Local photographer captures a Christmas character

Students learn about business and life during internship

The Secret Service says they’ve busted an unusual type of counterfeiting scam.
Investigators believe this is how the scam worked: Three people replaced more than $1,000 worth of real cash with fake money at the Wytheville Community College bookstore.
A bank caught on to the scheme, and alerted police.
Agents charged Joe Caviness, and two others.  Investigators believe Caviness was the ringleader.  One of the other two people charged was a clerk at the bookstore.

No one injured in Rural Retreat incident

A Rural Retreat man died Wednesday morning in a two-vehicle crash in Atkins, police said.

Crews extinguish blaze

The high volume of traffic associated with Progress Park on Peppers Ferry Road has prompted Wytheville Town Council to seek improvements and realignment of a section of that road. Following a public hearing on the issue last week, council unanimously adopted a resolution requesting the Virginia Department of Transportation to establish an urban system highway project for approximately one-third mile of the road from Nye Road east to the corporate limits near Fellowship Baptist Church.

A Rural Retreat man was charged Wednesday evening following a head-on collision on West Lee Highway. Jerry Rose, 45, faces charges of reckless driving and having no insurance on his vehicle.
According to Capt. Keith Dunagan of the Wythe County Sheriff’s Office, Rose was headed west in a 1990 Chevrolet when he approached a line of traffic slowed behind a vehicle making a right turn. He pulled into the left lane in an attempt to pass the other vehicles when he collided with an eastbound 2000 Chevrolet operated by James A. Etter Jr., 53, of Wytheville.

The Wythe County School Board meeting covered the emotional gamut Thursday evening as the topics the board considered brought up feelings of both pride and concern.
Saving the money talk for the end of the meeting held at Speedwell Elementary School, Superintendent Albert Armentrout was last on the agenda with his preliminary address to the School Board about the upcoming 2008-2009 school year budget.

Hollywood producers may think they have a monopoly on the talking animals genre, but Rural Retreat resident Daisy Cromwell’s tale can trump the big screen flicks.
Because her story is true.
Cromwell is the newly published author of “Arthur the Talking Goat” – a children’s book telling the tale of her pet Angora goat, Arthur, and his love for apples.
Make that “Ar-ar-ar-arples.”
Let Cromwell explain.