Arrington
Nelson County, VA After a tense start with traffic at a standstill on Thursday as it entered the first ever Lockn’ Festival in Nelson County, things are going much more smoothly Friday. “It was intense. Volunteers just walked off the job and thousands of us in cars were left to fend for ourselves. I arrived around 9AM Thursday and finally made it in around 6:30pm,” Andy Stillman told us. On Friday Andy said things were very smooth sailing and he had no problems getting back in.
Photo By Woody Greenberg: Jimmy Cliff has people on their feet at Lockn’ Friday afternoon September 6, 2013Photo By Marcie Gates: Bonnie Holliday(L) with North Branch School in Afton, VA takes time to do a little painting on this Lockn’ goer who traveled all the way from Hawaii to attend the performance.
Drivers in the area reported no problems on area highways in and near Lovingston either late Friday afternoon.”Just came back for the Dollar General and the Nelson Library. Traffic was not an issue at all. Seemed like a very quiet Friday. You would not even know there was a festival in town. Food Lion was not busy, the gas stations were not busy, Vito’s was completely empty as were many other local businesses for a Friday. So if you have errands, want to have a meal with the family, go to the Nelson High Football game tonight…get on out there and let us resume life I know I am,” said Tori Mininger of Shipman, VA
Musical acts have been playing on stage over the past 24 hours with more and more on stage through Sunday when the festival winds down.Betsy Smith (R) working with Wintergreen Fire & Rescue tends to a patient during the festival at Arrington. Friday – September 6, 2013People roam the grounds and check out some of the vendors in between music acts. Friday – September 6, 2013.Thousands of cars line the fields at Oak Ridge Estate in Arrington, VA
Photo courtesy of Jon Walmsley : The actors and Nelson County, VA native & creator (Earl Hamner, Jr) sit for an interview with Good Morning America. The reunion interview of The Waltons cast will air the week of October 11, 2013.
“Get to spend today with my Walton family!! We will be at the studio where the house set is to shoot an Entertainment Weekly magazine picture. The Reunion picture and article will be in their Oct 11 issue.
Good Morning America will also be on set doing behind the scenes video followed by an interview with the cast that will also air the week of Oct 11.
Mark your calendars!!”
Want something with a whole lot less traffic and an easier pace? Head on over to the annual Rockbridge Mountain Music & Dance Festival that kicks of on Friday – September 6, 2013.
Buena Vista
Rockbridge County, VA
To enjoy great music you don’t have to endure bumper to bumper traffic and and endless sea of people. If you’re looking something on a smaller scale with tons of great music, head on over to the annual Mountain Music & Dance Festival held in Buena Vista this Friday & Saturday.
@2013 Blue Ridge Life Magazine: After waiting more than 7 hours Lockn’ Festival goers were still trying to make their way in Thursday evening around 7PM – September 5, 2013. This is near the entrance to Oak Ridge Estate & Diggs Mountain Road.
Arrington
Nelson County, VA
Hours after arriving thousands of people are still trying to make their way into the Lockn’ Festival in Nelson County. People arriving early in the day were still sitting in line around 7PM Thursday evening trying to get in. Facebook was littered with posts showing the frustration of those who were waiting in 90° sunshine for most of the day.
Late in the afternoon Lockn’ organizers placed the following message and apology for the wait on their FB page.
On the positive side, still thousands more had made it inside the grounds and to the stage!
Photo By Woody Greenberg : After hours and hours of waiting, many festival goers finally made it to the stage where music was starting Thursday evening, September 5, 2013.
Arrington
Nelson County, VA
As we’ve been discussing for days, Lockn’ Festival was on the way for Nelson County. Thursday morning the traffic started pouring in for what will be a four day long music event ending on Sunday September 8th. Numerous reports of traffic congestion in some areas were already coming in Thursday morning, but the bulk of traffic is expected the closer toward the weekend as people get off Friday.
As seen above, Blue Mountain Brewery’s Barrel House grounds in Arrington / Colleen have been transformed for camping and celebrations. BMB highly encourages people to camp there and use their shuttle service to and from the festival avoiding all of the traffic hassles!
Below was a release VDOT put out Thursday morning at 6AM regarding traffic near the festival:
TRAFFIC SLOWS ON U.S. 29 IN NELSON COUNTY
Traffic volume increasing as opening of Lockn’ Music Festival takes place
LYNCHBURG – The traffic volume on U.S. 29 in Nelson County has increased significantly throughout the day and traffic is backed up on portions of U.S. 29 North and several roads leading to Oak Ridge and the Lockn’ Music Festival site. Motorists may wish to consider using Route 151 (Patrick Henry Highway) from the intersection of Route 29/151 in Amherst County to the intersection of Route 250/151 in Albemarle County as an alternate route. This route is not recommended for trucks.
Through Monday morning at the latest, access to crossovers between Oak Ridge Road (Route 635) and Tye River Road (Route 739) will be restricted and law enforcement will be monitoring various locations.
Motorists should be alert to several changes in traffic pattern in the area and follow the signage. Thru traffic on U.S. 29 South should use the right lane, while thru traffic on U.S. 29 North should use the left lane.
Southbound traffic going to the Festival or wanting to return northbound will make a U-turn approximately five miles south of the Oak Ridge Road crossover. Festival traffic will be moved to the right lane and follow signage to the event.
Up-to-date information on possible congestion may be obtained by calling 511 or viewing conditions at www.511Virginia.org.
BRLM is highly encouraging people near the festival to put traffic reports up on our Twitter Feed, or Facebook, and as alway you can comment down below!
17 year old Alexis Murphy has been missing since August 3, 2013. Tuesday the FBI in Richmond announced they have positively identified one of the cell phones found in the case as one belonging to Alexis.
Lovingston / Richmond, VA
Nelson County Sheriff David Brooks confirms to BRLM Tuesday that a red sweater pulled from the Rockfish River last weekend does not belong to missing teen Alexis Murphy. “It’s did not belong to Alexis,” Sheriff Brooks told BRLM Publisher Tommy Stafford.
Meanwhile the FBI has confirmed one of the cell phones located does belong to Alexis. Press release via FBI Richmond:
Alexis Tiara Murphy’s disappearance on August 3, 2013; spawned a multi-agency law enforcement effort to investigate the circumstances surrounding her disappearance. Through community support and the media’s engagement law enforcement have received several hundred calls with potential leads; which investigators diligently continue to work through. As a result of the state-wide and national media coverage, some of these calls have been from outside the Commonwealth of Virginia; and are being prioritized and addressed as investigators deem appropriate.
During this investigation, the Murphy family and investigators requested the public’s assistance in locating Alexis’ phone. Law enforcement have since confirmed that several phones were recovered during the course of this investigation; however until analysis of items sent to the FBI Laboratory were completed it was not clear if any of the phones were Alexis’.
The Commonwealth Attorney’s Office of Nelson County and the Investigative Partners in the Murphy investigation are announcing that one of the phones located has since been positively identified as that of Alexis Murphy. Since this is an on-going sensitive investigation, where evidentiary items and search information is sealed; no further discussion will be entertained. This sole release of information is only being made to advise the public that we no longer need assistance looking for that one item.
In order to protect the integrity of the investigation and ensure that Mr. Randy Allen Taylor gets a fair trial in Nelson County, Virginia, absolutely no further information will be released about this investigation.
This case continues to be investigated by the Nelson County Sheriff’s Office, the Virginia State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Nelson County Commonwealth Attorney Anthony Martin is prosecuting the case.
Nelson County, VA
After a long and rainy summer Labor Day weekend ended on a sometimes rainy note, but not enough of a one to stop the annual labor day celebrations.
Folks turned out this past Labor Day weekend 2013 to stomp the grapes at Wintergreen Winery’s annual Romp, Stomp and Chomp Harvest Celebration.
At Wintergreen Resort the annual Arts & Craft show took place. It’s one of the last 2 or 3 events heading into fall before sights turn to ski season.
Rockfish Gap
Albemarle County, VA
Traffic in and near Nelson & Albemarle counties is expected to be come very congested over the next week to 10 days. Sports & music events will be the major cause.
“According to the Traffic Operations Center in Staunton, these are temporarily in place to monitor traffic relative to the Lockn’ Festival and the home game at UVa in Charlottesville,” Paula Jones with VDOT in Lynchburg told us Friday afternoon.
Get ready, anyway you count it, the roads are about to get jammed packed in the coming days, and that’s not even counting the Labor Day weekend traffic!
Augusta / Nelson County, VA Story By Tyler Rich The Central Virginia Blues Society came out to support one of their own in early August, at the fifth annual Summer Blues and Brews Festival that took place at the Frontier Culture Museum in Staunton. After hearing of their longtime friend and drummer, Robert Ballard’s, cancer diagnosis, the members of CVBS rushed to his aid.
Nelson county favorites, Fatty Lumpkin and the Love Hogs at the recently held Summer Blues and Brews Festival in Staunton, VA.
“When we found out he was sick, we were extremely sad but always kept a positive attitude because that’s the way Robert is.” says friend and band mate Andy Burdetsky. “We [The CVBS] have monthly jams at different venues all over Central VA and we have about 70 signed up members and 300 on our email list, who receive a newsletter that we send out monthly. Robert was at every jam unless he was out of town or sick ….. everyone who sat in wanted to play with Robert and they got to know what a great guy he was.” says Andy. To date the group has raised upwards of $800 to aid in his recovery, not to mention countless meals, visits, and general support.
The Delta Backburners, and Blues Friends at the early August Summer Blues and Brews Festival.
“I was really humbled by the level of support from my friends, family, and fellow musicians,” says Ballard, “It always feels better to give than to be on the receiving end of charity or gifts but words cannot express how much we appreciate everything that Andy and the CVBS have done for us! I am halfway through the six rounds of chemotherapy. There are positive signs that it is working and I feel fortunate to be given another chance.” As Robert’s recovery has gained momentum, so too has the support from his friends and family.
A major benefit called Beats For Ballard is being held on October 5th at the Rockfish Valley Community Center from 6:30 to 11PM to benefit Ballard and his family. The event will feature many of Robert’s closest friends playing, as well as having local wine and beer for sale, raffles, and a silent auction.
People wanting to learn more about the October benefit for Robert Ballard can click on the form above for a larger image. Learn how you can help out.
Via VDOT : Click on map image above to enlarge photo for greater detail.
Release Via VDOT Lynchburg District
Different traffic patterns will be used during Lockn’ Music Festival, September 4-9
Arrington, VA – Motorists who use Route 29 in Nelson County from Wednesday evening, September 4 through midday Monday, September 9 should stay alert to changes in traffic pattern, plan for possible congestion and give consideration into using an alternate route.
On Wednesday evening, contractors working for the Lockn’ Music Festival in collaboration with the Virginia State Police and Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) will begin setting up traffic control south of the Lovingston area. Due to the possibility of a significant crowd and resultant traffic, several changes in traffic pattern are planned, including:
Access to crossovers between Oak Ridge Road (Route 653) and Tye River Road (Route 739) will be restricted,
Through traffic on Route 29 South will use the right lane; event traffic will use the left lane, and
Through traffic on Route 29 North will use the left lane; event traffic will use the right lane.
If considering an alternate route, motorists are encouraged to use Route 151 (Patrick Henry Highway) from the intersection of Route 29/151 in Amherst County to the intersection of Route 250/151 in Albemarle County. This route is not recommended for trucks.
With additional vehicles, including recreational vehicles on Route 29 and several adjoining secondary routes, it is anticipated that there will be congestion on Route 29 North and South, Arrington Road (Route 655), Diggs Mountain Road (Route 668), portions of Oak Ridge Road (Route 653) and Variety Mills Road (Route 655). Congestion is also possible on Wilson Hill Road (Route 665) and James River Road (Route 56). In addition, a portion of Oak Ridge Road fronting the festival grounds will be closed.
The highest volumes of traffic on Route 29 are expected to occur during the overnight hours of Wednesday through early Thursday evening, late afternoon on Friday, Saturday and Sunday and, during the departure period Sunday afternoon into midday Monday.
Message boards, other traffic control devices and a Traffic Hazard Advisory Radio will be used to alert motorists to these changes in traffic pattern and any major congestion issues. A Safety Service Patrol unit will also be available to assist with any incidents that may occur.
For additional up-to-date information throughout the event, please call 511 or visit www.511Virginia.org, follow VDOT on Twitter at @VaDOT, or contact VDOT’s Customer Service Center at 1-800-367-7623 (800-FOR-ROAD).
