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Local News

  • Mother charged with murder of infant

    A 25-year-old Bedford woman has been charged with second degree murder in the death of her eight month old infant in September 2008.

        Cecilia Leigh Burnette, 25, Bedford was arrested today and charged with second degree murder and felony child abuse in connection with the death of her infant daughter, Marissa. She is currently being held in the Blue Ridge Regional Jail without bond.

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  • Stalin bust sparks opposition

    A plan to place a bust of Joseph Stalin at the National D-Day Memorial is sparking local controversy.

     

        “It’s not putting up a sculpture in honor of Stalin,” said Dr. William McIntosh, the National D-Day Memorial Foundation’s director.

     

        McIntosh pointed out that he realizes that Stalin was a monster. He said that Stalin had killed 20 million of his own citizens by 1939.

     

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  • The future of farming

    Bedford’s Farm Bureau featured two youthful speakers at its annual dinner meeting last week.

        Joy Powers, of Staunton River High School’s (SRHS) Future Farmers of America (FFA) chapter, said that agriculture has a future in Bedford County. She pointed to the two FFA chapters, one at SRHS and the other at Liberty High School, along with 4H clubs as an example. She would like to see more and suggested adding agricultural education classes in middle schools and an FFA chapter at Jefferson Forest High School.

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  • High expectations

    After six months to transition and some 120 meetings, Dr. Douglas Schuch is settling in to his new job as superintendent of Bedford County Public Schools.

        And he is also getting a better feel for what needs to be done in the future.

        At last Thursday’s School Board meeting, Dr. Schuch presented a report on the transition process and what he sees for the future of the school system under his direction.

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  • Fall foliage season gearing up

    The fall foliage is starting to brighten up at this part of the Blue Ridge Parkway, but don’t expect it to reach its peak for another week or so.

        Paulette Mullinax, lead interpretive ranger with the National Park Service, said several different species of trees are starting to turn color, especially in the higher elevations. Possibly by next weekend, the foliage along the Parkway in the Peaks of Otter area may be in its full splendor.

        And those colors, barring any bad weather between now and then, should be impressive.

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  • Perfect weather for lobsters

    The weather was perfect, Saturday, for the Kiwanis Club’s annual Lobster Festival.

        This is the club’s major fundraiser for the year, according to John Messier who heads up the event. Messier said the goal is to raise $5,000 from the event.

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  • Close ties

    The National D-Day Memorial welcomed 15 members of L’Association Omaha Beach-Bedford, Friday.

        Bedford is a special place for members of this French organization. It’s based in the towns around the beach named Omaha for the D-Day landing. Bertrand LeJemtel, the association’s president, remembers that day. He was only 5 years old on June 6, 1944, but he still remembers it vividly. The area in the vicinity of his home was bombed and shelled for three days and, to this day, he can still remember the smell of the explosives.

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  • Keeping the memories alive

    Friday’s visit by French guests of the Bedford International Alliance was preceded by an informal visit by four people from Normandy on Monday.

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  • Bill for preserving D-Day Memorial gains momentum

    Last week Fifth District Congressman Tom Perriello testified to the National Parks, Forests and Public Lands Subcommittee of the House Committee on Natural Resources in support of his legislation, H.R. 2689, which would begin the process for bringing the National D-Day Memorial under the purview of the National Park Service.

        Additionally, Dr. William McIntosh, president and CEO of the National D-Day Memorial Foundation, testified.

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  • There’s your sign

    Someone in Cris Tyler’s neighborhood finally decided to take matters into his own hands last week. After several months of not having a street sign, a homemade sign marking the intersection of Laurel and Peaks streets went up.

        “It’s a problem and it seems like a simple fix,” Tyler said while sitting at his porch last week at the corner of the intersection.

        And a permanent sign might soon be on its way.

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