Coalfields Expressway portion opens in Buchanan
A 2.74-mile portion of Corridor Q overlapping the proposed Coalfields Expressway opened in Buchanan County.
Galax furniture maker adds hours, eyes hiring as tariffs spur demand
Galax-based Vaughan-Bassett, which makes wooden adult bedroom furniture, is seeing demand climb strongly enough that it has added hours in multiple departments.
Federal funding repeals could halt rural broadband expansion
The much-heralded broadband expansion efforts in Southwest Virginia may not come to fruition after all. Virginia lawmakers and broadband advocates are facing a wave of uncertainty in the wake of a repeal of federal funding meant to close the digital divide in underserved communities, including many of the rural counties in South[...]
Hillsville manufacturer to close, leaving 68 out of work
Parkdale will close its Hillsville plant on Oct. 9, cutting 68 jobs. Company said rising energy costs created unsustainable business model.
Marion museum aims to ‘Do the Dew’
The Birthplace of Modern Mountain Dew museum is expected to draw thousands of tourists with a thirst for history when it opens in the small town of Marion in May 2026. It will highlight the town’s role in improving a soda created in Tennessee in the 1940s. Bill Jones, general manager of Tip Corporation of […]
Wellmore to lay off 72 coal workers in Southwest Virginia
Wellmore Energy will lay off 72 coal workers across operations in Grundy, Hurley, and Big Rock, Virginia, with cuts beginning in early September.
Southwest Virginia businessman and philanthropist McGlothlin dies
Jim McGlothlin, a former coal magnate, backer of the state's first casino and a prominent philanthropist, has died at the age of 85.
Trump coal policy changes could boost Southwest Virginia
Southwest Virginia officials say President Donald Trump’s executive orders aimed at revitalizing the United States’ struggling coal industry will be a boon to the region. This spring, Trump signed the “Unleashing American Energy” series of executive orders, which lifted barriers to coal mining on federal lands, a[...]
Southwest fish farm fights the currents
Pure Salmon won’t be purely salmon, but the proposed aquaculture farm in Southwest Virginia still plans to raise fish by late 2028 or early 2029, company officials told local leaders. Karim Ghannam, co-founder and chief investment officer of Singapore-based private equity firm 8F Asset Management, which backs the project, [...]
Kroger to close at least two Virginia stores in profitability move
Kroger plans nationwide store closures over 18 months to improve profitability. At least two stores in Virginia will likely close.
Kilgore elected Virginia House GOP leader, succeeding Gilbert
On Sunday, Del. C. Todd Gilbert stepped down as Virginia House of Delegates' Republican leader, and House Republicans elected Del. Terry Kilgore to succeed him.
U.S. 58 repairs near Damascus to finish ahead of schedule
U.S. 58 repairs to finish early, helping restore access to Damascus and the Virginia Creeper Trail, crucial for local tourism and economy.