Candidates Announce for 2007 County Election

by Cathy St. Clair
News Editor  
  With the Buchanan County general election just a little less than a year away, a number of candidates have already formally announced their intent to seek either the Democrat or Republican party nominations for the posts up for grabs in the 2007 vote.
  All seven supervisors seats, as well as the constitutional offices of sheriff, Circuit Court Clerk, commissioner of revenue, treasurer and commonwealth attorney will be on the ballot.
  Additionally seven non-partisan posts on the Buchanan County School Board will be up for election as well.
  Democrat and Republican party officials agreed there has been much speculation already on who will seek office next November, however the list of candidates who have formally announced their intent is small, but growing.
  On the Republican side, GOP Party Chairman Jerry Lester said the only announced GOP candidate is Ray Foster, who has indicated he will seek re-election to the post of sheriff.
  "We've had a lot of people say unofficially they're thinking about running for election, but so far Ray is the only official announcement," Lester said.
  He added the Republicans expect to have additional announcements shortly after the first of the year as the election process moves closer and plans are firmed up for the candidate selection process.
  On the Democrat side, a three-way race for the sheriff's nomination is already shaping up with Pat Wolford, Allen Dales and Tim Potter each having announced their intent to seek the post.
  Three have also formally announced their intent to seek the Circuit Court Clerk's post, including Beverly Tiller, Jay Rife and Tony Matney. Circuit Court Clerk Jim Bevins has indicated he will not seek re-election.
  Incumbents in the other constitutional offices are expected to seek re-election, but to date have not formally announced their intent to do so.
  The only announced candidate for supervisor to date is in the Knox District where Trey Adkins has formally announced his intent to seek the Knox District Democrat nomination.
  None of the incumbent supervisors, nor any of the incumbent school board members have formally announced whether they will seek re-election.

For more of the story, see the print edition of the Mountaineer, on sale at newsstands now.  To subscribe to the Mountaineer, call 276-935-2123 today.  

3 Counties Unite in Clean-Up of Illegal Dump Sites
Greenbrier Work Kicks Off Initiative; 9 Regional Events Set

  The counties of Buchanan, Dickenson and Russell will join forces December 5 to clean an illegal dump in the Rt. 611 Greenbrier section of Buchanan County. 
  The event will be the kick off of the 2006-07 Tri-County Illegal Dump Cleanup program.  The Tri-County Cleanups will be a combined effort to educate citizens of Dickenson, Buchanan and Russell counties on illegal dumps and what can be done to clean them.
  At the 2006 regional litter and recycling planning meeting, all three counties agreed to continue the efforts to rid roadsides and hillsides of improperly disposed solid waste-litter. 
  The Greenbrier site identified for clean-up next week is one of the largest illegal dumps identified in Buchanan County.  Materials to be removed include everything from large refrigerators to bagged garbage. The Cumberland Plateau Regional Waste Authority has assisted the three counties' Litter Coordinators and Litter officers with planning the event. Buchanan County will be contributing staff, probationers and equipment to the clean-up effort. Dickenson County is scheduled to contribute staff, probationers and equipment;  and Russell County has committed to contribute staff and probationers.  The Big Sandy and Lonesome Pine Soil and Water Conservation Districts are requesting citizen volunteers to participate.
  The three counties have agreed to conduct three regional illegal dump cleanups within each of their boundaries, totaling nine regional cleanup events.  In addition, this year the litter offices are promoting a new litter cleanup program better known as the Adopt-A-Dump program.  The new program utilizes the illegal dump inventory that all three counties have completed.  So far, more than 650 dumps have been mapped and classified as a small, medium or large dump. 
  The illegal dump inventory details types of materials that can be found within those dumps, including appliances, bag garbage, tires, and even automobiles.  A commonality the three counties have is the majority of the dumps identified are small dumps.  Small dumps are those dumps that civic groups and community groups could clean in a few hours and with minimal equipment, according to Regional Litter and Recycling Coordinator Toby Edwards. 

For more of the story, see the print edition of the Mountaineer, on sale at newsstands now.  To subscribe to the Mountaineer, call 276-935-2123 today.