The Future of Schools & Sports in SWVA?

[SWVAFB 218]

I keep reading articles about the loss of students in SWVA schools,along which

Means less State funding for our Counties to operate as they do today. SWVA

Has seen student loss in just about every County, and has become a major problem

For some localities.

 

Our State representatives are trying to address the issue to the General Assembly, in an effort To bring some relief for those Counties that are sinking

Very fast with the loss of State funding.

 

This is not only a Problem in SWVA. It is a State wide issue, just not as

Concentrated across to Commonwealth, as it is in SWVA. SWVA really did not

See a recovery from the great recession. As a matter of fact,things may be

Worst now, than before the recession.

 

Is this issue related to high school sports? In my opinion it is.Budget cuts

In the schools may have to cut back on extracurricular activities, sports, and offer only academic classes, and meet the bare essentials public schools can offer.

 

What our schools have to offer to our students and athletes in the near future

May look very different from what we enjoy today. I hope our leaders in Richmond

Do the right thing and help us all our schools, if that is possible.

 

I love my high school sports. It is a way of life for a lot of us. Let's hope and pray we still have our sports programs for our students in the years to come.

[TwhscoachT 162]

Fundraising is at an all time high, and critical for our sports to continue. We pump every dime we can into our programs. I coach girls bb at twhs, and right now we are sitting in a decent spot, We have enough to purchase new uniforms and for the first time in a long time we actually bought the team shoes. But I have put in more time than I like to think about.

 

Added:

I do everything I can to save money. I am janitor, carpenter, welder, and cook while being jv hc, varsity ac, and boys varsity ac.

[SXSW 557]

This topic has been addressed here on many occasions, if coal doesn't come back everything north of a line from Gate City to Abingdon is going to die a slow painful death. The closer you are to Tennessee the better you will fair. GC is just a suburb of Kingsport and 75% of the population of Scott County lives within 10 miles of Gate City. Abingdon is close enough to Bristol to benefit from it's explosive growth. Wise, Lee, Buchanan, Dickenson, Russell, Tazewell counties and the City of Norton are all endangered species if something radical doesn't happen soon.

[jarhead24219 440]

This topic has been addressed here on many occasions, if coal doesn't come back everything north of a line from Gate City to Abingdon is going to die a slow painful death. The closer you are to Tennessee the better you will fair. GC is just a suburb of Kingsport and 75% of the population of Scott County lives within 10 miles of Gate City. Abingdon is close enough to Bristol to benefit from it's explosive growth. Wise, Lee, Buchanan, Dickenson, Russell, Tazewell counties and the City of Norton are all endangered species if something radical doesn't happen soon.

We keep excepting things that the state has "given us", years ago when coal was king we had the coal tax that kept us in good shape. The non coal counties...namely the eastern shore demanded a slice of the pie, even though they had no coal. Now there is little coal tax and now the cities and counties to the east don't want to foot the bill for the poor counties in SW VA.Our elected government has failed us , both on the local ,state and federal levels,through pay offs to outright stealing from the public.

 I don't know the answers , but we better find it out soon

[cityofRaven 2,443]

Even though not in the area anymore I am hopeful this fish farm in Doran turns into something great. It could be a huge boost for the economy for that end of the county and even into Buchanan and Russell counties if utilized right.

 

We have seen officials in Richlands drop the ball before though... (example, downtown Macado's)

[SXSW 557]

I don't think a fish farm in Doran is going to be economic answer to the departed coal industry. I might employee a few, but fish aren't to labor intensive. You put a fish in the water, feed it. it grows you catch it and eat it, job done!

[cityofRaven 2,443]

I don't think a fish farm in Doran is going to be economic answer to the departed coal industry. I might employee a few, but fish aren't to labor intensive. You put a fish in the water, feed it. it grows you catch it and eat it, job done!

 

That's what I thought too but I read somewhere that it would sustain 400 jobs. Who knows.

[RichlandsAlum 678]

Everything obviously boils down to economics, but I wanted to offer a couple of thoughts in response to info posted elsewhere in this thread.

 

While it might be impressive within a regional context, I'm not sure that the growth of Bristol (or the broader Tri Cities MSA) qualifies as "explosive."  Fairfax County alone experienced almost twice the rate of population growth than did the Tri Cities (11.5% compared to 6%) and their beginning figure was already twice as large to begin with.  Unfortunately for the entire region (inclusive of SW Virginia and Upper East Tennessee), the metrics that really affect political decisions are still driven by localities that are still very far away in both respective states.

 

Getting down in the weeds a bit now.  Having had dealings with Macado's several years ago myself, I'm not sure what the swipe is at the Town of Richlands.  Rich Macher has demonstrated a willingness to go pretty much anywhere he can make money -- my guess is that the demographics in Richlands ultimately didn't fit his business model.  And there's probably not much that the Town could have -- or even should have -- done.  My guess is that the Town may not have dropped the ball so much as it never had a ball to carry.

 

The good news is that the economy is rapidly moving towards a state of being completely data driven -- which removes the restraints of geography and bricks and mortar.  

[cityofRaven 2,443]

I was told by someone that the town of Richlands dropped the ball on the paperwork thus losing the chance at Macados...

 

Maybe that could be untrue.

[Ryan4VT 4,551]

I was told by someone that the town of Richlands dropped the ball on the paperwork thus losing the chance at Macados...

 

Maybe that could be untrue.

I had heard that, as well as the town didn't want it because it required a liquor license and El Mar's would get upset. 

 

Not sure the validity of those.

[RichlandsAlum 678]

I was told by someone that the town of Richlands dropped the ball on the paperwork thus losing the chance at Macados...

 

Maybe that could be untrue.

 

Macado's was looking at major expansion into several communities about 10 years ago.  One of them was mine.  There were no obstacles at all to them coming here, but it just didn't happen (which is unfortunate for them -- we have had several local restaurants come in since that time which are performing quite well).  No knowledge of the Richlands situation but I doubt that it had anything at all to do with the Town.

 

Unless a locality has a specific ordinance prohibiting a certain business, location and opening decisions are based almost exclusively on closely guarded metrics.   And (although there are exceptions) most national retailers are looking to locate in markets with a documented minimum population of 10,000 persons.

[Deleted Account 5,203]

I don't think a fish farm in Doran is going to be economic answer to the departed coal industry. I might employee a few, but fish aren't to labor intensive. You put a fish in the water, feed it. it grows you catch it and eat it, job done!

Next time you feel the need to pipe up on a topic you don't know very well, please don't.

[Mountain Football 1,532]

Next time you feel the need to pipe up on a topic you don't know very well, please don't.

I'll be the first to admit I have stuck my big foot in my mouth on here not too long ago about a similar topic.  LOL!!  It had something to do with the ATV trails and creating jobs. I publicly stated I wasn't convinced they would create jobs for the area and so on.  Well.....I'll go ahead and publicly say that wasn't a very accurate statement.  I know of a few people that are going through the interview process now in Pocy.  Is it the answer?  Not sure.  But leaders have to start somewhere and work with what we got in this area now and that's what they are doing here.

 

I'm sure UVAO, Ryan, GMan, etc will have fun with some GIFs at my expensive.  Go ahead I've got thick skin.

[GMan 3,569]

That's what I thought too but I read somewhere that it would sustain 400 jobs. Who knows.

 

It is still a long way from reality...

[Ryan4VT 4,551]

I'll be the first to admit I have stuck my big foot in my mouth on here not too long ago about a similar topic.  LOL!!  It had something to do with the ATV trails and creating jobs. I publicly stated I wasn't convinced they would create jobs for the area and so on.  Well.....I'll go ahead and publicly say that wasn't a very accurate statement.  I know of a few people that are going through the interview process now in Pocy.  Is it the answer?  Not sure.  But leaders have to start somewhere and work with what we got in this area now and that's what they are doing here.

 

I'm sure UVAO, Ryan, GMan, etc will have fun with some GIFs at my expensive.  Go ahead I've got thick skin.

Won't come from me. Lol. I only use gifs for certain topics/posts. 

[SXSW 557]

Hey I hope you guys get your fish farm, whether is sustains 400 jobs or 2,000 like the article I read says, it is a drop in the bucket to the coal jobs lost. Our area of Southwest Virginia had all it's eggs in one basket for 150 years and through regulation and market economics things change. Our local governments are not to good at seeing into the future; George Eastman wanted to build his chemical plant on the Clinch River in Dungannon, VA. but Scott County residents and local government fought it. Wouldn't S.W. VA's economy looks different now with Eastman in Dungannon and within easy driving distance of the majority of it's (SW VA's) population. If you ask the higher ups in Sullivan County they thought they had the VW plant that went to Chattanooga, so don't pin your hopes on things not under construction. I love with everything in me Southwest Virginia and would make it the economic envy of the world if it were possible because it has the best people in the world in it. NAFTA killed the textile industry and environmentalist killed the coal industry and the people are left with their hands in the air saying what happened to our economy. It seems like I strike a nerve in people sometimes but that is okay, I am a man and can take the criticism.  

[HowTheWestWasWon2017 24]

In the times that I have traveled south to the mountains (for example the Smokies, etc) I have noticed that there are not many middle class suburbs or communities in the Bristol or East Tennessee area. I have not been to places like Norton or Wise. I haven't been to Gate City or Abingdon but from what I can tell just by the lay of the land is that the people who lives in those areas down south need some kind of big business to move in and create jobs for all the people who live there. The only difference between that area and the New River Valley is spacious amounts of land in which to build. With as much mountainous terrain as there is I find it hard to understand what anyone does for a living down south. Someone told me that the city of Kingsport, Tennessee that you spoke of had a major manufacturing plant but honestly if one major buisness is all that you are able to have in that area then you will never have anything.

Pulaski County was a thriving economic center at one point because of all the industry it had.

The Cougars were a football powerhouse and at one time used to be ranked consistently in the USA Today Top 25. Then we had some industries and people move out and now we are nothing like we used to be.

If this city of Kingsport one main industry moves out it sounds to me as if the entire area would dry up.

Which leads me to one conclusion. All of you people had better be luring some big major factories or businesses to your area or one day you may regret it.

[Chappy 72]

Even though not in the area anymore I am hopeful this fish farm in Doran turns into something great. It could be a huge boost for the economy for that end of the county and even into Buchanan and Russell counties if utilized right.

 

We have seen officials in Richlands drop the ball before though... (example, downtown Macado's)

I haven't read anything about this fish farm, but I can tell you about the Cobia fish farm that was in Saltville.  When it first started up they employed about 100 people then quickly went to 50.  After about 4 years they went down to 15 and eventually closed.  I can't remember for sure how long they were there, but it wasn't very long.  At the same time Virginia Tech set up an extension center in Saltville dedicated to fish farming and they shut it down before the Cobia fish farm.  Now i'm not saying that this venture wont work in Doran, I'm just telling what I saw take place in Saltville.

[Deleted Account 5,203]

It is still a long way from reality...

The fastest horse out of the gate doesn't always win the race. :)

[Deleted Account 5,203]

I'll be the first to admit I have stuck my big foot in my mouth on here not too long ago about a similar topic. LOL!! It had something to do with the ATV trails and creating jobs. I publicly stated I wasn't convinced they would create jobs for the area and so on. Well.....I'll go ahead and publicly say that wasn't a very accurate statement. I know of a few people that are going through the interview process now in Pocy. Is it the answer? Not sure. But leaders have to start somewhere and work with what we got in this area now and that's what they are doing here.

 

I'm sure UVAO, Ryan, GMan, etc will have fun with some GIFs at my expensive. Go ahead I've got thick skin.

LOL, I'm out of GIFs.

 

There will be no "the answer". It will be cobbling together a diverse infrastructure that brings the area back. Give it a generation or so, and the results should be evident.

[Deleted Account 5,203]

I haven't read anything about this fish farm, but I can tell you about the Cobia fish farm that was in Saltville. When it first started up they employed about 100 people then quickly went to 50. After about 4 years they went down to 15 and eventually closed. I can't remember for sure how long they were there, but it wasn't very long. At the same time Virginia Tech set up an extension center in Saltville dedicated to fish farming and they shut it down before the Cobia fish farm. Now i'm not saying that this venture wont work in Doran, I'm just telling what I saw take place in Saltville.

Different operation here all the way around. A venture like this needs to have feasability examined, and needs proven success with appropriate capital backing.

[SXSW 557]

Eastman is huge it has around 7000 employees, plus contractor jobs. It isn't the only game in town, but it sure is the biggest. Domtar and BAE are also big employers. When I travel to Middle and West Tennessee the population and industrial development growth is staggering, there are new factories being built everywhere and distribution centers are springing up like daisy through snow. I hope somehow the folks in Richmond can realize that there is life west of Roanoke before there is any life left west of Roanoke. Maybe that State of Franklin wasn't such a bad idea after all. 

[Chappy 72]

Different operation here all the way around. A venture like this needs to have feasability examined, and needs proven success with appropriate capital backing.

Like I said I know nothing of the fish farm there, just what I knew about the one in Salt Vegas. 

[RichlandsAlum 678]

My approach to economic development is that I'll certainly be happy to land a single business employing 400 people -- and I have the resources geared to do that -- but I'm actually a lot happier if I can bring in 20 different businesses that employ 20 people each.  It's a lot more work, but I'm counting on the fact that diversity is a better strategy than betting on one horse.

 

In terms of big employers, health care is an industry that is not going away.  Any town fortunate enough to have a hospital within its borders already has a ready-made economic development engine ready to market. 

[GMan 3,569]

The fastest horse out of the gate doesn't always win the race. :)

 

But the horse has to get in the gate if it wants to be in the race...