<![CDATA[  Pulaski Patriot - Free News]]>Tue, 22 May 2012 19:49:48 -0800Weebly<![CDATA[Suspicious person found, arrested]]>Fri, 24 Feb 2012 14:32:42 -0800http://www.pcpatriot.com/7/post/2012/02/suspicious-person-found-arrested.html
In regards to earlier alert sent by the Pulaski Police Department concerning the suspicious person knocking on residential back doors in the Town of Pulaski, the subject has been located and identified.  

The Pulaski Police Department located John Lawson, 34 from Pulaski next to Peak Creek near the intersection of West Main St. and Johnson St.  

Lawson was in the woods walking along the creek and was spotted by officers.  

Officers identified Lawson by the clothing he was wearing and the description given by witnesses.  

Lawson was subsequently arrested on an outstanding Felony warrant from Christiansburg Police Department for Embezzlement.




By Authority of Captain Anthony Meredith 

Pulaski Police Department

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<![CDATA[Town police apprehend escaped prisoner]]>Fri, 24 Feb 2012 14:27:13 -0800http://www.pcpatriot.com/7/post/2012/02/town-police-apprehends-escaped-prisoner.html Staff Report  

Town of Pulaski Police reported the apprehension Thursday night of an escaped prisoner being transported by a bondsman to the New River Valley Regional Jail.

According to Captain Anthony C. Meredith with the Pulaski Police Department, on February 23 a bondsman from Cedar Bluff Virginia was transporting a prisoner from Tazewell County to the New River Valley Regional Jail in Dublin.

Jonathan Christopher Woody, who was shackled and handcuffed, told the bondman he needed to use the bathroom.

The bondman stopped at the 19th block of Case Knife and the prisoner exited the vehicle, ran and escaped.

The bondsman contacted the Pulaski Police Department who then responded. The Pulaski Police Department contacted the Virginia State Police and the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department.

 The Virginia State Police ran a K9 track, but the police located Woody through a tip from a citizen who had seen Woody go into a vacant home of Lafayette St. in Pulaski. Officers located Woody and took him into custody without incident.

Warrants were served and he was taken to NRV Regional Jail and held without bond.

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<![CDATA[Town issues response to proposed methadone clinic]]>Fri, 24 Feb 2012 14:24:54 -0800http://www.pcpatriot.com/7/post/2012/02/town-issues-response-to-proposed-methadone-clinic.html The Town of Pulaski issued on Friday the following response to the Department of Behavioral Health and Development Services concerning a proposed medical opioid treatment service – or methadone lab as they are commonly referred to.

February 24, 2012

Dr. Lester Saltzberg
Office of Licensing
Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services
Post Office Box 1797
Richmond, Virginia 23218-1797

Dear Dr. Saltzberg:

 
The Town Council of the Town of Pulaski meeting at its work session February 21, 2012 unanimously opposed the placement of a medical opioid treatment service in the community. Council reached this decision by carefully reviewing all points of view in an open and candid session.
Such an overture could not come at a more difficult and tragic time in our community. Since September 2009, one child has been hospitalized and two children have died as a result of ingesting methadone from a clinic that allowed patients to bring methadone home – a common practice among opioid treatment services. I can assure you these events have left an indelible mark upon the police officers who worked with social services personnel to prevent just such occurrences.  In addition, as you may know, an F-2 tornado struck the Town on April 8, 2011 creating displacement of families and causing catastrophic damage. The Town and County are still reeling from that disaster, exhausting public and private resources on recovery efforts. Even the proposed placement of a drug management clinic has the distinct potential of thwarting recovery and redevelopment efforts by undermining the private investment needed to get the community back on its feet. Faith-based agencies have contributed mightily to recovery efforts. We can ill-afford to make them wary of investing in Pulaski.

 

The Town continues to be affected from the loss of its manufacturing (and accompanying resource) base with over 3,000 jobs lost in the last two decades – especially in furniture and textiles. The arbitrary placement of a clinic by out of state entrepreneurs who have been in business for much less than a decade creates a deep concern on our part. 

 

A number of business leaders have indicated the placement of such a service will significantly undermine our economic development progress to date by painting the community negatively and, thus, unworthy of future investment. The presence of a methadone-dispensing clinic, moreover, could well attract those who wish to move closer to the service, creating a tipping point for the community, furthering a culture of dependency already, unfortunately deeply entrenched in many small, Appalachian communities.

 

The Town is finally attracting the interest of outside investors whose investment will bring more significant healing to the Town of Pulaski than an entity whose sole purpose is to manage opioid addiction through further drug treatment. Aside from an academic discussion of the efficacy of methadone treatment in assisting patients in ceasing opiate use, a fact is that three other treatment centers are well established and are within a 45 minute drive of the Town of Pulaski. Currently, seventeen helping agencies are located in Pulaski, and the Town rightly believes it is doing its part without additional burdens.

 

The proposed placement of the clinic in a shopping center that is a target of future redevelopment efforts may be viewed as impediments to investment. Our community can ill-afford to lose more businesses, compromising the already fragile revenue base of the Town. In the same shopping center, moreover, is New River Valley Community Services (NRVCS) that could be easily confused with the clinic. In fact, the proposed clinic is intending to move into space once occupied by NRVCS -- creating not only confusion in the public’s mind but also the possibility of harm to NRVCS clients as methadone patients wander the crowded confines of a relatively small strip mall. 

 

The Town of Pulaski reserves the opportunity to ask further questions about the nature of the clinic and its operations – especially with regards to protecting the safety and security of our citizens and other businesses.

 

· What are the proposed hours of operation so that we can establish the intensity of the proposed land use?

· What are the security measures to be instituted at the proposed “service” and would these be consistent with those of a typical medical clinic? Extraordinary security in a small shopping plaza may create barriers and hazards for the free flow of customers to other businesses.

· Will there be a physician present at all times? Medical clinics are operated by doctors, dentists, or similar practitioners licensed by the Commonwealth of Virginia.

· Would there be in-patient services?

 

The above questions may not be exhaustive.

 

In addition, does Ms. Braggs letter of December 1, 2011 to Mr. Quesenberry offer the formal, official notice to the Town of the intent to establish such a clinic in the community? Incidentally, I understand that the New River  Community Services Board has not received any notice of like character, keeping that Board from addressing the appropriateness of such a service in the Town of Pulaski.

 

I look forward to receiving further information from your Department, and I appreciate your understanding the community’s point of view.

 

 

Sincerely yours,

 

 

 

John J. Hawley, P.E.

Town Manager

 

C:        Mayor and Town Council

            David Warburton, Town Attorney

            Peter Huber, Pulaski County Administrator

            Harvey Barker, Executive Director, NRVCS

            Delegate Nick Rush

            Senator Philip Puckett

 

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<![CDATA[State Police seeks help in locating rape suspect]]>Mon, 05 Dec 2011 11:30:29 -0800http://www.pcpatriot.com/7/post/2011/12/state-police-seeks-help-in-locating-rape-suspect.html From the Va. State Police

The Virginia State Police are asking for the public’s assistance in locating Earl Thomas Brown, Jr., 32, of 1744 Wadsworth Street, Radford who is currently wanted for one count of rape and two counts of sexual battery. 

The charges are the result of an investigation by the State Police in which a 22 year old female reported being raped by the suspect on November 10, 2011, in Pulaski County.

First Sergeant Mike Honaker stated, “Sergeant Dirk Compton initiated an investigation into this matter on November 11th, after the victim reported the offense to the State Police.  We identified and located Brown soon after this and we served a search warrant on his residence on November 22nd.  As a result of our investigation and the findings from the search warrant we obtained warrants for Brown’s arrest later that same day.  By this time, Brown had disappeared, though our troopers have been searching the area for him since then.”

Anyone with information related to the whereabouts of Earl Thomas Brown, Jr. should contact the local State Police office at (540) 643-2560 or the Division IV Headquarters at 1-800-542-8716.    

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<![CDATA[Hokies' Taylor to miss rest of season]]>Mon, 24 Oct 2011 07:02:38 -0800http://www.pcpatriot.com/7/post/2011/10/hokies-taylor-to-miss-rest-of-season.htmlLinebacker suffers Lisfranc sprain in foot

BLACKSBURG - Virginia Tech starting linebacker Bruce Taylor suffered a Lisfranc sprain in his foot in Saturday's win over Boston College and the redshirt junior will miss the rest of the season. He will undergo surgery this week at Montgomery Regional Hospital in Blacksburg.
Here's the Monday injury report:

Pending Surgeries

E.L. Smiling (wrist)

Bruce Taylor (foot)


Out for the Season

Kwamaine Battle (knee)

Jeron Gouveia-Winslow (foot)

Antoine Hopkins (knee)

Dyrell Roberts (arm)

E.L. Smiling (wrist)

Bruce Taylor (foot)

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<![CDATA[McDonnell to appear at reception at Rockwood for Light]]>Mon, 17 Oct 2011 07:29:11 -0800http://www.pcpatriot.com/7/post/2011/10/mcdonnell-to-appear-at-reception-at-rockwood-for-light.htmlState Senate candidate Adam Light Cordially invites you to a Reception with special guest Gov. Bob McDonnell Thursday, October 20th 7 pm-9 pm at Rockwood Bed and Breakfast, 5189 Rockwood Road, Dublin, VA 24084. $50.00 per person. ]]><![CDATA[Pulaski County graduation rate rises]]>Tue, 11 Oct 2011 11:38:21 -0800http://www.pcpatriot.com/7/post/2011/10/pulaski-county-graduation-rate-rises.html Pulaski County Public Schools’ On-Time Graduation Rate Rises to 88.2 Percent An improvement of 11 points since 2008  

Pulaski County Public Schools’ on-time high school graduation rate rose nearly 3 points this year to 88.2 percent, and exceeded the state average of 86.6 percent.

 

The 2011 on-time graduation rate expresses the percentage of students who were first-time ninth graders during the 2007-2008 school year and earned a Board of Education-approved diploma within four years. On-time graduation has increased by nearly 11 points since 2008, the first year VDOE reported graduation rates for the state, school divisions and high schools based on student-level data that fully account for student mobility, promotion and retention.

 

This is exciting news for Pulaski County and a testimony to the hard work of our teachers, counselors, principals, and support personnel across the district,” Superintendent of Schools Dr. Robert Becker said. “Furthermore, since dropout prevention takes a community effort, we would like to thank our parents, elected officials, and the many community organizations who assist us with our efforts.”

 

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<![CDATA[Governor announces 200 new jobs for Montgomery Co.]]>Tue, 11 Oct 2011 08:15:31 -0800http://www.pcpatriot.com/7/post/2011/10/governor-announces-200-new-jobs-for-montgomery-co.htmlGovernor McDonnell Announces more than 200 New Jobs in Montgomery County

~ Backcountry.com to invest millions in Virginia fulfillment center ~

Virginia successfully competed against Kentucky and Pennsylvania for project

 

RICHMOND – Governor Bob McDonnell today announced that Backcountry.com, the largest online specialty retailer of premium outdoor gear, will invest more than $20 million to establish a fulfillment center in Montgomery County. The Utah-based company’s east-coast presence, which will be located in Falling Branch Corporate Park, will create more than 200 new jobs. Virginia successfully competed against Kentucky and Pennsylvania for the project.

 

Speaking about today’s announcement, Governor McDonnell said, “Backcountry.com is a well-known outdoor retailer, and I am thrilled they have selected Virginia as home to their east-coast operations and are making a significant investment in our community. Montgomery County is a progressive, technology-driven community that provides numerous outdoor recreational opportunities to its residents due to the proximity to the Appalachian Trail and the Washington-Jefferson National Forest. Backcountry.com will be right at home here. I know they will find no shortage of customers in the region, and they’ll have no problem finding motivated, innovative and dynamic Virginia employees who identify with, and are passionate about, their mission and vision.”

 

“Montgomery County and Virginia gain a great corporate partner with this impressive project,” said Jim Cheng, Virginia Secretary of Commerce and Trade. “The addition of more than 200 new employment opportunities is welcome news for the region, and I have every confidence that Backcountry.com will become part of the outdoor niche in the Commonwealth.”

 

Backcountry.com operates ten online specialty retail stores: Backcountry.com, SteepandCheap.com, Dogfunk.com, WhiskeyMilitia.com, CompetitiveCyclist.com, RealCyclist.com, Bonktown.com, HuckNroll.com, Chainlove.com, and DepartmentofGoods.com, which, combined, sell more than 1,000 brands. Backcountry.com is a controlled subsidiary of Liberty Interactive Corporation (Nasdaq:  LINTA, LINTB).

 

“We started small in Utah, and Utah has been our operations base for 14 years. Amazing customer service and blisteringly fast fulfillment are two cornerstones of our business, and as we’ve grown, it has become very clear to us that to serve our customers nationwide, we need an East Coast fulfillment center,” said Jill Layfield, CEO of Backcountry.com. “When deciding on a location, Virginia just made sense. It’s not only a strategically viable location operationally, it’s a beautiful place where outdoor sports are part of the lifestyle, and that’s important to us.”

 

The Virginia Economic Development Partnership worked with Montgomery County, the Town of Christiansburg and the New River Valley Economic Development Alliance to secure the project for Virginia. Governor McDonnell approved a $300,000 grant from the Governor’s Opportunity Fund to assist Montgomery County with the project. Through its Virginia Jobs Investment Program, the Virginia Department of Business Assistance will provide funding and services to support the company’s recruitment, training and retraining activities.

 

“The state of Virginia, Montgomery County and Christiansburg proved to us that this is where we should do business,” said Layfield. “Their support of and commitment to Backcountry.com has been remarkable, and that is only a sign of their larger commitment to the people of the area.”

           

“Montgomery County is pleased to welcome Backcountry.com,” said Montgomery County Board of Supervisors Chair Jim Politis. “This is a prime location for a distribution hub for the East Coast, and the company will be creating hundreds of jobs.  Backcountry.com also fits in very well with our region’s abundant outdoor recreation opportunities.”

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<![CDATA[Friday's high school football scores]]>Mon, 03 Oct 2011 15:57:04 -0800http://www.pcpatriot.com/7/post/2011/10/fridays-high-school-football-scores1.htmlPREP FOOTBALLAbingdon 13, John Battle 6, OT

Alleghany 35, James River-Buchanan 19

Amelia County 52, Randolph Henry 8

Appomattox 55, Nelson County 28

Atlee 50, Henrico 22

Bath County 45, Pocahontas County, W.Va. 33

Battlefield 30, Stonewall Jackson-Manassas 12

Bland County 14, Northwood 12

Blessed Sacrament-Huguenot 27, Trinity Episcopal 0

Briar Woods 38, Tuscarora 0

Broad Run 36, Herndon 7

Broadwater Academy 46, Kenston Forest 14

Brooke Point 68, Orange County 14

Brookville 48, E.C. Glass 13

Buckingham County 54, Nottoway 19

C.D. Hylton 34, Gar-Field 21

Carlisle 34, Brunswick Academy 6

Central Lunenburg 36, Cumberland 8

Central Wise 51, Lee High 50

Centreville 49, Hayfield 3

Chantilly 70, Edison 29

Christchurch 41, Trinity Christian, N.C. 12

Christiansburg 42, Franklin County 8

Clintwood 30, Union 26

Cosby 15, Monacan 0

Courtland 30, Chancellor 7

Covington 27, Summers County, W.Va. 22

Dan River 43, Chatham 20

Dinwiddie 49, Prince George 13

East Rockingham 45, Luray 13

Eastern View 34, Caroline 12

Episcopal 31, Collegiate-Richmond 21

Essex 30, Arcadia 0

Fauquier 42, Brentsville 7

Fluvanna 28, Charlottesville 21

Forest Park 24, Freedom (Woodbridge) 0

Fort Defiance 35, Spotswood 21

Frank Cox 17, Kellam 3

Fredericksburg Christian 41, Massanutten Military 0

Gate City 21, Bluefield, W.Va. 7

George Wythe-Wytheville 45, Marion 7

Glen Allen 21, Armstrong 6

Goochland 70, Bluestone 0

Grassfield 21, Hickory 0

Gretna 45, Brunswick 0

Grundy 21, Castlewood 20

GW-Danville 22, Southampton 0

Handley 14, Washington, W.Va. 7

Hanover 10, Highland Springs 7

Harrisonburg 33, R.E. Lee-Staunton 14

Heritage (Leesburg) 44, Loudoun Valley 42

Heritage-Lynchburg 10, Amherst County 6

Hermitage 36, Douglas Freeman 0

Hidden Valley 28, Bassett 21

Isle of Wight Academy 41, Fuqua School 6

J.I. Burton 47, Eastside 18

J.R. Tucker 28, TJ-Richmond 21

James Madison 13, Langley 7, OT

James Monroe 50, King George 14

John Marshall 36, Patrick Henry-Ashland 9

Kettle Run 26, Skyline 7

King William 35, Nandua 0

Lake Taylor 48, Booker T. Washington 21

Landstown 27, Bayside 21

Lebanon 16, Tazewell 7

Lloyd Bird 56, James River-Chesterfield 7

Loudoun County 31, Woodgrove 0

Louisa 21, South Lakes 19

Loyola, Md. 50, Fork Union Prep 40

Madison County 28, George Mason 21

Magna Vista 42, Halifax County 21

Martinsville 18, Carroll County 14

McLean 20, George Marshall 19

Midlothian 38, Huguenot 16

Mills Godwin 46, Deep Run 42

Monticello 50, Western Albemarle 36

Mount Vernon 42, Falls Church 0

Mountain View 24, Albemarle 0

Nansemond River 27, Deep Creek 3

North Cross 42, Hargrave Military 13

North Stafford 34, Colonial Forge 0

Northumberland 32, Charles City 20

Norview 23, Maury 0

Oakton 38, Lee-Springfield 23

Osbourn 56, Potomac 12

Oscar Smith 21, Lakeland 7

Park View-South Hill 23, Greensville County 0

Park View-Sterling 40, Dominion 7

Parry McCluer 41, Auburn 18

Petersburg 46, Colonial Heights 7

Phelps, Ky. 34, Twin Valley 19

Poquoson 34, Jamestown 0

Powhatan 49, Prince Edward County 6

Princeton, W.Va. 41, Graham 7

Radford 38, Patrick County 13

Randolph-Macon 28, Quantico 6

Rappahannock 30, King & Queen 24

Richlands 45, Honaker 19

Riverheads 28, Wilson Memorial 13

Roanoke Catholic 17, Fishburne Military 7

Rustburg 21, Liberty-Bedford 12

Rye Cove 36, Holston 14

Salem 21, William Fleming 0

South County 13, James Robinson 10, OT

Spotsylvania 39, Culpeper 13

St. Mary's Ryken, Md. 28, St. Stephens-St. Agnes 21

Stafford 28, Riverbend 14

Staunton River 27, Tunstall 17

Stone Bridge 43, TJ-Alexandria 21

Stonewall Jackson-Quicksburg 14, Buffalo Gap 6

Stuarts Draft 37, Page County 14

Sussex Central 44, Middlesex 6

Tallwood 21, Princess Anne 20, OT

Thomas Dale 27, Matoaca 26

Thomas Walker 54, Hurley 12

Twin Springs 55, Ervinton 14

Varina 48, Lee-Davis 12

Virginia High 21, Chilhowie 6

Warren County 29, James Wood 21

Washington & Lee 47, Windsor 34

Washington-Lee 43, Wakefield 29

Waynesboro 16, Turner Ashby 15

West Potomac 45, Annandale 10

West Springfield 48, W.T. Woodson 0

Westfield 48, Fairfax 0

William Byrd 42, Glenvar 21

William Campbell 14, Altavista 7

William Monroe 31, Strasburg 14

Woodberry Forest 34, Paul VI 14

Woodbridge 38, Osbourn Park 14

Woodstock Central 22, Manassas Park 21

Yorktown 40, J.E.B. Stuart 26

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<![CDATA[Virginia escapes Idaho upset bid in OT, 21-20]]>Mon, 03 Oct 2011 15:56:14 -0800http://www.pcpatriot.com/7/post/2011/10/virginia-escapes-idaho-upset-bid-in-ot-21-20.html
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) — It wasn't supposed to be this tough for Virginia. And for a while, it wasn't.

The Cavaliers jumped out to a 14-0 first-quarter lead, showing flashes of dominance along the way. The running game was clicking with Perry Jones, and quarterback Michael Rocco was efficient in the throwing game.

Then the mistakes started — an interception, two fumbles and a head-scratching decision to skip a 37-yard field goal with six seconds left in the first half and try to run another play. That ended with Rocco being tackled inside the 10 and the Cavaliers heading to the locker room to a cascade of boos with a 14-6 lead.

The biggest mistake, however, came with 3:11 left in the game, when Jimmy Howell's punt was blocked by Idaho's Justin Hernandez. Daniel Micheletti scooped and scored from 4 yards out, and Brian Reader's two-point conversion pass to Marsel Posey tied it to force overtime.

In the extra period, Virginia completed a touchdown pass, which Idaho matched.

But the underdog Vandals decided against kicking the point-after and went for two. Reader's pass was knocked down in the end zone, and the Cavaliers stormed onto the field 21-20 winners.

"That was probably an ugly football game right there, but in the end, what matters is that we found a way to win it," Virginia coach Mike London said.

Idaho coach Robb Akey had no second thoughts about the gamble.

"We went for the win," he said. "That is what we came here to do."

Virginia (3-2) was heavily favored and needed a good win before heading into the meat of its Atlantic Coast Conference schedule after a bye next Saturday. What it got was a scare from an Idaho team that refused to give up despite being dominated in most of the statistical categories.

"We're a team that is trying to learn how to win games and trying to eliminate those momentum changers," London said. "Whether you're at home or on the road, things happen in the game. Other teams are allowed to play hard."

And that's exactly what the Vandals did.

"I'm very disappointed we did not get the job finished here tonight, but I'm proud as hell of this football team and the way that they fought," Akey said.

The Cavaliers started on a good note, with Jones scoring on a 10-yard run and a 6-yard reception from Rocco for the early lead.

But Jones and Clifton Richardson lost fumbles, and freshman quarterback David Watford's first series ended with a pass interception.

Idaho managed a couple of Trey Farquhar field goals to keep it close, and Virginia's decision not to kick the field goal late in the half nearly proved costly. London said Rocco made a bad decision on the play by scrambling rather than throwing the ball away when nobody was open.

"It was a mistake that cost us three points at the end of the half," he said. "It's a learning issue with him. We just have to make sure in those situations, when you're trying to get points in the time you have on the clock, that you are fully alert and aware of those."

Neither team could get anything going in the third quarter, and the fourth period started with the first of two missed field goal attempts by Virginia's Robert Randolph. Idaho responded with a quick march deep into Virginia territory, highlighted by a nifty reverse-field 20-yard run by Princeton McCarty and a 44-yard pass from Reader to Mike Scott to the Cavaliers 7.

Two plays later, Dom Joseph intercepted a Reader pass in the end zone.

Virginia's Chase Minnifield also intercepted a pass in the fourth quarter to set the Cavaliers up at the Idaho 46, but that opportunity ended with another Randolph miss from 36.

Then came the late-game drama, starting with the blocked punt for the tying touchdown.

"We've got to do a better job because that was a big-time play right there, a big momentum change," London said. "We've got to look at a lot of special teams issues to make sure we shore up what we're doing."

The Cavaliers appeared to shoot themselves in the foot again in overtime, when a facemask penalty on offense moved them back to the 27. But Watford, who split time with Rocco, hit fellow freshman Dominique Terrell in the right flat, and Terrell broke a tackle and outran the secondary to the end zone.

"I told the offensive line that I was going to lead them down there and that we were going to score," Watford said. "They had confidence and faith in me that I was going to get the ball in the end zone."

Armauni Johnson's diving catch of Reader's 23-yard pass put Idaho in position to tie it again, but Akey opted for the two-point try.

"That's the way Vandals do it," Reader said. "It's worked in the past for us, and we thought we could do it again."

Reader was flushed from the pocket, and his pass was swatted down in the end zone..

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