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Potomac Local News

Potomac Local News

by Uriah Kiser

Low Turnout, High Stakes: Virginia’s Delayed Primaries Explained

Virginia just wrapped an unusually late primary season, and the results are in. Retired Army Maj. Gen. Bert Mizusawa locked up the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate with about 51.5 percent. In the 7th District, Doug Ollivant dominated with roughly 57 percent. In the 10th, Dave Beckwith ran the table near 72 percent. Low turnout, delayed voting, and big questions about voter fatigue now hang over every race heading into November. On this episode of the Potomac Local News Podcast, Uriah Kiser sits down with regional editor Kelly Sienkowski to break down the numbers across Stafford, Prince William, Fredericksburg, Manassas, and beyond. They dig into why an August primary after a failed redistricting attempt produced such sparse turnout—roughly 237,000 votes statewide in the Senate race out of more than six million registered voters. They examine how military backgrounds dominated the winning tickets, why anti-Trump messaging fell flat in the 8th District Democratic primary that Don Beyer easily held, and whether the purple 7th District continues its slow conservative drift. Kelly interviewed multiple candidates ahead of the vote and shares what she heard on the ground. The conversation also turns to the issue that refuses to leave Northern Virginia politics: data centers. With roughly 600 already online or planned, power bills, water use, and land pressures are uniting voters across party lines. The State Corporation Commission is pressing Dominion for more answers this fall, and candidates staked out very different positions on moratoriums versus local control versus on-site generation. Source: https://www.potomaclocal.com/2026/08/05/ollivant-wins-gop-nod-in-competitive-7th-district-beckwith-advances-in-10th-as-mizusawa-to-face-warner/ Support Potomac Local News Become a Member → https://potomaclocal.memberful.com/join Whether you live in Woodbridge, Stafford, Culpeper, or Loudoun, these results set the November matchups that will shape representation for Northern Virginia and the rest of the Commonwealth. Watch the full breakdown, then let us know in the comments what issues you want candidates forced to address before Election Day. Like this video, subscribe for more independent local coverage, and turn on notifications so you never miss an update from the region. Follow Potomac Local News: • YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/@PotomacLocal • X → https://x.com/PotomacLocal • Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/PotomacLocal • TikTok → https://www.tiktok.com/@thepotomaclocal Free daily email newsletter: potomaclocal.com

Virginia Primary Results: Ollivant Wins GOP Nod in 7th District

Virginia primary night delivered clear winners in two key Northern Virginia congressional districts, and Potomac Local News has the full local breakdown. Doug Ollivant secured the Republican nomination in the 7th District after a three-way race, setting up a general-election matchup against Democratic incumbent Eugene Vindman. In the 10th District, retired Air Force Col. Dave Beckwith took the GOP nod and will face Democrat Suhas Subramanyam. The 7th remains one of Virginia’s most competitive purple seats; the 10th leans more Democratic. We cover the candidates, the districts (Stafford, eastern Prince William, western Prince William, Loudoun and beyond), and what these results mean for Northern Virginia voters. Also in this episode: Manassas celebrated the ribbon cutting of the brand-new $56 million Jenny Dean Elementary School on August 4. Designed for about 900 students, the facility replaces the original 1963 building and opens to students August 12. We share photos from the event and the community turnout. National Night Out brought neighbors and police together across the region. Special thanks to Sue Nelson Sargent for the College Heights photos from Fredericksburg. Events also took place in Spotsylvania, Woodbridge, Manassas, Manassas Park, Haymarket and Dumfries. Stafford’s big celebration at Stafford Marketplace is still ahead in early October. Additional local updates include the planned Route 15 railroad overpass in Haymarket, Prince William’s Traffic Awareness Month visual (a 54-foot ladder illustrating the force of a 40 mph crash), OmniRide’s 40th anniversary, the restored soda fountain opening Friday in Fredericksburg, progress toward commercial flights at Washington Manassas Airport, and a proposed $93 million interchange near the airport. Support independent local journalism that covers Stafford, Prince William, Manassas, Fredericksburg and the broader Potomac region. Support Potomac Local News Become a Member → https://potomaclocal.memberful.com/join If you value accurate, community-focused coverage of Northern Virginia politics, schools, transportation and local life, become a member today. Your support keeps the newsroom running and the local reporting free from corporate pressure. Like this video, leave a comment with your take on the primary results or the new school, subscribe to the channel, and turn on notifications so you never miss an episode. Download the Potomac Local News podcast wherever you listen, and sign up for the free daily email newsletter at potomaclocal.com. Follow Potomac Local News: • YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/@PotomacLocal • X → https://x.com/PotomacLocal • Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/PotomacLocal • TikTok → https://www.tiktok.com/@thepotomaclocal Sources and more details available at potomaclocal.com.

Manassas Airport Clears Federal Hurdle for Commercial Flights

Manassas Airport just cleared another federal review hurdle on the path to commercial passenger flights, while a new elementary school prepares to open and a former Stafford sheriff’s deputy faces serious federal charges. In this episode of the Potomac Local News podcast, Uriah Kiser breaks down the latest developments across Northern Virginia and Stafford County. Manassas Regional Airport—now rebranded Washington Manassas Airport—has advanced in the federal process that could bring scheduled commercial service. Destinations and airlines remain unknown, but the review is moving forward. Potomac Local will deliver a multi-week series of reports starting with today’s 4 p.m. newsletter at potomaclocal.com. School is set to begin next week on August 12 in Manassas. Jenny Dean Elementary will open its doors as part of a broader wave of new schools—three in Stafford County and two in Prince William County. Uriah also shares his thoughts on the earlier start date and why he refuses to declare summer over with weeks still remaining. In Stafford County, court documents detail federal charges against former patrol sergeant Justin Foreman, 37, for knowingly receiving visual depictions involving minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The Stafford County Sheriff’s Office confirms he is no longer employed. Potomac Local has filed a Freedom of Information Act request for employment and salary details and will follow up. Other stories include a delayed Republican primary tomorrow in Virginia’s 7th Congressional District, where three candidates seek the nomination to challenge Democrat Eugene Vindman in a competitive purple seat; a sewage spill update in Aquia Creek near Crow’s Nest Natural Preserve; and bipartisan calls from Senators Richard Stuart and Russet Perry for a special session after a groundwater report sat for months under Governor Abigail Spanberger. The report raises alarms about water supplies east of I-95 and future data center growth. Community notes: Birmingham Green’s Jazz on the Green networking event is set for September (5–7 p.m.), and the Art Factory partners with the Did Lake Foundation for an ice cream social tomorrow from 5–7 p.m. in downtown Manassas. Support independent local journalism that covers the stories Northern Virginia and Stafford residents actually need. Support Potomac Local News Become a Member → https://potomaclocal.memberful.com/join Like this video, leave a comment with your thoughts on the airport expansion or the primary, subscribe, and turn on notifications so you never miss an update from Potomac Local News. Follow Potomac Local News: • YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/@PotomacLocal • X → https://x.com/PotomacLocal • Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/PotomacLocal • TikTok → https://www.tiktok.com/@thepotomaclocal

Virginia Senate Primary: David Williams on Debt & Affordability

David Williams enlisted in the Navy in Norfolk, became a Marine Corps infantry officer with two combat tours in Iraq, served as a State Department diplomat, and rose to CIA Chief of Station. Now the combat veteran and intelligence officer is running in Virginia’s August 4 Republican primary for U.S. Senate, arguing the Commonwealth needs someone who can actually beat longtime incumbent Democrat Mark Warner in November. In this Potomac Local News interview with Kelly Sienkowski, Williams identifies the $38 trillion national debt as the country’s top national-security threat and ties it directly to the affordability crisis hitting Virginia families. He calls for permanent extension of no-tax-on-tips, no-tax-on-overtime, and expanded child tax credits, plus ending taxes on Social Security for seniors. He says the path to paying for relief is cutting waste, fraud, and abuse—including improper Medicaid payments and foreign spending that does not serve American interests—while expanding domestic energy production to lower fuel costs. Williams criticizes Warner for voting to shut down the government more than a dozen times while continuing to collect his own paycheck, noting the real pain it caused federal workers, contractors, and Marine reservists who needed drill pay for mortgages. He says senators must work across the aisle when it serves Virginians, cites overwhelming public support for the SAVE Act, and promises to represent the entire Commonwealth rather than follow party orthodoxy. Among the three Republican candidates, Williams argues the decisive question is who can actually win—uniting the GOP base, independents frustrated with Richmond, and at least 15 percent of the African American vote that proved decisive in past close races. Support Potomac Local News Become a Member → https://potomaclocal.memberful.com/join Virginia’s Republican primary is days away. Watch the full conversation, leave your questions in the comments, like the video, subscribe, and turn on notifications so you stay ahead of the races that shape the Commonwealth. Follow Potomac Local News: • YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/@PotomacLocal • X → https://x.com/PotomacLocal • Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/PotomacLocal • TikTok → https://www.tiktok.com/@thepotomaclocal

Virginia Senate Primary: Kim Farington on Fraud & Affordability

Kim Farington deferred her federal retirement after 33 years of service because she says she saw too much fraud and too many inefficiencies she could not fix under existing law. In this Potomac Local News interview, the CPA, cybersecurity and financial-management small-business owner, patent-holding inventor, and wife of a retired Navy captain explains why she is running in the August 4 Republican primary for U.S. Senate in Virginia. The winner will face longtime Democratic incumbent Mark Warner in November. Farington tells Kelly Sienkowski that affordability is the top issue for Virginians. Her plan centers on helping the small businesses that make up 99.6 percent of the state’s employers, incentivizing manufacturers to fill vacant buildings and hire Virginia residents, creating a cybersecurity center of excellence to tackle hundreds of thousands of open jobs, and recovering what she estimates is at least $236 billion in known fraud. She says she already saved more than $1 billion in taxpayer dollars while working at the White House by finding efficiencies. She criticizes the use of government shutdowns as a political tactic, calls China and artificial intelligence the nation’s top national-security concerns, and says she is eager to work with the Trump administration’s Anti-Fraud Task Force while remaining data-driven enough to challenge any administration when the facts require it. Farington contrasts her coalition-building civilian experience and extensive listening tour (more than 55,000 miles) with what she describes as Mark Warner’s long tenure, missed meetings with small-business owners, and disconnect from everyday Virginians. Support Potomac Local News Become a Member → https://potomaclocal.memberful.com/join Virginia’s Republican primary is only days away. Watch the full conversation, share your questions in the comments, like the video, subscribe, and turn on notifications so you stay informed on the races that shape the Commonwealth. Follow Potomac Local News: • YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/@PotomacLocal • X → https://x.com/PotomacLocal • Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/PotomacLocal • TikTok → https://www.tiktok.com/@thepotomaclocal

Can a Blue-Collar Pastor Flip Virginia’s 7th District?

Rick Smithers is not currently a resident of Virginia’s 7th District—but he says he’ll move the day after the primary if voters choose him. In this Potomac Local News interview, the pastor, veteran, construction business owner, and recent public-policy doctoral graduate lays out why he’s running in the Republican primary for the seat that includes Stafford, Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania, Prince William and surrounding localities. Republican primary Election Day is Tuesday, August 4. The winner will face incumbent Democrat Eugene Vindman in November. Smithers sits down with Kelly Sienkowski to discuss the cost-of-living pressures hitting Northern Virginia and Central Virginia families, his plan to cut “frivolous” spending and foreign aid he considers unnecessary, the proper (limited) federal role in K-12 education, government shutdowns, and how he would work with—or challenge—President Trump when principles collide. Smithers emphasizes blue-collar experience pouring concrete, 32 years of marriage, pastoring Crossroads Community Church, and putting faith first. He argues Republicans must unite or risk losing the battleground district that affects the entire Commonwealth. He also addresses constituents who have lost federal jobs and says government should never use shutdowns as a political tactic. Support Potomac Local News Become a Member → https://potomaclocal.memberful.com/join If you care about Stafford County, the broader 7th District, or Virginia’s direction on taxes, energy costs, borders, and education, this conversation is essential viewing before you vote August 4. Like, comment with your questions for the candidates, subscribe, and turn on notifications so you never miss local coverage that actually matters to Northern Virginia and the Potomac region. Follow Potomac Local News: • YouTube → / @potomaclocal • X → https://x.com/PotomacLocal • Facebook → / potomaclocal

No Rules Against AI Essays in Manassas City Schools

Manassas City Public Schools just voted 6-1 to leave the door wide open for students to use ChatGPT, Claude, Grok, and every other generative AI tool to complete their homework and turn it in as their own. No explicit ban. No clear language in the Student Code of Conduct. Teachers are left guessing what they can actually enforce. On Tuesday night the Manassas City School Board rejected language that would have treated unauthorized use of generative AI the same as traditional plagiarism. Sara Brescia was the only member who fought to include it. The rest of the board, including Diana Brown (who also serves on the Northern Virginia Community College board), sided with concerns about expensive detection software, imperfect tools, and practical enforcement headaches. Dr. Kevin Newman told the board the division had already tested detection software and it didn’t perform as expected. Board members pointed to roughly 50% error rates, including human-written work flagged as AI-generated. Brescia called the software debate a red herring and argued teachers have been spotting plagiarism for decades through simple knowledge of their students’ work. The timing is striking. Manassas SOL scores remain well below state averages. Reading sits at 55% (state 74%), science at 48% (state 71%), and multiple schools are rated off-track or in need of intensive support. Only Osborne High and Weems Elementary earned on-track status. Math showed modest improvement, but persistent gaps remain for English learners, students with disabilities, and economically disadvantaged students. With school starting in just a few weeks, Manassas students now face a code of conduct that does not specifically prohibit turning in AI-generated essays, code, or answers as their own work. Teachers who try to draw a hard line risk standing alone without policy backing. Those who look the other way send a different message about accountability. This is the Potomac Local News Podcast with Uriah Kiser. Full breakdown of the vote, the arguments on both sides, and what it means for classrooms this fall. Support Potomac Local News Become a Member → https://potomaclocal.memberful.com/join Follow Potomac Local News: • YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/@PotomacLocal • X → https://x.com/PotomacLocal • Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/PotomacLocal • TikTok → https://www.tiktok.com/@thepotomaclocal Sign up for the free daily email newsletter at PotomacLocal.com so you never miss a local headline. Like, comment, subscribe, and turn on notifications if you want more independent coverage of Manassas, Stafford, and Northern Virginia schools and government.

Can This Businessman Beat Vindman in Virginia’s 7th District?

Virginia’s 7th Congressional District is one of the tightest races in the country, and Republican primary voters head to the polls on August 4. In this Potomac Local News interview, Kelly Sienkowski sits down with Philip Harding, the businessman, former presidential fellow, and entrepreneur seeking the Republican nomination to take on incumbent Democrat Eugene Vindman in November. Harding, a first-generation college graduate who earned degrees from Harvard, worked in Congress and the Pentagon, and founded the global company Impact Junkie, makes the case that Northern Virginia families are crushed by government overreach, rising taxes, and a national debt he says exceeds $100 trillion when unfunded liabilities are counted. He argues the solution is not more programs but stronger families, fewer regulations, lower tax burdens, and a return to free-market principles that let people create and flourish. From Stafford and Fredericksburg to Spotsylvania and Prince William, Harding says voters keep telling him the same thing: the cost of living is too high, parental rights in schools are under threat, and federal shutdowns keep punishing the region’s large federal workforce and contractors. He supports reducing or eliminating the U.S. Department of Education, backs private-sector solutions like Invest America accounts, and wants Congress to stop the cycle of shutdowns by focusing on outcomes instead of grandstanding. Harding also discusses his campaign album Grit and Dreams, his background as a pastor’s son and associate pastor, and why he believes the Democratic Party’s direction toward socialism is a dead end that Virginians are rejecting. He frames the race as a choice between failed systems of the past and a brighter future built on the American dream. Support Potomac Local News Become a Member → https://potomaclocal.memberful.com/join Like this interview? Subscribe and turn on notifications so you never miss local coverage of Virginia politics, budgets, and community issues that actually affect your family. Drop a comment with the issues that matter most to you in VA-07. Follow Potomac Local News: • YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/@PotomacLocal • X → https://x.com/PotomacLocal • Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/PotomacLocal

Stafford Data Center Site May Hide Unmarked Slave Graves

Residents in Fredericksburg are spooked by a data center in Manassas — and the connection is closer than you think. On July 21, locals packed the Central Rappahannock Regional Library for a community forum titled “Are We the New Data Center Alley?” as massive server farms push south from Loudoun County through Prince William, Stafford, and beyond. Virginia already hosts more than 600 data centers — more than any other place on Earth — and the industry keeps expanding. Officials love the promised millions in tax revenue for police, fire, and schools. But Manassas learned the hard way with the Brickyard project: when a bank leased space inside the facility, state law exempted those assets from BPOL taxes. The city lost out on several million dollars it thought was coming. Former Fredericksburg City Council member Matt Kelly warned the revenue is not stable and urged localities to earmark it for specific needs like housing instead of dumping it into the general fund. Homeowners, he noted, still end up paying when real estate tax rates adjust against rising assessments. Water is the other pressure point. Data centers need enormous amounts of it for cooling. Governor Abigail Spanberger’s administration finally released a long-delayed report on the Eastern Coastal Plain Aquifer — six months late. The study shows groundwater east of I-95 is already constrained by population growth and industrial use. New data centers relying on evaporative cooling are unlikely to receive reliable permits in that region. Critics are asking why the report sat on a shelf while the state continues courting more facilities. In Stafford County, a proposed data center near the Eskimo Hill Road landfill has raised questions about possible unmarked graves tied to enslaved people from 150 years ago. A member of the county’s historical commission alleged a cultural-resource staffer was told not to attend the public hearing. A FOIA request returned no records of any such order. A local resident later walked back related claims with an “if true” qualifier, leaving the controversy unresolved. Also in this episode: efforts to launch formal slug lines on I-66 express lanes at the Monument Drive Garage in Fair Oaks and the University Boulevard Park and Ride in Gainesville, plus a look at stray animals currently at the Prince William County Animal Shelter. Support Potomac Local News Become a Member → https://potomaclocal.memberful.com/join If you value independent local reporting that digs into the details local governments would rather leave quiet, become a member today. Your support keeps the lights on and the stories coming. Follow Potomac Local News: • YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/@PotomacLocal • X → https://x.com/PotomacLocal • Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/PotomacLocal

Prayer in Schools, Bible Over Evolution: Manassas Candidate’s Record

Manassas City School Board candidate Marina Dove has spent years posting on Facebook about prayer in public schools, Bible reading, rejecting evolutionary science, and affirming traditional marriage as one man and one woman. Those posts are now front and center as she seeks the Democratic Party’s nomination for one of three open seats this November. In today’s episode, Uriah Kiser breaks down the timeline of Dove’s posts from 2024 through earlier this year, the joint campaign kickoff she held with incumbent Lisa Stevens and Marcus Still, and the complete silence from both Dove and the Manassas and Manassas Park Cities Democratic Committee when asked for comment. School board races in Virginia are officially nonpartisan, but party endorsements still matter—and none have been announced yet. We also cover the latest from across Northern Virginia: only half of the first graduating class from Mary Washington Health Care’s Graduate Medical Education program is staying in the Fredericksburg area; strong thunderstorms are on the way for Tuesday; HoneyGrow has opened its first local spot in Gainesville; and the Rappahannock Swim League Divisional Championships wrapped up at the Jeff Rouse Center in Stafford with more than 2,000 young swimmers competing. Plus, Volunteer Prince William opportunities, a fatal crash on Prince William Parkway, Virginia’s early position in the 2028 Democratic primary calendar, and how you can send tips, photos, and news directly to the newsroom. Support Potomac Local News Become a Member → https://potomaclocal.memberful.com/join This independent local coverage exists because readers and viewers like you keep it going. If you value straight reporting on Manassas, Stafford, Prince William, and the rest of Northern Virginia without the national noise, hit like, drop a comment with your thoughts on the school board race, subscribe, and turn on notifications so you never miss an update. Full story with screenshots and more details is live right now at potomaclocal.com. Sign up for the free daily newsletter while you’re there—sent every day at 4 p.m. to more than 18,000 readers. Have news, photos, or a tip? Email news@potomaclocal.com or text 571-989-1695. Local eyes and ears keep this newsroom running. Follow Potomac Local News: • YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/@PotomacLocal • X → https://x.com/PotomacLocal • Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/PotomacLocal

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