January
The annual Jan. 1 Shanghai Parade is held through downtown Lewisburg.
After publically criticizing Via Air for poor service, Greenbrier Valley Airport Director Stephen Snyder announced that the airport has ceased operations with the airline as of Dec. 31.
Sheriff Cahill is named Superintendent of the West Virginia State Police.
Mayor John Manchester proclaimed that Jan. 10-16, would be Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Week in Lewisburg.
A 4th of July, 2014, altercation between three police officers and a former state trooper leads to a civil suit and a federal investigation against the officers and the town of Alderson over alleged use of excessive force.
On Jan. 9, Florida-based Via Airlines resumed scheduled service at the Greenbrier Valley Airport in Lewisburg.
Hundreds march to honor Martin Luther King Jr. in downtown Lewisburg.
Inaugural Ball keeps The Greenbrier partying “All Night Long.” After Jim Justice was sworn in as governor in Charleston, he returned to Greenbrier County to celebrate.
Commission names Bruce Sloan Greenbrier County Sheriff.
This year’s Polar Bear Plunge moves to Island Park due to extensive damage to Blue Bend caused by last June’s floods.
Approximately 300 people gathered at the White Sulphur Springs Civic Center Friday, Jan. 20, to celebrate the efforts of Neighbors Loving Neighbors in helping to rebuild homes and lives around West Virginia after the devastation of the floods that ravaged the state on June 23.
February
Beginning Feb. 1, Frontier Communications, in partnership with INdigital and working with Greenbrier County 911 announced the county joins local 911 centers across the nation in the use of text for 911.
100 local citizens attended a meeting with U.S. Congressman Evan Jenkins’ field representative Jordan Maynor at City Hall in Lewisburg about the move to repeal Obamacare.
The Child and Youth Advocacy Center (CYAC) hosted local and state officials at their Come and See Your CAC Open House event on Jan. 26, in Lewisburg.
Bill introduced in the legislature to privatize WVSOM.
Gov. Justice delivers his State of the State address.
Main Street Ronceverte announces plan to close off Edgar Avenue from traffic and hold a sidewalk craft festival this summer.
The West Virginia Conservation Agency begins preliminary work to restore flood control channels in the Western Greenbrier County town of Rainelle, devastated by flooding in June.
U.S. Senator Joe Manchin announced that Clay Havens of Monroe County received an Offer of Appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy.
Frustrated by irregular, truncated and canceled flight schedules provided by Via Airlines, Greenbrier Valley Airport Director Stephen Snyder asked the commission to draft a letter to the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), as an official validation for a remedy to Greenbrier County’s urgent need for reliable air service.
Gov. Jim Justice announced that he is opposed to a plan to privatize the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine in Lewisburg.
March
WVSOM releases statement on privatization bill.
United Way of Greenbrier Valley partners with Homes for White Sulphur Springs and Main Street White Sulphur Springs to establish The United Way Rental Renewal Program.
Following the recent downgrade of the state’s bond rating by Moody’s Investors Service, Governor Jim Justice urges the West Virginia Legislature to pass legislation authorizing employee furloughs.
“Freezin’ for a Reason!” – Ronceverte’s Island Park hosts Polar Bear Plunge to raise awareness of child abuse in our community.
Details announced for Brad Paisley Park in White Sulphur Springs.
Dr. Michael Adelman announces his plans to retire as president of WVSOM, effective June 2018, after 16 years of service.
Monongahela National Forest fire managers announce plan to conduct prescribed fires on 3,425 acres of Forest Service land in three locations between mid-March and early June in Pocahontas and Greenbrier counties.
Dorie Miller Park begins renovations to provide a more useful park layout that will ensure a safer environment for children.
WVSOM was once again been recognized as one of the nation’s top medical schools.
April
County Commission proclaims April as Child Abuse Prevention Month.
Shepherd’s Center Adventures in Learning hosted Lewisburg City Council candidates forum.
Gov. Justice holds “Budget Summit” with leaders from across West Virginia.
The Greenbrier is sued for non-payment of flood damage repairs that were made to the property after the June 23, 2016, floods.
Thousands jam the streets of Lewisburg for Chocolate Festival 2017.
Simulated disaster at airport provides first responders valuable training opportunity.
Via Air faces acrimonious airport officials at community meeting at the Greenbrier Valley Convention & Visitors Bureau.
Day Report Center to relocate to Ronceverte in the building across from Rudy’s Corner Cafe.
Golden Horseshoe winners applauded by BOE at April meeting – Jayden Osborne of WGMS, Oryan Collins of WGMS, Zachary Ellis of EGMS and Case Hall of EGMS.
May
To celebrate Apr. 22, Earth Day 2017, local little scientists participated in the Everybody’s A Scientist Scavenger Hunt.
In honor of Child Abuse Awareness Month, a ceremony was held in front of the Greenbrier County Courthouse on Apr. 28.
Lewisburg enacts stage one of Traffic Calming Plan.
Greenbrier County Commission approves “seed money” for WSS pool.
Delegate Stephen Baldwin introduced a bill during last week’s special session to limit legislator pay.
Spa City passes ordinance to create a planning commission, taking a new step toward codifying its building standards.
April D. Fox was sentenced to 40 years in the State penitentiary for abuse leading to the death of six year old Shane Yancey.
Run for the Wall returns to Rainelle.
A crowd of about 40 people gathered on May 15 to discuss the future of the old Williamsburg Elementary School building.
The Bluebell Garden Club planted red and yellow flowers in downtown merchant and business owner planters utilizing the 2017 color scheme.
Purple Heart recipient is honored at 95 for bravery in action during the Normandy Invasion in WWII.
The candidate forum covering the election for three Lewisburg council seats and the city recorder’s position generated an overflow audience at the Greenbrier Valley Theatre.
June
A life-sized lion sculpture by Michael Loop was installed in Alderson on May 23. The project was funded by the Hamilton Family Foundation.
The Alderson Miss Fireworks pageant was held at Alderson Community Center.
Task force makes 18 arrests in drug sweep.
Restoration begins at WSS Memorial Park.
Representative Evan Jenkins (RWV) announces $300K brownfields grant for Rainelle and Rupert from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
On June 6, a Greenbrier County grand jury returned indictments against 31 individuals who were charged with 81 counts of distribution, or possession with intent to distribute, heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine, oxymorphone, oxycodone and opana.
The Lewisburg Citizens’ Party won every seat they were running for in Tuesday’s municipal election.
Tuesday’s municipal election in White Sulphur Springs netted the town a new mayor and five new council members.
Rainelle Library is back in business after a year of cleaning and renovation.
On June 13, three individuals were arrested in an Alderson drug raid. Cody Reed Godfrey, 25, of White Sulphur Springs, Sidney C. Oakes, 19, of Alderson, and D’Andre Lee Mathis, 27, from the Detroit, MI, area were detained in the raid.
Construction on public sewer extension project begins in late June in the Echols Acres subdivision.
July
White Sulphur honors victims a year after the flood. Crowds gathered in Old Mill Park to honor those lost in the flood one year before.
On May 24, a teenage boy drowns at Alderson.
DNR Planning and Engineering Department contracted out the repair efforts on the Greenbrier River trail, starting with the biggest slide at mile post 13.
Evidence of bias leveled at FERC’s final environmental impact statement for Mountain Valley Pipeline.
U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (DWV) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) announced a total of $799,071 in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation for airports in Marshall, Greenbrier and Upshur counties.
Garbage truck driver Gary Dowdy arrested for DUI after striking SUV on I-64.
Frankford woman, Tiffany Loudermilk, 21, of Frankford, is killed in car wreck on U.S. Route 219, north of Lewisburg.
Film crews set up for a commercial shoot for the West Virginia Lottery on Washington Street in Lewisburg.
Roundtable gathering seeks solutions for viable air service.
Phase I of Dorie Miller Park near completion.
Local officers testify at Campbell murder trial in Granville County, NC, against Eric Campbell, who was in a shootout with two local police officers during a traffic stop on New Year’s Day in 2015.
All parties are in agreement to give the green light to the Department of Transportation (DOT) to consider approving the Greenbrier County Airport Authority’s (GCAA) request for a rebid of Via Air’s Essential Air Service (EAS) contract.
First signs of State Fair appear in Fairlea.
President Donald J. Trump spoke at the AT&T stadium during the Boy Scouts of America’s National Jamboree held at Summit Bechtel Reserve in Glen Jean.
Scouts begin community walking path at Montwell Park.
August
11-Mile section of Greenbrier River Trail reopens one year after June 2016 flood.
Lewisburg Police arrested two Greenbrier County men for breaking into a local church. Chavis Ray Gabbert, 32, of Lewisburg and Justin Wesley McMillion, 27, of Frankford were charged with breaking and entering and conspiracy to commit a felony.
Lewisburg welcomes new bed and breakfast, the Maison Marcel.
DOT requests airline proposals for EAS to Greenbrier Valley Airport as a replacement for Via Airlines.
The Ronceverte Police Department lost a valued member of their force on Aug. 1 when K-9 dog, Jake, passed away.
GVMC donates flowers to the city of Rainelle and hanging baskets and brackets for city lamp posts.
The county tow policy was revised and updated by the Greenbrier County Commission.
Total solar eclipse Aug. 21 darkens the skies over the United States for the first time in nearly 100 years.
A candle-lit vigil was held in the Green Space in Lewisburg to support of victims of white supremacist violence in Charlottesville, VA.
Greenbrier County Schools applaud Greenbrier County’s Teacher of the Year honorees during July 11 meeting of the BOE.
Lewisburg City Council considered whether to revoke a city business license that allows dog breeding within the RO district of the Lamplighter neighborhood.
WSS Police Department received anonymous donation of $10,000 for the purpose of purchasing a K9 dog for the force.
The City of Lewisburg received the award for the coordination of beautification efforts in downtown Lewisburg.
September
NEA Jazz Master Ellis Marsalis is featured at GVT’s 50th Anniversary.
Old Stone Church gets new roof. Scaffolding goes up around the church in downtown Lewisburg.
At a Greenbrier County Commission meeting, James Shortridge assumed the title of Animal Control Officer (ACO) for Greenbrier County, due to the retirement of the previous officer, Robert McClung.
Katherine Coleman Johnson returned to her hometown of White Sulphur Springs to attend the White Sulphur Springs Public Library naming their building in her honor.
Commission agrees to present Rainelle flood relief channel project to FEMA.
The 10th Anniversary of the DARE to CRUZ Car Show saw record entries, record fundraising, and beautiful weather. The car show is a annual fundraiser for the Lewisburg Police Department DARE program, which is a drug resistance program taught in 5th grade classes at Lewisburg Elementary School. There were 204 registered entries in this year’s show. A total of $4,166 was raised.
North Carolina jury recommends life in prison without parole for Eric Campbell, 24, after finding Campbell guilty of seven charges stemming from a crime spree spanning across several states.
Fatal accident on I-77 causes traffic to be routed through local area. A fatal crash occurred on I-77 north near mile marker 18 in the morning hours of Sept. 13, close to the Camp Creek exit. The detour directed traffic through US-460 east to Rich Creek, VA, onto US-219 north, passing through Monroe County and then Greenbrier County before returning to I-77.
A 3.2 magnitude earthquake occurred 8.7 miles northeast of Pearisburg, VA, which could be felt all the way in Greenbrier County. The epicenter of the quake was just over the state line, in Monroe County.
The Department of Transportation (DOT) closes the bidding for the Essential Air Service (EAS) contract for Greenbrier Valley Airport. SkyWest Airlines came out ahead of the other bids as the best and most complete option. GCAA will send DOT a letter of recommendation for SkyWest to replace Via Airlines.
The Pointer Cemetery restoration project begins with an initial cleaning of the headstones in preparation for a more intensive restoration in the spring of 2018.
A Lamplighter neighborhood couple’s city business license to breed their two dogs and sell the pups was revoked.
West Virginia Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, a Department of Defense program, announces Sheriff Bruce Sloan of the Greenbrier County Sheriff’s Office was honored with an Extraordinary Employer Support Award at their annual APAM awards luncheon May 23, in recognition of extraordinary support of its employees who serve in the WV Guard and Reserve.
GEHS and Fairmont State University singers join forces to Heal Through Harmony.
Greenbrier Youth Camp entrance road is named for Dr. Lucie Refsland.
October
Ronceverte’s wastewater treatment upgrades near completion.
Lee Street Studios holds first Open House and concert at the facility.
Road bond referendum passes by large margin.
Ordinance WVC 8-12-16 approved at WSS City Council meeting, which regulates the repair, closing, demolition, etc. of dwellings or buildings unfit for human habitation within the municipality.
The Greenbrier County Commission approved two pass-through grants for the Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency to provide additional tables, chairs and computer monitors for the emergency operations center to accommodate additional personnel during disaster preparedness meetings and $46,500 to provide pet sheltering equipment.
West Virginia’s Spirit of Philanthropy Awards winners announced.
Gov. Justice appoints Stephen Baldwin to State Senate seat in District 10, representing Greenbrier, Fayette, Summers, and Monroe counties. The vacancy was created earlier this month when former Sen. Ron Miller resigned to accept the position of Agriculture Liaison for the Justice Administration.
Greenbrier County Schools hosted a ground-breaking ceremony on Nov. 7, to mark the start of the new Rupert Elementary School construction project.
Gov. Justice and Sec. Wood Thrasher announce new hardwood manufacturing plant in Greenbrier County. The West Virginia Great Barrel Company will be situated on a 23-acre site in White Sulphur Springs.
County Commissioners Woody Hanna, Lowell Rose, and Mike McClung joined more than three dozen West Virginia county leaders at the White House for a day of meetings with key administration officials.
November
Gov. Jim Justice has appointed Jeff Campbell of Lewisburg to a seat in the House of Delegates representing District 42. Campbell fills the vacancy created earlier this month when former Delegate Stephen Baldwin was named to the State Senate in District 10 following the resignation of Sen. Ron Miller.
Three people were injured in a shooting in Summers County. Five people were riding an ATV when they were shot at by Frederick Tolliver, 66, of Alderson, who is now in custody. McCaden “Mac” Brackenrich, an Alderson police officer, was shot in the neck, Timothy Smith was shot in the foot, and Shannon Earhart was injured by bullet shrapnel.
In a special session the Greenbrier County Commission agreed to hold a public auction for the purchase and removal of pulpwood on the sportsplex property.
West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection Cabinet Secretary Austin Caperton announced that the agency has lifted the suspension of the Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP) state Stormwater Permit.
China Energy Investment Corp. Ltd., one of the world’s largest energy companies and a long-time research and development partner of West Virginia University, announced an agreement that will bring $83.7 billion to the state.
Grant consultant Doug Hylton presented two reports at the Monday evening meeting of the Ronceverte City Council, beginning with planning grants through the Department of Highways (DOH) to replace and repair Main Street’s sidewalks and retaining walls on the hill section from Cedar Street to Spruce Street and the retaining wall beneath Main Street, behind Martin & Jones Hardware store.
The Greater Greenbrier Chamber of Commerce hosted a public introduction to the Greenbrier County Commission’s plans to build a public recreation facility on Harper Road, four miles off I-64, overlooking the Greenbrier River. The 140-acre sports park is anticipated to include four baseball fields, five soccer fields, a walking trail, an archery field and more.
An update on the new barrel manufacturing plant was heard at the November White Sulphur Springs City Council meeting. The 90,000 square foot facility will be located close to the UPS Customer Center in Harts Run, and will be able to produce roughly 750-800 barrels in one eight-hour work shift.
WVSOM 5K race garners $500 for Dorie Miller Park.
Lewisburg water case settles for $4,000,000 in a Class Action Settlement Agreement brought by multiple law firms following exposure to a diesel spill into a tributary that fed into the Anthony Creek in January of 2015.
The U.S. Department of, Transportation (DOT) released the order on Nov. 20, declaring SkyWest Airlines, Inc. to provide Essential Air Service (EAS) at Greenbrier/White Sulphur Springs, WV and Staunton, VA, for the two-year period from Apr. 1, 2018, through Mar. 31, 2020.
On Nov. 20, eight new homes were dedicated to flood victim families in Rainelle with the flood recovery efforts by Appalachia Service Project (ASP) in Greenbrier County.
WVSOM Presidential Search Committee will host campus visits in January for two individuals who are under consideration as the next WVSOM president. Steven Eshenaur, D.O., will be interviewed on campus Jan. 8-10 and James Nemitz, Ph.D., will be interviewed Jan. 17-19.
December
Lewisburg City Council approves wine sales permit to Lee Street Partners.
The Greenbrier County Commission announced the winning bid to harvest the standing timber at the Sportsplex site off Harper Road, Lewisburg. The bid came from Westrock, a company located in Covington, VA.
The iconic yellow Victorian house on Main Street West in White Sulphur Springs, once an antique shop and then an inn, has undergone an incarnation to emerge as Sanctuary Living Cuisine Cafe & Bakery.
The City of Lewisburg held its annual Christmas Parade on Dec. 2.
Family Refuge Center Executive Director, Kenosha Davenport, was recently awarded the 2017 Diane Reese Award from the West Virginia Coalition Against Domestic Violence at their annual Purple Gala held in Charleston.
The partnership of four organizations (United Way of Greenbrier Valley, Homes for White Sulphur Springs, Main Street White Sulphur Springs and Appalachia Service Project) announce the planned Dec. 16 dedication of homes built by the Rental Renewal Program in Hope Village.
Christmas at the Fair opens in AG Pavilion.
SkyWest Airlines brings United Express jet service to Greenbrier Valley beginning in April.
Project Lifesaver to assist Sheriff’s Department in search and rescue efforts. Project Lifesaver is a search and rescue system to locate persons with impaired facilities who have gone missing. A transmitter is attached to the person and a receiver can track them down, often within minutes.
The Ronceverte Volunteer Fire Department held their annual Stocking Giveaway event at the Armory building on Dec. 24. The long-standing Christmas program has been in operation since the 1940s, and is open to any child that shows up.
A local robotics team is headed to the FIRST Robotics World Championship after competing at the state championships earlier this month. The Boa Constuctors FIRST LEGO League robotics team is a group of middle school aged kids from Union and the surrounding areas who build and program LEGO robots that then compete against other teams robots for points.
A proposal to put a cell tower on city-owned property was discussed at the Lewisburg city council meeting. The cell tower will be disguised as a tree for aesthetic reasons, and will be located near the Ruffner Drive water tank on the hill above Lewisburg’s eastern boundary, just off U.S. 60.