Community Corner

🌱 How a $2.2 million grant could reshape Bedford County recovery.

Coming up: Rock-A-Bye Reader on the Bedford Patch calendar

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Coffee in hand, Bedford? We've got the latest town updates for you. Keep reading to stay in the loop. ☀️

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In today's newsletter:

  • How a $2.2 million grant could reshape Bedford County recovery.
  • What Bedford pet owners should do after a rabid kitten case.
  • Which Bedford County elementary schools could close under new consolidation plans?

Also on today's calendar: Color Run 5k and 9 more events.

Today's riddle: Do you know what the two sides of a circle are? 🤔 (Answer below!)

From our Partner
Today's Bedford Patch AM is brought to you in part by T-Mobile. After investing billions to light up their network from big cities to small towns, T-Mobile is America's Best Mobile Network in the US according to Ookla Speedtest®. Based on analysis by Ookla® of Speedtest Intelligence® data 1H 2026. We thank T-Mobile for their support in helping to keep communities like ours connected and for making today's Bedford Patch AM possible.
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Weather forecast:

  • Thursday: Cloudy and cool with a shower, with a high of 66 and low of 45 degrees.
  • Friday: Sunny and pleasant, temps: high: 76, low: 46.
  • Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high of 80 and low of 48 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. Opioid Abatement Authority allocates $2.2 Million for new substance use treatment program (pmg-va.com) — Bedford County is partnering with Horizon Behavioral Health and neighboring localities on a new $2.2 million, five‑year recovery and reentry program for people leaving the Blue Ridge Regional Jail. Funded by the Virginia Opioid Abatement Authority, it will expand treatment, medication-assisted care, and peer support for about 80 justice‑involved individuals each year, aiming to reduce overdoses and improve reentry outcomes across Central Virginia.
   

2. Central Virginia Health District alerts Thaxton residents of rabid cat (pmg-va.com) — Health officials are warning Thaxton and Bedford County residents after a stray kitten near Willowridge Drive tested positive for rabies, exposing three people now receiving treatment. With six rabid animals confirmed in Bedford County this year, they urge pet vaccinations, avoiding stray or wild animals, and promptly reporting any bites or suspicious encounters to local authorities.
   

3. Facing continued enrollment declines, Bedford County renews talk of elementary school consolidation (cardinalnews.org) — Bedford County families face major changes as the school board weighs four options that all include closing Stewartsville Elementary and possibly Big Island, Otter River, or Bedford Primary, with new attendance zones to follow. A series of town halls and an October 8 public hearing in Bedford will shape an October 15 vote that could lengthen bus rides and shift where many children attend school.
   

4. Medal of Honor recipient shares leadership lessons with young cadets in Bedford (wset.com) — More than 100 young cadets gathered at the National D-Day Memorial in Bedford to hear Medal of Honor recipient Drew Dix share hard‑earned lessons on courage and leadership. Drawing on his Vietnam War service, he stressed that real leadership is earned through respect, relationships, and decisive action under pressure, offering Bedford‑area youth guidance for military and civilian careers alike.
   

5. Public feedback needed to shape transportation across Central Virginia (wdbj7.com) — Transportation planners are updating a long-range plan that will shape road and transit priorities across Central Virginia, including Bedford County, for the next 25 years. Residents can share specific trouble spots and safety concerns through in-person, virtual, or online comments during a public input period that runs until October 19.
   

📸 Around Bedford

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💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

  • I strongly disagree with the post about Adam's Clock repair.
    He is patient friendly and did stellar work on my clock which is an 8 day key wind clock with German works (Nextdoor Timber Ridge)
  • Murphy USA posted a job opening for Assistant Manager in Bedford. Apply here.
  • Walmart posted a job opening for Front End Service Team Supervisor in Lynchburg. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Bedford here.

Ok Bedford! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: The inside and the outside ! (Thank you James M. for sending it in!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!

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