Bedford gets funding for preliminary engineering on proposed Amtrak stop; 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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Bedford gets federal grant related to Amtrak stop

The town of Bedford has received a federal grant that will likely cover the cost of preliminary engineering for a proposed Amtrak station.

U.S. Rep. Morgan Griffith, R-Salem, announced the $1,481,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation.

Bedford town manager Bart Warner says he’s “pretty sure that figure is for the full amount of the planning and engineering work.” The cost estimate for this project development phase of a rail stop is $1,856,000. The costs are shared in an 80 / 20 amount with the federal funds providing the 80% grant that was awarded. The 20% match of non-federal funding has been committed by the Town of Bedford Town Council in the amount of $375,000

Bedford has been pushing for an Amtrak station since 2014. The total cost of a rail station has been estimated at between $21.4 and $23.2 million, including the grant award amount but excluding property acquisition.

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Appalachian Power to share project info at open house in Altavista

Appalachian Power representatives will hold an open house Nov. 13 to gather input from the community about a planned transmission upgrade in Campbell and Pittsylvania counties.

The open house will be held from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Altavista Elementary School, 2190 Lynch Mill Road in Altavista. Appalachian said there will be no formal presentation; community members are invited to arrive at any time during the two-hour period to talk to project representatives and see detailed maps.

Information about the Altavista-Leesville Transmission Improvements Project also can be found on the American Electric Power Transmission website . Appalachian Power is a subsidiary of AEP.

The power company plans to rebuild about a mile of 138-kilovolt transmission line and build about 9 miles of new line. The upgrades will allow the system to conduct more electricity to meet the needs of the planned 150-megawatt Blue Ridge Solar facility in Pittsylvania County, Appalachian said in a news release Thursday.

“This project allows crews to replace the 1960s-era power line,” Appalachian Power spokesperson George Porter said in the release. “Replacing the deteriorating power line with modern equipment improves the line’s operational performance and reliability for area customers.”

Appalachian Power plans to file for state regulatory approval of the project next fall. If approved, the project would begin construction in late 2026 and finish by late 2027.

Appalachian Power is Virginia’s second-largest electric utility, with about 540,000 customers in the commonwealth.

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Southwest Virginia internship summit set for Nov. 11-12 in Abingdon

The Virginia Talent and Opportunity Partnership and The University of Virginia’s College at Wise are partnering to host the SWVA Internship Summit on November 11-12 at the SWVA Cultural Center and Marketplace in Abingdon. The event is free, but registration is required. It is open to employers, students and educational institutions.

This two-day event will provide information and resources for employers as well as students seeking employment. Experts in mentorship and employers with internship programs will be available to attendees, allowing employers to interact with possible student internship candidates.

V-TOP is a partnership between the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, the Virginia Chamber Foundation, and the Virginia Higher Education Business Council, with funding from the General Assembly.

For more information or to register, please email vtop@uvawise.edu. The deadline to register for the summit is November 1.

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