Southwest Virginia Field Notes: You have 1 week left to fill out a survey on the possibility of bringing nuclear to Wise County 4%
By Anna Rubenstein3%
7/31/2026, 1:05:00 AM
BS Summary: This article contains 17 faulty reasoning types, including Optimism Bias, Availability Heuristic, and Appeal to Emotion, with Unattributed Quote as the most egregious example at 7.7% saturation with 84 hits. Analysis detected 564 faulty-reasoning hits from 1,090 analyzed words, generating a BS Score of 13.9% and a BS Rank of 4% (24,567 of 25,563 articles). This article is better (less manipulative) than 96.10% of the article peer group.
As seen in this rendering, a microreactor can be built in a factory and shipped to their destination in cargo containers.
Courtesy of Idaho National Laboratory.
Hey there, and welcome to another edition of Southwest Virginia Field Notes.
And happy Friday!
This week’s edition offers some things to know, along with possibilities for fun over the weekend, rain or shine.
I’ve been living and working in Southwest Virginia for a month now, and I have so much exploring left to do in the coalfields.
Please let me know where I should go and what I should look into in the coming weeks at anna@cardinalnews.org .
One week left to fill out a Wise County microreactor survey
Wise County residents have one week left to fill out an online survey on the possibility of bringing a nuclear project to the region.
The survey, which will be open until next Friday, Aug. 7, asks about residents’ familiarity with nuclear technology and their thoughts on issues ranging from economic development to the environment.
It also offers an opportunity for residents to share their concerns or support when it comes to potential nuclear power in Wise.
Although there’s been talk in the last couple of years about the possibility of bringing a microreactor to the region, there is currently no concrete plan to bring one to Wise County, according to the project summary.
The study, which is expected to be completed in December, will help determine whether a microreactor would be technically appropriate for the county in the future, said Duane Miller, executive director of the LENOWISCO Planning District Commission.
This is a new phase in public comment for the study.
Two public meetings were held in May by the Virginia Department of Energy and the GO Virginia economic development program, which funded the study.
Miller said once the survey is completed, they will reach out to experts to help determine the legitimacy of points made by the public.
There has been some criticism of the study, including online comments, about a perceived bias toward nuclear energy.
Miller said he went through the survey from each perspective and didn’t see it as skewed.
It’s unclear how certain responses, like asking participants to rank the importance of creating local jobs or preserving community identity, might be interpreted or factored into the final study, according to Miller.
The county posted on Facebook that there have been 175 responses by Thursday afternoon, and noted that a second survey is planned for early September.
When the draft survey comes back, Miller said the results will be shared with committees that were formed on behalf of the public.
It’s not Southwest Virginia’s first possible foray into nuclear power.
Gov.
Glenn Youngkin promised in 2022 that he would launch the nation’s first small modular nuclear reactor in the coalfields of Southwest Virginia, but he later backed away from it.
Two studies were done on SMRs.
Appalachia Festival returns this weekend
Appalachia’s Coal/Railroad Days festival, which has taken over Main Street every summer for nearly 50 years, is back this weekend.
What started as an appreciation day for Southern Railway, the town’s former railroad company, has turned into an annual downtown festival with food and music, said Appalachia Mayor Chris Williams.
At its heart, it still celebrates the two industries that helped the region grow.
Railroad Days will feature all sorts of fun this year: a 5K road race, parade, car show, basketball tournament, the list goes on.
The full itinerary can be found on Facebook.
A highlight includes two Wild West reenactments: a bank robbery and shootout that should not be confused with real life.
For the first time, the festival will include “Meet the Future Bears,” an event to introduce the town’s younger football players.
This follows the “Meet the Bears” event Friday night, which began after Appalachia and Powell Valley high schools merged in 2011.
Union High School’s new football coach will be introduced this year.
“It’s the biggest event of the year to bring the public together,” Williams said, adding how important it is for local businesses.
“We hope to get the public’s support this year, and pray for good weather.”
The Trail of the Lonesome Pine during a Friday night performance.
The drama runs for two more weekends this summer.
Photo by Anna Rubenstein.
The Trail outdoor drama is nearing the end of another season
In Big Stone Gap, Lonijoli Fox will direct the last few performances of The Trail of the Lonesome Pine Outdoor Drama for its 63rd season.
Fox said she did lots of research to write and direct this year’s performance of her hometown drama.
Every year, the director drafts their own version of the beloved story, so long as they keep to the original source materials.
Fox spoke to Jack Mac, one of the few original actors of the play still around.
She got material from local historians and meticulously annotated a 1911 copy of the book.
She wanted this year’s actors to have personalities based on real life as well as versions in the book.
“It explains a little of the mountain history, familial relations, how families dealt with wrongdoings and superstitions,” she said.
“Especially if people hadn’t seen it before, it might be a good year for them to see it.
… There was a lot of effort put in to help people understand local traditions.”
Fox also included her own Easter eggs, like a reference to “The Incredibles” and a Michael Jackson lyric.
The 27-year-old was performing in another show while she was writing The Trail, meaning she would sneak time backstage to work on the script.
Her cast began performances in early June.
“I would really like us to go out with a bang,” Fox said.
“I would like the public to be able to see [our] hard work and get a taste of local history.”
I got to see the performance for the first time last week.
I loved the set design, with the mountains rising in the background, and learning about the history of the Gap.
I recommend taking an umbrella, so you can stay dry if it starts to rain.
Tickets are on sale Friday and Saturday nights this weekend and next, with $15 general admission.
Correction 4 p.m.
July 31: The item about Wise County’s microreactor survey has been updated to more accurately reflect how the survey results will be shared.
Analysis
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