The four Democratic candidates running for U.S. Congress from the 11th District this year were quite diverse in their career paths and that was never more evident than during the course of their debate at the A.J. Ferlazzo Building in Woodbridge on Tuesday evening.

Gov. Timothy M. Kaine began a series of town hall meetings Tuesday pushing his newest investment plan — this time by raising a regional sales tax in Northern Virginia to upgrade its transportation system.

Former State Senate candidate Robert S. FitzSimmonds has been appointed Chief Deputy Clerk of Court, replacing Wendy Jones who retired after 32 years in the office.

Two new judges, including one who will become the first female Prince William Circuit Court judge, officially took office on Friday.

In a very tight election for four spots, newcomer Kermit Holmes Dance tallied the fourth most votes to join winners Arthur P. Bushnell, Sheryl L. Bass and Scott M. Albrecht. Dance received 998 votes, 88 more than former School Board member Edward W. Pratt Jr. who was running again after losing in 2006.

The Dumfries Town Council will have three new members following Tuesday’s town election and the defeat of two incumbents.

John C. Cole, Susan M. Shuryn, Oswald Vazquez and Robert B. “Bob” Weir, the four incumbents running for the Haymarket Town Council, were re-elected Tuesday.

The Quantico Town Council got a bit of new blood following Tuesday’s election, but how much won’t be known until today.

When one of the six candidates withdrew from the Occoquan Town Council race 12 days before Tuesday’s election, the winners of the five seats on that council were all but decided.

All of the candidates for the three open seats on the Dumfries Town Council said they’d like to see the town make some changes.

Voters in Prince William County’s four towns as well as in the City of Manassas will head to the polls Tuesday to choose their local leaders.

Former Lt. Gov. John H. Hager, who has been chairman since July and wants to serve a full four-year term, appears to have the lead over Del. Jeffrey M. Frederick of Prince William County, GOP leaders say.

Governor Timothy M. Kaine today hailed Stafford County’s recent acquisition of 1,770 acres of waterfront property known as Crow’s Nest.

Promising to “leave no veteran behind,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Tuesday she hopes the House will take up a new GI bill “in the next couple of weeks.

Dumfries voters, along with any interested area residents, are invited to a Dumfries Town Council political forum on Sunday.

Sen. Barack Obama’s former pastor, Rev. Jeremiah Wright, called the month-long debate over portions of his past sermons an attack on the black church. 

Prince William supervisor Frank Principi’s plan to do away with police enforcement of the county’s illegal immigration resolution has taken at least three of his fellow board members off guard — not to mention hundreds of residents who then reportedly expressed outrage with a slew of e-mails to the chairman’s office.

Unanimously approved plan would finance through the sale of taxpayer-back bonds 75 construction projects over the next six years.

For Manassas School Board member Sheryl L. Bass, it’s all about balance. “Everybody has their priorities so it’s really important to balance all of them and not focus on one,” Bass said.

Manassas School Board vice chairman Scott M. Albrecht never thought he would be seeking a third term when he was first elected in 2000.

Occoquan officials want residents to weigh-in through a survey to gauge how well the town leaders are doing and in what direction the town should go.

Staff writer Aileen Streng can be reached at 703-878-8010.Russell V. “Rusty” Kuhns has served four terms on the Quantico Town Council. He wants to continue to serve his hometown and is seeking a fifth term.

A lie-in at Capital Square today attracted about 50 onlookers supporting tougher gun laws to help avert future gun tragedies.

Two Virginians were among the 60 federal lawmakers appointed last week to hash out a final compromise on the Farm Bill.

Dorothea Barr doesn't believe Dumfries is living up to its potential and she wants to do something about it.

Rep. Frank Wolf, R-10th, will headline the 10th District Republican Committee's annual Jefferson Day Dinner on Saturday in Warrenton.

WASHINGTON—Senators Jim Webb and John Warner of Virginia joined Tuesday in a bipartisan challenge to the top commander of the Iraq war, questioning whether the five-year conflict has improved the safety of Americans or the strategy of the U.S. military.

Robert B. Weir said it takes vigilance to control growth, and he plans to be vigilant if he is re-elected to the Haymarket Town Council.

For the first 15 minutes of Tuesday's public hearing on the proposed tax rate for the new fiscal year, Manassas Park finance director Gary Fields went through a less-than-appealing budget filled with hiring freezes and school employee cuts.

Brenda L. Via thinks her hometown of Dumfries is moving in the right direction and she wants to help it continue.