Virginia
Residents across Southwest Virginia begin long process of recovery after Helene
Emergency officials are still assessing the full extent of the damage to southwest Virginia from tropical storm Helene. Many communities are without water and power, and residents evacuated across seven counties.
83-year-old Elizabeth King has lived along the New River in Wythe County most of her life, one of the areas most impacted by last week’s flooding.
Her husband is buried in a water-proof casket beside the home they shared on the bank of the river for decades. She says she didn’t want to leave, but her daughters made her.
She sits on her daughter Kathy’s couch, holding her small brown dog, Bandit, with tears in her eyes.
“Everything’s gone,” King said.
“What I tell you? It’s just memories,” said her daughter Kathy King. “Our main concern was you.”
“I know,” said King, nodding.
A few miles away, her home stands surrounded by mud. High water pushed her wooden front porch away from the house. A peach tree her husband planted is broken. Inside the house, everything is damaged.
Her husband’s grave, however, is still intact, and her daughter Kathy says she’s grateful the water didn’t take him away. Plastic flowers still stick in the mud surrounding his grave.
“We promised our daddy on his dying bed we’d take care of her, and that’s what we intend to do,” King said.
“Yes. That was his biggest fear,” said her sister, Susan Lane.
“Her being took care of,” King said.
“Them two were like two peas in a pod,” Lane said.
They’re working to find out if their mother’s home insurance will help her rebuild. For now, she is staying with them.
Downriver a few miles in Pulaski County, dozens of people are starting the long process of clearing out mud and trash from their homes.
Many here in the community of Allisonia couldn’t drive down this road to their homes until Sunday, when the water began to recede.
Motorcycles, boats, clothes, even a mobile home were scattered in the road and yards when the water went down.
A friend hugs Brian Sale, as they stand in muck boots, overlooking the damage to Sale’s home.
Friends and family have come out to help Sale and his wife clean.
“I think I’m still in shock,” Sale said. “We watched all our stuff wash out of the house.” He added that he’s grateful that this community didn’t lose any lives, like in other areas further south.
“This is material stuff. It can be fixed,” Sale said.
Many of the people who were displaced have been staying these past few days with friends and family. Others have been sleeping wherever they can find a place to rest.
“A couple out of one of the houses, they actually slept in their van over here outside the fire department a couple of nights,” said Jamie Arnold, the volunteer fire chief in the Allisonia community.
Some temporary shelters have been set up in communities across southwest Virginia.
Local organizations are setting up donation centers to collect for flood victims here in the Commonwealth, and further south in the Carolinas. One drop off location is in Dublin, at the Pulaski County Free Store, where Heather Short is a volunteer.
“I know I’ve heard multiple times, people have just lost everything. We currently are accepting things like blankets, tents, sleeping bags, tarps,” Short said.
Water is another need across all of the impacted communities throughout the southeast.
Volunteers are also collecting donations in Giles County at the Newport Community Center and in Blacksburg.
State officials are still assessing the damage and trying to determine how many people in Virginia are in need of housing, as a result of last week’s storms.
This report, provided by Virginia Public Radio, was made possible with support from the Virginia Education Association.
Virginia
WVU Loses Talented Young Offensive Lineman to the Transfer Portal
Friday morning, West Virginia On SI learned that West Virginia offensive lineman Kyle Altuner has entered his name into the transfer portal.
Altuner was expected to push for some playing time at center as a true freshman under the previous coaching staff until he suffered a lower-body injury that cost him several weeks and months of development.
Coming out of Good Counsel in Olney, Maryland, Altuner chose the Mountaineers over offers from Boston College, Cincinnati, Connecticut, Duke, Florida State, Liberty, Louisville, Maryland, Miami, Michigan, Michigan State, NC State, Notre Dame, Ole Miss, Penn State, Tennessee, and several others.
He will have four years of eligibility remaining.
Technically very sound football player. Seals and walls off defenders with ease in zone run blocking schemes, climbs quickly to the second level in gap schemes and pulls much better than your ordinary right tackle. The combination of his high-level diverse run-blocking scheme success and IQ make for a perfect fit at center, which is where he’ll play at West Virginia. Good knee bend and plays with consistent control and balance in pass sets that will translate even by kicking inside. I’d expect WVU to take full advantage of his athleticism and get him pulling consistently to lead the way in the run game. My number one recruit in this class for the Mountaineers. Very few concerns.
MORE STORIES FROM WEST VIRGINIA ON SI
Tomas Rimac Follows Matt Moore to Virginia Tech
West Virginia set to Hire William Green as Defensive Line Coach
Chad Scott Returning to West Virginia
West Virginia Offers Sam Houston Defensive Line Transfer Chris Murray
Virginia
Virginia hospital halts NICU admissions after babies found with ‘unexplainable fractures’
A hospital in Virginia shut down its neonatal intensive care unit after three pre-term babies were found with “unexplainable fractures” – more than a year after several newborns suffered similar injuries.
Henrico Doctors’ Hospital in Richmond paused all admissions to its NICU and initiated an internal investigation after medical officials made the disturbing discovery in late November and December.
“Out of an abundance of caution, we are not admitting any additional babies into our NICU at this time,” the hospital said in a statement on its website, adding that it informed families, authorities and regulatory agencies of their findings.
“While fractures occasionally happen with pre-term babies since they lack full fetal bone development, we are actively working to determine how these fractures occurred.”
The medical center said the injuries shared similarities to an incident involving four babies last summer, explaining that they are taking immediate steps to enhance safety measures in the hospital wing.
Safety improvements include mandatory training for staff who interact with minors, refined examinations, new security, an observer system, and live-streaming technology allowing parents to view their babies.
Footage from the NICU has also been provided to “proper authorities,” with healthcare professionals reviewing hospital surveillance, the medical center said.
“The process is thorough and time-consuming, but they are making steady progress,” the hospital wrote.
“So far during our review of the videos, no misconduct or accidental actions have been found. The safety of our NICU babies is our highest priority and we are actively working to pursue additional precautions to prevent any future incidents.”
The Virginia Department of Health, along with state police, is also probing the unsettling situation, according to Fox Richmond.
Henrico police said no charges have been filed.
“Henrico County is prepared to utilize all available resources to ensure a thorough investigation,” police said in a statement to the outlet.
“Henrico police are partnering with Child Protective Services within Henrico’s Department of Social Services, Virginia State Police, and the Virginia Health Department, and the Attorney General’s Office to ensure all evidence is examined meticulously.”
Virginia
Obituary for Virginia Kay Gregory at EVARTS FUNERAL HOME
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