Tazewell County Grand Jury meets

Goal is to have five elementaries air conditioned by Aug. 31 of 2009

Premature birth awareness month underway

The voters in Tazewell County didn’t quite turn out in the numbers they did elsewhere, with only a bit more than 60 percent of the registered voters, 17,074, making it to the polls. Still, those voters maintained a trend similar to the rest of the region in giving strong backing to the Republican ticket of Sen. John McCain and Gov. Sarah Palin. The McCain/Palin ticket received 65.57 percent of the Tazewell County vote, or 11,196, compared to the 32.75 percent received by Democratic challengers Sens. Barack Obama and Joe Biden. The Obama/Biden ticket recorded 5,592 votes. 

Debating whether to build at current site or move to another location

A Richlands physician awaiting trial on a rape charge was indicted Tuesday by a federal grand jury in Abingdon on 33 drug-related charges.
Dr. Roy C. Gomez of Richlands was charged with 33 counts of obtaining controlled substances by fraud and deception and one count of attempting to obtain controlled substances by fraud.
The 65-year-old Gomez had been released on a $1 million bond on the rape charge. In addition he had to surrender his passport, have no contact with the alleged victim or witnesses, go on home electronic monitoring and only travel to and from work and to meet with attorneys. 

The days of claiming competency in a trade have long vanished. These days, employers are looking craftsmen who have been certified by someone who isn’t related to them. It’s a process that can take a lot of time and effort. So a partnership between the Shaw group, an international contractor for craftsmen of all walks, and Virginia Highlands Community College looks to make the process much smoother.

The camels milling about Damascus last weekend were a long way from the desert, but they seemed right at home as folks hopped on their backs and toured their pens.
Iron Horse Campground co-owner Donald Snyder said nearly 300 people stopped by his campground just outside town to catch a glimpse and even ride the lumbering bactrian (two-humped) camels that were grazing on the front lawn.

Funds will link Tazewell Community Health with UVA

Chrystle Dawn Patrick gets 40 years to serve