Rocky Mount Director to retire

Gary Walrath is the current director of Rocky Mount Museum in Piney Flats, Tennessee.  He will retire end of June after over 13 years.  Walrath also was part of the Christmas  Candlelight program as Mr. Cobb.

Photo Earl Neikirk/Bristol Herald Courier/HeraldCourier.com

http://www.heraldcourier.com/community/community_news/rocky-mount-state-historic-site-director-gary-walrath-retiring/article_2dc759cd-e251-5f4d-bda2-e3ec5101bdc6.html

Confederate Memorial Day at East Hill Cemetery

Members of the James Keeling Camp 52 Bristol Tennessee took part in the Memorial Day service at East Hill Cemetery on Saturday.  The group honored all veterans that are buried at the cemetery with a flag on the tombstone.  Over 300 flags for Confederate Soldiers and later Veterans were placed around the area.







Photos Earl Neikirk/Bristol Herald Courier/HeraldCourier.com

http://www.heraldcourier.com/news/fallen-confederate-soldiers-remembered-during-east-hill-ceremony/article_65ea01e7-920e-526d-a49c-bdff064d10b5.html

Bristol Virginia Storm Update

David Maples checks out his temporary bee hive that has been put in place to collect bees found in a tree that fell during the storms on Wednesday along Woodland Drive in Bristol, VA.  The cold weather and wind and rain have caused the bees to hunker down and not move.



Don Hoyle works on cutting branches off the tree trunks that fell in his yard along Woodland Drive in Bristol, Virginia on Wednesday during the storm that came through the area.  The power and other utilities were still down but BVU crews were working on his street Thursday afternoon.

Photos Earl Neikirk/Bristol Herald Courier/HeraldCourier.com

http://www.heraldcourier.com/news/bristol-virginia-continues-clean-up-efforts-after-powerful-wednesday-storm/article_c0eadb90-4186-11e7-a0b3-57d414a0afaa.html

Tazewell over Richlands Baseball

Tazewell #6 Zack Tatum jumps over Richlands catcher #4 Jordan Lee at home plate on Wednesday.

Photos Earl Neikirk/Bristol Herald Courier/HeraldCourier.com

http://www.heraldcourier.com/sports/southern-empire-baseball-parker-pitches-tazewell-past-richlands/article_7f229b7a-415f-11e7-a960-dfe3d10f7074.html

Storms race through Bristol on Wednesday.

A tree fell on the house of Dennis and Dixie Edwards on Wednesday during the high winds and rain.

Photos Earl Neikirk/Bristol Herald Courier/HeraldCourier.com

http://www.heraldcourier.com/news/storm-knocks-out-power-to-thousands-and-damages-property/article_80a5a164-4136-11e7-b104-332de7a3abf8.html

Steele Creek Nature Center almost open

The new addition to the Nature Center is soon opening to the left of the original building.

Photos Earl Neikirk/Bristol Herald Courier/HeraldCourier.com

http://www.heraldcourier.com/news/nature-center-expansion-to-add-educational-research-opportunities/article_b74fe6fb-c58f-5eaa-9950-55f1be33f989.html

Fallen Officer Monument in the works.

The Southwest Virginia Criminal Justice Training Academy is in the process of installing a Fallen Officer Memorial on their campus in Bristol, Virginia.  The slab has been poured and is awaiting the black granite stone with 82 names etched in the stone.

Photos Earl Neikirk/Bristol Herald Courier/HeraldCourier.com

www.heraldcourier.com/community/community_news/fallen-off...

High School Ring found after 31 years.

Arron Caselli, left, found the class ring of Jeff Eller, right, after Eller lost it in 1986 and Caselli found it outside Tennessee High.

Photos Earl Neikirk/Bristol Herald Courier/HeraldCourier.com

http://www.heraldcourier.com/news/tennessee-high-senior-returns-lost-ring-to-bristol-man-years/article_a8af4ece-b1b9-56e7-bab1-cab586f0fbae.html

Duke Bare - a local running the Big Track this weekend

Duke Bare, Street Stock Driver talks to his crew chief Danny Bland prior to practice on Friday for the Short Track US Nationals at Bristol Motor Speedway.  Bare is from Meadowview, Va.

Photos Earl Neikirk/Bristol Herald Courier/HeraldCourier.com

http://www.heraldcourier.com/sports/duke-bare-is-a-driving-machine/article_e9bc2960-3cff-11e7-afd1-ffaac3fa933a.html

Steve Wallace racing the Short Track US Nationals

Super Late Model driver Steve Wallace #66 watches some of  the other model classes at the Bristol Motor Speedway on Friday during open practice for the US Nationals this Saturday and Sunday. Approx. 500 cars have come to the Speedway to race in this Inaugural event.

Photos Earl Neikirk/Bristol Herald Courier/HeraldCourier.com

http://www.heraldcourier.com/sports/steve-wallace-a-shining-star-on-the-track/article_407e06b4-3dd8-11e7-89a0-7b71f446e457.html

Son racing with racing dad as crew chief

Layne Riggs, #99 Late Model Stock, left, laughs with his father Scott Riggs during a break in practice on Friday.  Layne is 14 years old and his father used to race the NASCAR Truck Series and now is the crew chief, spotter, and sometimes Dad to the young driver.

Photos Earl Neikirk/Bristol Herald Courier/HeraldCourier.com

http://www.heraldcourier.com/sports/gregory-at-riggs-ready-to-take-on-bms/article_f6c60ec2-3d14-11e7-8002-8b70146ac687.html

Steve Bowman - Fallen Officer US Forest Service

Beth Page, the sister of Stephen Allen "Steve" Bowman, the Greeneville-based U.S. Forest Service law-enforcement officer who died in a helicopter crash while on a marijuana eradication mission last June, 1999 with a photo taken prior to the accident.

Photos Earl Neikirk/Bristol Herald Courier/HeraldCourier.com

http://www.heraldcourier.com/news/sister-recalls-us-forest-service-officer-killed-in-line-of/article_de0334f1-0047-5b8b-add2-45dcaf0f6e74.html

Bristol Va City Council votes to cut fire fighters in Budget

Bristol Virginia City Council Member Kevin Mumpower talks to the Bristol Virginia Police Chief John Austin about the number of officers per resident as it compares to the national average based on a report by the FBI.  Mumpower also compared Bristol to Johnson City, Kingsport, Waynesboro, Staunton, Virginia.

Photos Earl Neikirk/Bristol Herald Courier/HeraldCourier.com

http://www.heraldcourier.com/news/bristol-virginia-city-council-agrees-to-cut-firefighter-positions/article_d6ffa43b-5258-5ddd-aae8-2edddd371b2a.html

Zika Virus Update from State Health Department.

Dr. David Kirschke, MD., Regional Health Officer, presented the Zika Virus Update on Wednesday to local County, City and Municipal Mayors and County Directors of local health Departments.  The Miami Zika case last year described and how the Public Health Department dealt with the outbreak.

Photos Earl Neikirk/Bristol Herald Courier/HeraldCourier.com

http://www.heraldcourier.com/community/health-officials-urge-caution-for-mosquito-season/article_502ee66a-8a19-5fd6-924b-8323aa2ad934.html

Tennessee High Tennis going to State Play

Tennessee High Jessie Dolinger returns a volley on Wednesday against Bearden.

Photos Earl Neikirk/Bristol Herald Courier/HeraldCourier.com

http://www.heraldcourier.com/sports/section--aaa-tennis-ths-boys-book-another-state-berth/article_a116bab0-3b6d-11e7-867b-bb95cd6cbc88.html

Bluff City vote to keep Mayor and others

Election signs are out in numbers in front of the Bluff City Hall on Tuesday for Election Day.  The City has just over 1000 registered voters and a large turn out is expected.

Photos Earl Neikirk/Bristol Herald Courier/HeraldCourier.com

http://www.heraldcourier.com/news/update-bluff-city-board-incumbents-hold-onto-their-seats/article_690e9d38-3a94-11e7-840f-7b70aef41801.html

Middle School runs City Council

Bristol Virginia Vice Mayor Archie Hubbard, left, talks to Mayor, Omar Said, prior to the City Council meeting on Tuesday.  Virginia Middle School 7th. grade students took part in City Government, City School system and the Birth Place of Country Music learning as part of the Civics classes.

Photos Earl Neikirk/Bristol Herald Courier/HeraldCourier.com

http://www.heraldcourier.com/news/mock-councils-help-students-learn-about-local-government/article_5c857424-271a-5f75-b960-aab6642a2856.html

Tennessee High wins Regional Tennis

Tennessee High Stone Cozart serves during Regional play on Monday in Bristol Tennessee.

Photos Earl Neikirk/Bristol Herald Courier/HeraldCourier.com

http://www.heraldcourier.com/sports/region--aaa-tennis-cozart-marshall-moseley-ths-boys-girls/article_d4bdf4c0-39d1-11e7-a0b8-cfab012fa599.html

The Great American Clean Up in Bristol

Howard Blevins, left, and John Brothers, both with MXI, pour antifreeze containers with liquid into storage barrels during the Hazardous Waste drop off on Saturday at Malcolm Stadium/ DeVault Field Parking Lot as part of the Great American Clean up day.

Photos Earl Neikirk/Bristol Herald Courier/HeraldCourier.com

http://www.heraldcourier.com/community/community_news/great-american-cleanup/article_54175e7b-0bc5-51e7-9c6a-38e3676c013d.html

Pappy Thompson Award Winner - Margaret Wagner

Margaret Wagner was captain of the Basketball team and Volleyball team at Marion High School in addition to soccer and honor roll.

Photos Earl Neikirk/Bristol Herald Courier/HeraldCourier.com

http://www.heraldcourier.com/sports/thompson-award-winner-margaret-wagner-marion/article_8c00669a-3860-11e7-92be-b7838b473e1c.html