News

Gov. Northam announces $2 billion investment to establish near-universal broadband access - Dec. 13, 2021

GOOCHLAND, Va. (WFXR) — On Monday, Gov. Ralph Northam announced new grants that will bring broadband and high-speed internet access to 90 percent of Virginians, putting the Commonwealth on track to being one of the first states to achieve universal broadband access.

According to a statement released by the governor’s office on Monday, Dec. 13, this dramatic progress is the result of a combination of state, federal, local, and private-sector investments that Virginia has accelerated over the past four years.

Northam says the pandemic highlighted the need for swift and bold action to extend high-speed internet across Virginia, leading him to thank the partners who made this progress possible.

  • Mount Rogers Planning District Commission and Point Broadband
    • Award: $65,883,228
    • Leveraged: $33,052,600
    • The project will build fiber broadband for 27,450 unserved locations and achieve universal coverage in Smyth, Washington, and Wythe counties. 

December 2015

Dec. 10 – Smyth County Business Boot Camp Presents Awards to 4 Entrepreneurs
Four businesses came out of the Smyth County Business Boot Camp with financial awards designed to support their entrepreneurial efforts. The Chamber of Commerce of Smyth County hosted the eight-week boot camp this fall. The boot camp offers local entrepreneurs with an idea for a business an opportunity to receive training to transform that idea into reality and open the business in Smyth County. The boot camp also supports existing businesses and can receive help them expand their current operations. <<Read more… online or PDF>>

November 2015

Nov. 07 – Buy-A-Brick Program in Glade Spring
Nancy Williams likes to look ahead. By next spring, the vice mayor of Glade Spring hopes she will be standing on a brick sidewalk in town that eventually will connect to the Virginia Salt Trail, an 8.5 mile trail that’s quickly becoming a favorite among locals. The multi-use trail, established in 2008 as part of the Rails to Trails program, follows a former rail bed from Old Mill Road in Glade Spring to Allison Gap Road in Saltville. <<Read more… online or PDF>>

October 2015

Oct. 20 – Saltville works to connect sections of the Salt Trail
A long-awaited connection between the Saltville side and the Glade Spring side of the Salt Trail may finally be on the way.The Saltville Town Council on Tuesday night adopted a resolution asking the Commonwealth Transportation Board to establish a Transportation Alternatives Program project for the construction of the Salt Trail Land Bridge Backbone. <<Read more… online or PDF>>

Oct. 17 – Marion session provides chance for citizens, experts to work on economic development
Marion is doing something right, and people across the country want to know what the secret is. Truth is, there’s no secret and guesswork isn’t needed. Ken Heath is happy to share the details of the plan that has renewed and revitalized the town and earlier this week garnered its leaders a third Virginia Municipal League Achievement Award. <<Read more… online or PDF>>

Oct. 13 – Marion’s Pop-Up program earns recognition from Virginia Municipal League
Marion is doing something right, and people across the country want to know what the secret is. Truth is, there’s no secret and guesswork isn’t needed. Ken Heath is happy to share the details of the plan that has renewed and revitalized the town and earlier this week garnered its leaders a third Virginia Municipal League Achievement Award. <<Read more… online or PDF>>

Oct. 10 – Chilhowie moves forward with veterans memorial, walking trail projects
Plans for a veterans’ memorial and a walking trail are moving forward in Chilhowie. At Thursday’s meeting of Chilhowie Town Council, Mayor Gary Heninger said the monument for the veterans’ memorial arrived that day and work will begin on the site next to the town hall where the memorial will be constructed. <<Read more… online or PDF>>

September 2015

Sep. 10 – Mount Rogers region gets nod for economic initiative
U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development and Virginia Cooperative Extension have announced that two Virginia regions were selected for the 2015-16 Stronger Economies Together (SET) initiative.<<Read more… online or PDF>>

 The Mount Rogers Planning Commission CEDS Annual Performance Report – 2014.

 The Mount Rogers Planning District Commission 2013-2018 CEDS.