Prince William Times 12/11/2019

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STATE CHAMP GOES DOWN: Stonewall beat Woodbridge in girls basketball Monday, Page 8.

December 11, 2019 | Vol. 18, No. 50 | 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.

‘People want to help so much’ Bristow rallies around Rancourt family of 9 after fire By Jill Palermo

Times Staff Writer

The last three months had already been hard for Jacques and Emily Rancourt and their seven children. Emily Rancourt had been in California since September with their youngest daughter, Luna Mei, who was recovering from complicated surgery for a congenital heart defect. Luna Mei, 3, is one of the Rancourts’ five ad-

opted children, three of whom who suffer from heart conditions. Six years ago, their older daughter, Lily, 10, underwent three open-heart surgeries and then a heart transplant. The family also endured the loss of baby daughter Addy, who died shortly after she was born. So the Rancourts are no strangers to adversity. Still, a different kind of tragedy struck last week while Jacques Rancourt, pastor of Gateway Baptist Church, was home caring for their children. See RANCOURT, page 2

PHOTO BY DELIA ENGSTROM.

Jacques Rancourt and his oldest daughter, Dryden Rancourt, 14, stand outside their Bristow home, which suffered major damage in a fire on Wednesday, Dec. 11. The cause is still under investigation.

Manassas OKs red-light cameras By Daniel Berti

Times Staff Writer

PHOTOS BY MIKE BEATY

Manassas celebrates the holidays

Top left, bottom right: Santa and Mrs. Claus meet with a young visitor and pose with Manassas City Councilmembers Theresa Coates Ellis, left, and Michelle Davis-Younger, right, after lighting the Old Town Christmas tree Friday, Dec. 6. Top right, bottom left: Even the horses wore their holiday finest for the 74th Annual Greater Manassas Christmas Parade, which featured dancers in dressed as the “leg lamp” from “The Christmas Story.” More on page 4. INSIDE Business.............................................13 Calendar.............................................12 Classifieds...........................................16 Lifestyle..............................................11

The City of Manassas has permission to place up to 10 red-light cameras at busy intersections in the city. Manassas City Council voted 5-1 to approve the measure Tuesday. Only Councilman Ian Lovejoy, R-At Large, voted against it. Red-light cameras take photographs of vehicles that fail to stop or remain stopped at a red traffic light signals. The photos then go through a verification process before a ticket of up to $50 is mailed to vehicle operators. Three other Northern Virginia locales – Arlington, Fairfax City and Alexandria – already have red-light camera systems. Manassas City Police Chief Douglas Keen said the goal of the red-light cameras is to reduce traffic accidents at the most troubled intersections in Manassas. “Safety has to be the top goal of this program with trying to make See RED-LIGHT, page 4

Obituaries...........................................15 Opinion.................................................7 Puzzle Page........................................24 Real Estate..........................................14 Sports...................................................8

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