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VDH reports first child COVID-19 death in Va.
The Virginia Department of Health on Friday announced the first COVID-19 death of a child under the age of 19 in the commonwealth. The adolescent was a resident in the Southside Health District, which covers Brunswick, Halifax and Mecklenburg counties, but VDH said it would not disclose further information about the teenager due to privacy […]
Metro considering $200M in spending cuts
The Metro Board of Directors is contemplating $200 million in spending cuts to maintain a balanced budget in the event that federal CARES Act funding runs out, which could lead to service cuts, shorter hours and layoffs. On Friday, the board for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) voted on potential service cuts, schedule […]
Va. hotel revenues drop again
Following a small improvement associated with the Labor Day holiday weekend, Virginia hotels saw a steep decline in revenues last week, according to data from STR Inc., a CoStar Group division that provides weekly market data on the U.S. hospitality industry. For the week of Sept. 6 through Sept. 13, hotel revenues decreased by 48% […]
Va. initial jobless claims slightly drop last week
Virginia saw a slight decrease in the number of initial jobless claims last week, the Virginia Employment Commission reported Thursday, but the number of ongoing claims has dropped to 50% from the May 16 filing week peak, when 403,557 Virginians filed for unemployment. For the week ending Sept. 12, 10,100 Virginians filed initial claims for […]
Smithfield Foods to contest OSHA citation
Smithfield Foods Inc. intends to contest a citation from the U.S. Labor Department stating that Smithfield failed to protect workers during an April outbreak at its Sioux Falls, South Dakota, plant, where approximately 1,300 workers contracted COVID-19 and four employees died. The Labor Department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) proposed fining the world’s largest [&[...]
Academy launched to help 20 NoVa tech firms pivot for COVID-19
McLean-based Amplifier Advisors and a group of university, government, corporate and community partners on Tuesday announced the launch of the Tandem Product Academy, which will assist a cohort of 20 Northern Virginia tech companies to pivot their business models to respond to the COVID-19 economy. The four-month program, set to start on Oct. 21, is […]
Northam: Trump’s alleged comment about veterans ‘turns my stomach’
During a brief COVID-19 update Tuesday, Gov. Ralph Northam blasted President Donald Trump’s reported reference to wounded and killed U.S. veterans as “losers and suckers.” Northam has occasionally criticized the federal government for leaving the responsibility of accessing COVID-19 tests and personal protective equipment solely to governors and state officials instead of institu[...]
NOVA, Manassas, Prince William, local groups launch workforce program
Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) announced Monday it is partnering with the city of Manassas, Prince William County, Virginia Career Works and the SkillsSource Group to launch the $1.9 million ELEVATE Program to provide free education and workforce services. Funded by federal CARES Act funding, the program will also help businesses to upskill their workforces. […]
Va. restaurants report consumer spending down, costs up
Consumer spending in Virginia restaurants remained well below normal levels in August while operational costs rose, according to a COVID-19 restaurant impact survey conducted by the National Restaurant Association. The organization surveyed 3,500 U.S. restaurant operators between Aug. 26 and Sept. 1. In Virginia, 87% of restaurant operators surveyed responded that their total sales volume [&hellip[...]
Va. sees fewer new COVID-19 cases, deaths last week
Virginia recorded 6,164 new COVID-19 cases and 57 fatalities from Sept. 8-14, bringing state totals to 134,571 cases and 2,743 deaths, according to the Virginia Department of Health. The state’s positivity rate is 7.2%, down from 7.7% last week. Several universities are reporting COVID-19 rates among students, faculty and staff members, although the universities are […]
Northam eases COVID-19 restrictions in Hampton Roads
After more than six weeks, Gov. Ralph Northam eased COVID-19 restrictions in Hampton Roads localities Thursday, citing “significantly improved” health metrics. The region will join the rest of the state in Phase Three of the “Forward Virginia” plan, effective immediately. On July 31, the governor placed a ban on gatherings of more than 50 people, […]
Don’t expect hotel revenue improvement to continue, industry says
UPDATED SEPT. 11, 2 P.M. Virginia hotel revenues saw some improvement last week, according to data released Thursday, but hotel industry representatives say it’s nowhere near enough to offset the “economically devastating” losses that the lodging sector has suffered this year due to the pandemic. For the week of Aug. 30 through Sept. 5, hotel […]
