Fort Chiswell's Landon Eversole (10) shoots over Patrick Henry's Jeb Stewart (3) and Aidan Monahan (25) during Friday's VHSL Class 1 state semifinal game in Pulaski.
Fort Chiswell's Landon Eversole (10) shoots over Patrick Henry's Jeb Stewart (3) and Aidan Monahan (25) during Friday's VHSL Class 1 state semifinal game in Pulaski.
The Smyth County Tourism Association plans to seek grants to add options for float trips along the Holston.
The Tourism Association also wants to bolster Chilhowie's park along the river.
Providing access to the Holston River for float trips, while enhancing Chilhowie’s park is just one of the goals for Chilhowie that Smyth County Tourism will work on in the coming year.
The second goal is bringing Chilhowie’s Historic District into the Virginia Main Street program, which is a preservation-based economic and community development program that follows the National Main Street Center’s approach.
According to its website, “VMS offers a range of services and assistance to communities interested in revitalizing their historic commercial districts.”
This year, Marion is celebrating its 30th year as a Main Street community. Recently, VMS helped Marion complete a vision for the next decade.
“From 1985 to 2023, the VMS program has supported the opening or expansion of more than 8,200 businesses; created more than 27,000 jobs; and generated more than $2.3 billion in public and private investment in Virginia.”
Amanda Livingston, executive director of the Smyth County Tourism Association, shared the two goals with the Chilhowie Town Council.
Livingston said grants would be sought for both endeavors.
While people are already visiting Chilhowie, she said these steps could help them stay longer and spend more money.
According to the Virginia Tourism Corporation, visitor spending in Southwest Virginia reached $1.38 billion in 2024, a 6% increase over the previous year.
Responding to that report last fall, Kim Davis, executive director of Friends of Southwest Virginia, said, “These results highlight the natural beauty, outdoor recreation, and rich cultural assets that make Southwest Virginia a premier destination, and we remain committed to working with our partners to build on this momentum.”
The same VTC report said that in 2024, in the 19 counties considered to be Southwest Virginia, tourism-related taxes totaled $66.2 million and tourism-supported totaled 12,379.
Its meals tax is Chilhowie’s third largest revenue source.
“I really appreciate Ms. Livingston’s thoughts and goals for Chilhowie. Her ideas will hopefully help usher in another level of growth for our community,” said Town Manager Brian Martin following the meeting.
Livingston also told the council that a piece titled “The Fascinating History of Chilhowie, Va.” has been added to the tourism association’s website, visitsmythcountyva.com.
The material includes a self-guided walking tour of the town and a note on how to correctly pronounce the town’s name: “But first things first: what about that name? The name Chilhowie is pronounced “chill-HOW-whee,” and is reportedly derived from a Cherokee word meaning ‘Valley of Many Deer.’”
Diamond loves going on community outings.
Diamond loves going on community outings.
Saltville Police Chief Bryan Lynch
Saltville Police Chief Bryan Lynch joined Mayor Cheri Fullen and others in a community Easter celebration.
Bryan Lynch took the helm of the Saltville Police Department on Feb. 11, 2025. In the last year, the agency has undergone a transformation – one that has the attention of town leaders.
To the town council last month, Lynch said, “Basically, we rebuilt a police department in 10 months.” While it was not easy, the chief said, “but we did it.”
In an interview with the New & Messenger just after he took the post, Lynch said he had two goals for the SPD: To create stability within the department and to continue to improve relationships with the community.
But he did so short-staffed.
Speaking to the council, Lynch noted that he started off with four people but only two were working full time and one was in the criminal justice academy. Still, he said, the SPD provided 24/7 service. To become fully staffed, the chief said, could have taken 18 months to two years, but they did it in 10 months.
At full staff, the SPD covers the town with six employees – chief, assistant chief, and four officers.
Lynch, who is also the Saltville Volunteer Fire Department’s chief, served as assistant chief under Erik Puckett, who retired last February. Lynch named Steven McVey, the SPD’s first graduate of the Virginia Forensics Academy, as assistant chief.
This past year, McVey has continued his training, including being certified as a taser instructor, something Lynch said the department has never had.
The chief said he didn’t take much training during the year. “I sent everyone else,” he said. The SPD has added a child safety seat tech – again a first for the SPD.
One of the most significant changes, Lynch told the council is being competitive in salaries with neighboring localities.
Staying competitive, he said, will remain a challenge.
In February 2025, Lynch said at the forefront of his plans was to focus on officer retention, something every agency—particularly small ones— has had difficulty with since 2020 and on being available to the community.
However, the chief said as he started his tenure, “My main goal is to get out to the community.”
This past year, for both the PD and FD, Lynch began hosting meet-and-greet sessions with citizens.
The department also collected more than 100 child identification kits, Lynch noted.
The chief described his officers as great individuals, who undertake considerable paperwork on top of all their other duties. “Everything we do is documented,” he said.
Looking ahead, Lynch told the council that he “is always striving to improve the PD.”
Other goals, he cited, include body and in-car cameras and he’s considering getting the accreditation process started, which would say the SPD is following national standards.
The council reflected on Lynch’s work.
Councilman John Carter praised the SPD’s visibility.
Councilman Ryan Comer said that when Lynch started, he had a shell of a department, and a cultural change would be required. “It’s definitely happened. It’s wonderful to see police patrolling the town and writing tickets.”
Councilmember Suzanne Abramson concurred, saying the cultural change is phenomenal, and “that starts with you.”
Fire Department
The SVFD has 19 senior members to cover a 64-square-mile coverage area and as well as responding to back up other departments as needed, Lynch noted.
He said that each member must undergo extensive training, including hazardous materials, advanced firefighting, and more.
Lynch said the FD has accomplished having everyone trained except two members. He said the goal is to have the entire roster trained. “We’re almost there.”
The department is busy beyond fighting fires.
The members undertake fundraising dinners and fire education and prevention with the schools and other entities, while also partnering with the Red Cross to do public trainings. Each summer, the department hosts a kids’ camp and around the Fourth of July, the FD hosts a popular community celebration in the Town Square, the Fireman’s Bash. There’s also a Christmas toy drive and helping during disasters. Following serious flooding last year, the chief said the FD served as a drop-off site for supplies.
“We do a lot more than answering the bell,” Lynch said.
For the FD members, he said, “You do it to help the community.”
In this age of declining volunteerism, Lynch said, “I hope we can do something to get volunteers.”
Carter said he hopes the community understands that home insurance rates are lower because of the fire department’s work.
Councilman Cary Sauls said he’s glad to see all the community involvement.
Town Manager
Each of the town’s departments offered year-in-review reports.
Town Manager Cecile Rosenbaum summed up the reports when she said, “We’re making progress every day.”
When the council asked for these reports, Rosenbaum said she wasn’t sure about its value but concluded that it’s beneficial to look back and put achievement and struggles on paper. In the day to day, she said, it’s easy to lose sight of progress.
She emphasized that none of the accomplishments are done alone. “It a team effort.”
Rosenbaum declared, “We have made so much progress.”
