WYTHE COUNTY, Va. – Multiple roadways in Wythe County have been closed due to flooding, as anywhere from 3 to 5 inches of rain have already fallen in the locality and weather forecasters are predicting additional precipitation throughout Monday and into the night which may bring an additional 1 to 2 inches.

In Wythe County, the heaviest hit areas are in the locality’s southeastern section, near the New River and its various tributaries. According to USGS data, Reed Creek at Graham’s Forge is discharging 5,690 cubic feet per second (its regular discharge rate is roughly 269 cubic feet per second).

The heavy rainfall has rendered several roads impassable in the county, including the following:

Apperson Dr. – Closed by VDOT
Castleton Rd...

Shortly before 8:30 Sunday evening, the National Weather Service in Blacksburg, Virginia, issued a Flash Flood Warning for Smyth and Tazewell counties, as well as the western portions of Wythe and Bland counties in southwestern Virginia.

The warning remains in effect until 2:15 AM, however, this may be extended (residents are encouraged to monitor weather.gov for the latest flood warnings and watches).

“At 8:20 PM, emergency management officials reported flooding in many areas across Smyth and western Tazewell counties.  Numerous roads are currently being closed across Smyth County as a result of excessive rainfall and flooding. Flooding of some roads and structures has also been reported in western Tazewell County...

The National Weather Service (NWS) in Blacksburg, Virginia, is warning residents of our region that there is a slight risk of severe thunderstorms tonight and into the early morning hours of Thursday.

Even more concerning than the Thunderstorms, however, are the strong winds that are expected to pass through Southwest Virginia in the hours ahead.

At 3:39 p.m., NWS issued an urgent weather message stating, “An area of low pressure will deepen as it tracks from the Ohio Valley into New York on Thursday and Friday. As a result very strong and gusty northwest winds will develop across the Appalachians.”  As a result, a wind advisory will remain in effect from 8 a.m. Thursday to 8 p.m. Friday.

The wind advisory has been issued for southeast West Virginia, southwest Virginia and northwest N...

WYTHE COUNTY, Va. – The Wythe County Board of Supervisors has scheduled a public hearing to receive feedback from the public regarding a proposal to move the Rural Retreat voting precinct location from the Rural Retreat Fire Department to the Rural Retreat Community Center.

Though the move is only 50 yards, the Code of Virginia requires the Board of Supervisors to conduct a public hearing prior to voting on the proposed change.

Representatives from the county’s electoral board say the move is necessary in order to provide greater accessibility for individuals who may have certain handicaps and that the community center was selected because it is the building closest to the fire department.

The public hearing has been scheduled for Tuesday, April 11, 2017, at 7:05 p.m...

The National Weather Service in Blacksburg, Virginia, is closely monitoring the skies in Southwestern Virginia, as the threat of severe thunderstorms is possible for most of our region throughout the afternoon and into the evening.

At 10:35 this morning, the Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma, issued a severe thunderstorm watch for 50 Virginia counties, including Wythe and all of its neighboring localities.  The watch is valid until 5 p.m.

According to the Weather Service, “Possible threats include damaging wind gusts up to 70 MPH, isolated hail, and a chance for tornadoes.”

County residents are encouraged to monitor local local news and/or weather radio for urgent weather updates from local officials.

This same line of storms is responsible for causing excessive damage in portio...

WYTHE COUNTY, Va. – Governor Terry McAuliffe today announced more than $4.0 million in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding for nine Virginia localities, including $359,695 for the County of Wythe.

“I’m pleased to announce funding for ten projects that leverage Community Development Block Grant funding to invest in critical infrastructure,” said Governor McAuliffe. “These projects will help create new jobs and economic opportunities in the communities that receive them. By focusing on infrastructure, downtown revitalization and housing rehabilitation, we are helping communities across the Commonwealth make life better for the people they serve.”

The funding Wythe County has been granted will be used to extend an 8” sewage line to Lot 20 in Progress Park – serving Br...

The National Weather Service in Blacksburg, Virginia, is forecasting “mountain upslope snow showers” tonight and early Friday, with the greatest amounts of snowfall to occur north of Bluefield in the West Virginia highlands.

For the most part, residents in eastern Wythe County are expected to be spared from significant accumulation, with NWS officials forecasting less than an inch of accumulation for Wytheville and communities to the east.

On the other hand, places west of the county-seat, such as Rural Retreat, Crockett and Speedwell, may see snowfall amounts closer to two inches.

In addition to the snowfall and strong cold front that will  cross through the region Thursday, a quick surge in west winds will accompany the front with gusts to 50 mph or stronger possible.

“Much colder air ...

This week, Wythe County Parks & Recreation announced that the department would be offering open gym for basketball and walking at Sheffey Community Gym beginning on Saturday, January 21st and then throughout February and into the spring.  The gymnasium will be open to the public from 9 a.m. to noon.

In addition to open gym hours, the county’s Parks & Recreation Department will also be offering two separate fitness classes for the community:

Fusion Fit Classes will be held at 6 p.m. every Monday and Thursday starting on Thursday, January 19th and are slated to end in early-March.  The one-hour session will utilize light weights, which will be provided, and cardio.

Functionally Fit Class will be held at 5 p.m...

WYTHE COUNTY, Va. – The National Weather Service is warning that light freezing rain, perhaps starting as light sleet, will develop in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Friday evening and will spread northeast,
primarily east of I-77, during Saturday’s pre-dawn hours.

“Precipitation amounts will be very light, with only a couple of hundredths of an inch of precipitation expected,” stated Phil Hysell of the National Weather Service.

Though this morning’s forecast is predicting lower precipitation amounts and warmer temperatures than was earlier believed, the county’s emergency management team wishes to remind residents that any precipitation falling on cold surfaces will result in spotty icing, especially on elevated surfaces like bridges and overpasses, if untreated.

It is for th...

Alison Krauss performing “When You Say Nothing at All”
Photo Courtesy: Josh Rhinehart

This Saturday evening, award-winning Nashville songwriters Paul Overstreet and Brett James will be hosting a unique performance at the George Wythe High School.

The duo have written dozens of iconic, chart-topping country hits over the past three decades and this weekend, they’ll not only be performing the songs they’ve written, but also sharing the fascinating stories surrounding each song’s creation.

The pair’s songs include hits by Kenny Chesney (She Thinks My Tractor’s Sexy and Out Last Night), as well as Rascal Flatts, Jason Aldean, George Jones, Blake Shelton and Randy Travis (On the Other Hand, Diggin up Bones, and Forever and Ever, Amen).

Overstreet, who was once married to Dolly Parton’s s...