WYTHEVILLE, Va. – According to ESPN, 91.2% of all NCAA Tournament brackets had the West Virginia Mountaineers beating Stephen F. Austin State University in the first round of NCAA championship playoffs.

The Mountaineers, who were runner-ups in the Big XII Conference, came into the first round heavily favored over the Southland Conference’s SFA Lumberjacks.

Unfortunately for WVU Coach Bob Huggins’ “Press Virginia” squad, the Lumberjacks of Nacogdoches, Texas, forced the Mountaineers to turn the ball over 22 times, advancing to round two of the NCAA Tournament by a decisive 70-56 victory over the Mountain State’s flagship university.

As the nation’s basketball fans find themselves asking the question, “Who is Stephen F. Austin?” tourism leaders in Wythe County, Virginia, are eager to step up and offer an answer!

Stephen F. Austin was born on the banks of the New River in November 1793, in the Wythe County community of Austinville, Virginia.

The son of early pioneers, Austin’s family eventually moved to Missouri before relocating in the largely unsettled expanse of Texas.

Stephen’s father had hopes of colonizing the region in the days ahead, however, he died in 1821 having never realized his dream of settling the vast territory known as “Tejas.”

Persuaded by a letter from his mother, Wythe County native, Stephen F. Austin set out to fulfill his father’s dream. Under Austin’s leadership, the Texas colony grew from three-hundred to over 11,000 by 1832.

Soon the colonists found themselves in a state of war with the Mexican government, the same nation that had originally encouraged them to settle the land. Austin briefly commanded Texan forces in late 1835. Under his leadership, colonists secured a decisive victory near modern-day San Antonio, during the Siege of Bexar.

In the spring of 1836, Texas’ sovereignty was officially recognized and the war for Texas independence was over.

Austin was appointed to serve as the independent nation’s first secretary of state. Tragically, Austin would serve only two months in this position before dying unexpectedly – after catching a severe cold in December 1836. The Wythe County native’s last words were, “The independence of Texas is recognized!” Upon hearing of Austin’s death, President Houston ordered an official statement proclaiming: “The Father of Texas is no more; the first pioneer of the wilderness has departed.”

Nearly two decades ago, local citizens in Wythe County, with help from donors in Texas, erected a marble monument on the banks of the New River in Austinville, Virginia, recognizing the Father of Texas’ birthplace.

“The monument is truly one of the most beautiful sites in all of Southwest Virginia,” said Wythe County Tourism Director Jeremy Farley. According to Farley, many of the original caretakers of the private-monument are aging and no longer capable of maintaining the memorial. “Earlier this year, we issued a call to a new generation of county residents to take the lead on keeping the site up – the response has been overwhelming.”

The State of Texas recently donated a Texas flag to the monument that flew over the Texas Statehouse and Farley said Congressman Morgan Griffith’s office has donated an American flag that flew over the U.S. Capitol Building; Delegate Jeff Campbell has secured a Virginia flag as well.

“The Stephen F. Austin Memorial is just one of many historic Wythe County gems – the Fincastle Resolutions were signed just a handful of miles from the monument: a document that is said to have been an inspiration for the Declaration of Independence,” concluded the county’s tourism director.

Individuals interested in learning more about restoration efforts of the Stephen F. Austin Birthplace Memorial in Wythe County are encouraged to contact Jeremy Farley (276-223-4522 or [email protected]).

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WYTHEVILLE, Va. – The Stephen F. Austin Birthplace Memorial is nearing its 20th birthday and community leaders in Wythe County are working to ensure the monument is given the attention it so desperately requires.

Stephen F. Austin was born on the banks of the New River in Austinville, Virginia, and in later life he would come to be known as the “Father of Texas”, dedicating his life’s work to colonizing what was destined to be the largest state in the continental United States.

“Austin’s impact upon the world’s history – not just American history – is immeasurable,” said Wythe County Tourism Director Jeremy T.K. Farley, adding, “and he was born right here in Wythe County!”

Recognizing Austin’s contribution to history, civic leaders in Austinville set out to erect a monument in his honor in the mid-1990s and with help from Wythe County, local donors and supporters in Texas, that monument became a reality in 1997.

Unfortunately, over the course of time, many of the original caretakers of the monument aged and reached a point where they were no long capable of maintaining the memorial.

Today, the monument’s flower bed is in need of work, the stones are coming apart at the foundation and the flags of Texas, Virginia and the United States are no longer flying high above the New River.

According to Farley, his office was contacted by several local citizens in the Austinville community who were interested in restoring the memorial back to its original splendor.

In an effort to better organize individuals who may be interested in lending a helping hand, Farley said the Wythe County Genealogical and Historical Association, located at 165 S. 11th Street, in Wytheville, has agreed to host a public meeting at 7p.m. on Thursday, March 10.

“The meeting is open to the public and our main goal will simply be to organize ourselves into a single coalition dedicated to repairing and preserving the monument,” said the county tourism official.

According to Farley, several local residents have already been working at the site and the level of interest continues to broaden.

The office of Congressmen Morgan Griffith is donating an American flag that once flew over the Capitol Building to the monument; flags that flew over the capitol buildings of Virginia and Texas are also en route, thanks to the work of Delegate Jeff Campbell and the donation of a Texas-based Stephen F. Austin organization, respectively.

Individuals wishing to learn more about the efforts to restore the monument are encouraged to attend Thursday evening’s meeting or contact Wythe County Tourism Director Jeremy T.K. Farley (phone: 276-223-4522 or [email protected]).

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The Wythe County Parks and Recreation Department will be hosting two separate Bob Ross painting classes in the months ahead.

The first class will be held on Sunday, March 13, 2016, at the Rural Retreat Community Center, while a second class is slated for Sunday, April 10, 2016, at the Max Meadows Ruritan Building.

Participants in the march 13th class will be painting a forest and meadow landscape, featuring a small creek, while those who take part in the April workshop will be creating an ocean scene, known as “Distant Sail.”

Judy Moore-Gist, who is the owner of JMG wet paint studio in Goodview, Virginia, will oversee both the classes. Gist has hosted several certified Bob Ross painting classes on behalf of the county over the past several years.

Thanks to these classes, many local residents have had the opportunity to “experience the joy of painting,” and in the process create works of art they never imagined they were capable of producing.

“These classes have been incredible for our local community,” said Kevin Williams, director of Parks & Recreation for Wythe County. “we’re always looking for ways to offer our residents additional opportunities to celebrate culture and have a great time in the process — and these classes do just that!”

Registration for each of the five-hour classes is $65.00, the cost of which covers all materials.

Space is limited, therefore interested residents are encouraged to register as soon as possible.

Click on the link below to view schedule:

2015 – 2nd-3rd Grade – Girls basketball schedule

2015 – Junior Varsity Girls basketball schedule

2015 – Junior Varsity Boys basketball schedule

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WYTHE COUNTY, Va. – Each year, thousands of Americans travel to Southwest Virginia in order to enjoy the breathtaking fall foliage offered by the majestic Blue Ridge Mountains.

Many visitors will enjoy Wythe County’s scenic byways, +100 miles of hiking trails and some will dare to climb to the top of Big Walker Lookout, a 100’ high observation tower overlooking the Jefferson National Forest.

In an effort to offer even more autumn-related activities to residents of the community, along with the more than 75,000 motorists who pass through the county each day, the Wythe County Department of Parks & Recreation has partnered with Wythe County Tourism to host a pumpkin carving workshop on Saturday, October 3, between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. The event will be held at William’s Orchard located on U.S. Rt. 11 (W. Lee Highway) between Rural Retreat and Wytheville.

According to Kevin Williams, Wythe County’s Parks & Recreation Director, the workshop will be anything but your typical pumpkin carving class.

Designated as being “Not Your Ordinary Pumpkin Carving Workshop,” students who attend the three-hour session will learn how to make three-tone pumpkin carvings.

“Most everyone knows how to carve triangles and circles into a pumpkin,” said Williams, “This class will teach people how to actually carve intricate designs into pumpkins and attendees of the class will walk away with the knowledge, tools, patterns and ability to carve awesome pumpkins for the rest of their lives.”

Registration for the class is $30, which will included the cost of a pumpkin, professional carving tools, stencils, materials and hands on instructions.

Williams is advising individuals who may be interested in participating to register as quickly as possible, as the class is limited to only 20 participants. Participants must be at least ten-years-old. Deadline for registering is Wednesday, September 30.

Additional community activities hosted by the county in the month of October will include a Bob Ross Painting Class, which will be held in Rural Retreat. Cost of registering for the painting class has been set at $65 and will cover all materials needed.
To register for either of these events, residents should contact Kevin Williams: (276) 223-4519 or [email protected].

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WYTHE COUNTY, Va. – “Don’t Wait. Communicate. Make Your Emergency Plan Today.” That’s the message emergency managers are sharing with people all over the nation during the month of September.

September is National Preparedness Month and the Wythe County Department of Emergency Management is urging everyone to take steps to make a plan and know what to do during an emergency.

Whether you deal with the possible threats of flooding, winter weather, hurricanes or power outages, the preparedness steps to take are the same. They include:

• Knowing your risk for where you live;
• Having an individual and family preparedness plan in place;
• Practicing that plan;
• Putting together an emergency kit with water and non-perishable supplies to last for at least three days for you, your family and your pets;
• Ensuring that your contact list is up-to-date for people you may need to reach out to during a disaster; and
• Establishing alternative methods of communication in case traditional means are not available.

Additionally, September 30 is “National PrepareAthon Day.” Residents are encouraged to participate by doing a simple, specific action or activity to improve your preparedness and your family’s preparedness; or it can be something more elaborate that involves your neighborhood, your place of worship, your entire workplace or your community.

Visit www.ready.gov or www.ready.gov/prepare for more information on America’s PrepareAthon! You can find tools to stage your own emergency preparedness drills, as well as register any preparedness activities for you or your community.

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WYTHE COUNTY, Va. – The Wythe County Department of Parks & Recreation will be hosting “Social Saturday” at the Sheffey Community Gymnasium this Saturday between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m.

The two-hour expo will showcase the many different artisans and hobbies available to residents throughout the county. These exhibits will range from genealogy to a jam session with Jim Lloyd (musicians wishing to participate in the jam session are encouraged to bring their instrument and join in the fun).

Other activities will include displays from Wythe Yarn Gift Shop, located in downtown Wytheville, the Wythe County Health Department and several other community organizations, crafters and artisans.

“The event will provide an opportunity to showcase the work of many of the county’s most talented artisans, as well as allow an chance for us to listen to the citizens in determining what types of parks & recreation events the citizens wish to see made available to the residents of the county,” said Kevin Williams, Director of Wythe County Parks & Recreation.

In addition to this coming weekend’s “Social Saturday” event, the department will also be sponsoring two Bob Ross Painting Classes, one in September at the Max Meadows Ruritan Building and a second one in October at the Rural Retreat Community Center.

Other activities will include one more Dive-In at the Rural Retreat Lake, showing the movie, Paddington, on September 5 (Sponsored by Blue Ridge Chiropractic), as well as a Pumpkin Carving Workshop on October 3 at Williams Orchard, sponsored by the orchard.

Individuals desiring more information about any of these events are encouraged to contact Kevin Williams at 276-223-4519.

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WYTHE COUNTY, Va. – Youth football teams and cheerleading squads from Wythe and Bland counties are just a handful of days from kicking off the 2015 regular season.

 According to Wythe County Parks & Recreation officials, roughly 600 boys and girls (ages 8-12) have signed up to participate in youth football and cheerleading this season, forming two leagues with fifteen combined teams.

 The season will begin on Saturday, August 15 at Rural Retreat Elementary School with the 2015 Football Jamboree.  In this event, teams will complete ten offensive and ten defensive plays of a controlled scrimmage, followed by the playing of two six-minute periods under game conditions.

 “The football jamboree is a great way to ease the young players into real-life gameplay before the opening day of the regular season,” said Wythe County’s youth sports coordinator Scotty Vaught.

 The regular season will begin the following Saturday at Fort Chiswell High School and continue throughout the fall.

 Following the regular season, teams will compete in a two-week playoff that will culminate in Super Bowl XX, scheduled for Saturday, October 24 at George Wythe High School.

 “Over the few seasons, participation in football and cheerleading has remained steady and we’re pleased to be partnering with the Town of Wytheville’s Parks & Recreation Department, as well as our neighbors in Bland County,” said Vaught, adding, “Youth football and cheerleading will create lifelong memories for the student-athletes and we’re pleased with the caliber of coaches and volunteers making this season possible.”

 Prior to the season, Wythe County required all coaches and volunteers to undergo concussion training, as well as attend a mandatory meeting that covered the rules, guidelines and standards of conduct for youth athletics.

 A copy of the 2015 Youth Football / Cheerleading regular season schedule may be downloaded by Clicking Here.

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WYTHE COUNTY, Va. – Wythe County officials are calling on local artisans and crafters to produce a Christmas ornament worthy of being displayed inside the Virginia Executive Mansion.

The theme for this year’s decorations is “Celebrating Virginia’s Localities.”

“The Executive Mansion is looking for a one-of-a-kind, handmade ornament from each county that uniquely represents some feature of the county,” stated an official representing the Virginia Association of Counties (VACo).

Local residents, 16-years-old or older are encouraged to create a hand crafted ornament that is a representation of a Wythe County landmark (either historic or modern) and submit it to the county administrative office (340 S. Sixth St., Wytheville) by September 21, the last day ornaments will be received.

After all ornaments have been accepted, Wythe County will judge the ornaments based upon a number of factors, including originality, aesthetic charm, as well as how well the ornament captures the spirit of Wythe County.

In addition to having their ornament displayed on a tree inside the ballroom of the Virginia Executive Mansion, the winning designer will receive a $200.00 cash prize for their work.

County officials say that all ornaments should be handmade, not purchased, and have the name of the artist and locality (Wythe County) on the back.

Runner-up ornaments will be used to decorate a Christmas tree inside the Wythe County Court House.

All winning ornaments will be retained to decorate future trees at VACo.

Individuals wishing to learn more about the contest are encouraged to contact Jeremy T.K. Farley: (276) 223-4522 or [email protected].

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WYTHE COUNTY, Va. – Wythe County tourism leaders are calling the second annual U.S. 21 Road Market an overwhelming success.

The +100 mile long three-day road market stretched from Wytheville to Harmony, North Carolina, passing through a dozen localities along historic U.S. Route 21, known in Wythe County as Grayson Turnpike.

The multistate road market is part of an initiative known as “Take a Break from the Interstate,” a committee comprised of tourism leaders from western North Carolina and southwest Virginia.

This year’s road market was expanded by more than 30 miles and featured hundreds of yard sales, sidewalk sales and community events along the route.

Wythe County Tourism Director Jeremy T.K. Farley said that he has been in close contact with businesses along Wythe County’s stretch of U.S. 21 and that all have reported substantial earnings thanks to the three-day event.

“It was incredible to see the level of commerce taking place along Grayson Turnpike,” said Farley, adding, “Not only does the road market benefit local businesses, but it puts cash directly into the hands of Wythe County residents – I talked to several people who made hundreds of dollars in just a single day thanks to hosting a yard sale. That money, the majority of which came from outside of our county, will be used to buy back-to-school clothes, pay bills, make home renovations – a number of different things. It will be cycled through our local economy over and over again.”

Bobby Primm, co-owner of the Lakes to Florida Grill, just south of the town limits of Wytheville, said that his restaurant saw 907 transactions in just a single day.

“Many of these transactions had five or six people… For a little country restaurant, that’s huge,” said Primm.

The Lakes to Florida Grill went through five gallons of tea Saturday.

Primm went on to say that he was amazed at the number of people who stopped, “We’re glad the county is taking a proactive role in promoting businesses – we’re definitely seeing a bounce from it.”

Business owners along the route say that several northbound yard sale goers (many from Georgia and South Carolina) spent the night in Wytheville, stopping only at locations on the right side of the road going up and coming down – this allowed them to stop at all the locations without ever having to cross traffic.

Corrine Stoots, owner of Stoot’s Corner said that her convenience store / restaurant enjoyed extraordinary sales thanks to the road market.

“We set a very high record. I don’t know that we’ll ever be able to beat it,” said Stoots.

A litter farther south in the community of Speedwell, Debbie Huffman, owner of the Speedwell Market, echoed the sentiments felt by fellow Wythe County business owners.

“Our sales were very good – the deli did great. The road market is really good for the community,” said Huffman, adding, “Something like this is very beneficial for the local families and brought a tremendous number of people into Speedwell.”

Huffman said she talked to a lady from Utah who was visiting her family and decided to attend the road market. Several other customers were from Florida.

Organizers of the road market say they plan to host the annual event on the last full weekend of July and are encouraging people to save the date for next year’s road market: July 29, 30 and 31, 2016.

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