WYTHEVILLE, Va. – This past week, Wythe County’s emergency coordinator Jason Kinser presented members of the Wytheville Fire Department with a thermal imaging camera.

The handheld, heat resistant device can be used to aid firefighters in navigating through places where zero visibility exists, such as inside a smoke-filled building.

The rescue device was made possible thanks to a Wythe—Bland Foundation grant secured by the Wythe County Board of Supervisors. In total, the grant has provided funding to purchase mobile and portable radios, helmets, scene lighting, personal protective equipment, and a handful of other items emergency responders say will prove invaluable in their efforts to protect the lives and property of Wythe County citizens.

According to county officials, the portable camera will be able to provide “crisp images” of smoke filled rooms and other places where no light exists.

“Visibility is absolutely non-existent inside a smoke-filled room,” says Kinser, who is wrapping up his second full month on the job as Wythe County’s emergency coordinator.

“This camera will actually be able to paint a real-time moving picture for our firefighters so that they can navigate through smoking buildings — aiding them in rescue operations.”

“Fire departments in Wythe County date back to before 1835 and the ever evolving role of the men and women who serve in these departments has made it necessary for their equipment to change as well,” stated Wythe County grant coordinator Jeremy T.K. Farley, adding, “The Wythe—Bland Foundation, along with the three local governments serving our citizens, has recognized this fact and the people who call this wonderful area home have benefited from this strong partnership.”

In total, the six fire departments serving Wythe County are responsible for protecting more than $2.6 Billion worth of property.

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WYTHEVILLE, Va. – The Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development has approved Wythe County’s request to renew and expand the county’s enterprise zones.

The Virginia Enterprise Zone program is a partnership between state and local government that encourages job creation and private investment through special incentives and grants for businesses wishing to expand their operation in the Commonwealth.

In addition to formally requesting to be renewed for another five years, the Board of Supervisors voted on June 10, 2014, to expand the county’s enterprise zone. Previously, the zone had been limited to Progress Park, but has now been approved to include the land around Interstate 81’s Exits 77, 80, 81, 84, 86, as well as areas which fell under the jurisdiction of town governments in the county.

Municipal governments in the towns of Wytheville and Rural Retreat also elected to designate certain incentives to enterprise zones that fall within their locality.

“Job creation has always been at the top of this Board’s agenda and by expanding our enterprise zones to include the areas along the interstate corridor, we are broadening our net. We have the traffic and infrastructure in place – now that the areas around these exits are labeled as an enterprise zone, we’ll be able to offer additional incentives which may be the determining factor in business choosing to come to Wythe County,” stated Tim Reeves, Chairman of the Wythe County Board of Supervisors.

A number of prerequisites have been instituted for a business to be eligible for enterprise zone grants; these requirements include offering health insurance to employees, as well as paying employees a minimum of 175% of the federal minimum wage.

Representatives from the Department of Housing & Community Development met with local economic leaders in the county this morning, discussing strategies and making recommendations to ensure a positive impact on the community during the next five years.

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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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WYTHEVILLE, Va. – Wythe County water officials say some residents in the Ivanhoe area will be without water Thursday, for four to six hours, as workers transfer the county’s water to newly constructed lines.

The affected areas will include all water customers in the Slabtown area, as well as those who reside along Ivanhoe Rd. within approximately one-half mile of the Slabtown intersection.

County officials say that despite the inconvenience, the temporary outage is necessary in order to ensure the waterline remains in top working order for years to come.

Many of the waterlines being replaced in the Slabtown area date back to the 1960s.

Over the past several years, Wythe County has launched a series of infrastructure projects, all aimed at updating the county’s utilities.

Tim Reeves, chairman of the Wythe County Board of Supervisors says that these updates are necessary in order to bring additional jobs into the county.

“In order for Wythe County to be competitive on a global market, updates to our infrastructure must be made – not just for businesses and industries, but also for residents,” said Reeves.

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WYTHEVILLE, Va. – Members of the Wythe County Board of Supervisors are calling upon local residents to serve on a number of committees and boards.

County leaders say several vacancies exist on various committees and ask citizens who have interest and expertise to make application to assist in filling these gaps.

In addition to groups with vacancies, local officials say many previous appointees are nearing the end of their terms on a handful of committees; creating additional opportunities for other local residents to serve.

The Board of Supervisors appoint representatives to serve on the following committees and boards: Community Policy & Management Team, Emergency Planning Committee, Fire & Rescue Board of Directors, Industrial Development Authority – County & Towns, Mount Rogers Community Services Board, NR/MR Workforce Investment Board, Planning Commission, Recreation Commission, Smyth-Wythe Airport Commission, Social Services Board, SWVA Emergency Medical Services Council, Tourism Advisory Committee, Wall of Honor Committee, Wythe/Bland Joint Public Service Authority, Wythe/Grayson Regional Library Board and Wytheville Community College Board.

Residents interested in serving on any of the above mentioned committees or boards are encouraged to fill out a committee application, which is available at the county administrator’s office (340 S. Sixth St., Wytheville, VA). Though not all committees and boards presently have vacancies, filling out the application will give local residents an opportunity to express their interest should a future vacancy occur.

“Much of the groundwork of local government is performed by engaged citizens,” stated Wythe County Public Information Officer Jeremy Farley, who added, “These committees provide county residents with a very real opportunity to make a big difference in their communities.”

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