Governor McAuliffe has announced a series of budget actions and signed a new executive directive to address Virginia’s growing teacher shortage. Budget actions include new investments and budget language targeting teacher recruitment and retention. The directive asks Virginia Board of Education to issue emergency regulations giving colleges and universities the option to offer undergraduate majors in education.

Prince William County Police Department's crime log for Thursday, Dec. 7, 2017.

On Dec. 5 at 11:44 p.m., officers responded to the Rimpal Inn located at 7399 Old Centreville Rd in Manassas (20111) to investigate a robbery. An employee reported to police that an unknown male wearing a mask jumped over the front counter and brandishing a handgun at the employee. During the encounter, the suspect forced the employee to open the register to obtain money.

Virginia Department of Transportation provided statistics for 66 Express Lanes inside the Beltway following Tuesday, Dec. 5, a.m. rush hour. Over the first three rush-hour periods, there were no major reportable incidents on the lanes, sustained travel times and speeds for carpools, buses, and toll-paying drivers, a news release said.

Gainesville District Supervisor Pete Candland has asked Gov. Terry McAuliffe to immediately suspend the tolling on I-66 in order to develop a "rational plan that protects commuters from the exorbitant toll-gouging that is evidenced in the current I-66 tolling fees."

PWCS Capital Improvements Program (CIP)/Budget Planning Timeline for FY 2019 is now online. GO to the Budget Updates website for information throughout the budget process.

The Center for Innovative Technology (CIT) has partnered with the Virginia Information Technologies Agency (VITA) to research, share and evaluate businesses who have made advancements in information technology (IT) that may be of value to state government. The partnership will be carried out by CIT’s Innovation Center of Excellence (ICE).

Second-half Prince William County real estate taxes are due on or before December 5, 2017.