Here’s a roundup of news briefs from around Southwest and Southside. Send yours for possible inclusion to news@cardinalnews.org.
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Film about Mountain Valley Pipeline resistance to be screened in Roanoke
An independent film about regional resistance to the Mountain Valley Pipeline will be screened at Roanoke’s Grandin Theatre on Wednesday.
“A Beast Touch the Mountain” is described as a look at how “determined women battle for years against powerful corporations and a biased government to prevent a dangerous gas pipeline from cutting through hazardous mountain terrain, threatening their homes and environment.”
The approximately 90-minute film will be presented by its director, James Mottern, and will be followed by a question-and-answer session, according to the theater’s website. Doors open at 6 p.m., with the film beginning at 7 p.m.
The Mountain Valley Pipeline is a 303-mile, 42-inch-diameter pipeline that carries natural gas from West Virginia into Southern Virginia. It began operating in June 2024 after years of legal challenges, protests and permitting disputes.
During its construction, some landowners along the pipeline’s path resisted it, citing environmental impacts and the project’s use of eminent domain to seize private property. Pipeline developers maintained that the project was necessary to meet a demand for natural gas.
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Youngkin announces board appointments
Gov. Glenn Youngkin has announced additional state board appointments, including these residents of Southwest and Southside:
Southwest Virginia Cultural Heritage Foundation: Hayley Allison of Richlands, chief of staff, Del. Terry Kilgore.
Board of trustees of the Virginia Museum of Natural History: Sarah Bowman of Callaway, corporate relations officer, Taubman Museum of Art.