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AMHERST

A price tag on trauma? College town weighs Black reparations

Amherst is on a path toward providing reparations to Black residents for past injustices following the town council's adoption of a resolution calling for the community to become an anti-racist town. President Joe Biden has even expressed support for creating a federal commission to study Black reparations, a proposal that's languished for decades in Congress. Anderson and other Black residents are taking part in virtual conversations this spring to talk about what reparations should look like. Can you put a price tag on trauma?”Miller and Andrews, meanwhile, have looked to Evanston, Illinois as a potential model, inviting a leading alderman from that community to speak with Amherst's Black residents next month. Driver believes the town’s higher education institutions — UMass Amherst, Amherst College and Hampshire College — should be part of the solution because of the role they've played in the town's racial divide.

Thousands without power as winter weather hits Southwest, Central Virginia

AEP outages as of 5 p.m.Thousands are without power as Southwest and Central Virginia are experiencing wintry weather. Below are the worst outage areas among the 2,724 Appalachian Power customers in Virginia without power:County/City Customer Outages Pulaski County 1,347 Montgomery County 500 Wythe County 162 Roanoke County 148 Giles County 144 Pittsylvania County 94 Carroll County 28 Smyth County 20 Franklin County 41 Grayson County Fewer than 5Here’s a breakdown of the Dominion Energy customers in our region without power:Charlotte County: 44Halifax County: 169Alleghany County: 36Danville officials say that 1,200 customers on Memorial Drive, Lanier Avenue, Park Avenue, Bishop Road and across the river on Piedmont Drive are without power. Here’s a breakdown of the Mecklenburg Electric customers in our region without power:Halifax County: 608Pittsylvania County: 459Here’s a breakdown of the BARC Electric Cooperative customers in our region without power:AdHighland County: 109Here’s a breakdown of the Southside Electric Cooperative customers in our region without power:

Police say this man stole 21 copper downspouts stolen from a Lynchburg church

LYNCHBURG, Va. – Police have identified a suspect in connection with the thefts of copper downspouts at a church in Lynchburg. Damien Marquis Solomon, 37, of Amherst, has multiple outstanding warrants for grand larceny and obtaining money by false pretense in connection with the 21 stolen downspouts at Fairview Christian Church. ORIGINAL STORYFairview Christian Church on Campbell Avenue. On Saturday, Fairview Christian Church on Campbell Avenue reported the theft of 21 of its copper downspouts. Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact Detective Stevenson at 434-455-6116 or Crime Stoppers at 1-888-798-5900.

Patterson matches record as No. 24 Buffalo beats Akron 56-7

24 Buffalo routed Akron 56-7 on Saturday as a tune-up for the Mid-American Conference championship. Patterson scored two touchdowns before halftime, bringing his season totals to 1,025 yards and 18 rushing TDs for the Bulls (5-0). Marks went over 100 yards and scored twice in the first half as Buffalo (5-0) built a 35-0 lead against Akron (1-5). Buffalo: The Bulls are 5-0 for the first time since 1980 when Buffalo was a Division III program. It will be a rematch of the 2008 title game that Buffalo won for its lone conference championship.

Flash Flood Watch canceled early for area that includes Lynchburg’s College Lake Dam

LYNCHBURG, Va. – UPDATEThe National Weather Service has canceled a Flash Flood Watch for a portion of Central Virginia that includes Amherst and Campbell counties along Blackwater Creek below College Lake Dam. Dam operators at College Lake Dam on the Blackwater Creek reported that the dam no longer poses a potential flooding threat. The NWS canceled the flash flood watch early; it was originally expected to go until 2 a.m. ORIGINAL STORYThe National Weather Service in Blacksburg has issued a Flash Flood Watch and says that structural concerns have been reported at Lynchburg’s College Lake Dam. The Flash Flood Watch covers parts of Amherst and Campbell counties along Blackwater Creek below College Lake Dam.

84-year-old Amherst man with possible cognitive issues missing

AMHERST, Va. – The Amherst Police Department is asking for help finding a missing elderly man. Police said Angel Luis Alberio, 84, was last seen leaving Amherst on Friday with his wife in a gray 1993 Ford Conversion Van with Virginia tag 5256BAB. According to authorities, Alberio was located early Saturday morning in Washington DC, and Amherst Police are working with DC Metro Police to find him. Authorities said it’s possible Alberio has cognitive decline. Anyone with information is asked to call the Amherst Police Department at 434-946-9300.

One person at Madison Heights Elementary School tests positive for COVID-19

AMHERST, Va. – Amherst County Public Schools announced Wednesday that one person at Madison Heights Elementary School tested positive for coronavirus. The person was on school grounds on Friday and did have direct contact with other members of the community, according to school officials. ACPS announced that Madison Heights Elementary School will remain open despite this case. School officials said that the district has implemented contact tracing procedures with the health department to determine whether or not in-person instruction continues. Anyone who may have been potentially exposed will be contacted by the health department or ACPS.

Bedford, Amherst County students head back to school this week

LYNCHBURG, Va. Forest Elementary School teachers and students showed up Tuesday prepared to have a successful first day. Every student came to school with a mask today, which was really nice, said Lorri Manley, principal at Forest Elementary School. Manley said she has 206 students learning in person every day and following social distancing markers on the ground throughout the building. In Amherst County, 60% of students will be back in person for the first time on Wednesday. Amherst County school leaders said middle and high school students will be go to school on a hybrid schedule, while elementary school students will be in the classroom four days a week and learn from home on Fridays.

More than 1,600 Amherst County families opt-in for remote learning

AMHERST, Va. Mondays rain put a damper on Amherst County School leaders plan to hand out Chromebooks to parents and students in a drive-thru. Angelic Yousef and her Pre-K daughter are one of more than 1,600 families who will be doing 100% remote learning this school year. Amherst county students start school next Wednesday and a growing number are opting for 100-percent remote learning. Amherst school leaders said theyve been adding about 75 students to the Amherst Remote Academy every day, with more children in kindergarten through fifth grade, as well as high school juniors and seniors wanting to learn online. School leaders said teachers will be calling soon to introduce themselves and get some contact information.

Amherst County Schools delays reopening schools by two weeks

AMHERST, Va. Amherst County students will now go back to school after Labor Day, rather than before it. Superintendent Dr. Robert Arnold said the school division needs more time to prepare. In a school board meeting on Thursday night, members voted to have classes start in person on Sept. 9 instead of Aug. 26. Board members also agreed to have teachers begin their planning phase on Aug. 10, rather than Aug. 3. The school board also made it mandatory that all students and staff wear masks on campus.

Amherst County wanting to give $800,000 to help businesses impacted by the coronavirus

AMHERST, Va. There are still businesses in Amherst County that are still closed because of the coronavirus pandemic and need help reopening to get back on their feet. County leaders are looking to pump $800,000 into local businesses that meet certain qualifications. Officials with the economic development office said there are two different grants people can apply for. Some business if they qualify, they can actually stack CARES Act money and the Back and Business money. Theres potential that they can get $20,000-$25,000 between the two grants, Victoria Hanson, director, said.

‘10-4, It’s a python, not a pipe bomb’: 911 call gives Amherst County first responders a slithering surprise

AMHERST, Va. – A 911 call to Early Drive last Tuesday had most of Amherst County’s first responders rushing to the scene for what ended up to be a snake slithering up someone’s window. The original call was for a pipe bomb, hence the huge police and medic response. “10-4, It’s a python not a pipe bomb,” Deputy Reginald Olivier relayed back to dispatch. “I’d rather deal with a boa constrictor than a pipe bomb,” Olivier said. But a snake... that was really different.”Deputies say the 6 ½ foot, 40-pound boa looked really sick.

‘We can not wait for a hero’: Amherst NAACP leads march, rally for equality

AMHERST, Va. – A peaceful protest for civil rights popped up in Amherst Saturday evening. “No lives matter if Black lives can’t matter, and we have to say Black lives,” said Amherst NAACP President Gloria Witt. “They don’t think about us as a young voice. Some say, ‘oh, you’re so young, you don’t need to be heard.’”Before the march, county leaders explained what steps they have taken for equality. “As young people, don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t do what you can’t do,” Watkins said.

Lynchburg pilot creates cleaner to help area businesses quickly disinfect

On busy days, staff members like Jacob Mast are working harder to clean in between players. But now that time has been cut down thanks to Lynchburg pilot Kyle Falwell, who is the co-creator of Bon Airosol. Lynchburg pilot Kyle Falwell is the co-creator of Bon Airosol. So, within a couple, 2 to 3 days we had our first solution,” Falwell said. Falwell says he’s working to get the cleaner approved by the EPA so it can officially be called a disinfectant.

‘We will go down in history’: Amherst County graduates experience commencement from their cars

AMHERST, Va. – COVID-19 and social distancing meant Amherst County High School had to get creative with its graduation plans. The solution played out on Saturday: A formal commencement, but every graduate stayed in a car with their loved ones. "We’ll do anything for our kids.”Senior class president Zamire Andrews said he worried about how his high school days would end after COVID-19 cut Amherst County’s school year short. While the graduates spent most of the ceremony in cars, they did physically walk across the stage. “I’m still a kid from Amherst, and right here, this is just us coming together as a whole family," Andrews said.