On Friday, Nov. 22, the American Red Cross will mark the grand opening of its new state-of-the-art blood donation center in Manassas. This new facility will collect thousands of blood products each year from generous donors who roll up a sleeve to help save lives.

During Hokie Day at the Capitol, Thursday, Feb. 5, Attorney General Herring will meet with students and alumni of Virginia Tech at 11:30 p.m. for a picture on the Capitol stairs for the annual Hokie Day at the Capitol. South Portico stairs, State Capitol, Richmond, VA.

Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), in partnership with the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT), will host two more Public Information Meetings this week on plans to transform I-66 between U.S. Route 15 in Haymarket and I-495/Capital Beltway.

Steven G. Liga, a professor at Rutgers University and CEO & executive director of the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD) of Middlesex County, Inc in New Jersey, will begin as the new Chief Executive Officer of Action in Community Through Service’s (ACTS) on March 30, according to Craig Gerhart, president of ACTS' board.

Registration is taking place now for an eight-week session that begins March 16 at Northern Virginia Community College. Courses in the eight-week session cover the same material and award the same credits as semester-long classes.

Former Poet Laureate of Virginia Carolyn Kreiter-Foronda and former (Newport News) Daily Press Poet Laureate Bill Glose will present “Poets Laureate on Art and War” at Osbourn Park High School, on Saturday, Feb. 14, from 1 to 3 p.m.

Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) was originally closed on Saturday, Jan. 31, as a result of a service failure of the state’s IT service provider.  Systems are being recovered and DMV is working to open as many offices as possible today, according to a news release at 10:27 a.m.

Rep. Barbara Comstock has joined in co-sponsoring legislation that would provide yearly federal funding for veterans’ treatment courts. These courts would help veterans coping with addiction and other mental disorders receive specialized care when accused of certain non-violent crimes.

Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program (VITA) is a national program that offers people who earned less than $53,000 in 2014 a good way to get their tax returns done for free. Tax experts will be at the Dr. A J. Ferlazzo Building, at 15741 Donald Curtis Drive in Woodbridge, on Saturdays between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., from now until April 11, to help people with their taxes.