State closing pharmacy for the mentally ill

A Virginia program that provides prescription medication to thousands of mentally ill patients is getting cut because of a shrinking state budget.

2010 Richmond Raiders open tryouts

The Richmond Raiders of the American Indoor Football Association will be holding their first player tryout on Sunday November 1st, 2009. The tryouts will begin with registration starting at 11 am and workouts will begin at 12 noon.  Participants must be at least 18 years of age  and will be evaluated in the 40-yard dash, the 20-yard short  shuttle,225 bench and the vertical leap as well as a variety of team and position drills. The tryout is for all positions including kickers. There is a $55 registration fee (cash or money order) on the day of the tryout. Players wanting to submit game film can bring it to the tryout, all game films submitted become  the property of the Richmond Raiders. Conducting the tryout will be the Richmond Raiders Head Coach Mike  Siani a former Oakland Raider Superbowl player and veteran indoor  football head coach. Coach Siani was recently a scout on ...

Your Halloween Candy Portfolio

It's upon us: The one night a year when people open their doors and give away candy to children dressed as Hannah Montana, Spider-Man or Johnny Depp. With candy on the brain, trick-or-treaters want more -- pillowcases more. Perhaps that's why Americans will spend $2.1 billion on candy and dispense nine billion pieces of candy corn this year. Those young, voracious appetites can't be satiated, but eventually parents tire and call the kids back indoors.

8 companies win ‘Company to Watch’ award

Health care is growing business in Richmond, especially on the laboratory side. Four of the eight winners at last night’s Greater Richmond Companies to Watch event, an annual celebration of some of the regions startups, were in the health-care sector. The panel’s judges typically receive around 50 nominations. This was the fifth year that the Venture Forum has organized the event. The Venture Forum, an association that promotes and supports entrepreneurial activity in Central Virginia. The winners: Diamedix: The company, which BizSense wrote about here, distributors a host of medical products including diabetic testing supplies and shoes, orthopedic devices, bladder control supplies, erectile dysfunction aids, power mobility products as well as back and arthritic products. The company was founded in 2003. Dominion Benefits: consults on employee benefit plans. Health Diagnostics Lab: runs a laboratory that performs tests ...

Guest Opinion: Trading four wheels for two

The views expressed in Guest Opini0ns are those of the author and do not represent BizSense or BizSense reporters.

I am a bike commuter – every day I brave traffic, potholes, snarling dogs and sometimes even rain and snow on my way to work.  Some things you can't avoid.  But what I don’t understand is the drivers who honk, try to brush by me as close as possible and practice their sign language skills from the safety of their rigs.

But whether they like it or not, the Virginia Code gives me and other cyclists the legal right to use almost any state road in Virginia. This should really not be a surprise, because it's historical fact that the first paved roads in America were paved for cyclists, following a campaign by the League of American Wheelmen (now the League of American Bicyclists). Membership included John D. Rockefeller, "Diamond Jim" Brady, the Wright Brothers and, no doubt, numerous other fine upstanding citizens.  We were here first, but we are happy to share.

The Pipeline: Commercial Real Estate Round Up for 10.31.09

Thalhimer reports the following deals: French Acquisitions Company LLC purchased the 0.37 acre property at 600-606 Commerce Road in Richmond from the Richard H. Shaia Family Trust for $225,000. Distinctive Hospitality Design LLC leased 4,450 square feet at 2221 E. Parham Road in Henrico. Centrieva Corp. leased 2,400 sq.ft. at 3781 Westerre Pkwy in Henrico.

NewsFeeds 10.30.09

Diversity helps New Town survive (Virginia Gazette) Despite the impending departure of Old Navy next week, Williamsburg's New Urbanism development called New Town is recovering more quickly than its competitors. U.S. Economy Began to Grow Again in 3rd Quarter (NY Times) The nation’s gross domestic product expanded at an annual rate of 3.5 percent in the quarter that ended in September, matching its average growth rate of the last 80 years, according to the Commerce Department. But government programs to encourage consumer spending on things like cars and houses are expiring, and employers remain reluctant to hire more workers, suggesting the recovery may not last, economists say. They Thought It Was All Over, Too (Slate) Recalling the green shoots of the Great Depression. Three Best Ways to Win Community Support (WSJ) The recession has taken a beating on local businesses, but many consumers still want to support and patronize ...

Martin Agency goes West

The Martin Agency is headed West. The Richmond-based ad agency is planning to set up a Seattle office to provide support to one of their highest-profile clients. Martin is behind the look of a new chain of retail stores being rolled out by Microsoft, which aim to rival Apple’s retail stores. The first Microsoft store opened last week in Scottsdale, Ariz., with a second slated to open today in Mission Viejo, Calif. According to an article on AdAge.com, Martin is responsible for the store’s logo, packaging, bags, displays, uniforms and advertising. AdAge describes the new stores as "remarkably Apple-esque." Dean Jarrett, communications  director for the agency, said they are currently looking for space in Seattle, which is also being set up to serve another Washington state client, Bellevue-based Expedia.com. "We got two substantive clients on the West Coast and have had people living and working out ...

A slew of new shops in Short Pump

A handful of new retailers have recently opened their doors around the Short Pump area. HomeGoods opened Sunday morning at West Broad Village. The highly-anticipated discount home accessories retailer was packed with eager shoppers through the afternoon.

Teavana, a highly-specialized retailer carrying over 100 kinds of teas from around the world, including India, Nepal and Japan, has opened on the lower level of Short Pump Town Center, near Firebird’s. The store also carries a variety of teapots and other related products.

Crazy 8, a new concept from children’s retailer Gymboree, has also recently opened in the mall, offering discount children’s clothing and accessories.

A third new tenant at Short Pump Town Center is Fast-Fix Jewelry & Watch Repairs, offering watch and jewelry repair, cleaning and battery replacement, plus key duplication and other services.

Electronics retailer hhgregg will be ...

Everything on the table

When is comes to salesmanship, you really can’t spin a more compelling pitch than the inventor who uses the product of his or her own design every single day.

And that may help a Richmond startup with its biggest challenge: getting the word out to the nation’s wheelchair users about a new product.

After a boating accident left Matt Elfein – at the time a mail carrier – without the use of his legs, he and his brother invented a lightweight table that attaches to a wheelchair.

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