Race Raises Funds for East Surrey Scholarship

In 2018, Jacob Pettit commemorated 5K walking/running participants preparing for the start of the race.

Jacob Pettitt Memorial 5K Walk/Run raised funds for the Jacob Daniel Pettit Scholarship Fund. Both 5K and the scholarship fund commemorate Jacob Pettit, who died in a car accident in September 2013 at the age of 15.

Kennedy Pettit showed off the Jacob Pettit Memorial 5K walking/running medal and shirt in 2018.

Registration for the 8th Jacob Pettit Memorial 5K walking/running event is now open.

The event is a fundraiser for the Jacob Daniel Petit Memorial Scholarship Fund, which provides scholarships to East Surrey High School graduates every year.

The 2021 edition will be divided into two parts to accommodate all interested parties.

The first is a 5K walk/run scheduled for Saturday, November 6th at Fairview United Methodist Church in Shoals. Event planners stated that this game will be a high-quality face-to-face 5K event to accommodate serious contestants and participants of all levels.

The one who joined Jacob Pettitt Memorial 5K last year was Cardinal Strut Virtual Run/Walk. This is for individuals who want to participate but need to race on their own time and choice of course or treadmill.

All proceeds from the two activities will be used for the Jacob Daniel Pettit Scholarship Fund.

The event and scholarship are to commemorate Jacob Pettit, who died after a car accident on September 3, 2013 at the age of 15. As a second-year student at the University of East Surrey, Pettit, as a classmate, friend and community, remained in a coma for 19 days. Residents prayed and extended a helping hand to support the Pettit family.

He died on September 22 of that year.

"Jacob left us too early," it wrote on the contest registration website. "His death brought a revival in the Shoals community and Surrey County. Jacob has high standards and always strives to be his best. Through this event, our goal is to meet these standards by raising funds together. , To award scholarships to people who have the same criteria as these."

A sentence shared by Jacob on Twitter emphasized these standards.

"One day, I want to look into God's eyes and tell him that I have used every talent he has given me," he wrote.

The first Jacob Daniel Pettit scholarship was awarded to a member of the 2016 graduating class of Jacobs High School.

The registration price for anyone under the age of 18 is $25. Standard registration, including race day registration, is $35 for adults 18 years and older. Online registration for In-Person 5K will end at 6 pm on Thursday, November 4th, and Virtual 5K registration will be open online until November 5.

Runners can register online at jacobpettittmemorial5k.itsyourrace.com.

Race day registration will begin at 7 am. 5K is scheduled to start at 8:30. A limited number of additional shirts will be provided on the day of the game, but it cannot be guaranteed.

Awards will be awarded to the top three male and female contestants in each age group, and overall awards will be provided for the live competition. The age groups are as follows: 14 years old and below, 15-19 years old, 20-29 years old, 30-39 years old, 40-49 years old, 50-59 years old, 60-69 years old and 70 years old and above.

The event data package can be picked up at Fairview UMC at 5-7 pm on Friday, November 5th or 7-8:15 am on November 6th. The game is scheduled to start at 8:30 am

Fairview United Methodist Church is located at 3692 Quaker Church Road, in the Shoals community of Pinnacle.

Sponsors of Jacob Pettitt Memorial 5K and Cardinal Strut Virtual Run/Walk include: Carson Industries, Chilton Train, Country Road Strawberries, Dinner Dash, Foothills Hardware and Builders Supply, Grace and Sparrow Boutique, Hayco Construction, Indulge Soapery, Northedge Interiors, Pilot Knob Outfitters, Pilot Mountain Flower Shop, Pilot Mountain Rapid Lube, Pruitt Insurance and Triad Builders of King.

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The Mount Airy Chamber of Commerce is ready to kick off the celebration season with festive events and online auctions.

In the past few years, the holiday party has been held at a location in Cross Creek Country Club. However, last year, COVID-19 had other ideas on how to manage the evening. In order to avoid face-to-face gatherings, the Chamber of Commerce decided to do the next best thing and conduct an online auction.

In the case of lemonade made from lemons, “the results were better than we expected,” said Travis Frye, project and event director of the Mount Airy Chamber of Commerce, of the online event.

“After the auction, it’s obvious that it’s much easier to put the items in place and put them on the Internet than to bring them to the country club. We were able to let more people see these items instead of in one room, in fact , Last year we raised more funds with fewer items, not last year."

The pandemic has forced many changes in traditional ways of doing things. The chamber of commerce turned to online meetings and held award ceremonies in a virtual way. The auction will continue online this year. Fry pointed out that other organizations in Airy Hill, such as the Shepherd’s House and the Surrey Arts Council, have also switched to online auctions.

Since the donated items come from members and non-members of the Chamber of Commerce, online auctions provide local businesses with an opportunity for donated items to be auctioned. Frye believes that the new format of online auctions will help suppliers, because savvy Internet searchers may find these auction items that they would not otherwise own. "In addition to gaining exposure, this is a great way to promote their products," Fry said.

Marty Adams of Mayberry Antique Mall is helping to promote the Chamber of Commerce auctions. These items will be listed on https://mayberryonlineauction.bidwrangler.com/ for interested parties to view.

The winning bidder's money will be returned to the Chamber of Commerce for programming in 2022. Fry pointed out that the Chamber of Commerce can only raise funds through activities such as membership dues and evening parties.

The online auction will start this Friday (December 3) at 10 am and will continue until December 10 (Friday) at 8 pm. It will provide assistance to those who have difficulties on the party’s online portal .

The holiday party at Cross Creek Country Club from 6:30 pm to 9 pm on December 10th was the climax of the event. Frye mentioned that many years ago, his goal for holding this party was to create a family-oriented holiday party and provide something for everyone.

This year’s event will host a buffet dinner and cash bar to suit the taste of the season, but there will also be special events for kids of all ages. Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus have made an appointment to be present to take pictures. Dr. Gravitte DDS and Sarah’s Sweets sponsored a children’s craft station. If this is not enough, Sarah's Sweets also hosted a cookie decoration station.

Maria’s face painting will also be there to design holiday designs for adults and children. Frye reminded everyone to take a walk with cakes. "That's really a southern thing. I don't know how many places are still making cake walks. There are many great bakers in our area."

This year's new project will provide some expanded entertainment for adults. This year, the conference hall will include Tony Dalton (Tony Dalton) on the agenda, he will play Christmas classics on the piano for long time singing, or just for listening. This year they also joined the American Caroline Company in Raleigh. They will send three singers dressed in classic costumes from the Deakin era. They will stay on the stage for an hour during the party.

For information about online auctions and holiday parties, please visit: https://www.mtairyncchamber.org/.

A fire caused minor damage to the former Koozies building in Mount Airy, which was related to homelessness.

Shortly before 6:45 pm on Monday, firefighters were dispatched to the scene to concentrate on handling part of the structure on West Pine Street across the diagonal from the Mill Creek General Store.

“We rushed to the scene and found flames and smoke coming from the side of Pine Street,” Mount Airy Fire Chief Zane Poindexter said Tuesday of the large facility at 455 Franklin Street, which also borders Pine Street and North South Street. .

"They launched an attack and quickly knocked it down," Poindexter added. Firefighters' efforts included deploying a ladder truck to prevent the fire from infiltrating the roof.

Of the 30 or so firefighters who responded, no one was injured, including members of the Mount Airy Fire Station and volunteers from outside the city.

The cause of the fire on Tuesday is still under investigation.

Poindexter said this is believed to have been caused by one or more homeless persons who have been living in the building.

"There is a man at the scene," the fire chief said. "He is actually occupying this building." When the fire started, the man was able to evacuate.

It was not clear on Tuesday whether the incident was caused by some kind of bonfire or similar reasons. Poindexter stated that there is no electricity service in the building.

Except for the effects of smoke, no real structural damage occurred, and there were concrete floors and slabs in the fire area.

Only the content was damaged, and the loss figure was approximately $1,000.

This building was formerly the site of a private club called Koozies, which closed a few years ago and has recently been a concern for Mount Airy officials.

In 2015, it became the focus of urban redevelopment around the former Spencer textile mill complex nearby.

The former Koozies property was once part of Quality Mills' manufacturing operations in Mount Airy.

According to Surrey County tax records, it is now classified as a suite owned by a holding company in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma.

In addition to firefighters, Surrey County EMS, Mount Airy Rescue Squad and Mount Airy Police Department also responded to the incident on Monday night.

The Surrey County Genealogy Association will hold a meeting at Mount Airy Public Library on December 6, with a speech by Calvin Vaughn, who will give a speech on his book "Main Life", Mount Airy, North Carolina

Vaughan grew up in the area and moved away for a few years, then retired and returned and actively participated in local tourism work and local institutions such as the Airy Mountain Regional Museum.

In announcing his upcoming speech, the association said: “He saw a lot of things happen and started to understand the old and the new. Soon he decided to write a book so that others could be in Airy Mountain, North Carolina. Follow him in the diary on the street.".

The book will be on sale at the conference starting at 5 pm, and those who purchase the book can get their signatures. Anyone with questions can contact Esther Johnson, President of the Association at EPDJ1@triad.rr.com

As the pilot mountain fire enters its fourth day, the anxiety level of residents around the mountain remains high. The wind has been preventing the smoke from settling, but it still caused the conditions on the mountain to fuel the fire.

The Red Incident Management Team of the North Carolina Forest Service will hold a virtual community meeting at 7pm on Tuesday to provide the latest information about the Grindstone fire.

The fire that started on Saturday has made progress. "Everything is tied together and the containment line has been set up. Eric Southern of the Surrey County Emergency Management Department said of the fire protection work in the state park.

Officials predict that the entire Linghang Mountain itself, more than 900 acres, will be affected by the fire. The total area of ​​Pilot Mountain State Park exceeds 3,800 acres, and containment has become a local strategy.

On Monday, firefighters started burning in a controlled manner, trying to direct the fire from the mountain to the fire line. "Our goal is to control the fire on the state park site," Pilot Mountain Mayor Even Cockerham said. "They did a very heroic job to ensure that there is a line of fire around the foot of the mountain to prevent it from spreading to our community."

Cokerham went on to describe the complex emotions caused by the wind. He said: “The wind has always been like this. It is a blessing and a curse because it blows the smoke away from the mountain. But, of course, it makes the fire right now. It’s even more dangerous for the firefighters who extinguished the fire there."

On Tuesday morning, it was reported that there was smoke on the north side of Pilot Mountain, and observers reported that the south side appeared to be smoke-free. The forecast wind from the southwest will continue to blow the smog from the area to the northeast.

The mayor said on Tuesday that the fire had encircled the mountain and burned more than 400 acres of Pilot Mountain State Park so far, which is likely to be the cause of the man-made fire. Whether the fire was human negligence or other more evil reasons remains to be determined.

But it is clear that as dry and windy conditions continue, there is still a risk of more fires. The North Carolina Forest Service has issued a ban on all outdoor burning and has cancelled all burning permits statewide until further notice.

"It is the autumn wildfire season in North Carolina, and we are seeing increased wildfire activity due to dry conditions," said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. "Under these ongoing conditions, it is necessary to ban burning statewide to reduce the risk of fire occurrence and rapid spread. Our top priority is always to protect life, property, and woodland throughout the state."

According to North Carolina law, the ban prohibits all open burning in affected counties, regardless of whether a permit has been previously issued. Anyone who violates the burning ban will face a fine of $100 and a court fee of $183.

"Of course, don't burn anything now, but if you have a campfire in the future-make sure it goes out," Cockham added. Anyone responsible for setting fires may have to bear any expenses related to fire fighting.

The local fire department and law enforcement officers are assisting the North Carolina Forest Service in enforcing the burning ban.

As the fire continues, the Forsyth County Environmental Assistance and Protection Office will continue to monitor the smoke. They issued a statement on Monday stating, “As wildfire smoke rotates in the triad, the level of particulate pollution will rise. Although unhealthy levels of particulate pollution are not expected, during this period, people suffering from asthma and/or other health problems May wish to restrict outdoor activities."

9-year-old Cameron Asher McHone wants to grow up to become a farmer and own an agricultural product business-and this young man is on his way.

Cameron and his grandmother have taken care of their garden for several years.

Lorraine Heath. This year, he expanded the scale.

"This is another challenging year, but I continue my gardening work every year," he said. "I made a garden in Me Ma Lucy's house, and another in the house where I lived with my mom Kelly and dad Brandon.

"This year I sold some sugar peas and gave a lot of things to friends and neighbors. This year I planted my first Halloween pumpkin. I also planted a lot of my special Teddy Bear Sunflower."

Cameron also extended his growing season, planting cauliflower, mixed vegetables and broccoli this fall.

He said that he was determined to become a farmer when he grew up.

"I think I have learned enough in the past five years. With the support and help of my mother Lucy, this will happen."

"He knows his gardening," his grandmother added. "I am proud of Cameron."

East Surrey High School is hosting a series of donation season events.

This work began on November 22, and East Surrey Interactive sponsored the first competition between teachers on who can collect the most cans. The competition will last until December 13th, and the winning class will have a breakfast party on December 14th.

On December 1, during the basketball game at home against West Stokes High School, the admission fee was 5 canned food or $7.

The school is also hosting the Deborah Voight Memorial Blood Drive, and the East Surrey HOSA Club is accepting donations of Thanksgiving care kits. Care Kit items include hygiene products, non-perishable food, clothing, and donations. Care Kit items will be donated to the Bethesda Homeless Center.

As the firefighting operation on the mountain continued until the third day, Pilot Mountain State Park remained closed. According to Eric Southern of the Surrey County Emergency Services Center, the fire was first reported at around 5 pm on Saturday, and it has been confirmed that the fire has burned about 400 acres.

No one was injured or damaged, and the fire is currently on land in the state park. Jimmy Holt, a ranger in Guilford County, North Carolina Forest Service, said he hopes the fire can be contained within the park.

Dry and windy conditions made the situation even more difficult, and Monday’s forecast did not show any weather interruptions that would help firefighters. Residents are encouraged to refrain from all outdoor burning before the end of the drying cycle.

Helicopters and fixed-wing assets will fly over Pilot Hill on Monday to determine the location of the fire, the growth at night and the direction of movement. Then a fire protection plan will be designed and implemented by the Department of Forestry, North Carolina Parks and local fire officials. The Park Service will provide updates.

The Surrey Arts Council prepared something for everyone during the holidays-and used event tickets in time as holiday gifts.

The celebration began with John Floyd's Comedy Night at Earl at 7pm on Thursday, December 2nd, as part of his upcoming Comedy Night series.

Next is the Nutcracker Age performed by the New York Ballet at the Andy Griffith Theater for young audiences on Sunday, December 5th at 2 pm and 4 pm.

Clara's classic story, she is a young girl on the margins of women, her dreams are both childlike and romantic. Two other performances will be held on Monday, December 6th for more than 700 district school children.

Earle has a full month of vacation movies. Disney Encanto will be screened from Friday, December 3 to Sunday, December 5; Elves, December 10-12; Clifford, the red dog, December 17-19 (Saturday and Sunday, the show at 3 pm will be Have the opportunity to take a photo with the big red dog); and sing from December 2nd to January 2nd. 2. For all performance times, please call the Earle Information Hotline 336-786-2222. The film Polar Express will be shown for free to more than 1,400 students at the historic Earl Theater from December 14th to 16th. Watch more new versions in Earle in the new year.

Shelby Coleman will host the annual Gingercookie seminar for Special Friends at 3:30 pm on Friday, December 10th, followed by a seminar for children of all ages, and Madeline Matanick will host the weekly art on Tuesday night course. The youth class will be held from 5 pm to 6 pm, and the youth and adult classes will be held from 6 pm to 7:30 pm. These workshop works are great gifts for family and friends.

"Sky Rider: Christmas at Cowboy Road" will first appear at Mount Airy at the historic Earl Theater at 7:30 PM on Saturday, December 11. These award-winning four-part Harmony Cowboys will wear sequined Christmas costumes to delight people of all ages. The show will feature their unique denim humorous brand, accompanied by original songs. They even invite the audience to sing a few traditional festival classics with them.

They are members of The Grand Ole Opry and won Grammy Awards for their main film creation and performance songs, including "Woody's Roundup: From Toy Story 2" and so on.

On Thursday, December 16, the Surrey Arts Council welcomed Embers back to the Andy Griffith Theater to participate in their annual performance "Embers Christmas". The show features the most popular holiday classics. The show starts at 7:30 pm and includes the appearance of Santa Claus.

The Surrey Arts Council will host a favorite Christmas pageant of all time at the Andy Griffith Theatre on Saturday, December 18th at 3pm and Sunday, December 19th at 3pm. Amanda Barnard will direct the show. Terrible herders appeared in the audition to eat snacks, took over the Christmas performance, and finally won everyone's hearts when they first heard the Christmas story. In addition to public performances, the Arts Committee will host two performances for more than 700 regional students on Friday, December 17.

On Saturday, January 4th, the band "Backstep" will entertain local bluegrass music and old fans with their version of Breaking Up Christmas. The show will be held at the historic Earl Theatre, with music and dancing starting at 7pm

More holiday gift opportunities for the New Year’s show include Balsam Range, Sam Bush, Dailey and Vincent, and Lonesome River Band.

For more information or to purchase tickets or register for these events, please email rj@surryarts.org, call 336-786-7998 or visit www.surryarts.org.

Given the Veterans’ Day on November 9, 2021,

Earlier this month, to commemorate Veterans Day, Flat Rock Elementary School welcomed an important visitor.

Doug Joyner, the commander of the local US Army Corps, visited the school in order to retire the school's American flag. After receiving the retired flag, he presented a new flag to the school's fifth-grade flag team for use by the school.

North Carolina Forest Service Guildford County ranger Jimmy Holt (Jimmy Holt) said the situation on the smoky Pilot Mountain on Sunday night did not improve, and the fire made “significant progress” overnight. According to Eric Southern of the Surrey County Emergency Services Center, the burned area was reported to be wide, but it was confirmed Monday morning to exceed 400 acres.

On Monday morning, the plane took off again to assess the location of the fire. These reconnaissance missions are to detect fires from the air in order to formulate an actionable firefighting plan, which will be implemented on Tuesday. There were no plans to drip water in the fire on Monday.

On the ground, the fire fighting strategy is still containment. The Park Service and the North Carolina Forest Service are on-site managing the scene, and the South said they have controlled the fire. State officials and local agencies have expanded their teams to approximately 60 people to fight the pilot mountain fire. The Southern Report stated that there have been no reports of injuries.

Windy and dry weather will not help, Holt pointed out that today will be the worst day. Fire site management is transitioning from regional incident events to Type II operations. Due to the size and possibility of the structure that may be affected, Holt explained that the fire needs to be reclassified in order to bring in additional funds and resources.

Currently, the fire has been contained on state-owned land, and Holt is satisfied with maintaining the status quo. The public can assist firefighting operations by staying away from Pilot Mountain State Park, which is closed until further notice. Although no report has been made yet, drone pilots have been asked not to take aerial photographs of the area.

Ranger Holt wanted to let the public know that the staff who extinguished these fires at the scene were well taken care of. They thanked all the prayers and blessings. The community quickly responded to a large number of online support and assistance requests.

From Pilot Mountain Town:

"Our community has received tremendous support by donating water, beverages and snacks! Thank you! Currently, our fire chief and rescue chief only ask for donations. Donations will be donated to Pilot Knob Vol. The fire department, Pilot Mountain Rescue and EMS, yes. Do it in person at the city hall with cash, cheque or card."

Although Thanksgiving has long been the traditional start of Christmas, for some local residents, the beginning of the season will not be another week-when the annual Rockford Candlelight Christmas occurs.

Hannah Holyfield, president of the Rockford Conservation Society, said: "This is what many people told me at the end." "Now I can start my Christmas. I have been to candlelight Christmas."

This year’s two-night event-Thursday, December 2 and Friday, December 3-marked the 31st Christmas concert at the Rockford Methodist Church in Rockford Village, although it will be the first in two years Face-to-face meeting.

"Last year, our 30th place must be virtual," she said. As was the case with most traditional public gatherings in 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic prevented the event’s performers and fans from gathering—but Holyfield said the holiday traditions still exist.

“We let everyone who performs normally send their music, they record it and send it to us, and we put it on our Facebook page and our website,” she said. "Even if we can't watch it in person, they can watch the music that was meant to be played electronically. This is something... we can't live without it."

Although the pandemic continues, the reduction in cases driven by vaccines and social distancing policies has allowed the resumption of many public events, including this year's Rockford holiday gathering.

Holyfield said: "We will be able to unite again. This is just a relief." "This is important to Rockford, and it is also important to people year after year. A lot of people missed it last year... We are very Unfortunately, it has to be cancelled. This year we are very happy that we will be able to do this."

Dr. Gena Poovey, a music professor at Limestone University in Gaffney, South Carolina, will perform again for two nights. Poovey is a part of tradition as well as candles and the 107-year-old church, and is the only singer or musician to perform at the event every year. She played an important role in helping to start the candlelight Christmas tradition that has become Rockford.

Holyfield explained that the late Evelyn Holyfield-her husband's aunt and founder of the Rockford Conservation Society-lived with Purvey in Rockford and worked as a visiting artist at Surrey Community College. When organized the first such holiday party.

Hannah Holyfield said: “They got together and decided to make a plan and do it on the first Friday of December.” They continued to hold this service every year until 1999, and it became clear that one service was no longer available. Enough again.

"It's so popular," she said. "It (the church) is full of people... People line up in a row and people stand on the sidewalk outside and listen. In 2000, we decided to stay for two nights because it was too crowded."

"I don't know what it will be this year. There may be many people because everyone is ready to go out and come back, or some may be reluctant. If they are more comfortable wearing masks, we will definitely provide masks for anyone at the door. We Hope it is safe, but we want to return to normal. We are looking forward to it, looking forward to hearing all the performances and the candlelight atmosphere in this small church. This is the best way to start Christmas."

On Thursday night, Poovey will sing accompanied by Amey King. Wendy and Johnny Dearmin will also perform, as will Marshall Brothers and High Road and the Surry Central High School choir directed by Angie Smith.

On Friday, Poovey will be accompanied by Adam Rudisill. Other performers include Judy Taylor, Wendy and Johnny Dearmin, and Jade Kiger and Friends.

The service starts at 7 o'clock every evening. The church’s parking spaces are limited, but the shuttle service provided by YVEDDI will be available from the parking lot of Rockford Baptist Church starting at 6 pm, and refreshments will be provided after each show.

Surry-Yadkin Works has arranged internship opportunities for 31 students in the fall semester of 2021.

The plan is a collaborative effort of the four public school systems in Surry and Yadkin counties (including Elkin City Schools, Mount Airy City Schools, Surry County Schools, and Yadkin County Schools) and Surry Community College, aiming to create a kind of regional education A unique approach to the internship program.

This funding was made with the joint efforts of the Commissioners of Surrey County and Yadkin County. An anonymous donor donated US$100,000, which was driven by the introduction of the plan at an education summit. Surry-Yadkin Works officially started on January 1.

Surry-Yadkin Works interns work in 21 companies and organizations in Surry and Yadkin counties. These students and their high schools, workplaces and titles are as follows:

Mount Airy High School: Jillian Sheets, Interlam Design, social media marketing intern and Luke Slate, Cooke Rentals, Service & Maintenance.

North Surrey High School: Luis Cabrera-Juarez, Surrey Communications, Surveying/Geographic Information Systems intern; Rylan Loggins, Altec, Parts and Supplies Department; Tyler Ramey, Altec, Transportation Intern; Valerie "Layne" McCreary, Surrey County EMS, EMS observation intern; Weatherly Reeves, Surrey County Economic Development Partner, social media marketing intern; Alec Singleton, Scenic Automotive, automotive technician; Victoria Brooke Spencer, Heart & Soul B&B, Hospitality & Tourism; Carson Stanley, Smith Rowe, project management; and Bryson Wilson, Hugh Chatham Memorial Hospital, or attendant.

East Surry High School: Jose Campos-Rosas, mechanical, heating, ventilation and air-conditioning technician; Maria Chilton, Mount Pilot Child Enrichment Centre, nursery intern; Alyson Huybert, Surry Children’s Center, Youth Court; Jamariah Lowery, G&B Energy, customer service Representatives; Nick Lowery, Shelton Vineyards, Kitchen Assistant; and Joshua Montalvo, Shenandoah Furniture, Packing/Truck Loading.

Surrey Central High School: Madison Freeman, Hugh Chatham Memorial Hospital, or attendant; Daisy Garcia, Altec, facility and safety and training intern; and Enoc Lopez, Smith Rowe, construction site staff.

Surry Early College High School: Maylin Castillo, Altec, office and training intern; Karla Chavez, Scenic Automotive, marketing intern; Matthew Gillespie, Shenandoah Furniture, CNC programmer; Evelin Lara, Scenic Automotive, automotive technician; and Jesus Nava, Altec, maintenance intern.

Elkin High School: Addison Blackwelder, Prism Medical, business development intern; Luis Hernandez, Frontier Natural Gas, customer service/marketing representative; and Amani Tilley, Tempco, machine intern.

Forbush High School: Samantha Lunsford, Hugh Chatham Memorial Hospital, Physician Services Intern.

Starmount High School: Katlyn Hudspeth, Yadkin County Government, accounting intern.

Yadkin Early College High School: Olivia Pizzuti, Surry-Yadkin Works, social media marketing intern.

Students start their internship on August 30 and they will work until December 15. They will receive high school or college credits and a monthly travel allowance.

For more information about the program or virtual launch event, please contact Crystal Folger-Hawks, Program Director of Surry-Yadkin Works at 336-401-7820 or email to follower-hawksc@surry.edu or visit www.surryyadkinworks.org . Follow Surry-Yadkin Works on Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram @surryyadkinworks and Twitter @SurYadWorks.

Ararat, Virginia-No one knows who will appear in an impromptu improvisation. An 8-year-old violinist recently appeared at the Willis Gap Community Center Open.

Lena Nichols, granddaughter of Tommy Nichols, attended the event on November 12. According to Mary Dellenback Hill (Mary Dellenback Hill), her interpretation of the classic tune "Old Joe Clark" (Old Joe Clark) attracted everyone's attention, and also invited Nichols (Nichols) and other musicians. Secretary of the Center.

The Willis Gap Community Center Open Jam dates back to around 1995, when a group of musicians met regularly at their local homes.

In order to accommodate all those who want to play and listen to music, more and more gatherings were subsequently moved to the community center at 144 Hollow Road, Ararat.

Open jam is open every Friday, and the door opens at 6 pm

A variety of music featuring acoustic instruments, including bluegrass music, country music, and gospel music, will be played in the center from 7 to 10 in the evening, as part of the "Crooked Road" program in Virginia.

The winding road refers to the Virginia Heritage Music Road, which includes communities in southwestern Virginia that help preserve traditional genres through regular performance venues and other means.

In addition to entertainment, food and beverages are also provided during the weekly gathering, including freshly made hot dog salad and chili, French fries, candy, popcorn, coffee, hot chocolate and bottled water.

In Hill’s words, the event provided “family friendly, the best hospitality in the South”.

Mike Gosnell and his brothers James and Andrew have launched a SERVPRO service in the mountainous area of ​​Mount Airy-Pilot.

The three brothers have a history of signing contracts, and they decided to move back home to benefit the community.

SERVPRO is well-known nationwide for fire fighting and water cleaning and restoration. SERVPRO is a large company, but it allows local businesses. This leads to close ties between companies and communities, while still obtaining resources from large companies.

Mike Gosnell left Pilot Mountain in 2004 to go to college in Georgia. He worked at SERVPRO throughout his university education.

"I have some very good mentors," he said. This connection with his mentor earned him the top spot in the SERVPRO company level after graduating from university.

From the age of 22 to 27, he traveled the country and supervised about 100 locally owned SERVPROs.

"There are approximately 19,000 independently owned SERVPRO franchises," Gosnell. "This is a very important part of my life."

After leaving SERVPRO and working as a contractor in Raleigh for a few years, he had the idea of ​​going home. SERVPRO, located in Mount Airy and serving the surrounding area, has been closed.

"We put them together very quickly. James was working in Orlando at the time, helping to build the airport."

The brothers opened on October 18.

Mike, James and Andrew grew up in a family of 12 children.

"It's a very nervous family," Mike said. "But in terms of business, we respect each other's unique capabilities. James is more involved in operations, and I am more of a salesperson."

Mike and James own the company, and Andrew also works there. Andrew is a licensed HVAC contractor.

This is a fairly new business for the Pilot Mountain area, but it is nothing new to these brothers.

"Our family has a long history in this area. James and I have gained some excellent mentors and business experience, and we look forward to bringing our knowledge and skills to the foothills of North Carolina and southern Virginia," Mike said.

For more information, please visit the company website https://www.servpromtairypilotmountain.com/

Pilot Mountain Rescue Squad assistant captain Elijah Childers said that after a year of interruption due to COVID-19, “the float is back in town.”

These floats will be part of Pilot Mountain Rescue Squad’s 51st Annual Christmas Parade on Saturday.

There was no complete rest last year, and the celebrations and parades were slightly different from the past few years. When the people of Aviator Hill drove past, the shopkeepers decorated their storefront in a festive way.

"The role is reversed," Childers said. "This is driving for the people."

In a normal year, the parade will see about 100 floats passing through the town. The parking lot of East Surry High School is always full of floats waiting to drive through Pilot Mountain in the city center.

"This is one of the biggest parades," Childers said.

There will be two generals this year. The two shared a wonderful story, and Pilot Mountain Rescue Squad is "honoured" to have them.

Shane and Bridget Hall's daughter Zoe Quinn Hall was born in 2019. Soon after she was born, she was diagnosed with a rare disease that affects the kidneys, called congenital nephrotic syndrome. They knew that she needed a kidney transplant in her early years.

For two and a half years, the Hall family and Zoe spent countless nights in the hospital. They have used the laboratory and different drugs to prepare for her surgery.

Sarah Bruce, who has known the family for nearly 15 years, offered to give her kidney to Zoe. After a year of testing, it was found that this would be a perfect match.

On November 3rd, the operation was carried out. Zoe has been discharged from the hospital and is recovering well.

"We forever thank God for allowing Sarah to pass away many years ago, and thank her for giving Zoe a new, healthier life for her selfless behavior," Halls said.

Sarah Bruce is eager to help.

"After learning about Zoe's condition, I immediately began to pray for ways I could help," Bruce said.

After Bridget Hall posted a post on how to become a living donor, Sarah was at a loss.

"I contacted Bridget and started trying to become a donor to Zoe," Bruce said.

On September 8, Sarah and her family received a call to inform them that Sarah would become a kidney donor.

"Every day in this process became my favorite, most memorable, and most humble day. I am forever grateful to God for allowing me to be part of Zoe's journey," Bruce said. "Zoe is really my hero."

All floats will gather at East Surrey High School at 4pm on December 4th. The parade will begin at 6 pm, passing through the main street area of ​​Linghang Hill.

This event can choose to wear a mask, but it is encouraged to maintain social distancing.

Groups can register on our social media accounts (Pilot Mountain Rescue and EMS’ Instagram and Facebook) or on our website (pilotmtnrescue.org) via a simple parade link.

After virtual events limited to 2020, the annual Rosy Cheeks 5K and Fun Run will be fully restored this year-when the competition will be second only to the goal of making toys for children.

It is scheduled to be held at 9 am on December 11 along the Ararat River Greenway in Mount Airy.

The event originated in the Riverside Park attracted many serious athletes, and accompanied by a festive atmosphere, including many runners in festive costumes and costume competitions and competition honors

However, the purpose of the center is to collaborate with Mount Airy Parks and Recreation and Reeves Community Center Foundation through the annual Mount Airy Police Department Toy Drive as part of the celebration to help local families in need.

All participants are required to bring unpackaged toys, gifts or gift cards for children of elementary school age, middle school age, or high school age. Even those who do not want to run on the possibly cold morning in December can still help the cause by donating to designated toys or gift cards through the Rosy Cheeks 5K page on itsyourrace.com website.

Toys will be collected during the game and can also be delivered at the Reeves Community Center from Monday to Friday this week.

"This is one of the most exciting competitions of the year, and it has had a significant impact on our community," said Darren Lewis, Director of City Parks and Recreation.

Although Rosy Cheeks 5K and Fun Run in 2021 are the 13th year, the organizers still look forward to the great success of this game, which is also one of the most popular competitions in the region.

As of Friday noon, 116 people have registered-this can be done on itsyourrace.com website. According to Lewis, who is also an interim city manager, the target is 300 participants.

5K is set to 9 am, and the fun running time is 9:45.

"We are very happy to be able to add new changes to this year's event through the Mayor Challenge," Lewis mentioned one aspect of Mayor Ron Niland.

Niland is an avid runner in his 60s. He agreed to donate $1 for each runner who completed before him and $5 for each person over 65.

All proceeds will be used to fund Mount Airy Police Station/Mount Airy Parks and Recreation Toy Drive.

The entrance fee for 5K is $15 and it's free to play.

5K awards will be awarded to the top three men's and women's championships in the age groups of 10 and under, 11-13, 14-19, 20-29, 30-39, and 40-49, and the top three of each gender, 50-59, 60 -69 and over 70 years old.

The course will start at the beginning of the Riverside Park trail and then make a 5K turn near the NC 89-Business overpass (1.65 miles away).

The competitive aspect of Rosy Cheeks activities is often overshadowed by the glitz of the holiday, and there are rewards for this.

Lewis explained: “We challenged the community to dress up for the food lion costume competition for individuals and teams.”

The Best Holiday Running Gear Award, sponsored by the Mount Airy branch of the chain grocery store chain, will include adult male and female winners, each of whom will receive a $50 Food Lion gift card, and a Food Lion gift bag in the children’s male and female categories.

People dressed up as various characters, including Grinch, Santa Claus and various elves, reindeer, angels, snowmen and so on.

In addition to the fun aspect, the organizers emphasized that lighting up Christmas toys for those who might not receive anything is the focus.

People keep this in mind when the coronavirus rages in 2020 and causes many large gatherings (including running) to be cancelled.

However, deciding to host a virtual Rosy Cheeks event is better than nothing-because organizers believe that toy drives may be needed more than ever last year.

Surrey County has issued the following marriage certificates:

– Augustin Vazquez Gallardo (45-year-old in Surrey County) to Amada Castro Barrios (44-year-old) in Surrey County.

– James Jeffery Dobson, 53 years old in Surrey County, and Vianey Dolores Aravjo, 46 ​​years old, Surrey County.

– Austin Wade Morgan, 27, Surrey County, and Andrea Elaine Giorgio, 21, Surrey County.

– Raistlin Shane O'Dell, 21 years old, from Iredell County, and Amy Colleen Depetris, 21 years old, from Surrey County.

From the moment we wake up to the moment we lie down, food, clothes and even cash — partly made of cotton — we should all thank a farmer. When making holiday desserts and getting milk or butter, it's hard not to appreciate cows and farmers.

Last week, the Surrey Center of the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Center hosted an event that included lunch and a speech by the director of the Surrey Center, Bryan Cave. The theme of the luncheon was "Agriculture, Moving Forward in the Post-Pandemic World", covering several important areas. The simple message from Cave is, "Everything starts with farmers."

Agribusiness seems to be a topic related to a few people, but the reality that a huge impact can be achieved from just one farm shows that this is not the case. Cave described to the assembled group that one farmer can feed 169 people.

"We have the richest and safest food supply in the world," he said, noting that we often take this fact for granted. "Other countries hope to replace us as the world's food supply superpower."

In the region, Cave mentioned that South America's corn and soybean production has been steadily increasing. Argentina has become a major player in corn, and Brazil’s soybean production has surpassed that of the United States.

Interesting and a degree of panic is seen as an act of foreign companies infringing on methods of food production, processing, and distribution on the territory of the United States. Cave specifically mentioned China Wanzhou International Group's acquisition of Smithfield Foods for nearly US$5 billion in 2013.

The sale was approved by the majority of Smithfield’s shareholders. They agreed that the largest pork producer in the United States would join hands with China to increase the production capacity of Wanzhou International to meet the needs of the expanding Chinese market.

Although as food shortages intensify, there are concerns about state ownership, and the COVID-19 outbreak at the Smithfield processing plant in the Midwest has shut down some of these facilities.

Americans want to know whether their own food supply is safe if a foreign company owns the pork giant Smithfield, or worse, if it is the Chinese Communist government. It should be pointed out that Wanzhou International Group is not a Chinese state-owned entity, which is a concern of some people, but it is a publicly traded company where investors can buy stocks.

Syngenta is one of the world leaders in the fields of pesticides, herbicides and seed management, but it was acquired and annexed by the state-owned company ChemChina in 2015. Syngenta cannot say that. Since the acquisition, ChemChina has continued to consolidate the industry while rebranding to re-use the global reputation of the Syngenta name.

Therefore, as Cave pointed out in the entire agricultural field, seeing some cause for concern is not a direct nationalist reaction; these developments continue. The sales of Smithfield and Syngenta are notable because of their size, but he also pointed out that small farms across the United States have also been acquired.

Today Americans have fewer farmland because foreign buyers start buying farmland, not only for growing crops, or for better soil quality, but also because of the existing infrastructure. Roads, railroads, and port facilities can reduce the cost of bringing products to the domestic market or export to the United States.

Along the Mississippi River, the Japanese company Zen-Noh Grain Corporation purchased 48 grain elevators in different stages of use and age. They hope to reduce the cost of transporting their grains back to Asia, but they have also attracted unnecessary attention from the U.S. Department of Justice. Zen-Noh was ordered in an antitrust decision to sell other regional shares that could harm domestic producers.

The Acting Assistant Attorney General Richard Bowles of the US Department of Justice's Antitrust Division said in a press release: "Many American farmers will face lower prices for corn and soybeans." "The divestiture of these assets protects our country's agriculture. Important competition in the industry."

Other attempts to invade are more evil, and Cave explained that corporate espionage targeting agricultural interests is also increasing. There are already a large number of documented officials who have captured stolen seeds, flash drives and one-way tickets to China at the airport-all of which are characteristics of a good James Bond movie.

The Ministry of Justice’s China initiative has been dedicated to "identifying and prosecuting those who engage in trade secret theft, hacking, and economic espionage." Approximately 80% of all economic espionage lawsuits filed by the Ministry of Justice benefit the Chinese government. Since its establishment in 2018, their website has compiled a list of dozens of such crimes.

Global trade issues do not need everyone to care about, because Thanksgiving brings fresh memories, and this is still a time to thank the many blessings of this region. Cave's sermon is to commemorate the farmer, your friends and your neighbors in Surrey County.

As the next holiday draws near, Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler wants everyone to remember, "We have a lot of things to do, and we have a lot of good products on the table in North Carolina."

On Saturday night, fire departments in various districts conducted several hours of extinguishing fires at Pilot Mountain’s site to extinguish the wildfire that broke out there around 5 pm

According to multiple reports, the Surrey County 911 Center received a call to report the fire shortly after 5 pm. Shortly before night fell, thick smoke could be seen several miles from the mountain, and flames could be seen for several hours afterwards. The high wind hindered the fire fighting work.

More information will be posted as it becomes available.

Westfield Elementary School recently selected the Leader of the Month for November.

School officials said in the announcement: “These students are selected by their peers because they have demonstrated the integrity of leadership.” “Integrity is doing the right thing, even in difficult or unattended situations. Every student Will receive a book to take home."

In addition to the people shown in the accompanying pictures, Shirley McConkie, Wyatt Johnson and Ander Hodges were also selected.

The State Employees Credit Union (SECU) Foundation recently awarded scholarships to two students at Surrey Community College.

The two scholarship students are Tynlee Grace Jones of Pilot Mountain and Isabella Rose Freeman of Dobson.

Tynlee Grace Jones is the daughter of Kim and Trooper Brent Jones of the North Carolina Highway Patrol. She graduated from East Surrey High School, is studying for an associate degree in science, and plans to transfer to a four-year institution to work as a physician assistant. Tynlee is a CNA and has the opportunity to work in the Northern District Hospital.

Isabella Rose Freeman is the daughter of Christal and Israel Freeman. She graduated from Surrey Central High School and is currently studying for an associate degree in fine arts, and plans to transfer to a four-year university. She worked as a lifeguard at Dobson Swimming Pool and Amfield Civic Center.

In view of the pandemic, the scholarship was given in a private ceremony held in the Presidential Suite of Surrey Community College. SCC President Dr. David Shockley and Director of Financial Aid and Veterans Affairs Andrea Simpson presented certificates to the two winners.

The foundation established a major scholarship program to help students from 58 community colleges in the North Carolina community college system. There are 116 two-year scholarships, each with a value of up to $5,000. Every community college in North Carolina provides scholarships for two of its students.

Three students from the Surrey Community College Manicurist/Manicurist Program won the championship in the North Carolina Beauty Skills Competition earlier this fall.

Students who participated in the SCC Nail Technician/Manicurist course submitted 11 projects. Of these 11 items, 3 belong to the Halloween fantasy category. The students completed the works of the mannequins before the competition day and displayed their works with themed decorations.

Reanna Cockerham of Glade Valley and Ginger Bailey of Westfield tied for second place. Cockerham's design is based on Hocus Pocus, while Bailey's design is based on Frozen. Alisha Hawkins of Mountain Park won third place for her "Beauty and the Beast" design.

"This is a new project of SCC, and I can't express how proud I am of our nail artist Peggy Haynes and the students placed at the Raleigh Skills Institute in the United States," said Robin Minton, the beauty director. "We are very happy to participate in this high-level competition."

These awards are the first batch of awards received in the new projects organized by SCC. The Nail Technician/Manicurist course is designed to prepare students to become a licensed manicurist in North Carolina. This course provides competency-based knowledge, scientific/artistic principles and practical basics related to the nail technician industry. The course provides a simulated salon environment to enable students to develop operational skills. It currently includes an eight-week course that prepares students to obtain a license through the North Carolina Cosmetic Arts Review Board. Many students can even get work placement opportunities before graduating from the program.

For more information about the program, please contact Minton at 336-386-3570 or mintonr@surry.edu.

Members of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society of Surrey Community College recently launched an initiative to write thank-you letters to veterans. These letters will be sent to veterans on the honorary flight returning from Washington, DC to Piedmont Triad International Airport in Greensboro.

Dr. Kathleen D. Fowler, Co-Adviser of the PTK Chapter of Surrey Community College, said: “This year, PTK collected 43 letters for veterans. These letters were written by PTK members, faculty, and Surrey Community College students and local community members. All the letters thank the veterans for their contributions and self-sacrifice in defending the country."

PTK member and veteran Jennifer Evans (Jennifer Evans) wrote a letter specifically for Vietnam War veterans. Evans said: "They hold a special place in my heart because many of them are treated when they return from work overseas."

The mission of Honor Flight is to transport American veterans to Washington, DC, to visit the monument dedicated to those who served and sacrificed for our country. It works as a series of independent hubs to perform tasks, and the Triad Honor Flight hub in High Point serves the local area.

Phi Theta Kappa is the premier honor society that recognizes the academic achievements of students from universities that award associate degrees and helps them grow into scholars and leaders. The association is composed of more than 3.5 million members and nearly 1,300 chapters from 11 countries.

For more information about Phi Theta Kappa and its projects, please contact PTK's co-consultant Kathleen Fowler at (336) 386-3560 or fowlerk@surry.edu or Kayla Forrest 336-386-3315 or forrestkm@surry.edu or Visit www.ptk.org. Follow the local chapter on Facebook @surryPhiThetaKappa.

North Carolina is in the La Nina weather pattern, with reduced rainfall and higher temperatures than normal averages. The Airy Mountains region is a typical representative of this.

This is reflected in the latest statistics from the FG Doggett Water Plant, the city's official weather monitoring station.

According to the forecaster, these indicate that Mount Airi fits perfectly with the La Niña model in October. These conditions will last until November and will be maintained for the foreseeable future.

The total rainfall in October is less than half of the rainfall normally seen in the region during that month, and mercury provides another part of the La Niña equation with a temperature that is 5 degrees above normal.

Last month, the water plant recorded only 1.45 inches of rain, while the historical average rainfall here was 3.44 inches.

Since 1924, Mount Airy has kept weather statistics.

The city did have measurable precipitation on the 10 days of the last month, the largest of which-0.89 inches-was recorded on October 29 and provided most of the entire 31 days of production.

To further illustrate the general dryness of the area is the fact that in October 2020, Airy’s rainfall reached as high as 8.67 inches, which is considered part of a wet year, with rainfall approaching a record 69.68 inches.

The 2021 trend resulted in a total annual precipitation of 40.12 inches as of October 31, which is 1.12 inches or 2.7% lower than the local historical average production of 41.24 inches in the first 10 months of this year.

There were eight days of fog last month.

The average temperature in Ailishan in October was 62.3 degrees, which was significantly higher than the normal value of 57.2 degrees.

This is due to the 84-degree readings for several consecutive days from November 15th to 16th, which won the honor of this month's high temperature.

At the other end of the scale is the October low of 34 degrees on November 19-a difference of 50 degrees from the 84 degree high three days ago.

There was no frost in the water plant in October, which is another proof of the warm pattern.

On Thursday, November 1, the fourth annual Surrey County School GROW Strong 5K roared in Fisher River Park. 275 students from all 11 elementary schools in the county participated in the competition.

The 5K competition for the third, fourth and fifth graders started at 9:30 in the morning. By 11 AM, all the student runners had completed the race, and dozens of family members and Surrey County school system staff cheered for each team.

GROW is an acronym for Go Run Our World. The initiative encourages people's passion for health and wellness and a love of running. The coach of each team trains students to run 5K and teaches perseverance, responsibility, game etiquette, self-motivation, self-esteem and teamwork spirit. The training takes place more than ten weeks before the large-scale event. Surry County Parks & Recreation hosted the event and worked with the organizers to ensure the safety of all participants.

Dr. Travis L. Reeves, Head of Schools in Surrey County, commented before the game: "This is a beautiful day. I am very grateful to all of you and your family for coming out to support you." Reeves also commented that he is for every student Feel proud. "These students set goals for themselves, and today they are able to achieve those goals. I am proud of these students, and I know their coaches and family members are also proud of them."

Competition results: Third grade girls: first place, Ira Wilmos, Cedar Ridge, second place, Eliza Richardson Dobson, third place, Savannah France Rockford ；

Fourth grade girls: first place, Morgan Dean, Pilot Mountain, second place, Camila Chaire, Cedar Ridge, third place, Emma Cowan, White Plains;

Fifth grade girl, first place, Lyset Sanchez, Rockford, second place, Jaysey Reece, Rockford, third place, Regan Boyette, Copland.

Third grade boys: first place, Silas Hiatt, White Plains, second place, Fernando Esquirel, Flat Rock, third place, Roe Johnson, White Plains,

Fourth grade: First place, Lionel Garcia Santiago, Dobson, second place, Abraham Garcia Santiago, Dobson, third place, Luke Hampton, Dobson ；

Fifth grade boys: first place, Grant Stanley, Copland, second place, Gideon Hodges, Rockford, third place, Ashton Burke, Mountain Park.

Dobson Elementary School won the title of the fastest men's team, and Rockford Elementary School won the fastest women's team award. The final recognition was the GROW Strong All Heart Award for a male student and a female student. Coaches can nominate students for this award based on their attitude, participation, courage and team spirit. Elizabeth Marsh of Copeland Elementary School and Camden Wall of Franklin Elementary School received these awards.

Earlier this year, Len Fawcett tried to fill a vacant seat in the city council, but failed, but now he has accepted another challenge that he seems to like very much.

Fawcett was appointed as a member of the Mount Airy Planning Board earlier this month, which handles many key matters related to municipal development, such as rezoning and merger requests.

"I think this is a good way to get me involved in something that is happening at exciting times," the long-term resident said of the projects including the redevelopment of the former Spencer factory property.

At the last meeting on November 18, the Mount Airy Committee appointed Fawcett as a member of the planning team.

He is filling the vacancy created by Joe Zalescik's recent resignation from the planning committee. Zalescik did this because he was appointed as the Commissioner of the Metropolis on September 16 to fill the seat previously held by Mayor Ron Niland.

Zalescik applied for the position along with four other candidates including Fawcett.

Although not a commissioner, Fawcett is excited about being a member of the Mount Airy Planning Committee because he was appointed to Zalescik's unexpired term, which will end on October 31, 2022.

The Planning Committee is a group of nine members that serves as an advisory committee to the members. It analyzes current and emerging land development trends and activities, and makes recommendations on plans, policies, regulations, and proposals designed to maximize growth opportunities while promoting public health, safety, ethics, and welfare.

Fawcett’s first meeting with the organization was last Monday night, and he said he was trying to familiarize himself with the City Ordinance, land use and other plans, and other guidelines for its operation.

New members believe that the board is at the bottom of many major development projects, involving new businesses and industries entering towns and existing entities that wish to expand.

Fawcett praised Mount Airy's recent growth, such as projects involving the Spencer redevelopment area, and urban revitalization including proposals to build more residential buildings on the upper floors of the building, the northern district hospital, and other locations.

In addition to these downtown efforts, the recently appointed person also hopes to help guide the development of what Fawcett calls the "peripheral area" on the edge of Mount Airy.

In recent years, these parts have received attention and involve the Extraterritorial Jurisdiction (ETJ) zone, which extends one mile outside the entire border of the city and has long controlled commercial and residential development.

The City Commissioner dismantled the disputed ETJ in 2019 and transferred Mount Airy's jurisdiction over the territory involved to Surrey County officials.

Southern District Commissioner Steve Yokley recently tried to rekindle the city’s interest in special zoning, including submitting the matter to the planning committee for study. However, restoration of it requires the approval of the Surrey Commission.

"I think it needs to be decided by the county," Fawcett said of the ETJ issue.

The new planning committee member is in his 60s, graduated from Mount Airy High School, and received a bachelor's degree in applied agriculture from North Carolina State University.

Fawcett is semi-retired and has 35 years of golf course management experience. Many facilities in the area include Cross Creek Country Club in Mount Airy.

His professional background includes 17 years as a golf course supervisor at Roaring Gap Club and 8 years at Maple Chase Golf and Country Club in Winston-Salem, involving comprehensive course maintenance, budget operations and personnel management.

Fawcett also served as assistant director of Cross Creek, Old Beau and Grandfather golf courses. He continues to work part-time at Mount Airy Country Club and Maple Chase.

His experience also includes holding full-time and seasonal positions in the Mount Airy Public Works Department and serving as a volunteer city firefighter.

Fawcett was also a founding member of the Urban Appearance Committee in the 1980s.

"I am very interested in serving on the city planning committee," he said, including "promoting current and future success and all aspects of our evolving city."

Although Thanksgiving has long been the traditional start of Christmas, for some local residents, the beginning of the season will not be another week-when the annual Rockford Candlelight Christmas occurs.

Hannah Holyfield, president of the Rockford Conservation Society, said: "This is what many people told me at the end." "Now I can start my Christmas. I have been to candlelight Christmas."

This year’s two-night event-Thursday, December 2 and Friday, December 3-marked the 31st Christmas concert at the Rockford Methodist Church in Rockford Village, although it will be the first in two years Face-to-face meeting.

"Last year, our 30th place must be virtual," she said. As was the case with most traditional public gatherings in 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic prevented the event’s performers and fans from gathering—but Holyfield said the holiday traditions still exist.

“We let everyone who performs normally send their music, they record it and send it to us, and we put it on our Facebook page and our website,” she said. "Even if we can't watch it in person, they can watch the music that was meant to be played electronically. This is something... we can't live without it."

Although the pandemic continues, the reduction in cases driven by vaccines and social distancing policies has allowed the resumption of many public events, including this year's Rockford holiday gathering.

Holyfield said: "We will be able to unite again. This is just a relief." "This is important to Rockford, and it is also important to people year after year. A lot of people missed it last year... We are very Unfortunately, it has to be cancelled. This year we are very happy that we will be able to do this."

Dr. Gena Poovey, a music professor at Limestone University in Gaffney, South Carolina, will perform again for two nights. Poovey is a part of tradition as well as candles and the 107-year-old church, and is the only singer or musician to perform at the event every year. She played an important role in helping to start the candlelight Christmas tradition that has become Rockford.

Holyfield explained that the late Evelyn Holyfield-her husband's aunt and founder of the Rockford Conservation Society-lived with Purvey in Rockford and worked as a visiting artist at Surrey Community College. When organized the first such holiday party.

Hannah Holyfield said: “They got together and decided to make a plan and do it on the first Friday of December.” They continued to hold this service every year until 1999, and it became clear that one service was no longer available. Enough again.

"It's so popular," she said. "It (the church) is full of people... People line up in a row and people stand on the sidewalk outside and listen. In 2000, we decided to stay for two nights because it was too crowded."

"I don't know what it will be this year. There may be many people because everyone is ready to go out and come back, or some may be reluctant. If they are more comfortable wearing masks, we will definitely provide masks for anyone at the door. We Hope it is safe, but we want to return to normal. We are looking forward to it, looking forward to hearing all the performances and the candlelight atmosphere in this small church. This is the best way to start Christmas."

On Thursday night, Poovey will sing accompanied by Amey King. Wendy and Johnny Dearmin will also perform, as will Marshall Brothers and High Road and the Surry Central High School choir directed by Angie Smith.

On Friday, Poovey will be accompanied by Adam Rudisill. Other performers include Judy Taylor, Wendy and Johnny Dearmin, and Jade Kiger and Friends.

The service starts at 7 o'clock every evening. The church’s parking spaces are limited, but the shuttle service provided by YVEDDI will be available from the parking lot of Rockford Baptist Church starting at 6 pm, and refreshments will be provided after each show.

A new soldier from the North Carolina Highway Patrol has been assigned to Surrey County—he doesn’t have to travel far to take up this role.

Carson Gray Ramey is not only from Lowgap but also a graduate of North Surry High School in 2009. He has more connections locally.

"Before the North Carolina Highway Patrol, Trooper Ramey was employed by the Surrey County Sheriff's Office," the sergeant explained. Fletcher A. Pipes at the Troop E/District 5 office in King.

Lamy was one of the 39 new soldiers who formally welcomed the agency at the swearing ceremony of the 154 Basic Highway Patrol School last Friday. The ceremony ended with 12 weeks of rigorous training to prepare the officers for their new careers.

The local man will receive further instruction next week, and then report to his workplace in Mount Airy in mid-December to begin a 12-week demanding field training program. This will involve riding with another officer.

"We are very happy to have him-we are very happy to have a local who knows this area," the first sergeant. The JM Church of the Surrey-Stokes Highway Patrol said Wednesday when discussing adding Lamy to its team.

"He already knows the geography of the county," Church added when talking about the former deputy. "He will take it to the next level in this regard."

In contrast, soldiers assigned to unfamiliar areas have a heavy job at hand, they just have to get used to the new environment.

Church said that being a regular member of the community is a plus for law enforcement.

The all-out local road patrol has 22 soldiers, of which 14 are in Surrey County and 8 are in Stokes.

The swearing-in ceremony last Friday was a closed event at the Shepherd’s Church in Cary, near Raleigh, and strict COVID-19 safety precautions were taken.

Eddie Buffaloe Jr., the secretary of the North Carolina Department of Public Security, delivered an exciting speech to the graduating class and was sworn in by the state Supreme Court Associate Judge Michael Morgan.

Colonel Freddy L. Johnson Jr., the 28th commander of the State Highway Patrol, is the keynote speaker for this service and provides a promising career for the newest sworn member of the force direction.

Johnson said: "As a member of this organization, you will bear great responsibilities-I believe you can meet the challenge."

"The responsibility to continue the service, community, partnership, pride, and long history of providing our state with the highest level of law enforcement services is paramount."

Victoria Griffin, a senior at Surrey’s Early College High School, was selected as a finalist for the QuestBridge scholarship.

The QuestBridge scholarship is one of the most important needs-based scholarships in the United States. It seeks to pair students with competitive colleges and universities across the country, and provides substantial financial aid and opportunities for students attending specific "matching" universities.

The final stage of this process means that Victoria was selected based on academic performance and other criteria. If she matches one of the colleges or universities she has ranked and applied for, she will start studying around December 1.

Several members of the North Surrey High School’s cheerleading team recently volunteered at RidgeCrest Retirement and Assisted Living on Saturday morning. They set up displays and string lights for the upcoming "Holiday Walk of Hope".

This is the second year that RidgeCrest sponsored the walking holiday light show. It runs every night from 6 to 8 on Thursday, December 2 to 4 and December 9 to 11. All proceeds will be donated to the Alzheimer's Association.

The cheerleading team is coached by Hope Ward

The Small Business Center at Surrey Community College has been designated by American Express as the 2021 Small Business Community Champion. The title is awarded to business associations and community organizations to spread awareness of the importance of small-scale shopping to support small businesses.

This is the third consecutive year that SCC's small business center has received this recognition. This year's designation will enable the center to support Pilot Mountain. In previous years, the organization has supported Booneville and Elgin towns.

This recognition took place before the Small Business Saturday, which was held on Saturday, November 27th. The American Express Community Champions will work across the country to inspire people's enthusiasm for shopping in the local community.

"We will receive various banners, logos and other marketing materials from American Express, which will be shared with Pilot Mountain and used to guide small businesses on Saturday," said Mark Harden, director of the SCC Small Business Center. "It is a pleasure to serve many communities in Surrey and Yadkin counties."

For information on confidentiality, one-on-one consultation and resource recommendations, please contact Harden at hardenm@surry.edu or call 336-386-3685. To learn more about the Surrey Community College Small Business Center, please visit www.surry.edu/sbc.

The Small Business Center provides seminars, workshops, resources and consulting for potential business owners and existing business owners. SCC Small Business Center has facilities in Dobson, Elkin, Mount Airy, Pilot Mountain and Yadkinville

Through the magic of Christmas, on Thursday, December 2nd, an event that combines a music festival with traditional tree lights will be held in the center of Mount Airy-North Street will be closed here.

The party was not brought by Santa’s elves, but was organized by the Mount Airy Appearance Commission. It started at 6 pm to achieve the best of both worlds. One involved the tree lighting plan for the City Hall, which was a long-standing pioneer.

At the same time, the musical element made its debut last year in response to COVID-19. Reduced tree lighting and the annual Airy Mountain Christmas Parade, in the words of Mayor Ron Nilan, forced the city to "remake Christmas." .

The result was a caroling event for driving through the city. When people passed by, various music groups provided live entertainment at various stations along the way, and illuminated with shrunken tree lights outside the municipal building.

Interim City Manager/Parks and Recreation Department Darren Lewis recalled the unintended consequences of people being confined to vehicles and said: “This has encountered some challenges. Vehicles have been lined up in West Lebanon and North Avenue (street )."

"People come from four counties," the mayor of Niland said at a council meeting last week when a new and improved Christmas party plan for next Thursday was broadcast.

"It will be similar to last year, when we had multiple music groups on the street and on the street," said Jenny Smith, a member of the Appearance Committee, who is also a staff member of the Mount Airy Visitor Center-but no vehicles involved traffic.

"All of these will be located around the city center."

Approximately 10 different groups are expected to participate in the performance, including Grace Moravian Church Band, Surry Sings Community Chorus, Oldtime Jammer, Blues Band, Mormon Choir, MAUI (Mount Airy Ukelele Invasion), Nonesuch Playmakers singer, vocal Chorus etc.

They will be set up in venues from Independence Avenue to Pine Street, such as the pavilion at the corner of North Street and West Oak Street, Canteen Alley, Lowry Park at the corner of Main and Pines, Airy Mountain Visitor Center, Robbie Shop, and Easter Brothers The lounge area where the mural is located.

A jazz band will also perform in the Market Street Arts and Entertainment District west of North Main.

"This will be special because what they want to do is to allow people to park and walk around on the street," the mayor said of the setting where they can enjoy music in a casual environment when North Avenue is closed. center.

"This year will be very tidy," Niland added of the family-oriented activities he experienced in 2020. "This is a very good community celebration."

He praised the innovations involved. "This will be an exciting new thing."

The music group is scheduled to perform from 6 to 7 pm, when the Mount Airy High School Military Band will participate in the celebration and lead the band and audience to the city hall venue for traditional tree lighting.

"Everyone can follow the band," Smith said.

The tree lights project will begin sometime between 7pm and 7:30pm, and it will also include music, free hot chocolate provided by representatives of the First Presbyterian Church, and Santa's visit to the children.

The event is scheduled to continue on Market Street later in the evening.

The members of the Appearance Committee stated that in light of the COVID-19 issue, the upcoming event will celebrate the holiday and return to normal.

"I think the overall goal is just to create a Christmas spirit in our community-especially because we have experienced so much," she said.

Earlier this month, four Surry Early College High School Interact officials were appointed at a ceremony held at the Mount Airy Rotary Club of the Cross Creek Country Club.

2021-2022 Interact officials are President Victoria Hernandez; Vice President, Emanuel Urquiza; Secretary Yuridia Gallegos-Echavarrieta; and Treasurer, Jacqueline Trejo. The teacher sponsor of the club is Erin Jones.

Interact is a high school service club that cooperates with Mount Airy Rotary to complete service projects in the community. This year, the school’s interactive club sponsored Purple Little Day to raise funds for polio vaccination, led the Red Ribbon Weekly Wearing Red campaign, and organized car wash activities and haunted corridors to raise funds to fund Salvation Army Angel Tree children.

The upcoming event for Interact members is to organize a blood donation event sponsored by the American Red Cross and collect canned food to donate to the Foothill Food Pantry.

It is one of the most famous and respected honors in the region. Of course, it is the highest personal honor awarded by the Greater Mount Airy Chamber of Commerce, with a history that can be traced back to nearly six years.

This is the Chamber of Commerce’s Citizenship of the Year Award, and the deadline for this year’s nominees is coming soon. December 8th is the last day when residents of the area can nominate a person for recognition.

"The first one was given in 1962," said Randy Collins, executive director of the Chamber of Commerce. "The Chamber of Commerce was established in 1959, and they have held an event every year for more than 60 years."

Collins stated that the award is designed to recognize individuals who "have made a lot of contributions to the community on many different levels." He said that given that this is a chamber of commerce award, the winners are usually people active in the business world, but he said that this recognition is actually about "the overall service to the community...maybe people who have been overlooked."

For those who wish to nominate someone, Collins said that the nomination form can be found online at https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/sv/ZBIJTua/2021CitizenoftheYear. If a person wishes to make a nomination but cannot do it electronically, he said that the nominator can submit a typed or written nomination in person or by mail.

"Tell us their stories," he suggested what to include. "We really rely on these nominations to tell us this story. Many people who have won awards over the years, just mention their names and you know what they did. But there have been many unsung heroes over the years, and not everyone knows them. s story."

He said that the winner does not have to be a member of the council, but they are looking for people from Mount Airy, Surry County, or from the towns of Surry—Pilot Mountain, Dobson, and Elkin.

Collins said that in general, the Chamber of Commerce receives eight to ten nominations every year, although there are more in some years. So far, he said that three or four have been submitted. He said that once the nomination deadline has passed, a committee will review every submission and select a winner.

"The difficult part of this... there are too many worthy people and it is difficult to choose every year. Also, there are many people who should be nominated but never been nominated. We want to encourage people to nominate people in the community that you think should be recognized. "

Although there are no specific criteria for nominees, the award is "usually for life's work... These people have served the community in some way throughout their lives, or certainly for a long period of time. We will not Set any parameters for this and we accept all nominations."

The winner will be nominated at the annual meeting of the Chamber of Commerce in January, and Collins said officials are trying to keep secrets before the announcement.

In 2020, David Rowe, who has passed away, was nominated as the winner. He is the co-founder of Smith-Rowe, LLC and the former mayor of Mount Airy.

The first winner in 1962 was Joe Johnson Sr. Since then, winners have included: 1963 Archie Carter, 1964 John E. Woltz, 1965 Floyd Pike, 1966 CB Roberson, 1967 Dr. J. Dale Simmons, 1968 George A. and Marguerite Kallenbach, 1969 Pastor James Powell, 1970 Jim Grimes, 1971 Frank Smith, 1972 CB Robertson, 1973 James E. Johnson, 1974 Jerry Beverly;

Stan Rogge in 1975, Bill Bridlov in 1976, Don Nance in 1977, Larry Wright in 1978, George Summerlin in 1979, Dr. Swanson Richards in 1980, Steve and Mary Petlitz in 1981, Floyd Rees in 1982, Bobby Galane in 1983, Jones and Zac Blackmon in 1980, David Pruitt in 1987, and Serge in 1988. Man Watts, Ruth Minnick in 1989;

1990 Richard Vaughan, 1991 Howard Waltz Jr., 1992 An Vaughan, 1993 Jim Andrews, 1994 Teresa Lewis, 1995 John Springthorpe III, 1996 Gene Reese, 1997 Burke Robertson, 1998 Susan 9 Dr. Ashby, 1994 Teresa Lewis Gary York, 2002 Pat Gwyn Woltz, 2003 Ed Woltz, 2004 Craig and Michele Hunter, 2005 Sandy Beam;

2006 Marion Venable, 2007 Virginia Rogers, 2008 Mike Bowman, 2009 Kate Appler, 2010 Charlie and Ed Shelton, 2011 Carol Burke, 2012 Deidre Rogers, 2013 Alan Connolly, 2014 Berta Glenn Springthorpe, 2010, 2018 John Pridi. Curtis Taylor in 2019 and David Rowe in 2020.

A lot of trash talk is going on, but it has not resulted in ridiculous penalties-it's just that Mount Airy officials decided to buy a second grab truck to help collect sanitation facilities, and cancel the earlier recommendation to brush the car.

At a meeting last Thursday night, former municipal commissioner Shirley Brinkley also weighed in on the new automated waste system, which is part of the portfolio.

All of these developments occurred after the director of public works Mitch Williams updated the city council to the automation system implemented earlier this year, which was required by the council after the system was up and running.

Williams said that the overall operation is good, including the goal of reducing personnel costs by purchasing two side-mounted automatic garbage trucks at a total cost of $760,000.

This allows the emptying of the garbage truck to be controlled in the cab, instead of having workers outside face the danger of filling the truck from behind under the old method.

"We went from 15 to 11 people," Williams said of the number of employees in the health department, which was caused by the turnover and turnover of the department.

He added that this can save about $150,000 in personnel costs per year.

In January of last year, city officials decided to purchase autonomous trucks, and also proposed to provide 4,500 brushed vehicles — costing US$270,000 — for residents to place yard waste, such as newspaper clippings and tree branches, under the new process.

For example, the idea is that the homeowner cuts the limbs into small pieces, which can be put in a trolley, and then loaded into an automatic truck from the side.

Most committee members do not believe that citizens have a large demand for these trolleys, but choose to understand the progress of the new system during the year and re-discuss the topic after further research.

Williams suggested in his update on Thursday night that the final ruling was to disapprove of brushing the car, which the committee members subsequently agreed.

"These autonomous trucks are not made for brushes," he explained.

Approximately 60% to 70% of the brush piles collected each week are either too large or too long to fit into a tank on a trolley or automated truck.

This requires employees to manually load the brushes, otherwise they must be picked up by the city’s only grab truck in the future.

According to Williams, it is difficult for workers to lift smaller brushes into the front socket of the vehicle. Once in the truck tank, the brush will not easily fall into the hopper at the back, sometimes dumping from the top of the truck onto the street.

Williams recommends not to add a brush, but instead recommends buying a second grab truck at an estimated cost of $185,000. The grab or knuckle arm truck is a specially designed vehicle that features a telescopic arm with a "grab" hook that can pick up large items.

This will allow faster and more effective removal of large brush piles around towns and large items such as furniture discarded during spring cleaning activities.

According to reports, the target collection time for "typical size piles" is one week. During the spring event, this situation may intensify-this year a grab truck broke down and relied on private contractors at a cost of approximately $7,000, which made the situation even more complicated.

"No one likes to see sofas and mattresses on the street," the public works director said when describing the need for spare vehicles.

The committee members agreed with Williams' suggestion to buy grab trucks while avoiding brushing. Citizens who want these containers can still buy them at a price of $65 each.

On Thursday night, board members approved the budget amendment for truck purchases 5-0.

The "challenge" of automation

The implementation of the new automation system was generally smooth, despite some obstacles-some literally.

"The drivers quickly adapted to the new truck," Williams said, admitting that there were some adjustment issues along the way.

"We encountered some conflicts with overhead utility lines," he said, because the new truck was very tall and encountered low-hanging wires. This included a telephone line being hit, and a wire that caused the pole to fall and interrupted service to six residents.

Williams said the health department has worked with utility suppliers to set up pipelines in problem areas.

At the same time, the lid of the garbage truck was kept open, and the garbage truck turned over after being emptied, especially on streets without curbs that provide a certain degree of stability.

Former Southern District Commissioner Shirley Brinkley spoke about this in the public forum of the conference.

Brinkley said of the cart: "I see more lids when they are open than when they are closed," which can cause some problems, including the container being filled with rainwater.

The former commissioner mentioned that due to a wrist injury, it is difficult for residents with physical disabilities to stand the trolley upright after turning the trolley over and away. Brinkley also said that a street was littered with broken glass.

Williams said that staff are trying to minimize this problem by using the joystick controls inside the automated truck more proficiently so that the trolley and lid can be placed in place.

"Hopefully over time, things will get better and better."

Williams said there are also problems with residents improperly placing trolleys waiting to be emptied.

Officials said that the trolley should be placed along the street, with the handle facing the house, because the automated truck cannot turn the trolley to the correct side. Requiring personnel to leave the cab and move the trolley to that location defeats the purpose of the automated system.

Like most other aspects of society, COVID-19 has always been a barrier, including the need to isolate multiple drivers.

"Keeping the driver on the truck has always been a challenge," said the director of public works.

"Due to COVID, we cannot start automation at a worse time."

• According to the city police report, mobile phones have recently been targeted by thieves in Mount Airy.

Among them was a theft discovered on Saturday, in which a $700 Samsung Galaxy phone was stolen at Walmart. It is owned by King resident Tammy Lea Waldrop. The phone was described as black, and a blue case was stolen in the incident.

Another mobile phone and phone case with a total value of US$1,019 was stolen from the Speedway convenience store on West Pine Street last Wednesday. The victim of the crime was Travis Neil Schell from Crystal Lane.

The phone was described as a Samsung Galaxy Note20 model with a black and purple case, which was stolen after being left in the company's bathroom.

• On Saturday, a call for civil unrest was received on Renflo Street near Moore Avenue, which resulted in 31-year-old Ashley Michelle Hicks being accused of driving under the influence.

Police records show that someone saw Hicks staggering towards her car and began to be driven away by police officer JR McLamb, who subsequently conducted a live sobriety test, which showed that the woman was physically damaged. She later agreed to take blood at the Northern District Hospital and was released after a written promise to appear before the Surrey District Court on December 20.

• On Friday, a theft occurred in a Tractor Supply Co. store on Rockford Street when an unidentified suspect walked out of the store with two large 12-volt car batteries in his shopping cart without paying. The value of the Traveler heavy-duty battery is $150.

Jacob Haywood of Westfield started the fall semester of North Carolina State University with 31 college credits from Surrey Community College.

As a student of East Surrey High School, he studied Calculus II, Calculus III, Differential Equations, Physics I, Physics II, C++ Programming, Linear Algebra, Art Appreciation and General psychology. These courses are free of tuition for third- and fourth-year high school students.

"Surrey Community College has a very large class size. I was able to interact one-on-one with my mentor," Haywood said.

Haywood plans to pursue a dual degree in mechanical engineering and history at North Carolina State University. By transferring so many credits to North Carolina State University, he has achieved an incredible lead.

North Carolina State University is a family tradition of the Haywood family. His grandfather and uncle are also members of the wolf pack.

"I want to work in car design," Haywood said. "My dream job is to work for Porsche, Volkswagen or BMW in Germany. I have always been interested in cars. I repaired a 1976 Volkswagen transporter. I just like to work on the parts and try to repair them."

Haywood is a Ben Franklin Scholar at North Carolina State University. The program allows students to pursue bachelor degrees in engineering and humanities or social sciences at the same time. The program provides students with extensive training and provides them with unique skills to solve complex problems.

Haywood is a high school and community college student, as well as an active student athlete. He played tennis, football, cross-country, indoor track and field, and wrestled in his junior and senior years.

When he built a sign in his church, the Westfield Baptist, he became an eagle scout. He also volunteered as a Boy Scout at Camp Raven Knob, where he taught car lessons to other Boy Scouts.

In addition to all these extracurricular activities, Haywood was employed by 13 Bones in Mount Airy as a chef and dishwasher in high school.

Haywood is a good example of what high school students can achieve as community college students, athletes, and community service personnel.

The Mount Airy City Schools Board of Education recently appointed Catherine Dollyhite as the coordinator of Mount Airy City Schools Micro-School. Dollyhite joined the city school system in January 2020 as the curriculum coordinator for Jones Middle School.

This micro school started in August and had less than 10 students at the time, but now more than 30 students have joined the program. This micro school provides virtual teaching for students from kindergarten to fifth grade.

In announcing her appointment, the school system said: “As the program develops rapidly, more support is needed to ensure that students and families stay in good contact with the school district and the resources needed for success.” “Multiple sclerosis. Dollyhite will work with Ms. Penny Willard, Director of Innovation Projects, collaborated to build and develop the school’s curriculum while serving the increasing enrollment. She will transition to this role starting on January 3rd."

"Mount Airy City Schools Micro-School enables our school district to expand our innovative practices," Willard said. "Multiple sclerosis. Dollyhite's skill set will ensure the design and delivery of targeted and engaging courses to meet the needs of each child. She will become an important asset for our team, and I look forward to working with her on this new journey To serve our students and families."

Due to the vacancy created by her transition, Dalton Ted will serve as Jones’ interim course coordinator starting January 3. As part of his work at High Point University (HPU), Ted has been doing an internship with Jones this semester. He is the third educator in Mount Airy City Schools to pass the HPU Leadership Academy. He will graduate from the program in May 2022, at which time he will receive a master's degree in education leadership and be eligible for a North Carolina school administrator's license.

"I am very happy to continue working with the Jones Middle School family," Ted said. "Working with the administrative team and staff is an incredible experience. My internship allowed me to learn from Mrs. Payne and build relationships with students, faculty and staff."

"I am excited about the opportunities for students and families affiliated with Mount Airy City Schools Micro-School. They will be served by Ms. Dollyhite. I am also excited about the students and faculty of Jones Intermediate who will benefit from Mr. Ted’s leadership. ," Jones Intermediate Principal Chelsea Payne said.

Visit http://bit.ly/MACSmicro to learn more about urban micro schools​​​

With the end of the year approaching, their October meeting was postponed, and the Dobson Committee met last week to discuss agenda items that need attention. U.S. rescue plan funding was the main topic of board discussion, as they discussed ready water and sewer projects.

Dobson Town manager Laura Neely said that she and her employees are still receiving guidance on the changing landscape of ARP. As the ARP fund payment rules are still changing, Neely tried to assure the board of directors that it is safe to advance and approve the project. "Any money we want to set aside now, if we follow the current guidelines now, it will be fine."

Town finance officers Marlene Lopez and Neely have been receiving extensive training on the ARP fund, but sometimes conflicting information appears. Some guidance tells towns to wait to see if there may be available grant funds to replace ARP funds, but then ARP funds allocated will become a new issue. "Because the number of things that can spend (ARP) money is limited, it's a bit like Rule 22," Neely described.

Basically, what Neely heard was "There is extra money now, so look at all the ways. Thankfully, we have a lot of people following us and providing us with guidance...or designated uses and future projects."

The ready water supply and sewer project was the goal of Dobson's first action. Michael Frazier from Public Works described their monthly work of converting manual water meters into radio reading meters, and this process involves about a dozen per month. Frazier needs to replace approximately 300 additional old manual-reading water meters with current technical radio-reading models at an estimated cost of approximately US$200 each. These costs can easily be under the umbrella of ARP, already needed, and can save the town a lot of changes in the future.

The efficiency of reading the water meter alone will increase the productivity of workers and can also correct incorrect meter readings. Neely said he was told that some old meters did not capture the readings correctly and may only capture 90% of the usage. "That was a light bulb moment," the town manager said of the opportunity to read the water meter via radio that might increase revenue.

Frazier detailed to the board of directors how this new technology can help detect leaks and waste in real time. Sometimes this may help locate a burst pipe, but in the example, a urinal that has been in operation throughout the weekend may also increase water consumption and attract attention. "Running the toilet wastes a lot of water."

The first major waterline break of the season has occurred at Blessing Drive, a place known for its problems. Neely and Frazier have been planning water and sewer projects, including on-site inspections of locations such as Blessing Drive. Both encouraged the board to continue to advance these proposals, which is Dobson's most important project, because the final authorization and payment of funds may take some time.

"The motion to embezzle ARP funds to advance the sewer project at Blessing Drive behind Saddle Brook, and to apply for appropriate permits from the state government to obtain construction authorization" is more than a vote: the motion was passed unanimously.

Members of the local judiciary are mourning the loss of Spencer G. Key Jr., who served as a district court judge for a long time due to complications of COVID-19.

"I can tell you, of course we are all shocked," lawyer Ben Royster said of Key's death on Sunday.

"About a week ago (November 13) we received a notice that he has been admitted to the intensive care unit," Royster made recommendations on the judge's treatment at Winston Salem Hospital on Monday. Key, in his 50s, has served as a district court judge in Surrey and Stokes counties since 2000.

The qualities that set him apart are evident both inside and outside the courtroom. Royster added that he is a member of a family law firm with offices in Mount Airy and Pilot Hill. He is in Surrey Stokes District 23. The chairman of the bar.

"Judge Kee is as kind and kind as anyone you have ever met," Royster said. He thinks lawyers, court staff, law enforcement officers, crime victims and even defendants all agree with this view.

"He is just a kind person," the chairman of the 23rd District Bar Association recalled the many relationships that Key had established with legal professionals in the region over the past 30 years. "You can see this when he is sitting on the bench."

Denise Pardue, another local lawyer, also made similar comments.

"Judge Spencer G. Key Jr. is true for many people," Pardue said in a Facebook post. "For many people, he is bright in the darkest hour."

Another local lawyer praised Ke's great wisdom, but also mentioned his quirks and relaxed manners, which can eliminate the drama of sometimes facing court cases.

Pardue mentioned this in her Facebook post to mourn Key:

"He always speaks nice things, or grins, maybe raises his eyebrows, snickers, sometimes it’s barbershop songs, sometimes rap songs, and some dance moves, more often it’s a happy laugh, and there is always a Kind heart," she said. Based on Key's death.

"This is a loss to his family, his church, his friends, our community, the benches and bars in Surrey/Stokes County, and all those who love him."

Key grew up in Pilot Mountain and graduated from East Surrey High School, where he received a scholarship from Wake Forest University.

After graduating from Wake Forest University, Key obtained a JD from the University of North Carolina, which paved the way for him to enter the legal field as a full-time lawyer in 1992.

He served as Assistant District Attorney from 1994 to 2000.

Key was last elected as a District Court judge in 2018 and would have been up for reelection in 2022.

This week, the process of filling the vacancy after his death is unclear, which may include special elections and the actions of Governor Roy Cooper.

"Ultimately, the governor will make an appointment," Royster said of replacing Key. "His departure will have a huge impact on the bars in our area."

Three other district court judges serve Surrey and Stokes counties, namely William Southern, Marion Boone and Tom Langan.

Among the survivors of Ki living in Mount Airy is his wife.

"Remember his wife Erica and his mother Shirley, because they are dealing with this heartbreaking loss," Padu wrote on Facebook.

The clerk of the Surrey County Court Office issued an announcement conveying the impact that the judge’s professional relatives also felt: "Our court family members are heartbroken at the loss of respected District Court Judge Spencer Key Jr.."

Pardue said: "Pray to all those who are saddened by those who have been lost today."

"He will miss it very much."

The Mount Airy Public Library will be closed on Thursday and Friday November 25th and November 26th due to the Thanksgiving holiday.

New version from Mount Airy Public Library:

Tannery – Michael A. Almond (local writer)

The Last Shadow-Orson Scott Card

Dark Hour-Michael Connery

The last thing he told me-Laura Dave

The game begins: The Seductive Twenty-Eight-Janet Ivanovich

The Joy and Light Bus Company – Alexander McCall-Smith

Santa Claus suit-Mary Kay Andrews

Laurel Springs Song-Janet Beard

The library story time is open to anyone who wants to join us. Adults must wear masks. Bilingual story time for children at 4 pm on Monday-listening to English and Spanish stories); 10:30 am on Wednesday for children aged 2 and 3 years old; reservations for children born to 2 years old at 9:30 am on Thursday Babies; born in preschool at 11 o'clock on Thursday morning, preschool story time.

Surrey Community College offers fun and free English as a Second Language (ESL) classes at the Mount Airy Public Library from Monday to Thursday from 8:30 am to 1:30 pm. Anyone interested should contact Jennifer Pardue at 336-386-3674.

Hooked-Join our crochet club at 3pm every Wednesday. Bring your own yarn and make a group project or bring your own project to work.

Tai Chi returned to the library. Joining us every Friday at 10 am This course is beneficial for people with limited mobility.

This is Yoga You-Yoga with Ms. Heather will be held at 10:30 am on November 20th

The classic movie Monday returns on the last Monday of the month, starring Ginger Rogers, Joseph Cotton and Shirley Temple in "I Will See You".

Due to the Christmas holiday, the Community Book Club will meet on the third Wednesday of December at 1pm. At this conference, we will invite speaker, author Calvin Vaughn and editor Heather Elliot to talk about their book Life On MAin.

Lace-The Romance Readers Book Club will meet at 6pm this Tuesday. The book selected in October is Minerva Spencer's "Notorious". There are photocopies on the desk.

Friends of the Library Annual Autumn Book Fair-Come Monday to participate in the last day of the book fair. Today is shopping bag day. Fill a grocery bag for $2. Provide bags.

Carol McDowell has donated the handmade quilt to the Northwest Territories Library System for use as a prize in the raffle. We and our sister library will sell a lottery ticket for $1 and a lottery ticket for $6 for $5. The proceeds will be used to purchase e-books in the region. Tickets are on sale now, you can go to the library to buy tickets to see pictures of quilts. The draw time is November 24th.

Shop at Scholastic Book Fair from November 29th to December 4th. The exhibition will be open during normal library opening hours. For children from preschool to middle school, there will be many options. Books are the perfect gift or stocking stuffing. Gift packaging is available upon request.

Cookies with Santa-December. 21 o'clock 4 o'clock in the afternoon, share stories and cookies with Santa Claus. You can also take a photo with Santa Claus.

Learn about all events on our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/groups/fmapl and https://www.facebook.com/mtapublibrary or our website https://nwrlibrary.org/mountairy/

The homeless waited for the long nights of homelessness, and as winter approached, shelter space continued to be lacking. For single men, there are not many options to choose from-so they do it themselves.

Ann and Jim Simmons have some ideas about this matter, and have heard calls to realize these ideas.

Since 2003, local women and families can seek refuge in the Shepherd’s House. The Shepherd’s House broke ground in 2018, expanding the number of beds from 18 to 48. This is something to celebrate.

As Executive Director Mary Boyles pointed out in a statement at the time, “The Shepherd’s House is the only homeless shelter in the four counties. We urgently need to improve our service capabilities.” Focus on women and families This leaves a gap that other organizations have been trying to bridge.

Then, social distancing and stay-at-home orders interfered with daily life; in general, few people were not affected in some way. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced many citizens and charities to also close their businesses.

Mount Airy Rotary Club listened to Simmons' opinions, and Ann emphasized some of the actions she thought of. She assessed what her team needs now to launch The Mount Airy Men's Shelter.

"We were called to serve," Simmons told the Rotary Club, and her team chose a location for the "hotel room" this winter.

"We are going to buy this property. This is a church plot. The priest will retire in December. The price is very reasonable," Simmons explained their target location on Worth Street. "The property also has a two-bedroom vicarage, which we will use for families and women."

Circumstances beyond their control, such as the uncertainty of renovations, upgrades, and special licenses, mean that the location has expired. With their initiative, Simmons' team needs space most.

The lack of housing for the homeless in winter often leads them to seek shelter and warmth as much as possible. Sometimes, this may mean entering the business secretly as a customer, as described in the meeting.

As the general manager of the Hampton Inn Mount Airy, Lenise Lynch had to deal with the emotions of seeing the need and not being able to help. "There are many people in our community who are homeless. They tried to sleep in our lobby area or our stairwell, and we had to ask them to leave. There was no choice."

Hearing Lynch’s description, Jim cheered up immediately, “Call us and we will open the door - we will come and get it for you.” Lynch expressed her gratitude to Simmons for the new project, right This level of participation is needed.

There is a desire to serve Simmons, but they need help to make things go smoothly. In the past few years, the First Presbyterian Church has been hosting a room in a hotel. Given that this is a shared space, concerns about the spread of COVID have prevented this spread. Fortunately, Mount Airy Men's Shelter is the beneficiary of this change, as they inherited the crib and bed sheets that were used there before.

In the cold months that followed, Simmons needed a place to put the crib she already had. Ideally, a space in a church such as a fellowship hall is ideal, but any facility with a kitchen and toilet will do. "It doesn't have to be a church; it may be in the lobby of a country club. It just needs to be in the city."

Simmons' long-term goals look different because she believes that she needs to work with men to help change the situation, not just the location. Simmons has discussed this issue with Mount Airy Mayor Ron Niland, and discussed it in speeches with groups such as Rotary Club.

"We will have to participate and spend time with these people. We want to provide them with an AA or NA meeting to listen to speakers who have overcome and succeeded," Simmons told the organization. "We want to provide women with options, and maybe a room suitable for families. We don't want to reject anyone."

Lynch saw the impact of cold and hunger on men. "I am grateful that we will have a place to recommend to these people. I hope Mrs. Simmons has good luck in helping these people and working hard to build a healthier community."

Residents can help Mount Airy Men's Shelter in many ways, the most notable being the placement of rooms in hotels in January and February. Financial contributions can be made to this 501(c)(3) organization and, like any shelter, supplies will be required. Simmons compiled a list of items, from toiletries and clothes to kitchen utensils for cooking.

Volunteers can also help in the shelter itself, as they need help while preparing meals, cleaning up, transporting, and when someone is sitting with overnight guests.

Some donations will be worthless, but it means the whole world, "The most important thing is that we need your prayers and hope that God can touch life and provide support to achieve this mission."

For more information, please contact: Mount Airy Men's Shelter @ 336-708-5777, and Mens2021Shelter@gmail.com.

Residents living in Mount Airy and its surrounding areas can learn about their risk of cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, diabetes and other serious chronic diseases by participating in the upcoming medical examinations of Life Line Screening.

Cross Creek Country Club will host this community event on December 1st at 1129 Greenhill Road, Mount Airy.

· The degree of plaque buildup in the arteries is related to the risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, and overall vascular health.

· High-density lipoprotein and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels

· Bone density is the risk of osteoporosis

· Kidney and thyroid function, etc.

The package starts at US$149, but the consultant will work with the client to create a suitable package based on age and risk factors. Call 1-877-237-1287 or visit www.lifelinescreening.com. Need to register in advance.

The Surrey Arts Council will transfer funds from the North Carolina Arts Council Grassroots Art Project to Surrey County non-profit organizations that provide art programs. Sub-funding applications are available online at www.ncarts.org.

Applications must be received at the Surrey Arts Council office by 5 pm on Friday, December 10. The award notification will be issued on or before December 31.

Applications can be mailed to the Surry Arts Council, PO Box 141, Mount Airy, NC 27030, emailed to rj@surryarts.org, faxed to 336-786-9822, or sent by the Surry Arts Council office at 218 Rockford Street.

If you have any questions about this application, please call 336-786-7998 or send an email to tanya@surryarts.org.

For those who have considered running for local public office, 2022 may be an important year. There are more than 20 local public offices to run for—not to mention some state and professional positions that will be opened.

The Greater Mount Airy Chamber of Commerce will soon hold a seminar to learn more about the conditions required to run and hold public office.

The seminar named Candidate 101 is scheduled to be held at the Holiday Inn Express Hotel in Mount Airy from 5:30 pm to 7 pm on December 1st.

Randy Collins, chairman of the Chamber of Commerce, said: "The effort is to educate people and show that if you plan to operate here, that's what's involved."

"We have two experts to speak. Michella Huff will go through the paperwork, filing, national and local requirements mechanisms," he said. Huff is the director of the Surrey County Election Commission.

"We want to invite a former elected official who can tell based on his experience how to organize a campaign, how to conduct a campaign, and what I call the good, bad and ugly public service. What you need to prepare for should you be elected and serve on a public body."

The speaker is scheduled to be Larry Phillips, a former member of the Surrey County Council.

"The Candidate 101 seminar is a bipartisan event and is not affiliated with any candidate or political party," the Chamber of Commerce said when announcing the event. "The purpose of the seminar is to educate individuals who may be considering running for local or state government office, currently or in the future."

"I think people want to serve their communities and this is one way they do it," Collins said of running for office. "For some people, having to walk around and knock on the door is a very scary situation. It has a fundraising element and you have to raise money to pay for the campaign.

"With financial disclosures, you have to let people know how your campaign funds will be used, not to mention your own personal financial disclosures, to ensure that everything is done in an honest, open, and transparent manner," he said of seeking an office.

He said that the seminar is a way for people to learn all the knowledge that may be involved, let them master the knowledge, and help them decide whether to run, and how to do it if they want to run.

"It's free," he said of the party. "It's really open to anyone who wants to run. Maybe not this year, maybe a few years later they are considering running for commissioner seats or school board seats."

This will be the second such seminar held by the Chamber of Commerce. Collins stated that the Chamber of Commerce held its first such event in 2019. Marie Wood was involved, and since then, she has successfully campaigned for a seat on the Mount Airy Committee.

"The Chamber of Commerce will conduct it as a non-partisan and unrelated educational activity. People should not worry about them being recruited in any way. This is really an educational activity. We invite people to come out and understand what is involved. We hope to be able to There is a group of people attending."

"There will be some important elections in 2022. We hope that people will learn about all this and join us."

Among the local offices opened in 2022, there are three seats on the county committee, the county and Airy Mountain School Board, the Mayor of Airy Mountain, and three seats on the committee. The mayor and two board seats will be opened in Pilot Mountain and Dobson, and there will be a three-person team for the Elgin Commissioner and the school board. For a complete list of local offices open for elections, please visit the Surrey County Election Commission website https://www.co.surry.nc.us/departments/(a_through_j)/board_of_elections/index.php

In order to participate in the candidate seminar, the Chamber of Commerce requires people to register on the Chamber of Commerce website www.mtairyncchamber.org, click on "Activities", and then click on "Candidate 101". Questions about the event can be emailed to Collins: randy@mtairyncchamber.org.

Surrey County has issued the following marriage certificates:

– Paul Frances Miller (39-year-old) in Surrey County and Heather Jean Willoughby (36-year-old) in Surrey County.

– Casey Drew Bowman, 31, of Forsyth County, and Jodi Lynn Willford, 36, of Surrey County.

– Robert Lawrence Schupp Jr., 63, Surrey County, Peggy Maureen Spinelli, Surrey County, 67.

– Brian James Rector, 31, Surrey County, and Justine Kamille Gillian Jackson, 30, Surrey County.

– Jackson Cramer Smith, 23, in Surrey County, and Caroline Grace Westmoreland, 25, in Surrey County.

– Samuel Gordon Hall, 33, in Wilkes County, to Kelly Jo Wyatt, 33, in Wilkes County.

– Kris Brian Slavey, 50, Surrey County, and Carrie Ann Sturgil, 47, Surrey County.

– Samuel Lee Barker, 25, of Wilkes County, to Jessica Rae Eldridge, 21, of Surrey County.

After voting in early October to designate $295,000 in city funding for a series of downtown projects, the Mount Airy Commission has completed the transaction.

The board of directors voted unanimously in favor of the budget amendment to actually provide funding at a meeting on Thursday night.

Its goal is to update the master plan of the city center; the public toilets in the 400 block of North Main will be installed in the municipal parking area between Brannock and Hiatt Furniture and Old North State Winery;

In addition, improvements to outdoor spaces centered on public art, including large-scale Andy Griffith murals on the walls of Brannock and Hiatt Furniture, and further work on the alleys of Melwa, now include the late local singer Mel Wall murals in Houston; public alley improvements involving sanitation and safety camera programs, a key component of which is to resurface an alley on Oak Street and implement sanitation solutions there; and new banners on main streets and market streets.

The total price of these projects is estimated at US$592,000. The Mount Airy Downtown Inc. group has agreed to use income from the special municipal service area tax levied on central business district owners to provide $297,00 of this.

Some Mount Airy officials are cautious about allocating such a huge amount of city funds, not knowing where the funds will come from to cover the costs.

The action on Thursday night authorized the withdrawal of funds from the city's fund balance, also known as surplus or savings.

However, officials hope that this can be made up for by the $3.2 million allocated to Mount Airy in the Federal U.S. Rescue Program Act passed earlier this year, and the permitted uses of the Act are still being studied by city staff.

The budget regulation amendment passed on Thursday earmarked funds for downtown improvements initially as part of the agreed agenda, in which items deemed routine were grouped together to be approved by a single vote minus discussion.

However, at the request of Commissioner Tom Koch, a project to update the downtown master plan was moved to the regular agenda to allow such discussions.

He mentioned an initial arrangement that required the city government to pay US$75,000, of which the renewal fee totaled US$125,000 and Mount Airy Downtown Inc. Group provided US$50,000.

The city center plan will modernize the previous plan in 2004 and will include identifying development opportunities in the city center to guide public and private investment in a cost-effective manner; public parking solutions; traffic flow analysis and possible changes, such as Remove the traffic lights along the North Avenue to make them two-way instead of one-way, and bury overhead power lines.

Koch pointed out that the actual cost of the planned update—implemented by Benchmark, which already provides internal planning services to the municipality—was listed as $67,000.

The board members recommended adjusting the city’s capital investment to match the percentage of the original cost-sharing arrangement with Mount Airy’s city center, and questioned the accuracy of all project costs.

Lizzie Morrison, the main street coordinator who was associated with organizations working to improve the central business district and attended the meeting on Thursday night, provided an explanation.

Morrison informed the city council members that the city center organization had committed its share as promised.

"To date, we have spent $50,000 on planning documents for the downtown area," she said. Morrison added that the difference of $8,000 between the actual cost of the update of the city's master plan and earlier estimates will be used to further cover such costs.

"Kill it to death"

After Morrison's speech, Commissioner Mary Wood, who had asked for budget amendments to specify the share of city funds to be included on Thursday night's agenda, said that it was enough.

"I think it's time to vote on this," Wood said of the issues discussed at multiple meetings, although the theoretical approval was passed with a 3-2 vote in early October.

Wood is a board member of Mount Airy Downtown Inc. and of course the liaison between the city government and the group. She said she trusts its financial planning.

"They won't spend money that they can't prove and fit the category," Wood added. "So I think it's time for us to vote on this and stop resolving it and bring it up and beat it to death."

"I didn't know they had spent $50,000," Koch responded when referring to downtown Mount Airy, and he was satisfied with Morrison's explanation.

Subsequently, he voted for a motion made by Wood to actually provide city funding.

Raleigh, North Carolina (Associated Press) - After veteran Rep. GK Butterfield announced this week that he will not seek re-election, U.S. Democratic Senate candidate Erica Smith has switched to a congressional seat in northeastern North Carolina.

Smith's campaign updated the Federal Election Commission's organizational documents late on Friday, indicating that she is now running for the redrawn second congressional district seat.

Smith is a former state senator. He trailed Carl Cunningham in second place in the 2020 Democratic U.S. Senate primary. She entered the 2022 Democratic field very early, but was easily defeated in the campaign of former Supreme Court Chief Justice Cheri Beasley and current state Senator Jeff Jackson. Smith described himself as the most progressive candidate in the primaries.

Butterfield's announcement on Thursday that he will not run for election in 2022 will give Smith a potential landing site in an area including her home in Northampton County. Late Friday, phone calls or text messages to Smith and her campaign office, and emails to her campaign manager were not immediately responded. Applications for formal candidates for the primaries on March 8 will begin on December 6.

In his retirement video, Butterfield, who has served in Congress since 2004, criticized the Republican Party for redistricting electoral districts because it drew an excessive partisan map, and declared that it was time to "pass the torch on to people with the same values ​​as the region." ".

Butterfield, the former leader of the Congressional Black Caucus, usually wins by a considerable advantage in his rural areas, which usually contains most black counties. But the recently redrawn map of the US House of Representatives in North Carolina puts him in a tossing position, which makes it difficult for any Democrat to win.

Smith's move also shaken the Senate election, especially Smith's supporters must decide who they will be loyal to before the primary election.

Democratic State Senator Don Davis, representing Pitt and Green Counties, has expressed interest in succeeding Butterfield and said on Thursday that he will share more information about his future plans "in due course."

Sandy Smith, a Republican in Pitt County, lost to Butterfield by 8 percentage points in the 2020 general election. He is already seeking a Republican nomination in the region.

The second district promulgated covers all or part of the 18 counties, extending from Washington County in the east to Caswell County inland.

Raleigh, North Carolina (Associated Press) - On Friday, a judge postponed because a key participant in a North Carolina absentee ballot fraud case must report a crime involving welfare fraud to a federal prison because of the defendant’s health.

Leslie McCrae Dowless Jr. of Braden County was supposed to report to the South Carolina jail before December 1 and serve six months in prison, but his lawyer requested that it be postponed to April 1 because of his Health problems are getting worse. U.S. District Judge Terrence Boyle approved the extension.

According to documents submitted to the Federal Court earlier this week, Dawlis was in his 60s and suffered a stroke in August and learned earlier this month that he may have lung cancer. His lawyer wrote that he needed time to make follow-up medical appointments to determine his course of care.

Boyle pleaded guilty in June to obtain illegal social security benefits while concealing his remuneration for political work. He sentenced Dawless in early September.

These allegations are closely related to the state government's broader investigation into illegal absentee voting activities in the 2016 general election and the 2018 primary and 2018 elections-the authorities have listed Dawlis as the main figure.

Dowless was charged with 13 state crimes in the case, including obstruction of justice, possession of absentee ballots and perjury.

The State Election Commission conducted an investigation into the 2018 9th Congressional District elections, when Dawlis worked for the then Republican candidate Mark Harris, which caused the commission to abandon the results and order a new election. No charges were made against Harris, who did not participate in subsequent elections.

When appearing in the Wake County Superior Court on Monday, Dawless rejected a plea agreement offered by District Attorney Lorraine Freeman, which required him to serve a year in prison, half of which will be executed concurrently with his federal term. The judge set the trial date as August next year.

Freeman said in court that the guilty plea proposal will continue until November 30, probably the day before Dawlis will enter the Salters prison in South Carolina.

Freeman said in a telephone interview later on Friday that the deadline will remain unchanged. She said she might discuss with Dowless's lawyers whether the trial can now be held before his new April report date.

In a court hearing on Monday, Dawless’s recent medical challenge was relayed to High Court Judge Keith Gregory, who asked him and Freeman to continue to understand the situation.

The long-awaited passage of the Raleigh State budget was welcomed domestically because it included funding for projects in Mount Airy and the local airport.

"As part of this good news, there are several good things that will help our community move forward," Mayor Ron Niland announced Thursday night during the general comments at the end of the city council meeting.

These projects include the replacement of the aging utility lines in Mount Airy, the restoration of the Ararat River and the terminal and taxiway works at the Mount Airy-Surry County Airport.

According to data released on Thursday night on city projects and Friday’s airport information, the total amount of funds reserved for these needs in the NSW budget is approximately US$6.5 million.

Earlier Thursday, Governor Roy Cooper signed a spending plan deemed overdue, the first comprehensive state budget in three years. It should be in place by July 1.

North Carolina is the last state in the country that has not set a budget for this year. Thursday’s breakthrough came after Cooper and legislative leaders negotiated for several weeks.

According to state sources, the budget plans to spend $25.9 billion this year and $27 billion next year. Federal coronavirus relief assistance will also add billions of dollars.

Despite the delays, based on the appreciation comments made by the Mayor of Niland and Commissioner Steve Yokeley during the Mount Airy Committee meeting, local officials appeared to be satisfied with the final result.

Has the "time bomb" been removed?

Niland is particularly excited about the $1.5 million in grants in the budget to address the aging water supply and sewers in the city center and its surrounding areas.

Niland explained: "This is replacing the 80-year-old line that has been underground since almost the first line was put into use in the city."

For many years, aging underground utility pipelines have been a major problem for Airy Mountain, and a former official once called their existence a “time bomb” that threatened the city government.

State funding is for routes in some key areas.

"Our plan is to replace the water supply and sewer (along) Oak Street from Main Street to Market Street," explained Mitch Williams, director of public works, and then from Main Street to South Street on Franklin Street.

"This will basically complete all the groundwater lines needed for the reconstruction-no matter what happens long after I leave," Nilande said.

According to an earlier summary of capital needs, there will still be some utility needs in the city, which lists remote water supply and sewer repair projects totaling approximately US$4.3 million in fiscal year 2025-26 alone.

Overall, the new state budget includes $1.7 billion to improve water supply and sewers.

Another $650,000 is earmarked locally for repairing the eroded section of the Ararat River near Riverside Drive, where the Granite City Greenway is being expanded.

Although Niland said on Thursday that the funds will also fund the one-mile expansion of the urban greenway system, Darren Lewis, Director of Parks and Recreation/Interim City Manager, later stated that this may eventually be achieved through state funding.

But Lewis added that river restoration is currently the focus. Except for the project at hand, there are no plans to further expand the greenway, extending the 1.2-mile asphalt pathway north of Riverside Park to the SouthData Inc. area of ​​Technology Lane.

Mount Airy/Surry County Airport is a major beneficiary of state funding, with a total of US$4.4 million allocated for two different projects.

"In the state budget, we approved $2.9 million for the construction of the new terminal," airport manager George Crater revealed on Friday.

"We have received $1.5 million to complete the parallel taxiway," Crater added when talking about another project. "We are currently getting the plan approved by the Ministry of Aviation."

The completion of completely parallel taxiways is a safety improvement. Parallel taxiways are usually aircraft paths that connect the runway with the apron, hangar, terminal and other facilities. This allows the aircraft to leave the runway faster, allowing other aircraft to land or take off in a shorter time.

"After approval, we plan to tender the project in early 2022," the airport manager said on Friday.

As for the new terminal, Crater has not yet received any official documents from the North Carolina Department of Aviation on the project timetable, but it is expected to proceed in 2022.

"As always, all of our schedules may be changed due to the delivery of materials and can easily be delayed by six months," he said. "I hope these two projects can be advanced as soon as possible."

The mayor of Nilan stated that whether the citizens are aware of this or not, the airport measures are economically important to the entire community.

"For most of us, it's a bit blind and unpleasant because we don't have airplanes and we don't fly airplanes," he admitted.

However, when it comes to American companies, "This is how they move around," Niland commented, noting that some local companies have business connections with remote areas of the country and must arrive quickly.

Neyland, along with representative Jon Cawley, represented the city on the management committee of the facility, and there are now seven business jets parked at the local airport.

© 2018 Airy Mountain News