A surge of new college graduates into the job market pushed up Hampton Roads’ jobless rate by almost a half percentage point to 3.9 percent in May, the Virginia Employment Commission said Wednesday. The unemployment rate in April was 3.5 percent, the commission said.

HSBC Mortgage Services, a unit of the London-based banking company HSBC, notified Virginia this week that it plans to lay off about 48 employees at its Chesapeake facility in August. The layoffs, it said in a filing with the state, were due to a permanent reduction in its work force there.

Certain things go together: Peanut butter and jelly. Bikinis and sunscreen. Ants and picnics. Repeated F-bombs and family-oriented concerts? Not at all.

Amerigroup Corp., citing the increased pressure to contain costs, said Monday that it eliminated slightly more than 80 jobs, including about 40 in Virginia Beach.

“We thought this was the appropriate action to take in light of the current business environment,” said Kent Jenkins Jr., a spokesman for the Virginia Beach-based company.

Templeton is a partner in Razzo restaurant in Norfolk's Ocean View neighborhood. This is her story, in her own words. I moved to Virginia Beach so I could student-teach. When I got here, it was the summer before I started student-teaching, and I needed a job. So I started working at Zia Marie right when it opened, which was 12 years ago.

(ARA) - All over the country, high-power professionals are trading in their high-paying, high-stress careers, with their 60-hour weeks and $200 ties, for a more fulfilling life. This trend, known as "downshifting" is catching on, as over-worked professionals seek to find balance in their lives.

(ARA) - It’s that time of year when the weather warms, vacations are planned and office clutter comes into full bloom. As the days grow longer, you may want to take a look at your office’s productivity in a new light, because becoming more organized and efficient can mean more time to enjoy those favorite summertime activities.

(ARA) - Now in its eighth season, the Emmy award-winning investigative drama CSI draws a weekly audience of about 20 million viewers. But CSI is more than simply entertainment. With such a large viewership, this popular crime-solving show is having an impact on the field of criminal justice -- both good and bad.  

Amid concerns that the U.S. economy is losing steam, Hampton Roads generated 6,800 jobs in April, and its jobless rate fell after an upturn in March.

(ARA) – Now more than ever before, it’s important for small business owners to get the most return on every dollar they spend. After all, as the backbone of the American economy, the small business owner’s success spells good news for everyone.