Category: Public Safety

LYNCHBURG, Va. – The Amherst County Health Department has received confirmation that a fox submitted for testing on May 14, 2025, was positive for rabies.  The fox was killed when it attacked chickens near Arbor Court in Madison Heights.  Rabies is a lethal disease that can occur in all mammals but can be prevented in humans and domestic animals with some simple actions.

The most important action for preventing rabies is keeping pets up to date on their rabies vaccinations. It is important to avoid contact with wild or stray animals, and parents should be sure that their children are taught not to touch, pet, or otherwise handle unknown animals.

Additional steps to take include:

• Do not feed stray animals. Avoid wild animals, especially raccoons, bats, foxes and skunks. Feed your pets indoors and do not let them wander.
• Do not handle sick, injured or dead animals. Contact a licensed wildlife rehabber if you have concerns about sick or injured wildlife
• Keep wild animals out of homes by capping chimneys with screens and blocking openings in attics, cellars and porches. Ensure trash cans have tight fitting lids.
• Do not try to trap or handle stray and wild animals. If a bat is found indoors and may have had contact with someone, do not release it. Call your local animal control officer or health department to determine if the animal should be picked up and tested for rabies.
• Report all bites to people to the local health department for investigation.

If you are bitten by a wild or stray animal do not panic. Wash the wound(s) thoroughly with warm soapy water and contact animal control, your doctor or the health department for further recommendations.

For more information about rabies, visit: https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/animal-contact-human-health/rabies-control/

Sometimes, a challenge sparks a creative solution. Appomattox Volunteer Fire Chief Jonathan Garrett presented the Board of Supervisors with such a proposal Monday night, offering a forward-thinking plan for the department’s outgoing ladder truck that could benefit not just Appomattox, but our neighbors in Concord, too.

As the AVFD eagerly anticipates the arrival of their newer (used) ladder truck sometime next month – a purchase the County helped finance late last year – the question of what to do with the old truck remained. The original plan involved selling the apparatus to help repay the county loan. However, as Chief Garrett explained, finding a buyer for specialized, aging fire equipment isn’t always straightforward. Despite marketing efforts through various channels, including professional brokers, “there’s been no serious interest in this truck,” Garrett reported.

Rather than simply wait, Chief Garrett and the AVFD developed a proactive alternative focused on maximizing the old truck’s value within our broader community. His proposal to the Board: allow the AVFD to formally donate the current ladder truck to the Concord Volunteer Fire Department.

Why Concord? Garrett laid out a compelling case for regional cooperation. Concord VFD covers a significant slice of western Appomattox County in its primary response area but currently lacks an aerial ladder truck. Donating the truck, Garrett argued, would equip Concord with a vital piece of equipment, potentially improving their ISO rating (which can affect homeowners’ insurance rates) in the parts of Appomattox they serve.

Crucially, the benefits flow back to Appomattox directly. Concord has agreed the donated truck would be prioritized for mutual aid calls into Appomattox County. It would provide essential backup when Appomattox’s new ladder truck is out for maintenance, support major incidents like commercial fires or technical rescues, and enhance overall firefighter safety by ensuring a second ladder is readily available county-wide. “Having two aerial devices in the county enhances firefighter safety,” Garrett stressed.

To make this community-focused plan feasible, Garrett requested the Board consider adjusting the original loan terms, asking them to weigh forgiving “all or at least 50%” of the loan amount, enabling the donation. He emphasized the AVFD’s commitment to its obligations but noted the difficulty in the resale market.

The Supervisors appeared thoughtful and appreciative of the volunteers’ service. Supervisor Carter noted, “We don’t hold you all responsible if nobody wants to buy that truck,” and Supervisor Hinkle requested Garrett’s written remarks for detailed review. While no decision was made Monday, the Chief’s proposal puts a potential win-win scenario on the table: turning a difficult sale into an opportunity to strengthen fire protection across jurisdictional lines, keeping a valuable asset serving local citizens. It’s a plan worth watching as the Board mulls it over.

Sheriff Robby Richardson didn’t pull any punches Monday night when he stepped up to the podium at the Board of Supervisors meeting. Before even getting to his requested agenda item – a grant discussion – the Sheriff laid out some sobering statistics from recent law enforcement activity right here in Appomattox County.

Richardson detailed a significant drug roundup, rattling off numbers that should get any resident’s attention: 17 individuals arrested recently on drug charges. The indictments included multiple counts of possession and distribution of methamphetamine, along with charges involving heroin and the deadly synthetic opioid, fentanyl. Worryingly, several charges involved possessing firearms while dealing drugs. “That’s 17 drug users and dealers off our streets that were here in the county,” Richardson stated flatly, adding that drugs found during the arrests would lead to further charges.

He wasn’t finished. The Sheriff also reported arrests related to violent crimes, including four indictments for sexual assault of a victim under 13, another involving a victim under 15, plus charges of sodomy by force, object sexual penetration by force, rape, and indecent liberties with minors. “That’s all happened within the last few months in this county,” he emphasized, driving home the point: “We’re working diligently to make sure we get stuff off the streets… That’s why we come to you and ask for more people and ask for more money to make sure these streets are safe.”

With that stark backdrop established, Richardson pivoted to his reason for being on the agenda: seeking the Board’s commitment for a potential grant match. The Sheriff’s Office applies annually for a JAG (Justice Assistance Grant), which requires a local match – in this case, 25%. If fully awarded, the grant would bring in federal funds to purchase roughly $68,663 worth of updated technology, primarily Mobile Data Terminals (MDTs) for patrol cars and new office computers.

The need, Richardson explained, is pressing. The department is still running on Windows 10, an operating system nearing the end of its supported life, leaving them vulnerable. Furthermore, IT Specialist Ace Bailey (who works with the county and Sheriff’s office) has been pushing for MDT upgrades for some time. The grant would allow these necessary upgrades with the County only needing to potentially pony up $17,165.75 (the 25% match). Richardson needed the Board’s commitment to that match before finalizing the grant application.

Supervisor Reverend Jones quickly made the motion to commit the matching funds, seconded by Supervisor Carter. After confirming with County Administrator Adams that the funds wouldn’t be needed until the next fiscal year (starting July 1) and amending the motion to specify the match would be “up to” the $17,165.75 figure, the Board voted unanimously in favor.

It was a clear sequence of events: the Sheriff lays out the serious challenges his deputies face on the streets, then asks for the tools needed to keep doing the job effectively, and the Board gives the necessary (potential) financial backing. Just another night tackling crime and budgets in Appomattox County.