Depression-era wall continues to show...
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● OBITUARIES Page 4 ● OPINION Page 6 ● SPORTS Page 8 ● ON THE TRAIL Page 10 ● POST SCRIPTS Page 10 ● CLASSIFIEDS Page 14 Storytelling to feature Devil John, Red Fox. On The Trail 10 Thursday, August 25, 2016 VOLUME 126, NUMBER 34 16 PAGES USPS 4395401 $1.00 Big Stone Gap, Virginia SUBSCRIBER INFORMATION HERE Erika Coleman to guest star at drama, lead workshop Young people interest- ed in acting will have an opportunity to work with the pros during Erika Coleman’s return visit to Big Stone Gap this week- end. Coleman, who was in town for the 2013 filming of Adriana Trigiani’s romantic comedy, will conduct a master perform- ing class alongside fellow actor Mike Whaley Saturday. Coleman will then join the cast of The Trail of the Lonesome Pine for Saturday night’s performance of the out- door drama. Coleman is the second actor from the Big Stone Gap movie to guest star for one night at the out- door drama. Paul Wilson stepped onto the stage of the June Tolliver Playhouse a month ago to play Edwin Mockaby. Coleman is penciled in to play Sadrina Thompson, the feisty saloon keeper who is known to denizens of the Gap and Lonesome Cove simply as Sadie. Coleman and Whaley’s workshop, sponsored by Lonesome Pine Arts and Crafts and to be held at Southwest Virginia Museum Historical State Park, will highlight the audition process for the- atre, television and film, as well as character devel- opment, basic movement, and simple breathing exer- cises and relaxation tech- niques useful for audi- tions. Registration is $10 per person, and participants will receive a ticket to Saturday’s outdoor drama performance. Registration forms are available by calling the museum at 276/523-1322, and must be received by noon, Friday, Aug. 26. Coleman, who was born in Los Angeles but grew up in Huntsville, Ala., played Pearl Grimes, the teenaged daughter of Jasmine Guy’s impover- ished Leah Grimes, in Trigiani’s movie. Coleman made her first Erika Coleman returns to Big Stone Gap as a guest actor in Saturday’s performance of ‘The Trail of the Lonesome Pine’ outdoor drama. Coleman will also conduct a master per- forming class with Mike Whaley Saturday . Resident requests, gets closed- door meeting BY GLENN GANNAWAY NEWS EDITOR Appalachia Town Council found itself in the unusual position of going into closed session at the request of a resident last Thursday. Jim Scalf, a long-time town volunteer and co- chair of the Appalachia Special Projects Committee, told council that he would discuss his concern in open session if council didn’t go into closed session. After some discussion, Town Attorney Michael Abbott and Scalf left council chambers to give Abbott an opportunity to determine whether Scalf’s topic was an appropriate topic for closed session. Virginia’s Freedom of Information Act allows pub- lic bodies to hold closed meetings only for a limited number of specific reasons. Mayor Teddie Collins Jr. noted that “we can’t just go into closed session without knowing what we’re going in there for.” After Abbott advised council that Scalf’s subject was appropriate for a closed session, Councilman John Tull made a motion to amend the meeting agenda so that council could immediately go into closed session to discuss personnel, with Scalf, Abbott and Town Manager Fred Luntsford to attend. Council was in closed session for about 15 min- utes. After council returned to open session, it certi- fied by roll-call vote that the closed session includ- ed only discussion of the matter for which the ses- sion had been called. Scalf then asked several questions about the Appalachia Cultural Arts Council, including whether the arts council pays taxes and whether it pays the town to cut the grass and trim trees on the cultural arts lot on which the outdoor stage is locat- ed. Luntsford told Scalf that the arts council does not pay taxes or a fee for mowing and tree trimming. Scalf also requested to see any agreement between the town and the cultural arts council under which the building that houses the cultural arts cen- ter belongs to the arts council and not to the town. Councilman Chase Christian said that if the building belongs to the arts council, there needs to be a new agreement covering “who takes care of what. . . . I’m not saying it’s wrong, but it needs to be in writ- ing,” Christian said, referring to work done at the arts center property. The Appalachia Cultural Arts Council is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. The arts council operates the Appalachia Cultural Arts Center, which is housed in the former M.D. Collier Furniture building on Main Street. The town bought the building with a Community Development Block Grant in 1996, Gary Bush, president of the cultural arts council, said Tuesday. The town transferred ownership to ACAC in August 2001 after the arts council met the requirement of raising and spending $50,000 for building restora- tion. Full ownership, Bush said, belongs to the cul- tural arts council if the building remains a cultural arts center for 20 years from August 2001. Depression-era wall continues to show age BY GLENN GANNAWAY NEWS EDITOR The stone retaining wall bordering Appalachia’s Brown Street continues to show its age. A section of the wall, which was built during the mid-1930s by Works Progress Administration laborers, blew out several months ago. A 2004 col- lapse affected a 50-foot- long section of the wall. Brown Street, Town Manager Fred Luntsford noted, is a main neighbor- hood thoroughfare, and the wall is important because it protects the road. According to informa- tion shared by Luntsford, the latest section to col- Gap council to interview finalists BY GLENN GANNAWAY NEWS EDITOR Big Stone Gap Town Council is scheduled to hold a special meeting Friday to interview finalists for the town manager’s job, with the possibility that a choice could be made in the near future to fill the position. Mayor James “Cotton” Stone said council has narrowed the field of candidates to four finalists. Council hopes to interview all four Friday. The town received about 26 applications after announcing the vacancy. Now the field is down to four — although what happens Friday could change that. “I hope we get a good pick out of that,” Stone said of the four finalists. But, as he said, there’s always the possibility a decision will take longer: If none of the four are satisfactory, for example, “we will interview more. . . . We’re not rushing it; we’re doing it the right way,” he said. However, the process of picking a new town manager so far has been on track. Stone said in mid- July that the goal was to have someone on the job within about two months. The town manager position has been vacant since June 30, when Pat Murphy retired. Murphy had been town manager for eight years. Work has continued to move forward in the almost two months since the job became vacant, but town government’s size makes having a town man- ager crucial, Stone noted. PHOTO BY GLENN GANNAWAY A section of the Great Depression-era retaining wall along Appalachia’s Brown Street collapsed onto the sidewalk several months ago. See REQUESTS, Page 3 See COLEMAN, Page 3 Exeter shooting draws attempted murder charge BY GLENN GANNAWAY NEWS EDITOR An Appalachia man faces a first- degree attempted murder charge after an Aug. 6 shooting in Lower Exeter. A Wise County grand jury indicted James Lester “T.J.” Smith Jr., 53, on the murder charge and three other counts on Wednesday, Aug. 17. Smith himself was hospitalized after the Aug. 6 shooting at a mobile home in the Lower Exeter community. Smith allegedly shot 24-year-old Casey Rae Reed, then shot himself, ending an attempt by the Wise County Sheriff’s Response Team to talk Smith out of the mobile home. Responding to the emergency dis- patch, Appalachia police officers Lester Bowman and Andi Ison discovered Reed hiding behind an old washing machine in front of the mobile home. The two police officers then ensured that Reed was safe behind Bowman’s cruiser and covered the doors of the mobile home until the response team arrived. The grand jury also indicted Smith for malicious wounding, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, and possessing a firearm as a non-vio- lent felon. See WALL, Page 3
Transcript of Depression-era wall continues to show...
● OBITUARIES Page 4 ● OPINION Page 6 ● SPORTS Page 8 ● ON THE TRAIL Page 10 ● POST SCRIPTS Page 10 ● CLASSIFIEDS Page 14
Storytelling tofeature Devil
John, Red Fox.
On The Trail
10
Thursday, August 25, 2016
VOLUME 126, NUMBER 34 16 PAGES USPS 4395401 $1.00 Big Stone Gap, Virginia
SU
BS
CR
IBE
R IN
FO
RM
AT
ION
H
ER
E
Erika Coleman to guest starat drama, lead workshop
Young people interest-ed in acting will have anopportunity to work withthe pros during ErikaColeman’s return visit toBig Stone Gap this week-end.
Coleman, who was intown for the 2013 filmingof Adriana Trigiani’sromantic comedy, willconduct a master perform-ing class alongside fellowactor Mike WhaleySaturday. Coleman willthen join the cast of TheTrail of the LonesomePine for Saturday night’s
performance of the out-door drama.
Coleman is the secondactor from the Big StoneGap movie to guest starfor one night at the out-door drama. Paul Wilsonstepped onto the stage ofthe June TolliverPlayhouse a month ago toplay Edwin Mockaby.
Coleman is penciled into play SadrinaThompson, the feistysaloon keeper who isknown to denizens of theGap and Lonesome Covesimply as Sadie.
Coleman and Whaley’sworkshop, sponsored byLonesome Pine Arts andCrafts and to be held atSouthwest VirginiaMuseum Historical StatePark, will highlight theaudition process for the-atre, television and film,as well as character devel-opment, basic movement,and simple breathing exer-cises and relaxation tech-niques useful for audi-tions.
Registration is $10 perperson, and participantswill receive a ticket to
Saturday’s outdoor dramaperformance. Registrationforms are available bycalling the museum at276/523-1322, and mustbe received by noon,Friday, Aug. 26.
Coleman, who wasborn in Los Angeles butgrew up in Huntsville,Ala., played Pearl Grimes,the teenaged daughter ofJasmine Guy’s impover-ished Leah Grimes, inTrigiani’s movie.
Coleman made her first
Erika Coleman
returns to Big
Stone Gap as
a guest actor
in Saturday’s
performance
of ‘The Trail of
the Lonesome
Pine’ outdoor
drama.
Coleman will
also conduct a
master per-
forming class
with Mike
Whaley
Saturday .
Residentrequests, gets closed-door meeting
BY GLENN GANNAWAYNEWS EDITOR
Appalachia Town Council found itself in theunusual position of going into closed session at therequest of a resident last Thursday.
Jim Scalf, a long-time town volunteer and co-chair of the Appalachia Special Projects Committee,told council that he would discuss his concern inopen session if council didn’t go into closed session.
After some discussion, Town Attorney MichaelAbbott and Scalf left council chambers to giveAbbott an opportunity to determine whether Scalf’stopic was an appropriate topic for closed session.Virginia’s Freedom of Information Act allows pub-lic bodies to hold closed meetings only for a limitednumber of specific reasons. Mayor Teddie CollinsJr. noted that “we can’t just go into closed sessionwithout knowing what we’re going in there for.”
After Abbott advised council that Scalf’s subjectwas appropriate for a closed session, CouncilmanJohn Tull made a motion to amend the meetingagenda so that council could immediately go intoclosed session to discuss personnel, with Scalf,Abbott and Town Manager Fred Luntsford to attend.
Council was in closed session for about 15 min-utes. After council returned to open session, it certi-fied by roll-call vote that the closed session includ-ed only discussion of the matter for which the ses-sion had been called.
Scalf then asked several questions about theAppalachia Cultural Arts Council, includingwhether the arts council pays taxes and whether itpays the town to cut the grass and trim trees on thecultural arts lot on which the outdoor stage is locat-ed. Luntsford told Scalf that the arts council doesnot pay taxes or a fee for mowing and tree trimming.
Scalf also requested to see any agreementbetween the town and the cultural arts council underwhich the building that houses the cultural arts cen-ter belongs to the arts council and not to the town.Councilman Chase Christian said that if the buildingbelongs to the arts council, there needs to be a newagreement covering “who takes care of what. . . .I’m not saying it’s wrong, but it needs to be in writ-ing,” Christian said, referring to work done at thearts center property.
The Appalachia Cultural Arts Council is a501(c)3 non-profit organization. The arts counciloperates the Appalachia Cultural Arts Center, whichis housed in the former M.D. Collier Furniturebuilding on Main Street.
The town bought the building with a CommunityDevelopment Block Grant in 1996, Gary Bush,president of the cultural arts council, said Tuesday.The town transferred ownership to ACAC in August2001 after the arts council met the requirement ofraising and spending $50,000 for building restora-tion. Full ownership, Bush said, belongs to the cul-tural arts council if the building remains a culturalarts center for 20 years from August 2001.
Depression-era wall continues to show ageBY GLENN
GANNAWAYNEWS EDITOR
The stone retainingwall borderingAppalachia’s Brown Streetcontinues to show its age.
A section of the wall,which was built during themid-1930s by WorksProgress Administrationlaborers, blew out severalmonths ago. A 2004 col-lapse affected a 50-foot-long section of the wall.
Brown Street, TownManager Fred Luntsfordnoted, is a main neighbor-hood thoroughfare, and thewall is important becauseit protects the road.
According to informa-tion shared by Luntsford,the latest section to col-
Gap council to interviewfinalists
BY GLENN GANNAWAYNEWS EDITOR
Big Stone Gap Town Council is scheduled tohold a special meeting Friday to interview finalistsfor the town manager’s job, with the possibility thata choice could be made in the near future to fill theposition.
Mayor James “Cotton” Stone said council hasnarrowed the field of candidates to four finalists.Council hopes to interview all four Friday.
The town received about 26 applications afterannouncing the vacancy. Now the field is down tofour — although what happens Friday could changethat. “I hope we get a good pick out of that,” Stonesaid of the four finalists. But, as he said, there’salways the possibility a decision will take longer: Ifnone of the four are satisfactory, for example, “wewill interview more. . . . We’re not rushing it; we’redoing it the right way,” he said.
However, the process of picking a new townmanager so far has been on track. Stone said in mid-July that the goal was to have someone on the jobwithin about two months.
The town manager position has been vacantsince June 30, when Pat Murphy retired. Murphyhad been town manager for eight years.
Work has continued to move forward in thealmost two months since the job became vacant, buttown government’s size makes having a town man-ager crucial, Stone noted.
PHOTO BY GLENN GANNAWAY
A section of the Great Depression-era retaining wall alongAppalachia’s Brown Street collapsed onto the sidewalk severalmonths ago.
See REQUESTS, Page 3
See COLEMAN, Page 3
Exeter shooting drawsattempted murder charge
BY GLENN GANNAWAYNEWS EDITOR
An Appalachia man faces a first-degree attempted murder charge after anAug. 6 shooting in Lower Exeter.
A Wise County grand jury indictedJames Lester “T.J.” Smith Jr., 53, on themurder charge and three other counts onWednesday, Aug. 17.
Smith himself was hospitalized afterthe Aug. 6 shooting at a mobile home inthe Lower Exeter community. Smithallegedly shot 24-year-old Casey RaeReed, then shot himself, ending anattempt by the Wise County Sheriff’s
Response Team to talk Smith out of themobile home.
Responding to the emergency dis-patch, Appalachia police officers LesterBowman and Andi Ison discovered Reedhiding behind an old washing machinein front of the mobile home. The twopolice officers then ensured that Reedwas safe behind Bowman’s cruiser andcovered the doors of the mobile homeuntil the response team arrived.
The grand jury also indicted Smithfor malicious wounding, use of afirearm in the commission of a felony,and possessing a firearm as a non-vio-lent felon.
See WALL, Page 3
