Congressman Gerry Connolly has had to cancel a Senior Issues Forum Aug. 22 from 3 to 5 p.m. at Westminster at Lake Ridge senior community. 12191 Lake Ridge Drive, Woodbridge VA 22192.

Juan Carlos Pinzón, Colombian Ambassador to the United States, invited Governor McAuliffe earlier this year to lead an agricultural trade and marketing mission to Colombia to grow the relationship between Virginia and Colombia and capitalize on the benefits of the U.S.-Colombia Free Trade Agreement, which came into effect in 2012.

Governor Terry McAuliffe announced Aug. 16 that KO Distilling will expand its operations in the City of Manassas. The company will create six new jobs in the city and source 100 percent of its corn, wheat, and rye needs from Virginia agricultural producers.

Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) Aug. 15 announced the state’s estimated crop production for 2016. Corn production in Virginia was forecast at 51.3 million bushels, up 6 percent from the previous crop.

At Home®, the home décor superstore, opened today, Aug. 11, in Dale City at 2851 Dale Blvd. This is the fifth store in Virginia for the big-box specialty retailer of home décor products that is "dedicated to allowing customers to affordably make their house into a home."

Russell Harrison, a Manassas Volunteer of the Year for 2015, has announced he is a candidate for Manassas City Treasurer on Nov. 8.

Governor Terry McAuliffe has announced that Toray Plastics (America), Inc., a subsidiary of Toray Industries, Inc., headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, will invest $45 million to expand its Front Royal facility in Warren County.

A shortage of acceptable and affordable school sites in the Lake Ridge area has forced Prince William County Public Schools to alter its plans to build two new elementary schools to help alleviate over-crowding in eastern Prince William County. Plans now call for construction of one elementary school at a site still to be determined, and classroom additions to three existing schools.