BRISTOL, Va. (WJHL) — U.S. Sen. Mark Warner visited Southwest Virginia on Monday to honor and celebrate the Crooked Road’s 20th anniversary and the launch of the Appalachian Center for HOPE, a non-profit that provides help to those with substance use disorder.
Sen. Warner visited Smyth County first to celebrate the launch of the Appalachian Center for HOPE, where he discussed the FEND Off Fentanyl Act legislation he cosponsored to target opioid traffickers.
Then Warner made his way to Bristol, where he joined musicians and The Crooked Road‘s leaders to celebrate the initiative’s 20th year in operation. The Crooked Road was designated as Virginia’s “Heritage Music Trail” by the Virginia Assembly in 2004, while Warner was governor of the Commonwealth.
The 333-mile-long driving trail connects 10 major venues and more than 50 affiliate venues that preserve Appalachian old-time and bluegrass music.
“So much of the kind of heritage of this region and, you know, this is America’s music,” Warner said. “It started right here. It started in Bristol and started in Southwest Virginia.”
“I think it’s hit the marks, and then when people come visit, and then the amount of nightlife that exists in the community, I don’t think we’ve had that without the Crooked Road.”
During the 20th anniversary celebration, Sen. Warner discussed the region’s downtown revitalization and talked about his efforts at the federal level to spur economic development.
WJHL SENATOR MARK WARNER VISITS BRISTOL
Mayor Becky Nave and Jake Holmes, Vice Mayor pictured with Senator Warner
