Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, May 15, 1994 TAG: 9405160004
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-5 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
WYTHEVILLE - A new furniture store is open in downtown Wytheville.
Tomchin's Furniture Co. opened on the town's Main Street on Wednesday, the same day Tour DuPont fans were crowding the street to see the start of a segment of the popular bicycle race.
``This whole town is so nice and so friendly, and just such a traditional small town that we were just enchanted with it,'' said Sara Tomchin, company president, who lives in Blacksburg.
The company also operates stores in Princeton and Mullens, W.Va.
The store is located in the former Ball Brothers Furniture Store. Before that, the building housed Crest's Department Store.
Tomchin, who moved to Blacksburg in the mid-1980s after completing graduate school at Virginia Tech, said she has been watching this area of Virginia for some time.
``I've just been very impressed with the controlled growth in this town,'' she said. ``It hasn't boomed like Blacksburg. Good, steady and what I consider healthy growth.''
Tomchin's was founded by her grandfather, who came to this country from Russia at age 14 and had to support himself with what jobs he could find. In 1912, he bought used furniture from a hotel that was replacing its furnishings, began selling it piecemeal and decided he liked the furniture business.
When World War II started, he sold his company and invested the money in war bonds. Afterward, he and his two sons re-started it.
Mark Fain will be the resident sales director for the Wytheville store. Tomchin said she and Steve Pritchett, operations manager, would be in Wytheville several times a week.
Teletechnet degrees
WYTHEVILLE - Wytheville Community College, in partnership with Old Dominion University in Norfolk, is offering a way for people to earn bachelor's degrees without leaving this area.
Under a new program called Teletechnet, students would complete their first two years at the community college and do the remaining course work offered by Old Dominion through interactive audio and video as well as on-site classes and laboratories.
Teletechnet programs will start this fall in Wytheville. Available programs include engineering technology, nursing, personal communications, health sciences administration, business management and criminal justice.
Representatives from Old Dominion visited the campus last week to discuss these programs along with admissions and financial aid for prospective students. Further information is available by calling Old Dominion at (800) 968-2638.
Housing project dead
FORT CHISWELL - A planned project that would have rehabilitated homes and installed bathrooms in the Max Meadows area of eastern Wythe County is dead for now because of funding.
The Wythe County Board of Supervisors learned last week that it would take three or four months to get word on what federal grants might be available for the project, which was to be done along with a wastewater treatment project around Fort Chiswell.
The sewer project is still scheduled to be done, but the housing rehabilitation segment has been put on hold.
The county had gotten approval for a $1 million state grant for the housing work, but could not accept it without a commitment for enough money to complete it. The deadline for accepting the state grant has passed.
Fire crews' fund broke
WYTHEVILLE - The Wythe County Fire Departments' fund is broke.
County reimbursement to departments from the towns of Wytheville and Rural Retreat exceeded the amount put aside for that purpose.
The Wytheville fire call bill was $11,700 and Rural Retreat was $22,000, which exceeds the budgeted money by more than $11,000. The county will pay what it can from the remaining $11,000 to the two towns.
by CNB