Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, February 6, 1994 TAG: 9402070251
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-7 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: New River Valley bureau
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
WYTHEVILLE - Blacksburg author Lou Kassem will visit Blue Ridge Books in downtown Wytheville from 1 to 3 p.m. SaturdayFeb12 to meet her readers and autograph her latest book, ``Odd One Out.''
Besides being a popular author of fiction for young people, Kassem has been a librarian and a member of Blacksburg Town Council as well as a mother. Some of her motherhood experiences have found their way into her stories.
She often speaks at schools, telling students where she gets the ideas for her books and encouraging those who might be interested in writing or story-telling.
Most of her work, including the recent ``Treasure of Witch Hat Mountain,'' ``A Haunting in Williamsburg,'' ``A Summer for Secrets'' and ``Middle School Blues,'' were aimed at middle-school readers. Her latest book, ``Odd One Out,'' and her ``Listen for Rachel'' are young adult books.
Blue Ridge Books is located at 148 W. Main St.
Sewer-project decision coming
FORT CHISWELL - The future of a proposed sewer project aimed at opening eastern Wythe County to further development will not be known until late March.
That, according to Board of Supervisors Chairman Tom DuPuis, is when the county must decide whether to accept or decline the grants it has been successful in seeking so far.
The grants were to be supplemented with a Farmers Home Administration loan, but whether that loan will be approved, and for how much, is not yet known.
If there is still no loan information from FmHA by late March, DuPuis said, the county will have three choices: to go ahead with the project on the assumption FmHA money will be forthcoming, to reduce it so the grants will cover its cost ``or to cancel the project.''
Small-business workshops planned
IVANHOE - A series of free workshops on small business is being planned by the Education Program of the Ivanhoe Civic League.
The first one will be at 7 p.m. ThursdayFeb10 at the league office. In case of snow, the workshop will be postponed one week.
It will cover how to start a small business, management, possible sources of support and capital, finances, using computers and other topics.
Further information is available by calling Mike Blackwell or Anita Armbrister at 699-1383 or 699-1434.
Century 21 banquet Friday
CHRISTIANSBURG - Bill Maddy, president of the Century 21 Southwest District Broker Council and owner of Century 21 Maddy Realty, said the annual Century 21 banquet will be held FridayFeb11 at the Martha Washington Inn in Abingdon.
Sponsors this year include Charter Federal Savings Bank in Bristol, NationsBanc Mortgage in Pulaski and Blue Ridge Bank in Blacksburg.
The district council is made up of 12 offices in Southwest Virginia.
Business surveys being mailed
WYTHEVILLE - Downtown Wytheville Inc., a local group interested in the future of the town, is mailing questionnaires to area residents to get their views on a variety of matters.
The questions include what changes or improvements are important for downtown Wytheville; which downtown stores draw shoppers; what stores, businesses, offices or professional services should be located in the downtown area; and what one thing each survey participant would like to see changed about downtown Wytheville.
As an incentive, people who complete and mail the survey to Downtown Wytheville Inc., P.O. Box 202, Wytheville, Va. 24382, by Feb. 28 will be eligible to win one of two country hams in random drawings to be held March 15.
by CNB