Eric Kolenich
@ekolenich.bsky.social
Writing about business, VCU and health for the Richmond Times-Dispatch.
Eli Lilly announced it will build a $5 billion facility in Goochland, on a property once planned to be a Motorola chip plant.
Va's phama industry is growing, and it all started with one $5m grant to VCU 10 years ago.
richmond.com/news/local/b...
Va's phama industry is growing, and it all started with one $5m grant to VCU 10 years ago.
richmond.com/news/local/b...
September 17, 2025 at 1:59 PM
Eli Lilly announced it will build a $5 billion facility in Goochland, on a property once planned to be a Motorola chip plant.
Va's phama industry is growing, and it all started with one $5m grant to VCU 10 years ago.
richmond.com/news/local/b...
Va's phama industry is growing, and it all started with one $5m grant to VCU 10 years ago.
richmond.com/news/local/b...
For now, Virginia residents will need a prescription to get a COVID vaccine. It could get easier to get a shot later this month, after the CDC meets.
richmond.com/news/local/b...
richmond.com/news/local/b...
For now, Va. residents need prescription to get a COVID vaccine
Patients might be able to receive a COVID vaccine without a prescription later this month after the CDC convenes.
richmond.com
September 9, 2025 at 2:45 PM
For now, Virginia residents will need a prescription to get a COVID vaccine. It could get easier to get a shot later this month, after the CDC meets.
richmond.com/news/local/b...
richmond.com/news/local/b...
Virginia's State Board of Health intends to write a new regulation banning transgender women from women's sports teams. The move came after a Roanoke College swimmer and 2 former swimmers petitioned the state.
richmond.com/news/local/g...
richmond.com/news/local/g...
Virginia to write regulation banning trans women from women's sports
The State Board of Health voted unanimously to accept a petition asking the state to write a regulation preventing "biological males from female-only athletics."
richmond.com
August 19, 2025 at 1:28 PM
Virginia's State Board of Health intends to write a new regulation banning transgender women from women's sports teams. The move came after a Roanoke College swimmer and 2 former swimmers petitioned the state.
richmond.com/news/local/g...
richmond.com/news/local/g...
The apartment boom in Scott's Addition has stopped. No new apartment complex has started construction in 2 years. There aren't many big open properties left to buy, and finding investors has gotten hard.
richmond.com/news/local/b...
richmond.com/news/local/b...
July 27, 2025 at 12:19 PM
The apartment boom in Scott's Addition has stopped. No new apartment complex has started construction in 2 years. There aren't many big open properties left to buy, and finding investors has gotten hard.
richmond.com/news/local/b...
richmond.com/news/local/b...
A federal investigation found repeated safety problems with organ transplantation, including patients showing signs of life as they were prepped to have their organs taken. The RVA-based UNOS has been the transplantation network's contractor for 40 years.
richmond.com/news/local/b...
richmond.com/news/local/b...
Federal investigation finds repeated safety problems in organ transplantation
A federal official criticized the organ transplant network and the Richmond-based United Network for Organ Sharing's efforts to investigate an event in which a patient woke up after he was
richmond.com
July 23, 2025 at 1:44 PM
A federal investigation found repeated safety problems with organ transplantation, including patients showing signs of life as they were prepped to have their organs taken. The RVA-based UNOS has been the transplantation network's contractor for 40 years.
richmond.com/news/local/b...
richmond.com/news/local/b...
Former VCU basketball coach Ryan Odom has sold his Windsor Farms house for $2 million.
richmond.com/news/local/b...
richmond.com/news/local/b...
Former VCU coach Ryan Odom sells Windsor Farms house for $2M
Odom left VCU in March to become the coach at the University of Virginia. He and his wife, Lucia, bought the two-story Cape Cod last year for $1.9 million.
richmond.com
July 21, 2025 at 1:20 PM
Former VCU basketball coach Ryan Odom has sold his Windsor Farms house for $2 million.
richmond.com/news/local/b...
richmond.com/news/local/b...
The effort to eliminate DEI played out very different at VCU and UVA. At VCU, the school eliminated jobs and hired a consultant to check its work. At UVA, the university was accused of slow-walking change, and its president ultimately resigned.
richmond.com/news/local/e...
richmond.com/news/local/e...
Elimination of DEI played out differently at VCU and UVa
VCU quickly scrubbed its DEI programs and emerged unscathed. UVa, accused of slow-walking change, lost its president.
richmond.com
July 7, 2025 at 2:05 PM
The effort to eliminate DEI played out very different at VCU and UVA. At VCU, the school eliminated jobs and hired a consultant to check its work. At UVA, the university was accused of slow-walking change, and its president ultimately resigned.
richmond.com/news/local/e...
richmond.com/news/local/e...
Federal prosecutors say a Richmond pain-medicine doctor who treated patients with ozone gas illegally billed Medicare and Medicaid for $5.2 million. The doctor says he is innocent and will fight the charges in court.
richmond.com/news/local/b...
richmond.com/news/local/b...
Richmond pain doctor who administered ozone gas is charged with fraud
The doctor mixed ozone gas and lidocaine and injected into people's bodies to ease pain, according to an indictment. He billed Medicare and Medicaid for $5.2 million.
richmond.com
July 7, 2025 at 2:02 PM
Federal prosecutors say a Richmond pain-medicine doctor who treated patients with ozone gas illegally billed Medicare and Medicaid for $5.2 million. The doctor says he is innocent and will fight the charges in court.
richmond.com/news/local/b...
richmond.com/news/local/b...
VCU still hasn't come to agreements for its baseball team to play in CarMax Park. If that doesn't happen soon, the school risks not selling Sports Backers Stadium or building its athletics village on schedule. "It's 100% crunch time."
richmond.com/news/local/e...
richmond.com/news/local/e...
VCU reaching 'crunch time' on CarMax Park, Sports Backers agreements
VCU says it needs to reach agreements in a matter of weeks to build a $37 million track and field facility on schedule.
richmond.com
June 26, 2025 at 1:17 PM
VCU still hasn't come to agreements for its baseball team to play in CarMax Park. If that doesn't happen soon, the school risks not selling Sports Backers Stadium or building its athletics village on schedule. "It's 100% crunch time."
richmond.com/news/local/e...
richmond.com/news/local/e...
In today's RTD, how the city of Richmond cost Levar Stoney the race for lieutenant governor. It was "almost unprecedented" how badly Stoney performed in his hometown. He got 21% of Richmond votes and lost the primary by less than 1 percentage point.
June 22, 2025 at 4:19 PM
In today's RTD, how the city of Richmond cost Levar Stoney the race for lieutenant governor. It was "almost unprecedented" how badly Stoney performed in his hometown. He got 21% of Richmond votes and lost the primary by less than 1 percentage point.
Richmond-area apartment buildings now have podcast studios, golf simulators, pizza ovens and Pilates classes. As new residents -- many with money -- move into town, apartments look for ways to lure them. Richmond has joined the "amenities arms race."
richmond.com/news/local/b...
richmond.com/news/local/b...
With podcast studios and golf simulators, Richmond apartment buildings are getting fancy
With new residents flocking here, high-end apartment buildings use amenities such as pizza ovens and private movie theaters to separate themselves from their competition. Richmond has entered the "ame...
richmond.com
June 11, 2025 at 1:59 PM
Richmond-area apartment buildings now have podcast studios, golf simulators, pizza ovens and Pilates classes. As new residents -- many with money -- move into town, apartments look for ways to lure them. Richmond has joined the "amenities arms race."
richmond.com/news/local/b...
richmond.com/news/local/b...
For more than a year, the city of Richmond and VCU Health have been divided over a $56 million payment the health system pledged to the city. Though VCU Health hasn't paid in over a year, the city doesn't plan to sue for the money.
richmond.com/news/local/b...
richmond.com/news/local/b...
Richmond won't sue VCU Health over Clay Street fight
For more than a year, the city and the state-affiliated health system have been at odds over a $56 million payment.
richmond.com
June 5, 2025 at 2:21 PM
For more than a year, the city of Richmond and VCU Health have been divided over a $56 million payment the health system pledged to the city. Though VCU Health hasn't paid in over a year, the city doesn't plan to sue for the money.
richmond.com/news/local/b...
richmond.com/news/local/b...
The RTD's crack team of restaurant writers chose the 100 best restaurants in town. It's an audacious project, and it's perfect for RVA.
richmond.com/life-enterta...
richmond.com/life-enterta...
RTD 100: The 100 best Richmond restaurants of 2025
What’s the best restaurant in Richmond? Our food writers spent a year eating their way through the city to find out. Check out our guide to the 100 best restaurants
richmond.com
June 4, 2025 at 3:16 PM
The RTD's crack team of restaurant writers chose the 100 best restaurants in town. It's an audacious project, and it's perfect for RVA.
richmond.com/life-enterta...
richmond.com/life-enterta...
Reposted by Eric Kolenich
Featured in the latest Virginia News Reader: Inside the 50-year battle between Kings Dominion and Busch Gardens - By
@ekolenich.bsky.social for @richmond.com
Read the full article at Richmond Times-Dispatch. ➡ tinyurl.com/fv2xtjam
@ekolenich.bsky.social for @richmond.com
Read the full article at Richmond Times-Dispatch. ➡ tinyurl.com/fv2xtjam
Inside the 50-year battle between Kings Dominion and Busch Gardens
Fifty years ago, the two Virginia theme parks opened 13 days apart. They never stopped competing.
tinyurl.com
May 13, 2025 at 2:54 PM
Featured in the latest Virginia News Reader: Inside the 50-year battle between Kings Dominion and Busch Gardens - By
@ekolenich.bsky.social for @richmond.com
Read the full article at Richmond Times-Dispatch. ➡ tinyurl.com/fv2xtjam
@ekolenich.bsky.social for @richmond.com
Read the full article at Richmond Times-Dispatch. ➡ tinyurl.com/fv2xtjam
Kings Dominion and Busch Gardens opened 13 days apart 50 years ago. Each park knew the other company was building an attraction. But neither side knew just how big their competition would be. 50 years later, they're still competing for business. ...
May 12, 2025 at 2:13 PM
Kings Dominion and Busch Gardens opened 13 days apart 50 years ago. Each park knew the other company was building an attraction. But neither side knew just how big their competition would be. 50 years later, they're still competing for business. ...
VCU has begun reassigning DEI staffers and rewritings policies and scholarships to follow Trump's exec order on discrimination.
richmond.com/news/local/e...
richmond.com/news/local/e...
VCU reassigns DEI staffers, rewrites policies to follow directive
The university has eliminated 13 positions, revised scholarship requirements and discontinued a practice requiring prospective employees to write a diversity statement before they are hired.
richmond.com
May 12, 2025 at 1:44 PM
VCU has begun reassigning DEI staffers and rewritings policies and scholarships to follow Trump's exec order on discrimination.
richmond.com/news/local/e...
richmond.com/news/local/e...
VCU is withholding the degrees of three pro-Palestine student protesters while it investigates claims they broke the student code of conduct.
richmond.com/news/local/e...
richmond.com/news/local/e...
VCU withholding degrees of three pro-Palestine student protesters
The university will allow the students to participate in graduation this weekend while it investigates possible violations to the code of conduct.
richmond.com
May 12, 2025 at 1:39 PM
VCU is withholding the degrees of three pro-Palestine student protesters while it investigates claims they broke the student code of conduct.
richmond.com/news/local/e...
richmond.com/news/local/e...
VCU has started reassigning DEI staffers, rewriting scholarship rules and revising hiring policies in order to comply with Trump's executive order to eliminate racial discrimination.
richmond.com/news/local/e...
richmond.com/news/local/e...
VCU reassigns DEI staffers, rewrites policies to follow directive
The university has eliminated 13 positions, revised scholarship requirements and discontinued a practice requiring prospective employees to write a diversity statement before they are hired.
richmond.com
May 9, 2025 at 8:52 PM
VCU has started reassigning DEI staffers, rewriting scholarship rules and revising hiring policies in order to comply with Trump's executive order to eliminate racial discrimination.
richmond.com/news/local/e...
richmond.com/news/local/e...
The median price of a single-family home has reached $415,000 in greater Richmond, and housing experts expect that number to keep going up. Even though the local population is rising, home builders are constructing fewer new homes now than before the pandemic.
richmond.com/news/local/b...
richmond.com/news/local/b...
The price of a home in Greater Richmond likely will keep climbing
The median price of a single-family home here has shot up 89% from about $220,000 in 2015 to almost $415,000 this year.
richmond.com
April 28, 2025 at 2:05 PM
The median price of a single-family home has reached $415,000 in greater Richmond, and housing experts expect that number to keep going up. Even though the local population is rising, home builders are constructing fewer new homes now than before the pandemic.
richmond.com/news/local/b...
richmond.com/news/local/b...
Prosecutors now say there are 9 victims dating back to 2022 in the child abuse case at the Henrico Doctors' Hospital neonatal intensive care unit. Erin Strotman, a former nurse there, has been charged in connection to 5 of the 9 babies.
richmond.com/news/local/b...
richmond.com/news/local/b...
Henrico Doctors' Hospital nurse charged with abuse of newborn was suspended, reinstated
In 2023, as Henrico Doctors' investigated the abuse of four infants, Erin Strotman was put on leave. Weeks after the hospital allowed her to return to work, three more newborns
richmond.com
April 22, 2025 at 4:22 PM
Prosecutors now say there are 9 victims dating back to 2022 in the child abuse case at the Henrico Doctors' Hospital neonatal intensive care unit. Erin Strotman, a former nurse there, has been charged in connection to 5 of the 9 babies.
richmond.com/news/local/b...
richmond.com/news/local/b...
Meet the Richmond-area businesses now taking cryptocurrency. Marshall Hays of Henrico owns vacation houses. To stay on the cutting edge of technology, he started taking crypto payments in February. He's still waiting for his first one.
richmond.com/news/local/b...
richmond.com/news/local/b...
Meet Richmond-area businesses that take cryptocurrency
Few business owners in Greater Richmond accept cryptocurrency as payment. Those that do say it's cheaper and faster than a credit card and more secure than a check.
richmond.com
April 21, 2025 at 12:33 PM
Meet the Richmond-area businesses now taking cryptocurrency. Marshall Hays of Henrico owns vacation houses. To stay on the cutting edge of technology, he started taking crypto payments in February. He's still waiting for his first one.
richmond.com/news/local/b...
richmond.com/news/local/b...
The city of Richmond wants to ban new tobacco, nicotine and vape stores in most of the city. If VA ever legalizes recreational cannabis, the city would have a mechanism for restricting them, too.
richmond.com/news/local/b...
richmond.com/news/local/b...
Richmond wants to ban new tobacco – and maybe cannabis – stores in most of city
The city is developing a plan that would ban new tobacco, nicotine and vape shops in about 80% of the city. If Virginia legalizes cannabis, the city would have a
richmond.com
April 15, 2025 at 2:18 PM
The city of Richmond wants to ban new tobacco, nicotine and vape stores in most of the city. If VA ever legalizes recreational cannabis, the city would have a mechanism for restricting them, too.
richmond.com/news/local/b...
richmond.com/news/local/b...
Reposted by Eric Kolenich
On 57 acres, developers plan to build apartments, affordable housing, a hotel, a park and commercial space that they say will transform the city.
Developers break ground on Diamond District neighborhood
On 57 acres, developers plan to build apartments, affordable housing, a hotel, a park and commercial space that they say will transform the city.
richmond.com
April 11, 2025 at 9:46 AM
On 57 acres, developers plan to build apartments, affordable housing, a hotel, a park and commercial space that they say will transform the city.