Moreland Property Group » Charlottesville http://www.morelandpropertygroup.com/blog Experience - Integrity - Results Thu, 08 Jul 2010 17:21:23 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 en hourly 1 Richmond and Lynchburg get new rail services http://www.morelandpropertygroup.com/blog/2009/02/richmond-and-lynchburg-get-new-rail-services/ http://www.morelandpropertygroup.com/blog/2009/02/richmond-and-lynchburg-get-new-rail-services/#comments Tue, 17 Feb 2009 14:33:03 +0000 Brad Rodgers http://www.morelandadvisors.com/blog/?p=220 In a rare mid-year budget session of the Commonwealth Transportation Board two new daily train services received funding approval.  There are still contract issues to be worked out with CSX, NS and Amtrak, but train service could begin as early as October.  The first of two services that received the funding are a daily run from Lynchburg to Washington DC, with stops in Charlottesville and Culpeper.  The second service will connect Richmond and Washington DC with an additional daily train.  Both projects will be funded for a three year trial period.  After that, a decision on whether to keep the lines operational will depend on actual and anticipated ridership.  While not a convenient as a commuter line, the new services will enhance to connection between Lynchburg, Richmond and Washington and should help keep more cars off the roads.  

I am a big proponent of an improved (and therefore useful) rail system in the US, so this is good news for me.  Hopefully, the citizens of Richmond and Lynchburg will use the services and they can be extended beyond the three year trial period.

]]> http://www.morelandpropertygroup.com/blog/2009/02/richmond-and-lynchburg-get-new-rail-services/feed/ 0 Virginia unemployment well below national average http://www.morelandpropertygroup.com/blog/2009/01/virginia-unemployment-well-below-national-averages/ http://www.morelandpropertygroup.com/blog/2009/01/virginia-unemployment-well-below-national-averages/#comments Fri, 30 Jan 2009 15:22:51 +0000 Brad Rodgers http://www.morelandadvisors.com/blog/?p=130 The Virginia Employment Commission announced yesterday the December 2008 employment figures.  Between November 2008 and December 2008, non-farm employment decreased by 25,900 jobs.  This decline brought the State unemployment rate to 5.2%, up from 4.6% in November 2008 and 3.2% in December 2007.  To paraphrase the words of William F. Mezger, Chief Economist for the VEC, the recession has caught up with Virginia.  There were, however, some bright spots in the release.

First, Virginia’s unemployment rate remains well below the December 2008 National unemployment rate of 7.2% – approximately 25% lower.  Second, many of the State’s MSAs are doing pretty well.  Danville, while having one of the highest unemployment rates in the State, did manage to add jobs and bring its unemployment rate down 20 basis points from November to 11.5%.  Several MSAs have unemployment rates less than 5%, including Charlottesville and Harrisonburg.  Northern Virginia, the state’s largest MSA, has the best unemployment rate at 3.9%, up from 3.5% in November 2008.

Finally, several sectors added jobs from November to December of 2008.  The trade and transportation sector added 3,600 workers.  Finance added 300 jobs and information added 100 jobs.  While these are not staggering numbers, or even as large as in previous years, they do represent an addition of jobs.  In an economy where “flat” is the new “good”, “up” is the new “great”.

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