Virginia High's Ryder Estes tags Richlands' Collin Adkins at second base during the Bearcats 4-1 win.
Virginia High's Ryder Estes tags Richlands' Collin Adkins at second base during the Bearcats 4-1 win.
Richland_clinch_valley
RHS baseball team now has permanent home
A bird's eye view of the new RHS baseball complex.
After five years of planning and work, Richlands High cut the ribbon on its new baseball field April 16.
Nestled on a hill behind the elementary school, the field has dugouts, lights, temporary bleachers, a fence, foul poles, and protective netting. The game with Va. High marked the first time the RHS baseball team had played a home game on campus in 30 years.
The Blue Tornado varsity baseball team had called the field at SWCC home for the last several years. The junior varsity team often played and practiced at Critterville in downtown Richlands.
Much of the funding for the project was raised and the work done by baseball boosters and parents. Two members of that group, Kenneth Herndon and Mark Gillespie threw out the honorary first pitches.
Both those men were appointed volunteer assistant coaches at the April 13 school board meeting. Countless others have contributed as well and RHS Coach Ben Brown, his staff and others worked the field all day April 16 to make sure it was ready.
Present and former school board members were on hand for the ceremony and expressed their pride in the new field and the fact RHS baseball players will no longer be commuting for games and practice.
While they celebrated being able to play on campus, The plans call for continued development. A press box, permanent bleachers and locker rooms are part of the work that will be ongoing.
“It’s great to be on our home field,” RHS Coach Ben Brown said. “I was worried that it would be hard for the guys to focus with everything going on around them, but we handled that fine.”
The blues fell to Virginia High 4-1 in the game and will look for win number one on the new field April 23 when Marion comes to town.
Farm Market Fresh program provides free fresh produce for older adults. Contributed photo
Farm Market Fresh program provides free fresh produce for older adults. Contributed photo
Richland_clinch_valley
School system celebrates Autism awareness month
Mark Napier performs.
April is Autism Awareness month, and Tazewell County’s school board recognized those students during its April 13 meeting.
Gavin Booth, an eighth-grade student at Graham Middle School, read his eighth grade Commencement address. “I read many wonderful speeches but one stood out. Gavin Booth not only wrote an inspiring speech, but he also succeeded at summing up his obstacles and victories at GMS,’ Ashley Meadows his English teacher said.
Abe Edwards, an eighth-grader at Richlands was introduced to the board as “one of the coolest kids at Richlands Middle School" by his teacher. Edwards is a member of the junior varsity soccer team and has received several awards as well.
His father, Brian Edwards, talked about the “everyday walk" of dealing with autism. Edwards said teachers, coaches and his peers had been supportive of his family. “All along the way we have had the best support," he said.
“Abe has had father figures and mother figures in teachers and coaches," he said.
Mark Napier, a fifth-grader at Tazewell Intermediate School, showcased his musical talent for the board with a Celine Dion song.
He also talked to the board about his interest in model trains. His teacher said the other students look forward to seeing the engines he brings to school each day. Melinda Smith, director of special education, said the county has 141 students on the autism spectrum.
In other action the board:
*Approved the 2026 interagency agreement with Taking Action for Special Kids, (TASK).
*Approved the special education annual plan and the special education advisory board.
*Approved the February policy updates from the Virginia School Board Association.
*Approved the Perkins Plan federal funding program.
*Approved online students participating in athletics.
*Approved the personnel recommendations as presented.
*Heard from Pete Davis about the THS football coaching job.
Richland_clinch_valley
Tazewell man facing felony charges
Felony charges have been placed against a Tazewell man following an incident last November.
Investigator Craig Menefee with the Tazewell Police Department arrested Roger Brandon Cremeans, 53, April 17. Cremeans is charged with reckless handling of a firearm, discharging a firearm in an occupied dwelling and multiple counts of possession of child pornography.
Menefee said the arrest resulted from a 911 call in the early morning hours of Nov. 22 of 2025. The incident occurred in the 500 block of Fairgrounds Road in Tazewell.
Velva Michelle Matney, 50, was the victim of a gunshot wound and was taken to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital where she was treated and released.
Cremeans was taken to the Southwest Regional Jail in Tazewell where he is being held without bond.
