Virginia Natural Gas has won state approval for a conservation plan designed to encourage consumers to reduce gas usage. The State Corporation Commission approved the plan this week. It includes a program to educate customers on the benefits of conservation and incentives to buy high-efficiency natural-gas furnaces and water heaters. It is the first plan submitted to the SCC under a new state law that allows gas utilities to encourage consumers to reduce consumption, while protecting the utilities’ income.

Nautilus, a maker of fitness machines, is expanding its Grayson County manufacturing facility, creating 60 jobs. Gov. Timothy M. Kaine said yesterday that the $1.7 million expansion will add a cardio-exercise equipment line to the manufacturing operation. Nautilus, based in Vancouver, Wash., makes fitness products under brands including Nautilus, Bowflex and StairMaster.

Nautilus, a maker of fitness machines, is expanding its Grayson County manufacturing facility, creating 60 jobs. Gov. Timothy M. Kaine said yesterday that the $1.7 million expansion will add a cardio-exercise equipment line to the company’s manufacturing operations. Nautilus, based in Vancouver, Wash., makes fitness products under brands including Nautilus, Bowflex and StairMaster. It has had manufacturing operations in Virginia since 1975.

Virginia Tech’s police department has two new members: Boomer, a 2-year-old yellow Labrador retriever, and Boris, a 2-year-old German shepherd. Both came to Tech from Germany by way of an Ohio police dog trainer and supplier. Boomer and his handler, officer Larry Wooddell, graduated from the Virginia State Police K-9 training school this summer. Boomer is Tech’s first explosives-detection K-9.

The University of Virginia School of Nursing has awarded the state’s first doctor of nursing practice degree. Amy Drake Boitnott, an instructor at the School of Nursing since 2004, presented and defended her capstone project in the Rotunda last month and was awarded the DNP degree. A DNP is a clinical scholar who uses evidence-based research to develop interventions to improve clinical practice. It represents the highest level of nursing practice.

Virginia’s state treasurer is retiring at the end of the year, and Gov. Timothy M. Kaine will fill the post with one of his most trusted fiscal advisers. Treasurer Braxton Powell leaves the post he assumed when Kaine took office in January 2006. He had been deputy state treasurer for six years and worked with the Treasury Department for 25 years.

Yoder Dairies plans to stop its home-delivery milk service after nearly 80 years. The Virginia Beach-based institution said it will leave the last orders at customers’ doorsteps on Friday. Maria Olah, Yoder’s general manager, says the business has lost 800 to 1,000 customers since January because of the nation’s escalating economic problems. That’s about a quarter of its home-delivery base.

Yoder Dairies plans to stop its home-delivery milk service after nearly 80 years. The Virginia Beach-based institution said it will leave the last orders at customers’ doorsteps on Friday. Maria Olah, Yoder’s general manager, says the business has lost 800 to 1,000 customers since January because of the nation’s escalating economic problems. That’s about a quarter of its home-delivery base.

A pair of Virginia banks say they’ve received preliminary approval for an injection of more than $80 million in capital from the federal government’s bank investment program. Norfolk-based Hampton Roads Bankshares announced yesterday it has received preliminary approval to sell $22.3 million worth of preferred stock and warrants for common stock to the U.S. Treasury.

Automotive industry supplier Wolverine Advanced Materials plans to lay off about one-quarter of the hourly workers at its Blacksburg plant. The company announced this week that it will lay off about 50 of the 205 hourly workers and five of the more than 40 salaried employees in Blacksburg. Wolverine spokeswoman Tina Kozak says the job cuts reflect the difficult conditions in the auto industry.

Automotive industry supplier Wolverine Advanced Materials plans to lay off about one-quarter of the hourly workers at its Blacksburg plant. The company announced this week that it will lay off about 50 of the 205 hourly workers and five of the more than 40 salaried employees in Blacksburg. Wolverine spokeswoman Tina Kozak says the job cuts reflect the difficult conditions in the auto industry.

Prince George County has officially transferred more than 1,000 acres of land to Rolls Royce for development of a jet engine production and testing facility. Because the county could not transfer the land directly to Rolls Royce, the county transferred it first to its own Industrial Development Authority, which then transferred it to Rolls-Royce.

Columbia Gas of Virginia customers are getting a break on their winter bills. The Chester-based natural gas utility said yesterday it is cutting its fuel supply rate for December, January and February due to falling wholesale prices for fuel. The monthly bill for a residential customer who uses 10,000 cubic feet per month will decline by 8.5 percent to $157.66.

Colonial Heights Parents can have their vehicles’ child-safety seats checked free today from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the AAA Tri-Cities Office at 707 Southpark Blvd. AAA Mid-Atlantic, the Mid-Atlantic Foundation for Safety and Education, Safe Kids Southeastern Virginia and the Virginia Department of Health are sponsoring the event. Chesterfield Lorie Roberts of Midlothian became the Richmond Animal League’s first “Best In

This daily column features short news items from the 20 localities that make up the greater Richmond area. On Mondays, we run at least one item from each of the localities. If you have a news item, call 649-6990 or e-mail us at Amelia A Prince William County elementary school has been named after an Amelia County native. The school is named after educator Fannie W. Fitzgerald, who graduated from Amelia’s former all-black Russell Grove High School. Fitzgerald, a graduate of Virginia Union University, also taught school in Amelia.