Clifton Forge locals excited to see town, neighbors star in Hulu show โDopesickโ
Hundreds of people at the Historic Masonic Theatre in Clifton Forge got to watch their town make its debut in the new Hulu show, โDopesick.โ The people of Southwest Virginia have spoken and theyโre saying the mini-series is a hit.
โGet this little town back on the mapโ: Hulu series films in Clifton Forge
CLIFTON FORGE, Va. โ Itโs lights, camera, action for the Alleghany Highlands. The production of the upcoming Hulu mini-series โDopesickโ moved to Clifton Forge on Friday. โWe need to get this little town back on the map like it used to be and move the town forward,โ said Clifton Forge town manager Chuck Unroe. โYouโll definitely know youโre in Clifton Forge,โ Unroe said. โTheyโve included the town and the townspeople and really made it a community thing.โโDopesickโ will continue filming in Clifton Forge through next week.
Police arrest juvenile in connection to multiple Clifton Forge robberies
CLIFTON FORGE, Va. โ UPDATEClifton Forge Police have arrested the person they say is responsible for Friday nightโs multiple robbery cases. Officers were able to recover a stolen vehicle from the 1300 block of Jefferson Ave, another vehicle from Rose Ave and one last one taken from Botetourt County. ORIGINAL STORYThe Clifton Forge Police Department is investigating a multiple robbery case that happened on Friday. The second incident happened shortly after on Rose Ave. where the person used the stolen firearm to steal a vehicle. The person police say is responsible for the robberies is a man in his early to mid-20s.
โA Christmas miracleโ: Insurance company covers cochlear implant surgery for Clifton Forge baby
CLIFTON FORGE, Va. โ Nine-month-old Manning James is just like any other baby. He loves exploring, looks up to his big brother Mason, and is sometimes a little too curious for his own good. We donโt know anyone whoโs deaf, so it was a really big shock for us,โ said Noelle. Monday morning, two days before the surgery, Noelle got a call. โIt feels like a million pounds have been lifted.โNow, Noelle is returning the money raised because this Christmas she got the best gift of all.
Bet you didnโt know that Clifton Forge has the countryโs only coffee grinder museum
CLIFTON FORGE, Va. โ When you think of the Alleghany Highlands, coffee is not probably the first thing that comes to mind. However, one couple in Clifton Forge hopes you will not only stop by for a cup of joe but also walk through their newly opened coffee museum, Caffรฉ Museo. One couple in Clifton Forge hopes you will not only stop-by for a cup of joe, but also walk through their newly opened coffee museum. (Judith Sivonda)This fall, Judith Sivonda and her husband added a coffee grinder museum to their cafรฉ. We get into conversations that are quite pleasant and they havenโt seen anything like it and theyโll remember Clifton Forge,โ said Sivonda.
Alleghany County assisted living facility getting attention for its whimsical photoshoot
CLIFTON FORGE, Va. โ One local assisted living facility is proving picture day is not just for the kids. The Highland House in Alleghany County is getting a lot of attention for its fall photos. Thank you so much Jane & Mae Photography for showing the fun loving spirit of our Residents!! Posted by Highland House Assisted Living on Tuesday, October 20, 2020A local photographer, Jane and Mae, took whimsy pictures of residents. Before getting their pictures taken some residents even got their hair and make-up done.
Tasty Tuesday: The Colorful Chameleon brings home cookinโ to the Alleghany Highlands
CLIFTON FORGE, Va. โ A loveable personality and loveable food combine to make The Colorful Chameleon a great spot in downtown Clifton Forge. She tells me, โWe were snapping green beans at age 4.โThe Colorful Chameleon is more of a recent development from humble beginnings. โWe were doing shaved ice from a table and then just progressed from there.โNow, itโs a centerpiece of Clifton Forge just like food is. We have smoked pretty much everything you can think of.โThe mountain views and the railroad museum just yards away make for a quick and quiet oasis. Reminiscing, Adcock tells us, "I made it about five years ago.
20 arrested, two still wanted on drug charges in โOperation Unmaskedโ
ALLEGHANY COUNTY, Va. โ An operation involving law enforcement from several local and state agencies resulted in an Alleghany County grand jury indicting 22 people on 59 mostly drug-related charges. On July 23, officers started arresting those indicted, and as of Thursday, all but two people indicted as a result of โOperation Unmaskedโ had been arrested, according to Alleghany County Sheriff Kevin Hall. The two people who are still wanted are Regina Angle and Micahel Brewster Jr., who are both from Covington, according to the Alleghany County Sheriffโs Office. Officers from the Craig County Sheriffโs Office, Rockbridge County Sheriffโs Office, Clifton Forge Police Department and Covington Police Department assisted the task force in this effort. Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Angle and Brewster Jr. is asked to call the Alleghany County Sheriffโs Office at 540-965-1770 or the Drug Task Force at 540-965-6308.
Local wood mill helping others create their own business
CLIFTON FORGE, Va. โ A local business is trying to help others make money for themselves. Occamโs Mill opened in the Clifton Forge School of the Arts at the start of the coronavirus pandemic. The millโs owner, Mac Beard, has created a makerโs space where people can use the millโs wood carving technology to create products that they can sell. โItโs very apparent that thereโs no teaching without learning, these guys teach me something every day,โ said Beard. A portion of the rental fee will help support the Clifton Forge School of the Arts.
Clifton Forge man ranks 20th in cornhole world rankings
CLIFTON FORGE, Va. โ When you think of cornhole you may think of tailgating fun, but one local man is actually a cornhole professional. 10 News caught up with the Clifton Forge native to chat about taking his hobby from his backyard to the big stage. โIt feels really good to have a successful group in Clifton Forge,โ said Chestnut. โWeโve come a really long ways and thatโs one of my most proud things of cornhole is getting the club started and going in Clifton Forge,โ Chestnut said. Chestnut started playing in 2007, but didn't get serious about the game until 2016, turning pro in 2018.
Highlands florist urges support for local shops as some take business to West Virginia
CLIFTON FORGE, Va. โ After an area florist adjusted its model to survive the pandemic, the owner warned against protesting local businesses because of the mask rule. Since March, The Flower Center in Clifton Forge has had to adapt its services to stay afloat. They partnered with a local bakery to deliver cupcakes with flowers, and theyโre also shipping bouquets for the first time. The owner said people who are frustrated with Virginiaโs mask requirement and pledging not to wear them while shopping are only hurting small businesses like 'mom and popโ places. Huffman said small businesses like The Flower Center are just doing what is required in Virginia.
Highlands community to resurge local chapter of NAACP
COVINGTON, Va. โ A local community is resurging its chapter of the NAACP. Residents of Clifton Forge and Covington are organizing to create one chapter in the Highlands. Right now, they are short of the 100 members needed to become official, so organizers are holding a membership drive. The vice mayor of Clifton Forge says when she got elected to council thatโs when the community started coming to her, asking to bring the chapter back. She says their biggest concerns were access to jobs and economic opportunities for minorities.
Clifton Forge teen creates colorful sidewalk art during stay-at-home order
CLIFTON FORGE, Va. โ A teenager in Clifton Forge has spent the past several months getting creative while staying at home. Colorful characters litter the sidewalk outside of Erin Crowderโs home. The high school freshman has never taken an art class, but managed to bring beloved cartoon characters to life. Her mom said neighbors and strangers have stopped to take pictures of Erinโs freehand masterpieces.
Georgia man facing several charges in connection with Clifton Forge murder
CLIFTON FORGE, Va. โ LATEST:A Georgia man is facing several charges in connection with a murder last month in Clifton Forge. Kenneth Staples, of LaGrange, Georgia, is charged with second-degree murder and grand larceny in connection with the murder of 41-year-old William Brandon Wright on April 27, according to Clifton Forge Police Chief Chad Wickline. Clifton Forge police first identified Staples as a person of interest wanted for questioning in connection with their investigation. The man defined as a person of interest by the Clifton Forge Police Department in Monday nightโs suspicious death is now in custody in Georgia. The Clifton Forge Police Department released the name of the 41-year-old Clifton Forge man who died on Monday night.
Alleghany County students thank teachers with sidewalk notes of love
CLIFTON FORGE, Va. โ Teacher parades have become popular as educators want students to know they miss them, but some students in Alleghany County want teachers to know theyโre appreciated as well. On the sidewalks of Sharon Elementary School, a few parents and children spent time over the weekend writing notes of love to the staff. They even wrote the name of every person who works in the building, telling them they miss them.
โThings are going to be OKโ: Clifton Forge restaurant to temporarily suspend eat-in service
CLIFTON FORGE, Va. โ A popular Clifton Forger restaurant is making a change because of the coronavirus. Starting Saturday, Jack Masonโs Tavern in Clifton Forge will only offer takeout or delivery service. The full menu will be available at first, but that could eventually change, based on what people order and how much. Co-owner Martha Atherholt said Tuesday the move is as much about being able to continue making money as it is about continuing to be a place for the community to come together. Delivery service will be available for people in Clifton Forge, Longdale, Low Moor, and possibly Callaghand.
Two people make it out safely during Clifton Forge house fire
CLIFTON FORGE, Va. โ Fire crews responded to a house fire in Clifton Forge on Wednesday evening. Two people who were inside at the time of the fire were able to make it out of a first story window, according to the Clifton Forge Fire Department. It happened at a two-story house in the 600 block of Brussels Ave. Officials said there is โsignificantโ fire and smoke damage to the house, but there isnโt a damage estimate yet. The Clifton Forge Fire Department was assisted by crews from Selma, Sharon and Iron Gate.
Round Town: music and trains
ROANOKE, Va. โ Wytheville Community College holds its monthly Bluegrass and Old-Time Jamboree. Bad Ridge and The New Ballards Branch Bogtrotters will perform. The George Washington Train Show returns to Clifton Forge this weekend. Itโs Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. Admission is $5 and includes admission to the C & O Railway Heritage Center.
Clifton Forge honors star basketball player with proclamation
Clifton Forge is proclaiming Saturday, August 10 as Trudi Lacey Day. Among the shelves of books in the Clifton Forge Library sits a display of all things Trudi Lacey. She always had that ball like right here and so we knew that was her passion, said Clifton Forge Vice-Mayor Pamela Marshall. As I wrote the proclamation, I thought, I can't put all the things on it that this woman has done, said Clifton Forge Town Manager Darlene Burcham. Nobody accomplishes anything without love and support, and I certainly had that in our community of Clifton Forge, said Lacey.
Clifton Forge honors star basketball player with proclamation
Clifton Forge is proclaiming Saturday, August 10 as Trudi Lacey Day. Among the shelves of books in the Clifton Forge Library sits a display of all things Trudi Lacey. โShe always had that ball like right here and so we knew that was her passion,โ said Clifton Forge Vice-Mayor Pamela Marshall. โAs I wrote the proclamation, I thought, I can't put all the things on it that this woman has done,โ said Clifton Forge Town Manager Darlene Burcham. Nobody accomplishes anything without love and support, and I certainly had that in our community of Clifton Forge,โ said Lacey.
Virginia Tech architecture students continue building in Alleghany Highlands
Last year's architecture students at Virginia Tech completed the design and construction of the field house. Now, current students apart of the design/build LAB are working on two new baseball fields with dug outs and a press box. Little League leaders say the design/build LAB students are making the goal of hosting state tournaments in the future a reality. "With these additional fields [in Sharon] and in Clifton Forge I can only see brighter things," explained Gary Price, President of Clifton Forge Little League. This is the fifth project architecture students have worked on in the Covington and Clifton Forge areas.