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Albemarle County Police Continue Saying Possible Drowning Incident At Schuyler Is Missing Person

Tommy
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Albemarle County Police Continue Saying Possible Drowning Incident At Schuyler Is Missing Person

 

As we have been reporting as have other media outlets including Richmond, the investigation continues into the presumed drowning of a Hanover teenager.

This afternoon, BRL along with other area media outlets received the following release from Albemarle County Police:

 

Above the release sent to area media outlets by ACPD at 4:53 PM Wednesday afternoon.

 

BRL has personally spoken to numerous rescue personnel that were on the scene and they say this was being treated as a drowning.

 

Additionally, as reported earlier in this post, Morin’s parents have confirmed to a WRIC-TV in Richmond this was their son.

 

No explanation has been given by ACPD that might clarify as to why this is still being called a missing person’s case rather than a drowning or recovery operation.

 

At 5:52 PM ACPD also sent out the following message:

Good evening,
The search for Henry Christian Morin has been suspended for the rest of the day.
Efforts will resume on Thursday, June 6, 2019.
We will continue to bring you the latest information as it becomes available for release.

 

As a side note, Nelson Commonwealth Attorney Daniel Rutherford (who is not part of this particular investigation since it was on the Albemarle side) told us Wednesday afternoon that Nelson County Sheriff David Hill and his deputies have issued more than 70 citations for trespassing at the quarry since the beginning of Spring 2019.

 

More as we have updates.

Schuyler : Investigation Continues Into Suspected Drowning At Rock Quarry

Tommy
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Schuyler : Investigation Continues Into Suspected Drowning At Rock Quarry
Photo By Brianna Hamblin via our media partners at CBS19 News in Charlottesville : Police block the area entering a rock quarry in Schuyler, Virginia on Tuesday evening – June 4, 2019. Rescue crews were working to recover the body of an older teen who jumped into the quarry.

Schuyler
Albemarle County, Virginia

The investigation surrounding a teen who jumped into a rock quarry filled with water Tuesday evening continues. Numerous rescue agencies responded to the call around 6 PM Tuesday after several of the teen’s friends watched as he dove into the water from high above. He never resurfaced after the dive. That’s when rescue was called. After searching well into the night crews were unable to recover the body.

The drowning occurred just barely into Albemarle County side of Schuyler. In the predawn hours Wednesday, Albemarle County Police released the following statement below.

The statement released from ACPD at 1:39 AM Wednesday morning. June 5, 2019

As of 12 noon Wednesday ACPD released the following information to our news partners at CBS19.

“Albemarle Police confirm the name of the missing teen is Henry Christian Morin, 18, from Doswell. They are still referring to him as a missing person”

BRL has been able to independently confirm the case is being treated as a drowning since several witnesses saw the young man jump in and never resurface.

Though ACPD won’t confirm a drowning has taken place, apparently the parents of the teen have confirmed his death in this news article to WRIC-TV. They have identified him as 18-year-old Henry Morin of Hanover. He was set to graduate high school later this month.

We have also learned that local police and deputies have issued in excess of 70 citations or summons in the past several months for people illegally trespassing into the quarry in Schuyler.

We will update this story as we have more.

Nelson – Nellysford : End Of An Era : Stoney Creek Pharmacy Closes Permanently

Tommy
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Nelson – Nellysford : End Of An Era : Stoney Creek Pharmacy Closes Permanently
©2019 Blue Ridge Life : Photos By Tommy Stafford : Movers tear down shelves and haul them out of Stoney Creek Pharmacy in Nellysford, Virginia on Friday afternoon – May 31, 2019. After 32 years in existence at several locations the pharmacy closed for good.

Nellysford
Nelson County, Virginia

Back in December of 2017 we told you about Bob Ladd’s return to the Nellysford Pharmacy he’d started about 3 decades earlier. Bob bought the store and hoped to turn it around and keep it operating for locals in the area. Sadly within the past several months Bob had to make the very difficult decision to close the store permanently.

“It all really started with Dollar General. I’m not blaming Dollar General, but facts are facts, knocking 4000.00 dollars of profit out of the store. And I wasn’t buying as much so my wholesaler took a 3000.00 discount away. That’s 7000.00 right there. Then insurance companies started charging these crazy fees to all pharmacists, called DIR fees. It’s costing me about 75,000.00 a year that I wasn’t paying two years ago. This store lost about 100,000.00 in 2018.”

 

Stoney Creek Pharmacy owner Bob Ladd talks with Verizon on Friday – May 31, 2019. He was having all calls forwarded to CVS in Waynesboro where prescriptions would be handled for customers of the Nellysford pharmacy.

 

With Bob closing Stoney Creek Pharmacy it brings the end of a era. One that lasted 3 decades.

“Had I come in here in the beginning and been able to, I didn’t even try, to negotiate a lower lease I might have made it. And not paid as much for the business. I might have made it. I didn’t see those as options and my pro forma, and I’ve done dozens of them, showed me paying all of my bills, paying myself, and having money left over. It didn’t happen.”

Stoney Creek Pharmacy was moved to its final location after the late Cheryl Tompkins bought and then moved it from the old Afton Family Medicine building back to Nellysford.

The late Cheryl Tompkins and some of the original crew at Stoney Creek Pharmacy in March of 2011 a few years after she purchased the long running pharmacy and moved it back to Nellysford, VA.

 

The late Cheryl Tompkins (an avid motorcycle rider) with a friend in front of the old Stoney Creek Pharmacy in Afton in June of 2005. The pharmacy moved back to Nellysford in 2006 after she purchased the operation. It closed permanently May 31, 2019.

Cheryl died in February of 2013 after a long battle with cancer. The store went through several ownership changes after her death until Bob Ladd stepped back in and bought the pharmacy he originally owned decades ago.

“This business has been here 32 years, it’s moved three times, but we’ve accumulated a lot of stuff. It bothers me they won’t have jobs here. They are all going to have jobs if they want them I think. And I helped a couple move on. The other thing that bothers me with customers / patients is they will have go quite a distance now to get prescriptions filled. And it was that way, by-the-way, back in the mid 80s. It’s come full circle.”

 

Boxes were being taped up and moved out on Friday – May 31, 2019 as Stoney Creek Pharmacy closed for good.

 

A sign on the door at Stoney Creek Pharmacy tells customers where their prescriptions had been moved to the CVS in Waynesboro. Friday – May 31, 2019

“It bothers me the geriatric patients, depend on other people to get their prescriptions. It’s not a pleasant feeling, it’s worse than melancholy, I feel a bit of a failure, but I know I’m not. If I could have held out till November, I could have rented a smaller space. In the last 6 months I’ve borrowed 60,000.00 dollars here against this business to operate it.”

After taking the summer off Bob tells me he will decide what he’s going to do next fall and winter. He still owns and operates two other pharmacies in other locations.

It truly is the end of an era here. Happy Trails Bob, it was a long run.

 

Additional memories and a look back on some of the pharmacy history by clicking here. 

 

 

 

 

CANCELED : BECERRA LAWN CARE WEATHER BULLETIN : Severe Thunderstorm Watch Continues Until 11PM For Many Counties Just South Of Nelson : CANCELED

Tommy
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CANCELED : BECERRA LAWN CARE WEATHER BULLETIN : Severe Thunderstorm Watch Continues Until 11PM For Many Counties Just South Of Nelson : CANCELED
Via NWS : A Severe Thunderstorm Watch as of 8:95 PM now canceled in South Central Virginia. Click on image above for the latest updates from NWS.

8:05 PM : Severe Thunderstorm Watch is cancelled details here. 

URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
   Severe Thunderstorm Watch Number 300
   NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
   130 PM EDT Fri May 31 2019

   The NWS Storm Prediction Center has issued a

   * Severe Thunderstorm Watch for portions of 
     North Carolina
     Southern Virginia
     Far southern West Virginia
     Coastal Waters

   * Effective this Friday afternoon and evening from 130 PM until
     1100 PM EDT.

   * Primary threats include...
     Scattered damaging wind gusts to 70 mph likely
     Scattered large hail and isolated very large hail events to 2
       inches in diameter possible

   SUMMARY...Episodic severe storms are expected into this evening with
   several cells and multiple clusters spreading east. Damaging winds
   are the primary threat, but large hail is possible as well.

   The severe thunderstorm watch area is approximately along and 105
   statute miles north and south of a line from 35 miles south
   southwest of Dublin VA to 55 miles east northeast of New Bern NC.
   For a complete depiction of the watch see the associated watch
   outline update (WOUS64 KWNS WOU0).

   PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

   REMEMBER...A Severe Thunderstorm Watch means conditions are
   favorable for severe thunderstorms in and close to the watch area.
   Persons in these areas should be on the lookout for threatening
   weather conditions and listen for later statements and possible
   warnings. Severe thunderstorms can and occasionally do produce
   tornadoes.


SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH OUTLINE UPDATE FOR WS 300
NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
130 PM EDT FRI MAY 31 2019

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 300 IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1100 PM EDT
FOR THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS

VA
.    VIRGINIA COUNTIES INCLUDED ARE

ALLEGHANY            AMELIA              AMHERST
APPOMATTOX           BATH                BEDFORD
BLAND                BOTETOURT           BRUNSWICK
BUCKINGHAM           CAMPBELL            CARROLL
CHARLOTTE            CRAIG               CUMBERLAND
DINWIDDIE            FLOYD               FRANKLIN
GILES                GRAYSON             GREENSVILLE
HALIFAX              HENRY               ISLE OF WIGHT
LUNENBURG            MECKLENBURG         MONTGOMERY
NOTTOWAY             PATRICK             PITTSYLVANIA
PRINCE EDWARD        PRINCE GEORGE       PULASKI
ROANOKE              ROCKBRIDGE          SMYTH
SOUTHAMPTON          SURRY               SUSSEX
TAZEWELL             WYTHE


VIRGINIA INDEPENDENT CITIES INCLUDED ARE

BUENA VISTA          CHESAPEAKE          COVINGTON
DANVILLE             EMPORIA             FRANKLIN
GALAX                HOPEWELL            LEXINGTON
LYNCHBURG            MARTINSVILLE        NORFOLK
PETERSBURG           PORTSMOUTH          RADFORD
ROANOKE              SALEM               SUFFOLK
VIRGINIA BEACH




CANCELLED : Severe Thunderstorm Watch : Counties South Of Nelson Until 8PM This Evening : CANCELLED

Tommy
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CANCELLED : Severe Thunderstorm Watch : Counties South Of Nelson Until 8PM This Evening : CANCELLED
Via NWS : A Severe Thunderstorm Watch is in effect for the highlighted counties until 8 PM this evening. Click on graphic above for absolute latest updates from NWS

HE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS CANCELLED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM
WATCH 294 FOR THE FOLLOWING AREAS

IN VIRGINIA THIS CANCELS 16 COUNTIES

IN CENTRAL VIRGINIA

AMHERST

IN SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA

CARROLL CITY OF GALAX CITY OF RADFORD
FLOYD GRAYSON MONTGOMERY
PULASKI WYTHE

IN WEST CENTRAL VIRGINIA

BOTETOURT CITY OF BUENA VISTA CITY OF LEXINGTON
CITY OF ROANOKE CITY OF SALEM ROANOKE
ROCKBRIDGE

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH OUTLINE UPDATE FOR WS 294
NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
340 PM EDT WED MAY 29 2019

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 294 IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 800 PM EDT
FOR THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS

VAC005-009-017-019-021-023-035-045-063-067-071-077-121-141-155-
161-163-173-185-197-530-580-640-678-750-770-775-300000-
/O.NEW.KWNS.SV.A.0294.190529T1940Z-190530T0000Z/

VA
. VIRGINIA COUNTIES INCLUDED ARE

ALLEGHANY AMHERST BATH
BEDFORD BLAND BOTETOURT
CARROLL CRAIG FLOYD
FRANKLIN GILES GRAYSON
MONTGOMERY PATRICK PULASKI
ROANOKE ROCKBRIDGE SMYTH
TAZEWELL WYTHE

VIRGINIA INDEPENDENT CITIES INCLUDED ARE

BUENA VISTA COVINGTON GALAX
LEXINGTON RADFORD ROANOKE
SALEM

URGENT – IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
Severe Thunderstorm Watch Number 294
NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
340 PM EDT Wed May 29 2019

The NWS Storm Prediction Center has issued a

* Severe Thunderstorm Watch for portions of
Western Virginia
Southeastern West Virginia

* Effective this Wednesday afternoon and evening from 340 PM
until 800 PM EDT.

* Primary threats include…
Scattered damaging wind gusts to 70 mph possible
Isolated large hail events to 1 inch in diameter possible

SUMMARY…A cluster of storms across far western Virginia and
southern West Virginia will continue moving east-southeastward the
remainder of this afternoon into this evening. The threat for
damaging winds and isolated large hail could persist for the next
few hours, before the storms weaken.

The severe thunderstorm watch area is approximately along and 60
statute miles east and west of a line from 30 miles east northeast
of White Sulphur Springs WV to 50 miles south southwest of Bluefield
WV. For a complete depiction of the watch see the associated watch
outline update (WOUS64 KWNS WOU4).

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

REMEMBER…A Severe Thunderstorm Watch means conditions are
favorable for severe thunderstorms in and close to the watch area.
Persons in these areas should be on the lookout for threatening
weather conditions and listen for later statements and possible
warnings. Severe thunderstorms can and occasionally do produce
tornadoes.

VDOT : Give Input On Route 240-250-680 Roundabout Project

Tommy
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VDOT : Give Input On Route 240-250-680 Roundabout Project

Via VDOT – Culpeper District:

Comments invited in person on June 11, via mail or email by June 21

The Virginia Department of Transportation invites the public to attend an upcoming design public hearing for the proposed project to construct a roundabout at the intersection of Route 240 (Three Notched Road), Route 250 (Rockfish Gap Turnpike) and Route 680 (Browns Gap Turnpike) in Albemarle County.

The hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, June 11 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Field School of Charlottesville, 1408 Crozet Avenue, Crozet.

At the open house-style hearing, VDOT staff will be available to discuss the project at the open house style hearing. The public can review project plans, ask questions and obtain information about the project’s timeline, cost and travel impacts, as well as provide feedback on the project orally or in writing.

The proposed roundabout will improve safety at the busy intersection. Roundabouts are safer than conventional stop-controlled intersections because traffic can continually and efficiently flow through the intersection and vehicle operating speeds are lower. Additionally, roundabouts help reduce air pollution and fuel use compared to a signalized intersection due to reduced idling and less acceleration and deceleration.

During construction, VDOT proposes to close Route 680 to through traffic between Route 250 and Route 802 (Old Three Notched Road) with a posted detour. Traffic would be detoured via Route 240 to Route 802 for about two months.

Written comments can also be submitted by mail to Hal Jones, Project Manager, 701 VDOT Way, Charlottesville, VA 22911 through June 21. Email comments can be sent Harold.Jones@vdot.virginia.gov.

Anyone requiring special assistance to attend and participate in this meeting may contact VDOT at 540-829-7500, 800-367-7623 or TTY/TDD 711.

More information about the projects can be found on VDOT’s website at http://www.virginiadot.org/projects/culpeper/albroundabout.asp.

Seven Area Students Earn Electric Co-op Scholarships

Yvette Stafford
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Seven Area Students Earn Electric Co-op Scholarships

 

Arrington

Nelson County, VA

Seven Central Virginia high school seniors have each earned $1,000 college scholarships awarded by the Education Scholarship Foundation of the Virginia, Maryland & Delaware Association of Electric Cooperatives (VMDAEC). The 2019 recipients are:

• Chloe Hellerman of Afton, who attends Nelson County High School. She is the daughter of Jeff and Leslie Hellerman.

• Wyatt Yoder of Dillwyn, who attends Buckingham County High School. He is the son of Westly and Donielle Yoder.

• Caitlyn Amos of Scottsville, who attends Buckingham County High School. She is the daughter of Janet Amos.

• Henry Thompson of Afton, who attends Western Albemarle High School. He is the son of David and Maggie Thompson.

• Katie Coleman of Afton, who attends Nelson County High School. She is the daughter of Laura Coleman.

• Chase Coleman of Concord, who attends Appomattox County High School. He is the son of Ann Nolen.

• Laurynn Hackett of Appomattox, who attends Cornerstone Christian Academy. She is the daughter of Brent and Stacy Hackett.

The students were eligible for consideration because their parents are consumer-members of Central Virginia Electric Cooperative.
“We commend these students on their outstanding achievements,” said Robbie F. Marchant, chair of the VMDAEC Education Scholarship Foundation Committee and a director at Shenandoah Valley Electric Cooperative. “The electric co-ops support them as they pursue their education and then we hope they return to their communities to do great work.”

Recipients were chosen based on a competitive screening process that considers financial need (40 percent), academic achievement (40 percent) and community involvement (20 percent). Applicants must be a senior graduating from either high school or home school in 2019.

They must also provide evidence of their acceptance into a post-high school educational institution or program. These grants can be used to pay for tuition, fees and books.

This year, the Foundation is awarding 58 Worth M. Hudson scholarships to students who live in areas served by electric cooperatives in Delaware, Maryland and Virginia. The scholarships are named in honor of Worth M. Hudson, the Foundation’s first chairman and former chairman of the board of directors of Mecklenburg Electric Cooperative in Chase City, Va. Since 2001, the Foundation has provided almost 700 scholarships to graduating high school students totaling more than $500,000.
The Foundation is funded through tax-deductible donations and bequests from individuals, proceeds from benefit fundraising events and CoBank’s Sharing Success Program.

***

Central Virginia Electric Cooperative is a member-owned, not-for-profit, electric utility serving almost 37,000 homes, farms and businesses in the rural portions of 14 Virginia counties. CVEC is proud to be a Four-Star Cooperative for Service Excellence certified by the Touchstone Energy Service Excellence Program. For more information, visit www.mycvec.com.
Headquartered in Glen Allen, Va., the Virginia, Maryland & Delaware Association of Electric Cooperatives provides safety and training, communications and legislative services to 15 electric cooperatives serving the three-state Mid-Atlantic region. For more information on VMDAEC and the scholarship program, visit www.vmdaec.com or www.co-opliving.com.

Bold Rock Announces Hard Seltzer To Launch June 2019

Tommy
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Bold Rock Announces Hard Seltzer To Launch June 2019
Image via Bold Rock : Bold Rock made the announcement of an all-natural line of hard seltzer products earlier this week. The official release will be in June.
Available statewide in Virginia and Western North Carolina with two refreshing styles – Grapefruit and Cucumber Melon

 

Nellysford
Nelson County, Virginia

Bold Rock is pleased to announce the June 2019 release of Bold Rock Hard Seltzer, a new all-natural line of hard seltzer products crafted from real fruit and fresh Blue Ridge Mountain water.

Bold Rock Hard Seltzer will initially launch with two handcrafted styles – Grapefruit and Cucumber Melon. Grapefruit is highlighted by a pleasant zest of citrus while Cucumber Melon combines a juicy burst of melon balanced by crisp cucumber notes. Bold Rock Hard Seltzer will feature a near industry-leading 82 calories and 1g of sugar per 12oz serving while preserving a clean and inviting taste profile. Bold Rock Hard Seltzer is also gluten free and alcohol by volume is a sessionable 4.0%.

Bold Rock Co-Founder Brian Shanks explains that, “Nearly a year of research and development led our liquids team to an innovative approach that allows for significant breakthroughs in quality and taste. Alcohol from real fruit and all-natural ingredients form the foundation of Bold Rock Hard Seltzer while our process imparts a perfect finish to each sip. We can’t wait to share this line of refreshment with both new friends and old as we launch into the rapidly expanding hard seltzer category.”

Above a photo from Bold Rock of the Grapefruit Hard Seltzer that will officially be released in June.


Bold Rock Hard Seltzer Grapefruit and Cucumber Melon will hit store shelves on June 10 in Virginia and Western North Carolina but be on the lookout for Bold Rock Hard Seltzer on tap in select markets prior to package release. Each style will initially be available in 12oz can 6-packs and on draft while Grapefruit will also be available in single-serve 16oz cans.

Founded in 2012, Bold Rock is the best-selling independently owned craft hard cider brand in the United States. Bold Rock uses apples harvested in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia and North Carolina to create its award-winning hard cider. The company now has over 150 employees and operates production facilities in both Nellysford, VA and Mills River, NC. Bold Rock Hard Seltzer represents the evolution of Bold Rock into a diversified craft beverage producer.

 

Very cool, can’t wait to try them out!!

Spreading The Love

Tommy
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Spreading The Love
The crew at Ski Barn in Nelson County, at the foot of Wintergreen, decided to spread a little of the Virginia Love this week. On Wednesday they constructed the sign in from of the store at Route 664 & 151 in Roseland / Beech Grove. May 8, 2019.

Beech Grove / Roseland
Nelson County, Virginia

The crew from Ski Barn at Wintergreen decided to put a different twist on the whole Virginia LOVE campaign that’s spread all across the state. They made one of the LOVE signs out of old ski equipment.

Old ski boots and other types of ski equipment were used to put the LOVE letters together in front of The Ski Barn At Wintergreen.

“I ran out of other ideas to do with the old damaged equipment. I take pictures with them everywhere, I Love them! I finally had an O-piphany,” Nikki Chambers tells us. Nikki is the long time manager of Ski Barn.

Old ski safety helmets were used to make the letter O in the LOVE sign in front of Ski Barn At Wintergreen.

If you want to go by and see it the display and even take a photo in front of it, Nikki says it will be up for a long time. So drop on by!

Trivia, Ski Barn at Wintergreen is one of the locations where we have a live BRL WeatherNow station. You can check out the weather online there at the foot of Wintergreen 24/7. Here’s the link, and we have embedded a widget above as well!

Nelson : Monday 5.6.19 : Campbell’s Mountain Road Closed Temporarily

Tommy
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Nelson : Monday 5.6.19 : Campbell’s Mountain Road Closed Temporarily

 

CAMPBELL’S MOUNTAIN ROAD, NELSON COUNTY, CLOSED TEMPORARILY

Portion of road closed Monday, May 6 for maintenance

LYNCHBURG – Route 814, Campbell’s Mountain Rd in Nelson County, is closed to thru traffic from Route 56, Crabtree Falls Hwy to the Blue Ridge Parkway on Monday, May 6 for “chip seal” surface treatment, weather permitting.

 

Chip seal combines asphalt and crushed rock to improve the road surface.

 

Current traffic information will be available by calling 511 or online at www.511virginia.org.

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