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Va. COVID-19 cases rise past 8,000
Update, Sunday, April 19: The Virginia Department of Health reported 8,537 confirmed COVID-19 cases statewide Sunday, a jump of 484 since Saturday. Also, there are now 277 deaths and 1,422 people hospitalized in the 9 a.m. update, as well as 54,733 people who have been tested in Virginia. According to the Johns Hopkins University statistics available […]
Virginia is ‘pivoting away’ from field hospitals
Virginia is “pivoting away” from needing field hospitals to handle patient overflow because health systems believe they’ll be able to manage any surge in COVID-19 cases, said Dr. Danny Avula, the director of Richmond and Henrico County’s health departments, Friday evening. “We have not seen any significant increase in hospitalization [and] ventilator use is under […]
SBA Paycheck Protection Program loaned nearly $9B to Va. businesses
Before the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) $349 billion Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) relief fund ran out Thursday morning, Virginia banks processed more than 40,000 applications totaling nearly $9 billion, the Virginia Bankers Association announced Friday evening. Small businesses that received the forgivable loans are allowed to use the funds to meet payroll costs and pay […[...]
Va. Tech gears up to produce PPE for Carilion
Although the Roanoke and New River Valley health districts are seeing fewer confirmed COVID-19 cases than health districts in Northern, Eastern and Central Virginia, the Roanoke-based Carilion Clinic health care system has asked Virginia Tech to help it stockpile personal protective equipment (PPE) in the event of a surge in cases. Seventy-five Tech faculty, students […]
Survey shows 24M jobs lost since labor market stats last released
Approximately 24 million jobs have been lost since the last United States Department of Labor market statistics were released in mid-March, according to a survey conducted by economists at Virginia Commonwealth University and Arizona State University. “[This is] an unheard of loss in any economic downturn since the Great Depression,” said Adam Blandin, a VCU […]
Northam issues order to expand state health care workforce
With an estimated 30,000 medical workers needed in the event of a surge of COVID-19 cases in Virginia, Gov. Ralph Northam has issued an executive order aimed at making it easier for nurse practitioners, fourth-year medical students, residents, interns and out-of-state doctors to assist hospitals and long-term care facilities with providing care for patients. “While […]
Altria CEO Howard Willard retires
Altria Group Inc. Chairman and CEO Howard Willard, who took a medical leave of absence in March after testing positive for COVID-19, has retired from his position heading up the Henrico County-based Fortune 500 parent company of cigarette manufacturer Philip Morris USA, effective April 14. Altria’s Board of Directors elected William F. “Billy” Gifford Jr. […]
Fairfax County establishes $2.5M small business loan fund
Fairfax County announced Thursday that it has established the Fairfax County Small Business COVID-19 Recovery Fund — a $2.5 million fund to support small businesses that have suffered economic hardship during the pandemic. The recovery fund will make no-interest loans of up to $20,000 to eligible businesses. In order to apply, the small business must […]
More than 100k Virginians filed for unemployment last week
More than 100,000 Virginians filed initial claims for unemployment last week, according to a news release Thursday afternoon from the Virginia Unemployment Commission. During the week that ended on April 11, Virginia saw 104,619 workers file for unemployment, bringing the most recent four-week total to 410,762. If 67,000 more Virginians file initial claims for unemployment, […]
Amazon.com Inc. hires 3.3k+ Virginians, more to come
Amazon.com Inc. has hired more than 3,300 employees in Virginia to meet the increased demand for home deliveries during the coronavirus crisis, the e-commerce giant announced Thursday. The hirings are part of Amazon’s initiative to create more than 100,000 full- and part-time jobs in the U.S. in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s also more […]
SBA Paycheck Protection Program runs dry, as expected
The Small Business Administration’s (SBA) $349 billion Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) relief fund officially ran dry Thursday morning, as expected. “The SBA is currently unable to accept new applications for the Paycheck Protection Program based on available appropriations funding,” according to the SBA’s PPP page. Small businesses that receive the forgivable loans are allowed to [...]
Dairy farms worry about staying afloat during pandemic
With milk prices dropping to the lowest point in years during the COVID-19 pandemic, Virginia dairy industry representatives fear that as many as 30 to 40 of the commonwealth’s 450 dairy farms could be forced out of business by the end of the year. The dairy industry in Virginia has been in decline for several […]
