Labor Day Opening Waiver Sought
School Board Agrees in Split Vote to Fund Robotics, Band Uniforms

by Cathy St. Clair
News Editor
      Buchanan County will again request continued approval of a state waiver allowing the county to open the 2006-07 school year prior to Labor Day.
       While the state requires school divisions to open after Labor Day, waivers are allowed for earlier opening dates in school divisions which have been closed an average of at least eight instructional days in any five of the past 10 years due to inclement weather, energy shortages, power failures or other emergency situations.
       The Buchanan County school system has been closed nine days so far this year and in the past five years has missed 18 days in 2004-2005; 13 in 2003-2004; 19 in 2002-2003; 11 in 2001-2002; and 12 in 2000-2001.
        "We have no problem with averaging that in five years," Justus said of the statistics available.
      The motion to seek the continued waiver was made by South Grundy School Board Member David Thornbury and was seconded by Prater School Board Member Bill Crigger. The vote was unanimous.

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 Buchanan Hall of Famer Gene Cecil Dies at Age 82

      Buchanan County Hall of Famer and former Grundy Mayor Eugene M. "Gene" Cecil,  82, of Grundy, died Monday, February 20, 2006 in Wellmont Hospice House, Bristol, Tenn., following an extended illness.
       Cecil served Buchanan County and the Town of Grundy in a number of ways throughout his life, including as a past mayor, vice mayor and a a member of the Grundy Town Council.
        He served as a representative on the Virginia Department of Transportation and Industrial Development Authority's Town of Grundy Flood Task Force, which ultimately worked to advance the Grundy Flood Control Project which is now underway.
          His induction into the Buchanan County Hall of Fame came in 1995.
          Born in Heidelburg, Ky., Cecil was a son of the late Andrew Jackson and Dorothy Venable Cecil.
           He graduated from Lee County High School and attended Kentucky Wesleyan College before joining the  United States Air Force during World War II.
          After completing service to his country, he entered the University of Kentucky and in 1949, graduated with a bachelor of science degree in marketing.

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