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.

In describing his bill, Del. Anderson emphasized that these protections are needed in the face of recent disclosures that several Hampton Roads jurisdictions authorized the collection and sharing of personal and private telephone data among jurisdictions. In one case, a city manager authorized the program without the authority to do so, a press release said.

Manassas Mayor Hal Parrish announced today his campaign for Virginia’s 29th State Senate District. He is a lifelong resident of the City of Manassas and owner of Manassas Ice and Fuel Co. (MIFCO), a family business that has operated in the area for over 90 years.

Selected students visit the capital for a one-on-one shadowing experience with Delegate Anderson. Students follow the delegate to committee meetings, House of Delegates sessions, and any special events taking place on the day of their visit. Applications are accepted each year in December for the following year’s legislative session.

Governor Terry McAuliffe announced today, Jan. 27, that Virginia’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased 0.2 percentage point in December to 4.8 percent and was down 0.4 percentage point from December 2013. Seasonally adjusted nonfarm employment was up 6,000 jobs between November 2014 and December 2014 to 3,797,300, surpassing the pre-recession peak

Virginia Department of Transportation will be holding four public information meetings Jan. 26-27-28-29 for the public to learn more about plans to transform I-66 between US 15 in Haymarket and I-495/Capital Beltway. VDOT officials will be at Battlefield High School in Prince William County Wednesday, Jan. 28.

Virginia is the first state in the nation to develop provider agreements between Federally Qualified Health Centers and the VA through the Veterans Choice Program. To date, four Federally Qualified Health Centers, with 22 sites of care have signed up to provide health services to eligible veterans. These sites are located in the Fredericksburg, as well as Eastern Shore, New Canton, Louisa, Charles City, Aylett, Prince George, Alberta, Charlotte Court House, Victoria, Amelia, Emporia, Dinwiddie, Ferrum, Floyd and Laurel Fork.

Virginia Attorney General Mark R. Herring Jan. 22 announced the designation of the nation's first Attorney General's "Animal Law" unit, a small group of current staff attorneys who will spend a portion of their time, as needed, serving as a resource for local law enforcement and state agencies on issues involving animal welfare and animal fighting or abuse.