New Wise County Power Plant - Build the Road First

Wise County supervisors will vote August 9th to let Dominion Power relocate rt 655 to bring the road closer to the new plant. Dominion said the work could begin as early as August so the outlook for the plant is looking good. The Coalfield Progress writes

The new road, which will replace Russell Creek Road, will be paid for by Dominion. A paved road, it will be closer to the plant than the existing Route 655, which is just east of the former Ruby B’s restaurant.
Dominion officials have said that construction on the road could start as soon as August.
Also on the agenda for the Thursday, Aug. 9 meeting, supervisors will get an overview update on the Virginia City power plant project from Dominion representatives. The visit and progress report were supposed to take place in July, but Dominion rescheduled.
No construction on the power plant can take place until Dominion receives approval from the Virginia State Corporation Commission to build it, expected in mid-2008. Other improvements, like the road and some minor site preparation, will take place in the meantime, Dominion officials have said.(LINK)

I am sure the tree huggers and smelly hippies will throw a fit, but it is looking like the plant will be built.

You are Invited - The Battles at Wise - July 6, 7, 8

Mountain Rebels by Rob Hibbitts

This event in Wise should be a blast. I plan to spend every minute I can checking it out. The website is here. On Friday night there will be a Soldiers Ball in front of the Court House. Then on Saturday the schedule looks like this.

• 8:30 a.m. Officer’s Call
  9:00 a.m. Camps Open to the Public
  10:00 a.m. Welcome Parade
  2:00 p.m. Capture of Gladeville
  3:00 p.m. Ladies Tea – Appalachian Children’s Theatre
  4:00 PM Dedication of the Wise Cemetery Program
  6:00 p.m. Re-Enactor’s Picnic
  7:00 p.m. General’s Dinner at Mosby’s
  10:00 p.m. Camps Closed to Public

The General’s Dinner at Mosby’s will provide the opportunity to have a meal with Robert E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson, Nathan Bedford Forrest, John Hunt Morgan, James Longstreet, and President James A. Garfield. The dedication at the Cemetery should also be interesting. I wrote a little about the Immortal 600 here. I count 36 Civil War veterans that will be honored. Then on Sunday the event schedule is

• 8:30 a.m. Officer’s Call
• 9:00 a.m. Camps open to the public
• 9:30 a.m. Troops begin march out of Wise to Lake Street location
• 11:00 a.m. Church Service and Dinner on the Ground
• 2:00 p.m. Battle of Cranesnest

I will miss some of Saturdays events, but I plan on enjoying all of the Sunday events. Dinner on the ground....It is good to see those words. You don't see or hear that often anymore. If you have nothing to do this weekend come on down to Wise and check this historical event out.

Wanda Phillips - A Death at Local Race Track

Wanda Phillips was killed in a racing accident at Lonesome Pine Raceway in Coeburn, Virginia Saturday night says the Kingsport Times. The Bristol Herald says she died of a heart attack and that caused the crash. I believe the Bristol Herald has it correct.

Wanda Phillips died driving. But it wasn’t driving that killed her. The 58-year-old’s heart stopped as she rounded into her forth lap at Lonesome Pine Raceway in Coeburn, Va., late Saturday. She had raced 1½ miles of a nearly four-mile race when she moved to pass the lead car on the outside. She was in the lead when she hit the unforgiving outside wall, which shot her head-on into the inside guard rail.

Sad. This was the first death at the track since it opened in 1972. Funeral is today.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday at the race track, where his mother will make her final lap around the track she loved so dearly.
“She’s gonna have her victory lap on Tuesday,” her son said.