“In June 2025, the Nelson County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a Larceny of ‘Power Tools’ which had been unlawfully removed from a residence in the Piney River area of Nelson County.
This past weekend, Deputies with the Nelson County Sheriff’s Office arrested three individuals in connection with this Larceny. The individuals have been identified as:
Mr. Francis Coffey – 1 count 18.2-108 (Knowingly Possess Stolen Property)
Mr. Joseph Davis – 1 count 18.2-108 (Knowingly Possess Stolen Property)
Mr. Steven Ward – 1 count 18.2-95 (Grand Larceny)
Mr. Coffey and Mr. Ward have been held without Bond at Albemarle Charlottesville Regional Jail. Mr. Davis was released on an unsecured bond by the State Magistrate’s Office
My phone rang a few days ago. The caller ID said, “Jennifer Rice calling.” My dentist friend was letting me know her husband Dr. Jim Rice, DDS had just received word that his longtime friend, and retired office manager, Jean Boone, had died.
“If I were to use one word to describe Jean it would be trustworthy. Her loyalty and devotion to us could never be exceeded. I tear up writing this, I think how grateful we are to have had Jean be such a huge part of our life,” Jim told me over the weekend.
Photo By Rebecca Boone Kim : Jean in a photo with her grandchildren Elijah and Finley in Aiken, SC.
Once again I find myself writing about someone that’s left us recently. I knew her well, many of you did too. On June 19th, Jean passed away. Jean was more than just a name to me. We met her shortly after moving here in 2004. Her daughter Becca babysat our kids from time to time in the early days along with her close friend Tori Ashley.
I tell you what I loved most about Jean. Her directness. You never had to guess what she was thinking, which made me laugh so many times. Belly laugh! I’d often tell her, “Jean, don’t beat around the bush!” This after she’d told me in no uncertain terms what she thought on a certain matter. One of her most endearing qualities.
I was sad when she told me she was moving to South Carolina to be near her daughter and her husband along with the grandkids, but totally understood. I clearly remember driving up to her house here in Nelson the day before she was leaving. I took her a bottle of champagne and wished her well with a big hug. She’d become a person that meant that much in the time I got to know her.
Jim continued remembering Jean in our conversation, “Jean worked for us for 23 years. Obviously, a lot of life happens in that time. We helped raise each other’s kids, took care of pets, accidents and loss of loved ones. Most people who knew her through the office simply viewed her as an extension of Jennifer and me. Even my parents, when they were still with us, would call Jean and schedule their visits via her. She’d come back and say, By the way, your mom and dad are coming to visit next Friday and they’re leaving after their dental appointments Monday morning. All personal leave for us was scheduled through her, so she’d know if we were going anywhere.”
Jean Boone left with her daughter Rebecca (Becca) to locals that knew her. Jean was most proud of her daughter and grandkids.
What I’ll personally miss now is just knowing I could text Jean down there in South Carolina and see how things were going or what she thought about something in the news. That saddens me to think I can’t anymore.
Becca and friends have asked me to pass along that there will be a memorial for Jean at Veritas Vineyard and WinerySaturday August 2 from 2-5 PM. It will be held at the picnic tables in the woods. I’m told it’s a casual hang out type memorial with light snacks and wine. Exactly how Jean would want it! Becca is also asking that anyone with photos of Jean to bring them. They want to add them to an album there for people to write about what they remember about Jean.
Jean, you were definitely one of the good ones and I will miss you big time. Smile down on us from time to time as I know you will 🙂
Until late Sunday night it was absolutely perfect and ideal weather for people across the Blue Ridge Mountains of Central Virginia. The humidity was down, and temperatures weren’t as blazing hot as they were the week before.
That allowed locals and those coming here to enjoy an extended weekend in the mountains. Wintergreen Resort put on their annual 4th of July fireworks display on Saturday night. Again, it was a spectacular show with crowds enjoying the beautiful colors in the sky.
Our BRL Mountain Photographer Paul Purpura was there, as he’s been almost every year for the last 20, grabbing some photos of the fireworks.
More of those in our gallery below.
Folks gather at Wintergreen Resort Saturday evening – July 5, 2025 to watch the annual 4th of July fireworks display.
Folks gather at Wintergreen Resort Saturday evening – July 5, 2025 to watch the annual 4th of July fireworks display.
Folks gather at Wintergreen Resort Saturday evening – July 5, 2025 to watch the annual 4th of July fireworks display.
Fireworks fill the skies above Wintergreen Resort – Saturday night – July 5, 2025 at the annual 4th of July fireworks display.
Fireworks fill the skies above Wintergreen Resort – Saturday night – July 5, 2025 at the annual 4th of July fireworks display.
Fireworks fill the skies above Wintergreen Resort – Saturday night – July 5, 2025 at the annual 4th of July fireworks display.
Fireworks fill the skies above Wintergreen Resort – Saturday night – July 5, 2025 at the annual 4th of July fireworks display.
Fireworks fill the skies above Wintergreen Resort – Saturday night – July 5, 2025 at the annual 4th of July fireworks display.
Route 20 Near Glenmore Road
Buckinghams County, Virginia
From VSP:
“Virginia State Police is investigating a fatal pedestrian crash that occurred last evening (July 4, 2025) at approximately 10:13 p.m. on Route 20 in Buckingham County. The crash occurred near the intersection of Route 20 and Glenmore Road.
A vehicle was heading northbound on Route 20 when it was unable to avoid a pedestrian that was in the roadway.
The pedestrian, Angela Cook, 42, of Buckingham, Va., died at the scene.
The crash remains under investigation.
Matthew Demlein
Public Relations Coordinator
Virginia State Police”
No one will forget the word derecho after the June 29, 2012 storm hit Nelson and most of Virginia hard. It was one of the most destructive storms to hit the state plunging many people into the dark without power for weeks.
This Sunday marks the 13 years anniversary of the event. We were covering it extensively from the very start to the very end when the last home got the lights back on.
Below on our Facebook page we asked you to remember where you were and what you were doing. There’s some great comments in this thread. Click on the see more text below the image, that takes you to our page and that thread.
“The Army will be conducting training over Wintergreen Resort tomorrow. A Blackhawk helicopter will be utilizing the Laurel Springs landing zone to land and rig a water bucket. The bucket will dip from the open-top tank near the base of Tyro ski slope and then drop water near the entrance to Wintergreen Resort on Beech Grove Road.
This training will occur intermittently during the hours of 8A and 2P. There will be a few very brief traffic stops on both Lurel Springs Drive and Beech Grove Road. There is no need to avoid the area. Simply allow just a couple of extra minutes. Traffic is stopped for roughly 1 minute when drops occur out of an abundance of caution.”
I like to remember these people in more than just an obit form and from a personal view.
I can’t tell you when I actually learned that Ray Ashton left us. Sometime within the past couple of weeks. I think it was at lunch and someone just mentioned he’d passed away. I was floored. It had been a bit of time since I’d seen him out and about, but I do remember the last time was at the post office in Nellysford this year. He was the same Ray I’d come to know since the early 2000s.
My fondest memories of Ray are from the early days of, then, DelFosse Winery, and when we used to have the RVCC Evening Night of Jazz. Ray would be a bartender or such helping out.
Photo By Tommy Stafford : The late Ray Ashton (R) discusses a wine selection with Rick Hood at DelFosse Vineyard & Winery during a filmed television wine dinner held there on September 10, 2006.
He’d always say something nice every time when he ran into my son Adam right after he was born. That’s been a long time ago. And, we’d always have political discussions forever when we’d run into each other!
I guess what hits me the most about folks like Ray passing is the constant reminder that time doesn’t stand still. The people that were the backdrop here when we first arrived for good in 2004 are slowing drifting away. It’s natural and in the course of life. But, it saddens me because so many newcomers will never know them and how wonderful they were. What a contribution and foundation they set here in Nelson.
Photo By Tommy Stafford : The late Ray Ashton (R) discusses what’s being prepared in the kitchen with Judy Rendich during a wine dinner held at DelFosse Vineyard and Winery on March 24, 2008.
“Virginia State Police is investigating a train derailment that occurred this afternoon off of East Side Highway (Route 340), about a mile and a half north of Dooms Crossing Road, in Augusta County.
At approximately 1:57 p.m. this afternoon (June 23, 2025), Virginia State Police and Augusta County Fire/EMS and Augusta County Sheriff’s Deputies were alerted to a train derailment along tracks in Augusta County.
The train is a northbound Norfolk Southern train with approximately 96 cars. Fifteen of the cars have derailed. Seven of cars are carrying Hydrochloric Acid. There is no leak of any hazardous material.
There are no injuries.
Norfolk Southern has been made aware of the derailment.
No state roads are impacted.
The crash remains under investigation.
Matthew Demlein
Public Relations Coordinator
Virginia State Police”
Beginning Monday, June 23, contractors with the Virginia Department of Transportation will begin slope stabilization work on U.S. 250 (Rockfish Gap Turnpike) in Albemarle County. The work zone is located on the eastbound side of Route 250 between Route 752 (Mechums Depot Road) and Fair Hill Lane.
Work will take place Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. and is expected to have minimal impact on traffic. Crews will place stone material around the guardrail along the shoulder to stabilize the slope and reinforce the roadside.
Motorists should reduce speed and stay alert for workers and equipment near the travel lanes while traveling through the work zone.
Local updates about conditions in VDOT’s Culpeper District are posted to X.com/VaDOTCulpand the Culpeper District Facebook page.
Current traffic conditions, VDOT’s statewide network of traffic cameras, and other travel information are available on the 511Virginia website, the free VDOT 511 mobile app, or by calling 511 from any phone in Virginia.
VDOT’s Culpeper District includes the counties of Albemarle, Culpeper, Fauquier, Fluvanna, Greene, Louisa, Madison, Orange and Rappahannock. The independent city of Charlottesville maintains its own roads.
Friday morning they did a quasi trial run with a soft open.
Photo By Yvette Stafford : We tried the chicken biscuit and Whoa Nelly was it good! – Friday – June 13, 2025Yvette (left) and Andrea Berkshire of Roseland chat it up Friday morning at the soft open of Belties in Nellysford – June 13, 2025
