Benoit and Baker: Let's finish the job on the Bay
As the official start of summer approaches and throngs of area residents begin heading to the beach, the air is full of anticipation and hope: hope that the water will be clean enough to swim in, hope that the beach hasn’t washed away, and hope that there will be tasty crabs and shellfish to eat. […]
New Survey: Taxmageddon Paralyzes Business Plans
When it comes to taxes and economic growth, the most visible battle cry among businesses is to slash tax rates. Multiple business advocacy organizations and a string of Republican lawmakers say dropping the top federal U.S. corporate rate from 35 percent to 25 percent would boost U.S. companies to hire, invest, and compete globally. For […]
Do wellness incentive plans really reduce costs?
Corporate America has jumped on the wellness trend with both feet, but is it a leap worth taking? Germany has more experience with wellness incentives, so researchers affiliated with the Commonwealth Fund looked there for clues about what effect wellness incentive plans could have in the U.S. Considering that federal health reform allows for the […]
Chubb and Moe: Higher Education's Online Revolution
At the recent news conference announcing edX, a $60 million Harvard-MIT partnership in online education, university leaders spoke of reaching millions of new students in India, China and around the globe. They talked of the “revolutionary” potential of online learning, hailing it as the “single biggest change in education since the printing press.” Heady talk […]
P2P Lending and Crowdfunding – Explore the New Frontier for Small Business Lending
Looking for capital to start or grow your business? Sometimes, even with a solid idea and business plan, finding third party financing can be a challenge for many small business owners. So where are startups and growing businesses finding the funds they need? According to a Kauffman Firm Survey, one-third of young firms do not […]
Insurers forcing patients to pay more for costly specialty drugs
Thousands of patients in California and across the nation who take expensive prescription drugs every month for cancer, rheumatoid arthritis and other ailments are facing sticker shock at the pharmacy. Until recently, most of these patients typically paid modest co-pays for the advanced drugs. But increasingly, Anthem Blue Cross, Aetna and other insurers are shifting […]
As Virginia looks at whether uranium can be mined safely, critics voice concern
But some critics complain that the study, which is expected to be completed by the end of the year, is being conducted behind closed doors with little input from the public. Virginia Uranium, a company that wants to mine the site, had lobbied aggressively to lift a three-decade ban on uranium mining this year, flying […]
Invenergy's Roanoke Co. plan delayed until 2015
The sight of wind turbines atop Roanoke County’s highest mountain — a view dreamed of by some and dreaded by others — is at least three years away. Invenergy, a Chicago-based wind energy company with plans to build 15 to 18 giant windmills on Poor Mountain, has pushed its target date to 2015. The company, […]
Public supports Chesapeake bay cleanup, wants more specifics
RICHMOND, Va. — People in the Richmond area got a chance Wednesday to comment on Virginia’s latest plan for cleaning the Chesapeake Bay. But local actions are so unclear, some speakers said, there’s not a lot to react to. “What needs to happen is, steps need to be taken,” said Margaret “Peggy” Sanner, senior attorney […]
APM Terminals wants to run Virginia ports
Global port operator APM Terminals has proposed running most of the state’s port facilities under a long-term deal with the Virginia Port Authority. Under an unsolicited proposal announced Wednesday, APM Terminals also would transfer ownership of its Portsmouth terminal to the state, pay concession fees, make additional capital investments and provide a share of the […]
