Virginia’s housing market picked up in February, with sales up 3.5% compared to the same month in 2023, according to the Virginia Realtors' Virginia Home Sales Report released last month. According to the report, 6,733 homes were sold statewide in February, and 16,004 homes were on the market at the end of the month – an increase of 10% from February 2023. Of those homes, about 1,400 were new listings in February – a jump of nearly 17% from new listings last February. It was the largest influx of new properties on the market in Virginia since the summer of...Article Link

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Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin headed up the dignitaries who celebrated the official opening of Amazon's Richmond Fulfillment Center in Henrico County March 25, as he participated in ceremonies that included a ribbon-cutting and the presentation of a flag that had flown over the Virginia Capitol. But it was the Henrico officials who were in full celebration mode at the event, citing the benefits of Amazon's educational programs, job opportunities, charitable contributions and local school partnerships. Noting that another locality had fought for the fulfillment center, but that Henrico was ultimately victorious, State Senator Lamont Bagby pointed out that the Amazon...Article Link

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Gov. Glenn Youngkin recently announced an additional appointment to his administration: Board of Trustees of the Virginia Retirement System – Dr. Susan Tinsley Gooden of Henrico, dean of Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs at Virginia Commonwealth University. *** Hannah Smith of Henrico has been named a peer mentor for the 2023-24 academic year at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. Peer mentors serve as a resource to new students during their first semester at UW-Whitewater, leading them through the Warhawk Welcome, joining them in their New Student Seminar section, and checking in individually. Throughout the fall semester, peer mentors remain...Article Link

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Gov. Glenn Youngkin recently requested syllabi from two state universities, a move some faculty called “unprecedented” and reflective of a national trend to challenge academic freedom. Some appointed Board of Visitors members have also questioned mandates for students to take general education courses on diversity and racial literacy.  Youngkin wanted to review syllabi of courses that fulfill George Mason University’s upcoming Just Societies core curriculum requirement and Virginia Commonwealth University’s racial literacy requirement. Christian Martinez, Youngkin’s spokesperson, called the curriculum mandates a “thinly veiled attempt to incorporate the progressive left’s groupthink on Virginia’s students,” in a statement released to several news organizations. Martinez did...Article Link

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It’s a visit that followed months of requests by lawmakers for transparency from the United States Postal Service. “I think it's valuable for us to come in and see the real circumstances,” said Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan. After receiving hundreds of complaints from people about delayed or missing mail across the state, McClellan and Congressman Scott Wittman were given a tour of the USPS Sandston Distribution Center. “When we first started, we had a brief, and the brief included the metrics, the numbers, the graphics, which we never got before,” Wittman said. “So it's very telling to watch what happened when...Article Link

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Even in booming Short Pump, there are restaurants that struggle and even fail – such as Kona Grill (irreverently known as 'Cougar Grill' in its heyday, before closing in 2019) and Bar Louie, which closed in 2020. But high-end steak houses have now popped up in both those long-vacant sites, and – judging from their popularity – might just be here to stay. At Fogo de Chão the Brazilian steakhouse and churrascaria in the former Kona Grill space, be prepared for a lavish (if pricey) meal. Before even getting to the main course of hand-carved, grilled meats, you'll be tempted...Article Link

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For the first time, Virginia Breeze bus lines could offer east-to-west service across the commonwealth, from Harrisonburg to Virginia Beach, starting next summer. An announcement about the new bus travel option is expected in May pending approval by the Commonwealth Transportation Board, which will pick one of two possible route plans and give an annual investment of at least 0,000 to fund the effort. “To be able to get east-west as well as that diagonal north-south corridor would be a great benefit to all of our constituents,” said Laura Dent, chair of the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Metropolitan Planning Organization. Established in 2017,...Article Link

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Commonwealth Commercial Partners, LLC recently announced the following lease transactions in Henrico County: Shanco Companies, Inc. – renewed its lease of 2,922 SF at 11551 Nuckols Road (Eric Hammond, Jamie Galanti and Russell Wyatt represented the landlord); Bridgestone Retail Operations, LLC – renewed its lease of 6,944 SF at 11002 West Broad Street (Jim McVey represented the landlord); Geriatric Associates of Richmond – leased 3,600 SF at 5310 Twin Hickory Road (Eric Hammond and Tucker Dowdy represented the landlord); Reyn Aesthetics LLC – leased 1,200 SF at 5348 Twin Hickory Road (Eric Hammond and Tucker Dowdy represented the landlord); R&N...Article Link

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Solely owned and operated, an online candle business based in Henrico is making waves through the community. Anne Peterson is a Georgia native, but has spent most of her life in Virginia and considers it home. She also attended Averett University. At the start of the pandemic, Peterson was hospitalized with COVID. “I almost died from it. I was in the hospital for a month. I had to have oxygen and nurses visit me three times a week at home,” Peterson said. Before her hospitalization, Peterson would burn candles to help relax, but after leaving the hospital she experienced financial...Article Link

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The Virginia General Assembly introduced several proposals to update public school curricula, including education around food allergies, mental health, hazing and overdose prevention.  Some legislative proposals add a specific focus to the current curriculum, while others are completely new.  The bills to add new instruction had good intentions, but many did not explain what they were going to replace, according to Chad Stewart, policy analyst for the Virginia Education Association. “When you add one thing in, you can either cover everything in less depth, or something needs to come out,” Stewart said.  There is not a set timeline for when...Article Link

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