Local Business and Economic Development
The COVID-19 shutdowns have caused many to become unemployed, but a new non-profit organization has created a program to help people retrain and get new jobs. WFIR’s Rachel Meell has the story:
Landon Howard VVBR
After ten straight years of revenue growth and hotel room bookings associated with business visitation and tourism, Visit Virginia’s Blue Ridge president Landon Howard says 2020 was lining up to be another record setter – but that was pre-pandemic. Howard said live on WFIR this morning that Virginia’s Blue Ridge and the outdoor amenities are ideal for the shorter, less-crowded “staycations” many are looking for as Virginia emerges from the COVID-19 lockdown. Hear the complete conversation with Landon Howard below:
Starting this Sunday, Kroger Mid-Atlantic will return to normal operating hours. Kroger had adjusted hours in mid-March to respond to the coronavirus pandemic. Local stores will open at 6 a.m. each day and close at 10 p.m.,11 or midnight. Visit the Kroger website to view the exact hours for each location.
NEWS RELEASE: ROANOKE, Va. (June 11, 2020) – Starting Sunday, June 14, Kroger Mid-Atlantic will return to normal operating hours. Kroger Mid-Atlantic adjusted hours in mid-March to respond to the coronavirus pandemic.
Stores in Kroger’s Mid-Atlantic Division, which includes Virginia, West Virginia and parts of Tennessee, Kentucky and Ohio, will open at 6 a.m. each day and close at 10 p.m., 11 p.m. or midnight. Customers can visit the Kroger website to view exact hours for local stores.
Pharmacy hours will not change. Fuel centers will open at 6 a.m. and close at 10 p.m. or 11 p.m. Senior and high-risk shopping hours will remain for the time being, but will be extended from 6-8 a.m. on Tuesday through Thursday each week.
“The health, safety and well-being of our associates, customers and communities remains our top priority,” said Allison McGee, corporate affairs manager for Kroger Mid-Atlantic. “The expanded hours will allow for more social distancing of our customers. We will still utilize the same stringent sanitation requirements throughout our locations and ask that customers continue to practice social distancing and wear masks while shopping.”
Kroger continues to take protective measures in stores, including:
- Limiting store capacity
- Enhanced daily sanitation, including cart sanitation
- Plexiglass barriers at registers
- Social distancing decals to encourage social distancing
- Sanitizer stations throughout stores
- Personal protective equipment (PPE), including masks, gloves and face shields provided for associates
- Associate temperature monitoring
- Continuing to expand curbside pickup and delivery services, as well as contactless payment solutions like Kroger Pay
Since the onset of the pandemic, Kroger Mid-Atlantic has directed nearly $450,000 to hunger relief efforts. A variation of product and cash gifts, the donations have gone to restocking food bank shelves, replenishing food pantries for seniors, ensuring children have access to meals since schools closed and more.
