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Lee Enterprises says cybersecurity incident cost millions
Newspaper publisher Lee Enterprises has recovered from a cybersecurity incident that began in February and cost the company millions of dollars, the company’s chief executive said Thursday. Kevin Mowbray, Lee’s president and CEO, said in a news release that the company incurred $2 million in “restoration costs” related to the incident during the second quarter, which for Lee runs from Jan. 1 through the end of March. It also suffered lower advertising and subscription revenue because products were limited or unavailable.
Port of Virginia CEO says port should endure Chinese tariffs better than most
Port of Virginia CEO Stephen Edwards said the port is a “blueprint” for the future of the supply chain and will be able to weather the ongoing trade war with China better than others in the nation. New tariffs will certainly affect Virginia’s port, but Edwards doesn’t expect major changes as a result. “We’re in the somewhat fortunate position of being the least-exposed major U.S. port on trade with China,” Edwards told government and industry leaders at the Virginia Beach Marriott Thursday. About 19% of the port’s business comes from China. It’s the port’s second-largest trading partner after the European Union.
Inside the 50-year battle between Kings Dominion and Busch Gardens
To celebrate its 50th anniversary, Kings Dominion sold funnel cakes with blue and white icing, resembling a birthday cake. When Busch Gardens Williamsburg hosts its 50th birthday bash Friday, it will offer 75-cent beer and free admission to anyone celebrating a 50th birthday during May. Virginia's two theme parks are turning 50 years old this month, and they've never stopped competing for guests. Dennis Speigel, Kings Dominion's first general manager, regards them as two of the best parks in the country. "It's always been a prize fight," Speigel said. "They're going after the same guy going down 95 and up 64."
Spanberger splits the middle on right-to-work, opposes full repeal
Democratic gubernatorial nominee Abigail Spanberger said she opposes a full repeal of Virginia’s right-to-work law, though she’s open to reforms. In an interview with WRIC’s Tyler Englander, Spanberger said she supports making changes to the decades-old statute but would not sign legislation that eliminates it entirely. ... Spanberger’s Republican opponent, Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, has made defending the law a central part of her platform.
Port CEO: Trade war will lead to less cargo, but effects are far from certain
There was an “elephant in the room” Thursday during Port of Virginia CEO Stephen Edwards’ annual State of the Port speech: Uncertainty. Speaking to hundreds of leaders from various levels of the shipping industry at the Marriott Virginia Beach hotel at the Oceanfront, Edwards made the case that the Port of Virginia has the infrastructure and position within global trade to weather the upheaval caused by the Trump administration’s tariff policies.
Sewage Sludge Fertilizer From Maryland? Virginians Say No Thanks.
In 2023, sewage plants in Maryland started to make a troubling discovery. Harmful “forever chemicals” were contaminating the state’s sewage, much of which is turned into fertilizer and spread on farmland. To protect its food and drinking water, Maryland has started restricting the use of fertilizer made from sewage sludge. At the same time, a major sludge-fertilizer maker, Synagro, has been applying for permits to use more of it across the state border, on farms in Virginia. A coalition of environmentalists, fishing groups and some farmers are fighting that effort. They say the contamination threatens to poison farmland and vulnerable waterways that feed the Potomac River.
Warner calls for Hegseth to resign following loss of F/A-18s
Virginia U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine are expressing concern and frustration over the loss of well over $100 million in taxpayer money and military equipment in three recent F/A-18 fighter jets on the Norfolk-based USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier. ... As News 3 has reported, according to the Navy the first of the three fighter jets was accidentally shot down by one of the Truman Carrier Strike Group’s own destroyers. The second jet slid out of the carrier’s hangar bay as it was being towed and the third jet slid off after the system set up to stop jets after they land failed when the jet landed. Warner said the U.S. needs a new secretary of defense.
State approves Carilion’s kidney transplant program in Roanoke
Carilion Clinic’s request to establish a kidney transplant center in Roanoke has been approved. The transplant center will be the region’s only organ transplant program. Currently, patients in Southwest Virginia in need of a kidney transplant have to travel to the University of Virginia Medical Center or Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center. Data provided by Carilion shows that around 79% of kidney transplant patients in the region have to drive two to four hours to access the services they need.
Lego to invest $366M in 2 million-square-foot Virginia warehouse
The Lego Group is continuing to build its empire, investing $366 million to build a new 2 million-square-foot warehouse in Prince George County, Virginia. Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced Thursday the warehouse will employ over 300. "The Lego Group is not just a household name, it’s a symbol of creativity, innovation and quality that resonates globally," Youngkin said in a news release. "Three years after choosing Virginia to establish its U.S. manufacturing plant, the Lego Group’s decision to expand into Prince George County is an exciting new chapter in this partnership, bringing 305 new, high-quality jobs to the region."
Vick: To protect workers, protect freedom of choice
One of the most cherished rights of all Americans is the freedom of association — the freedom to participate in those activities which align with our personal goals and values, and the freedom to not be forced into groups which oppose them. That concept originated with our founding fathers who saw coercion — whether in religion, party or any other affiliation — as an anathema to the natural rights of a free people in a free society. . . . Considerable attention has been paid to Virginia’s right-to-work law in recent weeks. Virginians deserve a clear understanding of what right-to-work is, and what it is not.