Central Virginia Update

16/08/2024

The mayor broke into song to try to quell a tense moment during a recent meeting. A fellow council member asks on Facebook if she'd been drinking.

23/07/2024

Supervisors Bob Davis and Tommy Scott - who represent districts with a former school used as community centers - voted in favor of the sale.

https://centralvirginiaupdate.substack.com/p/davis-scott-vote-to-sell-community

23/07/2024

Watch LIVE as Supervisors vote on the future of Body Camp Elementary School, the community’s only gathering place:

For more information, visit www.bedfordcountyva.gov. To check out the latest meeting minutes, agendas, and resolutions, visit https://bedfordcounty.primegov....

14/07/2024

10/07/2024

19/06/2024

Incumbent Bob Good (R-Evington) defeated by rival John McGuire in close election. More here:

12/06/2024

Dr. Janice Luth and her sister Dr. Virginia Blanks are both physicians at Centra Medical Group (CMG) - Village in Moneta and are preparing for retirement this year. Their other sister, Dr. Kathryn Sparhawk, now retired, previously worked alongside them at CMG - Village. All three sisters have practiced medicine in Bedford County for nearly 50 years!

We had the privilege of sitting down with all three sisters to reflect on their remarkable careers and the profound impact they've had on both Centra and the Bedford community. Their story, filled with laughter and heartfelt memories, is now available on Centra's podcast & So Much More: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPwy7S4JP-s
Centra Bedford Memorial Hospital

23/04/2024

In May, Liberty High School senior Marisa Parikh competes in the American Legion’s National Oratorical Contest in Hillsdale, Michigan, where she’ll vie against dozens of other speech-giving students for college scholarships worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.

23/04/2024

🚨 Bedford’s Town Council is attempting to raise taxes on businesses by the largest margin in its history. They will hear from the public tonight.

22/04/2024

📷 : Jeff Woodford

19/04/2024

A single dad is fighting for his son, a sophomore with special needs at Staunton River High School.

18/04/2024

The Bedford Community Coalition has announced plans to preserve the former Body Camp Elementary School building as an alternative to county officials consideration to liquidate the property with a potential buyer showing interest.

15/04/2024

“This school when it closed was the most racially diverse student population of any Bedford county school at that time. As we look to this community, we look to see what have we taken away but also what can we get back,” said Joy Powers, co-founder of the Bedford County Coalition.

The historic building has been sitting empty for about 12 years.

10/04/2024

John McGuire has earned the endorsement of retired Bedford Sheriff Mike Brown. McGuire, a Navy SEAL and state Senator, is challenging Bob Good for the Republican nomination in the 5th district. More here:

Brown served as Sheriff for 24 years

05/04/2024

“Those consultants and groups have been able to flourish in certain areas with these mass meetings because their positions would never garner the support of large groups of voters like the ones who participate in primaries. It will be very hard for them to hold onto power going forward,” said one consultant who spoke on condition of anonymity. “These hot button political issues sound great at the federal level, but when put into practice locally, people get hurt.” More here:

Race has implications on a variety of state level seats next year, local schools

02/04/2024

ICYMI: Body Camp Elementary is currently assessed for over $1Million, down quickly from a $3Million valuation in 2011. It will certainly be interesting to see what price the County seeks from Zitel, and if Supervisors with political ties to the company recuse themselves, lie about their connections, or do the right thing - preserve this important community asset for the people who elected them. Full story:

Preferred buyer has political ties to Supervisors, property currently assessed for over $1Million

24/03/2024

The ex-lawmaker is also accused of violating a protective order. He is held without bond at Blue Ridge Regional Jail.

21/03/2024

The Sedalia Center for the Arts is preparing for its annual celebration of Celtic culture to be held this coming Saturday. Gates open at 11am.

Annual Gathering Drew 2000+ Last Year Despite Rain

20/03/2024

Photographs depict Zitel trucks and equipment already moving into Body Camp Elementary. The County has not held a public hearing on the sale and has previously said a due diligence period would be conducted.

19/03/2024

Zitel’s owner, Brandon Camden, donated $3,000 to a PAC managed by Davis’ consultant - “Virginia Families PAC” - a group that has historically placed itself in the midst of highly controversial issues, angering other sitting Supervisors, County staff, and community members.

Preferred buyer has political ties to Supervisors, property currently assessed for over $1Million

14/03/2024

Bruce Ingram writes about the coveted fungi for the Department of Wildlife Resources:

Readers in the area are reporting early morel sightings in 2024, with confirmed discoveries in portions of Southwest Virginia. The Great Morel Map charts morel finds across the country with photographs and timestamps. Find the map here. There are 18 morel species

13/03/2024

"The victim, Brandon Reynolds, has been 100% cleared of all charges and is an upstanding member of the community, working a full time job while caring for his mother, a widow, and their family farm. He spent three nights in jail and 16 months worrying about the ordeal before the unfounded charges were dropped."

Bedford farmer targeted by cops for legally growing w**d, all charges dropped

13/03/2024

Internal school board data shows minimal zone transfers:

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/6mn42qil4bf7w01dml8kg/BCPS-transfer-data-2019-2023.pdf?rlkey=3o13gm1lcogw28m32ppwyw0kw&fbclid=IwAR3b-hx1wDYrlD5ysmr_FI-eHvGHLyFiYMwBZi-m_xlalDNvoOARN2vUeNU_aem_AfUyH2raPSicg2RT4QVaB_dF4JJxhKIPz1U9b7VI2YtiD9GLIPJKgce9kglgHbIULgw&dl=0

06/03/2024

A Mexican citizen was arrested in Bedford County on Monday and charged with abduction of a 15-year-old girl, according to a news release issued Tuesday from the Bedford County Sheriff's Office.

03/03/2024

Brandon Reynolds he thought he legally was home-growing ma*****na for personal use. Then a squad of sheriff’s deputies and firefighters descended on his residence, seized his w**d and arrested Reynolds, in spite of a 2021 Virginia law that permits small backyard homegrows.

21/02/2024

“After being told the night before that he was not welcome, Bob showed up uninvited, and attempted to make the day about himself, instead of President Trump,” Angulo continued. “I repeatedly asked Bob to leave. Once he finally relented and left our store, Bob and his paid campaign staff stood out front for over four hours trying to block people from entering our store. The whole thing was very embarrassing behavior for anyone, let alone a sitting member of congress.”

Rep. Bob Good, R-VA05, was forced to leave an event in his district over the weekend where Republicans gathered to support Donald Trump. Good supporters believe the event was doubling as a campaign event for state Sen. John McGuire, who is primarying him for the Republican nomination this year.

23/01/2024

As part of its conservation efforts, Georgia Pacific maintains an 800-acre property in Amherst County as a wildlife sanctuary and landfill.