State sees historic 66.2% General Fund revenue increase in May
The state’s General Fund revenue rose 66.2% in May 2021 compared with May 2020, Gov. Ralph Northam announced Friday, the largest increase in more than 50 years. He also announced the appointment of the state’s new secretary and deputy secretary of finance. May is usually a big month for revenue collections due to the state’s […]
State program would incentivize new workers with up to $1,000
To combat Virginia‘s tight labor market, the state plans to invest $3 million in a program to provide new employees of qualifying small businesses with up to $1,000 to support their transition back into the workforce, Gov. Ralph Northam announced Friday. The Virginia Return to Earn grant program will match up to $500 from eligible […]
Sorry, Pittsburgh! StarKist Co. relocating HQ to Reston in 2022
StarKist Co. is moving its corporate and administrative headquarters from Pittsburgh to Fairfax County, Gov. Ralph Northam announced Thursday. The seafood and chicken company, a subsidiary of Dongwon Industries Co. Ltd., plans to occupy space in a Reston office building, creating 83 jobs by spring 2022. “Virginia is home to a diverse ecosystem of more […]
Lyon Shipyard plans $24.4M expansion, adding 119 jobs
Norfolk’s Lyon Shipyard plans to expand its operation, investing $24.4 million and creating 119 jobs, Gov. Ralph Northam announced Wednesday. The 93-year-old ship repair and industrial service provider plans to build a new marine travel lift and a larger waterfront dry dock on the Elizabeth River. Virginia competed for the project with North Carolina, according […]
U.S. Sen. John Warner dies at age 94
Former U.S. Sen. John W. Warner III, who died Tuesday at the age of 94 in Alexandria, was remembered Wednesday as a principled, patriotic and bipartisan politician who was one of Virginia‘s longest-serving senators and the former chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee. The last Republican to hold one of Virginia’s Senate seats, Warner […]
SunCoke to invest $50M in Buchanan County plant
SunCoke Energy Inc., the largest independent producer of high-quality coke for blast furnace steel production in the Americas, plans to invest $50 million in its Buchanan County manufacturing operation, Gov. Ralph Northam said in a news release Tuesday. Calling the project “a much-needed boost” for Southwest Virginia, Northam said the project will retain approximately 100 […]
Fairfax hydroponic farm expanding, creating 29 jobs in Herndon
Beanstalk, an indoor hydroponic farm in Fairfax County, plans to expand its operation, investing $2 million and creating 29 jobs, Gov. Ralph Northam announced Monday. Owners Mike and Jack Ross, brothers from Alexandria, started the business in 2018 and sell fresh salad mixes and fresh herbs to grocery stores and at farmers’ markets. The new […]
Va. April unemployment rate at 4.7%, drops nearly half point
Virginia’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was at 4.7% in April, dropping 0.4 percentage points below March’s jobless rate. April’s statewide unemployment rate was 5.9 percentage points below April 2020’s rate of 10.6%, the first full month of pandemic-related job losses. Virginia contends to trend lower than the nation, however. The U.S. unemployment rate for April [[...]
Modular housing manufacturer setting up Newport News plant
A modular housing manufacturer plans to establish its first East Coast facility in Newport News, investing $2 million and producing 220 jobs, Gov. Ralph Northam announced Tuesday. A Public Benefit Corporation and Certified B Corporation founded in 2018, indieDwell turns recycled shipping containers into small homes with one to four bedrooms to help solve the […]
Va. General Fund revenue up 41.9% in April compared to 2020
Virginia‘s General Fund revenue for April 2021 increased by 41.9% compared with April 2020, the largest increase in this century, Gov. Ralph Northam announced Wednesday. Total revenue collections rose 12.8% through April on a fiscal year-to-date basis, which was well ahead of the 2.7% growth forecast. “Virginia is posting the largest monthly revenue increase in […]
Northam, GA leaders pledge to invest $4.3B in federal funds in special session
Gov. Ralph Northam on Wednesday issued a statement with General Assembly leaders outlining their priorities for a $4.3 billion windfall from the most recent federal stimulus package passed in March. Among their plans during a special legislative session this summer will be to allocate money from the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan to fully fund […]
Northam declares state of emergency related to gas pipeline shutdown
Gov. Ralph Northam declared a state of emergency Tuesday, five days after the Colonial Pipeline was shut down due to a cyber-attack. The Texas pipeline is the primary source of gasoline for many retailers in Virginia and elsewhere on the East Coast, so its prolonged closure would interrupt distribution of gas to the state, the […]