Today's News

The number 13’s reputation as a harbinger of bad luck was dampened by the efforts of the Big Island Post 217 at this year’s Legion baseball state tournament.

The Islanders put on quite the performance, earning runner-up status to South Richmond.

“We just ran out of pitching,” said Coach Kelly Russell.

A variety of reasons, including the start of football season, reduced the number of players on the team. When it rolled into Stuarts Draft for the start of the tournament, it was down to that dreadful 13 number.

Remembering the Community Cannery and New London Academy

After reading your articles on the Community Cannery, it brought back a lot of memories about the Cannery and New London Academy.

We’re told by political analysts that American voters don’t like “negative campaigning.” The talking heads say that voters want “positive” ideas, uplifting proposals about what candidates would offer for the future.

It’s true that people respond to proposals that reflect their hopes. This was certainly the case during the Great Depression, when most voters saw that Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s promise of a “New Deal” was exactly what they needed. Today, however, we live in far more cynical times.

The Sheriff's Office is taking steps to reduce fuel expenses, according to Sheriff Mike Brown. Brown spoke at a Bedford County Board of Supervisor's work session, Monday evening.

Calls are up. Brown said that deputies responded to 17,099 calls in the first six months of the year. That's an increase of 1,272 over the same period in 2007. In spite of that, a vehicle use policy introduced at the end of June has reduced fuel usage by 316 gallons per month. Brown said that amounts to a savings of $13,000 per year on an annualized basis.