Va. coal mines closing due to COVID-19 concerns
Five Virginia coal mines announced Monday they they shutting down operations to stop the spread of coronavirus, but continuing to fulfill weekly orders from current stockpiles. The Buchanan Mine No.1, which employs 543 workers in Southwest Virginia, has closed as of Monday, Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy spokesperson Tarah Kesterson says. The mine is […]
Gannett announces mass layoffs, pay cuts, furloughs
McLean-based Gannett Co. Inc., the nation’s largest newspaper publisher, sent an email to employees Monday announcing mass layoffs, furloughs and pay cuts, according to The Daily Beast. Like other media outlets, the company has reportedly a large drop in advertising revenues recently due to the financial crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Gannett has a […]
Tegna acquisition talks fall through
As the financial fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic escalates, Tysons-based Tegna announced that two offers to acquire the Gannett spinoff company have fallen through. “TEGNA and its advisors engaged substantially with two of these parties and provided them extensive non-public due diligence information,” the company wrote in a statement over the weekend. “These two parties […]
‘Talk to your banker today,’ Va. Bankers Assoc. president says
Virginia Business virtually sat down with Virginia Bankers Association President and CEO Bruce Whitehurst and Chairman Jeff Haley, who is also president and CEO of Danville-based American National Bank & Trust Co. This is part of an ongoing series of conversations with Virginians about how their work lives and businesses ha[...]
Piedmont Health District announces first COVID-19 fatality
A man in his 70s has died from causes related to COVID-19, the Piedmont Health District reported Monday afternoon. This is first coronavirus fatality in the district, which covers Amelia, Buckingham, Charlotte, Cumberland, Lunenburg, Nottoway and Prince Edward counties southwest of Richmond. With this death, the total of COVID-19-related fatalities statewide is 26, according to […]
Virginia is for takeout
Some people are testing out their baking skills during the coronavirus outbreak, while others are existing on Cheetos and M&Ms on the couch. The state’s restaurants want Virginians to remember that many eateries are still open for service, albeit in a different way than before, focusing on pickup and delivered provisio[...]
Va. CEOs provide grim economic outlook due to COVID-19
Fewer than 7% of Virginia CEOs expect sales, capital spending or employment to increase during the next six months, according to the first quarter 2020 CEO Economic Outlook Survey released Monday by the University of Richmond’s Robins School of Business and the Virginia Council of CEOs. It’s the lowest percentage respons[...]
Governor orders Virginians to stay at home through June 10
Gov. Ralph Northam has issued a stay-at-home order for all Virginians through June 10. Virginians will only be able to leave their homes for essential reasons — such as picking up groceries or prescriptions, seeking medical care or going to a job if necessary — as the official number of COVID-19 cases in Virginia exceeded [&[...]
Va. COVID-19 cases top 1,000
There are now 1,020 confirmed coronavirus cases in the commonwealth and at least 25 deaths, according to the Virginia Department of Health. More than 12,000 Virginians have been tested for the virus and 136 are hospitalized with COVID-19. Northern Virginia continues to have the most confirmed cases, with 224 in Fairfax County, 8[...]
‘Don’t let a good crisis go to waste’
In addition to public health concerns, the coronavirus crisis also has left companies dealing with a raft of urgent policy and personnel issues, ranging from telework and child care to paid sick leave. As the virus spread across Virginia, human resources management experts counseled companies to handle coronavirus-related HR iss[...]
Dining downturn
During the first week of Virginia’s coronavirus crisis, a timer went off every 30 minutes at Perch, the high-end Pacific Rim seafood restaurant in Richmond. It was time to wipe down all surfaces again. “We can control the inside, but we can’t control the outside,” says Mike Ledesma, executive chef and owner. The restau[...]
COVID-19: Y2K or Walking Dead?
A hungover partier wakes up amid the flotsam of the previous night’s New Year’s Eve bash, dons his Nikes and heads into the streets for a jog. It’s Saturday morning, Jan. 1, 2000. He’s in the zone, totally oblivious to the chaos erupting around him, ranging from armed troops marching the streets to cash-spitting ATMs [&h[...]