To be just five days out from the Fourth of July, Monday morning broke chilly and would progress only through cool by noon. The unseasonability of it, more befitting of fall than the 10th day after the summer solstice, was especially notable on the shaded northern slopes of Molly’s Knob foothills in the heart of Hungry Mother State Park.

Smyth County’s Victim Witness Assistance program will be among the recipients of grants totaling $40 million in federal funds allocated by the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services.
The local program, directed by Susan Williams, will receive $36,320 in federal dollars, along with $9,080 in state money, Gov. Timothy Kaine announced Wednesday.

Response has been so strong to word of new jobs when First Fruits Beverage Company LLC opens in Marion this fall, Plant Manager Larry Grabman emphasized Thursday the company’s hiring process will not begin until July 14.

On Saturday, July 5, area residents can expect to hear engines roar, see paint-jobs shining and chrome gleaming as the Car Nuts Car Club rolls into town with its seventh annual car show. The event will take place in Chilhowie at the Chilhowie Recreation Park just off Exit 35 of Interstate 81.

The Song of the Mountains bluegrass festival and Smyth County Celebration at Davis Valley Winery got off to a sunny start Thursday. The early attendees, on hand for the 3 p.m. opening by Mac Puckett & The Good Company Band, took refuge from the sun beneath two big tents.

Former Chilhowie Police Chief Dwayne Sheffield has written a letter from prison asking a judge to appoint a guardian ad litem to represent him in a $30 million lawsuit against him and other current and former town of Chilhowie officials.

The nearly week-long county-wide annual celebration of music is under way in anticipation of the performances Thursday, Friday and Saturday on the main stage at Davis Valley Winery.

“Watch that gravel when you turn off there. Watch that gravel.” There’s no telling how many times Charlie Bill Totten loudly and earnestly intoned those words as dozens of bikers approached Palmer Mill in Saltville on both sides of the noon hour Monday.

Jeremy Ferguson is a nice guy. The Meadowview native is self-employed. He, along with a couple of helpers, operates Lawn Specialists, a business providing full-service lawn care to residential and commercial customers. According to Ferguson, he has customers from “Chilhowie to Kingsport (Tenn.).” He said he tries to keep his prices reasonable, enough to make a living and still be affordable for his customers. Asked how many yards he mows a week, he smiled, wiped the sweat off his face and said, “In weather like this it seems like about a million.” Like for most people, the rising cost of fuel is impacting Ferguson.

It happened sooner than expected, and Dr. Ben Halsey is thrilled to be back home so early in his career.