Hot Springs & Monterey, VA

Puffenbarger sugar camp lost to fire BY JAMES JACENICH • STAFF WRITER       HIGHTOWN - "It took 50 years to put that together, 50 minutes to lose it," Ivan Puffenbarger said. Puffenbarger's Sugar Orchard, a mainstay of the Highland County maple industry for half a century, is now a pile of cinders, twisted metal and ashes after being consumed by fire Tuesday night. More ... Bath County sheriff back under attack by board BY CHARLES GARRATT • STAFF WRITER       WARM SPRINGS - Supervisor Stuart Hall had Bath Sheriff Larry Norfleet in his sights Tuesday at a meeting of the Bath County Board of Supervisors. He was determined to shoot down some recent actions by the new sheriff. More ... Procedures for abuse complaints explained       MONTEREY - This week's change of teachers at Highland Preschool has prompted a lot of questions from parents, and superintendent Gary Blair says much of the situation simply cannot be disclosed publicly in order to protect the privacy of all involved. More ... Bath property up 33% BY CHARLES GARRATT • STAFF WRITER       WARM SPRINGS - David Hickey of Blue Ridge Mass Appraisal told Bath supervisors Tuesday landowners should receive letters with their new appraisals beginning Thursday. The overall increase is about 33 percent for properties in what Hickey characterized as the lower end of the Bath market, basical... More ... In Brief . . . Bath County Board of Supervisors       ¦ The board of supervisors met Tuesday at the courthouse. The abbreviated agenda was continued from the regular meeting held two weeks ago. More ... Bath capital requests top $1 million BY CHARLES GARRATT • STAFF WRITER       WARM SPRINGS - While everyone is talking about recession and lean budgets, the Bath County Planning Commission approved and sent to supervisors a five year Capital Improvement Plan with just over $1 million in capital requests for the coming fiscal year. More ... Capital improvement requests       Bath County Emergency Services Service Authority Bath County Sheriff's Office Bath County Animal Control Bath County Public Schools Bath County Airport Authority More ... Festival to celebrate 50th year next weekend BY MARGO OXENDINE • STAFF WRITER       MONTEREY - Over the next two weekends, visitors to Highland County's 50th Maple Festival will help make history happen. The festival will be held March 8-9 and March 15-16. It is sponsored and funded by the Highland County Chamber of Commerce, with the help of countless volunteers. More ... Monterey streets to be cleaned for Maple Festival       MONTEREY - VDOT will have a street sweeper in Monterey on Thursday and Friday Feb. 28-29, weather permitting, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. VDOT asks the public to refrain from parking along streets to facilitate sweeping. The street sweeping is in preparation for the Maple Festival. For more informat... More ... Millboro man pleads guilty to sexual assault BY MARGO OXENDINE • STAFF WRITER       WARM SPRINGS - A Millboro man pleaded guilty to sexual battery of a juvenile in Bath County Circuit Court last Friday. John A. Mills, 45, pleaded to a lesser charge from the one issued in his indictment by a grand jury last month. The initial charge, aggravated sexual battery of a juvenile, was... More ...      Elsie Shinaberry McCormick turned 90 on Feb. 12. A surprise celebration was held at the home of her granddaughter Gail M. Armstrong in New Hope. Festivities were hosted by granddaughters Armstrong and Tammy M. Gallimore. Becky Shinaberry hosted as well. McCormick was born in 1918 in Huntersville, W.... More ... Pool is for everyone, says commission BY JAMES JACENICH • STAFF WRITER       MONTEREY - "We want people to know they can benefit from this (pool)," said Highland County Recreation Commission treasurer and pool project chairperson Maggie Cavell. The county swimming pool is fully funded and plans are to have it built by the end of summer. But the recreation commission need... More ... In Brief . . . Highland County Recreation Commission       ¦ The recreation commission approved adding $600 to its budget request this year to pay for a weight room supervisor. More ... Agenda       Highland County Board of Supervisors Highland Modular Conference Center March 4, - 7:30 p.m. ¦ Public Hearing - James White Jr. More ... Millboro Happenings By Gina Hamilton       ¦ Resident Sandra Peters, who has been a leader for the Weight Watchers program for six years, received the Diamond Leader award recently from the organization. While there are no longer Weight Watchers meetings Millboro or Goshen, she leads such programs in Clifton Forge and Covington. More ... Relay For Life holds community yard sale       HOT SPRINGS - The Bath County Chapter of the American Cancer Society has announced a new event for its annual Relay for Life - a community yard sale. Spaces can be reserved, free of charge by contacting Olivia Haney at (540) 997-9135 or Pat Foutz at (540) 838-7055. Relay organizers are asking th... More ... Governors call for regional approach to drug problems       WASHINGTON, D.C.- At the annual meeting of the Appalachian Regional Commission in Washington Sunday, the governors of the member Appalachian states and the federal co-chair underscored the threat posed by substance abuse to Appalachia and called for a regional approach to address the problem. More ... Pendleton Pals meet at Maple Festival       MONTEREY - The Pendleton Pals will meet on Saturday, March 15, at the Highland County Museum and Heritage Center in McDowell, during the Maple Festival from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. The Pendleton Pals are a group of amateur genealogists researching families from the Pendleton and Highland County area... More ... Library Notes By Tomi Herold, Highland County Public Library       ¦ This Sunday, March 2 at 2 p.m., as part of the library's Local Author's Series, Chris Scott will talk about and sign copies of his new book, "Highland County, Images of America. More ... Annual Relay for Life under way       MONTEREY - The Highland County Relay for Life will be held on Saturday, May 31 at the Highland County Fairgrounds. The event will start at noon with a special ceremony honoring survivors and caretakers. More ... The West Virginians to perform March 6       FRANKLIN W.Va. - "The West Virginians" is a nationally recognized performing group from Alderson-Broaddus College in Philippi, W.Va. They will perform in Franklin, W.Va. in the community building on Thursday, March 6 at 7 p.m. More ... Farmers' market planned       MILLBORO - A farmers' market will start in the area and organizers are looking for growers interested in participating as vendors with locally grown fruits, vegetables, herbs and bedding plants to sell at the market once a week from June to September. More ... Highland pool bathhouse plans presented BY GEOFF COX • STAFF WRITER       MONTEREY - Architect Mark Paxton of Staunton presented a substantially complete set of drawings for the Monterey pool bathhouses to Highland supervisors and the pool steering committee meeting Wednesday morning. More ... RACS offers services to Bath       LEXINGTON - Rockbridge Area Community Services reminds the Bath community of the availability of their professional staff to provide presentations and training to local groups. More ... Sponaugle receives 2008 Virginia BCIA award       MONTEREY - Virginia Beef Cattle Improvement Association has presented the 2008 Virginia Outstanding Commercial Producer Award to Jim Sponaugle of Doe Hill. The Sponaugle cow-calf operation is recognized for its progressive approach to genetic improvement and marketing. More ... K-9 4-H'ers make homemade dog biscuits      The Highland K-9 4-H club makes homemade dog biscuits. The club uses this learning experience as an annual fund-raiser. The biscuits will be available for sale during the Maple Festival to benefit club projects. Members pictured are Amy Hull, Burgundy Hicks, Suzanna Landrum, Savannah Hevener, Tabith... More ... Puffenbarger recognized in national Angus report       HIGHTOWN - Dareld Puffenbarger, of Hightown, has been recognized nationally by the American Angus Association ® for having one registered Angus cow included in the association's 2008 Pathfinder® Report. More ... Workshop focuses on healthy watershed landscaping       CLIFTON FORGE - On Wednesday, March 5, a panel of local experts will discuss landscaping for a healthy watershed at Dabney S. Lancaster Community College. This is the second part of a four-part Watershed Workshop Series hosted by the Cowpasture River Preservation Association. More ... See the person, not the disability March is National Mental Retardation and Developmental Disability Awareness Month       LEXINGTON - The theme for Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities Awareness month 2008 is "Success - when doors open we succeed." Rockbridge Area Community Services' community support services unit is celebrating MRDD Awareness Month in March and invites citizens to consider the true ... More ... TDS warns of e-mail scams       MADISON, Wisc. - Within the last several days, TDS Internet Service customers have received a variety of fraudulent e-mails known as phishing attacks. The emails state they are from "TDS Internet Mail Service" or "TDSMAIL TEAM." These are not legitimate TDS organizations. More ...