Prince William County news in brief
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Version 0 of 1. The spring burning law goes into effect Monday, Prince William County officials said. The law prohibits open-air burning before 4 p.m. every day until April 30 if the fire is in, or within 300 feet of, woodland, brush land or fields containing dry grass or other flammable materials. Violations could result in a misdemeanor punishable by a fine. For information, call the fire marshal’s office at 703-792-6360 or visit pwcgov.org . Prince William County Police Chief Steve Hudson announced this week his plans to retire from the police department. Hudson, who has been with the department for 34 years, is the third police chief to serve the county. He replaced Charlie Deane, who retired in 2012. His last day will be March 31. Deputy Chief of Police Barry Barnard will serve as acting police chief after Hudson’s retirement until a national search to fill the position is concluded. Nearly 2,200 young trees will be planted in the Hunter Ridge Estates community with a $10,000 matching grant from the Virginia Department of Forestry as part of the Virginia Trees for Clean Water program. The Board of County Supervisors recently accepted the grant and will pay a minimum of $20,000 up front to plant the trees in an old horse pasture just north of Fox Haven Court, near Minnieville and Spriggs roads. Once the project is finished, the Virginia Department of Forestry will reimburse the county $10,000, said Prince William County arborist Julie Flanagan. The program, funded by the U.S. Forestry Service, the Chesapeake Watershed Forestry Program and the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, aims to achieve long-term improvements in water quality through long-lived tree cover and raise public awareness about the benefits of planting trees for the health of streams and rivers. — Compiled by Sarah Lane |