Damascus offers Hikers bricks on walkway

Damascus Community Pathways Project creates a more personal connection between the town of Damascus and the Appalachian Trail, offering hikers and loved ones a chance to purchase engraved bricks to be placed on the portion of the trail that runs through Damascus. 

Photo Earl Neikirk/Bristol Herald Courier/HeraldCourier.com

http://www.heraldcourier.com/community/damascus-sidewalk-project-links-history-and-community/article_396ed8c0-1c58-58ce-9a07-db3127f3e80c.html

Dog helps with PTSD for Soldier

Tiffany Brown suffers from PTSD after her time in Iraq.  She has Buckley, a rescue dog, that she uses to keep her able to work and go about daily life tasks.

Photo Earl Neikirk/Bristol Herald Courier/HeraldCourier.com

http://www.heraldcourier.com/news/service-dog-helps-bring-peace-healing-to-war-veteran-with/article_86788d90-d117-537c-9932-e443c8f6b09d.html

Trail Days draws thousands to Damascus

Dr. "C" (Carlton Dorsey) left, and Green Lady (Connor Dakour) play an original tune during Trail Days in Damascus on Saturday.  The two hikers are from Oklahoma.



Photo Earl Neikirk/Bristol Herald Courier/HeraldCourier.com

www.heraldcourier.com/news/thousands-of-hikers-gather-in-...

Garrett Kids talk about Mom and fundraising Bike event

Peyton and Madison Garrett. Their mom Penny Garrett died last year from a very rare cancer. They are again hosting the Creeper Trail Ride to End Cancer, which raises funds for cancer research at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.

Photo Earl Neikirk/Bristol Herald Courier/HeraldCourier.com

http://www.heraldcourier.com/garrett-s-children-look-forward-to-carrying-on-benefit-bike/article_ff3e3a08-31b7-11e5-9524-57a837a2ca55.html

Pappy Awards Finalist Peyton Garrett

Peyton Garrett is from Holston High School and plays Golf, Track, Basketball and Baseball.  Peyton is one of 5 finalist for the Pappy Thompson Athlete award.

Photo Earl Neikirk/Bristol Herald Courier/HeraldCourier.com

http://www.heraldcourier.com/sports/pappy-finalist-holston-s-peyton-garrett/article_8a0f660a-fda3-11e4-98c9-e3768c69102d.html/?mode=multimedia

College Students hiking the AT for credit

VHCC Professor Doug Carmichael talks with the group of students that will be hiking for several days on the Appalachian Trail outside Damascus on Thursday.







Photo Earl Neikirk/Bristol Herald Courier/TriCities.com

http://www.tricities.com/news/professor-leads-vhcc-students-on-three-night-backpacking-venture/article_42e26a0a-da78-11e4-9bfa-47a2dc0edc43.html

Trail Days 2014 goes to the Dogs.

Graywolf, right, and  his dog, Dakota, during Trail Days in Damascus, Virginia on Saturday.  Graywolf likes to hike with the dog and has lead his son, Dogman, left, to hike with his dog, Wayah.

http://www.tricities.com/news/article_a974824e-de2f-11e3-828e-001a4bcf6878.html

Award Winning Photography 2013

2nd. Place Photo of the Year Virginia Associated Press for 2013.                      

Emergency personnel and police officers react to one of several persons hit by the car shown with Driver still in front seat during the beginning of the Trail Days parade in Damascus, Va. on Saturday, May 18, 2013.

Photo Earl Neikirk/Bristol Herald Courier

Award Winning Photography 2013

BHC 060913 HonakervsERock 08, a photo by Neikirk Image on Flickr.

Via Flickr:
2nd. Place Sports National Press Photographers Assoc. June 2013 Clips Region 6.

Photo Earl Neikirk/Bristol Herald Courier

Honaker #10 Cassie Baker takes a knee and cries at first base after getting a base hit and scoring the winning run against East Rockingham on Saturday while the other team regroups on the pitchers mound. Honaker won the game and will play Sunday for the State Title in Salem Virginia.

Holston Football begins

BHC 080213 Holston Football 02, a photo by Neikirk Image on Flickr.

Via Flickr:
Photo Earl Neikirk/Bristol Herald Courier

Holston Seth Thomas hands off to Seth Harding during early morning practice in Damascus, VA. on Thursday.

Pet care in snow

BHC 011913 Snow Fun 11, a photo by Neikirk Image on Flickr.

Via Flickr:
EARL NEIKIRK/BRISTOL HERALD COURIER

Beaumont the Standard Poodle was catching snowballs in Damascus when thrown by owners Mitch and Cherrie Fishlowitz on Friday. The family moved to Damascus from California 7 months.

Dealing with snow and no power in Damascus

BHC 011913 Snow Work 5, a photo by Neikirk Image on Flickr.

Via Flickr:
EARL NEIKIRK/BRISTOL HERALD COURIER

Bruce Thrasher was enjoying his morning cup of coffee mid Friday morning due to the power being off in Damascus since early Thursday evening.

Damascus Branch Library now open to all

BHC 090612 DamascusLibrary 04, a photo by Neikirk Image on Flickr.

Via Flickr:
Photo Earl Neikirk/Bristol Herald Courier

The new Damascus Public Library is now open and has part of the Trails running in front that attracted bicycles and hikers alike.

Holston Seniors play final games in Radford this weekend

BHC 05XX HolstonSeniors 05, a photo by Neikirk Image on Flickr.

Via Flickr:
Photo Earl Neikirk/Bristol Herald Courier

Holston High seniors Taylor Doss, Morgan Lowe, Mary Hand, Megan Honaker, Brittany Boyd, Brianna Thomas.

Sandwiches for the masses

BHC 1123 BrownBag 01, a photo by Neikirk Image on Flickr.

Via Flickr:
Photo Earl Neikirk/Bristol Herald Courier

Kaylee Edwards,5yr. old., works on smoothing out some peanutbutter on her PBJ Sandwich she is making with her kindergarten class at Fhea Valley Elem. School on Tuesday. The classes were making 200 + lunches for Faith in Action

Family still playing together on the road

Holston coach richie, a photo by Neikirk Image on Flickr.

Via Flickr:
Faith Ritchie and Blackburn will be among the Southwest Virginia contingent on the field for this morning’s Virginia High School Coaches Association All-Star Game at Christopher Newport University.

Photo Earl Neikirk/Bristol Herald Courier

Holston Graduates 60 to the world

BHC 0528 Holston Grad 02
Originally uploaded by Neikirk Image

Via Flickr:
PHOTO EARL NEIKIRK/BRISTOL HERALD COURIER

Holston High School Ethan Jerimiah Owens gives a thumbs up to family as he enters.

25th Annual Trail Days in Damascus

BHC 0515 Trail Days 03
Originally uploaded by Neikirk Image

Via Flickr:
PHOTO EARL NEIKIRK/BRISTOL HERALD COURIER

Michelle MacLeod, left, and Bristn Acheson along with their dog are starting the trail in Damascus. The two were attending Trail Days and plan to hike until October. They are from Banner Elk, NC.

Emory and Henry students hike trail as part of studies

BHC 0409 HikingTrail College 06
Originally uploaded by Neikirk Image

Via Flickr:
EARL NEIKIRK/BRISTOL HERALD COURIER

Kasi Quinn, right, and fellow Emory and Henry College student Kyle King are hiking theAppalachian Trail as part of the Semester-A-Trail program at the College.