: Joshua Walker opened Walker’s Xplicit Diesel, LLC, a recent recipient of a $10,000 VCEDA Seed Capital Matching Grant, to provide high-quality services to diesel owners in Bluefield, Tazewell County and surrounding counties.
: Joshua Walker opened Walker’s Xplicit Diesel, LLC, a recent recipient of a $10,000 VCEDA Seed Capital Matching Grant, to provide high-quality services to diesel owners in Bluefield, Tazewell County and surrounding counties.
Sydnei Tatum is painting native animals on the wall surrounding the Pavilion and facing the Riverwalk.
Sydnei Tatum is painting native animals on the wall surrounding the Pavilion and facing the Riverwalk.
“Roots to Real – Throw It In A Crockpot” initiative is now in all three Tazewell County High Schools.
The program was the brainchild of the Tazewell High School Class of 73 foundation. The groups’ website said the program is designed to address food insecurity, promote healthier eating habits, and revive basic cooking and nutrition skills in the local community. It aims to equip families with the tools and knowledge to prepare simple, nutritious meals at home using accessible, affordable methods.
Deb Wilson, a member of the foundation and several of her classmates presented the Tazewell High Clas of 2025 with crockpots, cooking utensils, cookbooks and other items during a ceremony at the school last April.
Wilson attended the April 6 board of supervisors meeting and explained that the program, teaches children and graduating seniors how to grow their own food and cook entire meals inside a single crock pot. Wilson stated she and other volunteers travel to the schools and provide evidence based nutritional information and guidance on how to eat healthy.
After presenting 122 crockpots at THS last year the group made plans to do likewise at Richlands and Graham this year. They reached that goal in late April making their first presentations at Graham and Richlands and the second at Tazewell.
Volunteers removed this litter from the Clinch in less than an hour. Jim Talbert
Volunteers removed this litter from the Clinch in less than an hour. Jim Talbert
While the state legislature continues its efforts to produce a budget, Tazewell County is on track to have theirs in place by July 1.
Prior to the May 5 board of supervisors meeting, the budget committee approved a draft budget for the fiscal year running July 1, 2026, to June 30, 2027. At its meeting later that evening the full board approved the draft and voted to advertise it and hold a public hearing at the June 2 meeting.
Local governments are required to have budgets in place by July 1. Following the public hearing the supervisors will meet again on June 25 to adopt the budget.
In other action the board:
*Passed a resolution declaring May as Older Americans Month.
*Held a public hearing and approved the six-year plan for secondary road improvements as presented by VDOT.
*Received an update on the library’s programming.
*Approved the $72,000 in matching funds for the Bottom Road Flood Study grant. The money would be budgeted over two years. Voted to accept the $720,000 grant for the study.
*Named Russell Stowers as the administrative chief of the new Tazewell County Fire Company.
*Held a public hearing on an ordinance to prohibit all terrain vehicles on route 662, Clearfork Road.
*Received a request from Rommel Hargrave to assist with a gospel outreach program.
*Approved $7,534 as a one percent match for the purchase of five new buses by Appalachian Agency for Senior Citizens.
*Approved $78,000 for a two percent stipend for county employees not paid by the state compensation board.
*Approved a mutual aid agreement for the sheriff’s office with the Russell County Sheriff's Office.
*James Brown of Bandy addressed the board asking for guardrails, berm, and signage on Panthers Branch Road.
*Rescinded the appointment of Kyle Cruey to the recreation and parks facility authority and appointed Ben Gibson.
*Fred Lawless asked the board to approve the Burke’s Garden Fire Department’s request to shoot fireworks on July 4. The board voted to approve the request.
*Heard from County Administrator Eric Young that the county’s bill from the regional jail will be $600,000 lower than anticipated for the year.
*Voted to issue a letter of support for the town of Tazewell’s grant application for a cannery.
*Voted to amend the county’s IT policy to allow the registrar’s office access to the information Technology system.
*Authorized a public hearing for the June 2 meeting to consider disposal of property in Burke’s Garden.
*Approved transferring $815,917.41 from debt service to capital projects in the school budget to cover new roofs and other projects.
*Adjourned until June 2 at 4 .pm.
A June 22 plea date has been set for a man charged in a New Year’s murder in Tazewell.
Coven Teriko Byrd-Hall, 24, of Bluefield, West Virginia, was indicted by a grand jury on May 5 in connection with the killing of Brandon Deshon Coxton and the wounding of Aiden Presley Bennett-Shelton. The charges resulted from a fight at a residence on Vinton Street in Tazewell in the early morning of Jan. 1.
Hall was indicted on charges of first-degree murder, aggravated malicious wounding and three counts of discharging a firearm in an occupied dwelling.
He is being held without bond at the Southwest Virginia Regional Jail facility in Tazewell.
