Perspecta Labs wins $14.5M Army contract
Chantilly-based government contractor Perspecta Inc. announced Wednesday that its research arm, Perspecta Labs, has landed a $14.5 million U.S. Army contract to use machine learning to develop a suite of capabilities for the Army to protect against cyberattacks. The project was awarded by the Army’s Combat Capabilities Develop[...]
Legislators reunite for surreal reconvened session
In a strange and often surreal day during which the speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates fainted at her podium and a state senator voted from inside a Plexiglas cubicle, state lawmakers reconvened for a pandemic-era veto session Wednesday in Richmond. Instead of meeting in their typical chambers in the Virginia State Capit[...]
Axios receives $5M in PPP funding
Arlington-based digital media company Axios Media Inc. announced Wednesday it received nearly $5 million in funding from the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), the $349 federal relief fund that ran out of funding on April 16 after 13 days due to overwhelming demand from small businesses [...]
Loudoun County announces $1M small-business relief fund
UPDATED FRIDAY, APRIL 24: The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors allocated an additional $250,000 to its existing $1 million COVID-19 Business Interruption Fund on Thursday, aimed at helping small businesses in the county that have been harmed by the COVID-19 crisis. The board allocated an extra $105,000 for businesses with 3-50 employees, $110,000 for businesses […]
Virginia Tech develops in-house COVID-19 testing
Virginia Tech researchers announced Wednesday they have developed in-house COVID-19 testing kits and lab processing services to assist Southwest Virginia health departments with patient testing. Test results can be returned to the health departments as soon as same day. The initiative is being led by Dr. Michael Friedlander, Te[...]
Charlottesville Chamber launches local economic recovery initiative
The Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday announced the launch of Project Rebound, a local economic recovery initiative to address the COVID-19 economic crisis. The project, hosted by The Chamber and economic offices at the University of Virginia, Albemarle County and the city of Charlottesville, aims to bring together local businesses to discuss challenges […]
Offshore wind components headed from Europe
Richmond-based Dominion Energy Inc. and Denmark-based Ørsted A/S announced Tuesday that major components of its $300 million Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) pilot project are being shipped to North America — which is on-schedule, despite the pandemic. Major components for the two, massive 6-megawatt Siemens Gamesa offsh[...]
The Hilb Group acquires book of business from payroll services company
Henrico County-based insurance company The Hilb Group LLC (THG) announced Tuesday the acquisition of a book of business from Cleveland-based payroll services company CBIZ Inc. The transaction was effective April 1. THG also hired CBIZ’s business unit president Peter Tarmey as a producer at THG. Tarmey is currently based in C[...]
Facebook opens applications for Va. small business grants Wednesday
Facebook Inc. announced Tuesday that it will begin taking applications for its small business grant program in Virginia on Wednesday, April 22. The social media giant opened the program to more than 30,000 businesses in more than 30 countries, including the United States, totaling $100 million. Thirty-one businesses in the Richmond region will receive a […]
Colonial Williamsburg extends closures through May, plans additional furloughs
Colonial Williamsburg Foundation is extending its closures through May 31 and is furloughing additional staff. The nonprofit, which owns and operates the Historic Area, museums, hotels, restaurants and other attractions, had originally announced closures would last through April 30. The Williamsburg Lodge, which has remained ope[...]
Va. COVID-19 cases rise, but how much?
After two days of declining new cases, the Virginia Department of Health reported Tuesday that Virginia had a record-setting 640 new cases of COVID-19 in the last 24 hours, bringing the total to 9,630 cases statewide. However, the increase includes 179 probable cases, which VDH is combining with confirmed cases in its reporting.[...]
Virginia’s COVID-19 testing capacity is improving, Northam says
With more tests becoming available and faster turnaround for results, Virginia expects to soon be able to test more people — including those with lower-grade symptoms — for COVID-19, Gov. Ralph Northam said in his Monday news conference. State, hospital and private labs are testing between 2,000 and 3,000 people per day, sai[...]