Calif. aerospace company proposes Accomack County facility
Accomack County is a finalist for a proposed Rocket Lab USA Inc. facility, Gov. Ralph Northam announced Tuesday. If the county is selected, Long Beach, California-based aerospace company Rocket Lab would develop a facility to support part production, assembly, integration and test operations to support the launch of its Neutron launch vehicle from the NASA […]
The outsider
A former CEO who has never held political office, Glenn Youngkin will take the reins as Virginia’s next governor, having harnessed political tailwinds to a Republican sweep of statewide offices and GOP control of the House of Delegates. The electoral success ended eight years of Democratic victories, but Virginia’s 74th governor will have to contend […]
Va. unemployment rate dropped to 3.4% in November
In November, Virginia’s unemployment rate fell to 3.4%, 0.2 points below October’s rate, marking 18 straight months of declines, Gov. Ralph Northam announced Friday. In November 2020, the jobless rate was 2.4 points higher than last month. The labor force increased by 2,706 to almost 4.26 million, and the number of unemployed residents decreased by 8,627 […]
Youngkin promises biz-friendly climate for Va.
Talent, taxes and regulations, broadband access and energy are the top concerns for Virginia businesses, according to survey results gathered for the Virginia Chamber of Commerce’s Blueprint Virginia 2030, an action plan for strengthening Virginia’s economy. And those are also priorities for Gov.-elect Glenn Youngkin, he said Friday in a speech during the Virginia Economic […]
$31.5M Winchester turkey plant to create 111 jobs
Minnesota-based TFC Poultry LLC will invest $31.5 million to establish its second U.S. production facility in Winchester, a project expected to create 111 jobs, Gov. Ralph Northam announced Thursday. “Virginia’s strong agriculture sector continues to play a critical role in the success of our booming economy,” Northam said in a statement. “We are pleased the company […]
In memoriam: Va. Gov. Linwood Holton
The iconic fall 1970 photo of Virginia Gov. Linwood Holton escorting his daughter Tayloe to majority-Black John F. Kennedy High School is the enduring image of the Republican governor’s term. “He was fiercely independent,” says A.E. Dick Howard, the University of Virginia law professor who led the 1970 campaign to ratify a new state Constitution […]
2021 Political Roundtable: Surfing Va.’s red wave
The day after Election Day, Virginia Business’ six Political Roundtable panelists hashed out what they think the next year will be like in a Richmond where Republicans are roaring back to power. Gov.-elect Glenn Youngkin, a first-time political candidate and multimillionaire former private equity CEO, defeated former Gov. Terry McAuliffe, leading a GOP sweep of […]
Roanoke biz to create 30 jobs in Scott County
Roanoke-based VFP Inc. will invest $7.2 million to expand in Scott County, creating 30 jobs, Gov. Ralph Northam announced Monday. The expansion will allow VFP to produce larger concrete shelters. “Great workers live in Southwest Virginia, and companies like VFP recognize that,” Northam said in a statement. “Virginia is advancing manufacturing across the commonwealth, and […]
Va. unemployment rate dropped to 3.6% in October
In October, Virginia’s unemployment rate fell to 3.6%, 0.2 points below September’s rate, Gov. Ralph Northam announced Friday. The state’s unemployment rate has declined for 17 months straight. In October 2020, the jobless rate was at 5.3%, 2.5 points higher than last month. The labor force increased by 5,918 to almost 4.26 million, and the number […]
Mondelez to create 80 jobs with $122.5M Henrico expansion
Chicago-based snack company Mondelez International Inc. will invest $122.5 million over three years to expand its bakery and build a sales fulfillment center in Henrico County, creating about 80 jobs, Gov. Ralph Northam announced Thursday. “Mondelez International’s long-term investment in Central Virginia is a testament to the region’s top-notch talent and strong business climate,” Northam[...]
Amazon has hired 3,500 HQ2 workers
Amazon.com Inc. has hired 3,500 of its 25,000 planned workers for HQ2, the tech behemoth’s $2.5 billion East Coast headquarters in Arlington. Meanwhile, construction on the two office towers for HQ2’s first phase, Metropolitan Park, is more than halfway complete, company representatives said during a site tour Wednesday. Amazon has added about 500 […]
Canadian frozen food company to create 67 jobs in Warren County
Montreal-based Nature’s Touch Frozen Foods LLC will spend $40.3 million to expand in Warren County, creating 67 jobs, Gov. Ralph Northam announced Tuesday. Harrisonburg-based InterChange Group Inc. will build a 126,000-square-foot facility for Nature’s Touch. The company will import raw materials directly to the new facility for processing and distribution. In 2014, Nature’s Touch establishe[...]