WYTHEVILLE -- Registration for the 12th Family History Institute of Southwest Virginia is under way for the April 8 meeting at the Wytheville Holiday Inn.

Participants from as far away as California, Alabama and even Bangkok, Thailand, have completed applications. Seating is limited, so early reservations are a good idea.

The one-day seminar is sponsored by the Wythe County Genealogical and Historical Association to provide information to genealogists, historians, authors and researchers. A variety of books will be available from booksellers such as Mountain Press, Continuity Press, Kegley Books, the Wythe County Genealogical and Historical Association, and evening speaker Tom Perry.

Perry, a lecturer, author and founder of the J.E.B. Stuart Birthplace Preservation Trust, will present his slide program called "J.E.B. Stuart's Last Ride: The Battle of Yellow Tavern," following the dinner.

During the day, presentations will be made by Mary B. Kegley, author, attorney and historian, about her recent research on the Irish in Wythe County; Jeraldyne A. Moore, on Internet genealogy; Jim Douthat, author, publisher and lecturer, on North Carolina, Virginia and Tennessee records, and Beverly Repass Hoch, genealogist, author and lecturer, on the Civil War pensions of Virginians.

A popular program from past institutes, "What You Always Wanted to Know About Genealogy" will be presented by researcher Liz Groseclose and Kegley.

Registration forms and information are available by sending a stamped self-addressed envelope to the Wythe County Genealogical and Historical Association, P.O. Box 1601, Wytheville, VA 224382, or e-mail to Kathy Miller at skrmiller@naxs.net.

Author will give free reading Monday

Author Jim Minick will read from his works at 7 p.m. Monday at the Crossroads Institute in Galax. The event is free.

Minick lives, writes and farms in Southwest Virginia, and he teaches writing and literature at Radford University. His poems and essays have appeared in books and periodicals including Orion, Shenandoah, YES!, Natural Home, Encyclopedia of Appalachia, Appalachian Journal, Appalachian Heritage and Wind. Since 1996, Minick has written a regular column for the New River Valley Current as well as articles in other newspapers.

11 new homes planned for Giles County

Construction of 11 homes will start with a groundbreaking ceremony at 1 p.m. Monday in the Meadows subdivision outside Pembroke on vacant lots along Mauney Drive.

The three-bedroom, single-family homes in the Meadows-Phase II development will be built by the Giles County Housing Development Corp. and will have three floor plans. The homes will average more than 1,400 square feet each.

The $2.1 million project is financed through several agencies including the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development and the Virginia Housing Development Authority. About half the development costs will be financed by an equity investment from the Virginia Community Development Corp.'s tax credit equity fund.

Rental rates are anticipated to be about $400 per month.

Since its formation in 1991, the housing development corporation has developed other Giles County properties including Woodrum Manor/Westview in Pearisburg, Mountain Glen in Glen Lyn, Cascades in Pembroke and the earlier Meadows subdivision phase.