REGIONAL VIEW southwest virginia
Art center reopens with new name, strategy by Joan Tupponce
after 2½ months of renova- tions with a new name and a more interactive experience for visitors. “We knew we had to
T
revamp things,” says Chris Cannon, the center’s executive director. “We had forecasted 360,000 annual visitors” but had been averaging 36,000 per year. Since opening in 2011,
Heartwood had moved away from its mission to be a gate- way to 19 counties, four cities and 54 towns in Southwest Virginia. “We had gotten super- focused on making Heart- wood into a business instead of a gateway,” Cannon says. One step taken to refocus the center was a name change. The facility is now the South- west Virginia Cultural Center & Marketplace. “Our only goal now is to get visitors to visit other places in Southwest Virginia and
FOR THE RECORD
Due to an increased need for nurses in the region, Emory & Henry College in Washington County has established its first-ever Registered Nurse (RN) to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program and is now enrolling students to start classes this fall. The majority of classes will be online, but some courses will be held at the Emory & Henry College School of Health Sciences in Marion and the Emory main campus. “Our purpose is to educate and prepare baccalaureate-level nurses to be professional lead- ers in health care in Southwest Virginia and surrounding areas,” said Saundra R. Farmer, the program’s director. (News release)
14 |
spend money,” Cannon says. Center visitors will find
a new look. “We did not have a map of the region and state before,” he says. “Now, visi- tors will see a large map that connects to every community in the region and will be a big talking point.”
The center also has closed
its full-service restaurant and instead is operating a small café. Regional restaurants and food trucks will provide food at weekly events.
Another change is the
Hungry Mother State Park in Smyth County saw an increase of nearly $1 million in 2018 over the previous year in economic impact due to increased visita- tion. According to an economic impact report from the Virginia Tech Pamplin College of Busi- ness, the economic activity stimulated by visitation to Virginia State Parks supported approximately 3,858 jobs in the state in 2018 and was respon- sible for roughly $133 million in wage and salary income. (
SWVAToday.com)
A new business has opened in Wytheville to help people battling opioid addiction. Re- V IDA Recovery Center aims to help patients overcome addic- tion. The clinic is one of seven Re VIDA Recovery Centers to
APRIL 2019
The focus of the recently renamed Southwest Virginia Cultural Center & Marketplace is attracting visitors to sites throughout the region.
introduction of performances giving visitors a sampling of what they might hear and see on The Crooked Road: Vir- ginia’s Heritage Music Trail, which stretches more than 250 miles.
The center also will re-
emphasize regional arts and crafts, hosting demonstrations and workshops. “It won’t just be retail
space like it was before,” Can- non says.
The faclilty also will have space devoted to outdoor rec-
open recently in locations across Southwest Virginia and East Ten- nessee. ReVIDA is a compre- hensive behavioral health-care company that incorporates med- ication-assisted treatment and works to empower patients to reclaim the life they had before addiction. ReVIDA will partner with various agencies to help patients, including health-care providers, social services, Fam- ily Preservation Services and law enforcement. (
SWVAToday.com)
The Saltville Town Council adopted a resolution in support of applying for up to $600,000 through the Department of Hous- ing and Community Develop- ment Industrial Redevelopment Fund to reopen the former GCS Telecommunications building as the Lifetime Wellness Cen-
reation where visitors can book excursions such as camping, canoeing, fishing or horseback riding. Jim Baldwin, the presi-
dent of Friends of Southwest Virginia, a nonprofit group that markets the region, sees the revamped center as a nec- essary change. “We had to repurpose
Heartwood to better perform its mission of a gateway and to make it sustainable,” he says. “I think it will be an economic boost to the area.”
ter. If the funding is made avail- able, the town wants to combine it with potential support from the Smyth County Community Foun- dation and town IDA funds to open the athletic facility. Saltville is able to apply for grants again after being prevented from doing so for a decade due to a federal audit of town payroll records, said Town Manager Brian Martin. (
SWVAToday.com)
Planning for the fourth SWVA Economic Forum is underway to bring together the region’s economic developers, educa- tors, business owners, nonprof- its and others to envision ways to move Southwest Virginia for- ward. The forum is scheduled for May 15 in the David J. Prior Convocation Center on the cam- pus of The University of Vir-
ginia’s College at Wise in Wise County. The SWVA Economic Forum has seen steady growth with almost 400 people in atten- dance last year. (News release)
PEOPLE
Sandy Huguenin, UVa-Wise prov- ost and vice chancellor for academic affairs, announced in February that he will be step-
ping down as chief academic officer because of health issues. He will remain provost until a replacement is found. After his successor is named, Huguenin will remain on the faculty of the History and Philosophy Depart- ment. (News release)
Photo by Earl Neikirk
he Heartwood Art Center in Abingdon reopened in March
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64
