Solar startup considering Henrico County (Times-Dispatch)
A Virgina company may select a site in Henrico County to start manufacturing photovoltaic solar panels. The company, United States Green Energy, is considering sites also in Spotsylvania in North Carolina and will hire 100 people within the next year.
Green Jobs Machine (Daily News-Record)
Gov. Timothy M. Kaine was in Harrisonburg Thursday to announce state efforts to help a local business create at least 72 jobs over the next three years. Shenandoah Sustainable Technologies LLC expects to create the jobs as it makes a minimum $600,000 capital investment during that period. SST, which currently employs fewer than 30 people, helps build and retrofit residential and commercial structures using environmentally friendly and cost-efficient technology.
Chesapeake manger rejects Dominion Boulevard proposal (Virginian-Pilot)
City Manager William Harrell on Thursday rejected a private proposal to widen Dominion Boulevard, replace the Steel Bridge and charge tolls of as much as $2.50.
Birthday for a Bailout (Forbes)
As of Saturday, it will have been a year since the U.S. Congress created the $700 billion Troubled Asset Relief Program, originally intended as a bailout just for the financial system. Emphasis might be placed on the word “Troubled,” as TARP has been plagued by controversy since conception.
David Letterman Reveals Extortion Attempt (NY Times)
Late night talk show host David Letterman dropped a bombshell on audience members and viewers when he explained how he was a victim on an extortion attempt. Another CBS employee was blackmailing Letterman for $2 million not to go public with information that Letterman had sexual affairs with women who work on his show.
A grim year for small business lending (CNN Money)
In its 2009 fiscal year, which ended Wednesday, the Small Business Administration backed 44,221 loans from banks to help borrowers start and expand their businesses. That’s 36% fewer loans than the SBA’s 7(a) loan program made in 2008. The program’s total dollar volume also dropped sharply. Loans for this year totaled $9.3 billion, according to preliminary data — down 27% from last year’s $12.7 billion.
Weekly Wind-down: River City (YouTube)
With 41,000 views and counting, chances are you’ve seen this hilarious music video about life in Richmond. But if you haven’t, prepare to chuckle.
