Local News

    The Montvale Fire Department has purchased a new pumper, a brand new Pierce Rescue Engine with a tank capacity of 1,000 gallons.

    According to Montvale Fire Chief Scott Hawkins, the truck was bought through the county’s fire apparatus replacement rotation. The truck cost $520,000 and the county put up $260,000 of that amount. The fire department had to raise the rest. This price does not include the cost of the equipment the truck carries.

    Friends of the Big Otter Mill will hold an art show and auction to raise money to complete the restoration of the Mill.

    Boys With a Dream will hold an autism awareness event in Bedford on April 29.
    It’s a 5K run and walk event. Signup is from 8 a.m. to 8:45 a.m. with the run/walk taking place from 9 a.m. to noon. The course will follow the “loop.”
    According to Ta’Ron Robinson, the group settled on the loop because it’s familiar to local people who jog and walk. Robinson is a junior at Liberty High School and plans to go to James Madison University to major in computer science after graduating.

     Although the Big Island Volunteer Fire Department has been around since 1951, its awards banquet is a relatively recent event.

    The department has only been holding it for a few years. It grew out of a much older event, the ladies appreciation night. This was an event to thank wives for letting their husbands get out of bed at 3 a.m. to go put out a fire.
    “I’ll be back in a little bit and it’s eight hours later,” commented Deputy Chief Clint Dudley.