http://www.swvatoday.com en wcombs@wythenews.com Copyright 2009 2009-11-19T18:23:54-05:00 http://www.swvatoday.com/comments/election_results_across_southwest_virginia/ http://www.swvatoday.com/comments/election_results_across_southwest_virginia/#When:15:25:25Z Late Tuesday evening Virginia learned that a new Governor, Bob McDonnell, had been voted into office. View the results of your local elections for Tazewell, Washington, Bland and Wythe counties here.Late Tuesday evening Virginia learned that a new Governor, Bob McDonnell, had been voted into office. View the results of your local elections here. Washington County Bland County Tazewell County Wythe County WCN 2009-11-04T15:25:25-05:00 http://www.swvatoday.com/comments/christmas_parade_entries_are_due_november_25th/ http://www.swvatoday.com/comments/christmas_parade_entries_are_due_november_25th/#When:18:23:54Z Parade theme is “The Magic of Christmas”.The deadline for the Floyd Christmas Parade entries has been extended to Wednesday, November 25. Please contact Susan Leonard at 540-789-7210 to register by phone. The theme of the parade will be “The Magic of Christmas”.  Entries are $10. Entries may include walking units, antique cars, antique tractors, floats, ATV’s, and more. “If you have already received your entry form but haven’t sent it in - please do so,” Leonard added. TFP/news 2009-11-19T18:23:54-05:00 http://www.swvatoday.com/comments/strictly_observing_now_youre_cooking/ http://www.swvatoday.com/comments/strictly_observing_now_youre_cooking/#When:15:57:08Z Dane Cook is currently one of the most successful stand-up comics and comedic film actors in show business. By ZACH COOLEY/Columnist Dane Cook is currently one of the most successful stand-up comics and comedic film actors in show business.  His current Global Thermo Comedy Tour, based on his chart-topping CD/DVD and TV special, Isolated Incident, has sold out stadiums and arenas across North America since its inception in April.  Having become a big fan of Cook’s after my friends and I heard his groundbreaking double-disc album Retaliation in 2005, I had hoped to get the chance to see him live.  When I heard that he would be performing at the RBC Center in Raleigh, N.C., on Nov. 8, I debated whether or not the opportunity would be worth the three-hour journey.  However, when my buddy Jacob Sharitz, another avid Dane Cook fan, convinced me to go for it, we ultimately decided to make the journey together.  I think it’s safe to speak for both of us when I say the experience was well worth the trip. Following a brief video clip of Cook onstage with rocker Chris Daughtry as they played guitar and sang a duet of the theme song from the TV show Growing Pains, his opening act appeared.  A 39-year old Irish-American from Boston, Massachusetts, Robert Kelly did a very good job with his half-hour shtick.  Often making himself the brunt of his own jokes, Kelly poked fun at his own issues of being overweight and his addiction to unhealthy foods.  With material from his latest album, Just the Tip, he explained why food was his drug of choice.  He noted that when you eat an apple, about five of your taste buds will be mildly pleased whereas when you bite into some macaroni and cheese, all of your taste buds will cheer vigorously.  He also spoke about elderly people and their complete apathy towards every aspect of life.  Kelly explained that while young people are bright-eyed in anticipation of fulfilling their hopes and dreams, old people couldn’t care less about anything, having long since come to the realization that their dreams will never come true.  “Young people on the beach are always trying to look their best in case someone sees them,” he elaborated further.  “My 89-year old grandmother goes out on the beach in a one-piece bathing suit and flip-flops she’s had since 1975, exposing toenails that look like teeth.” With his customized stage built in the shape of a boxing ring, Cook entered the arena from the far corner surrounded by RBC Center security personnel as if he were a fighter approaching the ring.  The open stage setting made the comedian more visible to his audience, even to those like us who were seated in the nosebleed section of the arena.  For his 90-minute set, the 37-year-old native of Cambridge, Massachusetts was in top form and clearly enjoying being at the pinnacle of his success as a stand-up comic.  Approaching his second decade as a professional comedian, Cook seemed genuinely grateful to his large and energetic Raleigh audience for helping him achieve his monumental success. Having not heard any of Cook’s latest material before, the entire show was fresh and hilarious.  At times, he would begin to tell a story and then branch off in several different directions, which made his act seem more extemporaneous.  It was as if his material was not rehearsed and relayed to the audience as a delightful conversation with your most hilarious friend.  Cook covered a lot of comedic ground in 90 minutes, mostly offering hilarious insight to both men and women into the opposite sex.  He revealed secrets which he believes men and women keep from each other in terms of the dating scene and life as a couple.  Among the material performed from his latest album, Isolated Incident, Cook explains the “What Would You Do If…” phenomenon.  This is to help guys understand when their girlfriends have done something stupid that will cause them trouble.  For example, if a guy and his girlfriend are riding in the car, the girlfriend may abruptly present the guy with the question, “What would you do if I forgot to fill up the gas tank yesterday and we didn’t have enough gas to make it home today?”  In such an instance, he is always safe to assume that she is not playing a guessing game or asking a simply hypothetical question.  He can pretty much anticipate being stranded along the roadside if he doesn’t reach a service station beforehand. Though Cook appeared very happy to be onstage joking with his fans, he did get serious with his audience when he spoke of losing both of his parents to cancer within nine months in 2006 and 2007.  The audience cheered respectfully when he called his mother, Donna, the closest and most supportive person in his life.  He said his folks were always completely supportive of his being a comedian and encouraged him with full vigor to realize his dreams.  He paid tribute to his parents and even used his mother in a joke saying that despite his difficulty in deleting her from his cell phone contacts, he decided to call her one last time.  He changed his mind immediately after asking himself, “What if she answers?” Seeing Dane Cook was a huge thrill for us.  Clearly, this comedian has the staying power of the legends such as Steve Martin and the late Richard Pryor, who have obviously influenced him.  When Dane Cook inevitably achieves such legendary status in his own right, I will always possess the satisfaction of having seen this comic in person while in the prime of his career.  That is a memory I will certainly always cherish. Wytheville. Contact him at zachcooley@yahoo.com. SVE/living 2009-11-19T15:57:08-05:00 http://www.swvatoday.com/comments/pedestrian_struck_on_interstate/ http://www.swvatoday.com/comments/pedestrian_struck_on_interstate/#When:15:28:09Z Man dies at Roanoke hospitalA 53-year-old Wytheville man died at a Roanoke hospital early Thursday after he was hit by a tractor-trailer on Wednesday evening in Wytheville, state police said. Steven Michael Lecroy died at 1:55 a.m. after being flown by helicopter to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital. Police said Lecroy was in the right lane of northbound Interstate 81 at the 72.5 mile marker at approximately 8:53 p.m. when he was struck by the truck. Police aren’t sure why he was on the roadway, and an autopsy will be performed. No charges were filed against the tractor-trailer’s driver. Trooper J.T. Melvin is investigating the collision.—Staff report SVE/news 2009-11-19T15:28:09-05:00 http://www.swvatoday.com/comments/bourne_signs_with_tusculum/ http://www.swvatoday.com/comments/bourne_signs_with_tusculum/#When:15:07:12Z The senior guard has been a versatile contributor for the Buffaloes.Brittany Bourne’s versatility helped win her a basketball scholarship from Tusculum College in Greenville, Tennessee. Bourne signed her Letter of Intent during the NCAA early signing period last week at the Floyd County High School gymnasium. “I really liked my visit there,” Bourne said. “I got to talk to Coach (Adell) Harris and watch practice. “It was like home to me.” Bourne also considered attending Concord College in West Virginia. “She’s been a utility player for us,” said FCHS coach Alan Cantrell. “She’s done whatever we have needed. “She can shoot from outside. She can drive. She can also post up some and bring the ball up the court.” Cantrell said coming into her final high school season, Bourne is in perhaps the best condition of her career. “Last year she was bothered by injury, but now she seems to be fine.” Bourne has been a varsity contributor since her freshman year. The Buffaloes won the state championship in her sophomore season and were state runners-up last year. “Coach Harris said they would probably use me as a guard,” Bourne said. The Lady Pioneers had a 26-6 record last year. Tusculum has become a focus for Floyd County sports in recent years. Matt Poff and Brian Cox were signed by the Pioneer golf team in 2008. Luke Harris picked Tusculum in football in 2009. Former FCHS coach Skip Bishop is a Tusculum alum. Bourne said that wasn’t a big factor in her decision. “That really didn’t figure in. I just like the school.” TFP/sports 2009-11-19T15:07:12-05:00 http://www.swvatoday.com/comments/boys_finish_second_in_state_cross_country/ http://www.swvatoday.com/comments/boys_finish_second_in_state_cross_country/#When:15:01:35Z Austin Grubb won all-state recognitionThe boys’ cross country team finished second in the state in the Group A meet at Great Meadows Saturday. “Everyone stepped up and helped out in the team effort.” Senior Austin Grubb had the best finish for a Floyd runner, earning all-state recognition with his 13th place finish. Weeks said Grubb had a cold and wasn’t feeling well. “It wasn’t his best race,” she noted. “But everyone stepped up together as a team.” Andrew Grubb finished 19th, Cole Conley was 26th, Eden Keith was 36th, Riley St. Pierre was 40th, Gabriel Whitlock was 68th and Russell Callahan was 97th. There were 126 runners in the boys’ race. Clarke County won the championship with a team total of 36. Floyd had 108, nudging out district and regional rival Radford, who finished third with 111. Galax tied for tenth and was awarded tenth on a tiebreaker and Auburn finished 12th. Conditions were less than optimal for the race, Weeks stated. “It was so wet, we didn’t get to get on the course for practice Friday. “On Saturday it was still misty and drizzling. It was muddy and water was ankle-deep on one of the bridges.” The finish tied for the best showing in history for the boys’ program. Floyd was also state runner up in 1994 and 1995. Team results: 1. Clarke County 36 2. Floyd County 108 3. Radford 111 4. Altavista 127 5. Central Woodstock 129 6. Mathews 175 7. George Mason 187 8. Northumberland 222 9. Lebanon 254 10. Galax 256 10. John Battle 256 12. Auburn 262 13. Virginia 361 14. Lancaster 392 15. Washington & Lee 396 16. Castlewood 467 TFP/sports 2009-11-19T15:01:35-05:00 http://www.swvatoday.com/comments/supervisors_vote_to_send_message/ http://www.swvatoday.com/comments/supervisors_vote_to_send_message/#When:14:41:30Z The Floyd County Board of Supervisors rejected state-mandated changes that would require hiring another inspector.by Doug Thompson In a symbolic move that delays an inevitable decision, Floyd County Supervisors voted 3-2 Tuesday to reject Virginia-mandated changes in the county’s Erosion and Sediment Control Ordinance. “It’s time to send a message,“ said Courthouse Supervisor Jerry W. Boothe in voting against the ordinance following a scheduled public hearing where no one appeared to speak for or against the proposed ordinance. Earlier this year, the state found the county out of compliance on state erosion and sediment control programs and ordered the county to deliver a compliance plan that included increases of inspection of construction and landscaping projects. County administrator Dan Campbell told the board that complying with the plan would require the county to hire an additional inspector, something that could cripple the county’s tight budget in a bad economy. However, the county must approve the state-mandated changes to the ordinance as part of the compliance plan and will take the ordinance up again next month. Boothe, Little River Supervisor Virgel Allen and Indian Valley Supervisor Fred Gerald voted against the new ordinance. Burks Fork Supervisor Bill Gardner and board chairman David Ingram voted for it. In another matter before the board Tuesday, Supervisors learned that solutions to the county’s recurring problems with billing for ambulances may not be going the way they thought they approved with changes to the system earlier this year. Supervisors changed the billing system because of complaints from county residents about the collection practices of the private firm the county uses for billing. An earlier change that said the county would only bill insurance companies for ambulance services was later amended to meet federal requirements. That system would provide for billing of insurance companies for those with private insurance or Medicare and a bill to those without insurance. Supervisors thought only one bill would be sent and no collection action would follow but learned Tuesday that some residents may be getting up to three bills and that some are required to fill out employment information. The supervisors asked EMS Administrative Clerk Myra Grim to provide more information on the current system. Campbell also said the current contractor handling the billing is “difficult to work with” and does not always provide timely information to the county. In other action Tuesday:—The board delayed approval of a local government agreement with the Virginia Department of Health until they get more information over what service may or may not be moved out of Floyd County.—The board approved a proposed resolution to the county emergency operations plan;—The board approved a memorandum of understanding for sewer treatment service outside the service area with the Pepper’s Ferry Regional Wastewater Treatment Authority in Montgomery County. TFP/news 2009-11-19T14:41:30-05:00 http://www.swvatoday.com/comments/supervisors_make_75000_in_cuts_to_current_budget/ http://www.swvatoday.com/comments/supervisors_make_75000_in_cuts_to_current_budget/#When:14:36:55Z The budget reductions came at the Supervisors’ meeting Tuesday, when the Social Services director also informed the Board of the increase in requests for assistance. by Doug Thompson Faced with increasing cuts from the Commonwealth and the threat of even more reductions in the future, Floyd County Supervisors Tuesday reduced the current fiscal year’s budget by more than $75,000 and braced for more problems in the coming months. The reductions came as Social Services Director Carl Ayers reported applications from county residents for assistance are reaching all-time highs as those who have never needed help in the past seek aid. “These are not people who normally seek welfare,“ Ayers told the trustees. “These are people who have worked all of their lives but lost their jobs and their unemployment benefits have run out.“ Ayers said applications for benefit rose 44 percent in Floyd County since 2005 and requests for food stamps are up 115 percent since 2001. He said his office must deal with the increase in requests for aid at the same time that the federal government is reducing funding for assistance by 40 percent. “When someone comes in, applies for assistance, and meets the criteria, we have to find a way to help them,“ Ayers said. Ayers said requests for energy assistance have also increased.  He said the increases in Floyd County are in line with statewide averages. The report from Ayers came as Supervisors reluctantly approved cuts in the current budget for the Commonwealth’s Attorney, Sheriff, Treasurer, Circuit Clerk, Commissioner of Revenue and Electoral Board. The Sheriff’s Office took the biggest monetary cut, losing $41,257: $14,000 in the fraud reduction program; $10,000 in tire purchases for patrol cars; $9,000 for maintenance & services; $4,000 for part time help, $1,882 for uniforms, $1,500 for radio equipment and $875 for travel. The Clerk’s office lost $5,853 for maintenance of its image system for county records; $4,128 for state compensation board reimbursement for office expenses; $2,546 for a remote access system for records and $917 for a supplemental power supply. The Treasurer’s office lost $5,880 for part time employees. The Commonwealth’s Attorney’s office lost $2,319 for part-time help; $800 for office supplies; $700 for mileage reimbursement; $700 for books, $450 for travel; $437 for the cost of collections and $200 for dues and subscriptions. The Electoral Board office lost $4,159 for election judges and $842 for voting machine custodians. The Commissioner of Revenue lost $4,574 for part time employees. The board let county officials submit their own proposals for reductions and followed those recommendations in adjusting the budget on Tuesday. As part of the cuts absorbed by his department,  Sheriff Shannon Zeman recently told organizations that they would have to pay for overtime for deputies to provide security at special events. Sponsors of the upcoming “Dickens of a Night” celebration in Floyd asked the board to give the Sheriff’s Department the funds to cover the cost for their event, but the board did not act on the request and will not meet again until after the event. Courthouse Supervisor Jerry W. Boothe said granting the request would “open the gates” for more requests from other organizations and the county could not afford to fund all the requests. While the board dealt with bad budget news for the current fiscal year, they received a clean bill of health from Brown, Edwards & Company in the annual audit. Billy Robinson of the auditing firm told the board that the county is in much better shape financially than a lot of other local governments, “particular in these tough times.“ Robinson said the county reduced its overall debt in the previous year. Unlike other areas, Robinson said, Floyd County has “had to deal with less money” for several years and is in better shape to weather the expected hard times in the future. In a related budget matter, Virginia Department of Transportation Resident Highway Engineer Bob Beasley told the board that his office expects to receive their formal notice of closure and termination the first week of January.  The Hillsville office is scheduled for closure as part of a realignment by VDOT. The agency has already closed one of two maintenance shops in Floyd County and reduced maintenance on state roads. TFP/news 2009-11-19T14:36:55-05:00 http://www.swvatoday.com/comments/sunday_afternoon_jam_brings_together_local_musicians/ http://www.swvatoday.com/comments/sunday_afternoon_jam_brings_together_local_musicians/#When:14:31:22Z The music jam, held at the Floyd Country Store every Sunday, is celebrating its first anniversary.by David St. Lawrence About a year ago, Andrea Marshall, a local musician, and Woody Crenshaw, owner of the Floyd Country Store, started talking about the possibility of a Sunday afternoon jam session at the store. Marshall proposed an informal jam, not staged performances like the Friday Night Jamboree, just people sitting around picking and singing. Woody thought this was a fine idea as it would revive one of the original traditions at the store. Andrea and Woody spread the word and the idea took off. The relaxed Sunday jam sessions have been attracting a growing number of musicians and spectators every weekend. The jam is open to all levels of players. Most of the musicians come from Floyd County or close by and they grew up playing this music, but as the word spreads, the jam draws people from further afield and those who are just passing through. There have been musicians from Australia, Europe, Canada, and from all over the United States. Andrea says, “It’s wonderful to play with all of these musicians who have such a knowledge of the local music. The audience continues to grow and there are couples who come and listen almost every week.” In addition to performing and preserving local music traditions, the Sunday Jam raises money for a music program for preschoolers and kindergarteners through a weekly donation jar that enables people to contribute. The Jam raised over $1000 this year for scholarships and instruments for the Early Childhood Music Educational Program, which is held every Friday morning in the back of the Floyd Country Store by Kari Thomas Kovick. The Jam started the week before Thanksgiving in 2008, and it is held every Sunday from 2 to 5 p.m. It’s called a “Mountain Music” jam because they play Bluegrass, Old Time and Country music. It is open to everyone, and Andrea tries to keep a welcoming feeling about it. If she sees someone hovering in the background with an instrument, she invites them to join in and makes sure they feel welcome. The sessions are a little more structured than those you see on South Locust on Friday nights in that the lead is passed around the circle so that everyone is given a chance to participate. Somebody will start off, choose a tune and tell everybody what key they are playing in. Then the next person around the circle gets to choose the tune and so forth. If a person does not feel up to leading a new tune, the lead passes to the next person. This way everyone is encouraged to play. As a result, there is a wide selection of music to be heard, and you will probably hear tunes that you do not hear elsewhere. The players range from teenagers to musicians in their nineties and they come from diverse backgrounds. One of the musicians used to be a punk rocker; others play with well-known local groups. Andrea works to keep the music flowing because there is usually a good sized audience, and they are very attentive listeners. The audience is encouraged to request tunes. If you find yourself in Floyd between 2:00 and 5:00 on Sunday afternoon, drop in to the Floyd Country Store for some fine music that captures the musical traditions of this region. TFP/news 2009-11-19T14:31:22-05:00 http://www.swvatoday.com/comments/senior_moment_whats_over_your_head/ http://www.swvatoday.com/comments/senior_moment_whats_over_your_head/#When:14:13:31Z Health problems prevent many seniors from looking up and truly enjoying the amazing array of interesting items and experiences above our heads.By BETTY MUNSEY/Columnist Health problems prevent many seniors from looking up and truly enjoying the amazing array of interesting items and experiences above our heads. Skeletal problems often draw the neck and shoulders downward preventing fluid neck movement required when looking up. Those of you dependent upon bifocals are cautioned to look down periodically to avoid objects that might cause falls. Michelangelo labored with intense dedication for over four years (1508 to 1512) while painting the ceiling of the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel.  The Italian Renaissance painter’s work is still on display today for visitors to enjoy at this holy site. Michelangelo recognized the potential of the chapel’s barren ceiling as a thing of beauty. Modern-day professional photographer Simon Poon focuses his artistic photography projects on the beauty of skies over cityscapes such as Hong Kong. As children, many of us enjoyed lying on blankets or freshly cut grass watching fluffy white cloud formations float across the sky while trying to decipher various shapes. There’s actually a term for cloud watching—nephelococcygia—and it can’t be beat for inexpensive fun.  Airlines are now charging more for window seats that allow passengers to view life in reverse by looking down upon the clouds and the Earth below. Electric companies encourage customers to look up to avoid encountering power lines. Ministers encourage us to look up to God through such scriptures as Psalm 121: “I will lift up my eyes unto the hills from whence cometh my help.” Sister Rosetta Tharpe and Marie Knight recorded “Over My Head There’s Music in the Air” in the 1940s probably never expecting the song to remain popular today more than 60 years later. It wasn’t so long ago that porch ceilings were painted a calming baby blue to resemble the summer sky and also as a symbol of good luck. Some folks thought that the blue color would fool spiders and bees into thinking the ceiling was truly the sky so that they would travel to other places to build their nests. In today’s business environment with large mega stores, the chances are great that the store’s ceiling is painted black to better disguise structural elements as well as heat and air vents and security cameras. Building improvement specialists stress the use of crown moldings, ceiling decorations, and sky lights to draw the eyes upward and increase the size of the room through optical allusions. The November/December 2009 issue of Lowe’s Creative Ideas magazine displays a very ornate and colorful wreath chandelier suspended with five hooks from a porch ceiling.  If we always looked forward and not upward, just imagine how many amazing things we would miss. Whenever possible all of us, regardless of our age, need to look up and savor our immense horizons. A retired Extension agent, Betty Munsey lives and farms in Bland County. BCM/living 2009-11-18T14:13:31-05:00