The project’s goal is to connect a small power plant on board a ship with facilities on land that need electricity when other sources of power are unavailable.

Matt Busse
Matt Busse is the business reporter for Cardinal News. Matt spent nearly 19 years at The News & Advance, most recently as its managing editor. A Richmond native, he graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University with a degree in mass communications. He lives in Lynchburg. Contact: matt@cardinalnews.org or 434-849-1197.
Demand for mental health services is growing. Regional health providers are expanding to meet it.
Carilion Clinic in Roanoke, as well as Centra Health and Horizon Behavioral Health in Lynchburg, are in the midst of launching new programs aimed at increasing and improving treatment.
Carilion sees financial challenges but says projects on track
The Roanoke-based health care nonprofit said it anticipates reporting another fiscal year with a negative operating margin as pandemic-related and inflationary factors weigh on its balance sheet. Despite that, executives say, its finances remain strong.
Appalachian tech hub bid focuses on turning coal byproducts into new materials
A Bluefield, West Virginia-based application with Southwest Virginia representatives is seeking federal economic development investment to convert coal byproducts into products like batteries and building materials.
Norton grain terminal project set to seek bids this month
Building a site to store Southwest Virginia farmers’ specialty grains is seen as a crucial part of a larger effort to boost the agricultural industry and supply ingredients to craft beverage makers.
Glove factory set to bring 2,500 jobs to Wythe County on hold with funding uncertain
Blue Star NBR’s CEO says a federal loan package the company was counting on to finish building its rubber glove-manufacturing facilities fell through. Now the firm needs $230 million to get its operation up and running.
Floyd County buys Skyline National Bank building
County offices will occupy the top floor of the downtown Floyd building, which is next to the county courthouse. The bank will lease the lower two floors until the construction of its new Main Street facility is complete.
Appalachian Power lowers rate hike request
If approved, the utility’s latest proposal would raise the average residential customer’s monthly bill by about $16 instead of $25 as outlined under an earlier plan. The request comes after other cost increases were already approved this year.
Two tech hub bids seek to boost Virginia’s nuclear industry
Proposals led by the Virginia Nuclear Energy Consortium and the Lynchburg Regional Business Alliance have some common goals but also some key differences. They’ll compete for federal dollars against proposals based around additive manufacturing, artificial intelligence and autonomous transportation, among other critical technologies.
Appalachian Power seeks state approval for transmission upgrades
The electric utility said it plans to replace aging equipment with a more reliable system to better serve five counties in Southside and Southwest Virginia.