Harder, better, faster, stronger
On March 20, 1922, the U.S. Navy commissioned its first aircraft carrier: the USS Langley. A century later, the Navy is hosting centennial events around the country, including in Norfolk, where the USS Langley was converted into the Navy’s first carrier from the USS Jupiter, the Navy’s first electrically propelled ship. The [...]
Tilting toward windmills
Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy S.A.’s October 2021 announcement that it will build the nation’s first offshore-wind blade factory at Portsmouth Marine Terminal (PMT) has put Hampton Roads on a trajectory to become a supply chain hub for the country’s nascent offshore-wind energy industry. The Spanish wind turbine company [...]
Amazon be nimble, Amazon be quick
When it comes to building warehouses and distribution centers, one company has sought out Virginia over and over again: Amazon.com Inc. The e-commerce giant began opening facilities in Virginia in 2006 and since then has opened more than 30 facilities in the commonwealth, with more on the way as it seeks to shrink the time [&hel[...]
The Royals of Regent
Although Lynchburg’s Liberty University has grabbed plenty of headlines in recent years, Virginia Beach-based Regent University can more than hold its own as a politically influential private Christian institution. Founded and still run by the 92-year-old televangelist and culture warrior M.G. “Pat” Robertson, Regent now h[...]
Carilion Clinic receives $1M gift for education program
An anonymous couple has given Carilion Clinic a $1 million gift to support its employee career advancement program, the Roanoke health system announced Thursday. The Your Efforts, Supported program (YES) will launch later this year, with a goal to assist entry-level health care employees to earn certifications and further their education to meet career goals. […]
FDA moves toward menthol cigarettes ban
The Food and Drug Administration said Thursday that it plans to ban sales of menthol cigarettes, a billion-dollar industry in which Philip Morris USA has a 9.4% market share. Philip Morris USA, a subsidiary of Henrico County-based Altria Group Inc., manufactures Marlboro menthol cigarettes among its other brands, but R.J. Reynol[...]
Va. Lottery Board awards first casino license
The Virginia Lottery Board has issued its first license for a casino in Virginia to Hard Rock Bristol, the board announced Wednesday. With its permanent casino still on track to open at the former Bristol Mall in July 2024, Hard Rock International Inc. is preparing to open a 30,000-square-foot temporary casino with 870 gaming sl[...]
Something in the Water officially heads to D.C.
Music superstar and Virginia Beach native Pharrell Williams announced Tuesday that his signature three-day music festival, Something in the Water, will be held in June in Washington, D.C., making its departure from Virginia Beach official. Scheduled for June 17-19 on Independence Avenue, the three-day festival includes a long li[...]
Caesars Virginia names Danville casino contractor
Caesars Virginia has named Baltimore-based Whiting-Turner as the general contractor to build its $500 million resort and casino in Danville, Caesars Entertainment announced Monday. The resort will have a 500-guestroom hotel, a casino with more than 1,400 slot machines and table games, a Caesars sportsbook and a World Series of P[...]
Judge dismisses Trigiani lawsuit against New Peoples Bank
A federal judge issued a summary judgment last week, dismissing all claims in former executive Mary Y. Trigiani’s lawsuit against Russell County-based New Peoples Bank for discrimination and wrongful termination. Trigiani’s complaints of a “cultlike office culture” did not hold up to judicial scrutiny, U.[...]
March NoVa home sales down 4.9% from 2021
Northern Virginia saw fewer home sales last month compared with March 2021 due to low inventory and higher rates, according to a Northern Virginia Association of Realtors report published Friday. The market saw a 4.9% decline in home sales over March 2021, not far off from the 4.5% drop nationwide. “I expect that rapid price [[...]
Fairfax County retail portfolio sells for $200M
A portfolio of retail buildings in Fairfax County’s Kingstowne community has sold for $200 million, Avison Young’s Capital Markets Group announced Thursday. The portfolio has 410,398 combined square feet of retail space anchored by Safeway and Giant supermarkets and includes part of Kingstowne Towne Center and of Kingsto[...]