Bye, bye, balloons: Certain balloon releases prohibited in the Commonwealth
With the Smith Mountain Lake Pirate Days event coming on July 16, the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources is reminding Virginia citizens of the new regulation that went into effect on July 1, which bans citizens from intentionally releasing or discarding any non-biodegradable or non-photodegradable balloons outdoors in the Commonwealth.
John Carlin’s Outdoors: Striper Fishing at Smith Mountain Lake
In this episode of John Carlin's Outdoors, we go striper or striped bass fishing on Smith Mountain Lake with fishing guide Travis Patsell who owns Cats and Stripers. Along for the trip is an old fishing companion, Steve Reynolds, who first showed me the ropes on striper fishing three decades ago.
Smith Mountain Lake businesses hope to stay busy as summer comes to an end
Smith Mountain Lake saw a lot of traffic on Labor Day. The weather was perfect for boating, playing a game of mini golf, or even enjoying a meal outside. The holiday brought in a good deal of foot traffic for businesses on the lakefront, which gave it a very different look than last year.
Virginia Museum of Transportation held first Spring Fling Poker Run
ROANOKE, Va. – The Virginia Museum of Transportation held its first Spring Fling Poker Run on Saturday. There were vehicles of all types from motorcycles to classic cars and hot rods. The run went from the museum to a spot along Smith Mountain Lake and back again. Organizers said they wanted to bring people out but still allow for social distancing. The museum hopes to bring the Poker Run back again next year.
Crews responded to boat fire at Smith Mountain Lake
FRANKLIN COUNTY, Va, – Emergency crews responded to a boat fire at Smith Mountain Lake Saturday afternoon. A video taken by a bystander, and posted to social media, shows crews pushing the boats away from the docks, and trying to keep it from catching anything else on fire. Officials said it’s not clear what started the fire.
House on Smith Mountain Lake in Franklin County a total loss after fire
A house on Smith Mountain Lake is a total loss after a fire on Monday afternoon. Franklin County Public Safety said the call came in just before 3 p.m. The house is located on Twin Coves Drive on the Franklin County side of the lake near Bridgewater Plaza. A number of people in the area rushed over to try to help, including Brandon Crawley who works across the cove at Bridgewater Marina. Ad10 News reporter Shayne Dwyer is at the scene of the fire working to learn more:
Smith Mountain Lake couple has power restored after 100 hours, but prepares for next potential outage
BEDFORD COUNTY, Va. – A bit of good news in all the recent power outages: some parts of our area have power once again. One couple we spoke with near Smith Mountain Lake had the lights turned back on around 2 p.m. Wednesday, after about 100 hours. “We’re lucky we have a lake so we can get water to use, and we have gas logs. That was about it, and we had battery-operated lights and flashlights,” said Vincent Ostermeier, a Dixie Acres resident. He said they also used coolers to keep food fresh, had their batteries charging and got the ice ready for another potential outage.
Tasty Tuesday: CJ’s Coffee and Sandwich Shop keeps racking up awards
CJ’s Coffee and Sandwich Shop in Moneta has all that and then some. Now, the ‘Best of Smith Mountain Lake’ results are in, showing that the sky is the limit for this small shop. Owner, Christopher Genna, humbly lists off , “Best coffee, best breakfast, best lunch, best sandwich, customer service, bakery and catering too” as the awards they took home. I learned different recipes, tweaked things and made them my own. We offer a variety of different coffee and blends too.”If you’re feeling seconds, go back for lunch.
Smith Mountain Lake Marine Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department breaks ground on new station site
MONETA, Va – After serving the community for more than 40 years, the Smith Mountain Lake Marine Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department is finally getting a home of its own. Thursday the Smith Mountain Lake Marine Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department broke ground on the future site of the department’s very first station. “This will help tremendously with central location because right now we’re storing our equipment at different locations all across the lake,” Ohlerich said. “We do help a lot of people you know Smith Mountain Lake is very unique, we are the only one in the country that has an all-volunteer Marine base ISO certified Fire Department,” Volunteer Ray Talley said. The department hopes to have the building complete by the end of the year continuing to keep the Smith Mountain Lake community safe.
84-year-old man who admitted to killing his wife near Smith Mountain Lake died from COVID-19 complications
Taylor’s husband, 84-year-old Donald Taylor, was at the house and admitted to killing his wife. MONETA, Va. – Feb. 24, 2021 updateDonald Taylor died from COVID-19 complications, according to the Medical Examiner’s office in Roanoke. Feb. 19, 2021 UpdateAn 84-year-old man who “woke up that morning and knew he was going to kill his wife” has died. Donald Taylor died on Feb. 8, 2021, at Roanoke Memorial Hospital while released on medical furlough, according to the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office. 84-year-old Donald Taylor called 911 Thursday just after 8 a.m. to report the homicide after he killed his wife, 82-year-old Clara Taylor, according to warrants obtained by 10 News.
More than 3,000 customers now without power in Southwest Virginia
Appalachian Power outage map as of 6:10 p.m. on Dec. 16, 2020. With wintry weather conditions affect our region, there are some areas in Southwest Virginia that are experiencing power outages Wednesday. [Snow, ice to cause slippery roads, scattered power outages Wednesday]As of 4:28, more than 5,000 customers were without power. According to Appalachian Power, as of 5:58 p.m. here are the top five localities by outage number. County/City Customer Outages Henry County 1,732 Albemarle County 354 Patrick County 288 Grayson County 178 Floyd County 129The outages started at 12:05 p.m.
Man accused of attacking Bedford realtor earlier this year has trial set for 2021
BEDFORD COUNTY, Va – A trial date has been set for a Roanoke man accused of attacking a Bedford realtor earlier this year. Police say Dustin Holdren attacked the realtor near Smith Mountain Lake in June. Dustin Holdren mugshotFriday morning a Bedford County Grand Jury found probable cause for felony charges of attempted rape, aggravated malicious wounding and robbery against Holdren. The case will go before a jury on March 23, 2021. Holdren is being held at the Blue Ridge Regional Jail without bond.
Best-selling author donates $100,000 to Smith Mountain Lake program feeding at-risk families and seniors
SMITH MOUNTAIN LAKE, Va. – A famous novelist made a big donation to help feed families in our area. The Landing Love Project started earlier this year in response to the coronavirus pandemic. The project distributes chef-inspired meals are cooked at Smith Mountain Lake to at-risk families and seniors in the surrounding communities. [Smith Mountain Lake restaurant doubles down on helping community as pandemic draws on]David Baldacci, who’s published 42 national and international bestsellers, has a house on the lake and donated $100,000 to the effort. So far, the landing love project has served about 37,000 meals.
Virginia Tourism Corporation awards $80,000 in grants to SW Virginia municipalities
ROANOKE, Va. – Tourism boards in Southwest Virginia received a financial boost to help attract visitors through the COVID-19 pandemic. The Virginia Tourism Corporation awarded a total of $80,000 to five tourism boards. The awards included:$20,000 for Visit Virginia’s Blue Ridge$20,000 for Botetourt County$20,000 for the Smith Mountain Lake Chamber of Commerce$10,000 to the Town of Rocky Mount$10,000 to the City of SalemVisit Virginia’s Blue Ridge President Landon Howard said his organization’s $20,000 will be spent mostly on online marketing. He believes regional travelers will look to the Roanoke Valley for a getaway. “Those people may not be traveling to Europe for a two or three week vacation, but they will do weekend trips to places like Virginia’s Blue Ridge.”
'This is a sight to see’: Smith Mountain Lake business, property owners clean up after flooding
MONETA, Va. – In the aftermath of heavy rain that caused flooding across the region, docks across Smith Mountain Lake were still submerged Friday. Business and property owners at the lake found themselves, once again, cleaning up from severe flooding. The marina’s maintenance manager, Michael Dixe, said he’s never seen the lake quite like this. “I’ve seen water rise, but I didn’t see it rise this quick in that short of time," said Dixe. Boat owners are asked to stay out of the water and off the docks until the lake recedes.
Smith Mountain Reservoir expected to exceed full pond level
BEDFORD COUNTY, Va. – Smith Mountain Reservoir will exceed its full pond elevation because of heavy rainfall in the Smith Mountain Project’s watershed. Appalachian Power operates the project’s hydroelectric facility and says the normal full pond level is 795 feet, but is expected to exceed that by 4 feet. “We expect to reach this level sometime early Friday morning about the 3 a.m. timeframe,” said George Porter, Appalachian Power spokesperson. Officials are advising property owners to secure any watercrafts. They say if your boat is on a slip, make sure there is plenty of overhead clearance to avoid the boat from hitting the top of the dock.
Rain expected to raise Smith Mountain Lake two feet above full pond
Heavy rainfall is expected to raise Smith Mountain Lake two feet above full pond by Thursday afternoon, according to Appalachian Power. Normal full pond at Smith Mountain Lake is 795 feet. According to projections from the National Weather Service, the reservoir is expected to reach 797 feet. Officials say that allowing the reservoir to go above full pond will help prevent flooding further downstream. Appalachian Power is encouraging landowners to remove unsecured items on the lower levels of docks or anything along the shoreline.
Santa is boating into Smith Mountain Lake this holiday season
SMITH MOUNTAIN LAKE, Va. – The Macy’s Santa may be gone this year, but the Bridgewater Plaza Santa is here to stay. One of Smith Mountain Lake’s oldest holiday traditions, Santa Around Bridgewater Plaza, will take place in Nov. 28 with a few new safety precautions in place. Right at 11 a.m., Santa is making a special appearance by boat at 11 a.m. to hear all the good boys and girls' wish lists at Smith Mountain Lake Coffee House while enjoying some free hot chocolate and cookies. “Santa will wear a face shield and children will take turns sitting in a circle six feet away to talk to him,” Gray said. “Smith Mountain Lake has so many awesome merchants who are eager to help you find the perfect holiday gifts.”Admission to the event is free.
What’s News Today: helping non-profits, Desmond Doss Day
Help families in need this week in the Smith Mountain Lake community. Capps Building Center and a group of sponsors will offer a dollar for dollar match during the Capps and Community Charity Challenge. The tree was planted “as a symbol of healing and hope for the future of an Anti-Racist Roanoke City.”Today is Desmond Doss Day in the city of Lynchburg. Today marks 75 years since Doss received the Medal of Honor from President Harry Truman. Desmond Doss, Jr. will be there today, talking about his father’s birthplace now being used as a home for veterans who were homeless.