Wednesday, May 6WATCHFUL EYE

Business

Schools, retailers, & players benefit from record year for Virginia Lottery, reports Youngkin
No Comments
Biz & Life, Business, News

Schools, retailers, & players benefit from record year for Virginia Lottery, reports Youngkin

Governor Glenn Youngkin is celebrating a record year for Virginia Lottery that reportedly resulted in record benefits for schools, retailers, and players. Although the exact figures aren't final, Youngkin’s office announced that, during Fiscal Year 2024, which ended June 30, Virginia Lottery had record sales of over $5.5 billion including retail, website, and app sales. “Approximately 10 percent of Virginia’s K-12 education budget comes from Virginia Lottery profits that assist in funding public schools,” a statement from the Governor said. The record sales will lead to over $934 million for the state’s education system. According to Younkin’s office that’s the highest education contribution in the Lottery’s 36-year history. “I am so thrilled these record profits will help prov...
Read More
After South Hill fire, DEQ confirms water contamination, air testing remains underway
No Comments
Biz & Life, Business, News

After South Hill fire, DEQ confirms water contamination, air testing remains underway

A multi-faceted response operation is still underway a week after fire ripped through a Nutrien Ag Solutions warehouse in South Hill. On July 6, a vehicle crashed into two propane tanks next to the warehouse, and one ruptured, DEQ reported. The propane ignited and spread to the Nutrien facility at 501 W. Danville St. where chemicals are stored. (Photo: South Hill VFD) Water contamination The South Hill Fire Department used several hundred thousand gallons of water to fight to the fire, said DEQ. The emergency responders weren’t able to stop the runoff, which included the chemicals. Nutrient Ag Solutions’ response contractor didn’t begin began collecting water running off the site until after the fire was extinguished, DEQ noted. But it was too late. The firefighters’ wate...
Read More
VA ABC hosting grand opening today for new Northern Virginia store
No Comments
Business, News, What & Where

VA ABC hosting grand opening today for new Northern Virginia store

Virginia ABC is holding a grand opening ceremony today, May 29, for its new store at 825 S. Washington St. in Alexandria. This new VA ABC location, Store 119, is in the South Washington Street Shopping Center. According to the Authority, it’s 3,700-square-foot store and will offer more than 1,500 different products. Store 119 hours are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday. This is the 8th Virginia ABC in Alexandria. “As Virginia ABC celebrates its 90th anniversary this year, we are proud to serve all Virginians by generating revenues from new stores like this one that help make the commonwealth the best place to live, work and raise a family,” said CEO Dale Farino. According to Farino, Virginia ABC has returned more than $2.9 billion to th...
Read More
VA General Assembly update: HB 721, an anti-rent gouging bill, moves forward
No Comments
Biz & Life, Business, News

VA General Assembly update: HB 721, an anti-rent gouging bill, moves forward

HB 721 “aims to protect Virginians against rent gouging practices,” said Delegate Nadarius Clark, who introduced the bill. If passed, HB 721 will give localities the ability to adopt anti-rent gouging provisions and an anti-rent gouging board. Notice would have to be provided and a public hearing held before a locality adopted its measures. The bill also requires landlords to provide at least two months written notice of a rent increase. Additionally, a rent increase couldn’t exceed the locality calculated allowance. And the allowance would be set at equal to the annual increase in the Consumer Price Index or 7%, whichever is less. An allowance would remain in place for a 12-month period. “Changing economies, inflation, and gentrified neighborhoods have provided the environment...
Read More
CHKD agrees to $68k civil penalty for claims, including missing fentanyl syringes
No Comments
Biz & Life, Business, News

CHKD agrees to $68k civil penalty for claims, including missing fentanyl syringes

Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters, commonly called CHKD, agreed to pay $68,400 to settle civil penalty claims accusing the hospital of violating the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), the Office of the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia (EDVA) announced. The federal government alleged that “CHKD failed to comply with various recordkeeping requirements” mandated for DEA registrants who handle controlled substances. Providing some specifics, EDVA said the government accused the Norfolk-based hospital of having prescription drugs deliveries coming to a warehouse that wasn’t registered with the DEA between late March 2021 and December 2021. In addition, the EDVA alleged that those deliveries included a shipment of 200 one-milliliter fentanyl syringes, and CHKD ...
Read More
Canceled wind project cancels promise for hundreds of Portsmouth jobs
No Comments
Biz & Life, Business, News

Canceled wind project cancels promise for hundreds of Portsmouth jobs

Another glorified wind energy project has made its way to the chopping block. Siemens Gamesa canceled its plan to build “the first offshore wind turbine blade facility in the United States” in Portsmouth. In October 2021, amid the launch ceremony for the project, the European turbine maker announced it had signed a long-term lease with the Virginia Port Authority for over 80 acres at the Portsmouth Marine Terminal. According to the company, a $200 million project lie ahead that included over $80 million in investment for buildings and equipment at the Terminal. The company was so bullish and confident that it said, “Siemens Gamesa will look to potentially expand the facility if awarded future projects in the region, creating additional jobs in the future.” The jobs the Portsmou...
Read More
5 days: New Castle former nurse sentenced in federal drug conspiracy
No Comments
Business, Crime, News

5 days: New Castle former nurse sentenced in federal drug conspiracy

Debra Kay Shaffer’s involvement in a white-collar drug conspiracy earned her less than a week of jailtime. Under a plea bargain, Shaffer, a 71-year-old New Castle woman, pled guilty to one count of using the DEA Registration number of another for prescribing substances. An XDEA number is a unique identifier assigned to a medical provider who is approved to prescribe buprenorphine for opioid addition. In court documents, Shaffer admitted that while she was working as a nurse practitioner for L5 Medical, which operated a chain of pain clinics, she would use the XDEA number of doctors associated the clinics to write prescriptions for Suboxone under their name. She “regularly” saw opioid addiction patients and doled out prescriptions on days when no one authorized to write prescrip...
Read More