Here’s a roundup of news briefs from around Southwest and Southside. Send yours for possible inclusion to news@cardinalnews.org.
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Campbell County libraries get $10,000 NEA award for mural
The Campbell County Public Library System has won a $10,000 Challenge America award from the National Endowment for the Arts.
The grant will support a large mural that will be painted on the west side of the Patrick Henry Memorial Library in Brookneal, according to a news release announcing the award.
In total, the NEA will award 257 Challenge America awards totaling $2,570,000 that were announced as part of its first round of fiscal year 2024 grants.
The mural will measure over 22 feet by 14 feet and will be painted on the west side of the library.
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Kilgore, Mitchell law firms announce merger
Two Southwest Virginia law firms will join forces, they announced Wednesday.
Kilgore Law Office, led by Del. Terry Kilgore, R-Scott County, and the Mitchell Law Firm, led by Jeff Mitchell, will join to create a new firm, Mitchell Kilgore. It will have nine attorneys in six offices: Abingdon, Blacksburg, Gate City, Lebanon, Marion and Wise, according to a news release.
Mitchell will serve as managing director of the newly combined firm. [Disclosure: Mitchell is a member of our community advisory committee, but members have no say in news decisions; see our policy.]
Kilgore Law Office provides family law, criminal defense, local government, workers compensation and commercial litigation legal services, while the Mitchell Law Firm is primarily a business transaction firm, according to the release.
The parties plan to complete the combination of the two firms in the next 60 days.
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Good calls for congressional review of renaming Confederate memorials
Rep. Bob Good, R-Campbell County, has called for a congressional review of the Defense Department’s Naming Commission, which has been in charge of reviewing all military facilities and monuments that have been named after Confederate figures.
Good specifically cited the decision to remove the “Reconciliation Monument” from Arlington National Cemetery.
“Congress should conduct a thorough review to determine the true nature of the efforts to remove historic statues and memorials,” Good said in a statement. “Historical sites are meant to preserve moments that are critical to the growth and healing of our nation and should not be subject to the destructive ruse of political wokeness. I am calling for a full accounting of the actions taken by the Naming Commission so the American people can see for themselves how the Biden Administration used their tax dollars, and if they did so to arbitrarily erase our history.”
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Wytheville Community College seeks nominees for 2024 Distinguished Service Awards
Wytheville Community College is accepting nominations for the 2024 Distinguished Service Awards program. The deadline for nominations is Feb. 9.
This program, which consists of a teaching award and a service award, was established in 1990 by Nathaniel W. Pendleton Jr., and his family in memory of his father, Nathaniel W. Pendleton Sr., who was a Wytheville construction company executive and member of the Virginia House of Delegates. He was instrumental in passing legislation in 1962 that established Wytheville Community College and provided its operating funds. He died in 1968.
Recipients of the Distinguished Teaching and Distinguished Service awards receive a plaque and a monetary award. Any full- or part-time WCC faculty member is eligible for the Teaching Award, and the recipient will also receive a fund to be used for personal academic enhancement. The Service Award may be conferred upon any current or past employee of WCC, local board or foundation board member, alumnus or friend of WCC.
Award descriptions and nomination forms are online at www.wcc.vccs.edu/distinguished-service-awards-program.
Forms may be returned by mail to the WCC Foundation Office, 1000 E. Main St., Wytheville, Virginia 24382 (postmarked on or before Feb. 9) or submitted via email to foundation@wcc.vccs.edu. Questions should be directed to the Foundation Office at 276-223-4771.