Articles

The annual Christmas tree burn at Lime Kiln Theater was a considerably scaled down event this past Saturday. Postponed from Jan. 6 because of predicted inclement weather, the tree burn was met with high winds, which meant that only one tree could be burned at a time. Because of the dry conditions of the trees, each went up in flames in a matter of seconds. Complimentary chili, cornbread and hot cocoa provided by The Southern Inn proved popular with the crowd. (Joann Ware photos)

Despite windy and cold conditions, over 400 participated in or turned out to watch the Lee-Jackson Day memorial service at Stonewall Jackson’s gravesite and the parade down Main Street Saturday morning. Among the morning’s speakers were (above) Jan Lowry of Lexington, representing the United Daughters of the Confederacy, and (below row, center) Brandon Dorsey, camp commander of the Stonewall Brigade of the Sons of Confederate Veterans. The SCV camp sponsors the annual activities. Among the other participants in the morning’s events were (top, right) Sam Winkler of Roanoke, portraying Confederate President Jefferson Davis, and Tiffaney Lloyd of Fairfield, president of the local Mary Anna Jackson Chapter of the Order of Confederate Rose, portraying a widow in mourning; and Michael Pursley (below row, right) of Rockbridge County who laid a wreath at Jackson’s statue on behalf of the local SCV camp. (Stephanie Mikels Blevins photos)

Washington and Lee University has been awarded the 2024 Carnegie Community Engagement Classification, an elective designation that indicates an institutional commitment to community engagement.

MRMS

Julie and David Goodrich of Rockbridge Baths took a copy of their News-Gazette to Tenuta di Spannocchia in the Tuscan hills of Italy last fall. The farm and vineyard was founded in 1225.

The Music at Noon concert series at Lexington Presbyterian Church will continue with a concert by organist William McCorkle on Wednesday, Jan. 24, at noon in the Lexington Presbyterian sanctuary. The concerts will present the church’s C. B. Fisk pipe organ, opus 128.

Deborah Potter McCormick, (540) 463-7652 Leading the worship service at the Collierstown Presbyterian Church on Sunday, Jan. 14, was Burr Datz. During the worship service, Janet Scott, clerk of session, installed Billy Cummings, Austin Ramsey and Frances Ruley as elders of the class of 2026.

Rachel Clark, (630) 607-9938 [email protected]

Celebrating King’s Legacy

A three-part monthly series on “Essential Oils of the Bible and Labyrinth Walk” will be presented at Grace Episcopal Church beginning this Sunday, Jan. 21, and continuing Feb. 18 and March 17. All of the presentations will take place in the church’s parish hall beginning at 5 p.m.

The Rosa Harris Memorial Clothes Closet at the First Baptist Church will be open on Saturday, Jan. 20, from 9 a.m. to noon in the downstairs fellowship hall of the church.

Grace Episcopal Church in Lexington will celebrate the Feast of St. Thomas Aquinas with Evensong, on Sunday, Jan. 28, at 5 p.m.

Strong winds over the weekend ushered in a strong dose of winter weather in the Rockbridge area this week.

After listening to concerns of neighbors about potential for noise, litter, lights and traffic, the Rockbridge County Planning Commission voted 3-0 last Wednesday, Jan. 10, to recommend denial of a special exception permit for a special events venue near Fairfield.

The Rockbridge County Sheriff’s Office made the following felony arrests over the last two weeks: Ethan Lunsford, 34, of Lexington, on warrants from Botetourt County for one felony count of intercepting an electronic transfer, one felony count of theft of a credit card number, one misdemeanor count of stalking, two misdemeanor counts of petit larceny and eight misdemeanor counts of altering computer data on Jan. 12.

Resident Wants To Sell Apples From Orchard

W&L Junior Will Pursue Master’s Degree At Oxford

Pursuant to Code of Virginia Sections 15.2-2204, and the City of Buena Vista Land Development Regulations, notice is given that the City Council of the City of Buena Vista will hold a public hearing to receive comment on the following matters.

Jaxon and Kanen Taylor of Buena Vista enjoy playing in the first snow of 2024. This was one of the many photos from the snowfall posted on The News-Gazette’s Facebook page Tuesday.

Singing “We Shall Overcome” and joining in chants calling for justice, area residents marched in the cold, snowy Martin Luther King Jr. Community Parade Monday morning. Although the weather and iffy road conditions kept the crowd size down, organizers noted that over 600 stickers were given out to marchers. (Stephanie Mikels Blevins, Anneliese Schneider and Darryl Woodson photos)

Testimony in the hearing that will determine whether the 95 animals seized from the Natural Bridge Zoo in December will be forfeited to the state closed last week.