Economy

Communities with dwindling population should consider programs similar to Ascend West Virginia, which pays remote workers $12,000 to move to four rural localities, one economics professor said.

James Campos, the Tobacco Commission’s new executive director, has a background in energy. He told Cardinal about his goals for this role, his plans to familiarize himself with the region, and more.

The Fralin Biomedical Research Institute and the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine are about a mile from the old American Viscose factory site, and both are looking to grow soon. Not only could the renovated factory be a site for expansion, it could offer more rental housing and fun space to attract students and young researchers.

Ford Motor Company called reporting that Virginia had been selected for a battery plant “inaccurate.” Meanwhile, Democrats and Republicans in the General Assembly spar over the governor’s move.

The $22 million to Henry County’s Commonwealth Crossing Business Park is the second biggest appropriation for site development in this round of state funding.

Developer Ed Walker wants to bring apartments, restaurants, small businesses and artists to the sprawling century-old manufacturing campus at the base of Mill Mountain – without losing sight of its gritty industrial history.

The historic riverfront building will go by a new name once the transformational project is completed.

Construction has begun on the project that will turn the vacant former Dan River Mills site into a mixed-use property with retail, commercial and residential purposes.

AFID was created as a way to boost agriculture and forestry businesses that would otherwise be too small to qualify for state incentives. A decade later, more than $12 million has been awarded, and the governor wants to put more money into the program.