Music Business Workshop Offered

Music Business Workshop Offered

Abingdon, Virginia – Want to learn how to create successful music festivals and events? The Crooked Road is offering Build an Event! – a youth presenter workshop on Saturday, April 6^th from 10:30 am - 4:00 pm at the Southwest Virginia Cultural Center & Marketplace (formerly Heartwood) in Abingdon, VA.

Build an Event! is a fast-paced, hands-on workshop for high school and college-age students between the ages of 13 and 22 who reside in Southwest Virginia (*) to develop festival and event management skills. Interested persons age 23 and older may apply to attend the workshop, and will be selected on a first come first served basis if space is available. The workshop will explore event conceptualization & marketing, programming (booking, artist relations and contracting), event logistics (event and festival management), and concert production (sound, recording, & lighting). Presenters include representatives from some of the region’s premier festivals, institutions, and events including Richard Emmett (Blue Ridge Music Center), Charlene Tipton Baker (Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion), Tim White (Song of the Mountains), Jason Gallimore (Chantilly Farm), Jessica Taylor (FloydFest), Will MacMorran (ETSU & Northeast State Community College), and Charlotte Whitted (Tazewell County Fiddlers' Convention). 

The Build an Event! workshop is offered at no cost to attendees, and participants ages 13-22 will receive a $25 honorarium upon completion of the workshop. Lunch will be provided.

To apply for the workshop, applicants must submit an essay of 200 words or less outlining their personal experience and telling why they would like to participate. Applicants should include workshop title and their name; age; school (if applicable); mailing address; email address; and telephone number at the top of the essay. Essays should be sent by email to admin@thecrookedroad.org, or by  U.S. Postal Service to The Crooked Road, One Heartwood Circle, Abingdon, VA 24210.

Space is limited, so those interested are encouraged to submit their applications quickly. Review of applications will continue until spaces are filled. Applicants will be notified regarding the outcome of their application as soon as their application is reviewed.

This workshop is supported by a grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission. For questions or for more information, please contact Jonathan Romeo, The Crooked Road’s Program Manager, at (276) 492-2409 or jromeo@thecrookedroad.org.

* Southwest Virginia includes the counties (and associated towns) of Bland, Buchanan, Carroll, Dickenson, Floyd, Franklin, Giles, Grayson, Lee, Montgomery, Patrick, Pulaski, Russell, Scott, Smyth, Tazewell, Washington, Wise and Wythe; and the Cities of Bristol, Galax, Norton and Radford.

Abingdon Town Council to Name Town Manager

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Abingdon Town Council to Name Town Manager

Mayor Wayne Craig and Council have extended an offer to a candidate to serve as the Town Manager. Additional information will be announced after employment negotiations have been finalized.

Town Council will take a formal vote to name the Town Manager at its April 1, 2019 Council meeting, 6:30 pm, Town Hall, 133 West Main Street, Abingdon, Virginia.

         The Town Council’s goal is for a smooth transition to new leadership with many in the community and staff playing an important role.

AMENDED Historic Preservation Review Board Meeting Agenda for April 3, 2019

EDA Meeting Notice for April 11, 2019

Abingdon celebrates the public opening of the Urban Pathway April 12, 2019

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 7, 2019

Abingdon celebrates the public opening of the Urban Pathway April 12, 2019

with a free community event and the kickoff of the Corporate Challenge

Abingdon, VA -   Abingdon has made great strides in its goal to become more walkable with the official opening of the Urban Pathway, a mixed-use recreation trail running through the downtown district.  The Town of Abingdon will celebrate the opening with a free community kickoff event, happening Friday April 12, 2019 from 11am to 2pm.  The event will also kickoff the Urban Pathway Corporate Challenge, co-sponsored by Ballad Health, Food City, Town of Abingdon and Washington County Chamber of Commerce, which encourages local businesses of all sizes are to enter and to challenge their employees to walk – on the Urban Pathway, Virginia Creeper Trail, around the block or on the treadmill.

The Abingdon Urban Pathway runs for 1.625 miles east-west from Tanner Street to the Abingdon Muster Grounds, and is open to pedestrians and bicycles. It intersects with the trailhead of the Virginia Creeper Trail on Green Spring Road, which runs north/south.  Between the Creeper Trail and Urban Pathway, this trail system makes it possible to get almost anywhere in Town without hitting a major traffic artery, which is especially appealing families with kids and strollers.

The kickoff for the Urban Pathway Corporate Challenge will take place Friday, April 12th from 11am to 2pm at the Abingdon Market Pavilion on Remsburg Drive.  The Market Pavilion is located right on the Urban Pathway so guests can be some of the first to walk the path. 

The Urban Pathway Corporate Challenge kickoffs on April 12th, and continue through July 15, 2019.  The Challenge is meant to encourage more activity (miles walked) on the Pathway and throughout town, as a way to better health.  Each participant will track their own steps throughout the Challenge, and the winner will be announced at the July breakfast meeting of the Washington County Chamber of Commerce. The winning company will be presented with the Corporate Challenge Trophy.

The Abingdon Urban Path System will cater to pedestrians and bicyclists, through a series of paths and sidewalks that weave 1.625 miles through the town, allowing people to walk from one end of town to the other.  The path will enable citizens, as well as tourists to walk or bike to restaurants, attractions, shops and events, as well as making it easier to take more steps, and make healthier choices.

The Urban Pathway has been over five years in the making, and would not have been possible without the Town's commitment and the cooperation of property owners along the Pathway.

LOGO RECOGNITION: Many thanks for Christina Druen at Food City for developing the official Urban Pathway Corporate Challenge logo.

Corporate Challenge Kick-Off – Walk for the health of it!

·       Enroll your team by contacting the Washington County Chamber of Commerce by phone 276.628.8141 or email chamber@bvu.net.

·       Or enroll on April 12 at the Abingdon Farmer’s Market from 11 am – 2pm.

·       Team members keep a log of the number of miles they walk between April 15 and July 15. Team members report their miles to their Team Leader weekly.

·       Team with the highest number of average miles walked per team member wins the Corporate Challenge Trophy.

·       Official Corporate Challenge Logo T-shirts are available for $12. All proceeds benefit the Washington County Chamber of Commerce.

·       Ballad Health will offer blood pressure checks, free health screenings, and giveaways.

·       Food City will be there with giveaways.

·       Door Prizes – drawings at NOON and 1 pm.

AMENDED April 1, 2019 Town Council Meeting Agenda

March 26, 2019 Work Session Agenda

East Hagy Street Closing

On Monday, March 25, 2019, the east end of Hagy Street will be CLOSED permanently to vehicular traffic as part of the Urban Pathway.  This portion of Hagy Street will be for trail use only because the existing right-of-way width, and current pavement cannot support vehicular traffic. Also, safety concerns for the increased pedestrian traffic of trail users, determined this section of the street needed to be closed to vehicles. For any questions or concerns, please contact Matthew Bolick, Director of Public Works, at 276-628-3167.

DHR Workshop for Historic Preservation in Southwest Virginia

A DHR presentation at the Bristol Train Station.

—DHR Staff will discuss programs and offer Q-and-A sessions focused on preserving sites and buildings in the region on April 30 in Abingdon—

Residents, property owners, and citizens interested in preserving historic buildings, places, and archaeological sites in Southwest Virginia are encouraged to attend a free “Workshop for Historic Preservation in Southwest Virginia” scheduled for April 30 in the town of Abingdon when DHR staff will discuss various state and federal preservation programs.

The workshop, which requires no registration, will convene at the Southwest Virginia Cultural Center & Marketplace (formerly Heartwood Artisans Gallery), located at 1 Heartwood Circle, in Abingdon. It begins at 1 p.m. and runs until 5 p.m.

During the event, DHR staff will present six short, 20-minute overviews about programs DHR administers:

• the Virginia Landmarks Register and the National Register of Historic Places;
• state historical highway markers;
• Cost Share, a funding program designed for localities seeking to support local historic resources;
• state and federal tax credits for rehabilitating historic properties listed on the state and national historic registers;
• the Certified Local Government program, which makes available federal grants distributed by DHR to participating CLG communities; and
• DHR’s efforts to preserve and investigate Southwest Virginia’s archaeology.

After the presentations, DHR staff will host small group question-and-answer discussions focused on each of the programs in order to allow workshop attendees to discuss with DHR staff items and topics of particular interest relating to each of the programs presented.

The workshop will also feature a presentation on The Crooked Road, Virginia’s Heritage Music Trail.

The Southwest Virginia Community Heritage Foundation is hosting the DHR workshop, with support from Abingdon’s planning office.

For questions about the event, please contact either DHR’s Randy Jones at randy.jones@dhr.virginia.gov or David Edwards at david.edwards@dhr.virginia.gov (540) 868-7030.

Council Report from Interim Town Manager, Ken Vittum for March 18-22, 2019:

Additional Budget Meeting on March 26, 2019

Maintenance Worker- Wastewater Collections Department Position

Planning Commission Agenda for March 25, 2019 meeting

Council Report from Interim Town Manager, Ken Vittum for March 11-15, 2019:

Council Report from Interim Town Manager, Ken Vittum for March 4-8, 2019

Work Session Meeting Agenda for March 14, 2019

Washington County, VA Chamber Breakfast Meeting Notice for March 21, 2019

Urban Path Kickoff Celebration on April 12, 2019

VML Workshop Meeting Notice for April 23, 2019

Joint Special Meeting Notice for April 9, 2019

Work Session Meeting Notice for April 25, 2019

April 2019 Town Council Meeting Notice

Trail Solutions/IMBA Meeting Notice for April 3, 2019

Trail Solutions/IMBA Meeting Notice for April 1, 2019

Build an Event! Youth Presenter Workshop Offered

Build an Event! Youth Presenter Workshop Offered

Abingdon, Virginia – The Crooked Road (TCR) is offering Build an Event! – a youth presenter workshop on Saturday, April 6^th from 10:30 am - 4:00 pm at Heartwood in Abingdon, VA.

Build an Event! is a fast-paced, hands-on workshop for high school and college-age students between the ages of 13 and 22 who reside in Southwest Virginia (*) to develop festival and event management skills. Interested persons age 23 and older may apply to attend the workshop, and will be selected on a first come first served basis if space is available. The workshop will explore event conceptualization & marketing, programming (booking, artist relations and contracting), event logistics (event and festival management), and concert production (sound, recording, & lighting). Presenters include representatives from some of the region’s premiere festivals, institutions, and events including Richard Emmett (Blue Ridge Music Center), Charlene Tipton Baker (Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion), Tim White (Song of the Mountains), Jason Gallimore (Chantilly Farm), Jessica Taylor (FloydFest), Will MacMorran (ETSU & Northeast State Community College), and Charlotte Whitted (Tazewell County Fiddlers' Convention). 

The Build an Event! workshop is offered at no cost to attendees, and participants ages 13-22 will receive a $25 honorarium upon completion of the workshop. Lunch will be provided.

To apply for the workshop, applicants must submit an essay of 200 words or less outlining their personal experience and telling why they would like to participate. Applicants should include workshop title and their name; age; school (if applicable); mailing address; email address; and telephone number at the top of the essay. Essays should be sent by email to admin@thecrookedroad.org, or by  U.S. Postal Service to The Crooked Road, One Heartwood Circle, Abingdon, VA 24210.

Space is limited, so those interested are encouraged to submit their applications quickly. Review of applications will continue until spaces are filled. Applicants will be notified regarding the outcome of their application as soon as their application is reviewed.

This workshop is supported by a grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission. For questions or for more information, please contact Jonathan Romeo, The Crooked Road’s Program Manager, at (276) 492-2409 or jromeo@thecrookedroad.org.

* Southwest Virginia includes the counties (and associated towns) of Bland, Buchanan, Carroll, Dickenson, Floyd, Franklin, Giles, Grayson, Lee, Montgomery, Patrick, Pulaski, Russell, Scott, Smyth, Tazewell, Washington, Wise and Wythe; and the Cities of Bristol, Galax, Norton and Radford.

-END-

2019 “BEST OF” Abingdon, Virginia

2019 “BEST OF” Abingdon, Virginia

Do you have a favorite breakfast spot? Do you have a favorite grocery store? We are searching for Abingdon’s BEST- chosen by you.

The month of May is Business Appreciation Month throughout Virginia. The Town of Abingdon’s Economic Development department has collaborated to create the “BEST OF” Abingdon initiative.

This initiative will help promote businesses throughout the Town of Abingdon, and give them extra promotion during the month of May. Abingdon businesses play an essential role in strengthening our community through their innovation, creation, expansion, and employment of area workforce that preserves the economic well-being and quality of life for all our citizens. This initiative is a small token of the town’s appreciation for all the businesses and what they do for our community.

“I appreciate the challenges that small business owner’s face,” said Economic Development Coordinator, Tonya Triplett. “It is my goal to continue to promote small business development in Abingdon, VA.”

The “BEST OF” initiative will feature a public driven survey with thirty (30) different categories. No one knows Abingdon better than the people who live here or visit here, so cast your VOTE for the “BEST OF” Abingdon.  Please only VOTE for businesses in the Abingdon Town limits. The survey will run from March 7, 2019 to April 4, 2019. Click the link to participate in the survey- https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/BestofABN.

*Note: Only ONE ballot per email address. The email addresses will only be used for the survey and not shared in any way.

Below is a list of the categories included in the survey:

Best Abingdon Breakfast Spot

Best Abingdon Lunch Spot

Best Abingdon Dinner Establishment

Best Abingdon Restaurant Dessert

Best Sweet Shop/Dessert Place

Best Supermarket/Grocery Store

Best Retail Shop

Entertainment Venue

Abingdon Best Clothing Store

Best Antique Store

Best B&B/Hotel/Cottage

Best Art Gallery/Museum

Best Medical Provider

Best Dentist

Best Optometrist

Best Pharmacy

Best Chiropractic

Best Law Firm

Best Financial Advisor

Best Realtor

Best Bank/Credit Union

Best CPA/Bookkeeper

Best Insurance

Best Flower Shop

Best Auto Service Center

Best Auto Dealer

Best Hair Salon

Best Spa

Best Nail Salon

Best Fitness/Gym

At the May 6, 2019 Abingdon Town Council Meeting, Mayor Craig will read a proclamation designating May, 2019 as Business Appreciation Month. The winners of each category will be announced on the Town of Abingdon Facebook page within the following weeks of May.

Thank you for your participation in the survey and for helping share the town’s passion for small business!

###

BZA Cancellation Notice for the March 12, 2019 Meeting

TOWN OF ABINGDON
Abingdon, Virginia 24210

March 5, 2019

                                                            MEMORANDUM


TO:      Board of Zoning Appeals Members

FROM: Jason Boswell, Director of Planning/Zoning

RE:      Regular Meeting, Tuesday, March 12, 2019

The regular scheduled meeting of the Board of Zoning Appeals for Tuesday, March 12, 2019 will NOT be held due to having NO items on the agenda.

            The next scheduled meeting is Tuesday April 9, 2019.

Update to Sump Pump Information that was shared on February 26, 2019:

Update to Sump Pump Information that was shared on February 26, 2019:
Due to the record amount of rainfall in the month of February 2019, The Town of Abingdon will permit home owners to pump flooded basements into the collections system (until the water table recedes). If you have any questions about whether you are permitted to pump into the collection system, call Michael Roark, Superintendent WW Collections at (276- 628-4321).

Special Called Meeting on March 19, 2019

Council Report from Interim Town Manager, Ken Vittum for February 25-March 1, 2019: