Hot Springs & Monterey, VA

Water woes surface at dairy barn BY CHARLES GARRATT • STAFF WRITER       WARM SPRINGS - The engineer overseeing development of a new well on Homestead Preserve property behind the Dairy Barn said steps have been taken to prevent mud-laden water from the well entering Warm Springs Run, as happened last week. More ... Postseason push      Charger James LaCour pulls in a 27 yard touchdown pass from quarterback John Barden to put Bath up 12-7 in the first half of Friday's 27-20 playoff victory over Holston High School. Bath continues the postseason at Rural Retreat this Friday. The Region C, Division 1 Championship goes to the winner. ... More ... Tourist trail idea attracts interest, concern in Highland BY JAMES JACENICH • STAFF WRITER       MONTEREY - "What do you think the strengths of the region are?" asked John Hull. Hull is an economic resources planner for the Roanoke Valley-Alleghany Regional Commission; he came to Highland to steer last Wednesday's public input session at The Highland Center on a tourism trail proposal. More ... Photos      The opening of the Bath Christmas Mother store at St. Luke's Episcopal Church is near. This year's Christmas Mother Trudy Woodzell gathers Monday with her helpers to continue the planning for the coming weeks. Front row (l-r) Hella Armstrong, volunteer food coordinator; Selena Lacks, public relation... More ... Area burning bans lifted       RICHMOND - Gov. Timothy M. Kaine has announced the statewide ban on open burning has been lifted, effective immediately. The ban was instituted Oct. 19 when weather conditions across the commonwealth pushed the drought and wildland fire indices into the dangerous range. More ... Where are they? Ladybugs on the lam BY CHARLES GARRATT • STAFF WRITER       WARM SPRINGS - No one seems to know where they went, nor can they say whether they might yet show up, but everyone seems to be happy the annual invasion of Asian ladybugs due around mid-October has yet to materialize. More ... Garage approved, but horses nixed BY CHARLES GARRATT • STAFF WRITER       WARM SPRINGS - The Bath County Board of Zoning appeals approved a conditional use permit for a new vehicle repair business on Pond Hill, but denied a variance requested to allow horses on a 14-acre tract zoned residential this week. More ... Hearings set for ABC sign, new business BY JAMES JACENICH • STAFF WRITER       MONTEREY - The Highland County Planning Commission reviewed an application from the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control for a variance to install a retail sign on U.S. 220 in Monterey for its retail liquor store on Water Street. More ... Taking stock: What does Highland offer? BY JAMES JACENICH • STAFF WRITER       MONTEREY - According to a group of citizens at last Wednesday's tourism trail input session at The Highland Center, there's plenty to do and see in Highland County. More ... Highland No. 1 in state for Relay BY JAMES JACENICH • STAFF WRITER       MONTEREY - Highland may be the smallest county in population in Virginia, but its citizens have the deepest pockets, at least when it comes to contributions to the American Cancer Society. Highland County donated $32,017 in 2007 through the Relay for Life program - that's an average of $13.28 ce... More ... Highland Relay for Life compared 2006-2007       Highland County had the No. 1 per capita Relay in Virginia and the No. 11 per capita Relay in the United States for counties with less than 10,000 people. More ... 4-H clubs shine with success       DOE HILL - Highland County 4-H held its annual achievement night Nov. 9 at Doe Hill United Methodist Church to recognize members and volunteers for their achievements during the past year. The Busy Bee 4-H Club hosted the program. Kari Obaugh, president of the Highland County 4-H Council, and Roy... More ...      Archaeologist Howard MacCord (left), 93, spoke to the Highland Chapter of the Archaeological Society of Virginia recently at the Highland County Public Library. His talk was on the Late Woodland Period (just prior to the arrival of the English in 1607). He is pictured with HCASV and Archaeological S... More ... A tribute to the Walk of Honor       Editor's note: Mary Cantrell had two poems for last week's Highland County Veteran's Memorial Dedication. The one published last week was included with the program. She also wrote the dedication poem below, and read it at the dedication. More ... Millboro Happenings By Gina Hamilton       ¦ Millboro Elementary School students in grades six and seven are sponsoring Longaberger basket bingo on Saturday, Dec. 1, beginning at 3 p.m. at the school on Church Street. They are raising money for a field trip. Food and beverages will be available during the event, and raffles and door... More ... Relay dance set       MONTEREY - Highland's Relay for Life coordinator, Mary Beth Gutshall, announced a "Ring in the New Year with a Cure” dance at The Highland Center on Dec. 31 from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. Proceeds from tickets sold to the dance will go to the American Cancer Society. One must be 21 to attend and ti... More ... Births Andrew Douglas Scott Burke       CRAIGSVILLE - Matthew and Amanda F. Burke of Craigsville announce the birth of their first child, a son, Andrew Douglas Scott Burke, born Sept. 2, 2007 at Augusta Medical Center. Andrew weighed seven pounds, nine ounces and was 20 inches long. More ... Dining Delights Cucci's branches into Warm Springs By Margo Oxendine, Staff Writer       WARM SPRINGS - For 30 years now, folks from Bath have been driving down to Covington for something special: Real homemade Italian food, made by real talented Sicilians. Now, Bath folks need drive no further than Cucci's at the Varsity. More ... VFW gathers Christmas cards for the troops       STAUNTON - Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 360 has taken on a special mission for this holiday season. According to Ralph Moran, the post has been working with three Bath County churches to supply phone cards tucked inside Christmas cards for overseas soldiers. More ... DAR Chapter celebrates 30th       STAUTON - The Sarah Murray Lewis Chapter NSDAR met on Nov. 10 at St. Johns United Methodist Church, in Staunton for its 30th anniversary as a chapter. There were with 29 members and three guests - Karen Ketchum, Carol Holbert and Diana Davide. More ... Correction       ¦ Last week's Recorder misrepresented Highland County electoral board member Maxine Huffman's position with regard to the list of write-in candidates for the recent general elections. Huffman did not "refuse" to provide anyone with the list. More ... Hise promoted       VIRGINIA BEACH - Jason Hise was promoted to gunnery sergeant Sept. 1 and was subsequently selected for the Warrant Officer program. He will be promoted to warrant officer on Feb. 1, 2008. He is currently stationed at NAS Oceana in Virginia Beach, where he resides with his wife, Shyla and their t... More ...      Dr. Sandra Smock of Lexington has been named the director of student support services and the achievement center at Dabney S. Lancaster Community College. Smock began her duties Oct. 10. "We are pleased to have Dr. Smock as the new director of the achievement center," said Dr. Richard R. Teaff, DSLC... More ... Chiropractor determined to straighten out Highland BY JAMES JACENICH • STAFF WRITER       MONTEREY - Dr. Andrea Hailey, D.C. came home to the Shenandoah Valley after completing her doctorate at New York Chiropractic College in Seneca, N.Y. She opened Hailey Chiropractic in Verona soon after graduation, but has longed to work in an even more rural setting, similar to where she grew up ... More ...      VFW Post 4989 donated money to the Veteran Walk of Honor memorial project. Pictured (l-r) are Bill Niswander, Austin Shepherd, Houston Smith, Delbert Rexrode Jr., Herbert Lightner, Jim Cobb, George J. Colaw, Harold Newman, Frank Smith and Richard Waybright. (Photo courtesy VFW Post 4989) More ... Blow your own ornament       STAUNTON - Sunspots Studios in downtown Staunton is again giving the public a chance to try a little glass blowing in December. The glass gallery is holding two "Blow Your Own Ornament" sessions. The first one is on Friday, Dec. 7 from 5:30-9 p.m. for ages 12 and up; the second, more kid-frien... More ... Register for 2008 gardener class       LEXINGTON - The Rockbridge Area Master Gardeners Association is accepting applications for the class of 2008. The 50 hours of classroom instruction by area experts will take place Jan. 15 through March 27 on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. until 12 p.m. Classes are held at the Virginia Coop... More ... Highlanders do book on holiday tree       MONTEREY - Three years ago a beautiful red spruce evergreen left the mountains of Highland County and stood on the West Lawn of our nation's capitol. A new children's book, "A Treemendous Honor," tells about this memorable event. More ...      Heaven joined in the fall celebration of color several weeks ago as the sun peeked under a cover of clouds and showered the area in light. The final touch was a rainbow placed in the north to signal the storm's end. (Recorder photo by James Jacenich) More ... Poultry industry, officials agree on water quality       HARRISONBURG - Virginia Secretary of Natural Resources L. Preston Bryant Jr. and Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Robert S. Bloxom have joined representatives from Virginia's poultry industry to sign agreements with the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation with a goal of redu... More ...      This photo was taken on Monday, Nov. 12 near the turn to Bolar. It was snowing hard at the time. Looks like night but it was 9:30 a.m. (Recorder photo by Charles Garratt) More ... Photos      The Sundance Express poses outside of the Stompin' Grounds in Maggie Valley, N.C. The Stompin' Grounds is known as the Clogging Capital of the World and hosts the annual American Clogging Hall of Fame World Clogging Championships. The Sundance Express qualified in 2007 to attend this gathering of te... More ... DMV closed for holiday       RICHMOND - All Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles customer service centers will close for the Thanksgiving holiday beginning Thursday, Nov. 22. The offices will remain closed on Friday Nov. 23 and Saturday, Nov. 24. Customer services centers will reopen on Monday, Nov. 26. More ... Help prevent highway deaths this Thanksgiving season       RICHMOND - The holiday season brings increased travel on Virginia's highways as millions hit the road for family gatherings, shopping excursions and celebrations. Unfortunately, mixed among the holiday cheer is mourning for the dozens who die in Virginia highway crashes during peak holiday trav... More ... Ruffed Grouse Society holds banquet       FISHERSVILLE - The H.C. Edwards chapter of The Ruffed Grouse Society held its 18th annual sportsmen's banquet recently at Expoland near Fishersville. A total of 260 people attended. Of spe- cial note, there were 71 people who contributed $250 or more to support the chapter by becoming conservati... More ...      Mountain Magic Makers finalize plans for their annual craft show to be held at the Mountain View Room of the Highland County Public Library from Nov. 23 through Dec. 2. Pictured (l-r) are: Donna Echard, Karen Botkin, Lisa Jacenich, Gay Herold and Pollly Turner. (Photo courtesy Lisa Jacenich) More ...