Andy and Opie would’ve been proud of those attending a weekend Healthy Family Hooplah fishing event in Mount Airy, who didn’t let water from the sky keep their hooks from the waters of Tumbling Rock Reservoir.

Although Saturday’s forecast called for only a slight chance of rain, intermittent sprinkles managed to work their way into the proceedings at the Westwood Park fishing facility which went on regardless.

Such an event, designed to give local families and kids the chance to experience the joys of angling, had not been held locally for the past two years due to the coronavirus and everyone seemed to relish its resumption.

The gathering not only provided rods, reels and bait to those lacking them while allowing participants to take home what they reeled in, but prizes for fish caught, hot dogs and trimmings, face painting and more — all for the incredibly low price of free.

Those who were younger than 16 also did not even need a fishing license to cast lines into the freshly stocked reservoir, either from a pier or along its banks.

Saturday’s scheduled five-hour affair combined the organizational efforts of Surry/Stokes Friends of Youth Inc., the Women’s League of Mount Airy, the Mount Airy Police Department, the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission and others.

Those attending the Healthy Family Hoopla included both veteran anglers and novices taking advantage of the opportunity to explore the pastime of fishing that has helped one while away many a country day.

“Actually, this is my first time fishing and it is really fun,” said Amelia Jayde Hazelwood, 12, a student at Central Middle School in Dobson.

“It is really calming,” she explained, citing the chance to get away from the pressures of the outside work and partake of the simple pleasures of looking at lily pads in the water and the reassuring ripples of the current.

Gracie Edgar, another 12-year-old of Pilot Mountain Middle School who was fishing alongside her friend from Central Middle, was impressed by “how quiet it is” while fishing. “We sometimes hear a little baby in the background, but that’s OK.”

The two youths had not yet mastered the art of casting, but seemed to improve as time passed. Then there was a matter of waiting for the floating cork to disappear from the surface and exhibit the telltale bobbing motion that indicates a bite.

“I can never be patient enough to see it go in the water,” Amelia said while recasting her line a number of times.

Saturday’s foray at the park did not seem to reap as many denizens of the deep as previous events, despite the reservoir being recently stocked with catfish that joined sunfish and bass already there.

This seemed partly due to the cool wet weather that prevailed during the day.

“It’s a little early in the year for catfish to start biting,” Fisheries Biologist Kin Hodges of the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission added while passing out rods and reels. “I think they’re taking the morning off.”

Yet there were still folks on hand trying to catch fish, no matter how elusive, and regardless of what Mother Nature served up Saturday.

“It is a great turnout with the weather,” said Surry/Stokes Friends of Youth Executive Director Tamara Veit.

Tom Joyce may be reached at 336-415-4693 or on Twitter @Me_Reporter.

The Embers featuring Craig Woolard return to the Blackmon Amphitheatre on Thursday followed by North Tower Band on Friday and Envision on Saturday. All three bands are set to play at 7:30 p.m. each day.

The Embers are widely considered a musical marvel and have laid the groundwork for what has become known as ‘Beach Music’ in the Carolinas, Virginias, the gulf coast region of North America, and every beach in between.

“They are a true musical tradition with which many Americans have listened to from childhood to adulthood,” according to the Surry Arts Council, sponsors of the Summer Concert Series. “The Embers consider the genre of Beach Music as ‘music with a memory’ and have been creating lasting memories since its inception in 1958. Simply put – Heart and soul, rhythm and blues, feel good music.”

North Tower has been one of the South’s party bands for more than 35 years, providing the best in Top 40, beach, funk, and oldies. “Sizzling brass, super vocals, and a wide-ranging repertoire all contribute to making your event a night to remember.”

“Envision’s stage show is as exciting to watch as it is to dance to, covering hits from the 60s, 70s, and 80s, all the way up to the contemporary sound of today’s Top 40,” the arts council said. Although specializing as a party band, the group’s repertoire encompasses a wide variety of musical styles, including R&B, beach, motown/oldies, pop, dance, funk, and Jazz.

Admission to each show is $15, plus tax, or a Surry Arts Council Annual Pass, which costs $135, including tax. Children 12 and younger are admitted free when accompanied by an adult. The Dairy Center, Whit’s Custard, and Thirsty Souls Community Brewing will be at the concerts to provide food, snacks, drinks, beer, and wine for purchase. No outside alcohol or coolers are allowed to be brought into the amphitheatre area. Those attending are asked to bring a lounge chair or blanket to sit on.

Tickets are available at the gates on the nights of the concerts, online at www.surryarts.org, via phone at 336-786-7998, or at the Surry Arts Council office at 218 Rockford Street. For additional information, contact Marianna Juliana at 336-786-7998 or marianna@surryarts.org.

Fourth Graders at Pilot Mountain Elementary got to take their learning on the road to visit the State Capital and other government buildings in Raleigh recently.

As part of the fourth grade curriculum, students learn about the different branches of state government and how they work. Students were excited to go visit the places they have learned about and see firsthand the many parts of the state government system.

For the second time in less than six months, a fire has occurred in a vacant commercial building in Mount Airy — and once again the incident has been tied to its occupation by the homeless.

“It was just rinse and repeat,” city Fire Chief Zane Poindexter said of what seems to have become a trend.

The latest blaze was reported Tuesday about 6:15 a.m. at 455 Franklin St., where a large structure is located which formerly housed a private club known as Koozies and before than was a Quality Mills facility.

A passerby spotted smoke coming from the building, leading to a deployment by members of the Mount Airy Fire Department, with 15 firefighters on the scene altogether.

Upon arrival units found an active room and contents fire in the basement of the structure, according to information from the department.

Firefighters then stretched an attack line to the basement door and extinguished the blaze, which was brought under control about 10 minutes after they arrived with no injuries caused.

Primary and secondary searches of the structure resulted to ensure there was no extension of the fire from the room of origin, and the area also was ventilated.

As of Tuesday, the origin of the blaze had not been determined.

“One homeless occupant was at the scene and made to evacuate,” Poindexter added Tuesday, who later was questioned by the city fire marshal and police. “And he couldn’t give any substantial information about the cause of the fire.”

“Unfortunately, though, we determined that there is more than one person living there now,” the fire chief said of the deteriorating building that’s been a source of controversy in recent years and in February was targeted for demolition by city officials.

Evidence of bedding at the scene indicated the recent presence of multiple individuals, Poindexter explained, despite signs prohibiting its occupancy.

One person also had been at the scene of an initial fire at the former Koozies building in late November, who subsequently was charged with breaking and entering.

The man located there Tuesday morning was a different person, the fire chief said.

November’s fire is believed to have resulted from some kind of fire allegedly started to keep warm amid freezing temperatures, but that apparently was not the case with this week’s incident occurring amid summer-like conditions.

The earlier fire caused estimated damages of $1,000.

No monetary figure was listed for Tuesday’s blaze, with Poindexter explaining that it was difficult to distinguish any new damage from that resulting in November.

The multiple fires point to a disturbing trend, the fire chief said. “It’s sad to see how some people live.”

Signage might be placed at the scene, in addition to that already there, in a further attempt to prevent occupancy of the structure that has been declared dangerous and unfit for human habitation.

The Mount Airy News contacted the four candidates running for the North Carolina Senate District 36 seat, representing Mount Airy and Surry County. We presented the candidates with three questions, asking them to limit their answers to roughly 250 words per question. Here are their answers. Candidates are listed in alphabetical order.

Shirley Randleman, 71, of Wilkesboro, has served in both the North Carolina House of Representatives, from 2009 to 2013, and in the State Senate, from 2013-2018. Prior to that she was a long-time Clerk of Superior Court for Wilkes County.

Question: In recent years, there has been a lot of public discussion on the role of government, big vs. small government, intrusion in private lives vs. basic freedoms, and the like. In your opinion, what is the role of the state government in North Carolina?

Randleman: First and foremost, the role of government is to protect our rights as citizens.

Question: What do you believe are the two or three biggest issues facing North Carolinians today, and how do you believe the state government should attack those issues?

Randleman: 1. K-12 education in North Carolina is a major issue with more parents seeking alternatives to public education. We need to create a K-12 education system that meets the needs of parents and students. And of course, teachers. Because of discipline issues, teachers and students should not go to school in fear for themselves because of a lack of discipline. We must demand accountability, discipline in the classrooms, parental involvement, and the use of common sense. I will work with The House Select Committee on an Education System for North Carolina’s future to expand what works and eliminate what doesn’t work. We need to get back to the basics of education “reading, writing, and mathematics” and demand an end to “social engineering” and the indoctrination of our most precious resource, our children.

2. Our counties and the entire state are trying to figure out how to deal with issues associated with mental health and substance abuse. Access to care is a major hurdle for these individuals as overdose deaths have reached record numbers. In the recent opioid settlement agreement, North Carolina will receive $750 million over the course of 18 years most of which will go to the counties to help people and communities impacted by the overdose crisis. With specific guidelines for how each county can use its share of the money, I will push for careful monitoring and oversight of the State Health Department to make sure the guidelines are being followed and that the funds are being used for their intended purpose.

Question: Why are you running for office, and why should voters cast a ballot for you? What sets you apart from your opponent?

Randleman: The Legislature is the law-making branch of government. I served as the elected Clerk of Superior Court for Wilkes County, working in the court system for 34 years. My job was to help people. I implemented, instructed on, and enforced the laws enacted by the legislature. In my role as a legislator, both in The North Carolina House and Senate, this practical experience enabled me to have input on matters being considered and how they would affect individuals and businesses in our communities using a common sense approach.

Eddie Settle, 62, of Pleasant Hill, is serving the his third term as a member of the Wilkes County Board of Commissioners. He has spent four years as chairman of that board, as well as an additional three years as vice chairman. In addition, he has served on a number of community and civic organizations, including as a deacon at Pleasant Ridge Baptist Church, and with the Hugh Chatham Memorial Hospital Auxiliary Board; as a North Carolina Agriculture Committee Chairman for 6 years; Wilkes County Economic Development; on the Wilkes County Library Board for four years; on the Wilkes County Airport Board; the High Country Council of Governments; as well as serving as chairman of the Wilkes County Social Services Board

QUESTION: In recent years, there has been a lot of public discussion on the role of government, big vs. small government, intrusion in private lives vs. basic freedoms, and the like. In your opinion, what is the role of the state government in North Carolina?

Settle: Since my experience is in business and agriculture, I firmly believe in smaller government. I have experienced the state mandates and federal government regulations stifling business. We are still trying to recover from the past two years of Gov. Cooper’s executive powers and mandates. I believe there should be no government mandate for vaccinations, wearing masks, closing businesses or churches. I believe in life and liberty and the pursuit of happiness without government intrusion. The role of state government should include providing good roads, educating our children without indoctrination. Another issue is protection from burning and looting our cities during peaceful protests. When i.e., peaceful protesters start burning and looting our cities, blocking our roads, government should stand with our law enforcement to protect the citizens.

QUESTION: What do you believe are two or three of the biggest issues facing North Carolinians today, and how do you believe the state government should attack those issues?

Settle: Our children are first and foremost the biggest issue. Public education has allowed some educational districts to take a critical turn of direction to indoctrinate our children with Critical Race Theory (CRT), sexism, and racism. Now is the time to take control of this issue! Our children have suffered over the past two years by too many state mandates.

Another issue is voter identification. Voter ID is needed to restore confidence in North Carolina’s election process.

QUESTION: Why are you running for office and why should voters cast a ballot for you? What sets you apart from your opponent?

Settle: I am running because, I can make a difference. I can work across the line and I have a record that supports this.

I am running for the futures of our children, and grandchildren. I am running for the elderly, the veterans, and the working class folks. I grew up being taught by my parents and grandparents, if you don’t’ work, you don’t eat. and that your good name is all you have. I believe in seeking God’s will in my life and the decisions that I make, because I believe in His promise.

What separates me from my opponents are that I believe Donald Trump proved a businessman can run this country better than a politician. I am a businessman and a farmer, not a politician.

Vann Tate, 57, of Mount Airy, is making a bid for his first elected office, “but I can offer 30 years of experience working in the government since that was my job as an NC State Highway Patrolman,” he said. Tates has held a number of volunteer posts over the years in community civic clubs and in his thurche. “When I retired as an NC State Trooper I established a partnership as president and co-owner of USA Investigative Services, LLC, where I work as a licensed private investigator.”

QUESTION: In recent years, there has been a lot of public discussion on the role of government, big vs. small government, intrusion in private lives vs. basic freedoms, and the like. In your opinion, what is the role of the state government in North Carolina?

Tate: I believe that the closer home a problem is managed, the easier it is to get a hold on. We are seeing difficulties that occur from regulations that come down from DC, meant for the entire country, but often cause concerns for one area while benefiting another. The more each individual state can manage the concerns that area has, the easier it is to manage, and the same goes for each individual county. Each county is like a family, with different needs, different financial setups, and it is more beneficial to keep the management of those needs confined as much as possible. Smaller government does not intrude as greatly into people’s private lives which allows them to feel the freedom that our US Constitution was written to provide us. The role of the state government in North Carolina is to protect those rights, to assure the residents that their lives are as protected as possible, even making new laws to provide that, and to even be the firewall between North Carolina’s citizens and federal regulations that might intrude on the way of life that has been established here in our great state.

QUESTION: What do you believe are the two or three biggest issues facing North Carolinians today, and how do you believe the state government should attack those issues?

Tate: The people of North Carolina need to feel protected in every way possible. It isn’t just a safety issue of having sufficient law enforcement to assure that we have licensed officers at hand, but it is also protection of our way of life. Unfortunately with the “Defund the Police” and the harassment of law enforcement over these past few years, our law enforcement entities have lost personnel, and many are still operating on limited staff. There needs to be encouragement and recruitment for these careers which will help all departments throughout the state. Another concern is also the pay that is available to these individuals who get into law enforcement. The county commissioners and town boards need to step forward along with the state departments to compensate these who serve and protect as they deserve.

The second part of protection is protecting the way of life we have enjoyed in North Carolina. So much of it has been under attack in these past years from our farmers facing unforeseen regulations along with natural disasters to our loss of businesses, both larger and small businesses due to Covid. There have been federal funds that have come into North Carolina from FEMA and from Covid allocations that were made available, but every week I am reading that those funds have also been abused. There must be better oversight as the funds are given out to see that those in need get what is promised as well as the money being invested wisely by the municipalities and counties. Along with the Covid influence has come a surge in population with an unforeseen influx moving primarily from the North into our state, causing a rush on the housing market. This has been profitable for some while putting a burden on our residents to find needed housing which is another developing concern.

And … third … is protection for our children. The new ideals and whims that are being pushed into our educational system need more evaluation before our children are subjected to them. It seems that the educational system has drifted from teaching the basics to often using our children as guinea pigs. Parents have made an impact by stepping forward and objecting which is a great sign because it is not up to the educational system to teach values to the students but something that needs to start at home.

QUESTION: Why are you running for office, and why should voters cast a ballot for you? What sets you apart from your opponent?

Tate: I have known for quite some time that my life experiences have given me much to be shared with others. I want to take to Raleigh what I have learned from working with various departments of the government and from first-hand knowledge of seeing our state laws put to work throughout the years. From my experience as a Trooper I have worked across all socio-economic lines, dealing with all segments from the distressed and needy all the way to working as member of the Security Detail for the Governor of North Carolina.

One thing that sets me apart from my opponents is that I am the youngest of the four so should have a few more years to devote to serving in the State Senate. I also have more diversity than the others seem to have since I have worked in state government and in the private sector as well as having lived and worked in several counties across North Carolina. Because of my years of experience in dealing with people, with some during the worst circumstances of their lives, I have learned to care about each one I encounter. People tell me they find me immediately trustworthy and compassionate and feel I care about their wellbeing. I certainly enjoy working with others, sharing viewpoints and concerns, and finding common ground with a sensible way to address concerns. The most important qualifier that sets me apart from the other candidates is integrity which has been the basis for my life, being honest and putting the needs of others first.

Lee Zachary, 75, of Yadkinville, has served four terms — eight years — in the North Carolina House of Representatives. He has also served as mayor of Yadkinville for four years, and as a member of the Yadkin Board of Commissioners for four years.

QUESTION: In recent years, there has been a lot of public discussion on the role of government, big vs. small government, intrusion in private lives vs. basic freedoms, and the like. In your opinion, what is the role of the state government in North Carolina?

Zachary: Overall, I favor less government involvement in citizens’ lives, although I recognize that there are areas in which the government, by virtue of its constitutional duties, needs to be involved. Those areas are transportation, education, and the courts. These three areas consume the vast majority of our tax dollars. By their nature and the number of citizens affected, these government agencies are very large, as they have to be in order to provide the service.

There are other areas of governmental intervention that are very important to the citizens of our state, such as mask mandates, employee vaccination requirements, and zoning issues. This country was founded on individual rights and the right to own and control your property, and I strongly support our Constitution. The less intrusion by government into our individual rights and right to own and control our property, the better.

QUESTION: What do you believe are the two or three biggest issues facing North Carolinians today, and how do you believe the state government should attack those issues?

Zachary: One significant issue is the need to expand broadband internet service across our state. Broadband internet services are provided by communication and utility providers, and require large capital outlays. The best way for government to encourage expansion is by providing loans and grants to the providers. I will continue to support these projects, particularly in rural areas where the requisite capital may not be as available as in urban areas.

It is clear that one of the biggest issues facing our state is election integrity. If the public does not have confidence in the integrity of our elections, the public will not respect our laws and will lose faith in our government. The state has enacted laws to make the voting machines “tamper proof.” However, I have been informed that the real election integrity problem in North Carolina is the failure to purge the voter rolls of deceased voters. To rectify this problem, I am preparing legislation that would require the Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHS) to send death certificates each month to local boards of election, which the local boards would be mandated to use to purge the voter rolls of deceased persons, and then to certify the changes to the State Board of Elections, where the State voter rolls could be amended. This would make voter fraud much more difficult to accomplish in North Carolina.

Another major issue facing our state is public education. Under our Constitution, the unelected members of the State Board of Education are charged with “supervising and administering the free public school system.” The elected Superintendent of Public Instruction is just the “secretary and chief administrative officer of the State Board of Education.” If the elected Superintendent of Public Instruction were in charge, we would not be dealing with Critical Race Theory or other such problems. I am currently working on a constitutional amendment to eliminate the unelected State Board of Education and put the elected Superintendent of Public Instruction in charge of the Department of Public Instruction, as most North Carolinians think the superintendent is now.

QUESTION: Why are you running for office, and why should voters cast a ballot for you? What sets you apart from your opponent?

I am running for the NC Senate so that I can continue to help citizens with problems that they have with the state government. I feel that I am the best qualified candidate to serve the people of this district. As a current member of the NC House, I know the members of the NC Senate, having served with most of them for several years and worked successfully with them on legislation. As a lawyer, I know how to read legislation, how to write legislation, and how to make sure the legislation says what we want it to say and not what someone else tells you it says. I am also a veteran, and a proven conservative, having received the Certificate of Conservative Excellence from the American Conservative Union Foundation for my commitment to American constitutional principles.

If you like the job we’ve been doing in Raleigh to reduce taxes, set back money for the rainy day fund, fight the tax and spend crowd, protect 2nd Amendment Rights, and expand school of choice legislation, then I am a proven vote for conservative issues.

And I would appreciate your vote in the Republican primary!

Surry Central High School recently hosted an Addiction Awareness Week with the Surry County Office of Substance Abuse Recovery.

The school partnered with many community members to help bring information and awareness about addiction and recovery to the high school’sstudents. During the week, there were guest speakers, contests, and classroom activities to educate and inform students by reading addiction stories, information on how to get help, and resources available in our county for an opportunity for life-long recovery.

Guest speakers included Charlotte Reeves, Ben Nichols, and Carey Lowe. Reeves spoke to freshmen about the adolescent brain and how addiction affects it. Nichols spoke about his story of substance abuse and Lowe is the mother of Noah Lowe-who would have been a 2020 graduate but passed away from an overdose in April of 2020.

Surry County EMT also created simulations for students to see what happens during a “mock” overdose situation.

“It was a very successful week in educating students about addiction and recovery and trying to save future generations one step at a time at Surry Central High School,” school officials said.

The Ninth Annual MAD Dash 5K raised more than $20,000 for Surry County School System students and teachers. The race, held on April 23, and hosted by the Surry County Schools Educational Foundation, had more than 450 participants racing through the streets of Dobson, with hundreds more volunteers and spectators cheering them on.

The 5K began on the Surry Community College campus and finished at the 50-yard line of the Surry Central High School Rex Mitchell Track and Field. All eleven Surry County Schools elementary GROW (Go Run Our World) Strong Teams competed in the event. Each team goes through a 10-week training after school. The training not only prepares students to participate in the 5K but also teaches positive characteristics such as determination, confidence, self-pride and race etiquette.

“Thank you to all of our participants and our sponsors for making this event successful. Surry Insurance, our Event Sponsor, is a great supporter of our foundation and students,” said John Priddy, foundation chairperson. Northern Regional Hospital, Renfro Brands, and Wayne Farms were the Finish Line Sponsors and Dr. John L. Gravitte, DDS, PA, was the medal sponsor.

“We’re back,” said Dr. Travis L. Reeves, superintendent of Surry County Schools. “It is great to see all these leaders here this morning. Students, volunteers, parents, and spectators have all teamed up to give back to our schools. The generous community and sponsor support we receive for this race will help students and teachers experience fantastic learning opportunities inside and outside the classroom.”

Miguel Vega took top honors in the race with a time of 18:44.53 Second place went to Jack Hardy at 20:50.24, and third place went to Rodrigo Cortes at 20:53.84. Ella Priddy was first among females with a time of 21:51.45, Eliza Richardson was next at 24:05.50 and Dasia Lambert at, 24:05.78 was third.

The Surry County Schools Educational Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization created by a group of local business and community leaders who are passionate about the education and the future of Surry County. The Board of Directors is committed to providing enhanced learning opportunities for students that will position them to be ready to compete in a global market. For more information, contact Ashley H. Mills, managing director, at 336-386-8211 and online at www.scsfoundation.org.

Pilot Mountain Elementary School recently recognized students for making the school’s third-quarter honor roll.

Third grade A Honor Roll: Gunner Copeland, Seth Crawford, Mason Estrada, Nate Grose, Payton Hester, Ocie Hunter, Eliza Jacobs, Sam Kiser, Lillian Manuel, Ellie Mills, Rowan Powell, Avianna Radford, Pryce Taylor, Kate Wilkins, Natalie Yopp

Third grade A/B Honor Roll: Emily Ayala, Kindee Boyd, Nylah Brown, Oakley Collins, Cadence Felts, Ayilan Garrison, Graham Griffith, Audrey Hayden, AJ Kincaid, Rosa Lopez, Preston McLeod, Kayden McMillian, Emma Moorefield, McKenzie Pell, Isabelle Spainhour, Lucas Wood-Armstrong, Lola Wooten, and Dominic Worthy.

Fourth grade A Honor Roll: Mia Campbell, Brody Chilton, Smith Cook, Milayah Cropps, Ji’San Davis-Reynolds, Faith Francis, Colin Galyean, Sloane Hooker, Dylan Johnson, Brayden Nicholson, Piper Patton, Eva Pena, Jeremy Stevens, Declan Tilley, and Katie Willoughby.

Fourth grade A/B Honor Roll: Morgan Dean, Xander Elburn, Anahi Flores, Lucas Gonzalez, Mason Hester, Brooklyn Horton, Wells Johnson, Carlos Lopez, Yareli Nava-Garzon, Olivia Newsom, Blakely Riddle, Amelia St. Jude, and Luke Surratt.

Fifth grade A Honor Roll: Ellie Anderson, Isabelle Bennett, Layla Comer, Sophia Estrada, Titus Hamons, Emilynn Haymore, Zoe Keener, Marlon Lowe, Kyson Massie, Sammie Moser, Carr Norris, Averie Powell, Jaxon Priddy, Journey Priddy, and Easton Sallee.

Fifth grade A/B Honor Roll: Carson Durham, Bryleigh Easter, Jayden Knight, Cara Lewellyn, Addilyn Nicholson, Amber Quinn, Nicholas Reynolds, Wyatt Robertson, Caleb Sloop, Ryan Surratt, Landri Taylor, Kaleb Williams, and Ansley Yount.

An arrest has been made in the shooting death of a city teen who was found lying in a street near his home last September, the Mount Airy Police Department announced Monday afternoon.

Marquis Reginald Hatcher, 28, of 139 Vance St., Dobson, is charged with murder in the case involving John Martinez Flores, 18, who lived in the 2100 block of North Main Street.

Flores was fatally shot outside his residence on the night of Sept. 21, police say.

City officers who were responding to a requested security check in that area located the wounded teen near the intersection of North Main Street and Jones School Road shortly after midnight, according to previous reports. He had received multiple gunshot wounds.

Flores was transported by the Surry County Emergency Medical Service to a Winston-Salem hospital, where he later died from his injuries.

The teen’s death sparked an investigation that not only involved the Mount Airy Police Department but the Surry County Sheriff’s Office and N.C. State Bureau of Investigation. It also included an appeal to the public for information about the shooting.

In the weeks and months after the homicide, authorities were able to develop evidence through countless interviews and other investigative means.

“It was very extensive with different agencies and the fact everyone worked together,” city Police Chief Dale Watson said Tuesday of what it took to crack the case.

“The teamwork has been phenomenal,” Watson added.

The investigative efforts led to the issuance of a felony arrest warrant for Hatcher for the murder of Flores.

“We feel it was drug-related,” the police chief advised Tuesday of the circumstances surrounding the fatal shooting. “The investigation is still ongoing.”

Hatcher has a history of drug arrests, including serving time in prison for narcotics-related charges.

He is now being held in the Surry County Jail without privilege of bond,

Hatcher’s first scheduled court appearance is on May 25 in Surry District Court.

Records show he has a number of other cases pending in Superior Court, unrelated to the Flores shooting, including charges of felony assault, inflicting serious bodily injury; felonious possession of a Schedule II controlled substance; possession of a firearm by a convicted felon; maintaining a drug vehicle/dwelling place; possession of heroin with intent to manufacture, sell or deliver; breaking and entering to terrorize/injure; and others.

Cycles and patterns in life happen, we frequently choose to look at them and dismiss them as a random coincidence. However, other times these cycles occur because it can be human nature to follow the path of least resistance and stay in unhealthy patterns.

Such may be the case for those in the criminal justice system for whom it can be ever more difficult to break the cycle of incarceration that, left unchecked, may find itself as the worst hand-me-down item between generations.

Wayne Farms is entering a partnership with Surry County Sheriff Steve C. Hiatt in a new job reentry program that seeks to break the cycle of recidivism while filling staffing needs at one of the county’s largest employers.

Guinea pigs at a poultry plant

Certified Peer Support Specialist Sonya Cheek said, “This cannot work without assistance from the sheriff and Mr. Wooten at Wayne Farms.”

“This is my community,” Matthew Wooten, Dobson Complex manager for Wayne Farms, said while posing for photos with Sheriff Hiatt, Cheek, and a phalanx from the sheriff’s office. When hearing of the program, it sounded like a no brainer to him, “I said ‘I like it, let’s do it!’”

Wayne Farms has a history of being an active member of the community. He said he was not scared to be the “guinea pig” for this program, and they know there may be growing pains with Wooten joking, “Experiment on me.”

“This is not a guarantee of a job, this is an opportunity,” he said, saying that these candidates will be treated like any others.

Cheek has been granted unfettered access to Wayne Farms and will be the point of contact between Wayne Farms and the county’s work reentry program. She will have to ability to make ad hoc visits onto their property to conduct onsite check-ins.

“We have a responsibility to help Wayne Farms keep the employee,” she said, “not plug them in and forget about them.” That means complying with mandated follow up and case management on a regular basis.

Sheriff Hiatt pointed that Insteel had approached him in 2019 about participating in a job reentry program, but the county was not ready at that time. Also, Leonard previously expressed some interest in participating as well. “The largest employer in the county took a chance – we want other businesses to participate,” Willis said of Wayne Farms.

Interestingly, Forsyth County had reached out to Wayne Farms to do something similar and that sparked the idea for Wooten to reach out to Surry County and inquire about a similar program with Sheriff Hiatt.

Willis, the low-key directory of the county’s substance abuse response, admits he is “more of a systems guy” than anything else. The county needs his expertise on the admin side, he needs help from the likes of Cheek, Charlotte Reeves, and a bevy of volunteers. “I do not have the inside the bubble experience. It would be like me trying to empathize with childbirth.”

When a 3 a.m. collect call comes in, it is answered by Cheek, one of the lynchpins in the county’s new job reentry partnership between the sheriff’s office and Wayne Farms. That process will be greatly simplified because Pay Tel, a private company that has released a tablet for use inside of corrections facilities, will soon load assessments for work reentry onto the devices.

They will contain a questionnaire for those inmates nearing the full completion of their sentence and who have a desire for employment. Inmates will be identified, and then pre-screened using the tablet.

It is not hard to see the time savings if Cheek were to get an assessment back saying one inmate has heavy equipment experience, while another has mechanical aptitude. She also said the tablets are slated to have some educational material added onto them as well, including substance abuse education.

There is a reason subject matter experts get placed in roles like Cheek. She recalls being so scared the first time she was asked to speak to a group but, “Right off the bat I felt like this is what I needed to do.”

Having been down and out she knows the view from down there and would really like to keep others from knowing that pain. These people who are entering the work program have completed their sentence and have done what was required of them in form of legal penance.

Now, what follows them most frequently from the detention center is a stigma. Cheek said for her, what made a difference was someone taking a chance on her. Now, she is a county employee working day and night to help inmates re-entering society find their footing and attempt to break that cycle for good.

“Hope doesn’t exist in a jail. So, when we can say – hang on, there may be a business who is hiring – that can be a game changer.”

The Farm to Feet sock brand of a Mount Airy company not only is focused on manufacturing products for the outdoor recreational market, but now blending that with inclusion and diversity.

Farm to Feet, which is associated with Nester Hosiery, has collaborated with an entity known as Black Folks Camp Too (BFCT) to create a new Unity Blaze sock style.

It is aimed at promoting BFCT’s mission to remove fear, add knowledge and invite more African-American folks to experience the activity of camping and enjoy outdoor lifestyles with others.

This is coinciding with the development of what is described as a three-quarter crew technical hiking sock featuring Black Folks Camp Too’s Unity Blaze logo. That symbol is denoted by two crossed logs and a campfire meant to promote the forging of bonds across all aspects of adventure and universal equality.

“Black Folks Camp Too is bringing more people into the outdoors, including many right in our backyard in North Carolina,” Matt Brucker, Farm to Feet general manager, said in a statement. Brucker became general manager of Nester Hosiery brands earlier this year, including Farm to Feet.

The new Unity Blaze socks are available on websites of both Farm to Feet and Black Folks Camp Too, along with select retailers, with a larger rollout to all Farm to Feet retailers scheduled this August. A portion of proceeds from the sale of the sock style will benefit BFCT.

“Our Unity Blaze socks are not just any kind of socks,” Earl B. Hunter Jr., who founded Black Folks Camp Too in 2019, said in a statement. “Our socks are helping folks signal to the world that they treat everyone, everywhere, equally while encouraging more unity in the outdoor community — together, we are changing the world one campfire at a time.”

At the core of Black Folks Camp Too’s mission is the belief that when more African-Americans become active camping enthusiasts and begin enjoying outdoor lifestyles, it will help break down barriers to create more-inclusive communities and stronger relationships overall.

“Working with Earl and the team at Black Folks Camp Too, together we can encourage more people to explore the outdoors and experience its rejuvenating power while inviting others to join us and increase diversity in the outdoors,” added Brucker.

The Unity Blaze technical hiker sock of Farm to Feet/Black Folks Camp Too is designed with targeted cushioning and ventilation to provide all-day comfort on the trail while naturally regulating temperature. It features a 19.5-micron merino wool knit with materials sourced entirely from U.S. ranchers.

These socks also contain a seamless toe closure that reduces the chances of blisters, according to promotional information. Comfort compression helps lower fatigue while reinforcement in critical areas ensures durability.

Farm to Feet, promoted as a maker of 100% American socks, turns out that footwear in its sustainability focused facility in Mount Airy said to employ the highest-level knitting techniques possible.

The brand prides itself on producing the most-comfortable and feature-rich socks available under the belief that socks are meant for the outdoors — designed for everyone to follow his or her own trail.

Farm to Feet also is committed to improving the outdoor recreational experience and advocating for the protection of wild places, says a company announcement about its collaboration with Black Folks Camp Too.

The Unity Blaze sock retails for $25, with more details on it and how to find a local retailer or buy online available at www.farmtofeet.com.

• A woman listed as homeless was jailed under a $25,500 secured bond last Thursday after fleeing from officers in reference to a probation violation, according to Mount Airy Police Department reports.

Katherine Louise Nelson, 28, was encountered by police as they attempted to serve a warrant on her for the probation matter, which had been filed through the clerk of court office on Dec. 28.

She fled on foot before being taken into custody at Quality Inn on Rockford Street, arrest records state, leading to an additional charge of resisting, delaying or obstructing a public officer.

Nelson is scheduled to appear in Surry District Court next Monday.

• A Winston-Salem man has been arrested here on charges of interfering with an electronic monitoring device and resisting, delaying or obstructing a public officer.

Carlos Zeke Reynolds, 20, was encountered by police last Wednesday during a traffic stop on North Renfro Street at Independence Boulevard, where he allegedly provided false information to delay the service of a warrant on the monitoring device charge. It had been filed on April 5 in Forsyth County.

This led to Reynolds also being accused of the resisting charge and confined in the Surry County Jail under a $5,000 secured bond. He is slated to be in District Court at Dobson next Monday.

• An Ararat woman, Jessica Turner of Zion Way, reported being the victim of a crime involving the obtaining of property by false pretense on April 19.

An unknown party misrepresented oneself on social media in order to receive $45 from Turner.

• The Speedway convenience store on Rockford Street was the scene of a false-pretense crime on April 18, when an apparently known suspect attempted to use fake currency, listed as a $20 bill, to make a deposit onto a prepaid credit card. The case was still under investigation at last report.

For the past two years, the Mount Airy Ministerial Association has moved its annual Day of Prayer celebration to the airways — broadcasting a brief talk and prayer time on local radio station WPAQ.

This year, the ceremony will move back to the open air, in-person gatherings the organization has been holding in Mount Airy for years. And, for the second time, there will be an observance in Dobson as well. Both services and prayer times will be on Thursday at noon.

Pastor D.M. Dalton, president of the ministerial association, said he and the association are thrilled to be able to return to holding the services in public.

For years the ministerial association, working with local officials, have held a gathering at the Mount Airy City Hall, on the lawn just outside the front doors. In 2019, the group expanded, with a second service in the county seat of Dobson, on the Courthouse Lawn facing Atkins Street.

The 2020 and 2021 gatherings were cancelled as a result of public gathering prohibitions in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. This year, with cases low and those regulations largely repealed, both services will be held at noon.

In Mount Airy, Dr. David Sparks of Flat Rock Pentecostal Holiness Church will serve as moderator, while Rev. Danny Miller of Central United Methodist Church will be sharing a sermon. Dalton said that Police Chief Dale Watson and Fire Chief Zane Poindexter would be serving as flag-bearers for the ceremony.

In Dobson, Dalton will serve as moderator while Dr. Rick Jackson of Welcome Baptist Church will share the sermon. The Surry County Sheriff’s Office will be serving as Honor Guards there.

This year’s theme is from Col. 2:6-7, which reads “Exalt the Lord Who has established us.”

Dalton said he has appreciated the way so many people and groups have stepped up to help, not only this year, but in previous years. He said the county was quick to support the effort in 2019 and again this year with the expansion in Dobson, as the city leaders have been through the years. He also praised the sheriff’s office for readily helping, and specifically cited John Kennedy from Salem Baptist Church as someone who has “been there to do anything we need.

“Everyone has been absolutely marvelous. Everyone really seems to embrace this,” he said.

At the April 4 meeting of the Surry County Board of Commissioners a bid was announced for the former Westfield Elementary School. The bidder at that time placed a $7,500 down payment against a bid of $150,000 for the former school.

The commissioners were informed at their last meeting April 18 that the bid has been rescinded by the interested party. The bid was pulled just days after the board had been informed of its existence.

The potential buyer, upon further inspection and consideration, decided to withdraw their bid. The board of county commissioners was told that “based on the possibility of soil contamination and asbestos in the gym and cafeteria” that the buyer was not sure of the feasibility.

“They did say they plan to do more research to determine if their company would be able to sustain making a new offer and purchasing the property in the future. They may come back to this in the future as they have genuine interest in the property and plans that could benefit the Surry County tax base,” the county’s statement said.

The question posed to County Attorney Ed Woltz was whether the bidder was still obligated to fulfill their offer. When that party bid, it opened a period of upset bidding that was still ongoing, but there was no upset bid.

After discussion, and a decision to change future surplus property listing to have language akin to “as-is,” the commissioners agreed to release the bidder from their bid with no penalty.

In other recent action by the board:

– An agreement has been reached between Surry County and Tanner Valuation Group LLC to provide commercial and industrial appraisal assistance service for the upcoming 2025 reappraisal. This will be a four-year project that will involve, in part: project planning, field review, field work, and assisting with the presentation of the Schedule of Values. The total cost of the project is $206,500 which will be paid in installments over the four-year contract.

– Communications Director Nicholas Brown advised the commissioners that he and a committee have been searching for a set of protocols that would aid telecommunicators with a set of questions that would streamline the call taking process for a fire emergency.

After viewing demonstrations that were designed to show the protocols in action, the committee unanimously agreed that they preferred and recommend The International Academy of Emergency Dispatch’s version of the call taking software.

– Assistant County Manager Sandy Snow has been given authorization to work with the EMS director to implement an Educational Reimbursement Agreement for EMS new hires.

– Finally, the county received two qualified bidders for the fiber broadband installation project that continues in Surry County. Spectrum and Surry Communications both submitted to the Request for Proposal, and the county has selected Surry Communications for the contract.

County Manager Chris Knopf told the commissioners that the bid from Surry Communications was more responsive to the needs of the community than that of Spectrum’s bid. The board authorized $1.6 million to Surry Communications for fiber broadband installation. An additional $309,000 was set aside to match “Great Grants.”

Growing Rural Economies with Access to Technology grants are designed to target those areas undeserved by broadband. There is no guarantee Surry County will get one of the four GREAT grants, but the county set aside the matching funds to be prepared to move.

Andy and Opie would’ve been proud of those attending a weekend Healthy Family Hooplah fishing event in Mount Airy, who didn’t let water from the sky keep their hooks from the waters of Tumbling Rock Reservoir.

Although Saturday’s forecast called for only a slight chance of rain, intermittent sprinkles managed to work their way into the proceedings at the Westwood Park fishing facility which went on regardless.

Such an event, designed to give local families and kids the chance to experience the joys of angling, had not been held locally for the past two years due to the coronavirus and everyone seemed to relish its resumption.

The gathering not only provided rods, reels and bait to those lacking them while allowing participants to take home what they reeled in, but prizes for fish caught, hot dogs and trimmings, face painting and more — all for the incredibly low price of free.

Those who were younger than 16 also did not even need a fishing license to cast lines into the freshly stocked reservoir, either from a pier or along its banks.

Saturday’s scheduled five-hour affair combined the organizational efforts of Surry/Stokes Friends of Youth Inc., the Women’s League of Mount Airy, the Mount Airy Police Department, the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission and others.

Those attending the Healthy Family Hoopla included both veteran anglers and novices taking advantage of the opportunity to explore the pastime of fishing that has helped one while away many a country day.

“Actually, this is my first time fishing and it is really fun,” said Amelia Jayde Hazelwood, 12, a student at Central Middle School in Dobson.

“It is really calming,” she explained, citing the chance to get away from the pressures of the outside work and partake of the simple pleasures of looking at lily pads in the water and the reassuring ripples of the current.

Gracie Edgar, another 12-year-old of Pilot Mountain Middle School who was fishing alongside her friend from Central Middle, was impressed by “how quiet it is” while fishing. “We sometimes hear a little baby in the background, but that’s OK.”

The two youths had not yet mastered the art of casting, but seemed to improve as time passed. Then there was a matter of waiting for the floating cork to disappear from the surface and exhibit the telltale bobbing motion that indicates a bite.

“I can never be patient enough to see it go in the water,” Amelia said while recasting her line a number of times.

Saturday’s foray at the park did not seem to reap as many denizens of the deep as previous events, despite the reservoir being recently stocked with catfish that joined sunfish and bass already there.

This seemed partly due to the cool wet weather that prevailed during the day.

“It’s a little early in the year for catfish to start biting,” Fisheries Biologist Kin Hodges of the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission added while passing out rods and reels. “I think they’re taking the morning off.”

Yet there were still folks on hand trying to catch fish, no matter how elusive, and regardless of what Mother Nature served up Saturday.

“It is a great turnout with the weather,” said Surry/Stokes Friends of Youth Executive Director Tamara Veit.

The Surry County Board of County Commissioners will be having its regularly scheduled meeting Monday, May 2, at the Historic Courthouse in Dobson.

Last meeting, a group spoke to the commissioners one at a time about their concerns over alleged voting irregularities surrounding the 2020. Within days of their appearance, news began to spread of an incident between a local Republican party leader and Michella Huff of the county board of elections.

Reuters news service reported that Surry County Republican Party chair Keith Senter, “told elections director Michella Huff that he would ensure she lost her job if she refused his demand to access the county’s vote tabulators, the North Carolina State Board of Elections said in written responses to questions from Reuters,” the news service wrote. “Senter was ‘aggressive, threatening, and hostile,’ in two meetings with Huff, the state elections board said, citing witness accounts.”

While Senter initially indicated he would be willing to comment on the allegations, he has answered no requests for comment since April 23.

On that day, he responded to such requests with a text message stating “Let’s do it by email so my words do not get twisted if we do it. I already have Rueter’s in D.C. and WRAL in Raleigh trying to twist my words.”

He has not responded to emails since then.

The other speakers at the county commissioner’s meetings were contacted for comment as well.

A canvass of Surry County voters is ongoing by a non-county or state sanctioned group who are trying to match voting record logs with in-person visits. The group points to concerns about voter registration logs, alleged missing ballots, and the security of electronic voting machines as concerns. Should irregularities be occurring in Surry County, they have asked if similar problems could arise on a bigger scale in counties with larger populations.

At the conclusion of the upcoming meeting Monday night, at least one commissioner has said there will be comment made on this matter. The meetings begin at 6 p.m., and are open to public.

Meadowview Magnet Middle School Student Council has partnered with the American Red Cross to host a blood drive through the Future Blood Donor Program.

The blood drive will be held at Calvary Baptist Church in Mount Airy on May 10, from 1 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.

Those wishing to donate can make an appointment online at redcrossblood.org by using the sponsor code, “Meadowview,” or by contacting the Red Cross directly at 1-800 RED CROSS. All community members are welcome.

• A Mount Airy woman was jailed last Sunday on a felony charge of larceny by employee for allegedly embezzling money from a local convenience store, according to city police reports.

Kimberly Hauser Allen, 54, of 110 First St., is accused of taking an undisclosed sum from Super C on East Pine Street. She was held in the Surry County Jail under a $1,000 secured bond and is facing a June 6 appearance in District Court.

• A traffic stop for an alleged equipment violation led to a Mount Airy man being jailed on a felony drug charge last Saturday.

After a brief investigation upon being pulled over near the public works building on East Pine Street, Richard Anderson Carter, 72, of 287 Paynetown Road, was charged with possession of a Schedule I controlled substance, listed as a white rock-like substance. He also was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia, a metallic smoking device.

Carter was held in the Surry County Jail under a $1,000 secured bond and slated for a May 9 appearance in District Court.

• Michael Angelo Quirindongro Olivera, 26, of 195 Deerfield Lane, is facing charges of driving while impaired, carrying a concealed weapon and having no operator’s license which were filed Sunday after an encounter with officers on Granite Road in reference to a motor vehicle crash involving a 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt Olivera was operating.

He was jailed under a $500 secured bond and is scheduled to be in Surry District Court on June 6.

• Shamal Niquan Cox, 25, listed as homeless, was incarcerated on multiple charges after allegedly threatening and/or cursing at customers and employees of a downtown restaurant on April 21.

A police investigation of the civil disturbance at Barney’s Cafe led to Cox standing accused of two counts of communicating threats and disorderly conduct in a public building. He was held in the county detention center under a $5,000 secured bond, with the case set for the May 23 session of District Court.

Cox also has been banned from Barney’s Cafe by its owner.

• Police were told on April 21 that a utility trailer valued at $1,100 had been stolen from the residence of owner Allene Michelle Young in the 2000 block of Wards Gap Road.

It bears the Carry-On Trailer brand and is black in color.

• Roddy J. White, 63, of 100 Shamrock Terrace Lane, Dobson, was charged with second-degree trespassing on April 21, when he allegedly refused to leave the Northern Regional Hospital premises after being told to do so by security personnel.

White is free under a $1,000 unsecured bond to appear in Surry District Court on May 9.

• A wallet owned by Cindy Aileen Anderson of the 2000 block of North Main Street was stolen from the rear bumper of a vehicle at her residence during the early morning hours of April 16.

The Michael Kors wallet with a gold zipper is valued at $50 and contained an undisclosed sum of money; a driver’s license; and three cards, including insurance cards.

• A crime involving injury to personal property occurred on April 14 at Walmart, where the doors and hood of a 2020 Toyota Camry owned by Vickie Hoover Dupree of Highland Drive — a store employee — was scratched with a sharp object by an unknown suspect.

The damage was put at $2,500.

Thursday saw a competition in Pilot Mountain that pitted the business acumen of budding high school entrepreneurs against one another in a test of skill and moxie. YESurry is their chance to dip a toe into the proverbial shark tank without the fear of losing a limb or being eaten for lunch.

Teams from local high schools made a pitch presentation for their businesses. Students were encouraged to look around for a need where a new business or service would be useful. The students must then double back after all groups have gone for an “elevator pitch.”

“You will be talking to our Mr. Moneybags, who is very rich and invests in new companies,” Sue Brownfield explained to the students. “Suddenly, you are riding up in an elevator with Mr. Moneybags. So, you need to ‘pitch’ yourselves and your company – you want Mr. Moneybags to say ‘Meet with me next Monday at 10 a.m.’”

The winner of the competition was Grace Phillips of North Surry High for Grace Got Cakes. Phillips said, “I have always had an entrepreneurial spirit. I’ve been trying to start businesses since I was like 5 years old, so this just means a whole lot, and I’m excited for the future of Grace Got Cakes.”

She took home prize money totaling $2,500 to put toward her business. She acknowledged kids her age are not usually trying to run a business and “it has taken a toll on my social life for sure. I don’t get to spend nearly as much time with my friends.

“I see the value of doing this over going out, but I try to balance my social life and take breaks and hang out with friends. In the long term this is going to do more for me than going to parties.” It appears ‘work-life balance’ has entered high school curriculum.

Diana Casares-Carapia got up at 3 a.m. to make her confections for the competition before then going class for the day. She made a tasty pitch and Confectionery Diana took home a $1,000 check for second place, paired with $500 for winning at her school level.

She began baking to help her family make ends meet during COVID. She now has outstanding orders she needs help filling and requested investors to, “Invest in me.” Having taken business classes at Surry Early College, Casares-Carapia is ready to open her own store in Dobson upon graduation.

Elkin High came in third which doubled their initial winnings to $1,000 for Students Pay Students. Braden Oliver and Luke Burchette made their elevator pitch for an online hub where students, with teacher recommendation, can apply to tutor other students. They mentioned building a sense of camaraderie amongst the students as they aid one another.

“Find your niche,” keynote speaker Will Pfitzner encouraged the students. “There are hundreds of thousands of other people interested in what you are.”

He went on to discuss the dangers of rampant consumerism as a means by which to seek self-identity. Digital identities will lessen the desire to buy things to gain a sense of self or status. With increased access to information, he encouraged the students to be mindful of media “brainwashing” and seek their own information.

YESurry launched at Mount Airy High in 2019 and quickly grew to all seven high schools. Brownfield said the entries this year were “a notch above. They really elevated their game.”

“We want them to become business savvy: how do you start a business, how to do a business plan, a financial plan, what is your competition, how do you network,” she explained. “The advisors have challenged their team for the last several months.”

“The competition asks them to pool and hone skills they have already learned in school and supplement those with new skills,” advisor Greg Perkins said.

“I have personally seen my team develop the poise and confidence to present convincingly to business decision makers, to experience the highs and lows of product and business plan development and display the patience to complete those processes,” said the president of Perkins Financial in Mount Airy.

From inception of the concept through development of a business plan on to the final presentation takes effort. Learning to collaborate, synthesize ideas, and develop executable plans are skills that will benefit these students wherever life takes them.

“The competition is an incredible opportunity for kids to learn what the ‘real world’ is going to expect from them,” Perkins said. It should then also show the students what to expect in return and hitting an obstacle is something they will contend with.

Rejection is not a lesson anyone wants to learn, but it is a fact of business life that not every venture will succeed. For some, a cold business lesson was dispensed in a more palatable format than a door slammed shut with a rejection later in life.

“These kids are learning to conquer the fears that keep many adults from pursuing the entrepreneurial urges,” Perkins observed, “the conquering of which provides our next generation of job creators and community leaders.” The incubation of the next generation of teachers, business, and industry leaders in and for Surry County is a recurring drumbeat that is growing louder from different corners of he county.

“A lot of times we hear about young people who leave the county and never come back,” Todd Tucker said previously of keynote speaker and first-ever Entrepreneur of the Year award winner Will Pfitzner. “His story is just the opposite.”

Pfitzner is the NCSU alumni who decided to chase something he enjoyed doing rather than the almighty dollar. His ‘local man makes good and returns to Mayberry to much adulation’ story is a tale business and community leaders alike would like to see replicated.

He also alluded to the fact that the traditional four-year college track is not for everyone. Therefore, programs such as YESurry create opportunities for students to envision a different path forward both for themselves and Surry County.

These young adults put their skills to the test and while Grace Phillips won the day, the community altogether may be the ultimate winner.

Higher gas prices naturally are causing would-be tourists to question their travel plans — even to favored destinations such as Mayberry-rich Mount Airy — but a local official sees the fallout from another issue, COVID, boosting other attractions.

“People are looking for places to get away from germs,” Tourism Development Authority Executive Director Jessica Roberts told the Mount Airy Board of Commissioners during a quarterly update at a meeting last week. “People are focused on getting outdoors.”

That conforms with plans for North Carolina to celebrate the Year of the Trail in 2023, for which Surry County is well-positioned with facilities such as Pilot Mountain State Park, Roberts said in highlighting both present and upcoming trends.

“For the upcoming year we are embracing everything outdoors,” she added, also including wine trails, greenway facilities, mountain biking trails, venues with fire pits and other nature-oriented attractions.

A foundation already exists for that with visits to state parks last year up 1.2 million over pre-pandemic levels, according to information provided by Roberts showing travellers are now more cautious about where they go and for how long.

“They want a clean place to visit.”

For now, though, there are concerns about fuel prices and the related problem of inflation.

“Gas prices is going to be a factor in some of these things,” the local tourism official said of trips involving vehicular transports. “I don’t think it will hugely impact us as much as other cities.”

Roberts says many people from other locations are calling the Mount Airy Visitors Center to inquire about gasoline prices locally.

There is also a trend of consumers not making long-range travel plans due to the uncertainties tied to that and the economy overall, with Roberts citing factors showing that 95% of those arriving in North Carolina come by automobile.

Based on the results of one national survey appearing in March, almost 60% of American travelers say that the recent increased cost of gas will impact their decision to take trips over the next six months.

Of those, nearly one-third of the respondents predict that the impact will be great for them.

Roberts says this is playing out locally.

“People aren’t planning as far in advance right now,” she advised regarding folks being reluctant to forge long-range commitments as they have in the past due to fuel prices and inflation. “It’s kind of a last-minute decision people are making.”

The Mount Airy tourism official also presented survey results showing that if gasoline prices don’t drop, more than half of travelers will take fewer road trips this summer (56%) and choose to stay closer to home (60%).

While all this is occurring, the tourism industry is gearing up for the growing trend of electric vehicles over the next 10 years, Roberts said.

This includes trying to develop more charging stations locally, with the tourism official pointing out that she knows of only one existing now in Mount Airy, at the Sheetz convenience store on U.S. 601.

Efforts are under way to have hotels add charging stations to make it more convenient for visitors to power up their vehicles, Roberts said.

Despite gas prices/inflation, the war in Ukraine and the lingering effects of the coronavirus, road trip activity has quietly returned to 2019 levels, based on information from Roberts showing the situation to be stable at present.

Occupancy tax figures reported by the city of Mount Airy show revenues being strong, increasing consistently since March 2021 to January 2022 collections — the most recent period for which numbers are available.

For example, ones for November 2021 were up 70% from November 2020, and those for last August jumped 63% from the previous year.

In the period from July 2021 through January 2022, occupancy tax revenues collected by local lodging establishments increased 48.3% from the same period the year before.

Roberts says efforts are underway to increase visitation to this area during the traditionally slower period from November to March.

While the totals haven’t approached those for the last election in the fall of 2020 when a hotly contested presidential election was involved, one-stop early voting has gotten off to a healthy start across Surry County.

The first in-person ballots for a May 17 primary were cast on Thursday, with a total of 327 people showing up at four early voting stations in the county.

Mount Airy was the busiest location, drawing 56% of the voters among the four sites.

It is located in the Surry County Government Center at 1218 State St. behind Arby’s. Others are available at the Surry Board of Elections headquarters at 915 E. Atkins St. in Dobson; the Pilot Mountain Rescue Squad, 615 E. U.S. 52-Bypass, in the former Howell Funeral Home location; and the Elkin Rescue Squad building on North Bridge Street.

Traffic seemed light for the first day of early voting in Mount Airy — with 29 people reportedly arriving during the first two hours from 8 to 10 a.m. But Surry’s elections director said Thursday’s results overall exceeded those for a comparable primary.

Ahead of a 2018 primary election similar to what is occurring this year, early voters averaged 216 per day countywide.

That year, the Dobson site was open from April 19 to May 5, with the Mount Airy, Pilot Mountain and Elkin locations operating from April 30 to May 5.

“So we are above the 2018 average for yesterday,” county Director of Elections Michella Huff advised Friday, when another 71 voters had cast ballots at the four sites as of 11 a.m.

In contrast, for the opening day of the presidential-year primary on Oct. 15, 2020 — in the midst of the pandemic —a total of 1,013 people had voted at all four locations by 12:30 p.m. Lines of people waited at each, with 2,436 logged for the day as a whole.

The schedule for the early voting cycle now underway is 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on weekdays and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays at all locations, with no Sunday hours involved. The service ends on May 14, the Saturday before the actual primary day, which is a prelude to the general election in November.

Along with allowing Surry residents to cast ballots before the primary day and avoid possible long lines then, one-stop early voting/same-day registration provides a reprieve to unregistered voters who missed a regular registration deadline on April 22.

They can register during the early voting period at any of the four Surry locations and immediately cast a ballot at that same site. However, those who did not register by the regular deadline will not be allowed to vote on the primary day itself.

Same-day registrants must prove their residency by displaying either a North Carolina driver’s license, a photo ID issued by a government agency, a copy of a current utility bill or a current college photo ID card along with proof of campus habitation.

Huff has said that 17-year-olds who will be 18 by the general election on Nov. 8 are eligible to register and vote in the primary.

More than 300 area students turned out Thursday for the second annual Student Job Fair held by the Greater Mount Airy Chamber of Commerce.

“It’s been a great event,” said chamber president and CEO Randy Collins.

The fair is aimed at high school juniors and seniors, along with college students, who are looking to get into the area workforce, either for long-term employment, summer work, or for internships.

There were 48 vendors on site, with booths set up to give students a taste of what their particular business and field might look like. It was also a chance for area employers to make contact with prospective employees and interns.

Lenise Lynch, general manager at Hampton Inn of Mount Airy, said her business could definitely use additional employees, particularly in housekeeping, on the front desk, in the laundry and maintenance departments.

She said working with youth just coming out of high school or college is an ideal situation for the hotel and for the prospective employee — as she believes it would be for most any business.

“It is a chance for a business to be able to help them learn what is expected (in the workforce),” she said, adding that young people in their first or second job are often easier to mold and train into being a strong employee.

“We can catch them coming out of high school and help them begin a great career,” she said. In her industry, she said it is possible to start out in most any position and move up into management, even ownership.

“I’ve been doing this for 16 years,” she said. Lynch began working at the Hampton Inn as a front-desk attendant, and within two years was the general manager, a position she has held since then.

Collins said that is exactly the idea behind the job fair, to help students learn there are career opportunities in their hometown.

“We hope the students realize there are some good paying jobs right here in our community,” he said, steady jobs that can be a career.

Staff Sgt. William Arnder with the North Carolina Army National Guard said Thursday was a good day for him and his colleague working at the job fair.

“We had more than 25 who signed up,” he said, referring to students who had given him their contact information and expressed interest in exploring work with the Guard. He said he was hoping to see 15 to 20 folks who would sign on with the Guard from Thursday’s event.

Arnder said most the positions with the Guard are essentially part-time posts, with some weekends and summertime required, but that in addition to the pay someone can earn, the Guard also offers opportunities for troops to have college paid for.

Anna Johnson and Brenna Belcher with Xtreme! Marketing said they had quite a few folks interested in their display.

“A lot of kids are interested in graphic design and digital marketing,” Johnson said, adding that her firm is looking to expand with more work coming in than they can do with the present sized staff. Several students left resumes or completed applications there.

Teresa Grimm of Hardy Brothers Trucking said her booth attracted many students.

“We’ve had quite a few of them who wanted to be mechanics,” she said. “One, she specifically wanted to be a diesel mechanic.”

While her firm can definitely use mechanics, she said their biggest need is for drivers. Her firm needs both drivers to run regional routes who typically make two or three runs a week covering a total of 2,000 to 3,000 miles; and long-term drivers going coast-to-coast. For those going west and back, she said the company generally likes two-person driving teams, and a husband and wife team is often perfect for such runs.

Grimm said her company refers students interested in this field to the truck driving program at Surry Community College.

Among the four dozen local businesses with booths set up was Northern Regional Hospital, staffed by Daniel Combs, who works in the hospital’s staff development and student programs, and Vanessa Bottomley, a unit coordinator in the emergency department.

Bottomley said the two used a CPR simulator to show youth how to determine if someone needs CPR, and how to administer the often life-saving maneuver.

“We probably had 100 kids use that today,” she said.

While medical-related jobs are what most people think of when considering a hospital-related career, Combs said he tried to emphasize to those visiting that there are other jobs there.

“We have people in marketing, people who work in the labs, who do x-rays. One young lady said she wasn’t interested in any of those, she wanted to go into accounting. I told her, we have accountants, too.”

Bottomley emphasized that the job fair may have been aimed at showing students the job opportunities in Surry County and Mount Airy, it also is a time for the hospital and other employers to learn about a whole new wave of potential workers.

“We have very good talent right here,” she said of folks in the community.

Surrey Bancorp (Pink Sheets: SRYB), the holding company for Surrey Bank & Trust (the “Bank”), this week reported net income of $1,487,503 or 36 cents per fully diluted common share. That was down nearly 25% from the same figures a year ago — $1,987,375 or 48 cents per share — from the same period a year ago.

The bank said the drop was largely because the bank realized non-interest income of $858,778 in the first quarter of 2021 with the sale of its wholly owned insurance agency, SB&T Insurance.

First quarter net interest income for the present year decreased 3.6% from $3,392,180 to $3,271,453. The net interest margin decreased from 3.24% to 2.86% due to a general decrease in interest rates and a change in earning asset mix, bank officials said.

“Higher yielding loans made up 60.5% of average interest earning assets in the first quarter of 2021 as opposed to 53.3% (this year),” the bank noted.

Noninterest income decreased from $1,420,337 in the first quarter of 2021 to $375,109 during the same period in 2022. The decrease is due to the the sale of SB&T Insurance.

For more information on the banking company, or a full look at its first-quarter report, visit www.surreybank.com

Insteel Industries Inc. (NYSE: IIIN) recently released its second quarter results, showing record net earnings, more than doubling figures recorded over the same period in 2021.

For the quarter ending April 2, Insteel reported quarterly net earnings of $39 million, or $1.99 per diluted share, up from $14.9 million, or 76 cents per share, for the same period a year ago.

The company benefited from strong demand for its reinforcing products and incremental price increases to recover the continued escalation in costs.

Net sales increased to $213.2 million from $139 million for the prior year quarter driven by a 65.4% increase in average selling prices and a 7.2% decrease in shipments. The average selling price increase was the result of price increases implemented across all product lines during the quarter to recover rapidly escalating costs, which offset the impact of lower shipments resulting from tight supply conditions for raw materials.

The company reported gross profit increased to $57.1 million from $30.2 million in the prior quarter. Operating activities provided $6.3 million of cash compared with providing $15.3 million for the prior year quarter due to an increase in net working capital, which used $32.6 million of cash in the current year quarter. In the prior year quarter, net working capital used $800,000.

The strong quarter helped fuel an equally strong six-month year-to-date period, with net earnings for the first six months of fiscal year 2022 $62.1 million, or $3.17 per diluted share. That is more than double the previous year figures, which were $23.1 million, or $1.18 per share, for the same period a year ago.

Net sales increased to $391.7 million from $258.6 million for the prior year period driven by a 67.5% increase in average selling prices and a 9.5% decrease in shipments. Gross profit increased to $99.4 million from $50.1 million in the same

For more information, visit https://www.insteel.com/

BLUEFIELD, VA – First Community Bankshares, Inc. (NASDAQ: FCBC) this week reported quarterly income of $9.52 million, or 56 cents per diluted common share, for the quarter ending March 31, a sharp decrease from the $14.61 million reported for the same period a year ago. Despite the drop, the bank declared a 27-cent quarterly cash dividend to common shareholders, an increase of 8% over the dividend paid during the same quarter last year.

The dividend is payable to common shareholders of record on May 6, and is expected to be paid on or about May 20.

The bank said the net income decrease was primarily driven by a return to “more normalized expense in the provision for credit losses of $1.96 million for the first quarter of 2022 compared to a $4 million reversal of provision in the first quarter of 2021.”

The bank said the current year provision is largely due to robust loan growth in the first quarter, principally led by commercial loan demand. The reversal of provision in the first quarter of 2021 was driven by a significantly improved economic outlook than in early 2020.

Salaries and employee benefits increased $787,000 or 7.23%, from last year. During the quarter, the company implemented annualized wage increases of approximately $2.5 million “as part of its ongoing strategic initiative to enhance Human Capital Management, which included an increased minimum wage.”

The Company’s loan portfolio increased by $78.73 million, or an annualized growth rate of 14.74%, during the first quarter this year. “Loan demand and originations were strong in all categories, including construction, commercial real estate, residential mortgage, and consumer loans,” bank officials said.

The bank also reported it repurchased 132,000 common shares for $4.09 million during the quarter.

For more information visit www.firstcommunitybank.com

It was an unintentional coincidence that is a metaphor for a larger problem, and one that needs to be addressed. Representatives from the Surry County Association of Rescue Squads took their turn making 2022-23 budget presentations to the county commissioners Tuesday.

A scheduled two hours turned into a four-hour budgetary slog, with the board managing more business afterward behind closed doors.

Everyone in the room from the school superintendents, commissioners, county staff, down to the deputy in the lobby on guard was getting compensated to be there in one way or another.

Except the five men sent to represent the rescue squads, the 100% volunteer force that is the opposite hand of the 18 fire departments.

Vice Chairman Eddie Harris has sat on the board for some time and is aware of the nature of the local fire district and volunteer rescue squad model in use for Surry County. Even he asked once for clarification from the men on their volunteer status as it is somewhat baffling to consider there is not a single full or part-time paid employee on the five rescue squads.

The rescue squad volunteers sat and listened while waiting to make their budget request of just over $314,000. Last year they operated on a budget of $276,000, which had been a cut from the previous year.

They noted in presenting the data the cost of operating a rescue squad is not wholly different from that of a fire department, but funding and compensation are another matter entirely.

“We and fire go hand-in-hand,” Nathan Webb of Mount Airy Rescue Squad said of their first response cousins. The rescue squads and fire departments have some overlapping services, some fire houses offer rescue services while others do not.

Funding the rescue squads is a piecemeal affair that combines county contributions with monies from the United Fund of Surry. Donations from the public are an extremely important part of their funding. While their budgetary allotments went down during COVID donations, to their pleasant surprise, went up. The board was told that public donations were the “best in decades.”

The juxtaposition of that largesse is the part of this story that is harder to talk about. These are volunteer rescue squads and there is simply not the appetite to be found to participate. “When I took over seven years ago, I had 35, now I have 28 members on my squad. Volunteerism is at an all-time low,” Webb noted.

As the area and its workforce have changed dramatically over the past decades, it was noted that transition also added to the problem. “It’s not like the 90s when everyone could just leave the mill. We don’t live in that world anymore.”

Webb said they need to move into a world where these rescue squads have some paid staff, and they also suggested establishing some defined boundaries for the rescue squads as well. Currently, the squads are covering 177 square miles including three southern Virginia counties and offering rescue services to Stokes County.

The squads often arrive before county EMS or local fire on the scene to triage and begin care at that most critical moment, when seconds could make all the difference. A full 85% of the squads’ calls are for medical assistance as opposed to the specialized rescue for which they are also trained.

When it comes to funding it is nearly impossible for the squads to make inroads on grants. “Most nationally funded money and state money is tailored for fire department and EMS, we are somewhere in the middle and that sets us at a disadvantage,” Webb said. A grant that was approved in 2015 only came through fully in 2021, he said, so even getting approval may not yield relief.

Call volume versus compensation needs to come into better alignment somehow, they feel. For the 18 fire departments, excluding the two city departments, he quoted their call volume at over 12,000. The average compensation to the fire departments per call they run is $457.

Contrast that with the rescue squads which answered more than 4,300 calls yet their compensation is $69 per call. Webb said when you break that down further, the squads who respond to more calls get even less, Mount Airy Rescue Squad he noted gets close to $31 per call.

“It’s come to the point where the squads are suffering, we’re really suffering,” Dennis Manuel chief of Pilot Mountain Rescue said.

“We are no longer treading water, we seem to be underwater in a lot of places,” Webb said. He noted radios are an issue with spotty coverage and will need replacement. The squads are having issues with vehicles aging out, each noting having vehicles from the 1990s and early 2000s that will need replacing.

The squads made it clear that they are not asking for much, and never a penny that would be taken from their fire and EMS brethren. That said, depending on the generosity of the public as a primary form of funding seems fraught with peril.

Chris Wall of the Mount Airy Rescue squad perked up as the meeting was wrapping and asked for a moment to speak as a member of the squad, and a full-time firefighter, “All five of us have put in beaucoup hours to get re-certified,” he said of his more than 794 hours of certification and annual re-certification.

“There is a lot of stuff we do that is similar to the fire departments, but it is not the same job. As a firefighter, I could not do it without these guys. We need the rescue squads.”

Surry Online Magnet School recently recognized Jessica Shelton as the 2022-2023 Teacher of the Year. Shelton teaches social studies courses in grades six through ten.

“It’s so important that students understand the relevance of history and social studies to today’s world, and it’s an honor and a privilege to help students grow in knowledge each year,” she said.

Shelton has been instrumental in blazing new paths for Surry County’s newest choice school, which is in its second year of existence, according to school officials.

“Jessica Shelton exhibits inspiring leadership as she works with our team to make decisions that positively affect the experiences of our students in a challenging and rigorous environment,” said her colleague, Jennifer Lowe.

Shelton was surprised at her home office with the news of her selection.

“I want to thank my colleagues and administration for the honor of being selected Teacher of the Year. I am grateful for the opportunity to live and work in such a great school system. Surry County Schools is leading the way with the creation of Surry Online Magnet School. It provides so many opportunities for our students and I am very appreciative to work with such an excellent team.”

Two Surry Early College High School students competed in the YESurryHigh School Entrepreneurial Competition earlier this month.

“Both students had innovative ideas with excellent plans and presentations,” the school said of the effort.

First place went to Diana Casarez Carapia, who won $500 to invest in her confectionery business, Confectionery Diana. This confectionery business allows customers to purchase treats and goodies such as chocolate covered strawberries, cakepops, cupcakes, and more. Diana moved on to compete in the countywide competition.

Second place went to Cole Caroll who won $250 to invest in his collectible cloth doll making business, Curiously Cozy. This doll making business is where customers can purchase collectible cloth dolls dressed in historical fashion that will include pamphlets on notable events and aspects of the era in which the doll is dressed.

Cedar Ridge Elementary is partnering with Girls Who Code and offer a Girls Who Code club that meets weekly, after school. The purpose of this group is to help close the gender gap in the computer, technology, and science field. The Girls Who Code community is hopeful that they will be able to completely close this gap by the year 2030.

Cedar Ridge’s Girls Who Code members enjoyed a visit a recent visit from Tate Racing. Abigail Tate, one of the school’s club members, is beginning her journey in racing in go-carts. Her dad, Zachary Tate, races at Friendship Speedway most every Saturday night in the Late Model Division. and her cousin drives in the Modified Four Cylinder Division.

All three cars were on display for the girls to look over and ask questions. They were invited to sit in the cars, check out the equipment, and hear them run.

“It was a great experience to introduce the girls to a sport traditionally dominated by men, as well as to see one of their own peers, beginning her foray into the sport,” the school’s officials said. “As any driver can attest, racing has become more competitive and involves more science, technology, engineering, and math than ever before.

Abigail plans to run the T9 in go-carts and hopefully move up in racing as she gains experience. Her dad is also the T9. His grandfather chose the number many years ago, and they hope to continue the tradition for many years to come. The students were given victory flags and stickers of the race cars as souvenirs.

The Mount Airy Museum of Regional History will be celebrating Cinco De Mayo over the coming week, with dancing, music, food, crafts, a raffle, kid’s activities, and a History Talk about the holiday presented by a local historian.

Always free to the public, the History Talk for this month will be held at the museum on April 30, in the third-floor program space from 2 -4 p.m. Presenter Justyn Kissam will be talking about Mexican history and culture as well as the origins of Cinco De Mayo.

Though the holiday falls on a Thursday this year, the museum will be having its Cinco De Mayo celebration on Saturday, May 7 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., all of which is free to the public. This celebration will have food and crafts for sale, music, and free crafts for children at the kid’s activity table. The highlight of the event will be the dance performance where the museum’s Mexican Dance Bootcamp group as well as a local professional dance group will perform several traditional dances in authentic outfits.

The event will take place in the back-parking lot behind the museum and is accessible through Virginia Street and W. Oak Street through the gate. Just look for the food truck and the women in colorful dresses.

The museum also has its Wheelbarrow Full of Fun Raffle sponsored by the Women’s League of Mount Airy during the celebration. This wheelbarrow is full of assorted local spirits from wine to gin. The raffle will be held in the courtyard at the museum and tickets are on sale now for $10 for a single ticket or $20 for 3.

Anyonewith questions about the events can contact The Mount Airy Museum of Regional History at mamrh@northcarolinamuseum.org or call 3336-786-4478.

Dancers from the Mount Airy Museum of Regional Histories’ Mexican Dance Bootcamp that will be preforming at the Cinco De Mayo Celebration

Caption: Mexican Dance Bootcamp instructors Carmen Mungia and Luz Maria Alvarez, as well as other local dancers, during their performance at Peacefest in traditional Aztec dance outfits which will also be showcased during the Cinco De Mayo Celebration.

Mount Airy officials have taken action to stimulate the development of more housing downtown, but one commissioner worries that this could bring “unintended consequences” with parking availability.

The key part of the plan involves the Mount Airy Board of Commissioners’ approval of a Downtown Fire-Suppression Life and Safety Grant program in a 5-0 vote last Thursday night.

In a related move, the board also decided unanimously to amend a city ordinance to require that a sophisticated type of sprinkler system be installed for applicable residential occupancies.

The motivation for the fire-suppression grant initiative is a recognition that the economic future of Mount Airy’s central business district hinges on both commercial and residential development, City Stan Farmer said in presenting the plan.

Such growth requires significant commitments of private investment for building rehabilitation and construction. This presents a particular challenge with fire-suppression requirements for older structures, of which downtown Mount Airy has its share, Farmer reminded.

The offering of incentive grants is designed to help offset the expenses involved with that, not only stimulating additional investment in properties downtown but protecting what’s already there in terms of its historic character. This will reduce the chances of a major fire destroying multiple buildings located side by side — perhaps an entire block.

“Cooking fires are the number one cause of fires in our city and I think I’ve told you that many times,” Mount Airy Fire Chief Zane Poindexter said in recommending the requirement for NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) 13R sprinkler systems at a minimum downtown to the commissioners.

“We want to be proactive and get out in front of this,” Poindexter said of having mechanisms in place to prevent a cooking fire from spreading.

Most importantly, the city manager emphasized, public safety downtown will be greatly improved through the grant program he said will go into effect at some point after the municipality’s next fiscal year begins on July 1.

The maximum grant sum will be $35,000 per applicant, with eligibility requirements listing projects involving both new construction or remodeling of existing buildings, including cases in which water lines must be expanded to serve multiple structures.

Grants also will be available for installation of building sprinkler systems for projects with existing access to a water line.

Farmer explained that the fire-suppression grants will be offered for both downtown residential projects and building rehabilitation involving no housing units.

In reference to mandating the NFPA 13R sprinkler systems in the Downtown Fire District for residences, Poindexter explained that previous regulations called for NFPA 13D systems.

Unlike NFPA 13R, those systems do not provide alarms or alerts to the Fire Department, nor are there hydrant requirements. NFPA 13D is designed primarily for one- and two-family residences and townhomes, while the NFPA 13R type is intended for larger commercial residential spaces.

Poindexter said there a few cases downtown in which sprinklers would not be required for residential occupancy, such as buildings having adequate exits or firewalls in place.

The sprinkler change — and the grant program— apply only to the Downtown Fire District, which is slightly less in scope than the Municipal Service District long in place there.

No budget figure has been specified so far for the grant program, but Farmer plans to have it paid for through an annual allocation that will vary from year to year based on funding availability. The money will come from either the city’s general revenue fund or its separate water-sewer fund.

Receiving a grant requires a review process, including a pre-application procedure with city staff members to confirm eligibility.

A committee, including a local engineer, architect or contractor along with the fire chief and others, will make recommendations on grant awards, which also require a public hearing.

Two persons who are part of the downtown Mount Airy fabric voiced support for both actions during a public hearing preceding the pair of unanimous votes.

Main Street Coordinator Lizzie Morrison of the group Mount Airy Downtown Inc. applauded the new sprinkler system requirement as a way to protect life and valued property. This will help avoid a loss of historic architecture and longtime businesses which “would create a hole in the heart of the community,” Morrison said.

Downtown Mount Airy now has a tax base of $55 million and growing, she pointed out, which would be threatened otherwise.

“We are all aware of the lack of proper fire breaks between buildings and an almost-universal lack of sprinkler systems downtown,” Morrison said.

Longtime downtown businessman Gene Rees also spoke in favor of the grant program, but in the interest of full disclosure advised that he did not intend to apply.

“The economics of it does make sense — it’s well-thought-out,” the downtown property owner and merchant said of the grant program during the hearing. “It’s important that we have some assistance for property owners to prevent a catastrophic loss.”

Rees referred to a fire that destroyed multiple buildings in Georgetown, South Carolina.

In the mid-1980s, three were lost to a blaze in downtown Mount Airy — leaving a space where the municipal parking lot between Brannock and Hiatt Furniture and Old North State Winery now exists.

While calling the grant program “a great idea,” Commissioner Tom Koch wondered about the impact on another part of the downtown infrastructure.

“If we put a lot of apartments upstairs, where are they going to park?” Koch said of the residents involved. He said they likely will choose spaces along North Main Street to the detriment of businesses, which could do as much harm as good to the downtown area.

Koch said he can’t envision someone lugging bags of groceries up a hill from an off-street parking lot.

Farmer responded that the main focus now is on safety.

“I agree with the fire suppression,” Koch said.

• Multiple vehicles were broken into Monday afternoon at a local medical facility, resulting in the theft of money and other valuables including a handgun, according to Mount Airy Police Department reports.

The crime occurred at Northern Family Medicine on North Pointe Boulevard, where police records indicate that windows of two vehicles were broken to gain entry, including a 2019 Jeep Cherokee and another that was not identified.

This enabled the theft of an undisclosed sum of money, a Ruger LC9s 9mm pistol, Chase and Skyline National debit cards, a Social Security card, a driver’s license, a concealed carry card, a tan diaper bag and a nursing license card. The victims are listed as Brittany Knicely Street of Rural Hall and Amy Renee Wall, Galax, Virginia, who are employees of Northern Family Medicine.

• Shawn Phalen Murphy, 37, of 226 Pearman Lane in Ararat, was charged Sunday night with two counts of resisting a public officer after she was encountered by police during a civil disturbance investigation on Granite Road.

Murphy provided a false last name of Padron, arrest records state, and subsequently was found to be the subject of an outstanding arrest warrant for an unspecified matter. She was released under a $600 unsecured bond to appear in Surry District Court on June 6.

• A case involving an assault by pointing a gun and discharging a firearm in the city limits occurred on the night of April 14 at a Granite Road address, where an unknown suspect pointed a handgun at Esau Rogue, who lives on that street, and shot into the air multiple times. No injuries were reported.

• Two incidents involving costly damage to property were discovered in the same area on the morning of April 14 which involved similar circumstances.

One occurred at the Terry Hawks Agency Inc. in the 300 block of North Renfro Street, where a lighted business sign was struck with a blunt object — listed as a metal post — causing damage put at $2,500.

A lighted business sign at Cas Investments in the 100 block of North Renfro was struck in the same manner, with $2,500 in damage also occurring there.

DOBSON – Dana Draughn, principal at Pilot Mountain Elementary School, has announced her retirement effective June 30, according to the Surry County Schools system.

Draughn has served the Surry County School System for 30 years. She began her career teaching fourth grade at Flat Rock Elementary School in the fall of 1992, where she spent three years before transferring to White Plains Elementary School. Draughn remained at White Plains Elementary for ten years, teaching first and second grade.

After leaving White Plains Elementary, she became an instructional specialist for four years, serving Cedar Ridge Elementary and Flat Rock Elementary. The remainder of Draughn’s career has been spent in administrative leadership positions. She has served as assistant principal at Cedar Ridge Elementary School for five years, served as principal at Flat Rock for five years, and she is in the process of completing her third year as principal at Pilot Mountain Elementary.

As principal at Pilot Mountain, Draughn applied the same growth mindset she had for herself. “She has supported her students and staff with her warm demeanor and willingness to go above and beyond for those in the community,” the school system said in announcing her retirement.

“This is truly a bittersweet moment. When I look back at my career, I have always made it a point to be a servant leader and help teachers help students grow and see potential in themselves. Here in Pilot Mountain, we are cultivating leaders and good citizens. I am blessed to be a part of the Surry County Schools family and think of my time in our schools fondly.

“To be honest, I believe that every school I have worked in has been my favorite. Each school is unique; whether it be culture, location, staff, or students, it has been a privilege to serve our students in Surry County. I’d like to thank Surry County Schools and our Board of Education for supporting me through my own leadership journey and for investing in the lives of the next generation of leaders.”

“Mrs. Draughn has dedicated her career to teaching and learning as a leader in Surry County Schools,” said Superintendent Dr. Travis L. Reeves. “I am honored to have had the opportunity to know and work with Dana. She has been a valuable member of our leadership team and will be missed. We wish her the very best as she transitions to a well earned retirement.”

After a career of growing herself and her students, Draughn is looking forward to growing her garden and spending time with her husband Robert and her children Erin, Carson, Garrett, and Elliott.

The Board of Education will immediately begin the process of accepting and screening applications for the principal position at Pilot Mountain Elementary School.

Mount Airy has long been known as the Granite City — but increasingly is becoming Mural City, including one now being painted downtown of native son Andy Griffith.

And it won’t be just one image of the actor who brought fame to his hometown while portraying the sheriff of Mayberry, but the many faces of Griffith which will grace a wall of Surrey Bank and Trust on Moore Avenue.

When complete, the display is to feature Griffith from his early days as a performer, the role on “The Andy Griffith Show” and how he appeared in his later years starring on the “Matlock” television series.

“Instead of one picture, we’re doing five to fill the wall,” artist Brian Lewis of Greensboro— who prefers to be known as “JEKS” — said Tuesday while busily at work on the mural.

JEKS is well-known locally for having previously painted a large mural of late local singer Melva Houston on another wall downtown, in an alleyway beside Thirsty Souls Community Brewing on Market Street. It was completed in 2020.

Not only does the new Andy mural depict him, it highlights another familiar sight.

“Pilot Mountain is superimposed in the background,” JEKS said. “I felt like Pilot Mountain and Andy Griffith are the two real iconic images in this area, and I wanted to include them both.”

The work has required the use of a bucket lift at times.

Local residents and other Andy Griffith fans might recall that a mural to honor him was announced last September — eyed for the south wall of the Brannock and Hiatt Furniture Co. building on North Main Street, facing a public parking lot.

This was a $50,000 project, a cost to be split between the group Mount Airy Downtown Inc. and the local Tourism Development Authority.

However, that location had to be abandoned, Main Street Coordinator Lizzie Morrison of the downtown group advised Tuesday.

“The mural (project) was moved from Main Street after several months of exploring all options for preparation for the larger wall,” Morrison explained. “It was too expensive to ready that wall for paint.” The mural would have occupied a space there nearly 100 feet wide and more than 30 feet high.

This resulted in the new location on the Moore Avenue side of the Surrey Bank and Trust building.

“As with any big project, sometimes we have to pivot from the original plan to make it work,” the Main Street coordinator added.

Those who have seen the mural progress at its alternate location are pleased by what is taking shape, based on social media and other comments.

“They wanted a tribute to Andy,” JEKS said of the project sponsors, “so I just kind of came up with a composite” reflecting the different time frames in Griffith’s life.

Part of JEKS’ inspiration seems rooted in his own longtime appreciation of “The Andy Griffith Show.”

“It used to be on my grandfather’s TV all the time,” the artist said, with that enjoyment further including a pastime frequently enjoyed by the program’s main characters. “We were fishermen, too.”

Work began last week on the mural, and the artist hopes to complete it next week.

Morrison, the Main Street coordinator, indicated Tuesday that due to a smaller wall being involved, the project’s financial scope was lowered proportionately.

“We are using the rest of the $50,000 budget to build a pocket park complete with plaza space and two sitting walls,” she related regarding the change, which offers additional benefits.

“This new location has convenient parking across the street in the municipal lot and allows for people to take photos with the mural without cars impeding the view.”

It also helps accomplish a goal of using public art to get people moving through the downtown district on side streets and parking lots, as opposed to parking and staying on North Main Street, the coordinator believes.

Similar to the one of Melva Houston, the Andy mural is meant to highlight “a real Mount Airy person,” which Morrison says exceeds the Mayberry mystique that draws so many folks to town from near and far.

“The photos used for the design span his career beyond ‘The Andy Griffith Show,’ but I am sure fans of the show will make it a must-see stop on their visits.”

Morrison pointed out that the downtown area now has 20 murals, metal and brick sculptures, painted instruments, barn quilts and a new peace park on Market Street, “all of which honor the spirit of the people of Mount Airy.”

One notable recent addition was a mural of The Easter Brothers gospel bluegrass group in a downtown rest area which was dedicated last year.

“Mount Airy Downtown Inc. is passionate about telling our Mount Airy story through public art,” Morrison emphasized.

The Surry County Sheriff’s Office has seized a host of computer, gaming and sweepstakes-related electronics, as well as issuing arrest warrants for two out-of-town men on charges related to the seizure.

William Lewis Perry III, a white male, 52, of 1517 Green Mountain Drive, Wake Forest, and Jaime Jonathan Shmidtke, a white male, 39, of 446 New Bern Street, each have been charged with two counts of felony operating more then or equal to five video gaming machines and two counts of misdemeanor electronic sweepstakes.

Warrants for their arrests are outstanding.

The charges come as part of what Sheriff Steve C. Hiatt is calling “Operation Illegal Motherboard,” aimed at enforcing state laws prohibiting the operating sweepstakes and/or other electronic gaming within Surry County.

In February the Supreme Court of North Carolina ruled that sweepstakes and/or other electronic gaming is unlawful under North Carolina General Statue 14-306.4. On March 4, Hiatt and District Attorney Tim Watson issued a signed courtesy letter, which was hand delivered to owners, operators, managers, and/or employees of the sweepstakes and/or other electronic gaming businesses of the ruling.

The letter, the sheriff said, indicated that the Surry County Sheriff’s Office would start enforcing the ruling set forth by the Supreme Court of North Carolina on April 5, giving local businesses time to shut down their enterprises and comply with the law.

“Most all of the operating sweepstakes and/or other electronic gaming businesses within Surry County complied with the letter and ruling except for Green Mountain Games located at 3189 Cook School Road, Pilot Mountain,” the sheriff said in a written statement about the case.

Earlier this month, sheriff’s office Narcotics Division executed a search warrant at the establishment. Detectives seized motherboards, computers, devices, machines, and other property used to promote “criminal acts or money gained from criminal acts in violation of the NCGS 14-306.4.”

The two men, who reside in other parts of the state, were charged. As of late Tuesday, Capt. Scott Hudson said the two had not been apprehended, although their attorneys had been made aware of the charges.

Assisting with the execution of the search warrant were Surry County Sheriff’s Office Patrol Division, Stokes County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Division, Mount Airy Police Department Narcotics Division, Pilot Mountain Police Department, Yadkin County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Division, and Homeland Security.

Preparations for the next budget year for the county resumed Tuesday night with the county commissioners hearing from the five county rescue squads, Surry Community College and the three public school systems. Each presentation is a chance to look at the year that was, and the plans for each group.

The big news of the evening was that $1.75 million in funds Mount Airy City Schools asked for has been satisfied and can be removed from their budget request.

State Superintendent Catherine Truitt sent an email to Dr. Kim Morrison of Mount Airy City Schools Tuesday with news from Raleigh that will have a lasting impact. She announced that the Needs-Based School Capital Fund in the amount of $1,750,822 to be used for the renovation of the CTE building at Mount Airy High School has been approved.

Compared to some of the other grant requests from this area, the CTE renovations were on the smaller end of the spectrum. Surry County Schools sent in one application for each of the three high schools with those grant amounts reaching nearly $40 million apiece. CTE improvements will include modifications to the building to achieve Americans with Disabilities Act accessibility standards.

In her opening, Morrison asked the board to consider a local business who over the past six years has grown from a $17 million to a $28 million company while attracting 5% of the market share. At the same time this business has brought in outside funding topping $4 million, hired top talent, and been a steady pillar of the community. She said any medium size business that produced such results would be seen as a success, and of course she is describing Mount Airy City Schools.

Morrison offered praise to her staff and teachers for helping students to reach first in the state in Math 1 and Math 3, and fourth in state overall in end of grade testing. The system is double digits above the state average in academic achievement and 100% of Mount Airy City teachers have been growing children where they are expected, or higher, “so to us that means the whole team wins. They’ve done such a great job.”

She went on the call the schools “the hub of the Mount Airy community” that are producing graduates at a high rate. They are working harder now with local business partners and programs such as Surry Yadkin Works to retain graduates here in Surry County. The system has grown its workforce credential program, “at a time when some places would not take interns, we have been able to move forward with 164 credentials last year and over 100 students and internships.”

Even during the pandemic workforce development continues to be a prioritize. The ‘next gen’ program has 38 paid interns, “many of those are going straight into the workforce after they finish their internship. Our CTE interns are around 86, one fourth of those are paid. The apprenticeship part of Surry Yadkin Works is what we were missing from our internships,” and have helped place three students into apprenticeship this year at Northern Regional Hospital.

New programs added recently include entrepreneurship, health science, aviation science, and a construction program she hopes will be moving to a full-time status this year. The system was able to bring in $2 million in outside money this year from 40 local businesses to offset the needs of these new programs.

She touted a dual language program that has doubled its capacity in recent years, which she considers as another workforce development program because over one fourth of every class will graduate fluent in at least two languages. Local industry partners need Spanish speakers, but also with so many partnerships with China, a Chinese language program has become popular. There are students travelling from out of county specifically for these language and workforce programs.

Successes outlined; Morrison walked the commissioner through some of the needs her system has. “I took care of the CTE funding, you can take care of all this.” Her system needs include in part a new used truck for maintenance at the high school, a new truck “as you know is not $20,000.”

A new roof is needed on the concession stand at the football field and the auditorium, as well as a new stage, “We can’t repair the stage if we can’t repair the roof, so we bundled them. We are paying for HVAC replacement, so we need the roof to be able to support it.” Safety and facility upgrades are needed to add door latches for instances of school lockdowns, lighting improvements in gyms, and a purchase of a floor scrubber.

There are still places where carpet removal and replacement are needed, and that may lead to discovery of asbestos. “Abatement, we don’t like to talk about abatement, but as you know we got the state to cover 80% of abatement. There are some rooms we haven’t gone into, and at the state level, when you find asbestos during renovations the state will help with 80% of the cost.”

Blue Bear Café and media center need some cosmetic improvements, and Morrison also added a minibus and van to the budget to get groups to competitions and such. Paving and repair of track surfaces will require half funding as Audra Chilton was able to get these repairs added onto an approved list of ESSER items.

The Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief injected $193 million of pandemic relief funds to public schools and has help to offset some big needs such as paving, HVAC, athletic facility upgrades, and equipment need. This plan will yield the district $700,000 in savings, “We are very thankful those are coming from ESSER money, but those funds are coming to an end.”

Challenges facing the school system include inflationary costs, the exponential growth of retiree benefits, and an increase to the state minimum wage that will translate to $270,000 in additional wages. Morrison also detailed a few of the long-term projects facing the district as well such as repair or replacement of geothermal loops at the high school – which she says has been a recurring repair cost.

A discussion was had about prioritization of future projects with Chairman Bill Goins asking about the priorities list when he saw roof repair listed after a vape monitoring system. Could that be correct, he asked?

“Yes, student safety to us is more important. It is hugely important, (vaping) is our number one offense at the high and middle school.” Commissioner Mark Marion agreed saying his daughter has told him tales of vaping – she is in sixth grade.

“We think we can really cut it down; it is a safety issue and an addiction issue for kids.” She noted Davie County has reported a 50% drop in vaping since instituting a monitoring system, and that they estimate Mount Airy City Schools usage at 30%.

“It is one of the top things in the state that kids are addicted to it, and then they can’t get off it even if they want to if they start in middle school. So, we are trying to keep them from starting.”

A fire of undetermined origin displaced residents of a house on Pipers Gap Road Wednesday, according to a local fire official.

The blaze was reported about 10:20 a.m. at 1583 Pipers Gap Road, just east of Miller Road in the vicinity of Zion United Methodist Church.

It was heavily involved when firefighters arrived, according to Johnny Hiatt, chief of the Franklin Volunteer Fire Department.

“There were flames and smoke showing,” he said of what they encountered with the single-story structure.

It took about an hour to get the fire under control, including extinguishing “a lot of hot spots,” the chief added.

Fire personnel were called back to the scene shortly before 2 p.m. after the wind caused flames to flare up in an area that was missed earlier.

Heavy damage resulted to the structure, although Hiatt lacked a monetary estimate. “It’s not livable,” he said of its condition.

The cause of the blaze was not immediately known.

“It’s still under investigation by the (Surry County) Fire Marshal’s Office,” Hiatt advised.

The owners of the house are listed on county tax records as James and Cindy Miller, but it is believed to be have been rented by someone else, with the names of those occupants not available.

Hiatt mentioned that two adults and two children appeared to be living there.

About 15 firefighters responded to the blaze.

In addition to the Franklin Volunteer Fire Department, they included members of the Mount Airy Fire Department, via a mutual-aid agreement in which members of the city unit assist volunteer departments in areas outside town and vice versa; the Four-Way Volunteer Fire Department; and the Cana, Virginia, Volunteer Fire Department.

April is National Poetry Month.

“Reading poetry is a great way for students to build their vocabulary and become more fluent with understanding voice, pitch, volume, and inflection,” officials at Dobson Elementary School said.

The second grade students in Pam McKeaver, Whitney Metcalf and Allie Woodring’s classes learned about different types of poetry during the month, then wrote acrostic poems using adjectives about spring.

Mount Airy has become one of the few localities in North Carolina to receive grant assistance for a summer adventure camp program for local youths which, among other activities, will include a trip to the beach.

This involves a $175,000 21st Century Community Learning Center Summer Mini-Grant awarded to the Reeves Community Foundation from the N.C. Department of Public Instruction. The local foundation is a charitable arm of Mount Airy Parks and Recreation and is one of 14 agencies selected for what local officials consider a unique grant opportunity.

The funding will support a summer camp program spearheaded by local recreation officials on the heels of a highly successful session in 2021.

It is open to 60 rising sixth graders to rising ninth graders in the community, for which the grant will be used to promote learning and enrichment opportunities.

The Parks and Recreation Department wants to target this age group, whose members are at an impressionable time in their lives.

“This is definitely their formative years,” Parks and Recreation Director Peter Raymer said Monday regarding a segment of society with which local officials want to build positive relationships for the future.

On behalf of the Reeves Community Center Foundation, the city recreation staff will be operating the camp in partnership with other local agencies.

The foundation will buy all equipment and supplies and contract with Mount Airy Parks and Recreation, Mount Airy City Schools, Surry Health and Nutrition Center, N.C. Cooperative Extension and the Surry Arts Council to provide a well-rounded summer slate.

“This is a free camp for participants, so there is no fee to register,” Raymer said.

Persons interested can stop by the community center and fill out a form. Priority will be given to returning campers and next, students of city campuses. After that, any remaining space will be open to youths at large who fit into the specified grade range.

The role of the summer camp initiative has great significance when considering what the youthful participants might be engaged in otherwise during their leisure time in between school terms, Raymer added.

This doesn’t mean they would be doing bad things, but maybe just sitting at home watching television, playing video games or otherwise captivated by electronic pursuits.

Meanwhile, the camp — to begin on June 13 — will be focused on outdoor recreation activities, fitness and arts involvement, while also being fun.

“There is an education component as well,” Raymer said, with career exploration and North Carolina history included.

One of the program’s goals is keeping students’ minds in a learning mode so they can pick up where they left off when classes resume.

“Every Friday we’ll have Field Trip Friday,” Raymer said, which will involve visits to state parks in the area including Pilot Mountain, Hanging Rock and New River Trail State Park in Virginia.

A highlight of the program will be a trip to the beach on July 25 to cap off the summer camp, with the exact coastal destination yet to be determined.

“We are still trying to make a final decision on that,” Raymer said Monday. “We might try to go to Atlantic Beach once again.”

In 2021, this involved a three-night stay filled with activities including side trips to Fort Macon State Park, the N.C. Aquarium and a barrier island where wild horses roam.

“Last year’s beach trip went very, very smoothly,” Raymer said of an excursion that marked the first time some of the youths had journeyed to the coast — thus creating a lifetime of memories for them.

Mount Airy officials considered that visit extremely valuable, including Commissioner Jon Cawley, who accompanied the group as one of the adult chaperones.

“It changed a number of lives,” Cawley said during a recent city government planning retreat.

“The summer of 2021 was one of the most-impactful summers in the history of Reeves Community Center and Mount Airy Parks and Recreation,” Raymer and Assistant City Manager Darren Lewis (then recreation director) concurred in a statement.

Lewis says a “huge shout-out” is due Raymer for his help in preparing the grant application.

“We are excited about this opportunity.”

It must be spring — with summer not far away — because the Surry Arts Council’s popular Summer Concert Series gets underway this week.

And this year’s version is the biggest ever, with 54 shows planned from now through Sept. 22.

Legacy Motown Revue will open the series on Friday, April 29, with a showing beginning at 7:30 p.m. at the Blackmon Amphitheatre, the long-time venue of the series.

The second show will be next week, when The Embers featuring Craig Woolard will take to the stage on May 5 at 7:30 p.m.

The series has been a mainstay of the local entertainment scene since its inception in 2005. Surry Arts Council Executive Director Tanya Jones has said that first year was a challenge, because many of the bands had larger cities and corporate concerts they could play, and Mount Airy’s series was new, without a history of success.

That changed quickly, and it wasn’t too many years after 2005 when Jones said many of the bands began to place Mount Airy at or near the top of their lists of favorite concert locations, even calling to see if they could get on the schedule.

Not only does the series offer an attraction for local residents, but some nights more than 100 folks travel from outside Surry County to take in a concert. Jones said there is even a shagging group in Kentucky whose members sometimes come to Mount Airy and stay on those weekends when there are three concerts spread over Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

The Dairy Center and Thirsty Souls Community Brewing will be at the concerts to provide food, snacks, drinks, beer, and wine for purchase. No outside alcohol or coolers are allowed to be brought into the Amphitheatre area.

Annual passes are on sale for $135 including tax. In addition to the Summer Series, the Annual Pass also includes admission to the weekly WPAQ Merry-Go-Round at the Historic Earle Theatre. Individual tickets for the Summer Series shows are $15. Children 12 and younger are admitted free at Blackmon Amphitheatre events when accompanied by guardians with tickets or an Annual Pass.

Summer Series rack cards detailing all the bands and dates are available for pick up at the Surry Arts Council, the Historic Earle Theatre, and the Andy Griffith Museum. The series may also be accessed online at www.surryarts.org.

Concerts cover a wide range of music styles including beach, Motown, Americana, soul, R&B, country and 80s tribute bands, to appeal to all listeners. Those attending are encourage to take a folding chair or blanket to sit on — although taking to one’s feet and dancing are encouraged.

For additional information on the Summer Series, contact RJ Heller at rj@surryarts.org or 336-786-7998. Annual passes and/or individual concert tickets may be purchased online www.surryarts.org or in person at the Surry Arts Council office or at the gate.

• A Mount Airy woman is facing an upcoming court appearance stemming from an incident in which she allegedly damaged property in a local public-housing unit and did not cooperate with law enforcement, according to city police reports.

Jennifer Lynn Dye, 30, of 520 Lovill St., is accused of injury to real property for allegedly causing $300 in damage to sheetrock in her residence and resisting, delaying or obstructing a public officer. The city housing authority is listed as the victim of the property crime.

The charges stem from a domestic disturbance at the home on April 16, which also resulted in a person named Jesse Outlaw being banned from the property as a result of the investigation.

Dye was confined in the Surry County Jail under a $500 secured bond, with the case scheduled for the June 6 session of District Court.

• Justin Brent Moncus, 40, of 165 Fairlane Drive, was jailed under a $35,000 secured bond on the night of April 15 after police investigated a civil disturbance at 695 W. Independence Blvd., the address for the Roses department store.

Moncus was found to the subject of an outstanding order for arrest regarding a probationary matter which had been filed on March 3. A crystal-like substance also was located during a search as part of the arrest process, which was identified as methamphetamine.

As a result, Moncus was charged with possession of a Schedule II controlled substance, a felony, and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was scheduled to appear in Surry District Court on Monday.

• Another case of property damage has occurred at Riverside Park, a city-owned facility that has been the target of similar acts in recent months.

The latest involves an unknown party spray-painting areas of a restroom and damaging utilities at the park on April 15. A total figure of $450 resulted from harm caused to a wall, sink and stall door.

They bear different names and eye-catching colors while sharing a common chorus: “We want your vote!” — the campaign signs of candidates for various offices now dotting yards, intersections and seemingly every roadside in Surry County.

Although the political posters are studies in clutter at some locations — ahead of a May 17 primary — a set of regulations governs their display in state rights of way, which the N.C. Department of Transportation is monitoring.

Authorities are empowered to remove any signs that violate an applicable general statute, create safety hazards for travelers or interfere with maintenance operations, the agency has announced.

Department of Transportation employees may take down any signs that are illegally placed within the state right of way, as time permits, officials say. The signs are normally taken to local maintenance offices where they are stored until claimed.

Meanwhile, another set of enforcement eyes is provided by the Mount Airy Police Department.

“That falls under our purview,” Police Chief Dale Watson said of monitoring improperly placed signs.

North Carolina General Statute 136-32 allows political signs, if properly placed, to exist in state rights of way — however, candidates or their supporters must adhere to certain rules and restrictions:

• Whoever places a sign is required to get the permission of any property owner of a residence, business or religious institution fronting the right of way where a sign would be placed;

• No sign can be closer than 3 feet from the edge of the pavement of the road;

• A sign must not obscure motorist visibility at an intersection;

• No sign can be higher than 42 inches above the edge of the pavement;

• Signs are limited in size to six square feet (864 square inches);

• No sign is permitted in the right of way of a limited-access highway such as an interstate;

• A sign can’t obscure or replace another sign.

If anyone else removes or vandalizes a sign, they could be subject to a Class 3 misdemeanor citation from law enforcement.

Signs are permitted during the period beginning on the 30th day before the start date of “one-stop” early voting — which is this Thursday.

Chief Watson said his department did note some violations when the 2022 campaign season first got under way.

Some were put up too early, based on the prescribed allowance date. “And a lot of them were (improperly) in the right of way,” Watson said of the distance rule.

Everyone now seems to be in compliance, after becoming accustomed to the regulations, the police chief indicated.

“They follow the basic guidelines for where and how to put them up and the time parameters.”

The display period for campaign signs officially ends on the 10th day after the primary.

Signs still in the right of way after May 27 will be in violation of state law, and the N.C. Department of Transportation is authorized to remove and dispose of them.

In Surry County there are concerns about the 2020 elections that have been stoked anew and paired with rhetoric so strong it is making national headlines.

Last Monday a group of eight people expressed concerns found during a door-to-door canvass they are doing using voter logs from 2020. They told the county commissioners they were finding and hearing repeated claims of voter fraud and wanted to bring the matter before the board for their attention.

The complaints are summarized as voter registration irregularities, vote totals that do not match expected population counts, voting machine fears, a desire to move back to a paper ballot, as well as an absentee ballot that never arrived. The group also wants what it is calling a forensic audit done of the 2020 election to include a full inspection of all voting equipment.

Reuters news service reported over the weekend that Surry County Republican Party chair Keith Senter, “told elections director Michella Huff that he would ensure she lost her job if she refused his demand to access the county’s vote tabulators, the North Carolina State Board of Elections said in written responses to questions from Reuters,” the news service wrote. “Senter was ‘aggressive, threatening, and hostile,’ in two meetings with Huff, the state elections board said, citing witness accounts.”

“We just had a difference of opinion,” Huff said Monday of those two meetings in March with Senter about his concerns and desire to look inside voting machines. “That’s just not how it works in North Carolina.”

She gave Senter and Dr. Douglas Franks paths for recourse if they found errors in the canvass, and that her office would investigate immediately any voter challenge forms. She also advised them that any claims of fraud would need to be addressed by the state board of elections.

Senter said he was told by Huff’s office that an audit had been done, but he countered only a recount had been done. If there were wrong data, counting the same data sets again would yield no difference.

“If you line up ten apples, and five of them are wood, you still have ten apples, but five of them are false. It’s the same with votes, you can count votes over and over, and get the same result. What if five of them are fraudulent?”

Mark Payne, a lawyer hired by Surry County, presented the following to the Board of Elections on April 20, “To date, the only specific request/demand presented is a demand for a ‘forensic audit.’ It should be noted here that there is no legal definition of a ‘forensic audit’ and because of the colloquial use of this term on a national level, at this time the request is vague.”

There is a common thread of mistrust in voting machines that pervade arguments of election fraud. An elected county official said they were told a microchip or modem inside was rumored to have been a culprit for election results. “There was a problem with the internet connections, that’s what I’ve heard Mike Lindell say,” canvasser Suzanne Richards said. Lindell is the CEO of My Pillow Inc., and also a well-known conservative activitist who has insisted President Trump did not lose the 2020 presidential election.

“Voting machines and systems used in North Carolina are secure and have been certified to federal and state standards. They may not, under state law, be connected to the internet, and do not contain modems despite rampant misinformation otherwise,” Huff said in response.

“No election system or voting system in North Carolina has ever been the target of a successful cyberattack. Every piece of voting equipment is tested before every election, and the results are audited afterwards. Bipartisan teams participate in every step of the process, and the public can observe pre-election testing and post-election audits. We are happy to provide additional information on these topics if parties wish,” she wrote Thursday.

There has been a request to access the voting machine by the canvassers, to which Payne offers, “Under NC elections law, it is neither lawful nor appropriate to allow anyone other than authorized elections staff to have physical access to the machines.”

He said the law prohibits it and allowing such access would void the warranty on the machines, which would lead to decertification of some, or all, of the county’s voting machines. “This will expose the commissioners and the taxpayers to significant financial loss to purchase new voting machines or recertifying current machines.”

Kevin Shinault pointed to what he referred to as “statistical improbabilities, and statistical impossibilities.” He said in Surry County that, “everybody over the age of 80 is registered to vote, that’s a statistical impossibility if you know math.”

Huff replied, “We would ask where the information about voters over age 80 and the methodology used in this claim. Claims like this often arise from comparing registered voters of a certain age with the voting age population in a county as reported by the US Census Bureau for a different period of time. Comparing these data is not statistically or mathematically sound.”

John Bose summarized it this way, “I know the heat is on, but I make a plea for you to have courage. We do not have faith in the elections process.” He, with other speakers, offered stories of veterans, freedom, and sacrifice to set a tone before dispensing serious claims of voter fraud.

“When we got there for training they started with a video, and it was nothing but graves of men who had died for someone like me,” Shannon Senter said. She mentioned the sacrifice of her own ancestors which gave her the right to speak to the board.

“They sacrificed, and I don’t ever want to forget that. That’s what gives me freedom. I thought about my grandbaby and what I’ll say to him when he is living in tyranny 20 years from now and don’t have the freedoms that I have.”

“What I would like to address is the door-to-door canvassing that is currently occurring,” Huff went on. “We, the Board of Elections, and staff want to remind voters that we would never go door-to-door seeking information from voters about any election business. These people are not election officials. We would ask any voter to ask the canvasser to verify their identity and their organization.”

The canvassers told the board that they had data driven stops and were not simply going door to door. Furthermore, they said the occasional citizen may have offered up who they voted for in 2020, but that was not asked nor was it their mission to find that out.

“Most people have thanked us and said this is long overdue,” Paula Stanley explained of her canvassing experience.

Gayle Norman echoed that, “I went down a different route, but the end result was the same. We have older people who are saying the voted in person when our logs show a mail-in/absentee ballot.”

“To date, we have not received any evidence or specifics regarding this second-hand account, so we have no way to verify it or respond,” said Huff.

A specific complaint from a travelling nurse who requested twice and never received her absentee ballot while out of state did get Huff’s attention. “My vote was taken away, I’m mad,” Ms. Bose told the commissioners. A United States Air Force veteran, she said she tracked her absentee ballot request online and when she saw her first ballot never arrived, requested another – which also did not arrive.

To have not been able to cast a vote is understandably upsetting, especially to a veteran of the armed services. “We are concerned if she requested a ballot, was eligible, and didn’t receive one. To our knowledge, no one has reached out to the county board of elections about this issue,” Huff said.

Huff went on, “My number one goal and focus is the current election we are actively working on each day and night. I want to ensure all voters of Surry County that security of election equipment is a high priority for this office and any claim regarding the validity of our equipment is taken seriously.

“I do not want voters of Surry County to walk out of a precinct without casting their ballot after they have checked in and received a ballot due to misinformation about the voting tabulators. If any voter would like to call our office concerning any process in casting their ballot, I encourage them to call our office.”

Lonesome River Band will be playing at the Historic Earle Theatre on Saturday, April 30 at 7:30 p.m. as part of the Surry Arts Council’s Blue Ridge and Beyond Series.

Their performance will be in tribute to the Easter Brothers, acclaimed bluegrass and country gospel group, as Russell Easter, the last remaining musician from the band, passed away in 2020. Many of the band members were influenced by and respected the music and talents of the Easter Brothers.

Lonesome River Band just released a CD entitled Singing up There: A Tribute to the Easter Brothers. The Easter Brothers group was formed in 1953 by Ed and Russell, who were joined by James in 1956.

Since its formation decades ago, Lonesome River Band continues its reputation as one of the most respected names in bluegrass music. The band is comprised of Sammy Shelor as lead on banjo, two lead vocalists, Jesse Smathers on guitar and Adam Miller on mandolin, Mike Hartgrove on fiddle and Barry Reed on bass, all of whom share a passion for music and have vast experience, winning awards and esteem for their individual talents.

Shelor is the five-time International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) Banjo Player of the Year and winner of the Steve Martin Prize for Excellence in Banjo and Bluegrass. Smathers won the IBMA Momentum Award for Vocalist of the Year in 2017. The Lonesome River Band itself has won three IBMA awards.

Space is limited in the Earle Theater, so fans are encouraged to purchase tickets soon. Call the Surry Arts Council at 336-786-7998 or visit www.surryarts.org for tickets. Balcony seat tickets are $20, orchestra seat tickets are $25, and preferred seat tickets are $30.

For the second year in a row, the Greater Mount Airy Chamber of Commerce will be hosting a Student Job Fair.

The event, featuring more than three dozen area employers, is set for Thursday, from 10 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. at Veterans Memorial Park.

Admission is free, and all area students who are hunting for jobs are invited to attend.

”Interested students should sign up in their school career center,” chamber President and CEO Randy Collins said. Students should also take copies of their resume to the fair, and they can submit their resume, via email, in advance of the event. All resumes submitted will be sent to the job fair vendors. Resumes may be emailed to: jordon@mtairyncchamber.org.

Last year was the first time the chamber had worked with the area school systems to host a student-centered job fair, and it seemed to be a big success.

“It’s encouraging to me to see young students getting the opportunity to connect with local businesses,” Surry County Schools Superintendent Travis Reeves said at last year’s gathering.

While the fair is an excellent opportunity for students to make contact with area businesses and potentially start the process of finding employment, it is not out of the question a student or two could leave the event with a job already secured.

“A student heard about our program through the welding program at Surry, and he specifically came up here to get a job with us,” said Tampco HR & Safety Director Emily Cave during the 2021 job fair, adding that he was hired at the fair. “I think the job fair is wonderful. It’s great for us to be able to see these students one-on-one, and it’s good for them to speak with people and shake people’s hands.”

Not only were the local high schools included during 2021, students from colleges including UNC Charlotte, Catawba, Western Carolina and area community colleges such as Surry also attended. College students are welcome again this year.

Chamber officials said the willingness of area businesses to take part has been a big factor in making the fair a success. A number of local employers are expected to have a booth set up and who are helping to sponsor the fair.

Gold Level Sponsors of the Job Fair include:

Silver Level Sponsors of the Job Fair include:

Bronze Level Sponsors of the Job Fair include:

• Mountain Valley Hospice and Palliative Care

• Hampton Inn of Mt. Airy

• Debbie’s Staffing Services Inc.

• Surry Economic Development Partnership, Inc.

• Pilot Mountain Vineyards and Winery

Vendor space is still available for the Student Job Fair. For more information, contact Jordon Edwards via email at jordon@mtairyncchamber.org or call 336-786-6116, ext. 204.

In previous budget years the Surry County Sheriff’s Office has prioritized hiring, but Chief Deputy Paul Barker told the commissioners this year that one of the main focuses for the upcoming budget was going to be on equipment needs and vehicles.

One problem area for Sheriff Steve Hiatt and his team is one that is also a sore spot for other law enforcement agencies across the state: patrol cars. Finding them, securing them, and getting them delivered in a timely manner is an ongoing problem. The county is five patrol cars short from the current budget year already.

In the next budget year, which begins July 1, the Sheriff’s Office is looking for a total of 13 new vehicles: one for animal control, one for the Narcotics Division, one SWAT van, and ten pursuit rated patrol cars. These ten additional patrol cars are in addition to the five patrol cars that were budgeted and approved for this budget year, but never arrived to join Hiatt’s fleet.

With five still outstanding, next year’s order of ten is in addition to those that have not arrived. Rhonda Nix of the county’s finance office said one or two of those cars may yet arrive. The county is securing budget room next year for an additional ten proactively.

Cars that are budgeted for but do not arrive do not go against their budget, the county does not pay for items not delivered. Those funds are not the sheriff’s to do with as he sees fit however and cannot be spent freely because the cars did not arrive.

“We’re seeing what you’re seeing on a daily basis when you’re going to stores and trying to buy things. We’re seeing that in the law enforcement realm, we are trying to order law enforcement equipment, and it doesn’t matter what it is, the extensive delays times are astronomical,” Barker told the board.

Nix said the Sheriff’s Association was also having trouble acquiring new vehicles. The Chief Deputy added, “I will tell you this, when State Highway Patrol goes to order 2,400 cars, you know as well as I do who is going to get the preference. You got Winston-Salem might order 200 at a time, so of course that’s an additional thing we fight against.”

Buying a new car or truck these days can be a big of a hassle, even for Jane Q. Citizen. “You can’t even buy a pickup truck,” Commissioner Mark Marion observed. This is why so many county vehicles find second and third lives. The SWAT van that is being requested in the new budget replaces a late 1990s vehicle that Emergency Services surplused out.

Supply chain problems are keeping the patrol vehicles that the county wants from arriving, and expectations have already been adapted. “It has been a real struggle; we even changed the wording to “pursuit rated vehicles.” I can’t ask for Charger or Durango, it’s basically whatever we get.”

The county uses a lease program that Nix said, “if not for the supply chain issues, this is a good idea.” She said a three-year leasing plan is good because: it keeps the miles down, rotation of the vehicles is safer for deputies, there is less down time waiting for repairs on older cars, and the vehicles hold more equity upon trade in.

A need for speed is what comes to mind when thinking about an officer in hot pursuit. While it is true that police pursuit vehicles are meant to be faster than those they are chasing, they also have better shocks, brakes, suspension, and acceleration than a stock vehicle found on a car lot. “You can definitely tell the difference when you drive it,” Sheriff Steve Hiatt added.

All deputies are required to be in pursuit rated vehicles, the board was assured. There are members of the Sheriff’s Office not in pursuit rated cars, but they have jobs that ought not find them in a high-speed chase racing down US 52 at over 125 mph.

Commissioner Van Tucker asked, “What’s the difference between a car going 140 or say 124 mph? In the time we’re waiting for a Charger, can’t be buy something else?” In short, there are other cars besides those listed that qualify including the Ford Interceptor and the Chevy Tahoe, the latter was said to have been far too expensive for consideration.

“We’re not just talking about chases; we are talking about emergency traffic. Which if you’re in Mount Airy and you get a call for a domestic violence, that office is going to run emergency traffic, 10-18, to Lowgap. We need to give the deputies equipment that is adequate to do the job.

“As your chief deputy, if it were my sister in a domestic situation, if I was the resident, I would want the officer in the most capable vehicle possible. We’re not talking about Maserati or stuff like that. We want them to have the equipment adequate to do the job.”

Getting the car does not mean the problems are over, they are just getting cars marked up and on the road that were asked for two years ago. Also, “We have a van that we are ready to put on the road for detention. We have it, it’s leased, it’s striped up, but I’m missing the cage.” The protective cage that separates driver from passengers is a critical element, “it’s been on order for eight months.”

Having a car that can get there fast is great, the new budget wants to make sure when deputies arrive on scene, they can document the incident. The desire is, “To create a safe space for the officer, and can help keep the county away from legal issues,” Barker said.

“One video can make all the difference in the world,” he said when it comes to protecting deputies, the department, and the county from potential lawsuits. With camera footage the “he said — she said” element of the interaction can be eliminated.

Having that equipment standard, and in working order, will ultimately make the difference. There are six on-board cameras that have reached the end of the line, the board was advised. Another local department was changing their cameras and sent an email out announcing they had extra parts. “We scooped them up and did some in-house repairs to keep those cameras operational.”

Replacing those cameras that have aged out will once again provide an extra layer of security for the officer, the citizen, and the county. Chief Deputy Barker told the commissioners there is “a need and also the want to have in-car cameras operational in all patrol cars.”

Mount Airy High School recently received the Signature School designation from the Piedmont Triad Education Consortium.

“This recognition highlights the accomplishments and exemplifies the excellence that Mount Airy High School experienced in the 2020-2021 school year,” the school system said of the honor.

“Mount Airy High School is a comprehensive school known for academic and innovative accomplishments as well as educators who work to grow every child, every day. In the midst of a worldwide pandemic, Mount Airy High School returned to school five days a week on Aug. 17, 2020, and was the only high school to do so,” the organization said in making the award. “The goal of leading this return to school was to do what was best for students while keeping staff, students, and families healthy. This goal was surpassed when students exceeded growth expectations, remained on-campus learning, and were able to resume athletics while also enjoying all arts offerings. During this trying time, enrollment increased 5% allowing even more students to experience success as a Granite Bear.”

“I am extremely proud of the accomplishments of Mount Airy High School. Our staff believed that our students needed to attend school on a daily basis,” said Principal Jason Dorsett. “They also believed that we needed to provide opportunities including athletics, the arts, and more. The team worked together and poured their hearts into each day to make this possible. This was a difficult achievement that our students and society will benefit from for many years to come. I couldn’t be prouder of the Mount Airy High School team.”

The school implements a STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics) framework and multiple work-force development courses to help students become problem-solvers. Students enjoy a variety of arts offerings such as visual arts, band, and chorus, and a partnership that brings a teacher from China to teach Chinese language and culture. The school also boasts a NASCAR partnership with Richard Childress Racing where students travel to RCR and are exposed to careers such as engineering, marketing, and development.

There are more than 23 athletic teams available and more than 10 academic clubs and teams that meet weekly. The school put the district first in the state in Math 3, eighth in the state for English 2, fourth in the state for overall proficiencies in high school EOCs. Among the graduates, 90% of them go on to a two- or four-year degree and the career and technical attainment of their students was 86.5%. Students earned 164 work-based credentials last year.

“We are proud of Mount Airy High School for leading the state in achievement by achieving double digits above the state average in all EOCs and CTE assessments,” said Superintendent Dr. Kim Morrison. “Mount Airy High School placed students first with all teachers being green or blue in EVAAS and all student groups showing growth. This is amazing due to all the challenges of the last year. Learning never stopped at Mount Airy High School thanks to our amazing staff and students. We are proud to award the PTEC Signature School to Mount Airy High School.”

Effective this week, the Mount Airy News will be changing its publication schedule. The paper, which has served the greater Mount Airy and Surry County community for more than 140 years, will be switching its print editions to Tuesday, Thursday, and unveiling a new Weekend edition that will be published and distributed on Saturday.

“This is a great opportunity for The News to reach readers in a new, exciting way,” said Regional Publisher Sandy Hurley. “Our news and our advertisers messages will now reach readers a day earlier.”

The switch is even better news for some Sunday subscribers in outlying areas that depend upon the U.S. Postal service to deliver their papers — which has meant they didn’t receive their Sunday news until Monday. Now, they will be getting their paper much earlier.

The Weekend edition will also serve as a guide to what’s going on in Mount Airy, Surry County, and Southern Virginia, helping readers know what is in store and what is available for them and their families early on Saturday.

The Mount Airy News will continue publishing e-editions only, but those days will switch as well, with exclusive e-editions published on Wednesday and Friday each week.

“We are always looking for ways to better serve our readers and advertisers, and making this switch is a good way to do that,” Hurley said.

Breaking news, along with daily and even more frequent updates will continue to be available at mtairynews.com

The Surry Arts Council is accepting applications for the 2022 Scholarship Programs from Surry County students.

Scholarships are available for college-bound students, current college students, and artists who are pursuing a degree or continuing education in music, drama, dance, television, film, communications, visual arts, commercial art, arts administration, or other arts-related fields. Scholarships are also available for youth who wish to attend summer art camps at the Andy Griffith Playhouse.

All scholarship recipients must be Surry County residents. Applications are available online at http://surryarts.org/programs/scholarships.html or at the Surry Arts Council office at 218 Rockford Street. Staff members are available to answer questions or assist with applications. Completed applications must be received by the Surry Arts Council by Friday, May 13 at 5 pm.

Scholarships for Surry Arts Council summer youth art camps come from the Kester Sink Scholarship Fund, the Gravitte Scholarships, and other earmarked donations. Applications for summer camps are online or may be picked up in the Surry Arts Council office at 218 Rockford or at Dr. John L Gravitte’s office at 140 North Pointe Boulevard. These scholarships do not require auditions. These applications are rolling and decisions will be made on or before May 30.

Funds for the Surry Arts Council Scholarship programs come from the Mildred Wolfe Robertson Scholarship Fund, the Sandy Beam Scholarship Fund, the Betty Lynn Scholarship Endowment, and the Jimmy Lowry Scholarship Endowment. In lieu of in-person auditions for the Scholarship programs, the Surry Arts Council Scholarship Committee will be reviewing digital auditions from all applicants. Applicants will be notified of the Surry Arts Council Scholarship Committee’s decisions by Monday, June 6. There is no digital or in-person audition requirement for summer camp applicants.

For additional information, contact Marianna Juliana at 336-786-7998 or marianna@surryarts.org

An annual tradition is back — perhaps bigger and better than ever before.

Thursday, the Mount Airy News held its Readers Choice Award luncheon at Cross Creek Country Club, recognizing local businesses and professionals who were chosen as among the best in their respective fields by Mount Airy News readers.

More than 100 people gathered for the awards lunch to recognize dozens of area businesses chosen by Mount Airy News readers as their favorite enterprises in the Greater Mount Airy and Surry County area.

“When you say you have won a Mountie, you have really won something,” Regional Publisher Sandy Hurley said to those in attendance. The Mounties, as the awards are called, go to the individuals or businesses voted among the top at what they do. Hurley told the gathering more than 20,000 votes were cast in this year’s tally.

Representatives of many of the award winners, as well as the primary sponsors of the event — Carport Central, Cibirix, Northern Regional Hospital, J’s HVAC Unlimited LLC, West Ridge Insurance, Carolina Roofing, and Dr. John Gravitte, DDS —were on hand not only to receive their awards, but to comment on what their business does, and what the awards meant to them.

Of course, being the first Mounties awards ceremony in two years because of the coronavirus pandemic, was on the minds of many who spoke.

“Not too long ago, we gathered like this and we had no idea we would hear the word ‘COVID’…we’d hear the word ‘pivot,’ that we’d hear the word “remote,’” Hurley told the crowd of business owners and managers. But, she said, those phrases and principles have dominated the business world over the past two years. However, many area businesses were able to pivot, where able to adapt, and last week’s gathering was a celebration of that.

Chris Lumsden, CEO of Northern Regional Hospital, spoke of how the concept of togetherness kept hospital staff focused on the task at hand, even when the facility was setting record highs for the number of patients, while staffers were many times out with COVID-19.

“When times got tough, the team really stuck together,” he said of the hospital’s 1,000 caregivers.

Whether fighting through a pandemic, or in more normal times, the hospital official said one thing he believes is critical to the success of any business is investing in its people. He said over the past year, the hospital has invested $275.000 in its employees and other members of the community, helping them to afford training and certification in various medical fields.

“That is very important,” he said. “With the labor shortage, it is important to grow our workforce.”

Jeffrey Trenter of Carport Central and Cibirix, said he believes his companies received so many reader votes because his company has a guiding philosophy: “We just try to do the right thing.”

That has led his business to significant growth, to the point that it does far more than carports, with many commercial and residential projects. With Cibirix, he said the marketing firm can help businesses grow their online presence.

Sandra Matthews of West Ridge Insurance in Pilot Mountain said being recognized at the Mounties was a thrill.

“We are honored,” she said. “We are just honored to be recognized.”

Nathan Gough, of J’s HVAC Unlimited of Mount Airy, said one of the hallmarks of his company is that they are “Committed to doing what’s right,” and that running a successful business is about more than just generating revenue.

Amanda Fretwell, with Dr. John L. Gravitte, DDS, PA, said Dr. Gravitte has been serving the Mount Airy community for 18 years, with his annual free dental clinic, along with working with the schools. Being able to “give back’ is something that is important to him and his staff.

For a full list of winners, see the special Best of the Best section inside today’s Mount Airy News.

Celebration was afoot and the television cameras were set up Friday in Dobson for the unveiling of the Hungry for History road marker denoting this as the official home of the sonker. The tasty pie-cobbler hybrid that could has been making the most of available fruits and, for some, the sweet potato going back to colonial times.

Now a historical marker adorns the grounds of the Historic Courthouse in Dobson from the William G. Pomeroy Foundation that carries with it the weight of having been verified by professional historians. They call theirs the gold standard of historical markers, so some proof was needed to the sonker heritage claim.

A heaping of thanks needs to be given to Abbi Freeman for her dedication to the project. Craig Distl with the Surry County Tourism office, called her an unsung hero of the process who “really sunk her teeth into the Sonker Trail.” She conducted interviews, did research, and provided the documentation to get the grant from the Pomeroy Foundation.

A member of Mount Airy High Class of 2017, and a student at Appalachian State. Freeman is majoring in English secondary education, with a minor in recreation management. Student teaching awaits her in the fall.

“Abbi also helped grow the trail, she pounded the pavement and brought on board The Tilted Ladder and Prudence McCabe Confections. She made a difference, and her impact carries over to Friday’s dedication,” Distl said.

Jenny Smith from the Mount Airy visitors center explained, “We were excited to have Abbi work as an intern specifically with the tourism partnership of Surry County and the Sonker Trail. During her internship she added partners on to the trail, also did the grant work for this historical marker. We are thrilled to have received the grant and are excited to be part of this event and the unveiling of the marker.”

Freeman smiled on Friday as some of the spotlight landed on her unexpectedly. Of her work in growing the Sonker Trail she said, “It does a wonder for local businesses, and you know we love small business.”

This sort of recognition for food may seem odd, Lisa Turney of Horne Creek Farm noted that when she began her career as a museum profession, “food and food culture did not receive the recognition they get today. They make up an important part of who we are, how we connect, what we value, and how we express ourselves.”

“A catalyst and an anchor for our memories, food has the ability to snap us back in time to remember some of life’s sweetest and most cherished memories.” She asked the crowd about associating the smell of fresh baked pie with mom and grandma.

She was also sure everyone had an experience with making a homemade dish for a loved one who is ill, or a neighbor who has experienced a loss in their family. “It’s a southern tradition, a means of connecting, showing love, and of expressing compassion.”

Food is a connector that can bring people together because no matter where you go, when you make a homemade recipe, doing so says a lot about you she, added and quoted James Beard, “Food is our common ground, a universal experience.”

Horne Creek Farm hosts Christmas by Lamplight and they serve sonker, She said when giving a brief talk in 2019 on the origin of the dish she drew a strong objection. “Immediately a man raised his hand and said rather emphatically, ‘I think you’re wrong on that, it originated in Yadkin County.’”

“You know something is pretty special when two counties lay claim to it. I didn’t think quickly enough, but upon reflection the fact remains that Yadkin County was split from parts of Surry County. So, I think we can say with great certainty the sonker originated in Surry County.”

President of the Surry County Historical Society Dr. Annette Ayers called it, “an original farm to table food for the rural population since they had access to all the ingredients on their own land.” She added sonker is found in a Martha Washington cookbook that credited the recipe to her Scotch-Irish cook. From Virginia, the English and Scotch-Irish settled this area and brought with them customs and recipes among which sonker is believed to have followed.

The Society has sponsored the Sonker Festival at Edwards – Franklin house for 40 years before a two-year absence due to the lingering pandemic. On Oct. 1, the tradition will resume with the 41st Sonker Festival. A return to doing what they love will be a proper anniversary gift to mark the group’s 50th anniversary year.

County Commissioner Eddie Harris mentioned keeping the traditions of the past alive via sonker. “We’re proud today to honor all our ancestors that continued the tradition from Scotland, Ireland, England to bring this dish to our county. We are proud to continue this tradition. Surry County loves it history, and we want to honor our history today.”

The marker is a fitting honor that now is among the more than 1,700 other road markers and plaques the Pomeroy Foundation has sponsored. Their letter to Surry County said the sonker now finds itself “among a select group from across the United States.”

For the second time in as many weeks, Mount Airy officials have popped the cork on a debate surrounding potential alcohol availability in a public rest area downtown — but with no clear consensus emerging.

When the city council met Thursday night, Commissioner Jon Cawley sought to have it rescind an ordinance change made on April 7 allowing more downtown businesses to operate outside dining areas, coupled with the possible serving of wine and beer.

The board broadened wording to include food and beverage establishments along with restaurants, which was earlier the case.

Cawley, who voted “no” in that 4-1 decision, has since charged that this opens the door for alcohol use in Jack A. Loftis Plaza downtown. It is a rest area containing bathrooms, tables and chairs — overseen by a mural of the Easter Brothers gospel bluegrass group.

He said other board members either didn’t realize the full implications of their decision paving the way for this, or else were aware and wanted to sneak the rules change through in a manner that avoided transparency.

Others on the Mount Airy Board of Commissioners — and Mayor Ron Niland — took issue with Cawley’s assessment Thursday night, when the end result was to continue discussion on the matter to its next meeting in early May.

“I resent the insinuations that we as board members don’t do our homework on what we vote for,” Commissioner Steve Yokeley said in response to public comments by Cawley since the previous session.

The board’s Marie Wood offered similar statements.

“I did my research on this ordinance,” Wood said of the change in language approved two weeks earlier, “and I feel good about my vote.”

She said the addition of food and beverage establishments to the mix will allow 10 more businesses to utilize the downtown outdoor dining provision that originated in 2015.

Wood also questioned Cawley’s attempt to rescind the April 7 action, saying she could recall someone on the board once complaining that if certain commissioners didn’t like a decision they could bring it up again until they got their way.

“Jon, that was you,” Wood said.

Word “plaza” a sticking point

Cawley explained Thursday night that the reason for requesting the recension then was because of his understanding that rules require such actions to occur in the next meeting after a vote. He added that this route should be taken rather than waiting to see the impacts of the outside dining/alcohol measure.

The North Ward commissioner, who is running for mayor against Niland, said Thursday night that other city officials seemed to know the intent of the April 7 vote. That was to set the stage for a wine shop and boutique next door to Jack A. Loftis Plaza, known as Uncorked, to serve alcoholic beverages in a portion of the rest area, according to Cawley.

“One of my questions is, why didn’t I (know)?”

In apparently countering comments by Commissioner Wood, Cawley also said he had seen campaign signs supporting transparency in city government — implying this sentiment was not playing out in reality.

The mayor responded that all city government decisions are openly made in council chambers of the Municipal Building, and he is not aware of any occurring elsewhere.

Cawley, meanwhile, sought to illuminate his position on the changed ordinance, focusing on concern about “plazas” being included among outside service areas along with sidewalks in front of establishments and alleyways.

“I have no issue whatsoever with the ordinance except for the word plaza,” Cawley said, due to its implications for the public rest area.

As the debate wore on, Commissioner Tom Koch offered what appeared to be a compromise.

He suggested banning alcohol in Jack A. Loftis Plaza, including erecting signage saying violators will be subject to a $500 fine.

This would allow food and beverage establishments to do business while not “taking advantage of city property,” Koch reasoned.

However, Commissioner Joe Zalescik questioned the need for such signage, pointing out that it already is illegal for someone to walk down North Main Street carrying an open container of beer. That applies to other public spaces such as the downtown rest area, Zalescik said.

Yokeley also cited wording in the amended ordinance stating that city property may not be encroached upon, which he said would pertain to Jack A. Loftis Plaza.

“So I don’t see it as an issue,” he said of Cawley’s call for rescinding the previous decision out of concerns that space would accommodate a beer and wine garden.

Yokeley said he didn’t believe Uncorked would be able to do what Cawley suspects, cutting a hole into its wall adjoining the plaza for a serving window. Instead, the business is planning to add a back deck, based on the discussion.

While city Planning Director Andy Goodall had indicated at the April 7 meeting that such a building modification would permit adult beverage use in the Loftis plaza, this was clarified Thursday night. It would require the granting of an easement by the city, according to Goodall.

Procedural questions about how to address the matter seemed to permeate the meeting, from which City Attorney Hugh Campbell was absent and unavailable for legal guidance.

For example, it was mentioned that Koch’s suggestion to ban alcohol from the rest area might require a public hearing before it could be implemented. This led Cawley to ask why a hearing wasn’t needed before the April 7 action.

Thursday night’s discussion ended with the mayor deciding that the matter should be addressed at the next meeting, allowing it to be fully explored.

“Since this is a change in a public space,” Niland said of the possible regulation, “it needs to at least be put on an agenda for discussion.”

He added, “I’m going to rule this a moot discussion at this point.”

The student-body at North Surry High School recently filed into the front lawn to cheer on some special athletes in a pep rally organized by the North Surry High School Fan Club.

According to advisor Jane Loughmiller, The club is a student-led organization whose purpose is to plan activities of inclusion, to promote the inclusion of all students of all abilities and disabilities.

“Fan Club had the idea to throw a pep rally for Special Olympians the day before their Spring Games,” Loughmiller said. “Eleventh grade Fan Club leader Gwendolyn Bode took the lead role in getting a phenomenal pep rally organized. Blake McCraw lead an amazing drum core and Hope Ward prepared the cheerleaders with custom-designed cheers for the Special Olympians.”

Fan Club members, the Varsity Cheer Squad and the Color Guard formed a tunnel for the Olympians to walk through. Eric Jessup announced the Special Olympians and they were escorted by their favorite high school sports companions through the tunnel. The North Surry student body cheered on the Olympians as they were announced.

– Seniors Tiffany Jones, Venessa Silvar, Samoa Fields Delana Richards, Wumpini Humphreys, Jamal King, and Stephanie Poff.

– Underclassmen Alfredo Bedolla, Victor Rodriguez, Meadow Childress, and Caiden Soots. Other athletes not on campus are Braeden Fields, and Mikkhi Monday.

Sport companions were Micah Felts, Cameron Taylor, Jackson Smith, Grace Philips, Lanae Kyle, Zeke Moore, Carley Puckett, Brodie Robinson, Jahreece Lynch, Sadie Badgett, Kolby Watson, Josie Tompkins, Summer Goins, Jake Simmons, Hector Hernandez, Kimberly Elias, Will Danely, Eve Bodnar, James McCreary, Callie Allen, Johnny Lopez, Camila Flores, Jackson Graves, and Cassidy Hull.

Fan Club members present were Joseph Smith, Emily Angel, Markus Alford, Noah Bradley, Summer Goins, Emma Gwyn, Savana Jones, Alex Lawson, Victoria Luna, Lilly Morgan, Ella Riggs, Tiana Smith, and Claton Todd.

“Thank you, Gwendolyn Bode, Dr. Badgett, and Fan Club members for creating a festive, unifying celebration of our…Special Olympians,” Loughmiller said.

© 2018 The Mount Airy News