Walton News

The reunited all-star Gaither Vocal Band -- Bill Gaither, Michael English, Mark Lowry, David Phelps and Wes Hampton Although the commerciality of Christmas began even before Halloween passed, the Christmas season doesn't really kick into high gear until this weekend, once Thanksgiving is over.

Commissioners approved the first revision of Putnam County's personnel manual since 2001, adding drug and clean-air policies adopted since that time but excluding a provision banning certain employee candidacies.

The Web site for the Putnam County Development Authority has been getting up to 48,000 hits a month, many from international locations.

Those in the market for used farm equipment are in luck. This Saturday, a farm equipment auction will be held starting at 10 a.m. in an open field near 2860 Charleston Road, along U.S. 119, about five or six miles from Spencer.

Dave Armentrout, chief operating officer of telecommunications provider FiberNet, is concerned that West Virginia may miss out on the $7.2 billion in federal stimulus money aimed at deploying broadband in rural and remote areas across the nation.

Each student will get $3,000. The Wal-Mart Foundation has announced that it will award $75,000 in academic scholarships for 25 college-bound students in West Virginia.