OUTLET: WAVY

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — Do you have questions about vaccination or testing protocols when heading back to work?

ARCpoint labs in Virginia Beach will host a free webinar Thursday, April 15 at noon to cover questions and concerns.

Organizers say the webinar is a great resource for local business owners, executives, and employees heading back to the office. (more…)

OUTLET: WAVY

PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) – WAVY-TV 10 and the Hampton Roads Show are teaming up with Habitat for Humanity of South Hampton Roads for this year’s “Women Build Week.”

It’s a chance for women to gain skills on a build site and learn the construction trade.

Virginia Beach resident Donica Miller is one of the recipients.

Managing a job, school work and raising two teenagers can be hard, but Miller made it her mission to do all of that while working hard so that have a roof over their heads. (more…)

OUTLET: WAVY

PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) – How can a brand new house, where a family just moved in, already be full of wonderful memories? The answer is easy! It’s a “Habitat For Humanity” house, and the people who now call it home poured love into the foundation, walls, wiring and windows.

Tamesha Clemons talked to HRS about what it’s been like to become the owner of the house, and the new life she’s been building with the help of Habitat For Humanity.

View video here.

OUTLET: The Virginian-Pilot

CHESAPEAKE — A South Norfolk manufacturer of huge railroad repair machines plans to significantly expand its operations and add 98 new jobs to the region.

Plasser American, which operates its 150,000-square-foot headquarters in the Chesapeake neighborhood, announced the $52.6 million expansion project at a groundbreaking ceremony Wednesday. The company will build an 82,000-square-foot manufacturing facility and a 45,000-square-foot, three-story office building near the company’s current location off Atlantic Avenue. (more…)

OUTLET: WAVY

CHESAPEAKE, Va. (WAVY)- A company with roots in the Chesapeake community for more than 50 years broke ground on an expansion project that will add dozens of jobs in the community.

On Wednesday, Plasser American held a groundbreaking at its site off Atlantic Avenue in the South Norfolk community.

“We’ve been planning for this day for two years. Now we can see it’s finally coming true,” said Plasser American President and CEO Thomas Blechinger.

The Austrian company expanded to the United States in 1960 and opened a facility in 1970 in Chesapeake, only seven years after the independent city was created. (more…)

OUTLET: WAVY

People impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic received a free hot meal Tuesday at a Norfolk restaurant.

The Azalea Inn and Time Out Sports bar distributed 650 meals from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. outside at the Roosevelt Gardens Shopping Center (2344 East Little Creek Road).

It was 150 more meals than they originally planned for.

Each box included a turkey sandwich, mashed potatoes and green beans. The meals were one per person on a first-come, first-served basis. For safety reasons, motorists and passengers were asked to stay in their cars.

“I’ve never seen anything like this before and for people to come out and do this and help families in need, especially like myself, it’s a blessing and it really takes some of the pressure off,” Norfolk resident Sabrina Whorton told 10 On Your Side.

The “Thanks and Giving” event was made possible by Virginia Wins Together, a community initiative made up of operators and locations that host Queen of Virginia Skill & Entertainment (QVS) games.

“With so many negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, QVS, our operators and customers want to help folks during these difficult times,” said QVS General Manager Jeanna Bouzek. “We are also thankful that we can partner with a great restaurant, Azalea Inn and Time Out Sports Bar, to support our community in a meaningful way before the holiday.”

This isn’t the first time the Azalea Inn has been at the forefront of giving back. The owner has served those in the community on Thanksgiving Day many times in the past.

“Today is a beautiful day, it’s a special day for us, for the community, for the restaurant, for the employees. It’s a good day,” said Azalea Inn co-owner, Taki Karangelen.

At the event, QVS also announced how much revenue it alone has generated since July for Virginia’s COVID-19 Relief Fund and local governments from a special state tax on skill games.

That levy, $1,200 per gaming terminal, totals millions of dollars statewide.

“In four months, just Queen of Virginia has written a check for $25 million to the state of Virginia. We’re 54% of the skill game industry, so if you add all that up, that means the state of Virginia has gotten about $48 million in the last four months. So, I don’t see any way possible anyone with any type of conscious can vote to take that type of money away from the state.”