Prince William Democrat Danica Roem was sworn in as Virginia’s first openly transgender lawmaker on Wednesday. Prior to being sworn in, Roem worked to make corrections on a bill calling for a Route 28 commuter-rail study so that she could avoid a procedural error carrying over into her first day in office.
(The Washington Post)
On Wednesday, Gov. Terry McAuliffe told the Commonowealth Transportation Board that the state had reached an agreement to extend the 95 Express Lanes to Exit 133 for U.S. 17 near Fredericksburg. With leftover money, the company working on the extension will build an I-95 northbound bridge over the Rappahannock River.
(WTOP)
Immigration agents from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement took to almost 100 7-Eleven stores to expose and arrest individuals working illegally in the United States. Twenty-one people were arrested nationwide.
(INSIDENOVA)
Fairfax County’s Homeward Trails Animal Rescue took in seven hound dogs and four puppies after the animals were rescued from a Rockbridge County hoarder who kept the dogs tied up outside. The hoarder had over 60 dogs total. The dogs were split up and taken to various nearby organizations.
(WJLA)
The Arlington County Democratic Committee is getting together under the theme “One of Many for a Commonsense Commonwealth” in anticipation of the 2018 Women’s March, which is taking place on Jan. 20. With other area organizations, the committee is taking part in a “Weekend of Action” that starts with poster making on Jan. 19, the march and then a solidarity brunch on Jan. 21.
(ARL Now)
Life Time Fitness, a gym chain spanning the nation, has decided to remove all national cable network news stations—CNN, Fox News, MSNBC and CNBC—from their fitness centers’ TVs, claiming that the networks don’t make for a “healthy way of life.”
(The Washington Post)