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Bland Medical Clinic receives grant (copy)
Staff reports
Bland County Medical Clinic received an infusion of funds from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services earlier this week, money mean to help support operations for local health care centers.
Bland County Medical Clinic received $900,172.
Launched in 1979, the nonprofit clinic is based on Grapefield Road in Bastian and boasts multiple facilities. Along with the clinic’s home and a walk-in clinic at 12301 Grapefield Road, the facility has Orchard Creek Clinic and Bland County Medical Dental Clinic in Bland.
The clinic accepts all insurances, including Medicare and Medicaid, and serves all patients regardless of ability to pay, offering, among other things family medicine and pediatrics, minor surgery, walk-in and same day appointments, wellness screenings, in-house radiology, telemedicine and dental services.
Bland County Medical Clinic in Bastian is open Monday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Tuesday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The walk-in portion of the clinic operates on the same schedule.
Orchard Creek, located at 8494 S. Scenic Highway, is open Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Located at 8487 S. Scenic Highway, Bland County Medical Dental Clinic is open Wednesday and Thursday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Friends seek help in shaping region’s future (copy) (copy)
Friends of Southwest Virginia has launched Destination Southwest Virginia, a regional destination development initiative designed to strengthen the region's economy by leveraging its tourism, outdoor recreation, arts, culture, and heritage assets.
Funded by the Appalachian Regional Commission and the Virginia Tobacco Region Revitalization Commission, the initiative will serve 19 counties and four cities across Southwest Virginia and establish a shared vision and strategic roadmap for the region's future growth.
Friends of Southwest Virginia is partnering with Destination by Design, a nationally recognized destination planning and community development firm, and Headwaters Economics to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the region's assets, visitor economy, market opportunities, and economic impact. The project will identify strategies to strengthen communities, support local businesses, enhance visitor experiences, attract investment, and increase economic opportunity throughout the region.
The initiative represents the first comprehensive regional destination development planning effort of this scale in nearly two decades and will provide communities with a coordinated framework for future growth and investment.
"Southwest Virginia is home to world-class outdoor recreation, rich cultural traditions, vibrant downtowns, and authentic experiences that continue to attract visitors from across the country," said Kim Davis, Executive Director of Friends of Southwest Virginia. "Destination Southwest Virginia provides an opportunity to take a comprehensive look at our strengths, identify new opportunities, and create a roadmap that helps communities, businesses, and regional partners work together to grow the visitor economy while preserving the character and authenticity that make this region special."
The project will include extensive research, asset mapping, economic analysis, stakeholder interviews, focus groups, and community engagement activities. Findings will be used to develop a 10-year strategic plan focused on destination development, tourism growth, outdoor recreation, arts and culture, workforce development, entrepreneurship, infrastructure investment, and regional collaboration.
As part of the planning process, Friends of Southwest Virginia is encouraging residents, business owners, community leaders, tourism partners, outdoor recreation enthusiasts, artists, and stakeholders throughout the region to participate in a regional survey. Community feedback will play a critical role in shaping priorities and recommendations for the final plan.
The initiative will be completed through five phases: project launch, discovery and analysis, community engagement, plan development, and implementation planning. The project will also include the creation of a publicly accessible online dashboard featuring regional assets, economic data, and strategic insights to support future planning and decision-making.
Despite significant precipitation across the Commonwealth in recent days, the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) in coordination with the Drought Monitoring Task Force (DMTF) continued the existing drought advisory statuses for Virginia. All of Virginia is in a drought warning, with the exception of Isle of Wight County, and the cities of Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Suffolk, and Virginia Beach in southeast Virginia, which remain in a drought watch.
A drought warning advisory is intended to increase awareness that the onset of a significant drought event is imminent. A drought watch advisory is intended to help Virginians prepare for a potential drought.
The DMTF considers four drought indicators in establishing drought advisories: precipitation, groundwater levels, streamflow, and reservoir levels. Recent storms greatly improved streamflow and upper soil moisture, with most localities receiving between two to four inches of rain on average. However, deeper soil moisture and groundwater remain much below normal. Of the state’s 24 groundwater monitoring wells, groundwater levels in 20 are still below the 10th percentile for this time of the year.
Long-term outlooks for groundwater levels remain a concern and will take a prolonged period of rainfall to recover.
Average statewide precipitation is approximately seven and a half inches below normal
for the water year, which began on Oct. 1, 2025. As of last Friday, there was no significant rainfall forecasted over the next 14 days. Without significant additional rainfall, the drought
could worsen as temperatures rise and rates of evapotranspiration increase.
As the hottest months of the year are approaching, DEQ and the DMTF are monitoring the situation and will provide bi-weekly updates through the duration of this drought.
Additional information on the current drought status is available on the DEQ Drought webpage and Drought Dashboard, which includes interactive data on stream gages, groundwater wells, soil moisture, and precipitation.
Local Burn Ban
Thursday evening, the Smyth County Board of Supervisors relaxed but did not eliminate its burn ban.
Instead, the supervisors unanimously OK’d implementing the restrictions that are normally in place during the statewide 4 p.m. Burning Law. That law
Bans open-air burning prior to 4 p.m. if the fire is within 300 feet of the woods or dry grass that could carry fire to the woods.
Burning is allowed between 4 p.m. and midnight as long as the burner takes proper precautions and attends the fire at all times.
Violation of the relaxed ban will be a Class 3 misdemeanor with a fine of not more than $500.
County Administrator Shawn Utt said this recommendation was made in consultation with the National Weather Service and the county’s local fire chiefs, Emergency Management Coordinator, and the Smyth County Sheriff's Department.
Board Chair Charlie Atkins said he’d gotten 2.7” of rain at his home in recent weeks, acknowledging that conditions have improved.
Jim Talbert
Lifepoint Health's Mercy Award recognizes one employee
annually who best exemplifies the spirit and values upon which the
company was founded. Named after Scott Mercy, founding Chairman and
first CEO, the Mercy Award is the highest honor a LifePoint Health
employee can receive.
This year, Debbie Roberts was nominated by her peers and has won
the recognition of Clinch Valley Health’s 2026 Mercy Award winner,
the highest honor bestowed upon LifePoint Health employees! She has
had a profound impact on the lives of so many of our patients.
Thank you Debbie, for all you do for our community!
Also nominated by their peers: Melonie Gilbert, Natasha Ramey,
Denorah Street, and Tanner Wimmer. Contributed photo
Page A2
Jim Talbert
Lifepoint Health's Mercy Award recognizes one employee
annually who best exemplifies the spirit and values upon which the
company was founded. Named after Scott Mercy, founding Chairman and
first CEO, the Mercy Award is the highest honor a LifePoint Health
employee can receive.
This year, Debbie Roberts was nominated by her peers and has won
the recognition of Clinch Valley Health’s 2026 Mercy Award winner,
the highest honor bestowed upon LifePoint Health employees! She has
had a profound impact on the lives of so many of our patients.
Thank you Debbie, for all you do for our community!
Also nominated by their peers: Melonie Gilbert, Natasha Ramey,
Denorah Street, and Tanner Wimmer. Contributed photo
Jim Talbert
Isabella Akers was recognized at the May 11 school board
meeting. She was recently chosen to attend the Building Leaders for
Advancing Science and Technology (BLAST) STEM camp. Isabella
attends Tazewell High School.
Page A2
Jim Talbert
Isabella Akers was recognized at the May 11 school board
meeting. She was recently chosen to attend the Building Leaders for
Advancing Science and Technology (BLAST) STEM camp. Isabella
attends Tazewell High School.
Trophy trout weeks at Clinch Mountain, Crooked Creek fee fishing areas (copy)
The Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) announced that it will be conducting trophy trout stockings in June at both the Clinch Mountain and Crooked Creek fee fishing areas.
The Clinch Mountain fee area trophy week stockings will occur June 15-20. Stockings at this location will occur in the evenings before normal stocking days to reduce traffic congestion.
Trophy stockings at the Crooked Creek fee area will take place June 22-27 on normal stocking days.
During these weeks, normal stocking allocations will be supplemented with large numbers of citation-sized trout at both fee areas. The trophy fish will include a mix of rainbow, brown, and brook trout.
For additional information regarding Trophy Trout Weeks, call the Marion Regional Office at 276-783-4860.
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