Prince William Times 11/17/2022

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SPORTS: Freedom, Patriot, Brentsville advance in football regional playoffs. PAGE 17

November 17, 2022 | Vol. 21, No. 46 | 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.

Why are data centers so noisy? Loose rules, pricey solutions, critics say By Christopher Connell

Piedmont Journalism Foundation

When people buy homes under the flight path to an airport, their complaints about the noise may fall on deaf ears. But some residents of Prince William County never bargained for the constant, annoying buzz from a new data center near their neighborhood and others in Fauquier are concerned about another data center slated for Warrenton. Why can’t the data centers be made quieter? The answer, experts on noise reduction say, is that they could be, but regulation by municipalities and counties is often lax and

dampening the din is expensive. “This is the 21st century; we do have the technology to significantly quiet them,” said Les Blomberg, founder and executive director of the nonprofit Noise Pollution Clearinghouse. “The way to alleviate noise is there,” said Arline Bronzaft, professor emerita of psychology at the City University of New York and lifelong champion of noise reduction. “It isn’t rocket science. What is lacking is the will.” She said she believes people must band together to keep the pressure on local governments to tighten and enforce strict standards. See DATA CENTERS, page 6

PHOTO BY DOUG STROUD

Dale Browne, president of the Great Oak homeowners’ association, has been working with Prince William County officials and Amazon to address the annoying buzz coming from four Amazon data centers recently built near their neighborhood south of Manassas.

The 2022 Northern Virginia Veterans Parade was held on Saturday, Nov. 5 in Old Town Manassas. World War II Army veteran Pete Anastasi, left, celebrated his 101st birthday at the Freedom Museum in Manassas on Veterans Day. The parade honored retired Army Col. Ulysses Xerxes “Xerk” White (pictured below, right) and Elizabeth Lewis, a World War II nurse, as grand marshals. A member of Vietnam Veterans of America marches in the parade (below, left). PHOTOS BY MIKE BEATY

Police chief: 14 guns confiscated in schools over last 2 years By Cher Muzyk and Jill Palermo Times Staff Writers

Prince William police confiscated 14 guns from county schools over the last two years, including nine during the 2021-22 school year and five, so far, this year, Prince William County Police Chief Peter Newsham told school board Prince William County members Tuesday. Police Chief Peter “That is five too Newsham many,” Newsham said, referring to the guns taken from schools since late August. “I know that is very concerning for everyone to hear.” The number of weapons confiscated by police across Prince William County’s more than 100 schools was among the information Newsham shared Tuesday, Nov. 15, during his first presentation to the school board on the status of school security. See SECURITY, page 2

The Salad Saloon is coming to Occoquan, page 9

‘Tis the season for holiday events, page 10

88 DULLES, VA

It’s all about people . . . and always will be. www.vnb.com


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