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Luna Innovations considers options including sale or merger as it reports latest executive turnover
Luna Innovations Inc., a publicly traded Roanoke-based technology company, will consider a sale or merger among its options going forward, in the wake of financial reporting irregularities that led to the resignations of its chief executive officer and chief financial officer, and the firing of its chief technology officer. The company announced on Wednesday that it has found that former CEO Scott Graeff, who resigned in late March, had engaged in conduct that constituted “cause” under his contract, so Luna will cancel his severance payments and take back stock from him.
Kiggans backs bill to extend affordable internet; Dems say she’s tardy
As a federal program that offsets internet costs to families in need has expired, Congress is seeking both short- and long-term solutions. Rep. Jen Kiggans, R-2nd, signed onto a bill to extend the Affordable Connectivity Program on Wednesday, months after its introduction and as the program expired. The timing prompted a rebuke from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.
Virginia Guard, Finland in formal partnership
The connection was forged nearly 25 years ago when soldiers from the Virginia National Guard‘s 29th Infantry Division served alongside soldiers from Finland on a peacekeeping rotation in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Now, Virginia’s Guard is the official state partner of Finland’s Defense Forces. Gov. Glenn Youngkin made it formal during a visit to Helsinki on his four-nation trade mission, signing a partnership agreement with Finnish Minister of Defense Antti Häkkänen.
Lerch: Va. counties step up to meet solar energy demand
There’s been considerable discussion recently regarding county review and approval of utility-scale solar projects. We would like to provide some context to this important conversation on behalf of Virginia counties. Members of the Virginia Association of Counties are accommodating this emerging and intensive land use in a responsible and inclusive manner. Over the past decade, Virginia local governments have approved 260 projects totaling 11,640 megawatts in capacity generation. That’s 69 counties, eight cities and six towns that have said yes to utility-scale solar ...
Virginia Tech protesters call for charges, disciplinary action to be dropped
A group of pro-Palestinian protesters who were arrested decried Virginia Tech’s move to clear their encampment and urged the school to drop all legal charges and threats of disciplinary action against those who participated during a news conference Thursday. It was held on the Graduate Life Center lawn – where the encampment was located. Desiree Poets, an assistant professor of political science at Virginia Tech who was arrested on Sunday, said: “We, the faculty of Virginia Tech, demand from Virginia Tech, that they drop all charges against the peaceful protesters arrested on April 28 and 29. We additionally demand that they reinstate and that they protect students’ and faculty’s right to assembly, free speech, and protest moving forward.”
Luna claws back cash, benefits from former CEO Graeff
Luna Innovations declared this week that its former president and CEO, Scott Graeff, engaged in prohibited conduct in connection with a series of incorrect financial statements — triggering a claw back of severance and stock benefits payable to Graeff for his assisting the company after his March 24 retirement, according to the company. A personnel shakeup continued as Luna leadership also fired Chief Technology Officer Brian Soller for cause Friday … The disclosures appeared in a late Wednesday afternoon filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and triggered a temporary plunge in company stock to near $2 a share.
Three Democrats seeking 5th District nomination agree to agree in campaign forum
Three Democrats are vying for their party’s nomination in the June 18 primary elections in Virginia’s 5th Congressional District to take on Rep. Bob Good, R-Campbell County, the incumbent, who faces his own primary challenge by state Sen. John McGuire, R-Goochland. The three Democratic candidates, Paul Riley, Gary Terry, and Gloria Witt, met at a candidate forum in Danville on Thursday evening to discuss their backgrounds and legislative priorities and generally agreed on the issues. They also talked about how they’d run in November against a GOP candidate in a heavily Republican district.
UVa student protest diminishes in size as it enters third day
A student-led protest at the University of Virginia remained peaceful but had noticeably diminished in size as it entered its third day Thursday. UVa’s demonstration stands in stark contrast to how larger anti-Israel protests have unfolded across the country and the commonwealth. As of Thursday evening, there were roughly 40 protesters on UVa Grounds, mostly concentrated near the chapel adjacent to the university’s landmark Rotunda.
Rural Loudoun Residents Hear Opposition Strategies to NextEra Power Line
Nearly 200 residents filled the banquet hall at the Lovettsville Fire and Rescue Station Wednesday night for a meeting hosted by the Lovettsville chapter of the Loudoun Transmission Line Alliance about the proposed transmission line by NextEra Energy expected to cut through the western part of the county to Leesburg. The meeting was led by Alliance member Mary Terpak and included presentations by Piedmont Environmental Council Senior Land Use Planner Tia Earman, Waterford Foundation President Sue Manch and Scenic Loudoun Legal Defense representative Tom Donahue.
Virginia attorney general joins efforts to fight back against Title IX changes
Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares has joined a multi-state effort to stop new Title IX rules from going into effect. The list of new rules designed to protect victims of campus sexual assaults and the rights of LGBTQ+ students has come under attack by Republican attorneys general in several states. Miyares called the changes a “dangerous overhaul” of Title IX, and said the new rules would negatively impact students, families and schools in the commonwealth. The ruling also comes after Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s administration overhauled the commonwealth’s transgender student policies.