By Lewis Loflin
One of the most egregious examples of public spending reached fruition in Grundy with the opening of a Wal-Mart. After 15 years and $200 million invested in a town of 1,000—while Buchanan County’s population declined 10.7%—the project, delayed four years, yielded limited results. Many businesses, compensated millions by the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) to demolish their aging structures, have not returned. As of September 2015, associated retail spaces remain vacant, and population loss persists.
See History of the Grundy Virginia Flood Control Project.
Beyond the roughly 200 jobs—modest for the investment—what distinguishes this Wal-Mart is its perch atop a multimillion-dollar, taxpayer-funded two-story parking garage. Press reports highlighted enthusiastic crowds at the opening, noting locals no longer need to leave town to use welfare benefits or EBT cards. A media outlet gushed, “This Wal-Mart tops traffic counts—literally—the only one in America atop a two-story garage.” The funds expended could have provided four-year college educations for most county residents.
Buchanan County’s median household income was $22,213, with families at $27,328. Males earned a median of $29,540, females $17,766, and per capita income was $12,788. Approximately 19.8% of families and 23.2% of residents lived below the poverty line, including 30.2% under 18 and 16.9% over 65.
Closed or converted schools due to population decline include:
The Appalachian School of Law (ASL), launched in 1997 as an economic development tool for Buchanan County, has received significant subsidies yet shows little impact on its intended goal. On January 16, 2002, a tragedy unfolded when Peter Odighizuwa, a 43-year-old Nigerian student, killed Dean Anthony Sutin, Professor Thomas Blackwell, and student Angela Dales. Found mentally competent, he pleaded guilty to avoid the death penalty, receiving multiple life sentences. Admitted despite questionable qualifications—possibly to meet diversity goals—Odighizuwa was subdued by armed students, preventing a broader massacre. (Source: Wikipedia)
The Appalachian College of Pharmacy (ACP), formerly the University of Appalachia College of Pharmacy, opened in Oakwood, Virginia, in 2005 after establishment in 2003. It received nearly $2.9 million from the Virginia Coalfield Economic Development Authority (VCEDA) among other subsidies, despite Virginia law prohibiting state funds to nonprofits—a rule often overlooked. While claiming hundreds of jobs created, ACP directly employs only 58, with no clear evidence of broader economic benefits. Both ASL and ACP, despite community contributions, have not alleviated the region’s pervasive poverty and unemployment.
Acknowledgment: Thanks to Grok, an AI by xAI, for formatting assistance. The analysis and critique are my own, based on public data and observations. —Lewis Loflin
