To join in on the tele-town hall with Gainesville Supervisor Pete Candland, dial 855-756-7520, Ext. 46306# at 7:00 p.m. on the 26th.

After passing the legislature, HB 2529 was signed into law by the governor, giving nearly $1 billion back to Virginia taxpayers, reports Del. Tim Hugo, who represents part of Prince William County. This is about $400 per family.

Virginia House of Delegates and the Senate of Virginia Feb 12 report they have approved legislation that will provide nearly $1 billion in tax relief to Virginia’s taxpayers.

Virginia House of Delegates Speaker Kirk Cox (R-Colonial Heights) on Thursday named House Appropriations Committee Chairman S. Chris Jones (R-Suffolk), Steve Landes (R-Augusta), Chris Peace (R-Hanover), Barry Knight (R-Virginia Beach), Scott Garrett (R-Lynchburg), Luke Torian (D-Prince William), and Mark Sickles (D-Arlington) to the conference committee for the state budget bill, House Bill 1700. The House conferees will negotiate with the Senate on the final budget conference reports.

Congresswoman Wexton statement on passage of H.R. 790 - The legislation gives civilian federal employees a 2.6 percent pay raise.

Sen. Mark Warner and a group of 15 senators from both parties took to the Senate floor Jan. 25 to call for a temporary reopening of the government to allow for a negotiation on a bipartisan border security bill. The President embraced this bargain in a Rose Garden press conference, and the Senate passed that agreement unanimously.

Denise Simms, a Lake Ridge preschool special education teacher, is hosting an arts-based fundraiser to celebrate her 15 years as a cancer survivor. The arts sampler event will be held on Saturday, Jan. 26, from 1 to 4:30 p.m., at Old Bridge United Methodist Church. The church is located at 3699 Old Bridge Rd. in Lake Ridge.

Shutdown related scams could include fake employment offers for “side jobs," predatory lenders taking advantage of temporarily unpaid Virginians and fake charities that claim to be working on behalf of federal workers.