Archives

  • It's an employers' market11/19/09
  • Area employment experts give tips and cite trends during panel discussion at Germanna Community College
  • Luck plans big development11/19/09
  • Luck Stone wants to build 950 residential units with almost 1 million square feet of retail and office space off U.S. 1 near Massaponax High School
  • Horn will lead missile programs11/13/09
  • Rear Adm. Brad Hicks, who helped build Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense at Dahlgren retiring, handing over reins to new commander
  • KAINE LENDS HELPING HAND07/30/09
  • Virginia's governor and cabinet officials spend a day in the Fredericksburg area to get a close look at efforts to help the needy and spur the economy
  • REC acquisition could lower bills05/15/09
  • Rappahannock Electric Cooperative's purchase of part of Potomac Edison should benefit customers and bring more jobs to the area
  • OPERATOR TRAINING05/05/09
  • Dominion power finding many of its nuclear reactor operators in an unlikely place--high schools
  • Economy falls much more than expected04/29/09
  • The nation's gross domestic product fell 6.1% in the first quarter -- nearly the same pace as the end of 2008, and a much sharper drop than expected.
  • DOMINION SEEKS HIKE04/01/09
  • Dominion power seeking series of rate increases, which means higher monthly bills for consumers
  • Hot dog gets an upgrade03/27/09
  • The owners of Powell's Friendly Market open a deli nearby in hopes of retaining customers while tearing down and replacing their old store
  • In refinancing, there are pitfalls to avoid12/31/08
  • With mortgage rates sinking to the lowest level since the early 1960s, homeowners around the country are giving themselves a holiday present: a refinanced mortgage with lower monthly payments.
  • Key interest rate touching bottom12/31/08
  • The Federal Reserve has cut its target for a key interest rate to the lowest level on record and pledged to use "all available tools" to combat a severe financial crisis and prolonged recession.
  • Caroline County Named "Top 5" in Aerospace11/13/08
  • As one of Expansion Solutions Magazine’s Top Five Aerospace Locations in America, Caroline County, Virginia is a very solid location for aerospace-related expansion and relocation projects.
  • DEFENSE SPENDING EASES DOWNTURN10/30/08
  • About half a billion dollars in defense procurement contracts flowed to companies in the Fredericksburg area last year, according to the U.S. Department of Defense.
  • MEDICAL-CARE OPTIONS GROW10/23/08
  • Kaiser Permanente will offer its insurance products and open a medical center, its 30th in the Washington area, in Fredericksburg
  • GUYANA TO GERMANNA10/23/08
  • Germanna's new vice president comes from a working background, starting in Guyana, with an emphasis on education.
  • Stafford firm gets $94M contract08/01/08
  • BAE Systems, a large defense contractor and major employer in Stafford County, has won a $94 million contract to provide support to the U.S. Marine Corps.
  • Housing inventory better but not good07/24/08
  • There are still many more houses available in the Fredericksburg area than people buying them, but the imbalance has improved every month this year.
  • Region's housing prices up in June07/11/08
  • June was the best month of 2008 for the Fredericksburg-area housing market, but real estate sales significantly lagged compared with the same month in past years.
  • Projects under way07/08/08
  • The University of Mary Washington hopes to finish some on-campus improvements this summer but isn't close to calling it quits on construction.
  • Courses taking on 'dead-end' stigma07/03/08
  • Germanna Community College will be offering a certificate in industrial maintenance technology in effort to serve the workforce needs of the Greater Fredericksburg Region...
  • STATE WEATHERS RECESSIONS WELL04/30/08
  • Sometime in the second half of this year, experts probably will tell us what we suspect already: We're in a recession. The good news: We're in Virginia, and the Old Dominion handles recessions pretty well.
  • Weak dollar's strong suit: It brings jobs04/17/08
  • Union workers at a big engine-maker, angry about production moving overseas, want the nation's political leaders to put the brakes on corporate outsourcing. It's a familiar story, except the workers hail from a Rolls-Royce plant in England, and their
  • VSE buys G&B Solutions04/14/08
  • Alexandria-based VSE Corp (NASDAQ: VSEC) with operations in Caroline County, has purchased G&B Solutions Inc. in a deal worth as much as $23.7 million...
  • Salaries jump for security-cleared technology jobs03/26/08
  • For information technology professionals, it pays handsomely to have a government security clearance, with salaries averaging 22 percent more than IT workers in jobs that don't require security clearance.
  • Economist predicts tumultuous year for construction03/10/08
  • Nonresidential construction faces a wide variance in demand, materials cost and labor availability, according to the Construction Inflation Alert released Monday by the Associated General Contractors of America.
  • Defense event returns to Stafford next year03/08/08
  • Stafford Regional Airport has been chosen to host next year's Force Protection Equipment Demonstration, a Defense Department event that brought millions of dollars into the Fredericksburg region its first time here.
  • US Job Market Takes a Hit From Weak Economy03/07/08
  • The jobs report, from the Labor Department, indicated that the nation had 63,000 fewer net jobs in February than in January, the second straight month of job losses and the worst monthly performance since 2003.
  • THALHIMER MERGES WITH SULLIVAN PROPERTIES03/06/08
  • RICHMOND, VIRGINIA – March, 2008: Richmond-headquartered Thalhimer/Cushman & Wakefield Alliance, Virginia’s leading commercial real estate company, with offices in Richmond, Virginia Beach and Newport News, formed a joint venture with Sullivan Prope
  • Stafford County makes Forbes again03/05/08
  • In Stafford County, Va., for example, the local economy has become increasingly robust. The county's diminishing investment in manufacturing through the 1990s transitioned gently into an information- and consulting -based economy.
  • ManTech 4Q earnings jump02/28/08
  • Local government contractor,ManTech International Corp., saw its bottom line jump 54 percent in the fourth quarter from higher revenue generated from contracts and acquisitions...
  • Is China losing its manufacturing edge?02/27/08
  • Costs have climbed so much that three-quarters of businesses surveyed by the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai believe China is losing its competitive edge.
  • FOR EMPLOYERS, EXPENSES SOARING02/27/08
  • The average cost of employer-paid benefits received by employees increased from $18,489 in 2005 to $21,527 in 2006, according to a study of 400 U.S. companies.
  • King George boots up broadband02/26/08
  • King George County becomes one of only four localities nationwide that has committed to deploying this next-generation equipment providing wireless broadband access...
  • Project in Stafford takes step forward02/22/08
  • The sale of about 175 acres of land off Centreport Parkway in Stafford County is the latest step toward the commercial development that officials have long envisioned along that stretch.
  • HCA Virginia Donates $50,000 to Germanna CC02/19/08
  • On behalf Spotsylvania Regional Medical Center (SRMC), Reston-based HCA Virginia presented a check for $50,000 to Germanna Community College (GCC). The money will be used to pay the salary of instructors in the college’s Department of Nursing & Alli
  • Lockheed Martin wins $1B FBI contract02/13/08
  • Local Defense Contractor, Lockheed Martin Corp. won a 10-year, $1 billion contract from the Federal Bureau of Investigation to develop the agency's biometrics system to more efficiently track and identify criminals.
  • Corporations seeking new locations within the Region01/31/08
  • The type of businesses checking out locations here is shifting from retailers to those in defense, health care, professional business services and technology, said Gene Bailey, president of the Fredericksburg Regional Alliance.
  • Lockheed Martin profits rise01/24/08
  • A leading defense contractor with several offices within the region reported profits up 9.6 percent last quarter, and has raised its earnings and sales forecasts for this year.
  • 2008 Economic Outlook01/14/08
  • The Washington area's economy is still strong, but remains vulnerable as the housing market continues to lag and the credit crunch looms in the nation's financial markets.
  • 2008 Economy: On the Edge of Recession01/08/08
  • From the ongoing credit crunch to stingier state and local governments, the economy faces plenty of challenges in 2008. Fortunately, it also enjoys a number of offsetting strengths.
  • Holding its breath12/21/07
  • Virginia feels the pain from the mortgage mess, but the state’s median home prices continue to rise
  • HOT lane construction to begin in spring12/21/07
  • The Virginia Department of Transportation announced Thursday that all agreements have been finalized to build toll lanes on the Capital Beltway in Northern Virginia.
  • Worker productivity jumps11/29/07
  • WASHINGTON (AP) -- Worker productivity surged in the summer at the fastest pace in four years while wage pressures eased.
  • Global company opens locally11/27/07
  • Smartronix has been recognized as one of the 50 fastest-growing companies in the greater Washington, D.C. area and as one of the top 500 nationally according to "The Washington Post" and Inc.com, according to Smartronix's Web site.
  • Business leaders briefed on BRAC11/27/07
  • QUANTICO - The Stafford business community got a glimpse of the new Marine museum and a taste of how the BRAC movement will impact the area during last week's North Stafford Roundtable.
  • Gruntworks aims to lighten load11/27/07
  • Marine riflemen may soon have less weight to carry, thanks in part to a new state-of-the-art squad integration facility that recently opened in Stafford.
  • Another coffee shop is brewing11/27/07
  • Jim Goetz is transforming his building at the corner of Lafayette Boulevard and Caroline Street into a shop offering coffee, high-speed Internet, a garden patio, made-to-order juices, flat-screen televisions, snacks and a gas fireplace.
  • 'We're going to the next level'11/12/07
  • Over the past four months, Paymon Matini has been trying to transform his imported rug shop in downtown Fredericksburg into the type of store you'd find in Georgetown or New York.
  • Something to celebrate soon?11/07/07
  • John Elkington, who helped revitalize Beale Street, will close soon on 20 acres in Celebrate Virginia South for his Rappahannock Ridge project
  • BAE wins defense surveillance contract11/05/07
  • BAE Systems Inc., one of the Fredericksburg Region's largest employers, said Monday it won an $18 million contract from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency to come up with more advanced surveillance technology for the Department of Defense.
  • GVA ADVANTIS EXPANDS TO FREDERICKSBURG10/29/07
  • RICHMOND, Va. – (October 2007) – GVA Advantis, one of the largest commercial real estate companies in the Southeast, is expanding to serve the greater Fredericksburg Region...
  • CoStar Profiles Celebrate Virginia09/27/07
  • Occupying two counties in Fredericksburg, VA, Celebrate Virginia's 2,400 acre boundaries are I-95 on the East, Route 3 to the South, Route 656 to the West and Route 17 to the North. With more than $60 million in infrastructure...
  • Report: America's Dynamic Workforce - August, 200709/11/07
  • America’s Dynamic Workforce: 2007 presents an overview of current conditions and notable trends affecting the American labor market and economic activity. Primary emphasis is on measures of labor market performance – employment, labor force participa
  • A slight adjustment09/11/07
  • Bill Dean surveyed several prime spots in Greater Washington when he wanted to expand his booming government contracting operation. He landed in tiny Caroline County, Va., more than 60 miles from D.C.
  • Virginia's Sales Tax Holiday07/26/07
  • In 2007, the VA Sales Tax Holiday will begin at 12:01 a.m. on Friday, August 3, 2007 and end at midnight on Sunday, August 5, 2007.
  • Washington area secures $61.65M from DHS07/19/07
  • The Department of Homeland Security announced $61.65 million in grants to the Washington region for fiscal year 2007 for anti-terrorism activities unique to high-density urban areas.
  • Stafford passes TND ordinance07/18/07
  • Stafford County Board of Supervisors passed a controversial zoning ordinance last night that could create mixed-use developments.
  • For loans, show them the plan07/13/07
  • Private and public lenders are willing and eager to loan money to small businesses, but the borrower must first demonstrate a strong commitment and business plan.
  • Stocks Soar to New Highs on Retail Sales07/12/07
  • NEW YORK -- Wall Street soared Thursday, propelling the Standard & Poor's 500 index and Dow Jones industrials to record highs as bright spots among generally sluggish retail sales allowed investors to toss aside concerns about the health of the econo
  • Unemployment lower in May07/02/07
  • The Jamestown commemoration and late university commencements drove down local jobless rates in May, according to figures released Wednesday by the Virginia Employment Commission.
  • Welford Engineering moving to Spotsylvania07/02/07
  • Space is cramped in the rented office Welford Engineering Associates occupies on Kenmore Avenue in Fredericksburg. And Larry Welford, the company's president, wants to grow his engineering and land surveying consultation practice.
  • A world view, a Fredericksburg office06/18/07
  • Stockholm was Björn Bieneck's birthplace. North America is his workplace. In his job, he's constantly traveling to events in Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Orlando and San Francisco to make contacts. The fruits of his efforts in putting together huge cons
  • Germanna eyes new building06/18/07
  • A third building at the Fredericksburg campus of Germanna Community College is in the "dream stage" for college officials. Based on enrollment and usage, Germanna has received approval from the state for a 50,000-square-foot building at the campus,
  • The Service Sector Economy: America's Quiet Strength06/15/07
  • People often wince at the notion of America becoming largely a service economy -- envisioning a nation of low-paid fast food merchants, manicurists and landscapers. But the shift from manufacturing is really a shift toward higher-paying, higher-skill
  • Job Growth Steps Up06/15/07
  • This economy still has legs. The May job figures testify to that. The net addition of 157,000 jobs is more evidence that the economy's first-quarter slump was a temporary event. The employment numbers also highlight businesses' growing confidence tha
  • Region's Private Sector Isn't So Private06/11/07
  • Today we are justly proud of the vitality of greater Washington's private sector -- in information technology, the life sciences, media, higher education, tourism and other fields.
  • China's April Trade Surplus Nearly $17B06/11/07
  • BEIJING -- China's monthly trade surplus more than doubled in April to nearly $17 billion, the government said Friday, adding to pressure on Beijing ahead of closely watched talks with Washington on its swollen trade gap.
  • Region home sales down vs. last year06/11/07
  • After experiencing rapid growth in recent years, local home sales have slowed and continue to decline in some areas, according to the latest data from the Virginia Association of Realtors.
  • auctioneer since 1968 He's master of the sale06/11/07
  • In a sea of men wearing shorts, ball caps and T-shirts, Charles Nicholls stands out. Trim and white-haired, Nicholls is wearing a crisp button-down shirt, khakis and a navy blazer. He appears unruffled by the heat or crowds at the Fredericksburg Au
  • Growth driving ZIP code change06/11/07
  • Thousands of Spotsylvania County residents and businesses will soon find themselves writing new return addresses on outgoing mail. The boundaries for the 22553 ZIP-code area have been redrawn and about 6,700 addresses have been reassigned to a new Z
  • Young forming new Fredericksburg area bank06/08/07
  • Former National Bank of Fredericksburg President William B. Young is in the process of establishing a new community bank to serve the Fredericksburg area. Young, who has 35 years of banking experience, said he is hammering out details including asse
  • Building for Tomorrow06/07/07
  • Energy plays more of a role in building and design than ever before, and it has just as much to do with health and the environment as it does with operations and the bottom line. We have entered an era in which a building’s energy productivity looms
  • Grocery part of retail plan06/06/07
  • The Silver Cos. wants to put a grocery store, gas station and retail center at the entrance to the city's Battlefield Industrial Park on the Blue and Gray Parkway. The developer has submitted plans that show a 54,000-square-foot grocery store as par
  • Trading spaces06/06/07
  • A new concept -- retail condos -- aims to bring the world to Fredericksburg. But will small-store owners put their money down? And will Washingtonians make the 50-mile trek for global goods?
  • D.C. area boasts educated, rich population06/06/07
  • We're smart and rich, but living here is still too expensive. The Greater Washington Initiative released its annual report Wednesday, and it says the region sported the highest median household income in 2006 among metro areas, at $74,600. Nearly 4
  • National parks plan bodes well for the area06/01/07
  • A plan for the future of America's national parks unveiled yesterday bodes well for the Fredericksburg area, even though the four battlefield parks here are not specifically cited.
  • U.S. Manufacturing Sector Expands06/01/07
  • NEW YORK -- For the fourth month in a row, the nation's factories, plants, mines and utilities, among others, have been humming along, overcoming rising prices for food and fuel that have helped drag down the rest of the economy.
  • Civilian Employment Steady in May06/01/07
  • WASHINGTON -- The country's economic health may be improving. Employers nearly doubled the number of jobs they added to payrolls in May, allowing the unemployment rate to hold steady at a relatively low 4.5 percent.
  • Report: Stafford's economy is strong06/01/07
  • Business is booming in Stafford and job wages are on the rise, according to Stafford Economic Development Authority's first annual comprehensive report that was unveiled last week.
  • Economic Growth Stalls in First Quarter05/31/07
  • U.S. economic growth came to a near standstill in the first three months of the year, as the housing market and a decline in exports and federal spending choked an already sputtering economy. Revised estimates from the first quarter of 2007 show the
  • Here's what to look for when hiring05/29/07
  • Employers look for many qualities in prospective employees. What do you look for when you interview candidates? The following list gives you an idea of the qualities employers consider most important when hiring:
  • What 20 top jobs pay05/29/07
  • Computer and information systems managers earn more in San Jose than any other U.S. market. That makes sense, given the concentration of high-tech firms in Silicon Valley. Geography can explain a lot about pay. Financial managers do better in Bridge
  • Report: Washington home prices down 4.8%05/29/07
  • The latest report on housing prices shows some of the steepest declines in the nation are in the Washington area. A monthly S&P/Case-Shiller report on median prices in the nation's 20 largest markets states that prices are down an average of 1.4 pe
  • Demand Down, but Rents Up05/29/07
  • Commercial vacancy rates climbed in the Washington area for the fifth straight quarter, but rents rose slightly and industry experts remained upbeat.
  • Private Equity's Role Grows Along With Local Deals05/23/07
  • The value of mergers and acquisitions in Virginia, Maryland and the District hit record highs last year, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. But even more striking is the growth of private-equity involvement in these deals, which more than doubl
  • The Deal: ERIN QUINLAN05/23/07
  • CAREER HISTORY: Quinlan began working for a national paintless dent removal company in 1998. He was trained as a master technician and eventually left the company to start his own business 2002.
  • Spotsylvania leads charge05/23/07
  • Camera-toting tourists converge on Civil War sites and cemeteries during Memorial Day weekends, but there's an even bigger draw on the horizon. Beginning in 2011, the Fredericksburg area will be part of a national commemoration of the 150th annivers
  • VDOT against moving road05/23/07
  • Although the Harrison Connector Road could be built closer to Interstate 95, state transportation officials don't recommend it.
  • Virginia Thinking Locally On Roads05/22/07
  • After years of building multibillion-dollar megaprojects such as the Woodrow Wilson Bridge and the Springfield interchange, Virginia transportation officials plan to spend hundreds of millions of new dollars on small, local fixes that have been ignor
  • Cuts in state budget possible05/22/07
  • State tax collections may fall up to $300 million below forecasts, a shortfall that could require budget cuts by the Kaine administration.
  • Rosy outlook for Spotsylvania economy05/22/07
  • Spotsylvania County Economic Development Director Russell Seymour made a promise last week to more than 75 business leaders and public officials. "We will be the premier business location in our region," Seymour said during the May 16 Business Appre
  • Marriott comes to Stafford05/22/07
  • Representatives from the Marriott Hotel chain opened the doors of its first Stafford facility Thursday, providing the community with a new extended-stay hotel. Marriott TownePlace Suites, which sits in the Aquia district on U.S. 1 just south of Aqu
  • Canoe group testing waters here05/22/07
  • Fredericksburg long has been a premier destination for paddlers who love to float and fish along the spine of the Rappahannock River. Now all the features that attract them have gotten the attention of the American Canoe Association, which is eyeing
  • Regional website has new look04/18/07
  • The Fredericksburg Regional Alliance (FRA), a public-private marketing organization representing the City of Fredericksburg and the counties of Caroline, King George, Spotsylvania and Stafford, is pleased to announce the launch of its newly redesigne
  • King of the hill?04/18/07
  • Virginia has been named the best state in the country for doing business.
  • Boswell's Corner may be revamped04/18/07
  • Restaurants, hotels and other new businesses are just some of the developments Stafford County officials envision appearing in Boswell's Corner, community members were told during last week's public forum.
  • Austin Park Centre in planning stage04/18/07
  • Construction of Austin Park Centre, a development that will allow residents to live, work and play all in one neighborhood, could begin as early as this spring.
  • Study: Tourism ad campaign a success04/18/07
  • Fredericksburg Area Tourism’s decision to launch a new advertising campaign and broaden its target market proved to be successful, according to a Longwoods International study released last week.
  • Stafford represented in China04/18/07
  • Jimmy Yang, along with Bailey and about a dozen other business entrepreneurs from the greater Washington, D.C. area, traveled to the Changzhou region of China last month to network with leaders from across the world and promote the Fredericksburg reg
  • GEICO to hire nearly 800 people04/18/07
  • GEICO, one of the largest employers in Stafford County with nearly 3,000 employees, plans to hire 240 more employees by the end of the year and another 550 through 2007.
  • VRE improvements forthcoming04/18/07
  • The commute to work may be a bit more comfortable late next year for riders on the expanding Virginia Railway Express.
  • Pohanka gets OK for dealership in Stafford03/30/07
  • The Board of Supervisors voted unanimously last week to green-light Frank Pohanka's request to rezone land adjacent to the Carter's Crossing retail development on U.S. 17 for an auto park.
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