🌱 Local Firefighters Receive Governor's Award + Occoquan Peep Week

Morning, Lake Ridge-Occoquan! I'm here with your fresh copy of the Lake Ridge-Occoquan Patch newsletter, filled with everything you need to know about what's happening in town. Including updates on:

• Local fire teams receive award for response to ice storm
• Upcoming events hosted by the Town of Occoquan
• Updated African American History Trail is now open

But first, your local weather:

• Wednesday: Partly sunny. High: 63 Low: 50.
• Thursday: A few showers in the morning. High: 67 Low: 41.
• Friday: Cooler with periods of rain. High: 44 Low: 40.
• Saturday: Breezy and milder. High: 53 Low: 36.

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Here are the top five stories in Lake Ridge-Occoquan today:

1. Several Northern Virginia fire departments were honored at the 2022 Governor's Fire Service Awards last week in Virginia Beach. The Prince William County Department of Fire and Rescue, the Dumfries-Triangle Volunteer Fire Department, and the Occoquan-Woodbridge-Lorton Volunteer Fire Department, received the Outstanding Fire Department Response Award for their response to an ice storm that left drivers stranded on Interstate 95 for over 18 hours in January 2022. The firefighters provided food, water, blankets, and medical attention to the stranded motorists, and also cleared exit ramps. (Northern Virginia Magazine)
2. The Town of Occoquan invites the community to take part in Peep Week from Apr. 4-8. The event will showcase PEEPS® dioramas created by local businesses, which visitors can admire while taking a leisurely walk through the historic town of Occoquan. In addition, community-made dioramas will be on display at Occoquan Town Hall from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day; those who vote for their favorite display have the chance to win $100 worth of gifts to use in local businesses. (Press Release Desk)
3. The Town of Occoquan is hosting a networking partnership breakfast on Mar. 14 from 9:00-10:30 a.m. at Occoquan Town Hall. Local business owners are invited to attend and learn about opportunities for boosting their business through event sponsorships, partnerships, and advertising. Registration is required; more information can be found at visitoccoquanva.com. (Press Release Desk)
4. The Prince William County Office of Historic Preservation has opened the updated African American History Trail, which now features wayfinding signs at each of the 20 stops. In addition to reading about the historical locations, visitors can also listen to the tour narrated by Victor Angry of the Prince William Board of County Supervisors. The new signage aims to make the trail more accessible to visitors and provide an opportunity to learn about African American history in the area. (Prince William County Parks, Recreation & Tourism via Facebook)
5. The Prince William County Economic Development Department has signed 11 non-disclosure agreements in 2022 — mostly with data center developers —according to documents obtained through the Virginia Freedom of Information Act. Officials say these are a routine part of the department's work in attracting businesses to the area and primarily prohibit the disclosure of proprietary information related to project proposals. The agreements aim to maintain confidentiality during the negotiation process with potential businesses. (Inside NoVA)

Coming up in Lake Ridge-Occoquan:

Wednesday, March 1

• Lenten Worship Services At St Matthew’s Lutheran Church, Woodbridge (7:00 AM)

Thursday, March 2

• Thursday Salsa Night At Aroma Latin Fusion, Woodbridge (6:00 PM)

Friday, March 3

• Lenten Soup Meal At St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church (6:00 PM)

Saturday, March 4

• Princess Brunch With Tiana, Cinderella, And Belle At Madigan's Waterfront (11:00 AM)

From my notebook:

• Get to know the people in your community by attending one of (or several!) upcoming networking events in and around Prince William County. (Prince William Living)
• Looking for ways to keep the kids busy during spring break? Start your search with spring break camps, hosted by Prince William County Parks, Recreation & Tourism. (Press Release Desk)
• Whether you're on the house hunt or just want to see what's out there, here are five new properties to hit the Lake Ridge-Occoquan real estate market. (Lake Ridge-Occoquan Patch)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Featured events:

• FTE Presents Stop Kiss Mar3-5, 10-12 (March 3)
• Manassas Symphony Presents "Inspirations" with Pianist Joseph Kingma (March 4)
• Add your event

You're all caught up for today. I'll see you soon!

— Nicole Fallon-Peek

About me: Nicole Fallon-Peek is a journalist and copywriter with a degree in Media, Culture and Communication from New York University. She has served as a freelance reporter, managing editor, copy editor, and editorial director for a variety of B2B news outlets. She currently co-owns and operates content creation agency Lightning Media Partners.