In recording deeds, the state of North Carolina does not require that the amount paid for a parcel be stated on the deed. However a tax stamp at the rate of $2 for every $1,000 in value is affixed to each deed.

Recent real estate transfers recorded in the Surry County Register of Deed’s office include:

– Andy Pandy, L.L.C. to Jason Jimenez; lots 4-6 block D Graves Heights development PB 3 158; $180.

– Bernays W. White and Hellon Stokes to Bernays W. White, Walter C. White, Jerry Wayne White and Matthew Jamin White; 1.26 acres Marsh; $2.

– Elizabeth M. Fisher and June Osborne to Richard Derek Adams; 0.424 acres lot 14 Westover Park subdivision PB 4 11 Elkin; $366.

– Sandra K. Gaudet to Nathan Gaudet; tract one 20,000 sq ft and tract two 15,400 sq ft and tract three 0.563 acres Elkin; $0.

– The Allen J. Lovill Trust, Robert J. Lovill III, Elizabeth J. Lovill and Allen J. Lovill to Michael Paul Burnette Jr. and Ashley Brooke Moore; lot 35 subdivision of Ring Creek PB 23-78; $46.

– Gregory Jarrett Golding and Jessica Lancaster Golding to William Gregory Golding; 1.30 acres Franklin; $0.

– Tony Joe Williams and Kendra D. Williams to Giselle Lupita Chavez; lot 36 PB 20 73 Pilot; $580.

– Sean Harrison Guest and Jacqueline Walker Guest to Robert Shannon Miller; parcel one 10.219 acres parcel two tract; $530.

– Nathan Gaudet to Florence Jennette LaFrance; tract one 20,000 sq ft, tract two 15,400 sq ft, tract three 0.563 acres Elkin; $500.

– Sheila B. Jackson and Randolph D. Jackson to W. MEI Investments, LLC; lots 13-14 block 4 Marshall Heights PB 1 14 Mount Airy; $160.

– Old Banner Properties, LLC to Justin Franklin; tract Mount Airy; $332.

– Daniel Lee Parker to Old Banner Properties, LLC; portion of lot 87 and all of lot 88 Banner and Byerly development PB 1 74 Mount Airy; $60.

– Summer L. Bowman, Summer L. Harris and Joshua Harris to Randall G. Bowman; lots 7-8 Westfield Meadows section 2 PB 14 211 Westfield; $0.

– Eva Jean Utt Shelton and Eva Shelton Cave to Andrew J. Cave and Khloe C. Cave; lot 20 Knollwood subdivision PB 9 161 Stewarts Creek; $330.

– Nicholas A. Tomlin and Whitney M. Tomlin to John Wilson Newton and Cindy Kay Beasley Newton; 0.927 acres Elkin; $645.

– County of Surry and County of Surry North Carolina to City of Mount Airy; 7.675 acres PB 12 143 Jones School Road Mount Airy (Graham Field); $0.

– Joel Lee Atkins and Rhonda Atkins to Tiffany Ray Boyd and Nathaniel Dale Boyd; 2.25 acres Eldora; $620.

– Robert J. Lovill III and Elizabeth J. Lovill to James Ceaph Gravely III; lot 54 section 3 Hickory Creek subdivision PB 17 55 Stewarts Creek; $31.

– Robert J. Lovill III and Elizabeth J. Lovill to Ricky Dean Lawson and Tonya Goins Lawson; lot 37 section 2 Southridge subdivision PB 13 68 South Westfield; $39.

– Cleo Jefferson, Gail Bauguess and Jerry Franklin Bauguess to Hayden Brice Marion and Breonna Darlene Marion; tract; $250.

– Thomas Snook and Susan Snook to Lois Nielson; lot 10 Boxwood Estates section 1 PB 7 83 Mount Airy; $360.

– Cody Ray Jude and Brittany Wilson Jude to Jacqueline Hart and William Hart; lots 8-10 block A Charlie Pratt property PB 3 58 Pilot; $326.

– Cristian S. Frausto Sanchez to Sergio Alejandro Rivas and Edwin Rivas Flores; tract Dobson; $86.

– Randy Greg Shelton and Allan Leon Shelton to Randy Greg Shelton; tract Westfield; $0.

– Jackventures, LLC and Main Street Commercial, LLC to John J. Marshall Jr. and Deborah W. Marshall; tract Elkin; $330.

– L&L Home Improvements, LLC to Steele Holdings, LLC; tract one and tract two PB 39 144 Elkin; $400.

– Annie Atkins to Tanner Blevins; tract; $0.

– Max B. Dellinger, Joan H. Dellinger, Marc McGuire and Anna Raye McGuire to Max B. Dellinger and Joan H. Dellinger; tract Dobson; $110.

– Juan Campos and Elsa Arias Alarcon to Nain Rodriguez Armenta and Norma Alicia Ojeda; tract Pilot; $4,800.

– Sherri Thompson, Cathy Howlett and Timothy Howlett to Tanna M. Howlett; 3 tracts Mount Airy; $272.

– Gail Lynch Miller, Daniel Thomas Miller, Robert Alan Miller and Barbara Ann Dunnam to Austin Wayne Beck and Sara Wilson Beck; 31.706 acres PB 40 107 Pilot; $340.

– Donna S. Newman, Donna Sue Edwards and Jerry Dean Newman to Karen Elkhouja; lot 12 Keesee land PB 1 153 Mount Airy; $0.

– Michelle Lynn Bullins to Jimmie Vestal Robertson and Vestal David Robertson; tract one 0.71 acres and tract two tract Stewarts Creek; $0.

– The Dwight D. Denny Trust and Dwight D. Denny to Richard Eugene Webster and Brandi Linn Goins; 1.57 acres tract one PB 25 70; $37.

– Steven Ray Wyatt and Cindy Poindexter Wyatt to Richard Toop; tract Dobson; $134.

– Faye M. Snow to Daniel Brent Snow; 29.04 acres Old Rockford Road Rockford; $0.

– Brenda Wall Bledsoe to Jeffrey S. Bledsoe and Pamela S. Bledsoe; 18.943 acres Eldora; $0.

– Clifford Ricky Bowman, Clifford Rickie Bowman and Lorri D. Bowman to Judy Marion Hooker; 1.25 acres Dobson; $56.

– Tim Chatham and Jennifer Lynn Chatham to Evelyn Arlette Sanchez Gonzalez; 1.719 acres PB 33 88 Elkin/Wilkes; $26.

– Sandy H. Moody and Brian K. Moody to Maken Properties, L.L.C.; 0.346 acres 212 S. Main St. Dobson; $120.

– Thomas G. Oeffinger and Marsha N. Oeffinger to Mary F. Foster; tract Elkin; $610.

– Blanche Murphy to Sandra B. Baumgarten, Glenn D. Blythe and Donna M. Jolly; tract Franklin; $16.

– Robert Taylor Bradley and Sarah B. Bradley to John Henderson Bradley; tracts Mount Airy; $22.

– Steven Capamaggio and Linda Capamaggio to James Martin Parks and Kathryn Parks; lot 51 block B A.J. Hayes subdivision PB 7 124 Elkin; $500.

– Shelby B. Nichols and Timothy Nichols to Fibrecrete Preservation Technologies, Inc.; 0.291 acres Mount Airy; $0.

– Glenda D. Smith to Chandler C. McGrady and Serinity F. Eckrote; tract Mount Airy; $370.

– Estate of Laura Ann Newman Doss, Michael P. Reeves, Jonathan G. Doss, Sara L. Doss, Debra D. Reeves and Laura Ann Newman Doss to Dawn Elaine Crutchfield; tract one lot 3 PB 6 132 and tract two lots 1-2 Oakwood Estates section 1 PB 6 131-132 Stewarts Creek estate of Laura Ann Newman Doss file 22 E 36; $134.

Councilman objects to land bid

Pilot Mountain Elementary recently named its 2022-2023 Teacher of the Year and Teaching Assistant of the Year.

Haley Everett, exceptional children’s teacher, was selected by her peers to represent Pilot Mountain Elementary as Teacher of the Year. Haley Everett has been teaching at the school for four years.

Leigh Gilliam, computer lab teaching assistant, was selected by her peers to represent the school as Teaching Assistant of the Year. Leigh Gilliam has been at Pilot Elementary for six years.

Folks often enjoy hiking wilderness trails — a chance for some exercise while getting away from the modern world, clearing their head, simply communing with nature.

Sharon Short uses such sojourns to plan murders. Or at least germinate a few deathly ideas she might put into practice.

No, Short is not a serial killer. She’s better known to many people as Jess Montgomery, author of The Kinship murder mystery series.

Short is scheduled to be in Mount Airy on April 2 for an author meet and greet at Mount Airy Public Library, where she’ll be discussing her latest novel — The Echoes — which is the fourth novel in The Kinship series.

The series is not her first foray into the world of novel writing and publishing.

“My first published novel came out 30 years ago,” she said. It was a three-part series known as The Patricia Delaney eGumshoe Electronic mystery series.

“She (Patricia Delaney) was a woman who used computers to solve crime. It was very high tech at the time, now it would read historical,” she said with a laugh.

She has since penned the six-part Josie Toadfern Stain-Busting humorous mystery series about a laundromat owner and stain-removal expert who happens to solve crimes, along with stand-alone novels, poetry, and a collection of her columns.

Even before her first novel, Short was a writer and journalist and, she said, one in a long line of story tellers, having grown up with parents, grandparents, and extended family who all loved to weave tales for whoever would listen.

“I’ve been a writer essentially my whole life, since I could write as a little girl,” she recalled recently when talking about her career and her impending visit to Mount Airy.

After earning a bachelor of arts degree in English from Wright State University and a master of arts degree from Bowling Green State University, she spent ten years writing a weekly humor and lifestyle column for The Dayton Daily News. She still writes for the paper as a literary life columnist, and pens a regular column for Writer’s Digest called Level Up Your Writing.

But it is storytelling that she loves, though she struggled early on to find her place in the literary world.

“In my 20s, I tried my hand at writing a romance novel.” At the time, the romance genre was hot, filling the best-seller lists, but she said she struggled. Then came what she calls her “light bulb moment.”

She was sitting with a collection of mystery novels she was getting from the local library when her husband shared an observation.

“You’re writing a romance novel, but the only thing you’re reading is mystery novels. That seems to be what you are most drawn to as a reader.”

That, Short said, changed her life. She set to work penning a mystery novel. Once completed, she attended the Antioch Writers Workshop in Yellowstone, Ohio. There, a young Sue Grafton — just before she hit the best seller list with her Kinsey Millhone Alphabet Series, gave Short a detailed critique of the first few chapters of her work.

“She was great, she was just such a good teacher, she reviewed the book I had worked on, the opening pages. She told me it had a good plot, the characters were interesting, but she said ‘You haven’t really done as much research as you need to in police procedure and your dialogue is a bit stilted.’”

Getting encouragement, as well as detailed pointers on where she needed improvement, from someone already with a few publishing credits under her belt was the final push for Short. While that first novel was never published — she said it was more of a learning experience — she soon published her first Patricia Delaney novel, and has been publishing ever since.

Her latest work, The Kinship Series, had its genesis when she and her husband were getting ready to go on a hike with her youngest daughter.

“She majored in outdoor education. She likes to do outdoor things, so we were going to visit her, do some hiking. I started doing some research on that part of the state, hikes that would be interesting to her and doable for us.”

In doing that research, she stumbled across the real-life accounts of a woman named Maude Collins, who in 1925 became the first female sheriff in Ohio history. She inherited the post when her husband, Fletcher, was killed in the line of duty. A year later, however, she ran for re-election and won.

“There have only been five female sheriffs in the state’s history,” she said, with the next one not winning the office until 1976. It wasn’t until after the turn of the 21st century that another would take the office in one of the state’s 88 counties.

“I found that really remarkable, that she was able to win election. My imagination was inspired. I wondered what if Maude didn’t know who killed her husband?” While the killer of the real-life Fletcher Collins was well-known at the time, Short said the idea of the mystery of solving such a crime took root and grew in her imagination into the Kinship series.

She said during her library visit she will be making a more detailed presentation on the series, with particular emphasis on the fourth installment, which is set to be released March 29. She said she would be glad to take questions from the audience, both on the series and about writing in general.

“I’m very much looking forward to it. I’m looking forward to chatting with readers and meeting the good folks of Mount Airy.”

More information on Short and her Kinship series can be found at https://jessmontgomeryauthor.com/ Her talk at the local library is scheduled for April 2 at 11 a.m.

Members of Surry Community College’s Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society recently attended Carolinas Regional Awards Ceremonies where they received multiple awards.

The award recognitions include: Most Distinguished Chapter in the Carolinas Region; Beta Tau Continued Excellence Award for being a Distinguished Chapter for at least three years; Five Star Chapter; Distinguished Honors in Action Project; Distinguished Honors in Action Theme One: The Heirs of Our Ways; Distinguished College Project; Carolinas Region Super Stars; Outstanding Participation in Carolinas Region Honors in Action Project; and Outstanding Participation in Carolinas Region Service Project.

Co-advisor Dr. Kathleen Fowler won the Paragon Award for New Advisors and the Phi Theta Kappa Carolinas Region Horizon Award. She will be formally recognized at PTK Catalyst, the organization’s annual convention, in Denver, Colorado.

SCC College President Dr. David Shockley said, “I am so elated that Dr. Kathleen Fowler was chosen as a recipient of the 2022 Phi Theta Kappa Paragon Award for New Advisors. She continually leverages superior leadership qualities, advising, knowledge, and work-ethic to transform our Alpha Xi Tau Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa while always seeking to improve the lives of students.”

Other awards were for individuals, including: Distinguished Chapter Officer Team including Christina Blakley, Victoria Blakley, Madalyn Edwards, Cassie Hull and Mariela Trejo; Certificates of Excellence in Transfer Edge including Dr. Kathleen Fowler, Mary Hodges, Jesse Keaton and Noelia Valdez-Caudill; Certificate of Excellence in Competitive Edge for Megan Mabe; and Certificate of Excellence in Healthcare Edge for Jesse Keaton. Additionally, Madalyn Edwards also earned awards for Distinguished Chapter Officer and Phi Theta Kappa Hall of Honor.

The Alpha Xi Tau chapter of the PTK Honor Society at SCC has also been named a REACH Chapter for 2022. The REACH Rewards Program recognizes chapters that achieve or exceed 15% for their membership acceptance rate.

Phi Theta Kappa is an honor society recognizing the academic achievement of students at associate degree granting colleges and helping them to grow as scholars and leaders. The society is made up of more than 3.5 million members and nearly 1,300 chapters in 11 nations.

For more information about Phi Theta Kappa and their projects, contact PTK’s faculty co-advisors Dr. Kathleen Fowler at 336-386-3560 or fowlerk@surry.edu or Kayla Forrest at 336-386-3315 or forrestkm@surry.edu or go to www.ptk.org. Follow the local chapter on Facebook @surryPhiThetaKappa.

The Jones School Alumni Inc. is inviting the community to attend a Bingo Family Fun Night coming up this weekend and the VFW Building at Veterans Park in Mount Airy. The alumni group is holding the event to raise money for the maintenance and upkeep of the auditorium at the former J. J. Jones High School.

For a donation of $1 there will be snacks and drinks served, with free coffee as well. The bingo cards are $1 each, until the final round when one card will cost $3 or two for $5.

Doors will be opening at the VFW Building at 4 p.m. and game time at 5:30 p.m. Door prizes drawings will be held throughout the evening for another chance to win. Single door prize tickets are $1, six for $5, or immerse yourself into the door prize bonanza with 20 entries for $10.

With a lot of talk about Jones High School and its status, it may be easy to lose sight that the auditorium of the former J. J. Jones High School is and has been owned and operated by the Jones School Alumni Inc. group, and that it is not part of any of the proposed changes as they relate to the surplus status of the former school or its future development.

This creates a touch of confusion on the fundraising side of things. Organizers of this bingo event made clear their group, Jones School Alumni Inc., is the entity managing this bingo event for the sole purpose of raising funds for the auditorium.

“Fund raising is ongoing and critical,” Nancy Bowman Williams, president of the alumni group holding this event mentioned recently. “We do have some maintenance issues as expected with a building more than 50 years old. As these arise, they are corrected in the order of priority, and affordability.”

For some a night of bingo may be the ideal antidote to the Madness of March that consumes this basketball hungry state every spring. For the rest, UNC tips off at 9:39 p.m., so that leaves plenty of time for bingo beforehand.

Spring forward is now behind us, the early blooms of the cherry trees have been seen, and the first pollen spores already in the air. While spring allergies may not be welcome back, the 2022 Budbreak Wine and Craft Beer Festival will be a welcome sight to be sure.

Budbreak is moving back to spring where it belongs after having been unseated by COVID last year to a date in August, and a cancellation the year before. Residents of the Yadkin Valley and beyond can begin planning for Budbreak 2022, tickets are on sale now for the event which will be held on Saturday, May 7, from 12 – 6 p.m. in downtown Mount Airy.

If it ain’t broke

The festival itself will see little change. Organizer Bob Meineke said he hears back from guests and participants how well the format works. In one change to this year’s event however, a portion of the proceeds will be going to support the Rotary and Rotaract clubs of Ukraine during their time of crisis.

For every ticket sold online through the end of March, $2 will be donated to the relief efforts in Ukraine. The Budbreak Festival will donate $1 per ticket, which will be matched by District 7690 to total the $2 per ticket donation. Meineke said from there donations may be matched and grow even more, but one ticket yielding $2 for those in distress in Eastern Europe is no small thing.

All the tastes, smells, and sounds of Budbreak will be back where they belong with more than 16 vendors sampling craft beers and wine. Tasty eats from 13 Bones will be on site, along with favorite downtown eateries.

Wine & Beer Tasting Tickets cost $20 in advance and gets you a commemorative glass for tasting wine and craft breweries from the plethora of vendors. On the day of the event, the cost will be $25.

General Admission Non-Tasting Tickets will allow access to the festival which includes the music and food providers for $4.99. Children 12 and younger are free with a paid adult, and because food and beverage are being offered, no pets are allowed.

Music will be provided by B-Dazzle Productions, the festival’s Hometown DJ, who will start the event with tunes to set the mood from 12 – 3 p.m. Meineke also advised that Craig Southern and The Phoenixx Band “promised three solid hours of a mix of beach, R&B, country and some rock and roll.” Southern and The Phoenixx band will take the stage from 3 – 6 p.m.

The Budbreak Festival is the primary external fund-raising event for the Mount Airy Rotary Club and has afforded local Rotarians the opportunity to donate more than $193,000 locally to groups such as The United Fund, Surry Medical Ministries, and The Surry Arts Council. “Through the success of the fundraiser we have been able to provide extraordinary service to our community and the world,” the organizers said.

The Rotary Club in the United States was founded in 1905 for the purpose of bringing business and professional leaders together in order to provide community service. Its basis as a non-political and non-religious organization have helped it to steer clear of politics and social movements to focus rather on its 46,000 clubs worldwide and the difference their members can make in each community.

The existence of Rotary Clubs outside the US may not have been known. Indeed, there are 62 Rotary clubs with about 1,100 members operating inside the Ukraine. There are also 24 Rotaract clubs, these are community service clubs for people over age of 18, think of Rotaractors as the Rotarians of the future.

District 2232, comprised of clubs in Ukraine and Belarus, formed a committee to help people affected by the ongoing Russian invasion. It has launched an appeal to Rotary members worldwide for funds to provide basic necessities.

Lviv has had an influx of people displaced from other cities around Ukraine. The Rotary Club of Lviv, working with local authorities and major hospitals, created an online wish list of relief items that can be accessed by people who want to help. Members arrange for the donated items to be delivered to hospitals and coordinate storage with local warehouses.

Rotarians in Kisvárda, Hungary, are coordinating contributions and mobilizing members to donate necessities and deliver the items to where they’re needed. In Romania and Moldova, they have created a central fund for contributions and set up WhatsApp groups that organize food donations and coordinate shelter for refugees. Clubs in Slovakia and in the Czech Republic have partnered with a railway and cargo company to offer transportation to nearly 2,300 refugees.

While Rotarians across the globe are finding ways to help their sisters and brothers in the Ukraine, local organizers remind, “As we prepare for spring and celebrate our freedoms, we are reminded of the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine. We are inviting you to take part in helping with that need.”

For tickets, including a Hampton Inn by Hilton festival package, visit: www.budbreakfestival.com/tickets

I was shocked that the Mount Airy News would place a political ad on the front page as part of the headline in your March 20 edition. While I understand that politicians can purchase political ads, it is very unethical to place the ad as part of the front page headline. It makes your publication look very biased and very unprofessional.

DOBSON — Some might confuse two schools in the Foothills 2A Conference given their similar names and mascots.

What wasn’t in doubt on Tuesday was which of those teams reigned supreme on the baseball diamond.

The Surry Central Golden Eagles won their third consecutive game by defeating the Wilkes Central Eagles 7-0.

Brady Edmonds got the win on the mound for Surry Central. The senior pitched the first 5.2 innings and had 11 strikeouts, two walks, and allowed no runs on three hits. Justin Reeves closed the sixth inning with one walk and one strikeout, and Dakota Mills had two strikeouts, one walk and allowed one hit in the seventh.

Wilkes Central used three pitchers, but couldn’t seem to slow the Golden Eagles down. Camdyn Key threw three innings and had four strikeouts, one walk, and allowed three runs on three hits; Gus Keener threw one inning and had no strikeouts, two walks, and allowed four runs on three hits; Jacob Demeny pitched two innings, had one strikeout and allowed one hit.

Surry Central’s leadoff got on base in each of the first five innings. The only time the leadoff got on base but did not score was in the bottom of the first inning. Leadoff Dakota Mills opened the game with a double, moved to third on a ground out but was left on base.

After Edmonds struck out three consecutive batters in the top of the second, Max Lambert was hit by a pitch to begin the bottom of the inning. Lambert stole second, then advanced to third on a Wilkes Central error. Mason Jewell struck out for the second out, but a dropped third strike allowed Jewell to safely reach first and Lambert to score the game’s opening run.

Surry Central got in its groove in the third inning and scored two runs in each of the next three innings.

Clay Whitaker singled to begin the bottom of the third. Whitaker stole second, moved to third on a ground out by Edmonds then scored on a double hit Lucas Johnson. Lambert, who was walked just before Johnson’s hit, also scored on the double.

Mills was able to score in the fourth inning after being stranded in the first. Spencer LeClair opened with a double before successfully stealing third. A Mills hit put the senior on base and scored LeClair, and a fielding error by Wilkes Central allowed Mills to get all the way to third. This set Mills up to steal home and increase the Golden Eagles’ lead to 5-0.

Surry Central’s lone fielding error of the game put a runner on base in the top of the fifth inning. Another Wilkes Central player was walked, then both stole to advance to scoring position. Surry Central forced three outs on three consecutive batters, including two Edmonds strikeouts, to keep the visitors scoreless.

Kade Norman took the second pitch of the bottom of the fifth inning and smashed it over the center field fence. Surry Central’s final run was scored by Lambert, who returned home all three times he batted. Lambert was walked, stole second, advanced to third on a wild pitch, then scored on a ground out hit by Jewell.

Surry Central improves to 6-2 overall with its second shutout of the season. The Golden Eagles have already matched their win total from the shortened 2020-21 season and still have 15 regular season games remaining.

The Surry Eagles and Wilkes Eagles will face off again on March 25.

• A traffic stop in Mount Airy has resulted in a Winston-Salem woman being jailed under a high bond on felony drug and failure to appear in court violations, according to city police reports.

Brook Elizabeth Rice, 42, was encountered by officers on West Pine Street at West Independence Boulevard early last Friday. She was found to be wanted on outstanding warrants that had been filed in Forsyth County in April 2021 for charges of possession of a Schedule II controlled substance with intent to manufacture, sell or deliver and possession of a Schedule II controlled substance, both felonies, along with a misdemeanor, possession of drug paraphernalia.

Rice also was being sought on three counts of failure to appear in court issued by Forsyth authorities in June 2021. She was confined in the Surry County Jail under a $19,000 secured bond and is scheduled to appear in court in Winston-Salem on April 1.

• William Darrin McRae Coleman, 49, of 936 Davis St., was arrested Thursday on U.S. 52 near Starlite Road and charged with driving while impaired stemming from a traffic crash investigation.

Coleman was operating a 2010 Chevrolet Aveo while under the influence of an impairing substance, police records state, which was not identified. He was released under a $1,000 unsecured bond to be in Surry District Court on April 4.

• Brandon Coolidge Pack, 31, of 308 Galloway St., was charged with second-degree trespassing on the evening of March 14 after allegedly refusing to leave the property where public restrooms are located in a downtown rest area at 112 N. Main St. He had been asked to do so by officers investigating a suspicious-person call there.

Pack was held in the Surry County Jail under a custody-release bond to await being picked up by his mother, police records state, and is scheduled to appear in District Court on April 18.

Citizens benefit when water and sewer lines in their neighborhoods are replaced, but there’s a downside: the work isn’t pretty and leaves scars behind in the form of damaged streets dug up during the process.

However, Mount Airy officials have acted to remedy that where a major water-sewer rehabilitation project was completed last year in the area of Maple and Merritt streets.

The multimillion-dollar utility project there included replacing aging lines.

During a meeting last Thursday night, the Mount Airy Board of Commissioners approved a resurfacing contract for the streets that were affected in a 5-0 vote. In addition to Maple and Merritt streets, the list includes Pippen Street, Porter Street, Rawley Avenue, Sydnor Street and a portion of Willow Street.

Mayor Ron Niland said he was especially concerned about the bad condition of the Willow Street section involved, running from West Independence Boulevard to some railroad tracks.

A local firm, Sowers Construction Co. of Mount Airy, was awarded the job, which constitutes the city’s annual resurfacing contract for 2022.

Sowers had the lowest of four bids submitted for the paving project after it was advertised in February, offering one of $258,416 which drew an observation from Commissioner Joe Zalescik about the final tallies resulting.

“I see that these bids are very interesting,” Zalescik said in commenting on the wide disparity between the lowest and next-lowest proposal, submitted by Carl Rose and Sons of Elkin, $321,083. The highest bid received provided even more of a contrast, a $488,971 offer from Adams Construction Co. of Jefferson — which was $230,555 higher, or nearly double, the winning bid.

“That happens sometimes with construction contracts,” city Public Works Director Mitch Williams responded regarding figures that can reflect a lack of interest by a particular company for whatever the reason. “That’s typical — they just don’t want the work as well as the winner.”

Rounding out the four bids was one submitted by Tri-County Paving, also of Jefferson, for $451,936.

The total budget allocation approved by the commissioners for the project is $284,258, which includes a 10% contingency figure to cover possible cost overruns in addition to the $258,416 low bid.

Williams pointed out that along with its bid, he recommended that Sowers Construction be awarded the contract based on its past performance on resurfacing contracts and an “excellent working relationship” with the city government.

The job is expected to be completed by the end of June.

Money for the project was included in the city budget for the present fiscal year that ends on June 30.

It is coming from the N.C. Department of Transportation, which awarded more than $300,000 to Mount Airy in 2021 in the form of State Street Aid to Municipalities, also known as Powell Bill funds.

That money is derived from state gas tax revenues that are given back to municipalities across North Carolina based on a formula set by the Legislature.

Mount Airy has devoted its Powell Bill funding in recent years to resurface clusters of streets in various parts of the city based on a priority list that addresses those with the greatest needs.

The funding formula includes the number of locally maintained street miles. Mount Airy is responsible for the condition of 73 miles of streets on the municipal system.

In a contest to raise money for the fight against cancer, there really is not a loser. Collectively, everyone wants there to be only one loser and that is cancer itself. For those who did not have the skill set to study oncology, it can be easier to find ways to aid in the ongoing battle against cancer than one may think.

Jacee Avara was announced Saturday as the winner of the 2022 Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Students of the Year for the Triad. It is worth noting that not all superheroes wear capes or masks, it turns out some may have glasses and be found slinging not a spider’s web, but rather a latte your way with a smile.

She was nominated to participate in the LLS annual Students of the Year campaign, in which high school students compete in a challenge to raise money to fight all types of cancer, by a family friend. “It’s an amazing opportunity, a once in a lifetime thing you get to do,” she said of the nomination.

From there, Avara set a goal that she promptly discarded, setting her ambitious objective even higher. “We started at $30,000 but, knowing me and my family, I figured we can do better than that. So, I went for $50,000.”

Avara assembled Team SWAT, which stands for Surry Working Alongside Traci and is named for her aunt Traci Haynes George, to help aid in her quest to be the top fundraiser from the Triad. Avara and her Team collected funds from donations, business profit gifts, matches from the likes of Northern Regional Hospital, and a bingo event that drew the attention of the county commissioners by raising nearly $20,000.

The participants from the Triad region collectively raised an impressive total of $237,000 that will make its way back to LLS to help fund their efforts. Of that total a staggering amount of more than $82,000, over one third, was raised by Avara and Team SWAT.

A gala event in Greensboro for the contestants from the ten area schools to crown a regional winner was to have been held last weekend, but COVID decided to muck up events for yet another year.

Not to be deterred, on Saturday night at the White Elephant in Mount Airy, an impromptu gala was set up for Avara and she walked the red carpet in style. In addition to receiving recognition for earning the title of Student of the Year, Avara will also receive a $1,250 scholarship towards the college or university of her choice.

Commissioner Mark Marion mentioned that he more or less stumbled upon the gala on Market Street that evening. From the dais, he offered congratulations during Monday evening’s Surry County Board of Commissioners meeting to Avara for a job well done.

Commissioner Larry Johnson was absent Monday but had previously told his fellow board members of the great success of the bingo event in early March. He noted that the large amount of money raised from one event shows the generous nature to this community, “I am just saying it can be done, but you got to work at it.”

Good news and news of good acts travel fast around Surry County, and word of the win spread quickly around social media. With generosity the likes of which this community showed Avara in reaching her target plus much more, paired with her own grit and determination to take on such a lofty goal, it’s a feel-good win-win for all parties – except cancer.

Marion concluded his tributes to “our celebrity” for her win Monday by sharing from Avara’s own victory speech Saturday: “Maybe we can find a cure for cancer.”

Chelsy Payne was named Mount Airy City Schools 2021-2022 Principal of the Year in a surprise fashion recently.

Surrounded by students, family, friends, and leaders from across the district, Payne was taken aback with the announcement.

“Chelsy Payne has done an amazing job during a difficult couple of years of pandemic challenges,” said Superintendent Kim Morrison. “She brings a joy and enthusiasm to her job that radiates out to her staff and students. We are happy to reward all of her hard work and determination with our 2021-2022 Principal of the Year.”

Following Morrison’s announcement, students in the Jones Intermediate School cafeteria erupted with cheers for their principal. Payne was encouraged to provide a speech and noted, “I’m honored. I would not have an ounce of success if not for the people in this room.”

Mount Airy City Schools and districts across the country have been working to come out of COVID-19 and are facing gaps in student learning due to a variety of factors. Payne has led her staff, students, and families through the pandemic and put structures in place to ensure teaching and learning identify areas impacted by learning loss and gaps are closed, officials with the school system said.

“Jones Intermediate School exceeded student growth in the 2020-2021 school year indicating that students were learning above the expected rate for the year,” according to a statement released by the system. “Through the use of flex time across grade levels, students are expected to grow even more as they are each being met at their point of need in math and English Language Arts. She has also worked to provide students with choice and voice in their learning through club offerings and the newly introduced special area fifth grade electives.

“This work truly reflects the work of so many,” Payne said. “I am thankful to my colleagues and fellow educators who nudge me toward my passion each and every day. Making a difference in the lives of children is the absolute best.”

Payne attended the University of North Carolina at Wilmington where she earned her undergraduate degree in elementary education. Her educational career began in 2009 as a teacher in Ogden Elementary School in Wilmington. In 2012, she completed her Master of Arts in education which focused on reading education through East Carolina University and became a teacher at BH Tharrington Primary School.

In 2017, she received her Certificate in School Leadership through Appalachian State University and her National Board Certification. She served as the Tharrington Primary’s curriculum facilitator from 2016 to 2019 when she accepted the role of principal of Jones Intermediate School. She is married to Tyler Payne and they have two children, TJ and Tennyson.

While the Mount Airy Fire Department is known mostly for responding to blazes, it also plays a role in medical emergencies — which has included 10 of its members being credited with saving lives during 2021.

“What better service can you give citizens than the opportunity to get their life back,” city Fire Chief Zane Poindexter said during an annual ceremony recognizing their efforts held last Thursday night during a Mount Airy Board of Commissioners meeting.

Providing a first-responder role in support of the Surry County Emergency Medical Service has been a key function of city firefighters since 2010, which includes a long list of life-threatening situations.

This expanded on a service previously launched in 1997 — that was limited to cardiac calls — to also include strokes, diabetes-related issues, cuttings/stabbings, overdoses, shootings, drowning/diving accidents, unresponsive persons and other emergencies.

This is incorporated into the department’s normal duties and utilizes fire trucks.

Being credited with a medical “save” requires a strictly defined process, which includes cases in which a victim was not breathing or the person’s heart had stopped.

In each instance, department members prolonged life by restoring the pulse of someone in full cardiac arrest or the person’s ability to breathe so he or she could make it to a hospital — and ultimately leave that facility alive.

Under the program guidelines, multiple fire personnel can play a role in saving a single patient, Poindexter said Tuesday afternoon. One firefighter might be engaged in chest compression’s and another ventilation, while someone else administers basic drugs the department is allowed to, he explained.

A county audit committee examines every case carefully to gauge the difference first-response efforts made in the outcome of an emergency to qualify as a save.

The Mount Airy Fire Department members cited during the most recent verification period include Capt. Scottie Wolfe, who is credited with two saves in 2021.

Registering one save each were Lt. Steve Everett, Lt. Brad Harrell, Lt. Justin Mayes and firefighters Michael Bowman, Daniel Camacho, Matthew Fink, Matt Hardy, Joshua King and Dusty Smith.

Chief Poindexter said at the meeting that fire personnel never know what they might encounter during the course of a shift, and mentioned “the risk they take when they go out and perform their duties.”

The aggressiveness those employees display in quickly making contact with a patient can be the difference between life and death, the fire chief indicated.

Commissioner Steve Yokeley said the expanded medical-response program by city firefighters was implemented at a relatively low cost, and added that any life saved is well worth the extra expense required.

“We can’t put a price on that,” agreed Commissioner Jon Cawley, who also believes fire personnel who record saves deserve much more than a paper certificate issued by city officials.

“Eight-by-eleven is just insufficient,” Cawley commented regarding the size involved.

With winter sports all wrapped up, The News is recognizing the local student-athletes that were presented with All-Conference Honors for their respective sports.

East Surry, North Surry and Surry Central all compete in the Foothills 2A Conference (FH2A), Millennium Charter Academy competes in the Northwest Piedmont 1A Conference (NWPC) and Mount Airy competes in the Northwest 1A Conference (NW1A).

Any athlete that earned All-Conference Honors in multiple events will have the number of events following their name.

East Surry – Haley Joyce (4), Claire Hull (4), Aby Caro (2), Elise Marion, Savannah Raths

Millennium Charter – did not field a girls swim team in 2021-22

Mount Airy – Laura Livengood (2), Jessica Sawyers (3), Eleanor Edwards (2), Emma Bowman (3)

North Surry – Gwendolyn Bode, Cassidy Hull (4), Kara Bryant (4), Baley Hawks (2), Kalei Mauldin

Surry Central – Mallory Cave (3), Joanna Arroyo, Kayli Grizzell, Audrey Poindexter

East Surry finished third in the team competition at the FH2A Championship.

The following Cardinals finished in the top six of the 1A/2A Central Regional Swim Meet and qualified for the State Championship: Joyce, Caro, Yard and Claire Hull in 200 medley relay and 400 freestyle relay; Claire Hull in 200 individual medley and 100 breaststroke; Caro in 100 butterfly; Joyce in 500 freestyle and 100 backstroke.

No East Surry girls competed in the championship race (top eight) at the State Championship.

Mount Airy finished second in the team competition at the NW1A Championship.

The following Bears qualified for the State Championship: Sawyers in 100 freestyle and 100 breaststroke.

No Mount Airy girls competed in the championship race (top eight) at the State Championship.

North Surry’s girls won the Foothills 2A Conference Championship, Cassidy Hull was named Female Swimmer of the Year and Susan Bryant was named Girls Coach of the Year.

The following Greyhounds qualified for the State Championship: Cassidy Hull in 200 individual medley and 500 freestyle; Kara Bryant in 100 butterfly and 100 backstroke; Cassidy Hull, Kara Bryant, Hawks and Mauldin in 400 freestyle relay.

Cassidy Hull and Kara Bryant competed in championship races at the State Championship. Cassidy finished sixth in the 200 individual medley, while Bryant finished fourth in the 100 butterfly and seventh in 100 backstroke.

Surry Central’s girls finished second overall at the FH2A Championship.

The following Golden Eagles qualified for the State Championship: Cave in 200 freestyle and 500 freestyle; Arroyo in 100 butterfly.

Cave competed in two championship races at the State Championship. The Golden Eagle finished fifth in 200 freestyle and sixth in 500 freestyle.

East Surry – Aiden Richardson (3), Colby Goins (4), Andrew Needham (4), Vann Kipple, Jonathan Parker (2), Derek Freeman (3), Gavin Atkins (2)

Millennium Charter – did not field a boys swim team in 2021-22

Mount Airy – Noah Moore (2), Collin Phillips (2), Matheson Williams (4), Hayden Bender (2), Martin Cooke (3), Peter Cooke (2)

North Surry – Kinston Nichols, Konnor Mauldin (2), Jackson Graves (3), Alec Singleton (4), Jordan Inman (2)

Surry Central – no male swimmers named All-Conference

East Surry’s boys won the FH2A Championship, Needham was named Male Swimmer of the Year and coach Krista Cox was named Coach of the Year.

The following Cardinals qualified for the State Championship: Colby Goins in 200 individual medley; Needham in 100 butterfly and 100 backstroke; Goins and Richardson in 500 freestyle; Goins, Freeman, Atkins and Needham in 200 freestyle relay; Goins, Richardson, Atkins and Needham in 400 freestyle relay.

Needham was the only Cardinal to compete in the championship race (top eight) at the State Championship. He finished sixth in 100 butterfly.

Mount Airy finished second in the team competition at the NW1A Championship. Jay Williams was named NW1A Boys Coach of the Year

The following Bears qualified for the State Championship: Martin Cooke in 200 freestyle and 100 backstroke; Matheson Williams in 200 individual medley and 100 backstroke; Matheson Williams, Peter Cooke, Bender and Martin Cooke in 200 freestyle relay; Matheson Williams, Peter Cooke, Moore and Martin Cooke in 400 freestyle.

Matheson Williams was the only Granite Bear to compete in the championship race (top eight) as an individual. He won the 1A/2A State Title in 100 backstroke, and finished eighth in the 200 individual medley. The 400 freestyle relay team of Matheson Williams, Peter Cooke, Martin Cooke and Moore finished eighth at the state championship.

North Surry finished fourth as a team at the FH2A Championship.

The following Greyhounds qualified for the State Championship: Graves in 100 backstroke.

No North Surry boys competed in the championship round at the State Championship.

Surry Central’s boys finished third overall at the FH2A Championship. No Golden Eagle boys qualified for the regional or state competitions.

All Surry County middle schools had the opportunity to compete in the Regional MathCounts Competition on a virtual basis recently.

Seven teams comprised of 30 students in grades sixth through eighth went through four rounds of math problem solving aiming to sharpen their skills. Because the regional event was virtual, each student participated on their school campus. However, the competition format remained the same, students first competing individually and then in a team format.

This event marks the first time every district middle school has competed on the regional level, and every team brought their all. Every team ranked within the top 20 in the region. Meadowview Magnet Middle School was the top-ranked team from Surry County, ranking sixth in the regional competition, with Gentry Middle School also ranking in the top 10. Central Middle School ranked 11th, and Pilot Mountain Middle School ranked 13th.

Surry County Schools also had many students rank within the top 25% of the entire regional competition. Meadowview Middle School representatives Sid Sutphin and Mckenly Fallaw ranked high, along with David Schuyler, Ayden Hicks, and Jackson Gardner from Gentry Middle School.

Participants from Meadowview Magnet Middle School included: Sid Sutphin, Mckenly Fallaw, Hudson Collins, Bailey Ray, Fernando Lachino, Katherine Bowman, Angie Guarneros, Jordin Beasley, Barrett Collins, and Violet Morgan. The participants from Central Middle School included: Cameron Cruise, Micah Whitley, Brynna Atkins, Eliza Nixon, Maddie Wolfe, Emma Bryant, and Kassy Jones. Gentry Middle School also had a strong turnout, with David Schuyler, Ayden Hicks, Jackson Gardner, Jaxie Draughn, Gabrielle Richardson, Ava McPeak, and Estephany Sanabria competing. Additionally, Kennedy Cook, Seth Sharp, Coby Yarboro, Caitlin A Joyce, Lexzandra Chavez, and Vada Woods represented Pilot Mountain Middle School.

“What an event. We are so proud of the students in all of our middle schools who were able to compete in this rigorous and challenging competition,” said Dr. DeAnne Danley, assistant superintendent. “Not only did our students showcase their understanding of advanced mathematical concepts, they also placed amongst the highest in region. It has been an absolute pleasure to see students excited about the opportunity to compete academically and engaging with teammates as they lead themselves and lead with others.”

The Surry Arts Players community theater will be performing Seussical JR. this Saturday and Sunday at the Andy Griffith Playhouse. Shows on both days are at 3 p.m. This Junior show directed by Shelby Coleman is filled with Dr. Seuss classics, and more than 700 students in area schools will see the production on Monday.

Horton the Elephant, the Cat in the Hat, and all of the favorite Dr. Seuss characters spring to life onstage in Seussical JR., a fantastical musical extravaganza from Tony-winners, Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty.

Transporting audiences from the Jungle of Nool to the Circus McGurkus, the Cat in the Hat, our narrator, tells the story of Horton, an elephant who discovers a speck of dust containing tiny people called the Whos, including Jojo, a Who child, who gets in trouble for thinking too many “thinks.”

Horton’s challenge is twofold — not only must he protect the Whos from a world of naysayers and dangers, but he must also guard an abandoned egg that’s been left in his care by the irresponsible Mayzie La Bird. Although Horton faces ridicule, danger, kidnapping, and a trial, the intrepid Gertrude McFuzz never loses faith in him. Ultimately, the powers of friendship, loyalty, family, and community are challenged and emerge triumphant.

The production stars Mason St. Angelo as Jojo, Django Burgess as The Cat in the Hat, Max Barnard as Horton the Elephant, Walker York as Mr. Mayor, Gracie St. Angelo as Mrs. Mayor, Lilly Ruth Beck as Gertrude McFuzz, Raegan Amos as Mayzie La Bird, Hannah Hiatt as Sour Kangaroo, and Maddie Youell as Young Kangaroo. Coleman is grateful to the parents who supported their children in this production that has more than 50 cast members.

Additional cast includes Thomas Holladay, Kori Hawks, Morgan Shipley, Tanner Price, Kinston Nichols, and Judy Adams as Wickersham Brothers; Lydia Beck, Maggie Wallace, Zinnia Burgess, Reese Cox, and Abbie Schuyler as Bird Girls; Noah Wilkes as Vlad Vladikof; Noah Petree as The Grinch; Brooke Nichols as Thing 1; Chloe Lawson as Thing 2; Matthew Adams as Elephant Bird; Kaitlyn Holladay, Ashton Freeman, Remi Devore, and Anne Rachel Sheppard as Featured Dancers; Claire Youell, Evelyn Casstevens, Noelle Snow, Ellie Kniskern, Chloe Vinson and Sidney Barker as Jungle Citizens; Genevieve Quinn, Makenna Wall, Avery Leonard, Owen Leonard, Lorena Arroyo, Ellyzabeth Rojas, Sidney Petree, Sierra Nichols, Catherine Douglas, Atticus Hawks, Prim Hawks, Kaitlyn Holladay, MaKenna Holladay, Anderson Holladay, and Samuel Holladay as Who Citizens.

Serving on the production crew is Coleman as director and choreographer, Music Director Darrell Beck, Stage Manager Lori Beck, Technical Director and Setbuilding Tyler Matanick, and Stage Crew Revonda Petree, Isabel Cowan, Patrick McDaniel, and Jordan Dover. Others assisting with design and setbuilding included Johannes Arnold and Bruce Burgess. Others helping with costumes include Amanda Barnard and Khristie Petree.

Performances are on Saturday, March 26 and Sunday, March 27 at 3 p.m. in the Andy Griffith Playhouse. Tickets are $15-20. Tickets are available 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.

PILOT MOUNTAIN — The only two tennis teams still unbeaten in the Foothills 2A Conference met Monday with the conference’s top spot on the line.

East Surry and Surry Central are both on a crusade for their first conference championship in more than a decade. Both the Cardinals and Golden Eagles were 4-0 in conference play prior to the March 21 match, but only one could remain undefeated moving forward.

The Golden Eagles emerged victorious by a score of 7-2, but the lopsided final score doesn’t tell the full story. Five of the six singles matches were decided by third-set tiebreakers, and two of those tiebreakers ended with one side winning by the two-point minimum.

Surry Central didn’t drop an individual match through its first five team victories of the season. Prior to the match against the Cardinals, the Eagles (6-0, 5-0 FH2A) had only lost a combined one set, 42 singles games and eight doubles games. East Surry alone took four sets, 49 singles games and 11 doubles games on Monday, but even that wasn’t enough to take down Central.

The only two singles matches that didn’t involve a tiebreaker were held on court No. 3 and court No. 5. Surry Central’s Michael Tucker defeated Kade Talton 6-3, 6-3 in No. 3 singles, and the Eagles’ Maddox Martin topped Noah Hopkins 6-3, 6-1 in No. 5 singles.

East Surry (4-2, 4-1 FH2A) won the first set of the No. 1, No. 4 and No. 6 matches, but lost the first set of No. 2 singles. Coincidentally, Surry Central went on to win the second set and tiebreakers of the No. 1, No. 4 and No. 6 matches, while East came away the victor in No. 2 singles.

The Cardinals lone singles win was earned by Levi Watson. Central’s Jacob Edmonds took the first set of No. 2 singles 6-2, but Watson won the second set 6-3 and the tiebreaker 10-8.

Court No. 1 featured East Surry’s Cooper Motsinger, the 2021 Northwest 1A Conference Player of the Year, taking on Surry Central’s Josh Pardue, the 2021 Western Piedmont 2A Conference Singles Champion. Both came into Monday’s match undefeated in 2022.

Motsinger took the first set 7-5, but Pardue won the second 6-2. A late surge in the tiebreaker kept Pardue’s undefeated streak alive with a 10-6 win.

Lupe Chavez won the first set of the No. 4 singles match 6-0 against Central’s Tripp McMillen. McMillen stormed back to win the second set 7-5, then put the match away with a 10-8 win in the tiebreaker.

East’s Hayden Douglas won the first set of No. 6 singles 7-5. Central’s Isaac Eller forced a third set tiebreaker in the battle of the freshmen by taking the second set 6-4, then won the match by besting Douglas 10-5 in the tiebreaker.

East Surry’s Motsinger and Nick Lowery became the first duo to defeat Central in doubles by taking down Tucker and McMillen 8-5 on court No. 2. The Eagles won the two remaining doubles matches: Pardue and Edmonds defeated Talton and Chavez 8-2 in No. 1 doubles, and Martin and Eller defeated Watson and Douglas 8-4 in No. 3 doubles.

The rivalry between East and Central will continue for years to come. Of the 13 players to compete in singles and/or doubles, there are: three seniors, two juniors, five sophomores and three freshmen.

Two students from Surry Community College have been selected to attend a study abroad program in Bordeaux, France, in summer 2022. The students are Nicole Freeman of Elkin and Kathy Santiago of Dobson.

Freeman is completing an Associate in Arts and has plans to transfer to Western Carolina University to major in history. She specifically wants to study medieval European history. This is her first time traveling outside of the United States, and she thinks that it will be a great experience for someone new to international travel.

“I grew up listening to stories of my grandmother who lived in Africa for years and was able to travel around the world due to her job. It’s a dream of mine to be able to live and experience different cultures. It’s so important for us as individuals and as a society to acknowledge and understand the different ways people live and experience their own lives. I feel that’s one of the ways to become a more well-rounded person and hopefully create better equality and less hate,” said Freeman.

Santiago is completing an Associate Degree in Early Childhood Education. She works as a teacher assistant and feels that this opportunity will allow her to share knowledge and a new perspective on the world with her students. She is looking forward to experiencing the cultural diversity, language, architecture and historical sites that she will be introduced to in Bordeaux.

“I believe this experience will benefit me, personally and professionally. My teaching philosophy is that students should receive the necessary support, resources and guidance that will help them achieve their full potential. Sharing my experiences with them will contribute to that philosophy,” said Santiago.

The study abroad program is in partnership with Davidson-Davie Community College. The trip will take place from June 11-25. Students from North Carolina will be paired with University of Bordeaux students to complete a two-part project. Together, they will build a cell phone charger and then market the product.

Lead Instructor of Languages and Humanities at SCC Sarah Wright serves as the chair for the Global Education Advisory Committee.

“When I was asked to begin the Global Education program here several years ago, the goal was to implement some global outcomes into some classes and provide a way to increase cultural competence of students, faculty and staff,” Wright said. “Employers often cite cultural competence as being an area in which most educational institutions need more focus to help students. We added global components to a variety of classes in several disciplines, and in the last several years, we have had at least one intercultural event a week for our campus community. Essentially, one thing, travel, was missing from our global education program. This opportunity to send two students to Bordeaux, France, is a great chance for our students, program, college and community. “

Bordeaux is located in the southwest of France, close to the European Atlantic coast, and is well-known for its wine, vineyards and castles. Bordeaux is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its history, culture and architectural beauty.

Elaine Reales’ third grade Dual Language Immersion’s class held the Fourth Bilingual Living Wax Museum. This is a yearly tradition that Reales started in 2015 when she was first a regular second grade teacher.

The first year was a U.S. Presidential Wax Museum, then students began to represent historical figures from local, national, and worldwide societies. This school year, after a two-year layoff because of the COVID pandemic, students represented inventors explaining in both English and Spanish, how communities have been impacted before and after their inventions.

The research project aligned to three NC standards: social studies, writing, and speaking and listening.

PILOT MOUNTAIN — A few minutes after signing her NCAA National Letter of Intent on February 10, North Surry senior Micah Felts laid out some goals for her final season of high school softball.

Amid the talks of potential conference championships and playoff runs, Felts emphasized that the team needed to play as a unit in order to achieve a common goal. She even said: “It doesn’t matter who we go against because we’ve got that grit: that Greyhound Grit.”

That Greyhound Grit was on display Monday as North Surry beat East Surry in Pilot Mountain for the first time in eight years.

The Lady Greyhounds came back from a 2-0 hole to beat the Cardinals 6-2. A 3-run home run hit by Jordan Snow gave North Surry its first lead of the game in the fifth inning, and an additional run scored by Sarah Sutphin in the sixth secured the road win for North.

The class of 2022 was in eighth grade when North Surry most recently beat East Surry in 2017, and that game was hosted by the Hounds. Before that, the class of 2022 was in elementary school when the Hounds last topped the Cardinals on Palmer Field.

Trista Berrier pitched a complete game for North Surry (3-4). The senior had seven strikeouts, two walks, allowed three hits and two runs in seven innings.

Riley Pennington started on the mound for East Surry and threw five innings. Pennington finished with five strikeouts and no walks, giving up seven hits and five runs. Elise Marion threw the final two innings and had three strikeouts, one walk, allowed one run and three hits.

The Cardinals (1-7) quickly loaded the bases in the bottom of the first inning. Leadoff Rosie Craven reached first on a Greyhound fielding error, then moved to second on a single from Maegan Banks. The bases were loaded after Marion was hit by a pitch.

Berrier struck out the next two East Surry batters, but a Greyhound fielding error on a hit from Sara Scott scored Craven and Banks.

North Surry left runners on base in each of the first two innings, but finally crossed the plate in the third. Carley Puckett tripled on a deep shot right field as the Hounds’ leadoff in the inning. A hit from Bella Aparicio was mishandled by the Cardinals, allowing Puckett to score.

The Lady Hounds had a chance to add more runs after Sarah Mauldin crushed a hit to the center field fence. However, the umpires ruled that Mauldin was out after passing Aparicio between first and second base; Aparicio was waiting to tag up on the high-arching hit. Aparicio was then tagged out trying to go to third.

East Surry’s Marion singled in the bottom of the third, but courtesy runner Addy Sechrist was involved in double play later in the inning. Then, both teams left runners on base in the fourth inning.

Action picked back up in the top of the fifth with Puckett led with a single to left field. The Cards picked up an out, then Puckett moved to third and Mauldin reached second on an error. Another Cardinal error allowed Berrier to get on base while Puckett scored the game-tying run.

The tie lasted all of two pitches as Snow pummeled a home run over the center field fence to put North Surry up 5-2.

North added its final run in the top of the sixth after East went three-up three-down in the bottom of the fifth. Sutphin was walked to start the inning, then she moved to second on a wild pitch and to third on a ground out hit by Puckett. Aparicio picked up her second RBI of the evening with a line drive to right field.

The Cardinals once again failed to put a runner on base in the sixth, so the Hounds had one final chance to pad their lead. East Surry forced two quick outs, then Sadie Montgomery and Felts hit back-to-back singles. Sutphin hit a grounder to short stop that resulted in Montgomery being called for offensive interference.

Scott began the bottom of the seventh with East Surry’s third hit of the night. Haley Chilton sent a grounder to first base, which North Surry used to quickly tag out Chilton at first before throwing to get Scott out at second on the double play. Berrier then threw her seventh strikeout to end the game.

Monday’s game served as the conference opener for both teams. The two teams will face off again on March 29.

DOBSON – A broken elevator in the Historic Courthouse in Dobson has forced the Surry Board of County Commissioners and staff to scrambled a bit to accommodate individuals wishing to speak to the board at tonight’s meeting.

“Those who have difficulty on stairways and wish to speak during the open forum or public hearing portions of the Board’s March 21 regular meeting can do so from a virtual setup in the Service Center Farm Bureau Training Room,” the board said in a statement released Monday afternoon. The Service Center, located at 915 E. Atkins St. in Dobson. is the former location of a Lowes Foods grocery store just off the Highway 601 exit for Dobson.

The virtual setup in the Service Center was used often throughout the COVID-19 pandemic when social distancing was recommended or required.

“The Surry Board of County Commissioners and staff will be able to see and hear citizens speaking from the Service Center via a virtual connection provided by the County’s MIS Department,” the statement said.

The open forum and a rezoning public hearing will be held tonight, requesting citizens’ feedback. Should anyone else scheduled on the agenda need to speak from the Service Center, that opportunity will be afforded to them, also.

Often when we think of a unique mountain in our region, we automatically think of Pilot Mountain. However, rising above the treetops along the border of Alleghany and Wilkes counties is another mountain unlike any other in the area. A 25-mile long monadnock — an isolated hill, ridge, or erosion-resistant rock that stands in a level area of terrain — of granite, it is known as Stone Mountain and is located in Stone Mountain State Park in Roaring Gap.

An isolated mountainous area with bountiful natural resources, it is home to the Eastern Continental Divide. The first people in the area were the Cherokee and Shawnee, but the Great Wagon Road brought settlers of various European descent — English, German, Irish, French and Scotch-Irish — into the area during the late 1700s.

Alleghany County emerged from Ashe County in 1859 by an act of the North Carolina legislature. Within the county are seven townships and eight unincorporated communities with Sparta as the county seat. With the creation of the Blue Ridge Parkway in the 1930s and the creation of paved roads, ease of travel to the county increased.

The natural beauty of the area made it a vacation destination. The unincorporated community of Roaring Gap was established in 1890 as a summer resort with the help of the Chatham family, of the Chatham Manufacturing Company.

Occupying more than 14,100 acres, Stone Mountain State Park has something to offer for all. The defining feature of the park today is the mountain itself. Rising 600 feet above the valley floor is the light gray granite dome. Created millions of years ago from molten magma, over time wind, water, and other forces eroded the overlying rock and exposed the outcrop we see today.

There are camp sites, nine trails for hiking and two for horseback riding, waterfalls, fishing, picnicking, and rock climbing. Ecologically diverse, various species of trees, birds, amphibians, reptiles, and mammals live there.

There are also exhibits and historic sites. Sitting in the shadow of the mountain and built in the mid-1800s is the Hutchinson Homestead. Complete with a log cabin, barn, blacksmith shop, corncrib, and meat house, visitors can learn about the life and work of the settlers of the area. The homestead was restored in 1998 and has original furnishings.

When the area around Stone Mountain was first settled, there were more than 60 homesteads. Due to the isolated nature of the area, farmers were self-sufficient. However, as more settlers arrived, a community developed and by the mid-1800s schools, churches, and a post office had been established. The Garden Creek Baptist Church was established in 1897 and is one of the few original churches that hasn’t undergone major repairs or remodeling in the area.

In the 1960s, local citizens began efforts to establish a state park to protect the Stone Mountain area for future generations. They approached the North Carolina Granite Corporation, which owned a substantial portion of the area needed for the park, and the company donated the 418.50 acres that included the Stone Mountain to be used for the park. That land was in turn used as a match for federal grants from the Land and Water Conservation Fundand the Appalachian Regional Commission to fund the purchase of additional land from the Corporation.

Stone Mountain State Park was established in 1969 and in 1974 it was designated a National Natural Landmark, one of 13 in North Carolina. The National Natural Landmarks Program is administered by the National Park Service and sites are designated by the Secretary of the Interior. To be named, sites must contain examples of the nation’s outstanding biological and geological features. We are so fortunate to live in such a beautiful, ecologically diverse historic area.

Justyn Kissam is the director of learning at Kaleideum in Winston-Salem.

Gentry Middle School’s seventh-grade students were revving their engines as they put their cars on the track for the 13th Annual Gentry Pinewood Derby recently.

This is a culminating activity for the study of force and motion, where student teams compete with each other, teachers and guests. During science classes, teams of students designed and created Pinewood Derby cars to demonstrate what they have learned about speed, friction, and aerodynamics.

Student enthusiasm demonstrated a need for speed as they tweaked their cars preparing for race day. Dr. Travis Reeves, superintendent of Surry County Schools, brought his own Pinewood car and challenged three lucky teams to a duel.

School officials said a special thanks goes to the Surry County Schools Education Foundation.

“The mini-grant through the foundation made our derby possible,” said seventh-grade teacher Jamie Mosley. “Their teacher and student support allows things to happen outside the box.”

North Carolina 811 once again sponsored “Victory Lane!” Call before you Dig- NC811 representative Brian Moorehouse spoke with students and shared his experiences as a NASCAR safety official.

“After having to take a year off last year because of COVID, it was great to see the excitement of the derby return this year,” Mosley said. “We really want to thank The Surry County Schools Education Foundation, Brian Moorehouse/North Carolina 811, and Old Hickory Council of the Boy Scouts of America for their support to help bring the joy of the derby back to our students.”

Three Mount Airy residents are awaiting court dates after being arrested and charged with numerous crimes related to trafficking or possession of methamphetamine.

Jason Daniel Tate, 38, Amber Nicole Hackler, 37, and Steven Ray Wall, 65, all of of 188 Critz Street, Mount Airy were arrested in a joint drug operation between the Surry County Sheriff’s Office, the Mount Airy Police Department and the Pilot Mountain Police Department.

Those three agencies executed a search warrant at the 188 Critz Street address in February, according to Surry County Sheriff Steve C. Hiatt, whose office released information on the arrestes Monday morning. Detectives located 34 grams of methamphetamine, 11 grams of opioids, assorted drug paraphernalia, and assorted firearms.

Tate was charged with two counts of trafficking methamphetamine, one count of trafficking opium or heroin, one count of possession with intent to manufacture sell and deliver schedule II controlled substance, and one count of felony maintaining a drug dwelling. Tate was placed under a $75,000 secured bond.

Hackler was charged with one count of conspiracy to to traffic methamphetamine, one count of felony maintaining a drug dwelling, one count of possession of a schedule III controlled substance, and one count of possession of drug paraphernalia. Hackler received a $50,000 secured bond.

Wall was charged with one count of possession of methamphetamine, one count of possession of drug paraphernalia, and one count of possession of a firearm by convicted felon, and was placed under a $5,000 secured bond.

All three are scheduled for court appearances on March 23.

A state forestry department official said Tuesday afternoon that efforts to corral the Lowgap fire are winding down as the blaze has been reduced to a mostly smoldering morass of fallen trees and charred underbrush.

But not before the fire consumed 201 acres, according to Jeremy Waldrop, a spokesperson for the North Carolina Department of Forestry. A day earlier, he said the fire had burned 195 acres, but was at that time 90% contained. On Tuesday, he said the additional acreage wasn’t necessarily the fire spreading since Monday.

“It’s just little more mapping has taken place, more accurate mapping.,” he said.

The wind-stoked fire broke out late Saturday, when a debris fire spread beyond control. Local fire departments responded immediately, but as the blaze continued growing, the North Carolina Department of Forestry came in.

Waldrop said Sunday, Sunday night, and Monday morning firefighters concentrated on establishing containment lines around the fire, then burning brush and other fuel between the containment lines and the blaze, thus limiting how much larger the fire could grow.

The effort was successful, with the fire burning remaining forest fuel inside the containment line, but not going beyond.

“It’s not very active,” he said late Tuesday of the blaze. “Crews have been working, there’s not really any activity going on with the fire. There is some smoking, maybe some smoldering, some large dead logs crews are taking care of today. Might be one or two spots deep in the fire where their might be some fire, but pretty much all of that is out.”

Waldrop said he expects the forestry department to close out the scene Wednesday morning, with local fire crews taking over monitoring the area. He said the rain forecast for the area should provide a final knock-out punch.

The forestry department official said there have been no injuries, nor any structures damaged by the fire. He said, to the best of his knowledge, that no one was evacuated from their homes, although several families fled the fire of their own accord.

Waldrop said the fire began late Saturday, when strong winds whipped up a debris fire someone had been burning, sparking the larger forest fire that has burned for three days. Continued dry and windy conditions, coupled with what he called “rough, steep, mountain terrain,” made firefighting difficult. In addition to the nearly 100-person ground crew fighting the blaze, he said the forest service has been using a helicopter to make water bucket dumps along the edges of the fire near the containment lines, and a small scout plane to keep track of where the fire might be spreading.

While there have been no mandatory evacuations, Waldrop said a few families did leave the area during the height of the fire, while most chose to stay home and remain inside, away from drifting smoke. He said area fire departments and the forestry service have kept vehicles in the area of many homes to be ready if winds drive the fire toward those structures.

Spring, he said, is one of two times a year when fires such as this one are more likely to break out — the other time being autumn. Spring, he said, often has dry and windy conditions, with brush and fallen trees providing ample fuel once fires begin.

“Exercise caution if you choose to burn,” he warned. “Contact your local fire department or forest service, talk with them before you do a burn.”

This is the second forest fire to hit Surry County in less than four months. On Nov. 27, a campfire burning in an unauthorized area of Pilot Mountain spread into a major wildfire, ultimately charring more than 1,000 acres over a week-long period before finally being brought under control.

New releases available at the Mount Airy Public Library:

The Personal Librarian – Marie Benedict

The Element of Love – Mary Connealy

The Neighbor’s Secret – L. Alison Heller

The Summer Getaway – Susan Mallery

Along the Rio Grande – Tracie Peterson

Confessions From the Quilting Circle – Maisey Yates

The Personal Librarian Librarian – Marie Benedict

“STEAM”ed UP on Mondays at 4 p.m. — Join us for science stories and simple experiments for grade school ages. Toddler Time for children ages 2-3 Wednesday at 10:30 a.m.; Book Babies for children ages birth to 2 years old Thursday at 9:30 a.m.; preschool story time for ages 4 – 5 Thursday at 11 a.m.

Surry Community College is offering a fun and free English as Second Language (ESL) class at the Mount Airy Public Library Monday-Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Anyone interested should contact Jennifer Pardue at 336-386-3674.

Hooked – Come join our crochet and knitting club, every Wednesday at 3 p.m. Bring your own yarn and make the group project or bring your own project to work on.

Tai Chi has returned to the library. Join us each Wednesday and Friday at 10 a.m. This class is beneficial for those with limited mobility.

Make It Mondays. Craft class for adults meets the third Monday of each month at 3 p.m. .

The Community Book Club meets the fourth Wednesday of the month at 1 p.m. Our book this month is The Widows by Jess Montgomery. Copies are available at the front desk.

It’s Yoga Y’all – Yoga with Ms. Heather will be the third Saturday of every month at 10:30 a.m. unless otherwise noted.

LACE, the Romance Readers Book Club meets on the last Tuesday of the month at 6 p.m. This month’s book is Beyond Scandal and Desire by Lorraine Heath.

Classic Movie Monday – March’s Classic Movie selection is Grapes of Wrath starring Henry Fonda and John Carradine. The film is based on the play “Grapes of Wrath” by John Steinbeck. We have copies available if you’d like to read it before watching it with us on March 28 at 6 p.m.

Author Meet and Greet on April 2 at 11 a.m. Jess Montgomery talk about her latest book in “The Kinship Series,” “The Echoes”. This series takes place in the coal fields of Ohio in the mid 1920s, there is a lot of history, mystery, murder and intrigue. Jess will be here in-person to talk about her books, the people she based her characters on and the history of the region.

The YVEDDI Retired Senior Volunteer Program and the Surry County Senior Center are partnering with the Mount Airy Public Library and the IRS to provide free tax preparation at the library. VITA sites provide free income tax preparation for low-to moderate income taxpayers (generally those who make $57,000 and below) who need help filing their returns. The program will run through April 9, operating on Saturdays at the Mount Airy Public Library from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and Wednesdays at the Surry County Senior Center from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. To schedule an appointment, call 336-415-4225. Masks are mandatory for this event, for the safety of the volunteers.

Friends of the Library Book Sale – The Friends of the Library will have its annual spring book sale beginning, April 20 at 5:30 p.m. and running through April 25. The book sale will be open during regular library hours.

Keep up with all events on our FaceBook pages, https://www.facebook.com/groups/fmapl and https://www.facebook.com/mtapublibrary or our website https://nwrlibrary.org/mountairy/

City officials’ interest in a controversial site in the area of West Pine and Franklin streets has taken another twist, which will involve an attempt to buy property there.

The Mount Airy Board of Commissioners voted Thursday night to authorize City Manager Stan Farmer or a designee to bid on a small, vacant lot adjoining the former Koozies property. It borders West Pine Street, located diagonally across that roadway from Mill Creek General Store.

That action occurred after city officials discussed the matter in a closed session pursuant to a section in the state Open Meetings Law permitting such talks regarding possible property acquisitions,

The commissioners voted 4-1 to authorize the submission of a bid on the lot, which depending on one’s point of view can be considered either beside or behind the old Koozies building.

Commissioner Jon Cawley cast the dissenting vote.

Koozies was the name of a private club once operating at the site which has been closed for years, which a Quality Mills facility previously occupied. Its official address is 455 Franklin St., situated in a well-traveled, high-visibility part of town where South, Pine and Franklin streets converge.

The small lot in question — of about one-quarter acre — has no actual address, with the parcel number of 5020-15-54-6099 disclosed in conjunction with Thursday night’s action. It is scheduled to be auctioned Friday morning through a judicial proceeding known as a commissioner’s sale, which typically occurs to satisfy a debt.

One might wonder why the city government is pursuing the purchase of the land, which Mayor Ron Niland shed light on Friday.

The key is its proximity to the Koozies facility, one of three commercial buildings in the same area which have been deemed hazardous for human occupancy and were targeted by Mount Airy officials in a decision on Feb. 17. The commissioners voted then, 4-1, to issue a 90-day ultimatum to the separate owners of the three structures.

If they don’t act to bring the buildings up to code by that May deadline, the city government can proceed with demolition and later possibly acquire the sites through foreclosure proceedings to recoup the demo costs.

“The building is probably going to end up with us anyway,” Niland explained Friday while taking the long view of a future use for the site.

“It just allows for more land and a bigger development,” the mayor said of the possibility for the small lot to be used for parking, as an example.

Along with the Koozies building, the February action by the commissioners included the former Mittman body shop at 109 S. South St. and the so-called “red building” at 600 W. Pine St. beside Worth Honda.

City Attorney Hugh Campbell said Friday that the owners of the vacant lot the municipality will bid on are Gloria Mittman McNeil and Amy White, both of Lewisville. They are heirs of John Mittman who also own his former body shop, located across West Pine Street from the small parcel in question, with plans calling for the Mittman structure to be sold at a separate auction.

The empty land drawing the city’s interest is valued at $32,060, according to Campbell.

Commissioner Cawley offered multiple reasons Friday for his dissenting vote on the motion to submit the bid for the lot.

This includes venturing into an area where he thinks the city government doesn’t belong.

“I don’t think we ought to be in competition with the private sector,” Cawley said of it trying to acquire the property.

The veteran commissioner added that he would have supported the measure if the site were needed for a specific project — rather than just adding to the municipality’s vast real estate holdings for no particular reason.

“I think the last thing the public wants us to do right now is buy more land,” said Cawley, who also voted against issuing the ultimatum to the owners of the three buildings last month.

These were targeted by a now-defunct city redevelopment commission about seven years ago which identified the sites as being in a blighted area along with some thriving businesses — sparking fears of property there being taken forcibly via eminent domain.

In a separate matter Thursday evening, the commissioners voted 5-0 to rezone property on West Lebanon Street which will allow it to be used for business purposes.

This involves both 1158 and 1160 W. Lebanon St., which total 0.36 acres now containing a vacant commercial building. The property is owned by Mayberry Marketing Group, LLC.

The rezoning applicant was identified as Henry Johnson, who requested that its zoning be changed from R-20 (Residential) to B-2 (General Business).

Thursday night’s approval by the commissioners will accommodate plans for a multi-tenant use of the building, with a hair salon and office specified in city government documents.

In recording deeds, the state of North Carolina does not require that the amount paid for a parcel be stated on the deed. However a tax stamp at the rate of $2 for every $1,000 in value is affixed to each deed.

Recent real estate transfers recorded in the Surry County Register of Deed’s office include:

– Andy Pandy, L.L.C. to Jason Jimenez; lots 4-6 block D Graves Heights development PB 3 158; $180.

– Bernays W. White and Hellon Stokes to Bernays W. White, Walter C. White, Jerry Wayne White and Matthew Jamin White; 1.26 acres Marsh; $2.

– Elizabeth M. Fisher and June Osborne to Richard Derek Adams; 0.424 acres lot 14 Westover Park subdivision PB 4 11 Elkin; $366.

– Sandra K. Gaudet to Nathan Gaudet; tract one 20,000 sq ft and tract two 15,400 sq ft and tract three 0.563 acres Elkin; $0.

– The Allen J. Lovill Trust, Robert J. Lovill III, Elizabeth J. Lovill and Allen J. Lovill to Michael Paul Burnette Jr. and Ashley Brooke Moore; lot 35 subdivision of Ring Creek PB 23-78; $46.

– Gregory Jarrett Golding and Jessica Lancaster Golding to William Gregory Golding; 1.30 acres Franklin; $0.

– Tony Joe Williams and Kendra D. Williams to Giselle Lupita Chavez; lot 36 PB 20 73 Pilot; $580.

– Sean Harrison Guest and Jacqueline Walker Guest to Robert Shannon Miller; parcel one 10.219 acres parcel two tract; $530.

– Nathan Gaudet to Florence Jennette LaFrance; tract one 20,000 sq ft, tract two 15,400 sq ft, tract three 0.563 acres Elkin; $500.

– Sheila B. Jackson and Randolph D. Jackson to W. MEI Investments, LLC; lots 13-14 block 4 Marshall Heights PB 1 14 Mount Airy; $160.

– Old Banner Properties, LLC to Justin Franklin; tract Mount Airy; $332.

– Daniel Lee Parker to Old Banner Properties, LLC; portion of lot 87 and all of lot 88 Banner and Byerly development PB 1 74 Mount Airy; $60.

– Summer L. Bowman, Summer L. Harris and Joshua Harris to Randall G. Bowman; lots 7-8 Westfield Meadows section 2 PB 14 211 Westfield; $0.

– Eva Jean Utt Shelton and Eva Shelton Cave to Andrew J. Cave and Khloe C. Cave; lot 20 Knollwood subdivision PB 9 161 Stewarts Creek; $330.

– Nicholas A. Tomlin and Whitney M. Tomlin to John Wilson Newton and Cindy Kay Beasley Newton; 0.927 acres Elkin; $645.

– County of Surry and County of Surry North Carolina to City of Mount Airy; 7.675 acres PB 12 143 Jones School Road Mount Airy (Graham Field); $0.

– Joel Lee Atkins and Rhonda Atkins to Tiffany Ray Boyd and Nathaniel Dale Boyd; 2.25 acres Eldora; $620.

– Robert J. Lovill III and Elizabeth J. Lovill to James Ceaph Gravely III; lot 54 section 3 Hickory Creek subdivision PB 17 55 Stewarts Creek; $31.

– Robert J. Lovill III and Elizabeth J. Lovill to Ricky Dean Lawson and Tonya Goins Lawson; lot 37 section 2 Southridge subdivision PB 13 68 South Westfield; $39.

– Cleo Jefferson, Gail Bauguess and Jerry Franklin Bauguess to Hayden Brice Marion and Breonna Darlene Marion; tract; $250.

– Thomas Snook and Susan Snook to Lois Nielson; lot 10 Boxwood Estates section 1 PB 7 83 Mount Airy; $360.

– Cody Ray Jude and Brittany Wilson Jude to Jacqueline Hart and William Hart; lots 8-10 block A Charlie Pratt property PB 3 58 Pilot; $326.

– Cristian S. Frausto Sanchez to Sergio Alejandro Rivas and Edwin Rivas Flores; tract Dobson; $86.

– Randy Greg Shelton and Allan Leon Shelton to Randy Greg Shelton; tract Westfield; $0.

– Jackventures, LLC and Main Street Commercial, LLC to John J. Marshall Jr. and Deborah W. Marshall; tract Elkin; $330.

– L&L Home Improvements, LLC to Steele Holdings, LLC; tract one and tract two PB 39 144 Elkin; $400.

– Annie Atkins to Tanner Blevins; tract; $0.

– Max B. Dellinger, Joan H. Dellinger, Marc McGuire and Anna Raye McGuire to Max B. Dellinger and Joan H. Dellinger; tract Dobson; $110.

– Juan Campos and Elsa Arias Alarcon to Nain Rodriguez Armenta and Norma Alicia Ojeda; tract Pilot; $4,800.

– Sherri Thompson, Cathy Howlett and Timothy Howlett to Tanna M. Howlett; 3 tracts Mount Airy; $272.

– Gail Lynch Miller, Daniel Thomas Miller, Robert Alan Miller and Barbara Ann Dunnam to Austin Wayne Beck and Sara Wilson Beck; 31.706 acres PB 40 107 Pilot; $340.

– Donna S. Newman, Donna Sue Edwards and Jerry Dean Newman to Karen Elkhouja; lot 12 Keesee land PB 1 153 Mount Airy; $0.

– Michelle Lynn Bullins to Jimmie Vestal Robertson and Vestal David Robertson; tract one 0.71 acres and tract two tract Stewarts Creek; $0.

– The Dwight D. Denny Trust and Dwight D. Denny to Richard Eugene Webster and Brandi Linn Goins; 1.57 acres tract one PB 25 70; $37.

– Steven Ray Wyatt and Cindy Poindexter Wyatt to Richard Toop; tract Dobson; $134.

– Faye M. Snow to Daniel Brent Snow; 29.04 acres Old Rockford Road Rockford; $0.

– Brenda Wall Bledsoe to Jeffrey S. Bledsoe and Pamela S. Bledsoe; 18.943 acres Eldora; $0.

– Clifford Ricky Bowman, Clifford Rickie Bowman and Lorri D. Bowman to Judy Marion Hooker; 1.25 acres Dobson; $56.

– Tim Chatham and Jennifer Lynn Chatham to Evelyn Arlette Sanchez Gonzalez; 1.719 acres PB 33 88 Elkin/Wilkes; $26.

– Sandy H. Moody and Brian K. Moody to Maken Properties, L.L.C.; 0.346 acres 212 S. Main St. Dobson; $120.

– Thomas G. Oeffinger and Marsha N. Oeffinger to Mary F. Foster; tract Elkin; $610.

– Blanche Murphy to Sandra B. Baumgarten, Glenn D. Blythe and Donna M. Jolly; tract Franklin; $16.

– Robert Taylor Bradley and Sarah B. Bradley to John Henderson Bradley; tracts Mount Airy; $22.

– Steven Capamaggio and Linda Capamaggio to James Martin Parks and Kathryn Parks; lot 51 block B A.J. Hayes subdivision PB 7 124 Elkin; $500.

– Shelby B. Nichols and Timothy Nichols to Fibrecrete Preservation Technologies, Inc.; 0.291 acres Mount Airy; $0.

– Glenda D. Smith to Chandler C. McGrady and Serinity F. Eckrote; tract Mount Airy; $370.

– Estate of Laura Ann Newman Doss, Michael P. Reeves, Jonathan G. Doss, Sara L. Doss, Debra D. Reeves and Laura Ann Newman Doss to Dawn Elaine Crutchfield; tract one lot 3 PB 6 132 and tract two lots 1-2 Oakwood Estates section 1 PB 6 131-132 Stewarts Creek estate of Laura Ann Newman Doss file 22 E 36; $134.

The Surry County Community Corrections office is seeking information on the whereabouts of the following individuals:

• Sherri Leann Hudson Meeks, 38, a white female wanted on probation violations who is on probation for possession of methamphetamine and use/possession of drug paraphernalia;

• Robert Paul Thomas, 36, a white male wanted on probation violations who is on probation for felony possession of methamphetamine;

• Anthony Bane Thorpe, 56, a white male wanted on probation violations who is on probation for possession of a schedule II controlled substance and use/possession of drug paraphernalia;

• Brianna Paige Taylor, 24, a white female wanted on probation violations who is on probation for three counts of possesson of a schedule VI controlled substance and three counts use/possession of drug paraphernalia.

View all probation absconders on the internet at http://webapps6.doc.state.nc.us/opi and click on absconders. Anyone with information on any probation absconders should contact Crime Stoppers at 786-4000, county probation at 719-2705 or the Mount Airy Police Department at 786-3535.

First full day of spring

The spring equinox is today, but the first full day of spring will be tomorrow. The first day of spring can be deceptive and feel like it is still winter. We do have more daylight with Daylight Savings Time and also a minute more daylight each evening. Wild onions are growing and the lawn is getting some green on it. Cool weather vegetables planted now will thrive even though the days are still nippy and the nights cold with frost still around.

Time to set out cabbage and broccoli

As we pass the middle of March, there is still time to set out cabbage and broccoli plants. They will thrive and produce a harvest before warm weather arrives and still allow enough time to produce a warm weather vegetable crop to follow behind them. Check the plants you purchase carefully at this time of the season. Make sure the stems are healthy and blue-green in color and not tan and damped off and also check that the plants have not legged out of their containers.

Making an emerald broccoli cauliflower salad

To end the week of Saint Patrick make this emerald green broccoli cauliflower salad to perk up the kitchen table and welcome the arrival of spring. You will need one three-ounce box of lime Jello, half teaspoon salt, one cup boiling water, three-fourth cup of cold water, one cup chopped broccoli, one cup chopped cauliflower, one small bunch of spring onions chopped, three teaspoons apple cider vinegar. Dissolve Jello and salt, one cup boiling water, three fourths cup cold water. Chill until very thick. Meanwhile, prepare and combine all other ingredients and marinate them for at least an hour. When Jello is firm, fold in the other ingredients. Pour into a loaf pan and chill until firm. Unmold and serve on a leaf of lettuce. Makes six servings.

American violets fragrant springs arrival

Their heart-shaped leaves are now a backdrop for dainty flowers of purple and white violets. They are one of America’s favorite wild perennials. They will bloom for over a month. They leave their mark as winter fades into spring. You can dig up a clump of violets and place in a container of potting medium and make them a porch perennial. They will endure on the porch or deck for many seasons to come.

Beautiful blue of Wandering Jew

This is another wild perennial that produces dainty royal blue flowers with amber centers and bright green leafy foliage. You can tame down the Wandering Jew by placing a bunch in a large container of potting medium or a mix of regular garden soil and some peat moss for added texture. As the plant begins to wander, you can trim it back or thin it down. It may slow down in winter, but it will bounce back in spring . The blue flowers thrive all spring and summer. Even they grow wild like American violets, they can be tamed to thrive in pots or containers and provide a free and natural perennial.

Late March time to start perennials

Most hardwares, garden shops, Home Depot, Lowe’s Home Improvement, Ace Hardware and nurseries have cool weather vegetables as well as pots and containers of perennials. Mid March is a great time to start containers or pots of perennials and there are so many to choose from. Some of the many varities are Diantus, Creeping Jenny, Daphne, Bugle Weed, American Bee Balm, Sea Thrift, Coral Bells, Sweet William, Veronica, Forget Me Nots, Dusty Miller, Hen and Chicks, Red Hot Poker, Periwinkle, Columbine, Candy Tuft, White Daisy, Creeping Phlox, Pink and Lavender Thrift. Perennials provide color, foliage and beauty in all four seasons of the year. March and April are the best times to plant perennials because there are so many available. The perennials require little care and put on a display all year long. Weed them once a month and feed them with Flower-Tone organic flower food and a drink of water each week when rain does not fall and they will thrive and perform all year long. Use a 25-pound bag of finely textured potting medium such as Miracle-Gro to start perennials on their way to long life.

Enjoying an American Bee Balm perennial

The American Bee Balm is truly a part of American history and has been for more than 250 years. Its leaves were used as a substitute for tea during the Revolutionary War shortly after the Boston Tea Party when tea was dumped from British ships into the Boston Harbor. American Bee Balm most likely grew wild in the Massachusetts countryside and must have been a common wildflower plant at that time. American Bee Balm plants can be purchased at nurseries, garden shops, Home Depot, Lowe’s Home Improvement, Ace Hardware and some florists. Most bee balm comes in small pots and containers and when you buy a pot of bee balm, go ahead and purchase a larger container and some medium so you can re-pot it as soon as you bring it home. It will grow fast and spread out when you re-pot it. It will thrive on the front porch in winter if you trim and protect it from winter extremes and cover with a towel or cloth during hard freezes and remove cover when temperatures rise above the freezing mark. Use fine textured potting medium to start the balm off in a new, larger container and feed with Flower-Tone organic flower food once a month. Most nurseries have bee balm in several varities (tall and short). The tall variety produces two- to three-feet tall plants with lavender blooms and large leaves. The short variety is about one to two feet tall and produces pink flowers. They prefer plenty of sunlight. To avoid powdery mildew, water once a week and water only the bottom of the plant. There are several varities of the bee balm that are resistant to powdery mildew such as Colrain Red, Violet Queen and Marshall Delight. They can be ordered from mail order nurseries and off the websites and may be in seed packets and not potted plants. Local nurseries may be able to order containers of bee balm for you and some nurseries may know where they can find you the ones you like. There are as many as ten or more species of bee balm. We wonder which variety of bee balm the American colonists used to make their bee balm.

Making American Bee Balm tea

When speaking of bee balm, it would also be interesting to know the 250-year-old recipe that American colonists used to prepare bee balm tea. Their recipe may have been similar to this simple one for a cup of bee balm tea. Place five or six fresh bee balm leaves in a cup (or six dried leaves), then pour boiling water over the leaves to steep for ten minutes. Remove leaves and sweeten with sugar or honey, a few drops of lemon juice or mint flavor. We wonder if they used a little brandy in it just for flavor? A little root beer could help flavor bee balm today. Somewhere, in a 250-year-old faded out recipe box is an authentic recipe for American Bee Balm tea!

Starting bulbs of summer’s flowers

As we move toward the end of March, bulbs of summer flowers are showing up at Home Depot, Ace Hardware, Lowe’s Home Improvement, Walmart and many hardwares and garden shops. You can choose from dahlias, Rose of Sharon (hibiscus), clematis vines, peonies, gladiolas and Bleeding Heart bushes. These bulbs, tubers or corms come in mesh bags or are sold individually from bins at many hardwares. Check bulbs carefully and feel the mesh bags to make sure bulbs are firm, healthy and not soft or rotted. You can set out summer bulbs in containers or beds and by the time the soil warms up, they will be on their way to a colorful summer. As you plant them, cover with a layer of peat moss, a handful of bone meal and a layer of soil mixed with some peat moss. Tamp down soil with the hoe blade for good soil contact.

“Smokey Situation.” Wife: “My husband frightens me the way he blows smoke rings through his nose.” Doctor: “That is not unusual.” Wife: “But my husband doesn’t smoke.”

“Tale of the scale.” A very fat man and a very skinny man were in the hotel lobby. “From the looks of you,” said the fat man, “you might have been the victim of a famine.” “Yes, and from the looks of you explains the cause of the famine,” replied the skinny man.

“Rich food.” Ronda: “A chef says we are what we eat.” Wanda: “That’s great, let’s order something rich!”

It’s the same old story — spending taxpayers’ money to raze unsafe structures neglected by owners — but this time Mount Airy officials want a firmer approach to ensure those funds are recouped, which discussion indicates isn’t occurring now.

“Over the last twelve years this has come up numerous times,” Commissioner Steve Yokeley, who was elected to the city council in 2009, said when it met Thursday night.

“It’s way past time to do something,” Yokeley added regarding a clear-cut policy to recover public money spent for demolitions.

Concerns expressed by Yokeley and others on the Mount Airy Board of Commissioners were triggered by its decision Thursday night to allow city Code Administrator Chuck Morris to have a dilapidated structure at 151 Paige St. torn down. It is located off West Lebanon Street.

No one has lived in the house for about a dozen years, Morris advised during the meeting, although such places tend to attract “unsavory characters,” he added. “The Police Department has rousted many people out of there.”

The structure is in violation of municipal minimum housing codes and was found unsafe for human occupancy, according to a March 15, 2021 letter from Morris to its owners, Overton and Ruth Bennett of Glass Road.

They were instructed to make needed repairs or tear down the house by May 14, 2021, which never occurred, with one complicating factor involving Mr. Bennett dealing with an illness.

This has become a familiar scenario, with Morris — who joined the city staff in November 2018 — mentioning that five such demolitions have occurred during his tenure.

Thursday night’s vote paves the way for the city government to step in and remove the house on Paige Street at an estimate price tag of $6,380 to demolish it and clear the lot on Paige Street.

The owners will have 60 days to pay that cost, and failure to do so will result in a lien being filed against the property which means the debt would have to be satisfied before it could be sold.

Governmental bodies also may take the extra step of launching foreclosure proceedings for the land left behind, allowing them to seize —and then sell — property on which money is owed for taxes or other reasons.

Commissioner Jon Cawley asked City Attorney Hugh Campbell if this is to be done with the Paige Street site, and Campbell replied that it will involve a board decision.

The foreclosure route has been taken in the past, based on previous reports, which suggest that this has occurred only sporadically at best.

Board members said Thursday night they want a more streamlined approach to ensure the city government is repaid in such cases, including foreclosures.

Cawley said he doesn’t believe the municipality has ever had a “game plan” for property demolitions, especially with efforts limited to filing liens. “We’re never paid back” if an owner doesn’t sell the land, he reminded.

“There’s no memory that we’ve ever recouped the demolition investment,” said Cawley, who has been a city commissioner since 2008.

The board’s Tom Koch said a more-diligent policy should start with listing all such projects approved in which the land hasn’t been sold or otherwise processed to recover the costs of a city government obligation to alleviate unsafe buildings.

That suggestion was embraced by other council members, and City Manager Stan Farmer said staff members will prepare that breakdown and present the results at an upcoming meeting.

Based on the discussion, some firm actions could be taken by the commissioners in response.

“I think we need to know at least how we’re going to get out of these things before we tear them down,” Cawley said.

The codes enforcement officer mentioned that a law firm in Asheville specializes in such matters, which Surry County officials have utilized.

Larry Johnson, a county commissioner who was in the audience for Thursday night’s council meeting, told the gathering that legal notices filed by Surry for property-sale cases involving money owed took up two pages of Wednesday’s Mount Airy News.

The following divorces were granted in Surry County:

– Javier Pacheco Herrera and Adela Valenzuela Herrera; granted on March 16.

– Crystal Grose and Bradley Dooley; granted on March 10.

– Alvyn Abel Feliciano Hernandez and Isa Carolina Felciano Barrera; granted March 10.

– Gurney Thomas Atkins and Rhonda Kay Atkins; granted on March 10.

– Susan Ann Upchurch and Travis Ray Upchurch; granted on March 10.

– Cheyenne Jenkins and Tanner Jenkins; granted on March 10.

– Iona Mae Cook McBride and Tommy Lee McBride; granted on March 10.

– Brianna Ayers Berry and Brian Berry; granted on March 10.

– Buddy Tyrone Bowman and Lesa Combs Bowman; granted on March 10.

– Vanda Wall Rogers and Roger Dean Rogers; granted on March 8.

The following marriage licenses were issued in Surry County:

– James Robert Reed, 73, of Wood County, Virginia, to Brenda Joyce Corothers, 71, of Wood County.

– Daniel Isaac Marsh, 26, of Surry County to Ashley Nicole Cosgrove, 22, of Surry County.

– Eberto Ledezma Rico, 40, of Ashe County to Maria De Los Angeles Sanchez Rojas, 50, of Surry County.

– Justin Lee Dean, 37, of Surry County to Chasity Mae Harold, 26, of Surry County.

– John Coles Terry IV, 33, of Fairfax County, Virginia, to Amanda Nicole Fogler, 38, of Fairfax County.

– Benjamin Harmen Shelton, 25, of Surry County to Alisha Hope Thomas, 29, of Surry County.

– Trent David Fairchild, 48, of Surry County to Christa Aine Rendino, 51, of Surry County.

– Andrew Zachary Eller, 30, of Alleghany County to Mandy Renee Roberts, 29, of Alleghany County.

– Hugo Tinajero Rodriguez, 25, of Grayson County, Virginia, to Mari Cruz Esquibel Rojas, 20, of Surry County.

– Bailey Shayne Galyean, 22, of Surry County to Graeson Faith Pack, 21, of Surry County.

Friday always was a good day for a field trip, and with their permission slips in hand Commissioner Mark Marion and Chairman Bill Goins of the Surry County Board of Commissioners went to North Surry High School to speak to students about their role in county government and to ascertain what the students knew about how the county affects their lives.

Eric Jessup, the former longtime multi-sport coach, and conference wrestling coach of the year many times over, hosted the commissioners to his Business Law class first period. “These guys have more impact on your life than the president or the federal government,” he told the students.

His class was joined by students in the drafting class as well as web page design for a free form talk that ranged from the county budget to the new detention center, and all the way across the Atlantic to talk about how events in Ukraine are affecting life and prices here at home.

For Goins it was a return to form to be in front of a class, and back in his old stomping grounds amongst the Greyhounds of North Surry. Of retiring from the Surry County School System in 2020 and transitioning to a new role of public service, Goins said, “It was the right time of my life. We are doing this job to help; it is not for the money.”

Ever the educator, Goins stepped up to the display screen to present data while gently prodding and pulling answers out of the students. Not one to stray too far from where he is needed, the chairman was leaving the talk at North Surry on this morning for a stint as substitute principal down at White Plains Elementary. You can get Goins out of the classroom, but his educator’s spirit is alive and well past retirement.

Marion and Goins posed questions to the students and while it may be hard to get into gear for first period, the students were responsive and asked some questions that belied their age.

Among those were open-ended questions about the size of the county’s budget, or the size of the emergency fund, or how many motor vehicles operate in the county were not on the study guide. They did however allow for opening of dialogue and some fun guesses/corrections. “Yes,” Marion replied, “the county budget is $1 million, you just have to multiply it a few times.”

Students wanted to know what the commissioners did in their official capacity, so they explained how resolutions and ordinances are passed in place of laws at the county level. Scare resources mean not everyone can get what they want and sticking to a budget is important, was the summation of budgeting and finance.

Goins described in some detail the budget and appropriations process, and why having money left over in an emergency fund is necessary, pretty heavy lifting for high school students first thing on a Friday.

Marion followed that with a rundown of the new detention center including some of the stark numbers on the overpopulation at the jail. A gentle reminder to avoid crime was given, hence avoiding a stay with Sheriff Steve C. Hiatt and the team in Dobson.

The students were curious about public safety in general, and about what would happen if the state closed down Surry County’s jail due to overcrowding. They heard of the high price of sending inmates to other counties to be held – and all the additional costs of getting them back for trial.

The commissioners mentioned inmates being sent to Alleghany, Watauga, and Avery counties to be held when Surry County has no room. At a cost of more than $50/day, not to mention the salary of the deputy doing the driving, gas, and maintenance on the vehicle to make the delivery of the inmate, costs can rise quickly.

More than dollars and cents, “It is a safety issue, not just for the inmates but for the corrections staff and the visitors,” Goins said of the need for more capacity.

Marion took it farther noting the goal of around eight inmates to a block, but at times now that number may reach more than 20. “You got guys laying on mats, in the intake area. It’s not humane, you may be a criminal, but you don’t have to be treated like an animal.”

The need for more space for female inmates was discussed, the students were told if the jail were completed today, it would already be over capacity for women.

One student asked what plans are in place for non-binary inmates, a question that proves today’s youth are thinking about things in a different way than their predecessors. “We do have holding and single cells that can be made available for them,” Marion replied slipping in a gender-neutral pronoun without missing a beat.

The students grasped about proportional representation, and the need for an odd number of board members to break a tie. Marion expounded, “If all the commissioners thought the same way, how many commissioners would you need? One.”

The gentlemen agreed that the best part of the job remains helping their constituents. “Many calls are made to us to complain, but that one call that helps someone makes it all worthwhile,” Marion added.

“It may not feel relevant to your life, but we’re here to help and benefit your life,” he advised. “Its not for the money, sometimes this is a full-time job. If you’re doing this job for the $8,000 or so a year, you’re doing it for the wrong reasons.”

Both Marion and Goins expressed their satisfaction for what can be an all-hours job of being a commissioner, yet both expressed a desire to limit their service on the board to two terms to allow for fresh perspectives and new ideas.

With five varying opinions and a budget of more than $80 million a year, the commissioners have to weigh the good and the bad. Goins said that means occasionally stopping to “slow the roll” of county government to make sure wise spending decisions are made.

When all is said and done, and he gavels the meetings to a close, Goins said, “We don’t always agree with one another, but we always leave as friends.”

Multiple residential break-ins have occurred in Mount Airy this past week, according to city police reports.

• This included one discovered Wednesday at the home of Bonnie Sumner on Bitting Avenue, where property valued at $750 and an unspecified sum of money were stolen after a secured door was pried open. Included were two rings and a necklace.

• Also Wednesday, a breaking and entering was reported at South Village Apartments on Carolina Court, where the rear door of a unit was kicked in to gain entry. This enabled the theft of household goods for which no loss figure was listed, with the apartment complex listed as the victim of the crime.

• Cody Lee Stewart, 30, of 307 Hadley St., landed behind bars after an incident last Sunday at O’Reilly Auto Parts on West Pine Street, where he allegedly stole merchandise valued at $55, including a Schumacher battery charger, a battery terminal cleaner brush and a metal razor.

In addition to being charged with larceny, Stewart was found to be the subject of a five-count outstanding order for arrest that had been filed in Surry County on Dec. 2 with no other details listed.

Stewart was confined in the county jail under a $1,500 secured bond and is slated to appear in Surry District Court on Monday.

• Three women are facing felony conspiracy and other charges stemming from a March 4 burglary of a home at River Hill Apartments on Newsome Street and the larceny of a vehicle there. This involved the alleged entry of the occupied dwelling at night, listed as the residence of Vickie Holland Clark, and the theft a 2009 Honda Accord valued at $6,500, which was recovered; purses; Branch Banking and Trust debit cards; an EBT (electronic benefits transfer) card; a driver’s license; and two types of medication.

Debbie Lindley Brown of Lexington also is listed as a victim of the incident that involved a false report allegedly made to the police station.

Those arrested for the crime were three neighbors, Teena Marie Wareing, 65, of 1238 Newsome St.; Shayna Marie Johnson, 46, of 1224 Newsome St.; and Clark, 68, of the home where the burglary occurred. All three are charged with conspiracy to commit felony larceny, with Clark additionally accused of filing the false report, larceny, aiding and abetting larceny, possession of a Schedule II controlled substance and possession of a Schedule IV controlled substance.

Johnson was charged with the larceny of the motor vehicle and possession of stolen goods. The three were arrested at the home of Clark, who was held in the Surry County Jail under a $2,500 bond, Johnson a $500 secured bond and Wareing, $500 secured. They are scheduled to be in District Court on April 25.

• Regenia Sue Goad, 73, of Dugspur, Virginia, was charged with larceny and possession of stolen goods with a total value of $440 on March 4 at Belk in Mayberry Mall, identified as a Biltmore bed comforter, an Anchor Hocking glass baking dish set, a Crown and Ivy multi-colored beach bag and other miscellaneous merchandise.

Restitution is owed in the case for which Goad is to appear in Surry District Court on Monday.

• Charles Thomas Bennett, 28, of 161 Grassy Knoll Lane, also is slated to be in court Monday regarding a felony drug charge filed against him after a Feb. 22 traffic stop on West Lebanon Street near Grace Street for a registration violation.

Bennett is accused of possession of methamphetamine along with two misdemeanors, resisting, delaying or obstructing a public officer and possession of a Schedule VI controlled substance.

He was held in the Surry County Jail under a $7,500 secured bond.

After a two-year absence induced by the COVID pandemic, VOCE — a choral ensemble — will return to performances in 2022.

“Our name, VOCE, means voice,” the group said in a press release. “If you love to sing, if you love to sing with others, if you would love to take your singing to a whole new level, then please join us.”

VOCE will begin rehearsals for a modified spring/summer concert on March 21 at 7 p.m. at First Baptist Church in Dobson.

“This season will be different for us all as we have had to adapt to a new way of life and learn to protect each other over the past two years, but the love of music is still with each of us,” the group’s statement read. “We look forward to making music and sharing it with you, our community. We will abide by the pandemic guidelines established by the VOCE Board of Directors during our early meetings, with future modifications as the COVID outlook changes.”

For more information, call 336-789-2035, visit the group on Facebook, or visit its website at vocemtairy.org.

Shoals Elementary recently celebrated children’s author Dr. Seuss and Read Across America Week with fun activities every day.

Monday was Cat in the Hat Day; Tuesday was Fox in Socks Day; Wednesday was Oh the Places You Will Go When You Read Day; Thursday was One, Fish, Two Fish, Blue Fish Day; and Friday was Green Eggs and Ham Day.

For participants at the Blue House Art Studio, Gary Arnder was a fixture on class days. He began as a participant in the activities held at the space on North Main Street in Mount Airy, and his presence is going to be missed.

Arnder passed away unexpectedly March 11 and is now being remembered by members of the artistic community he was a part of.

A recent tribute penned by Wendy Tatman, the Blue House Art Studio director, noted “his generous and sweet spirit as he encouraged and supported other student-artists.”

The Blue House Art Studio vision is one of getting special needs adults involved within the community by means of art therapy. The studio was once a place where he learned and grew in artistic endeavors, later he was the one supporting other artists.

“He has been an avid supporter of the program since its inception. After starting as a student, his skills led him to help others in both art and music classes. Students especially appreciated his guidance and enthusiastic support,” Tatman said.

She had known Arnder since coming to the Blue House Art Studio in 2011 and saw Arnder to be generous with his time. “He did many art projects, small and large, for friends who needed help, or might be ill, or discouraged. Or simply as gifts.”

Later a member of their board at the studio, he assisted in the repair of their attic floor as well as a “host of work and repair projects,” she said. His efforts were noticed by others, “Seemed like he’d do anything needed for Blue House,” Lisa Visek noted.

The old adage says never judge a book by its cover and tends to be good advice. “He may have looked like someone you would cross the street from,” Tatman joked with a smile last week as she noted his appearance with “hippie hair,” as she called it.

A little long hair may be par for the course for a musician who develop some chops alongside Chazz Elstone, also a member of the studio’s board, who helped show Arnder the ropes of percussion, the sticks and cymbals too as are required. Arnder took his talents on the road and was often a performer with the Scoops band on Thursday nights in their mini amphitheater.

Music though was not his only talent, Tatman noted a special skill was his ability to draw with both hands at the same time. Arnder impressed her by using both hands while using different colors and drawing different shapes simultaneously.

His eye for copying pictures in great detail, and also his experimentation with different media and techniques, impressed her. Some of his work was on display for a reception that was held last week for friends and family after Arnder’s funeral service at Moody’s in Mount Airy.

He was generous of his talents as Visek described two Arnder pieces she received. “I have two beautiful drawings he did and for me, they are Egyptian man and woman. Very well done.”

She also recalled of a special gift she made just for him. “I wrapped a big crystal for him to wear once. I know he was more a soft-spoken Christian, but he commented once on one of mine and I just had to wrap one for him.”

Tatman says she will miss him and hopes to find new volunteers like Arnder. In discussing what traits are needed in someone who could help, Tatman, a retired teacher, said she had not been an art teacher. A desire to help and gentle soul just like Arnder’s are all that is required to help the students at the Blue House.

PILOT MOUNTAIN — Two championship contenders in a star-studded conference began league play with a two-game series this past week.

The Foothills 2A Conference series marks just the fourth and fifth meetings between East Surry and Forbush since 2008, with the Falcons having won in 2008, 2009 and 2018.

The Cardinals came away victorious in two close games: East won 5-3 in East Bend on March 15, then defended Barry Hall Field with a 4-3 victory on March 18. East Surry improves to 6-0 on the season and 2-0 in conference play, while Forbush drops to 2-5 overall and 0-2 in conference.

The two baseball powerhouses spent years atop their respective conferences before both joining the FH2A.

East Surry came into the 2022 season having won four consecutive Northwest 1A Conference Championships. The 2021 Cardinals won the school’s fourth West Regional Championship and earned the State Runner-up trophy for the fourth time as well.

Forbush won the Western Piedmont 2A Conference Championship in four consecutive seasons from 2016-2019, then finished second in 2021 after no conference champion was crowned in 2020. The 2021 Falcons reached the 2A West Regional Championship and finished runner-up.

Folger Boaz got the win on the mound for East Surry on Friday. In six innings, the junior had 10 strikeouts, six walks and hit one batter. He allowed two hits and two runs; one of which was earned.

Matthew Keener came in for the save in the seventh inning, hitting one batter, allowing two hits and one run.

The Falcons used two pitchers as well. Thomas Conrad threw the first four innings and had five strikeouts, one walk and hit one batter. Conrad gave up five hits and four runs.

Will Summers pitched the final two innings and held East Surry hitless. Summers tossed six strikeouts and walked one batter.

Forbush got on the board first just as they did in their first meeting earlier in the week. After the Falcons left a runner on base in the first and second innings, Holden Moxley and Logan Beane were walked to begin the top of the third. Moxley later scored on a fielder’s choice hit by Cannon Doub.

The Cardinals countered in the bottom of the inning. Luke Bowman reached first after hitting a fielder’s choice that saw Tristen Mason called out at second base, then Trey Armstrong joined Bowman on base after being walked with a full count. Boaz scored both his Cardinal teammates with a 3-run home run.

The Falcons cut the lead to 3-2 by capitalizing on a Cardinal error in the top of the fourth. Dawson Graham was on second with two outs when CJ Boyd hit a hard grounder between first and second, which sent Graham to third. Hesitation by the fielders led to a wild throw to first that gave Graham time to round third and score.

East Surry had a runner on second in the bottom of the fourth, but a double play ended the inning before the Cards could add another run. A fourth run did come in the fifth inning though. Mason led with a single, then stole second with Bowman up to bat. Bowman scored Mason with an RBI single to force a pitching change. Bowman made it all the way to third, and Boaz – who was intentionally walked – made it to second before a pair of Summers strikeouts ended the inning.

Forbush loaded the bases in the top of the sixth with only one out on the board. Graham attempted to steal home on a wild pitch, but Cardinal catcher Bowman chased down the pitch and flipped it to Boaz for the tag. Boaz struck the next batter out to keep the two-run lead intact.

The Falcons’ made the Cards sweat in the top of the seventh. East Surry picked up two quick outs in which Keener and Anthony Ayers chased down grounders and made the throws to Brown at first, but then Doub was hit by a pitch. Doub moved to second on a balk called on Keener, then Conrad hit a line drive to center field to score Doub and cut the lead to 4-3.

Graham followed with a single that moved Conrad to second. Chase Smitherman also got hit bat on the ball, but hit a grounder right to Ayers at third to make an easy force out.

East Surry is just the second team since the 2016 season to hand Forbush multiple conference losses in the same season. The only other instance of this was when West Stokes beat the Falcons twice in 2021.

The Cardinals have now won 19 consecutive regular season games.

Meadowview Magnet Middle School recently recognized Mandy Dean as the 2022-2023 Teacher of the Year.

She has worked at Meadowview Magnet Middle School for four years, as the Project Lead of the Way 2 Teacher.

“I love that our students have access to material and experiences because of Meadowview Magnet Middle School being a magnet school. I love that our teachers get excited about STEM-based curriculum, and do a great job with inquiry learning for our students.”

The Mount Airy Museum of Regional History will be holding two of its traditional spring activities — its Ukrainian Pysanky Easter Egg workshop and the Beginners Blacksmith Workshop.

For the seventh year in a row, the museum is offering its Ukrainian Pysanky Easter Egg workshop. Pysanky is the Ukrainian word for Easter Egg and this workshop is all about using the Batik method of dying which includes using primitive tools, beeswax, and dye to beautifully decorate eggs.

These eggs, if handled and stored correctly, can be kept for years to decorate with or admire. The oldest intact Pysanky egg is at least 500 years old.

This centuries-old tradition is a great way to appreciate the history behind egg dying, and makes for a great family activity, museum officials said.

The next class will be held on Saturday, April 2 from 1 to 4 p.m.in the third-floor program room at the museum. The cost is $20 for museum members and $35 for non-members.

This can be a delicate craft so museum officials ask that all participants be at least 12 years old. Class size is limited to 15, so advance registration is suggested.

The museum is also bringing back the Beginners Blacksmith Workshop with master blacksmith Joe Allen.

Participants can expect to enjoy hands-on instruction on the tools and conditions necessary to forge iron, and will even get to take part in a beginner-level project they get to keep. All tools and materials will be provided for this course and it will be held downtown at the museum.

The first class will be held on April 9 from 1 to 5 p.m. and a second class is being offered on May 14 from 1 to 5 p.m. This workshop costs $75 for members and $100 for non-members. Because the workshop is hands-on each class will be limited to six participants per class.

Anyone with questions about the event can contact The Mount Airy Museum of Regional History at mamrh@northcarolinamuseum.org or call 336-786-4478.

PILOT MOUNTAIN — Forbush erupted for 13 runs on 11 hits to defeat East Surry 13-2 on Friday.

The teams met earlier in the week in East Bend in a much tighter affair. The game on March 15, which served as the Foothills 2A Conference opener for both teams, also went the way of the Falcons 6-5.

Forbush’s Carley Joyner pitched all six innings of Friday’s game. The junior struck out six batters, walked one, allowed three hits and two runs.

Three different Cardinals spent time on the mound for East Surry. Elise Marion, Riley Pennington and Maegan Banks combined to pitch six innings and threw three strikeouts, three walks, allowed 11 hits and 13 runs. The Lady Cards also committed eight errors as a team.

Leadoff Korbyn Brown started the game with a single for the Falcons. Brown stole second base, then went to third on a passed ball. A sacrifice fly from Virginia Crews scored Brown for the first run of the game.

Despite putting runners on second and third later in the inning, Forbush’s only run of the first two innings was scored by Brown. East Surry’s Riley Pennington singled to start the bottom half of the second inning, but she was the only Cardinal to get on base during that time.

Forbush opened the game up with four runs in the top of the third. Brown once again led with a hit, this time a double hit to right field. Crews scored Brown with an RBI single, then a 2RBI triple from Kiki Wall scored Crews and the recently walked Aria Wilson.

East Surry went three-up three-down in the third and fourth innings, allowing Forbush to build on its lead in the fifth. Wilson led off with a single, Wall was walked and then Kasey Matthews hit an RBI double to score Wilson. Arden Finney got on base after a Cardinal fielding error that also allowed Wall to score. Brooke Davis later scored Matthews after hitting an RBI single to make it 8-0.

The Cardinals battled back in the bottom of the fifth when Clara Willard crushed a home run over the left-field fence. Kenzie Shoffner was walked with two outs in the inning, but never advanced past first.

A pair of Cardinal fielding errors led to three quick runs in the top of the sixth. Banks, now pitching for East Surry, threw a strikeout after a Forbush fly-out to get the inning’s penultimate out, but the Falcons weren’t done scoring yet. Three fielding errors were committed during the next four batters allowing for two more Falcon runs to be scored, increasing the lead to 13-1.

East Surry continued to fight in the sixth inning. Banks singled with one out, then rounded the bases on a Pennington hit that was dropped near the left-field fence. The late flurry wasn’t enough to keep the game going, however, and the night ended after six innings due to Forbush’s 11-run advantage.

Forbush improves to 4-3 overall and 2-0 in the FH2A Conference, while East Surry drops to 1-6 on the season and 0-2 in conference play.

The Alpha Xi Tau Chapter of the Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Honor Society at Surry Community College recently held its annual induction ceremony for 23 new members for fall 2021/spring 2022 in the Grand Hall of the Shelton-Badgett North Carolina Center for Viticulture and Enology.

SCC President Dr. David Shockley provided opening remarks. Janelle Johnson of Daughters of the American Revolution, James Hunter Chapter, was the guest speaker based on PTK membership selection. In addition, Heather Couch, an inducted PTK member, provided entertainment with musical performances of “Here Comes the Sun” and “Keep on the Sunny Side.”

The fall 2021/spring 2022 inductees are: Jonathan Bledsoe, Jacob Mills and Mariela Trejo of Dobson; Madalyn Edwards, Sharon Futrell, Samuel Gordon, Jennifer Hernandez, Christopher Hernandez-Carrillo and Katheryn Lachino of Mount Airy; Angela Flippin and Tristan Shockley of Pilot Mountain; Leonel Gonzalez of Elkin; Tyler Pilcher and Aaron Woodell of East Bend; Jesse Keaton of Boonville; Wyatt Hawks and Geneva Reavis of Yadkinville; Sarah Bare of Hamptonville; Michael Bonilla of Pinnacle; Susan Anderson of North Wilkesboro; Heather Couch of Ronda; Toby Groce of State Road; and Amanda Robertson of Stuart, Virginia.

The Surry Community College’s PTK chapter was recently designated as a Five Star Chapter. The college’s PTK organization does campus service projects and participates in a college-wide service project each year. Most recently, the chapter worked on an Honors in Action project to raise money for Hope Chapel Orphanage in Ghana. They also received a $3,000 grant from Walmart Giving to help establish a student outreach center on campus.

Established by Missouri two-year college presidents in 1918, Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society serves to recognize and encourage the academic achievement of two-year college students and provide opportunities for individual growth and development through honors, leadership and service programming.

For more information about Phi Theta Kappa and their projects, contact PTK’s faculty co-advisors Dr. Kathleen Fowler at 336-386-3560 or fowlerk@surry.edu or Kayla Forrest at 336-386-3315 or forrestkm@surry.edu or go to www.ptk.org. Follow the local chapter on Facebook @surryPhiThetaKappa.

A strong start propelled North Surry over Mount Airy in the teams’ first meeting in more than two years.

The visiting Greyhounds seemed destined for a blowout win after putting up six unanswered runs in the first three innings. The Bears battled back with three runs in the bottom of the third, all with two outs on the board, to find new life. North Surry regrouped and added two runs for cushion, going on to win the game 8-3.

A lot changed in the two years since the Bears and Hounds last faced off on March 11, 2020. Both teams were primed for historic runs that season, with many of the players in that game either on collegiate rosters, signed to play in college or projected top-10 picks in the 2022 MLB draft.

The 2020 game between the two schools, which North won 6-1, turned out to be the final high school baseball game for either school that year. The COVID-19 pandemic shut down high school sports less than 48 hours later.

The 2022 battle between Mount Airy and North Surry, which took place 737 days later, featured an almost entirely new slate of players as well as new head coaches in each dugout.

North Surry (5-1) picked up where it left off more than two years earlier by scoring six quick runs. The Hounds’ first three batters each circled the bases to score in the top of the first: Kolby Watson, Ethan Edwards and Miles Draughn. Four first-inning hits led to three runs before Mount Airy (5-3) even had an opportunity to bat.

The Greyhounds’ attack continued in the second inning when Jake Beamer led off with a single. Corbin Dollyhigh scored Beamer on a double, then crossed home plate himself when Draughn doubled later in the inning. North then added its sixth run in the third inning when James McCreary reached first on a fielder’s choice, stole second and third base, then made it to the plate on a single from Beamer.

Edwards, who pitched all seven innings for North Surry, went three up three down in each of the first two innings. A Mount Airy ground out and strikeout to start the bottom of the third didn’t look promising for the Bears, but the home team found life after Ashton Gwyn became the team’s first baserunner of the evening.

Rylan Venable moved Gwyn to third with a single to right field. Cameryn Wilson faced a full count before being walked to load the bases, then Logan Dowell was hit by a pitch to score Mount Airy’s first run.

Tennessee Tech-commit Reece McDuffie crushed a 2RBI double to score Venable and Wilson, while moving Dowell to third. Dowell took off for the plate on a wild pitch, but was caught stealing.

North Surry responded in the make-or-break fourth inning. Edwards led off by taking Gwyn’s first pitch and hitting into left field for a double. Singles from Draughn and Brodie Robertson scored Edwards, and Draughn scored while Mount Airy executed a double play: Reece Deaton fielded the grounder hit by Cam Taylor, tossed to Dowell for the force play at second, then Dowell fired a throw to Kamden Hawks at first.

McCreary rounded the bases once again with two outs, but Gwyn threw a strikeout to end the inning before more damage could be done.

North Surry put a runner on second in each of the three remaining innings, but none advanced any farther than that. Mount Airy put runners in scoring position in the fifth and sixth innings, but never could make it back to the plate.

Edwards finished with nine strikeouts, three walks, allowed four hits and three runs.

Gwyn pitched the first 5.0 innings for the Bears and had three strikeouts, two walks, allowed 13 hits and 8 runs. Landon Gallimore threw the next 1.2 innings and had two strikeouts, one base on balls and gave up one hit, and Ian Gallimore was on the mound for the final out of the game.

North Surry has now won its 11 consecutive meetings against Mount Airy.

Mount Airy and North Surry collided in girls soccer Thursday in just the second match between the two in the past three seasons.

An early goal set the tone for Mount Airy, then goals continued to pile in for the Granite Bears until the final minute of play. The Lady Bears ended a two-match winning streak in the rivalry for North Surry by topping the Greyhounds 5-0.

Mount Airy is off to a 4-0-1 start, which is the program’s best start since the 2015 team began 5-0-1.

“This is the best it’s been in a long time,” said Mount Airy coach Will Hurley. “These girls work really hard, and they get along great.”

Hurley praised his three seniors – Grey Moore, Morgan Hiatt and Mackenzie Hudson – for their contributions as both players and leaders so far this season.

“The three seniors, who have all been with me four years now, are all doing really well,” Hurley said. “They’re really good leaders, and never ask the girls to do something they wouldn’t do. A lot of those girls really look up to them.”

Alex Rose and Kate Deaton each scored twice in the victory over the Greyhounds, and Moore added one. Rose used her speed, which North Surry coach Eric Jessup said she certainly did not get from her father (who is Jessup’s cousin), to chase down a pass from Kylie James and put the Bears on the board before hardly any time ran off the clock.

Deaton scored her first goal in the 24th minute, and the Bears carried the 2-0 lead into halftime. North Surry’s Callie Allen and Cynthia Chaire each had shots on target in the opening half, but neither could get past Mount Airy’s Hudson.

Even with the two first-half goals, Jessup applauded his defense for their effort against a skilled Mount Airy offense with multiple weapons. Keeper Haley Smith put her body on the line to intercept Granite Bear through balls, and the back line had to contend with a lot of speed from Mount Airy, Jessup said.

The Hounds felt good after some scoring opportunities early in the second half, but a series of injuries derailed that momentum.

“Man, we started the season out hot against Starmount; beat them 7-0 with our full roster,” Jessup said. “Then we ran into Wilkes Central, who’s just on a different level than everyone else in 1A or 2A, so that wasn’t a great measuring stick of our progress. We played really competitive with Mount Airy, then injuries just started piling up. It was nothing that Mount Airy was doing, things just went wrong for us one after another.”

Among the injured players were Chaire, the team’s leading scorer the past two seasons, starting defensive mid Kim Elias and Smith in goal. Neither Chaire nor Elias played in North Surry’s game against East Surry the following night. Smith, although she was able to suit up and get time on the pitch, wasn’t able to play keeper against the Cardinals.

Deaton added her second goal in the 55th minute on a penalty kick. The Bears put a quick shot on frame following Deaton’s PK, but it was saved by Hudson. Three minutes later, Hudson saved a Greyhound penalty kick taken by Anna Escobar.

The Hounds continued to fight and earned a corner kick in the 61st minute. Escobar’s corner sailed into the 6-yard box where Nydia Cabrera redirected a shot at the goal, but it was saved by Hudson.

Rose netted her second goal in the 67th minute by scoring off an assist from Karyme Bueno. Moore floated a free kick into the back of the net with less than a minute remaining to round out the 5-0 score.

Thursday’s win marks Mount Airy’s fourth shutout of the season. The only goal the Bears have surrendered in 2022 was earlier in the week in a 1-1 tie at West Stokes.

“If we could’ve got one days practice in I think we could’ve beat West,” Hurley said. “We didn’t practice for a week and three days, then the time change happened so we weren’t very good during that first half back. But, the girls regrouped and scored the equalizer.”

Moving forward, Hurley said the goal is to keep getting better each match. As a coach, he said his job is to keep the team pumped up and working as a whole.

Jessup had a similar message, saying the season didn’t stop for the Hounds despite a few injuries.

“When your two best goal-scorers go down it’s hard to get on the board, but the season’s not over because of that so we just keep pressing on,” Jessup said. “We hope to get everybody back and healthy, but we’ve got a lot of talented girls ready to get on the field when their number is called.”

“And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” – Hebrews 10:24-25

Around two years ago I held my first service in a pastoral capacity for Rocky Ford Christian Church and what I mean by held service is me preaching to a camera in my living room on live stream because COVID had become a reality. After the right amount of time we began to meet at the church but we continued to play it safe by staying outside with members in the vehicles and me behind a podium on the front porch area. Then after some more time we moved back inside and encouraged masks and social distancing and hand sanitizers and all those things.

I start this article by telling you this because it is important to remember and realize that this reality was true for some congregations and individuals before COVID and it is still true for some congregations and some individuals now. And so how do we lay the undeniably New Testament command for brothers and sisters in Christ to gather across such things?

One, I think we do so humbly. We remember that our circumstance is not everyone’s circumstance, and that what is going on in our local demographic is not what’s going everywhere; in our world, in our nation, or even in our state.

We also wrestle with this command individually, the same way we do with all of God’s commands. What does God’s command for us to gather look like for me? And although I have continued to speak in a way that is regarding one to two hour interactions one day a week this verse sits in a context in this book, and in the grand story of the New Testament of something far more.

The New Testament would call brothers and sisters in Christ to absolutely always meet Sunday morning. What it would call Christians to do is to do life with each other as seen in the book of Acts, as with Jesus with his disciples, and as implied with Paul with his churches, and this means two things at least: Time and authenticity.

If you’re going to do life with somebody it involves you doing real time with them. Twenty-first century America is a busy, busy place and there are lots of things we can do that all in all are really good. And are good for us. But very few of those things are biblical things. And almost none of them are commanded with the same emphasis we see the command to do life together. Family is good. jobs are good. Social engagement is good. But those things do not negate or contradict the command of the word of God for brothers and sisters in Christ to be together.

The other thing this must mean is be authentic. To do life together is to be absolutely real with them. I grew up in the church and have spent thousands of Sunday mornings in worship gatherings which means I have probably heard some variation of the question “How are you?” tens of thousands of times. But I can tell you that less than ten times have I ever heard anyone answer that question without a smile on their face.

It’s not easy to be authentic or to be real. And yet when we look at the example of Jesus and his disciples or the book of Acts we see real authentic Christians with each other. Brother and sister in Christ I am convinced by the Holy Spirit and the word of God that you and I will not be all of what God has called us to be if we are not doing life with others who are in Christ.

At every meeting of the Surry County Board of Commissioners is a period of Open Forum during which citizens can rise to speak to the commissioners on any topic for up to three minutes. This is their chance to say what is on their mind, bring attention to a problem, or give credit where it is due.

Last week, the Forum was visited by Gary York, local personality on WIFM radio, who rose to ask the board if they had fully considered the ramifications on exiting from the Piedmont Authority for Regional Transportation (PART).

He said those most affected by the removal of a commuter bus line would be those who could least afford for it to cease operation: namely the elderly seeking medical treatment in Forsyth County.

“Some folks have no alternative whatsoever other than riding PART particularly to Winston-Salem to the V.A. or the doctor,” he observed. “Think about going down to the lot and riding the bus and see who’s on there. Its pandemic time, all things have changed. The people on the bus could be some folks that won’t have any alternative to go when PART leaves.”

PART operates the commuter bus line service that is meant to ease congestion on the roads and alleviate some of the pain at the gas pump for commuters working outside the county. The Surry County Express runs from Winston-Salem to hubs in Pilot Mountain and then on to the park and ride lot in Mount Airy off Andy Griffith Parkway and Carter Street, beside Big Lots.

Ridership numbers for Route 6 have varied for several years as the commissioners have previously observed. PART noted in a report to the commissioners that ridership across all forms of public transportation were down due to COVID-19, but that they are seeing ridership returning.

A federal grant to expand services on Route 6 created this situation, PART felt the best way to grow ridership was to increase services, thereby giving the rider more options. The board saw that as money chasing money on a bus line that served a purpose, a purpose that may not exist anymore. The transformation of the American workforce to one more reliant on remote work may never go back to the traditional commuting model of a decade ago.

The commissioners previously passed a resolution to proceed with the county exiting PART, and to begin the process of rescinding a tax on car rental that some of the board felt was unfair.

“The magnitude of this decision is onerous. It’s not about a lot of money, but it’s about folks who have no alternative to navigate going to public services in Winston-Salem. I ask you and challenge you all to look for the good, for there is that of God in all of us. There is good in everything we do.”

– James Henson made an appearance to present the commissioners with a “unique opportunity” to upgrade the county’s volunteer fire service, a topic of recent interest to the board. He mentioned he is paying a fire tax in three districts, and the rate differs between them. “Why is that fair? Our property taxes are the same.”

He offered that it is “time to do something immediate and bold, and level the tax” between fire districts. By having the same fire tax rate for each of the districts it would offer a “chance to revitalize” the volunteer fire departments of the county.

-Surry County has entered into another one-year agreement with Armfield Civic Center in Pilot Mountain to have them manage and facilitate the soccer leagues at Fisher River Park in Dobson.

-Surry County Sheriff Steve Hiatt asked for, and received, permission for his office to apply for an Internet Crimes Against Children grant from the North Carolina Sherriff’s Association. A decision on the grant application will be made in early May.

The grant could award up to $75,000 for the Sheriff’s Office to cover training costs for investigators of these heinous crimes, and an upgrade to computers and networks used in the investigatory process.

– Surry County Board of Elections supervisor Michella Huff has presented options for the realignment of the districts within the county. The BOE had previously reported an imbalance in headcount between the districts of the county commissioners. The goal is for each commissioner to represent as close to 14,271 individuals as is possible.

Currently Commissioner Mark Marion is representing 20,476 citizens compared to Chair Bill Goins and Commissioner Larry Johnson, each representing 12,104 residents a piece in the two Mount Airy districts.

Three proposals were made, and the commissioners chose the option that takes Stewart’s Creek #2 and moves those voters into the Mount Airy district. This change will leave the central district with 16,427 and the two Mount Airy districts with 14,129 each. While still not perfectly balanced, these numbers are closer to the target population.

-At the suggestion of Commissioner Larry Johnson, the board created a committee to investigate and study the need for a county funded fire department that would supplement the efforts of the county’s 17 volunteer fire departments. This committee will report back to the board of commissioners at a later date.

—Finally, Melissa Hiatt, executive director of the United Fund of Surry, thanked the county staff for their participation again this year in the Fund’s annual campaign. Assistant County Manager Sandy Snow received a special call out from Hiatt for her assistance in organizing the county’s campaign.

She went on to offer thanks to the many individuals, organizations, and businesses that participated in the successful United Fund Community Campaign. They will use these funds to offer support to the 26 member organizations that fall under their umbrella.

Hiatt has said that being the United Fund of Surry allows her organization to keep more of the money raised serving the needs of this community rather than sending local dollars to a national organization to spend as they see fit.

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All over the country this week, college basketball pools have been formed for the NCAA Tournament — aka March Madness — but the community stands to be the big winner from one such activity locally.

This involves a draw-down contest conducted by the Rotary Club of Mount Airy in which 68 tickets were sold — representing the number of teams involved in the annual three-week process to crown the men’s hoops champion of America.

The tickets went for $100 each for a total of $6,800, with the person drawing the winning team to receive $1,000.

After the winnings and other expenses are met, this is to result in about $5,000 to aid various projects of the Rotary Club, which undertakes many community-minded causes each year.

“The last time we had it was 2019 — as a matter of fact it was the only time had it,” Rotary Club member Carol Burke said of the draw-down campaign, explaining that it has been yet another casualty of COVID-19 in recent times.

But the contest returned in a big way this week when a crowd gathered at White Elephant Beer Co. on Market Street for a drawing that determined the teams assigned to each ticket holder. This occurred Monday night in anticipation of “First Four” games played Tuesday and Wednesday nights to round out the tournament field.

Among the ticket buyers with favored teams are Bill Bateman with Gonzaga, the top overall seed for the NCAA Tournament, and Sandra Hurley, Arizona, another contender, Joe Zalescik wound up with Baylor, which also is highly regarded.

Those attending Monday night’s gathering at White Elephant Beer Co. also got the chance to render a written greeting to Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski (Coach K) on a large poster to be sent to him.

Krzyzewski will be retiring after this basketball season is complete.

Duke is facing a first-round tournament matchup tonight with Cal State Fullerton in Greenville, South Carolina.

Millennium Charter Academy recently hosted its annual orientation for rising kindergartners and their families on March 10.

Nearly 200 parents and children visited eight stations, including kindergarten curriculum, Lion’s Watch and lunches, art and music, and more. At each station the rising kindergartners enjoyed a special activity, such as a read-aloud, touring one of the big, white buses, and singing.

Each group was led on the tour through one of the high schoolers attending the academy.

With winter sports all wrapped up, The News is recognizing the local student-athletes that were presented with All-Conference Honors for their respective sports.

East Surry, North Surry and Surry Central all compete in the Foothills 2A Conference (FH2A), Millennium Charter Academy competes in the Northwest Piedmont 1A Conference (NWPC) and Mount Airy competes in the Northwest 1A Conference (NW1A).

Any athlete that earned All-Conference Honors in multiple events will have the number of events following their name.

East Surry – Faith Braithwaite (2), Ember Midkiff, Madeline Dayton (2), Clara Willard

Millennium Charter – Savannah Allen (3), Ava Hiatt (1), Ruby Hoerter (4), Clara Minix (2), Ava Utt (3)

Mount Airy – Ella Brant, Gracie Butcher (2), Kylie James, Audrey Marion (2), Carrie Marion (2), Lily Morris, Kancie Tate, Greer Tidd

North Surry – Isabel Delfin (2), Bella Aparicio (2), Ella Riggs (2), Carly Puckett, Sarah Sutphin, Ashley Jackson, Erin Moore, Anna Escobar

Surry Central – Lanie Fitzgerald (4), Lillian Orozio (2), Rubi Cortes-Rosas (4), Abigail Hernandez (2), Andrea Gonzalez (3), Ella Priddy (2), Wendy Cantor (2), Claire Marion

East Surry’s girls finished second in the FH2A team standings.

Dayton won the conference title in long jump, while also finishing second in triple jump. Braithwaite had two second-place finishes in the 55 and 300 meters, Midkiff won silver in high jump and Willard was runner-up in shot put.

Millennium finished second in NWPC team standings. Utt won the conference title in high jump, then went on to finish fourth in the event at the 1A/2A State Championship Meet.

Utt, Hoerter, Allen and Minix were named All-Conference as a relay team in the 4×400 and 4×800 relays. The Lions won gold in the 4×400 and silver in the 4×800. Hoerter was also named All-Conference after finishing second in the 1600 and 3200 meters, while Hiatt and Allen won took first and second in shot put.

The Mount Airy girls won the NW1A team championship, and coach Ron Snow was named NW1A Coach of the Year.

Butcher set the conference records in both the long jump and triple jump, and competed in both events at the 1A/2A State Championship. She finished ninth in long jump and 10th in the girls triple jump at the state championship.

Brant, Tate, Audrey and Carrie Marion earned All-Conference Honors as the Bears’ 4×200 relay team. As individuals: Carrie Marion won the 55 hurdles, Morris won the high jump, Audrey Marion took second in the high jump, Tidd finished second in the long jump and James won silver in shot put.

The Lady Greyhounds finished fifth in the team competition. The team won three individual gold medals: Aparicio won the 55 meters, Delfin won the 500 meters and Riggs won shot put. Aparicio and Riggs qualified for the state championship and finished fourth in their respective events.

Delfin, Sutphin, Puckett and Aparicio made up the 4×200 relay team that finished second, and the 4×400 team of Jackson, Moore, Escobar and Riggs also won a silver medal.

Surry Central’s girls won the FH2A Conference Championship, and Fitzgerald was named Female Athlete of the Championship Meet. Individually, two Eagles won conference titles: Cortes-Rosas finished first in the 1000 meters, and Fitzgerald won the 1600 and 3200 meters.

Three relay teams also won gold at the conference championship: Priddy, Cantor, Orozio and Marion in the 4×200; Priddy, Cantor, Cortes-Rosas and Gonzalez in the 4×400, and Fitzgerald, Hernandez, Gonzalez and Cortes-Rosas in the 4×800. All three relay teams qualified for the state championship and had the following finishes: the 4×400 team finished fifth, the 4×800 team took sixth and the 4×200 team finished eighth.

Five Surry Central girls finished second in their respective events: Gonzalez in the 500 meters, Hernandez in the 1600 meters, Cortes-Rosas in the 3200 meters, Orozio in the 55 hurdles, and Fitzgerald in the pole vault.

East Surry – Sam Whitt, Gabriel Harpe, Matthew Keener, Isaiah Arrington, Cooper Motsinger (2), Tristan Hernandez, Layton Allen (4), Lindann Fleming, Brett Clayton (2), Kyle Zinn

Millennium Charter – Calvin Devore (3), Hartley Devore (2), Ford Holmes, Brody Krackenberg, Nick Johnson, Diego Gomez

Mount Airy – Blake Hawks (2), Mason Hill, Steven Johnson, Caden Ratcliff (2),

North Surry – Talan Vernon (2), Jared Hiatt (4), Chuck Powers, Jake Simmons, Derek Vannieuwkoop (2), Alejando Guerrero-Rodriguez, Owen McMillian, Jair Gonzalez

Surry Central – Charlie Hernandez, Ignacio Morales (4), Chris Nava, Sebastian Sanchez, Brangly Mazariegos, Luke Creed

East Surry won the FH2A Championship as a team and had eight athletes named All-Conference.

The Cardinals’ 4×200 team of Allen, Fleming, Clayton and Zinn won gold, as did the 4×400 team of Allen, Clayton, Arrington and Keener. Allen added two individual silvers in the 55 and 300 meters, and Motsinger did so in the 1600 and 3200 meters. Harpe and Parker tied for second in the high jump, Hernandez finished second in the 55 hurdles and Whitt finished second in shot put.

The Millennium men finished second as a team in the NWPC Championship. Calvin Devore won the conference title in the 1000 meters, then went on to finish ninth in the event at the 1A/2A State Championship.

The Lions’ 4×800 team of Holmes, Krackenberg, Calvin Devore and Hartley Devore, won gold in the conference championship, and the team of the Devores, Johnson and Gomez finished second in the 4×400 relay.

Mount Airy’s boys finished third in the NW1A team standings at the conference championship. Hawks and Ratcliff each set new NW1A records for the boys.

Hawks’ top performance came in the triple jump, and he also won the conference title in the long jump with a jump of 19-05.00 feet. He competed in both events at the state championship, finishing third in triple jump and fourth in long jump.

Ratcliff’s record-setting performance came in the 1000 meters, then he added a second-place finish in the 3200 meters. Hill and Johnson took first and second in shot put.

North Surry’s Jared Hiatt was named FH2A Male Athlete of the Championship Meet with four All-Conference performances. Hiatt won gold in the long jump, triple jump and high jump, while taking silver in 4×400 relay with Vernon, Powers and Simmons. Hiatt qualified for the 1A/2A State Championship in all three jumping events. He went on to win the Long Jump State Championship, finish third in high jump and fifth in triple jump.

Vernon had the Hounds’ other conference championship in the 55 meters, while Vannieuwkoop finished second in triple jump. In addition to North Surry’s 4×400 silver medal, the 4×200 team of Guerrero-Rodriguez, McMillian, Gonzalez and Vannieuwkoop finished as runner-up.

Surry Central’s boys finished second in the team competition. Morales won three gold medals at the conference championship in the 1000, 1600 and 3200 meters. He went on to the state championship in the 3200 meters and finished seventh.

Hernandez added an individual conference title for the Golden Eagle boys by winning the 500 meters, and Creed took second in the pole vault. The 4×800 relay team of Morales, Nava, Sanchez and Mazariegos finished second.

© 2018 The Mount Airy News