Governor would delay subminimum wage ban for disabled workers
RICHMOND, Va. ‒ Gov. Glenn Youngkin recently recommended the General Assembly accept an amended version of a bill that ends the practice of paying subminimum wage to certain Virginia workers with disabilities. A certificate exemption under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act allows employers to determine pay for disabled workers based on a productivity calculation […]
Youngkin to meet with Taiwan’s president
Amid rising tensions with China, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin will meet with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen on his first international trade mission this month. Youngkin will travel to Taipei City, Taiwan; Tokyo; and Seoul, South Korea, from April 24 to April 29, according to a Tuesday news release. “I’m excited to represent the commonwealth in […]
Is ESG another CRT?
In January, Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares joined a group of 24 other state attorneys general in challenging a U.S. Department of Labor rule allowing fiduciaries to consider environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) criteria such as climate change in making investment decisions for retirement funds. The AGs argued that ESG practices work against investment […]
Youngkin announces $8.1M in GO Virginia grants
A variety of projects around the state intended to spur economic and workforce development will get a boost from $8.1 million in state GO Virginia grants, Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced Friday. The 17 projects are expected to add hundreds of jobs. Nearly $4.8 million will fund two Virginia Tech projects, including one expected to build […]
Norfolk tech startup plans $1M expansion
Norfolk-based digital magazine startup Magazine Jukebox Inc. (MJB) will invest $1 million to expand, moving from a coworking space into an office, and will create an estimated 20 jobs. Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced the expansion Tuesday. “We are proud that Magazine Jukebox, an emerging leader in the technology services sector, was founded in Virginia and […]
It’s official — Ford plant going to Michigan
Ford Motor Co. announced Monday that it will build an electric vehicle battery plant in Michigan, a $3.5 billion project that Virginia was considered for until Gov. Glenn Youngkin pulled the state out of it late last year. Youngkin’s concern, he said in January, was over the involvement of China-based Contemporary Amperex Technology Ltd. (CATL), […]
Danville pharma startup announces $6.1M expansion
Danville-based pharmaceutical engineering and manufacturing company Engineered BioPharmaceuticals Inc. will invest $6.1 million to expand from a business incubator into its first standalone manufacturing space, Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced Wednesday. The move is expected to create 34 jobs. The company will expand from its current lab space at Dan River Business Development Center — a […]
Tax cuts are the way to grow
Virginia’s finances are in excellent shape, paving the way for the General Assembly to agree with Gov. Glenn Youngkin that it’s time to cut taxes in the commonwealth. It’s your money, not the government’s, and the government has collected too much of it over the last few years. In a snapshot, Virginia’s coffers are full. […]
$100M donor gift to launch U.Va. biotech institute
The University of Virginia will build a biotechnology institute funded with a $100 million donation from Charlottesville investor Paul Manning and his wife, Diane, the university announced Friday. Along with the Mannings’ gift, U.Va. will contribute $150 million, and the state has allocated $50 million in initial investments for the institute in its 2022-24 budget, […]
Democrats call out Youngkin on Ford plant decision
Democratic state delegates excoriated Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin on Tuesday for taking Virginia out of the running for a $3.5 billion Ford Motor Co. battery manufacturing plant that would have created at least 2,500 jobs in Southern Virginia. The governor said last week that although Virginia was a finalist for the economic development project, he […]
21 Va. industrial sites awarded $90M for development
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced $90 million in grants for the development of 21 industrial sites across the state Monday, helping localities get shovel-ready for big economic development projects. The two biggest winners are Chesterfield and Henry counties, which received $25 million and $22.2 million respectively from the Virginia Business Ready Sites Program (VBRSP), which […]
10 Va. companies graduate VEDP export program
Ten Virginia companies are the latest to graduate from the Virginia Economic Development Partnership’s Virginia Leaders in Export Trade (VALET) program, which helps companies work on international export growth strategies, Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced this week. The two-year VALET program helps Virginia companies that have established domestic operations use international exporting as a gro[...]