Governor Terry McAuliffe Sept. 28 recognized businesses for their ongoing commitment to creating employment opportunities for Virginia’s veterans at the Virginia Workforce conference, hosted by the Virginia Chamber of Commerce. The 669 Virginia businesses certified under the Virginia Values Veterans (V3) Program hired over 18,000 veterans, doubling the private sector commitment in a year.

Manassas Mall management announced Sept. 20 that Kraze Burgers has opened in the new restaurant and entertainment wing at the mall. The eatery features premium burgers as well as veggie burgers, grilled chicken sandwiches and salads.

Because there is a town hall meeting at the Nokesville Volunteer Volunteer Fire Department on Marsteller Drive on Nokesville Business Association’s regularly-scheduled date of Wednesday, Sept. 21, the NBA is rescheduling its meeting for Sept. 28, at 6 p.m. at the Chuck Wagon Restaurant.

Keeping a forest in the family will be the topic of a two-day short course that will be held October 5 and October 12 at The Inn at Willow Grove in Orange, Va. Attendees will learn what they need to do to successfully pass their land on to the next generation of their family members without breaking up the land or losing it due to tax burdens.

Bonnie Atwood of Richmond, VA and a former reporter for The Journal Messenger newspaper in Manassas, was named runnerup for the 2016 Communicator of Achievement Award given by the National Federation of Press Women (NFPW).

Although winter heat, spring freezes and too much late spring/early summer rain combined to make 2016 a challenging year for Virginia’s apple growers, the state is on track to have a good crop. Growers having been picking Gala apples since August and are now picking Red and Golden Delicious apples, with Ginger Gold, Pink Lady, McIntosh, Honey Crisp, Stayman and more to follow.

With the adoption of the budget, Manassas City Council approved expanding its incentives to include two pilot incentive programs; a Façade Improvement Grant Program and a Landscape Improvement Grant Program.

Virginia Tech Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership and Project Wing, the aviation division of X, will deliver food using unmanned aerial vehicles during research flights this fall at Virginia Tech.