The Shadow
2 – The city of Covington may soon be facing a $15 million problem. City Manager John Doane informed council Tuesday night that an expected $15 million loan from the Virginia Literary Loan Fund and probably will not be available to the city during this budget cycle.
Inquiries from businesses looking at Alleghany County were up dramatically in 2010, according to the executive director of the Roanoke Regional Partnership.
The Bath County School Board has rejected a request to revise a policy that deals with administering medicines to students.
An Alleghany County Circuit Court judge rules that Covington Paperworkers Union 675 has the right to use the union hall on Prospect Street. The union hall has been locked in a legal battle between CPU and the United Steelworkers Union since late 2009.
4 – KSL Capital, the company that owns The Homestead, is exploring the possibility of selling the Hot Springs resort. Peter Faraone, the general manager of The Homestead, alerted employees of the possible sale of the resort in an e-mail earlier this week.
Seymour Kern is honored by Covington Masonic Lodge No. 171 A.F. & A.M. on earning 50 years in Masonry. Kern was raised a Master Mason on Jan. 23, 1961 under the leadership of then-Worshipful Master Richard F. Beirne III.
5 – Thanks to the efforts of an Alleghany County resident, the Kingdom of Bahrain now has a DARE program. Gene Ayers, a master trooper with the Virginia State Police and the coordinator of the DARE program in Covington, was part of a team that traveled around the world in January to train some of Bahrain’s finest as DARE instructors.
8 – The Covington Fire Department is called to the CSX rail yard Monday for an electrical fire onboard a locomotive.
Damage was estimated at $2,000.
9 – Dave Kleppinger, executive director of the Alleghany Highlands Economic Development Corporation, updates Covington City Council on the status of the Lear and AET properties.
Clifton Forge Town Council hears a presentation from the water and sewer committee and hold public hearing on an ordinance to close an alley.
The Bath County Board of Supervisors has scheduled a public hearing on a proposed dogs running at large ordinance.
Mary Kostel, a resident of the Brian Center’s Assisted Living Facility, turns 103.
The Alleghany County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a shooting which took place this morning.
12 – Jackson River Enterprises in Covington has received a three-year accreditation from the Certification and Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities office – part of the national Rehabilitation Accreditation Commission.
The Alleghany Highlands Christmas Mother Program served 1,613 individuals in December. The total served as 761 less than the 2,374 served in 2009 and six less than the number that received aid in 2008.
15 – Covington School Superintendent Tom Long reports to the Covington School Board that the rise in health care premiums will only be three percent in the next budget year, as opposed to the 10 percent rise that had originally been anticipated.
16 – Covington Mayor Rob Bennett is juggling the roles of high school basketball coach and Covington councilman.
Bennett wears both hats and wears them to the best of his abilities.
Alleghany County has a healthy fund balance as localities throughout Virginia still face budget quandaries due to economic uncertainty. The county’s fund balance of approximately $18 million was discussed at length Tuesday night.
The Covington Fire Department and U.S. Forest Service battles a small brush fire off Peach Drive in the Dolly Ann area of Alleghany County.
17 – A Covington woman pleads guilty to charges connected to the February 2010 shooting death of her husband.
19 – After decades in a dusty safe, the blueprints for the Masonic Theatre in Clifton Forge have found the light of day once again.
22 – The Alleghany County School Board had identified $816,818 in cuts to deal with projected revenue declines in next year’s budget.
Virginia State Police are suggesting an alternate route to alleviate Interstate 64 traffic congestion on school days.
The Alleghany County School Board was appraised of the plan by State Police Sgt. Kyle Moore.
Ruritan National sent their top officers to the Selma Firehouse to charter the Mountain View Ruritan Club, the newest Ruritan Club in Alleghany County.
23 – A contract to rebuild the Main Street Bridge in Clifton Forge has been awarded to Orders Construction Company of St. Albans, W.Va.
At a work session, Clifton Forge Town Council draws up six goals for council to pursue during the coming year.
25 – Iron Gate Mayor Alan Williams reports to Iron Gate Town Council that the new water tank is on line and operating with no problems. Neither water tank had a pump system to distribute water, but the old and the new tanks use the former pump house to distribute water.
26 – Work is scheduled to begin Monday on the new Covington Farmer’s Market.
Dr. James Robertson, a Virginia Tech professor and leading Civil War historian, is the guest speaker of the Covington-Hot Springs Rotary Club’s Blue Gray Dinner at Dabney S. Lancaster Community College.
Jana Allen, daughter of M. Ray and Cherie Allen of Alleghany County, has a speaking role in a scene with Michael Madsen, who portrays a priest in The Bleeding, a Hollywood film to be released on DVD on Tuesday.
28 – The Bath County girls basketball team wins the Region C championship at Parry McCluer High School.
The C&O Historical Society holds its annual George Washington’s Train Show at the Armory in Clifton Forge.
Emily Allyson Bennett is crowned the 2011 Senior Miss Queen of Hearts.
