PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL GOLF PREVIEW, Sports, Page 20
August 12, 2021 | Vol. 20, No. 32 | www.princewilliamtimes.com | $1.00 Covering Prince William County and surrounding communities, including Gainesville, Haymarket, Dumfries, Occoquan, Quantico and the cities of Manassas and Manassas Park.
Prince William hits the red zone
Community transmission of the coronavirus now ‘high’ By Jill Palermo
Times Staff Writer
William County residents: drinking water. And some are concerned that increased development near the reservoir and within the river’s far-reaching watershed could further pollute it. To address the issue, county officials are in the very early stages of studying whether an “overlay district” – or a special type of landuse designation – is needed to help protect the reservoir from becoming further polluted, although it is unclear, so far, what kind of development restrictions the district could entail and how much land it will cover.
Prince William County moved into the “high” category for community 105.46 transmission of the coroCases per 100,000 navirus last weekend and residents is now one of 25 health Source: CDC districts in Virginia experiencing a “surge” in new infections amid what the experts are calling a “stunning turnaround” in the course of the pandemic from just one month ago. As of Tuesday, Aug. 10, Prince William County was reporting 105 new COVID-19 infections per 100,000 residents over the past seven days, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s county tracker. Meanwhile, the local health district reported 29 new hospitalizations this past week, up from fewer than 10 the previous week. The metric places the county in the “high” category for transmission along with Fauquier, Stafford and Spotsylvania counties. The three are the only counties in Northern Virginia in the “high” category. Arlington, Fairfax and Loudoun counties and the cities of Alexandria and Manassas are in the “substantial” range of transmission, defined as having between 50 and 99 cases per 100,000 residents over the past week, according to the CDC. The University of Virginia’s Biocomplexity Institute, which has been tracking and predicting cases over the course of the pandemic, likened the rise in COVID-19 cases to a “storm,” the epicenter of which began in Southern states of Florida and Louisiana, where vaccination rates are relatively low. As of last week, Louisiana was reporting 653 cases per 100,000 residents over the past seven days, while Florida reported 590. By comparison, Virginia moved into the “high” category on Thursday, Aug. 5, and is reporting about 113 cases per 100,000 residents over the past seven days. Still, just one month ago, cases across Virginia were below 15 per 100,000 residents.
See OCCOQUAN, page 4
See COVID, page 2
PHOTO BY ROGER SNYDER
The Occoquan Reservoir is the main source of drinking water for eastern Prince William and Fairfax, but the two counties took different tacks on development along the waterway. Now, the Prince William supervisors are considering an “overlay district” aimed at improving water quality and protecting the reservoir from further pollution.
New rules considered around the reservoir By Daniel Berti
Times Staff Writer
The Occoquan River twists and turns for 25 miles along the border of Prince William and Fairfax counties before it spills into Belmont Bay and the Potomac River. Every weekend, locals and out-of-towners can be spotted coasting up and down the water in boats and kayaks, enjoying its pastoral views. And during the school year, high school students use it for rowing practice. But the river and its reservoir, both listed among Virginia’s “dirty rivers,” provide another vital resource to thousands of Prince
Bluegrass concert series at Brentsville Courthouse. See Page 11.
SENIOR LIVING See Pages 15-19.
88 DULLES, VA
It’s all about people . . . and always will be. www.vnb.com
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New cases over the last 7 days