4 Southwest Virginia projects receive $10 million in funding; more …

Here’s a roundup of news briefs from around Southwest and Southside. Send yours for possible inclusion to news@cardinalnews.org .

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4 Southwest Virginia projects receive $10 million in funding

Four Southwest Virginia projects will receive a combined $10 million through a program intended to boost economic development in coal communities.

The money comes from the Abandoned Mine Land Economic Revitalization Program, funded by the U.S. Department of Treasury and administered by the Virginia Department of Energy. The projects involve sites where coal was mined before 1977 and include safety and environmental improvements, according to a news release this week from Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s office.

“We live in a beautiful part of the world. It’s important that we are good stewards of the mining land we once thought unusable, and AMLER is a key partner in this renewal and redevelopment process,” Sen. Travis Hackworth, R-Tazewell County, said in the news release.

Wise County will receive $4.75 million to build a second entry into Project Intersection, a developing industrial park.

The county also will get $500,000 to build a retaining wall in an area that could be used for future development.

Tazewell County, a prolific producer of natural gas , will get $2 million to build a small natural gas power plant for the town of Richlands. Del. Will Morefield, R-Tazewell County, said the project “will significantly reduce the price of electricity for the town’s residents and commercial customers.”

Dickenson and Buchanan counties will receive $2.75 million toward the Cumberland Outdoor Recreation project, which will fund part of what the governor’s office said is the largest conservation easement in Virginia.

Since Virginia began receiving the federal money for the AMLER program in 2017, nearly 50 projects have been recommended for funding, the governor’s office said.

“The AMLER program supports high impact projects that align with federal, state and local priorities to improve communities and foster economic development,” Sen. Todd Pillion, R-Washington County, said in the news release. “This round of funding will provide necessary investments to bolster infrastructure and enhance recreational and commercial opportunities to ensure [Southwest Virginia] continues to be successful.”

— Matt Busse

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Youngkin announces state board appointments

Gov. Glenn Youngkin has announced another round of state board appointments, including these residents of Southwest and Southside:

Board of Coal Mining Examiners: Michael Stiltner of Grundy, reclamation foreman, Paramont Coal Co.; senior pastor, Mouthcard Baptist Church.

Housing Development Authority: Matthew Fields of Buchanan County, director of economic development, tourism and marketing; director Buchanan County Industrial Development Authority, Buchanan County Board of Supervisors.

Rare Disease Council: Michael Friedlander of Roanoke, vice president for health sciences at Virginia Tech and executive director, Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC.

Virginia Health Workforce Development Authority: Brian Yates of Lynchburg, vice provost for residential programs, Liberty University.

Board for Hearing Aid Specialists and Opticians: Dr. Jennifer Mundorff of Roanoke, audiologist, Salem VA Medical Center.

Virginia Council on Environmental Justice: Hope Cupit of Bedford, CEO, SERCAP Inc.

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Virginia Tech, Homestead Creamery launch new Hokie flavors

Virginia Tech and Franklin County-based Homestead Creamery have teamed up on two new Hokie-themed ice cream flavors.

HokieBerry Trail has a vanilla base swirled with raspberry and pomegranate and sprinkled with dark chocolate crumbles. Hokie Sunset Swirl also starts with a vanilla base and adds vanilla cake crunch bites, with a ripple of mango and tangerine, according to a news release from the university.

The flavors were developed by the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences’ Department of Food Science and Technology faculty members and alumni Joell Eifert and Brian Wiersema, working in partnership with Homestead’s team.

The same team last year introduced Hokie Tracks, the first licensed ice cream to come out of Virginia Tech and Homestead’s collaboration.

Eifert said the department will award its first student scholarships funded entirely by Hokie Tracks sales in summer 2025.

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