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A few additional local news items from this past week:

• According to Virginia Business.com, jobless rates are up statewide but down in the city. Harrisonburg records an unemployment rate 6.9% in July, down 0.2 points, while nationally, Virginia’s 7.1% is the 14th lowest among the states and the District of Columbia. For some national context,  the Wall Street Journal reports that the  national unemployment rate ticked upward to 9.5% as more people entered the labor force to look for work.  The private-sector added 67,000 jobs on a seasonally adjusted basis, while overall, nonfarm payrolls fell by 54,000, as the U.S. cut 114,000 temporary Census workers and state governments also reduced employment.
• WHSV is reporting that two people were taken to RMH Wednesday after their  SUV crashed into a garage on Clay Street. The driver was charge with with reckless driving and not wearing a seat belt.
• The Washington Post and the NV Daily are reporting that Governor McDonnell has ordered the DMV remain open for longer hours Saturday. Some offices, including the Harrisonburg office, will be also open Sunday, and Labor Day to make up for the backlog due to the failure of a data storage unit outside Richmond that impacted a number of VA agency computer systems last week. Sounds like a perfect way to spend the weekend.
• Downtown welcomes a new store. Yarn Mountain, originally Massanutten Hookery out in McGaheysville has opened near Pennybackers on Water Street.

Photo by Randy Lowery, from the Hburg News Flicker Pool

What did we miss? What’s happening in your neighborhood? What do you want to discuss? Consider this an open thread. And wherever you’re walking, whatever you’re doing this weekend, have a great Labor Day.