Legislation hopes to expand broadband access for low-income students
RICHMOND, Va. — The Virginia General Assembly passed legislation in an effort to expand broadband internet access to low-income students across the commonwealth. Senate Bill 1225, proposed by Sen. Jennifer Boysko, D-Fairfax, authorizes school boards to appropriate funds to partner with private companies for the purpose of implementing and subsidizing broadband internet access for low-income […][...]
$8.5M parcel in Spotsylvania to be used for Veterans Affairs clinic
Nearly 50 acres of land along Route 1 and Interstate 95 in Spotsylvania County has sold for $8.5 million, Cushman & Wakefield | Thalhimer announced Wednesday. The 48.75-acre parcel will be used to develop one of the nation’s largest Veterans Affairs facilities, according to Cushman & Wakefield | Thalhimer. Carneg[...]
NetImpact Strategies names new CEO
Falls Church-based federal contractor NetImpact Strategies Inc. has named former Unisys Federal President Venkatapathi “PV” Puvvada as its CEO, the company announced Tuesday. Puvvada will succeed NetImpact founder Kavita Kalatur, who will remain chairperson, providing oversight and supporting NetImpact’s strategic initiatives. “PV brings the experience, capabilities and relationships critical to our next era. I have […][...]
Booz Allen wins $190M contract from Navy
McLean-based Booz Allen Hamilton has been awarded a five-year $190 million task order supporting communications, networking and computing systems for the U.S. Navy, the Department of Defense announced Tuesday. The Fortune 500 global management consulting company will receive $33.1 million up front for the first year of the contract at the Naval Information Warfare Center, […]
SAIC hires senior VP of artificial intelligence
Reston-based Fortune 500 defense contractor Science Applications International Corp. (SAIC) has hired Michael Scruggs as senior vice president of artificial intelligence, effective immediately. “In this newly created role, Scruggs will be responsible for driving organic growth through AI technology delivery and solutions development,” SAIC said in a statement. “He will broaden SAIC’s portfolio of AI […][...]
Hotel revenues down 27% for January
Virginia hotel revenues for January 2021 were down 27% compared with January 2020, continuing the industry’s slow climb back to recovering from the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic, according to data released Thursday from STR Inc., a CoStar Group division that provides market data on the U.S. hospitality industry. For the same period, rooms […]
Textiles startup opening Buchanan County sewing factory
Local textiles manufacturing startup Maine Five is opening a sewing factory at Buchanan County’s Council Industrial Park building. Investing $350,000 in the 17,211-square-foot factory space, the company is immediately hiring 12 workers and has plans to employ to 100 total workers by 2026. Founded in 2020, Maine Five manufa[...]
COVID roundup: 300K vaccine doses arrive in Va.
Virginia received an influx of more than 300,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses this week, in part due to the weather-delayed delivery of 106,000 Moderna doses that were expected last week. The state also is receiving a bump in doses directed to local health departments and districts, as well as twice as many doses arriving in retail [&[...]
Lawmakers kill bill calling for transparency in redistricting commission
RICHMOND, Va. — The Virginia Senate killed a House proposal to expand access to the commonwealth’s new redistricting commission and help make the process more transparent and democratic. House Bill 2082, patroned by Del. Mark Levine, D-Alexandria, would have required the redistricting commission meetings to be advertised[...]
Lawmakers advance bills to compensate first responders hit by COVID-19
RICHMOND, Va. — Virginia lawmakers have passed bills that allow certain first responders to file workers’ compensation benefits for being disabled from COVID-19, but still need to reach agreement on some differences. The measures would make COVID-19 an occupational disease for firefighters, emergency medical services per[...]
Virginia lawmakers advance Consumer Data Protection Act
RICHMOND, Va. — The General Assembly is advancing legislation that allows Virginia consumers more protection with their online data, though opponents say the measure does not include the ability for people to file private lawsuits against companies that breach the proposed law. The measure is known as the Consumer Data Pro[...]
PenFed expands partnership with The Washington Justice
Tysons-based PenFed Credit Union announced Tuesday it is expanding its partnership with The Washington Justice, the professional esports Overwatch League for the Virginia, Maryland and Washington, D.C., area, into a three-year sponsorship. PenFed, which is one of the nation’s largest federal credit unions, will be featured as [...]