STEPS, the Community Action Agency serving Central Virginia, has scheduled three community meetings in coming weeks to receive input on a proposed Israel Hill housing development west of Farmville. STEPS owns 51 acres of land on Layne Street and plans to develop a planned community that will acknowledge the history of Israel Hill while meeting regional needs for housing. Under […]
Local News
Heavy Losses At Funeral Home
This was the scene last Tuesday, Dec. 30th, after a 10:45 a.m. blaze destroyed part of Hillsman-Hix Funeral Home in Amelia. CBS6 reported that the back of the building caught fire while owner Jim Hix’s wife and son were working inside. The Hixes’ son grabbed a fire extinguisher and tried to extinguish the flames, but fire spread rapidly due to […]
ALMOST TOO MANY TO COUNT
The Courier-Record’s top stories of 2025Here’s how we rank the top 10 Courier-Record news stories of the past year. The past 12 months were so ‘newsy,’ we probably could do a “Top 25 of 2025.” If you enjoy drama, ‘25 probably was a good year for you. What are your top stories? Send us a letter to The Forum. 1. Significant tax increases. for the […]
WILL STATE, FEDS HELP?
Blackstone to replace ‘42 raw water line$9 MILLION PROJECT; TOWN SEEKS GRANTS Blackstone water rates could increase by as much as 60% to pay for replacing the Town’s 83-year-old, 3.5-mile raw water line that runs from the Fort Pickett Reservoir to the Town’s water treatment plant. Town Manager Philip Vannoorbeeck reviewed a variety of options Dec. 22nd with the Town Planning Commission, which reviewed and endorsed […]
OUTRUNS LAW
110 mph+ Rt. 460Nottoway authorities calledoff a high speed pursuit on Christmas Eve’s Eve — Tuesday, Dec. 23rd — after speeds approached that of Santa’s sleigh. Sheriff Robert Jones reports that while on patrol, a Nottoway deputy clocked a vehicle traveling 85 mph in a 55 mph zone in the Burkeville area. Jones said the deputy attempted to initiate a traffic stop, but […]
THEFT SUSPECT
Nottoway deputies two days before Christmas helped Powhatan County authorities with the arrest of a woman on Micajah Road near Crewe. Sheriff Robert Jones reports that 69-year-old Patricia B. Knight was picked-up Tuesday, Dec. 23rd and transported to Piedmont Regional Jail in Farmville. Jones said Ms. Knight was held on two counts of misdemeanor Larceny and that an appearance is […]
EVENT CENTER
Gables request advancesTown Planning Commissioners are recommending conditional re-zoning for the Gables building at The Inn at Blackstone. The 4-0 vote came Monday, Dec. 22nd and would let The Inn renovate the two-story, 1915 structure on 4th Street for an event center. The building served for many years as home of the President of Blackstone College for Girls, which closed here in […]
Christmas Day Collision
This was the scene Christmas Day — shortly before 2:00 p.m on Thursday, Dec. 25rth. — at intersection of South Main & 8th Street. State Police say Blackstone officer Deven Baugus, 23, of Midlothian, was driving south on Main when the 2014 Chrysler unit struck the rear of a 2015 Chevy sedan that was stopped at the light and being […]
TOWN’S LIST OF NEEDS & WANTS
Ambulance; splash park; sidewalks; new stoplight downtown?Blackstone’s Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) for 2027- 2031 is 80 pages long and includes a list of projects which may take years or even decades to come to fruition. Projects are listed as “Desirable” or “Necessary” or “Urgent.” A few aren’t labeled at all. In addition to $9 million to replace the Town’s 1942 raw water line and $5 million […]
GOING FEDERAL
New twist in local drug caseDrug charges against a Blackstone man have been dropped locally because a federal prosecutor has agreed to handle the case. Lionel Leo Hardy, 39, was arrested January 28th after a policer raid in the 300 block of Virginia Lee Boulevard just west of Blackstone. Court records show Hardy charged by State Police with two counts of Manufacture/Sale/Distribution of a Schedule […]
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