Kate Andrews, Author at Virginia Business

FILE PHOTO: Frankie, the mascot for Nathan's Famous hot dogs, excites the audience at the official weigh-in ceremony, ahead of the Coney Island's 2025 Nathan's Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog Eating Contest in New York City, U.S., July 3, 2025. REUTERS/Angelina Katsanis/File Photo

Eastern Virginia January 21, 2026

Smithfield Foods plans to buy Nathan’s Famous in $450M deal

Smithfield Foods announced Wednesday it has entered a deal to purchase Nathan's Famous, the hot dog and sausage brand, for $102 a share in cash, a value of about $450 million.

The University of Virginia lawn. Photo courtesy U.Va.

Spanberger appoints 27 university board members, including Northam

Gov. Abigail Spanberger wasted no time in naming 27 new members to the boards of George Mason University, Virginia Military Institute and the University of Virginia on her first day as governor.

Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger was sworn in as Virginia’s 75th governor, the first woman to hold the office, on Jan. 17, 2026. Photo by Kira Jenkins/Virginia Business

Spanberger sworn in as Virginia’s first woman governor

Under cloudy skies at the Virginia State Capitol, Abigail Davis Spanberger was sworn in as Virginia's 75th governor just after noon Saturday, becoming the first woman to hold the commonwealth's top elected office.

The University of Virginia Rotunda. Photo by Jay Paul

5 U.Va. board members resign at Spanberger’s request

The New York Times reported Friday evening that three University of Virginia board members have resigned at the request of Abigail Spanberger, who will be sworn in Saturday as Virginia's Democratic governor.

An offshore wind turbine. A boat sits in the background.

Central Virginia January 16, 2026

Federal court grants Dominion injunction, allowing offshore wind construction to proceed

Dominion Energy won a preliminary injunction Friday in federal court, allowing construction to resume on the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project off Virginia Beach's coast. In December 2025, the U.S. Department of the Interior paused the project for 90 days, leading the Richmond Fortune 500 utility to sue the government.

Richmond Federal Reserve Bank President and CEO Tom Barkin speaks Jan. 15, 2026, at the 2026 Financial Forecast held in Richmond by Virginia Bankers Association and the Virginia Chamber. Photo by Kate Andrews

Richmond Fed leader sees less economic uncertainty in 2026

Gas prices are down, and tax refunds next month will provide some economic stimulus, Richmond Fed President Tom Barkin said Thursday.

Frances Lewis, pictured here in 2010, was co-founder of Best Products and a major contemporary art collector and donor to the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. Photo courtesy Virginia Museum of Fine Arts

Best Products co-founder Frances Lewis dies at 103

Frances Aaronson Lewis, who co-founded Henrico County's Best Products retail company and was a major figure among contemporary art collectors in the United States, died Jan. 10, her family announced Tuesday.

Prince William Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Bob Sweeney announced in January 2026 he plans to step down. Photo courtesy Prince William Chamber

Prince William Chamber CEO to step down

Prince William Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Bob Sweeney is stepping down after three years.

Government January 12, 2026

Spanberger appoints Virginia commerce and trade secretary

Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger's transition team announced Monday that Carrie H. Chenery, former executive director of the Shenandoah Valley Partnership, has been appointed secretary of commerce and trade.

Woman accused of running high-end brothels in Northern Virginia and near Boston set to be sentenced

Virginia Supreme Court orders new trial in $2B Appian-Pega case

The Virginia Supreme Court ordered a new trial in a $2 billion trade secrets lawsuit involving McLean-based software company Appian, which sought to reinstate its 2022 jury award from Massachusetts-based Pegasystems.