Eight over 80
What keeps a person working at an age when most of us are happy to let others take care of business? These overachieving Virginians, all over age 80, have remained hard at work mostly for one or more of three reasons. The first is being able to continue work with family. Retirement is rarely mandatory […]
A growing legacy
Since his selection as president of Radford University five years ago, Brian Hemphill has fulfilled the mission he set when he was hired: to increase fundraising and open channels to boost enrollment. During Hemphill’s tenure, he has seen the university reach record enrollment numbers and grow its endowment by $20 million. B[...]
Saving the day
Running from police, an unremarkable bad guy with sandy hair suddenly grabs a little girl and dangles the young hostage from the third floor of a mall atrium. As a gaggle of nonplused bad guys decked out in ’80s pastels and John Oates mustaches look on, the skylight above shatters. It’s Wonder Woman, swooping into […]
Military Circle redevelopment could include arena
Four groups — including mid-Atlantic developers, entertainment and sports figures, concert promoters and arena operators — are competing for a chance to redevelop Norfolk’s aging Military Circle Mall into a mixed-use community. Overhauling the struggling mall has long been on the city’s to-do list, but the project was ju[...]
Developments perk up Danville
Danville City Council members faced a dilemma three years ago. Council members could pay up to $185,000 to demolish a crumbling stucco apartment building on Jefferson Avenue, or they could spend $75,000 in matching funds to augment a $125,000 grant from the Virginia Housing Development Authority to stabilize the property, which [...]
Virginia Tech aims to fill cybersecurity jobs gaps
The U.S. Department of Defense in January awarded Virginia Tech a $1.5 million grant to prepare students for careers in cybersecurity — a field facing a critical shortage of skilled professionals. The need for a pipeline of skilled cybersecurity professionals is regularly emphasized whenever a major hack is uncovered. In Decem[...]
Dark fiber optic network coming to NoVa
A new 680-mile, regional fiber optic network will begin to take shape in Northern Virginia during the second half of 2021. The project is a joint venture between Annandale-based Tenebris Fiber, Kansas-based Diode Ventures and New York-based JLC Infrastructure. Construction on the new dark fiber network will begin later this year, the companies said, starting […]
CounterFlow AI names new CEO
Charlottesville-based CounterFlow AI has named its chief product officer, Bill Cantrell, as CEO effective April 2, the network security firm announced today. Cantrell will succeed Randy Caldejon, who co-founded the company in 2017 and will continue as its executive chairman and vice president of engineering. Caldejon, whose Crozet Coffee Co. was acquired by Grit Coffee […]
Richmond supports restaurants with ‘Picnic in a Parklet’
Two Richmond restaurants will see their on-street parking lanes become outdoor dining areas this week to serve customers, spark business and encourage safer and socially distanced spaces. The dining areas are part Richmond city government’s “Picnic in a Parklet” pilot program, a partnership between the city and downtown booster Venture Richmond, according to a March […]
Va. finalizes $3.7B rail expansion agreement
Virginia will have more train service in the next decade, as Gov. Ralph Northam announced Tuesday the formalization of a $3.7 billion rail expansion package in Virginia, the tenets of which were announced in late 2019. The state signed agreements with Amtrak, CSX and Virginia Railway Express at a ceremony Tuesday. According to t[...]
Tuition-free program for eligible community college students becomes law
Legislation creating a tuition-free community college program in Virginia became law Monday, as Gov. Ralph Northam held a bill signing ceremony at Northern Virginia Community College for the “Get Skilled, Get a Job, Give Back” program, one of his signature initiatives. Known as G3, the program provides funding for tu[...]
Pittsylvania truck sales company plans $5.2M expansion
Chatham-based J&J Truck Sales Inc. will build a 45,000-square-foot facility off U.S. Highway 29 in Pittsylvania County, Gov. Ralph Northam announced Monday. The $5.2 million project, adjacent to the company’s existing operation, is expected to create 27 jobs and increase its ability to repair, refurbish and fabricate automotive-based equipment. Virginia beat South Carolina for the […]