The banking company will become the county’s largest employer, according to the governor’s office.
Economy
Modern Google antitrust case relies on century-old law, Virginia Tech professor says
A different Virginia Tech professor is expected to be called by Google to testify about the role data plays in the case.
BWXT in partnership to develop vessel to carry nuclear microreactors for military, disaster relief operations
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.
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.
Efforts to extend broadband to rural Virginia are being stymied by railroads, officials say
Electric co-ops that have been trying to lay broadband fiber have been met with resistance from railroads when they must cross train tracks, company executives and state lawmakers say.
Blacksburg startup’s goal: power electric vehicles with local materials, including one that comes from coal
Fermi Energy is developing an EV battery that wouldn’t rely on hard-to-source materials like cobalt and nickel. The company has won millions of dollars of grant money this year and is part of a new research effort that also includes Virginia Tech and General Motors.
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.
Plans underway to improve U.S. 220, the economic gateway between southern Virginia and Greensboro, NC
Local support in Henry County for improving the existing road represents a change. Previously there were calls for an entirely new bypass around Martinsville called the Southern Connector.
A disaster caused by lack of water brought a flood of support to this Craig County trout hatchery
Smoke in Chimneys lost nearly half of its winter crop of trout last month due to low water levels. The Roanoke Valley culinary community has rallied around the Walker family to help sustain them through this devastating loss.
$50M gift will boost Fralin Biomedical Institute’s hiring, research projects
The Roanoke research institute will hire 14 more researchers dedicated to cancer, neuro-engineering and computational neuroscience.