When Stacy and I launched Bristow Beat, we hoped to provide a service that was sorely lacking in western Prince William County: in-depth coverage of the community where we live.
Two years later, our mission hasn’t changed.
While the west end has seen some significant changes since then: a new traffic pattern over the Route 29 railroad crossing, the election of a new governor, the approval of new schools and infrastructure projects, and, of course, the highly anticipated opening of the Promenade at Virginia Gateway, we grew as well.
We nurtured our business and formed new partnerships. We became the fifth online-only member of the Virginia Press Association and joined together with other independent online news organizations as a proud member of LION (Local, Independent, Online, News).
Perhaps our proudest achievement is attaining 4,000 Facebook likes, which sent the clear message that our loyal readers support and appreciate what we do.
We’ve made great friends and partners along the way, and admittedly, some detractors as well, who may resent us for upsetting the status quo.
Every day, we strove to bring you the local news you needed, such as crime, weather and traffic reports. We clarified the bureaucracy of the Board of County Supervisors and the School Board. Most importantly, we covered your lives as students, parents, residents and businesses.
One incident that embodied our mission occurred in July 2013, when a tanker truck overturned, spilling thousands of gallons of toxic fuel on Sudley Manor Drive. While the media descended on Bristow at the outset of that evening, we tirelessly covered the incident throughout the night, employing our resources to uncover the answer to the essential question: would residents of Braemar have to evacuate their homes?
We truly believe this coverage gave us credibility in the eyes of our neighbors, who continue to make Bristow Beat their number one source for local community news and information.
For the past two years, we have also provided residents with crucial information about the businesses they frequent, such as local restaurants and daycare centers. Our continual coverage of inspection reports have made the community aware of repeat offenders and made public incidents of child mishandling and inappropriate discipline at two Gainesville Minnieland Academy day care centers.
Furthermore, we will have some exciting announcements in the next few months, including new partnerships, columns, and the return of our sponsored Neighborhood News Quiz as well as reader-requested local business awards. We'll also be announcing a very significant expansion in our business plan that will help us provide even greater in depth local coverage.
Thank you Bristow, Gainesville, Nokesville and Haymarket for your continued trust and support. We are proud to be a part of your daily routine and we pledge to continue to promote our mission statement:
“To spur community involvement, open dialog, and provide essential news to the neighborhoods we cover.”
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