News
Blue Ridge Outdoors' Top Adventure College Tournament
What's the best school for outdoor adventure in the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic? Beginning March 25th, Blue Ridge Outdoors’ Top Adventure College Tournament asks readers to pick their favorites in a 32-school bracket brawl. Colleges and universities meet in head-to-head matchups, and the school that receives the most votes advances to the next round.
The initial 32 colleges and universities were selected for their outdoor clubs and curricula, their commitment to outdoor and environmental initiatives, the quality of their outdoor programs, and their local opportunities for adventure. Will your favorite school take the tournament crown? Rally students, alumni, and supporters around your school. Vote one time per round. Voting for each round ends at 11:59 PM.
Blue Ridge Outoors Top Adventure College Final Round - Vote Now!
Pulaski County Announces the Grand Relaunch of the Evelyn Alexander Waterpark
Pulaski County, Virginia is proud to announce the highly anticipated ribbon cutting of the Evelyn Alexander Waterpark on Wednesday, June 4th, from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM , at Randolph Park. This momentous event marks the rebirth of a cherished community destination, originally established in 2000 and tragically lost to a fire in May 2023. Now, following an inspiring effort to rebuild, the Evelyn Alexander Waterpark returns as a symbol of unity, resilience, and renewal—enhanced with modern amenities, upgraded facilities, and a renewed sense of purpose.
Thanks to the determined efforts of the Pulaski County Board of Supervisors, county leadership, dedicated staff, and community support, the waterpark returns with thoughtful enhancements and a renewed commitment to providing accessible, family-friendly fun for all.
“This isn’t just a reopening—it’s also a powerful reminder of what our community can accomplish when we come together,” said Jonathan D. Sweet, County Administrator. “We’ve effectively transformed a moment of loss, into an opportunity to continue a great legacy and deliver an even better customer experience for our citizens and visitors.”
“This project reflects the strength of our community spirit and delivers on the Board’s commitment to investing in the quality of life for Pulaski County families,” said Laura Walters, Chair of the Pulaski County Board of Supervisors. “The Evelyn Alexander Waterpark is more than a public recreational facility—it’s a symbol of hope, perseverance, and pride in our County we call home.”
“We’re beyond excited to welcome the community back to a space that means so much to so many,” said Shay Dunnigan, Director of Parks and Recreation. “From swim lessons to night swims, this waterpark has created countless memories—and we can’t wait to help create even more with these incredible new features.”
- Revitalized Pool Features
- A completely replastered pool offering a smoother, safer swimming experience
- Refurbished pool toys and a fully refreshed waterpark slide
- Brand-new, modernized shading structures and private cabana options to increase guest comfort and relaxation
- Newly Constructed Pool House Building
- Enhanced restrooms with private showers for improved convenience and guest experience
- Year-round access to facilities, including a newly constructed and enlarged covered pavilion, designed to accommodate more patrons and host events throughout all seasons
- A streamlined ticketing and admission process to ensure a quicker and more efficient entry experience
- Two new food truck pads, bringing opportunities for delicious local flavors and variety options to the waterpark all summer long
According to Anthony Akers, Assistant County Administrator, this celebration also honors Evelyn Alexander, a visionary community member whose generous land donation made Randolph Park—and the waterpark—possible. “Her dream was to create a place where children could learn to swim and families could come together. That dream lives on in the revitalized space that continues to proudly bear her name.”
The event will include a ribbon cutting ceremony, light refreshments, and waterpark facility tours. All are invited to experience the exciting new chapter of this cherished community space.
The waterpark will officially open for seasonal operations on Sunday, June 8th at 1:00 PM. Guests are encouraged to return and enjoy the new amenities all summer long.
For more information, please contact Pulaski County Parks and Recreation Director, Shay Dunnigan, at 540.994.2587.
Pulaski County Reveals the Future of Sports and Entertainment
The Pulaski County Board of Supervisors, in concert with the Sports Tourism & Entertainment Authority, has revealed the details on the future Pulaski County Sportsplex, and provided guided tours and tutorials on the plans to convert its 165,000 sq.ft. building into Virginia’s largest indoor versatile sports, entertainment and exposition center.
“This project has been a dream of our community for so very long and it was absolutely amazing to share with our citizens the details of how we plan to convert this discontinued manufacturing facility the County owns into one of the most meaningful assets a local government can provide its citizenry”, Laura Walters, Chair, Board of Supervisors. “As you can clearly see from the plans, the Sportsplex will offer something for everyone of all ages and the enterprising approach will not only make it affordable and sustainable for our citizens, but will fuel direct and indirect revenues by way of our hospitality and services industry sectors.”
The massive 165,000 sq.ft. Sportsplex will be home to 8 indoor basketball/volleyball/futsal courts, 2 indoor turf soccer fields, 4 permanent indoor pickleball courts, 22 additional indoor pickleball courts (total 26), a community weight room, cardio room, senior room, 1/5th of a mile indoor walking track, 110 meter indoor sprint track, 2 drop-down batting cages, an indoor Golf Institute, a full-service restaurant, programming and classroom space, member locker rooms, exposition space, entertainment space and so much more. Activities will include the complete Pulaski County Parks & Recreation indoor sports and club programming and will commercially be available for tournaments hosting basketball, volleyball, indoor soccer, futsal, pickleball, wrestling, cornhole, cheerleading, and more.
“The Board of Supervisors believe Pulaski County citizens deserve nice things and feel this is an important investment in the future of our community and our people”, stated Jonathan D. Sweet, Pulaski County Administrator. “This facility will be the new nexus of our community and will provide a safe and healthy place for ALL of our citizens to enjoy health, wellness, fellowship, recreation, competition, growth, development, nurture and fun. We are excited to embark on this long-awaited endeavor and look forward to what this will mean for our youth, adult and senior programming, our middle and high school sports teams, our citizen’s health and fitness, our community pride, our public image, entrepreneurialism, and investor confidence.”
The County ironically identified this very building more than 15 years ago as a potential location for a community recreation facility when it acquired ownership during a flux with a previous manufacturing operator. Pulaski County engaged in multiple community meetings and public input session for over two years from 2017 to its last meeting on February 15, 2019, that was held at the Pulaski County High School. The COVID-19 global pandemic temporarily delayed this initiative for more than 3 ½ years, but timing was again on the county’s side when the county-owned facility experienced another flux with last manufacturing operator and the change in use could once again be revaluated. The County’s Parks & Recreation Master Plan identified an ‘Indoor’ Wellness Center as the #1 desired recreational asset/amenity. More than 60% of all citizen surveyed respondents wished that the County would develop an indoor wellness facility. Pulaski County citizens have had to travel outside the county to enjoy indoor recreation and wellness facilities offerings. Nationwide, approximately 80% or more of communities offer a community recreation center including most all of the neighboring communities to Pulaski County.
“The acquirement of the Pulaski County Motorsports Park, Calfee Park, and the strategic improvements made at Randolph Park, along with the investment in a such a large and versatile indoor asset, will yield tremendous sports and entertainment opportunities for the County, but moreover it is going to mean so much more to the health, entertainment and economic opportunities for the citizens and businesses of Pulaski County”, stated Ashley Coake, Chair, Pulaski County Sports Tourism & Entertainment Authority. “You couple these world-class assets with professional and amateur sports and entertainment events at Claytor Lake, the New River Trail, and throughout our various public and private sports and entertainment venues, and we have effectively built an entire new industry here to flourish that marks a new era for Pulaski County.”
The Pulaski County Economic Development Authority is pursuing the issuance of Appropriation Revenue Bonds as a stand-alone public bond sale. The competitive bid process will sell the tax-exempt bonds on the open market using the County’s bond rating. The expected project cost to renovate and ready the facility for its intended uses will be approximately $10.5+/- million, and will ultimately be equal to the amount of the bond proceeds. The County intends to service the debt for the renovations by utilizing its new cigarette tax revenue stream that is generated from individual cigarettes sold within the county. The new cigarette tax was authorized by the legislature and voted on to enact by the citizens of Pulaski County by way of a county-wide referendum. In essence, this community facility is being primarily funded through unrestricted revenues generated from the sale of cigarettes. The proceeds of these products are ironically being invested into indoor wellness facilities for the benefit and overall health of our citizens.
Pulaski County’s evolving sports tourism and entertainment mission is to optimize the County’s sports, entertainment, and recreational assets for the benefit of our citizens and our business community, and to significantly enhance our local economy and quality of life by attracting and hosting a wide range of sports, entertainment and cultural events, while equally ensuring that the Board of Supervisors' priority to meet our citizens' health, wellness, and recreational needs is achieved. The County’s current sports tourism and entertainment assets include Historic Calfee Park, the Pulaski County Motorsports Park and Event Center, and components of Randolph Park.
And Coming Soon - The future Pulaski County Sportsplex, Virginia’s largest versatile indoor sports and entertainment complex and expo center.
Virginia is currently ranked 10th in the nation for sports sector visitor spending, despite lacking its own professional sports franchise. This spending is primarily driven by Virginia’s success in drawing youth, amateur, and collegiate events and tournaments to the Commonwealth. Sports tourism currently accounts for 8% of all visitor spending in Virginia, and it is growing faster than traditional tourism spending overall. The logistics of Virginia with its position on the Eastern seaboard and its proximity to major markets, as well as being within a day’s drive of nearly 2/3rds of the US population, ultimately positions the Pulaski County Sportsplex that is located near the intersection of I-81 and I-77, well to compete in this space and enjoy the market share of Southwestern Virginia, West Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina, Kentucky and beyond.
Pulaski County Invites Community and Media to Attend the Reveal of the Future of Sports and Entertainment
The Pulaski County Board of Supervisors, in partnership with the Sports Tourism and Entertainment Authority, is excited to invite the community and media to attend and participate in the public reveal of Pulaski County’s future indoor versatile sports and entertainment facility – the Pulaski County Sportsplex, on Saturday, March 29th from 10:00 AM–12:00 PM on location in Dublin, Virginia.
“We are thrilled to finally be ready to invite the public into the future Sportsplex and share with them our bold plans for indoor sports and entertainment”, stated Jonathan D. Sweet, Pulaski County Administrator. “This project has been 15 years in the making, and we couldn’t be more excited to embark on this important community asset and economic development opportunity that will benefit of all our citizens and our hospitality and services industries.”
Attendees will be welcomed on a first-come, first-served basis to the facility, located at 3994 Pepperell Way, Dublin, VA, for the official public reveal and guided tour of the facility. Free refreshments will be provided, and vendors will be onsite. 107.1 FM will be broadcasting live from the event and giving away amazing prizes.
“The Board of Supervisors wanted to be strategic with this County-owned building. With the expertise of our County’s Leadership Team, the input of community stakeholders and the architectural and engineering services of ZMM, we will rapidly convert this 165,000-square-foot facility into something very special for our citizens. It will ultimately be a game-changer for the New River Valley and the Commonwealth”, stated Laura Walters, Chair of the Board of Supervisors. “This project will bring our long-standing indoor recreation goal to life and provide a central location for programming for citizens of all ages. It will also serve as a strong magnet for visitors encouraging them to play, stay, and spend here in Pulaski County.”
Virginia is currently ranked 10th in the nation for sports-sector visitor spending, despite lacking its own professional sports franchise. This spending is primarily driven by Virginia’s success in drawing youth, amateur, and collegiate events and tournaments to the Commonwealth. Sports tourism currently accounts for 8% of all visitor spending in Virginia, and it is growing faster than traditional tourism spending overall. The logistics of Virginia with its position on the Eastern seaboard and its proximity to major markets, as well as being within a day’s drive of nearly 2/3rds of the US population, ultimately positions the Pulaski County Sportsplex that is located near the intersection of I-81 and I-77, well to compete in this space and enjoy the market share of Southwestern Virginia, West Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina, Kentucky and beyond.
“This new and unique recreational and entertainment facility is another important component to building out Pulaski County’s robust sports, recreation and entertainment assets, and it will serve the County well to advance our sports tourism and entertainment vision”, stated Ashley Coake, Chair of the Pulaski County Sports Tourism & Entertainment Authority. “We will be able to sustainably serve our community, our athletes, our youth, our seniors, and more, with the enterprising and commercial opportunities the size and versatility this facility provides, and it is our intent to make sports and entertainment visitation a significant revenue center for this facility and for the surrounding businesses that will support our operations.”
Pulaski County’s evolving sports tourism and entertainment mission is to optimize the County’s sports, entertainment, and recreational assets for the benefit of our citizens and our business community, and to significantly enhance our local economy and quality of life by attracting and hosting a wide range of sports, entertainment and cultural events, while equally ensuring that the Board of Supervisors' priority to meet our citizens' health, wellness, and recreational needs is achieved. The County’s current sports tourism and entertainment assets include Historic Calfee Park, the Pulaski County Motorsports Park and Event Center, and components of Randolph Park. And Coming Soon - The future Pulaski County Sportsplex, Virginia’s largest versatile indoor sports and entertainment complex and expo center.
Pulaski County Board of Supervisors Issues “2025 One Bag Challenge”
It is that time again for the One Bag Challenge!! After a lot of “trash talk” the Pulaski County Board of Supervisors and the Pulaski County School Board are partnering with the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office, the Town of Pulaski, the Town of Dublin, Friends of Peak Creek, Friends of Claytor Lake, T. G. Howard, New River Conservancy, the New River Valley Fine Arts Center, and Pulaski County Library to challenge our community to Pick it Up Pulaski during the One Bag Challenge which begins March 1st and will run through June 30th . We challenge each citizen in Pulaski County to pick up a minimum of one bag of trash. In addition to individuals, we are challenging departments, businesses, clubs, organizations, and nonprofits, to support our efforts by picking up litter throughout the County.
Each year when we begin this project, the first question that always arises is, “Why are inmates from the Regional Jail not used for this purpose?” The answer is simple: Due to sentencing restrictions and regulations beyond our control, inmate labor is very limited and rarely available. Litter is indeed an ongoing problem and most is a result of the carelessness of some citizens and others visiting our great County. While some litter may be unintentionally caused, the vast majority is indeed a result of people breaking the law and their lack of care or concern for our environment.
In 2023, the Pulaski County Board of Supervisors challenged the Town of Pulaski and Dublin Councils, the Pulaski County School Board, in addition to all Pulaski County citizens to help address the issue of roadside and waterside trash in the County. The “One Bag Challenge” brought the community together to clean up littered areas and roadways and proved to be a great success resulting in 237 participants collecting 849 bags of trash and 275 tires throughout the County. Not only did the Challenge clean up Pulaski County, it also won a Virginia Association of Counties (VACo) Achievement Award. An expansion of this program was continued last year, as the School Board partnered with the Board of Supervisors, resulting in 256 individuals removing 1009 bags of trash, and 569 tires along with a large amount of building materials, appliances, small machinery, and more.
The Challenge… Pick up at least one bag of trash (multiple bags are always encouraged) along a littered area or roadway or waterway throughout the County. Participants are asked to take a photo along with their bag(s) and send it with the number of bags, location picked up, and contact information to Laura Walters, Chair, Pulaski County Board of Supervisors, at lwalters@pulaskicounty.org. or text to (540) 230-6272. These photos will be posted on the County's Clean Community Council website and social media platforms to recognize those who are setting a great example by displaying their Pulaski County Pride in our community through helping keep our roadsides clean. Bags and trash collected in the County may be left on the roadside for VDOT pick up (Bags must be Orange), taken to county drop sites (with proper customer authorization), or one or two may be put out with your garbage for collection.
Participants could win a $100 VISA Gift Card for their photo submissions! For each full bag of trash collected, the participant’s name will be entered into a monthly drawing. The Board of Supervisors and School Board will draw three names at their monthly March, April, May, and June meetings.
The Pulaski County Board of Supervisors and the School Board are pleased to announce a jointly sponsored $1000 scholarship for the winning essay or social media project. Rules for participation are available from the Board of Supervisors or the School Board Offices or online at the Boards websites and social media pages. Middle and High School students are encouraged to participate in an essay contest on the topic of.: "Littering is Harmful: Why Your Community is Your Responsibility Too", or in a social media contest to create and promote a social media challenge (e.g., #OneBagChallenge #PickItUpPulaski) to encourage their peers and community members to pick up litter and share their efforts online (utilizing Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, and/or X .
For our younger 4 th and 5th Grade students, there will be a poster contest for artwork depicting the theme of: “Pick It Up Pulaski”. For our K-3 rd Grade Elementary Students, there will be a coloring contest. Winners in both of these categories will receive a gift basket. This artwork will be displayed by the Fine Arts Center at the Pulaski County Innovation Center in April and May culminating with a reception (Date TBA) to honor the winners. At this event, the scholarship winner and winners of the poster and coloring contests will be announced. In additions Pulaski and Dublin Libraries will provide additional educational displays and activities to educate our citizens about littering, recycling, and the environmental effects of litter.
Our Pulaski County Sheriff's Office will be educating citizens through a social media campaign and increasing enforcement of littering. Special attention will be given to uncovered hauling and unsecured loads, acts of illegal dumping, and motorists or pedestrians improperly tossing out litter, including cigarette butts. The Board of Supervisors and the Sheriff’s Office are adopting a Zero Tolerance policy for littering
Participants can pick up reflective safety vests, gloves, trash pickers, and trash bags at the County Administration Building, located at 143 Third Street N.W., in Pulaski. You may also contact your respective Board of Supervisor member to get supplies.
Please remember littering is illegal and totally unnecessary. We want to keep the County we live in to be clean and welcoming. Thank you in advance to citizens who participate in the “One Bag Challenge” or any future efforts to clean up the community. Also, keep in mind that safety is the first priority in this challenge, so please use caution when working around moving vehicles along the roadways.
Let the Challenge begin! #PickItUpPulaski
Pulaski County Hires Director of Sports Tourism & Entertainment
The County of Pulaski, Virginia officially names Tim Miller as the first Director of the newly created Office of Sports Tourism & Entertainment. His new and specialized role will be to oversee the County’s sports tourism and entertainment assets and venues such as the Historic Calfee Park and the Pulaski County Motorsports Park and Event Center, as well as planning for, developing, and implementing strategies to enhance and promote sports tourism and entertainment throughout the community. He will be working with various stakeholders, including the Pulaski County Sports Tourism and Entertainment Authority, sports teams, event organizers, local businesses, other government agencies and County departments, to attract and manage sports and entertainment events that drive economic growth and improve the community's overall quality of life.
"Pulaski County is positioned and ready to aggressively pursue sports tourism with the help of Tim Miller and his professional experience, and to enjoy all of the benefits that come along with this flourishing and expanding industry sector”, stated Jonathan D. Sweet, County Administrator. “One of the main benefits of adding an enterprising approach to our sports and entertainment facilities and assets, is the ability to generate direct and indirect revenues to the County, to create new and enhanced opportunities for our business community, and to provide high quality facilities and events for our citizens to enjoy."
"From the very first visit I made to Pulaski County I sensed something special was happening here,” said Tim Miller, Director of Sports Tourism & Entertainment. “The commitment and support from the Board of Supervisors, the STEA, and County leadership, combined with the existing facilities, future plans, and natural assets make it an ideal place for sports tourism and entertainment programming to benefit both the local citizens and visitors. I have no doubt we will establish Pulaski County as a premier destination for sports and entertainment, and I am thrilled to be able to leverage my experience to help realize that potential."
Virginia is ranked 10th in the nation for sports sector visitor spending, despite lacking its own professional sports franchise. This spending is primarily driven by Virginia’s success in drawing youth, amateur, and collegiate events and tournaments to the Commonwealth. Sports tourism currently accounts for 8% of all visitor spending in Virginia, and it is growing faster than traditional tourism spending overall.
“What we are understanding is sports tourism is a very large industry, and the opportunities for Virginia, particularly Southwestern Virginia, continues to grow. We also see where sports tourism is rather recession resistant and in fact recovered more than a year ahead of the rest of Virginia’s economy post pandemic”, stated Laura Walters, Chair of the Board of Supervisors. “Pulaski County is adding sports tourism to our economic development portfolio, to further diversify and strengthen our economy and stimulate more visitation and consumer spending for our hospitality, tourism, retail and commercial sectors. This should be a win for our small business community and a big win our citizens who will benefit from the residual biproducts of increased personal consumption expenditures.”
Tim Miller is a graduate of Roanoke College and has received numerous awards, including the Richmond Times-Dispatch “Person of the Year” and the Greater Richmond Chamber of Commerce “Impact Award”. His extensive career experience includes Director of Sales and Marketing for ASM Global - Richmond, VA; Chief Operating Officer for RPM Events Group, LLC – Richmond, VA; Founder and Chief Operating Officer for Richmond 2015, Inc. - Richmond, VA; and, Vice President of Operations for the National Cycling League, Inc. – Miami, FL.
“We are excited to welcome Tim Miller and his family to Pulaski County and have him join the County team that is focused on making Pulaski County a premier destination for both outdoor and indoor sports tourism, recreation, and entertainment”, stated Ashley Coake, Chair of the Sports Tourism & Entertainment Authority (STEA). “Mr. Miller has effectively been appointed to also serve as the Executive Director of the newly formed STEA, and we are confident he will assist the Authority in successfully advancing the County’s sports tourism and entertainment mission.”
Pulaski County’s current sports tourism and entertainment mission is to optimize County’s sports tourism, entertainment, and recreational assets for the benefit of our business community and citizens, and to significantly enhance our local economy and quality of life by attracting and hosting a wide range of sports tourism, entertainment and cultural events, while equally ensuring the Board of Supervisors' priority to meet our citizens' health, wellness, and recreational needs is achieved. The County’s current sports tourism and entertainment assets include Historic Calfee Park, the Pulaski County Motorsports Park and Event Center, components of Randolph Park and the future Sportsplex, Virginia’s largest versatile indoor sportsplex and expo center (TBD).
Pulaski County Parks and Recreation Exciting Updates on Pool House Rebuild and the Status of the Evelyn Alexander Waterpark
The Pulaski County Parks and Recreation Department is thrilled to announce significant progress on the rebuilding of the pool house facility and the ongoing replastering project for the pool's interior at Evelyn Alexander Waterpark. These improvements demonstrate the board of supervisor's commitment to enhancing recreational spaces for residents and visitors alike.
The pool house reconstruction project is moving forward on schedule. Once complete, the facility will feature updated amenities, improved accessibility, and a more modern design tailored to the needs of the community. This upgrade will serve to enhance a more comfortable and enjoyable experience for all visitors. The project is expected to be completed by May 2025.
A major renovation project of re-plastering the pool's interior is also underway. This much needed renovation will fully restore the pool's surface, enhance safety, and extend its usability for years to come. The pool's new finishes will also contribute to a more inviting atmosphere. The replastering project is on track for completion in April 2025.
"These projects represent our dedication to creating high-quality recreational spaces that bring people together and promote well-being," said Shay Dunnigan, Pulaski County Parks and Recreation Director "We're excited about the transformation and the positive impact it will have on our community."
The Parks and Recreation Department will continue to provide regular updates as the projects progress. A grand reopening celebration is planned once both projects are complete, and further details will be shared in the coming months.
Pulaski County Parks and Recreation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for residents through the development and management of parks, recreational facilities, and programs. With a focus on community engagement and sustainability, the department strives to create spaces, programs and opportunities that foster connection, health, and enjoyment.
Pulaski County Board of Supervisors to Establish New Authority for Sports Tourism & Entertainment
The Pulaski County Board of Supervisors, by resolution, has officially created a new political subdivision pursuant to the Public Recreational Facilities Act, Ch. 56, Title 15.2 of the Code of Virginia to facilitate sports tourism and promote entertainment. The newly created authority shall be called the Pulaski County Sports Tourism & Entertainment Authority and will serve as an extension and arm of the Pulaski County Board of Supervisors to help administer and manage the County’s sports tourism and entertainment facilities and assets, and to advantageously promote sports tourism and entertainment events within Pulaski County.
“This is a historic undertaking by the Board of Supervisors to strategically set up a unique authority dedicated to effectuate our sports tourism and entertainment vision, and I am confident it will serve its intended purpose to advance sports tourism and entertainment for the benefit of the County, our citizens and our businesses”, stated Jonathan D. Sweet, County Administrator. “Sports tourism is one of the biggest opportunities in Southwestern Virginia for Pulaski County to capture latent market share. With our world-class sports and entertainment venues, coupled with the potential for one of Virginia’ largest indoor sportsplexes and expo centers to be added to our inventory, it makes good sense to establish a sports tourism and entertainment authority that will allow us to enterprise and optimize these assets for the greater good of the local economy and the community at large.”
The Pulaski County Sports Tourism & Entertainment Authority will serve as the principal point of contact for Pulaski County’s sports tourism, events and entertainment facilities, and the Authority will provide management services and oversight for Pulaski County’s sports, recreation, entertainment and event assets. The Authority will also oversee and facilitate future public and private investments in this space. The portfolio of STEA venues may include components of Randolph Park, the New River Valley Fairgrounds, the Pulaski County Motorsports Park and Event Center, Historic Calfee Park, and the proposed Pulaski County Indoor Sportsplex and Expo Center with the potential for an estimated aggregate value of more than $80,000,000.00+.
“Our exponential growth of our sports and entertainment assets, as well as the diversity and scale of our facilities, warrants a specialized and strategic focus to optimize these properties for the maximum benefit to both our citizens and our business community”, stated Laura Walters, Chair, Pulaski County Board of Supervisors. “This approach to enterprising these public assets should yield a greater return to our County coffers, and make it more sustainable, as well as provide a better experience for our citizens, create greater demand for our hospitality, tourism and service industries, and bolster our small business and retail operations.”
The initial mission of the Authority is to optimize the sports tourism, entertainment and recreational assets of Pulaski County for the benefit of both our business community and our citizens, and to measurably bolster our local economy and enrich our quality of life through the attraction and hosting of enhanced sports tourism and entertainment events within the array of Pulaski County Sports Tourism & Entertainment Authority’s facilities and assets.
The Authority is initially comprised of six (6) members appointed by the Board of Supervisors and they will serve a two-year term. They shall serve to effectuate the mission of the Authority, ensure the Board of Supervisors’ sports tourism and entertainment vision is pursued and their intent and purpose is met, and to see to it that the objectives given of the Authority are achieved per the adopted Articles of Incorporation.
The first appointed members to the Pulaski County Sports Tourism & Entertainment Authority are:
- Bud Foster of Draper, VA – Virginia Tech
- Dr. Angela Joyner, Ph.D., of Fairlawn, VA – Radford University
- Kevin Meredith of Snowville, VA – New Roads Mindset, LLC
- Ashley Coake, CFP, EA, of Draper, VA - Cultivate Financial, LLC
- Amber Clark of Fairlawn, VA - New River Community College
- Missy Gentry of Dublin, VA – The Shelor Group
The initial objectives identified by the Board of Supervisors for the Authority and its dedicated staff to pursue are the development of a Sports Tourism and Entertainment Authority’s budget; establishing all the necessary operational structures, SOP’s, MOU’s, Partnership Agreements, Lease Agreements, Internal Services structure, etc.; the acquirement of any necessary licensures and certifications; the preparation of a business plan(s); the branding of the Pulaski County Sports Tourism & Entertainment Authority; the branding/rebranding of certain Authority facilities, assets, and events; the development of a marketing plan and the direct engagement of marketing the Authority’s facilities, assets and events; to appropriately scope and scale the Authority, its operations, its staff and its assets; and, to effectively communicate and routinely report to the Pulaski County Board of Supervisors of the Authority’s projects, progress, operations and activities.
Pulaski County Hires First Fire Chief to Oversee Pulaski County's First Paid Fire Department
The County of Pulaski, Virginia officially names Brandon Hamblin as the first career Fire Chief to oversee the recently established Pulaski County Fire Department. As part of a multifaceted plan to provide the volunteer fire departments in the County with greater support and resources, the FY-25 County Budget allocated the funding to hire the first Chief of Fire-Rescue for Pulaski County, along with two additional full-time fire fighters required to augment existing staff needed to establish a fully functioning department to help provide fire-rescue coverage during the days and times of week where the community experiences challenges with higher response demand.
“Pulaski County is excited to welcome Chief Hamblin into this position and to work with him and our talented career and volunteer firefighters to continue to develop and support stronger fire-rescue response capabilities”, stated Jonathan D. Sweet, County Administrator. “This position will be vitally important to oversee our newly established paid department and to ensure we provide proper training and resources to our volunteer system in order to sustainably deliver the safest and best fire-rescue response to our citizens.”
The decision to establish a paid fire-rescue department and ultimately hire a Chief to oversee it came as a recommendation from the County’s Change Agent, Chris Gannon, who was contracted to develop and help implement a plan of action from recommendations received within the two (2) independent studies completed in 2022 that were conducted by the State’s Department of Fire Programs and Gannon Emergency Solutions.
“The Board of Supervisors continues with our priority to advance the recommendations from our two comprehensive studies that were focused on filling in the gaps in our fire-rescue response, and hiring a Fire Chief to lead our newly established Fire Department is another step toward achieving our priority”, stated Laura Walters, Chair of the Board of Supervisors. “We trust the knowledge, experience and care for the community Chief Hamblin brings to this position will help the County to quickly and effectively stabilize, evolve and scale our fire-rescue response.”
Hamblin takes office on July 16, 2024. His position as Chief will operate as the department head for the new department and provide the oversight for all fire/rescue activities conducted by the six (6) volunteer fire departments within the County. The County’s creative and resourceful approach to afford and sustain the new paid department included restructuring the County’s existing Squad 9 program to operate as a standalone Fire-Rescue Department. The County is presently hiring three (3) additional professional firefighters to allow for four (4) certified first responders to be on-hand from 7:00 AM-to-7:00 PM, Monday-through-Friday. The budgeted funding also includes an Administrative Assistant position to serve the newly created department as well as support and interface with Emergency Management and Emergency Medical Services.
“I am honored to have been selected for this position and to serve my community in a different but perhaps more impactful and universal way”, stated Chief Brandon Hamblin, Pulaski County Fire Department. “My vision is consistent with the County’s vision, and that is to not have two separate departments, one paid and one volunteer, but to have one unified department where career staff support volunteers and volunteers support the paid staff, all with the purpose of responding to the fire-rescue needs of the citizens of Pulaski County.”
Chief Hamblin has served the Town of Pulaski Fire Department in various capacities since 2005 as a Firefighter, Fire Lieutenant, EMT, Training Officer and Captain. He previously served the County of Pulaski as the Deputy Emergency Services Coordinator and as a Wildland Firefighter for the Virginia Department of Forestry. Chief Hamblin has an Associate’s Degree in Police Science from New River Community College and holds numerous Fire and EMS Certifications from VDRP, NFA, FEMA, DOH, NRCC, and VPI. He also serves as the Chief of the Newbern Volunteer Fire Department.
The Pulaski County Fire-Rescue Department will also administer fire prevention programming and community education activities. The dedicated funding also includes direct financial support to enhance the volunteer system and allow for volunteer fire fighters to receive necessary training, equipment and technical support. The funding will also include a response stipend provided directly to volunteers to assist them with offsetting expenses associated with their volunteer response. This new benefit is being employed with the hopes of bolstering volunteer recruitment and retention, as these critical personnel are and will remain a vital and necessary component of the County’s emergency first response.
Pulaski County Cougar Baseball to Open VHSL State Baseball Tournament At Historic Calfee Park in Pulaski, VA
Pulaski County Cougar Baseball is set to open the VHSL State Baseball Tournament at historic Calfee Park on Tuesday, June 4, 2024 in Pulaski, Virginia.
The Cougars won impressively against Lord Botetourt (7-4) on May 31st, to secure their status as the Class 3, Region D Champions and advance to the Virginia State Quarterfinals. With the support of both Pulaski County Administration and the Shelor Motor Mile team, the Pulaski County Cougars (15-10), will play against the Fluvanna County Flying Flucos (18-5), and host the game in historic Calfee Park, home of the Pulaski River Turtles.
“We are thrilled to see Cougar Baseball make history as the Region Champs and advance their season to open the Virginia State Tournament here in Pulaski County”, stated Jonathan D. Sweet, Pulaski County Administrator. “With the recent gift of Calfee Park to Pulaski County, we immediately began working with the Shelor Motor Mile team to collaborate on bringing this event to our nationally recognized ballpark. Serving our community and our athletes with this world-class asset, is just the beginning of optimizing the facility, and is the start of many more exciting things to come.”
Gates will open at 5:00 PM with seating available on a first-come, first-served basis. The game will begin at 6:00 PM. Tickets can be purchased through GoFan for $10 plus convenience fee or cash tickets at the gate are $12. Food truck concessions will be available for purchase from Mountain2Island. https://mountain2island.com
The community is invited and encouraged to attend this event in support of the Pulaski County Cougar Baseball team and the entire community of Cougar athletes. Pulaski County Cougar Baseball: https://pulaskicougarsathletics.com/teams/3852750/baseball/varsity
Pulaski County Board of Supervisors to Create Pulaski County Fire-Rescue Department
The Pulaski County Board of Supervisors adopted their Fiscal Year 2025 Budget and included within the approved allocations is the funding necessary to create the first paid fire-rescue department in Pulaski County’s history. The FY-25 Budget provides the funding required to hire the first Chief of Fire-Rescue for Pulaski County and two additional full-time fire fighters and the necessary equipment and support needed to adequately provide fire-rescue response coverage during the days and times of week where the community experiences challenges with high-demand but low-response.
“Pulaski County has reached the threshold of industrial diversity and scale to now warrant a paid system for fire-rescue response, and the record-breaking number of building permits we have experienced in the past few years helps to further make the case that its past time for Pulaski County to make this important investment in public safety”, stated Jonathan D. Sweet, County Administrator. “The embarkation of a paid fire-rescue department is another milestone in elevating Pulaski County to a next-level community, and better equips the County to continue the advancement of our Comprehensive Plan and ultimately reach our goal of 40-by-30.”
The decision to establish a paid fire-rescue department came as a recommendation from the County’s Change Agent, Chris Gannon, who was contracted to develop and help implement a plan of action from recommendations received within the two independent studies completed in 2022 and conducted by the State Fire Program and Gannon Emergency Solutions.
“The Board of Supervisors has prioritized identifying challenges and opportunities within our fire-rescue response, and we dedicated the resources necessary to properly study the matter, bring in third-party expertise, develop an actionable plan and implement a sustainable approach to cost-effectively filling in the gaps in our fire-rescue response”, stated Laura Walters, Chair of the Board of Supervisors. “We owe it to our citizens to have the level of response they deserve, and we owe it to the brave and dedicated volunteers fire fighters to ensure that they have the training and support they need to continue to serve the County.”
The County is able to afford and sustain the new paid department by resourcefully restructuring the County’s existing Squad 9 program to operate as a standalone Fire-Rescue Department. The County is hiring three additional professional firefighters to allow for four certified first responders to be on-hand from 7:00 AM -to- 7:00 PM Monday-through-Friday. The County is also seeking a Chief who will operate as the department head for the new department and provide the oversight for all fire/rescue activities conducted by our six volunteer fire departments within the County. The funding also includes an Administrative Assistant position to serve the newly created department as well as support and interface with Emergency Management and Emergency Medical Services. The County will continue to rely on our Volunteer Fire Departments to provide response from 7:00 PM -to- 7:00 AM Monday-through-Friday and on weekends when call volume is the lowest. The Pulaski County Fire-Rescue Department will also administer fire prevention programing and community education activities. The dedicated funding also includes direct financial support for volunteer fire fighters to receive necessary training, equipment, technical support, and will also include a response stipend to volunteers to assist with offsetting expenses associated with their volunteer response with the hopes of bolstering the recruitment and retention of these critical personnel.
“The volunteer fire departments are and will remain a critical and valued component of the fire/rescue system throughout the county, and they will continue to be mobilized on every call in their community”, stated Chris Gannon, Change Agent and CEO, Gannon Emergency Solutions USA. “What they can now rely on is the backing of a dedicated team of at least 4 professional staff to provide mutual support during peak demand weekday hours. This initiative will improve response times, operational safety and fire prevention, and will give the public an improved level of first-response service.”
The County is presently evaluating County-owned facilities centrally located in the County in and around the Town of Dublin to house and potentially collocate the Pulaski County Fire-Rescue Department. This approach would be an expedient and cost-efficient way of getting the department online and in service to the citizens and business community of Pulaski County.
“The collective of our existing volunteer fire departments represents a robust network of high-quality apparatus, equipment and personnel that will be efficiently utilized in conjunction with the County’s paid department to more rapidly respond to emergency calls”, stated Brad Wright, Pulaski County Emergency Management Coordinator. “Having on hand paid personnel who are ready and able to rapidly respond to emergencies will enhance what our existing volunteer system can deliver and help increase both the public’s safety and the safety of all our first responders.”
In addition, the FY-25 Budget includes funding to enhance the Emergency Medical Services Department by hiring a Pharmacy Manger due to new DEA requirements beginning in Fiscal Year 2024 that no longer permits EMS agencies to obtain certain medications directly from hospitals. All EMS agencies in the Commonwealth must now have an in-house pharmacy to handle their controlled substances and manage the high volume and complexities of medication our EMS provides patients multiple times per day, across more than 330 sq. miles, and on a 24-7 basis. This degree of assistance and level of attention requires a trained professional to carefully manage and administer this program.
“With the investment Pulaski County is making in Emergency Medical Services and Public Safety, we will be able to improve prehospital healthcare as well as provide a better level of service across all first response agencies, all while strategically preparing for future community growth”, stated Shawn Hite, Interim Director, Pulaski County Emergency Medical Services.
A Community Paramedic will help EMS backfill the transition of the Squad 9 Program and is designed with the strategic purpose of alleviating the burden on EMS response, on our medical facilities, on social services and law enforcement by reducing misappropriated requests and tying up limited resources. The position’s further purpose is to provide a better targeted service to community residents, and help reduce call volume growth rates. This program and its approach are supported by both the County’s fire and EMS studies, and is consistent nationally with industry best practices.
Pulaski County Board of Supervisors Awards Prestigious 2024 Lead Through Service Scholarship to Clara Worley
The Pulaski County Board of Supervisors and County Administration continues to fulfil their vision of fostering local leadership development and bolstering service to the community through personal sponsorship of their Lead Through Service Scholarship. This year, the Lead Through Service Scholarship Committee selected Ms. Clara Worley as their 2024 recipient.
“It remains ever important that we invest in developing our next generation of local leaders and nurture a mindset in our youth of continued service to their community,” stated Jonathan D. Sweet, County Administrator. “The future of our County depends on developing our young local leaders, that will one day return to Pulaski County and serve their community as our nurses, our first responders, our business leaders, our teachers, our entrepreneurs and our volunteers.”
The competitive and most prestigious local scholarship in the New River Valley is awarded to a graduating Pulaski County High School student who demonstrates leadership through serving their community and plans to continue to contribute to the community upon the completion of their formal education. The annual scholarship(s) have ranged in the past from $2,500.00 all the way up to $10,000.00, and can be utilized for any two-year or four-year institution or technical degree program.
“I am honored to contribute to this annual scholarship, and more importantly, to be contributing to an investment in our County’s future leadership,” stated Laura Walters, Chair, Pulaski County Board of Supervisors. “This is just one of the ways we can help raise up our future leaders and instill in them a deeper appreciation and value of service to their community. We can all be a part of developing future public servants and leaders by encouraging them to volunteer, offer them opportunities to serve their community, and by investing in them through education, programs and support.”
The annual competitive scholarship is funded personally by each individual member of the Board of Supervisors as well as the County Administrator, Assistant County Administrator and certain County staff who share in the important vision of local leadership development. There are NO taxpayer’s monies involved with this scholarship and contributions are entirely voluntary. The members of the Board of Supervisors are as follows: Laura Walters, Chair; Dirk Compton, Vice Chair; Jeff Reeves, Chris Stafford and Mike Mooney. The County Administrator is Jonathan D. Sweet and the Assistant County Administrator is Anthony Akers.
Previous Lead Through Service Scholarship recipients are Ms. Breanna Lytton - 2019, Ms. Jaelyn Szerokman - 2020, Ms. Alex Turner and Ms. Ashlyn Kirtner - 2021, Ms. Gwendolyn Puckett – 2022, and Ms. Tori Vest and Ms. Kaitlin Ervine – 2023. The Scholarship has provided more than $23,500.00 in awards to graduating seniors of Pulaski County High School since its inception in 2019.
Broadband in Unserved Areas
All Pulaski County residents who reside in unserved broadband areas are encouraged to pre-register to show interest in fiber-to-home broadband internet to help ensure universal coverage and to finalize the construction sequence by All Points Broadband. Head to the link below to pre-register.