Montgomery County, Blacksburg, Christiansburg launch small business relief grants
Montgomery County and the towns of Blacksburg and Christiansburg on Wednesday launched a grant fund to support small business recovery in response to COVID-19. Eligible businesses can receive one-time grants of up to $27,500. The Small Business Recovery grant program is funded by the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic[...]
Ferrum College receives $100K gift
Ferrum College alumnus Michael Christian donated $100,000 to his alma mater, which will establish the Michael T. Christian ’63 Center for First-Year Experience at the school. The center — intended to connect incoming first-year students to professors, mentors and classmates — will be located in the college’s library and [...]
Lee Enterprises plans newsroom cuts at Virginia publications
The Daily Progress newspaper in Charlottesville will lay off its four-person copy desk in early October, as Iowa-based owner Lee Enterprises eliminates local jobs in favor of a consolidated copy desk in Indiana or Wisconsin, according to a memo sent to affected employees Friday. The cuts at The Daily Progress are possibly just the beginning […]
Radford faces budget cuts, tough decisions
Due to the pandemic, Radford University is faced with an unprecedented strain on its budget, which is likely to cause faculty and staff layoffs. Because of state budget cuts, the university is faced with an $8.1 million decrease in funding over the next two fiscal years. And at the same time, Radford administrators predict the [[...]
Mariners Landing has new owners
Smith Mountain Lake housing community Mariners Landing in Bedford County has new owners, Mariners Landing Development Co. LLC announced Thursday. Waller S. Perrow III of Mariners Landing Development Co. LLC did not disclose financial terms for the May sale, saying it was contractually protected. Commercial real estate develope[...]
Virginia Tech — Montgomery Executive Airport names director
The board of directors for the Virginia Tech — Montgomery Executive Airport (VTMEA) announced Thursday that Keith Holt has been named as airport director, effective July 27. VTMEA is a regional authority that includes Virginia Tech, Montgomery County and the towns of Blacksburg and Christiansburg. Holt has been hired to repl[...]
Roanoke airport commission buys 17 acres for $2M+
The Roanoke Regional Airport Commission, which owns the Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport, has purchased 17 acres of undeveloped land surrounding the airport for $2.25 million, Roanoke-based Poe & Cronk Real Estate Group announced Tuesday. The sale includes 3.7 acres at the intersection of Municipal and Aviation Drive, 4.6 acres at the intersection of Thirlane and Tom […]
Roanoke startup KlariVis names CTO
Art Lucia, co-founder of InfernoRed Technology Inc., is joining KlariVis, a data analytics startup based in Roanoke, as its chief technology officer, KlariVis announced Monday. Founded in February 2019 and launched nationally in January, KlariVis has developed a proprietary software platform for banks to analyze data. Lucia serv[...]
Roanoke County launches small business relief grants
The Roanoke County Economic Development Department announced Monday it has launched a $1 million small business grant program to help businesses suffering from COVID-19 closures in the county and the town of Vinton. The program is being funded through the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and wil[...]
Fleetwood Homes launching $2.1M expansion in Rocky Mount
Homebuilding company Fleetwood Homes will invest $2.1 million to renovate and expand its Rocky Mount facility, creating 60 jobs in Franklin County, Gov. Ralph Northam announced Thursday. “Fleetwood Homes has been a valued employer in Virginia more than 50 years, and we are proud to see the company reinvest in Franklin County,” Northam said in […]
2020 RAMP cohort chosen
Roanoke-based business accelerator RAMP — the Regional Acceleration and Mentoring Program — announced the selection of six high-growth startups as part of its fourth round of training. The companies are taking part in workshops that test the viability and marketability of their products before they enter a larger market. RAMP is focused on companies in […]
The Branch Group CEO resigns
Roanoke-based construction company The Branch Group Inc. announced Wednesday that CEO Will Karbach has resigned. Ron Oakley, the current chairman of the board, will serve as interim CEO, effective immediately. Upon the announcement Wednesday afternoon, The Branch Group had not provided a reason for Karbach’s departure and [...]