Today's News

An appeals court has upheld the murder conviction against a 57-year-old Ivanhoe man in the Jan. 3, 2007, shooting death of his estranged wife.

Robert Allen Dutton was convicted in the first-degree murder of his wife, 41-year-old Sandra, by a seven-man, five-woman jury in a Carroll County Circuit Court trial.

Dutton was also found guilty of burglary and use of a firearm. He was sentenced to two life terms plus three years in prison.

LAUREL FORK — The Laurel Fork community library may be the first that measured its books in pounds.

That's because an early summer move drove home the weightiness of its collection. Organizer Annetta Stanley estimated the books would tip the scales at more than 5,000 pounds.

That's about 3,000 books total.

A Laurel Fork native who lived in North Carolina until her return to the area about nine years ago, Stanley actually Freecycled her way into creating a community library.

Looking into the new year with a new president, Rep. Rick Boucher (D-Abingdon) said president-elect Barack Obama will have a cooperative U.S. Congress that will serve in confronting the nation's challenges.

Boucher discussed future plans, legislative agenda and the previous year's successes during his annual stop at The Gazette on Dec. 31.

The Democratic “super delegate” was an Obama supporter from early on, sticking to his endorsement even though his district went for Hillary Clinton in 2008's Virginia Democratic primary.

MAX MEADOWS –– Carroll County battled back from a 10-point deficit to trail Floyd County just 40-39 midway through the third period, but the Buffaloes answered with a 9-0 run and sent the Cavaliers to the bottom bracket of the Wythe County Christmas Tournament with a 71-55 win Friday at Fort Chiswell High School.