Monday, March 27, 2017

Come Celebrate Earth Day in Abingdon on 4-22-17


Come Celebrate Earth Day in Abingdon!
EARTH DAY CELEBRATION, PAPER SHREDDING & E-WASTE RECYCLING

The Town of Abingdon will hold its 2017 EARTH DAY CELEBRATION on Saturday, April 22nd from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Fields-Penn House on Main Street across from the Farmers Market in Abingdon.  Admission is FREE. This year there will be approximately 60 groups (non-profits, private groups, local businesses, educators and state & federal agencies) providing a great deal of fun and information to share.  The theme of the event is Energy: Use, Conservation, Efficiency, and Green Alternatives.

Several activities are planned throughout the celebration such as a rain barrel workshop where you can make your own rain barrel to take home (registration required).  MECC’s mobile solar powered energy system, SPARC-E, will be on-site for walk-through tours. There will be a free Kids Zone area with free games & prizes, a stage with musical performances, a “trash to treasure” crafts tent, educational displays, face painting, a local foods food court, and some groups will have wildlife on display.  Kids who bring the Earth Day flyer to the Sustain Abingdon table will receive a free “green” item! There will be a food drive to benefit Second Harvest Food Bank. Bring in two (2) cans of food and register for a chance to win 1 of 3 great prizes; a recycling bin for your home or office, an Earthbox Container Gardening System, or a basket filled with gift certificates and merchandise from local businesses. Keep Southwest Virginia Beautiful is collecting "gently used" shoes for reuse and fundraising. Also, pet supplies (food, treats, detergent, bleach, blankets, towels and cat litter) are being collected and donated to the local animal shelter. 

Just down the street in front of the Arts Depot, we will have free document shredding and a drop-off area for electronic waste (e-waste).  Any item that has a power-cord or uses batteries is considered e-waste. E-waste includes but is not limited to laptop/desktop computers, CRT /LCD monitors, hard drives, modems, plug and play devices, printers/scanners, copiers, commercial telephone equipment, fax machines, power backups, power transformers, misc. electronic business equipment, wires, cables, circuit boards, video game systems, DVD/VCR players, microwave ovens, televisions, and small electronic household appliances. This will be a free service provided by the Town of Abingdon.  Items with compressors like refrigerators, ACs and dehumidifiers cannot be accepted.  Other household hazardous materials (like batteries, chemicals, petroleum products and fluorescent light bulbs) can be taken to MXI Inc. during their annual HHW event in May.

For information, please contact Sarita Moore, of the Town of Abingdon Sustain Abingdon Committee, at 276-628-4321 or visit the Sustain Abingdon website: www.sustainabingdon.com or like us on facebook: www.facebook.com/SustainAbingdon.






Earth Day and E-Waste Recycling Information



Monday, March 20, 2017

Statewide Tornado Drill On March 21, 2017

TOWN OF ABINGDON
Abingdon, Virginia

Statewide Tornado Drill On March 21, 2017

The Town of Abingdon will be participating in the statewide Tornado Drill on Tuesday, March 21, 2017 at 9:45 AM. The Town's AlertAbingdon Notification system will be activated to simulate an actual Tornado Warning Notification. This will include the Town's warning sirens as they will sound as part of this drill. DO NOT CALL 911 in regards to warning siren inquiries! In the event that an emergency occurs during the time of the drill, the proper precautions will go into effect.

To receive the notifications form AlertAbingdon for the drill and future events, please go to alertabingdon.com or text 24210 to 888777 to sign up for alerts. To further participate in the drill itself, please sign up at http://www.vaemergency.gov/news-local/statewide-drills/.


Friday, March 17, 2017

Agenda for Non-Departmental Budget Meeting on 3-20-17


2017 THURSDAY JAMS BRING A 5TH YEAR OF FREE CONCERTS TO DOWNTOWN ABINGDON

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 16, 2017
 
2017 THURSDAY JAMS BRING A 5TH YEAR OF FREE CONCERTS TO DOWNTOWN ABINGDON
Abingdon, VA – Abingdon’s popular summer music series, Thursday Jams, returns to the Market Pavilion for a fifth year of fantastic – and free! - concerts. The Thursday Jams series showcases a wide range of nationally recognized bands at the Abingdon Market Pavilion each Thursday evening, May 18 – July 20, 2017.  Presented by Blue Ridge Beverage and the Abingdon Music Experience, the concerts are free and open to the public; a beer garden will be provided by Abingdon Main Street, and local food vendors will be on hand.
Thursday Jams kicks off May 18th with the Polyrhythmics, the Seattle-based band that’s redefining funk for the 21st Century. The series also includes Americana bands like Forlorn Strangers or Lindsay Lou and the Flatbellies, blues phenom Eric Gales, the Australian hip-hop band Jakubi and many others.  For a full listing of musical acts and dates, visit www.abingdonmusicexperience.com.
This summer will mark the 5th annual Thursday Jams series, which drew thousands of locals and visitors last year. The series is presented by Blue Ridge Beverage, and sponsored in part by Bank of Marion, EAV Express, Eastman Credit Union, First Community Bank, State Farm agent Jamie Barger and Universal Fibers. This year Thursday Jams also received one of the first Festival Sponsorships from Virginia Tourism Corporation.
Music will begin 7:00 pm each Thursday at the Abingdon Market Pavilion, with a beer garden benefitting Abingdon Main Street opening at 6:30 pm. A variety of food truck and local vendors will be on hand offering concessions.  The events are family-friendly, and attendees are encouraged to bring their chairs and or blankets to enjoy the shows. No outside alcohol is allowed.
The series will host a variety of musical genres including Americana, southern rock, country, indie folk, soul and funk.  Bands performing during Thursday Jams have also appeared at internationally-recognized festivals like Rhythm and Roots Reunion, Floyd Fest, and Bonnaroo as well as Jimmy Kimmel Live and Music City Roots. Local talent will open each Thursday for the headliners, who will start their sets at 8pm.
Abingdon Music Experience is now in its fifth year of presenting live music in Abingdon.  Other programs include January Jams at Barter Theatre, Main Street Busker Fest September 2nd, and a new annual event, Virginia Creeper Fest (April 29, 2017). 
For a full listing of musical acts and dates, visit www.abingdonmusicexperience.com. For more information, call 276-676-2282 or email Event Coordinator Sara Saavedra at ssaavedra@abingdon-va.gov.

Thursday Jams 2017 Lineup
5/18/17  Polyrhythmics
Seattle’s Polyrhytmics have made a name for themselves with the 2015 release of a critically acclaimed 7” dubbed The Killion Sessions, a series of high profile shows in New Orleans during Mardi Gras and Jazzfest, followed closely by the release of their third full length album Octagon.  On the heels of a heavy touring cycle, the collective continues to evolve and mature into muscular live unit apt to painting vivid instrumental imagery using complex rhythms and a unique precision that is redefining the term “funk” for 21st century audiences.  

5/25/17 Aaron Lee Tasjan 
East Nashville-based musician Aaron Lee Tasjan has always considered himself a songwriter first and foremost, writing his own off-kilter folk-inflected songs since he picked up his first acoustic as a teen guitar prodigy. His most recently released Silver Tears offers a glimpse through the eyes of one gifted songwriter and versatile musician. Whether playing guitar in the late incarnation of riotous glam-rock innovators the New York Dolls, the gender-bending, envelope-pushing sleaze n’ tease arena rock band Semi Precious Weapons, the Neil Young-signed alt-country act Everest, British roots rock band Alberta Cross, Southern rock stalwarts Drivin’ N’ Cryin’ or even as frontman of the devilishly cleverly-named Heartbreakers meets Replacements rockers Madison Square Gardeners,  offer a glimpse through the eyes of one gifted songwriter and versatile musician. 


6/1/17 Jakubi 
Jakubi is a Melbourne-based band composed of two brothers, two cousins and one friend whose love for producing music brought them together and whose pure talent propelled them forward. Jakubi’s unique flavor stems from an irresistible combination of jangly guitars, hip-hop beats and sailing synth rhythms. Flawlessly melding the sounds of a talk box one minute and reggae-inspired guitar the next, the band’s infectious experimental songs are guaranteed to get everyone dancing. 

6/8/17 The Broadcast 
Three decades from now, a documentary filmmaker in search of his next rockumentary will come across The Broadcast and realize he’s hit gold. The story of the rock and soul outfit not only comes with its own high-octane soundtrack, it hits on all the key points: Challenges are overcome, miles are logged, performances are slain and an oft-jaded music industry is enticed. There’s dancing. There’s a love story. ith a mix of soul, blues and classic rock arrangements, The Broadcast has shared stages with Mavis Staples, John Prine, St. Paul & The Broken Bones, The Wood Brothers, Brandi Carlisle, Keller Williams, Nicki Bluhm & The Gramblers, George Porter Jr. (Funky Meters), Betty LaVette, Charles Bradley and Holly Williams, among others. 

6/15/17 Forlorn Strangers 
Joined by opening band: Missy Raines & The New Hip 
Forlorn Strangers is a Nashville, TN based Americana quintet, with members hailing from the great states of Florida, Maryland, Pennsylvania & Minnesota. The band is comprised of five songwriters, each having their own distinct sounds & styles that blend into one cohesive voice. Their music is rooted in family harmonies & flavored with guitars, banjo, mandolin, fiddle, dobro, & foot stomping percussion. The band is comprised of sisters Abigail Dempsey (fiddle, percussion, vocals) and Hannah Dempsey Lusk (mandolin, percussion, vocals); along with Chris Banke (guitar, mandolin, vocals), Benjamin Lusk (banjo, guitar, vocals), and Jesse Thompson (upright bass, dobro, guitar, vocals). Since 2013, Forlorn Strangers has released two EPs (While the Grass Grows and American Magic Tricks) and has toured continuously across the United States, playing for an ever increasing group of appreciative fans. 

6/22/17 The Marcus King Band 
Songwriter. Guitarist. Singer. Bandleader.  At only 20 years of age, Marcus King’s dazzling musical ability is evident throughout The Marcus King Band, the young phenom’s 2nd full-length LP and first for Fantasy Records.  Operating within the fiery brand of American roots music that King calls "soul-influenced psychedelic southern rock," the album highlights King’s gorgeous, rough-hewn vocals, soaring guitar work and heartfelt songwriting all amidst a group of masterful musicians who, together, are quickly becoming one of the country’s most sought after live acts.  

6/29/17 Lindsay Lou & The Flatbellys 
In 2009 The Flatbellys recorded Get ‘Round in a house on Foster Ave in Lansing, MI. Flatbelly mandolinist, Josh and Spencer, Flatbelly bassist, joined a local bluegrass band, and I left the country for my last semester of college. When I returned I had an album’s worth of material and convinced the two remaining Flatbellys, and a handful of other Michigan musicians, to help me record it. We called it Lindsay Lou - A Different Tune.  

7/6/17 Eric Gales 
Blues guitar phenom Eric Gales was born and raised in Memphis, learning to play at age four from older brothers Eugene and Manuel in imitation of their upside-down, left-handed style (a tradition actually passed down from their grandfather, Dempsey Garrett Sr., who was known to jam with the likes of Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf). Winning his first blues contest at 11, four years later Eric signed to Elektra to issue his 1991 debut LP, recorded with Eugene on bass; Picture of a Thousand Faces followed in 1993. Manuel (who previously performed under the alias Little Jimmy King) reunited with his siblings for 1995's Left Hand Band, credited to the Gales Brothers. 

7/13/17 Brent Cobb 
Just off of his tour in support of Chris Stapleton, Brent Cobb and his band join us in Abingdon, VA for a free show downtown at the Abingdon Market Pavilion. Brent Cobb didn’t set out to write an album that feels and sounds like the place he grew up. But now that the grooves have been cut in his debut LP, Shine on Rainy Day, there’s no denying the people, the places and the vibe of his southcentral Georgia home infuse almost every song. 

7/20/17 Look Homeward 
Look Homeward is a band of brackish brethren hailing from the piedmont of North Carolina. Lee Anderson (guitar, vocals), Alex Bingham (upright bass), Evan Ringel (trombone, fiddle) and Wilson Greene IV (banjo) pair the Appalachian drawls and passionate picking of venerated field recordings with the soul tones of Atlantic beaches and boggy bayous. Marrying banjos with brass, the quartet celebrates the American South in a mingling of old and new, traditional yet surprising. Add honest folk songwriting and the result is music that just might sound like home, wherever you’re from.  

For an online press kit, including high-res photos and full band bios, click here: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/70acnhkgoo0db58/AAAa2uY2sautNnyoZIaEDgeya?dl=0



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Wednesday, March 15, 2017

Town Talk with Mayor Lowe on 4-10-17


Town Talk With Mayor Lowe

On Monday, April 10, 2017, Mayor Cathy Lowe will hold the next “Town Talk” event. She invites the public to discuss town initiatives, share ideas, ask questions, and connect with others in the community. This FREE event is in a casual, friendly environment and all are welcome.

"We have been so pleased with the citizens’ response to our new initiative,” said Mayor Cathy Lowe. “Please join us Abingdon, we're listening."

The April “Town Talk” event will be held at the Highlands Union Bank-Main Branch at 4:30PM. The Highlands Union Bank-Main Branch is located at 340 West Main Street, Abingdon.


For more information on “Town Talk,” call 276-451-0439. 


Director of Planning Job Ad


TRAFFIC INFORMATION FOR 2017 SHAMROCK 4MILER

Abingdon Police Department

                                               

For Immediate Release


Traffic Information FOr 2017 Shamrock 4miler

The Shamrock 4 Miler will be held Friday, March 17, 2017 in downtown Abingdon. This is a large event that originates, and ends, at the Abingdon Farmers Market on Remsburg Drive. The four mile loop course, and one mile walking loop, guide participants through downtown Abingdon primarily on Valley and Main Streets.

Motorists are advised to use caution when passing through downtown Abingdon on Friday night.  Be alert for police and fire directing traffic and for participants on the roadways.

Due to race preparations, Remsburg Drive will be closed on Friday at 3 p.m. to allow for set up of the timer station and registration areas. Remsburg will remain closed until 11 p.m. Friday night.

Traffic will be slowed, delayed, and diverted to allow participants to safely complete the course.

Please expect delays on the following streets:

Remsburg Drive        Cummings Street       Wall Street

Depot Square             West Main Street       Plumb Alley

Valley Street              College Street             Church Street

Oak Street                  Pecan Street               Court Street

Tanner Street            Whites Mill Road      Deadmore Street

Hutton Street             Cambridge Street      Rugby Terrace

Oxford Street             Henderson Court      Walden Road

Jefferson Circle         Boone Street              Thompson Drive

Park Street                 Railroad Street          A Street


Please remain alert for participants and obey instructions of the officers and officials providing traffic control.  



Shamrock 4miler and Shamrock Shindig - 3-17-17



NOTICE OF TRAFFIC ALERT: House Move Through Town of Abingdon, VA on Saturday, March 18, 2017



Monday, March 13, 2017

TRAFFIC ANNOUNCEMENT FOR 3-14-17


MEMORIAL DEDICATED TO ONLY RICHMOND DIVISION FBI SPECIAL AGENT KILLED IN AN ADVERSARIAL ACTION

Federal Bureau of Investigation
Richmond Division
1970 East Parham Road                                              
Richmond, Virginia  23228
                 
MEMORIAL DEDICATED TO ONLY RICHMOND DIVISION FBI SPECIAL AGENT KILLED IN AN ADVERSARIAL ACTION


Seventy-five years ago, on this date, two special agents assigned to the Richmond Division of the FBI attempted to take into custody two United States Army deserters in Pat’s Café is Abingdon, Virginia.  An adversarial action took place and Special Agent Charlie Tignor was shot five times and Special Agent Hubert J. Treacy, Jr. (pictured) was shot and killed.  SA Treacy was the 13th G-Man to be killed in action.

On March 11, 1942, the two deserters, Army privates Charles Joseph Lovett and James Edward Testerman, had assaulted an Army Sergeant at Fort Oglethorpe in Georgia, then car-jacked an individual before making their way into Abingdon, Virginia.  On March 13, 1942, FBI Special Agents Tignor and Treacy identified two individuals in Pat’s Café that matched the descriptions provided for Lovett and Testerman.  The two agents approached the men and asked for identification, at which time gunfire ensued.  Special Agent Treacy was killed almost instantly and Special Agent Tignor received five gunshot wounds which left him incapacitated and unable to continue pursuit of the subjects.  Lovett and Testerman fled and were pursued by roughly 100 law enforcement personnel from the FBI, Abingdon and local jurisdictions.  Within hours they were captured and taken into custody; both were tried, convicted and sentenced to life in federal prison.

A memorial plaque has been erected near the location where the shooting took place, and was dedicated today with family members and law enforcement officials in attendance.  The location of the plaque is at a point near the Historical Society of Washington County – 306 Depot Square, Southwest, Abingdon, Virginia.
This dedication was made possible by the efforts of the Town of Abingdon, the Society of Former Special Agents of the FBI – Blue Ridge Chapter, and the FBI Agents Association.

Thursday, March 9, 2017

Abingdon’s Thursday Jam series gets a boost for 2017


Abingdon’s Thursday Jam series gets a boost for 2017

Abingdon, VA – Abingdon’s Thursday Jams return for summer 2017, now with additional grant funding to help present an even more exciting lineup.  The popular summer music series has received funding from the Virginia Tourism Corporation (VTC) Music Festival Sponsorship program.
 
The lineup will be announced on social media over two days, March 14th and 15th. For the first look at the 2017 schedule, be sure to like Abingdon Music Experience on Facebook, and Visit Abingdon Virginia on Twitter.

Abingdon’s Thursday Jams received a grant of $7,500, which will subsidize the cost of booking national acts for the music series. For 10 weeks, May 18 – July 20, 2017, Abingdon Music Experience will present free outdoor concerts in downtown Abingdon.

In past years, Abingdon Music Experience has presented some of the hottest names in Americana, roots and folk-rock, including Mandolin Orange, Wood Brothers, Rising Appalachia, Langhorne Slim, and John Moreland.

The free music series draws visitors from multiple states to eat, shop and stay overnight in Abingdon, Virginia, helping to boost the tourism economy.
 
According to the Virginia Tourism Corporation, music is an important driver of tourism in Virginia, and an important part of Virginia culture. Virginia’s music scene boasts a variety of different genres such as bluegrass, country, gospel, R&B, rock and roll, jazz and folk, and more. Virginia hosts a variety of events to showcase its rich musical history, with popular festivals that take place year-round. The Virginia Tourism Corporation (VTC) Music Festival Sponsorship program’s purpose is to help promote the growth of - and to offset the costs incurred by - Virginia music festivals, and to also build Virginia’s brand as a music destination. 

For more information, or to sign up for an email announcement of the lineup, visit  AbingdonMusicExperience.com.  Follow AME on social media at Facebook: / abingdonmusicexperience, Twitter: @visitabingdon or Instagram: @visitabingdonva.


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Dedication of Memorial Plaque for FBI Agent Killed in Line of Duty