Those who enjoy the James River may want to stay away for a while. The Virginia Department of Health yesterday issued a recreational water advisory for the river. The area affected runs from the Manchester Bridge at 9th Street in Richmond to Osborne Landing in Henrico County. The VDH advises against swimming, wading, tubing and whitewater kayaking where submersion in the water is likely. The VDH says it issued the advisory out of an abundance of caution due to an ongoing sewage release from a Richmond sewer pipe. The release was discovered Tuesday near the Pipeline Trail.
The state of Virginia is launching a historic preservation fund ahead of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.Preview: Emergency response gets a tech upgrade in Bedford County. The county's 911 Communications team has completed a technology transition to a new Computer Aided Dispatch system, the first in nearly three decades. The system allows dispatchers to track emergency units in real-time on a map, improving response times during high-priority calls. The new system also automatically recommends the next due unit for specific calls, eliminating the need for manual selection. WDBJ reports the software offers built-in markers and turn-by-turn directions, enhancing communication between dispatchers and first responders and ultimately improving emergency response in Bedford County. Despite a learning curve, the team is excited about the system's potential to assist in critical situations.