When renting a new place, watch out for scammers who ask you to sign before seeing anything or request payment via money wire, peer to peer apps or cash. Do your research on the property and read agreements carefully.

With temperatures reaching triple digits in the Commonwealth this weekend, the Virginia Department of Corrections reports it "has protocols in place to protect offenders and staff in facilities without climate control air conditioning."

Reward increased in June 21-22 murder of two Woodbridge men; FBI on case

Governor Ralph Northam announced July 9 that Holladay Properties will invest $13.95 million in the City of Manassas to establish a Tru by Hilton hotel, creating 35 new jobs and spurring an estimated $2.8 million in annual direct economic impact from traveler spending.

Governor Ralph Northam has announced that the Volvo Group will invest nearly $400 million and create 777 new jobs to expand its Volvo Trucks North America New River Valley (NRV) assembly operation in Pulaski County. Northam said the announcement represents one of the largest capital investments in the history of Southwestern Virginia.

Starting Monday, July 1, the commonwealth will enforce new laws that impact the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority (ABC), its licensees and applicants for ABC licenses.

Prince William County has awarded a $50,000 grant to kick-off a Medical School Feasibility and Planning Study by George Mason University. The Claude Moore Foundation has contributed $200,000 and the university will cover the remaining costs and conduct the study, with preliminary results anticipated in early fall. GMU already has a pre-med program with readily available laboratories and the classroom space needed to meet the goal of accreditation by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia in 2021, at the earliest.

The National Park Service (NPS) is preparing to begin construction on a long-term repair of the sinkhole near Dead Run on the George Washington Memorial Parkway. Following extensive assessments of the area and of drainage infrastructure that is deep underground, engineers have determined that the NPS needs to replace a 60-year-old brick drainage structure and rehabilitate the pipes leading to that structure.