Franklin County has hired a new employee to tout its growing list of tourist-attracting festivals and sporting events.

Debra Weir, 44, started Monday as the county's first tourism manager.

One of her first jobs will be lining up sponsors for October's Bassmasters tournament on Smith Mountain Lake.

Weir said the county will hold a number of events that month leading up to the main tournament, which will take place from Oct. 25 to 29. The county will promote that series of events as "BassTober," she said.

Weir worked for seven years as an operations supervisor for Isle of Wight County in eastern Virginia, where she was in charge of recreation facilities and developing parks and playgrounds.

She moved to Boones Mill in 2002.

The creation of Weir's job is necessary with the increase of tourism-related events over the past few years, said Scott Martin, Franklin County director of parks and leisure services.

In addition to the Bassmasters tournament, Weir will be working with the Pigg River Ramble and a host of events related to county sites that have been designated as part of the Crooked Road traditional music trail.

-- Mason Adams