Tom Powell

Reporter Arizona’s Family

Tom Powell joined Arizona’s Family in April of 2025. A Chicago native, Tom has worked in newsrooms across the country. He comes to Phoenix from Fort Wayne, Indiana, where he was the news director and anchor at Gray TV Station, WPTA.

Tom is a newsroom leader with more than 20 years of experience in broadcast journalism. He started his career in Sioux Falls, South Dakota as a reporter. He then anchored and reported for WREG, the CBS affiliate in Memphis, Tennessee.

Tom graduated from the University of Illinois. His work has been recognized with several regional Emmy Awards and an Edward R. Murrow Award.

A new coworking space in the works at Innsbrook is providing an opportunity for Henrico to lure more international businesses, part of a broader effort by the county’s Economic Development Authority to fill more of Henrico’s empty office space.

The EDA this week announced the launch of the Henrico Global Business Gateway, an initiative to attract and incentivize established, foreign-based companies to expand operations to the U.S.

A collaboration with Highwoods Properties and coworking company Gather, the program will be based in the new Gather West End that’s planned at the Highwoods Centre building at 4101 Cox Road, near Innsbrook’s southern entrance off Broad Street.

Participating companies would receive dedicated office space for up to three employees at a reduced cost, among other incentives, to establish their first U.S. presence at Gather West End. The reduced cost would last for 12 to 18 months, after which companies would move to available office space in Innsbrook or elsewhere in Henrico.

Participants also would receive business consulting services, professional services such as legal counsel and immigration consulting, recruiting and hiring assistance, business development and networking, and relocation assistance for staff and their families.

The program will begin operations early next year, when Gather West End is slated to open on the building’s second floor. The coworking space will fill the entire floor with capacity for more than 300 people across 19,000 square feet.

The program will launch with Rego Inc., an Africa-based financial tech firm, as its first participant, the EDA said in its announcement.

The initiative is part of a broader effort by Henrico to incentivize improvements and fill its stock of available office space, which many companies have vacated or downsized amid the work-from-home trends that came with the pandemic.

In a presentation to county supervisors at a retreat last week, EDA Executive Director Anthony Romanello said Henrico’s office vacancy rate stands at 13%, compared to 21% nationally and 24% in the Northern Virginia region. That’s 13% of more than 23 million square feet of non-governmental office space that exists in Henrico.

“It’s no secret that every company in the world has been evaluating office space since the pandemic,” Romanello told the board. “We are really trying to adapt as best we can to what we think are emerging trends, but nobody has the answer.”

He noted recent moves by some of the county’s larger employers, such as Elephant Insurance’s relocation and downsizing of its headquarters in the county; Truist’s office consolidation to the former SunTrust campus in Manchester; fewer in-office workers at the former Anthem campus near Willow Lawn; and Capital One’s nearly complete exodus from Innsbrook.

Bucking the trend was BHE GT&S, a division of Berkshire Hathaway Energy, that bought two of Capital One’s buildings in Innsbrook and fully staffed them once employees were vaccinated, Romanello said.

Another trend across the country has been conversions of vacant office buildings to residential use, though Henrico is looking to buck that trend by incentivizing improvements to turn certain buildings into so-called “trophy” office space, attractive to companies for their amenities such as gyms and commercial kitchens that are aimed at drawing workers back to the office.

The county’s Henrico Office Task Force, consisting of property owners such as Highwoods and other stakeholders, convened last year and recommended three steps to address office vacancies, including creation of an office renovation program in which CoStar-rated four-star buildings would receive incentives for upgrades of at least $250,000 to make them trophy spaces.

The EDA would reimburse up to 50 percent of actual costs up to $500,000 after work is completed. Romanello said the county has 26 four-star office properties totaling over 3 million square feet.

“This level of investment is required to keep businesses here or to give us the product that we’re going to need to attract new businesses to the county,” he said.

Romanello said the only trophy office space in the region is the new Dominion Energy tower in downtown Richmond. He said Henrico has had one new out-of-market office prospect in the last four years, and that the company said it could shortlist Henrico with a trophy-space upgrade of one of its four-star properties.

“I think there’s a real moment that we have right now as folks around the world are looking at their office space needs,” Romanello told the board. “They can come to a place where they’ve got a great labor supply, they can get in for a good cost. The thing we don’t have is that trophy office space to attract them here.”

The office task force also recommended expanding Henrico’s technology zone beyond Innsbrook to include all office space in the county, and to enhance the county’s commercial rehab tax credit program by reducing the minimum building age from 26 to 20 years (the minimum is 15 years in a technology or enterprise zone), increasing the tax exemption period from seven to 15 years, and reducing the minimum assessment increase from 40 to 30 percent. Eligible buildings must be 80,000 square feet or larger and converted to commercial.

Supervisors responded receptively to the recommendations, which county officials said would be formally proposed to the board at a later date.

“I’m in favor of everything you can do to implement a policy that saves office,” Supervisor Dan Schmitt said at the retreat.

“It’s a national epidemic, but I don’t want to run from office. I want to be prepared in years to come to be nimble, because where is it going? I don’t think it’s going away forever; I think it’s going to be different,” he said. “I’m in favor of any policy that helps save office and reduces this kneejerk reaction to convert every office to residential.”

Of the Henrico Global Business Gateway program, Supervisor Misty Whitehead added: “That sounds incredibly forward-thinking and exciting as we consider how much more of a global economy we have.”

Romanello said the idea for the Global Business Gateway arose from discussions with Highwoods, which he noted is the county’s largest office owner, and its plans for the Innsbrook Gather location. He told the board that the program would add to the number of foreign-based companies already doing business in Henrico.

“We’ve got 75 companies that are foreign-based in the county, and we think this is a real opportunity to grow these,” he said.

HENRICO, Va. (WWBT) – Henrico County is going global.

Three international companies are setting up shop at the new Gather West End location in Innsbrook, as they work to grow their global businesses and give back to Henrico County.

A ribbon-cutting was held at the new co-working space on Tuesday.

It is all part of a partnership with Henrico’s Economic Development Authority (EDA) that aims to attract more investment to the county.

“We believe that this county will be the soil from which our global impact grows,” Rego, Inc. Founder and CEO Yogo Dubois said.

His company, from the Democratic Republic of Congo, provides digital ID and verification services.

The two other companies moving into Henrico are:

Saarathi Engtech, a manufacturer of aircraft hangar doors, gearboxes and screw jacks from Mumbai, India.

Inpronic USA is a custom control panel device manufacturer from Latacunga, Ecuador.

All three are the first to participate in Henrico’s new Global Business Gateway (GBG) program, where the county offers marketing and other resources to give companies a launching pad into the U.S. business market.

“It is a two-way flow of opportunity. We are creating jobs for Virginians, high-skilled employment in tech, compliance, customer service and global operations,” Dubois said.

Rumy Mohta, president of Atlas Ventures, helped attract the Mumbai-based company and says the plan is to put down roots in Henrico.

“Employment, definitely, and bringing in more business revenue, of course. And the company has a plan in the next two to three years, God willing, to open up a manufacturing plant, investing 10+ million dollars,” Mohta said.

Dubois said he has similar goals for his company.

“First is jobs—second, investment opportunity. And third, just the impact, more tax money to the government, probably,” Dubois said.

“This is more than just a ribbon cutting. It’s the beginning of a new era for international business in Henrico,” Board of Supervisors Chair Dan Schmitt said. “With a welcoming community, a robust support network, and Gather’s premium workspaces, Henrico’s Global Business Gateway is designed to help these companies – and our community – thrive.”

Copyright 2025 WWBT. All rights reserved.

Joel Vazquez-Juarbe

Joel joined the 12 On Your Side team in July 2024. The south Jersey-native moved to Myrtle Beach, S.C. for his first news job just days after graduating from Rowan University in Glassboro, NJ in May 2022. (Go Profs!)

He was a multimedia journalist at WPDE ABC15 News for two years, covering anything from hurricanes, local and national politics, to fun events happening around the Grand Strand. He was also eager to fill in behind the desk when needed.

Now, he is trading the waves of the Atlantic Ocean for the peaceful flow of the James River. He is looking forward to serving all the different communities within the Richmond-Petersburg area and telling the stories that matter.

When Joel isn’t out in the field, he enjoys running, sipping an iced vanilla latte, or simply watching reality competition shows with his cat, Lucy. If you see him doing any of these activities, say “hello!”

Chief Meteorologist Brent Watts

Chief Meteorologist Roanoke, VA

Brent Watts was in 4th grade when the Flood of ’85 nearly put his hometown of Buchanan underwater. That event sparked his interest in predicting severe weather.

The Botetourt county native joined WDBJ7 Television in 1997 working behind-the-scenes and joined the weather department in 2003. Since then, Brent has been the meteorologist on duty during some of the region’s most incredible weather events, including tornado outbreaks in 2004, 2011, 2016 and 2018, flooding from tropical storms, and even the 2012 Derecho.

Brent has a degree in communications from Old Dominion University and is a graduate of Mississippi State University’s Broadcast Meteorology Program. He has been awarded the American Meteorological Society’s Seal of Approval (AMS). Brent is a three-time Emmy Award winner for his work on documentaries on the Flood of 1985, Hurricane Michael, and the 2012 Derecho.

When he’s not delivering the forecast on WDBJ7, you’ll find Brent visiting schools and groups sharing his passion for weather and protecting the environment.

Outside of work, Brent enjoys playing the piano and drums, canoeing area rivers, and visiting Virginia’s hometowns in search of great photographs, food, and fun.

Brent resides in Roanoke with his wife Vicky, daughter Tori, and their dog, Riley and rescue cat Jaxson Cloud.

RICHMOND, Va. (WWBT) – Dozens gathered at the Governor’s mansion to celebrate the centuries-long relationship between the Commonwealth and the Mattaponi and Pamunkey Indian tribes.

The annual tax tribute ceremony dates back to 1677 when an agreement was signed allowing Native Americans to give fresh game to the colonial government as an alternative to paying taxes.

“Upholding the trust and treaty responsibilities in our government-to-government relationship is critical to honoring the past, present and recognizing that our future together is one where we are intertwined as people,” Governor Youngkin said.

The Mattaponi and Pamunkey tribes gifted the wild game, art and jewelry to the Governor and the First Lady.

It’s a tradition, Chief Mark Thomas Fallingstar Custalow of the Mattaponi Indian tribe says has been recognized for 345 years.

“It’s an honor for us to be here and for us to be a part of it. Like I said before, I’ve been doing this since I was a little kid. The first time I came, I was 3 years old,” said Mark Thomas Fallingstar Custalow, chief of the Mattaponi Indian Tribe.

For centuries, Thanksgiving has been celebrated by Indigenous people to show gratitude for a plentiful harvest. But there’s a painful side to the annual tradition.

“I can’t say I’m thankful that the settlers landed in 1607 and by 1699, 9 out of 10 of our native people had perished,” Stephen Adkins, Chief of the Chickahominy Indian tribe, said.

He added that many of their stories remain untold in Virginia public schools.

“It’s hard being an Indian when we countered our inheritance and made sure that we stayed together. We’ve gone from a survival mode to a thriving mode,” Adkins said.

While there’s a lot to celebrate this Thanksgiving, Virginia’s native tribes are still working to overcome the settlement that set them back.

“We’re working towards our federal recognition, that’s our big piece,” Chief Custalow said. “We are the criteria of the Mattaponi people, but yet we’re not federally recognized. So that is something we are working towards,” he said.

Custalow said Wednesday the move to be federally recognized is costly, but the Mattaponi Indian Tribe is closer to that goal than ever before.

Copyright 2022 WWBT. All rights reserved.