Month: February 2019

Appalachian Indoor Showdown at the APEX

by wytheUncategorized

OUTLAW KART RACING TAKES ON THE APEX CENTER SATURDAY NIGHT

WYTHEVILLE, Va. – The Appalachian Indoor Showdown is coming to the Appalachian Regional Exposition Center this weekend.

Millbridge Speedway Promoter Jeremy Burnett said officials have four Outlaw Kart Classes and four Flat Cart Classes lined up for Saturday night.

“The Outlaw Karts have 100 horsepower,” Burnett said. “The flat carts are racing for a $20,000 bonus. If they win all four classes they win an extra $20,000.”

Doors open at 5 p.m. and racing starts at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 23. Tickets are available at the door only for this event. Grandstand tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for children ages 6-12, and free for children five and younger.

The Appalachian Indoor Showdown will feature eight classes of kart racing. The highlight of the night will be the Open Division Outlaw Karts. There will also be Intermediate, Beginner Box Stock, Box Stock, Clone Heavy, Clone Heavy Pro, Predator 375, and Predator 400 classes at the event.

The APEX Center is the Commonwealth’s premier civic center west of Roanoke. It provides a venue for events ranging from MMA to Monster Trucks as well as concerts, rodeos and dozens of other regional and national events. Outlaw Kart racing, Motocross Racing and Titans of the Cage MMA are just a few of the items on the agenda during the next several weeks.

The APEX Center provides approximately 2,000 permanent seats and has a total capacity of over 5,000. The arena alone is the size of a football field. The total size of the facility is 90,000 square feet. The facility sits on the south side of I-81 at Exit 77 in Wythe County, Va.

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If you would like more information about this topic, or to schedule an interview with Wythe County officials, please call Blake Stowers at 276-223-4522 or email Blake at [email protected]

APEX Center Hosts Blue Ridge Bash Demolition Derby

by wytheCommunity

WYTHEVILLE, Va. – A car crushing, gear jamming indoor demolition derby will take place at the Appalachian Regional Exposition Center on February 16.

Carolina Derby Promotions Owner Billy Monroe said drivers will take the green flag at 6 p.m. and the event will last until 10 p.m.

“We’ll have three big classes that night,” Monroe said. “We’ll have 80 drivers from around North and South Carolina, Virginia, Ohio and Tennessee. It’s going to be a good show. Most of the classes are filling up. It should be a good event.”

There are several different classes of vehicles that will take to the arena on February 16. The Full Size Class will be fighting for a $2,000 purse. The front wheel drive Compact Class will be battling for a $1,000 prize. There will also be a Mini Van/Mini Truck/SUV Class that will be brawling for a $500 prize.

Monroe said there will also be a Power Wheels Derby for kids ages 4 to 8.

“They pop balloons with their Power Wheels cars,” Monroe said. “If you’re interested in that you can check out Carolina Derby Promotions on Facebook.”

Tickets can be purchased online at eventbrite.com:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/blue-ridge-bash-demolition-derby-tickets-54233144796 

Facebook page link:

https://www.facebook.com/CarolinaDerbyPromotions/posts/902053186660700?__tn__=K-R 

The APEX Center is the Commonwealth’s premier civic center west of Roanoke. It provides a venue for events ranging from MMA to Monster Trucks as well as concerts, rodeos and dozens of other regional and national events. Outlaw Kart racing, Motocross Racing and Titans of the Cage MMA are just a few of the items on the agenda during the next several weeks.

The APEX Center provides approximately 2,000 permanent seats and has a total capacity of over 5,000. The arena alone is the size of a football field. The total size of the facility is 90,000 square feet. The facility sits on the south side of I-81 at Exit 77 in Wythe County, Va.

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If you would like more information about this topic, or to schedule an interview with Wythe County officials, please call Blake Stowers at 276-223-4522 or email Blake at [email protected]

Junior Appalachian Musicians Program Starts Up

by wytheCommunity

JUNIOR APPALACHIAN MUSICIANS GROUP STARTS UP 

WYTHEVILLE, Va. – The sounds of banjos, fiddles, guitars and a host of students filled the Fourth Street Civic Center recently as the Junior Appalachian Musicians held their second class.

The Junior Appalachian Musician program or the aptly titled JAM program, for short, focuses on preserving traditional music and investing in local students.

JAM Regional Director Jim Lloyd is excited to be working with students in Wythe County.

“It’s great,” Lloyd said. “This is the best start-up class I have ever had. They do an hour of enrichment and an hour of study with us. We want to thank the community for all the support.”

Lloyd said learning about enrichment means studying about the history behind the instruments and music.

Sixty-four Wythe County students from grades fourth through eighth are learning the banjo, fiddle, upright bass and guitar through the JAM program.

Sheffey Elementary fifth-grader Dietrich Walker was ready to learn more about the guitar at the second Wythe County JAM session. Walker said he has been learning guitar for about a month. “I think it’s pretty cool, because my mom plays the guitar too,” Walker said. “I’ve got to make a lot of new friends.”

Rural Retreat Middle School sixth-grader Ginny Grace Hale said she has been learning the bass for about a month. “I have learned a few cords so far,” Hale said. “It’s a really good opportunity to learn about Appalachian culture and Appalachian instruments.”

Lloyd said JAM was founded about 18 years ago by Helen White, who started the program in Sparta, North Carolina. Lloyd said officials added seven JAM programs to the itinerary in Tennessee and one in Wythe County this year.

The Wythe County Board of Supervisors recently awarded $2,000 to the Junior Appalachian Musicians program to help with its expansion into Wythe County, Va.

The program will take place from January 31, 2019 to April 4, 2019. It is taught by master musicians from throughout the region.

“It’s really great to see 60 plus kids learning about the area’s musical heritage,” JAM Wythe County Site Coordinator Sarah Nucci said.

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If you would like more information about this topic, or to schedule an interview with Wythe County officials, please call Blake Stowers at 276-223-4522 or email Blake at [email protected]

 

Wythe County Receives $200,000 Grant

by wytheUncategorized

WYTHEVILLE, Va. – The Virginia Tobacco Region Revitalization Commission recently awarded Wythe County with a grant in the amount of $200,000 for a Multipurpose Agriculture and Event Building which will be used by patrons of the APEX Center in Wythe County.

APEX Authority President Matthew Miller said the new structure will increase the marketability of the APEX Center.

“The new multipurpose ag building will facilitate a number of additional events and add to the capability of the APEX complex,” Miller said. “Thanks to both the Virginia Tobacco Region Revitalization Commission’s funding and private donations, it will do so with very little tax payer funds. This new structure will increase the marketability of the APEX and add to its wide range of audiences.”

Wythe County Public Information Officer and Grant Writer Blake Stowers said officials are grateful for the grant. “We are very thankful for this grant from the Virginia Tobacco Region Revitalization Commission,” Stowers said. “This will help build a much needed asset for the APEX Center.”

The Multipurpose Agriculture and Event Building will accommodate agricultural sales, livestock sales, livestock shows, animal housing and regional youth events.

There is not a Multipurpose Agricultural Building in Southwest Virginia on this scale. For the main arena to function well, officials must have the Multipurpose Agricultural and Event Building. It is a needed home away from home for animals traveling for events at the APEX Center.

According to a study by Virginia Tech, the new APEX center is seen as an important tool for increasing the viability of area agriculture, promoting business recruitment, improving agricultural education, and encouraging agritourism.

The addition of the Multipurpose Agriculture and Event Building will provide patrons with an opportunity to take full advantage of the resources at the APEX Center.

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If you would like more information about this topic, or to schedule an interview with Wythe County officials, please call Blake Stowers at 276-223-4522 or email Blake at [email protected]