Southwest Virginia

Heavy rain events bring mud, landslides, and anxiety for people who live in flood-prone areas, including those who are next to former coal mines.45 years after federal legislation passed to force coal companies to reclaim the land, numerous sites from before 1977 continue to wreak havoc on the landscape. A law passed in 1977 was supposed to force companies to reclaim land. But much of the damage before the 70s still hasn’t been repaired.

Writer Lynn Sutter's award-winning book tracks their history in the late 1940's and early 50's.

Affordable housing advocates are seeing high numbers of people asking for help, as pandemic protections for renters expired recently, and housing costs continue to increase. Southwest Virginia is just one of many places where the housing market is increasingly stretched thin.

For over 20 years roots music fans have gathered annually in downtown Bristol, along the Virginia-Tennessee line, to celebrate its heritage as the birthplace of country music. This weekend’s festival will feature a special presentation by another organization dedicated to preserving the legacy of the region’s music.

For the second time this month, Governor Glenn Youngkin has declared a state of emergency to speed the response to flash flooding in Southwest Virginia.

All of the people reported missing after flooding in a rural part of southwest Virginia have now been located. Officials said Thursday there have been no fatalities or serious injuries. Now work to catalog the damage is underway.

Buchanan County Sheriff John McClanahan said Thursday that crews from state and local agencies worked throughout the night to locate and reunite residents with their loved ones.

There have been no confirmed fatalities caused by Tuesday night’s flooding in Buchanan County in southwest Virginia. But rescue crews say 44 people are unaccounted for.

A record number of COVID-positive inpatients and a large number of infected employees are forcing changes at the hospital system that serves parts of southwest Virginia and northeast Tennessee.

The facility will be located in an industrial park in Wythe County.