The State Corporation Commission has closed an investigation to address errors in Verizon’s telephone directories. Here is a press release from the SCC:

RICHMOND – The State Corporation Commission (SCC) has closed its six-year investigation and audit process to address errors and omissions in the telephone directories of Verizon Virginia and Verizon South. The Commission found that the terms of a 2007 settlement have contributed to significant improvements in the quality of Verizon’s directories by substantially reducing the number of errors and omissions in the directories.

The number of complaints to the SCC for directory listing errors and omissions has dropped dramatically since the SCC investigation began in 2005. There were just seven such complaints in 2010 compared to a high of 354 in 2004. Read more »

A map of broadband availability in Virginia is now available at www.wired.virginia.gov. Here is a press release from the office of Virginia’s Secretary of Technology:

RICHMOND – Today Secretary of Technology Jim Duffey announced the release of the new broadband availability map for Virginia. The most comprehensive and interactive map of Virginia to date, it is available for use by policy makers, government leaders, providers, and citizens to identify where broadband services are available as well as identify un-served or underserved areas in the state.

The map, developed from data provided by broadband service providers and other sources is a collaborative effort of the Center for Innovative Technology, The Virginia Information Technologies Agency’s Virginia Geographic Information Network (VGIN), and Virginia Tech’s eCorridors Program.  In addition to allowing users to view where different types of services are available, the interactive map also allows users to search by address and view a list of providers who offer services at that location. Read more »

The Environmental Protection Agency has granted an exemption for the pesticide Dinotefuran to control stink bugs on certain fruit crops in Virginia. Here is a press release from the Office of the Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry of Virginia:

RICHMOND – Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Todd Haymore today announced that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has granted an emergency exemption to use the pesticide Dinotefuran to control the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (BMSB) on stone and pome fruits in Virginia. The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) requested the emergency exemption in April 2011 as a way to help combat the pests, commonly referred to as “stink bugs” due to the odor they emit, which have caused significant damage to agricultural crops in recent years.

Section 18 of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act authorizes EPA to allow an unregistered use of a pesticide for a limited time if EPA determines that an emergency condition exists.  Congressmen Frank Wolf and Robert Hurt indicated support of the emergency exemption request because it would provide growers in their districts and others in the state another tool to control and minimize the damage caused by stink bugs. VDACS requested an expedited review in order to obtain an exemption for the current growing season. Read more »

Teams of high school and technical education students from Salem and Fincastle were recognized at the national USA Championships. Here is a press release from SkillsUSA:

Kansas City, Mo. (Grassroots Newswire) June 29, 2011 — Students from Virginia high school and college technical education programs won the nation’s highest awards at the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference. Industry leaders representing over 1,100 businesses, corporations, trade associations and unions recognized the students for their demonstrated excellence in 94 hands-on occupational and leadership contests, such as robotics, criminal justice, aviation maintenance and public speaking. All contests are designed, run and judged by industry using industry standards. The SkillsUSA Championships have been a premier event since 1967.

Top student winners received gold, silver and bronze medallions. Many also received prizes such as tools of their trade and/or scholarships to further their careers and education.  The SkillsUSA Championships is for high school and college-level students who are members of SkillsUSA.
Read more »

The Virginia Bankers Association has announced this year’s scholarship winners, including Victor Scott from the Southwest Virginia region. Here is a press release from the VBA:

Glen Allen, VA (June 29, 2011) – The Virginia Bankers Association (VBA), together with the VBA Education Foundation and the VBA Leadership Division, is pleased to announce Morgan Pate as the statewide scholarship winner of the VBA Bank Day Scholarship Program.

The VBA Bank Day Scholarship Program began in 1991 when the third Tuesday in March was declared Bank Day in Virginia by the Virginia General Assembly. On this day, Virginia high school seniors spend a day in banks across the Commonwealth shadowing a banker in their daily duties. The purpose of this experience is for the students to learn about banking, financial services, and the vital role banks play in their communities. From their experience, the students are required to write an essay on the topic, “How Banking Benefits My Community,” and seven scholarships (six regional and one statewide) are awarded on the basis of the essays. Read more »

Cutting the ribbon at Virginia Tech Research Center -- Arlington are left to right, Charles W. Steger, Jim Moran, Jim Bohland, and Chris Zimmerman.

The Virginia Tech Research Center — Arlington has opened in the Ballston area. Here are the details about the new center from Tech:

NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION, June 29, 2011 – Virginia Tech Research Center — Arlington has opened its doors at 900 North Glebe Road in the Ballston area of Arlington, Va., as a nucleus for discovery to expand the university’s capability for new scientific inquiry and to extend Virginia Tech’s footprint in the National Capital Region.

In close proximity to government agencies and other public and private-sector organizations, the location offers great opportunity for partnerships with corporate research entities. At the recent ribbon cutting ceremony, Virginia Tech President Charles W. Steger said that in exploring location options for the research center, “We determined unequivocally that this is where we wanted to be.” Read more »

The Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center has announced the winners of its annual golf tournament. Here is a press release from VTCRC:

(Blacksburg, VA) – The Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center held its 6th Annual Invitational Golf Tournament on June 15, 2011 at the Pete Dye River Course of Virginia Tech in Radford. First place tournament winner was the Wally Nelson team including Wally Nelson, Todd Hearp, Kurt Newsome, and John Mewtons. Second place went to the Lionberger Construction team of Charlie Kuehn, Sam Lionberger II, Glenn Reynolds, and Butch Osborne. Zach Nolen of Enterprise won closest-to-the pin and Todd Hurt won the longest drive.

Generous sponsors included Harvey’s Chevrolet, Enterprise, Courtyard by Marriott – Blacksburg, Holiday Inn University, Advanced Logic Industries, Inc., South Main Auto, Wally Nelson – Chas Lunsford, Hilton Garden Inn Blacksburg, Thomas Koontz Architect, PC, Bright Services, Branch & Associates, Inc., nTelos, StellarOne, G.J. Hopkins, Suntrust, EDC, Long and Foster Relocation, CORT, BB&T Bank, Comfort Inn of Blacksburg, Premier Transfer and Storage, Sign Systems, Main Street Inn, LeClairRyan, Gillmann Services, Lingo Staffing, Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center, and KPMG, LLP. The tournament was followed by an awards social and dinner in the clubhouse. Prizes were then presented for first and second place,  longest drive, and closest-to-the pin along with a variety of golf-oriented complimentary raffle items.

The Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center is a research park located adjacent to the Virginia Tech Campus in Blacksburg, Virginia. The research park houses more than 140 high-tech companies and research centers that employ over 2,200 people in 27 buildings.

Smith Enterprises has announced the following lease in Wytheville:

Smith Enterprises is pleased to announce that they have leased space for a drive up ATM location at 170 West Main Street Wytheville, VA to BB&T.  This will be BB&T’s 3^rd location in Wytheville and their 14^th in the immediate region.

For more information or if you have real estate development needs contact Smith Enterprises at 276.228.5985.