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New, continued jobless claims in Va. stay steady a second week
The number of initial unemployment claims filed during the week ending April 3 was 81% lower than the same period a year ago, when the burgeoning COVID-19 pandemic saw unemployment filings near peak levels. The number of new filers last week increased slightly from the previous week. The Virginia Employment Commission reported Thursday that 28,526 […]
VEC to reinstate weekly work search requirement soon
All Virginia recipients of unemployment insurance will have to apply for two jobs a week soon to continue receiving benefits, Virginia Employment Commission announced Tuesday. Although the exact timeline was not provided, the VEC will begin notifying residents in May, it said. According to the news release, VEC has received more than 1.5 million claims […]
Va. restaurant, hospitality industry seeks $270M+ in relief funding
Hard hit by the pandemic, Virginia’s restaurant and hospitality industry is asking the General Assembly to dedicate more than $270 million from the state’s share of federal American Rescue Plan dollars to assist hotels, restaurants and other hospitality-related industries. In a letter sent Tuesday to members of the state legislature’s money committees, the Virginia Restaurant, [&[...]
COVID roundup: Parts of Va. open vaccinations to all over age 16
As of Monday, parts of Virginia have entered the second phase of COVID-19 vaccination — allowing all Virginians age 16 and older to receive shots, according to the Virginia Department of Health. The entire state is set to enter phase 2 by April 18, Gov. Ralph Northam announced last week. The following counties are in […]
PPP loans deadline extended to May 31
Businesses and banks received a two-month extension to apply for Paycheck Protection Program loans this week, as President Joe Biden signed legislation delaying the deadline for the latest round of PPP loans from March 31 to May 31. This week’s extension takes some of the pressure off bankers and businesses, says Steve Yeakel, president and […]
Va. new unemployment filings up last week, VEC reports
The number of initial unemployment claims filed during the week ending March 27 were 75% lower than they were this week a year ago, when the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact was fully reflected in Virginia’s unemployment statistics. However, the number of new filers increased from the previous week. The Virginia Employment Commission reported Thursday that 28,244 […]
All Va. adults to be eligible for vaccines by April 18
Gov. Ralph Northam announced Thursday that all Virginians age 16 and older will be eligible to get the COVID-19 vaccine starting April 18, ahead of a May 1 national deadline set by President Joe Biden. Northam made the announcement during a visit to a vaccination clinic at First Mount Zion Baptist Church in Prince William […]
Better times ahead
Back in the early 1980s, a co-worker of mine and his wife became first-time homeowners. They felt pretty good about getting their new house and signing a mortgage note at a whopping 18% interest rate! By today’s standards, that’s pretty unthinkable. While much time has passed since those days, we’ve had only six new presidents […]
Calling the shots
When the COVID-19 crisis began in early 2020, Dr. Danny Avula was the joint director of the Henrico County and Richmond health departments, a big job placing him in charge of public health for more than 560,000 residents. However, in early January, the scope of Avula’s responsibilities widened considerably after Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam tapped […]
Richmond supports restaurants with ‘Picnic in a Parklet’
Two Richmond restaurants will see their on-street parking lanes become outdoor dining areas this week to serve customers, spark business and encourage safer and socially distanced spaces. The dining areas are part Richmond city government’s “Picnic in a Parklet” pilot program, a partnership between the city and downtown booster Venture Richmond, according to a March […]
COVID roundup: 28% of Va. population vaccinated
As of Monday, March 29, 28.1% of Virginians have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose, and 15% of the state’s population is fully vaccinated, according to the Virginia Department of Health. So far, 3.5 million vaccine doses have been administered statewide, and 2.3 million people have been vaccinated with at least one dose. The […]
More vaccine going to Richmond and NoVa, as demand increases
More COVID-19 vaccine doses are going to be allocated to Northern Virginia and Richmond regions soon, the state’s vaccine coordinator said Friday, addressing higher demand in those areas of the state. Avula said he expects Northern Virginia to get 20% to 30% more doses next week. A large influx of Virginians driving several hours to […]
