A-1 CFP Front
Sports |Page 5 |Central rebuilds with strength, youth. Homespun |Page 7|
Extension offers ‘Winter School’ workshops.
F R I D AY
the
January 27, 2017 Vol. 106 • No. 8 12 Pages
A Progressive Newspaper Serving OurOur Mountain Area A Progressive Newspaper Serving Mountain AreaSince Since1911 1911
PROGRESS
NORTON, VA 24273 USPS 120-120 $1.00
Storm brewing on schools funding JENAY TATE EDITOR AND PUBLISHER WISE — The first budget discussion of the year unfolded Tuesday with still preliminary information but early forecasts for Wise County public schools are of a storm brewing. Director of Business and Finance Beth Shupe predicts a “drastic decrease” in revenue for the coming year. After preliminary conversations with the county, Shupe told Wise County School Board Tuesday she anticipates another cut in local dollars. Based on enrollment loss alone, she expects a drop of about a half million dollars in state funding, although those numbers won’t be firm until after the March 31 average daily membership count. Shupe also predicts a drop of about 16 percent in federal dollars.
‘There is a point when impact on instructional programs will be felt. We cannot continue to see these kinds of decreases and it not be possible.’ — Greg Mullins, Wise County Schools Superintendent And Superintendent Greg Mullins worried what else might be ahead if a federal education secretary is appointed who would support diverting public school dollars to funding for charter schools or vouchers for private schools. It seems like education is under attack, he said. While that might be a strong
BUDGET, PAGE 3
Wise looks to the future
Drama kids inspire pride
ROD MULLINS STAFF WRITER
JEFF LESTER PHOTO
Wise Mayor Caynor Smith presented a town council resolution Tuesday night to Central High School drama coach/director Jan Thompson and the one-act team, honoring their second consecutive Virginia High School League state championship. Drama team members include Madison Chandler, Noah Hall, Autumn Bolling, Madison Lawson, Dylan Reeves-Thacker, Zack Jackson, Sam Basham, Maggie Henry, Madi Fields, Caylan Cox, Emma Snodgrass, Mary Stuedemann, Ryan Collins, Gracie Hall, Sagan Holbrook, Sydney Phillips, Reagan Dotson, Emily Mullins, Hailey Polly, Haley Ricketts, Kayleigh McNew, Taylor Sanders, Nicole Aguirre and Emma Chandler.
Coeburn man admits sex crime A Coeburn man has pleaded guilty to using an electronic communication device to solicit a minor and expose himself to a child less than 15 years old. According to a press release from Wise County Commonwealth Attorney Chuck Slemp, Daniel Wayne Winebarger, 29, of Coeburn, entered his plea Wednesday in circuit court. Winebarger pleaded guilty without a
PAGE 3: Appy man faces child porn charges. plea agreement, meaning a judge will determine how many years he will serve in the penitentiary. He faces up to 10 years in prison. Winebarger’s sentencing is set for
March 29. The case was prosecuted by Slemp and Assistant Commonwealth Attorney Josh Newberry. Slemp expressed appreciation for the efforts of law enforcement to protect children from abuse and neglect, specifically Sheriff Ronnie Oakes and sheriff’s investigators Duane Phillips and Tim Wagner.
Locals take part in history S U B S C R I B E R I N F O R M AT I O N H E R E
Hall attends inauguration GLENN GANNAWAY POST NEWS EDITOR Interested in politics and economics, Jonathan Hall wanted to be at Friday’s presidential inauguration — regardless of outcome. Hall, the son of Gary and Karen Hall and a Union High School graduate, is a freshman at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. He and three college friends drove to Washington, D.C., for the Jan. 20 inauguration of President Donald Trump. Hall had made up his
Women march in Tennessee
mind to attend the inauguration before the contest between Trump and Hillary Clinton was decided. “I just felt like it was a perfect time for me to experience something like that and witness history,” said Hall, who has always been interested in living in the nation’s capital and perhaps working on the Hill or holding a position in government. One day, though, wasn’t enough time to scratch the surface. “The day was a whirlwind,” Hall said Monday from
More than 1 million people worldwide participated in Saturday’s women’s marches opposing policies of the new Trump administration, according to USA Today, which published estimates from various sites, ranging from half a million in Washington, D.C. to 30 on the continent of Antarctica. At the invitation of The Post, several local people who participated in the Jonesborough, Tenn. march offered their impressions. For Grace Currie Bradshaw of Big Stone Gap, America’s greatness lies in its Constitution and Bill of Rights, and in its diversity: “We are the melting pot of the world, with our population composed of people from every corner of the earth,” Bradshaw
HALL, PAGE 2
WOMEN, PAGE 2
WISE — How does the town grow and move forward over the next decade and beyond? That was the topic of a Jan. 17 forum to solicit ideas about the next step in Wise’s evolution. It came eight years after a downtown revitalization project took place, along with other infrastructure, aesthetic and social improvements. The Jan. 17 event, which drew 45 people, began a process that Mayor Caynor Smith called “a long time coming.” Smith credited business owner and Wise Fall Fling driving force Bonnie Aker for proposing the event at an October 2016 meeting. “We’ve done so much, but there’s still more we can do,” Aker told forum attendees. Bill Thompson of the Thompson & Litton architectural and engineering firm directed the forum. Town Manager Beverly Owens and town Planner Laura Mullins highlighted some of the town’s accomplishments over the past eight years, including revitalization of The Inn at Wise, creation of Gateway Garden and the Big Glades Community Square, along with infrastructure improvements.
UVA-WISE Sim Ewing, vice chancellor for finance and administration at the University of Virginia’s College at Wise, discussed the college’s growth and a new master plan that addresses the college’s needs through 2025. Ewing presented recent figures that show the college generates an estimated $84 million economic impact on the Wise community and Southwest Virginia. Plans for growth on the campus, according to Ewing, include development of a visitation center/public safety facility on the property of the old Townhouse Apartments, a
WISE, PAGE 2
‘We need to grow our population and we need to grow the business opportunities as a town.’ — Forum moderator Bill Thompson
Extension offers ‘Winter School’ workshops.
F R I D AY
the
January 27, 2017 Vol. 106 • No. 8 12 Pages
A Progressive Newspaper Serving OurOur Mountain Area A Progressive Newspaper Serving Mountain AreaSince Since1911 1911
PROGRESS
NORTON, VA 24273 USPS 120-120 $1.00
Storm brewing on schools funding JENAY TATE EDITOR AND PUBLISHER WISE — The first budget discussion of the year unfolded Tuesday with still preliminary information but early forecasts for Wise County public schools are of a storm brewing. Director of Business and Finance Beth Shupe predicts a “drastic decrease” in revenue for the coming year. After preliminary conversations with the county, Shupe told Wise County School Board Tuesday she anticipates another cut in local dollars. Based on enrollment loss alone, she expects a drop of about a half million dollars in state funding, although those numbers won’t be firm until after the March 31 average daily membership count. Shupe also predicts a drop of about 16 percent in federal dollars.
‘There is a point when impact on instructional programs will be felt. We cannot continue to see these kinds of decreases and it not be possible.’ — Greg Mullins, Wise County Schools Superintendent And Superintendent Greg Mullins worried what else might be ahead if a federal education secretary is appointed who would support diverting public school dollars to funding for charter schools or vouchers for private schools. It seems like education is under attack, he said. While that might be a strong
BUDGET, PAGE 3
Wise looks to the future
Drama kids inspire pride
ROD MULLINS STAFF WRITER
JEFF LESTER PHOTO
Wise Mayor Caynor Smith presented a town council resolution Tuesday night to Central High School drama coach/director Jan Thompson and the one-act team, honoring their second consecutive Virginia High School League state championship. Drama team members include Madison Chandler, Noah Hall, Autumn Bolling, Madison Lawson, Dylan Reeves-Thacker, Zack Jackson, Sam Basham, Maggie Henry, Madi Fields, Caylan Cox, Emma Snodgrass, Mary Stuedemann, Ryan Collins, Gracie Hall, Sagan Holbrook, Sydney Phillips, Reagan Dotson, Emily Mullins, Hailey Polly, Haley Ricketts, Kayleigh McNew, Taylor Sanders, Nicole Aguirre and Emma Chandler.
Coeburn man admits sex crime A Coeburn man has pleaded guilty to using an electronic communication device to solicit a minor and expose himself to a child less than 15 years old. According to a press release from Wise County Commonwealth Attorney Chuck Slemp, Daniel Wayne Winebarger, 29, of Coeburn, entered his plea Wednesday in circuit court. Winebarger pleaded guilty without a
PAGE 3: Appy man faces child porn charges. plea agreement, meaning a judge will determine how many years he will serve in the penitentiary. He faces up to 10 years in prison. Winebarger’s sentencing is set for
March 29. The case was prosecuted by Slemp and Assistant Commonwealth Attorney Josh Newberry. Slemp expressed appreciation for the efforts of law enforcement to protect children from abuse and neglect, specifically Sheriff Ronnie Oakes and sheriff’s investigators Duane Phillips and Tim Wagner.
Locals take part in history S U B S C R I B E R I N F O R M AT I O N H E R E
Hall attends inauguration GLENN GANNAWAY POST NEWS EDITOR Interested in politics and economics, Jonathan Hall wanted to be at Friday’s presidential inauguration — regardless of outcome. Hall, the son of Gary and Karen Hall and a Union High School graduate, is a freshman at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. He and three college friends drove to Washington, D.C., for the Jan. 20 inauguration of President Donald Trump. Hall had made up his
Women march in Tennessee
mind to attend the inauguration before the contest between Trump and Hillary Clinton was decided. “I just felt like it was a perfect time for me to experience something like that and witness history,” said Hall, who has always been interested in living in the nation’s capital and perhaps working on the Hill or holding a position in government. One day, though, wasn’t enough time to scratch the surface. “The day was a whirlwind,” Hall said Monday from
More than 1 million people worldwide participated in Saturday’s women’s marches opposing policies of the new Trump administration, according to USA Today, which published estimates from various sites, ranging from half a million in Washington, D.C. to 30 on the continent of Antarctica. At the invitation of The Post, several local people who participated in the Jonesborough, Tenn. march offered their impressions. For Grace Currie Bradshaw of Big Stone Gap, America’s greatness lies in its Constitution and Bill of Rights, and in its diversity: “We are the melting pot of the world, with our population composed of people from every corner of the earth,” Bradshaw
HALL, PAGE 2
WOMEN, PAGE 2
WISE — How does the town grow and move forward over the next decade and beyond? That was the topic of a Jan. 17 forum to solicit ideas about the next step in Wise’s evolution. It came eight years after a downtown revitalization project took place, along with other infrastructure, aesthetic and social improvements. The Jan. 17 event, which drew 45 people, began a process that Mayor Caynor Smith called “a long time coming.” Smith credited business owner and Wise Fall Fling driving force Bonnie Aker for proposing the event at an October 2016 meeting. “We’ve done so much, but there’s still more we can do,” Aker told forum attendees. Bill Thompson of the Thompson & Litton architectural and engineering firm directed the forum. Town Manager Beverly Owens and town Planner Laura Mullins highlighted some of the town’s accomplishments over the past eight years, including revitalization of The Inn at Wise, creation of Gateway Garden and the Big Glades Community Square, along with infrastructure improvements.
UVA-WISE Sim Ewing, vice chancellor for finance and administration at the University of Virginia’s College at Wise, discussed the college’s growth and a new master plan that addresses the college’s needs through 2025. Ewing presented recent figures that show the college generates an estimated $84 million economic impact on the Wise community and Southwest Virginia. Plans for growth on the campus, according to Ewing, include development of a visitation center/public safety facility on the property of the old Townhouse Apartments, a
WISE, PAGE 2
‘We need to grow our population and we need to grow the business opportunities as a town.’ — Forum moderator Bill Thompson
