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Federal ‘uncertainty’ delays start of $1.3B Microporous project in Pittsylvania
Construction on Microporous‘ $1.3 billion lithium-ion battery separator plant at the Southern Virginia Megasite at Berry Hill will be delayed from April until June or July, following uncertainty regarding its federal funding, according to a Pittsylvania County official. Matt Rowe, Pittsylvania’s economic development [...]
Developer withdraws unpopular Pittsylvania data centers proposal
After months of Pittsylvania County residents and business owners speaking against an $8.85 billion data center campus and natural gas power plant proposed for land along Chalk Level Road, the developer announced Monday that it has withdrawn its rezoning application “The company is now evaluating alternative development option[...]
U.S. Cellular to lay off 95 Va. employees due to T-Mobile merger
U.S. Cellular will lay off 95 workers in Virginia in June, according to a post on the Virginia Department of Workforce Development’s website Friday. The Chicago-based U.S. Cellular’s wireless operations will be sold to T-Mobile for $4.4 billion, the companies announced in May 2024, and U.S. Cellular plans to lay off [...]
Virginia’s Gateway Region adds three localities to footprint
Virginia’s Gateway Region Economic Development Organization announced Thursday that its board of directors voted three additional Virginia localities — the city of Emporia, along with Greensville and Brunswick counties — into its geographic footprint. Based in Colonial Heights, the VGR is a private nonprofit economic d[...]
Averett president steps down after 3 months, citing wife’s illness
David Joyce stepped down Friday as the 15th president of Averett University due to a family medical matter, according to the Danville private school. “It is with a heavy heart I share that my wife, Lynne, has experienced a serious medical diagnosis that will require our fulltime attention,” Joyce said in a statement. “Lynn[...]
Averett files lawsuit alleging ex-CFO, firm ‘drained’ school’s endowment fund
Danville private university Averett University has filed a federal lawsuit alleging its former chief finance officer worked with an investment firm to conceal illicit draws from its endowment that were used to cover budget deficits. In a complaint filed March 26 in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia, Av[...]
Warner worried about Microporous $100M grant
U.S. Sen. Mark Warner, Virginia’s senior Democratic senator, is worried about the possibility of the Trump administration clawing back a $100 million federal grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to Microporous, the Tennessee company planning to invest $1.3 billion to build a lithium-ion battery separator fa[...]
Danville-Pittsylvania authority invests in history
Using a $1.89 million loan from the Virginia Small Business Financing Authority, Danville and Pittsylvania County officials plan to purchase about 289 acres adjacent to the Southern Virginia Megasite at Berry Hill. Members of the Danville-Pittsylvania Regional Industrial Facility Authority (RIFA) unanimously agreed in January to[...]
Hooker exits Georgia warehouse as part of consolidation effort
Martinsville-based Hooker Furnishings announced this week that it will end operations at its Savannah, Georgia, warehouse as part of a consolidation effort. “Our decision to exit our Savannah distribution facility was not taken lightly,” Hooker Furnishings CEO Jeremy Hoff said in a statement. “We deeply appreciate the hosp[...]
Hooker Furnishings adds showroom dedicated to international audience
Martinsville-based Hooker Furnishings is demonstrating its commitment to serving a worldwide audience with the debut of its dedicated International Buyer Showroom at the upcoming High Point Market in North Carolina that will run April 26-30. Set apart from its flagship showroom, the dedicated 5,000-square-foot space is located [...]
Southern Va. Big Deal: Microporous’ mega project
Microporous’ decision to invest $1.35 billion to build a battery component plant in Pittsylvania County is a mega deal not just for the region but for the state. “The company will create over 2,000 jobs in multiple phases and the potential is there for, frankly, additional job creation beyond that,” says Matt Rowe, the[...]
Southern Va. Year-in-Review: Major projects landed in region
For Danville and Pittsylvania County, 2024 was a monumental year. In November 2024, battery-component manufacturer Microporous broke ground on a $1.3 billion plant at the Southern Virginia Megasite at Berry Hill, where it expects to create 2,015 jobs. The following month in Danville, Caesars Virginia hosted the grand opening of [...]
