County issues precautionary tips, as dangerous storms move through southeast

WYTHEVILLE, Va. – Over the past 48 hours a string of violent storms have torn through the southeast, causing numerous fatalities in multiple states.

This afternoon, tornado warnings were issued for a handful of Virginia counties west of Wythe and as the evening progresses the threat of additional storms will increase for the County of Wythe.

As a precaution, the Wythe County departments of public information and emergency management are seeking to remind local residents of important safety tips to follow in the event of a tornado.

Know the signs:
• Strong, persistent rotation in the base of a cloud
• Whirling dust or debris on the ground under a cloud base – tornadoes sometimes have no visible funnel
• Hail or heavy rain followed by dead calm or a fast, intense wind shift. Many tornadoes, especially in Virginia, are wrapped in heavy precipitation and can’t be seen.
• Loud, continuous roar or rumble, which doesn’t fade in a few seconds like thunder does
• If it’s night, look for small, bright, blue-green to white flashes at ground level (as opposed to silvery lightning up in the clouds). These lights are power lines being snapped by very strong wind, perhaps a tornado.
• Persistent lowering of the cloud base

Know the definitions:
Tornado Watch: a tornado is possible in your area. You should monitor weather-alert radios and local radio and TV stations for information.

Tornado Warning: a tornado has been sighted in the area or has been indicated by National Weather Service Doppler radar. When a warning is issued, take cover immediately.

Know what to do:
Stay informed: Pay attention to weather announcements during severe thunderstorms. Listen to weather-alert radios to stay informed of tornado watches and warnings. Also monitor commercial radio, television and the Internet.

If at home: If you’re at home and a tornado WARNING is issued for your area, move quickly to your basement and take cover under a stairway or sturdy furniture. If you don’t have a basement, take shelter inside a first floor room near the center of your home and stay away from windows or glass doors.

If in a vehicle or mobile home: The most dangerous place to be during a tornado is inside a car or mobile home. Tornadoes can easily lift a car or mobile home off the ground. When a tornado WARNING is issued for your area, immediately take shelter inside a nearby sturdy building. There are no tornado shelters in Wythe County.

If outside: If there’s no time to get indoors, or there are no buildings nearby, lie in a ditch or low area away from your vehicle. Bridges and overpasses won’t protect you because flying debris can get blown under them.

If at work or school: Tornadoes often occur when we’re at work or school. If a tornado WARNING is issued for your area, go to the basement, stairwell or inside hallway at the lowest level you can safely reach. Stay away from windows. Get under sturdy furniture such as a heavy table or desk. If you’re outdoors and a tornado is approaching, get inside a sturdy building right away or lie in a ditch or low area and cover you head.

For more on tornado safety, visit vaemergency.com or ReadyVirginia.gov.

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WYTHEVILLE, Va. – Last summer, Wythe County’s combined emergency communications center began taking calls for the first time. The project was a join effort between the county and towns of Rural Retreat and Wytheville, made possible by hundreds of thousands of dollars in grant funding.

Consolidating the emergency dispatch centers from all three jurisdictions gave local leaders an unprecedented opportunity to implement more advanced tools; while at the same time splitting the high costs associated with manning a 24-7 emergency call center.

Nearly a year into the transitioning process, county officials are praising the move and celebrating National Public Safety Telecommunicator’s Week.

James Copeland, Wythe County’s Emergency Communications Director, says this week provides an opportunity to showcase the incredible work dispatchers do each day.

“A call to 911 is a call for help – no one ever wakes up in the morning expecting to call 911 that day – and our staff answers dozens of these calls each day,” said Copeland, adding “This week gives the public an opportunity to say ‘thank you’ for the wonderful job they do.”

Amanda Shelton – who is responsible for training new dispatchers – agreed, saying “New hires are often shocked to discover all that takes place in handling a single 911 call.”

In addition to receiving a certificate of recognition from Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe, thanking dispatchers for their hard work, the county is also encouraging followers on its social media pages to leave thank you messages to dispatchers.

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WYTHEVILLE, Va. – In 2012, the Wythe County Board of Supervisors voted to eliminate the county’s windshield decal beginning January 1, 2014.  The decals were replaced with a license fee that is now added to resident’s personal property tax bill.  Many local residents, however, have chosen not to remove their old county stickers; which expired in December.

Over the weekend, an erroneous rumor began on Facebook, alleging that county residents were being fined for not removing these decals.

County officials reached out to Doug King, Wythe County’s Sheriff, as well as leaders from within the Virginia State Police who have all stated that their officers have not and will not be issuing any citations to motorists displaying the 2013 Wythe County decal.

The Code of Virginia may require this sticker to be removed in order to be given a passing inspection; however, law enforcement officers insist they will not be issuing tickets to individuals driving with their expired county decal.

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WYTHEVILLE, Va. – Wythe County officials are encouraging local dog owners to ensure their pets have been properly vaccinated for rabies; as a recent outbreak of the zoonotic disease has been noted by the county’s animal control department.

Arlan Dunford, supervisor of Wythe County Animal Control, says that health officials have recently processed an above average number of rabid animals – a trend he says places local pets in danger.

“Rabies is a very serious and fatal disease. Pets lacking current vaccinations run the risk of being infected,” stated Dunford.

According to the World Health Organization, the disease can be spread to people through close contact with infected animals, usually saliva, via bites or scratches.

In an effort to ensure public safety, Dunford says his department will be conducting compliance checks throughout the county in the coming days. During these checks, officers will be confirming that all dogs – in the county and towns – are wearing their county issued dog tag. The $5 tags are issued only after dog owners have presented proof to the county’s treasurer that the animals have been vaccinated for rabies.

“In addition to it being the law, having your dogs properly tagged and vaccinated is just good insurance for pet owners. They show that you’re in compliance and that your dogs have been immunized should any question ever arise,” said the veteran officer.

Dog tags for animals that have been spayed or neutered are available at a reduced rate of $4 for one year, $8 for two years and $10 for 3-year tags.

Failure to purchase dog tags is considered a class-3 misdemeanor and subjects the dog owner to additional fines and court costs.

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WYTHEVILLE, Va. – Though the vast majority of Wythe County residents pay their taxes in a timely manner each year, there remains a percentage of the population that neglects to do so. These failures to pay place an unfair burden upon county residents who do comply with the law, as well as limit the resources and ability of the local government.

In an effort to combat this, the county has asked the treasurer to use all means legally available in order to induce residents – whose accounts are delinquent – to pay their property taxes. Actions by the county’s treasurer may include issuing a debt set off with the Virginia Department of the Treasury; this will allow for the county to retrieve any unpaid taxes owed to them from income taxes due to residents whose tax accounts are negative.

Other actions can include requesting the DMV to issue a stop on all vehicles belonging to citizens with unpaid personal property taxes.

Upon authorization of a DMV stop, registration of vehicles owned or co-owned by residents with unpaid personal property taxes will no longer be processed for renewal, until the tax balance is made current. Additionally, residents will be charged with an added $25.00 fee to cover the cost of the enforcement action.

The treasurer’s office will be issuing notices to county residents who are in danger of becoming delinquent prior to the May 1, 2014, payment deadline. County residents unsure of whether or not their personal property taxes are current are encouraged to call the Wythe County Treasurer’s Office at 276-223-6070.

The revenue generated from personal property taxes is a vital component of Wythe County’s overall budget and enable the county to provide critical services to residents.

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WYTHEVILLE, Va. – Members of the Wythe County Board of Supervisors met with leaders of Wythe County Rescue Squad, a privately operated EMS agency, Monday afternoon, to discuss the future of emergency medical services in the county.

Over the weekend, the squad’s board of directors determined to cease services as of Monday, March 17, 2014; a decision county leaders say came as a complete shock.

In response to the news, the county board of supervisors’ fire and rescue committee held an emergency meeting with the squad’s leadership Monday afternoon. The primary objective of this meeting was to determine the root causes of such a drastic decision, as well as possible solutions in moving forward.

Following the two-hour long meeting, Wythe County Rescue Squad’s board of directors held a meeting and elected to postpone their final date of service until April 17, 2014.

In return, the county’s fire and rescue committee unanimously decided to make a recommendation that the county’s board of supervisors amend and appropriate $10,000 to the rescue squad in order to aid in repairing a broken ambulance, as well as various other items of overhead.

County officials were in the process of working with the organization on a Virginia Rescue Squad Assistance Fund grant application late last week and say they were given no warning whatsoever that the squad was even considering closing its doors.

In addition to meeting with leaders of the Wythe County Rescue Squad, county officials also met with leaders of Guardian Ambulance, a privately owned ambulance service. Representatives of Guardian Ambulance stated that they would dedicate an ambulance crew to servicing the community if needed.

Dr. Gary Houseman, representative of the Black Lick District on the county’s board of supervisors agreed, adding, “We will do what is necessary to take care of the people of Wythe County.”

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WYTHEVILLE, Va. – A Wythe County magistrate did not find probable cause to issue a summons Monday morning to Mike Thomas, owner of eleven dogs on Walton Furnace Road.

The magistrate relied upon a recent letter sent to the county’s animal control officer from the state’s Office of Animal Care & Health Policy as a contributing factor in his decision.

In the letter, state veterinarian Carolynn Bissett stated “It is my professional opinion that the dogs in Mr. Thomas’ care are not in immediate danger and do not need to be seized. In addition, I do not believe these dogs will be well served by removal from Mr. Thomas’ care…”

The veterinarian was accompanied by members of the Virginia State Police, as well as the Botetourt County Commonwealth Attorney, during her visit late last month.

Bissett also noted that each of the eleven dogs were individually examined and found that “adequate care was being provided for all eleven dogs,” adding, “All dogs were in good body condition, with clean haircoats.”

These assessments seem to back up the observations of previous professionals who have examined the dogs, including local animal control officers and veterinarians.

The letter also stated, “Mr. Thomas was providing adequate exercise for all dogs. Inadequate exercise is easily diagnosed on physical examination by the lack of muscle definition and discernible muscle atrophy.”

Despite having found the animal’s shelter to be free of drafts and containing windows and ventilation, Bissett wrote in her letter that, in her opinion, “adequate shelter was not being provided for the dogs on the property.”

Reporting a “moderate amount of hair and dust” in the enclosure, as well as a chain link containing “several sharp edges,” the veterinarian advised that adequate shelter was not being provided. The county’s magistrate, however, did not feel that these items were enough to warrant a summons against Mr. Thomas.

County officials are presently working with various non-profit organizations, as well as the representatives of the landowners to build a new shelter and demolish the old one that has become the source of such national attention.

Wythe County animal control officers will continue to monitor the dogs.

Presently, all of Thomas’ dogs have up-to-date dog tags, which mean their shots are up-to-date.

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