Voicemail notification is also controlled in VZW's voicemail system settings when you phone in to retrieve your voicemails. You might have accidentally turned off the notification listening to a voicemail one day. I know it happens, as my wife did that one day. So, phone in and make sure that notification is still on.
As for root, I immediately freeze updater so that I won't loose root, then wait for the forum persons to tell me that the root still works on the update. Once I hear that, I go ahead and update, otherwise I don't. I don't remember what version I'm on, but it hasn't been updated this year.