the NVTA list of projects. In addition, there is a down payment of $89 million toward the $145 million bypass See ROADS, Page 4
Montclair photographer Brian Smith captured this photo of a family of bald eagles in their treetop nest along the south bank of Quantico Creek, near where the waterway meets the Potomac River. Smith snapped the photo on April 11. Adult bald eagle pairs generally return to the same nest year after year and maintain a territory of between 1 and 6 miles for hunting prey, usually fish. The nests are typically 5 to 6 feet wide and 3 to 4 feet tall. The bald eagle became a U.S. National Emblem in 1782.
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Prince William police chief hosts ‘Conversation with the Chief’ Prince William County Police Chief Barry Barnard will host his next “Conversation with the Chief” on Wednesday, June 27, at the Lake Jackson Volunteer Fire Department. As part of a series of community conversations, Barnard will greet residents and answer their questions. The event will be held at 7 p.m. at the fire station, 11310 Coles Road in Manassas. “We would like to extend an invitation to those who live in the community and the surrounding area to come out, meet the chief, and engage in conversation,” police department spokeswoman Sharon Richardson said in a press release. “Chief Barnard will personally answer questions and discuss any Prince William County Police Chief Barry Barnard topics of concern from residents.” employment opportunities for those Members from the Police De- interested in a career in law enpartment’s Crime Prevention Unit forcement. The chief plans to hold additional and recruiters will also be on hand to answer questions and provide community engagement conversauseful information regarding safe- tions at other locations across county tips, neighborhood watches and ty this year, the press release said.
Gainesville/Prince William Times | www.princewilliamtimes.com | June 20, 2018
Woodbridge man killed in motorcycle accident on I-66 A Woodbridge man was killed Tuesday, June 12, in a motorcycle accident on Interstate 66 near the Dulles Toll Road, the Virginia State Police said Friday. Jorge Ranulfo Sanchez Jr., 27, of Woodbridge, died at the scene of the crash. Sanchez was heading west on I-66 about 9:57 p.m. that night when the motorcycle he was driving sideswiped a 2001 Jaguar XK8, which was also traveling west on the high-
way, according to a state police press release. The impact of the crash caused the motorcycle to run off the left side of the interstate and strike a guardrail. Sanchez was wearing a helmet when the crash occurred but was said to be traveling at a high rate of speed, according to witnesses of the crash, the state police said. The driver of the Jaguar was not injured.
Woman run over in dispute after fender-bender on Prince William Parkway A Maryland man was being held without bond Monday after he allegedly struck and ran over a woman with whom he got into an argument after their vehicles collided on Prince William Parkway near Hastings Drive in Manassas. According to Prince William County police, the two were involved in a “minor” accident on the parkway about 6:05 p.m. on Wednesday, June 13. After the wreck occurred, the man, who was driving a 2011 Ford F150 pickup truck, got out of his truck and exchanged words with the woman, who was driving a 2007 Toyota Scion. Sometime during that exchange, the man hit the woman in the face, according to a police press release. The man then walked back to his pickup truck, and the woman fol-
lowed him. More words were exchanged, and the man placed his truck into drive, knocking the victim to the ground. Robert Dale The man then proWarren ceeded to run over the woman’s leg, the press release said. The woman was transported to a local hospital with serious, non-life threatening injuries. Following the investigation, the accused, identified as Robert Dale Warren, 60, of La Plata, Maryland, was arrested on Thursday, June 14, without incident. Warren was charged with malicious wounding, assault and battery, and hit and run, the police report said. He is being held without bond at the Prince William County Adult Detention Center.
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Primary voter turnout about 10 percent in Prince William By Jonathan Hunley Times Staff Writer
Last week’s primary elections were sparsely attended events in Prince William and Fauquier counties. Turnout for the Republican primary for U.S. Senate was only 7.78 percent in Fauquier County, Registrar Alex Ables said Friday. And even with Prince William Board of Supervisors Chairman Corey Stewart on the ballot, only about 10.5 percent of Prince William County voters turned out to the polls, said Matthew Wilson, spokesman for the Prince William County Office of Elections. That was a little lower than the office expected, Wilson said, considering Stewart, R-at large, was vying for the GOP nomination for U.S. Senate. “Usually when there’s a recognizable name, it gets people to the polls,” he said. However, it seemed some people didn’t even know there was an election June 12, Wilson said. Stewart won the statewide primary with 44.9 percent of the vote compared to 43.1 percent for Del. Nick Freitas, of Culpeper, and 12 percent for E.W. Jackson, a minister from Chesapeake. Stewart also carried Prince William with 56.4 percent of the vote, but Freitas took Fauquier with 47.9 percent. On the Democratic side, the marquee race in Prince William and Fauquier was the three-way contest in the 1st District, which stretches from Nokesville to Hampton Roads. Vangie Williams, a federal contractor from King George County, won the nod there. She carried Fauquier with 36 percent of the vote.
TIMES STAFF PHOTO/JILL PALERMO
Edwin Santana greets a voter outside of Forest Park High School June 12. Second-place finisher Edwin Santana, a former U.S. Marine from Stafford, won in Prince William with 44.5 percent. In Fauquier County, turnout for the Democratic primary in the 1st Congressional District was at 2.98 percent, Ables said. However, only voters in the Catlett, Lois, Morrisville and Bealeton precincts were eligible to cast ballots in that contest. While low, the numbers didn’t
surprise Ables. Turnout in June primaries is usually less than 10 percent, he said. “These are usually low-turnout affairs,” he said. And last week’s figures weren’t record lows, either. The lowest turnout Ables said he’s seen in recent years was 1.07 percent. That was in June 2005 in a Democratic primary for lieutenant governor. Only 416 of 38,881 voters
showed up for that election. Part of Prince William, as well as the cities of Manassas and Manassas Park, is in the 10th Congressional District, and the race in November there will be between incumbent GOP Rep. Barbara Comstock and state Sen. Jennifer Wexton, D-33rd. They each won primaries last week, as well. Reach Jonathan Hunley at jhunley@fauquier.com
State says controversial Haymarket power lines are needed By James Ivancic Times Staff Writer
The State Corporation Commission has determined Dominion Energy’s service upgrade in Haymarket is needed, paving the way for the utility to formally apply to bury a section of a new high-voltage power transmission lines as a pilot project. The project had long been contested over routing and whether the upgrade was needed to serve a growing need as the utility long contended. The Coalition to Save Prince
William County and the Somerset Crossing Homeowners Association signed an agreement with Dominion in March that ended a legal challenge in exchange for Dominion agreeing to bury 3.1 miles of the 5.3mile transmission lines along a “hybrid” route that follows Interstate 66. Last year, Del. Tim Hugo, R-40th, got a pilot program to bury new transmission lines added to a bill that rescinded Dominion’s freeze on power rates. Following the SCC’s affirmaLaminate Flooring
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Dominion must formally apply to place the Haymarket project in the pilot program. Elena Schlossberg, executive director of the Coalition to Save Prince William County, said: “The coalition still remains vigilant.” Of the agreement with Dominion, Schlossberg added: “It’s not a perfect solution. There will still be businesses and residents impacted. But it’s the least worst option.” Reach James Ivancic at jivancic@fauquier.com
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