WYTHEVILLE, Va. – The Wythe County Administrator’s Office has unveiled the 2015 Official Wythe County Road Map.

In addition to including all named roads in the county, the 27” x 40” map includes other details such as an index to county facilities; these facilities include solid waste & recycling centers, county libraries, schools and emergency services buildings.

Displaying the route of the popular New River Trail, a 57-mile linear state park that follows an abandoned railroad right-of-way, as well as elevation markers and detailed views of area communities, the maps are certain to appeal to a highly diverse audience.

“Even in the age of GPS and mobile mapping, we’re finding that paper maps are still in great demand. For many businesses and individuals, it’s simply quicker to glance at a map hanging on the wall to find a specific location, rather than go through all the hassle that often accompanies using a computer generated map. We listened to local businesses and are pleased that the 2015 county map will meet all of their needs.” said Tim Reeves, Chairman of the Wythe County Board of Supervisors.

The reverse side of the map focuses on the Town of Wytheville, offering travelers a closer look at the town’s roadways and points of interest.

The maps are available to the general public at a price of only $2 — just enough to cover the costs associated with producing and distributing the foldable documents — and may be purchased at the county administrator’s office or the Town of Wytheville’s Municipal Building.

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BARREN SPRINGS, Va. – Work is set to begin in just a matter of days on the Barren Springs Waterline Extension, which will provide reliable drinking water to residents in the Barren Springs community.

According to county officials, construction on the waterline is set to begin in the opening days of January and is slated to be completed within a year’s time.

The Wythe County Board of Supervisors has made completion of this project one of its primary objectives for 2015, as dozens of households in the community are presently without reliable drinking water.

In addition to providing residents in the southeastern Wythe County community with a dependable source of potable water, the waterline will also add an extra level of fire security that may equate to a reduction in insurance rates for local citizens.

“The new waterline will prove invaluable to local fire crews in the area, as fire hydrants will be available approximately every 1,000 feet,” said Jason Kinser, Wythe County’s emergency coordinator.

Wythe County officials say the Barren Springs waterline is but a piece of a much larger economic development effort focused in the area. A separate waterline is also scheduled to link Jackson Memorial Elementary School to the New River Water Plant – the same source of water Barren Spring residents will soon be enjoying. County leaders also say that a sewer system is in the works for Exit 24, which they believe will allow opportunities for restaurants and additional businesses off the Interstate – 77 exit.

“Earlier this year, the Board made the decision to step in and provide relief to the residents of Barren Springs – I’m just glad to see that we’ve finally reached the point dirt is being overturned and pipes are being laid,” said Tim Reeves, who serves as Chairman of the Wythe County Board of Supervisors.

Reeves went on to state that the overall project will serve as a critical component for attracting businesses and growth in the area.

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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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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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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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WYTHEVILLE, Va. – Wythe County Code Enforcement Officer A.B. Dunford is warning local hunters that improperly disposing of animal carcasses is a crime punishable by up to twelve-months in jail and $2,500.

Dunford says the class-I misdemeanor is part of the Code of Virginia and that his office is aggressively enforcing littering violations.

According to the veteran law enforcement officer, each autumn, countless deer carcasses are illegally dumped along roadways, in right-of-ways and on private property; creating an eyesore, foul odor and public health risk.

“Instead of illegally dumping the carcasses of harvested deer, hunters need to either bury or cremate the remains of the animals,” said Dunford, adding that the Wythe & Bland County Transfer Station, located at 169 Kents Lane, just outside of Progress Park, is also accepting deer carcasses; however, Dunford stated that there is a fee attached to disposing of game at the transfer station.

In recent months, Wythe County has launched an anti-littering campaign, aimed at curbing illegal dumping.

Aiding officers in the campaign are hidden cameras placed throughout the county’s high traffic dumping areas. Thus far, code enforcement officers have successfully secured several convictions for illegal dumping, including one within the past month.

With tens of thousands of acres in national forest lands, county tourism leaders say that large game hunting is a proud tradition of the community and something they fully support, but add that hunters have a responsibility to their neighbors to properly dispose of their harvested game.

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