Rural Retreat's Summer Shelton hits the ball against Northwood.
Rural Retreat's Summer Shelton hits the ball against Northwood.
Bland Medical Clinic receives grant
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.
Reserves likely needed to balance budget
Wythe County’s proposed budget for fiscal year 2027, which begins on July 1, will dip into reserves.
To balance the spending plan, County Administrator Stephen Bear said Wythe could need $3.8 million in reserves, adding that there are adequate reserves to handle that action, this year. Bear noted that the $3.8 million is equal to 14 cents of real estate tax.
Wythe is looking at a $118.8 million proposed budget, an increase of $550,000 over the current fiscal year’s budget.
The requested budget was originally $124 million, until $5.8 million was cut from the requests.
Bear said that the budget is balanced with no new positions being added and no layoffs. There are also no changes proposed to tax rates.
The biggest portion of the county budget, from the School Board, will cost a bit extra for the coming spending plan. The school system as requested an additional $2.5 million in expenditures, even though, Bear said the school’s actual spending plan is only up $744,000. Bear said the increase is due to loss of state funding from changes in the county’s composite index, which looks at ability to pay.
Bear said he anticipates a late June state budget finalization, pointing to the need for more work sessions locally to finalize details that are up in the air now.
Honaker’s Kate Jessee and George Wythe’s Zoey Childers fight for the ball during the Region 1 state semifinals.
Honaker’s Kate Jessee and George Wythe’s Zoey Childers fight for the ball during the Region 1 state semifinals.
Council approves budget on second reading
Town Council on May 26 approved on second reading the fiscal year 2026-27 budget.
Interim Town Manager Christopher Slemp called the upcoming spending plan, which is set for third and final reading on June 8, structurally balanced, with no new taxes proposed.
Real estate taxes are set at 20 cents per $100 of valuation, machinery and tools at 33 cents per $100 of valuation and personal property at 38 cents per $100.
There were, however, some minor adjustments to the budget from first to second reading, primarily $10,000 being re-instated at the prior meeting to the town’s marketing budget, aimed at enhancing tourism promotion.
Council also agreed to a change in the Cost of Living Adjustment raises for town employees. Initially, town employees were sated to receive a 3 percent increase; however, with inflation at around 3.8 percent and predicted to rise, the town voted to increase the raise to 4 percent.
Slemp told council members that increasing COLA from 3 to 3.5 percent would add $70,429 to the budget’s bottom line. A 1 percentage point increase would add $140,858 to the spending plan.
Slemp said going above a 4 percent COLA would require budgetary work.
The town’s total budget, on second reading, was $48 million. The General Fund, at $30.5 million, is an increase of $2.2 million over the current fiscal year. That increase is primarily driven by health insurance costs.
In other news, the town appointed Aubrey Whitlow to the Wall of Honor Committee to fill the unexpired term of Maelene Watson. The term expires on Feb. 1, 2028.
At an earlier meeting, council approved a request from Town Treasurer Angela Pennington to hire a part-time employee to work around 24 hours per week at $19 an hour. Pennington said the part-time hire would transition to full time by Aug. 1, replacing a retiring accounting clerk. The position will be paid from budgeted funds for software that wasn’t renewed.
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SWVA residents asked to complete online survey about addiction, stigma, resources (copy)
Southwest Virginia residents are asked to take 15 minutes to help addiction treatment providers understand how the community perceives substance use, the stigma surrounding addiction, and recovery resources.
The survey is part of the Appalachian Center of Hope’s strategic planning efforts to better understand the needs of the community and define its priorities for the next three years. The Marion-based in-patient treatment center’s executive director, Shauna Tilson, said, “The survey is part of our broader effort to better understand existing resources, gaps, barriers, and opportunities as we work to help shape future community-informed solutions.”
The Omni Institute is supporting ACH in this work.
The survey, according to ACH materials, is also being used “to identify the gaps and barriers people face when seeking or supporting access to substance use and recovery services in our area.”
The survey is open to anyone in Southwest Virginia and will focus on identifying existing resources, gaps in services, barriers to accessing care, and opportunities to better support individuals and families affected by substance use disorder.
“Addressing substance use and supporting recovery takes a community,” said Tilson. “We want to hear from individuals, families, providers, and community members across the region because lasting solutions are built with the community—not just for it.”
The survey is not expected to take more than 15 minutes to complete. It is said to be voluntary and confidential and will be open through May 31.
Community members can access the survey at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/WL2B9X7 or by visiting ac4hope.org/survey.
A non-profit, ACH is operated by Fairview Housing as Marion Lifestyle Recovery at Appalachian Center for Hope. Learn more at ac4hope.org.
