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Former employees of Richmond's VA Medical Center who were laid off are preparing to challenge their dismissals in court.

RICHMOND, Va. — Former employees of Richmond's Veterans Administration Medical Center who were laid off are preparing to challenge their dismissals in court.

The workers met with local union leaders on Friday to file a grievance regarding the unexpected layoffs, which have now resulted in the termination of 50 staff members as part of broader federal budget cuts.

Dallas Sheldahl, an interior designer who had just completed her probation period, expressed shock at her unexpected firing.

"I received the email, and the blood just drained from my face. I thought it was fake. I yelled for my supervisor, and she came over," Sheldahl said.

She said that her recent work to improve hospital spaces tailored for veterans has now been rendered effectively moot due to her abrupt dismissal.

"I didn't even have the time to transfer over any of my projects, the work that I had been doing on major, multi-million dollar projects," Sheldahl said. "I wasn't able to make sure that someone else would understand the drawings and where the information is. And not only will that affect the care, because I was on projects to get more ORs for the hospital, to make the space better for veterans. But it could also cost additional money to retroactively have to go in and figure it out and redo my work."

Others among the dismissed workers echoed similar sentiments of concern over their contributions to veteran care.

"I did everything I could to make sure that my patients on the fourth floor had their supplies," supply technician Deandre Ephraim said. "I dealt primarily with cancer remission and just chemotherapy patients, and make sure that they had their supplies. My medical teams were always straight and they recognize me for that. I've got numerous certificates and letters of gratitude and appreciation from my medical teams as well as my chain of command."

And that effort is something he says is invaluable to the VA.

"I was one of the only techs in the whole hospital that had assigned a whole entire floor to him," said Ephriam. "That floor consisted of 15 different locations for supply needs, and I was the only tech that was able to manage that workload gracefully, no problems, no issues. And now that techs of my caliber are gone, it's going to cause a lot of havoc within this hospital."

Chucky Lee, who worked in Environmental Management at the VA Medical Center, shared a similar sentiment.

"The first line of defense in a hospital is the cleanliness of the hospital itself. And my job was actually doing floors," said Lee. "People see that first when they come into the hospital: the floor is shiny, and if it's dirty, you know it. We were supposed to have 14 people in our crew. We only had nine before these layoffs, and two of us got laid off, so we only had seven. That's half of what we need to do our job. And they can't, they can't possibly do it now."

Mintina Minto, president of the American Federation of Government Employees Local 2145, criticized the firings as unlawful, stating that the union will seek a judge or arbitrator's intervention.

Minto claimed the leadership at Richmond's VA was also taken by surprise by the dismissals.

"We already have the documentation approved from them, and these managers have been willing to step up to say these people have been some of the best employees that they've had," she said.

In a statement addressing the cuts, the VA assured that the layoffs would not negatively impact veteran care or services.

"This decision will have no negative effect on Veteran health care, benefits or other services," said Jeff Clements, a public affairs specialist with the Central Virginia VA Health Care System (CVHCS) in a statement.

As the dismissed workers contemplate their next steps, many reflected on their commitment to serving veterans.

"I unfortunately was unable to serve my country, so I felt this was the best way to serve my veterans," Troy Hazelbaker, a laundry machine operator, said.

Sheldahl explained her passion for the work, saying even though she had been working in a private firm designing housing for low-income seniors, she aspired to work for VA.

"I was like, 'I need to be doing more,'" said Sheldahl. "I loved those projects and seeing the direct benefit I was able to give to someone's life. But I had actually been applying to the VA for a few years, because I felt like it was just such a noble institution that really deserved the best that they could get for their people. And I finally got accepted. And it was so exciting, like I was like, 'Man, I'm really gonna be able to make a change in someone's life, a change in the day-to-day.' And that was the calling that I felt, that I wanted to be able to do more for people that deserved it."

The recent layoffs come at a time when federal agencies are preparing for further workforce reductions by March 13, as directed by the Office of Personnel Management.

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The company, which has more than 2,500 employees in the Richmond area, cited the use of artificial intelligence as one reason for the layoffs.

RICHMOND, Va. — CoStar Group, Inc. laid off more than 100 people from its downtown Richmond offices this week, according to a company statement and individuals familiar with the job cuts.

The company, which has more than 2,500 employees in the Richmond area, cited the use of artificial intelligence as one reason for the layoffs.

"The company expects to eliminate roles in 2025 from efficiencies gained by using AI and reallocate those resources into other areas," a company spokesperson said in a press release posted online. "CoStar Group sees rapidly growing value in leveraging artificial intelligence to improve content creation, drive operational efficiencies, and build the next generation of digital real estate user interfaces."

CoStar Group operates real estate websites like Homes.com and Apartments.com.

Some of the recently laid-off CoStar employees worked to research and create real estate listings for neighborhoods across the nation.

The company said some of the layoffs were also due to "normal annual performance management."

In the same announcement, CoStar said it planned to hire around 500 new salespeople for Homes.com and 100 new market analysts. They also plan to hire another 500 people when they complete their acquisition of Matterport.

"The company will complete its major one million-square-foot campus development along the James River in May 2026. Upon completion, the campus will be nearly full and house 3,500 employees," the statement continued.

“It doesn’t surprise me at all,” said Milos Manic, an AI professor and director of VCU’s Cybersecurity Center. “AI has been around for decades, but the growth surpassed exponential growth.”

Manic’s research shows that other businesses and industries will soon be following suit. They will make changes to their workforce to balance utilizing technology to increase efficiency and quality, he said.

“We don’t have a choice. If one industry doesn’t pick up on AI capabilities, the other one will,” Manic said. “If they don’t, they will likely stagnate and likely even disappear.”

While AI is the future, Manic doesn’t want people to panic. Just as people adapted to the internet in the workplace, he says companies will find the balance in AI use.

“Some jobs, possibly many, will change,” he said. “But even through this, this change is happening faster than any other technological advancement, we still have time, and we still are active participants.”

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RICHMOND, Va. -- The Virginia Wine Expo returns to Richmond on Friday and offers 10 days of delights for wine and food enthusiasts.

Cheryl Felker, the event's wine curator, said the expo will showcase an impressive selection of wines, whiskeys, and culinary delights from local and international vendors.

“Virginia Wine Expo showcases wines and whiskeys and food, smoked foods from all over Richmond and pretty much the wines are international,” Felker noted.

Beginning on March 2, attendees will have the opportunity to enjoy signature dinners at local restaurants, featuring unique pairings and themes. Some highlighted dinners include a wine and cognac experience at ML Steak, a Bacchanalia dinner at the historic Mill at Fine Creek featuring Eight to Z Winery and a Tequila dinner at Casa del Barco in Short Pump.

In addition to the dinners, the expo will feature a highly anticipated event called SMOKED, taking place at the Dewey Gottwald Center. This experience will allow attendees to taste around 80 whiskeys and distilled spirits, along with 28 different wines, including many from Virginia, all paired with smoked foods sourced from local Richmond restaurants.

The Walk-Around Grand Tastings at Main Street Station will offer a "Sip and Shop" extravaganza, where guests can sample specialty foods and artisan baked goods.

"We're going to have also 16 distilleries here that they can taste and purchase, whiskeys from if they would like, and we have about 35 Virginia wineries that will be here showcasing their wines," Felker said.

For those interested in deepening their knowledge of wine, the Virginia Wine Expo will offer Masterclass seminars focusing on regions such as Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. Bartholomew Broadbent, a world-renowned importer, will teach two classes, alongside a saki class that is new to this year’s program.

The Virginia Wine Expo will once again support the Richmond Metropolitan Habitat for Humanity.

“Any donation we get goes into our home building process... to keeping the home affordable for our future homeowners for the long run," Lauren Marshall, the organization's director of communications, said. "We're grateful for any type of partnership that we can have that gets us involved in the community in a different way and helps expose people to the mission of Richmond Habitat."

With a total of 10 days featuring 345 wines, 140 distilled spirits from nine countries and states, and 24 events, the Virginia Wine Expo promises a wonderful experience for guests to explore the diverse tastes of Richmond.

Click here for more information about the Virginia Wine Expo, Friday, Feb. 28 through Sunday, March 9.

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On March 4, 2025, the Virginia chapter of the 50501 Movement will march from Monroe Park to Capitol Square as part of a nationwide day of action opposing the erosion of democracy, the rollback of women’s rights, and the influence of corporate elites in government. Branded as “50 States, 50 Protests, 1 Movement,” the demonstration aligns with protests happening across the country under the banner of March 4th for Democracy.

The event, scheduled to begin at 10:00 AM, will feature speeches from political candidates and activists before participants march to Capitol Square at 11:00 AM to rally against what organizers call executive overreach, voter suppression, and attacks on fundamental rights.

50501 organizers are focusing on multiple concerns, including:

The 50501 Movement has been rapidly growing since its formation, staging peaceful protests nationwide to challenge what it describes as attacks on democracy and civil rights. Using hashtags like #50501 and #BuildTheResistance, organizers are calling for widespread participation in the March 4th events across all 50 states.

Virginia’s chapter emphasizes that the march will be peaceful but urgent, rallying community members to oppose restrictive policies, protect voting rights, and ensure that democracy remains intact.

For more information, contact the Virginia 50501 Movement at [email protected].

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Shrimp Etouffee is a Cajun-Creole dish that celebrates indulgent comfort.

Get ready to spice up your Mardi Gras celebration! Joshua Beauchamp, an Executive Chef at Avery Point, an Erickson Senior Living-managed community in Short Pump, Va, is bringing the vibrant flavors of New Orleans to your kitchen with a festive Mardi Gras recipe—Shrimp Etouffee!

Shrimp Etouffee is a Cajun-Creole dish that celebrates indulgent comfort. It is built on the foundation of a flavorful roux with onion, bell pepper, and celery. Get ready to jazz up your menu and indulge in the spirit of Mardi Gras with this delicious, chef-approved recipe!

Shrimp Etouffee

Serving size: 4

Ingredients:

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• 1 Bell Pepper small diced

• 4 stalks Celery small diced

• 1 Onion small diced

• 1 Tablespoon chopped garlic

• 4 Tablespoons Butter

• ½ cup Canola Oil

• 1 cup Flour

• 4 and ½ cups Shrimp Stock or Seafood Stock

• 1 Tomato diced

• 2 lbs 16/20 Shrimp Peeled, deveined, and tail off

• ¼ cup Creole Seasoning (I prefer Zatarain’s)

• 2 Tablespoons Salt and 1 Tablespoon Pepper

• 1 bunch Parsley chopped fine

• 1 lemon, juiced.

• 1 Cup cooked rice

Method:

Add oil to a heavy bottomed pot. When it’s hot, add the vegetables and saute over med high heat. Stir often so as to not burn and cook until the vegetables are very soft and browned. Add the garlic and season liberally with the creole seasoning. When the garlic becomes fragrant, add the butter and cook until melted and bubbling. Add the flour and stir to fully incorporate and developthe roux. Allow the roux to cook for 5 to seven minutes while stirring often. Slowly add the shrimp stock while stirring constantly. Once incorporated, let the mixture come to a full simmer and let cook for 10 minutes. Adjust the seasoning and consistency, if needed. Add the shrimp and bring up to a simmer. Careful as to not overcook the shrimp. Add the parsley and lemon juice. Stir, taste and serve by placing a 6 ounces in a bowl and add rice in the middle.

Residents at Avery Point have multiple on-site restaurants just steps from their residences –all of which boast enticing menus and plenty of opportunities to connect with neighbors over a shared meal.

To learn more about Avery Point, visit AveryPointCommunity.com to get the scoop on amenities, floor plans, and so much more.