Marketing Southside from California

Mid-Atlantic Broadband Communities Corporation is opening a California office, hoping to woo West Coast business to Southside Virginia.

The new office is in Santa Clara's Techmart Center. A listing from the commercial real estate company, Regus, says the building is adjacent to the Santa Clara Convention Center, which is "used extensively by the high-technology engineering, computer and microprocessor companies of Silicon Valley."

David Hudgins, chairman of MBC's economic development committee, said in a release: "Our regional industry clusters paired with advanced manufacturing make southern Virginia a perfect choice for west coast companies looking for expansion and production sites on the East Coast."

Tech businesses are a priority, but MBC will also be recruiting for Southern Virginia's target markets, including aerospace, motorsports, agribusiness, data centers, advanced manufacturing, natural and renewable energy production, food and natural products manufacturing, distribution and logistics, bio-technology, nuclear energy research and wireless communications.

Read more ...

Institute steps up effort to market Southside

The Southern Virginia Regional Alliance and the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research are forming a partnership to market Southside.

The organizations will share an economic development director, a position which will be filled by the alliances' executive director, Leigh Cockram.

"This opportunity has come at a perfect time, for the Southern Virginia Regional Alliance needs to stretch funding long term in order to be sustainable and the Institute needs someone who understands our regional assets and can market Institute's facilities for regional economic development purposes," Cockram said in a release.

Read more ...

Students to be immersed into world of advanced manufacturing

What happens when talent finds resources? The answer is amazing things, according to the Southern Virginia Higher Education Center and Kyoger, an Iowa-based content strategy, production and consulting firm.

That's the premise behind the SVHEC and Kyoger partnering to host Maker's Focus Immersion Week for a group of talented students from Boone, Iowa.

The high school-aged students are participants in an Iowa-based program called Virtual Reality Education Pathfinders. Pathfinders is a program that gives students the knowledge and tools needed to design their own virtual programs, and to create 3D projects that are utilized as immersive virtual environments. Participating students have developed a high level of skill in 3D modeling, simulation, and computer-aided design, but have never had access to the advanced manufacturing technology that would take their concepts from the digital world to the physical one.

"Given our tremendous assets in advanced manufacturing, and our specialty in making things, we immediately saw an opportunity for collaboration," said David Kenealy, SVHEC director of research and development. "Aerospace pioneer Rockwell Collins, manufacturing software firm ITI Global and Kyoger have all joined with SVHEC and VREP to make the event possible."

Read more ...

Green View Advanced Manufacturing Center moves forward

The IDA Board of Directors has awarded a contract to B&B Consultants for a $105,000 design contract for the $1.49 million Phase II renovations at Green View.

Green View, located in a former Daystrom Furniture building that once employed 1000 people, was purchased by the IDA in 2011.

The IDA purchased the building and replaced a portion of the roof in Phase I of the project.

Phase II will complete the roof repairs, while making general upfits to the front section of the building and necessary parking lot and façade improvements.

Construction is planned to be completed by December.

Rain moves out just before fun kicks in at SOLD OUT Cantaloupe Festival

There were no ripe Halifax County cantaloupes at the 33rd Annual Virginia Cantaloupe Festival at Berry Hill Resort on Friday, but a late-arriving crowd didn't seem to mind either that, the change in venue or the threat of rain from Tropical Storm Andrea.

A diverse gathering of all ages included those attending their first cantaloupe festival, others who had not been in years and still more who have attended at each of the festival's three venues, Berry Hill Resort, the Halifax County Fairgrounds and Wade's Farm.

Ward Reynolds, a Gladys resident, has been to cantaloupe festivals at all three locations since he first started coming in the early 70s, and each offered something a little different.

Friday's event wasn't the first time inclement weather has made an appearance, according to Reynolds, who recalled a number of occasions in the past where a number of festivalgoers got vehicles stuck in the mud.

"It rained and rained, and a number of vehicles got stuck (at Wade's Farm)," said Reynolds, who attended Friday's festival with Justin and Becky Reynolds, also multi-year attendees.

"It was more laid back at the farm, a different atmosphere, and it was a different crowd and different bands at the fairgrounds," Ward Reynolds noted.

"It seems like it's going to be a good setting here. The rain has kind of gone by, I believe, and everybody is going to have a good time. This is a good location, a good place."

Read more ...

Refreshed festival sells out of tickets days before event

With a few days left until the 33rd Annual Virginia Cantaloupe Festival all tickets have been sold, according to Nancy Pool, president of the Halifax County Chamber of Commerce.

"I am just thrilled. I am very exhilarated by the sell out. I am just expecting this to be really fun and a new experience. The committee and I are very excited," Pool said.

Brandon Scearce, vice chairman of the festival committee, said the number of tickets sold was limited to 1,500. The sell out is the first in recent memory, organizers said.

The annual party is the biggest fundraiser of the year for the local chamber.

In a change of pace this year, the festival will be held at Berry Hill Resort on River Road in South Boston from 5 to 10 p.m. Friday. In recent years the party was held at the Halifax County Fairgrounds on sweltering July days.

"I believe that the people have spoken through ticket sales that they support our decision to change the date and location," Kimley Blanks, publicity chair for the festival, said.

"I am proud to have served on this committee with such wonderful and generous people," Blanks said. "We could not have done this without our sponsors and the festivalgoers."

Read more ...

EcoMod houses nearly finished

Neighbors may be "green" with envy, once two EcoMod houses in the Poplar Creek Subdivision are complete, and that day is fast approaching, South Boston Town Manager Ted Daniel told council on Monday.

Although construction has been somewhat delayed due to a wet spring, final landscaping and construction of the ramps and decks should begin soon, according to Daniel.

Screening for tenants should begin in July, and a formal ribbon cutting and open house are scheduled for August.

One of the houses, referred to as the "passive" house, is built with SIPS (structural insulated panel) technology, 12-inch walls insulated with Styrofoam in addition to energy efficient windows and doors.

The other, referred to as the "code" house, conforms to existing building codes, including the use of 2x4 studs and batt insulation, Daniel said.

Read more ...

Local tobacco company launches electronic cigarette

Dozens came out to Berry Hill Mansion and Resort Thursday as Cherokee Tobacco LLC launched its newest product, the Arrowhead electronic cigarette.

Influential guests included members of Halifax and South Boston Town Councils, Halifax County Industrial Development Authority, Halifax County Board of Supervisors, Halifax County Chamber of Commerce, dozens of Cherokee employees and many others.

Kathy Farley, president of Cherokee Tobacco and Firebird Manufacturing, greeted and thanked everyone for coming out to the event.

"Thank you all for coming; it really truly means so much to us. We love this community, and we're glad to be a part of it," Farley said.

"This event celebrates our growth, our employees, our partnerships and our hometown. Tonight is an example of bringing it home and making it work. I believe we have executed this flawlessly," she added.

Read more ...