State Sen. Hashmi, who introduced the bill to counteract the national trend of large corporations buying mobile home parks and raising the rates on tenants, has been following the story Cardinal News broke on Massie’s mobile home park in Christiansburg.
Randy Walker
Randy Walker is a musician and freelance writer in Roanoke. He received a bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and was formerly a staff writer on (as it was then called) the Roanoke Times & World-News. He can be reached at randywalker7983@gmail.com.
Posted inEducation
Napoleon Hill Foundation and UVA Wise develop online entrepreneurship course for students in far Southwest Virginia
UVA Wise’s “Keys To Success” class is now available online to high school students through the Napoleon Hill Foundation. The course aims to inspire young entrepreneurs in coalfield counties.
Posted inEconomy
During COVID, a doctor had an idea for how to improve oxygen delivery. Carilion is helping him patent it.
Carilion Clinic’s Innovation program, which launched in January 2020, helps develop and bring to market products and services developed by Carilion personnel. Any profit is split between inventors and the nonprofit hospital.
Posted inCulture
Geologists still plumbing the secrets of Mountain Lake and its mysterious fluctuations
Mountain Lake Lodge adapts to natural cycles.
Posted inEconomy
Mobile home park residents in Montgomery County sue new owner over water shutoff
The park is now owned by a company linked to the Alden Global Capital hedge fund. “We felt that the evidence could prove that it was willful,” attorney for residents says.
Posted inEconomy
Blacksburg’s CytoRecovery commercializes a patented cell-sorting method
The biotech startup made its first sale in September
Posted inEconomy
Electric trucks are already running daily routes in Southwest Virginia
Writer tries out an electric truck on Volvo’s “customer experience track.”
Posted inEconomy
A hedge fund-linked company bought a mobile home park. Many residents were told to pay hundreds more or be evicted.
Massie Mobile Home Park in Montgomery County
was purchased by a company linked to the hedge fund Alden Global Capital. Shortly after, many residents, many of whom receive HUD aid, found “notices to quit” on their doors telling them to pay about $700 on top of their regular rent or be evicted.
Posted inHealth Care
New behavioral health wing at Bradley Free Clinic helps meet rising demand for mental health services
In 2019, the clinic had fewer than 50 mental health patients. This year it expects to serve more than 1,000.
Posted inEconomy
Pulaski is reinventing itself: ‘I feel like good stuff’s finally happening here’
Pulaski is renovating old roads and buildings and building new housing, mountain bike parks, and skate parks. “I know from experience that the way you sell a community is to get people to visit it first time,” Pulaski’s town manager said.