Category: News

Leaders reconsider zoning for pet pig

By Ainsley Cragin

BLACKSBURG, V.A. – The Blacksburg Town Council considers a special zoning exception for homeowner Anthony Grafsky’s pet pig and two goats.

Grafsky shared pet pig Brutus’ heartwarming adoption story with town leaders at their Sep. 24 meeting in hopes that they would allow his four-legged family members to continue living in his backyard. Councilman Liam Watson expressed may look to broaden updates to Blacksburg’s agricultural zoning policies.

Montgomery County Schools Gun Safety Efforts Increase

Montgomery County School Board along with 4 other NRV schools have adopted a gun safety initiative modeled after BeSmart a national program focused on educating students and parents. The vote was unanimous in April 2024.

At the meeting on April 9th, Superintendent Dr. Bernard Bragen Jr. said:

 “If there’s a way to be proactive and potentially save lives, it’s worth looking into. Passing this resolution will help us remind our parents and guardians how important it is to keep firearms away from children.”’

The BeSmart Program:

The program is modeled after the nationwide program BeSmart, that focuses on educating children and also parents to promote responsible gun ownership. Similar policies have been adopted by Fairfax County School District, Albemarle County Public Schools, Arlington Public Schools, and Charlottesville City Schools.

S, stands for secure, asking parents to appropriately store guns away safely locked and unloaded in both the home and the vehicle.

M for modeling responsible behavior around guns.

A, for asking other parents and adults about loaded guns in other homes in order to prevent an accident ask.

R stands for recognizing the role guns play in suicide and violence.

T for tell others. Encourage others to practice the same management tools when it comes to protecting the safety of all.

Gun Violence in the Community:

Statistically, the numbers can be alarming:

But it has touched the community personally too. These are no longer “just numbers.” Too many parents and children have dealt with their own first-hand experience with gun violence. From the Virginia Tech shooting in 2007, to the recent lockdown on September 13th where Wheaton and Edison high schools were placed on lockdown due to a potential gun threat.

However, guns are the leading cause of death amongst teens both on and off school grounds. This November is the year anniversary of 17-year old high school senior Serenity Hawley’s death in what was believed to be a murder-suicide in a parking garage located in Blacksburg, VA.

What’s Next for Schools:

After tragedy strikes in a community it is easy to look back and wonder what could have been done differently, or what measures could have prevented situation before they even began. “Recently, the Montgomery County School Board passed a resolution directing me to work to increase awareness among our students, families, and staff about the importance of secure gun storage,” said Bragen Jr. in a letter sent out to families.

The letter is a brief overview of safety as well as resources for parents. Virginia Firearm Safety Device Tax Credit will reimburse up to $300 for a gun safe.

Along with printed material and resources made available to all students, the school have also integrated firearm safety into the D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse and Resistance Education) program. The school, local government, as well as police forces are all trying to increase awareness and step up to play their part in the community.

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Yet, it is a combination effort from everyone to ensure that everyone has a safe place to learn and work. Many schools have implemented other safety measures including metal detectors and increased security, however that can curate a nervous, unstable atmosphere for young kids as well as their parents. Right now, is the time to make the changes necessary so that the kids of our community can feel safe and cared for in their school system.  

Montgomery leaders invest in museum accessibility ahead of county, state, nation’s 250th

By Ainsley Cragin

The Montgomery County Board of Supervisors looks to award $117,000 to support the installation of an elevator in the Montgomery Museum of Art and History ahead of 2026 celebrations of America’s 250th anniversary.  

Why it matters: The proposed contribution from the county will support the museum’s application for special grant funds from the Virginia Department of Historic Resources (DHR). 

Driving the news: The Montgomery County Board of Supervisors will vote Monday on a resolution to support Montgomery Museum’s grant application. 

  • In July, Governor Youngkin and the Virginia DHR announced a $20 million special grant program to prepare historic landmarks and history museums for the 250th anniversary of the 1776 Declaration of Independence.  
  • Projects that are “shovel-ready” and can demonstrate local buy-in through the commitment of at least one-third cash match will be given priority for Virginia 250 Preservation Fund (VA250) grant awards.  
  • Applications for the grant are due on Oct 14, awards will be announced in late 2024. 
  • Casey Jenkins, executive director of the Montgomery Museum, received an uncontested thumbs-up response from all seven County Supervisors during his presentation at a Sept. 9 Montgomery Board meeting. 

Zoom in: The installation of an ADA-only elevator will allow visitors with limited mobility to access exhibits in the community room on the museum’s lower level.  

  • The museum moved to a 15,000 square foot building, the former Bank of Christiansburg, in 2022. The new space includes a ground floor and a basement level.  
  • Disabled visitors and those with limited mobility cannot currently enter the community room without need to exit and re-enter the building at a side door, traversing at least ten stairs before reaching the basement.  
  • The cost to design and install an ADA-compliant elevator is projected to be about $300,000.  

Montgomery County’s $117,000 decision could cover one-third of the total $350,000 requested in the museum’s grant application, fulfilling both local buy-in and one-third cost matching prerequisites outlined in the applicant requirements for VA250.  

  • According to Sara R. Bohn, Montgomery County Supervisor, the county’s fiscally responsible budgeting process creates a small annual surplus of a few hundred-thousand dollars for the board to spend on community-serving projects.  

Zoom out: VA250 funds should be allocated to ADA accessibility and exhibit installation projects to help draw tourists toward recipients’ regions in Virginia.  

  • The opportunity to apply for the grant is open to Virginia localities, non-profit organizations, and state or federally recognized Indian tribes. 
  • According to Jenkins, 83% of Montgomery Museum’s annual visitors are locals, primarily residents of Blacksburg and Christiansburg.  
  • Montgomery County’s unique position as the only county in Virginia to be founded in 1776 – sharing an anniversary with both the state and the nation – may prompt an specially significant increase in tourism as visitors travel from counties across the state for semiquincentennial celebrations in 2026.  

What we’re watching: If the board approves the resolution at their next meeting on Sep. 23, the county’s commitment to cash-match $117,000 will only go through if the museum is awarded the VA250 grant.  

  • Ahead of the meeting, Bohn and Jenkins anticipate an affirmative vote on the resolution.  
  • According to Mary Biggs, chair of the Montgomery County Board of Supervisors, the county government and the Montgomery Museum have maintained a strong relationship for more than two decades.
  • “The County is delighted to partner with the Montgomery Museum,” she said, “to help lead the planning for such a significant celebration for our community and the Commonwealth of Virginia.”  

September is Suicide Prevention Month, but it’s a conversation to be had anywhere, anytime, anywhere starting right here in the New River Valley

The most difficult conversations to have can be the ones that are the most important. In some cases, they could be the conversations that save a life.

WHY IT MATTERS: That conversation is talking about mental health challenges, and in the month of September, specifically suicide. Mike Wade, the Coordinator of Community Wellness and Outreach at New River Valley Community Services says “It’s one in four or one in five adults every year that have a serious, diagnosable mental health condition . . . I would argue that we probably all 100% of us at some point have some kind of mental health setback that a lot of us can manage and get through ourselves. But sometimes we need professional help, and that’s okay. That’s the best way to do it.”

  • Wade says that although the statistics reveal at least 20% of the population battles a mental health disorder, it goes undiagnosed more often than not because people are scared to have the conversations surrounding mental health because of a negative stigma. “Suicide has been a taboo subject that a lot of people aren’t comfortable talking about. But the only way to really address that as a community is to get it out in the open and talk about it, and despite what a lot of people may think, talking about suicide doesn’t increase the likelihood that someone will actually follow through with that act,” says Wade. “In fact, it does just the opposite, and those direct conversations with someone that we may have concerns about can actually prevent them from moving forward with a plan to end their life.”

Mike Wade, the Coordinator of Community Wellness and Outreach at New River Valley Community Services, speaks with TheNewsFeedNRV about Suicide Prevention Month.

THE BIG PICTURE: Wade says 50,000 Americans die from suicide each year and it’s a combination of everyone. “It’s not an issue that discriminates based on income, race or gender,” says Wade. “We know that some populations have a great risk of suicide, but I think a lot of people would be surprised to learn that actually older adults, seniors 80 and over, actually have the highest rate of suicide of any demographic.”

  • There’s no one factor that drives a person to want to commit suicide. The majority of the time, it is the result of a person feeling such emotional distress that they feel the only way out is to take their own life. But Wade says one of the best ways to help someone who might be considering suicide is to just know they are not alone- There’s always an ear willing to listen. “Despite how bad things might seem in your life, in your particular situation or in that moment, there’s always someone you can talk to,” says Wade. “A complete stranger, a friend or a family member.”

ZOOM IN: This month, the country is breaking down those obstacles that make it seem like suicide is a difficult topic to talk about through Suicide Prevention Month. “This month is really just about recognizing that this is something that somebody we love and care about, or even ourselves can go through and there’s no definitive timeline on when we might experience this or any kind of key indicators that might trigger this,” says Wade. “It’s just a really good opportunity for us to raise awareness at the community level so we in turn can do more to help individuals that struggle with this issue.”

  • Although suicide prevention is shared more through the month of September, that doesn’t mean it’s the only time to be aware of it in our community. There are always resources available for those struggling with suicidal thoughts or know someone struggling – Right from your phone and right here in the New River Valley.

The New River Valley Community Service Center is location in Radford, VA.

ZOOM OUT: Suicide prevention is every day, every month of every year. The best way to reach out in an emergency if you or someone you know is in a crisis is by dialing the national line at 988. Wade says calling that number will reroute your call to a local provider, like New River Valley Community Services, to speak with someone in real time.

  • “We at NRVCS have been really intentional over the last couple of years about expanding our crisis continuum to be a little more comprehensive and to really be helpful getting people connected in a timely manner,” says Wade. “So that they can potentially stay in the community and not have to be diverted to hospitals or be served at the crisis level.”

New River Valley Community Service is based in Radford. Wade says no matter what your situation is, they’ll offer someone to speak with so those tough conversations don’t seem so hard.