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Welcome to Virginia's e-Region
We hope you enjoy our electronic newsletter giving you news and business development updates from the Virginia Coalfield Economic Development Authority. Don't forget to sign up to be included on our mailing list! |
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VCEDA approves $5.6 million in funding for optometry school in Buchanan County
At its Dec. 16 meeting, the VCEDA Board of Directors approved a request from the Industrial Development Authority of Buchanan County for a loan of up to $5.6 million to be used for the development of the tentatively named Appalachian College of Optometry to be located in the Buchanan Information Park in Grundy.
"Buchanan County has developed a very unique economic development strategy that is centered in part around the development of private graduate schools in the county as a means of creating direct and indirect jobs and other economic impacts," said Jonathan Belcher, VCEDA executive director.
The VCEDA loan is to be used to pay toward renovating and equipping the Buchanan Information Park building that formerly housed the Appalachian College of Pharmacy before its move to the Oakwood campus. The first class of optometry students is expected to begin in August 2013.
In other action, the VCEDA board: approved a request by the Wise County IDA for a grant of up to $385,000 for further site development at the Lonesome Pine Business and Technology Park; approved a request from the Town of Clintwood to convert into a grant the balance of a loan approved by VCEDA in 2005 for the completion of the Ralph Stanley Museum and Traditional Mountain Music Center; and voted to keep the current slate of officers of the VCEDA board for 2011, retaining George Cridlin, chairman; Donald Baker, vice chairman; R.S. Lewis, secretary; and Mike Quillen, treasurer.
For more details, click here. |
New college of optometry announced in Buchanan County 
On Dec. 17, the Buchanan County Board of Supervisors
and IDA announced plans to establish a school of optometry in Buchanan County. The school is expected to create 66 direct jobs and 350 total jobs. VCEDA approved up to $5.6 million in funding for the project, in addition to funding the feasibility study. From left, Terry Hall, Buchanan County Board of Supervisors; Jay Rife, VCEDA Executive Committee Chairman; Craig Horn, Executive Director, Buchanan County IDA; Jonathan Belcher, VCEDA Executive Director; William P. Harris, Buchanan County Board of Supervisors; Carroll Branham, Chairman, Buchanan County Board of Supervisors and VCEDA board member; Berlin Viars, Frankie Landreth, Roger Rife, and Steve O'Quinn, Buchanan County Board of Supervisors. |
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VCEDA closes loan to Scott County EDA to buy land for economic development
VCEDA closed a loan on Dec. 28 for up to $2,020,000 to the Scott County Economic Development Authority for the  purchase of real estate in Scott County for economic development purposes. "This will allow Scott County to continue to develop property to attract businesses to the region," said Jonathan Belcher, VCEDA executive director. In photo, from left, Jonathan Belcher, VCEDA Executive Director; George Cridlin, VCEDA Chairman; Joe Fuller, Chairman of Scott County EDA; and John Kilgore, Executive Director of the Scott County EDA. |
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VCEDA closes loan to pay for equipment at energy research center in Wise County
On Dec. 10, VCEDA held a loan closing ceremony for a loan of up to $505,000 to the Wise County IDA for the purchase of  equipment for the Appalachia America Energy Research Center in Wise. From left, George Cridlin, VCEDA Chairman; Carl Snodgrass, Executive Director, Wise County IDA; Jonathan Belcher, VCEDA Executive Director; and Kenny Gilley, Wise County IDA Chairman.
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VCEDA attends, exhibits at first annual
Governor's Conference on Energy
VCEDA and a team of economic developers from the region attended and exhibited at the first annual Governor's Conference on Energy in Richmond in October.  Speakers included Governor Bob McDonnell and T. Boone Pickens. From left, Donnie Rife, Dickenson County and VCEDA board member; Jonathan Belcher, VCEDA; John Kilgore, Scott County; and Charlotte Mullins, Dickenson County.
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VCEDA leads economic developer teams to Atlanta for FABTECH trade show
November 1-4, VCEDA led two teams of economic developers from the region to man the Virginia's e-Region exhibit booth and meet with 23 companies and site consultants in pre-set appointments during the FABTECH trade show in Atlanta. FABTECH is North America's largest metal forming, fabricating, welding and finishing trade show.
 | | Team A included from left, Susan Copeland, VCEDA; Tim Long, Lee County; Jonathan Belcher, VCEDA; Charlotte Mullins, Dickenson County; Margie Douglass, Tazewell County; Carl Snodgrass, Wise County; and Donnie Rife, Dickenson County and VCEDA board member. |
 | | Team B at FABTECH included from left, Jim Spencer, Tazewell County; Doyle Rasnick, Tazewell County; Craig Horn, Buchanan County; Yvonne Rutherford, Russell County; John Kilgore, Scott County; Harry Rutherford, Russell County; and Jonathan Belcher, VCEDA. |
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e-Region news briefs...
On Jan. 13, VCEDA held a closing cermony for a $385,000 grant to the Wise County IDA for site development in the Lonesome Pine Regional Business & Technology Park in Wise. "This grant will be used to develop additional sites in one of the region's outstanding tech parks which will allow room for growth of new businesses and employers within the park," said George Cridlin, chairman of the VCEDA board of directors. The VCEDA board approved the grant at its Dec. 16, 2010 meeting. For more information, click here.
On Jan. 5, VCEDA and the Town of Clintwood held a promissory note shredding ceremony for a loan balance that was converted to a grant. The VCEDA board voted at its Dec. 16, 2010 meeting to convert the balance of a $120,817 loan to the Town of Clintwood to a grant. The VCEDA board voted on Nov. 14, 2005 to approve the loan to assist with the completion of the Ralph Stanley Museum and Traditional Mountain Music Center, and the town has paid back $50,000, according to Jonathan Belcher, VCEDA executive director. The town has taken over the operations of the Ralph Stanley Museum and Traditional Mountain Music Center, a major destination on Virginia's "Crooked Road Heritage Music Trail." For more information, click here.
On Dec.10, VCEDA closed a grant for up to $325,000 to the Wise County IDA to obtain a feasibility and economic impact study of developing a school of dentistry in Wise County. For more information, click here.
On Dec. 9, VCEDA coordinated a meeting with Congressman-elect Morgan Griffith and local economic developers from the region at the VCEDA office in Lebanon. Economic developers from all seven VCEDA counties, as well as VCEDA, provided briefings on economic development in the region. Jim O'Quinn, Special Projects Coordinator for VCEDA, attended the Governor's Summit on Manufacturing in Richmond in October. The summit included leaders in manufacturing as well as economic developers.
Mary Rae Carter, Virginia's first Deputy Secretary of Commerce and Trade for Rural Economic Development, toured Lee and Scott counties in October. She returned to the region to complete her tour of all seven VCEDA counties. VCEDA helped coordinate the tour which included stops at Wilderness Road State Park, VFP, Inc., Joy Mining Machinery, Natural Tunnel State Park and the Constitutional Oaks Business Park.
VCEDA attended the Virginia Conference on World Trade held in Richmond in October. This event was coordinated with the Virginia Economic Development Partnership. |
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