Umm, pretty darned good. That's the pre-season assessment on the Pulaski High School linebacker. We have a video feature on Peak -- and other high school sports news -- on the Varsity Cast, our high school sports webcast.
Want to get a feel for what Rep. Rick Boucher's town hall meeting on health care was like Tuesday? Check out this multimedia presentation of the Dublin event.
AYP is the minimum level of improvement in Standards of Learning test scores, attendance and other areas that states, school districts and schools must achieve each year under the federal No Child Left Behind Act. Schools which receive Title I federal aid for low-income students and fail to make AYP for two consecutive years must offer parents the option of transferring their children to better-performing schools in the same school district.
The numbers for the most recent school year have been released 13 schools in the New River Valley fall short -- seven in Montgomery County, three in Pulaski County and three in Giles County. All schools in Radford and Floyd met the AYP standards.
You can look up the results yourself in this database on our Datasphere site of searchable data.
A concert on July 23 by Stephanie and Jen Rooker, NRV natives now living and making music in New York, raised $665 for Brain Injury Services of Southwest Virginia.
A collection jar was passed around the Pulaski Theatre during the concert to raise money, something the sisters try to do at every performance when they're back in Virginia.
The foundation, along with the Jason Foundation, was founded by their parents, Greg and Fran Rooker. Twelve years ago, the Stephanie and Jen Rooker's 11-year-old brother, Daniel Jason Rooker, died from a brain injury. He fell while playing on a rope suspended from a tree in the family's yard in June 1996 and spent a year in treatment before he died.
"Our parents are ardent lobbyists, so we know a lot of people throughout the state," Stephanie Rooker said. "With all the touring we've done in Virginia, we try to partner with a local organization and try to raise awareness."
--Amy Matzke-Fawcett
The town and county of Pulaski's namesake, Count Casimir Pulaski, a Polish citizen who died from wounds sustained while fighting in the American Revolution in 1779, is the subject of a joint resolution conferring honorary citizenship.
If passed by both houses of Congress and signed by the president, Pulaski would be only the sixth person named an honorary American citizen.
Here's the full text of H.J. Res. 26, proclaiming Casimir Pulaski to be an honorary citizen of the United States posthumously, from the Library of Congress.
“Proclaiming Casimir Pulaski to be an honorary citizen of the United States posthumously.
Whereas Casimir Pulaski was a Polish military officer who fought on the side of the American colonists against the British in the American Revolutionary War;
Whereas Benjamin Franklin recommended that General George Washington accept Casimir Pulaski as a volunteer in the American Cavalry and said that Pulaski was `renowned throughout Europe for the courage and bravery he displayed in defense of his country’s freedom’;
Whereas, after arriving in America, Casimir Pulaski wrote to General Washington, `I came here, where freedom is being defended, to serve it, and to live or die for it.’;
Whereas the first military engagement of Casimir Pulaski with the British was on September 11, 1777, at the Battle of Brandywine, and his courageous charge in this engagement averted a disastrous defeat of the American Cavalry and saved the life of George Washington;
Whereas, on September 15, 1777, George Washington elevated Casimir Pulaski to the rank of Brigadier General of the American Cavalry;
Whereas Casimir Pulaski formed the Pulaski Cavalry Legion, and in February 1779, this legion ejected the British occupiers from Charleston, South Carolina;
Whereas, in October 1779, Casimir Pulaski mounted an assault against British forces in Savannah, Georgia;
Whereas, on the morning of October 9, 1779, Casimir Pulaski was mortally wounded and was taken aboard the American ship USS Wasp, where he died at sea on October 11, 1779;
Whereas, before the end of 1779, the Continental Congress resolved that a monument should be erected in honor of Casimir Pulaski;
Whereas, in 1825, General Lafayette laid the cornerstone for the Casimir Pulaski monument in Savannah, Georgia; and
Whereas, in 1929, Congress passed a resolution recognizing October 11 of each year as Pulaski Day in the United States: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
That Casimir Pulaski is proclaimed to be an honorary citizen of the United States posthumously.”
For more, read Saturday's edition of the New River Valley Current.
--Amy Matzke-Fawcett
New River Valley American Legion Post 68's baseball team was eliminated from the state tournament in Glen Allen today following a 10-1 loss to Norfolk Post 60.
Here is a slideshow of Post 68 in action at the tournament this week.
The case against a Pulaski man charged in connection with the February killing of a 42-year-old woman is moving forward.
Tony Wayne Covey, 39, is charged with second-degree murder in the death of Shelby Cline. Cline was found dead early the morning of Feb. 21 in the Pulaski home into which she and Covey had just moved.
Police have said Cline suffered a cut to the throat.
Covey was scheduled for a preliminary hearing Wednesday in Pulaski County Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court.
Before the hearing began, Commonwealth's Attorney Mike Fleenor said he planned to call witnesses and expected the hearing to last about an hour. Three of Cline's family members were there, each holding victim impact statements they had written.
But as the hearing began, Covey's lawyer, Thomas DeBusk, said he would stipulate that the evidence was sufficient for a finding of probable cause.
The charge against Covey was certified to a grand jury, which will determine if he should face a trial in circuit court.
Geoff McCulloch, Mark Hanks’ assistant coach for the past five years, has been named the new boys basketball coach at Pulaski County High School, pending approval by the county school board.
Hanks has retired.
Sportswriter Ray Cox has details.
Governor Tim Kaine spent about an hour inside Volvo Trucks North America this morning, meeting with the general manager and visiting the production area.
Reporter Jeff Sturgeon has more on the governor's visit.
Pulaski County schools superintendent Don Stowers will retire, effective Jan. 1, according to a news release from the school system.
Here it is in full:
Paul L. Phillips, Chairperson, Pulaski County Public Schools, has announced that the Pulaski County School Board has accepted the resignation of Donald E. Stowers, Superintendent, effective January 1, 2010. Stowers is retiring after having served as an educator in Virginia for over 39 years.
Stowers was appointed as superintendent of Pulaski County Public Schools in August 2001 after having served as an assistant superintendent and principal of a junior high school, middle school, and two (2) high schools in Virginia Beach. His first teaching position was as an English teacher at Christiansburg High School in 1970.
The Pulaski County School Board will solicit the guidance of the Virginia School Boards Association to assist it in the developing of a process for the superintendent’s replacement and securing of candidates for the position of superintendent.
