INTERNATIONAL MANUFACTURER EXPANDING IN WYTHE COUNTY

WYTHEVILLE, Va. – This morning, Governor Terry McAuliffe announced that Coperion Corporation, in collaboration with local real estate developer WYCO, LLC, will expand its Wythe County operation, investing a total of more than $3 million in its Wythe County facility.

Headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany, Coperion, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hillenbrand, serves as a world market and technology leader for compounding systems, bulk materials systems, components and services.

Wythe County successfully competed against New Jersey for the project, which will create 22 new jobs and propel the county to becoming the center of all U.S.-based extruder-related manufacturing and warehousing.

McAuliffe said he was thrilled to make the announcement, stating, “Creating quality jobs in the advanced manufacturing sector is one of the most important ways we can build a new Virginia economy.”

According to the Virginia Department of Commerce and Trade, the project is strategically important in that it brings new jobs and capital investment to the area.

“We’re excited to expand our operations in Wytheville,” said Robert DiMarino, Vice President Operations, Coperion Corporation, who went on to state that the company has been “extremely pleased” with the dedication of local employees and the support of the Commonwealth, Wythe County and the Town of Wytheville.

West Wytheville’s representative on the Wythe County Board of Supervisors says he is pleased that the company will be expanding in his district. Artie Hall, who serves as chairman of the County’s Economic Development Committee, added, “This is a big achievement for Wythe County – it is a vote of confidence for our area. They had several locations to choose from and yet they chose us.”

Hall’s sentiments were echoed by Tim Reeves, Chair of the Wythe County Board of Supervisors. “Coperion has been a contributing member of this community for many years, and we are happy the company chose to expand its business here. This expansion is a major accomplishment in Wythe County’s industrial growth.”

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Wythe County Hires Emergency Coordinator

WYTHEVILLE, Va. –Wythe County’s Department of Emergency Services is now under the direction of newly appointed department head, Jason Kinser.

Kinser, 34, is a native of Tazewell County, Virginia, and comes to Wythe County with at least sixteen years’ worth of experience in fire and EMS.

Prior to coming on board as Wythe County’s emergency coordinator, a position which was vacated earlier this fall, Kinser served as administrator for both the Jeffersonville Rescue Squad and the Bluefield Rescue Squad.

The southwest Virginia native’s entire adult career has been spent in the emergency services field. A nationally registered paramedic and certified fire instructor, county officials say Kinser’s addition to the emergency services team will bring a balanced understanding of the needs of both the county’s volunteer fire departments and rescue squads.

In addition to serving as emergency coordinator, the former paramedic will also be tasked with acting as the county’s first EMS director. Through this position, Kinser will assist the three rescue squads based in Wythe County with cost saving measures such as combined purchasing.

“It is my goal to foster a spirit of cooperation and efficiency within the county’s nine emergency services agencies,” said Kinser, who stated that he will be reaching out to leaders within the local rescue squads and fire departments in the days to come.

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WYTHE COUNTY RESIDENTS ENCOURAGED TO RECYCLE CHRISTMAS WRAPPING PAPER & CARDBOARD BOXES

WYTHEVILLE, Va. – This coming week, tens of thousands of Wythe County residents will be celebrating Christmas by opening what will equate to truckloads of wrapping paper and disposing of tons of cardboard boxes.

In an effort to accommodate the drastic increase in discarded material that will be received at the county’s convenience centers this week, Billy Bowers, Wythe County’s Solid Waste director, is encouraging residents to place their used wrapping paper and cardboard boxes into the convenience center’s recycling bins – as opposed to mixing them in with their regular trash.

“Most county residents would be astonished to realize how much money they save the county simply by recycling paper products rather than mixing them in with their regular trash,” said Bowers, adding “This time of year, we see a heavy increase in the disposal of paper products, such as cardboard and wrapping paper.  By recycling these products, citizens will assist us in putting these items back into use, minimizing the costs of trash disposal and save space in crowding landfills.”

Residents who live in the county have already demonstrated their willingness to recycle, as the county leads nearly every jurisdiction in our region in the total weight of recycled materials.

Bowers requested that residents who do recycle their cardboard boxes break them down, as unbroken boxes will take up more space at the centers during their busiest time of year.

The Wythe County Convenience Centers will be closed on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.

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WYTHE COUNTY WRAPS UP YOUTH BASKETBALL SEASON WITH CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES

WYTHEVILLE, Va. – Wythe County’s Department of Parks & Recreation wrapped up the 2014 youth junior varsity basketball season this week with a championship double header game at the Wytheville Wellness Center.

First to take the court were the fourth and fifth grade boy’s tournament finalists, the Max Meadows Pioneers and Rural Retreat Indians (Black). The Indians put up 22 points compared to the Pioneers’ 7, in the 24-minute game, capping off their perfect season with a 9-0 record.

Led by coaches Brian Smith and Michael Spraker, the Indians competed against three other county teams over the course of the regular season, earning championship medals for their entire team.

After the boys basketball game, the communities of Max Meadows and Rural Retreat were then represented once again in the JV – girls championship game, between the Lady Pioneers and the Lady Indians.

This time, Max Meadows would be the victors, as the Lady Pioneers outscored the Lady Indians by a margin of 24-11.

Head coach Ann Morgan’s Lady Pioneers posted a perfect 10-0 season, competing in a combined 5-team league comprised of three Wythe County teams and two from the Town of Wytheville.

To celebrate what Wythe County Parks & Recreation youth sports coordinator Scotty Vaught referred to as “one of the league’s better seasons,” Radford University has dubbed Sunday, December 21, 2014, as “Wythe County Day” and will provide the county’s junior-varsity youth boys and girls basketball players, coaches and league volunteers with free entry into the 2 p.m. game versus the Cornell University.

One highlight of the game will take place at halftime, when Wythe County’s JV youth basketball teams will scrimmage against each other on the university’s hardwood court before the Big South Conference home crowd.

The varsity youth basketball season will begin in Wythe County in early January for children in grades 6th and 7th. Parents wishing to sign their children up for varsity youth basketball are encouraged to contact the president of their local booster club or Wythe County’s youth sports coordinator Scotty Vaught at 276-223-4518.

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