The year was 2005. The date, April 1st. That’s when it all started. Nelson County Life Magazine was our charter publication that eventually expanded into Blue Ridge Life, and these days covers the Central VA Blue Ridge area.
We’ve been copied. Imitated, and on and on. We haven’t changed. It’s still just us. Mom and pop. Yvette and I started this magazine as a family operation a dozen years ago today. Fast forward to 2017 it’s still a family operation joined now by our son Adam in 2008 and daughter Peyton in 2010. We still live, work and play right here in the Blue Ridge, based in Nelson County.
Click on our Facebook album above to see more photos from the year it all began!
We couldn’t have made any of this possible without your support. The readers. And we definitely couldn’t have done it without the support of our advertisers. Many of them that started on day one are still with us 14 years later to this very day. We thank you greatly for your continued confidence and friendship.
Lots has changed in this past 14 years. We haven’t. Though we’ve updated with the times like ou new fancy smartphone app for Iphone or Android, we’re the same people you got to know way back then.
Photo courtesy of Wintergreen Fire Department : WFD along with other numerous fire crews across the area spent part of the weekend fighting this very large brush fire in the Faber area on Saturday – March 30, 2019.
Faber
Nelson County, Virginia
High winds and some of the first drying conditions we’ve had in months combined to create the perfect recipe for area brush fires this past weekend. The biggest was in the Faber area along Laurel Road on Saturday. A large number of fire departments responded to the call that took much of the day to finally bring under control.
Later Saturday crews from the Piney River area responded to another smaller brush fire in Roseland at the Blue Haven B & B. A fire there got out of control and spread into the nearby woods. Fire crews arrived and quickly got the fire out. March 30, 2019.
Roseland
Just North of Brents Gap Route 151
Nelson County, Virginia
Yet another tractor trailer accident slowed and sometimes blocked traffic Thursday morning after the truck hauling some type of glass bottles hit boulders sticking out from the mountain. The rocks ripped open the trailer sprilling broken glass all over Route 151.
Crews had the roadway completely open by early afternoon.
For the absolute latest updates from NWS click on the image above.
WIND ADVISORY Including Wintergreen & The BRP
Central Virginia Blue Ridge-
Including the city of Wintergreen
736 AM EDT Fri Mar 22 2019
…WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 4 AM EDT SATURDAY…
.TODAY…Partly sunny. Scattered rain showers this afternoon.
Windy with highs in the mid 40s. Northwest winds 20 to 30 mph
with gusts up to 45 mph. Chance of rain 40 percent.
.TONIGHT…Partly cloudy with isolated rain showers in the
evening, then mostly clear after midnight. Breezy with lows in
the upper 20s. Northwest winds 20 to 25 mph with gusts up to
50 mph. Chance of rain 20 percent.
.SATURDAY…Sunny, breezy with highs in the upper 40s. Northwest
winds 15 to 25 mph. Gusts up to 45 mph, decreasing to 35 mph in
the afternoon.
.SATURDAY NIGHT…Clear. Lows around 30. West winds 10 to 15 mph.
Gusts up to 30 mph in the evening.
.SUNDAY…Sunny. Highs in the upper 50s. Southwest winds 5 to
10 mph.
.SUNDAY NIGHT…Mostly cloudy. Lows in the lower 40s.
URGENT – WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Baltimore MD/Washington DC
408 AM EDT Fri Mar 22 2019
Washington-Extreme Western Allegany-Central and Eastern Allegany-
Augusta-Rockingham-Shenandoah-Frederick VA-Page-Warren-Clarke-
Western Highland-Eastern Highland-Northern Virginia Blue Ridge-
Central Virginia Blue Ridge-Hampshire-Morgan-Berkeley-Jefferson-
Hardy-Western Grant-Eastern Grant-Western Mineral-Eastern Mineral-
Western Pendleton-Eastern Pendleton-
Including the cities of Hagerstown, Frostburg, Cumberland,
Staunton, Waynesboro, Stuarts Draft, Harrisonburg, Strasburg,
Woodstock, Mount Jackson, New Market, Winchester, Luray,
Shenandoah, Stanley, Front Royal, Berryville, Hightown, Monterey,
Big Meadows, Wintergreen, Romney, Paw Paw, Martinsburg,
Charles Town, Shepherdstown, Moorefield, Bayard, Mount Storm,
Petersburg, Elk Garden, Antioch, Keyser, New Creek, Ridgeville,
Russelldale, Headsville, Fort Ashby, Riverton, Brandywine,
Franklin, Oak Flat, Ruddle, and Sugar Grove
408 AM EDT Fri Mar 22 2019
…WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM NOON TODAY TO 4 AM EDT SATURDAY…
The National Weather Service in Baltimore MD/Washington has
issued a Wind Advisory, which is in effect from noon today to
4 AM EDT Saturday.
* TIMING…The potential for strong wind gusts will increase this
afternoon and last through late tonight, especially on the
ridges.
* WINDS…Northwest 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 50 mph. The
strongest wind gusts are generally expected on the ridges,
though some bursts of strong wind could occur in the lower
elevations during this afternoon and evening.
* IMPACTS…Strong winds may blow down limbs, trees, and power
lines. Scattered power outages are expected.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
A Wind Advisory means that winds of 45 to 55 mph are expected.
Winds this strong can make driving difficult, especially for high
profile vehicles.
URGENT – WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Blacksburg VA
330 AM EDT Fri Mar 22 2019
…Strong wind gusts expected today into tonight…
.Another front moves across this morning while low pressure
deepens over New England. A tight pressure gradient will bring
stronger winds to the area today into tonight.
Ashe-Alleghany NC-Surry-Watauga-Wilkes-Tazewell-Smyth-Bland-Giles-
Wythe-Pulaski-Montgomery-Grayson-Carroll-Floyd-Craig-Alleghany VA-
Bath-Roanoke-Botetourt-Rockbridge-Patrick-Franklin-Bedford-
Amherst-Mercer-Summers-Monroe-Eastern Greenbrier-
Including the cities of West Jefferson, Sparta, Dobson, Boone,
Wilkesboro, Tazewell, Marion, Bland, Pearisburg, Wytheville,
Radford, Pulaski, Blacksburg, Independence, Whitetop, Troutdale,
Volney, Galax, Floyd, New Castle, Clifton Forge, Covington,
Hot Springs, Roanoke, Salem, Fincastle, Lexington, Buena Vista,
Stuart, Rocky Mount, Bedford, Amherst, Bluefield, Flat Top,
Hinton, Hix, Union, Lewisburg, White Sulphur Springs,
and Alderson
330 AM EDT Fri Mar 22 2019
…WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM EDT SATURDAY…
The National Weather Service in Blacksburg has issued a Wind
Advisory, which is in effect until 6 AM EDT Saturday.
* Winds…Northwest 15 to 30 mph with gusts up to 50 mph.
* Timing…Today through tonight. Strongest will be this afternoon
and evening.
* Impacts…Downed tree limbs and weaker trees. Isolated power
outage. Loose outdoor objects will be blown around. High profile
vehicles will have difficulty driving.
* Locations…From the foothills of Virginia and North Carolina
west into the mountains of West Virginia.
* Hazards…Strong winds.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
A Wind Advisory is issued when sustained winds are forecast to be
31 to 39 MPH or gusts will range between 46 and 57 MPH. Winds of
these magnitudes may cause minor property damage without extra
precautions. Motorists in high profile vehicles should use extra
caution until the winds subside.
Photo By Jill Soltys Schildkamp : The first full day of spring may be rainy in the valley areas down below, but in the mountains it started with snow! And lots of it! The was on Devils Knob Loop at Wintergreen Resort around 10:30 AM Thursday morning – March 21, 2019
Devils Knob
Wintergreen Resort
Nelson County, Virginia
“Devils knob loop right now! Six inches and counting! So pretty!” Jill Soltys Schildkamp told us.
Photo By Michelle Riordan : Snow continued to fall Thursday morning on Devils Knob. This photo was off of Fawn Ridge at the 3rd green of Devils Knob. March 21, 2019Photo by Michelle Riordan
Snowfall in the mountains of the Virginia Blue Ridge isn’t unusual, even into April, but spring eventually wins, and then summer.
Photo By John Taylor : Winter was trying to hold on Monday afternoon up at Devils Knob at Wintergreen Resort. For about 20 minutes or so the snow was falling pretty heavy. Down below it was a mix of rain and snow. March 18, 2019
Wintergreen
Devils Knob 3500′
Nelson County, Virginia
Google Maps : The approximate area where the deadly crash took place Monday afternoon – March 11, 2019 on Oak Ridge Road in Arrington of Nelson County, Virginia. A 16 year old girl died in the accident.
Arrington
Oak Ridge Ridge Near Diggs Mountain Road
Nelson County, Virginia
Here’s updated information received from VSP Richmond at 12:58 PM Tuesday afternoon 3.12.19
“Virginia State Police Trooper T.A. Hackenbracht is investigating a single-vehicle fatal crash in Nelson County. The crash occurred March 11, 2019 at 1:05 p.m. on Oak Ridge Road, less than a mile west of Diggs Mountain Road.
A 1999 Acura Integra was traveling west on Oak Ridge Road when it ran off the right side of the highway. The driver over-corrected which caused the vehicle to cross back into the roadway and cross over the center line. The driver over corrected a second time, which caused the vehicle to run off the right side of the highway again. The vehicle then struck an embankment and a tree, spun around and overturned.
The driver of the Acura, Zachary W. Debilzan, 22, of Amherst, Va., suffered minor injuries in the crash.
A 16-year-old passenger and (an 18-year-old female passenger from Shipman, Va.) were both transported to UVA Medical Center for treatment. The 16-year-old female from Nelson County succumbed to her injuries later Monday (March 11). The 18-year-old is still being treated for serious injuries.
None of the vehicle’s three occupants was wearing a seat belt.
Charges are pending, as the crash remains under investigation.
Corinne N. Geller
Public Relations Director
Virginia State Police”
Editor’s note : We modified one of the sentences in the release to make it clearer that the 18 years old is from Shipman and the 16 year deceased female is from Nelson County, but not necessarily Shipman, according to a follow up email from VSP.
Here’s updated information received from VSP Richmond at 10:07 PM Monday night 3.11.19
“At 1:19 p.m. Monday, Virginia State Police responded to a single-vehicle crash in Nelson County at Oak Ridge Road and Diggs Mountain Road.
Both the driver and passenger were transported to a nearby hospital for treatment. The passenger later succumbed to injuries sustained in the crash.
The crash remains under investigation.
This is all the information I have on the crash at this time. I will provide an update Tuesday.
Corinne N. Geller
Public Relations Director
Virginia State Police”
Original post from 7:08 PM 3.11.19
The Virginia State Police continue investigating a very serious wreck that occurred early Monday afternoon on Oak Ridge Road in Arrington. The accident occured on the western end of the road nearest US 29 in the vicinity of Infinity Downs at Diggs Mountain Road.
This was the latest we had from VSP early Monday afternoon:
“At 1:19 p.m. Monday, Virginia State Police responded to a single-vehicle crash in Nelson County at Oak Ridge Road and Diggs Mountain Road. Both the driver and passenger were transported to a nearby hospital for treatment. The passenger is being treated for life-threatening injuries. The crash remains under investigation.
Corinne N. Geller
Public Relations Director
Virginia State Police”
Earlier Monday evening around 6:45 PM Nelson County Public Schools posted this to their Facebook page, but it appears to have been removed later in the evening.
Additional info as we learn or is updated from VSP.
Nelly’s Wok, soon to open in Nellysford held an informal free egg roll tasting and giveaway Thursday afternoon in Nellysford. The chinese restaurant is slated to open within the next month, though we don’t have an exact date just yet.
Richard Averitt of Nellysford chats it up Thursday afternoon while waiting for a free sample of an egg roll in fronts of Nelly’s Wok in Nellysford. March 7, 2019
For those of us that don’t party until that hour, your best bet is to move your clock ahead one hour before turning in on Saturday night. Then you’re all taken care of until Sunday – Nov 3, 2019 when we go back to standard time.
Until then, enjoy those longer and warmer days to come!!
