News

BUENA VISTA CITY COUNCIL PUBLIC HEARING August 17th 2023

At its July 20 meeting, Lexington City Council voted to hold a public hearing on extending the city’s portion of the Virginia Horse Center’s discretionary lodging tax, explicitly for the purposes of retiring debt that the horse center owes to CornerStone Bank. The hearing will be held at Council’s regular business meeting on Oct. 5.

Balloons lined the pathway Tuesday as students and their families headed toward Central Elementary for the first day of school. Classes started at Rockbridge County and Buena Vista public schools yesterday, while Buena Vista students began their studies today. For more photos from the first day, see page A2. (Anneliese Schneider photo)

Local school officials are rallying with school officials across the commonwealth to advocate against inadequate state funding.

The Lexington City Planning Commission last week held a public hearing on a proposed educational facility on North Lewis Street, with discussion primarily focused around the classification of the facility.

A portion of Rockbridge County’s revenue recovery funds from emergency medical service calls is to be used to pay for medical equipment much needed by EMS crews.

With Families Settled, HUF’s Work Ends

Junior Police Camp A Big Hit With Kids

Maj. Gen. Cedric T. Wins ’85, superintendent of Virginia Military Institute, has signed a memorandum of understanding with the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) that provides VMI nearly $4 million over four years to boost enrollment and success of low-income and Pell Grant-eligible cadets at the Institute.

Area schools are preparing for the start of a new academic year, with Lexington and Rockbridge schools starting next Tuesday, Aug. 15, and Buena Vista schools starting next Wednesday.

The Valley Program for Aging Services is offering two workshop series designed to prevent falls this autumn. Both will be held at Maury River Senior Services, 2137 Magnolia Ave., Buena Vista.

Molly Payne Pugh is joining in the law practice of William “Bill” McClung.

The Rockbridge Community Table has closed for two weeks so the board can strategically plan for the upcoming fall and winter seasons at TCT.

Tuition Rate Decision Delayed Since May Due to Lack of State Budget

Registration is now open for the Rockbridge Youth Chorale 2023-2024 season, which begins on Tuesday, Aug. 22, in the Grace Episcopal Church choir room at 123 Washington St., Lexington.

Rockbridge Regional Library in Lexington will host author Melanie Forde on Wednesday, Aug. 16, at 3 p.m. for a presentation about her process to become a published novelist, a summary of her books, and a reading. A book signing will follow.

Congressman Ben Cline has been visiting local restaurants to meet with constituents in a series of town hall events called “Coffee with your Congressman.” While visiting The Pink Cadillac in Natural Bridge on July 31, Cline talked about the “four functions of government,” which he believes are spending, oversight, infrastructure, and transportation. In addition to answering questions, Cline touched on various topics including the Farm Bill, veterans’ rights and health care, and the maintenance of Interstate 81. Cline’s next town hall meeting will be held in Lexington today, Wednesday, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at Salerno Wood Fired Pizza and Taphouse.

CITY OF LEXINGTON NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING TO REVIEW AN APPLICATION FOR CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT TO ALLOW THE FIRST FLOOR OF AN EXISTING BUILDING AT 221 S. MAIN STREET TO BE USED AS A RESIDENTIAL DWELLING UNIT

Local crews responded to a house fire at 1134 Turkey Hill Road Sunday afternoon that damaged about 80 percent of the structure. Nathan Ramsey, Rockbridge County fire-rescue chief, said that lightning appears to have struck the house during a storm. The house, he said, is not normally occupied and no one was there at the time. Departments that responded were Kerrs Creek Fire and EMS, Lexington Fire and EMS, Rockbridge Baths Fire, Buena Vista Fire, South River Fire and Rockbridge County Fire-Rescue. According to the Rockbridge Baths Fire Department, the original structure was a log cabin that had several additions, which complicated firefighting efforts. The fire was extinguished and all crews cleared after about four hours on scene. This is the third time in recent weeks that lightning was believed to be the cause of local structure fires. (photo courtesy of the Rockbridge Baths Volunteer Fire Department)

Do you have a son or daughter heading to college this fall? Or maybe you’re the one returning to college?

A crash on Interstate 81 Sunday afternoon caused backups once again on the interstate and on U.S. 11.