Richmond Times-Dispatch (Richmond, VA) articles from November 2006

Richmond Times-Dispatch (Richmond, VA) archives from November 2006

Business integrity honored.(Company overview)
November 30, 2006... Byline: John Reid Blackwell Nov. 30--Treat the customer right, and do what you say you're going to do. Those may be platitudes, but that's what good business comes down to for the local winners of this year's Torch Awards, which...

Virginia Farm Bureau elects leader.
November 30, 2006... Byline: Greg Edwards Nov. 30--Goochland County farmer Wayne Pryor is the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation's new president. He succeeds Bruce Hiatt of Carroll County, who served the past eight years. Pryor, who ran unopposed, was...

Jobless rate in Va. at 5-year low.
November 30, 2006... Byline: John Reid Blackwell Nov. 30--Virginia's unemployment rate in October fell to its lowest level in more than five years. Despite layoffs in the automotive industry, the state's seasonally unadjusted jobless rate was 2.7...

Economy shows slowdown signs.
November 29, 2006... Byline: Bob Rayner Nov. 29--The U.S. economy is showing more signs of a slowdown, after three years of above average growth -- and that may not be an entirely negative development. Reports yesterday showed a dip in consumer optimism...

Appalachian secures higher rates.
November 29, 2006... Byline: Greg Edwards Nov. 29--Appalachian Power Co. will raise its rates Jan. 1 to produce an additional $38.7 million to cover its increased cost for fuel used to generate electricity. It is the second rate increase the State...

Airport fuel-safety plan questioned.
November 29, 2006... Byline: Chip Jones Nov. 29--Executives at the two fueling and aviation firms serving Richmond International Airport say the airport administration is overreacting to two collisions between fuel trucks and jets this year. Officials...

Homegrown renewable energy sources critical to future, Washington grower says.
November 29, 2006... Byline: Calvin Trice Nov. 29--HOT SPRINGS -- Farmers thinking about their future should plan to grow for fuel as well as for food, a Washington state grower told Virginia farmers this week. America will need farmers to produce...

Richmond Times-Dispatch, Va., Biz Buzz column.(Column)
November 27, 2006... Byline: Gregory J. Gilligan Nov. 27--OK, PICTURE THIS SHOP HELPS PRESERVE MEMORIES: Tabitha Geary got an idea for a budding business from her mother. Two years ago, her mother didn't know what to get Geary's five children for Christmas....

A youthful interest in taxidermy has grown into a full-time career.
November 26, 2006... Byline: Iris Taylor Nov. 26--Vibrant fall leaves rustled in the trees and fluttered onto the roadway along the winding stretch of Mill Road in Powhatan County leading to Whistling Wings Farm. Jason Barham and his father, Frankie...

Richmond Times-Dispatch, Va., Tech Notes column.
November 26, 2006... Byline: Jeffrey Kelley Nov. 26--VELOCITY MICRO GETS BOOST WHEN CARRIED BY BEST BUY: Velocity Micro is growing at a macro velocity. The Chesterfield County-based high-end computer maker can give thanks to Best Buy Co. Inc., which now...

Shopping on Black Friday something of a family affair.
November 25, 2006... Nov. 25--On a day of frenzied commerce, plenty of folks were buying. Others, though, engaged in the genteel art of shopping. Virginia Spratley of Richmond chose the latter. She bought a few cosmetics for herself. But she spent much...

Consignment shops lure buyers looking for deals, slower pace on Black Friday.
November 25, 2006... Byline: Olympia Meola Nov. 25--Wal-Mart had $69 flat-screen TVs for sale yesterday, but the frenzy to get one was a turn-off for some area shoppers. Instead, they sought the relative tranquility of local thrift and consignment...

Christmas tree farms will open.
November 24, 2006... Byline: Greg Edwards Nov. 24--The day after Thanksgiving is one of the busiest shopping days but it's also when many Virginia cut-your-own Christmas tree farms open their gates for the season. That holds true for the Olde Church...

Retailers gear up for Cyber Monday.
November 24, 2006... Byline: Jeffrey Kelley Nov. 24--Ready. Set. Surf. The start of the Internet's holiday shopping season begins tomorrow, a day the National Retail Federation's Shop.org has coined "Cyber Monday." It's a day when consumers, perhaps...

Tomorrow is likely to be the busiest shopping day of the year, experts say.
November 23, 2006... Byline: Gregory J. Gilligan Nov. 23--Packed malls. Jammed parking lots. Cranky shoppers. Long lines. Shoppers brave enough to venture out to stores and shopping centers tomorrow most likely will be part of the busiest shopping day of...

Comcast TV rates going up in January.
November 23, 2006... Byline: Jeffrey Kelley Nov. 23--Comcast customers in the Richmond area will pay more for cable TV starting at the first of the year. Monthly rates for full standard analog service will increase 5.5 percent in the metro area, from...

Goodyear strikers get support.
November 22, 2006... Byline: Jamie C. Ruff Nov. 22--DANVILLE -- State and national labor activists told striking Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. workers yesterday that "you're right and the company is wrong" and predicted the workers will win. "We will fight...

Southwest sees bid for Delta as a chance at Richmond, inroads on East Coast.
November 22, 2006... Byline: Chip Jones Nov. 22--Southwest Airlines is eyeing expansion on the East Coast, but officials at the Dallas-based carrier were cautious yesterday about reviving hopes that the carrier might serve Richmond. Richmond "definitely...

Thanksgiving in Virginia a bit more pricey.
November 22, 2006... Byline: Bob Rayner Nov. 22--The traditional Thanksgiving dinner remains pleasingly affordable, as long as you're prepared to fix it at home. Still, it's a bit more expensive than last year. A typical turkey dinner, complete with...

Passenger traffic at Richmond, Va., airport set to ramp up.
November 21, 2006... Byline: Chip Jones Nov. 21--The busiest travel week of the year started out slowly at Richmond's airport. "It has not been bad traffic," skycap Adrian Young said shortly after 7 a.m. yesterday. Standing curbside on the new...

Richmond Times-Dispatch, Va., Biz Buzz column.(Column)
November 20, 2006... Byline: Gregory J. Gilligan Nov. 20--MRS. MARSHALL'S OWNER TESTS BARBECUE SAUCE: Frances Daniel tried to figure out one night about a year ago what to do with some leftover chicken. "There are a lot of commercial barbecue sauces out...

Richmond Times-Dispatch, Va., Consumer Watch column.
November 19, 2006... Byline: Iris Taylor Nov. 19--BUYER BEWARE ON EXTENDED WARRANTIES: Consumers, are you getting ready to snap up some really cool gifts and gadgets for friends and family? Don't waste money on worthless extended warranties, warned...

Sailing electronic seas.
November 19, 2006... Byline: Jeffrey Kelley Nov. 19--You can read the numbers that say consumer electronics spending this holiday season may hit $21 billion, up from $17 billion last year. Or, you can put the $21 billion figure into TERMS A BIT MORE...

Richmond Times-Dispatch, Va., Minding Your Business column.(Column)
November 19, 2006... Byline: Iris Taylor Nov. 19--ESTABLISH ROUTINE SAVINGS DESPITE IRREGULAR INCOME: How can you sock away money if, as a consultant, freelancer, artist or other self-employed person, your income always fluctuates? One month, you earn a...

Bridge work diverts rail traffic here.
November 18, 2006... Byline: Chip Jones Nov. 18--CSX Corp. is diverting some freight traffic through Richmond after the discovery this week of a defective bridge span in Washington. No long-term backups at CSX's Acca Yard have occurred because of the...

Consumers race to meet digital deadline.
November 18, 2006... Byline: Gregory J. Gilligan Nov. 18--D-Day is two years away. Consumers, retailers, manufacturers and broadcasters continue to prepare for Feb. 17, 2009, when the nation's analog broadcasts will stop working. After that, all...

Driving tips for the holiday travel rush.
November 18, 2006... Nov. 18--ROAD AND REALITY CHECK: Before your trip, take your car to a mechanic. If you car is old, consider renting one for the trip. PREPARE FOR THE WORST: Create an emergency kit for the car, or if you have one, update it. It should...

Expanded housing choices are sought.
November 18, 2006... Byline: Bob Rayner Nov. 18--Julissa Guillen accomplished one of her long-term goals this week: She became a homeowner. The Richmond police officer has rented a place in the city for the past seven years. How did she manage the...

Va. leadership web in the works.
November 18, 2006... Byline: John Reid Blackwell Nov. 18--In her own community, Susan B. Horne has leadership roles. She is vice mayor of the town of Leesburg and president and chief executive officer of Leadership Fairfax Inc. And for two days in each...

More big stores due in Chesterfield.
November 18, 2006... Byline: Gregory J. Gilligan Nov. 18--More big-store retailers are heading to western Chesterfield County. The planned Hancock Village, to be at the southwest corner of Hull Street and Winterpock Road, calls for: -- Wal-Mart to build...

SEC subpoenas Genworth Financial in bid-rigging probe.
November 18, 2006... Nov. 18--Genworth Financial Inc. has received subpoenas from the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Department of Justice related to a broad investigation of bid-rigging involving guaranteed investment contracts sold to...

Thanksgiving travel expected to rise this year.
November 18, 2006... Byline: Chip Jones Nov. 18--Regency Tire & Auto was too quiet for its owner's taste. People were buying tires, gas and oil yesterday, but not enough to satisfy Ronnie Jeter, who owns the service station on Three Chopt Road in...

A clean, attractive city.
November 17, 2006... Byline: Carol Hazard Nov. 17--Babies in sleek buggies are pushed by hip young parents. More and more school-age children play at city parks. "These are kids whose parents could live anywhere," said Carol Coletta, a passionate...

Could proposed merger help RIC?
November 17, 2006... Byline: Chip Jones Nov. 17--Amid concerns about a loss of local airline competition, an aviation consultant said yesterday that US Airways Group's bid for Delta Air Lines could help expand Richmond's low-fare flights. "Ultimately,...

New owner for Windsor House.
November 17, 2006... Byline: Carol Hazard Nov. 17--Thomas E. "Teddy" Gottwald, chief executive of NewMarket Corp., and wife Ann Parker won the bid for the Windsor House -- to the relief of residents in this established Richmond neighborhood. "I plan to...

Napier to serve as president -- of Va. home builders' group.
November 17, 2006... Byline: Carol Hazard Nov. 17--The market for new homes has slowed along with the rest of the housing industry. But it is still strong, said Rich Napier, newly elected president of the Home Builders Association of Virginia. "The...

Saxon Capital to merge with Morgan Stanley by December.
November 17, 2006... Nov. 17--Saxon Capital Inc., a Glen Allen-based residential mortgage lending and servicing real estate investment trust, said yesterday that the pending merger with Morgan Stanley Mortgage Capital Inc. is expected to be completed in early...

Southern States pursues changes.
November 16, 2006... Byline: Greg Edwards Nov. 16--A theme at Southern States Cooperative Inc.'s annual meeting yesterday was the farmer-owned business's continued adjustment to changes in population and farming. A common thread since the 1990s has been...

Utility will buy foreign coal.
November 16, 2006... Byline: Greg Edwards Nov. 16--Virginia is a coal-producing state, but it is importing coal, too. In January, Dominion Virginia Power plans to begin buying coal from foreign sources to fulfill the needs of its Chesapeake Energy Center...

Founder of JetBlue pushes for finding alternative fuel.
November 15, 2006... Byline: Chip Jones Nov. 15--JetBlue Airways is known for leather seats, satellite TV and blue potato chips. Now the low-fare carrier, which inaugurated Richmond-to-New York service in March, has taken on a new cause: energy...

North Anna unit gets repair.
November 15, 2006... Byline: Greg Edwards Nov. 15--Dominion Virginia Power idled a nuclear unit at its North Anna Power Station over the weekend to repair two leaks, one of them in the reactor cooling system. Spokesman Richard Zuercher described the...

No details on Windsor bids.
November 15, 2006... Byline: Carol Hazard Nov. 15--Bank of America was mum yesterday about the number and value of sealed bids it received for a controversial piece of property in Windsor Farms, a tony neighborhood in Richmond's West End. The deadline...

Union rallies outside mill in Covington.
November 14, 2006... Byline: John Reid Blackwell Nov. 14--Union workers at MeadWestvaco Corp.'s Covington mill demonstrated outside the plant yesterday, protesting what a union official called the company's failure to negotiate in good faith in contract...

Tech event to spotlight energy.
November 14, 2006... Byline: Greg Edwards Nov. 14--Virginia Tech plans to showcase the latest in Virginia-based energy research and energy-related environmental research this month. The event in Blacksburg on Nov. 29-30 will provide a chance for...

Richmond Times-Dispatch, Va., Biz Buzz column.(Column)
November 13, 2006... Byline: Gregory J. Gilligan Nov. 13--RETAILER UNLEASHES FIREDOG, SAYS GOOD-BYE TO IQ CREW: Circuit City has unleashed its new green dog mascot as the Richmond-based retailer jumps into the technology services business. The chain's new...

Richmond Times-Dispatch, Va., Chip Jones column.
November 13, 2006... Byline: Chip Jones Nov. 13--Greg Wingfield was hustling to catch an early-morning plane at Richmond's airport when he noticed something new. "It's looks like a real airport," said Wingfield, president of the Greater Richmond...

Richmond Times-Dispatch, Va., American Trends column.
November 13, 2006... Byline: Gary Robertson Nov. 13--THINK THE MAIL IS HEADED FOR EXTINCTION? NOT SO FAST: Snail mail. That's the derisive term that e-mail devotees gave to regular mail. Many were predicting that the Internet would kill the U.S. Postal...

Feb. 17, 2009: The day no analog will work.
November 12, 2006... Byline: Gregory J. Gilligan Nov. 12--D-Day is two years away. Consumers, retailers, manufacturers and broadcasters continue to prepare for Feb. 17, 2009, when the nation's analog broadcasts will stop working. After that, all...

Richmond Times-Dispatch, Va., Consumer Watch column.(Column)
November 12, 2006... Byline: Iris Taylor Nov. 12--MORE TIPS FOR TRACING KIDS' TRACKS ON WEB: Readers such as Kamen Gordon of Richmond read my Oct. 29 column on tips to protect kids on the Web and expressed concerns about two issues. First, the article...

Digital TV sales rise as prices fall.
November 12, 2006... Byline: Gregory J. Gilligan Nov. 12--Consumers, broadcasters and retailers are rapidly jumping onboard the digital bandwagon. Sales of digital television sets have increased as prices continue to fall. About 19.7 million digital...

Things to consider when buying a big-screen, high-definition TV.
November 12, 2006... Byline: Jeffrey Kelley Nov. 12--So you've decided to plunk down big bucks on a new high-definition television, one of those plasma, LCD or DLP things you keep hearing about. The pictures that HDTV bestows upon its couch potatoes are...

Richmond Times-Dispatch, Va., Tech Notes column.
November 12, 2006... Byline: Jeffrey Kelley Nov. 12--ST. CHRISTOPHER'S GRAD MAKES MONEY IN HIS SLEEP: One of the most romantic things a man can do is watch the woman he loves while she sleeps. Lee Loree did this several times a few years ago with wife...

Setup determines use of television connection cables.
November 12, 2006... Byline: Jeffrey Kelley Nov. 12--Television cables: to buy or not to buy? Once you have the HD set-top box from the cable or satellite company, you'll also need the correct cords to connect the box to the TV. You can buy these...

Richmond Times-Dispatch, Va., Boomers column.(Column)
November 11, 2006... Byline: Bob Raynor Nov. 11--SMART FIRMS WILL LEARN HOW TO APPEAL TO OVER-50 CROWD: Most boomers have lived at least five decades. Yep, sometime in the past year, the number of baby boomers who are 50 or older surpassed the number who...

Holiday shopping gets earlier.
November 11, 2006... Byline: Gregory J. Gilligan Nov. 11--Attention early-bird shoppers: Set your alarms even earlier this year to get a head start on gift buying the day after Thanksgiving. To capture more sales on Black Friday, more malls and stores...

Journalist takes aim at media, bloggers.
November 11, 2006... Byline: Bob Rayner Nov. 11--Helen Thomas, veteran White House correspondent and columnist, is famous for asking hard questions, but she can unleash some pretty tough answers, too. Thomas critiqued national news reporting, bloggers,...

Game time nears for the PlayStation 3.
November 11, 2006... Byline: Jeffrey Kelley Nov. 11--If you yearn to possess a PlayStation 3 on Friday, Garth Callaghan is a guy you'll need to beat to the punch. The Henrico County resident and his business partner plan on getting in line at the Circuit...

Inland port is sailing toward full potential.
November 11, 2006... Byline: Chip Jones Nov. 11--When Marty Moynihan watched two cargo ships passing each other in the James River this week, the Port of Richmond's chief couldn't help but smile. "It was a good day for the port," he said. "We're...

Power company seeks electricity rate increase for Virginia customers.
November 10, 2006... Byline: Greg Edwards Nov. 10--Appalachian Power Co. has asked the State Corporation Commission to approve a rate increase to cover the added cost of the fuel its uses to generate electricity. Appalachian serves 500,000 customers in...

Stars shine for Jefferson Hotel.
November 10, 2006... Byline: Greg Edwards Nov. 10--The Mobil Travel Guide has awarded The Jefferson Hotel in Richmond its prestigious five-star rating for the seventh consecutive year. The list contains only 37 hotels, inns and resorts throughout North...

Mead's arrival may be windfall.
November 10, 2006... Nov. 10--MeadWestvaco Corp.'s decision to locate its corporate headquarters in downtown Richmond could give the city an investment of up to $100 million. "It solidifies the city's position of being the corporate and financial hub of the...

This stable's fate is unstable.
November 10, 2006... Byline: Carol Hazard Nov. 10--Chris and Kat Costello never have trouble finding a place to park, even though they live in the middle of Virginia Commonwealth University. They park in their house -- the front part, that is, in what...

Airport to review drop-offs at new terminal.
November 9, 2006... Byline: Chip Jones Nov. 9--Can motorists and commercial vehicles co-exist in front of the new terminal at Richmond International Airport? That's a question airport officials hope to answer starting Monday with a 30-day traffic test....

State-contract event offers tips for small businesses.
November 9, 2006... Byline: Greg Edwards Nov. 9--Minority, female and small-business owners turned out yesterday to learn about doing business with the state and meet with agencies about potential contracts. The office of the Secretary of Commerce and...

Ex-firefighter brothers' themed sub-shop chain expands into Henrico.
November 9, 2006... Byline: John Reid Blackwell Nov. 9--Chris and Robin Sorensen have firefighting and business in their blood. The brothers are former firefighters, like their father, Rob, who served 43 years with the Jacksonville, Fla., department...

Richmond Times-Dispatch, Va., Earnings column.(Column)
November 9, 2006... Byline: Greg Edwards Nov. 9--RICHMOND-AREA JAMES RIVER COAL CO: James River Coal Co. reported a third-quarter net loss of $8.4 million, or 53 cents per share. That compares with a net loss of $2.2 million, or 14 cents per share, for the...

Passenger rail funding sought.
November 9, 2006... Byline: Chip Jones Nov. 9--Faced with chronic delays of Amtrak passenger trains, a leading rail-advocacy group is calling for more funds to fix the problem. Virginians for High Speed Rail urged the governor's rail-advisory board...

Bank of Richmond cites loan growth for rise in net income.
November 8, 2006... Nov. 8--The Bank of Richmond said yesterday that net income rose nearly 38 percent from the third quarter of 2005. The company attributed the increase to solid net interest margin fueled by loan growth. Profit was $556,000, or 31 cents...

Tardy flights plague Delta.
November 8, 2006... Byline: Chip Jones Nov. 8--Delta Air Lines has touted its decision to fly jets, rather than turboprop planes, between Richmond and New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport. The jets, which started flying in July, don't appear...

Video firm Metro Productions moving to new facility.
November 8, 2006... Byline: Bob Rayner Nov. 8--Metro Productions is bringing a little Hollywood flash this week to a normally quiet office park in Henrico County. The film, video and multimedia production company, which is based in Hampton, will be...

Teens learn money's ins and outs.
November 8, 2006... Byline: Julian Walker Nov. 8--Larahn Stewart is a married father of two children, ages 2 and 8, works in the clothing industry, earns an annual salary exceeding $63,000 and has to balance his family's budget. Those are pretty weighty...

Uniquely qualified for leadership.
November 7, 2006... Byline: Bob Rayner Nov. 7--The first inkling that he might have a future in finance came to Michael Williams when he was a teenager growing up on Church Hill in Richmond. "That came from my godfather," Williams said. "He piqued my...

Flying across time zones, shift work can take a toll on health, study suggests.
November 7, 2006... Byline: A.J. Hostetler Nov. 7--Chronic jet lag and shift changes can take a deadly toll on the elderly, University of Virginia biologists observed in a new study. Aged mice whose night and day were manipulated to simulate jet lag or...

Virginia Power moves forward with plans for a third reactor.
November 6, 2006... Byline: Greg Edwards Nov. 6--MINERAL -- About a year from now, Dominion Virginia Power plans to apply for a license to build and operate a third nuclear reactor at its North Anna power station near here. By then, says Eugene...

Richmond Times-Dispatch, Va., Biz Buzz column.
November 6, 2006... Byline: Gregory J. Gilligan Nov. 6--DISCO SPORTS TAKES SPACE OF ONCE-POPULAR EATERY: Karen Held-Lynn constantly hears the comments about the new space for her family's Disco Sports store. The sporting-goods shop moved about 10 days ago...

Richmond Times-Dispatch, Va., American Trends column.
November 6, 2006... Byline: Gary Robertson Nov. 6--COMPANIES GIVE PROMOTIONS FOR THE SAME JOB DUTIES: A promotion is . . . ? That may be what a lot of executives are asking themselves these days, according to a new study by Korn/Ferry International. ...

Three structures receive architecture honors.
November 4, 2006... Byline: Carol Hazard Nov. 4--A Virginia Tech solar house, Richmond City Hall and a clapboard house in Williamsburg took the top three architecture awards in a statewide competition. The Virginia Society of the American Institute of...

Progress on area affordable housing examined.
November 4, 2006... Byline: Carol Hazard Nov. 4--Some people call it work-force housing. Here's what affordable-housing advocates want you to know: Affordable housing is not housing projects, nor is it subsidized. It's good, decent housing for people...

Tappahannock-based bank plans stock sale.
November 4, 2006... Nov. 4--Eastern Virginia Bankshares Inc. has filed a registration statement with regulators for the proposed public offering of 1 million shares of common stock. The terms of the sale will be disclosed in a prospectus, available from...

PFOA found at plant.
November 4, 2006... Byline: John Reid Blackwell Nov. 4--DuPont said yesterday that it found "low levels" of the chemical PFOA in water samples from the James River and two creeks near a company plant in Chesterfield County. The controversial, man-made...

Defamation suit reinstated by state court.
November 4, 2006... Byline: Michael Hardy Nov. 4--Jay Tronfeld, a well-known personal injury lawyer in the Richmond area, has won high court backing to reinstate his defamation lawsuit against an insurance company and one of its workers. The Supreme...

Richmond, Va., firm makes long-distance IPO worth it for Chinese.
November 4, 2006... Byline: Jeffrey Kelley Nov. 4--To get from the land with the Great Wall to the city with Wall Street, one Chinese company stopped in Richmond first. Local investment banking firm Anderson & Strudwick Inc. completed underwriting of...

Dominion plan gets mixed reaction.
November 4, 2006... Byline: Greg Edwards Nov. 4--Not all of Wall Street was impressed by Dominion Resources Inc.'s plans to sell its natural-gas and oil exploration and production business. Overall, though, the news of the sale was well-received by...

North Anna water dispute.
November 4, 2006... Byline: Greg Edwards Nov. 4--BUMPASS -- The leader of a residents' group thinks state officials may have intentionally blocked questions about a proposed third nuclear reactor on Lake Anna. Harry Ruth of Friends of Lake Anna says...