Evelyn Mejia

On a recent hot and sunny Saturday afternoon, the Robles family sat around their coffee table and played dominoes. Typically, whoever loses has to buy dinner or wash the dishes.

It’s a tradition for the family of four — Sofia Robles, 46, her twin brother, Cesar Robles, 46, her sister, Sonia Castillo, 47, and her adult son, Adrian Osorio, 22.

And they’re hoping that won’t change — despite the eviction notice they received a few months ago ordering them to leave Woodbridge Mobile Home Park, a place they have called home for 24 years.

In January, the Robleses and residents of 26 nearby mobile homes were told they must leave by July 31. But doing that won’t be easy. Like most residents of mobile home parks, the residents own their homes but not the property on which they sit.

As Prince William County’s housing costs have climbed over the last decade, with average rents rising more than 33% since 2019, more residents are doubling up in what are meant to be single-family homes.

The trend goes beyond young adults pairing up as roommates; older adults, and even entire families, are sharing homes, often by renting basements. In response, county officials point to a lack of housing supply and are making policy changes to add more housing — and more affordable housing — to bring down costs.

Jhoan Mesen knew something was wrong when his text messages and phone calls to his wife, Claudia Alvarenga España, didn’t go through.

She had gone for what they thought would be a routine check in with the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency in Chantilly. Since 2011, she had faithfully checked in as part of a court order and permit that allowed her to live and work in the U.S.

But this turned out to be something different. This check in would upend their lives.

“I have a bad feeling about this, there’s a lot of tension here,” España wrote in her last text to Mesen on June 3. When his phone rang at about 4 p.m. that day, Mesen knew something bad had happened.

Despite a delay due to a passing thunderstorm, Prince William County’s first Juneteenth festival saw hundreds turn out for an evening of reflection and celebration.

Heavy winds and rain began to pour just as vendors finished setting up their tents ahead of the 4 p.m. start time, resulting in a pause that lasted about an hour. Still, that didn’t dampen the celebration.

“We are the survivors,” said Deshundra Jefferson, chair of the Prince William Board of County Supervisors. “It rained, but it did not rain on our parade.”

Christine Knust planned to continue growing the journalism and yearbook program at Plattsmouth High School this year.

In her two years as the school’s librarian, Knust had nurtured the program from six students to 37. She also had grown and diversified the school library, adding titles by LGBTQ authors and writers from different ethnic backgrounds, she said.

Knust, who taught English for nearly 30 years in several districts, believed she’d retire at Plattsmouth Community Schools. Instead, she

LINCOLN, Neb. — Marty Ramirez is no longer reluctant to talk about his service in Vietnam.

The 77-year-old now wears a gray shirt that reads, ‘Vietnam,’ and a black, Purple Heart cap.

The historical discrimination against Mexicans didn’t allow Ramirez to open up about his time in Vietnam upon his return home in 1969.

“When we were in the uniform, we almost felt like when do things change? Will they ever change? Is it always going to be the color of your skin?,” Ramirez said.

Two months ago m

Every Tuesday and Thursday in the fall, Taylor Schneider and his students start class by gathering their equipment and stretching. The 15 minutes of stretching is essential for their trips up a 400-foot wind turbine.

These climbs up the turbine are part of Central Community College’s effort to lessen the shortage of workers in the renewable energy industry. The college offers wind, solar energy and battery storage accreditation — a rare combination that Schneider said has allowed him to teach s

NORFOLK – One of the last bus drivers in Norfolk begins his day by taking Nancy Stehlik to work.

Wrapped in a purple coat and earmuffs, Stehlik inches her walker onto the small bus’s wheelchair lift.

Driver Neil Schlecht pushes a button and the lift whirs down, placing Stehlik outside of Walmart, where she works as a cashier.

Schlecht spends the rest of his shift on a recent Monday crisscrossing Norfolk – a pick up at Odd Fellow Rebekah Manor, an assisted living facility. A drop off at Walmar