Philip Morris USA suspending Richmond manufacturing operations after second coronavirus case
Henrico County-based Altria Group Inc. has temporarily suspended operations at its Philip Morris USA manufacturing center in South Richmond after a second Philip Morris employee tested positive for COVID-19, Altria Director of Communications George Parman says. Altria expects the manufacturing center to suspend its operations fo[...]
MicroStrategy CEO draws fire for denying COVID-19 is health crisis
Michael Saylor, the CEO of Tysons-based tech company MicroStrategy Inc., wrote a later-redacted three-page memo to his 2,400 employees this week arguing that COVID-19 is not a public health crisis and saying he refused to close down MicroStrategy’s offices and shift to teleworking unless he was legally required to do so. In the letter, he […]
SAIC wins $950M DoD contract
Reston-based Science Applications International Corp. (SAIC) announced Thursday that it has been awarded a $950 million contract from the Defense Logistics Agency — a combat support agency of the U.S. Department of Defense that includes more than 26,000 civilian and military personnel. SAIC will take over supply chain management of paints, preservation and sealing compounds […]
Small businesses hurt by coronavirus can apply for federal funds
UPDATED MARCH 26 As more than 10,000 Virginians have applied for emergency unemployment assistance in the wake of the financial disruption caused by the coronavirus, Gov. Ralph Northam announced Thursday that Virginia small businesses can begin applying for low-interest loans of up to $2 million from a U.S. Small Business Administration fund aimed at helping […]
Metro closing stations to deter cherry blossom visitors
In order to prevent use of the Metrorail for recreational visits to the cherry blossom trees around the Washington, D.C., Tidal Basin during the COVID-19 crisis, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority is closing the Smithsonian and Arlington Cemetery Metro stations at 5 p.m. on Thursday March 19 until further noti[...]
Va. sees 23% one-day spike in COVID-19 cases
UPDATED MARCH 19, 7 P.M. There are now 95 COVID-19 cases in Virginia — a 23% increase from the 77 cases confirmed in the commonwealth as of Wednesday, according to data from the Virginia Department of Health and Carilion Clinic in Roanoke. The new cases include an elderly patient in serious condition at Carilion Roanoke [&hell[...]
Amazon to hire 1,400 Virginians to meet order surge, donate $1M to Arlington nonprofits
Amazon.com Inc. announced this week that it would add 100,000 full-time and part-time jobs to its United States fulfillment centers — with an expected 1,400 jobs added in Virginia — and will add $2 per hour worked through April for current employees. “We also know many people have been economically impacted as jobs in areas […]
Herndon-based Learning Tree names new CEO
Herndon-based information technology and management training course provider Learning Tree International Inc. on Wednesday named David Brown as its new CEO and a member of the board of directors. Brown most recently worked as the global head of sales and services for information services company Clarivate Analytics. He also prev[...]
Falls Church company sends text from space satellite to phone
Falls Church-based wireless network company Lynk Global Inc. said Wednesday that it has sent a text message from a satellite in space to a standard mobile phone on Earth. “This is a game-changer for the billions of people who own a mobile phone, for the billions who do not have affordable connectivity, and for the […]
Richmond ad agency launches website to help restaurants during crisis
Richmond-based advertising agency Familiar Creatures launched a website this weekend called “Keep Calm and Nom Nom RVA,” where Richmonders can buy gift cards from local restaurants to support the businesses during the coronavirus crisis. On Tuesday, Gov. Ralph Northam issued a statewide mandate for restaurants to “signific[...]
Philip Morris USA employee tests positive for COVID-19
A Philip Morris USA employee has tested positive for COVID-19, said Steve Callahan, managing director of communications, at Henrico County-based Altria Group Inc., the tobacco manufacturer’s parent company. Altria sent a message to all employees late Tuesday night notifying them about the matter, Callahan says. “For [...]
UPDATED: Sentara Healthcare reopens two drive-thru testing sites in Hampton Roads
UPDATE, March 19, 11:20 a.m.: Sentara Healthcare announced Thursday that it has received additional testing kits and has reopened its drive-thru screening and testing sites at Sentara Princess Anne Hospital and Sentara Williamsburg Regional Medical Center from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday. The operation at Sentara Edinburgh in Che[...]