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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 [...]
Northam speeds up Virginia’s clean energy timetable
The governor announced Tuesday the Clean Energy Virginia initiative, a project that aims to generate 100% of Virginia’s electricity from carbon-free sources by 2045 while investing in solar and wind energy and battery storage. “Virginia has a unique opportunity to fundamentally transform the state’s electric gr[...]
UPDATED: Nearly 110K Virginia businesses received PPP funds
The U.S. Small Business Administration has released a list of major recipients of its $659 billion Paycheck Protection Program small business relief program, with exact loan amounts redacted. Of the nearly 110,000 small businesses that received funding in Virginia (including Virginia Business Media LLC), approximately 16,100 businesses in Virginia were named on the list of […]
Roanoke County launches small business relief grants
The Roanoke County Economic Development Department announced Monday it has launched a $1 million small business grant program to help businesses suffering from COVID-19 closures in the county and the town of Vinton. The program is being funded through the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and wil[...]
Virginia sees increase in COVID-19 cases for second week
COVID-19 cases increased slightly last week in Virginia for the second week in a row, although the number of deaths during the same period was down a bit. The Virginia Department of Health reported 3,920 new cases for the week ending July 3, up from 3,724 the previous week. The seven-day positivity rate reported Monday […]
366K+ Virginians remain jobless
More than 366,000 Virginians are still unemployed following the economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic, and initial jobless claims rose by more than 6,000 last week. The Virginia Employment Commission (VEC) announced Thursday that 906,734 people have filed initial unemployment claims since March 15. Nearly 32,000 Virginians filed initial claims last week, an increase of […]
