Image courtesy of our media partners over at CBS19 The Weather Authority. Meteorologist David Reese outlines early potential for wintry weather on Wednesday of this week.
Via NWS : Higher elevations across the Central Virginia Blue Ridge may see a mixed bag of wintry weather today. A Winter Storm Watch is in effect on Wednesday for the same areas. Click image above for the latest updates from NWS.
URGENT – WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Baltimore MD/Washington DC
443 AM EST Mon Dec 14 2020
Eastern Highland-Central Virginia Blue Ridge-
443 AM EST Mon Dec 14 2020
…WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 3 PM EST THIS AFTERNOON… …WINTER STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM WEDNESDAY MORNING THROUGH LATE WEDNESDAY NIGHT…
* WHAT…For the Winter Weather Advisory, snow expected. Total snow accumulations of 1 to 4 inches above 3000 feet elevation. For the Winter Storm Watch, heavy snow possible. Total snow accumulations greater than 8 inches possible.
* WHERE…Eastern Highland County, and Central Virginia Blue
Ridge.
* WHEN…For the Winter Weather Advisory, until 3 PM EST this
afternoon. For the Winter Storm Watch, from Wednesday morning
through late Wednesday night.
* IMPACTS…Plan on slippery road conditions this morning. For
Wednesday and Wednesday night, travel could be very difficult.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
Slow down and use caution while traveling.
Monitor the latest forecasts for updates on this situation.
When venturing outside, watch your first few steps taken on
steps, sidewalks, and driveways, which could be icy and slippery,
increasing your risk of a fall and injury.
Base map via National Park Service : Annotations by BRL : BRL can confirm a recovery operation is underway on the Blue Ridge Parkway in the vicinity of milepost 24. Sunday – December 6, 2020
Blue Ridge Parkway
Near Milepost 24
Nelson County, Virginia
Original Post from 12.6.20
In what appears to be at least a days old accident scene, crews are in the process of recovering a car and a body near milepost 24 along the Blue Ridge Parkway. That’s in far Southwestern Nelson County.
After contacting Wintergreen Fire & Rescue Chief Curtis, he confirmed their rope team is working with the National Park Service in the recovery. The car was reported to be at least a couple hundred feet over the parkway.
We will update this story as we have more information.
Photo courtesy of Blue Ridge Bucha : Kate & Ethan Zuckerman, founders of Blue Ridge Bucha are pictured with Hank Heyming, the company’s new owner and CEO. Over the coming months the operation of BRB will transition to Hank.
Waynesboro
Augusta County, Virginia
Since 2010, Blue Ridge Bucha’s Co-Founders Kate and Ethan Zuckerman and their team have been handcrafting organic kombucha in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. From the early days of slinging six-packs out of the back of a beat-up old Honda Civic, to opening a full production facility and taproom in Waynesboro in 2018, the company has become a preeminent kombucha brand in the Mid-Atlantic region, known for its sustainable mission and delicious taste. “It has been an amazing experience to pour our passion for great kombucha into nurturing a small business from its early stages to where it is now,” says Ethan. “We are so grateful to our team, customers, retailers and community partners for their support of our entrepreneurial journey, and we look forward to watching the company take its next steps.”
Those steps will come under the direction of Hank Heyming, the company’s new owner and CEO (see picture of Hank and his family, above). “I could not be more excited about Blue Ridge Bucha and its prospects,” says Heyming. “The company has developed an excellent regional brand as a creator of refreshing, organic, great-tasting kombucha, all centered around its mission of sustainability.” Heyming plans to use the Blue Ridge Bucha platform to drive growth—regionally and beyond—in kombucha and adjacent spaces, while maintaining the company’s mission of sustainability and local production. “The flavors of Blue Ridge Bucha compare favorably with any other kombucha you can find in the marketplace. I can’t wait to give this amazing beverage a broader platform, while honoring its homegrown roots.”
Photo courtesy of BRB : Hank Heyming, the company’s new owner and CEO and his family.
Most recently, Hank Heyming co-founded Trolley Venture Partners, a Richmond-based venture capital fund where he will continue to serve as a Managing Director. Previously, Heyming served as a Partner with Troutman Sanders, LLP focused on venture capital law and, prior to that, he was the owner of These Four Walls, a Richmond-based home furnishings business.
And what’s next for the Zuckermans? “We are enthusiastic about Hank’s vision and our first priority is to support the company as it transitions to new leadership,” says Kate. “And then of course Ethan and I have a few entrepreneurial ideas we’re excited about. But we plan to enjoy some family time before we make a decision about what comes next.”
Photo By BRL Mountain Photographer Paul Purpura : With temps hovering in the mid 20 on Tuesday morning Wintergreen slowly began switching on the snowmaking gear. December 1, 2020
Wintergreen
Nelson County, Virginia
Though not exactly official, Wintergreen Resort switched some of the snowmaking gear on Tuesday morning to begin the process of building a base while the temps cooperate.
Above Paul’s video showing the snowmaking gear in action Tuesday – December 1, 2020 at Wintergreen Resort, Virginia.
Photo RVF: Robert Jennings joins Rockfish Valley Foundation as a part-time administrative assistant.
Nellysford
Nelson County, Virginia
Rockfish Valley Foundation announces that Robert Jennings has joined their organization as a part-time administrative assistant.
RVF says “Robert brings years of experience working with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. He currently also serves as volunteer president of the Central Blue Ridge Chapter of the Virginia Master Naturalists. Robert was already a Rockfish Valley neighbor and his new role will enable RVF to continue to build operational capacity.
The Rockfish Valley Foundation (RVF) is based in Nelson County near Nellysford.The Mission is to enrich the lives of the community and visitors with a rural-tourism experience.RVF aims to foster appreciation and preservation of its natural, historical, ecological, and agricultural resources, and to encourage recreation and a healthy lifestyle in the Rockfish Valley.
The facilities at RVF include trails along the Rockfish River, the unique Spruce Creek Park off Glenthorne Loop at 1368 Rockfish Valley Highway, Nellysford with its Children’s Nature Trail, Natural History Center and Museum,the Native Plant Walk, and plenty of picnic tables. See Rockfishvalley.org.”
In the past the annual Toy Lift operation had drop off locations around the area where people could donate toys for kids that might otherwise not have a very Merry Christmas. This year due to covid concerns the annual event has gone virtual.
“This year, due to the ongoing pandemic, the Toy Lift is not having toy drop off locations as we have in the past. Instead, we are encouraging everyone to post our flyer, which I have attached, which has a QR code that takes people to a custom landing page where they can visit our Amazon Wish List, or, if they wish, make donations via PayPal or Venmo. The board has decided, for this year, this is the safest approach to keep everyone safe and healthy.” Charlie Hall – Secretary – Toy Lift Charities
Though it’s a little different this year, the need is bigger than ever, so please donate as you can!
Photo BRL : After endless miles and miles and miles of delivering BRL through rain, sleet, snow, storms, and more our dear friend Kat Turner (center in glasses) is passing the baton. This was a recent get together we had here on the farm with Kat back in early October 2020.
Nelson County, Virginia
It’s not overly glamorous, but it’s major important and you get to see some the most beautiful views anywhere in the country. Getting Blue Ridge Life in the hands of readers like you doesn’t magically happen. The printer has to deliver here to Nelson, then it gets broken out and delivered to the many locations across the area. For Nelson County that person has been Kat Turner. For over five years Kat has traveled the roads from Montebello to Schuyler to Afton to Wintergreen and every stop in between! She’s seen some of the most beautiful sunsets and some of the meanest storms in her journeys, but she always got it done!
Photo BRL : BRL Publisher and Founder Yvette Stafford (left) with Kat Turner back in December of 2015 getting ready to deliver Blue Ridge Life across the area.
To say Kat became more than a friend would be an understatement. Kat became part of family almost immediately. Many of you may remember Kat from her days as a barista at Trager Brothers or as one of the countless people battling the now defeated Atlantic Coast Pipeline. Go Kat!! Bittersweet is how Kat describes her decision to hit the exit ramp on delivering. While she loved traveling the scenic roads across Nelson, life has changed and with the purchase of a new home in far Eastern Nelson, Kat was ready to let someone else take over and start concentrating on her new place.
Photo By Lisa Davis : Enter Lisa Davis! We couldn’t have thought of, or picked a better person to hand the baton off to as Kat departs. Lisa is a familiar face all around Nelson and the Central Virginia area. Lisa started delivering BRL on her own with the distribution of the November issue.
If there was a perfect person to take over the delivery of BRL it would be Lisa Davis. She’s been traveling all over Central Virginia in various other careers so this was a natural fit for Lisa and for BRL! You may very well see Lisa on the side of the road with her fishing pole in a local river or stream too. She’s quite good at fishing, actually very good!
Photo BRL : Tommy Stafford (me on the left ) along with Kat Turner and Lisa Davis back in early September at Blue Mountain Barrel House talking about handing over the deliveries to Lisa.
Back in April of 2005 when we started BRL it was just me and Yvette doing the deliveries. All of them, while shooting and stories and laying out the magazine. Thanks to Kat, Lisa and lots of mighty good folks over the last 15 and a half years we’ve been able to expand our reach from Peaks of Otter to Harrisonburg and over to Charlottesville where we started distribution in Albemarle and Nelson in 2005.
Kat it’s not good-bye, not at all, but we will miss you! Kat says if Lisa ever gets in a pinch, she’s there to help out. But as we’ve already seen, Lisa has a very good handle on the deliveries and just finished up November distribution.
Everyone please welcome Lisa and also wish Kat well!
Photo courtesy of Maddie Crandall : Another semi blocks the roadway near the Nelson-Augusta County Line at Reeds Gap on Thursday – October 29, 2020. Shortly after this photo was taken another semi trying to get by this one shown got stuck. Two semis then blocked the pass until crews could get them cleared.
Reeds Gap
Blue Ridge Parkway
Near The Nelson-Augusta County Line, VA
By Tommy Stafford
If you’re keeping count, this makes 6, yes, 6, semi trucks in the past 10 days that have gotten stuck and blocked the area near Reeds Gap on Route 664 where it crosses the Blue Ridge Parkway. The latest happened Thursday when another semi got stuck, then another trying to get by got stuck as well.
The 2 trucks that became stuck on Thursday happened after a lot of attention has been shined on the subject by local emergency crews and VDOT during the last couple of weeks.
Photo by Tommy Stafford : A portable VDOT just before the Route 664 / 151 intersection in Nelson County, Virginia warns truckers the route ahead through Beech Grove and over the Blue Ridge Parkway through Reeds Gap is not advised for truckers.
Semi trucks have long been getting caught on Reeds Gap and Brents Gap for decades, but not at the frequency seen lately. It appears the trucks that have been getting stuck lately have been heading for a specification destination in Nelson versus just passing through. There’s also a guess that GPS and map databases may have been updated in the last few weeks send trucks through the route in error.
Be sure to set your clocks back one hour before turning in this coming Saturday night (11.1.20) – Daylight Saving Time officially ends this Sunday morning at 2AM.
Central Virginia Blue Ridge
Sadly the time has come once again, that is if you like those carefree long summer days! Daylight Saving Time ends this weekend. It officially ends at 2AM Sunday morning (November 1, 2020). But for those of us that turn in at a reasonable hour, it’s best to set your clock back one hour before heading to bed Saturday night.
Here’s to that perceived extra hour of sleep we lost last spring!
Photo courtesy of Wintergreen Fire & Rescue : Yet another semi tractor trailer (making 4 this week) partially blocks the roadway near Reeds Gap on Friday – October 23, 2020
Near Reeds Gap
Blue Ridge Parkway
Nelson-Augusta County, VA Line
By Tommy Stafford (some editorial content included)
On Friday yet another semi tractor trailer blocked Route 664 near Reeds Gap. This is the forth big rig this week to get stuck there and block the roadway. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday law enforcement and emergency crews worked scenes near Reeds Gap.
On up 151 in Afton the continued problem of big rigs using 151 as a cut through between I-64 and U.S. Route 29 continues. It’s been a regular problem now for well over two decades.
Above a story posted from Project 151 over 10 years ago in February 2010 where a semi loaded with turkeys blocked Route 151 north of Nellysford for hours. Just a couple of months before another jackknifed poultry 18 wheeler blocked the roadway stranding motorists in a blizzard for more than 6 hours. Click on the image above to read the full story.
In full disclosure, Project 151 was created by myself and numerous other people living in Nelson after the increased traffic along Route 151 and other highways in the country had become increasingly deadly.
Project 151 was established by many people living in Nelson along and near Route 151. back in 2007. Click the image above to visit that site and view archives.
A highway sign marks the spot in Greenfield / Afton along Route 151 in August of 2008, one year after the traffic accident killing Laura Cavedo and her two daughters.
To be clear, none of the fatalities in 2007 were caused by semi trucks. This was a large box delivery truck. But the argument, then and now, has been that increased tourism traffic coupled with semi rigs simply cutting though to points beyond has created a huge mess along the highways in Nelson.
Project 151 September 2007 : Above, former police and sheriff’s officer from Tennessee, Tommy Stafford of Greenfield with hand held radar unit, demonstrates how independent speed data has been gathered along different areas of 151 and 6 since the August 30, 2007 accident. Other Project 151 team members from left to right are, Brian Koster of Nellysford, Former BOS member Ron Enders of Afton, Former N.J. State Police Officer, George Seitz of Afton, John Hellerman of Afton, and Hayley Osborne of Faber, who grew up on Route 6 between Route 29 & 151.
So what does this all have to do with semis blocking Brents Gap and Reeds Gap? It’s all been an increasing problem in particular along Route 151, Route 6 River Road, and Route 664 over the Blue Ridge Parkway. This on highways that were never designed to be carrying this load of traffic. Slowly over the years the clogging of these roadways with semis cutting through, combined with a heavy increase in regular passenger / tourism traffic, has made any travel difficult often creating accidents and numerous lengthy road closures.
In his Facebook page post above, Nelson West District BOS David Parr expressed concern this week over the semi problems on Reeds Gap and Brents Gap, vowing to having something done.
“4 trucks in three days. I spoke with VDOT and they called a special meeting this afternoon. They have a three-phase plan: First, electronic reader boards will be installed Monday October 26, 2020. Next, additional permanent signs will be erected. Finally, we hope to look at Truck Restrictions for the road.”
Additionally, Nelson Commonwealth Attorney Daniel Rutherford told us late Friday evening he plans to pursue changes as well. Rutherford said he has contacted the Virginia State Police area first sergeant about increasing VSP enforcement in these areas.
