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WINNING DRIVE

BATTLEFIELD TEEN TAKES THE FAST TRACK

Alvey families salute Willing Warriors Art students manifest

‘Wild Things’

Take an easy hike at Cool Springs

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Fauquier Health has earned Leapfrog’s Top General Hospital award for outstanding quality and safety—the only hospital in Virginia and one of just 36 in the nation to receive this distinction.

Compassionate. Caring. Nationally recognized.

This honor acknowledges the efforts of our caregivers to keep our patients safe. We’re proud to be recognized as one of the safest hospitals in America.

Fauquier Health has earned Leapfrog’s Top General Hospital award for outstanding quality and safety—the only hospital in Virginia and one of just 36 in the nation to receive this distinction.

With trusted care, close to home, we’ll help you live your healthiest life.

This honor acknowledges the efforts of our caregivers to keep our patients safe. We’re proud to be recognized as one of the safest hospitals in America.

With trusted care, close to home, we’ll help you live your healthiest life.

See all we have to offer at FauquierHealth.org

With trusted care, close to home, we’ll help you live your healthiest life.

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EDITOR’S NOTE

Hi friends,

As you’re reading this, it is already June, and the year is flying by. We have a great issue for you, this month, focused on some “Amazing Kids” and community members in general. Anthony Louis of Battlefield High School followed his passion into go-kart racing and is now a rising star in the sport. Being brave in the face of such a formidable challenge (and high speeds) changed his life. Kudos to his parents for all of their support.

In “Where the Wild Things ‘Art,’” high school art students made dolls and models based on kindergarteners’ drawings. The project challenged all parties and gave children something to aspire to.

The Warriors Retreat for wounded servicemembers at Bull Run turns 10 this year. For the second year, Willing Warriors invited J.W. Alvey Elementary School military families to their flag raising to honor the military parents.

Last month, based on our writer’s recommendation, I visited Meadowlark Botanical Gardens for Mother’s Day, and it was probably the most beautiful place I have ever seen in Northern Virginia. For that reason, I trust our writer and included a recommendation to “Take an Easy Hike at Shenandoah River Campus, Cool Springs Battlefield.”

If you are reading this before June 10, you still have a chance to vote in our “Best Of” contest. We have received hundreds of nominations, but remember to come back and vote. In fact, you can vote once a day. You can invite your friends, neighbors or customers to vote as well. We are hoping our winners accurately reflect the community’s preferences. Your votes matter – and you’ll meet the winners in our August issue.

Enjoy the beginning of summer.

– Stacy Shaw CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

STACY@WHGLIFESTYLE.COM

HAYMARKET / GAINESVILLE LIFESTYLE

Celebrating Western Prince William County

The Haymarket/Gainesville Lifestyle Magazine is published monthly and distributed to over 15,000 selected addresses. While reasonable care is taken with all material submitted to The Haymarket/Gainesville Lifestyle Magazine, the publisher cannot accept responsibility for loss or damage to any such material. Opinions expressed in articles are strictly those of the authors. While ensuring that all published information is accurate, the publisher cannot be held responsible for any mistakes or omissions. Reproduction in whole or part of any of the text, illustration, or photograph is strictly forbidden. ©2025 Rappahannock Media LLC.

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Adventures Take an Easy Hike at Shenandoah River Campus, Cool Springs Battlefield BY

JACKI DYRHOLM

Salute Wounded Warriors

Alvey students raise flags at Warriors Retreat BY STACY SHAW

BY EMILY SEYMOUR

Teen finds his voice – and speed – on the track

BY JAMES JARVIS

Anthony Louis, 15, a Battlefield High School student, is a formidable junior go-kart racer, accumulating wins at contests up and down the East Coast.

Photo by Luke Christopher

JUNE’s warm weather entices us to take it easy. Disconnect from tech and reconnect with people, plus take pleasure in good food and drink, entertainment and, of course, nature.

WINE & DINE

Ladies, wear WHITE and head to the hilltop pavilion for a night of fun with friends: It’s the LADIES NIGHT WHITE PARTY at The Winery at Sunshine Ridge Farm, June 19 at 5 p.m. Enjoy drinks, dancing, prizes, shopping from local vendors, food trucks and a live DJ. The Farm at Sunshine Ridge, Gainesville.

THE WINERY COMEDY TOUR is stopping at Aroma II, Friday, June 27, 7 p.m. Treat yourself to hilarious stand-up comedy while sipping delicious drinks. It promises to be a night full of fun and laughter. Aroma II Tasting Room, Washington Street, Haymarket.

Indulge in a five course gourmet ETHIOPIAN WINE DINNER and international food pairing with Nokesville Winery & Vera’s Kitchen, June 28 at 6 p.m. Dishes will be carefully paired with selected wines. Vera’s Kitchen, Center Street, Manassas.

SHOW TIME

FESTIVALS

Secure your ticket to the 31st ANNUAL HISTORIC MANASSAS RAILWAY FESTIVAL, Saturday, June 7. Celebrate Manassas’ rich railroad history. Explore model train displays, browse memorabilia and shop specialty vendors. Enjoy food and live entertainment. Harris Pavilion, 9431 West Street, Manassas

OCCOQUAN’S 2025 RIVERFEST & CRAFT SHOW, returns, June 7-8. The long-running spring festival attracts 200+ artisans, and creators. Expect fun in the sun in River Mill Park with beer, wine and live concerts, plus river activities and kids activities Mill Street, Occoquan

Buzz on by to have fun while learning about honeybees, native pollinators and plants at the FIFTH ANNUAL MANASSAS BEE FESTIVAL, Saturday, June 21. The free festival features a costume parade, farm animals, bounce houses, live music, food, a mead garden and “Honey Hike” from the Manassas Museum. Liberia House & Grounds, Manassas

Stop by CROSSROAD ART ALLIANCE’S first annual ARTFEST25, Saturday, June 28. Celebrate a variety of art forms. Shop original art from local artists, while enjoying live music, artist demos, art making, children’s events and more. Haymarket Museum, Washington St., Haymarket

June 13-22, ARTfactory presents Ken Ludwig’s “LEND ME A SOPRANO.” Farcical hilarity ensues when an opera company hosts a world famous soprano for a onetime performance. ARTfactory, Manassas

Prince William Little Theater performs the Tony award-winning musical, “HAIRSPRAY,” from July 11-20. It’s 1962 and a loveable plus-sized teen goes from outcast to sudden star. Hylton Performing Arts Center, George Mason University’s Manassas campus.

For an up-to-date list of events around the region, visit InsideNoVa.com/calendar

Congratulations to our students who have been accepted into prestigious 2025 Summer Programs!

Royal Ballet American Ballet Theatre Boston Ballet Richmond

Ballet Ballet Austin Sarasota Ballet John Cranko School

Royal Ballet American Ballet Theatre Boston Ballet Richmond

Ballet Ballet Austin Sarasota Ballet John Cranko School

Registration NOW OPEN! Congratulations to our students who have been accepted into prestigious 2025 Summer Programs!

local adventures

Take an Easy Hike at Shenandoah River Campus at Cool Spring Battlefield

BY JACKI DYRHOLM

Over the past few years as our favorite hiking places around Northern Virginia and Shenandoah National Park have become more popular and attract increasing numbers of visitors, my family and I have sought out new places to hike and enjoy nature in solitude. We found one in the Shenandoah River Campus at Cool Spring Battlefield near Bluemont in Clarke County, just about an hour’s drive away. It’s turned into one of our favorite places to go when we need to get away for a few hours and reconnect with nature.

Paved Hiking Loops at Cool Springs Battlefield

Fun fact — the nearly 200 acres that now comprise Shenandoah River Campus at Cool Spring

Battlefield was once home to the Virginia National Golf Club. At this time, it’s officially part of Shenandoah University which preserves the natural and historical aspects of the site.

Now the paved golf cart paths serve as walking trails, making the campus family friendly as well as a great place to run and hike.

There are two hiking loops to choose from: the Southern Loop is a relatively flat walk that also runs along the Shenandoah River and is

great for a quiet walk and birding. The more popular Northern Loop contains self-guided walking trails, a gorgeous Shenandoah Valley overlook and a waterfall. Both loops begin at the information kiosk. Start the Northern Loop on the path to the left which will lead you between the river and the open meadow. This part of the hike is a relatively easy but enjoyable walk with wildflowers and the occasional bird sighting. Once in a while you will hear bells tolling from the nearby Holy Cross Abbey in Berryville. Keep a lookout for clearings in the trees that have short paths that lead down the river.

After about a mile, you can continue on to reach the waterfall, or turn right to get to Shenandoah Valley overlook’s views. Be warned, it is very steep going up and coming back down.

Know Before You Go

Cool Spring Battlefield is located at 1400 Parker Lane, Bluemont. Enter Shenandoah University River Campus following your GPS.

Open daily from dawn to dusk.

Admission is free and there is ample parking. There are no bathroom facilities but there are portable toilets in the parking lot.

There is a covered pavilion with picnic tables. Bring binoculars for birding.

If you go in the summer, don’t forget to put on sunscreen and bug spray.

Dogs are welcome but please keep them on a leash and pick up after them.

Remember to leave no trace and take all trash with you.

Walk back down to the river and follow the sign for the Ridge to River Trail. The unpaved path will lead you to a very pretty waterfall located in the Rolling Ridge Conservancy. Miles of hiking trails are located within this 1,500-acre wilderness preserve just north of Cool Spring Battlefield.

Cool Spring Self-Guided Nature Walk Guide

The self-guided nature trail (there are laminated guides at the information kiosk) is geared towards children and features nine

stops along the walking trail. These stops include a riverside view, a rocky slope, bat roosting boxes, a pond and a heron rookery. The rookery is one of the highlights of Cool Spring in my opinion. It’s quite a beautiful sight! Each summer, more than two dozen great heron families raise their young in a rookery of nests at the top of a cluster of trees along the river.

Cool Spring Self-Guided Civil War Trail Guides

On July 18, 1864 the Battle of Cool Spring involved 13,000 Union and Confederate troops and took place along the Shenandoah River in Clarke County. There are three interpretive signs along the walking paths explaining the battle, but you can find a lot more detailed information online. For more history about Cool Spring Battle and to download a very informative PDF self-guided tour and audio tour app, visit the Shenandoah University’s website.

Bluebells at Cool Spring Battlefield

Cool Spring Battlefield is also a fantastic place to see the Virginia bluebells each spring without all the visitors that flock to the more popular hiking trails in Northern Virginia. In this case, the Southern Loop is the better trail to walk along and photograph them. L

Jacki Dyrholm lives in Warrenton with her family and a menagerie of animals. Follow her travels at jackigoesplaces.com and on Facebook.

RESTORATIONS UNLIMITED

The word restore means to bring back into an original state. Sadly, mankind fell from God’s original plan and each one of us are affected by that fall. We have all become tarnished, broken, and worse.

Jesus came to bring new Life and to restore us. Let Him restore you to His original plan He had for you.

Visit your local church and read the article to learn about the being restored by Christ

Salute to Wounded Warriors

Alvey students raise flags at Willing Warrior’s retreat

BY STACY SHAW

Early one morning in May, several elementary school children – dressed in crisp red, white and blue – gathered on the grounds of the Warrior Retreat in the foothills of Bull Run Mountain. They were joined by their parents, educators from J.W. Alvey Elementary School in Haymarket and military veterans.

At 8:30. six Alvey families stationed themselves in front of one of six service flags, plus an additional flag representing the Willing Warriors organization. The families were there to help raise the flags the Alvey community helped the nonprofit purchase one year prior.

At the start of the ceremony, Shirley and John Dominick, co-founders of the retreat and nonprofit, shared words of gratitude.

“We are so thankful that we have this moment to share together – coming out and understanding what it is all about,” Shirley said. “I want to thank you all for making a difference in their lives [wounded military members] and the community as well.”

Next, Donna Flory played “Reveille” on the bugle, and everyone placed their right

hands over their hearts to listen to the National Anthem. Then, the raising of the flags commenced, followed by an opportunity for people to talk and connect.

The Warrior Retreat is a place where wounded or ailing military members can heal in a tranquil environment surrounded by family. When staying at the retreat, patriots can relax, recuperate and reconnect with families with less worries.

Sarah Ford, executive director of the organization, explained the retreat in a way the children could understand – it allows families to spend time together.

“Maybe it’s going out and playing on the playground with their mom and dad, going on one of our trails, sitting around a bonfire and roasting smores – so we bring those experiences here for our families because they don’t get to enjoy those when their mom or dad is recovering,” she said.

The annual raising of the military flags at the Warrior Retreat was made possible thanks to the Alvey school community, but especially parent liaison Melissa Hendrick.

Parent liaison is a new position across

Prince William elementary schools, created to be a bridge between parents and the school. Hendrick was still defining her role in 2023, but she knew she wanted to get the school involved in the larger community. Alvey has over 60 military families, so she thought it appropriate that the school support Willing Warriors.

In fall 2023, she asked how the school could best serve the retreat and was told they needed more service flags; theirs had become worn over the years due to high winds.

Hendrick asked Alvey parents for monetary donations, and they responded. The school raised $350 to buy the new flags, which they presented to the retreat in February 2024.

In May 2024, the organization held its first flag raising and invited Alvey military families to take part. The nonprofit invited Alvey families back this May as well, and Henrick chose one military family to represent each branch – even the Space Force.

While there remains a mystique around Space Force, Lt. Col. Nicholas Longo, who participated in the flag raising, explained

Space Force Lt. Nicholas Longo and his daughter, Shelby, raise a service flag at the Willing Warriors retreat in Bull Run.

Six Alvey Elementary military families participate in the Warrior retreats’ second annual spring flag raising ceremony along with Willing Warriors’ administrators, veterans and community members.

that the branch assumed several responsibilities that had been previously carried out by the Air Force.

Longo served in the Air Force for 16 years before transitioning to the new branch, and during that time, the family lived in many places, including Florida, Colorado and California. Frequent moves were difficult for the family, and when he transitioned to Space Force in 2023 to work in Chantilly and at the Pentagon, it was with the hope of establishing a more permanent home for his family.

“This is the eighth time [we’ve moved] and the last time,” said Nicholas’s son, fifth-grader Preston Longo.

He and his sister, Shelby, both expressed wanting to remain at Alvey, and appreciated being able to participate in the honoring of other military members.

The Anulewicz siblings, Mason, a fourth-grader, and Sophia, a first-grader, along with their mother, Monica, helped to raise the Air Force flag in honor of their father, Col. Adrian Anulewicz, who was at work that morning. The family lived in Oregon, Texas and even Okinawa, Japan, before the children were born. However, they all

felt welcome at Alvey.

Monica believes Alvey honors military families. For instance, the school held a military appreciation breakfast in April, the month of the military child.

And Alvey looks out for the children individually, she explained. To ease the transition, the school assigns each new student a “buddy” to show them around, and Hendrick checks in on families to see how

they are adjusting.

“Melissa Hendrick has been fantastic,” Monica said.

Over the years Willing Warriors has relied upon the generosity of the community. The Dominicks explained how people and businesses have donated money, time and effort to transform the original home, the grounds and provide food and entertainment for the visitors.

The Heart of a Warrior

Inspired by a chance meeting when she was in the fifth grade, Shirley Dominick’s dream was a career in the military. Years later, she did just that. During her 22 years in service, she worked in communications and led critical initiatives at the Pentagon and across Europe, retiring as a major in 2003. Wanting to do more, she then founded the nonprofit Serve Our Willing Warriors Published in the November 2022 issue of Haymarket Gainesville Lifestyle

Alvey Elementary student Jacob Flores stands with an Army veteran and member of American Legion Post 1799 in Haymarket.

And young people have always been included.

In fact, just as the Alvey students were leaving, 80 students from the Wakefield School in The Plains arrived to take part in a service learning experience.

Seeing students volunteer on behalf of military families makes Shirley Dominick happy. In her speech before the flag raising, she emphasized the importance of teaching children to respect and honor military members, remembering the sacrifices they made for their fellow citizens.

“There’s a saying that says, ‘Bring up a child the way they should go, and they will never depart from that,’ and so we are hoping – and we are praying – that what you have given them, about their country, will never go away from their lives.” L

Stacy Shaw is the editor of HaymarketGainesville Lifestyle Magazine and publisher/ owner of BristowBeat.com.

More about Willing Warriors can be found at willingwarriors.org.

Ten Years of Service

The Willing Warriors nonprofit began as a way for Shirley and John Dominick to help recovering wounded or ill military members and their families, such as those they visited at Walter Reed Army Medical Center with Park Valley Church.

This June, the Warrior Retreat commemorates 10 years of service, having hosted more than 2,700 members of military families since opening in 2015.

The grounds look a little different today. Then, families stayed in one renovated 1970s ranch house. Since then, the nonprofit has added two more houses – allowing the retreat to host more families – plus, a playground, gardens and a walking trail.

They also built a “grand lodge,” a 2,000-square-foot multi-purpose training facility that allows the organization to help military members and veterans not staying at the retreat.

Activities include meetings to help military members suffering from PTSD or sexual abuse.

The Dominicks are still looking toward the future. They would love to advise another organization on how to open a similar retreat, suggesting the Norfolk area because of its military presence.

(L-R) Willing Warriors founders John and Shirley Dominick, operations director Dianne Polk and executive director Sarah Ford oversaw the ceremony.

WHERE THE WILD THINGS ‘ART’

Teens turn children’s paintings into 3-D monsters

BY EMILY SEYMOUR

PHOTOS BY SÉBASTIEN KRAFT

Kindergarten students from Bennett Elementary School in the Manassas area received a surprise recently: Local high schoolers visited them and brought handmade art inspired by the children’s paintings.

In the fall, the Bennett students created paintings of monsters based on the classic children’s book “Where the Wild Things Are” by Maurice Sendak.

Unbeknownst to the children, their art teacher shared the paintings with art students at three nearby high schools – Gainesville, Patriot and Colgan, which hosts the county’s Fine and Performing Arts specialty program.

The teen artists were then tasked with creat ing 3-D representations of the kindergartners’ paintings. The finished products ranged from clay sculptures to colorful dolls.

At the event in late April, each high school student was paired with a kindergartner. The high schoolers presented their creations to their younger counterparts, detailing how they interpreted their paintings.

CJ Graham, a sophomore at Colgan, was paired with Elena Kelly, a kindergartner at the Manassas-area school. Graham made

•

a doll based on the drawing of Kelly’s monster. Graham appreciated the project, which she explained encouraged her to try something new.

“This was my first time ever making a big project using sewing, so it was a learning-asI-go kind of experience,” Graham said.

She used yarn for the doll’s hair and “retaught” herself how to crochet to make the doll’s arms. “I got to experiment with a bunch of new mediums like buttons and se quins, and it was just really transformative,” Graham said.

While she said the project was a touch more challenging than she anticipated, it was “definitely” her favorite summative assessment for the class.

“It was really fun,” Graham said. “and I loved meeting Elena.”

Kelly was surprised when she saw Graham’s creation, but said it was a “happy” surprise. The experience made her want to continue experimenting with art, potentially with her newfound buddy.

Following the presentation, Graham, Kelly and the other pairs of student artists enjoyed pizza together.

The idea for the “Where the Wild Things Art” art project was not unique, but it was one that Bennett art teacher, Amy Holt,

thought was worth pursuing. Holt said someone had sent her an online post about a similar project, and she thought it would be interesting to implement in her classroom.

After connecting with teachers from the three high schools, Holt got the ball rolling.

“I know a lot of the high school students. I’ve talked to a few of them, and I saw them at the art show,” she said. “They were just so excited to give their art, so that part has

Emily Seymour, InsideNoVa’s education reporter, holds a bachelors and master degrees in journalism from American University. She can be reached at eseymour@insidenova.com

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DRIVEN

BY LUKE

Teen finds his voice and speed on the track

BY JAMES JARVIS

In the high-speed world of competitive go-kart racing, where many drivers are backed by sponsors and trucks packed with mechanics, 15-yearold Anthony Louis shows up with a canopy, a pickup truck and something far more valuable: raw talent and relentless drive.

A freshman at Battlefield High School in Haymarket, Louis’ rise in the national karting scene has been anything but conventional. He didn’t grow up in the sport. He wasn’t part of a racing pedigree. But in just a few years, he’s gone from complete novice to standing on podiums at elite tracks across the East Coast.

It all started on a vacation in Myrtle Beach, S.C. It was 2019, and Louis’ family had just made the long drive from Virginia to the bustling beach town known for its boardwalk arcades and summer crowds. One evening, while exploring near their RV park, Louis and his father, Anup, stumbled on a local go-kart track. Anup challenged his son to a race just for fun. By the end of the race, he’d left his dad in the dust.

“I went there, got in a car for the first time, not knowing what to expect, and beat him by a good amount,” Louis said.

Anup joked that maybe his weight had given his son an edge – or perhaps his kart was “messed up.” But when they returned

CHRISTOPHER

Anthony Louis, 15, a freshman at Battlefield High School, is a formidable junior go-kart racer, accumulating wins at contests up and down the East Coast.

the next day and saw the same result, it was clear the difference wasn’t mechanical. It was his son’s talent.

“So, we go back and, sure enough, same thing,” Anup said.

Still, it would be another year or two before that spark turned into something serious. In 2022, Louis enrolled in a summer camp at a local indoor track. The electric karts were a far cry from today’s gas-powered machines, but his instinct was clear.

“And when I first got in, they had, like, a limiter that they used to make sure you're not erratic, and they had to turn up my speed because I was really smooth on the wheel and very fast when I was in it,” he re called. “I was beating everyone by, like, a second.”

to take notice. They bought a used kart and began learn ing the basics, relying on online forums and conversa tions with other parents at local tracks. It wasn’t until the following season that Louis finally got to use the kart.

the Woodbridge Kart Club at Summit Point Motor sports Park in West Virginia. As the season progressed, he expanded to sprint tracks such as United Karting in Hanover, Md., and Nicholson Speedway in Chestertown, Md. His debut at United Karting came in the rain, and with no wet-weather tires on hand, the family scrambled to find a set just in time. Despite the conditions, Louis won convincingly – an early sign of what was to come.

BY LUKE CHRISTOPHER

“Everybody was coming up to us asking like, ‘Who is this kid?’ How long has he been racing?’ Anup recalled. “We just said, ‘This is kind of his first race.’”

From there, the wins started stacking up. Unlike many of his competitors, Louis wasn’t racing under a national team. His dad was his mechanic. His mom handled logistics. For several years now, the family has raced up and down the East Coast, often driving 10 to 14 hours to reach tracks in New Jersey, North Carolina, New York, Florida and Indiana

While the travel has sometimes meant missing school, Louis has maintained top grades. “School is still the number one focus,” Anup said. “If we’re going to miss school to travel, he has to make up the work… Without that, racing wouldn’t exist.”

Today, Louis is an A-student in the classroom with a 59%

podium rate on the track –finishing in the top three more than half the time. He won 17 races in 2024. He’s the reigning Junior LO206 champion at Nicholson Speedway, a historic quarter-mile track on Maryland’s Eastern Shore that has hosted drivers such as Danica Patrick and Michael Andretti. He also placed third overall at Trackhouse Motorplex in North Carolina, one of the country’s premier karting venues modeled after Italy’s famous Parma track and a frequent testing ground for NASCAR and IndyCar drivers.

He competes in the LO206 class, which uses four-stroke engines known for affordability and close racing. (By contrast, two-stroke karts are faster and more expensive, requiring more frequent maintenance and gear.)

At last year’s Cup Karts North America Grand Na-

Clockwise from top: (In gold) Anthony Louis celebrates his first win at Trackhouse Motorplex, as part of the 2024 Karting Challenge; Louis’ father, Anup, works as his kart mechanic; Photo commemorates Louis’ first win of a sweep at Cup Karts North America on the Carolina Motorsports Park track, this spring.

tionals in Indiana – the largest LO206 race in North America – Louis was one of 97 racers in his class. After struggling in qualifiers, he battled through the heats to earn a 30th-place starting position in the final. Over the 15-lap main event, he drove through the field and finished seventh.

Behind the wheel, Louis is focused and calculating. He studies the track, anticipates openings and treats every lap like a chess match at 60 mph.

“You have to have a lot of focus, because if you don’t focus, you're going to make tons of mistakes,” Louis said. “And when you focus, you don't make erratic moves on the steering wheel, which loses you time.”

Preparation goes far beyond the track. In addition to reviewing videos and training on a home simulator, Anthony works with a driving coach, Zach Linsell of Linsell Speed Shop, who has helped him communi-

cate what adjustments the kart needs and how he can improve. He also follows a strict routine of hydration and physical conditioning. That discipline carries over to other parts of his life.

As a child, Louis was diagnosed with apraxia, a neurological condition that made it difficult to speak. Racing has helped him find his voice. “He’s developed confidence,” Anup said. “He’s not afraid to ask questions or engage in conversation.”

Despite their success, the family is still the underdog. Many teams show up with semi-trailers, full-time mechanics and deep pockets.

“We come there racing out of the back of a pickup truck,” Anup said. “We have a canopy, that kind of stuff. But there are huge tents and mechanics. And, you know, I’m the mechanic. I learn as I go.”

Louis, for his part, isn’t just chasing wins. He’s studying the craft and looks up to racers

such as Formula One champion Kimi Räikkönen, MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi, and Marc Márquez, the Spanish Grand Prix phenom. “They’re talented, determined and consistent,” he said.

Looking ahead, Louis hopes to win titles at Trackhouse and secure the Cup Karts North America South Division championship. He’s currently leading the standings by six points with two races left in the 2025 season. Long term, he plans to compete in SCCA Autocross and earn a competition license through the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA), which would allow him to race full-sized cars at amateur and pro levels.

But if racing doesn’t pan out, he says he still plans to stay in the game. “I would say, like, being mechanical or building stuff – engineering. I think that would be the path if there was no racing involved,” he said.

For now, he’s still just a teenager juggling school, travel and competition. But with each lap, Anthony Louis is proving that talent, discipline and a family willing to chase a dream can go a long way. L

More information about Anthony Louis can be found on Instagram@anthonylouis_83. Those interested in sponsoring Anthony can email louisracingllc@gmail.com.

James Jarvis teaches journalism at Georgetown University. His work has appeared in ARLnow, InsideNoVa, The 51st and Washington City Paper, and has been recognized by the Virginia Press Association.

BY LUKE CHRISTOPHER

H&G’s

TOP 10

The five highest-priced homes that sold in each of the two ZIP codes between mid-April and mid-May.

8444 LINK HILLS LOOP

$1,420,000

Sold: April 22

5 bedrooms

4½ bathrooms

6,420 square feet

14994 ALPINE BAY LOOP

$1,250,000

Sold: May 7

5 bedrooms

4½ bathrooms

5,816 square feet

8461 BEARHURST DRIVE

$1,185,000

Sold: April 25

4 bedrooms

4½ bathrooms

5,766 square feet

13548 HERITAGE FARMS DRIVE

$1,175,000

Sold: April 21

4 bedrooms

3½ bathrooms

5,127 square feet

14353 NORTHBROOK LANE

$950,000

Sold: May 5

4 bedrooms

3½ bathrooms

4,516 square feet

The

Big Picture:

The local real estate market rebounded from three months of decline in April, with home sales up 6.6% in the Haymarket and Gainesville ZIP codes combined, compared with April 2024.

More Inventory: New listings were up significantly in both ZIP codes, while pending sales were up in Gainesville but down in Haymarket, according to the latest data from the Prince William Association of Realtors. Median sales prices also differed – down slightly in Gainesville and up in Haymarket.

The April Details:

Closed sales:

• Up 11.1% in Gainesville to 50 units

• Up 2.2% in Haymarket to 47 units

• Combined sales totaled 97, up from 91 a year earlier

New pending sales:

• Up 19.6% in Gainesville

• Down 6.5% in Haymarket

Median sales price:

• Down 1.1% to $717,000 in Gainesville

• Up 8.4% to $795,000 in Haymarket

Average days on market (homes sold in April):

• 10 in Gainesville

• 17 in Haymarket

20169 Haymarket

4362 HIGH RIDGE ROAD

$2,035,000

Sold: April 25

6 bedrooms

7½ bathrooms

10,307 square feet

14500 DOWDEN DOWNS DRIVE

$1,374,900

Sold: April 18

5 bedrooms

4½ bathrooms

5,855 square feet

5346 FISHERS HILL WAY

$1,340,000

Sold: April 24

4 bedrooms

5½ bathrooms

5,754 square feet

5360 WALKERTON COURT

$1,299,000

Sold: April 30

6 bedrooms

5½ bathrooms

6,230 square feet

15137 GOLF VIEW DRIVE

$1,200,000

Sold: May 14

5 bedrooms

5½ bathrooms

3,311 square feet

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Lawmakers, residents protest proposed high-voltage transmission line

Residents of western Prince William gathered May 15 alongside lawmakers outside Patriot High School to protest Dominion Energy’s pending Morrisville–Wishing Star 500 kV and 230 kV transmission line as the utility provider simultaneously held a community meeting inside the Nokesville school.

The Coalition to Protect Prince William County hosted the event, where around 35 residents were joined by state and local elected officials. Dominion’s proposed 36.5-mile transmission line would begin in southern Fauquier County and run through Prince William and Loudoun counties.

The project would impact areas such as Manassas National Battlefield Park, though Dominion has said it will seek to cap structural height in those areas at the current 130- to 150-foot levels rather than 175 feet along other parts of the path.

Protesters said the new transmission lines will infringe on farmland and wetlands and are meant to accommodate rising data center load demands.

Rachel Ellis, a Haymarket resident and one of the directors for the Coalition to Protect Prince William County, said the local community impact is her chief worry about the Dominion project.

“It is a burden that is going to impact families and homes, it's going to impact Chris Yung Elementary School,” Ellis said. “So you’re talking about students being impacted, and it’s all for one industry.”

County launches

PWC 311 system

Prince William County has launched a platform that will help customers report issues and access support by phone, mobile app, website or AI.

PWC 311 is a new system aiming to make it easier for residents, businesses and visitors to request services, report issues and access government support using their preferred mode for communications, according to a county news release.

Once a user submits a request, it is automatically routed to the correct county department

Long-awaited Shake Shack opens its doors

Shake Shack’s Gainesville Shack opened May 16 at 7900 Gateway Promenade Place in Virginia Gateway. The new restaurant is Shake Shack’s 11th Virginia store. Shake Shack is known for its burgers and, of course, milkshakes. It also serves chicken, hot dogs and fries, as well as beer and wine. The company has Northern Virginia locations in Fairfax County, Ballston and Tysons, among others. The Gainesville store is the first in Prince William.

The new eatery is open Sundays through Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Fridays and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

for resolution, and users receive a confirmation number to track progress.

PWC 311 offers several access options: Phone: Dial 311 within the county to submit service requests or get information about government services.

Mobile App: Available on the Apple App Store and Google Play.

Website Portal: Visit pwcva.gov/311 to submit requests, report concerns and access resources anytime.

AI Chatbot “Will”: Can guide users through the service request process, answer frequently asked questions and direct residents to county information and resources.

Data center decision delayed

T he Bristow Campus data center project has been deferred to June 24, effectively delaying the public hearing on the matter before the Prince William Board of County Supervisors that was originally set for May.

The proposal would rezone approximately 58 acres from A-1, agricultural, to PBD, planned business district, for the purpose of developing a data center campus. The property is about 1,300 feet west of the Nokesville Road and Piper Lane intersection, on the north side of Nokesville Road and west of Broad Run.

Also included in the proposal is a concurrent special use permit to allow for data center uses up to 75 feet in height – excluding rooftop mechanical equipment that may be up to 15 feet in height – outside the county’s Data Center Opportunity Zone Overlay District.

The applicant, STACK Infrastructure, told the county it had received “extensive community outreach and with the flurry of emails that have come in over the past couple of days, we would like time to review the emails and proactively address feedback.”

Western Prince

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