Wintergreen Resort
Nelson County, Virginia
We’re seeing plenty of green in the lower elevations, but it’s still got a ways to go in the higher elevations. Paul shot this photo last week and you can see the green colors just starting to creep up the side of Humpback Mountain. Over the coming weeks all of the mountains here in the Blue Ridge will be completely green and fully leafed out!
A definite sign summer is well on its way!
Thanks for the photo from up top Paul!
Wintergreen
Nelson County, Virginia
Just a few days ago our BRL-WeatherNow Net registered a temperature just below 80 degrees, today the mountains of Nelson and nearby counties in Central Virginia got a 3 to 4 inch snow!
The snow wasn’t unexpected and folks in the lowlands even got a dusting in some places.
We’ll be back to the mid 60s by this weekend and in the 70s again next week! But it sure was pretty to see!
Woods Mill
Nelson County, Virginia
As we first reported Thursday night, a fire that broke out on the grounds of Wood Ridge Farm Brewery destroying some outbuildings but not the actual brewery structure.
“The brewery, malt house and farm house were untouched.”
According to a post Friday morning on the brewery’s Facebook page.
High winds fanned the flames around and made the job even more difficult. Our BRL-Ski Barn WeatherNow station was measuring gusts as high as 65 MPH on Thursday. But in spite of the breezy conditions, fire departments were able to get the blaze under control in a relatively short time.
Thanks to Nelson Board of Supervisors David Parr & Jesse Rutherford for providing this information daily.
For the absolute latest CV-19 number please visit or BRL Facebook page here or TJHD here.
From TJHD – IMPORTANT UPDATE: TJHD has 117 cases as of today 4/9/20.
We previously reported 123 cases by accident because we added the clinically diagnosed cases instead of counting them in the case numbers. We sincerely apologize for this confusion. All cases are accounted for and the correct numbers are listed below.
As of today, 4/9/20, TJHD has 123 COVID-19 cases (including 6 clinically diagnosed*):
* Albemarle: 47 (including 5 clinically diagnosed)
* Charlottesville: 29 (including 1 clinically diagnosed)
* Fluvanna: 14
* Greene: 3 (previously reported 4 but there was a duplicate report so it is actually 3 cases)
* Louisa: 20
* Nelson: 4
*Clinically diagnosed cases = individuals who are not tested because they are very close contacts (e.g. spouse) to someone who is lab confirmed COVID-19 positive & are experiencing symptoms. Due to their level of exposure & symptoms, TJHD considers them positive w/out a COVID-19 lab test.
As a reminder, TJHD is hosting a live Town Hall tomorrow (Friday) at 3:00 PM. Visit www.charlottesville.org/zoom <http://www.charlottesville.org/zoom> for more info. Community members can submit questions in advance on this form<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001_oBn68QxDMwSv82b7wGuwjYVaZyG6v-57Zuv6q8hA8yXAdbrhpQ2pU1PwO3mXz39ntwS74TKuUA9tE7tFTx9ulrh0Z06KIJcqIbZuvlL2Qcctm1ka59bJlpx3AcG6DPhI87qElfOg6ZxhXO74iet4ZZJ0fY_y0M4&c=i0j5HvlwzEvt5kgQJCDmB9SKWPrJhrYwtAotowvbISukpaw8eryVpA==&ch=jPqGXk6I5MQqOFqRUPms_oXy7T7VTBNONB8MtUJXNj8UlExyCKdURQ==> by 2:00 p.m. on Friday, April 10th. We will only accept live questions that are submitted on the Zoom webinar during the Town Hall. Register in advance<http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001_oBn68QxDMwSv82b7wGuwjYVaZyG6v-57Zuv6q8hA8yXAdbrhpQ2pU1PwO3mXz398BGBO-cTbPeDuhKcEgKgdj5cVk4qoA_uof89vNrIeBCYaBeQni9DxjOJqlBWRhfDjTzM0r-vG-foN9GVza6KfQQCX9oij4c81C1JJyK9TFU6QRtc_C1kRseOoLSAOzy7&c=i0j5HvlwzEvt5kgQJCDmB9SKWPrJhrYwtAotowvbISukpaw8eryVpA==&ch=jPqGXk6I5MQqOFqRUPms_oXy7T7VTBNONB8MtUJXNj8UlExyCKdURQ==> for the Zoom webinar.
Good evening,
As of today, 4/9/20, TJHD has 123 COVID-19 cases (including 6 clinically diagnosed*):
* Albemarle: 52 (including 5 clinically diagnosed)
* Charlottesville: 30 (including 1 clinically diagnosed)
* Fluvanna: 14
* Greene: 3 (previously reported 4 but there was a duplicate report so it is actually 3 cases)
* Louisa: 20
* Nelson: 4
*Clinically diagnosed cases = individuals who are not tested because they are very close contacts (e.g. spouse) to someone who is lab confirmed COVID-19 positive & are experiencing symptoms. Due to their level of exposure & symptoms, TJHD considers them positive w/out a COVID-19 lab test.
Information as of evening of 4.1.20
TJHD has 63 cases of COVID-19. This includes 5 clinically diagnosed* (4 in Albemarle and 1 in Cville).
* Albemarle: 28
* Charlottesville: 16
* Fluvanna: 4
* Greene: 1
* Louisa: 12
* Nelson: 2*Clinically diagnosed” cases = individuals who are not tested because they are very close contacts (like a spouse) to someone who is lab confirmed COVID-19 positive and are experiencing symptoms. Due to their level of exposure and symptoms, TJHD considers and diagnosed them as positive without a COVID-19 lab test.
Verbatim release from VSP Richmond:
VIRGINIA STATE POLICE ENFORCEMENT PRACTICES OF GOVERNOR’S EXECUTIVE ORDERS AND DIRECTIVES
RICHMOND – The Virginia State Police encourages all Virginians to adhere to Virginia Governor Northam’s directives and do their part by staying home in order to best mitigate the exposure and spread of COVID-19 within the Commonwealth. State troopers, for their personal protection and for the safety of the public, are minimizing their direct contact with the public. All Department recruitment events, public presentations, training, ceremonies, etc., have all been canceled or postponed through June 10, 2020.
Governor Northam has directed state and local law enforcement to initially address violations of the following Executive Order 53 and Executive Order 55 directives with education and warnings. Persistent violation of these Executive Order (EO) directives can result in an individual(s) or business being charged with a class one misdemeanor, which carries up to a year in jail and $2,500 fine:
- Prohibition of all public and private in-person, indoor and outdoor gatherings of more than 10 individuals – with the exception of the operation of businesses not required to close under EO 53 and the gathering of family members living in the same residence;
- Closure of all dining and congregation areas in restaurants, dining establishments, food courts, breweries, microbreweries, distilleries, wineries, tasting rooms and farmers markets;
- Any brick and mortar retail business (not listed in paragraph 5 of EO 53) failing to limit all in-person shopping to no more than 10 patrons per establishment. If any such business cannot adhere to the 10-patron limit with proper social distancing requirements, it must close.
- Closure of all public access to recreational and entertainment businesses;
- Closure of public beaches for all activity, except for exercising and fishing;
- Cancellation of in-person classes and instruction at institutions of higher education;
- Cessation of all reservations for overnight stays of less than 14 nights at all privately-owned campgrounds
Virginia State Police have been and will continue to assess Virginia EO violations on a case-by-case basis.
State police is required to uphold the laws of the Commonwealth and will continue to have a visible presence within our communities and on the roads for the safety of those living, working and traveling in Virginia. The law still requires law enforcement to have reasonable suspicion to initiate a traffic stop on a vehicle. Virginia State Police will not be making random traffic stops on vehicles nor conducting checkpoints to determine if a driver is traveling for a permissible reason, as granted by EO 53 and EO 55.
The current Governor’s Executive Orders related to COVID-19:
- Do not require an individual to carry documentation related to one’s purpose of travel;
- Do not close Virginia roads/interstates to Virginia residents;
- Do not restrict non-Virginia residents from traveling into and/or through Virginia;
- Do not prevent Virginians from traveling out of the state. State police does encourage any Virginian(s) traveling out-of-state to check, in advance, the other state(s) for any travel restrictions in effect for that state(s). Governor Northam has advised Virginians returning from out-of-state and/or international travel to self-quarantine for at least 14 days.
For any additional questions related to the statewide “Stay at Home” order, please go to www.virginia.gov/coronavirus/faq.
Corinne N. Geller
Public Relations Director
Virginia State Police
Wintergreen
Nelson County, Virginia
April started the month trying to fool us, but it wasn’t a joke! The photo above, courtesy of our friends at The Nature Foundation At Wintergreen and Cindy Coy, shows a light spring snow on the mountain the morning.
As we shared last night, some folks were seeing snowfall in the highest of elevations up at Wintergreen.
Our weather buddy @jstwg just sent this photo to us from up top on Devils Knob @WintergreenVA. Nice dusting up there this evening! Tommy @NWS_BaltWash @NWSBlacksburg @TravisKoshko @CBS19Weather pic.twitter.com/O2VREqdB6G
— Tommy Stafford (@thstaff) April 1, 2020
From Christine Casey : Here’s another shot tonight from up near the Blue Ridge Parkway. She tells us, “Ravens Roost not far from overlook on BRP. Snowing big snowflakes.” Tommy @NWS_BaltWash @NWSBlacksburg @TravisKoshko @CBS19Weather #blueridgemountains #virginia #snow #vawx pic.twitter.com/kwn86YdVV0
— BlueRidgeLife (@BlueRidgeLife) April 1, 2020
Spring may officially be here, but as those of us living here know, we still have several more weeks before we are into the real warm weather without the threat of a sneaky mountain snow. Till then enjoy!
Tommy
Verbatim release via VSP Richmond:
Virginia State Police Trooper J.M. Cappo is investigating a single-vehicle crash in Augusta County. The crash occurred shortly before 1:30 p.m. on March 31, 2020 in the 300 block of Crimora Mine Road.
A 1995 Toyota Tercel was traveling west on Crimora Mine Road when it ran off the right side of the road and struck a ditch. The vehicle then overturned and struck a utility pole.
The driver, Jeremy M. Crites, 27, of Crimora, Va., was not wearing a seatbelt and was ejected from the vehicle. He died at the scene.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
Corinne N. Geller
Public Relations Director
Virginia State Police
Any Fires Set Today Will Easily Become Wildfires URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Blacksburg VA 1241 PM EDT Mon Mar 30 2020 ...Any Fires Set Today Will Easily Become Wildfires... .The combination of low relative humidities, strong winds, warm temperatures, and low fuel moisture are the right ingredients for prompting any fires to spread quickly, and become out of control. The setting of fires today is highly discouraged, or any fires unintentionally set will quickly become a wildfire. Carroll-Floyd-Roanoke-Botetourt-Rockbridge-Patrick-Franklin- Bedford-Amherst- 1241 PM EDT Mon Mar 30 2020 ...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING FOR WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR AREAS ALONG AND NEAR THE CREST OF THE BLUE RIDGE FROM THE NORTH CAROLINA BORDER TO THE LEXINGTON AND AMHERST REGIONS... The National Weather Service in Blacksburg has issued a Red Flag Warning for wind and low relative humidity, which is in effect until 8 PM EDT this evening. * Affected Area...In Virginia, Carroll, Floyd, Roanoke, Botetourt, Rockbridge, Patrick, Franklin, Bedford, and Amherst counties including the Independent Cities of Galax, Roanoke, Salem, Lexington, and Buena Vista. * Winds...West 10 to 20 mph with gusts up to 40 mph. * Relative Humidity...As low as 17 percent. * Impacts...Any fires today will quickly become wildfires. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now....or will shortly. A combination of strong winds...low relative humidity...and warm temperatures can contribute to extreme fire behavior. For more information from NOAA/National Weather Service visit... http://www.weather.gov/rnk/fire (all lower case)
Updated : Some counties just to our south have been upgraded to a Red Flag Warning. Click here for that info.
Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Baltimore MD/Washington DC 1001 AM EDT Mon Mar 30 2020 Augusta-Rockingham-Page-Nelson-Albemarle-Greene-Madison- Rappahannock-Orange-Culpeper-Stafford-Spotsylvania-King George- Northern Fauquier-Southern Fauquier-Northern Virginia Blue Ridge- Central Virginia Blue Ridge- Including the cities of Staunton, Waynesboro, Stuarts Draft, Harrisonburg, Luray, Shenandoah, Stanley, Lovingston, Charlottesville, Stanardsville, Madison, Washington, Orange, Gordonsville, Culpeper, Falmouth, Fredericksburg, Dahlgren, Warrenton, Turnbull, Big Meadows, and Wintergreen 1001 AM EDT Mon Mar 30 2020 ...INCREASED FIRE DANGER THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS CENTRAL VIRGINIA... The combination of west winds of 15 to 20 mph with gusts to 30 mph and very low relative humidity levels between 20 and 30 percent will enhance the threat for the ignition and spread of wildfires this afternoon across central Virginia. Residents are urged to exercise caution handling any potential ignition source...including machinery, cigarettes, and matches. Be sure to properly discard all smoking materials. Any dry grasses and tree litter that ignite will have the potential to spread quickly.
Latest CV-19 numbers via Nelson BOS David Parr :
As of 10am, 3/29/20, TJHD has 44 COVID-19 cases and 4 clinically diagnosed cases in the following localities:
Albemarle: 21 (includes 2 clinically diagnosed)
Charlottesville: 11 (includes 1 clinically diagnosed)
Greene: 1
Fluvanna: 3
Louisa: 9
Nelson: 2
Outside TJHD: 1 clinically diagnosed (close contact w/ TJHD positive case)
As of this morning, 3/28/20, TJHD has 42 positive COVID-19 cases and 4 clinically diagnosed cases. Clinically diagnosed cases = individuals who are not tested because they are very close contacts (like a spouse) to someone who is lab confirmed COVID-19 positive and are experiencing symptoms. Due to their level of exposure and symptoms, TJHD considers them positive without a COVID-19 lab test.
We consider this to be a total of 46 cases in the following localities:
* Albemarle – 21 (includes 2 clinically diagnosed)
* Charlottesville – 10 (includes 1 clinically diagnosed)
* Greene – 1
* Fluvanna – 3
* Louisa – 8
* Nelson – 2
* Outside TJHD – 1 clinically diagnosed (close contact to TJHD positive case)Please note: TJHD has received many questions about individual COVID-19 cases. We value people’s privacy which is why we are not disclosing further information at this time. As the number of cases increase and we can aggregate data, we will provide more demographic and exposure information (likely in the next few days). Rest assured that TJHD is conducting thorough investigations for each COVID-19 case. Those who have been identified as exposed to a COVID-19 case will be notified by TJHD and informed of the steps necessary to remain healthy and prevent the spread of COVID-19.
The number of cases in our district increases by the day. Unfortunately, COVID-19 is very much so here but there are things we can do to protect ourselves and our loved ones. Please follow the recommendations of social distancing, proper hand hygiene, and staying home!
To help prevent the further spread of COVID-19 in Virginia, Governor Ralph Northam issued new executive orders regarding public gatherings this past week. Executive Order 53<https://www.governor.virginia.gov/newsroom/all-releases/2020/march/headline-855292-en.html> orders the closure of certain non-essential businesses, bans all gatherings – public or private – of 10 or more people, and closes all K-12 schools for the remainder of the academic year. This order went into effect at 11:59 PM on Tuesday, March 24, 2020. More information on the order can be found here<https://www.governor.virginia.gov/newsroom/all-releases/2020/march/headline-855292-en.html>.
With many closures, come many challenges. There are tons of resources available both locally and statewide to assist in this uncertain time. Please utilize the following resources:
* Visit and share the new TJHD Local COVID-19 Resource Website<http://www.vdh.virginia.gov/thomas-jefferson/covid-19-tjhd-local-resources/> – this has links to local resources for food, child care, mental health, financial support, etc. If you have additional information for us to add to this page, please email the info to TJhealthdistrict@gmail.com<mailto:TJhealthdistrict@gmail.com>
* TJHD’s new #COVIDconvos: Spanish and English Videos on TJHD’s YouTube channel<https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_ijb-gy5dmihp-poqveQcg/>, Facebook<https://www.facebook.com/TJHealth/> and Twitter<https://twitter.com/healthytjhd>. We are working on creating many videos in Spanish and English about COVID-19. Videos will cover include general COVID-19 info, social distancing, testing, hotline, local resources, etc.
* Take care of yourselves! This is a scary time for all of us. We need to take care of ourselves and check in with our loved ones (via phone or video, that is!). Read tips for managing your COVID-19 stress and find local mental health resources on the latest Help Happens Here blog<https://helphappenshere.org/coronavirus/>.
* Stay up-to-date with the latest information. Call TJHD’s Hotline at 434-972-6261 (M-F 8am-4:30pm but will be expanding hours next week) or visit the VDH COVID-19 Website<http://www.vdh.virginia.gov/coronavirus/> for FAQs, business guidance, resources, and the latest press releases. You can also find great information and resources to share on TJHD’s Facebook<https://www.facebook.com/TJHealth/> and Twitter<https://twitter.com/healthytjhd> (this is where we share the latest COVID-19 case numbers).
As of Noon today, 3/27/20, TJHD has 36 COVID-19 cases (“presumptive positive”) and 4 clinically diagnosed cases* in the following localities:
Albemarle – 18 (this includes 2 clinically diagnosed)
Charlottesville – 10 (this includes 1 clinically diagnosed)
Greene – 1
Fluvanna – 3
Louisa – 5
Nelson – 2
Outside TJHD – 1 clinically diagnosed (close contact to someone in our district)*Clinically diagnosed cases = individuals who are not tested because they are very close contacts (like a spouse) to someone who is lab confirmed COVID-19 positive and are experiencing symptoms. Due to their level of exposure and symptoms, TJHD considers them positive without a COVID-19 lab test.
As of 4pm on 3/25/20, TJHD has 22 lab confirmed (“presumptive positive”) COVID-19 cases and 3 clinically diagnosed* cases in the following localities:
Albemarle – 9
Charlottesville – 7
Fluvanna – 3
Greene – 0
Louisa – 4
Nelson – 1
Unknown (still determining address) – 1*Clinically diagnosed cases = individuals who are not tested because they are very close contacts (like a spouse) to someone who is lab confirmed COVID-19 positive and are experiencing symptoms. Due to their level of exposure and symptoms, the Health Department considers them positive without a COVID-19 lab test.
Information from TJHD just after 4PM – March 24, 2020
As of today, 3/24/20, TJHD has 14 lab confirmed (“presumptive positive”) COVID-19 cases and 2 clinically diagnosed cases*.
*Clinically diagnosed cases are individuals who are not tested because they are very close contacts to someone who is lab confirmed COVID-19 positive and are experiencing symptoms. Due to their level of exposure and symptoms, the Health Department considers them positive without a COVID-19 lab test. For example, a clinically diagnosed case could be the spouse of a lab confirmed COVID-19 case.
14 lab confirmed COVID-19 cases in the following localities:
Charlottesville: 3
Albemarle: 6
Louisa: 3
Nelson: 1
Fluvanna: 1
One of the clinical cases lives in Charlottesville. One of them lives outside of our health district.
