Miner Memorial, Raffle & Recession

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Virginia memorial for coal miners

We’re pleased to see the Richlands Coal Miners’ Memorial in Tazewell County become the official miners’ memorial for Virginia, in honor and memory of the men and women who lost their lives doing this important work. The Richlands Area Chamber of Commerce will hold a ceremony at 5 p.m. Wednesday at the town hall plaza to dedicate the Richlands Coal Miners’ Memorial as the official memorial for Virginia.

The memorial, which depicts a worker leaving a mine, was opened in 2003, but the Virginia General Assembly designated the site the official miners’ memorial earlier this year. Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling, who grew up in Dickenson and Buchanan counties, will be the keynote speaker.

Charitable way to buy a home

As foreclosures continue, and the housing market hesitates to pick up, a community partnership is offering an opportunity to buy a house for a song and help an important local charity.

A new home appraised at $460,000 is being raffled off by the Boys and Girls Club of Johnson City/Washington County as part of a partnership with developer Scott Smith. There are 2,500 tickets for sale for the house, at $250 each. The winner, which will be drawn Aug. 22, will pay taxes for the home and all proceeds from the raffle benefit the Boys and Girls Club.

Want to learn more? Go to www.tndreamhome.org. We think this is a great way for Scott Smith to move this house while also helping a worthy organization.

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Allegedly providing alcohol to minors

Aimee Richardson of Elizabethton, Tenn., has been charged by the Elizabethton Police Department with providing alcohol to minors at a party at the Franklin Pool, where she worked as the pool’s manager.

According to police, underage employees were allowed to drink alcoholic beverages during a party at the Franklin Pool and following an investigation, police accused Richardson of buying the alcohol. She has been charged with three counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor and five counts of providing alcohol to people under the age of 21. She also lost her job. If indeed she is guilty of the charges, she deserved to lose her job.

We’ve been most surprised to see various online posters defend underage drinking and buying alcohol for people who are underage. We are not so naïve as to believe most people had their first drink on their 21st birthday, but sneaking a beer is a bit different from the accusations lodged in this case.

A supervisor at a pool – where one could drown if were intoxicated – should not buy alcohol for underage people and allow them to drink it at a pool party. This one is painfully simple and obvious.

Recession hits Jefferson’s home

A reorganization of the Thomas Jefferson Foundation means that three full-time workers at Monticello in Charlottesville, Va., are being laid off and another will be offered part-time work. On Wednesday, Monticello spokesman Wayne Mogielnicki spoke to the Associated Press but would not say which positions were affected at the nonprofit foundation.

He said they were from three different departments. Employees were supposed to learn more details Thursday.

Foundation President Leslie Greene Bowman said despite the recession, the organization would continue its efforts to protect Jefferson’s home. Stewardship of the site is the foundation’s fist priority, Bowman said.

Monticello – the home of our nation’s third president and the founder of the University of Virginia – is a national treasure and it is a shame to see financial cuts force employees there to lose their jobs.

Jefferson’s home and gardens is a living history museum and a must-see for all Virginians. Consider a stop there this summer; it is well worth the trip.