Most adults know the results of poor oral hygiene with the resulting cavities, fillings, root canals, extractions, partial plates, full sets of false teeth and implants.

A visit to the dentist is one thing people would like to avoid, but they are necessary.

Teeth are meant to last a lifetime, but due to numerous circumstances, teeth cannot stand up to years of abuse and lack of care.

Circumstances such as funds for dentist visits, lack of brushing and flossing, lack of proper health care, poor eating habits, crunching ice and hard candy and other foods, along with accidents can lead to poor teeth.

Last week’s Give A Kind A Smile Project, came when United Methodist Women of First United Methodist Church in Pulaski joined concerns, skills and energy with Dr. Cynthia Southern and her staff.

Dr. Southern is also active at First United Methodist Church.

The combined efforts of these concerned citizens provided $12,000 in dental care to 15 students from Pulaski County schools.

The project cost the county schools nothing, since the women volunteers used a church van to transport the youngsters to and from the dentist’s office and back to school.

Our mouths are filled with bacteria, which can develop into other problems, such cavities, gum diseases, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and others.

If today’s adults had known years ago the effects of poor diets, fast foods, poor oral hygiene, they would have done many things differently.

It’s a bit late, but improved care from this day on can only be a blessing.

Thanks to the women of First United Methodist, Dr. Southern and her staff, for caring and doing.

Well done!

Surviving are his wife, Dorothy Jane Harrell, and brothers and spouse, Bobby D. and Carol Harrell, Dublin, and James A. Harrell Jr., Darlington, S.C.

Funeral services will be held today, Tuesday, Feb. 21, at 7 p.m., from Stevens Funeral Home Chapel with Pastor Terrie Sternberg officiating.

The family will receive friends from 6 to 7 p.m. today at Stevens Funeral Home, Pulaski.

Sunday’s snowstorm dropped over half a foot of snow on parts of Pulaski County, downing power lines and sending vehicles skidding off roads.

According to Appalachian Power Co., just over 1,000 of its 19,193 Pulaski County customers were still without power at noon Monday. By 9 p.m. power had been restored to all but 231 customers.

Although the heavy, wet snow came to an end overnight, additional outages were occurring Monday morning, according to APCo, because of melting snow interfering with electrical facilities.

As of noon, the power company was reporting more than 63,000 customers without power in its service area in both Virginia and West Virginia. The peak outage was recorded at 66,000 late Sunday night.

However, by 8 p.m. Monday, the outages had been reduced to 27,000. APCo reported that the remaining outages were “split equally between Virginia and West Virginia.”

With the snow predicted to be a heavy, wet variety, APCo staged hundreds of contractors and employees in the vicinity expected to be hardest hit Saturday night. Monday, over 700 contract workers were assisting APCo employees in restoring power.

Full restoration will take several days, with some expected to be without power until late Thursday, the company’s website stated.

People are advised to stay away from any downed power lines they may encounter because the lines may still be carrying a current that could cause serious or fatal injury.

Those who have a power outage should make sure to turn off lights, appliances and heating systems so as to prevent a circuit overload when power is restored. One light can be left on to determine when power is restored.

The snow also caused numerous wrecks Sunday.

Virginia State Police First Sgt. Mike Honaker said the Dublin State Police office investigated seven serious and 18 minor crashes that required their assistance. 

In one of the more serious wrecks, two people were injured around 5:30 p.m. when a 2000 Freightliner tractor-trailer jack-knifed at the 87-mile marker on Interstate 81.

Tao Wang, 53, of Flushing, N.Y., was driving northbound at the time. Honaker said Wang lost control of the tractor and trailer, ran off the left side of the interstate and came to rest in the median. 

The vehicle sustained “significant damage,” according to Honaker. 

He said both Wang and a passenger, Dian Feng Li, 29, of Florida, suffered head injuries in the crash.

 Wang was treated at the scene, but Li, whose head injury was “more serious,” was transported to LewisGale Hospital-Pulaski. 

According to Honaker, Li was listed in stable condition Sunday evening.

Virginia Department of Transportation was reporting interstates and most primary roads to be clear by 10:30 a.m. Monday. Road crews were expected to spend the day working to clear or treat secondary roads, which are roads numbered 600 and above.

Monday’s warmer temperatures were expected to improve road conditions, but VDOT was warning motorists to be cautious for black ice and other slick spots this morning due to overnight temperatures that were expected to drop into the low 20s in Pulaski County.

Pulaski County schools closed Monday, recording their first snow day of this unseasonably warm school year. With the help of Monday’s sunshine and warmer temperatures, students were able to return to class Tuesday, following a two-hour delay.

]]> http://www.southwesttimes.com/2012/02/snow-leads-to-wrecks-power-loss/feed/ 0 http://www.southwesttimes.com/2012/02/two-interesting-u-s-presidents/ http://www.southwesttimes.com/2012/02/two-interesting-u-s-presidents/#comments Sun, 19 Feb 2012 20:13:33 +0000 Editor http://www.southwesttimes.com/?p=61429 Monday is Presidents’ Day, officially a day to honor our first president, George Washington, and the “rail splitter,” Abraham Lincoln, of Civil War fame.

Birthdays come only once a year on the day of birth. Presidents’ Day comes once a year, but not necessarily on the birth dates of Washington and Lincoln.

This day comes, thanks to Congress, on the third Monday of February. Until 1968 there were two separate President’s Days. That year, the 90^th Congress was determined to create a three-day holiday weekend.

Not bad for federal employees or those working at numerous other unique institutions.

Approval came in spite of objections that the third Monday of February did no fall on the actual birthdays of the honorees. Nevertheless it became effective in 1971.

George Washington, a native Virginian, was born Feb. 22, 1732 according to one calendar and Feb. 11 by another calendar. Lincoln was born Feb. 12, 1809 in a log cabin in Hardin County, Kentucky.

George Washington, known for his military acumen and as a land surveyor, was this country’s first president.

He was unanimously elected presiding officer at the May 1787 Constructional Convention and elected president in 1789. He took the oath of office on April 30, 1789 on the balcony of Federal Hall on Wall Street in New York.

Valley Forge, crossing of the Delaware River on Christmas to surprise and defeat the British and Mount Vernon are important times in his life.

Despite his beginnings, Abe Lincoln rose from dirt floors of a cabin to the hallowed halls of the White House and the Capitol.

The lanky, raw-boned Lincoln began his political career in 1834 as a member of the Whig Party.

He became the nation’s 16^th president in March 1861.

Learn more about these and other presidents. It’s interesting and intriguing.

He was born Jan. 23, 1941 in Pulaski, and was the son of the late Margeruite Price Richardson and Cecil Watson Richardson.  Fred was known to many listeners of WRAD and WRIQ radio stations for many years as “Fred R.”  He was a veteran of the United States Army, and was a member of the Mt. Olivet United Methodist Church.  Fred was a proud member of Henry Clay Masonic Lodge 280 A.F.& A.M. in Dublin.

He is survived by his wife, Phyllis Whitaker Richardson, along with special friends, Ricky and Debbie Thomas and Shannon Skeens of Mt. Olivet.

Funeral services will be held Monday Feb. 20, 2012 at 2 p.m. at Seagle Funeral Home with the Rev. Judy Yonce officiating.  Interment will follow in Hufford Cemetery on Mt. Olivet Road, where the Henry Clay Masonic Lodge will conduct Masonic graveside rites.  The family will receive friends Sunday, 5-7 p.m., at the funeral home.  In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy may be sent to Mt. Olivet United Methodist Church in Fred’s memory.  Online condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.seaglefuneralhome.com.

Arrangements by Seagle Funeral Home, Pulaski, 980-1700.

]]> http://www.southwesttimes.com/2012/02/friederich-watson-richardson/feed/ 0 http://www.southwesttimes.com/2012/02/lois-harless-stafford/ http://www.southwesttimes.com/2012/02/lois-harless-stafford/#comments Sun, 19 Feb 2012 20:04:11 +0000 Editor http://www.southwesttimes.com/?p=61402 Lois Harless Stafford, 76, of Fairlawn, entered her new eternal home Friday, Feb. 17, 2012, and was told by her Savior “Well done, my good and faithful servant.”

She was born in Giles County July 2, 1935 to the late Clarence and Hazel Weiss Harless. She was also preceded in death by four brothers, Cecil Harless, James Harless, Douglas “Mac” Harless and Marshall Harless.

She was employed by Klopman Mills in Dublin for many years and also worked at First Virginia Bank/BB&T in Radford until her retirement. She was an Avon sales representative for many years and enjoyed serving her customers. She was a long-time and active member of Fairlawn United Methodist Church. She was a devoted and loving wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and aunt.

After being faced with a difficult diagnosis of pancreatic cancer, she lived each day to the fullest with courage, faith, and hope. Throughout her journey, she was blessed by the love and support of her family, her friends, her church family, Dr. Harry McCoy and the nurses of Blue Ridge Cancer Care in Christiansburg, a special caregiver, Mary Ann Harris of Comfort Care Senior Homes in Blacksburg, and countless others.

Amazing, strong, courageous, determined, loving, spunky, intelligent, wise – no amount of words can describe who she was and how she influenced the lives of family, friends, and strangers. She put her family first, even above herself, and she lived her faith every day. She was a counselor to many and you knew not to ask for her opinion unless you really wanted to hear it. She loved animals, flowers, and children, and she loved being outside and working in her yard. She dearly loved and cherished her grandson, Nicholas, who was the light of her life. She will be with us forever and we look forward to seeing her again in Heaven.

She is survived by her loving husband of 57 years, Donald Stafford; daughter and son-in-law, Cynthia Stafford Counavelis and Tom Counavelis of Raleigh, N.C.; son and daughter-in-law, Chris and Kim Stafford of Dublin; grandson, Nicholas Counavelis, of Raleigh, N.C.; brother and sister-in-law, William (Bill) and Betty Harless of Pearisburg; three sisters and brothers-in-law, Betty H. and James Roberts of Pearisburg, Patsy H. and Bob Bruce of Christiansburg, and Diane H. and Scotty Fewell of Dublin; three sisters-in law, Charlotte Harless of Williston, S.C., Helen Harless of Radford, and Patty Harless of Pulaski; sisters-in-law and brother-in-law, Frances Stafford Bowling of Roanoke, Charlotte Stafford Sartin of Rich Creek, and Buford Steele of Newport, and many nieces, nephews, cousins, extended family, and dear friends.

Visitation will be held Monday, Feb. 20, 2012, 5-7 p.m., at Fairlawn United Methodist Church. Funeral services will be held following the visitation at 7 p.m. with the Revs. Bobby Lorton and Don Shelor officiating. Graveside services will be private. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Fairlawn United Methodist Church, Roof Fund, 7584 Brandon Road, Fairlawn, VA 24141.

The Stafford family is in the care of Mullins Funeral Home & Crematory in Radford. www.mullinsfuneralhome.com.

]]> http://www.southwesttimes.com/2012/02/lois-harless-stafford/feed/ 0 http://www.southwesttimes.com/2012/02/sludge-slows-i-81-traffic/ http://www.southwesttimes.com/2012/02/sludge-slows-i-81-traffic/#comments Sun, 19 Feb 2012 18:58:11 +0000 Editor http://www.southwesttimes.com/?p=61394 By MELINDA WILLIAMS
melinda@southwesttimes.com

Traffic was estimated to be backed up more than six miles on southbound Interstate 81 Friday evening as crews worked to clean up sludge dumped from a truck during a wreck around noon.

According to the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) website, the right lane and right shoulder of the interstate were still closed in the vicinity of the 99 mile marker in Pulaski County some six hours after the 12:15 p.m. wreck.

Virginia State Police Sgt. Dirk Compton said an S.R. Goff truck hauling sludge from Floyd County lost around four tons of sludge onto the highway and ramp. Since sludge is classified as a hazardous waste, care was being taken in cleaning up the spill.

Compton said it would be up to the Emergency Operation Center when traffic could resume on all lanes.

Although damage to the truck was minimal, Compton said it was taken out of service due to equipment problems found.

Further details were not available.

Neither the driver of the sludge truck nor the driver of a J.B. Hunt tractor-trailer that wrecked on the interstate earlier Friday morning were injured, according to Compton.

He said the Hunt truck ran off the interstate, up and embankment and flipped onto the driver’s side around 10:30 a.m. when the driver allegedly “had a coughing fit.”

The wreck occurred near the 97-mile marker in Pulaski County.

The interstate was closed only briefly while the truck was righted. Compton said there were no traffic backups as a result of that wreck.

These two words apply to make things in life, from personalities (persona) to clothing, jewelry, art work, electronics, movies, videos, personal identification, birth certificates, driver’s license, money and even drugs.

Americans should be familiar with counterfeit or fake items, mainly money. An individual with counterfeit money stands to lose several ways, none as catastrophic as with fake or counterfeit drugs.

The menace and danger of fake drugs is spreading across the U.S. as unscrupulous folks ply their “trade” of cheap and dangerous drugs. These drugs were aimed mainly at poor countries where inspections, regulations and oversight were less stringent than in the United States.

This criminal practice is a multibillion-dollar trade that is growing since many drug ingredients sold in the U.S. are manufactured overseas.

With the economy experienced in the U.S. and around the world, this dangerous and potentially deadly scam is no surprise.

An investigation by the Food and Drug Administration is looking at the fake drug after the discovery of a version of the cancer drug Avastin was circulating in the U.S.

Other fake drugs have been discovered in the U.S. as counterfeiters try to make inroads into the growing U.S. market.

The fake Avistan was imported from Britain and distributed by a Tennessee firm. British officials notified the FDA in December about the cancer drug.

It was distributed in California (16 sites), Texas (2) and Chicago (1), FDS officials reported.

It was only last week that this drug was determined to be a fake.

FDA officials, inspectors and staff are monitoring this and similar situations to make the United States’ drug market secure … as far as possible.

That is what the public expects.

Arrangements pending Seagle Funeral Home, Pulaski, 980-1700.

]]> http://www.southwesttimes.com/2012/02/friederich-fred-r-watson-richardson/feed/ 0 http://www.southwesttimes.com/2012/02/ethelene-arnold/ http://www.southwesttimes.com/2012/02/ethelene-arnold/#comments Fri, 17 Feb 2012 20:07:22 +0000 Editor http://www.southwesttimes.com/?p=61414 Ethelene Arnold, age 78, of Pulaski, passed away Thursday, Feb. 16, 2012, at Highland Ridge Nursing Center, Dublin.

Arrangements pending by Bower Funeral Home, Pulaski, 980-6160.