Benchmark Community Bank, parent announce next CEO
Kenbridge-based holding company Benchmark Bankshares and its bank, Benchmark Community Bank, will have a new leader at the start of the new year. Jay A. Stafford, president and CEO of the holding company and CEO of Benchmark Community Bank, will retire Dec. 31. He will also retire from the bank’s and company’s boards of dire[...]
New IALR lab to feature ‘automagic’ manufacturing tech
Butch Kendrick once worked in a factory making plywood suitcase components. Each time he ran a strip of plywood through a planer, he heard a loud, screeching whine. “I would hear that noise in my head until I went to sleep,” Kendrick says. “And I’ve never forgot that. Anyone who works in manufacturing, if I […]
Va. localities crack down on short-term rentals
RICHMOND, Va. — Several Virginia municipalities have recently drafted or passed ordinances to regulate short-term rentals. Scrutiny of short-term rentals mirrors a nationwide trend. Companies like Airbnb and Vrbo have become popular lodging options for tourists, as well as people in need of temporary housing. Municipalities ha[...]
Bon Secours taps president of Petersburg, Emporia hospitals
Brenda Woodcock assumed her new role as president of two Bon Secours hospitals in Petersburg and Emporia on Monday. She is the first female president of the of the Bon Secours Southside Medical Center and the Southern Virginia Medical Center, and succeeds John Emery, who Bon Secours named to lead Memorial Regional Medical Center[...]
Dominion pitches new solar projects to SCC
Dominion Energy is pitching the State Corporation Commission on several solar projects that could generate enough carbon-free electricity to power nearly 200,000 homes. The projects, presented in the Fortune 500 utility’s fourth annual clean energy filing with the state, include six solar projects totaling 337 megawatts an[...]
Genedge names regional growth manager
Martinsville-based Genedge Alliance, a consultant to manufacturers statewide, has named Cheryl Valentine as its regional growth manager for the Southside region, the organization announced this week. Valentine will lead business development efforts to support manufacturers from Lynchburg throughout Southside Virginia, working wi[...]
Monogram Foods expands Henry County footprint
Responding to demand for more jerky and meat sticks, the Monogram Foods plant in Henry County has a $65 million expansion underway. Memphis-based Monogram Foods’ decision to expand the operation also factored in existing infrastructure and production expertise, says Scott Mills, executive vice president and snacking division p[...]
October 2023 FOR THE RECORD
Central Health system Bon Secours filed suit against insurer Anthem Health Plans of Virginia Aug. 30 in Henrico County Circuit Court, alleging Anthem owes Bon Secours $93 million in unpaid claims. The plaintiff, BSMH Virginia, alleges Anthem Health Plans of Virginia, doing business as Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, failed to pay “in excess […]
Blue Ridge festival rocks on — for now
UPDATED SEPT. 11: The Blue Ridge Rock Festival was canceled on Sept. 9 due to severe weather, including storms and hail. The festival’s organizers said they would provide refund details early during the week of Sept. 11. The Blue Ridge Rock Festival is on track to sell out this year, with organizers expecting more than [&h[...]
Polish glass fabricator expanding in Henry County
Poland-based Press Glass Inc. will spend more than $155 million to expand its operations in Henry County and add 335 jobs, marking the largest expansion in the county’s history, Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced Wednesday. The largest independent glass fabricator in Europe, according to a news release, Press Glass will constru[...]
Low inventory, high interest rates strap Va. housing market
Homebuyers in Virginia are continuing to feel the strain of low inventory and high interest rates. The number of active listings on the market is shrinking, and fewer new listings are coming on the market. Despite a brief uptick in inventory at the beginning the year, about 67% of the state’s counties and cities had [&hell[...]
For the record August 2023
CENTRAL VIRGINIA Buc-ee’s, the Texas-size travel center chain, completed its purchase of 27.686 acres in New Kent County for $6.5 million and will open its first Virginia location in the next two years, with three more slated across the state, S.L. Nusbaum Realty Co. announced June 16. At more than 75,000 square feet, the new Buc-ee’s […]