Community Guide 2019

Prince William

COMMUNITY GUIDE

HAYMARKET

SUDLEY GAINESVILLE

MANASSAS PARK

BRISTOW

MANASSAS LAKE RIDGE

OCCOQUAN

DALE CITY SEPTEMBER 2019

WOODBRIDGE DUMFRIES

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2 COMMUNITY GUIDE • SEPTEMBER 2019

2019 Community Guide

People. Places. Things.

I

n this line of work, you have to be curious about almost everything around you — people, places and things.

How long has Dennis Miller been leading the Sudley swim team? What’s going into that massive cleared lot in Dumfries? Why are local poems popping up everywhere?

Those are just three of the questions that came up in the process of building this 32-page 2019 Community Guide.

We have answers to these and a few more in this special section, travelling from the steps of Haymarket’s Town Hall to the infamous bottleneck on Interstate 95 near Occoquan. We visit classrooms in Manassas Park, Montclair and Marumsco Hills. We take you to the field at Brentsville High, as well as future parks in Lake Ridge and Dale City.

But we know you have even more questions about what is going on in your community.

Send us your questions and tips at info@insidenova. com and check out InsideNoVa.com daily for the latest local headlines.

— Greg Hambrick, senior editor

Curiosity gets the best of kids and adults at the opening of the Neabsco Creek Boardwalk this spring.

EMILY SIDES | INSIDENOVA

HOME OF THE AWARD WINNING

Occoquan Arfs

and

Crafts Show

September 28 & 29

·-·.

SEPTEMBER 2019 • COMMUNITY GUIDE • 3

Manassas POPULATION 41,641 MEDIAN AGE

33.5

Poets providing unique art for local businesses

MEDIAN HOME VALUE

$307,000 MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME

$77,551 MEDIAN COMMUTE

34.1 MINUTES

Peace of Pottery

GREG HAMBRICK

CITY COUNCIL HARRY PARRISH II, MAYOR PAMELA SEBESKY, VICE MAYOR MICHELLE DAVIS-YOUNGER, THERESA COATES ELLIS, IAN LOVEJOY, RALPH SMITH, MARK WOLFE

SCHOOL BOARD SANFORD WILLIAMS, CHAIRMAN KRISTEN KIEFER, VICE CHAIRMAN SCOTT ALBRECHT, TIM DEMERIA, PETER O’HANLON, SUZANNE SEABERG, ROBYN WILLIAMS

HIGH SCHOOLS OSBOURN

WEBSITES MANASSASCITY.ORG MCPSVA.ORG Based on U.S. Census Bureau numbers for Manassas

W

GHAMBRICK@INSIDENOVA.COM

hen you’re strolling through a gallery in downtown Manassas or stepping up to the register at your favorite local shop, you may find something unexpected: poetry.

Write by the Rails, a Manassas-based arts group that is the Prince William chapter of the Virginia’s Writer’s Club, launched the “Poems Around Town” initiative in August and now have more than two-dozen pieces of poetry on display in a variety of local businesses in Manassas and throughout Prince William County.

Write by the Rails members were brainstorming about community service ideas and ways to promote local poets when Jan Rayl, the group’s vice president, came up with the idea to get poetry in front of people in unique places. She said the hope is that people will “stop and read a piece of literary art they might not otherwise even glance at, something short that will get them thinking in a different way.”

The poems are written by the group’s members and placed in a standard frame wherever the business would like, said

4 COMMUNITY GUIDE • SEPTEMBER 2019

PROVIDED

Cupcake Heaven & Cafe in Haymarket

Write By the Rails president Katherine Gotthardt. “The more visible, the better.”

There’s no cost to the businesses and it has been a pretty easy sell — businesses are supporting local artists, and Write by the Rails is promoting the businesses on its website and social media.

“They like to be a part of a community project,” Gotthardt said. “They want to participate in the arts in a unique way.”

The goal is to have 50 businesses hosting the poems.

The public is noticing and reaching out to the group since the poems began popping up last month.

Down the road, this type of collaboration might lead to other community partnerships, like sponsorships for other Write by the Rails projects, including the group’s anthologies.

Gotthardt stressed that this has been a team project, with several group

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PROVIDED

members helping to get the poems out to the businesses.

“It speaks to the club and the people working together,” she said.

For more on how you can host a poem, email Poetry@AllThingsWritingLLC.com.

For more on Write by the Rails, visit www.wbtr.org.

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Woodbridge POPULATION 68,338 MEDIAN AGE

In sorrow, a purpose

Couple creates nonprofit to support parents after lost pregnancies, stillbirths

34.1

MEDIAN HOME VALUE

$288,000 MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME

$85,569 MEDIAN COMMUTE

37.1 MINUTES

BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

FRANK PRINCIPI, WOODBRIDGE DISTRICT MAUREEN S. CADDIGAN, POTOMAC DISTRICT COREY STEWART, AT-LARGE CHAIRMAN SCHOOL BOARD

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2018, Alaina’s Gift hosted its first fundraiser in May, a Mommy & Me 5K Run/ fter losing their second Walk in May in Portschild during pregnanmouth. cy in 2017, a WoodDetermined to raise bridge couple pushed through awareness and support and found a way to assist other mothers in the same parents experiencing the same community where they loss. went through their pregCharie and Delvon Combo nancies, the couple is named their nonprofit Alaina’s hosting the next event at Gift after the little girl they lost. the Occoquan Regional The nonprofit is looking to Park in Lorton. spread awareness and educate Called “Rememberthe public on pregnancy and ing Our Angels,” the infant loss, and will offer as5K Walk/Run will be sistance to parents following Charie and Delvon Combo created the Woodbridge-based Alaina’s Gift as a nonprofit that can supOct. 5 at 7:30 a.m. at the PROVIDED the loss of a pregnancy or in- port parents after the loss of a pregnancy or stillbirth. park at 9751 Ox Road. fant who have medical bills that Tickets are available aren’t covered by insurance. deal with. They started moving forward, at www.runsignup.com/angelswalk19.

On Oct. 5, the group will host its first The event is open to all families who but found a fresh reminder with the medlocal fundraiser, a 5K walk/run at Occohave ever lost a loved one, Charie Combo ical bills tied to their loss. quan Regional Park.

“You come home with no child and you said.

As many as 10% to 15% of confirmed “It’ll be a day of celebration,” she said. pregnancies are lost, according to the fed- get these bills and it brings you back to “If you have an angel in your life, we want eral Office on Women’s Health. The true that place,” Charie Combo told Inside- you to come out.” percentage of pregnancy losses might NoVa. There will be a small memorial service, They found organizations that would even be higher because many occur beand each participant will receive a carfore a woman even knows that she is assist with emotional support and others nation they can take with them to place pregnant. Most losses occur very early on to help with burial costs, but they found a somewhere along the river in memory of need for support with those medical costs their angel, Charie Combo said.

— before eight weeks.

In 2016, the Combos had a miscar- and making that one less worry for parThe event will also have vendors and riage in the first trimester. In 2017, they ents in mourning. support groups.

“We learned that there are more people lost Aliana after complications during the Alaina’s Gift can suggest local resources out there who have been in the same situ- for those individuals who need help copsecond trimester.

When the couple came home, they ation,” Charie Combo said. ing with the loss.

For more, visit www.alainasgiftinc.com.

After the nonprofit was founded in late found the stress and pain were hard to GREG HAMBRICK

A

GHAMBRICK@INSIDENOVA.COM

Special lesson offers edible fractions

T

hird-grade students at Marumsco Hills Elementar y School will look at their next snack differently.

A recent special lesson, coordinated by teachers and food service staff, used fruit, an important part of any diet, to provide a better understanding of fractions, an important part of the math portion of the state’s Standards of Learning exam, according to a news release.

The hands-on, edible experience began with each student receiving a lunch tray with various types of fruit on it. Teachers then led the students through a lesson where they separated the fruits into different fractions, as well as adding and subtracting fractions.

*Based on U.S. Census Bureau numbers for 22191

6 COMMUNITY GUIDE • SEPTEMBER 2019

PROVIDED

“It was really cool that they included food and things we could feel, so that it could be easier to learn about fractions,” said student Isabella Tabares Arciniegas.

Marumsco Hills is one of several

schools where fruit fractions are used to teach math skills to students.

“It was exciting to see the light bulbs turning on as students worked,” said math teacher Lynn Smith.

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Gainesville POPULATION

Rockwood offers up American cuisine

65,082 MEDIAN AGE

36.3

MEDIAN HOME VALUE

$411,800 MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME

$100,412 MEAN COMMUTE

39.9 MINUTES

PHOTOS PROVIDED

I BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

PETE CANDLAND, GAINESVILLE DISTRICT COREY STEWART, AT-LARGE CHAIRMAN SCHOOL BOARD

ALYSON SATTERWHITE, GAINESVILLEGAINSVILLE DISTRICT BABUR LATEEF, AT-LARGE CHAIRMAN HIGH SCHOOLS

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PWCGOV.ORG PWCS.EDU *Based on U.S. Census Bureau numbers for the Gainesville district

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n a region where breweries and wineries dot the landscape, Gainesville scored a restaurant that’s making a name for itself not just for its outstanding fresh food, but also because it serves its own private label California wine. Part of the family-owned MACNAC Hospitality Group, Rockwood is a refreshing addition to the expanding landscape of restaurants and shops in Virginia Gateway.

Rockwood is the eighth restaurant concept owned and operated by the group, each with its own theme and menu.

Rockwood serves American cuisine with a menu created by owner and head chef, Mike Cordero.

At nearly 5,000 square feet, Rockwood seats 200 and features two bars and two patios, each with their own feel. One patio is turf and feels like an inviting backyard complete with outdoor games like cornhole and giant Jenga. The other features a sliding glass wall that opens when the weather is nice, bringing the outdoors in, and the bar out.

Family owned and operated restaurant. The MACNAC Hospitality Group is comprised of Chef Mike Cordero, and sons Anthony and Nick. The Cordero family has been in the restaurant business for over 40 years. Chef Mike has a talent for taking restaurant concepts and making them big. He got his start working in various restaurants as a kid in the Bronx.

New York style pizza was where he started, but he wound up working his way up to head chef at the famous Sardi’s restaurant in Manhattan, working with owner Vincent Sardi Jr. He came to Northern Virginia as president of operations for a pizza chain that he took to franchise in shopping malls in the ‘80s, at a time when pizzerias weren’t commonplace in malls. From there he became a restauranteur, opening his first fine dining Italian

8 COMMUNITY GUIDE • SEPTEMBER 2019

restaurant, Bravo’s in Fairfax. Always exploring new trends, he continued to open more restaurants with different themes and menus, each curated by him. These include a steakhouse, Latin fusion, tacos and tequila, sports bars and even an arcade themed restaurant.

And after touring Europe and developing an understanding of the ever-expanding Virginia winery circuit, Mike took another idea and made it big, developing his own wine label. Partnering with Darcie Kent Vineyards in Northern California, Cordero produces four wines: chardonnay, pinot grigio, merlot and pinot noir, all of which are offered as the house wines at Rockwood. Rockwood’s beer selection is also impressive, and adds another unique and creative twist; just like going to your favorite brewery, they offer beer growlers that can be filled with any beer they have on tap.

“Chase the vision, not the money. The

money will end up following you.” Chef Mike Cordero According to co-owner Anthony Cordero, partnering with community is and has always been important to them. Earlier this season they celebrated the one-year anniversary and official launch of their patios with a party that featured local businesses, breweries Honor Brewing and Old Busthead, and another Gainesville favorite, MurLarkey Distillery. It was a great gathering with drink specials, the grill and a DJ outside. To the Corderos it was a way to bring the community together and show their appreciation for its support.

While it certainly has a great vibe for a date night, and a great scene for happy hour, first and foremost, Rockwood is a family-friendly restaurant.

“We are a restaurant first, and a bar second. We want to cater to everyone,” said ROCKWOOD PAGE 9

ROCKWOOD FROM PAGE 8

Anthony Cordero.

House label wine, family owned, chefinspired menu, these are not the only things that make Rockwood stand out. All of the food is made-to-order. This means there is no large freezer in the back housing pre-made foods. Each prime rib is cut to order and even the deviled eggs burst with filling made only when ordered.

Rockwood offers brunch on Saturdays and Sundays, features a seasonal patio menu full of beach-themed drinks made with freshly squeezed juices, and is rocking the summer with an event calendar packed with live music, dancing, karaoke, trivia and more. For additional information and the latest event news, find them on Facebook at @RockwoodVA. This article originally appeared in Gainesville Lifestyle’s July 2019 issue. For more, visit piedmontlifestyle.com.

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Quantico POPULATION 458 MEDIAN AGE

36.3

Museum honoring the past by growing into the future EMILY SIDES

T

esides@insidenova.com

MEDIAN HOME VALUE

$191,700 MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME

$54,583 MEAN COMMUTE

33.4 MINUTES

TOWN COUNCIL KEVIN BROWN, MAYOR EARLENE CLINTON, ROBIN LANGHAM, RUSSELL KUHNS, OTIS BAKER, TOM DAVIS BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MAUREEN S. CADDIGAN, POTOMAC DISTRICT COREY STEWART, ATLARGE CHAIRMAN SCHOOL BOARD JUSTIN WILK, POTOMAC DISTRICT BABUR LATEEF, AT-LARGE CHAIRMAN

HIGH SCHOOLS QUANTICO POTOMAC FOREST PARK

WEBSITES QUANTICO.MARINES.MIL PWCGOV.ORG PWCS.EDU Based on U.S. Census Bureau numbers for Quantico

he 210-foot-tall spire of the National Museum of the Marine Corps that is visible from Interstate 95 was inspired

by Joe Rosenthal’s famous photo of six Marines raising the U.S. flag at the Battle of Iwo Jima during World War II. The flag those Marines raised in 1945 is just one of many exhibits the museum uses to educate the public about the history, traditions and culture of the U.S. Marine Corps, said retired Gen. James Kessler, president and CEO of the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation, which operates the museum.

The museum celebrates values such as honor, courage, commitment, selfless service and sacrifice, Kessler said.

Exhibits show the history of the U.S Marine Corps from 1775 through the end of the Vietnam War in 1975. And in 2021, museum officials plan to open exhibits that will commemorate the corps’ history from 1976 through the present, Kessler said.

“It’s critically important we recognize our history,” he added.

“The young men and women who fought are anxious to see their periods of service recognized. We are really excited to get those populated with artifacts and art so they can see their service commemorated in an appropriate way.”

By early December, the museum also will open an exhibit that will highlight the non-combat work Marines do, such as humanitarian assistance, disaster relief and embassy security, Kessler said.

The museum is also working on an exhibit on the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

In 2017, the museum opened its theater, the Children’s Gallery and the Combat Art Gallery.

The museum also hosts events such as weddings, funerals and retirement celebrations.

“We think of this place as the cathedral of the Marine Corps, because it’s a special place for Marines and their families,” Kessler said.

The museum is free to enter and has free parking. It is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily except for Christmas Day. The museum also has two restaurants and outside walkways on its 120acre property.

“We encourage families to come and spend time with us and see the world through the eyes of a Marine,” Kessler said.

Since opening in 2006, 6 million people, including 52,000 school-aged children, have visited the National Museum of the Marine Corps, Kessler said. Each year, 500,000 people visit the museum, which is a public-private partnership between the

PROVIDED

foundation and the U.S. Marine Corps. The Marine Corps Heritage Foundation promotes the values of the Marine Corps and aims to honor the service and sacrifice of Marines.

The 120,000-square-foot museum is adjacent to the Marine Corps Base Quantico and is under the command of the Marine Corps University. The museum has a teacher-in-residence, who develops a K-12 curriculum to help children interact and learn from the museum.

The museum has a large-screen theater to show documentaries, such as “The Marines.”

For more information, visit https://www.usmcmuseum.com/ to learn how to donate, volunteer or buy an engraved brick.

NOW ON EXHIBIT Catch these temporary exhibits at the National Museum of the Marine Corps.

A Tribute in Silver: Veteran Vision Project The mission of his photo essay by Devin Mitchell is to provide a lens and a voice for U.S. military service members. The 38 photographs on display are drawn from the Arizona State University Veteran Vision Project, photographs Mitchell took of ASU veteran students, staff, alumni, faculty and community veterans.

Hollywood Leathernecks: Movie Posters Inspired by Marines Movie posters provide a glimpse into how Marines have been portrayed in American movies from the 1920s to today. From 1918's "The Unbeliever" to "Guadalcanal Diary" to "Heartbreak Ridge" and "A Few Good Men," visitors will trace Hollywood's version of Marine Corps history through more than 30 posters.

Battles Won — Marine Corps Recruiting Command Sculptures by Kris Kuksi With each piece, these sculptures of Marines represent various battles throughout the history of the Corps. The emotions in the sculpted faces reflect the struggles they have lived through on the battlefield or during humanitarian relief missions and the personal challenges they endured to become Marines.

10 COMMUNITY GUIDE • SEPTEMBER 2019

Your PWPLS Digital Library Audiobooks, e-books, music, movies, and more: all available on your devices, all free with your PWPLS library card.

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Omnilink: Personalized bus service designed with your

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William Metro Direct provides easy access to the Franconia-Springfield Metro Station. Linton Hall Metro Direct connects Gainesville commuters with the Tysons Corner Metro Station.

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SEPTEMBER 2019 • COMMUNITY GUIDE • 11

Brentsville Miller creates award-winning turf management program at Brentsville High HUGH RIST

F

FOR INSIDENOVA

or Andrew Miller, director of Brentsville High School’s turf management program, the grass has always been greener in his own backyard than anywhere else.

Miller, a 2013 graduate of Stonewall Jackson High School, once dreamed of a professional baseball career.

But when he realized those dreams were not going to be realized, he plotted a new course that would allow him to stay involved with sports after a conversation with his high school biology teacher, Richard Smith, who told him about Virginia Tech’s turf management program.

“At first, I was like, ‘There’s a major for that?’ and he told me there was,” Miller recalled. Miller verified it with his older brother, John, who was already working in the industry, and at that point, Miller knew that major was for him.

“I thought then that I could see myself doing this for the rest of my life,” Miller said.

Soon thereafter, Miller attended the

Andrew Miller, the program advisor for the Brentsville's Turf Grass Management Program, won the Sports Turf Managers Association “Stars and Stripes” contest for his “Friday Nights in Small Town USA” field design at Donald Lambert Field.

DAVID FAWCETT | INSIDENOVA

Sports Turf Managers Association’s national conference in Denver, Colo., in 2014 while a student at Virginia Tech and responded to a job posting from the New York Mets seeking groundskeeping help.

Head groundskeeper Matt Brown hired him to help manicure the grass at Citi

Field.

Eventually, Brown got the same job with the Pittsburgh Pirates, and Miller moved with him to become the assistant groundskeeper at PNC Park and eventually also groomed the field at Heinz Field for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Despite being

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Andrew Miller's award-winning field design at Brentsville.

SUBMITTED

a baseball fanatic, Miller called this job his favorite overall, just because of the cachet that came with working for a National Football League team.

Meanwhile, Miller, whose father, John, BRENTSVILLE PAGE 15

Thanks for voting us #1 in Prince William two years in a row!

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SEPTEMBER 2019 • COMMUNITY GUIDE • 13

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14 COMMUNITY GUIDE • SEPTEMBER 2019

OPEN YEAR-ROUND!

Montclair Running team wins national grant

T

he Henderson Huskies Running Team at Henderson Elementary has been awarded an $800 grant from the Road Runners Club of America.

The school was one of 42 programs in the country to receive the Kids Run the Nation grant, according to a Runners at Henderson Elementary take part in a 5K event hosted at the school.

PROVIDED news release.

Brianne Williams, a Henderson Elementary School parent, entirely coordinated by parent volunteers, is the director for the Henderson Ele- the students learn about strength workmentary Running Team. Williams began outs, building endurance running, hill researching grants and was able to find running, overall cardio fitness and team some for use in health and fitness. Fellow camaraderie. And they participate in a 5K parent, Rebecca Ruster, volunteered to event hosted by the school. write the grant proposal.

The team has not yet decided how it “Our parents look around and notice will use the grant money, but ideas inwhat needs to be done to improve our school and then get after it,” Principal Su- clude purchasing uniforms, equipment, snacks for team meeting days and student zanne Bevans said.

The team of third- through fifth-grade journals.

Some of the money may also be used to students meets to practice twice a week before school for about nine weeks in the help offset the cost of team registrations spring. During the practices, which are for events.

BRENTSVILLE FROM PAGE 12

is principal of Stonewall Jackson Middle School and who has several other family members who teach in Prince William County, began to consider his next steps as graduation approached. In 2016, just after his graduation from Virginia Tech with a bachelor’s in turf management and just before he earned a master’s in agricultural management from Tech, Miller found himself meeting with Prince William County Schools’ director of career and technical education, Doug Wright.

“It was sort of by accident. I don’t know why or how I was in this meeting,” Miller said. “We had a two-hour conversation where he asked me things like, ‘What would you do in this situation?’ or ‘What do you think about that?’”

After the meeting, Wright told Miller, who was dressed in a polo shirt and shorts and had shoulder-length hair at the time, to step outside for about five minutes.

When Wright called him back in, he told him he had an interview with Brentsville principal Kat Meints.

“I was thinking, ‘What?’ I wasn’t even applying [and] didn’t have a resume,” Miller said. “But she [Meints] told me not to worry about it and we talked for two more hours. Then I met with the activities director [Seth Cameron] and before I knew it, I had a teaching job.”

Miller said he was slated to replace a retiring teacher, and Meints and Cameron were looking for a new teacher with new ideas.

Out of those conversations, the turf management program at Brentsville was born.

A total of 30 students came to Brentsville, some from out of the attendance zone, because the program is not offered at any other school in Prince William.

Miller’s program earned three different awards recently. First, the program earned an award for its football field from the TMSA group, in which it was competing with over 600 other applications.

The program also won the National Field of Excellence award from Pioneer Athletics for its football field. Finally, the program won the Stars and Stripes award for its field painting “Friday Nights in Small Town USA” from the TMSA. Miller will accept the award at the group’s conference in West Palm Beach, Fla., later this year.

Miller said he enjoys his job, especially the opportunity to help students make a path for themselves after high school. The program has 30 interns serving at places such as Pfitzner Stadium, Audi Field (home of DC United) and the Robert Trent Jones Golf Course in Gainesville.

“This program gives kids who might otherwise struggle in school an opportunity to pursue further education in college,” Miller said. “They see this as an opportunity to turn their lives around and actually attend college where they might otherwise wouldn’t. I love my job, but I never in a thousand years dreamed I would ever be doing something like this when I started out.”

PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

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SEPTEMBER 2019 • COMMUNITY GUIDE • 15

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18 COMMUNITY GUIDE • SEPTEMBER 2019

Bull Run/Sudley Dennis Miller is the face of Sudley swimming HUGH RIST

O

FOR INSIDENOVA

Dennis Miller has been with the Sudley Swim and Tennis Club for 50 years.

SUBMITTED

ver the past 50 years, the Sudley Seahorses Swim Club and its members have become the only family Dennis Miller has ever known.

A lifelong bachelor, who was also an elementary school teacher in Fairfax County for more than 30 years, Miller’s devotion to the Prince William Swim League in general and Sudley specifically has made him something of a local legend -- so much so that Sudley recently dedicated its pool in honor of the longtime manager and club founder.

“It [the dedication] was a huge honor,” Miller said. “Normally people don’t dedicate things to

people while they are still living, and I am not ready to die yet, so I hope I will still be around for many years to come.”

Miller recalled when he first started at Sudley.

He took a job as a lifeguard that paid him $750 a month and an extra $150 if he assisted the club manager with various duties. It wasn’t long before the original manager quit, and Miller was asked to take over a position he has never left in 50 years.

“It turned into a seven-days-a-week job, but I never married, never had kids, so these 280 families that are members of Sudley have definitely become my family,” Miller said. “I took the job because it helped make my education SWIMMING PAGE 21

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Bull Run/Sudley

Marsteller students sending experiments into space

S

tudents in Anders Drew’s science class at Marsteller Middle School finished out the 2018-19 school year having developed scientific research experiments tied to some future-focused, real-world problems.

Using creative, critical thinking and problem solving skills, the students worked in groups to plan experiments that examined certain questions: How does putty hold up to the forces and spin of a NASA sounding rocket? What are the effects of extreme cold on brick, and the effects of low-pressure on packing mate-

rials when they reach the stratosphere on high-altitude research balloons?

As would any scientist, the students decided on problems with real-world applications, developed their hypotheses, and then they submitted them to NASA. This summer and fall, those students projects are getting put to the test as part of the “Cubes in Space” program that sends research projects for a brief trip into space or near-space.

A rocket launch this summer at the Wallops Island Research Center on Virginia’s Eastern Shore delivered the pack-

ages. Two of the young Marsteller scientists and their families were in attendance to watch. The rest of the team met up afterward to open the cube and analyze results.

It was a surprise for the team to learn that the putty held up better than expected. This was because it was a team member who had proposed testing putty as a possible medium for successfully protecting delicate instruments in transport to space.

The high-altitude balloons containing the other two experiments were sched-

uled to launch in early September. The teams for those projects are waiting for word and expect to receive their cubes back soon afterward so that they can examine their results.

In this program, students are guided by their sponsor through the months-long process of developing their experiment, creating a diagram and writing a proposal for submission.

Registration for new Cubes in Space projects will be accepted beginning Oct. 10.

SWIMMING FROM PAGE 19

at U.Va. [University of Virginia] less expensive, but honestly Sudley has never seemed like a job to me.”

Not long after becoming club manager, Miller became coach of the Seahorses and has never relinquished that role. The Prince William Swim League, which Sudley has won many times over the years, was co-founded by Miller, Alan Cardwell of the Quantico Devil Dolphins, and Doug Fonder of Ben Lomond. Miller said the three founded the league because it was so difficult to coordinate meets.

“One thing that is still very true is that no swim meet can take place without the efforts of a huge amount of volunteers,” Miller said. “It takes around 50 parents a week who give an incredible amount of volunteer hours. These volunteers are nameless, but very appreciated.”

Eventually, Cardwell moved to Oregon and Fonder moved to Roanoke, leaving Miller as the chief coordinator for the league. Miller cited several moments as some of his favorites, with the first being the Seahorses’ first PWSL championship in 1976.

“Ben Lomond was a powerhouse and Lake Ridge was really good, so I started watching them and realized I needed to develop the depth at the 8U [8 and under] level as the building blocks of the program. That first championship was really the culmination of a few years of building,” Miller said.

Another highlight was Sudley’s streak of undefeated seasons from 2000-2012, which was finally broken by Braemar.

“That stands out for an important reason. It’s always been important to me how you carry yourself after a defeat.

When Braemar won, each member of our team went over to shake hands with their swimmers and coach afterward, and even he said he was impressed by that,” Miller remembered. “Teaching life lessons is one of the best things about coaching.”

The final standout memory Miller cited was the Seahorses’ 2017 championship because it represented a triumph of unity for the Seahorses after one of their 8-andunder swimmers, Michael Munsell, was diagnosed with T-cell leukemia.

“Ninety percent of the time a diagnosis at that age is fatal, but Michael still competed when he could,” Miller said. “He’s still competing and is still in treatment.

But to see the way that team rallied behind Michael after dedicating the season to him was really something.”

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SEPTEMBER 2019 • COMMUNITY GUIDE • 21

Manassas Park POPULATION

Manassas Park schools remember lost educator

17,307 MEDIAN AGE

Teacher’s dedication honored GREG HAMBRICK

34.1

MEDIAN HOME VALUE

$263,300 MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME

$79,131 MEAN COMMUTE

37.3 MINUTES

CITY COUNCIL JEANETTE RISHELL, MAYOR PRESTON BANKS, VICE MAYOR HECTOR CENDEJAS, HASEEB JAVED, MIRIAM MACHADO, ALANNA MENSING, DONALD SHUEMAKER

SCHOOL BOARD

A

GHAMBRICK@INSIDENOVA.COM

t the start of the school year, Manassas Park Public Schools celebrated the elevation of one of its own.

Elizabeth Krafsig had worked for more than seven years as an instructional assistant and, this year, became a special education teacher at Cougar Elementary School.

On Sept. 1, soon after the school year began, Krafsig passed away.

Krafsig was a native of Annapolis, Md., who lived most of her adult life in Manassas Park.

Krafsig had gone back to school full time to pursue a teaching degree while still working. She graduated earlier this year with a bachelor’s in Special Education Interdisciplinary Studies from Liberty University and was in the process of obtaining her master’s in Special Education.

“She was a true beacon of positivity and encouragement for both students and staff, and her impact on our community will truly be missed,” read a statement from the school division when announcing her death. “Her dedication and commitment toward her goal of becoming a teacher of special education was an inspiration to those around her, and her devotion to her students was tremendous.”

A celebration of her life was held before the Manassas Park High School football game Sept. 6. Football was one of her family’s cherished passed times — three of her four children graduated from the high school.

“She could usually be found in the front row of one of her kids football games, cheerleading competitions, track meets, band concerts, dance recitals or any other events they participated in,” Krafsig’s obituary noted.

The division will also hold a special dedication in her honor at the annual Special Olympics Meet in the Middle

DEBORAH MCINTYREYURKOVICH, CHAIRMAN PATRICIA RHODES, VICE CHAIRMAN PAUL ALEXANDER, RACHEL KIRKLAND, CARLOS VARGAS

Elizabeth Krafsig went to school full time while still working as a teacher’s aid in Manassas Park schools.

event Oct. 4 at Cougar Stadium, 8200 Euclid Ave. “Elizabeth was an inspiration, both personally and professionally,” said Ann Gwynn, principal at Cougar Elementary.

“Her advocacy and love for her students was evident every single day. We cannot think of a better way to recognize Elizabeth’s contributions to our community and her commitment to her students than do it in conjunction with an event that was very close to her heart.”

The meet is from 10 a.m. to noon and will include at least 13 schools competing

PROVIDED

with close 200 athletes.

“She was incredibly dedicated to her kids,” said division spokesperson Deanne Perez. “Mrs. Krafsig never missed one of these events.”

A memorial fund has been set up in Krafsig’s name. Donations to the Elizabeth Krafsig Memorial Fund can be made at United Bank, 9872 Liberia Avenue, Manassas, c/o Talya Conroy, Branch Manager. Checks should be made payable to the Elizabeth Krafsig Memorial Fund.

Donations can also be made via PayPal at https://www.paypal.me/krafsigfund.

ALL IN

HIGH SCHOOLS OSBOURN WEBSITES CITYOFMANASSASPARK. USMPARK.NET

Excitement at Manassas Park High School this fall is centered on the return of the school’s football program to a full varsity schedule (at left, in August). In the spring, attention will return to the school’s soccer team, which reached the state semifinals in 2018 (at right, in June).

* Based on U.S. Census Bureau numbers for Manassas Park

22 COMMUNITY GUIDE • SEPTEMBER 2019

BILL KAMENJAR | FOR INSIDENOVA

Census workers verifying addresses

Why Elect Karen?

57.23% of your tax dollars are dedicated to schools; therefore, communica�on with ALL community members is a must!

Qualita�ve data, like the input from all stakeholders, the students, the school staff, the parents, and community, is equally important! All decisions should be aligned with a long-range strategic plan.

Official online invitations to respond to the U.S. Census won’t go out until early next year, but U.S. Census Bureau workers will be in the field doing some preliminary work through the middle of October, according to Prince William County.

The census workers, called “address canvassers,” are a part of the bureau’s InField Canvassing Operations and will be out and about to verify household addresses so they can send out the Census invitations to every household starting in March 2020, said county demographer Brian Engelmann.

The canvassers need to go out to specific neighborhoods to verify the addresses that can’t be determined by using GIS

maps, according to a county news release.

“The canvassers will ask a few questions to verify the address and inquire about any additional living quarters on the property for inclusion in the Census process,” Engelmann said.

Visit http://census.gov search “Surveys/ Programs” and then “2020 Census Operational Information” to find an interactive, in-field address canvassing viewer map.

If people have questions about someone’s identity, they can call 800-923-8282 to speak with a local Census Bureau representative. Fore more, visit www.pwcgov. org/census.

As your representa�ve, I will view every decision through the lenses of a community member, an administrator, and a mom. I will ask, "How would this decision affect my child?" "How might this decision look in a school everyday?" and "What impact will this have on our Occoquan Community?"

I’ve learned in my 22 years in educa�on that collabora�on is cri�cal to success, and as your School Board Member, I will make myself available to hear your concerns and to provide quick responses.

Elect

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SEPTEMBER 2019 • COMMUNITY GUIDE • 23

Occoquan POPULATION

EMILY SIDES

esides@insidenova.com

1,070 MEDIAN AGE

Road projects aim to improve safety, alleviate traffic

40.7

MEDIAN HOME VALUE

$378,500 MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME

$96,328 MEAN COMMUTE

30.6 minutes

TOWN COUNCIL EARNEST PORTA JR., MAYOR PATRICK SIVIGNY, VICE MAYOR J. MATTHEW DAWSON, CINDY FITHIAN, LAURIE HOLLOWAY, ELIOT PERKINS SCHOOL BOARD

D

rivers in the Occoquan area are familiar with commuting nightmares linked to three intersections around the community.

That should change soon with two projects ready to begin and a third on the ballot in November.

In January, the Virginia Department of Transportation announced plans to build an auxiliary lane on I-95 from Va. 123 to Prince William Parkway in order to help alleviate traffic at the bottleneck at that exit as the interstate narrows from four to three lanes.

The idea was thought doomed by a contract with TransUrban, the company that operates the I-95 Express Lanes. The state cannot make changes to the main lanes that would impact the revenue agreement with TransUrban.

In larger contract negotiations for a new Fredericksburg extension to the Express Lanes, the state was able to not only get the required approval from the company, but also secure revenue from the extension deal that will be used to fund the project.

Construction for the I-95 auxiliary lane could start as early as next year, said Occouan District Supervisor Ruth Anderson.

The idea for expanding I-95 came from residents who attended town halls, she said, adding the county’s transportation department worked on the initial design for the I-95 auxiliary lane.

“It’s not a total fix, everyone knows that, but it’s a step in the right direction,” she said.

“The credit goes to residents who came to meetings and helped us decide the highest priorities.”

Anderson said she also is advocating for an additional I-95 northbound lane in the same area as the auxiliary lane.

In May, Prince William County was awarded $11.85 million through VDOT’s Smart Scale program, which weighs projects based on factors such as safety, congestion mitigation and economic de-

Two major road projects in the planning stages and one on the ballot in November will reshape trips for Occoquan-area residents.

1. Realignment of the intersection at Occoquan and Old Bridge roads 2. New auxiliary lane on Interstate 95 from Old Bridge Road to the Prince William Parkway 3. Proposal on November ballot for intersection improvements at Old Bridge Road and Gordon Boulevard

velopment. The funding will realign Old Bridge Road at the intersection with Occoquan Road to improve safety and sight distance, particularly as drivers head south on Old Bridge Road.

Officials are set to replace the traffic signal and will construct an additional right-turn lane as drivers heading south out of Occoquan on Occoquan Road try to head west onto Old Bridge Road, according to county officials. Sidewalks will also be a part of the project.

Construction for this project may start as early as 2024, Anderson said. “In the meantime, there will probably be design work,” she said.

Anderson said improving this intersection will be important, because of the intersection’s proximity to Occoquan Elementary School on Occoquan Road. The elementary school is set to be replaced by September 2025 with a new building on the site, according to the county’s capital improvement plan approved earlier this year.

The third road project will be decided by voters countywide on the ballot Nov. 5.

The county is asking for approval to spend $355 million on a handful of transportation projects, including $15 million to improve the intersection of Va. Route 123, or Gordon Boulevard, and Old Bridge Road.

If approved, the project would make it easier for traffic exiting I-95 and coming from U.S. Route 1 and Woodbridge to make a safer turn onto Old Bridge Road, according to county transportation officials. That could possibly include a new flyover, but final designs have not been determined.

The project would take 3-5 years to complete. County transportation officials noted the county would need to acquire right of way to complete the project if they went with a flyover.

If the transportation bond is approved, the county would conduct more work on how to best improve the intersection, Anderson said.

WATER WONDERS

LILLIE JESSIE, OCCOQUAN DISTRICT BABUR LATEEF, AT-LARGE CHAIRMAN HIGH SCHOOLS WOODBRIDGE WEBSITES OCCOQUANVA.GOV PWCGOV.ORG PWCS.EDU Based on U.S. Census Bureau numbers for Occoquan

Residents got out on the water during perfect weather for the Occoquan Spring Arts and Crafts Show. The fall event will be held Sept. 28-29. The town will launch a new RiverFest event next spring.

PAUL LARA | FOR INSIDENOVA

24 COMMUNITY GUIDE • SEPTEMBER 2019

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SEPTEMBER 2019 • COMMUNITY GUIDE • 25

Haymarket POPULATION 1,721 MEDIAN AGE

Haymarket makeover Town hall exterior is renovated; plans shape up for nearby hotel

33.5

MEDIAN HOME VALUE

$417,300 MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME

$118,958 MEAN COMMUTE

43.4 MINUTES

EMILY SIDES

T

ESIDES@INSIDENOVA.COM

he town hall in Haymarket has a new look, and the community could soon see its only hotel.

After realizing renovations at Haymarket’s town hall would cost more than $1 million, the town council decided to instead complete renovations on the town hall’s exterior for $150,000, said Mayor David Leake.

Outdoor renovations, which include replacing the roof, siding and gutters and repainting the building, are nearly finished, he said. “It looks like a brand new building at a fraction of the cost.”

Officials also have moved the town’s police department to the town hall.

Other improvements around the site include a new turn lane from Jefferson

Street onto Washington Street, which is expected to take about six months to complete, Leake said. After the Virginia Department of Transportation completes the project, the town plans to add a courtyard, sidewalks and parking, Leake said.

Across from town hall, Haymarket Hotel Venture LLC plans to build a Hilton Garden Inn at the intersection of Washington and Jefferson streets. The hotel is expected to be 74,888 square feet on 2.3 acres of land and will have 129 parking spaces.

“The Hilton Garden Inn will be focused on not only bringing people to Haymarket to learn about and enjoy its tremendous historical heritage, but in bringing the town’s people together on a daily basis through its food and beverage offerings, special events, meeting space and career opportunities,” according to information

the venture provided to the Architectural Review Board last month.

Earlier this year, six buildings were demolished on the site where the hotel will be built. On Aug. 5, the council reversed the town’s Architectural Review Board decision and allowed the property’s owner to demolish a house at 6706 Jefferson St., which has a wrap-around porch.

The hotel will pay transient occupancy tax to the town. “This new income will be game-changing,” Leake said, adding that the town potentially could decrease local taxes for residents and businesses.

Haymarket Hotel Venture currently is pursuing town permits to build the hotel, Leake said, adding construction could take about 14-months, so it could open in 2021.

“This is definitely providing a need and it promotes walkability,” Leake said.

TOWN COUNCIL DAVID LEAKE, MAYOR SUSAN EDWARDS, VICE MAYOR CONNOR LEAKE, STEVE SHANNON, MADHU PANTH, ROBERT DAY

BOARD OF SUPERVISORS PETE CANDLAND, GAINESVILLE DISTRICT COREY STEWART, AT-LARGE CHAIRMAN

Haymarket could have its first hotel with a planned Hilton Garden Inn.

PROVIDED

BEFORE

SCHOOL BOARD ALYSON SATTERWHITE, NEABSCO DISTRICT BABUR LATEEF, AT-LARGE CHAIRMAN

HIGH SCHOOLS

AFTER

BATTLEFIELD

WEBSITES TOWNOFHAYMARKET.ORG PWCGOV.ORG PWCS.EDU Based on U.S. Census Bureau numbers for Haymarket

The town hall recently got a fresh coat of paint. Other work around the site will include a courtyard and sidewalks.

26 COMMUNITY GUIDE • SEPTEMBER 2019

PROVIDED

SEPTEMBER 2019 • COMMUNITY GUIDE • 27

Dumfries POPULATION 5,324 MEDIAN AGE

(COUNTYWIDE ESTIMATE)

34.7

MEDIAN HOME VALUE

$189,300 MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME

$62,303 MEAN COMMUTE

37.4 MINUTES

Affordable housing under construction in Dumfries EMILY SIDES

TOWN COUNCIL

DERRICK WOOD, MAYOR MONAÉ NICKERSON, VICE-MAYOR CHARLES BREWER, MELVA WILLIS, SELONIA MILES, CYDNY NEVILLE, BRIAN FIELDS BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

MAUREEN S. CADDIGAN, POTOMAC DISTRICT COREY STEWART, AT-LARGE CHAIRMAN SCHOOL BOARD

JUSTIN WILK, POTOMAC DISTRICT BABUR LATEEF, AT-LARGE CHAIRMAN HIGH SCHOOLS

POTOMAC FOREST PARK WEBSITES DUMFRIESVA.GOV PWCGOV.ORG PWCS.EDU *Based on U.S. Census Bureau numbers for Dumfries

S

ESIDES@INSIDENOVA.COM

low incomes since 1975.

Townsquare at Dumfries will offer residents a walking trail, a community center with computers, a dog-grooming station and a kitchen area, Sutphin said.

Community Housing Partners also plans to develop an adjacent 40-unit senior community and another development that has townhomes, but construction on those projects has not started.

Dumfries Mayor Derrick Wood said

PROVIDED

the development’s location near Interstate 95 and Marine Corps Base Quantico is ideal. “I like to say it’s a gateway to southeastern Prince William County.”

The development will bring more people to live in Dumfries, he said, adding that more town residents is good for attracting businesses.

“I’m looking forward to increasing our population and bringing in more business,” Wood said.

ince January, Community Housing Partners has been building a 227-apartment affordable housing complex called Townsquare at Dumfries near Route 1 at 17900 Triangle Road.

The $55 million development is slated to be completed by the end of 2020, said Michael Sutphin, spokesperson for Community Housing Partners.

BANG THE DRUM Townsquare at Dumfries will accept federal housing assistance vouchers and will consider residents based on household size and yearly income, Sutphin said. For instance, a two-person household can qualify if their combined annual income is below $58,260. The complex will have one-, two- and three-bedroom units in six buildings. The buildings will be three to four stories tall.

Funding for the development includes low-income housing tax credits as well as funding from the Virginia Housing Development Authority and other partners, Sutphin said.

The Town of Dumfries hosts several annual events, including Charter Day festivities each May that comC ommunity Housing memorate the 1749 charter that made Dumfries the first chartered town in Virginia. In this 2018 photo, Partners, a nonprofit based Adelyn Metrinko, 4, takes a swing at a base drum after listening to the Old Army Drum and Fife Band in Christiansburg, says it has perform.

FILE PHOTO built houses for people with

28 COMMUNITY GUIDE • SEPTEMBER 2019

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Dale City POPULATION

BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

73,279

VICTOR ANGRY, NEABSCO DISTRICT COREY STEWART, AT-LARGE CHAIRMAN

MEDIAN AGE

34

MEDIAN HOME VALUE

$289,900 MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME

$88,010

SCHOOL BOARD DIANE RALSTON, NEABSCO DISTRICT BABUR LATEEF, AT-LARGE CHAIRMAN HIGH SCHOOLS

C.D. HYLTON GAR-FIELD POTOMAC

MEDIAN COMMUTE

WEBSITES

39.4

PWCGOV.ORG PWCS.EDU

MINUTES

Based on U.S. Census Bureau numbers for Dale City

Two future parks you didn’t know were there

I

t’s hard to imagine where Prince William County might find additional park space.

The answer: There are two largely undeveloped, countyowned park sites that will provide key access to pedestrians and cyclists by connecting trails around Andrew Leitch Park to the Sharron Baucom Dale City Recreation Center on Minnieville Road. The trail plan will also link the Minnieville Road area to the Americounty map shows existing trials (in red) as well as the undeveloped park sites cans in Wartime Museum just off This that will eventually provide a key portion of the Neabsco Greenway Trail system.

Interstate 95 on Dale Boulevard.

PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY MAP Saratoga Hunt Park is 57 acres The county’s Dale City Small Area Plan located at 14450 General Washington Drive. calls for funding the remainder of the trails Greenwood Farms Park includes more than and suggests the county should look at re51 acres at 14450 Delany Road. Neither park development opportunities that could take site is accessible to the public. Both sites are advantage of the trial route. The authors also split between the Neabsco and Coles districts. note that the Dominion powerline easements They’re part of the partially-completed Neabsco Greenway Trail system. The county’s that run through the region could provide Department of Parks and Recreation has more opportunity for trail access in the area.

“The establishment of a trail route that is completed the portion of the trail system around Andrew Leitch Park, with trails run- both safe and scenic with views of the Neabning between Princedale Drive near Dale sco Creek will provide a catalyst for new busiBoulevard to Lindendale Drive near the Ma- nesses and aid in creating a sense of place for pledale Drive intersection.

Dale City,” the plan notes.

Lake Ridge Bike and skate park to seek county approval

A

community effort to build a bike and skateboard park in Lake Ridge is nearing fruition.

The park idea has been driven by the family and friends behind the Charlie Boone Trails Memorial Foundation. The group has raised money and awareness about the need for the park to honor Charlie Boone, who died in 2012 at 22.

“From the time he was big enough to ride and skate, he knew he had found his ultimate passion,” noted an application for the park submitted in June 2018 — four years after the effort began. “The young people who currently ride in the streets and parking lots in the neighborhoods need a safe place to ride and where they can feel that they are a part of the community in which they live.”

The Prince William County Parks and Recreation is requesting county approval of the park site, more than 5 acres at the corner of Old Bridge and Smoketown roads. The request goes before the county’s Planning Commission at 7 p.m. Oct. 2 at the McCoart County Building.

POPULATION

57,968 MEDIAN AGE

35.8

MEDIAN HOME VALUE

$321,700

The Charlie Boone Trails Memorial Foundation has been working to develop a bike and skate park in Lake Ridge since 2014.

The vision for the site, includes cement riding and skating structures, dirt jumps, walking trails and sitting areas.

“This park is a place where kids of all ages can go to safely ride, skate and spend time,” wrote Lynda Lee, Boone’s sister, at the foundation’s website. For more, visit cboonetrailsmemorialfoundation.org.

30 COMMUNITY GUIDE • SEPTEMBER 2019

BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

RUTH ANDERSON, OCCOQUAN DISTRICT COREY STEWART, AT-LARGE CHAIRMAN SCHOOL BOARD LILLIE JESSIE, OCCOQUAN DISTRICT BABUR LATEEF, AT-LARGE CHAIRMAN

MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME

HIGH SCHOOLS

$98,145

WOODBRIDGE

MEDIAN COMMUTE

WEBSITES

39.5

PWCGOV.ORG PWCS.EDU

MINUTES

Based on U.S. Census Bureau numbers for Lake Ridge

SEPTEMBER 2019 • COMMUNITY GUIDE • 31

Community Guide 9-17-19 _APC Best OF Tab 9/22/19 11:09 PM Page 1

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32 COMMUNITY GUIDE • SEPTEMBER 2019