Virginia State Police is investigating a fatal crash that occurred October 11, 2017 in Nelson County.
Around 5:15 p.m. last Wednesday (Oct. 11), Trooper T.A. Hackenbracht was called to a single-vehicle crash on Route 666 (Woodson Road). A 1999 Infinity I-30 sedan was traveling northbound on Route 666 about a quarter mile north of Route 630 (Dillard Hill Road) when the driver lost control of the vehicle. The sedan ran off the left side of the road, struck a tree and overturned in a creek.
The driver – Jamie L. Mays, 35, of Lowesville, Va. – was the only occupant of the vehicle. He was transported to Lynchburg General Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries the following day. He was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash.
The crash remains under investigation.
Susan Rowland
Public Relations Coordinator
Virginia State Police
I-81 NORTHBOUND LANE AND ON-RAMP OVERNIGHT CLOSURES OCTOBER 16-20 IN AUGUSTA COUNTY
Staunton, VA
Overnight lane and ramp closures are scheduled for October 16-20 on northbound Interstate 81 at exit 213 (Greenville) in Augusta County. The traffic restrictions allow contractors to extend the northbound I-81 acceleration lane as part of the exit 213 interchange improvements.
On Monday through Thursday nights from 8 p.m. to 7 a.m.:
· The right lane of northbound I-81 will be closed from mile marker 212 to 214.
· The on-ramp from Route 11 (Lee-Jackson Highway) to northbound I-81 will be closed. Signs will direct motorists to continue north on Route 11 about 4.5 miles, then turn right on Route 654 (White Hill Road) to access the interstate at exit 217.
These lane and ramp closures are scheduled to be complete by 7 a.m. on the morning of Friday, October 20. All work is weather permitting.
The I-81 exit 213 project includes extensions of the northbound and southbound acceleration lanes. The project was selected for funding through Virginia’s SMART SCALE program for prioritizing transportation projects. In February 2017, The Virginia Department of Transportation awarded a $1,054,458.96 construction contract to Kickin’ Asphalt Paving and Excavating of Strasburg, Va. This project is scheduled for completion in late 2017.
Traffic alerts and traveler information can be obtained by dialing 511. Traffic alerts and traveler information also are available at http://www.511Virginia.org.
The VDOT Customer Service Center can assist with reporting road hazards, asking transportation questions, or getting information related to Virginia’s roads. Call 800-FOR- ROAD (800-367-7623) or use its mobile friendly website at https://my.vdot.virginia.gov/. Agents are available 24 hours-a-day, seven days a week.
The Staunton District Twitter feed is at @VaDOTStaunton. VDOT can be followed on Facebook, Flickr, Twitter and YouTube. RSS feeds are also available for statewide information. The VDOT Web page is located at http://www.VirginiaDOT.org.
The VDOT Staunton District serves Frederick, Shenandoah, Clarke, Warren, Page, Rockingham, Augusta, Highland, Rockbridge, Alleghany and Bath counties.
Richard Thomas who played John-Boy Walton in the long running CBS TV series The Waltons will be in Schuyler, Virginia October 20-22. Schuyler is the birthplace of the late Earl Hamner, Jr. The Waltons was created out of his childhood experiences growing up there.
Schuyler
Nelson County, Virginia
By Jennie T. Williams
For the first time since 1973, John-Boy Walton is coming home to Schuyler.
Richard Thomas played John-Boy, the oldest of seven children, in the hit tv series The Waltons from 1971 to 1981. He visited Earl Hamner, The Waltons’ creator, and his mother in Schuyler, the town where the show takes place, in the early 1970s, but due to scheduling conflicts hasn’t been able to make it back for any other cast reunions or Waltons Mountain Museum events since.
“Any time I do anything related to the show it feels like a homecoming,” said Thomas. “But I was only in Schuyler once — many, many, many, many, many, years ago. So while it’s a homecoming in the sense that I’ll be connected to the show again, it’s actually sort of a first-time thing for me.”
Thomas is the special guest of the Waltons Mountain Museum 25th Anniversary weekend, Oct. 20-22. Events for the weekend include several autograph shows, featuring Richard Thomas and other special surprise guests, a banquet programs, and a ribbon cutting ceremony for a new addition to the Museum, the Pony Cart Room.
“We’ve made some wonderful additions to the Hamner home to keep Earl’s legacy alive,” said Ray Castro, a third owner of the Waltons Hamner House, formerly the Hamner Homeplace. “And that’s basically what our goal is: to make sure that The Waltons and Earl’s work and his legacy continue long after we’re gone.”
Thomas remembers Hamner, who was born and raised in Schuyler and passed away in 2016 at the age of 92, as a true southern gentleman.
“He had a great run so want whatever he was having,” said Thomas. “He obviously was the father of our show and the father of our success. He was a wonderful writer and a terrific man with a great sense of humor and a very generous spirit.”
The weekend of events kicks off on Friday October 20th at 11:30 AM until 12 Noon at the new Walton’s Hamner House. Richard Thomas will cut the ribbon there officially opening the home.
Above is a complete listing of the events that follow the ribbon cutting.
Photo courtesy of VRLTA : Above Matt Nucci – far left – along with Mandi Smack and Taylor Smack co-owners and founders of Blue Mountain Brewery receive their Best Brewery award from The Virginia Restaurant, Lodging & Travel Association .
Richmond / Afton
The Virginia Restaurant, Lodging & Travel Association (VRLTA) is pleased to announce the winners of the 2017 VRLTA Ordinary Awards. Recipients were honored at a special dinner at The Westin Richmond on October 2, 2017 in Richmond, Virginia. The winners were announced in front of a sold out audience of more than 175 hospitality and travel industry peers and leaders from across the state.
This was VRLTA’s second consecutive year hosting the Ordinary Awards, which were sponsored by Visit Fairfax, Virginia Business, and Woodford Reserve, which is the evening’s exclusive bourbon sponsor.
During the event, VRLTA honored Speaker of the House William J. Howell with the Legislator of the Year Award for his support of hospitality and tourism during his tenure. Tony DiFilippo, President and CEO of VisitNorfolk, was also honored before the audience with a Golden Pineapple Lifetime Achievement Award for his work to grow the tourism industry in Norfolk and throughout the Commonwealth.
The following individuals and businesses were selected from the more than 100 nominees:
Bartender of the Year
Mary Garriques, Capital Ale House Downtown Richmond
Charlie Buser Award for Attraction Employee of the Year
Dana Staniunas, Massanutten Resort
Hotel Employee of the Year
Rocqui Camm, Delta Hotels by Marriott Richmond Downtown
Restaurant Employee of the Year
Connlan Hogan, Capital Ale House Harrisonburg
Chef of the Year
Tony Cochones, Glory Days Grill restaurants
Supplier of the Year
Jo Diedrich, LeisureMedia360
Rising Pineapple Award for Hospitality & Tourism Student of the Year
Lauren Schlenker, Virginia Tech
Brewery of the Year
Blue Mountain Brewery + Blue Mountain Barrel House, Afton + Arrington
Distillery of the Year
Copper Fox Distillery, Sperryville + Williamsburg
Winery of the Year
Williamsburg Winery, Williamsburg
Hotelier of the Year
Geoff Lawson, The National Conference Center
Jim Ricketts Award for DMO/CVB Employee of the Year
Dan Cook, Discover Prince William & Manassas
Jim Wordsworth Award for Restaurateur of the Year
Tony Stafford, Ford’s Fish Shack restaurants
Attraction of the Year
Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company’s Chincoteague Pony Penning
Restaurant of the Year
Wicker’s Crab Pot Seafood, Chesapeake
Hotel of the Year
The National Conference Center, Leesburg
“The winners of the 2017 Ordinary Awards represent all the extraordinary people and companies that make up Virginia’s hospitality and tourism industry,” said Eric Terry President of the Virginia Restaurant, Lodging & Travel Association. “On behalf of the VRLTA, our staff, and board, we applaud the efforts of this individuals for the exemplary work they have done and will continue to do.”
About the Virginia Restaurant, Lodging & Travel Association (VRLTA)
The Virginia Restaurant, Lodging & Travel Association is the only unified voice for the restaurant, lodging, travel and hospitality suppliers associations. VRLTA creates value for members by promoting the legislative interests of the industry, networking, educational opportunities, and protecting free enterprise. Inquiries about membership and VRLTA services should be directed to VRLTA at (804) 288-3065 or VRLTA.org.
Photo courtesy of Randy Hite : A school bus and semi truck collided Thursday afternoon on US 29 near Floyd Lane. No one on the bus was injured. October 5, 2017
Faber
US 29 Near Floyd Lane
No one was injured Thursday afternoon when a Nelson County school bus was involved in an accident on US 29 North near Floyd Lane. According to information posted on their Facebook page a substitute bus was involved in the accident.
“During the evening bus run today, Bus Number 10, a substitute for Bus Number 24, was involved in an accident on Route 29 North near Floyd Lane. Thankfully, the one student on board and the driver escaped injury but are most likely still shaken up by the experience. We are thankful for the assistance of our local emergency crews who helped clear the accident and directed traffic to avoid additional mishaps.”
As of late Thursday afternoon crews were working to clear the scene and get traffic flowing normally again.
We started seeing some mid 30s for overnight lows this past weekend and that makes everyone start thinking of fall! Our cover for October (above) certainly screams cooler weather eats!
Click above to read our story written by Victoria Godfrey and some beautiful photography by Kate Simon! It’s all about a Virginia favorite for fall eating!
And there’s much more to read in our October issue, pick it up now or read it online above.
This weekend kicks off the 2nd annual Hoopla Festival held at Devils Backbone Brewing Basecamp Brewpub & Meadows. “We had different names for this event. But we curated it and financed it. This is the second year for Hoopla. In the previous years it was Festy in the beginning,” Steve Crandall DB founder and CEO tells us.
The festival kicks off Friday afternoon and runs through early afternoon Sunday.
“During the course of Hoopla we have a bunch of different activities. We will have rides for people to visit other breweries on the Brew Ridge Trail. We’ll have hikes so people experience things here in Nelson County. A pop up beer festival. A pumpkin patch where kids can learn about all different plants and have fun and of course the music,” Steve adds.
To see the music linup at this year’s event and to see the complete guide to Hoopla 2017 click on the image above.
“The idea behind Hoopla was to create a festival that expressed core values. Neighborhoods, industry, family, environment and operations. My personal favorite part of the festival. I really get goosebumps …people have been coming to this festival for almost a decade now and they bring their tiny little babies, and now those tiny babies are young kids. They get to experience this with their young children. And for our staff. It’s like having a high school reunion when I see these guys,” Steve continued.
Governor Terry McAuliffe today announced 12 Virginia companies were selected to participate in the Virginia Economic Gardening Pilot Program (VEGPP). The VEGPP, administered by the Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP), targets second-stage companies. These businesses are growth-oriented and have moved beyond the startup phase by demonstrating a notable increase in revenue or employment. By addressing strategic growth issues, such as identifying new markets and industry trends, refining business models, raising online visibility, and offering access to competitive intelligence, the VEGPP enables high-growth companies to achieve the next level of success.
“Encouraging the growth of our existing businesses is fundamental to diversifying and building the new Virginia economy,” said Governor McAuliffe. “I am confident the Virginia Economic Gardening Pilot Program will be a valuable resource to help many high-potential companies in the commonwealth reach a higher level of success. I congratulate and applaud the 12 pilot program participants as they adopt a new approach to growing their businesses.”
The participating companies in the Virginia Economic Gardening Pilot Program include: Blue Mountain Brewery, Inc. (Nelson County); Blue Ridge Optics, L.L.C. (Bedford County); C2 Management (Clarke County); Clarke Precision Machine, Inc. (Town of Wytheville); Fulcrum Concepts LLC (King and Queen County); Hepburn and Sons LLC (City of Manassas); Risk and Strategic Management, Corp (City of Manassas); R&K Cyber Solutions LLC (City of Manassas); Salatin & Cloud, L.C. (City of Harrisonburg); VistaShare, LLC (City of Harrisonburg); SanAir Technologies Laboratory, Inc. (Powhatan County); and Solid Stone Fabrics, Inc. (City of Martinsville).
“I applaud the Virginia Economic Development Partnership for developing and implementing this strategic and collaborative approach to economic development, which will be a great asset to emerging growth companies across the commonwealth,” said Secretary of Commerce and Trade Todd Haymore. “More than 70 percent of our jobs come from existing Virginia businesses, and we are excited to see the new opportunities the Virginia Economic Gardening Pilot Program will uncover.”
VEDP partnered with the Edward Lowe Foundation, which hosts the National Center for Economic Gardening, to set up a statewide network to provide each selected company virtual access to its own team of highly skilled research specialists. The research team will devote approximately 36 hours to each company and quickly deliver action-oriented information over the course of a few weeks.
To be eligible for the VEGPP, company applicants were required to meet the following criteria:
· Represent a for-profit, privately held company that has been in business for at least five years and maintained its principal place of business in Virginia for at least two years
· Generate annual revenue between $1 million and $50 million
· Employ between 10 and 99 full-time-equivalent employees
· Demonstrate growth in employment and/or revenue during two of the past five years
· Provide products or services beyond the local area to regional, national, or global markets
· Referred by a participating economic development organization
VEDP will follow up with the participating companies upon their completion of the six-to-eight-week program to determine its effectiveness addressing the business issues identified by each company during the application phase. Additionally, VEDP staff will monitor the 12 company participants’ increase in revenue and employment over the next 36 months to gauge long-term effectiveness on high-growth businesses and the value in continuing the Virginia Economic Gardening Pilot Program.
Above are the Virginia Economic Gardening Pilot Program participating companies
It appears the store is set to open this Friday – September 29th.
“We are thrilled to have the Nellysford Dollar General opening soon. At this time, a grand opening is slated for October 14 at 8 a.m. and it will be located at the new store, 2985 Rockfish Valley Highway. The first 50 adult customers will receive a free $10 gift card and the first 200 customers will receive a Dollar General tote with complimentary product samples. Event details are subject to change, albeit unlikely, so please feel free to check back for details,” Laura Somerville with DG Corporate Relations in Tennessee tells us.
Though the official grand opening is in October, the soft opening is this Friday they confirmed in an email with us on Tuesday.
A sign taped to the front glass of the DG in Nellysford says it will open for business on Friday – September 29th.
“When choosing store locations, meeting customers’ needs is Dollar General’s top priority. The company looks for places where we can offer customers an easy and convenient shopping choice. We know convenience is a major factor in our customers’ shopping decisions as we generally serve customers within a three to five mile radius, or 10 minute drive. We also take demographic trends, competitive factors, traffic patterns and community concerns into consideration.
The store will employ approximately 6-10 employees, depending on the individual needs of the store. Anyone interested in joining one of America’s fastest-growing retailers may apply for available positions online at www.dollargeneral.com/careers.
Dollar General sells quality name-brand and private brand merchandise such as health and beauty products, home cleaning supplies, housewares, stationery, seasonal items and basic clothing. We also sell an assortment of packaged foods, as well as some refrigerated foods and frozen foods. In addition to high quality private brands, all which carry a 100% satisfaction guarantee, Dollar General sells products from America’s most-trusted brands such as Procter & Gamble, Kimberly-Clark, Unilever, Kellogg’s, General Mills, Nabisco, Hanes, PepsiCo and Coca-Cola.
Dollar General gives its customers more than everyday low prices on basic merchandise as part of its mission of Serving Others. Dollar General is deeply involved in the communities it serves and is an ardent supporter of literacy and education through the Dollar General Literacy Foundation, which awards grants each year to nonprofit organizations, schools and libraries within a 20-mile radius of a Dollar General store or distribution center to support adult, family, summer and youth literacy programs. Since its inception in 1993, the DGLF has awarded more than $140 million in grants to nonprofit organizations, helping more than nine million individuals take their first steps toward literacy or continued education. For more information about the Dollar General Literacy Foundation and its grant programs, visit www.dgliteracy.com.
The Dollar General Literacy Foundation also supports individuals in the communities that Dollar General stores serve who may be interested in learning how to read, speak English or prepare for the high school equivalency test. Referrals to a local organization that provides free literacy services are available online here or a postage-paid reply card that can be mailed in for information is available at the cash register of every Dollar General store,” Laura added.
