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You are absolutely correct Red Tiger- to change names and colors at this stage is a waste of money. If a county is hard pressed financially it does not make sense to purchase uniforms, paint, and all the other accessories and use them for only a few years. Very few Ervinton students are going to be influenced by this stuff over the long run. Dickenson County will lose Ervinton kids over geography rather than school colors. Wise County spent a great deal of money at Coeburn changing colors etc.- to no purpose. A good deal of the Coeburn folk are unhappy and it did not help at all with St. Paul kids coming to Coeburn- after the 2012 class they may only have about 20 St. Paul kids. It is now pretty obvious that Wise County just did not have the money to spend on things like this. The school systems of SWVA have to be fiscally conservative and a great many are anything but fiscally responsible.

If anyone is interested- forgot to mention that the best book on the Hatfields and McCoys is by Otis K. Rice. Published as part of the Kentucky Bicentennial Bookshelf in 1976, but still in print. Many local libraries should have a copy. It is short but very readable and accurate. Don't agree with quite all of it myself, but anyone with an interest in local history will enjoy it.

Interesting take on the series from the Herald Leader:: History channel vs. history book: Facts are a casualty of TV's Hatfield-McCoy feud By Cheryl Truman — ctruman@herald-leader.com Posted: 11:51am on May 25, 2012; Modified: 10:18am on May 29, 2012 Does the History miniseries Hatfields & McCoys get its feud history right? Well, it's certainly inventive in its interpretation of the fighting, loving, grudge-bearing families and their hangers-on. Comparing the miniseries with the new book Blood Feud: The Hatfields and the McCoys: The Epic Story of Murder and Vengeance by Lisa Alther, here are a few ways Hatfields & McCoys makes assumptions about the way the ruckus might have unfolded in the name of making TV. Were Hatfield and McCoy war buddies? Television: Patriarchs "Devil Anse" Hatfield and Randolph McCoy were Confederate army buddies, covering for each other in the fray. Book: McCoy was 14 years older than Hatfield and had nine young children. Although Hatfield joined the Confederacy "in a fit of pique," McCoy's wartime activities are not recorded. Alther notes that the McCoy clan is on the whole not as well-documented as the Hatfields, perhaps because so many of its numbers died in the feud. Were the families Hollywood beautiful? Television: "Bad Jim" Vance, widely regarded to have begun the hostilities that led to the Hatfield-McCoy feud, looked like Tom Berenger. Hatfield matriarch Levicy Hatfield looked like Sarah Parish, a delicate British actress with fine high cheekbones. Book: Vance and Hatfield were rugged hill people. Alther's book said Vance "had a condition that made his eyes bulge and roll." Levicy was described by a reporter as the "strongest and most muscular-looking woman I have ever seen (with) intensely black hair, a very broad swarthy face, and a stout, powerful figure." Who escaped the New Year's Massacre? Television: Randolph McCoy escaped out the back door alone to shield his family from a Hatfield-sponsored posse that attacked his family's house at the New Year's Massacre, setting it afire. He then ran away, reasoning that the Hatfields would leave his family alone if he were not inside. Book: The house was already on fire when McCoy escaped with a young grandson and hid out in a haystack or a pigpen. Daughter Alifair, crippled by polio, was in the yard trying to get water when she was shot. Was McCoy a charismatic leader? Television: Randolph McCoy had a personal magnetism that drew people to him. Book: Aside from the attraction held by his wife Sarah, who bore 16 children, McCoy's "nature tended toward gloom. People sought reasons to flee when they saw him coming with his litany of complaints." How did the feud end? Television: The feud ended after both sides nobly decided they'd had enough bloodshed and were older, wiser and repentant. Book: The Kentucky state government, in a burst of effectiveness not seen since, put pressure on the feuders to dial it down so the state could attract outside investment. That investment was in the coal industry.

To a great many historians these DNA results are not a surprise. The Melungeons have had the genealogical indicators of being a "triracial mixture" for some time. The stories of a Portuguese connection are probably not inaccurate. In the early part of the seventeenth century a great many Portuguese indentured servants and slaves were brought to the Chesapeake, termed Atlantic Creoles. There are indications that these fanmilies may have intermarried with ancestors of the Melungeons. Most of these immigrants were probably already of mixed race when they arrived. Again, there is a good possibility of Indian ancestry among some Melungeons- though probably not Cherokee- as intermarriage had probably occured before they moved west.

Don't think either Clintwood or Haysi will be helped by an influx of Ervinton athletes. Based on Wise County- only about a third of the athletes will continue to participate. Usually there is a sharp drop off in participation after consolidation. Ervinton's numbers were already down. Cancelling the Haysi-Clintwood series is ridiculous. It will do nothing except hurt the gate receipts of the respective schools. Bone-headed for a school division in financial trouble.

A good percentage of Ervinton's kids are already in Coeburn. There are actually more Dickenson County kids attending Coeburn than St. Paul kids. Kids from the Sandy Ridge area and associated ridges will go on to Coeburn- West Dante, Hazel Mountain, etc. to Castlewood.

"Notto mention its really kinda pathetic that they arent dominating the Cumberland, they are alot larger than the oher Cumberland schools." In fairness to Coeburn-Eastside their numbers are deceptive. The town of Coeburn only has around 2100 people- the attendance area is rural- well populated, but rural. The Coeburn attendance zone is pretty spread out. Coeburn does not have an area of concentrated population to make their numbers effective.

Agree with Redtiger on Gate City. Gate City has no interest in being with Wise County. They have a good setup in the CMD and would derive little advantage from going elsewhere. Believe there is little or no chance that Eastside would join a new district. Coeburn left the LPD to get in with smaller more rural schools- they have no incentive to leave. The enrollment at Eastside has no prospect of growing- the litlle bit of a St. Paul contingent they have will be decimated after this year. No reason for an A school to be in a AA district.

One of the biggest problems in Virginia is the constantly repeated actions of the legislature in forcing unfunded mandates on local government. No matter how commendable the intentions- there is a big gap between the urban and rural sections of the state - legislation for one does not fit the other. UVAObserver is right when he talks about our road situation- we are in much better shape tha we realize- also correct when it comes to tax dollar distribution. Over the last forty years Nova has come to furnish a pretty high proportion of tax dollars. The rural percentage of Virginia tax collections has seen a sharp decrease. Bottom line- SWVA gets a lot more back than we pay to the state- a lot more. One threat all SWVA has is the possibility that secondary road upkeep will be transferred to the counties. Governor McDonnell supports it along with some prominent legislators. Counties with severance taxes will be hurt- but not as badly as other rural counties- it will really devastate their budgets.

Many years ago a friend of mine at UT worked on a thesis on extra-curricular participation. In rural counties in Tennessee he found a direct correlation between school proximity and turnout. In five mile increments (as I best recall) you could calculate a fixed drop off in participation. Most of our school systems in this area are rural and single schools in big counties usually do not draw well from outside their core areas in activities. Very large rural schools do well for a period- especially by concentrating on one or two sports- but prolonged success in a wide variety of competitions is very difficult.

Most school consolidations don't really save money. The true cost savings usually involve some form of rif and most divisions are reluctant to do that. If new buildings or extra travel are involved the savings will disappear in a hurry. Most SWVA school systems are well supported by local governments- some cuts have been made to state funds. Federal and state monies keep the systems afloat. A great deal of money is still coming in to the school systems- most of the problems with funding involve how the money is being directed once it gets there. The majority of our counties simply cannot afford to spend much more money on education- the tax base isn't there. The time may come and come soon when fiscal restraints will require school sports programs to become community sports programs totally separate from the school system. You can't spend public funds on sports when money is needed in the classroom.

A great deal of info can be found in the Superintendent's Annual Report on the VDOE site- http://www.doe.virginia.gov/statistics_reports/supts_annual_report/index.shtml Each school division in Virginia has to report a tremendous amount of statistics by category, all receipts and disbursements etc.- Table 17 Total Instructional Positions and Instructional Positions Per 1,000 ADM, Table 18 Administrative, Service and Support Personnel Positions by Function, and Table 19 Total Instructional Positions and Average Annual Salaries should provide interesting reading. 2010-2011 is not yet complete but the reports date back to 2001-2002.

I was told yesterday that Clintwood will try to get into the Cumberland. I would be surprised if this would fly.

B. I. was forced out last year.

The Region D principals at a meeting last Thursday recommended creation of a new district consisting of Union, Central, Lee, and Lebanon. They also requested that Richlands, Tazewell, and Marion be placed in Region C. Burton would go to the Cumberland. The Black Diamond has invited Clintwood to join. I can't see the state putting any more schools in Region C- would create too much imbalance in the regions .

If the system is going to be "all in" there is no reason to even have small conferences. You could simply have two conferences of 13 teams in each division with a playoff site to determine the top 4 teams for regional competition. The top 8 teams- based on points- could receive a by and a playoff for the bottom 5 (probably at different sites). Common sense dictates the conferences should be as even in size as possible- if more than two are needed in each region- have a couple of 7 member and a couple of 6 member conferences.

This is probably a trial run for those opposed to the mixed district concept. In single A and AA this plan would benefit certain schools and groupings of schools in an obvious fashion- can pretty much guess who would push it. Makes no sense at all.

Straw vote on the new 6 class system: A- Favor 76, against 3, abstain 1 AA- Favor 55, against 14, abstain ? AAA- Favor 65, against 30, abstain 25 About as expected.

Burton would have to be assigned to the Cumberland by the VHSL. Don't think they would be voted in. When the Marion request to join the Hogo was not acted upon- they may have figured it was a bad time to try a move. The Cumberland also did not want Coeburn- as I best remember the VHSL assigned Coeburn to the Cumberland on appeal- guess they were able to pull some strings.

I see no chance of Lee joining the LPD. Based on all I have heard the major problem right now is scheduling. Travel time is going to be rough in a few cases no matter what you do. The LPD simply does not offer enough teams or a stable situation. Why would you give up eight guaranteed games for four? Norton and Clintwood should have bailed out of the league- asked for reassignment. Situation is bad for Union and Wise- just like the Roanoke City schools they should have thought about some things. Lee could derive no major advantage from the LPD. Keeping the LPD alive is beating a dead horse.

Lee's scheduling problems are solved if they stay in the CMD. They will have eight league games and will play Union and TW. A four or five team LPD does not help them at all. Gate receipts and playoff points are also factors. Travel is going to be a problem under any arrangement. Most of the travel complaints I heard were about the postseason when Lee dropped. Most CMD teams can now fill a schedule at the drop of a hat. It will be interesting to see who keeps who for the non-district games. Gate City will have to drop two out of Sullivan South, Bluefield, Harlan County, or Union- all should be good gates. While Richlands will keep Graham- it will be curious to see who their other opponent wii be.

An eight team CMD would solve a lot of scheduling problems- can't see Lee leaving for a smaller district.

Union and Wise should be in the CMD with schools their own size. Union already schedules the majority of CMD schools. Wise County does not have the money for a third high school- voters will not tolerate a tax increase. The COE funding Dickenson is counting on still has to be part of the appropriations process- there is little chance- given the tight budgets- that any appropriations will ever be made close to $110 million. Indeed, given the scrutiny some earmarks are receiving they may get next to nothing. They may get a max of $25-$30 million- but not enough for athletic facilities, a golf course, roads, or three or four buildings.

The LPD is pretty much finished. It needs to be disbanded. Burton is not going to be closed in the foreseeable future. Clintwood may be around for a long while simply because Dickenson County is going to only receive a small portion of the federal money they claim to be getting. I remember in the sixties and early seventies all of the districts were large and things worked very well. The old LPD and District 6 had up to eleven or twelve members. There were some distance issues- but no scheduling problems.

Ouite right read it in a hurry.