features

< Cover Story >

• Military Stronghold: In a time of transition, Virginia weighs its dependence on defense spending..

• Stepping down: Interview - Virginia's Sen. John Warner leaves long legacy in military affairs.

< Business Trends:>

Biotechnology

• Trailing the Pack? Support for biotech pales in comparison with leading states.

Ports

• A Railroad Renaissance: Energy costs, weak dollar make rail increasingly attractive for container transit.
• Staying Shipshape: Head of Virginia terminal says port's assets help it keep customers.

< Quaterly Report >

Commercial Real Estate

• Keeping an edge: Liberty Property Trust continues to expand in Virginia.
• Going up: The Shops at White Oak Village
• Time for a bargain: Marcus & Millichap serves high-net-worth clients in search of real estate deals.

Business Law

• An Extra set of hands: Law firm subsidiaries offer lobbying, public relations and other services.
• Explaining the Rule of Law: Lawyers to lead program educating middle-school students
  

Managed Health Care

• Thinking Long Term: Cutting employee health costs encourages them to mange chronic diseases.
• No one's in the Pool: Law intended to help small businesses buy health insurance fails to gain traction.

< Regional Report >

Roanoke/ New River Valley

• Hello, Talbots; goodbye, mom-and-pop: An evolving Roanoke-area economy attracts new retail players.