BY GLENN GANNAWAY

POSTPOSTScripts

Water excellence. TheVirginia Department ofHealth has recognized theAppalachia water treatmentplant, superintendent JackiePitts and staff with VDH’sexcellence in water opera-tions silver award for meet-ing Virginia’s optimizationprogram goals for clarifica-tion and filtration in 2011.

Appy Cruise-In. TheBud Wells MemorialCruise-In and Burn-Out willbe held in downtownAppalachia Oct. 6, with theCruise-In starting at 2 p.m.and the Burn-Out at 5 p.m.The event will help supportthe Appalachia Food Bank.

Fifth Sunday sing. TheAppalachia Fifth SundayCommunity All Sing will beheld at 6 p.m. Sept. 30 atDerby United MethodistChurch to benefit theAppalachia Food Bank.Call 276/220-2264 for moreinformation.

Home game fooddrive. Everyone whoattends Union HighSchool’s remaining homefootball games is encour-aged to bring a can of foodfor the Big Stone Gap FoodBank. People who donatewill receive tickets for ahalftime drawing.

Pink Out supportscancer center. Pink OutT-shirts are being sold atUnion High School to sup-port the Southwest VirginiaCancer Center. Shirts are$10. Also, Union’s homefootball game againstSullivan North is the desig-nated “Pink Out Game.”

Traveling office hours.Members of Ninth DistrictRep. Morgan Griffith’s staffwill hold office hours at thefederal courthouse from 2-4p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 3 andfrom 10 a.m. to noonTuesday, Oct. 16.

FD auxiliary bake sale.The Big Stone Gap FireDepartment Ladies’Auxiliary will hold a bakesale at Walmart in BigStone Gap from 9 a.m. to 3p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 6.Brownies, cookies, cakesand candy will be available.All proceeds will help sup-port the Big Stone Gap FireDepartment in purchasingequipment and fundingongoing operations.

Pine Knots to hostnovelist. Novelist F.A. Shepherd will be theguest of the Pine KnotsBook Club at 6:30 p.m.Thursday, Sept. 27 at Slemp Memorial Library.Shepherd, of Gray, Tenn., is the author of Neubrucke,a Cold War thriller set inGermany. Everyone is invit-ed to attend and giveShephered a greatSouthwest Virginia welcome. For moreinformation call 276/523-

2997 or emailjnsbass@comcast.net.

Blues duoinfluenced

by local pioneer.

On The Trail

B5

Thursday, September 27, 2012

VOLUME 122, NUMBER 39 18 PAGES USPS 4395401 $1.00 Big Stone Gap, Virginia

Area Deaths, A4Classified, B8Here & There, B5On The Trail, B5Opinion, A6Sports, B1

INSIDE

USPS studies Appy,East Stone offices

BY GLENN GANNAWAYSTAFF WRITER

The United States Postal Service will hold meetings inAppalachia and East Stone Gap on Nov. 26 as it tries todetermine the future of those two communities’ postoffices.

The East Stone Gap meeting will be at 5:30 p.m. at theTaylor-Lewis Center next door to the East Stone Gap postoffice. The Appalachia meeting will be held at the townhall at 7 p.m.

Patrons of both post offices will be receiving lettersexplaining “what we’re doing and why we’re doing it,”said Cathy Yarosky, a spokeswoman for the postal ser-vice’s Appalachian District.

Patrons will also receive surveys to complete andreturn. Local management will share the survey results atthe meetings as well as answer questions, Yarosky said.

The process, from community meeting to making anychanges, takes 90 days, Yarosky said.

Four options are on the table for providing mail serv-ices to each community. Three of the options includeclosing the existing facilities:

• Keep the post office open based on actual office

PHOTO BY ELISSA POWERS

Celtic colorsVirginia Meador was one of the Celtic nations flag-bearers for

Saturday’s Big Stone Celtic parade. Adam Malle is on the right. SeePage A2 for more photos and story.

Mine closures pinch Appalachia budgetBY GLENN

GANNAWAYSTAFF WRITER

Recent mine closuresby Alpha NaturalResources has Appalachiathinking about next year’stown budget.

The coal severance taxis the largest single sourceof revenue in the town’sgeneral fund. The current,2012-13 general fundbudgets $195,000 in coalseverance tax money. The2011-12 coal severancetax brought the town$180,000.

The town can expect areduction of 35-40 percentfor the upcoming fiscal

years, Town ManagerFred Luntsford estimatedat last Thursday’s towncouncil meeting. “It’s notgoing to affect as much in2013 as it will in 2014,”Luntsford said, “but weneed to start weaning our-selves as much as we canfrom that coal severancerevenue.” That weaningprocess should start withnext year’s budget,Luntsford said.

“Recent developmentsin the coal industry pointsto the fact that we need todo some very seriousplanning,” Luntsford said.“We hope there’s anupturn, and I’m hearingthere will be an upturn in

coal, but nobody can real-ly put a finger on that.”

The loss of coal sever-ance money is anotherfinancial hit for the town,which saw its wastewatertreatment fees double thisyear. “Everybody needs tolook at this budget,”Mayor Jay Swiney said.“With losing the coal sev-erance and the wastewateradding on $60,000, that’sa lot of money. I’m notgoing to vote to raisetaxes. I know some placeswe can cut to come upwith this money. It’s justgoing to take work fromall of us.”

Wise County FinanceAdministrator David Cox

said that, with the Alphaclosures and earlier clo-sures this year, he is pre-dicting a reduction ofabout 25 percent in coalseverance revenue in thisbudget year, which couldmean cuts in town budgetsif they don’t have otherfunds to make up the dif-ference. “I do have con-cerns going forward,”Cox said.

“We depend on itgreatly, it’s part of ourregular budget,”Luntsford said Monday ofthe coal severance rev-enue. He added that, forsome towns, losing thatmuch money could be a“death knell.”

Alpha announced lastweek that it is shuttingdown eight mines inVirginia, West Virginiaand Pennsylvania andshaving off 400 jobsimmediately. The compa-ny said it expects to elim-inate 1,200 positions byearly next year. The twoAppalachia-area minesare the Derby WilsonMine and the PhillipsRider No. 1 mine.

Wise County collectsand allocates the coal sev-erance tax at a rate of 2percent of gross receipts,with no deductions oncoal processed within thelocality from which it issevered.

PHOTO BY GLENN GANNAWAY

Norman Scott, a former Mountain EmpireCommunity College dean, has written abook about the town’s iron industry.

Former MECC deanpens iron ore bookBY GLENN GANNAWAY

STAFF WRITER

Norman Scott was dean of academicsand student services at Mountain EmpireCommunity College from 1987-94 beforemoving on to other assignments in theVirginia Community College System.

But Scott was also continuing his edu-cation while living in Wise County. Hisinterest in iron ore and his love of themountains led Scott along Wallens Ridgeand Poor Valley Ridge in Lee Countysearching for remnants of the 1890s iron-ore boom.

“Before they built the prison, I’d go upthere and look for iron ore,” Scott said ofWallens Ridge. “I wanted to understandhow they actually went at it, how they gotit.”

Scott’s avocation has led to the publi-cation of a book, Iron and the Gap (Mid

Valley Press, Verona), a compendium ofprimary sources, including The Post, cov-ering the development of the iron industryboth here and in Lee County, wherebloomary forges were in operationdecades before the Civil War.

VALUABLE HISTORYScott’s book also includes his

overview of the history of the iron indus-try as well as maps and photographs,many of them from the Carolyn andGarnett Gilliam collection, including sev-eral showing the railroad “dummy line”that ran through downtown.

“One thing I have done is documentthe history very well,” Scott said during arecent visit to Big Stone Gap from his cur-rent home in Staunton. “This to me isvaluable history, and I wanted everybody

See SCOTT, Page A8

See POST OFFICES, Page A8

Youth to take center stage at ACACBY GLENN GANNAWAY

STAFF WRITER

Youth takes center stageSunday at the AppalachiaCultural Arts Center whenpiano/voice teacher Lisa Powersof Norton presents “FromBroadway to Main Street,” arevue of favorite show tunes fromdown through the decades.

But while the performers areyoung, most are stage veterans,with several having gained expe-rience in previous musical revuesas well as with the AppalachianChildren’s Theater and “The Trailof the Lonesome Pine” outdoordrama.

The Sunday, Sept. 30 program,which will feature drama anddance as well as songs, begins at3 p.m., with the ACAC doorsopening at 2:15 p.m. Tickets are$10 for adults and $8 for studentsand seniors 55 and older. Formore information, call 276/565-

1386.Powers provided the following

sketches of the performers:• Holly Poe, a ninth-grader at

Union High School, has per-formed in three ACT showcasesand in Powers’ USO recital.Sunday, Poe will be performing“Summertime” from Porgy andBess and “Think of Me” fromPhanton of the Opera.

• Olivia Lowery, a J.I. BurtonHigh School junior, is a veteranof “The Trail of the LonesomePine” as well as ACT. She was inACT’s productions of “Annie”and “Willie Wonka and theChocolate Factory.” Lowery alsosang in ACT’s Broadway revue atthe Tavern on Main and in ACTshowcases. More recently,Lowery has appeared in “MyAct” and “Little Shop of Horrors”at Coeburn High School andcompeted in forensics one act forJ.I. Burton. She will sing “TheStars and the Moon” from “Songs

for a New World” and “I CanHear Bells” from “Hairspray.”

• Al’lea Day, a freshman at theUniversity of Virginia’s Collegeat Wise, has performed in severalACT productions, including“Seussical,” “Annie,” “WillieWonka” and “Babes in Toyland.”She won the state in forensicssolo acting while at J.I. Burtonand also participated in one actcompetitions. Day is currentlyrehearsing “Of Mice and Men” atUVa-Wise. Sunday, she will sing“Defying Gravity” from“Wicked” and “Everything IKnow” from “In the Heights.”

• Hannah Nash, a sophomoreat Central High, dances for theStepz competition team and hassix years of experience. She willjoin choreographer Tara Showefor Sunday’s dance performanc-es.

• Kennady Ray of Lee Countywill sing “Roxie Hart” from“Chicago” and also participate in

the “Moonshine Lullaby” drama.• Jeffrey Kilbourne placed sec-

ond in the Norton Lions ClubBland Competition this year andalso takes trumpet lessons. Hewill play accompaniment for the“Frankie and Johnny” dramaSunday as well as soloing on“Chattanooga Choo Choo.”

• Abigail Castro is a seventh-grader at L.F. Addington in Wise.She placed first in the Lions ClubBland Competition this year andwill be playing “Alone at theDrive-In Movie” and a piecefrom Grease.

• Teagan Fowlkes will be per-forming “Edelweiss” from “TheSound of Music” and “I EnjoyBeing a Girl” from “FlowerDrum Song.”

• Abby Phipps will sing“Beauty and the Beast” from theshow of the same name. Abbyand sister Taylor will also be act-ing in the “Moonshine Lullaby”drama.

March for Babies isSaturday. See Page A3.

Celtic impressionsBY GLENN

GANNAWAYSTAFF WRITER

He had an Irish face,ruddy but thin and shapedlike a flat-iron and gentlybroken by a thin line of amouth and a short, trian-gular nose under smilingeyes.

He and his wife criss-crossed downtown BigStone Gap under a glori-ous early autumn skySaturday, from Miner’sPark to the June TolliverPlayhouse and thePresbyterian Church, mak-ing a straight line onlywhile participating in theWood Avenue parade.

John Teague, properlykilted, wore the Irishnational colors alongsidewife Debbie’s ScottishFerguson clan colors.

(Kilts, as a member ofAppalachian Pipes andDrums noted from themain stage at the play-house, are “eight yards ofmaterial, and it’s mostly inthe back. It’s like riding apile of laundry — it’s notvery comfortable.”)

And it wasn’t the firsttime Teague’s “Irish face”has drawn attention. “I’vebeen told that by a coupleof people here,” Teaguesaid, his eyes brighteningas he tilted his head, hislong, graying hair touch-ing a shoulder. TheTeagues were strollingamong the vendors whohad set up shop on ClintonAvenue in front of theJune Tolliver House. SoIrish in character is hisface, Teague said, that “awoman in Pigeon Forgewanted to take my pic-ture.”

His family, Teaguesaid, have been in theUnited States for only acouple of generations. Heand Debbie visit severalCeltic festivals each yearand are regulars at BigStone Celtic, which washeld for the fourth yearSaturday.

“It’s always a fun festi-val,” Teague said. “Theyalways have good enter-tainment and good food.Plus, it’s a great setting.”

Irish eyes were smilingall over Big Stone GapSaturday as visitors foundtheir way to good food,like haggis. The word washeard floating above thestreets and at the festivalvenues, its sometimes-furtive mention conjuringup something exotic.

“Haggis.”“I want to try haggis.”“I tried the haggis.”“Did you try the hag-

gis?”And shepherd’s pie.

Food makes for fellowshipand festival visitors foundtheir way to it regularlySaturday.

Visitors — there wereabout 650 of them in townduring the day, an increasefrom last year, festivalcommittee member JackBeck said — also foundtheir way to the variousexhibits and demonstra-tions, even if they werevisiting Big Stone Gap forthe first time.

“Where’s the sheepdogs,” asked a coupleoriginally from LongIsland, N.Y. who now livein Bristol. “Where’s thebookstore?”

As noon approached,others’ thoughts turned tofinding their places in theparade. “We’ll march withthe French Club,”announced the leader of agroup of Union HighSchool students as paradeparticipants began makingtheir way one block overfor the start near the firehall and spectators beganlining Wood Avenue.

Three Gypsy horses, amare and her foals, werecorralled at the far end ofMiner’s Park. Gypsy hors-es, explained a handler,were bred by the Romanypeople as draft horses fortheir wagons, which con-tained everything theRomany owned. Becausethe Gypsies were essen-tially pulling their homesbehind them, they neededa draft animal that wasgentle and wouldn’t easilybolt. The Gypsy horses ondisplay Saturday werefrom Kent, England andthe mare was a descendentof the “Old Kent Horse,” afamous Gypsy horse.

Transportation ofanother kind opened thefestival, with about 40people participating in thesecond annual Tour deCrackers Neck bicyclerace, which was revivedlast year after a hiatus ofabout 20 years.

Participants made the26-mile trek throughPowell Valley, with someintent on realizing person-al bests as they intentlypeddled toward the finishline at the old Gulf stationand others enjoying abeautiful ride on a beauti-ful morning in the compa-ny of friends: three bicy-

clists chit-chatted com-fortably as they returnedto downtown via EastStone Gap Road.

Justin Keene won themen’s competition, fol-lowed by Dwain Millerand Mark Harless. Thefirst woman to cross thefinish line was SherryCornett, followed by KellySarab. Dawn Short andPam Collie tied for thirdplace.

Festival volunteers setup tents to shield specta-tors at the June TolliverPlayhouse from the after-noon sun while theyenjoyed music fromAppalachian Pipes andDrums, the Powell ValleyMiddle School Chorale,Sigean, Night Crossingand Jack Beck.

The playhouse, homeof “The Trail of theLonesome Pine” outdoordrama, made a perfectvenue for the afternoonand evening concerts.Even the painted backdropof Lonesome Cove “fitsfor this, too,” as one musi-cian said, and the flags ofthe seven Celtic nations —Scotland, Ireland, Wales,Cornwall, the Isle of Man,Brittany and Galicia —lingered along the play-house’s walkway handrails.

Beck weaved the liltingsounds of traditionalScottish songs withhumorous tales and thebarbed dialect of hishomeland. While speakingabout “shearers” in thefields, Beck explained that“we’re not talking aboutsheep, we’re talking aboutshearing the corn.”

With a shook.A shook? Spell that.“S-h-u-c-h.”A shuch? A shuch,

Beck said, is the Scots’word for a scythe or sick-le.

Page A2 Thursday, September 27, 2012 The Post Big Stone Gap, Virginia

First issue published Aug. 15, 1890.

Published each Thursday by AHP of Virgin-

ia, 215 Wood Ave., Big Stone Gap, VA

24219-0250. Periodicals postage paid at

Big Stone Gap, VA, under Publication No.

4395401, Nov. 1899, under the Act of

March 3, 1879.

Publisher — Jenay Tate

Executive Editor — Jenay Tate

Subscriptions: $33 per year inside Wise

County; $51 in market area with zip codes

with first three digits 242, 376 and 408,

excluding Wise County and city of Norton;

and $62 elsewhere.

POSTMASTER: Send address corrections

to The Post, P.O. Box 250, Big Stone

Gap, VA 24219-0250.

The Post

PHOTOS BY ELISSA POWERS

Susan Herndon, Lady Big Stone Celtic,was the grand marshal of the parade.

Gypsy horses, shown here taking part inthe Big Stone Celtic parade, are bred to begentle draft animals.

Appalachian Pipes and Drums performsfrom the stage of the June TolliverPlayhouse.

All ages found common ground to dance on during the Ceilidh at Big Stone GapPresbyterian Church.

Working sheepdogs are an annual festival favorite at Bullitt Park.

The Powell

Valley Middle

School Chorus

lifts its voices

during Saturday

afternoon’s

musical enter-

tainment at the

June Tolliver

Playhouse.

Two

members

of the Irish

Skye

Dancers

perform

at Big

Stone Gap

Presbyterian

Church.

Celtic music

specialist

John Skelton

performed at

several venues

throughout the

day Saturday.

The 2012 DilenowiscoMarch of Dimes/Marchfor Babies will be heldrain or shine Saturday,Sept. 29, at Bullitt Park inBig Stone Gap.

Participants will betreated to breakfast duringregistration, which beginsat 10 a.m. Elmo and someof his friends are expectedto be on hand again thisyear to help with thewarm-up activities.

March for Babies 2012will start on the field’strack and continue approx-imately three miles alongthe Big Stone GapGreenbelt. Leading thewalk will be March ofDimes special ambassa-dors Haylee and HeidiWhite and Berklee GracePrice and their families.

March for Babies walk-ers give hope to the morethan half a million babiesborn too soon each year.The money raised through

the march supports com-munity programs that helpmoms have healthy, full-term pregnancies. And itfunds research to findanswers to the problemsthat threaten our babies.This year, more than 7million people will jointheir family, friends andcolleagues in 900 commu-nities across the nation.

Those who wish to joina walk team, start a walkteam, walk as an individ-ual, or become an event,team, or individual spon-sor are encouraged to con-tact Community Director

Nikki Austin-Hicks at theBlue Ridge Division of theMarch of Dimes toll-freeat 1-866-881-0032, or visitwww.marchforbabies.orgto get started and to makea tax deductible secureonline donation.

This year’sDilenowisco March forBabies 2012 regionalsponsors are WellmontLonesome Pine Hospital,Mountain States HealthAlliance Women’sServices, Frontier Health,and NicewongerChildren’s Hospital.National sponsors areKmart, Farmers Insurance,Famous Footwear, Cigna,Sanofi Pasteur, FedEx,United Airlines, MissionPharmaceutical, WatsonPharmaceutical and1stResponse.

BY GLENN GANNAWAYSTAFF WRITER

Appalachia TownCouncil voted lastThursday to put the town’scivic center in mothballsand also discussed theimportance of coming upwith a plan for the formerhigh school.

Concerned aboutexpenses, council decidedto close the civic centerafter its last scheduledevent early next month.

Council held open thepossibility of leasing orselling the building.

“Our plan is, after that(October) function’s over,we put it in mothballs upthere until we come upwith a viable option torent, lease or sell it,” TownManager Fred Luntsford

said. “There’s a good pos-sibility we could lease it.”But, he added, “I don’twant council to expect tosee great big dollar signs ifwe lease it.”

Councilman JohnBrooks voted against themotion to close the civiccenter, saying his concernwas whether the civic cen-ter could be re-opened ifneeded in the future.

“I don’t have a problemwith closing it up . . . andletting Fred pursue leasingor selling it, because wecan’t afford it,” Brookssaid. But, he said, if some-one wants to use the civiccenter for an event andthey’re “willing to paymoney, and he (Parks andRecreation Director EricRainey) can’t fit it in thehigh school, he should beallowed to open it back up.

It should be left up to Ericand Fred if they use it.”

But council could re-open the civic center atany time through amotion, council membersagreed. “If we close itdown after this one func-tion, that’d be fine,”Councilman John Tullsaid. “And if by the springof next year or the summerof next year things don’tgo like we want them togo (at the high school), wecan make a motion to openit back up.”

“If per chance someonecame to us and said ‘wewant to rent the civic cen-ter’ and Eric and I think itwould make way overwhat it costs to operate it,I will come to you and askyou” to re-open the facili-ty, Luntsford said. “But toopen it up just to break

even or lose money — Ican’t do that.”

Councilman TeddieCollins Jr. also endorsedthe idea of leasing thefacility “so we get someincome coming in fromit.”

Town AttorneyMichael Abbott, mean-while, impressed on coun-cil the need to seek publicinput on possible uses forthe former high school.

Abbott told council thatthe county school boardwill probably turn thevacant buildings over tothe county board of super-visors within a month.

County Attorney KarenMullins recently askedhim what the town intendsto do with the facility,Abbott said.

“I just need you all inthe next week or so to getout and talk to people,”Abbott told council, “andsomebody give me an ideawhat kind of proposal youwant to make to the coun-ty.”

“We have to move onthis this week because it’sgoing to be presented tothe board of supervisors,”Mayor Jay Swineystressed. “So it’s impera-tive that we get together

on this and let them knowwhat the will of the citi-zens is.”

Because there are threeseparate buildings, thetown has the option of tak-ing over all or part of thefacility and could alsoconsider leasing part of itto someone.

The town planningcommission is also dis-cussing possible uses forthe facility, Collins said.

Big Stone Gap, Virginia The Post Thursday, September 27, 2012 Page A3

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Trinity Life Center2 Nights Only!

Pastor Greg Adkins, New Brockton, ALMinistering@ Trinity Life Center Church (Norton-Coeburn Rd.)

Featuring 20 young ministers through music and dramaOctober 2 & 3, 6:30 p.m.

Call (276) 679-0307 for more information

Roger N Bays, D.D.S., M.A.G.DAnnounces his retirement effective immediately

I have had the pleasure to serve the people of Lee, Scott,Wise, Dickenson Counties and the City of Norton for over 34years. I say thank you to each one of you.

After a long search and many interviews, I am sure I havefound the right dentist to continue to care for my patients.Dr. Kevin Allred is an extremely talented and compassionateprofessional, who shares my commitment to outstanding andcomfortable dentistry. He agrees with me, we both love tocater to cowards.

After practicing with Dr. Allred these several months I amcompletely comfortable you will be in good dental hands.Dr. Allred is first a Christian and a great family man whoenjoys living in Wise County. He and his family plan to makethis area their home for many years to come.

Please come meet Dr. Allred and get to know him. I think youwill be pleased.

Any current dental records and xrays will be available for asmall fee if you decide to go elsewhere.

In closing, I will miss all my people because I never felt likeI worked on patients, but friends.

Thank you Friends,Dr. Roger N. Bays, DDS, MAGD

March for Babies is Saturday

Lee man charged for road terror incidentsBY JEFF LESTER

NEWS EDITOR

A Lee County man hasbeen charged with usingvehicles to terrorize andattempt to harm othermotorists along U.S. 23near Big Stone Gap.

Police arrested ScottieSam Bostic, 60, inWashington County lastFriday, according to aWise County Sheriff’sOffice press release.

According to sheriff’soffice Capt. GrantKilgore, Bostic allegedlyterrorized other motorists

on at least three occasionsbetween July andSeptember along U.S. 23,mostly in the area between

the main Big Stone Gapexit and the Lee Countyline. Police believe theremay be other victims.

Bostic is accused ofintentionally trying tostrike other vehicles athigh speed. In one case,Kilgore said, he allegedlyfollowed a vehicle to theoccupant’s residence inthe Jasper area of LeeCounty and blocked resi-dents from leaving. Bosticalso allegedly flashed hislights and blew his hornwhile swerving towardother motorists.

Most of the reported

incidents happened onSaturdays at night,Kilgore explained.

Some victims haveindicated that they sawBostic’s vehicle parkedbefore encountering himon the highway. In at leastone case, a victim alleged-ly noticed his vehicle fol-lowing them out of the BigStone Gap Walmart’sparking lot, and otherssaid they had seen him at aValero station on north-bound 23 just across theLee County line.

Police obtained war-rants for Bostic on Sept. 7,

and he “fell off the radar,”Kilgore said. Followingtips that he was temporari-ly staying in theChilhowie area of SmythCounty, police in that areabegan watching for him.He was arrested Friday ata gas station off Interstate81.

Police have receivedseveral residentialaddresses for Bostic inLee County. Also, Kilgorenoted, victims havedescribed him as havingdriven four or five differ-ent vehicles.

Authorities are not dis-

cussing any possiblemotives for Bostic’salleged actions.

Bostic has beencharged with three countsof attempted maliciouswounding. Additionalcharges may be filed.

As of Monday, Kilgoresaid, Bostic was to betransferred from theAbingdon regional jail tothe Duffield jail.

Anyone who may haveinformation that couldassist the investigation isasked to call Lt. RussellCyphers or Capt. EdJessee at 276/328-3756.

Sam Bostic

Appalachia puts civic center in mothballs

CorrectionDue to a reporter’s error, the Sept. 20 Post reversed the

names of the two Appalachia-area Alpha mines that arebeing shut down. Guest Mountain No. 8 is known asPhillips Rider No. 1 Mine, while Guest Mountain No. 9 is

BY GLENN GANNAWAYSTAFF WRITER

With the authorizationof town council, BigStone Gap TownManager Pat Murphy lastweek wrote a letter to theVirginia Department ofHealth accepting VDH’s$150,000 funding offer.

The town will use themoney to stabilize a slideat the water tank servingthe Southern communityand install an additionalpump station for theIrondale community.

VDH also recentlyawarded a $77,990 grantfor a water treatmentplant fluoridation project.

Council passed themotion authorizingMurphy to accept the$150,000 funding offer atits Sept. 11 meeting.

The town applied tothe Virginia Departmentof Health in March for$150,000 in what Murphycalled “free money,” butVDH offered a $75,000loan at 2.5 percent inter-est for 30 years and$75,000 in principal for-giveness or grant.

The inclusion of the$75,000 grant will helpthe town complete themuch-needed project forless money than original-ly anticipated, Murphysaid.

The town will be fac-ing a VDH mandate for asecond Irondale pump inthe near future, Murphysaid. Also, he said, failureto correct the slide at theSouthern tank could putthe tank itself in jeopardy.

Asked by CouncilmanJames “Cotton” Stone ifthe town has money in itsbudget to make the pay-ments after anticipatinggetting a full grant,Murphy said the townhad originally planned todo the work with moneyfrom its water improve-

ment fund. “So yes, wedo have the money,” hesaid.

“That’s a good deal,”Stone said. “If theDepartment of Health isgoing to require it, wedon’t have a choice.”

Town EngineerStephen McElroy said thesecond Irondale pumpwould provide redundan-cy in the system. “Anytime that pump goesdown, you have troublegetting water towardtown,” he said.

McElroy said the

Irondale and Clearwatertanks are at about thesame elevation, “so theywon’t feel by gravity, sothey need a backup. Wehave had a couple ofinstances in the last fewyears where one goesdown, and it’s a high-dol-lar item to get it fixed.”

The $77,990 fluorida-tion project grant willhelp the town completeanother much-neededproject for less moneythan originally planned,Murphy said.

CLARENCE COLLIERClarence Collier, 81, passed away Thursday, Sept. 20,

2012 at Heritage Hall Health Care in Wise.He was formerly a coal miner. He was of the Baptist

faith.Clarence was preceded in death by his parents, Aaron

and Cleo Henderson Collier; wife, Magnolia Ayers Collierand second wife, Geraldine Collier; son, Robert LesterCollier; sister, Pauline Toomajanian; and brother, HershelCollier.

He is survived by three daughters, Nancy Gardner ofBig Stone Gap, Sharon Ann Stevenson of Orange Park,Fla. and Dina Lynn Shifflet of Hampton; and one son,David Lee Collier of Big Stone Gap. He is also survivedby four sisters, Shirley Hamilton, Ivadene Collins, andMazie Beverly, all of Wise, and Edith Collier ofMichigan; one brother, Bill Collier of Norton; and eightgrandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

Memorial services will be announced at a later date.Gilliam Funeral Home, Big Stone Gap is honored to

serve the Collier Family.You may go online to view the obituary, offer condo-

lences and sign the guest book at www.gilliamfuneral-home.com.

TIMOTHY ALLEN LOVELLTimothy (Tim) Allen Lovell, 45, passed away

Thursday, Sept. 20, 2012 at his home in Bloomingdale,Tenn. He was a native of Big Stone Gap, but had residedin Bloomingdale for the past 15 years.

Tim graduated from Powell Valley High School in1985. He owned and operated two convenience storeswhile living in Tennessee.

Tim had many friends in Virginia and Tennessee. Hewas a loyal UT fan.

Tim was preceded in death by his father, Henry Lovell,Sr.; sister, Diania Barnett; and brother, Steve Lovell.

Those left to mourn the Baby Brother of the family aremother, Helen Lovell; sisters, Jackie Bowman and hus-band Frank, Cathy Lambert and husband C.O., LouiseBarnett and husband Gus, Janet Williams and husbandClaud, Teresa Williams and husband James, Leisa Gilleyand husband Tony; brothers, Henry Lovell and wifeDoshia, Keith Lovell and wife Bobbi Jo, brother-in-law,Cotton Barnett; sister-in-law, Gina Lovell; and familyfriend Ann Barton. Chelsea Hall, Tim’s companion of sev-eral years, will also mourn his passing. Special auntsShirley Spears, Jeanette Barker and Barbara Boggs, andmany nieces and nephews who enjoyed and loved theirUncle Tim will also mourn his passing. Tim loved hispets, Kitty, Barney and his lovable pit bull.

The family received friends at New Hope Assembly ofGod in Big Stone Gap, on Tuesday, Sept. 25, from 5-7p.m.

Services followed at 7 p.m. with the Rev. Rick Whitten

and Pastor Dalton officiating. Graveside services were held at 11 a.m. Wednesday,

Sept. 26, at Powell Valley Memorial Gardens. Pallbearers were brothers, nephews, and a host of hon-

orary pallbearers. Roy A. Green Funeral Home, Appalachia, is honored

to have served the Lovell family.

JUDY ANN MADDOXJudith Ann Maddox of

Appalachia passed away onThursday, Sept. 20, 2012 atLonesome Pine Hospital in BigStone Gap following a longand courageous battle withcancer. She was 81 years old.

Judy was born and raised inthe town of Appalachia, andlived her entire life there. Sheattended Carson-NewmanCollege, where she was active

in the dramatic arts and music. She served the town ofAppalachia for several years as a clerk. She worked in thebanking industry for 30 years as a bookkeeper, teller, andcustomer service representative.

She was a life-long member of First Baptist Church ofAppalachia, and sang alto in the choir. She enjoyed craftsand sewing and caring for her ever-present pet cats. Froman early age through her final years, she spread joy byregaling family and friends with her wit and comic abili-ty, a hallmark of which was a spot-on imitation of DonaldDuck.

She was preceded in death by her parents, O.L.Maddox Sr. and Minnie Maddox; siblings “Buck”Maddox and wife Ann, Dorothy Maddox Harwood andhusband Glynn, Gene Maddox and wife Flo, and WayneMaddox; and nieces Donna Maddox and Susan Harwood.

She is survived by loving nieces and nephewsBarianne Maddox Wilson and husband Rob, GeneMaddox and wife Linda, Lee Maddox and wife Pat, LeighHarwood, Millie Maddox Ellis and husband Bill, andSusie Maddox Noel and husband Wayne; sister-in-lawDottie Maddox; seven grandnephews; four grandnieces;and four great-grandnieces.

The family received friends from 1-2 p.m. on Sunday,Sept. 23 at First Baptist Church in Appalachia.

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. in the church. Burial followed in the American Legion Cemetery.In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorials be

made to the First Baptist Church, 401 Kilbourne Avenue;Appalachia, Va. 24216.

On-line condolences may be offered by emailing tomaddox.family@outlook.com.

Roy A. Green Funeral Home of Appalachia was hon-ored to serve the Maddox family.

Area Deaths

Mail To: Coalfield Progress, P.O. Box 380, Norton, VA 24273Or Email: ktate@coalfield.com

DEADLINE - MONDAY, OCTOBER 15TH

To recognize those who have lost their livesto breast cancer, we will include their names in our

Breast Cancer Awareness Sectionpublishing in October.

To include your loved one inthis section, fill out this form and

include $10.00, of which a portion willbe donated to Susan G. Komen For The Cure

Name: _____________________________________________Date Of Birth: ____________ Date Of Death: ____________Submitted By: _______________________________________Address: ___________________________________________Phone Number: _____________________________________

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Page A4 Thursday, September 27, 2012 The Post Big Stone Gap, Virginia

Big Stone accepts VDH fund offer

BY GLENN GANNAWAYSTAFF WRITER

With a goal of “zero” inflow and infil-tration, Appalachia Town Council lastThursday passed a resolution urging cus-tomers to take action to prevent clearwater from entering the town sewer sys-tem.

Inflow and infiltration — primarilyrain water — is costing the town $118,800in treatment fees at the Big Stone Gapwastewater treatment plant, double the$57,600 the town paid last year. The twotowns’ fees are determined by the percent-age of wastewater each sends to the plant.

“We want to get started with somesmoke testing to see if we can clear upsome of this problem,” Town ManagerFred Luntsford said, adding that thesmoke testing has been delayed while thetown tackled its brown water problem.“Council should adopt this resolution asan effort and support for what we’re aboutto do with this testing.”

The resolution calls the treatment ofclear water that infiltrates the system an“unnecessary expense” and says makingthe system more efficient can help avoid“raising taxes on the already overbur-dened citizens of the town.”

Clear water gets into the system viasump pumps and downspouts on privatelyowned property as well as through pumpson public property, the resolution notes.

The resolution urges “each citizen tobegin to take action concerning theirproperty by insuring that all downspouts,drains, pumps, etc. do not have a directconnection to the sewer system.”

Town council “pledges to help its citi-zens take this action by whatever meansavailable to include educating the citizensas to how to accomplish this goal of ‘zero’I and I,” the resolution says.

The resolution also commits the townto taking immediate action to resolveinflow and infiltration problems on publicproperty.

Big Stone Gap, Virginia The Post Thursday, September 27, 2012 Page A5

AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL ZION

Williams Chapel AME ZionBig Stone Gap

APOSTOLIC

Apostolic-Jesus ChristBig Stone Gap

First Apostolic FaithAppalachia

Norton Apostolic PentecostalEast Park Ave (old Juste Music Building)Norton * 679-5373Pastor: Donnie CulbertsonSunday Services: 10:30am

ASSEMBLIES OF GOD

New Hope Assembly of God1405 First Ave. E. * 523-3392Pastor Rick C. WhittenSun. School 9:30amSun. Worship 10:30am, 6:00pm

Saint Paul Assembly of God16542 Broad Street * 762-7748Pastor John ThompsonSS: 10am; Worship: 11,7 pmSun; 7pm Wed; 6pm Sat.

BAPTIST

Appalachia First BaptistAppalachia

First BaptistBig Stone Gap

Macedonia BaptistAppalachia

Oak Grove BaptistBig Stone Gap

Sovereign Grace Bible ChurchEast Stone Gap

BAPTIST - FREE WILL

Cedar Ridge Freewill BaptistBig Stone Gap

BAPTIST - INDEPENDENT

Charity BaptistWise * 328-8181Pastor: Larry OwensSunday School: 9:45amSunday Worship: 11:00am, 6:00pmWednesday Bible Study: 7:00pm

West End BaptistBig Stone Gap

BAPTIST - SOUTHERN

Artesian BaptistBig Stone Gap

East Stone Gap BaptistBig Stone Gap

First BaptistAppalachia

First BaptistBig Stone Gap

Nash's Chapel BaptistWise

CATHOLIC

Sacred Heart CatholicBig Stone Gap

CHRISTIAN

First Christian ChurchAppalachia

CHURCH OF GOD

Bethesda Church of GodBig Stone Gap

Heritage Church of GodBig Stone Gap

Keokee Church of GodKeokee

CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day SaintsBig Stone Gap

EPISCOPAL

Christ EpiscopalBig Stone Gap

HOLINESS

Full Gospel Church of GodEast Stone Gap

The Holiness Church-God in JesusBig Stone Gap

LUTHERAN - ELCA

Christ Lutheran Church120 West Main Street,Wise * 328-1111Lay Pastor: Michael SamerdykeSunday School: 10 amSunday Worship: 11 am

METHODIST

Derby MethodistAppalachia

METHODIST - UNITED

Appalachia United MethodistAppalachia

East Stone Gap United MethodistEast Stone Gap * 523-3760Pastor: Kenneth SprinkleSunday School: 10:00amSunday Worship: 11:00am, 7:00pm

Trinity United MethodistBig Stone Gap

NON-DENOMINATIONAL

David's Tabernacle ChurchAppalachia * 565-1614Pastors Billy & Freda BowenSunday Worship: 2:30pmwww.davidstabernaclechurch.com

Esserville ChurchPastor Travis Sturgill * 679-5548Sun. School 10 amWorship/Kidz Zone/Comfort Zone 11amWed. Bible Study 7pmwww.esservillechurch.org

Haven of Praise MinistriesAppalachia

Spirit and Truth Worship CenterBig Stone Gap

The CaveNorton * 393-2967PASTOR: Jimmy MitchellSunday Service: 11 amTuesday Service: 7 pm

Thee ChurchAppalachia

OTHER

Cornerstone House of PrayerBig Stone Gap

Faith Hope UnitedBig Stone Gap

Faith Rock ChurchBig Stone Gap

PENTECOSTAL

Appalachia PentecostalAppalachia

Christian LifeBig Stone Gap

God's New Harvest PraiseBig Stone Gap

PRESBYTERIAN

Big Stone Gap PresbyterianBig Stone Gap

Norton Presbyterian Church Norton

Powell Valley PresbyterianBig Stone Gap

SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST

Powell Valley Seventh Day AdventistBig Stone Gap

Johnson HardwareSales & Repair Of Outdoor Equipment

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BOB’S MARKET2730 4th Ave. East • Big Stone Gap

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Powell Valley Medical ComplexHighway # 1000, Big Stone Gap, Va.

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Authorized RetailDealer Store

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Drs. Botts & Botts Optometrists P.C. • Big Stone Gap, VA

Big Stone Gap608 Powell Ave.(276) 523-4414

Pennington Gap535 W. Morgan Ave.

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OptometristDr. Robert E. Botts

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523-1141

CLIFTON D. CAUTHORNE, JR.CALVARY BAPTIST OF CLINTWOOD

Galatians 2:20 declares thatChristians are "crucified withChrist." What does that mean?

The word "crucified" speaks ofdeath. When Jesus died, his bodybecame insensitive to everythingaround it. Likewise, when peoplereceive Christ, they no longercome under the influence of cer-tain ideas.

First, Christians realize theycannot keep God's laws for thepurpose of obtaining a righteousstanding before God. The ApostlePaul calls this being "dead to thelaw." (Galatians 2:19) He remindsChristians in Romans 7:4, "Ye alsoare become dead to the Law by thebody of Christ."

Paul quit trying to be goodenough for God. Instead, he turnedto and trusted in the one who hadkept the Law perfectly and suf-fered the penalty for humanity'ssins on the cross.

Second, Christians no longerallow the world to influence howthey live. In Galatians 6:14, Paulexclaims, "The world is crucifiedunto me, and I unto the world." Headds in Colossians 2:20 thatChristians are "dead with Christfrom the rudiments (elementaryteachings and practices) of theworld."

When ambitions of earthlywealth or prominence control aperson's life, he is not "crucifiedwith Christ." Jesus asks an impor-tant question in Matthew 16:26,"What is a man profited, if he shallgain the whole world, and lose hisown soul?"

Third, Christians no longer liveunder the domination of sin.

Galatians 5:24 says, "They that areChrist's have crucified the fleshwith the affections and lusts."Ungodly passions cannot rule aperson who is in Christ.

Romans 6:6 notes that "our oldman is crucified with [Christ], thatthe body of sin might bedestroyed, that henceforth weshould not serve sin." Romans6:12 then charges Christians, "Letnot sin therefore reign in yourmortal body, that ye should obey itin the lusts thereof."

Christians know that they can-not earn their way into Heaven andthat the world and sin have nopower over them. They are "cruci-fied with Christ."

Hymn writer John Newton,author of "Amazing Grace," con-siders Christ's crucifixion and ourproper response to it,

Let me dwell on Golgotha,Weep and love my life away!While I see him on the treeWeep and bleed, and die for me!

That dear blood, for sinners spilt,Shows my sin in all its guilt:Ah, my soul, he bore thy load,Thou hast slain the Lamb of God.

Farewell world, thy gold is dross,Now I see the bleeding cross;Jesus died to set me freeFrom the law, and sin, and thee!

He has dearly bought my soulLord, accept, and claim the whole!To thy will I all resign,Now, no more my own, but thine.

Christians cannot earn their way into Heaven

PostThe

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“Your Inspiration Station”

Appalachia urgesaction on sewer inflow

BY SUSAN BROWNGUEST COMMENTATOR

Firing a tile craftsmanlast week helped me tomake sense of the undeni-able divide between America’s “makers”and “takers” described in Mitt Romney’ssloppy “47” percent misstatement.

Although Romney’s message was lostin the chorus of complaints coming frommedia and the Obama Campaign, the factstill remains: success is not a dirty word.When America’s citizens are successful,everyone wins — with the exception ofthose politicians who are chronicallydependent upon the votes of government’scradle-to-casket dependents.

To be sure, the more “makers” we havepaying income taxes and creating jobs, theless people we have on unemploymentand the more money we have to pay downour nation’s debt and provide assistance tothose in need, especially during these

tough economic times.To his credit, the man I

fired seemed to be makingan attempt at being amaker, but there is some-thing to be said about striv-

ing for excellence whatever your lot inlife or vocation. My father once told megrowing up; his hand-me-down patchedpants were always clean and well-pressed.I must admit, the tile man having shownup to make a bid driving a dilapidatedtruck, donning messy clothes and toting atattered scrapbook “portfolio” played tothis conservative’s compassionate nature.I fell for his toothless grin and gave himthe benefit of all my doubts. I had hopedmy giving him this opportunity to makesome money would serve as a helpinghand-up to lift him to a better place. Boy,was I mistaken.

It was not long after giving him an

OpinionThe Post

Thursday,September 27, 2012 A6

MemoriesSam Stidham of Arcadia, Fla. shares this photo of the last Roda

Post Office. ‘I was born and mostly grew up in Roda,’ Stidhamwrites. ‘I remember when the post office was actually the coalhouse used by the Roda store.’ The store was heated by a pot-bellystove, Stidham said. To share photos or information about this orprevious pictures, email Staff Writer Glenn Gannaway, ggann-away@coalfield.com, or send to The Post, P.O. Box 250, Big Stone

To the Editor:As a former employee of

Lonesome Pine Hospitaland currently a Pink Lady, Iwant to say we need theICU unit kept open. I do notwant to go to another hospi-tal, nor does my family. Soplease reconsider keeping itopen.

Jeanette AndersonBig Stone Gap

Miners:get outand vote

To the Editor:To all the coal miners

who have lost their jobshere in Wise County andelsewhere: if you’re notregistered to vote, get regis-tered and make sure to votein November. I don’tbelieve any further com-ment is needed.

Eugene PietzBig Stone Gap

Letters policy

The Post welcomes let-ters to the editor on mattersof public interest. Best-read

letters are short and to thepoint.

If possible, please emailletters or type, doublespaced.

Each letter must besigned by the individualwho wrote it and mustinclude the complete mail-ing address of the writer, anemail address if available,and a daytime telephonenumber.

No unsigned letters willbe published.

Letters containing state-ments of fact the newspapercannot independently andimmediately verify as truewill be subject to editing.

Potentially libelousstatements will be stricken.

‘We need the ICU unit’

Do dogs have ulteriormotives?

BY GLENN GANNAWAYSTAFF WRITER

I was wandering about in the yard the other day whenI was pulled back to a time about 30 years ago when Iwrote a newspaper feature story that began, “if you thinkyou’re overweight, you might want to check the other endof the leash . . .”

The feature had to do with dieting and exercise for pets,which at the time seemed a novel idea. Today, of course,many of us provide care for our pets that rivals the careprovided for human beings, which, if nothing else, indi-cates that a pretty sizeable segment of the population isstill awash in disposable income.

But I was reminded of the old newspaper story when atug brought me back to the present and “the other end ofthe leash.” There it stood, every bit of 10 inches tall at theshoulder, my re-entry into the world of pet ownership.And yes, it was connected to me by a leash and was get-ting chubbier every day since its arrival from the countyanimal shelter.

And at that particular moment, it was intent on drag-ging me closer to the property line to do a little territorymarking. (One reason we love dogs is they’re so transpar-ent. Ulterior motives never seem to figure into their think-ing. “I’m not dragging you to the edge of the yard to sur-reptitiously check out what the dogs down the block aredoing, I’m dragging you to the edge of the yard so I can,well . . .”)

Bumbee’s a Yorkie mix, we’re guessing. A mutt.Muttiness is good: all of us humans are mutts containingstuff from here and there, genealogy be darned.

My better half, who only occasionally puts me onleash, brought Bumbee home from the shelter. Bumbeehad been abandoned by her previous owners and, whenshe arrived, was practically catatonic — for all of abouttwo days. Since then, she’s been one solid wiggle-wagglethat consumes a couple of those little cans of dog food aday, insists on going for rides in the vehicles, and wantsher belly rubbed every morning and night.

A happy dog, that is.Bumbee also demonstrated some street smarts, quickly

determining that her new home came with a built-in staffof pliable servants. (“Good, good, good.”) In fact, I figureBumbee’s a descendent of Khlestakov, the two-leggedshyster in Nikolai Gogol’s 1836 satire “The GovernmentInspector.”

Bumbee barks orders like a drill sergeant does at thehour of double-O dark.

There’s a new boss in town, hoss! Bumbee calls theshots around here, and don’t you forget it! Now go makemy bed, and don’t forget to put the stuffed Scooby-Doo atthe foot of the crib.

I hadn’t been interested in becoming a dog owneragain. Like celebrities, dogs are high-maintenance crea-tures. You don’t get a dog, put it somewhere and then justforget about it like you would the new layer of insulationyou put under your floor.

Keeping a dog brings responsibilities. Which is whatBumbee tells me each day as I say good morning on myway to the vehicle and work:

“How about my morning constitutional?”“Wouldn’t it be nice if you were to replenish my water

bowl before you leave?”“And where’s the little can with the meaty stuff in it? I

don’t whine because you don’t give me people foodbeyond the occasional kitchen scraps, so you should atleast fill my plate with the meaty stuff twice a day withouthaving to be reminded.”

Bumbee, I’ve found, doesn’t mince words. Whichmight be a little difficult for her to do anyway, consider-ing the pronounced underbite that mars her otherwise clas-sic good looks.

P.O. Box 250, Big Stone Gap, Virginia 24219Telephone (276) 523-1141 Fax (276) 523-1175

EXECUTIVE EDITOR & PublisherJenay Tate

jenay@coalfield.com

STAFF WRITERGlenn Gannaway

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CIRCULATIONBecky McElroy

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Subscriptions: $33 per year inside Wise County; $51 in market areawith zip codes with first three digits 242, 376 and 408 excluding

Wise County and the city of Norton; and $62 per year elsewhere.

The Post is published each Thursday by American Hometown Publishing, Inc.

BY DANNY TYREEGUEST COMMENTATOR

Perhaps you should be sitting downto read this.

Or maybe standing up would bebetter. Standing up, running in placeand frantically yanking the carbs outof your children’s mouths!!!

Pardon me. I was just disturbed bya new report from the Reuters newsservice.

An advocacy group called TrustFor America’s Health predicts that, ifcurrent trends continue, in another 18years, 13 states will have adult obesi-ty rates above 60 percent, 39 statesmight have rates above 50 percent andEVERY state will have rates above 44percent.

Such results would catastrophical-ly increase cases of diabetes, heartdisease, stroke and endometrial can-cer. Tens of billions of dollars wouldbe added to the cost of private insur-ance and Medicare, which by 2030would probably consist of vouchersfor elastic waistband pants.

This is bad news for everybody,except the consulting firms that devise

state nicknames. They’re probablychamping at the bits to unveil revisedmonikers, such as Land of theMidnight Beer Run, The Show MeThe Buffet State, the Heart Attack ofDixie, Big Gulp Country, The Drag-It-Through-The-Garden State, The (30Minutes Or) Sooner State, the BadgerThem Into Super-Sizing It State andmy personal favorite, the “HoosierNext Of Kin?” State.

The state nicknames will have topay the bills for the consultants, sinceall the state ANIMALS they couldrecommend will have become extinct.(“It’s for the best. They were toogreasy and gamey anyway. Smack!Drool!”)

Not everyone appreciates the grav-ity of the situation. (“Well, OUR sta-tistics show the trend leveling off. No,wait — that’s a blob of gravy on thereport. Mmmmm .... Anyway, we’renot panicking — not when we have aWii game that SIMULATES panic.

Oh, no — the controller is all the wayon the other side of the room! Darn!”)

Surely the potential impact on col-lege football will get the attention of afew governors. Who could take pridein state universities where the “kick-ing off” is done by the assistantcoach? Who would pay money towatch games in which the visitingteam wins the coin toss and elects toreceive ... defibrillation?

I’m surprised we haven’t seenmore of a political angle on all this.(“I’m resigned to the reality that in2030 we’ll have 47 percent of the peo-ple feeling entitled to ... verticalstripes!”)

Yes, politics will be shaken up bythis. Politicians will no longer get intobed with special interests. (“Couldyou sleep on the futon NEXT to thebed? I’m a little cramped here.”) Theinfamous ol’ boy network will fadeaway as no one lives long enough toBECOME an ol’ boy.

The report is not all doom andgloom. We are at a turning point. Wecan avoid this dystopian future by a

Nation’s growing in unwanted way

See TYREE, Page A7

WHAT’S NEW PURCELL

Economicfreedommovesnorth

BY TOM PURCELLGUEST COMMENTATOR

“The wife and I arethinking over our careerprospects and we’re sud-denly open to moving toCanada.”

“Ah, yes, you speak ofthe results of the FraserInstitute’s recentlyreleased ‘EconomicFreedom of the World:2012 Annual Report.’ Itshows that Canada is thefifth freest economy,whereas America hasplunged to the 18th spot.”

“That’s right. It’s a realbummer to see Americafall so far so fast in therankings.”

“To be sure. The reportsays that from 1980 to2000, the United Stateswas generally rated thethird freest economy in theworld, ranking behind onlyHong Kong andSingapore. Between 2000and 2010, we fell to the10th spot. In just one yearwe plunged to the 18thspot!”

“What are we doingwrong to fall to 18th on thelist?”

“Well, the FraserInstitute says that the ‘cor-nerstones of economicfreedom are personalchoice, voluntaryexchange, freedom tocompete, and security ofprivately owned property.’It uses 42 variables tomeasure economic free-dom in five key areas: thesize of government, legalsystems and propertyrights, sound money, free-dom to trade international-ly, and regulation. Americahas lost ground in all fi

“The Fraser report sayit’s difficult to point to the‘specific causal factors ofthe decline,’ but does offera few possibilities, such asabuse of eminent domain,government bailouts, andrestrictions brought aboutby the war on terror. In anutshell, as the govern-ment does more and regu-lates more, the less free theeconomy becomes. Andour government has grownmassively in recent years.”

“It has?”“Absolutely. Arthur

Brooks, president of theAmerican EnterpriseInstitute, wrote in TheWall Street Journal that

TYREE

See PURCELL, Page A7

LETTERS

How makers, takers differBROWN

See BROWN, Page A8

Big Stone Gap, Virginia The Post Thursday, September 27, 2012 Page A7

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beans, it is almost completely caffeinefree and actually provides stimulant-

free weight management support.

America is no longer atrisk of becoming aEuropean-style big-gov-ernment social democracy— because we already areone.”

“We are!”“‘From the progressivi-

ty of our tax code, to thepercentage of GDP devot-ed to government, to theextent of the regulatoryburden on business, mostof Europe’s got nothing onus,’ he wrote. In 1938, theheight of the GreatDepression, total govern-ment spending — federal,state, local —was 15 per-cent of GDP. In 2010, itwas 36 percent of GDP.And as the governmentgrows, economic freedomscontract.”

“That’s not good whenyou consider economicfreedom is the key togreater prosperity for allAmericans.”

“That is true, too. TheFraser Institute finds thatnations that are economi-cally free outperform non-free nations in indicatorsof well-being. Per-capitaGDP is higher, poverty islower, life expectancy ishigher and political andcivil liberties are muchgreater. Look at the mas-sive success America hashad in its history across allof these measures. Look athow we are unable to payour bills now.”

“That’s why I’m keep-ing my eye on Canada.”

“The Canadians aredoing very well.According to the NationalPost, they began to rise inthe economic freedomrankings in 1995. Theyreined in government anddramatically reduced gov-ernment spending underformer Prime MinisterJean Chretien, a Liberal.Their current Conservativeprime minister has main-tained the trend. TheCanadian economy isdoing well as the Americaneconomy continues tostumble.”

“Then what are we todo?”

“Get back to the draw-ing board and reform ourtax system, entitlementsand other governmentpolicies. Everyone agreeswe need smarter regula-tions, but we also need tobalance them against eco-nomic freedom. We needto restrain governmentspending and grow ourway back to health, asCanada has done.”

“Our political leadersaren’t getting along so wellthese days. What if theydon’t do it?”

“The wife and I willstart thinking over ourcareer prospects and wemay be suddenly open tomoving to Canada!”

Tom Purcell, a humorcolumnist for the PittsburghTribune-Review, is national-ly syndicated. Email him atPurcell@caglecartoons.com

PurcellFrom Page A6

combination of healthy schoollunches, parental monitoring ofjunk food intake, psychologicaltricks for limiting portion size,modification of sedentary jobsand hobbies, increased outdoorsactivities and other measures.

We can still change attitudesand health profiles, before the cut-

throat completion to updatetourist attractions gets ugly. Wereally don’t need MountRushmore becoming home to theface of someone who famouslyadmitted, “I cannot tell a lie. Ichopped down the cherry tree —to make room for my first KrispyKreme franchise!”

TyreeFrom Page A6

Watson joins Gap practiceDr. Bryan Watson is

now practicing internalmedicine with WellmontMedical Associates in BigStone Gap.

Watson practices withDr. Christopher Basham,who is a family medicinephysician, and familynurse practitionersChristina Hammonds andKaren Stallard. Theiroffice is located at 323Cloverleaf Square, SuiteF-1.

“I enjoy getting toknow my patients so I canprovide the best care forthem that meets their indi-vidual needs,” Dr. Watsonsaid. “My patients willquickly appreciate how Itreat them as if they weremy family. Having grownup in a small community, Ilook forward to workingwith patients who mayshare the same back-ground.”

Dr. Watson grew up inGordonsville, Tenn. Hespent six years as an emer-gency medical technicianfor Smith County, Tenn.,

Emergency MedicalServices.

Watson graduated fromTennessee Tech Universityin 2005 with a degree inbiology. He subsequentlygraduated from TheEdward Via College ofOsteopathic Medicine inBlacksburg and completed

a residency in internalmedicine. He has a num-ber of skills, includingpediatric advanced lifesupport, advanced cardiaclife support and advancedtrauma life support. Dr.Watson is a member of theAmerican OsteopathicAssociation.

Dr. Bryan Watson

Page A8 Thursday, September 27, 2012 The Post Big Stone Gap, Virginia

advance to cover his delinquent water bill(feel free to call me a sucker), coupledwith a series of events including tardiness,extra-long lunch breaks, and failing to pro-vide proof of insurance — did I realize thisguy was a mess, and I was going to be inone for hiring him. So, standing eye levelto his chest, I pulled a Donald Trump andsaid he was fired. I had hired him becauseI felt sorry for him and fired him because Iknew if I didn’t, I would soon be feelingsorry for myself.

One never knows what another personis going through, so it is always best not tojudge, but at some point we must acceptthe fact that we can only do so much tohelp those who refuse to help themselves.

In truth, during this journey we call life,every last one of us will find ourselvescaught up as victims of a circumstanceoutside our control. It is in our responsethat we discover who we really are, mak-ers or takers. If we allow that circumstance

to define us, we become forever the vic-tim, or if we instead decide to define thecircumstance as a lesson learned we willbecome a better version of ourselves.

Enter: the next tile man who showed upin professional attire to present his bid. Hisemployees showed up on time, workedthrough lunch and late into the eveningwithout complaint or excuse. They got thejob done and provided excellent results,and everyone except the guy I fired ishappy. Despite what the lazy anti-capital-ist crowd says when they complain aboutthe rich getting richer, success is typicallyearned in this country. Ask the tile manwho just left after taking photos of hiswork. He’s proud of what he does becausehe’s good at it and from the lowliest work-er on his payroll to the blonde who hiredhim (because she hasn’t a clue about tilework) — everyone benefits. That’s howyou spread the wealth around.

Susan Stamper Brown is an opinionpage columnist, motivational speaker andmilitary advocate who writes about poli-tics, the military, the economy and culture.Email Susan at writestamper@gmail.comor her website atsusanstamperbrown.com.

BrownFrom Page A6

MEOC receives H.O.M.E. grant for fuel fundJust four months after a suc-

cessful 36th annual MountainEmpire Older CitizensWalkathon, which raises moneyfor the Emergency Fuel Fundfor the Elderly, donations arestill coming in.

Margaret Sturgill, director ofMEOC’s Emergency ServicesProgram, announced Fridayafternoon that the total raised sofar for this year’s event is$169,362. The total wasrecently boosted by a $5,000donation from the WellmontFoundation.

And on Monday, MEOCreceived notice from theH.O.M.E. (Helping Our MobileElderly) Foundation ofCalifornia that MEOC wasselected once again to receivean $8,000 challenge grant for

the program. This means thatthe foundation would matchdollar for dollar up to $8,000 innew donations to theEmergency Fuel Fund.

MEOC officials stated that tomeet the growing numbers andneeds of our region’s older peo-ple, additional funds will haveto be raised in order to make itthrough this winter’s heatingseason. It is projected thatapproximately $240,000 will beneeded to meet the coming win-ter’s needs. Sturgill reportedthat the Emergency Fuel Fundpositively responded to 1,604requests for assistance this pastwinter. Those numbers, shesaid, have continued to riseyearly as more and more olderpersons find themselves trappedin emergency situations.

“As in years past, there wasstrong and widespread commu-nity support from all overSouthwest Virginia onWalkathon Sunday,” Sturgillsaid. “People of all ages andbackgrounds came out to sup-port the Walkathon and theEmergency Fuel Fund. Manysay that the reasons they partic-ipate are two-fold: They want tobe good neighbors to their olderfriends and neighbors and theyknow that 100 percent of theirdonations will directly assist anolder person trapped in anemergency situation this win-ter.”

There are many local groups,organizations and businessesthat support the EmergencyFuel Fund year after year,Sturgill noted. “Their support is

vital to the success of theWalkathon,” she said.

Fifteen organizations/busi-nesses, each of whom donated aminimum of $5,000, were des-ignated as community sponsorsof this year’s event. The com-munity sponsors wereHumphreys/Red River Coal,Norton Elementary School,Heritage Hall-Big Stone Gap,Lee Health and Rehab Center,Walmart, Wise County Board ofSupervisors, DominionFoundation, United Way ofSouthwest Virginia, Universityof Virginia’s College at Wise,Old Dominion Power Company,Wells Fargo, MEOC staff,Alpha Natural Resources,Fasmart and Lee CountyCommunity Foundation.Additionally, the family of the

late Pat McCracken honored hermemory by raising $5,000 forthe program, fulfilling a long-time dream of Pat, who was formany years a valuable memberof the MEOC staff.

Donations to the EmergencyFuel Fund for the Elderly can bemade year round and can besent to MEOC, Attn:Emergency Fuel Fund, P.O. Box888, Big Stone Gap, Va. 24219.Call MEOC’s Rachel Helton at276/523-4202 for more infor-mation. To specifically assist inhelping MEOC take full advan-tage of the H.O.M.E.Foundation Challenge Grant,please write H.O.M.E.Challenge Grant on your enve-lope. Online contributions canbe made via MEOC’s website atwww.meoc.org using PayPal.

workload, but with possi-ble reductions in hours.

• Conduct a discontinu-ance study for the officeand offer roadside mail-box delivery by a ruralcarrier.

• Conduct a discontinu-ance study and find analternative location oper-ated by a contractor, usu-ally at a local business.“What this is talking aboutis what we call a villagepost office,” Yarosky said.“When businesses arefound that meet the crite-ria, these establishmentsare contracted through thepostal service and offerstamps and flat-rate prod-ucts, with service general-ly more expansive thanwhat the postal servicewould be able to offer.”

• Conduct a discontinu-ance study and provideservices, including post

office box delivery,through another nearbypost office.

The Appalachia andEast Stone Gap postoffices are among 13,000nationwide, includingabout 600 rural facilitiesin the AppalachianDistrict, that are beingstudied, Yarosky said.“This will be a two-yearprocess . . . so we hope tohave all this completed bySeptember 2014,” shesaid.

“We have to remain asa very crucial and impor-tant business for thenation, so we don’t havethe option of going out ofbusiness,” she said. “Sowe have to look at every-thing we can to providepostal services for every-body in the country, butthey might be a little dif-ferent in the future.”

The two-year programis expected to save thepostal service about one-half billion dollars annual-ly, Yarosky said.

With the steady erosionof mail volume because ofelectronic communica-tions, the postal servicelost $5.1 billion in fiscal2011 and a total of $25.3billion in the past fiveyears. Total mail volumehas declined by 45.1 bil-lion pieces in the past sixyears, Yarosky said, fromthe all-time high volumeof 213 billion pieces in2006 to 161 billion piecesin 2011.

Electronic communica-tions have hit first-classmail especially hard.First-class stamped mailhas declined more than 50percent in the past 10years, Yarosky said, from51.9 billion pieces in 2002to 25.8 billion pieces in2011.

“We do not anticipatethat first-class mail vol-ume will return,” Yaroskysaid.

Post officesFrom Page A1

to be able to check my sources.”Scott said one of his best sources — the

“mother lode,” he called it — was ThePost. “At that time, news editors were notjust news editors,” he said. “They were thechamber of commerce. I quoted at lengthnewspaper articles not just so I could getthe information, but so I could give theflavor of what was going on at the time.”

Scott’s book gathers information andstatistics from several sources, which willmake it a resource for people interested inresearching Southwest Virginia’s ironindustry.

The boom period at the end of the 19thcentury gave many local people highhopes that Big Stone Gap would developinto an industrial powerhouse. After all,the Gap had all the ingredients: good-quality iron ore, limestone (used as a flux-ing agent), coal fields as a source of coketo fire the furnaces, and two railroadsnearby, although they didn’t come throughtown as had been expected.

200 TONS A DAYA mine superintendent told The Post in

February 1900 that there was enough ironore on Wallens Ridge to “run a furnaceconsuming 200 tons per day 27 years.”

But the local iron industry fell to thewayside in the first couple of decades ofthe 20th century because of an economicdownturn, competition from Great Lakesore, unfavorable freight rates, and moremodern furnace practices, as a VirginiaDepartment of Conservation andDevelopment report put it in 1954.

Today, there are few remaining tracesof the mining operations or the dummyline. The dummy line — its official namewas the Big Stone Gap and Powells ValleyRailroad — was constructed when theL&N and South Atlantic and Ohio linesdecided to bypass downtown because ofskyrocketing land prices. Scott says hecan still detect traces of the dummy line’sgrade in people’s yards in the Southernsection.

The dummy line acquired its namebecause the engine was covered with ironsheets to mute the sound and block steamfrom hissing from the pistons, whichfrightened horses and pedestrians along itsdowntown course. The sheet-coveredengine resembled the train cars, so itbecame known as the dummy line, Scottwrites.

EAST ST. LOUISThe town’s first hot-blast iron furnace

was actually an existing facility that wasdismantled and relocated from East St.Louis, Ill., Scott said. Work on the furnacebegan in 1892.

During the boom, it wasn’t unusual fora lot that had been purchased for $100 tosell for $1,000 a week later, Scott said.

Scott’s interest in iron ore and theVirginia iron industry began in his boy-hood in Clifton Forge. He explored rem-nants of charcoal furnaces, mines and theLow Moor iron furnace, at one time thelargest in the state.

That interest continued during his stayin Big Stone Gap. “I’m a mountain per-son,” Scott said. “I tramped most ofWallens Ridge and Poor Valley Ridgelooking for these mines, and actuallyfound a lot of them. You can still findpieces of iron ore.”

And, he said, “it’s great hiking. TheNational Forest Service has done a lot oftrail work on Wallens Ridge. So I tried totrack down as much as I could find andeven tried to sketch some of the minesites, but I’m not a very good sketcher.”

Most of the iron ore mining on WallensRidge was surface mining, he said. “Theycould scrape the overburden off the topand expose the iron ore to the surface,”Scott said. “They used crowbars andsledge hammers, starting at the top.”

Scott said there was a “little tiny rail-road” running from Wallens Ridge to theSouthern section iron furnace. The rail-road ran down the ridge and along the pathof the current Wampler Hollow Road. Therailroad cars coasted down and werepulled by mules, he said. Workers werepaid a dollar a day; a worker who broughthis own mule was paid $1.50, Scott said.Workers supplied their own feed andtools.

ScottFrom Page A1

This tabby kitten isready for a foreverhome and is availablefor adoption from theWise County AnimalShelter. For more infor-mation, call the shelterat 679-6750, or visitfacebook.com/home.php#/norton.shelter.