This content is unavailable. Please contact customer service for more information.
Already a subscriber? Login or Activate your account.
You've reached the end of the standard E-Edition.
This content is unavailable. Please contact customer service for more information.
Jim Talbert
Alissa Beck is the winner of the From Frontier to Freedom
essay contest sponsored by the Daughters of the American Revolution
in honor of our country's semiquincentennial. Ali won a
scholarship of $250 for her essay and read it to the audience on
July 4th for the Independence Day celebration at the Historic Crab
Orchard Museum. Her essay was selected because it reflects a unique
point of view based on her passions and personal
experiences.
Page A1
Jim Talbert
Alissa Beck is the winner of the From Frontier to Freedom
essay contest sponsored by the Daughters of the American Revolution
in honor of our country's semiquincentennial. Ali won a
scholarship of $250 for her essay and read it to the audience on
July 4th for the Independence Day celebration at the Historic Crab
Orchard Museum. Her essay was selected because it reflects a unique
point of view based on her passions and personal
experiences.
Richland_clinch_valley
Rain doesn't dampen fiddlers convention
Jim Talbert
Tazewell Va. – They not only sang in the rain, participants in this year’s fiddlers convention at Crab Orchard Museum played banjos, guitars and danced.
The 23rd annual event aimed at keeping old time and bluegrass music alive drew a good crowd despite torrential rain over the tow day period of July 10-11. A large tent, the cabins and barns provided shelter for the fans and players.
Three lifetime achievement awards were presented near the close of the event. Tim Jarret was honored for his life’s work in promoting bluegrass and old-time music. Museum director Cynthia Farmer said Jarret had been at every festival and was always promoting the music. Farmer said Jarret and others played, promoted, and passed on the music.
“This is not anything we take lightly. This is a solemn occasion,’ she said. Irvin Mullins, who Farmer said had an impact on every musician that came out of Buchanan County, was presented, a posthumous lifetime achievement award. Ebby Jewell, who nominated Mullins, said he had a big influence on his career.
 Like Jewell, Mullins was a member of the Bluegrass Kinsmen, a local band that performed for more than 50 years.  “He was one of the first people I heard play the five-string banjo and I got interested in it.
He loaned me his banjo for two weeks when I didn’t have one,’ Jewell said. Carl Pack also received a lifetime achievement award posthumous award.
Pack’s daughter and nephew were present and thanked the crowd for coming out on a rainy night. Robby Lester, (Pack’s nephew), said his son Jacob was carrying on the tradition.  He recalled playing with Pack many times.
The presentation ended with the traditional singing of the “Unbroken Circle’ by past and present winners. The evening concluded with band competition for old times and bluegrass players and the dance competition.  Â
The Richlands and Tazewell Lions Clubs hosted a 4th
of July Breakfast to kick off the 250th Anniversary of
America celebration on July 4th at Historic Crab Orchard
Museum in Tazewell, Virginia. Lions Club members invited the
community to a free breakfast as a thank you for continued support
of projects and events sponsored by the Lions Club throughout the
year. Happy Birthday America!
Page A1
Jim Talbert
The Richlands and Tazewell Lions Clubs hosted a 4th
of July Breakfast to kick off the 250th Anniversary of
America celebration on July 4th at Historic Crab Orchard
Museum in Tazewell, Virginia. Lions Club members invited the
community to a free breakfast as a thank you for continued support
of projects and events sponsored by the Lions Club throughout the
year. Happy Birthday America!
Richland_clinch_valley
Plans for old Ford dealership underway
Jim Talbert
Tazewell Va. – Neighbors and interested citizens got a look at the town’s plans for six plus acres of asphalt and concrete during a joint meeting of town council and the Industrial\Economic development authority July 6.
Kevin Jones, a consultant from With Architecture, presented Round 2 of the conceptual plans that reflect the feedback he received during the prior Round. Jones presented two options, one was a variation of a plan to turn the site into fields for soccer and tee-ball as well as pickleball courts, walking trail, and fitness stations.
These are not the final plans but do reflect many of the goals envisioned for this project. The next phase of this project will include procuring the needed grant funding for any property abatements, obtaining engineering assessments securing construction plans, and eventual construction.
The plans called for a minimum of one hundred parking spots, picnic tables, grassy hills, and a walking trail. There would also be bathrooms, picnic tables, and benches.
Jones and members of council assured owners of adjoining property that mitigating the flooding is the main goal of the project. I/EDA Chairman Cara Spivey said the fact the property is in a flood plain makes it difficult to locate an industry or business there.
Mayor Joe Beasley said the plans had plenty of ways to mitigate water. Jones said simply moving asphalt and concrete would help with that. Residents said the water comes out of Dial Rock and floods the whole area and will continue to do so unless they put in drains and elevate the property.
Council Member Beth Takach said understanding that it is a flood plain and mitigating the water is the number one goal of the project. She said they also wanted to ensure it did not impact the neighbors.
The town purchased the property in 2018 and has been looking for ways to develop it since then. Â They relocated the public works department to a part of the property and Jones said the plans would be drawn to make sure the workers had access to equipment and them and neighbors had easy access to enter and exit the property.
Spivey said the project is three to five years out and the next step will be engineering, surveying, topography, and other technical work. Council authorized the I/EDA to move forward with the next step.
Copies of the plans are available on the town's Facebook page.Â
Plans are moving forward for a pair of new businesses in Tazewell County.
At its June 11 meeting the Planning Commission took action to assist the development of a Taco Bell in the town and a meat processing plant in the Bluestone Industrial Park. Joe Sulesky, an Engineer with Centec Engineering, presented plans for the Taco Bell which is to be built between Advance Auto Parts and Wendy’s on Market Street.
Sulesky asked the commission to approve the erosion and sediment control plan for the restaurant. County Engineer Ken Dunford said he reviewed the plan and all his concerns had been addressed.
He recommended that the Commission allow him to approve the plan once the bond has been calculated and paid. The commission voted 5-0 to approve the plan once the bond is paid.
The town of Tazewell approved the plans for the restaurant earlier this year. The company hopes to be open by the fall.
Todd Boggess, an architect from Princeton, WV, spoke on behalf of the meat processing project. The erosion and sediment control plan for the site has several safety measures in place.
 Control measures include diversion channels, diversion dikes, and silt fencing. The total land disturbance of the project will be slightly under 1 acre. Dunford said he had reviewed the plans and had a few comments that still need to be addressed. He suggested that the Planning Commission allow him to approve the plan once comments are addressed, and to waive fees and bond related to the project since it is a Tazewell County project.
All five members present for the meeting agreed that Dunford could issue the permit once the concerns are addressed. They also voted to waive the bond and fees for the project.
After approval, Boggess gave a presentation about the Meat Processing Facility itself. It will feature a holding pen, kill floor, aging cooler, processing & packaging, & freezers. Both the Tazewell County Industrial Development Authority and the Virginia Coalfield Economic Development Authority have assisted with the project.
Click and hold your mouse button on the page to select the area you wish to save or print.
You can click and drag the clipping box to move it or click and drag in the bottom right corner to resize it.
When you're happy with your selection, click the checkmark icon next to the clipping area to continue.
