ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, March 3, 1996 TAG: 9603060005
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-6 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
Site for industry
WYTHEVILLE - Wythe County land on which a private company once wanted to build a 1,500-bed prison is being sought as a site for industry.
The county Joint Industrial Development Authority has voted to seek an option on two tracts of land, one of which was to have been the site of a Corrections Corporation of America prison. CCA later dropped that site and secured an option on another, but ended up getting no state contract to build a private prison in Wythe.
The 1,200 acres east of Wytheville would become a second industrial park for the county. The recommendation to secure an option came from Anderson & Associates, consultants working for the authority.
Housing grant
WYTHEVILLE - Mountain Shelter Inc. has received $10,000 from the Fannie Mae Foundation to expand its emergency housing trust fund and housing counseling program.
Rep. Rick Boucher, D-Abingdon, helped Mountain Shelter with the application process and announced the award last month.
Mountain Shelter, formed in 1992, is a nonprofit housing development organization working in Bland, Carroll, Grayson and Wythe counties and the city of Galax. It has been involved in extensive renovation and construction of 22 single-family homes.
The trust fund from the grant will provide money for low-interest loans to homeowners needing emergency repairs. The grant also will help upgrade computer capabilities for home-ownership counseling outreach.
Further information on Mountain Shelter and its programs is available by calling 228-6280.
More school days
WYTHEVILLE - Wythe County school officials are evaluating their school calendar, tentatively extending it to June 12 because of days missed because of bad weather.
Representatives from each school are on the committee, headed by Steve Sage, director of elementary education. It will make its recommendations to the School Board at a March 13 meeting.
The board also has formed a committee of teachers, parents, administrators and students to develop a policy for student use of the Internet.
Beverly Zenious, representing the Wythe County Education Association, asked the board at its February meeting to consider a 5 percent raise for teachers as it prepares its 1996-97 budget. Other teacher requests included adding dental and eye care to their insurance, and providing duty-free lunch periods.
The board filled five coaching positions at Fort Chiswell High School: Russell Bird, head baseball coach; Robert Maples, head track coach; Bret Booher and Kim Nicely, assistant track coaches; and Mike Stafford, assistant softball coach.
Perfect score
WYTHEVILLE - The Wytheville Redevelopment and Housing Authority has received the best possible score in a public housing management assessment program for the 1994-95 year, which ended June 30.
The assessment scores housing authorities in such areas as management, maintenance, occupancy and rental collections. The Wytheville authority got a perfect score.
The authority owns and manages 220 units in the town. Its office is located at Hedgefield Apartments.
On the tour track
WYTHEVILLE - "Well, we're back," said Steve Brunner of the Tour DuPont, announcing last month that the 12-day, 12,000-mile bicycle race again would have Wytheville on its route.
The sixth stage of the race will be from Salem to Blacksburg, and the eighth from Bristol to Beech Mountain, N.C. The race will end in Marietta, Ga.
Wytheville will be the start for the seventh stage of the race May 7. Bicyclists will take off from Main and First streets, take U.S. 21 south, turn right onto Old Stage Road, left on Virginia 667 and right on Virginia 675. As they head out of town, they will turn left on Virginia 749 to come into Rural Retreat on Main Street.
Premier Bank, the main sponsor of the Wytheville segment of the race, also will sponsor a "Sprint Line" race in Rural Retreat. The bank will award that day's winner a $1,500 check at the finish line in Bristol.
Other major sponsors include WordSprint Printing Co. and Wythe County Community Hospital ($2,000 each), and Builders Super Market, Scrooge's Restaurant and Blue Ridge Therapy ($500 each).
The Tour DuPont first included Wytheville in 1994. The town is seeking supporters this year to give money, in-kind services or volunteer time.
Council challengers
WYTHEVILLE - Wytheville Vice Mayor Jackie King, the only woman currently serving on Wytheville Town Council, has competition for her second term.
Richard Phillippi and Charles Crockett have announced that they, like King, will be seeking the two council seats up for election May 2.
James Gleaves, appointed in mid-1994 to complete the unexpired term of Tom Bralley, who moved out of town, has said he would not seek re-election. His term and King's are the only ones on council expiring this year.
In Rural Retreat, incumbents Betty Wingo and Rick Martin are seeking re-election, and will be challenged by David Chaplain and Lawrence Dunnigan. The four candidates will be competing for three seats.
LENGTH: Long : 102 lines KEYWORDS: POLITICS CITY COUNCILby CNB