Prince William Times January 2, 2019

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YOUR ATHLETICISM WAS AMAZING: A list of all-region performers is on Sports, Page 8-9

January 2, 2019 | Vol. 18, No. 1 | www.PrinceWilliamTimes.com | 50¢ Covering Prince William County and surrounding communities, including Gainesville, Haymarket, Dumfries, Occoquan, Quantico and the cities of Manassas and Manassas Park.

A look back at a stormy 2018 By Jill Palermo

Times Staff Writer

Stormy weather and stormier politics dominated the headlines in Prince William County in 2018. Local residents endured the rainiest year since 1889 and coped with not one but two federal government shutdowns. County voters went to the polls three times in 2018: for the May 1 town elections, for the June 12 primaries and for the Nov. 6 general election that saw the Democrats take over

the House of Representatives for the first time since 2011. Locally, former School Board Chairman Ryan Sawyers resigned early. Corey Stewart, who holds the county’s top elected post, lost his bid for the U.S. Senate to incumbent Sen. Tim Kaine (D) who won by 16 points statewide and by nearly 32 points in Prince William. Here’s a rundown of the other stories that made the front page in 2018: In January, more than 250

Manassas residents of the East End trailer park were saved from eviction when Catholics for Housing announced an agreement to purchase the Va. 28 park from its previous owner, who had failed for decades to make needed repairs to its private sewer system. Also in January, Prince William state Dels. Haya Ayala, D-51st; Elizabeth Guzman, PHOTO COURTESY LORI BAUCKMAN-MOORE D-31st; and Danica Roem, th Almost no was water left in the tidal Potomac River near D-13 , made history as the Tim’s Rivershore Restaurant and Crabhouse on Friday, March 2. See STORMY, Page 5

More county schools offer free dinner to students By Karen Chaffraix Times Staff Writer

PHOTO BY DELIA ENGSTROM

Rippon Middle School students line up for a free dinner on the afternoon of Wednesday, Dec. 12. INSIDE Calendar.............................................12 Classified............................................13 Lifestyle..............................................10 Obituaries...........................................12

“This is the last call for bus 101. This is the last call for bus 101.” It is 3 p.m. on a Wednesday afternoon in the cafeteria at Rippon Middle School in Woodbridge. While the loudspeaker steers youngsters toward their buses home, several hundred pour in for their third meal of the day at school. They start breakfast at about 7:50 a.m. Lunches are served from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.; and now, if they want, dinner at 3 p.m. Whether staying for activities, doing homework or just stopping in to eat before walking home, the food here is homemade, the kids love it, and thanks to a relatively new federal government program, it’s free to students any school that qualifies. “I’m comfortable saying that at least half of our schools qualify for the dinner program,” said Adam Russo, director of the school division’s Office of School Food and Nutrition Services, as he watched Rippon students select their dinner items. Russo, a former restaurant owner and father of three, has led the school meals program for the past 18 months. He moved to the area from Norfolk and has a business degree from Longwood University. Schools are eligible for the free dinner program if at least 50 percent of their students qualify for free or reduced-price meals. The cost of the dinner meals – including staffing – is fully reimbursed by the federal government. See DINNER, page 4

Opinion.................................................7 Puzzle Page..........................................6 Real Estate..........................................11 Sports...................................................8

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