SCC rejects large portion of Dominion’s grid upgrade plan
UPDATED MARCH 27, 10 A.M. The Virginia State Corporation Commission (SCC) on Thursday put the brakes on a major portion of Dominion Energy Inc.’s proposed $7 billion, 10-year plan for electrical grid upgrades, saying it was “due to the projected heavy costs to customers without adequate benefits.” The SCC approved some parts of the plan’s […]
State looks to private industry for protective medical gear
UPDATED MARCH 27, 4 P.M. This week, Virginia received its first shipment of personal protective equipment (PPE) for front-line health care workers from the federal government’s Strategic National Stockpile, but that supply is falling far short of the demand that will be needed for the COVID-19 pandemic, so Gov. Ralph North[...]
Va. hospitals projected to run out of beds within 6 months
If only 20% of Virginia adults contracted COVID-19, hospitals in all major metro regions across Virginia would be overwhelmed, running out of hospital beds within the next six months, according to data from the Harvard Global Health Institute. The most staggering results from the Harvard study come from the Arlington hospital r[...]
Colonial Williamsburg closing most hotels, furloughing staff
In response to the growing COVID-19 pandemic, Colonial Williamsburg is expanding its closures to include most of its hotels and will furlough most hospitality staff after April 11. The already-financially challenged history tourism foundation has also immediately instituted pay cuts for all employees making more than $50,000 per[...]
Truist commits $2M to small businesses hurt by pandemic
Truist Financial Corp. is donating $2 million to community development financial institutions to support grants to small businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic in states served by the bank. “Small businesses are significantly affected by the steps the nation is taking to combat COVID-19, and it’s important we s[...]
VCU Health develops COVID-19 test kit
Virginia Commonwealth University Health System announced Wednesday that it has developed a COVID-19 test that it will administer to inpatients through a pilot program. Tests will be administered primarily to patients who have severe symptoms and are hospitalized within the VCU Health System, dependent on supply. The goal is to g[...]
Northam calls out Falwell for bringing Liberty students back to campus
UPDATED 6:40 P.M., MARCH 25 As Lynchburg city officials blasted Liberty University President Jerry Falwell Jr., calling him “reckless” for inviting students back to campus after spring break, Gov. Ralph Northam weighed in on the brouhaha Wednesday, making a public request for the controversial conservative icon to re[...]
Henrico lab to ship 150,000 COVID-19 tests per month
Glen Allen-based GENETWORx Laboratories said it will soon begin shipping at least 800 COVID-19 test kits per day, with a goal of ramping up manufacturing enough to deliver 150,000 during the month of April. A unit of Pennsylvania-based Recovery Centers of America (RCA), GENETWORx Laboratories says it can provide test results within 24 hours of […]
Instacart hiring 12,000 Va. shoppers to meet rising demand
San Francisco-based online grocery delivery company Instacart announced Tuesday it would hire 300,000 more full-time shoppers, including 12,000 in Virginia, to meet the increase in demand caused by the COVID-19 crisis. “The last few weeks have been the busiest in Instacart’s history,” said founder and CEO Apoorva Mehta in a statement. “We expect to see […]
Genworth Financial moves closer to acquisition
Henrico County-based Genworth Financial Inc. has cleared another regulatory hurdle in its long-delayed takeover bid by China Oceanwide Holdings Group Co. Ltd. On Tuesday, the New York State Department of Financial Services reapproved Oceanwide’s proposed acquisition of Genworth’s New York-based insurance company, Genworth Life Insurance Company of New York (GLICNY). In connection with the reapproval, Genworth […][...]
The Hilb Group acquires Ohio company
Henrico County-based insurance company The Hilb Group LLC (THG) announced Tuesday the acquisition of Cleveland, Ohio-based Healthcare Liability Consultants Agency Inc., effective March 1. THG also hired the Healthcare Liability Consultants owner owner and medical malpractice insurance specialist Julie Paton as a producer. Financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. Founded in 2009, THG […][...]
Virginia ABC stores cut operating hours
Due to the ongoing coronavirus crisis, the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority (ABC) is reducing operating hours at all of its statewide retail locations starting Friday, March 27. ABC’s 388 stores across the commonwealth will be open from noon to 7 p.m., seven days a week. ABC stores in the Peninsula Health District, which includes […]