EAGLES ROLL ON: Freedom’s football team shocked Westfield in the state semis. Sports, Page 11
December 5, 2018 | Vol. 17, No. 49 | 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.
No agreement yet on classroom trailers County leaders delay decision on $143 million plan to eliminate portables By Jill Palermo
Times Staff Writer
Prince William schools currently rely on more than 200 portable classroom trailers to deal with school overcrowding. Whether county officials will fund a $143 million plan aimed at getting rid of them remains an open question this week after a Nov. 27 meeting of both county
boards resulted in little agreement. The board of supervisors and school board meet jointly only once a year. On the agenda for this year’s gathering was a plan to add two elementary schools and the equivalent of about half a middle school to Prince William schools’ existing building plan in an effort to move all students and teachers into brick-and-mortar school build-
ings over the next decade. But instead of moving ahead with that plan, the boards agreed only to hire an outside consultant to ensure the school division’s enrollment projections are accurate. The decision came after Supervisor Ruth Anderson, R-Occoquan, questioned the need to eliminate all of the trailers, and Board of Supervi-
sors Chairman Corey Stewart, R-At Large, said “the development community” has “no confidence” in the county’s current growth projections. The supervisors have delayed decisions on a few new housing projects in recent months amid residents’ ongoing concerns about school overcrowding. See TRAILERS, page 4
Honorary officer Haymarket police ‘swear in’ boy battling cancer By Robin Earl
Times Staff Writer
PHOTO CREDIT ROBIN EARL
Ethan Dixon, 9, is surrounded by his family — mom Sabrina, dad Chris, and brothers Caleb and Travis — and the officers of the Haymarket Police Department. INSIDE Calendar.............................................14 Classified............................................18 Libraries.............................................15 Lifestyle..............................................13
Anyone planning to attend a quiet Haymarket Town Council meeting Monday night was met with flashing lights, a blocked-off street lined with police and fire department vehicles and a raucous crowd gathered outside Town Hall. Hundreds of residents showed up — at the Facebook request of Haymarket Police Chief Kevin Lands — to show support for Ethan Dixon, a 9-year-old boy battling leukemia. Ethan was understandably overwhelmed by the cheering crowd, the lights and cameras. Lands said, “When See HONORARY OFFICER, page 4
Obituaries...........................................17 Opinion.................................................9 Puzzle Page........................................10 Real Estate..........................................16 Sports.................................................11
86 WARRENTON, VA
703.754.3301 appletoncampbell.com
She’s not worried about the plumbing , heat or electric… Leave that to your local expert at Appleton Campbell! AC PrinceWilliamGainesvilleTimes_StripAd.indd 1
10/30/18 10:29 AM