Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, October 23, 1994 TAG: 9410240027
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-7 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
WYTHEVILLE - Chuck Perry has been appointed executive board member and treasurer for the Wytheville-Wythe-Bland Chamber of Commerce, succeeding Herb Cooley who resigned because of a job change.
Cooley, who had been chief deputy for the Wythe County Sheriff's Office, was named chief of police in Pulaski.
Perry came to Wytheville in 1982 as manager of Wythe Fuel Services Inc. He is past president of the Wytheville Lion's Club. Last year, he joined the chamber's board of directors and served on its Retail and Economic Development Committees.
David Johnson, continuing education director at Wytheville Community College, will succeed Perry on the board of directors as Perry moves to the executive board.
Giles to fight Gypsy moth
BLACKSBURG - Efforts to slow the spread of the gypsy moth are planned for several areas of Giles County next spring or early summer.
The proposed action would involve about 2,615 acres in five sites of the Blacksburg Ranger District, about 6,460 acres of non-federal lands in Virginia and another 1,680 acres in West Virginia.
Public comment on the proposals is being sought and should be sent to the Blacksburg Ranger District at 110 Southpark Dr., Blacksburg, Va. 24060, by Nov. 14.
The work would take place in Virginia near Narrows, the Cascades and Goldbond.
Commonly used tools that would be available for the program include a virus insecticide called Gypchek, a biological insecticide called Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis), and pheromone flakes that disrupt the moths' mating cycle. Application is usually from the air.
A total of 4,727 acres were treated by Jefferson National Forest and agriculture officials in Virginia and West Virginia by these methods in 1994.
``The objective of the treatment program is to reduce moth populations to a level that will minimize damage to forest resources,'' said Jefferson National Forest Supervisor Joy Berg. ``Pheromone traps, used to monitor the moths' spread, indicate that populations of the gypsy moth continue to be present in sufficient numbers to warrant more treatments in new areas.''
Further information is available by calling Jefferson National Forest at 552-4641.
Electing board on ballot
WYTHEVILLE - Voters in Wythe and Smyth counties will decide Nov. 8 whether to change the method of choosing school board members to direct election.
More than half of Virginia's localities have voted for that change since the General Assembly allowed the option in 1992.
If the referendums pass, school board members will be elected in 1996 for four-year terms.
WCC offers classes
WYTHEVILLE - Wytheville Community College will offer a series of five-week courses this week on topics ranging from Shakespeare to WordPerfect for Windows.
The classes are designed to help teachers meet recertification requirements but are open to the public as well. Each class will meet from 4 to 6:40 p.m. one day a week.
Tuition is $45.80 for each one-credit course. Registration will be on the first day of each class.
Classes include ``Developing a Thematic Unit'' and ``Weight Training'' starting Monday; Shakespeare's ``The Tempest'' and ``Measure for Measure'' and ``WordPerfect 6.0 for Windows'' Tuesday; ``School/Community Relations'' and ``Science for the Elementary and Middle School Classroom'' Wednesday, and ``Solving Historical Problems'' Thursday.
Further information on each course is available from Dan Jones at 228-5541, extension 235, or (800)468-1195.
Cemetery seizure OK'd
RURAL RETREAT - Circuit Judge R. William Arthur has approved Wythe County's seizure of facilities at Sunset Memory Gardens, left vacant when owner Don Magallenes left to avoid breach of contract charges involving the cemetery.
Arthur said the seizure was necessary to protect the interests of the county, creditors and public. The county will now maintain and secure the mausoleum and office building, and has the authority to move records and documents from the office for safekeeping.
The office building had recently been forced open, and intruders would have had access to records kept there.
Caves may be odorous
WYTHEVILLE - A system of caves beneath the town of Wytheville may explain how an odor of petroleum has been detected in parts of the community in the past two years.
Dan Manweiler, who is with the ground water section of the Department of Environmental Quality, is seeking any information he can get from people with knowledge of Wytheville caves.
``Indications are, from what I know today, that there is probably a complex network of caves within the town and the outlying areas,'' Manweiler said at a recent meeting of townspeople that he had requested.
He said he had heard reports that one particular cave with several large rooms was a congregation point back in the Depression years, and that it was possible to hear voices from courtrooms above the cave at times.
``That cave is one I'd be most interested in, because that area is where we feel the pollution concern is originating,'' he said.
An entrance near the present location of Hedgefield Apartments is believed to have been sealed up, Manweiler said. If there was a way to get into the cave system and map it, he said, the department would find qualified people to do that.
``We've had our fair share of bad luck in terms of resolving the source of this problem. We are looking into it, and I feel like we will be able to resolve the pollution concern, given enough interest and given the right resources.''
by CNB