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Wintergreen Resort’s New General Manager Readies For Job

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Wintergreen Resort's New General Manager, Hank Thiess : Publicity Photo
Wintergreen Resort's New General Manager, Hank Thiess : Publicity Photo

WINTERGREEN, Va., Oct. 23, 2008
Wintergreen Resort has tapped a 25-year veteran of the destination resort and recreation industry as its next general manager. Hank Thiess, most recently president/general manager of Durango Mountain Resort in Durango, Colo., joins Wintergreen Resort, which is located high atop Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains and touted as one of the most thrilling winter playgrounds in the Mid-Atlantic.
Prior to his three-year tenure in Durango, Thiess was the general manager/COO of Wisp Resort in McHenry, Md. He also was with Keystone Resort in Keystone, Colo., in several capacities from 1986 to 2002. He worked his way up from director of Keystone’s ski school to vice president of resort operations.
Thiess earned his bachelor’s degree from Kutztown University in Kutztown, Pa., and his master’s degree from University of Denver. He begins his new position at Wintergreen Resort the first of November.

Wintergreen Resort is gearing up for the start of the 2008-09 winter recreational season with guests having the opportunity to take advantage of its 26 slopes, the most extensive beginner-to-expert terrain, the new Ridgley’s Fun Park for the children and the state’s largest tubing park.  
For more information on Wintergreen Resort, please visit www.wintergreenresort.com or call (800) 266-2444.

About Wintergreen Resort: Wintergreen Resort is an 11,000-acre, four-season resort located in the Blue Ridge Mountains southwest of Charlottesville, Va. This beautiful hideaway is the ultimate vacation and conference spot, with more than 300 condominium-style accommodations; 45 holes of championship golf; snow skiing, snowboarding and snow tubing; an award-winning tennis program; a full-service, destination spa; 40,000 square feet of meeting and event space; and savory dining options. The resort is located adjacent to the Blue Ridge Parkway in beautiful central Virginia near Charlottesville, just 90 minutes from Richmond, Va., three hours from Washington, D.C. and Raleigh, N.C., five and a half hours from Philadelphia, Pa. and eight hours from Atlanta, Ga.

NCL Web Edition : Welcome To The New Server

Tommy
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The NCL Website will be offline later today for the next 48 hours or so as we make upgrades.
The NCL Website will be offline later today for the next 48 hours or so as we make upgrades.

UPDATE: 10.23.08 6:03 PM EDT
We’re all complete! By now everyone should be landing here on the new server (Thanks Tim!) and you should be seeing an improvement in your speed and browsing experience. Lot’s to update and catchup on so, thanks for being patient while we have been working. Gotta get to work on updating the site and stories now!
-T-

UPDATE: 10-23-08 6:00 AM EDT

Almost all of you are now seeing the new server, though a few ISP’s have still to update, including most Hughesnet Sat customers. But, for the most part all of the major ISP’s are now bringing you here. Some providers take as much as 72 hours to make that change, but it appears all is in the works and the changes are taking place over time. Beginning Friday we will resume our normal daily weather, audio cast, etc.

Thanks to everyone for the compliments on the new server, yes, it is much faster!
-T-

UPDATE: 10-22-08 12:07 PM EDT
Many of you are seeing this new site, congrats! The slow migration over is working, over the next 24-48 hours as other servers update around the world, everyone will be landing here. Thanks for all of the positive comments so far!
-T-

Previous post:
Yep, we’ve “Moved’ on up to a deluxe apartment in the sky!” Ok, if you’re in your teens or early 20’s you have no idea what I am talking about, unless you watch Good Times The Jeffersons (Thanks Merrilee) reruns on TV Land. Anyway, because of all of the increased traffic to our new NCL website launched a couple of months ago, we are having to upgrade our servers. A good thing! You are making us so popular we need to make that change.

This should improve your browsing experience and make it a bit faster as you access our site. Our tests here have show it’s substantially faster than what you currently get.

This is a good thing, and thank all of you for coming to our site and making us so popular!
-T-

Local Foods Thanksgiving Potluck @ RVCC : November 22, 2008

Tommy
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LOCAL FOODS THANKSGIVING POTLUCK @ RVCC
Saturday, November 22, 2008 – 5pm
Supper at 5:30pm
Contact Deanne & Flick at: 361-2126

All of Nelson County is welcome to celebrate this harvest season at
the first monthly local foods potluck @ RVCC.

Please bring a dish made with local foods, if possible. If you have
turkeys, feel free to bring one to share. If it’s apple trees you
have, bring a pie! We will cherish your chestnuts. Thanksgiving
dinner will consist of whatever we bring to share with one another.

BPL Update : Conversation With IBEC Monday Afternoon

Tommy
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Workers with IBEC continue their installation of the BPL network while awaiting word from Verizon
Workers with IBEC continue their installation of the BPL network while awaiting word from Verizon

UPDATED: Friday 10.24.08 5 PM EDT
Today we received a followup e-mail from Mr. Harry Mitchell with Verizon. He is continuing to look into the matter and has assured us that he will respond to the questions put forth.

By Tommy Stafford, NCL Web Edition 10.20.08

In the continuing saga with getting BPL up and running in Nelson County, Virginia we had another conversation with IBEC in Alabama today. Before I get into the details, let me say one thing and make it clear. I genuinely feel that IBEC is trying their level best to get this system up and going. Now that I am finally able to communicate with them, and in turn post updates here, I do get the feeling they are forthcoming in what’s going on. Have they been the best at this in the past, not at all, but I do believe this is the first time they have encountered such a complex situation as they currently have with Verizon.

IBEC is a relatively small company, but happens to be the largest distributor and installer of BPL in the country, an emerging relatively new technology. They have done this in many other areas of the country with no issues, Washington Island, WI, Martinsville, IN, Cullman, AL, to name a few. We do lots of firsts here in Nelson and this appears to be no exception. But again, these guys are trying, I firmly believe that, now more than ever.

Now on to the update. This afternoon Asa Gage, Director of Network Operations with IBEC called and briefed me on the status of things. As mentioned in our update last week here, Verizon halted plans to activate service to the BPL network based out of the Martins Store Substation. Last week I mentioned this was because of legal considerations, that was a because it may have been passed on from their legal department of at least reviewed, but this is definitely a safety and engineering issue, at least according to Verizon via my conversations with IBEC. For the record, incidentally, Verizon has yet to reply to any inquires we have put to them since last Thursday. None.

Asa told me Monday afternoon the hold up revolves around Verizon’s wanting to review exactly how BPL equipment is connected to their telephone network. It’s a lot more complex than that, but that’s fundamentally the issue. IBEC has now been asked by Verizon to supply various diagrams of how their gear is / or will be connected to Verizon. And for the record, since IBEC is the largest BPL supplier in the country, the have actually helped in designing or having input to the code (IEEE) Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, use as guidelines for the installation. According to Asa they have followed them to a “T” every step of the way.

The problems seem to be occurring because this is the first system where Verizon has ever hooked to a BPL network actually originating from an outside pole. In other instances they have always been hooked in a building, or similar structure. Again, IBEC has followed the standards set forth by IEEE all of the way.

Verizon has requested the diagrams and it “may” be as simple as reviewing them and that’ll be it. Personally I have my doubts, and since Verizon has thus far refused to communicate with us or anyone else, all we can do is guess at this point. Asa thinks it could be only a matter of a few days, and this might be over and the “switches” start getting flipped, so to speak.

It will be interesting to see what Verizon’s response will be after those diagrams have been delivered within the next 24 hours.

We will keep you posted, and at this point we again know nothing from Verizon in an official capacity. Their media spokesman for Virginia, Harry Mitchell, has not returned any e-mail requests since Thursday.

More as we know..
-T-

Frosty Start To The Day In Nelson!

Tommy
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By Tommy Stafford : The first frost of the season didn't mess around! Most folks in Nelson awoke Monday to a heavy blanketing frost.
By Tommy Stafford : The first frost of the season didn't mess around! Most folks in Nelson awoke Monday to a heavy blanketing frost.

It’s official. The growing season stopped Monday morning in Nelson County as a heavy blanketing frost draped over most area. With temperatures dipping down into the 20’s overnight, hardly anyone got by without frost. If you had any plants unprotected overnight, you can pretty much say good-bye to them!

You can check out detailed temperature information from any of out NCL Weathernet stations by clicking here or using the handy “Weather” drop down menu above.

The roofs of many cars had a thick covering of frost on them Monday morning.
The roofs of many cars had a thick covering of frost on them Monday morning.
With the blanket of heavy frost, the regular growing season officially comes to an end in Nelson County.
With the blanket of heavy frost, the regular growing season officially comes to an end in Nelson County.

North Branch School Celebrates 25th Birthday!

Tommy
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By Tommy Stafford : Michael Donegan, of North Branch School, prepares to bury a time capsule as part of the school's 25th anniversary.
By Tommy Stafford : Michael Donegan, of North Branch School, prepares to bury a time capsule as part of the school's 25th anniversary.

Twenty five years ago a small group of students started as the first class at North Branch School in Afton, Virginia. Now over 100 students are cramming into small classroom spaces as the school marks it’s 25th birthday, and the construction of a new Middle School annex providing more room.

Parents along with current and past students of NB packed the school Saturday to celebrate 25 years.
Parents along with current and past students of NB packed the school Saturday to celebrate 25 years.

This past Saturday the school held an afternoon celebration commemorating 25 years, and showing folks what the new addition to the school will look like. The new annex will provide more classroom space for current students.

NB students stand in front of a design mock up of the new annex they made.
NB students stand in front of a design mock up of the new annex they made.
Here a man checks out what the new additon to the school will look like.
Here a man checks out what the new additon to the school will look like.
Past and present students take a place by one of the 25 year markers representing their time at NB.
Past and present students take a place by one of the 25 year markers representing their time at NB.
To close out the celebration Michael lowers the time capsule into a hole under a nearby tree. The container is made of clay to be eco friendly.
To close out the celebration Michael lowers the time capsule into a hole under a nearby tree. The container is made of clay to be eco friendly.

Site work has already begun on the new addition to the school.
Happy 25th North Branch, and congrats!!

RVCC Gets A Big Helping Hand From UVa’s Alpha Phi Omega

Tommy
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Erin Hopke, pointing, gets help from RVCC board member, Bill Howard, in preparation of APO's community service project.
Erin Hopke, pointing, gets help from RVCC board member, Bill Howard, in preparation of APO

The Rockfish Valley Community Center in Afton just got one big present. “It’s like Christmas! It’s great, just overwhelmingly great,” says Margaret Claire, an RVCC board member. Starting this weekend, members of UVa’s Alpha Phi Omega – The University’s only coed service fraternity – began work on the old Rockfish School building as part of its community service project. The site was chosen as the fraternity’s Fall service project, which means the Community Center will get lots of needed repairs and improvements. “They’ll be putting up a picnic shelter. They will build picnic tables. Put in a garden for the seniors. A courtyard. Painting the entrances, putting in a sidewalk for the treasure chest,” Margaret adds.

Briana Evans, a second year student at UVA, holds the ladder for Erin as she removes old storm windows from the building.
Briana Evans, a second year student at UVA, holds the ladder for Erin as she removes old storm windows from the building.

“Every Saturday we do a community service project in various places There are about 75 of us and almost everyone tries to go to a community service project. We do 8 hours a semester,” explains Briana Evans, a Foreign Affairs and Anthropology major at UVa. This first Saturday was spent prepping the building for the bigger work to be done next weekend on October 25th.

Margaret Claire of RVCC, right, sites the area where a new picnic pavilion will be built, with one of the APO volunteers.
Margaret Claire of RVCC, right, sites the area where a new picnic pavilion will be built, with one of the APO volunteers.

“I just figured they would pick one thing, if we got chosen. I got called back and were told we had been chosen. Basically everything we had shown was chosen to be done, all of it,” Margaret enthusiastically says.

Andrew Fisher, a 4th year student at UVA and Julia Cooper, a 3rd year student, scrape paint from the back of the RVCC.
Andrew Fisher, a 4th year student at UVA and Julia Cooper, a 3rd year student, scrape paint from the back of the RVCC.

Next week nearly 100 APO members will descend on RVCC to knock out the planned projects.

Pretty nifty. Congrats RVCC!

Wintergreen Nature Foundation : Fall Foliage Festival Saturday 10-18-08

Tommy
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Fall colors are changing up at Wintergreen just in time for this weekend's Fall Foliage Festival at The Wintergreen Nature Foundation.
Fall colors are changing up at Wintergreen just in time for this weekend's Fall Foliage Festival at The Wintergreen Nature Foundation.

The Wintergreen Nature Foundation Fall Foliage Festival is Saturday – October 18th. Click here to get more details on activities and times.

Freezing Temps Possible This Weekend

Tommy
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Freezing temperatures are possible this weekend especially in the mountains of Nelson and adjoining counties. Map courtesy of NOAA
Freezing temperatures are possible this weekend especially in the mountains of Nelson and adjoining counties. Map courtesy of NOAA

Cold air will settle into the area over the weekend, and after variably cloudy, becoming partly sunny skies, on Saturday, skies will totally clear Saturday night. With calm winds temperatures will plummet to near 30 degrees in the mountains at places like Wintergreen by Sunday morning. Some patchy frost is also possible in the mountains and in some isolated low lying sections of the valley.

A freeze watch is in effect for areas along and just west of the BRP. Though, as of Friday evening, Wintergreen is not {is now} technically included in this official watch, it is close enough to be affected by the freezing temps over the weekend. Here’s the watch covering Nelson issued Saturday morning.

Temperatures will moderate by Monday for the first part of the week.

Read more over in Tommy’s Weekend Weather here.

BPL : Verizon says; “Not So Fast,” Brakes Put On BPL Activation

Tommy
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Many IBEC boxes like the one above have already been installed and await Verizon's activation of T-1 service for BPL internet to work.
Many IBEC boxes like the one above have already been installed and await Verizon's activation of T-1 service for BPL internet to work.

Updated: 2:00 PM EDT 10-17-08
Thus far we have received no additional information from Verizon, Inc. We will update as soon as we get it.

UPDATED: 7:15 PM EDT Verizon responds:
In an e-mail received this evening, Harry Mitchell with Verizon Media Affairs for Virginia sent the following e-mail with the promise of additional details:

From: harry.j.mitchell
Subject: Re: BPL – Verizon Halts activation to IBEC-1
Date: October 16, 2008 7:00:09 PM EDT
To: tommy.stafford

Tommy:

Sorry for the delay; it has been a busy day.

To your question, we’re still investigating the reported delay in hooking up the BPL system to the Verizon network. Our technology team has not found any approved engineering practices for the types of connections requested, and the intersection of a power network and a telecommunications network has to be handled sensitively, as you can imagine.

I’ll keep you posted, Tommy.

******
Harry J Mitchell
Verizon Communications
Director-Field Media Relations, Mid-Atlantic/South-Central Regions

Previous story here.
Here.
Here.
Here.
Here.
Here.


Earlier post:
In a strange twist of events Wednesday evening and Thursday morning, Verizon has told IBEC they are “Putting activation of their circuits feeding BPL equipment on hold.”

In a conversation Thursday morning with, Asa Gage, Director of Network Operations for IBEC, based in Huntsville, Alabama, he tells NCL that everything was ready to go and then Verizon halted activation citing legal issues. “Our equipment was in place, Verizon physically completed the connection to our equipment, then told us they would not activate the service citing legal ramifications,” says Gage. This in spite of the fact that apparently Verizon activated similar additional circuits a few days ago feeding the already established BPL service in the Colleen area.

According to Gage, they became aware of the problem when their bulk buying agent, AT&T was told of the halt in activation. “Depending on the area of the country depends who we actually go through to secure our specialty lines.” In this particular case it is AT&T, who in turn deals with Verizon.

Gage tells NCL they have been given very little information as to why Verizon decided at the last minute to deny service, and a planned meeting on Friday morning in Atlanta between, AT&T, Verizon, and IBEC will hopefully answer those questions and solve the situation. “We have plenty of circuits installed by Verizon in other parts of Nelson and in other parts of the country, but for some reason thy have halted the activation of these lines for legal causes,” Gage continues.

NCL has placed calls to Verizon’s media relations as well as corporate offices. In an e-mail from Harry Mitchell, Virginia Media Relations For Verizon, he told us that he; “Got your voice mail and this. I’ll check around and get back to you.” That was received here at NCL at 12:16 PM EDT.

We will update this story as soon as we have additional information.

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