Election turmoil splits West Virginia city's evangelicals
Travis Lowe, second from right, pastor of Crossroads Church in Bluefield, W.Va., raises his arm during services Sunday Jan. 23, 2021. (AP Photo/Jessie Wardarski)BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – If you’re Christian in Bluefield — and most everyone is, in this small city tucked into the Appalachian Mountains — you have your choice. Or you can venture up East River Mountain to Crossroads Church, where Pastor Travis Lowe eschews Bradford’s fiery political rhetoric, seeking paths to Christian unity. AdJoe Biden carried parts of Bluefield itself, small splotches of blue in the sea of red that is West Virginia. But Mercer County gave more than three-quarters of its votes to Trump, and Bradford and his pronouncements are very much in line with that.
Man arrested, charged with murder, hit-and-run in connection with body found near Bland County gas station
BLAND COUNTY, Va. – Authorities have arrested the man they believe is responsible for killing a woman in Bland County. Gilbert Lee Riggs, 58, of Bluefield, West Virginia, is being held in West Virginia, pending extradition to Virginia, on one felony count of second-degree murder and one felony count of hit-and-run. Riggs was arrested without incident Thursday night by West Virginia State Police at his residence, according to Virginia State Police. ORIGINAL STORYPhoto taken by Virginia State Police investigators at the scene of the lot where the body was located. (Virginia State Police)Virginia State Police are investigating after a woman’s body was found near an Interstate 77 exit.
Radford social gathering leads to 19 Bluefield College football players getting coronavirus
BLUEFIELD, Va. – Social gatherings on college campuses are starting to cause coronavirus outbreaks. Bluefield College announced Wednesday that 19 cases of the coronavirus among members of its football team trace back to a social gathering last weekend in Radford. The college did not say how many players made the trip to Radford. Now, all members of the football team have to quarantine and are suspended from campus activities until Aug. 26. As of Wednesday, the number of positive cases increased to 19 students with all cases from football players.
Pulaski Yankees fall to the Bluefield Blue Jays in tonight's home game
PULASKI, Va. - (Per Pulaski Yankees press release)The Pulaski Yankees dropped the opening game of a three game series against the visiting Bluefield Blue Jays on Wednesday night 13-9 at Calfee Park. The Blue Jays ran away with the game after scoring five runs in the top of the ninth and made it too difficult for the Yankees to come back. Bluefield got their first two runs of the game early on thanks to a pair of two out singles in the top of the first inning. The Blue Jays wouldn't last long though as the Yankees came storming back in their half of the fifth inning to tie the game up. Blue Jays pitcher Lazaro Estrada then plunked Anthony Volpe and Antonio Cabello back-to-back to load the bases for Pulaski and Roberto Chirinos.