Richmond Times-Dispatch (Richmond, VA) articles from February 2005

Richmond Times-Dispatch (Richmond, VA) archives from February 2005

Some frequent flyers struggle with baffling security probelms.
February 28, 2005... Byline: Chip Jones Feb. 28--Collin Hoskins is a self-described "semi-retired marketing consultant" who works with retirement communities around the Eastern United States. At age 71, he travels regularly on business. But on five trips...

Planned downtown apartments will fix vacant eyesore.
February 28, 2005... Byline: Carol Hazard Feb. 28--Richmond is losing an ugly, old building and gaining an upscale apartment complex. The building, a former hotel at the corner of Belvidere and Franklin streets, is surrounded by fencing as workers add...

Richmond Times-Dispatch, Va., Biz Buzz column.
February 28, 2005... Byline: Gregory J. Gilligan Feb. 28--UKROP'S UNDERTAKING UNUSUAL RENOVATION: Ukrop's Super Markets Inc. begins a major renovation of its store in the Chesterfield Crossing shopping center off Midlothian Turnpike next month or in April....

Richmond Times-Dispatch, Va., Chip Jones column.
February 28, 2005... Byline: Chip Jones Feb. 28--JETBLUE CEO FLOORED BY AIRPORT'S TERRAZZO TOUCHES: In June 2003, David Neeleman, chief executive officer of JetBlue Airways, stopped by Richmond International Airport for a tour. He was visiting Gov. Mark...

Virginia business makes name in Hollywood.
February 28, 2005... Byline: Calvin R. Trice Feb. 28--WAYNESBORO -- The Silver Gallery ships upscale gift items from a business run near the unglamorous factories and farms of the Shenandoah Valley. Yet, apparently, Hollywood can't get enough of them. ...

Richmond Times-Dispatch, Va., American Trends column.
February 28, 2005... Byline: Gary Robertson Feb. 28--BRACE YOUR NECK FOR THE LATEST AIRLINE COST-SAVER: The airline industry is trimming down again on creature comforts. American Airlines recently announced it would be removing pillows from most of its...

Successful women to reveal how they got to top of business world.
February 28, 2005... Byline: Melanie Mayhew Feb. 28--The best way for women to learn how to be successful is to listen to women who have navigated their way to the top of the business world, a concept that will be the spotlight of a panel discussion this...

Va. business makes name in Hollywood.
February 28, 2005... Byline: Calvin R. Trice Feb. 28--WAYNESBORO -- The Silver Gallery ships upscale gift items from a business run near the unglamorous factories and farms of the Shenandoah Valley. Yet, apparently, Hollywood can't get enough of them....

An answer to a prayer.
February 28, 2005... Byline: Bob Rayner Feb. 28--Nine years ago, Tommy Boyce was fighting for survival. The Richmond man won that battle but has since paid a heavy price. "I had prostate cancer in the worst way. It was real bad surgery," he said. It...

Global tobacco treaty in place.
February 27, 2005... Byline: John Reid Blackwell Feb. 27--Today is a big day for anti-tobacco activists all over the world. The world's first tobacco-control treaty -- the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, or FCTC -- has been ratified by 57...

New law closes cigarette 'loophole'.
February 26, 2005... Byline: John Reid Blackwell Feb. 26--Virginia this week became the 38th state to pass legislation that Philip Morris USA and other cigarette companies say will end an unfair advantage for some of their competitors. Gov. Mark R....

Infineon patent suit set to begin.
February 26, 2005... Byline: Greg Edwards Feb. 26--The retrial of a patent infringement case brought by a California semi-conductor design company against Infineon Technologies AG is set to begin in a Richmond federal courtroom next week. Jury selection...

Senators all but kill benefits bill.
February 25, 2005... Byline: Greg Edwards Feb. 25--The Virginia Senate all but killed a bill yesterday that would have limited workers' compensation benefits for illegal immigrants in Virginia. On a voice vote, the Senate sent the bill, which originated...

Hilb Rogal & Hobbs Co. reports $15.3 million in fourth-quarter net income.
February 25, 2005... Byline: Bob Rayner Feb. 25--Hilb Rogal & Hobbs Co. reported fourth-quarter net income of $15.3 million, or 42 cents per share, compared with $19.4 million, or 53 cents per share, a year before. The Richmond insurance and risk...

Power plant study planned.
February 25, 2005... Byline: Greg Edwards Feb. 25--Dominion Virginia Power and other Virginia utilities said yesterday that they have joined to study the possibility of building a $1 billion coal-fired power plant in Southwest Virginia. Besides Virginia...

LandAmerica denies kickback allegation.
February 25, 2005... Byline: Bob Rayner Feb. 25--LandAmerica Financial Group Inc. has made a sharp response to the California insurance commissioner's allegations that it and other large title insurers have been paying what amounts to kickbacks to some...

Airport solicits concession bids.
February 24, 2005... Byline: Chip Jones Feb. 24--A new recipe for concession, gift and beverage sales is brewing at Richmond International Airport. The Capital Region Airport Commission is seeking business proposals that could divvy up some of the...

Circuit City establishes funds to aid crash victims' families.
February 24, 2005... Byline: Gregory J. Gilligan Feb. 24--Circuit City Stores Inc. has established memorial funds to benefit the families of each of the eight people who died in a plane crash in Colorado last week. The Richmond-based retailer did not...

Takeover of 3 area Winn-Dixie stores on hold.
February 24, 2005... Byline: Gregory J. Gilligan Feb. 24--Food Lion won't be taking over three area Winn-Dixie stores just yet. The North Carolina supermarket retailer had planned to assume the leases this week. The deal is on hold because...

Fresh Express brand sold.
February 24, 2005... Byline: Melanie Mayhew Feb. 24--Restaurant distributor Performance Food Group Co. plans to shed its packaged salad division for $855 million. The deal to sell the unit to Chiquita Brands International Inc., a leading grower of...

Richmond airport expansion: Funds for terminal get nod.
February 23, 2005... Byline: Chip Jones Feb. 23--The final piece of Richmond International Airport's decade-long expansion was put in place yesterday with the approval of $46.8 million to build a two-level terminal. "This might be the single biggest...

Morgan faults insurance-collection bill he aided; key sections had been struck.
February 23, 2005... Byline: Greg Edwards Feb. 23--A House of Delegates committee chairman took the unusual step yesterday of criticizing a bill he had shepherded to passage in the House the day before. The legislation is intended to help doctors collect...

Food Lion assumes 3 leases.
February 22, 2005... Byline: Gregory J. Gilligan Feb. 22--Food Lion has assumed the leases of three Winn-Dixie stores in the Richmond area. The three supermarkets will close within the week, and Food Lion will initially reopen two of them. Food Lion...

Henrico County, Va., crane operator helps clear cars, planes after accidents.
February 22, 2005... Byline: Chip Jones Feb. 22--Lonnie Broyles always knew his son had a knack for mechanics. The only question was where young Phil Broyles would apply his talents. "Phil's always been involved in this kind of stuff," his father said...

Richmond Times-Dispatch, Va., American Trends column.
February 21, 2005... Byline: Gary Robertson Feb. 21--SKATEBOARDING RACKING UP NUMBERS IN POPULARITY: Some will ride once and forget it, but millions of others will join what has become one of the fastest-growing extreme sports. The Sports Goods...

Richmond Times-Dispatch, Va., Biz Buzz column.
February 21, 2005... Byline: Gregory J. Gilligan Feb. 21--RICHMONDERS DESIGN IPOD ACCESSORIES: Two Richmonders have joined the accessories mania that has arisen in recent months for the popular Apple iPod music player. Ed Loughran and Tim Adams have...

Richmond Times-Dispatch, Va., business briefs column.
February 21, 2005... Feb. 21--NEW BUSINESS/OPENINGS: --Norfolk-based law firm Vandeventer Black has opened an office at the Eighth and Main Building. --Bella Rosa Inc. has purchased the Karen Eagle Inc. store in the Short Pump area. The new firm will be...

Northrop Grumman branches beyond its best-known roles.
February 21, 2005... Byline: John Reid Blackwell Feb. 21--In a darkened room at an ordinary office building in Northern Virginia, a wide screen flashes scenes from a disaster scenario. In this simulation developed by defense contractor Northrop Grumman...

Richmond Times-Dispatch, Va., business briefs column.
February 21, 2005... Feb. 21--ACCOUNTING Yolanda Williams and Wendi Brockwell have been promoted to senior associates at Goodman & Co. James Fisher has joined Yount, Hyde & Barbour as a senior staff accountant. He had been with Cavanaugh Nelson & Co. ...

CFOs make magazine's list of the best in the country.
February 19, 2005... Byline: Carol Hazard Feb. 19--Chief financial officers for some of the largest Richmond area employers were ranked among America's best by Institutional Investor magazine. "The Best CFOs in America" were named in 62 industries. The...

Sprint Centel eliminates zone charges, senior citizen rate.
February 19, 2005... Byline: Greg Edwards Feb. 19--A plan by Sprint Centel to restructure its local phone rates has been approved by the State Corporation Commission. Included in the plan is the elimination of a 10 percent discount for senior citizens....

Airfare wars may lead to better service.
February 18, 2005... Byline: Chip Jones Feb. 18--Business travelers may see better customer service from airlines desperate to stop losing passengers to competing low-fare carriers. Kevin Mitchell, a national business-travel expert, delivered that bit...

Richmond Times-Dispatch, Va., business briefs column.
February 18, 2005... Feb. 18--United Dominion Realty Trust Inc. has approved a 2.6 percent increase in its common stock dividend for 2005, to $1.20 per share. "Our history of 29 consecutive years of dividend increases confirms our dedication to value...

New Pulaski plant will employ 200 workers.
February 17, 2005... Byline: Rex Bowman Feb. 17--An Australian maker of home-building materials announced yesterday that it will invest $98 million to build a plant in the town of Pulaski. The plant, which would be James Hardie Industries' largest in...

Circuit City to close 19 stores.
February 17, 2005... Byline: Gregory J. Gilligan Feb. 17--Circuit City Stores Inc. will close 19 stores, including one in Lynchburg, and its distribution center in northern Hanover County as the struggling retailer tries to boost its finances. The...

Colorado plane crash kills 4 Circuit City workers.
February 17, 2005... Feb. 17--A twin-engine corporate jet carrying eight people, including four employees from Richmond-based Circuit City Stores Inc., crashed in freezing drizzle near the Pueblo, Colo., airport yesterday morning. All eight died in the...

Richmond, Va.-based title insurance firm posts $30.4 million net income.
February 17, 2005... Byline: Bob Rayne Feb. 17--LandAmerica Financial Group Inc. posted fourth-quarter net income of $30.4 million, or $1.70 per share, compared with $24.7 million, or $1.32 per share, a year earlier. The Richmond title insurance and real...

RIC decks getting pretty full.
February 16, 2005... Byline: Chip Jones Feb. 16--It's getting harder to find a space in the parking deck at Richmond International Airport. "Parking decks are at least 25 percent fuller than I am used to seeing," said DeVoe Reagan, a frequent flier and...

First Market Bank stays in control.
February 16, 2005... Byline: Carol Hazard Feb. 16--First Market Bank has moved all its operations to Richmond, adding 48 jobs in the process. The Richmond-based bank was part of National Commerce Financial Corp. of Memphis, Tenn. In the world of...

Internet phoning bill fails.
February 16, 2005... Byline: Greg Edwards Feb. 16--A state Senate committee let a bill fail yesterday that would have excluded Internet phone calling from state regulation. Concerns about problems with emergency 911 services, protection of quality...

Split decision in newspaper case.
February 16, 2005... Byline: Bob Rayner Feb. 16--An independent labor arbitrator has come down on both sides of a dispute between the Richmond Times-Dispatch and the union that represents many of its newsroom employees. The dispute involves a handbook...

Keeping the park fit for a king.
February 16, 2005... Byline: Greg Edwards Feb. 16--Richard A. Zimmerman has his own broom and dustpan and knows how to use it. Not so unusual? Maybe, except that Zimmerman is the executive vice president and general manager of Paramount's Kings Dominion...

Highfields makes offer to purchase Circuit City.
February 16, 2005... Byline: Gregory J. Gilligan Feb. 16--Circuit City Stores Inc. has been put into play. One of the Richmond-based retailer's largest shareholders has offered to buy the struggling chain for $3.02 billion, Circuit City announced...

Senate panel weakens eminent-domain bills.
February 16, 2005... Byline: Greg Edwards Feb. 16--Two bills to put more bite into protections for landowners faced with loss of their property for the public good came out of a state Senate subcommittee yesterday missing some teeth. In a meeting room...

Virginia business group offers aid to returning veterans.
February 16, 2005... Feb. 16--An organization of business executives and entrepreneurs is offering help to military people who are returning to the business world after serving their country. Business owners returning from active duty can call on SCORE for...

Richmond Times-Dispatch, Va., business briefs column.
February 14, 2005... Byline: Linda Dunham Feb. 14--ACCOUNTING: Christopher W. Duvall and Qin "Emily" Zhang have joined Wells, Coleman & Co. as staff accountants. BANKING, INVESTMENTS: Beverly P. Whitman has joined Cary Street Partners as a...

Richmond Times-Dispatch, Va., Biz Buzz column.
February 14, 2005... Byline: Gregory J. Gilligan Feb. 14--BEV'S ICE CREAM OWNER PUTS FOCUS ON ONE STORE: Beverly Mazursky has made some changes to her Bev's Ice Cream business in Richmond. She is focusing locally only on her shop in Carytown, which was her...

Richmond Times-Dispatch, Va., Company News column.
February 14, 2005... Feb. 14--NEW BUSINESS/OPENINGS: Andy Marr is the ebusiness adviser with Flourish Ebusiness Strategies. The firm provides strategy planning for Web sites, online marketing and e-mail campaigns for businesses. The Web site is...

Richmond Times-Dispatch, Va., Business Honors column.
February 14, 2005... Feb. 14--C. Mason Hearn Jr. was named Businessperson of the Year by the Goochland County Chamber of Commerce. He is with HomeMasons Inc. Dr. Marc R. Katz has been appointed by the Society of Thoracic Surgeons as a member of the 2005-06...

Richmond Times-Dispatch, Va., Chip Jones column.
February 14, 2005... Byline: Chip Jones Feb. 14--If I ever have a beef with an airline, I hope I can show the tenacity of Morris W. Johnson. Johnson was one of the 129 passengers who had the misfortune of boarding American Airlines Flight 1239 on the...

'There is much to overcome' in recovery.
February 14, 2005... Byline: Chip Jones Feb. 14--Most towing work -- especially for cars -- is fairly cut and dried. But tractor-trailer recovery is not an exact science. "There's so much you have to overcome," said Phil Broyles, president of Broyles...

Richmond Times-Dispatch, Va., American Trends column.
February 14, 2005... Byline: Gary Robertson Feb. 14--Eat, drink and be merry. With 900,000 restaurants nationwide, eating and drinking out is easier than ever. Last year, the average American ate more than 80 sit-down meals and picked up nearly 120...

Richmond Times-Dispatch, Va., Speaking of Work column.
February 14, 2005... Byline: Wallace Johnston Feb. 14--Managers are always confronted with individuals who behave in dysfunctional ways. Far too often the behaviors are not dealt with. That usually results in more of the same. Managing is the process...

Wrecker service gains community's appreciation.
February 14, 2005... Byline: Chip Jones Feb. 14--Lonnie Broyles always knew his son had a knack for mechanics. The only question was where young Phil Broyles would apply his talents. "Phil's always been involved in this kind of stuff," his father said...

Capital One CEO honored as Va.'s Outstanding Industrialist.
February 12, 2005... Byline: Carol Hazard Feb. 12--The chairman and chief executive officer of Capital One Financial Corp. is Virginia's Outstanding Industrialist for 2005. Richard D. Fairbank was selected for the honor by Gov. Mark R. Warner and Science...

Consolidated Bank plans to merge.
February 12, 2005... Byline: Carol Hazard Feb. 12--Consolidated Bank & Trust will keep its name and mission but lose its title as one of the oldest continuously owned and operated black banks in the country. The Richmond-based bank, struggling for the...

U.S. agency finds no Dominion wrongdoing over report that jolted the gas market.
February 12, 2005... Byline: Greg Edwards Feb. 12--A federal agency has concluded its investigation of a reporting mistake by Dominion Transmission last fall that cost natural-gas markets an estimated $200 million to $1 billion. The staff of the Federal...

Chesterfield mall getting a makeover.
February 12, 2005... Byline: Gregory J. Gilligan Feb. 12--Chesterfield Towne Center mall will undergo some major changes this year. Department store retailer Dillard's is combining its two stores there into its larger location. Its store nearest to...

Verizon told to cut charges.
February 12, 2005... Byline: Greg Edwards Feb. 12--Verizon, the state's largest local phone company, must lower charges to long-distance companies for completing long-distance calls, the State Corporation Commission says. Consumers may see their...

Lower fares drawing fliers.
February 11, 2005... Byline: Chip Jones Feb. 11--Recent airline fare reductions appear to be bringing bargain-hunting passengers back to Richmond International Airport. "Right now there are more competitive fares than perhaps there have ever been --...

Lawmakers agree to energy study.
February 11, 2005... Byline: Greg Edwards Feb. 11--A panel of state lawmakers agreed yesterday to study the potential for renewable energy in Virginia if money can be found to pay for the work. Renewable energy includes wind and hydroelectric power and...

Richmond Times-Dispatch, Va., financial briefs column.
February 11, 2005... Feb. 11--FIRST CITIZENS BANK continues its expansion in Virginia with the opening Monday of its first office in Fredericksburg. The opening will bring the total number of First Citizens branches in Virginia to 51. The Fredericksburg...

Bill to stop deceptive logos OK'd.
February 11, 2005... Byline: Greg Edwards Feb. 11--A House of Delegates committee approved a bill yesterday that would make it a crime for anyone to deceptively use the logo or symbol of a bank or other financial institution in marketing material for another...

Overtime lawsuit expands.
February 11, 2005... Byline: Rex Bowman Feb. 11--ROANOKE -- A federal judge in Roanoke has granted class-action status to a Bedford County woman's lawsuit against Bank of America Corp. seeking back pay for overtime work. The ruling means that more than...

BB&T mutual fund ranks first in category.
February 10, 2005... Byline: Carol Hazard Feb. 10--The BB&T Special Opportunities Equity Fund, with investments managed by Scott & Stringfellow Inc. in Richmond, was the top-performing mutual fund in its category in 2004, according to Lipper Analytical...

Another breakdown of budget's gazillions.
February 10, 2005... Byline: Carol Hazard Feb. 10--Talk about fuzzy math. What about fuzzy numbers, like $2.57 trillion -- the size of the proposed federal budget? It's so big, it might as well be a gazillion dollars, for all most of us know. ...

Federal court's ruling has implications for Virginia electric consumers.
February 10, 2005... Byline: Greg Edwards Feb. 10--A federal court has ruled that a Kentucky law giving that state's residents priority when electric service has to be curtailed violates the U.S. Constitution's commerce clause. The ruling holds...

RV business is booming: Weekend expo here to showcase vehicle.
February 10, 2005... Byline: Melanie Mayhew Feb. 10--They're at the time in their lives when many of their peers are beginning to retire, but instead of relaxing, they're ready to roll. Today's baby boomers, a group that includes people born between...

Richmond Times-Dispatch, Va., business briefs column.
February 9, 2005... Feb. 9--COMCAST CABLE, which offers cable television services in Richmond and the surrounding metropolitan area, has announced that it has increased the speed of its cable Internet service. No charge is being made specifically for the...

Area travel agents blame vacation provider for halting flights from Richmond.
February 9, 2005... Byline: Chip Jones Feb. 9--The recently canceled nonstop flights from Richmond to Cancun, Mexico, did not fail because of apathy by area travelers or travel agencies, a number of local travel agents said. Instead, the agents...

Cyberspace pioneer sensed Internet's potential.
February 9, 2005... Byline: John Reid Blackwell Feb. 9--So what does "father of the Internet" Vinton G. Cerf think of the spam that's filling everyone's e-mail inbox? "Spam is a horrible thing. I hate it," said Cerf, who was one of the early developers...

Fox calls off Super Bowl spot filmed at billiard parlor here.
February 8, 2005... Byline: Bob Rayner Feb. 8--Dane Young's brief flicker of Super Bowl glory almost got doused by a big-time beer brawl. Young, owner of Bottom Billiards & Grill on North 18th Street, knew the Miller Lite commercial filmed at his...

Infineon's motion for dismissal denied.
February 8, 2005... Byline: John Reid Blackwell Feb. 8--A federal judge has rejected Infineon Technologies AG's motion for summary dismissal of Rambus Inc.'s patent-infringement lawsuit against the company. U.S. District Judge Robert Payne issued the...

Woman who experienced loss creates Comfort Zone Camp.
February 8, 2005... Byline: Linda Dunham Feb. 8--Lynne Hughes is no stranger to sorrow. Her life revolves around it. But she is not a sad person, and this is not a sad story. She has taken her personal tragedy and with her husband, Kelly, created...

Bill banning indoor smoking advances.
February 8, 2005... Byline: John Reid Blackwell Feb. 8--The Virginia Senate moved closer yesterday to passing a bill that would ban smoking in most indoor, public places in the state. The legislation, Senate Bill 1191, sponsored by Sen. Bill Mims,...

Richmond Times-Dispatch, Va., business briefs column.
February 7, 2005... Feb. 7--ACCOUNTING At Keiter, Stephens, Hurst, Gary & Shreaves: Donald Pinkleton and Todd King have joined the tax and business consulting group. Pinkleton is a manager. Richard W. Lewis and Mary E. Elliott have joined the business...

Richmond Times-Dispatch, Va., Biz Buzz column.
February 7, 2005... Byline: Gregory J. Gilligan Feb. 7--Padow's Hams and Deli Inc. has been on a growth spurt during the past eight years with plans for more. Padow's has grown from three company-owned delis in only the Richmond area in 1986 to 13 shops...

Richmond Times-Dispatch, Va., Company News column.
February 7, 2005... Feb. 7--Christopher A. Enright has opened an accounting and tax firm at 8545 Patterson Ave. The firm will specialize in individual taxation, business accounting and tax consulting and preparation. The Inn at Three Bridge, 3081 Three...

From Chesterfield to Iraq, Logistics2020 helps U.S. keep supply chain in force.
February 7, 2005... Byline: Jeffrey Kelley Feb. 7--The C-17 Globemaster III's tires screeched onto the bombed-out runway of Baghdad International Airport as it roared into an unstable war zone and 127 degrees Fahrenheit of dry heat. It was June 27, 2003...

PartnerMD finds customers willing to pay more for individualized health care.
February 7, 2005... Byline: Delanie Mayhew Feb. 7--Sometimes the most stressful part of going to the doctor's office is sitting in the waiting room, not anticipating the prick of a needle or a dreaded diagnosis. Patients complain that they spend more...

Peer pressure to not smoke is the subject of VCU study.
February 7, 2005... Byline: John Reid Blackwell Feb. 7--As Virginia lawmakers debate a possible statewide ban on indoor smoking, others are putting their time into an ongoing effort to reduce the smoking rate among teenagers and children in the...

Richmond Times-Dispatch, Va., American Trends column.
February 7, 2005... Byline: Gary Robertson Feb. 7--Is the doctor in? Increasingly, it depends on who's asking. In the best of times, going to see a doctor often has involved long, long waits in (what else?) the waiting room. Overworked doctors and...

Richmond Times-Dispatch, Va., Speaking of Work column.
February 7, 2005... Byline: Wallace Johnston Feb. 7--Are teams always necessary? For some managers teams are not good because they like to do the work themselves. As a matter of fact, if some had their choice they would do it all themselves. Those are...

Richmond Times-Dispatch, Va., business briefs column.
February 5, 2005... Feb. 5--Saxon Capital Inc. reported fourth-quarter net income of $30.1 million, or 60 cents per share, compared with $20.2 million, or 66 cents per share, a year before. Net revenue was $58.0 million, compared with $57.9 million a year...