1M+ Virginians have filed jobless claims since January
Since January, more than 1 million Virginians have filed initial jobless claims, according to the Virginia Employment Commission. More than 32,000 Virginians filed initial jobless claims last week, according to a VEC statement released Thursday. The week before last, Virginia had the fourth-highest increase in initial jobless claims in the nation, but that was not […]
Fairfax adds $20M to small business relief fund
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors announced Wednesday it has directed an additional $20 million in funding to its Fairfax Relief Initiative to Support Employers (RISE) relief program — bringing its total funding to $46 million aimed at helping small businesses and nonprofits during the pandemic. The funding comes from the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief […]
Va. first state to adopt statewide emergency workplace safety measures
Virginia is the first state to adopt statewide emergency workplace safety measures, Gov. Ralph Northam announced Wednesday. “Workers should not have to sacrifice their health and safety to earn a living, especially during an ongoing global pandemic,” Northam said in a statement. “In the face of federal inaction, Virginia has stepped up to protect workers […]
Virginia Space launches rocket for first U.S. Space Force mission
The Minotaur IV rocket, carrying a classified payload for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), launched its first U.S. Space Force (USSF) mission from the Virginia Commercial Space Flight Authority’s (Virginia Space) Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Eastern Virginia, Gov. Ralph Northam announced Wednesday. “The Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport continues to serve the […][...]
Amherst County creates small business relief fund
Amherst County launched a grant program for small businesses suffering economic downturns due to the coronavirus epidemic, the county announced Tuesday. Amherst supervisors designated $300,000 in federal CARES Act funding, which will be administered by the county’s Economic Development Authority. Applications are being accepted now for locally owned, for-profit businesses in the county for payroll, […][...]
Governor: State will step up enforcement of masks, distancing
Gov. Ralph Northam said that because the number of daily COVID-19 cases has shot up more than five-fold in the Hampton Roads region in the past month, he will increase social distancing and mask enforcement at businesses, starting immediately. Daily positive cases have gone from an average of 60 a day to 346 a day […]
Va. directs $34M to clean energy projects
Virginia will dedicate $34 million to electrify state government vehicle fleets and to replace all-diesel cargo handling equipment at the Port of Virginia with zero-emission all-electric equipment, Gov. Ralph Northam announced Friday. “As we continue to fight this global pandemic, we are reminded daily that we must prioritize public health in every way possible,” Northam […]
Va. sees increase in COVID-19 cases for third week in a row
Virginia saw an increase in COVID-19 cases for the third week in a row, with 5,540 more cases reported between July 6 and July 13, compared with 3,920 cases the previous week and 3,724 the last week of June. Virginia’s total confirmed and probable cases is 71,642 since tracking began in February. The seven-day positivity […]
State deficit stands at $236.5M, down from $1B spring forecast
The state’s fiscal year 2020 deficit, predicted at one point to reach as much as $1 billion, stands at $236.5 million, Gov. Ralph Northam announced Thursday. Also, the state’s revenues increased by 2% compared to fiscal year 2019. The news comes as the General Assembly prepares to meet in August to make adjustments to the […]
Va. among highest in nation for jobless claims last week
Virginia had the fourth-highest increase in initial jobless claims in the nation last week, according to U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) statistics released Thursday. The DOL statistics released Thursday morning shows that 33,069 Virginians filed initial jobless claims last week, while the VEC report released Thursday afternoon s[...]
Va. is first Southern state to join Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative
Gov. Ralph Northam announced Wednesday that Virginia is the first Southern state to join the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), a collaborative among Northeast and mid-Atlantic states intended to combat climate change and reduce power sector greenhouse gas emissions through a “cap-and-invest” program. “As the southernmost state to join RGGI, Virginia is sending a powerful […][...]
Altria’s tobacco heating system approved as ‘modified risk’ product
Henrico County-based Altria Group Inc.’s IQOS tobacco heating system will be allowed to be marketed as a “modified risk” product, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration ruled Tuesday. IQOS is available in 53 countries, and more than 10 million people have purchased the system, which is marketed to adult smokers [...]