Here’s a roundup of news briefs from around Southwest and Southside. Send yours for possible inclusion to news@cardinalnews.org.
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Packaging manufacturer to invest $37.4 million, add 24 jobs in Danville
Global specialty packaging manufacturer EPL America is expanding and upgrading its Danville manufacturing facility, a $37.4 million investment that will add 24 new jobs.
EPL, headquartered in Mumbai, India, operates a 200,000-square-foot facility in Danville’s Cane Creek industrial park, which is also home to Tysons Foods and Aerofarms. The company employs 315 people in Danville and 3,700 worldwide.
The company also plans to add building upgrades and new machinery in Danville, a move that will help EPL grow into the beauty and cosmetic markets to serve customers interested in replacing plastic products with laminate tubes, according to a news release from the governor’s office.
EPL’s decision to expand its Danville operations shows that Virginia is “a steadfast business partner for global companies and has a fertile ecosystem for advanced materials manufacturing,” Gov. Glenn Youngkin said in the release.
This expansion will help EPL strengthen its presence in Danville and become a bigger economic benefactor in Virginia, said Mauro Catopodis, president of EPL Limited Americas Region, in the release.
— Grace Mamon
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Scott to speak at Liberty commencement, Earle-Sears at Ferrum, Hopson at Emory & Henry
U.S. Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., will give the keynote speech at Liberty University’s commencement, while Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears will be featured at Ferrum College’s commencement and author Cynthia Bond Hopson at Emory & Henry College’s ceremony.
Liberty’s commencement events will be held May 9-11, with Scott scheduled to speak at the main ceremony on May 10 at Williams Stadium. The school will confer more than 29,000 degrees over the course of the weekend, Liberty said in a news release.
The Ferrum College commencement and presidential inauguration ceremonies will take place May 4 in Hart Plaza on campus.
Emory & Henry also will hold its commencement May 4, at Fred Selfe Stadium on the school’s campus. In addition to being an author, Bond Hopson is interim president and CEO at Philander Smith University in Little Rock, Arkansas.
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Forest Service announces prescribed burns in Montgomery, Craig counties
The Forest Service will conduct prescribed burns in the George Washington and Jefferson National Forest in Montgomery and Craig counties on Monday.
Crews will ignite fires in the Sinking Creek and Brush Mountain areas. Indian Pipe Trail, Poverty Creek Horse Trail and Forest Service roads 630, 10850 and 10776 (Cheeks Road) will be closed during the burn operation.
The Forest Service expects to complete the burns in one day, weather permitting, but said forest visitors and residents of Blacksburg, New Castle and Christiansburg may see and smell smoke for a few days.
For more information on the prescribed burn program, call the Eastern Divide Ranger District at 540-552-4641, visit www.fs.usda.gov/gwj or follow the Forest Service on Twitter and Facebook.
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Appalachian College of Pharmacy wins approval for Doctor of Public Health program
The Appalachian College of Pharmacy has received the go-ahead to begin offering a Doctor of Public Health degree.
The Buchanan County school won approval from the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, according to a news release announcing the program.
The college said the program will launch this fall. Applications will be accepted later this spring.
The program will primarily be an online offering with a research component related to public health or global health, the release said. It will be led by faculty from ACP and from its sister institution, the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine. Under the agreement that made ACP and VCOM sister institutions in 2020, the Harvey W. Peters Research Foundation agreed to provide $5 million to ACP to establish the Doctor of Public Health program and other new programs, and to build a new laboratory at Oakwood.
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Youngkin announces board appointments
Gov. Glenn Youngkin on Friday announced a round of state board appointments, including residents from Southwest and Southside:
Advisory Board on Acupuncture: Dr. Luke Robinson of Blacksburg, physician, Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine.
Advisory Board on Radiological Technology: Cheryl Cunningham of Salem, radiologic technologist, Carilion Clinic.
Advisory Board on Respiratory Care: Shari Toomey of Hardy, respiratory/sleep center manager, Carilion Rockbridge Community Hospital.
Maternal Mortality Review Team: Caroline Bones of Salem, assistant commonwealth’s attorney, Montgomery County.
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UVA Wise marks opening of nursing education center
The University of Virginia’s College at Wise last week celebrated the opening of its new nursing education center.
The $16.6 million center is based in the Don R. Pippin & John C. Wyllie Hall, which formerly housed the college’s library. It includes classrooms, three nursing skill labs, two simulation labs, four exam rooms, debriefing rooms, group study rooms, offices and a lecture hall. Nursing students began taking classes in the 28,530-square-foot building in mid-March, according to the college.
This semester, UVA Wise has 60 pre-licensure program students and 16 RN to bachelor of science in nursing students, according to the school.
