Schools delayed because of snow
The surprise snowfall that dumped 3-4 inches of snow on Floyd County Saturday night created a two-hour delay for schools today. Although banks and government offices are closed for the Martin Luther King holiday, schools are open. The Virginia Department of Transportation reports major highways are open but warn of slippery conditions and black ice [...]
Supervisors name Clinger as new chairman, Allen as vice chair
The Floyd County Board of Supervisors elected first-term Courthouse Supervisor to the chairmanship Tuesday and second-term Little River representative Virgel Allen as vice chairman. The Board also voted to expand its meeting schedule to two meetings a month: A day meeting beginning at 8:30 a.m. on the first Tuesday and an evening session starting at [...]
The sun sets on 2011
Lots of changes on the Floyd scene as the old year rings out: Lawrence Wood is closing the funeral home that bears his name. Wood has buried a lot of people in Floyd County over the past 66 years, including my maternal grandparents. He’s been a fixture around here for a long, long time. (Update: [...]
New River Valley Harley-Davidson ceases operations Dec. 31
New River Valley Harley-Davidson, Christiansburg, opened with much fanfare and high hopes in October 2008, shuts it doors at the end-of-business Saturday, Dec. 31. The shop’s inventory will go to Roanoke Valley Harley-Davidson — which has the same owner — along with some employees. Employees got the news Tuesday. A sign announced “Clearance Consolidation” went [...]
No wind turbine farms in Floyd County?
If the proposed ordinance scheduled for a public hearing at Floyd County High School on Jan. 31, 2012, stands, proposed wind generator farms for Floyd County will never be built. The Floyd County board of supervisors, in a 3-0 vote — with two of the five supervisors abstaining — gave preliminary approval Tuesday to an [...]
A ‘quiet, typical college student’ who kills a cop?
If you can believe those giving interviews to reporters about Ross Truett Ashley, the 22-year-old parttime Radford University student who gunned down a Virginia Tech police officer Thursday before blowing his own brains out, the murdering young man was just a “quiet, typical college student.” Yet this typical, quiet college student — who made the [...]
Status quo rules in Floyd County elections
In the end, an election that some felt would restructure Floyd County’s school board and redefine county government turned into an endorsement of the status quo. Every incumbent on the general election ballot Tuesday won, including three sitting members of the school board and county sheriff Shannon Zeman, who trounced challenger Laura Sparks — a [...]
Election Day Tuesday, if anyone cares
Election Day Tuesday. Time to make up our minds on just who we will vote for — or against — when we make selections on those touch screens. Not much choice when it comes to the Floyd County Board of Supervisors. The only contested race — between longtime Locust Grove supervisor David Ingram and challenger [...]
Floyd County gets a new school superintendent
Kevin Harris, director of Human Resources for the Carroll County school system, is Floyd County’s new superintendent of schools. The county’s school board named Harris Wednesday night after interviewing seven of 17 applicants for the job. Harris replaces Terry Arbogast, who held the job for 18 years but retires early under a cloud over questions [...]
Arbogast pays fine for speeding ticket
A heavy foot on the accelerator pedal of his Toyota Tundra truck cost outgoing school superintendent Terry Arbogast $151. Arbogast prepaid the $90 fine and $61 in court costs before his scheduled court appearance for speeding on Thursday. Sheriff’s Deputy Tim Dulaney nailed Arbogast on June 19. The long-time school superintendent, is scheduled to retire [...]