Program aims to boost Latino entrepreneurship
Arlene Guzman had a small restaurant in Puerto Rico, but “I never felt like I had the training” to be an entrepreneur, she says through a bilingual interpreter. “This is why I sought this opportunity.” A mother of two and grandmother of two, the 52-year-old Richmond-area resident is in the inaugural class of Richmond’s[...]
Getting off the road
For years, residents in the Fredericksburg region looked north for opportunity and higher-paying jobs. But more homegrown jobs and remote work are signs of change for the area, says Curry Roberts, president of the Fredericksburg Regional Alliance, which includes Fredericksburg and the counties of Caroline, King George, Spotsylva[...]
New IDA director is no stranger
When Kristy Johnson moved to Halifax County from Georgia in 2008, the community welcomed her family with open arms, she says. Now she has the opportunity to return the favor as the new executive director of the county’s Industrial Development Authority. Johnson’s no stranger to the organization. She’s worked for the IDA si[...]
Seeking a cure
Ashley Apple has advice for those hoping to understand the burden nurses face as COVID-19 surges once again while hospitals suffer staff shortages. “Think of the worst day you’ve ever had at work. Then add in poor staffing and multiple human deaths. Then repeat it every day for 18 months,” she says. “That’s sort of [&h[...]
Damascus sees hike in trail tourism
On a September afternoon, Stuart Wright was trying to persuade a tourist to bring her son back to visit the town of Damascus in Washington County. “Bring that little boy down here and he can play in the river, he can hike, he can bike the trail,” Wright coaxed. “Bring him where he’s got something […]
FOR THE RECORD November 2021
Roanoke/ New River Valley One of the largest rooftop solar energy projects in the Roanoke region is now operating at Goodwill Industries of the Valleys. In mid-October, the nonprofit installed solar panels at its Support Center/Jobs Campus building on Melrose Avenue. About 90% of the building’s electricity will be generated by renewable energy, reducing annual […]
Fluctuating fortunes
The Steward School campus in Henrico County looks a bit different this year. With five mobile classrooms, a tent on the patio and masked faces, the school has noticeably adapted to the demands of teaching students amid a pandemic. “In a lot of ways, we’ve gotten somewhat back to normal,” Head of School Dan Frank […]
Chilhowie revitalization invites new business
Chilhowie’s once-vibrant Main Street is being restored. Following the completion of street and drainage revamps, the facade improvement phase of its $1.4 million redevelopment project concluded in early September. The project to restore the commercial heart of the 2,100-person town that was once a textile manufacturing hub beg[...]
Flood warning
Situated on a bank of the Hague, the Y-shaped inlet off the Elizabeth River that shares a name with the city in the Netherlands, Norfolk’s Chrysler Museum of Art is no stranger to the impacts of high tides, as well as flooded streets and parking lots during heavy rainfalls. Right now, flooding is mainly a […]
Tale of the tape
As Virginians decide whether to go with the known — Democratic former Gov. Terry McAuliffe — or the unknown — first-time candidate Glenn Youngkin, a Republican — Virginia Business checks in with the two major contenders to be the commonwealth’s 74th governor. In exclusive interviews, the candidates lay out their plans [...]
Climbing the ladder
Four Hampton Roads companies made it into the elite top 1,000 of this year’s Inc. 5000 list of the nation’s fastest-growing private companies, based on revenue growth during the past three years. Although many industries were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic last year, the region’s top-ranked Inc. 5000 businesses are in g[...]
All hands on deck
The military’s impact on Hampton Roads is unmistakable. Drive along the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel and it’s nearly impossible to miss the hazy gray of U.S. Navy vessels docked at Naval Station Norfolk, the world’s largest naval station. A few minutes spent in Virginia Beach and one is likely to hear the roar of a Navy [&h[...]