Michael Schwartz

Michael Schwartz is the editor of Richmond BizSense, and covers banking, lawsuits, finance, M&A and golf. He can be reached at [email protected] or 804-855-1037.

The R&D Dept.: Local Patents for 12.21.11

A patent for an electric can opener this week. Plus, some highly technical patents from local inventors working for IBM, Sony, Honeywell and others.

Rug business cleans up

A local developer and a Northern Virginia rug cleaning company purchases the business interests and commercial real estate of a prominent bankrupt Richmond couple at auction. And already one developer is planning to put in apartments in Oregon Hill.

Richmond lags in economic recovery

There hasn’t been enough growth here to offset the blow of losing major employers such as Qimonda, Circuit City and LandAmerica.

A foxy investment

A high-end residential development in Chesterfield is getting a shot in the arm from a local private equity fund that is bullish on local real estate.

Anderson Strudwick winds down

An Alabama brokerage closed Monday on its purchase of one of the last Richmond-based brokerage houses.

Trading Day: Inside the SEC filings for 12.15.2011

Lots of insiders are buying and selling this week, and a California firm was able to persuade only a small fraction of shareholders of a local REIT to sell their shares at a fire sale price.

Collateral damage

A 1,400-acre planned development in Chesterfield County’s Matoaca district is at the center of a legal dispute after one of its owners defaulted on huge loans.