American Legion thanks blood donors
American Legion Post 240, Daleville, wants to thank all of the Botetourt County residents and veterans for their participation in the blood drive which was recently conducted at the VFW building. Twenty-five pints were collected and represented in increase of five pints over last year’s event.
Post 240 Executive Committee
An open letter to Botetourt County
As the former Valley District member of the Botetourt County Board of Supervisors for eight years between 2003 and 2011, I was greatly surprised to learn that a full-blown truck stop is at risk of moving closer toward approval at the I-81 Exit 162 in Buchanan. Given my past experience and dealings with the previous truck stop at Exit 150, I feel compelled to send this warning flag to the citizens of Botetourt County for whom I served and to those officials currently in office that could help avert a tragedy in the making.
During my tenure I served on the board with Stephen Clinton and Billy Martin, who both continue to serve representing the Amsterdam and Blue Ridge Districts, respectively; Terry Austin, who now serves as a delegate in the Virginia House of Delegates for the 19th House District; Larry Ceola; Don Meredith, who died in 2010 during his last term; and Wanda “Wendy” Wingo.
The truck stop at I-81 Exit 150 was an absolute disaster that we all on the board struggled with. The problems were too numerous to fully delineate here, but were so serious that a major task force was convened, comprised of well over a dozen representatives, including VDOT, industry leaders, Truck Stops of America, the school system, and members of the Botetourt County Board of Supervisors to address key aspects of the problems as they affected Botetourt County. Most importantly were the serious traffic safety issues resulting in tie-ups, accidents, injuries and deaths, as well as escalating crimes including drugs, prostitution, human trafficking, smuggling, thefts, and more. The board was told on more than one occasion that the truck stop represented the largest law enforcement problem in the county and cost so much that it eclipsed the revenues the county received from the truck stop itself.
For years various options were contemplated and studied. Some considered options included building “flyover” bridges, relocating businesses and existing roads, etc. and these would have far exceeded $150 million to make happen. The consequences to the taxpayers would have been staggering. Following months of meetings and discussions, VDOT presented several options at a public meeting at Lord Botetourt High School, with every option calling for the removal of the truck stop as the most economical and effective way to solve the mess at Exit 150. That finally happened in 2015 and it was considered the best possible scenario for the county overall, which continues to be applauded.
So, after eliminating the nightmare at Exit 150, just the possibility of another truck stop happening in Botetourt County is mindboggling … especially at Exit 162. Moving the 11-acre truck stop at Exit 150 to the Buchanan Exit 162 was dismissed early on with then Buchanan District Supervisor Terry Austin being adamantly against it. The I-81 ramps were inadequate for such a consideration. Yet this new truck sale is already contracted to be 20 acres, nearly twice as large as what the county struggled with at Exit 150, and without any major improvement changes to the on/off ramps at Exit 162. What is the county thinking?
What possible benefit could there be to the Buchanan community or to the County of Botetourt at large that would make any sense compared to the safety risks of accidents, injuries and deaths from allowing a truck stop to be built and operated at an exit that was woefully inadequate to accommodate high volumes of trucks exiting and re-entering I-81, along with significantly more passenger vehicles as well?
Revenue-wise, law enforcement costs will most likely again increase to exceed truck stop revenues, nullifying any financial advantage to the county. And, similar to what the county experienced at Exit 150, those law enforcement issues associated with another truck stop nearly twice as big will undoubtedly spawn an increase in the very same crimes that occurred previously, adversely affecting the surrounding Buchanan area and its residents.
I also find it unfathomable to consider locating a facility like a truck stop at Exit 162, which has no public water, fire or sewer connections. The amount of needed water that will have to be pumped out of the area’s environmentally sensitive aquifers, coupled with the total amount of human waste from many hundreds, perhaps thousands of people daily that would have to be absorbed in the ground using septic system methods, risks seriously contaminating vital well water. There are even counties that restrict home sizes to three bedrooms if built on a septic system.
How does allowing a monster facility like a full blown truck stop and Sheetz combination make any sense at all? This contamination would be in addition to toxic surface runoffs and fuel tank leaks that are virtually certain to occur.
That this is being minimized as just a zoning text amendment that will be decided soon by the current Board of Supervisors and should not be considered a furtherance of the Exit 162 truck stop seems to me to be absurd! If the board truly believes that, there is a simple cure – just put language in the text amendment specifically excluding truck stops to be built there.
It seems apparent to me this is why the developer requested this text amendment. If the text amendment is not passed, the truck stop will simply not happen, not at Exit 162 or any other Botetourt County I-81 exits. If the text amendment does pass, it will subsequently lead directly to the Exit 162 truck stop, which is already contracted for a 20-acre land sale contingent on the developer obtaining all necessary approvals. If this text amendment is passed, it could also lead to other, large truck stop type businesses to be located at other I-81 exits in Botetourt County.
I believe that the passage of the text amendment and granting follow-on approvals for a truck stop at Exit 162 would be tantamount to total disregard for the well being and safety of all in the district of Buchanan, and all those put at risk passing, exiting or entering I-81 at Exit 162. This would be much more than the nightmare that was the past truck stop at Exit 150. A truck stop at Exit 162 would not only create mayhem on multiple levels, it also promises to be a death trap.
Please do not allow this amendment to pass and protect Botetourt County from another truck stop disaster.
Don Assaid
Former Valley District Member,
Botetourt Board of Supervisors
The Witt Stop changes hands, former owner thanks customers
My name is Spring Witt and I owned The Witt Stop Restaurant from July of 2018 to March 1, 2022. When I opened The Witt Stop Restaurant in July of 2018, I really wanted to fill a gap in what the Town of Buchanan was lacking at that time. I originally opened as a general store with grab and go breakfast and lunch items and quickly transitioned to a full service restaurant based on the needs and requests of my customers. I proudly served the Town of Buchanan and built a very successful restaurant and customer base. The majority of my customer base were guests traveling to the natural attractions of Buchanan or travelers stopping to eat off on I-81. I was very proud to serve the community and out of town travelers over the last few years and I am happy to announce that I sold The Witt Stop Restaurant on March 1, 2022.
The restaurant has been sold to Daniel and Amy Garrett. They will operate under Garrett’s Bistro and Spirits. While I still own the building, they will operate their business out of a portion of the building located at 19386 Main Street Buchanan. Their phone number will remain the same, which is (540) 254-8024. While I do not have the final details of when they will open or what their final menu or hours will be, you can reach out to them directly via phone or via email at garrettsbistro@gmail.com with all inquiries. You can also find them on Facebook when you search Garrett’s Bistro & Spirits.
I wish the new owners all of the best and you can follow me on Facebook with the new business that I am expanding, which is James River High Point (@jamesriverhighpoint). Thank you so much to each and every customer who has supported me over the last several years. Customers’ willingness to support small businesses is what makes the world go round (especially through a pandemic!)
Spring Witt
Buchanan
Supports the new travel center in Buchanan
It amazes me that the same citizenry of Botetourt County that was adamantly opposed to the closing and demolition of travel center at the Daleville exit is now adamantly opposed to the construction of a new travel center at the Buchanan exit. My amazement stirs because when the Daleville travel center was scheduled for demolition, there were no voices raised in joy that the crime, drugs and prostitution would go away; that the sex trafficking would stop, that the property values would go up; that the traffic congestion and noise would go down; that that pollution from the diesel fuel would go away: that more travelers would be drawn to our community. These are all the sound reasons the citizenry has for opposing the travel center at Buchanan.
There is no statistical evidence to show that crime, drugs and sex trafficking are more prevalent at travel centers than in any other place. Personally, I feel safer parking at a travel center when I am traveling than I would at a rest area. Commercial drivers are randomly drug tested by their companies. Commercial drivers have been extremely instrumental in aiding with the campaign against sex tracking. Maybe the citizenry hasn’t heard about Truckers Against Trafficking.
A good deal of the crime, prostitution, drugs and trafficking happens on the streets, in schools and in the town parks of our communities. Where is the outcry to shut down the town parks? Where are the Neighborhood Watches to work those parks and streets? Why are there not more requests for more School Resource Officers in the schools? Two robberies occurred at a fuel stop at the Buchanan exit and I do not recall one protest to have it closed.
As for property values going down, the area for the proposed travel center is zoned commercial, as evidenced by all the commercial businesses already in the area.
There are currently two fuel stations, two garages and a funeral home on the opposite side of road, all of which sit in very close proximity to the creek that runs behind their properties. I do not remember one protest to any of these businesses being placed that close to the creek. Is there no concern about the potential threat to the creek being polluted from these businesses? Commercial vehicles must be maintenance regularly by their companies. They cannot afford for a vehicle to be put out of service. The same cannot be said about privately owned vehicles.
I fail to see how the travel center will pull travelers away from the surrounding communities any more than the currently established two fuel stops that already exist. If the local business properly advertises at the travel center, it could bring more travelers to the community to see the real and commercial property available for sale.
The economic gain would be beneficial. A commercial vehicle can hold 300 gallons of fuel. If only 20 trucks a day come through, that is 6, 000 gallons of fuel sold. At a tax rate of 5% per gallon, that’s $300 a day in revenue and $9,000 for the month. That does not include the tax to be collected on the other convenience items the drivers will need.
We need economic development in this county, and I am not opposed to the travel center coming. It is apparent to me that the citizens that oppose the travel center are suffering from a case of the NIMBY – Not In My Back Yard. This citizen supports the new travel center.
Pam Coloton
Buchanan
