Posts Tagged COVID Relief

COVID relief and the small town of Scottsville

Posted by Nick Gilmore in Virginia's News on June 22, 2023

Scottsville, south of Charlottesville, has 600 residents within the town’s limits. (Credit: Mallory Noe-Payne)

This week we’ve been taking a road trip across the state. We’ve been hearing what local governments have done with their COVID relief dollars. There’s been a new community grocery store, a new elementary school, a new bus line.

We wrap up today with a tour of Scottsville, south of Charlottesville, where the infusion of federal cash showed one small town manager the way things could be… Mallory Noe-Payne has the story.

ARPA, ARPA Funding, COVID Relief, Scottsville

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COVID relief and the Afton Express

Posted by Nick Gilmore in Virginia's News on June 21, 2023

The Afton Express is the first ever public transportation line over the mountain in central Virginia. It connects cities on the western side, Staunton and Waynesboro, to Charlottesville. (Credit: Mallory Noe-Payne)

All this week we’ve been taking a road trip across Virginia — checking out what localities and state agencies are doing with their COVID relief dollars. One regional planner called it the largest investment from the federal government since the New Deal.

Today, we’ll take a bus ride over Afton Mountain, as Mallory Noe-Payne reports.

Afton, Afton Express, ARPA, ARPA Funding, COVID Relief

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Bristol and ARPA: a new school building

Posted by Nick Gilmore in Virginia's News on June 20, 2023

Bristol Superintendent Keith Perrigan (Credit: Mallory Noe-Payne)

We’re taking a road trip across Virginia — checking out what localities and state agencies are doing with their COVID relief dollars.

Today, we go to far southwest Virginia, where officials in Bristol are building a new public school for the first time in more than half a century. More now from reporter Mallory Noe-Payne.

ARPA, ARPA Funding, Bristol, COVID Relief

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Roanoke and ARPA: a community grocery store

Posted by Nick Gilmore in Virginia's News on June 20, 2023

Goodwill Industries of the Valleys is ponying up another $20 million for the store and plans to run it. (Credit: Mallory Noe-Payne)

It’s been more than three years now since COVID-19 ground everything to a halt.

Part of the government response to the pandemic were several massive spending measures – including the Coronavirus Air, Relief and Economic Security – or CARES – Act. There was also the American Rescue Plan, also known as ARPA.

Much of that money flowed straight to state and local governments – in many cases to do with what they thought best. Local governments and planners have called it the new deal of our generation.

We’ll be taking a look at what Virginia has done with the funds – starting in Roanoke.

We’re going to learn a bit about what’s possible when local governments feel flush with cash. And we’re going to start in Northwest Roanoke, where the city chose to invest $10 million of ARPA funding to help build a grocery store. Mallory Noe-Payne reports.