Rewind

By WAYNE QUESENBERRY/Staff

The passing of another year leaves many of us wondering where the time went. A recap of 2007 indicates it was filled with newsworthy events.

January
—Noah Wesley Porter was the first baby born in Wythe County in 2007. He died Feb. 5 at home from sudden infant death syndrome.
—Wythe County, Bland County and the towns of Wytheville and Rural Retreat planned activities to celebrate Jamestown’s 400th anniversary. Their events continued throughout the summer.
—The first significant snowfall of the year hit the county early in the month. Schools closed early as the snow fell and remained closed the next day.
—Chiropractor Noah Malavolti opened a practice on West Lee Highway in Wytheville.
—Appalachian Power Co. customers experienced increases in their electricity bills. Cost of producing and delivering electricity was cited as the reason.
—After 18 years in business, Reed House Interiors closed its doors. Owners/operators Dallas and Velma Reed sold the renovated former Wytheville Post Office building on Main Street to the Virginia Housing and Development Authority.
—Wytheville Community College ranked first in fall 2006 semester enrollment in the Virginia Community College System. It showed an increase of 17.9 percent over the previous fall enrollment.

February
—A combination Kentucky Fried Chicken /Taco Bell restaurant opened for business in the Wytheville Commons shopping center.
—Wytheville businessman William J. “Bill” Smith announced he was seeking the Democratic nomination for the 6th District Virginia House of Delegates. He withdrew as a candidate a week later without explanation.
—Star, a calf with two faces born Dec. 27, 2006, at the Heldreth Dairy Farm in Rural Retreat, died. The animal had become a national and international celebrity after news reports of its birth circulated.
—A public hearing was held on the proposed expansion of the emergency room at Wythe County Community Hospital. It was the first step in the hospital’s quest for a certificate of need.
—Retired Virginia State Trooper Joe Thomas announced his intentions to seek the Democratic nomination as a candidate for sheriff of Wythe County.
—R.P. Johnson Sons Inc. abruptly closed. One of Wytheville’s oldest businesses, the large farm equipment distributor had held a John Deere franchise.

March
—Funding for the creation of a Wythe County African American Heritage Museum was approved by the Virginia General Assembly. The $50,000 goes to the Wytheville Training School Cultural Center where the museum will be housed.
—John McLain resigned as CEO at Wythe County Community Hospital. He took a position at another hospital in Tennessee.
—The United Way of Wythe County experienced a good year. Donations exceeded the goal of $190,000 by $35,504.34 for a total of $225,504.34.
—Karen Susan Patton of Wytheville entered “no contest” pleas to three felony charges related to sex acts with two of her former students. The one-time Scott Memorial Middle School language arts teacher and cheerleading sponsor resigned as a teacher after the charges were lodged against her in August 2006.
—Ground was broken for a veterans’ memorial on the lawn of the Rural Retreat Volunteer Fire Department. Each brick in the monument will bear the name of a veteran, branch of service and other information.
—A fire at a kennel in Bland County operated by an Amish family claimed the lives of 192 caged dogs. The breeding business and fire caught the attention of animal rights’ groups and the national media.
—Louise Bennett resigned as executive director of Crossroads Shelter Inc. She cited difference of opinions with the board of directors.
—Del. Bill Carrico R-5th announced his intention to seek re-election to the Virginia House of Delegates. He represents a section of Wythe County in the General Assembly.

April
—The new Wytheville Community Center opened to rave reviews. The $19 million complex features a gym, pool, climbing wall, walking track and convention center.
—The Snow House Café opened at 585 West Main St. in Wytheville. It is owned and operated by Bob and Tina Mitchell.
—Del. Anne B. Crockett-Stark of Wytheville announced plans to seek the Republican nomination for re-election to the Virginia House of Delegates.
—Tiffany Sexton was relieved of her title and crown as Miss George Wythe High School after the Wythe County School Board voided all the scores in the pageant. Following a parent’s complaint, principal Richard Skeens reviewed the judges’ votes two days later and found “irregularities” in the tabulations.
—Virginia Tech became the scene of the deadliest campus shooting in U.S. history when at least 32 people were killed by a student who then took his own life. The incident rocked Wythe County which had many connections to the university.

May
—Wythe County’s American Cancer Society Relay for Life experienced another record year. Teams collected $178,120 which was an increase from $164,000 in 2006.
—New postage rates went into effect. This included a 2-cent hike in the cost of a first class stamp making it 41 cents.
—The Klockner Pentaplast Group the company and all its holdings to the London-based Blackstone Group. Klockner Pentaplast operates a plant in Rural Retreat.
—Sen. Roscoe Reynolds announced his bid for re-election to the Virginia General Assembly. The Democratic incumbent serves a portion of Wythe County.
—The Virginia State Corporation Commission slashed Appalachian Power Company’s recent rate increase. It ordered the utility company to give customers refunds within 90 days.
—Gerald A. McPeak of Wythe County was named supervisor of the New River Valley Regional Jail in Dublin. He had served as assistant superintendent since 1998.
—Lane Enterprises broke ground in Progress Park for a new plant to produce and distribute high-density polyethylene plastic drainage pipe. The company operates 10 plants in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast states including one in Pulaski County.
—Brain Injury Services of Southwest Virginia opened an office at 345 Monroe Street in Wytheville. It covers the counties of Wythe, Bland, Smyth, Carroll and Grayson and the city of Galax and provides such services as life skills training, support groups, professional consultation, education and training.
—A rare handmade Wythe County blanket chest sold for $99,000 at antiques auction in Tennessee. The piece was made in the Black Lick community by a German craftsman in 1880.
—Wythe County Community Hospital celebrated its 35th anniversary with a variety of activities and free health screenings. Tours of the hospital also were included.

June
—Dickie Boyles, assistant director of the Wytheville Parks and Recreation Department, was selected by the Wythe Arts Council as grand marshal of the 2007 Chautauqua Festival-in-the-Park. He announced his retirement for July 1 after 33 years of service.
—The Wythe County School Board announced the re-assignment of four elementary school principals. Jackson Memorial Principal Joe Phillips switched posts with Tammy Watson at Sheffey Elementary School. Kimberly S. Ingo left Speedwell Elementary School to become principal at Spiller Elementary School with that school’s principal Marcie Olinger taking a job at the School Board Office. Charles Rouse was named principal at Speedwell Elementary School.
—The Wytheville Rotary Club chose its annual Paul Harris Fellows. They were Brad Simpson, Rhonda Catron-Wood and Wayne Sutherland.
—A 13-year-old Max Meadows girl was attacked while swimming in New River by a rabid beaver. Casie Rose required nine stitches to re-secure her finger and shots near her wounds.
—Former Wytheville middle school teacher Karen Susan Patton was sentenced to nearly four years in prison for having sex with two teenage boys.
 
July
—“The Summer of Polio,” a permanent exhibit, opened at the Thomas J. Boyd Museum in Wytheville. There were 184 reported cases of polio reported in Wythe County during the summer of 1950 with 23 deaths, making it the worst polio epidemic per capita in the United States.
—Area orchards began feeling the effects of a spring chill. The unseasonably cold weather destroyed many fruit crops that had already begun to bloom after warmer weather.
—D. Eric Deaton assumed the duties as CEO at Wythe County Community Hospital. He has more than 20 years of experience in the health care field.
—“Success in Home Care,” a nationally circulated home health care magazine, ranked Circle Home Care of Wythe County Community Hospital in the top 25 percent of home health agencies in the nation.
—The annual Wytheville Lions Club Charity Carnival completed another successful run. Proceeds are used for several local club projects including buying eyeglasses for disadvantaged children.
—Carilion hospital group moved its Life-Guard 11 helicopter to Carilion New River Valley Medical Center in Radford.
—Donald Stroupe of Ivanhoe was sentenced to 15 years in prison after pleading guilty to killing his ex-girlfriend and wounding another man on April 25, 2006. He was a former correctional officer in Pulaski County.
—MacDowell Music Club celebrated its 80th anniversary with a special program and reception. One of the club’s main goals is to provide support and inspiration for young musicians.
—One of the worst droughts in local history began taking its toll on local farmers. The conditions continued into the fall with state bans on outdoor burning.
—Rural Retreat Heritage Days was celebrated with various festivities. Cleta Roberts was honored as the town’s Citizen of the Year.

August
—Wytheville Community College President Charlie White was among the delegation from the Virginia Community College System visiting Turkey.
—Ricky Beamer, an Eagle Scout from Wytheville, was one of more than 40,000 people taking part in the 2007 World Scout Jamboree in England. He served as a staff volunteer.
—Susan Evans, 2007 Virginia Teacher of the Year, accepted a position as math professor at Wytheville Community College. She previously taught at Rural Retreat High School.
—Adam P. Webb, reference librarian for the Tazewell County Public Library, was hired as the new director of the Wythe-Grayson Regional Library.
—Dr. Kyndal Beavers joined the C. Brock Hughes Free Clinic in Wytheville. She became the first paid physician to serve the health care agency.
—Following a protest from local quilters, seamstresses and crafters, the Wytheville Wal-Mart decided to keep its fabric and craft department open. The store had announced in January that it would no longer sell material and related-sewing items.

September
—TME Enterprises of Norfolk was awarded a $43 million contract by the Commonwealth Transportation Board to maintain 149 miles of I-81 and I-77 in the Bristol District. The company opened an office on Chapman Road near the Fort Chiswell community.
—Josiah’s Grahamfest USA drew rave reviews by those attending the day-long music festival held on the grounds of the historic Major Graham Mansion in eastern Wythe County. Entertainers provided a variety of music for every taste.
—Wytheville musician Ashley Hall released her first CD, “Behold Him.” Her trumpet solos are a collection of hymns of the church.
—Paul Dellinger of Wytheville retired from The Roanoke Times after nearly 44 years as a journalist and photographer. He covered Southwest Virginia for the newspaper.
—Two group homes for children with emotional problems were planned to open in Wythe County. Camelot of Virginia met heavy opposition from residents in the Graham’s Forge community over the company’s site on East Lee Highway.
—The Wythe County Farm Bureau Women’s Committee introduced a new generation to canning through a hands-on class at the cannery in Wytheville. Dianne Stephens conducted the free session which included the entire process of making and canning vegetable juice, salsa, tomato sauce and soup.
—A Wytheville Main Street landmark and three related properties sold for more than $1 million at public auction. The R.P. Johnson & Sons building, the Williams Supply Inc. site, an adjoining lot and a vacant lot were auctioned separately.
—Public outcry prompted Wytheville Town Council not to approve a special exemption permit for a Walgreen’s Pharmacy to build a store on Fourth Street. Neighboring residents voiced their protests over the location.

October
—Based on data from the Virginia Tourism Corporation, Wythe and Bland counties saw significant increases in tourism revenue in 2006, reflecting a positive trend across Southwest Virginia. Travelers spent $102.3 million in 2006, a 7.2 percent increase from 2005.
—Charlie White was formally inaugurated as the sixth president of Wytheville Community College during a ceremony at the Wytheville Community Center. The Dickenson County native became WCC president in May 2006.
—An animal welfare group from Utah purchased 167 dogs from an Amish farmer in Bland County. Best Friends Animal Society bought the dogs from Ivan Schmucker Jr. after “an insider” worked with the society to buy the dogs from Dogwood Kennels where a March fire killed 192 dogs.
—Wythe County’s WalkAmerica for the March of Dimes featured 20 local teams raising $29,000 to combat the problem of premature births. The event was held in Withers Park.
—Wytheville Community College reported an increase in enrollment. There were 1,552 full-time equivalent students, an 18.4 percent increase when compared to last year’s data.
—A building program for Rural Retreat High School and Rural Retreat Middle School was unanimously approved by the Wythe County School Board. Construction of the three-phase $13.4 million project could begin this summer.
—Developers of two new shopping centers in Wytheville continued their quest to land tenants. So far, Sheetz is the only company committed to the Fourth Street complex. Peppers Ferry Crossing shopping center is wooing a national retail chain.

November
—Jessica Allen of Max Meadows was selected for a 15-week research position at the jet propulsion lab in Pasadena, Calif., as part of the NASA Undergraduate Student Research Program. The 2005 graduate of Fort Chiswell High School is a rising senior at Radford University where she is majoring in physics with a minor in astronomy.
—Agape Food Pantry Inc. began its 10th year of distributing free food on a non-emergency basis. The all-volunteer program depends on donations of food and money for its monthly giveaway.
—Wythe County’s third school teacher accused of having sex with a student had criminal charges sent to a Pulaski County grand jury. Jason Andrew Hounshell, 31, was the agriculture instructor and FFA advisor at Fort Chiswell High School when he was arrested in September after police said they learned of a sexual relationship he’d been having with a 16-year-old female student at the school. Two charges of contributing to the delinquency of a minor were dismissed in Wythe County General District Court.
—Morning Star Outreach Ministries prepared and served its “Thanks-By-Giving” meal for the 15th consecutive year. The Wytheville church provides the free meal to hundreds of Wythe County residents each Thanksgiving.
—Benny D. Burkett and the late Ralph C. Whitt were inducted into the Wall of Honor. They were selected for their many contributions to the community.

December
—Mid-Atlantic Commercial Properties filed two complaints in Wythe County Circuit Court. One requested an appeal of the Town of Wytheville’s denial of the special exemption permit to locate a Walgreen’s on North Fourth Street. The other seeks to have the store ruled an apothecary (pharmacy) which would mean the business would be able to build at the site under the current MA-1 Medical Arts Zoning District designation.
—Local Embarq employees collected 50 bicycles for disadvantaged children in Wythe County this year through the “Bikes and Trikes for Kids” project. They did minor repairs on the bikes before donating them to the Wythe County Department of Social Services’ Santa Shop.
—Patty Hall of Wytheville was inducted into the Virginia March of Dimes Volunteers Hall of Fame. For the past 17 years, she has been the top money raiser for the WalkAmerica event in Wythe County.
—The Santa Shop of the Wythe County Department of Social Services provided toys and other gifts to 732 underprivileged children this Christmas.
—  Wytheville Town Council passed a resolution requesting the Virginia Department of Transportation to establish an urban system highway project for approximately one-third mile of Peppers Road from Nye Road east to the corporate limits near Fellowship Baptist Church. The high volume of traffic associated with Progress Park on Peppers Ferry Road prompted council to seek improvements and realignment of a section of the road.
—Rural Retreat resident Daisy Cromwell published “Arthur the Talking Goat.” Her book is for children and tells the tale of her pet Angora goat, Arthur, and his love for apples.
—N. Paul Morin II was named Wythe County Community Hospital’s Physician of the Year. The certified orthopedic surgeon was selected for meeting the hospital’s five core values. Morin began his practice in Wytheville in January 1992.
Wayne Quesenberry can be reached at 228-6611 or .