The following marriage licenses were issued in Surry County:

– Daniel Leonard Cox, 43, of Surry County to Amanda Dawn Lara, 37, of Surry County.

– Benjamin Preston Ables, 26, of Surry County to Alexis Pearl Lawrence, 24, of Surry County.

– Jason Dean Branch, 44, of Surry County to Sparrah Beth Marion, 43, of Surry County.

– Brian William Sandusky, 41, of Wilkes County to Sierra Danielle Casstevens, 23, of Wilkes County.

– Federico Tinoco, 46, of Surry County to Elvia Rosa Rodriguez Raudales, 26, of Surry County.

– Austin Michael Coble, 25, of Surry County to Tiffany Brooke Lambert, 26, of Surry County.

– Austin Hunter Mashburn, 26, of Patrick County, Virginia, to Mary Grace Harris, 24, of Patrick County.

Buffalo Soldiers service in all arenas

Pilot Mountain Elementary School recently released the names of students earning honor roll status during the second quarter of the school year.

Fifth grade: Mia Campbell, Smith Cook, Brayden Nicholson, and Blakely Riddle.

Fourth grade: Emily Ayala, Gunner Copeland, Nathaniel Grose, Lillian Manuel, Ellie Mills, Rowan Powell, Avianna Radford, Kate Wilkins, and Natalie Yopp.

Third grade: Naomi Dalton, Davis Haymore, Linea Linville, Joshua Moses Jr, and Shelby Royster.

Fifth grade: Sarah Avery Boaz, Brody Chilton, Milayah Cropps, Morgan Dean, Anahi Flores, Faith Francis, Colin Galyean, Mason Hester, Sloane Hooker, Brooklyn Horton, Jackson Jarrell, Dylan Johnson, Wells Johnson, Piper Patton, Eva Pena, Jeremy Stevens, Luke Surratt, Declan Tilley, and Katie Willoughby.

Fourth grade: Kindee Boyd, Daniela Caro, Oakley Collins, Gavin Easter, Mason Estrada, Audrey Hayden, Alexzander Haynes, Payton Hester, Ocie Hunter, Eliza Jacobs, Samuel Kiser, McKenzie Pell, Brantley Schwartz, Pryce Taylor, Lucas Wood-Armstrong, and Dominic Worthy.

Third grade: Elijah Adams, Lacey Badgett, Lia Deanda, Sawyer Goldbach, Summer Key, Sophia McMillian, Abigail Paul, Tyne Robertson, Arden Kate Seivers, Bozden Thomas, Christopher Utley, Autumn Wheeler, and Avery Whittington.

With less than seven weeks remaining in this year’s campaign, the United Fund of Surry is just 31% shy of its goal to raise $500,000. Monies raised through the annual campaign help support 26 member agencies which provide assistance to more than 26,000 residents of Surry County.

“Each year the cost of doing business keeps increasing for our member agencies, and that means they need increasing financial support from United Fund of Surry,” said executive director Melissa Hiatt. “That’s why we need everyone to step up to the plate now and help us meet our goal.”

According to Hiatt, the number of workplace campaigns declined during the pandemic because so many employees worked from home. Now that things are getting back to normal, she urges businesses to ramp up their efforts to invest in their community by making it easy for employees to give.

“A workplace campaign is very easy to run and is a one-time ask for employees to give through payroll deduction. It’s a win-win because employees can give to United Fund of Surry and receive a tax credit,” said Hiatt.

This year’s campaign goal of a half million dollars is up from the 2022-23 campaign goal of $430,000. The organization was able to eclipse that goal and raise nearly $470,000 in the last campaign.

The goal is higher because costs keep going up and the United Fund is trying to be there for its member organizations. “Our agencies have faced an increase in demand and costs for their services over the past couple of years. With the support of our local businesses and the citizens of Surry County, we are confident that we can meet this goal,” Hiatt said.

The mission of United Fund of Surry is to strengthen and serve the community by helping to meet the needs of its neighbors. “We strive to make our community a healthy, happier, safer place to live for people of all ages,” said Hiatt.

With organizations ranging from scouts, rescue squads, the arts, Meals on Wheels, to the American Red Cross each of the organizations that comprise The United Fund of Surry seek to identify and fill in service gaps for residents in need not only in Surry County but across county lines and the Virginia border as well.

For more information visit www.unitedfundofsurry.org

Rockford Elementary School recently named its 2022-2023 teacher and teacher assistant of the year.

Katherine Mauzy was named Teacher of the Year while Connie Griffith was selected as Teacher Assistant of the Year.

In a little more than a month, the Greater Mount Airy Chamber of Commerce will be gathering for a chance to celebrate local businesses — and honoring ten of those companies and their employees with special recognitions.

Before that, chamber officials say they need some help over the next week, with that assistance coming in the form of nominations from area residents, businesses, and chamber members for the awards.

The gathering — the chamber’s Excellence in Business Awards dinner — will be on March 23, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Cross Creek Country Club. During this event the chamber will recognize area businesses and individuals in ten categories:

– Business of the Year, which is awarded to a business;

– Chamber Volunteer of the Year, which goes to an individual;

– Young Professional of the Year, also to an individual;

– Educator of the Year to an individual;

– Outstanding Public Service Award to an individual;

– Business & Education Partner Award which goes to a business;

– Excellence in Tourism Award to a business;

– Business Longevity Award which goes to a business;

– The Duke Energy Citizenship and Service Award which goes to a local non-profit agency;

– The Valor Award, which goes to an individual)

“(This) is an event dedicated to recognizing those unsung heroes and extraordinary rock stars of the local community,” the chamber said of the upcoming dinner. Outside of the annual Citizen of the Year Award, which is given out during the January annual meeting, these are the only awards the chamber hands out.

“It’s really an opportunity to shine the spotlight on some great businesses that deserve the recognition,” chamber officials said.

While the awards dinners is March 23, the chamber will announce the winners on March 7, which means nominations need to be submitted soon. The chamber has set Feb. 21 as the deadline for local residents and businesses to submit those nominations.

While announcing the winners in advance takes away the sense of suspense that would otherwise accompany the awards dinner, the chamber said there is a simply reason to do advance notification — so the winners can arrange their schedule to be at the recognition dinner.

For the dinner, tickets are $50 for chamber members, $60 for non-members. The chamber also is still accepting sponsorships for the awards and for the dinner.

Those wishing to nominated a person or business for one of the awards, or anyone wishing to purchase a ticket, can do so at https://members.mtairyncchamber.org/events/details/excellence-in-business-awards-mar-2023-1817

It is not known if someone yelled, “OK, everybody, out of the pool,” but the indoor swimming facility at Reeves Community Center has been closed temporarily due to a major renovation project.

The pool was shut down last Friday and is expected to remain so for about two weeks as various tasks occur.

This was set in motion with a vote by the Mount Airy Board of Commissioners in October to award a $389,000 contract to Stanley Heating and Air Conditioning, based in Elkin, to replace the dehumidification system for the indoor pool.

That was long seen as a need due to the pool creating a humid area and requiring a means of offsetting those effects for users.

“One of the biggest concerns in the aquatics industry is air quality,” city Assistant Parks and Recreation Director Cathy Cloukey said Monday. Before assuming her present position, Cloukey was Mount Airy’s aquatics supervisor for more than 13 years.

While replacement of the dehumidification system has loomed as the greatest need, the major renovation effort also includes a number of other new items for the swimming facility, such as insulation, plaster, heating/air components and depth markers.

The work began Monday with crews of a subcontractor, Andrea’s Pool Plaster, busily grinding off old plaster around the sides of the pool to allow replastering, creating a cloud of dust.

This reflected another overdue need.

Pool plaster, which provides a protective seal for the facility, typically has a life expectancy of seven to 15 years, according to Cloukey. “Ours was put in in 1995,” she said.

Cloukey and Parks and Director Peter Raymer agreed that “excellent maintenance” by city crews has allow the plaster to last as long as it has, 28 years.

Recreation officials say updates will be provided on the progress of the pool renovations so users will know when the facility can be reopened.

Raymer said this is a good time to undertake such work, with needed parts being made available to allow it to occur. Certain seasonal swimming activities at Reeves Community Center also have been winding down.

“So the timing works out perfectly,” Raymer added.

Pool needs at Reeves Community, particularly the dehumidification system replacement, have been an issue for years. However, until the commissioners’ vote in October, that item was delayed numerous times due to budgetary limitations.

• A Mount Airy man has been jailed without privilege of bond on various charges — including being a fugitive from Texas — after attempting to flee from officers and “physically” resisting arrest, according to city police reports.

The interaction between Carlos Gilberto Lopez Bocanegra, 32, of 312 Galloway St., and law enforcement began with officers responding to a domestic disturbance at his residence last Wednesday night. A subsequent check of a national crime database revealed that he is wanted in Cameron County, Texas, on a breaking and entering charge issued in February 2019.

Police records state that Bocanegra fled on foot Wednesday and forcibly impeded arrest, leading to local charges of resisting, delaying or obstructing an officer. He also was found to be the subject of outstanding warrants for charges filed through the Surry County Sheriff’s Office, including interfering with emergency communications; resisting, delaying or obstructing a public officer; and assault on a female.

Bocanegra is scheduled to be in District Court on Feb. 22.

• Robert Samuel Joyner, 59, of 112 Nebraska Lane, was arrested last Tuesday night on charges of possession of a Schedule II controlled substance (identified as methamphetamine), a felony, and possessing drug paraphernalia.

Joyner was encountered by officers during a suspicious-vehicle call at the dead end of Joyce Street in the northern part of town and in addition to being taken into custody on the drug charge was served with an order for arrest for failing to appear in court which had been filed on April 23 of last year.

Joyner was confined in the Surry County Jail under a $9,000 secured bond and slated for a March 6 appearance in District Court.

• Pedro Juan Rivera, a resident of Byron Bunker Lane, told police on Feb. 6 that he was the victim of an identity-theft crime that had occurred in January.

It was perpetrated by an unknown party at an unspecified government or public building in Indiana and involved the use of fraudulent identification, according to police records. No monetary loss figure or other repercussions were listed.

The Surry County Board of County Commissioner last week heard a second presentation on a request to add school resource officers to county elementary schools. After a short presentation and discussion, the board approved the funding to add three new officers.

All five members of the Surry County Board of Education left an ongoing school board meeting to pay a call on the commissioners and urge them to fund the new SROs. Their stated goal is to have an officer at each of the county’s public schools and they said if they had the funds, they would do it right away.

Surry County School Superintendent Dr. Travis Reeves reviewed a grant the county has been approved for to receive $264,000 a year for two years which would fund additional elementary school SROs. The commissioners heard this presentation in January but asked for time to mull it over and Reeves spoke to at least one of them directly to discuss the grant proposal.

The county needed to approve expenditures that would come from accepting the grant and costs of adding officers above the grant funding for long term expenses such as health insurance or retirement funding.

The state wants to help fund two additional officers, but Dr. Reeves told the board he was hoping to gain approval to add three officers. He took a new tactic from the last meeting and spoke of the coverage and response time adding two or three new SROs would provide.

“The grant approves two SROs, we want three… Right now, if we got the three with this grant, coupled with the two we already have (and the addition of an SRO paid for by Pilot Mountain for Pilot Elementary) we would have one SRO per two elementary schools. We like that coverage and that gives us a lot more coverage than we currently have,” he said.

“Also, we are worried about schools that are on the perimeter of the county like Shoals and Copeland, ones that are not easy to get to from Dobson. I think that gives us better coverage and response times are better. It will also give those SROs a better chance to develop key relationships with students and parents,” Reeves said.

School board member Clark Goings told the commissioners adding more safety to school campuses hit home for him. “I have kids and family working in the schools. Their safety is a top priority for me, and I appreciate everything you’ve done for the school system. We just need to do a little more.”

“One common thing that I am hearing from elementary school principals is the need for an SRO,” school board member Kent Whitaker said before they raced back to their own meeting. “It gives them a comfort level and I think it’s more than just safety. I think it has to do with building relationships with law enforcement.”

“When we can get a sheriff’s department employee into a school it brings a whole lot of comfort and in today’s climate, we’re seeing situations probably that you never saw before, even in the elementary setting with behavioral issues and maybe domestic issues that filter in. I think the need (for more SROs) is there and I can’t think of a better need we could address tonight than to add SROs to our schools.”

“I support the SROs to those schools,” school board member T.J. Bledsoe added. “Do I think they will be the end all and be all and fix all our situations? No, I do not, but I do think it’s a great start and I am in full support.”

Commissioner Mark Marion spoke up on his own experiences in the classroom having spent many years as a substitute. He joked he didn’t have as many years in the saddle as former educator and administrator Commissioner Bill Goins but, “I witnessed firsthand what a school resource officer can do. It’s not only about them being there as the sheriff department, they are there for camaraderie. It’s to handle situations before they get out of hand. A police presence on campus can change the attitude of students.”

Given the board’s earlier vote on the pro-life resolution that brought many to the gallery, Marion said the decision to fund more SROs was just a furtherance of that notion that all life is precious. “What better time than on the heels of the right to life resolution to continue to protect our children by placing three new SROs?”

Commissioner Van Tucker reiterated his earlier concerns that this grant funding from the state makes this seem an easy decision, but he cautioned once more, “It may come that the county winds up bearing he full brunt of this. This is not about if we need SROs, or if we feel better with them, but who is going to pay for them?”

“I am somewhat torn, I think it comes down to providing SROs, as many as we can, even if we may have trouble hiring for them. After the last presentation we said we wanted one in all the schools as soon as we can,” Tucker said.

He had previously reminded the board that bringing on a full time county employee and the recurring costs of healthcare will not go away when the state funding inevitably dries up. He also said that while adding an officer to a school may be easy, it would be much harder to remove one.

Chairman Eddie Harris said no fool-proof plan exists to keep school campuses safe. “Evil people do evil things, and they find crafty ways of doing that. The very best we can do is inadequate, but nevertheless we are under an obligation to protect our children.” As with Marion, he noted the timing of this vote and the earlier pro-life resolution dovetailed with one another.

– The board accepted an initial offer of $150,000 for the former Westfield School property that was surplussed in 2021. The bid does not include any of the remaining artifacts, such as the school bell, or the county owned recycling center. The full tax value of the land is $229,320 but County Manager Chris Knopf informed that sum included the value of the recycling center.

Commissioner Van Tucker, who represents this district, called it “a legitimate bid” and made a motion, which passed, to accept the bid and open a period of upset bidding.

– Surry County and the city of Mount Airy worked together to add two new fire hydrants to Franklin Elementary in Mount Airy. The board of commissioners agreed Monday evening to a reimbursement agreement for installation of the Franklin Elementary School fire protection line.

Mount Airy took the lead in requesting the bid for the design and construction and officials there have selected the winning bidder. The city will split costs evenly with the county and it was agreed that the new fire protection line will remain an asset of the city’s upon the completion of the project. It will be connected to Mount Airy city water and the city will be responsible for its maintenance going forward.

The winning bid for the project was $135,000 and the final allocated amount will be $142,000 to allow for contingencies during construction.

– Finally, it was time to honor the best in county athletics as the Mount Airy High Women’s Tennis Team was on hand to be recognized. They won their second 1A Dual Team State Championship and Carrie Marion won the NCHSSA 1A Individual Single State Championship.

Coach Lou Graham said coaching these young women has been a pleasure and their hard work speaks for itself. “Fortunately, for us, their hard work has shown off with our play. I am extremely proud of what they accomplished and how they handled themselves. It’s been a fantastic experience.”

On the gridiron, the Granite Bears also brought home the hardware in football and coach J.T. Atkins added more kudos by being named NCHSSA 1A Coach of the Year. He said on behalf of his coaches and players (many of whom were at spring sports practices that night) that they were thankful for being recognized.

Coach Atkins said, “We don’t take this lightly, doing what this team did and being part of what happened is very special and comes with a lot of pride. We’re proud we are from Surry County and appreciate the recognition.”

The State Board of Elections will be conducting a hearing Tuesday aimed at determining if two members of the Surry County Board of Elections — Tim DeHaan and Jerry Forestieri —should be removed from office.

The hearing is a result of a complaint filed against DeHaan and Forestieri in November by Bob Hall, the former director of Democracy NC. His complaint came after the two men signed a letter stating they had concerns about the legality of North Carolina elections calling into question their legitimacy and, in Forestieri’s case, refusing to certify the most recent elections.

In December, the state board of elections held an evidentiary hearing and voted to set hearings on the possible removal the men “after finding prima facie evidence of a violation of election law, duties imposed on board members, and/or participation in irregularities or incompetence to discharge the duties of the office.”

The hearing is Tuesday in Raleigh and can be seen online.

Hall’s complaint said the two were derelict in their duties and should be removed. “It’s unfortunate that their actions have resulted in the necessity of the State Board of Elections to hold hearings about their conduct.”

“When they each declared that the administration of elections laws in the state is ‘illegitimate,’ then they crossed the line from free speech and criticism to rejecting their oath to uphold election laws. Maybe they have changed their position – I hope so – but at this point it’s hard for the public to know what actions they might take if they continue serving as election officials,” Hall said.

The two local board of elections members took umbrage with the 2018 ruling of U.S. District Court Judge Loretta Biggs that knocked down North Carolina’s voter identification law.

DeHaan and Forestieri wrote a letter to their colleagues on the county board of elections deriding the decision in strong terms. Their letter said, “I don’t view election law per North Carolina State Board of Elections as legitimate or Constitutional.”

Hall contends both men failed in their sworn duty to defend and uphold the Constitution of the United States and North Carolina. “They take an oath when they begin service and it is an oath to uphold the state law, the state and federal constitution, and obey the authorities and rulings of the state,” Hall explained.

The state board of elections considered late last year whether there was enough evidence of “misconduct, irregularity, or some other cause that would enable the State Board to remove or otherwise discipline a county board member.”

They unanimously voted to allow the complaint on Forestieri to a formal hearing and advanced the DeHaan complaint in a 3-2 vote with state board members Stacy Eggers IV and Tommy Tucker voting no.

“Mr. Forestieri choosing not to proceed with the county canvass is concerning and I think it (is) what merits moving forward with a hearing. The distinction with Mr. DeHaan is he did in fact discharge his duties and proceed with the canvass certification,” Eggers said during the hearing in December before the vote they advanced the complaint to Tuesday’s hearing.

In the state board’s report, it was detailed that Eggers found a distinction between the two cases and he has, “concern with the statement made by Mr. Forestieri that all matters within his control and jurisdiction were handled appropriately and ballots tabulated, but his choosing not to proceed with the county canvass is concerning and worthy of moving forward to a hearing.”

Eggers went on to detail his point that there is another distinction “between advocacy for candidates versus expressing opinion and concerns about judicial activism or the procedures and directions that they receive from our staff at the state level.”

State Board Chairman Damon Circosta added that there is an issue of what type of speech one can engage in as it relates to their duties on a county board of elections.

At the county election canvass meeting in November the two men presented their letter. In short, they feel Judge Biggs’ 2018 voter ID ruling was illegal and that the state has therefore been conducting elections that are, in their opinion, not being held as they should.

Without voter ID anyone can vote, they said and at Tuesday’s hearing there will be testimony from Steve Odum on alleged voting day irregularities where he challenged out-of-area voters.

However, at that meeting DeHaan said, “We have no complaints with what Surry County Board of Commissioners or Board of Elections has done. We are not questioning anything that is happening within the walls and with the employees of the Board. None whatsoever.”

He went on, “Our concern is with the way the law has improperly been changed by a judge who has no authority to make law, but she is doing it anyway, and it basically is saying that we feel that the election was held according to the law the we have, but that the law is not right. And because the law is not done properly, it was made by a judge, it is not proved to be 100% accurate as far as any of the elections go in the state, not just outs, but any of them.”

“I must not call these election results credible and bow to the perversion of truth Judge Biggs foists upon us. Her opinions regulating elections conform to a generally held, though perverted, view of a legal election,” their co-signed November letter read.

After a recess Forestieri said, “Given the choice of endorsing this 100% or not at all, I would just not sign the certification.”

DeHaan on the other hand said, “The problem I have… comes does to the term ‘legal ballot’ and the question of what is a legal ballot? While I don’t agree with what the state has defined as a legal ballot, I will accept what they are saying is a legal ballot as being a legal ballot; therefore, I will sign to certify the election.”

Surry County Board of Elections member Drew Poindexter even questioned why Forestieri was still serving on the board at the time. “Jerry, if you thought that ever since what Judge Biggs did is illegal – and that’s your right to do – and it’s been going on since 2018, if that had been me… I would not think myself proper to sit on this board if I thought what we were doing here was illegal. That’s just me,” he said.

Hall’s complaint was accompanied by a letter from a coalition of voters rights group who wrote, “The letter’s inflammatory language is dangerous misinformation that constitutes an attack on North Carolina’s laws, election integrity, and voter confidence.”

They also took exception with their point on voter ID. “They incorrectly contend voter ID was not required in the 2022 general election due to Judge Bigg’s 2018 decision… But as the State Board is well aware, the most recent voter ID legislation, S.B. 824, was not in place for the 2022 general election because it was permanently enjoined by a state court three-judge panel in a September 2021 decision in Holmes v. Moore.”

“By calling into question the legitimacy of state and federal Constitutional requirements and doing so under the color of exercising their official duties as members of the Surry County Board of Elections… they have violated the most central oath and duties of their office. They intentionally and undeniably violated their oaths and sworn duties,” the letter said.

Forestieri wrote in an email dated Feb. 6, “Our current NC Supreme Court is in my opinion more incline to the rule of law than the rule of man. It is a good time to test this legal point in this hearing, and if necessary and prudent, on appeal all the way to the NC Supreme Court, Lord willing.”

Tuesday’s hearing is set to begin at 11 a.m. and can be viewed online at bit.ly/3lnSsL3

In what has become an all-too-familiar refrain, substance-use calls run by the Surry County Emergency Medical Service — and related deaths — have increased locally.

In one bright spot for an otherwise dismal picture, the prevalence of Narcan — a medication used to reverse or reduce effects of opioids, including by bystanders at the scenes of overdoses — rose during 2022 in Surry despite fatalities increasing slightly to 47 from 44 in 2021.

A total of 567 substance-use “events” were logged last year by the Surry EMS, according to statistics recently completed by Eddie Jordan, the agency’s compliance officer. That’s the highest total of any year since 2009, when 46 incidents were noted.

The present trend began with cases showing a drastic jump in 2020 to 503, which local emergency and substance-abuse officials have blamed on the pandemic due to people being isolated. The upswing continued in 2021 (533 cases) and again last year to the latest 567 annual tally.

The breakdown from the EMS shows a total of 336 pre-hospital Narcan doses were administered during 2022, up from 269 the year before.

Narcan is the brand name for naloxone, a medication that blocks respiratory depression and other effects of opioids, especially in overdoses. It can be administered by laymen, meaning professional medical aid might not be sought when one occurs.

Yet the death total still rose to 47 last year, the highest since the 55 fatalities in 2017 — which is the all-time record for Surry County.

A breakdown of Surry substance-use events by year shows that these incidents have shown annual increases every single 12-month period since 2009, leading to the 567 total for 2022.

And one further alarming aspect is that the “official” figures — already substantial — might not reflect the true severity of the problem.

“These statistics only represent what Surry County EMS has come in contact with and not what is not reported,” explained Eric Southern, the county’s director of emergency services.

“We suspect that these numbers are probably double with in-home and personal use of Narcan,” Southern added in reference to how such incidents can stay off the books.

Based on what was reported officially, deaths occurred in 8% of the total substance-use events in 2022, the same as 2021.

Already in 2023, seven deaths had occurred in Surry County after about one month having past, out of 51 total incidents — 37 of which involved the use of Narcan.

The abuse of fentanyl, a highly potent synthetic opioid employed as an analgesic, has become a major concern nationwide including locally.

“Fentanyl does make up around 7% of the overdose cases, but heroin and mixed substances (fentanyl, heroin, and/or other opioids together) make an even larger portion,” Southern observed. Fentanyl is used recreationally, sometimes mixed with heroin, cocaine, benzodiazepines or methamphetamine.

The primary substance-abuse categories reported by the EMS for Surry County and the%ages they make up of the total include:

• Unknown/prescription/over-the-counter substances — 23%;

• Other and unidentified opioids — 19%;

• Benzos (short for benzodiazepines, a type of sedative medication) — 7%;’

Southern says multiple local entities are trying to curtail the ongoing abuse threat.

“Very grateful for our relationship with have with our law enforcement agencies and the (Surry County Office of) Substance Abuse Recovery.”

Attempts to get comment on the annual totals from local Substance Abuse Recovery Director Mark Willis were not successful.

But Willis had advised last year that “the vicious cycle of illegal drug use that has affected Surry County, and many other counties, will continue to be a problem until we implement an effective recovery-oriented system of care for substance-use disorder that focuses on all aspects of prevention, intervention, treatment and recovery.”

PILOT MOUNTAIN — East Surry secured the Foothills 2A Conference’s No. 2 seed with a 52-36 victory over Surry Central on Feb. 10.

The Cardinals to recognized three senior basketball players prior to the Feb. 10 victory: Grace Phillips, Brooklyn Gammons and Addie Phipps.

The trio helped East Surry pull away from a tightly contested game with Central in the fourth quarter. After trading leads six times in the first three quarters, East put the game on ice by outscoring Cetnral 15-1 in the fourth.

Both teams quickly realized that the regular season finale wouldn’t follow the same script as the Cards and Eagles’ first meeting on Jan. 17. In that game, East Surry (18-4, 9-3) held Central to just seven first-half points as East went up by 17 at halftime. The Cardinals went on to win that game 48-26.

In the Feb. 10 rematch, it was Surry Central (12-11, 3-9 FH2A) that jumped out to a big lead. The Eagles went up 9-2 as the Cards struggled to make a shot, but East’s cold streak soon ended. East Surry used a 9-2 run of its own to tie things at 11 late in the first.

Both teams had balanced attacks throughout the game as eight players scored for East Surry and seven for Surry Central. Neither team had a player score more than five in a quarter, and the only player on either team to score in all four quarters was Phipps – who was also the only player to hit double figures with 15 points.

Despite the lack of a dominant scorer that took over the game, big swings continued in the second quarter. East scored 14 of the first 19 points to go up 25-17, but this time Central rallied back to cut the lead to one by halftime. An Ashley Santamaria buzzer-beating 3-pointer made it 26-25 at the midpoint.

The game speed increased in the third quarter. The teams combined to attempt 25 free throws in the first half, then combined for just six in the second half.

Central led 35-33 with three minutes left in the third quarter when East flipped a switch. East scored the remaining four points of the third quarter to take a 37-35 lead, then kept on rolling by recording the first nine points of the fourth.

A free throw from Central’s Ragan Hall served as Central’s only fourth-quarter point.

Phipps was the game’s leading scorer with 15 points, as well as the leader in steals by tying a season-high seven. Khloe Bennett and Maggy Sechrist tied for the most rebounds on the team with seven, Sechrist led the team in assists with five and Bennett had a team-high three blocks.

Seven Golden Eagles scored between three and eight points, led by eight from Santamaria. Jenna Cave and Layla Wall tied for the most rebounds and assists on the team with five in each category, while Cave and Hall each had three steals.

Cave and Santamaria each recorded one block.

SC: Ashley Santamaria 8, Brianna Wilmoth 7, Layla Wall 6, Gaby Montero 4, Presley Smith 4, Ragan Hall 4, Jenna Cave 3

ES: Addie Phipps 15, Merry Parker Boaz 8, Brooklyn Gammons 7, Izzy Cline 7, Khloe Bennett 6, Maggy Sechrist 5, Grace Phillips 2, Addyson Boaz 2

East Surry, the No. 2 seed in the FH2A Tournament, advanced to the semifinals by defeating No. 7 West Wilkes 77-40 on Feb. 13. The Cards’ 77 points are the team’s most in a game this season.

Surry Central, the No. 5 seed in the FH2A Tourney, dropped its opening round game to No. 4 Forbush 48-37. No. 3 North Wilkes defeated No. 6 Wilkes Central 66-27 in the other first-round game.

East Surry looks to record its 20th win of the season when it takes on North Wilkes (20-5) in the semifinals. East Surry has defeated North Wilkes three times this season: 50-47 on a neutral court on Nov. 23, 55-46 in Hays on Dec. 9 and 52-48 in Pilot Mountain on Jan. 20.

No. 1 North Surry (15-7) will face Forbush (18-7) in the other semifinal. The Greyhounds and Falcons split this season as each team won at home. North Surry topped Forbush 49-47 on Dec. 16, and Forbush won 54-32 on Jan. 27.

The semifinals and conference championship will take place at North Surry’s Ron King Gymnasium.

WINSTON-SALEM — The underdog became the favorite in just a year’s time, and both times he delivered on the biggest stage.

North Surry senior Jared Hiatt ran it back in 2023 by winning the NCHSAA 1A/2A Boys Long Jump State Championship. Hiatt’s long jump titled headlined his three-medal performance at the state meet, improving on his gold and bronze finishes in 2022.

Surry County athletes won a total of 10 medals at the state meet, led by three each from Hiatt and Elkin’s Aniya Edwards.

In 2022, Hiatt became just the third Greyhound to win an indoor state title, joining 2014 girls shot put champion Alex Cooke and 2018 boys shot put champion Ryan Eldridge. This year, Hiatt – an Appalachian State University commit – became the first North Surry athlete to win multiple state championships in indoor track.

This marks Hiatt’s third overall state title as he won the 2022 long jump championship for outdoor track.

Jared won the 2023 long jump title with a mark of 21-09.00 feet, which was 6.25 inches longer than the second-place finisher.

Hiatt went 3-for-3 at the state meet by also medaling in high jump and triple jump.

He took silver in high jump after winning a bronze medal in 2022, matching the 2022 gold medal height of 6-04.00. The only person to finish ahead of Hiatt was East Burke’s Kenneth Byrd at 6-06.00. Byrd went on to be named Most Outstanding Performer of the meet, and East Burke’s boys won the team championship.

Hiatt also found himself on the podium for triple jump after finishing fifth in 2022. Hiatt finished third in the event this year with a mark of 41-10.25.

Also jumping his way to two medals was Mount Airy junior Blake Hawks. Hawks previously landed on the podium for triple jump and long jump his sophomore year, then replicated that success in 2023 with a pair of bronze medals.

Hawks fell just a few inches shy of a silver medal in long jump with a mark of 21-01.25, which was just 1.5 inches behind Union Academy’s Ezra Martin. There was a similar situation in triple jump as Hawks, the fourth-place finisher at 41-10.25, and Hiatt were separated by 0.25 inches.

Edwards, a sophomore from Elkin, was set to defend two of her state titles from 2022. Edwards showed out with three medal-winning performances at the 2023 meet – twice in individual events and once in a relay race – but was unable to replicate her championships from a year prior.

Instead, the sophomore finished second in the 55-meter dash, 500-meter run and 4×400-meter relay. She also qualified for the 300 meters, but did not compete in the event at the state meet.

Edwards faced a new obstacle in the 500 meters in 2023: Albemarle’s Akala Garrett. Garrett, a senior, transferred to Albemarle from Harding University High School, where she was named Most Outstanding Performer of the 4A Meet in 2022.

Garrett, who will continue her career at the University of Texas – Austin, ranks No. 1 in the nation in 55- and 60-meter hurdles, holds the No. 5 all-time mark in state history for the 300 meters and holds the No. 6 all-time for N.C. in the 500 meters.

Garrett was named Most Outstanding Performer of the 2023 1A/2A Meet with three gold medals and one bronze medal. Garrett edged out Edwards in the 500 meters 1:15.86 to 1:21.58 – setting a new 1A/2A State Record in the process – while Edwards finished higher than Garrett in the 55 meters.

Edwards’ time of 7.16 seconds was .02 seconds behind the gold medalist and .05 seconds ahead of Garrett.

Edwards also teamed with sophomore Alyssa Davis, junior Ragan Speer and junior Maggie Tomlin to finish second in the 4×400-meter relay with a time of 4:24.45. The team of Buckin’ Elks was seeded No. 9 in the event ahead of the state meet.

Another Surry County sophomore, North Surry’s Ella Riggs, also took home a silver medal. Riggs finished second in girls shot put with a mark of 35-00.50, which was 17.75 inches behind the championship-winning distance.

Riggs has now finished on the podium twice in her two years of high school, previously finishing fourth in the event in 2022.

Surry County’s final medalist was Surry Central junior Ignacio Morales. Morales finished fourth in the boys 3,200 meters with a time of 9:53.97.

The second, third and fourth-place finishers in the boys 3,200 meters all crossed the finish line within 13 seconds of one another, while the state champion – Andrew Parker of the N.C. School of Science and Math – set a new 1A/2A state record with a time of 9:28.43.

Surry County had six other state qualifiers, three individuals and three relay teams, that did not medal at the state meet.

• Millennium Charter senior Ava Utt finished No. 15 in girls high jump with a mark of 4-06.00

• North Surry junior Ariana Liberatore finished No. 11 in girls long jump with a mark of 15-04.50, and competed in the girls triple jump but did not place

• North Surry freshman Lenae Sumner finished tied for No. 16 in girls high jump with a mark of 4-04.00

• Surry Central’s girls 4×400 relay team finished No. 7 with a time of 4:36.07; team members include Aylin Rodriguez, Ivy Toney, Wendy Cantor and Rubi Cortes-Rosa

• Surry Central’s girls 4×800 relay team finished No. 9 with a time of 11:31.17; team members include Cortes-Rosa, Toney, Cantor and Abigail Hernandez

• Surry Central’s boys 4×800 relay team finished No. 15 with a time of 9:35.35; team members include Morales, Sony Orozco-Flores, Alexis Pedraza and Brangly Mazariegos

• Surry Central also qualified for the girls 4×200 relay, but did not compete in the event at the state meet; qualifying members included Cantor, Rodriguez, Toney and Cassie Sneed

Every summer, during the peach-picking season, folks make the mountain trek to Cherry Orchard Theatre in Ararat, Virginia, where outdoor shows — often original productions written by local artists — are produced on a simple stage, with the hollows and ridges stretching toward the North Carolina Piedmont serving as a backdrop

Twenty-five years ago, the first show took to the stage there, a drama written by Frank Levering about his ancestors who settled the area and started Levering Orchard, just a few years after the calendar flipped from the 19th to the 20th century.

While the outdoor theater there has attracted audiences and actors from all over — including a few California stage performers — and has traveled to other cities, setting up shop and adapting its products to various indoor venues, the theater is doing something this year it has never done before: Putting on three shows in downtown Mount Airy.

The three productions: “Kalamazoo,” “Does A Dress Have A Life?” and “Flights of Imagination,” will each have a one-night engagement at the Mount Airy Museum of Regional History over the next three months. “Kalamazoo” will be on Feb. 25, “Does A Dress Have A Life?” will be March 25, while “Flights of Imagination” is set for April 22.

Levering said the first leanings toward putting on the shows in Mount Airy largely came about because of Terri Ingalls, Mark Brown, and Matt Edwards. Both Ingalls and Brown are known locally as actors and story tellers, with each of them a seasoned Cherry Orchard Theatre performer as well as volunteers at the museum, while Edwards is executive director at the museum.

“The three of them have been thinking about starting to do theater at the museum for a few years,” Levering said. “We all saw this as a good way to get started doing that. It seemed like a really good fit for the museum and for Cherry Orchard Theatre.”

Cassandra Johnson, director of STEAM education and programming at the museum, said those talks picked up steam in the autumn.

“It’s their off-season,” she said of the timing of the plays, and the idea that the partnership could be beneficial to both organizations. “We thought maybe there are people who go there, but have never come to the museum, who might come to this, and there are probably people who have come to the museum but have not gone there.”

This might expose folks from both camps to what both the theater and the museum have to offer patrons.

Johnson said the shows will be set up in the third floor program space of the museum, which can seat about 75 people. She said as soon as the museum announced the shows, tickets started selling, although there are still seats available for all three productions.

“This is going to be great,” Levering said of the shows and the museum’s partnership. While there haven’t been any formal discussions about doing additional shows after this three-performance schedule, the museum’s Johnson said her organization is hoping to use this as a springboard toward offering similar productions.

Levering said all three shows have already been performed in the outdoor setting at Cherry Orchard, so the actors will be bringing a sense of familiarity to the indoor stage at the museum.

The first show, “Kalamazoo,” stars Ingalls and Brown in what he described as a romantic comedy.

“The play is about two older people in their 70s who meet online, they start seeing each other, the play follows the course of their romance. It’s a comedy, it’s a very funny play,” he said.

The second show, “Does A Dress Have A Life?” is a one-person production with Melissa Hiatt, who Levering called one of the most talented performers in the region. “It’s a very personal story about growing up and having a difficult childhood, some really harsh things she had to face in growing up,” he said of the piece, which Hiatt wrote.

The third show, “Flights of Imagination,” is a one-person show written and performed by Ingalls.

“It’s about Terri Ingalls telling about her years as a flight attendant of Piedmont Airlines (in the 1960s),” he said. “It is just delightful. It’s another comedy, a lot of comedy in it, and you also learn a lot about the experience of being a flight attendant.”

Each of the shows will be performed at 8 p.m. on their respective play dates. Tickets are $15, with popcorn and a drink available for an additional $5. The shows may not be suitable for all audiences, with adult content and themes part of the first two productions.

To reserve tickets, call 336-786-4478 or visit northcarolinamuseum.org

DOBSON — Three Surry County rising seniors will be representing Surry-Yadkin Electric Membership Corporation as delegates in two youth programs this summer.

Sarah Stephens of Pilot Mountain and Willow Lawson of Mount Airy, juniors at Surry Early College High School, have been chosen as Surry-Yadkin Electric Membership Corporation delegates for the N.C. Youth Tour trip to Washington, D.C. In addition to this trip, they also will be eligible for a $500 college scholarship.

Applicants had to complete an application which consisted of character questions, an essay question about the cooperative business model and an oral presentation of the essay. Applications were reviewed and blind-judged by employees to narrow the field to the top five finalists.

Those finalists gave the oral presentations on their essay topic, “What impresses you most about the cooperative business model,” to a panel of three judges — Paul Mott, government affairs specialist for North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives; Autumn Solomon, programs committee member with the Cooperative Council of North Carolina; and Travis Frye, tourism coordinator for Surry County and Dobson Tourism Development Authorities. The presentations and final judging took place at the Surry-Yadkin headquarters in Dobson in mid-January, with employees, parents and school officials in attendance.

The judges commented on how strong all the finalists were, with Stephens and Lawson being selected as delegates for this year’s Youth Tour. “We are honored Sarah and Willow will be representing Surry-Yadkin Electric on this trip of a lifetime,” said Wendy Wood, manager of communications and community relations for SYEMC.

During their trip, the girls will attend a leadership conference, tour national museums and sites, meet their elected officials at the U.S. Capitol and make new friends from across the country.

They also will be eligible to apply for two scholarships — $2,500 and $2,000 — awarded by North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives.

Lanie Fitzgerald of Dobson, a student at Surry Central High School, will be attending the Cooperative Council of NC’s Cooperative Leadership Camp this summer at Camp Monroe in Laurel Hill.

The camp features interactive workshops and presentations, outdoor recreation, leadership development, team building activities and small group sessions with an emphasis on what cooperatives are all about and how they operate. They also will have a chance to form their own T-shirt cooperative, including an election of a board of directors and manager. By attending this camp, they are eligible to apply for the Jim Graham $1,000 college scholarship.

“These two trips are both great opportunities for these students and we hope they will use the knowledge they gain to guide them into their college and career path. We appreciate all the students who took the time to apply and encourage others to apply for these opportunities,” Wood said.

Anyone who knows students who would be interested in participating in one of these trips, eligible to students their junior year of high school, visit syemc.com. The application period opens each fall.

Surry-Yadkin Electric Membership Corporation, a member-owned Touchstone Energy Cooperative, was founded in 1940 by a group of local farmers with a vision to provide electricity to rural farmers and families. More than 82 years later, SYEMC powers more than 28,000 meters in five counties, including Surry, Yadkin, Stokes, Wilkes and Forsyth.

The Surry Arts Council kicked off its 2023 Fund Drive at noon on Thursday at the Andy Griffith Playhouse, taking aim at its $175,000 goal for the year.

Board members, staff, volunteers, and other members of the community were on hand to see a new rack card, featuring 58 summer series concerts, while also being able to view photos from arts council programs during the past year on a screen in the playhouse.

Nicole Harrison, president of the Surry Arts Council Board of Directors, shared with those in attendance how the arts affect thousands of lives in the area. Venues are all open at full capacity and the priority remains to keep the community safe while keeping them engaged with the arts.

She shared that the Surry Arts Council — which as been in existence for 54 years — is excited about the future and looks forward to opening the new Arts Center. She shared how the arts council was a part of her life growing up in Mount Airy and is now a part of her daughters’ lives. She talked about the venues that the council operates including the Blackmon Amphitheatre, the Andy Griffith Playhouse, the Andy Griffith Museum and Museum Theatre, and the Historic Earle Theatre and Old-Time Music Heritage Hall.

Scott Needham, secretary of the Surry Arts Council Board of Directors, acknowledged the important role of the arts in stimulating the creative juices that spark new economic development. He shared that he had been a part of the arts council since he was in high school both on stage and back stage. As a result, he majored in lighting design in college and has helped the council over the years both onstage and off stage. He emphasized the importance of the success of the fund drive to ensure that the arts remain an important part of the community.

Candice Kerley, treasurer of the Board of Directors, spoke of upcoming programs.

She noted that a new adult line dance class that began this week had more than 30 participants. A special friends crafts workshop Thursday had more than 50 participants. Cinderella, with a cast of 70, is rehearsing daily in the Andy Griffith Playhouse.

She reported that the Surry Arts Council is kicking off the fund drive with more than $95,000 of the goal already raised, with the drive lasting until June 30.

Kerley reviewed the concerts and shows that will be held in the amphitheatre, announcing that the amphitheatre series is scheduled to kick off on April 29 with Jukebox Rehab and has a record 58 shows planned. She reviewed the rack card art camps that will be held weekly this summer beginning on June 5 with Arts Alive. She pointed out that the council dance program, led by Madeline Matanick, Jamie Davis, and Tyler Matanick, has more than 135 dancers enrolled who attend weekly classes, work to get ready for a May recital.

She pointed out that the Andy Griffith Museum continues to thrive and that there were more than 65,000 guests during the past year. In addition, there are voice lessons, acting workshops, musical theater dance, and weekly line dance classes

She shared that upcoming programming includes the Arts Ball on Feb. 17, featuring Band of Oz at Cross Creek Country Club and noted that all the proceeds from this event support free cultural arts programs for 25 area schools.

Additional upcoming programs include old-time workshops with Martha and Emily Spencer, and the Tommy Jarrell Birthday Concert on Saturday, Feb. 25 featuring the Whitetop Mountain Band; Wayne Erbsen hosting a beginning banjo workshop on Friday Feb. 24 followed by a concert in the Andy Griffith Museum Theatre; The Allen Boys Sacred Steel Band performing that same evening at the Earle; and the annual Tommy Jarrell Youth Competition to be hosted by Jim Vipperman in the Andy Griffith Museum Theatre on Feb. 25.

Tanya Jones, Surry Arts Council executive director, closed the kick-off meeting by introducing and thanking staff, board members, volunteers, and supporters for their work and creative solutions to the challenges of the past few years. Ben Currin was recognized as being “an amazing volunteer who attends and helps at SAC events ranging from Mayberry Days to ushering for theatre, concerts, and assisting at the gates during the amphitheatre series.“

Membership, giving opportunities, ticket purchases and program information are available online www.surryarts.org or by calling 336-786-7998 or emailing alena@surryarts.org. Movie information including times and features can be accessed by calling 336-786-2222 any time. Pledges and contributions may be made online or by mailing checks or pledges directly to the Surry Arts Council, PO Box 141, Mount Airy, NC.

The following marriage licenses were issued in Surry County:

– Bobby Lee Pratt, 48, of Surry County to Emily Michelle Foster, 35, of Surry County.

– Wesley Blake Marion, 23, of Surry County to Jessica Anne Clayton, 21, of Surry County.

– Kenneth Alan Hines, 57, of Carroll County, Virginia, to Cynthia Dawn McAlexander, 48, of Surry County.

– Jason Wayne Sheets, 47, of Surry County to Brooke Shinault Wall, 41, of Surry County.

– Samuel Scott Becker Jr., 31, of Surry County to Helen Maranda Marshall, 28, of Surry County.

– Dustin Coy Cockram, 20, of Patrick County, Virginia, to Laura Kathryn Freeman, 19, of Surry County.

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

• Amanda Dawn Hodges, 32, a white female wanted for failing to appear in court on probation violations who is on probation for felony larceny of firearms, possession of stolen goods and felony possession of a firearm by felon;

• Alfonzo Dupree Revels, 37, a Black malem wanted for failing to appear in court on probation violations who is on probation for two counts of felony sell/deliver cocaine, felony possession of a schedule II controlled substance, and felony maintaining place for controlled substances;

• Brandon Gray Stone, 29, a white male wanted for failing to appear in court on probation violations who is on probation for two counts of felony possession of methamphetamine;

• Jason William Johnson, 42, a white male wanted for failing to appear in court on probation violations who is on probation for larceny.

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.

A few days till day of the hearts

The day of hearts, flowers, and chocolates is a few days away. That is still plenty of time to find that very special Valentine gift. Most businesses and shops have plenty of gifts and most supermarkets have many floral arrangements and potted flowers. It’s definitely plenty of time to find that special Valentine gift

Keeping your vehicles wiper blades clean

The snow, sleet, and ice events combined with slush and road salts can have a negative effect on your vehicle’s wiper blades. Use a few paper towels and some glass cleaner to clean the blades once a week. Keep the windshield washer filled with a de-icer solution of spray that you can purchase in gallon containers. Keep a spray can of de-icer fluid under your car seat.

Halos and thunder in winter

In the cold of winter, it’s not unusual to hear thunder booming or see a “halo “around a full or near-full moon. Both may occur several times during winter. The is a result of colder air aloft that causes ice crystals to form a crystal ice “halo” around the moon. Thunder in winter occurs when warm air aloft meets with cold air on the surface and causes thunder in winter. In winter when thunder occurs snow, sleet, ice or frozen rain occurs within several days after thunder is heard.

Starting something red for Saint Valentine’s

February still has 19 days remaining and most of them will be cold. Not many vegetables can be planted during February except the winter hardy radish which will survive in cold temperatures and produce a harvest in about 50 days. Even in winter, radish seed have a germination rate of almost 100%. Choose from many varieties of radish seed packets that cost less than $2 per packet. You can choose from Cherry Belle, Cherriette, Cherry Bomb, Easter, Egg, Early Scarlet Globe, Crimson Giant, and Champion. Two seed packets will produce more than enough seed for a harvest. Even in cold temperatures, radish will germinate in about 14 days. You can sow them in a row or bed. Sow seed in a furrow about three inches deep. Place a layer of peat moss in the bottom of the furrow. Thinly sow radish seed on top of the peat moss and cover seed with a layer of peat moss. Apply Plant-Tone organic vegetable food on top of the peat moss and hill up soil on both sides of the furrow and tamp down soil with the hoe blade for good so contact with the soil. The layers of peat moss will provide great protection from ground freezes by absorbing moisture and promoting growth. Allow 50 days for a harvest even though the packet may state 40 days. We allow ten days for the seed to germinate, and then add 50 days for a harvest.

Making a Valentine chocolate dream pie

Anything with chocolate in it is a Valentine treat. This is a no-bake chocolate pie that is plenty creamy and will melt in your mouth. For this pie, you can use a nine-inch pie shell (baked and cooled) or a graham cracker crust. Other ingredients are two envelopes of Dream Whip whipped topping mix, two three ounce boxes of Jello Instant Chocolate pudding mix, one teaspoon vanilla, two and a third cups cold milk, half cup of chopped pecans, and one tub of Cool whip. Combine two envelopes of Dream whip with one cup of the cold milk and teaspoon of vanilla in a large bowl. Beat on high about six minutes until the Dream Whip thickens and forms peaks. Add the remaining milk and Jello instant pudding and chopped pecans. Blend together on low and then high for two and a half minutes. Spoon the mixture into the pie shell. Cool the pie in the refrigerator for four hours. Top the pie with the tub of Cool Whip. Keep the pie refrigerated until ready to serve.

The American bee balm protected on porch

The classic American bee balm survives during winter months by being protected by six or seven plastic bags and a double layer of card board to cover the bags. Both these protective items shield against freezes, ice, snow and sleet. A drink of water once a week is all they need because too much water will cause potting medium to freeze. The balm is cut back to about three inches tall so the plastic bags and cardboard can fit over top of them in the container. When temperatures rise above freezing, pull back the cardboard and bags so the bee balm can receive sunlight. Always replace bags and cardboard before sunset to protect balm from overnight freezes.

Keeping a check on the Christmas cactus

The containers of Christmas cactus are wintering over in the living room in a semi-sunny location. They are cascading over the sides of the containers. All of the five containers of cactus are looking well. They receive a drink of water every ten days and some Flower-Tone organic flower food once a month. They will be ready for their move to the deck in mid-May where they will spend mid-spring summer and early autumn.

Time to feed the lawn

As we approach the middle of February, the winter lawn is still dormant and mid – February is the best time to feed and apply lime to the lawn for the best results. Never use 10-10-10 fertilizer to apply to your lawn. Your lawn does not need pelletized chemicals but food that is especially formulated to feed lawns in a slow-release process and not some quick fix. Snow is possible in the middle of February and this will combine well with the slow release lawn food and soak the lawn food into the soil without washing it away. Spend the extra money and get a lawn food that will produce positive results over a long season.

Hearts reaching out to the birds of winter

As Valentine’s Day draws near give a heart-felt helping hand to the winter birds that visit the feeders in search of a meal and to the bird bath for a drink of water. Their search for food is much harder in winter when water freezes in the bird bath. Empty the ice from the bath and refill with fresh water when the temperature rises above freezing. Fill the feeders during the week and keep a count of birds as they visit the feeders and bird bath.

Asparagus and panda fern wintering over

As February reaches the halfway mark, the asparagus and panda ferns are wintering over in the living room in a semi-sunny area. They are green and growing in the environment of the living room. They develop long runners as they absorb rays of winter sunlight, we keep them trimmed back to promote growth. A drink of water every ten days and a handful of Flower-Tone organic flower food once a month keeps them healthy and green. They will be ready to move outside to the deck to a semi-sunny location in mid – April.

The robins of winter forecast nasty weather

It seems to us that robins are the birds of all seasons and not just signs of spring. In winter they visit the lawn almost every day in search of worms, grubs and insects. Their search always seems successful because they always have a meal in their mouths. In the dead of winter, they seem to sense that nasty weather is on the way. A few days ago, we saw an unusual number of about a hundred robins in the backyard pecking around for a meal. Next day, there was sleet and freezing rain with ice on the trees, but there were no robins on the lawn that day. Most likely they were hunkering down in a hollow tree or log or under the leaves of a barn, house, or out building. “As the north wind doth blow, where will the robin go? To the barn or the hollow, and the other robins will follow.” We learned that robins of winter make better weather predictors than the groundhogs in the burrows!

Starting a row or bed of leaf lettuce

A bed or row of leaf lettuce can now be sown to start the cold weather vegetable season. Lettuce packets in Walmart, Home Depot, and Lowe’s Home Improvement cost less than $2 a packet and they contain many seed. You can choose from Iceberg, Green lce, Bibb, Limestone, Black Seeded Simpson, Red Sails, Grand Rapids Oak Leaf, Buttercrunch, Salad Bowl, and also Romaine. A harvest of lettuce takes about 50 days. In the cold February soil, always use peat moss in the bottom of the furrow before sowing the seed and then cover the seed with another layer of the peat moss to absorb moisture. Add a layer of Plant-Tone organic vegetable food on top of the peat moss. Hill up soil on each side of the furrow and tamp down with the hoe blade. The seed should be sown in a furrow about three inches deep.

“Sleepwalking.” Jan: “My mother has trained herself to walk in her sleep every night.” Fran: “Why would she want to do that?” Jan: “To save time. This way she way she can get her exercise and her rest at the same time.”

“Medical Question.” What kind of people enjoy bad health? Answer: Doctors!

A bit of unwelcome green in the winter landscape

Weeds always seem to survive in winter’s most harsh conditions and endure despite the freezing temperatures. The chickweed, wild onions and Bermuda grass show up at this time of year and remain during winter. Chickweed is easy to get rid of because it has a shallow root system and can be pulled up with little effort and can be thrown out of the garden. Don’t even try to pull up wild onions, but use the weed trimmer to cut them down to ground level which will stunt their growth. Bermuda grass has a long and deep root system Winter months are an ideal time to pull them up by their roots and make sure to throw them out of the garden or better yet dump them in the trash bin.

The winter hardy pansies colorful in winter

The dark green foliage and brilliant colors are a special display on the front porch and deck during winter. The familiar faces on those flowers adds another special touch on a cold morning. They will thrive until the warmer temperature of of late April and early May. They can then be replaced with the annuals of summer.

Do not over water perennials or winter flowers

Perennials and winter flowers need some moisture in winter, but don’t over water them because too much water will cause the potting medium to freeze. Moisten the medium but do not let water run out of the holes in bottom of the pots or containers. Water sparingly twice a week. Use Flower-Tone organic flower food on the perennials and winter flowers once a month.

Carolina Farm Credit recently awarded a second $5,000 grant to help construct a live animal lab that will be used by instructors and students in the Animal Science and Agriculture programs at Surry Community College and Surry Central High School.

The cooperative facility will serve as a demonstration farm, giving students hands-on instruction and training in all aspects of production for raising calves, goats, piglets and other small animals.

“As part of our corporate mission fund, Carolina Farm Credit is pleased to award your organization, Surry Community College, with $5,000 in support of your project,” wrote Vance C. Dalton Jr., president and CEO of Carolina Farm Credit. “We received 135 grant requests this year and were able to fund 25 projects and 12 scholarships, totaling $152,300.”

The fund’s purpose is to invest in the future of agriculture to enhance and impact the quality of life in rural North Carolina. Carolina Farm Credit gave an initial $5,000 grant in December 2021 toward the project.

Grant money will be used to help furnish a large metal barn facility in 2023, which will provide hands-on instruction of all aspects of small animal agriculture. The interior of the barn will feature multiple stalls, flex space, and a sanitation station. Sustainable production techniques, proper animal care procedures, and current technologies will be heavily emphasized in instruction.

The grant funding will be used to prioritize and furnish equipment and supplies for biosecurity, video monitoring and alerts, signage, automatic feeding and watering, necessary handling, and health and recordkeeping. Fenced acreage around the barn will have appropriate divisions for multiple species.

“The barn will serve as a model of best practices for the community, and it is hoped that such an investment will increase interest in local agriculture,” officials with Carolina Farm Credit said.

James Quick is the lead instructor of Surry Community College’s Applied Animal Science program and works closely with Surry Central High School on class agriculture projects.

“This facility will give students the opportunity to apply those skills they learn in class in a real-world scenario. Using this facility, we will be able to teach students how to grow healthy and productive animals while also being sure students are up to date on all the latest practices and USDA regulations. In the future, we hope the students will be able to produce their own agricultural products such as goat cheese or wool in the new facility,” Quick said.

Sarah Johnson teaches agriculture classes at Surry Central High School and serves as the advisor for Future Farmers of America. She added, “I am excited to be part of this experiential learning opportunity that will enable my students to be successful in livestock production in the future. The unique partnership between Surry County Schools and Surry Community College will afford students the skills, abilities, and certifications to move forward with production agriculture or seek higher education.”

Surry Community College offers a diploma and certificate in applied animal science technology that prepares individuals to select, breed, care for, process, and market livestock and small farm animals. Potential course work includes instruction in basic animal science, animal nutrition, and animal health as applied to various species and breeds; design and operation of housing, feeding, and processing facilities; and related issues of safety, applicable regulations, logistics, and supply.

In 2022, Surry Community College and North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University established an articulation agreement where SCC transfer credits can be used to pursue bachelor’s degrees at NC A&T in agricultural education.

The agreement guarantees admission to NC A&T and the transfer of up to 37 credits in the applied animal science diploma for qualified graduates of SCC as they earn bachelor’s degrees in agricultural education with a concentration in either professional service or secondary education. The bachelor’s degree in agricultural education at NC A&T with a concentration in agricultural professional service prepares students for careers in Cooperative Extension, government agencies, non-profit organizations, or agribusiness. The concentration in secondary education readies students to teach agriscience in middle or high school.

High school juniors and seniors can take animal science classes tuition-free through the Career & College Promise program.

For more information, contact SCC’s Student & Workforce Services at 336-386-3264 or studentservices@surry.edu or go to surry.edu. Anyone with questions about the applied animal science program should contact Quick at 336-386-3295 or quickj@surry.edu.

New titles available at the Mount Airy Public Library:

The Polish Girl – Malka Adler

The River Keeper – Sarah Martin Byrd

The Book Eaters – Sunyi Dean

Because I Could Not Stop for Death – Amanda Flower

All Good People Here – Ashley Flowers

Real Bad Things – Kelly Ford

The Marsh Queen – Virginia Hartman

How to Sell a Haunted House – Grady Hendrix

Nice Guys Finish Dead – William W. Johnstone

The House at the End of the World – Dean Koontz

The Quarry Girls – Jess Lourey

The Ways We Hide – Kristina McMorris

Our Missing Hearts – Celeste Ng

The Cabinet of Dr. Long – Preston & Child

Concerning Those Who Have Fallen Asleep – Adam Soto

Lucy By the Sea – Elizabeth Strout

The Drift – C.J. Tudor

The Last Dreamwalker – Rita Woods

The Ways We Hide – Kristina McMorris

The Revolutionary Samuel Adams – Stacy Schiff

All the Living and the Dead – Hayley Campbell

Operation Pineapple Express – Lt. Col. Scott Man (Ret.)

Killing the Killers – Bill O’Reilly

Killing the Legends – Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard

Blood and Ink – Joe Pompeo

Modern Jewish Comfort Food – Shannon Sarna

Saving Yellowstone – Megan Kate Nelson

Storytime is here for kids of all ages. Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. is Toddler Time for children ages 2 and 3; Thursday at 9:30 a.m. is Book Babies for children ages birth to 2 years old; and on Thursday at 11 a.m. is Preschool Storytime for ages 4-5.

STEAMed Up Tuesdays from 4 — 5 p.m. Interactive fun and learning for youth in grades 4 through 6.

Hooked – Join our crochet and knitting club, every Wednesday at 3 p.m. Open for all skill levels. Bring your own yarn and make the group project or bring your own project to work on.

Crimes and Crafts is the final Tuesday of the month at 6 p.m. A new book club for adults that focuses on murder, mayhem, true crime and other tales of terror. Our February read will be “The Devil in the White City” by Erik Larson.

Tai Chi Fridays. Experience meditation in motion, 10 a.m. every Friday in the Multipurpose Room. All skill levels are welcome.

It’s Yoga Y’all. Join Ms. Heather on the third Saturday of the month at 10:30 am.

The Community Book Club meets the fourth Wednesday of the month at 1 p.m. For our book club event we are reading “Carolina Built” by Kianna Alexander. This book is provided to us by North Carolina Reads, a statewide book club for 2023.

Chapters Book Club – meets the third Thursday of the month at 11:30. Members discuss the different books they have read.

A pre-teen book club will meet every third Thursday at 4 p.m. Stop by the library and grab a copy of this month’s book and join us for some fun. We will be reading “I Will Always Write Back: How One Letter Changed Two Lives” by Caitlin Alifirenka.

Teen Book Club, every fourth Thursday at 4 p.m. Come in and grab a copy of next month’s book and join us for some fun. “P.S. I Love You” by Kasie West.

VITA Tax Preparation – Appointments to have your taxes done will run from Jan. 28 to April 8. Call 336-415-4225 to make your appointment.

Middle & High School Tutoring – Every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. Got a problem? We’re here to help you solve it. Specializing in math, English and biology, tutoring provided by a National Honor Society Student from North Surry High School.

Black History Month celebration at 11 a.m. on Feb. 18. Bright Star Touring Theatre will present Jackie Robinson, a 45-minute production that celebrates the achievements of Jackie Robinson, highlighting some of the best moments of his career and explaining his role in ending segregation.

On Feb. 22 at 6:30 p.m., online, join North Carolina Humanities for an interactive panel discussion examining themes from the North Carolina Reads selection “Carolina Built.” Join us at the Mount Airy Public Library in our Multipurpose Room. This panel will explore the story based on the life and legacy of Josephine N. Leary, an African-American entrepreneur and business woman who lived in North Carolina during the Reconstruction Era. This event features author Kianna Alexander and Dr. Hilary Green in a conversation moderated by NC Humanities Board Trustee Liliana Wendorff.

Fun With Fairy Gardens Feb. 23 at 2 p.m. Bring your own container, no more than six inches deep, and join us for a hands-on workshop led by Master Gardener Robin Portis. Plants, a fairy house and some fairy accessories will be provided. Feel free to bring any additions you like, to make your planter unique. The workshop is free, but registration is required. Call 336-789-5108 or come by to reserve your spot.

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/

Surry County Manager Chris Knopf presented the State of the County Thursday to business and civic leaders at a luncheon held at White Sulphur Springs in Mount Airy. He said that the state of the county is a matter of perspective and that, “If you ask anyone what condition our county is in, you’d get a lot of different responses.”

Folks gravitate to the financial health of the county, so he outlined that and demographic data to allow for comparison. With 71,152 people reported Surry County ranks 32 out of 100 North Carolina counties in population.

Knopf said that the population rate has stabilized somewhat, and that growth is still being seen from those moving away from the cities to find a different way of life than is found in cities or along the I-40 corridor.

One of the greatest recruitment tools that Surry County has to offer is an exceptionally steady property tax rate. The Board of Commissioners make it a point of order and take great pride in recognizing the property tax rate — the county ranks 81 of 100 in property tax rates.

On taxes, the county has been raking in big dollars with a continued change in spending habits that has emerged post-pandemic. When stores closed to in-person shopping and malls became hot spots to be avoided, folks turned to online shopping.

Knopf said, “When you buy something from Best Buy online and have it shipped here, the sales tax stays here. When you go to Winston-Salem to go to Best Buy, the sales tax stays there.”

He echoed a point of view espoused by board Chairman Eddie Harris who said the sales tax is the most equitable way to levy a tax. Knopf simply called it “the fair tax, because everyone pays it.”

Sales tax revenue is a tide that lifts all boats he said, noting that not only the county but also the municipalities and the school systems all benefit from increased sales tax revenue. The growth of sales tax revenue from fiscal year 2012-13 ($12.6 million) to 2021-22 ($21.5 million) is pronounced and this growth is not expected to change given the trend toward online shopping.

Knopf pointed to historical budget data to show the recession of 2008 had a tremendous impact on this area. However, improvements have been pronounced in the past decade Knopf said. He noted in the FY 2012-13 the county’s budget was $70.5 million had a general fund balance of $27 million, but he noted that only $736,000 of those were in the “unassigned ledger,” think of that as the cash on hand for emergencies, he said.

Flash forward to the FY 2022-23 budget of $93.6 million and the general fund balance is $62.7 million with $17.8 million in the unassigned, able to be spent, column. This does not mean the county wants to or will spend those funds, quite the opposite. The conservative county commissioners are known to look for ways to save or not open the checkbook in the first place and are pleased with the growth of the general fund.

Surry County’s median household income increased by 41% over the past five years and now more than 54% of the county’s households earn more than $50,000 a year. Wages are up in the county as well with the average being $714 per week, ranked 48 of 100.

That said, 23% of county homes are on food/nutrition assistance (up 19% since 2019) and 34% of residents are on Medicaid. With Raleigh taking up expansion of the plan, it may yield as many as 42% of Surry residents enrolled if it passes.

The assembled business and civic leaders heard from Knopf the results of a survey of local business where they were asked to rank what are the biggest challenges they are facing. The majority (52%) said that finding and retaining an appropriate level of staffing for their workforce was a challenge.

For others they said sales and marketing (25%), pandemic related changes (23%), and learning how to scale up a business (19%) presented challenges. Housing for workers (19%) rounded out the top five and Knopf discussed the housing challenges the county faces.

There is a noted lack of inventory in fair market housing which finds it roots in that new homes are not being built in their area at the rate they once were. Knopf reported there has been no significant residential neighborhood development in the past several years.

He informed the number of homes built in the 1990s and the early 2000s, before the Great Recession, was more than double than new housing starts in the 2010s. In the 1990s and 2000s there were around 2,000 houses built in each decade but that number plummeted to around 800 for the 2010s.

Another concern is the age of homes in the county compared to the rest of the state. Other counties average between 30-35% of homes in the area to have been built after 1999; locally that number is closer to 15% and 11% of county homes were built before WWII. Older homes that are not being replaced with new construction have led to shortages.

Younger people are especially sensitive to these shortages and are leaving the area to live as they cannot find housing. Knopf told the crowd his office and the county have tried to attract new builders of market rate housing as there is strong demand for single family homes and townhomes in this area.

He made sweet lemonade from a sack of COVID lemons by explaining the pandemic brought federal relief dollars to the area that freed up general ledger funds to be spent elsewhere. He alluded to the fact that not everyone is thrilled the feds doled out trillions in relief, but for communities across the country he called it, “A once in a lifetime opportunity.”

Long-standing projects that needed attention such as replacing the lights on sports fields at Cedar Ridge, Shoals, Mountain Park, and Dobson that were in dire need as well as work on the White Plains Recreation Center were able to be addressed with the financial flexibility relief money afforded.

It also allowed the county to aid non-profit organizations including Mayberry4Paws, Surry Arts Council, and Habitat for Humanity in the area who shared in $2.1 million in additional county funding.

The survey gauged what respondents were most pleased and displeased about with living here. Surry Community College and the area school systems received high marks as did the quality of utilities and quality of life (access to shopping, dining, healthcare), and broadband speeds.

On the tail end of the scale were a local transportation network, availability of workforce training, and residential housing option which were ranked as areas residents were more displeased.

While not on the list, there is one item that is driving residents and leaders alike batty and as Knopf neared the end of the presentation a slide appeared with just one word: litter. It was accompanied by photos of trash lining Linville Road and there was an audible groan from some in the crowd.

Knopf threw up his hands, metaphorically, on the issue of litter and said that he was not sure why this was an issue here in Surry County. He had visited rural South Carolina recently and said he did not see a similar little problem there, “and I looked for it.”

The county’s program to pay 501c3 non-profits to conduct litter collection have slowed to a trickle even as the payout has gone up. Knopf noted organizations do not have the time or the volunteers to make such a commitment.

When the county opened the program last year to any private contractor who may want to pick up litter, “There was not a single taker last year.” He said two new groups have applied to participate in the program since there has been increased recent attention on the matter again recently.

No matter who deals with it, litter will have to be dealt with and Knopf noted that in a county that is increasingly reliant on tourism, trashy roadways send the wrong message.

• A suspicious-person investigation has led to a homeless Mount Airy man being jailed on a felony drug charge, according to city police reports.

Toby Carlton Thompson, 53, was encountered by officers on the evening of Feb. 3 in the parking lot of SERVPRO, a business located in the 500 block of North Andy Griffith Parkway near Hickory Street.

Thompson subsequently was charged with possession of methamphetamine and in addition to that felony violation is accused of possessing drug paraphernalia.

He was confined in the Surry County Jail under a $3,000 secured bond and is scheduled to appear in District Court on Feb. 27.

• Jace Dale Johnson, 21, of 103 Ashburn Park Lane, was charged with driving while impaired Sunday after a traffic crash that police records indicate occurred in the 800 block of South Main Street involving a 2002 Subaru Impreza he was operating.

Testing revealed Johnson to have a blood alcohol content of 0.16%, twice the legal limit for getting behind the wheel.

He is free on a written promise to be in Surry District Court on March 6.

• Police learned of a crime involving identity theft and the obtaining of property by false pretense on Feb. 3 in which the State Employees Credit Union was a victim.

The Social Security number of Charles Brandon Atkins of Chadwick Lane was used to defraud the financial institution on South Franklin Road of an undisclosed sum of money, with the case still under investigation at last report.

Franklin Elementary School recently chose its leaders of the month for February. Those honored are:

Kindergarten: Ivy Freeman, Tyson Simmons, Eadith Jenkins, and JC Nelson;

First grade: Dakota Hoffman, Ellie Clement, Bryce Mosley, and Trey Phillpot;

Second grade: Donatello Rodriguez, Iker Ramirez, Zachary Johnson, and Cora Murray;

Third grade: Addison Zubieta, Josie Bowman, Zander Cox, and Eli Metcalf;

Fourth grade: Tom Casas, Dylan Ramirez and Ainsley Barnard;

Fifth grade: Adrian Linares, Mattix Cutler and Isaiah Turner;

Others, not listed by grade, includeKamilla Escutia, J’Lyn Puckett, and Archer McMillian.

A public hearing is scheduled next Thursday concerning a proposal to rezone property on Carroll Street in Mount Airy from a business to residential classification.

That move is tied to plans for constructing a duplex housing unit on the site, according to city Planning Director Andy Goodall. It is now vacant.

The property in question is a .542-acre parcel located in the 900 block of Carroll Street, which county tax maps show is on the corner of Carroll and Hickory streets in the vicinity of West Lebanon Street.

Owners Samuel and Letonia Moore, who live on Hickory Street, have requested the rezoning of the property from its present B2-CD classification (General Business with conditions) to R-6 (General Residential).

Anyone wishing to speak on that request can do so at Thursday’s public hearing, to be held during a 6 p.m. meeting of the Mount Airy Board of Commissioners.

The Carroll Street matter is somewhat unusual, since the property originally had been zoned R-6 before that was changed to B2-CD in 2007 as sought by Cooke Properties of NC, LLC and Crystal Poplin, according to city planning documents.

The conditions tied to that included no port-a-john or trash truck storage, a six-foot screened fence around the entire property and others.

City planners report that the site in question is contiguous to other R-6 properties.

The Mount Airy Planning Board, an advisory group to the commissioners which reviewed the matter, voted 7-0 in favor of recommending approval for the rezoning proposal on Jan. 23.

No one spoke then in opposition to the request that was accompanied by neighboring property owners being informed about the potential change.

The planning group found that the request conforms to the medium intensity future land-use of the property as prescribed by the City of Mount Airy Comprehensive Plan, relied on as a guide for rezoning based on growth trends.

A major construction project along the U.S. 601 business corridor in Mount Airy — to implement what’s been called a “superstreet” concept — again has been delayed, which is either good or bad news depending on one’s perspective.

Based on earlier plans by the N.C. Department of Transportation, which maintains the major route also known as Rockford Street, a contract for the work was scheduled to be let in June 2023.

However, the DOT reported this week that the project has been pushed back until Fiscal Year 2025 — meaning construction won’t begin until sometime after July 1, 2024 when that fiscal year begins, the agency’s Division 11 Engineer Michael Poe confirmed Thursday.

This roughly one-year delay has transpired through revisions made by the state Board of Transportation to North Carolina’s Transportation Improvement Plan for 2020-2029. The board did so to allow additional time for right-of-way acquisitions for property needed along the local project’s path — from U.S. 52 to Forrest Drive (SR 1365) near Walmart.

Poe, whose Division 11 district is based in North Wilkesboro and includes Surry and seven other area counties, explained Thursday that no particular right-of-way problems out of the ordinary have been encountered with the U.S. 601 upgrade.

He said the construction postponement reflects lingering issues that caused earlier delays of DOT projects in general, due to COVID-19 and funding limitations, including disrupting the acquisition process.

“We basically had to start over with — updating all the appraisals,” Poe said of a key step in that process. “It’s just a lot of work.” The same issues have derailed similar efforts around the state, the Division 11 engineer says.

The most recent delay is on top of others for the Mount Airy project that originally was scheduled to be under construction in 2020.

It is anticipated to cost $11.7 million.

DOT officials have said that what commonly is known as the superstreet project will introduce a raised median configuration along U.S. 601 to re-direct or restrict left turns and across-the-highway movements.

Side-street travelers wanting to cross U.S. 601 or turn left onto it, for example, would need to first go right and then make a U-turn at a safe location to reach desired destinations in those directions.

The raised concrete medians will replace the present center turn lane along Rockford Street. It is virtually uncontrolled and linked to high accident and fatality rates in the U.S. 601 business corridor that has seen tremendous growth and increased traffic, prompting the DOT to prescribe the change.

In one recent 12-month period, 145 traffic accidents occurred at various intersections from U.S. 52 to Forrest Drive, according to statistics compiled by Bonnie Overby, records administrator for the Mount Airy Police Department,

Forty-six of those accidents were in the area of U.S. 601 and U.S. 52, with 29 logged at U.S. 601 and Forrest Drive. Other trouble spots included U.S. 601’s intersection with Reeves Drive (19 accidents), Edgewood Drive (18), Stewart Drive (13) and Mountain View Drive (11), with smaller numbers occurring elsewhere along that route.

One fatality was reported for that annual period, involving a crash at U.S. 601 and Reeves Drive.

Although the upcoming construction will cause a major upheaval to the U.S. 601 corridor which will be long in duration, observers agree that some remedy is needed for what has become the busiest section of town.

This was determined by highway engineers to be the change to a superstreet.

“I think overall it would promote a safer and more efficient flow of traffic,” Mount Airy Police Chief Dale Watson has said. “So I think it would serve to make a safer roadway.”

But Watson says an adjustment to the new configuration will be needed by motorists.

Local citizens, including business owners in the project’s path, gave mixed reviews to the U.S. 601 improvement plan during a public meeting in November 2019 at Reeves Community Center.

Mount Airy High School recognized two senior girls basketball players prior to a Feb. 8 game against East Wilkes.

Seniors Morgan Mayfield and Kancie Tate were honored in front of the Granite Bear faithful inside Howard M. Finch Gymnasium. This was just the team’s second game inside Finch Gym since December.

The Bears faced an unfortunate draw for Senior Night against the Northwest 1A Conference’s top-ranked team, East Wilkes. The visiting Cardinals improved to 17-4 overall and 10-1 in the conference with the 49-19 victory.

East Wilkes ran ahead to an 11-2 lead, but a layup from Niya Smith and 3-pointer from Mayfield cut the lead to just four late in the quarter. East Wilkes responded with two early 3-pointers in the second quarter to jump ahead to a 25-11 lead at the half.

Mount Airy had its best scoring quarter in the third, but was still outscored 12-8 by East. The Cardinals closed the game out with a 19-point fourth quarter.

EW: Peyton Mastin 17, Payton Spicer 6, Kyleigh Lane 6, Kierstin Johnson 6, Lilly Adams 4, Briley Church 3, Lauren Macemore 3, Olivia Stanley 2, Bailey Stanley 2

MA: Da’nya Mills 8, Morgan Mayfield 5, Alissa Clabo 4, Niya Smith 2

GREENSBORO — Mount Airy made a big impact at the NCHSAA Women’s Wrestling State Invitational Championship for the third consecutive year.

A pair of Granite Bear juniors, Jamie Hearl and Hope Horan, became the first Mount Airy wrestlers to compete in the tournament back in 2021 and qualified each of the past three years.

Both girls took home hardware from the 2023 meet held Feb. 3-4. Hearl finished on the podium for the first time by winning a silver medal in the 100-pound bracket, and Horan medaled for the third consecutive year by winning bronze in the 114-pound bracket.

Nearly 200 wrestlers statewide, regardless of school classification, competed in the state championship tournament. An additional 180 or so wrestlers took part in the NCHSAA Women’s Showcase Tournament, held concurrently for wrestlers that didn’t qualify for states.

“This is always an awesome experience and shows just how far the sport has come,” said Mount Airy coach Cody Atkins. “They’ve basically doubled in numbers every year.”

The two-day state tournament began at Friday evening at the RISE Indoor Sports Complex in Advance and featured all non-medal matches. The wrestlers then competed at the Greensboro Coliseum Saturday morning in both the championship and consolation finals.

The 2023 women’s invitational will be the final installment of the tournament as women’s wrestling is set to become an NCHSAA sanctioned sport in 2023-24.

Following the first-ever women’s regional championship, Mount Airy – who finished Regional Runner-up in a field of 47 teams – had four wrestlers qualify for the state tournament: Hearl, Horan, Constance Melton and Jenevy Olalde.

“It surprised me to walk out of regionals with a trophy purely because of our numbers,” Atkins said. “I was on top of the world. The girls have worked very hard this year, so I expected to do well, it’s just that regionals is 1A through 4A and we’re a really small school.

“If we could fill all 12 weight classes I feel like we could definitely win regionals and make a run for states considering how well we did with seven wrestlers.”

Hearl came into the 2023 tournament looking to continue her ascent from the two previous installments. She was eliminated in the first round as a freshman, then won twice in the 2022 tournament before falling to the eventual 100 pounds champion: South Brunswick’s Lily Prendergast.

Jamie came into the championship tournament as one of the top four seeds after winning the Midwest Regional Championship. She won comfortably via decision in the first round against Hoke County’s Azya Monrow, then earned a victory via fall in the second round.

Hearl faced Manteo’s Thalia Aguirre Gomez in the quarterfinals. A takedown, reversal and near fall gave Hearl a 7-2 lead after the first period, then the Granite Bear added a near fall in the second period before pinning Gomez in the third period.

The semifinals provided a rematch from 2022, with Hearl taking on the defending champion Prendergast.

This year’s match went much differently than the previous installment. Hearl scored the first 11 points of the match, then only gave up one point late in the third period to win via major decision.

Hearl faced another familiar opponent in the championship: Freedom High School’s Jeulenea Khang.

“They’ve faced off a few times and Khang has won each won, though it’s gotten closer each time they wrestle,” Atkins said. “Most recently they battled in the Holy Angels Tournament this year.

“Khang is a senior, and both girls are nationally ranked.”

Neither side scored in the first period, then a two-point reversal gave Khang the lead midway through the second period. The reversal would provide the only points of the match as Khang went on to win 2-0.

“Jamie came in just wanting to place, and I was super happy with her for making it all the way to the finals,” Atkins said. “I know she was a little upset after the match, but losing to a Super 32 All-American in the finals is nothing to hang your head about, especially after beating the defending state champion in the semifinals.”

Khang, who improved to 43-6 on the year with the championship victory, was named Most Valuable Performer at the state meet. Hearl holds a record of 37-6.

“That 100 bracket was stacked, so a lot of people thought that whoever won it would be named MVP,” Atkins said.

Horan came into the 2023 tournament having won a silver medal at 113 her freshman year and a gold medal at 114 her sophomore year.

Hope, who finished runner-up at the Midwest Regional Championship, topped Clayton’s Savannah Lee in the first round. Horan took a 2-1 lead in the first period with a takedown, then pinned Lee late in the second period.

Horan then upset the West’s No. 1 seed in the quarterfinals, doing so in dominating fashion. Horan led 7-0 against Hoke County’s Sara Warren in the first period, then pinned Warren before the end of the period.

Hope fell in the semifinals to Lumberton’s Teresa Canady, but nearly pulled off an improbably comeback. After trailing 9-1 entering the third period, Horan outscored Canady 5-0 in the final two minutes to cut the lead to 9-6 before time expired.

Despite falling short of a repeat, Atkins said Horan’s ability to come back the next day and win bronze was incredible to watch.

“I wanted her to win again, but for her to come back after losing in the semis was a big deal,” the coach said. “Kids that win a year before then lose before the finals have a hard time, but to come back says a lot about her. It shows a lot about her character to pick herself back up after a loss and win third.

“I was so proud of her for that.”

The bronze-medal match was another tight contest. Horan led 2-0 at the end of one period after scoring a takedown, then went up 4-1 with another takedown in the second. Cleveland’s Addison Vindigni cut Horan’s lead to 4-2, but couldn’t complete the comeback.

Horan moves to 29-17 overall after the tournament.

Two Granite Bears competed in their first state tournament: sophomore Constance Melton and freshman Jenevy Olalde.

Melton competed in the 132 bracket. The sophomore, who finished fourth at regionals, trailed just 2-0 in her opening match against the East Regional Champion before losing via fall. Her first-round opponent, Heide Trask’s Lauren Hall, went on to finish third in the bracket after losing to the eventual champion.

Melton battled back with a consolation victory over Swain County’s Asiah Ball. Constance led 7-0 after the first period, then held a 9-4 advantage before pinning Ball.

The Granite Bear then fell to Green Hope’s DeAnna Fox.

“For her to qualify for states in just her second year wrestling is a big deal,” Atkins said. “She’s already improved so much and is only going to get better with time.”

Melton finishes the year with a 16-7 record.

Olalde competed in the 107-pound bracket for Mount Airy.

“She’s just a freshman and has been part of our wrestling club since she was younger,” Atkins said. “She won middle school states last year and has done well in high school.”

Atkins added that Olalde and Hearl weigh about the same, but Olalde had to wrestle up for states.

Jenevy fell to North Henderson’s Liliana Zapote via 6-0 decision in the opening round, then dropped her consolation match to Croatan’s Kaylum Mills via 4-2 decision.

Olalde finishes the year 22-7.

“For her to finish regional runner-up as a freshman while wrestling up is a big deal,” Atkins said.

Mount Airy had the highest team finish of any 1A or 2A school in the state, taking the No. 8 spot among 101 teams.

“To come in there with four wrestlers and finish in the top 10, especially against some of the giant 3A and 4A schools, was really impressive in my mind,” Atkins said. “It surprised me that we were up there in the mix; not because we didn’t have quality wrestlers, but some of these schools with 1,500 kids have teams three or four times our size.”

Three Granite Bears competed in the Women’s Showcase Tournament: Alexis Atkins at 126, Grace Segrest at 138 and Jasmine Davis at 195.

“It was great that they held a tournament for the people that didn’t qualify for states, because getting that mat time against girls from all over the state is going to help us so much in the long run,” Atkins said. “All seven of our wrestlers are much better off having competed last weekend, and we are fortunate to get all seven back next year.”

Hearl and Horan are both set to compete in the 1A West Regional Championship Tournament, which features the top boys and girls wrestlers in the region, on Feb. 10-11.

Hearl will compete in the 106-pound division, and Horan is set for the 113-pound division.

After months of relative inactivity at the site of a collapsed building in downtown Mount Airy, the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel is flickering in terms of having it repaired.

“We’re hopefully getting closer,” City Manager Stan Farmer said Thursday in reference to ongoing delays surrounding the Main-Oak Emporium structure at the corner of those two streets in the heart of the central business district, which collapsed on July 5.

Farmer’s expression of optimism originally surfaced during a Feb. 2 meeting of the Mount Airy Board of Commissioners. He reported a breakthrough with a regulatory hurdle affecting the repair of the structure that has languished since July while disrupting downtown traffic.

“The developers of the Main-Oak Emporium building have dropped off a full set of plans to be reviewed with the county building inspector,” the city manager advised at last week’s meeting.

“So there’s movement on it,” Farmer said Thursday in elaborating on the submission of the plans. “It’s just a good sign.”

This is important since those plans must be approved by the county before a building permit can be issued which will put repair crews into motion.

Farmer, who has closely monitored the situation and updated progress on it since the collapse, said the developers have told them they hope to get all the paperwork matters completed so work on the building possibly can begin in March.

“But buildings don’t get engineered and repaired overnight,” Farmer said in cautioning that a number of variables could disrupt that timetable.

Since the partial collapse last July of the historic structure dating to 1905, East Oak Street has been closed to traffic at that corner and travel on North Main Street reduced to one lane.

Access to nearby businesses has been disrupted as a result of the closure that was enforced while demolition crews removed debris and to ensure safety as it awaits repairs.

Insurance issues were cited as a holdup early on in that process, with the last remaining obstacle seemingly the nod from local inspection personnel. One consideration has involved preserving the facade of the historic structure, with previous reports noting that tax credits were being sought to aid that objective.

“Early last week they dropped off the plans, structural and architectural plans, to the county building inspector,” Farmer explained. PME (plumbing, mechanical and electrical) plans also are part of the mix — which have passed preliminary muster.

“They gave us the opportunity with (municipal) staff to review the first couple,” Farmer said of the developers.

“So this should be a complete set,” he said of the plans received by the Surry building inspector, “with little error to be found if any.”

The Mount Airy Museum of Regional History is hosting a free presentation on Saturday, The History of WPAQ – A Round Table Discussion, from 2 p.m.-4 p.m. up on the third floor of the museum.

Several speakersare scheduled to take part, including WPAQ owner Kelly Epperson, and current or former WPAQ personalities and employees Brack Llewelyn, Mark Brown, Jennie Lowry, and Lew Bode. Each of them will be sharing their stories about the history.

Among the topics to be covered are stories about Ralph Epperson’s journey in the 1930s and 1940s to establish this area’s first radio station, stories about the music and performers that have played there along the way, stories about the landmark moments as well as a few tales about hi-jinks at the station.

Anyone with questions about tthe talk can contact the museum at mamrh@northcarolinamuseum.org or call 336-786-4478.

Wednesday’s conference clash between Mount Airy and East Wilkes won’t be easily forgotten by anyone that attended Howard M. Finch Gymnasium.

Mount Airy defeated East Wilkes 54-48, staving off a fourth-quarter comeback from the Cardinals to win by single digits. The Bears also survived a fourth-quarter Cardinal comeback in the teams’ first meeting on Jan. 20, which Mount Airy won 43-42, though that’s where the similarities to that first game – or any other game in recent memory – ended.

The Granite Bears led 21-0 in the Northwest 1A Conference rematch before the Cardinals scored their first point, which came on a Braxton Long free throw 1:08 into the second quarter. Mount Airy scored the next eight points to lead 29-1 at halftime.

If a one-point half wasn’t strange enough, East Wilkes battled back and outscored Mount Airy 47-25 in the second half. This included a 31-point fourth quarter from East.

The Cardinals scored 13 points in the final 1:51, cutting the deficit to just four points, but the late scoring flurry wasn’t enough to overcome Mount Airy’s early lead.

Long led the Cards’ comeback effort by scoring 22 points in the second half.

Mount Airy (9-12, 5-6 NW1A) came into Wednesday’s rematch having won 4-of-6 games, with its only losses in that span coming against 20-win squads in North Surry and North Stokes.

The Bears’ defense was lockdown in the first quarter. The home team forced seven steals, held the Cards (8-15, 3-8) to just seven shot attempts and held a 12-4 rebounding advantage. Six Bears scored in the quarter, led by Mount Airy’s two players in the Class of 2023 – Carson Hill and Logan Fonville – that were recognized as part of Senior Night prior to tipoff.

Turnovers continued to hinder the visitors in the second quarter, but East Wilkes was able to establish a presence on the boards while stepping up its defensive effort. Despite only scoring one point in the quarter, the Cards held the Bears to eight points after the 21-point outburst to start the game. All eight of Mount Airy’s second-quarter points came off offensive rebounds.

Seeds were planted for Mount Airy’s impending foul trouble when Fonville and Caleb Reid, who combined for 12 points and 12 rebounds in the first half, both picked up their second personals in the second quarter.

Tyler Mason, Mount Airy’s leading scorer this season, left the game with an injury 32 seconds into the third quarter. East Wilkes’ Daniel Handy scored the team’s first field goal not long after.

The Cards went on a 14-6 run to close the quarter, led by 10 points from Long in the period, but the score stood at 39-17 with eight minutes to play.

Mount Airy, who was whistled for 15 team fouls in the second half, put East Wilkes in the bonus with 7:37 left in the fourth quarter. Fonville left the game after picking up his fourth and fifth personal fouls early in the quarter, and a technical foul on the Bears also allowed the Cards to score with time stopped.

East Wilkes used a 14-3 run to make it an 11-point game with 4:47 to play; Briggs Gentry scored the basket that made it 42-31.

Reid, who recorded his ninth double-double of the season with 17 points and 10 rebounds, scored to end the run, then the teams traded baskets until Hill was fouled with 1:57 to play. The senior made both foul shots to put the Bears up 50-35.

What followed was a 13-2 Cardinal run. Turnovers were costly for the Bears, and once they entered the bonus they missed the front end of the one-and-one twice.

East Wilkes continued to draw fouls and score with time stopped. East scored nearly 42% of its points from the free throw line by making 20-of-27 attempts, shooting 15-of-17 from the line in the fourth quarter.

The Cards’ Owen Combs hit a 3-pointer with 4.1 seconds to play to cut the lead to 52-48. Bear freshman Zach Goins was quickly fouled, then went 2-for-2 at the line to put the game on ice.

EW: Braxton Long 23, Ledger Blackburn 8, Westin Brown 6, Eric Adams 6, Daniel Handy 2, Owen Combs 3

MA: Caleb Reid 17, Carson Hill 11, Mario Revels 8, Logan Fonville 6, Taeshon Martin 4, Tyler Mason 4, Jourdain Hill 2, Zach Goins 2

Secretive no more, Project Cobra has been uncoiled and brought forward from the shadows to be revealed. Surry County will be the beneficiary of its snakebite as it was announced Friday that it is Renfro Brands who will be the beneficiary of tax incentives to grow their operation on Riverside Drive in Mount Airy.

Renfro Brands said in a statement that the firm plans to invest approximately $2 million in equipment and infrastructure at its location in Mount Airy, and add what could eventually be close to three dozen jobs. Renfro Corporation changed name to Renfro Brands with its sale to a private holding company, The Renco Group Inc., in 2021.

Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Dave Dinkins said, “We are excited to announce the expansion of our Riverside Drive facility. Our company was founded in Mount Airy in 1921 and we are glad to be able to continue to invest in the community.”

“This investment in our Mount Airy operations will add new and expanded capabilities that will keep us on the leading edge of our industry.”

Renfro Brands is well-known to residents of this area as a leading designer, manufacturer, and marketer of quality socks and legwear. The products they produce are known to thankful feet around the world. According to Renfro officials, they are likely to have made one in five socks sold in the United States.

The company is the licensee for renowned global brands including Polo, Ralph Lauren, Dr. Scholl’s, Chaps, New Balance, Merrell, Sperry and Jeep. Renfro also owns premium fashion and performance brands, including K. Bell, HOTSOX and Copper Sole.

Mount Airy and Surry County were in competition with other locations in other states for the consolidation of operations that Project Cobra proposed. At that time the company was not identified except to say they had over 60 on staff and were looking to add as many as 35 more. There was some level of concern that there may be jobs lost locally had the decision gone another way.

To prevent that and entice the mystery company to expand and grow its footprint, Surry County and the City of Mount Airy each approved tax incentives for “Project Cobra” in late 2022 even though the details of the project site and company were kept a tight secret.

Some residents at the time questioned the level of secrecy and the county commissioners explained that tactical advantage for the business as well as the local governments was a key factor.

Renfro Brands has committed to invest $1,969,710 in Project Cobra during the public hearings and will receive $36,244 from Surry County and $36,341 from the City of Mount Airy in the form of local government incentives. The incentives are performance-based and reflect the company’s investment in taxable property.

City of Mount Airy Mayor Jon Cawley said, “We are thankful that Renfro Corporation continues to make investments in Mount Airy. Renfro has a long history as a strong corporate citizen and provides quality jobs for our citizens. This investment further solidifies Renfro’s commitment to our community.”

Eddie Harris, chair of the Surry County Board of Commissioners, said, “I want to thank Renfro Corporation for this expansion in Surry County and thank them for their continued investment in Surry County. When a global company like Renfro, with a historical birthright in Surry County, chooses to continue their investment in our community, it reinforces our position as a business-friendly location.”

Harris echoes the sentiment that Surry County is “open for business” as the county continues to seek opportunities and offer performance-based tax incentives to potential businesses in order to improve the economic outlook for the county and offer more jobs for residents.

“This incentive will keep people working and create new opportunities for others, and add new value to Surry County’s tax record,” the former director of the Surry Economic Development Partnership Todd Tucker said at the time of Project Cobra’s proposal.

According to the project’s presentations Alabama and South Carolina were also being considered as possible sites for what was described as the consolidation of a warehouse and distribution center.

“What do we have to lose?” Commissioner Van Tucker asked of the project. “I think it’s the best kind of proposed incentive package since I’ve seen since I’ve on the board. I don’t see how you can lose on this kind of deal.”

“It’s always been incumbent on this board to support small business in Surry County,” said Chairman Eddie Harris in initial support of the incentives package. He has expressed reticence in the past on tax incentives for businesses, pointing to what he described as past incentive packages that ran into the seven figures with enough conditions and stipulations to paper over the washroom wall with; those days are gone.

The expansion will add up to 35 more jobs to the area and will keep existing jobs here which will allow Renfro Brands to remain a valued member of the community. “Renfro supports the communities in which it operates, including providing financial support and facilitating the participation of its associates in causes including United Fund, United Way, American Red Cross and in support of disaster relief efforts around the world,” company officials said.

Members have been reappointed to the Mount Airy Zoning Board of Adjustment, considered one of the most powerful groups in the city.

That board is a quasi-judicial administrative body whose decisions affect private property rights to the same extent as court rulings. It has nine members, including two who serve as alternates.

Recently, the terms of three of its regular members expired, including Luke Morrison and Tim Devore, along with alternate Sharon Gates, which occurred on Jan. 1.

Both Morrison and Devore were approved for new four-year terms by the Mount Airy Board of Commissioners during its meeting last Thursday night.

In addition, David Hall was appointed to the Zoning Board of Adjustment as a new alternate replacing Gates, also for a four-year period. The terms of all three individuals will expire on Jan. 31, 2027.

The stated purpose of the Zoning Board of Adjustment is to enforce the meaning and spirit of zoning and flood damage-prevention ordinances of the city.

Specifically, the board hears requests for variances, special-use permits and appeals of staff interpretations or enforcement of those ordinances.

Appeals can be taken to the Zoning Board of Adjustment by any person aggrieved or by any officer, department, board or bureau of the city of Mount Airy affected by any decision of a municipal official based on the zoning ordinance.

Elizabeth Martin presently chairs the group, which meets on the first Tuesday of each month at 5:30 p.m. when needed, in the downstairs conference room of the Municipal Building.

Flat Rock Elementary School officials recently named the school’s 2023-2024 Teacher of the Year and the Teaching Assistant of the Year.

Melanie Hartfield, an exceptional children’s teacher, was selected as Teacher of the Year while Donna Golding, a Pre-K teaching assistant, is the Teaching Assistant of the Year.

RALEIGH — Who knows how and why Lady Luck chooses to act as she does, but a local man who won a $132,313 Cash 5 lottery jackpot believes it was just a matter of the stars being aligned.

Gary Shelton II of Mount Airy had visited Mayberry Mart to buy a Powerball ticket, added a $1 Cash 5 ticket right before leaving the store on East Pine Street and ended up a big winner.

“When the Powerball (jackpot total) gets high I usually go buy one ticket and I just thought, ‘Well, I have a dollar left over so let me get one Cash 5 ticket, too,’” he told North Carolina Education Lottery officials in Raleigh.

Shelton, a 53-year-old educator, bought his lucky Quick Pick ticket for the game’s Jan. 28 drawing.

“It still doesn’t seem real,” he admitted after arriving at lottery headquarters Monday to collect his prize. “It seems like the stars are aligning for us this year.”

He took home $94,273 after required state and federal tax withholdings.

“I can’t even put into words what this means,” Shelton added. “It’s just a blessing.”

Shelton said he has always liked bluegrass music, with some of his winnings allowing the purchase of a Martin guitar. He also planned to buy his wife and daughter whatever they want and put the rest in savings.

Cash 5 is one of six lottery games in North Carolina giving players the option of buying their tickets through a retail location or Online Play, either through the lottery website or with the NC Lottery Official Mobile App.

The odds of winning a Cash 5 jackpot are 1 in 962,598. Tuesday’s jackpot, for example, was $100,000.

Ticket sales from lottery draw games make it possible for the state program to raise an average of $2.5 million a day officials say go towards education. Last year, Surry County received $6 million, including a $1.7 million school construction grant from money generated by the lottery, to support local educational programs.

This is primarily about Rob Schofield who apparently is suffering from dementia. I say this because he accuses Republicans of the very thing that Democrats did when they were the party in power. Also, he like many liberals are now taking the; “My way or the highway” approach.

For some reason the liberals claim that voter ID is discriminatory. This when the people they claim are discriminated against have to show an ID to get many of the benefits they rely upon. Yesterday I had to show an ID to pay off my old cell phone at one provider and again at a different provider to get a new cell phone. Who in this age doesn’t have a cell phone? The real reason they are against voter ID is it tends to prevent fraudulent votes.

The liberals including Schofield also claim that abortion is a right. The closest right to abortion in the U.S. Constitution is the pursuit of happiness referring to the act that requires an abortion.

Our plagiarizing demented president claims his programs have created jobs and helped our economy. The figures I have heard is that there are close to 10 million unfilled jobs and gas is still $3.35 a gallon. Diesel fuel is over $4 dollars a gallon. Abortion has taken the lives of over 60 million babies. How many of these were Martin Luther Kings and Albert Einstein? They would go a long way to filling the 10 million unfilled jobs.

Putin threatens to launch nuclear bombs and if one were to hit Washington, D.C., a lot of our problems would be fixed.

Since you recently did an article on the history of WPAQ, I thought it would be interesting to give some facts about WSYD, the other Mount Airy station, which I gathered from Broadcasting Yearbook which is now archived on the internet.

WSYD first signed on the air on Oct. 4, 1951 which would make that radio station now 71 years old. Of course, I remember the studios used to be on City View Drive where the station AM towers are still located. Here are some interesting facts. WSYD originally broadcast at 1240 on the AM dial with 250 watts of power and was a full-time station that could continue broadcasting at night. The president and general manager of the station was Robert Hennis Epperson…Erastus F. Poore at that early time was cm at the station. Perhaps that stood for commercial manager.

Of course, the call letters WSYD are an advertising slogan, We Save You Dollars. I was once told by someone that Erastus would do a remotes from Main Street in Mount Airy called “The Man on the Street” program. It might have aired in the mid-mornings and he would interview people walking down the sidewalk. I am not sure about this but I remember hearing somewhere that the station used to do remotes from a hamburger joint on West Lebanon Street where the local teenagers would hang-out and park their cars. Erastus and his wife used to live in a large brick home on South Main Street which was later torn down to make way for the Post Office parking lot.

By 1955, WPAQ was broadcasting with a top power of 10,000 watts and WSYD filed a construction permit with the FCC to move to 1300 on the AM dial with 5,000 watts daytime and a directional signal of 1,000 watts at night. By 1963, Erastus Poore was the president and general and sales manager of WSYD.

Some programs I remember being on the station at that time in the 1960s were the Supper Club show with easy listening music at around 6:30 p.m. each evening and I believe a DJ, Randy Scott, used to have a country music show all evening from about 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. featuring the latest country hits from the top 100 charts.

This was the time when transistor radios became popular. I could carry my radio with me and listen wherever I was at. I even carried it to school and would listen on the bus or on breaks. I mostly listened to the two local stations. it was hard to receive signals from out of town back then. Most radio stations operated at a low power. There were no big FM stations like we have in the area now.

Just a note, the only big power FM station back then was WHPE-FM in High Point. The call letters stood for High Point Enterprise which was the High Point local newspaper. Back then, that station played Top-40 popular music all day and had special programs in the morning like “Opportunity Knocks” which gave the latest job openings provided by the local employment office.

Article II, Section 3 of the U.S. Constitution states that the president shall from time to time give to Congress information of the state of the union and recommend to their consideration such measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient. It does not say this has to be annual or delivered in person.

History shows that not all our presidents delivered this address in person or at any specific time. Based on the “behavior” of the congress during the most recent State of the Union address, I propose the State of the Union be delivered from the President’s office and broadcast to any news outlet that wishes to carry it.

The minority party rebuttal can follow in the same manner. It will be much shorter without the long procession and the constant standing and sitting for every sentence spoken, and the congress (and everyone else) can yell and heckle all they want without exposing their bad behavior to anyone else.

https://www.mtairynews.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/MTA020923V.pdf

• A recent traffic stop has resulted in a Mount Airy man being jailed under a $500,000 secured bond on charges of trafficking methamphetamine and opium/heroin along with other felony drug violations, according to city police reports.

Donnavan Alexander Tucker, 23, of 313 Mount View Drive, was encountered by officers last Thursday during the stop on U.S. 52 near Bluemont Road.

After an investigation, he was charged with the trafficking meth and trafficking opium/heroin violations along with three additional felonies: possession of methamphetamine with intent to manufacture, sell or deliver; possession of cocaine with intent to manufacture, sell or deliver; and possessing an unspecified Schedule I controlled substance with intent to manufacture, sell or deliver.

Tucker additionally is accused of misdemeanor charges including possession of drug paraphernalia, simple possession of a Schedule IV controlled substance and possessing marijuana paraphernalia. He was scheduled to appear in Surry District Court on Wednesday.

• Also last Thursday, police were told that property valued at $1,410 had been stolen from the residence of Mary Goins Bouldin on Edgewood Place Lane. Included were a jewelry box containing miscellaneous items, a white in color Surrey Bank and Trust checkbook, a box of miscellaneous coins and paper money, various household items and a stash of silver dollars and other coins.

The larceny was perpetrated by an unknown party.

• A case of identity theft was reported to city police on Jan. 31, which involved someone using personal information of Jenita Renee Hughes of Austin Drive to obtain a post office box along with items that were not identified.

A bill is moving through the General Assembly in Raleigh that seeks to allow local school districts the flexibility to choose the date at which instruction will begin at public schools.

Surry County’s State House Rep. Sarah Stevens is among the co-sponsors of N.C. House Bill 51 that identifies Mount Airy City, Elkin City, and Surry County Schools to be among seven districts statewide that would be affected by a proposal that has found some bipartisan support.

As currently written, “The opening date for students shall be no earlier than the Monday closest to August 26, and the closing date for students shall be no later than the Friday closest to June 11.” The new policy will allow for a start date as early as August 10.

School systems like those locally who have have workforce development or offer programs at community colleges must align their classroom time and exam schedules with existing calendars of the other institutions. Those calendars, however, do not line up with a traditional public school start date that lands closer to August 26.

“The current start date doesn’t allow for students to complete their semesters and exams at the middle and high school prior to Christmas break. The later start date also does not align with Surry Community College,” said Mount Airy City Schools communication director Emily Venable.

She said that regarding workforce development and the schools’ partnership with Surry Community College and local businesses, “Alignment is what is best for students.”

The proposed change stems from the findings of the House Select Committee on an Education System for North Carolina report which said, “The current requirement that schools begin no earlier than the Monday closest to Aug. 26 and adjourn no later than the Friday closest to June 11 creates a school calendar that is not best suited to the needs of students and educators.”

“To better meet those needs local boards of education should be given greater calendar flexibility to better meet those needs.”

Mount Airy City Schools spent time over the last years talking with teachers and parents alike to gain their input on the school calendar. “In our focus groups and surveys over the years, we have found our parents and community to be supportive of an earlier start date, earlier than the Monday closest to August 26,” explained Venable.

“Our elected Board of Education is also supportive and vocal on the impacts to our local area, students, and families. Our staff also prefers an earlier start date. The most pressing concern for all groups is that it is what is best for students in our local area,” she said.

Surry County Schools officials wrote that they were using a schedule that aligned their calendar with that of Surry Community College. “Fifty percent of Surry County School System juniors and seniors are taking college courses so alignment with the community college calendar is vitally important for dually enrolled students.”

In early 2022 Surry County Schools began circulating draft calendars for the public to offer comments on with earlier start dates, noting at that time the earlier dates would depend upon state approval.

Superintendent Dr. Travis Reeves has spoken positively on the change they had made moving to the Innovative Year-Round Calendar. “We believe the Innovative calendar is right for our students in Surry County.”

What may work best for school systems in this area may not be what is best for students elsewhere. “We are in support of efforts that allow school districts to create a calendar that best fits the needs of the school families.”

“One size does not fit all in North Carolina. From the mountains to the seas from snow to sand, we require different resources for different areas and that includes the flexibility of the resource of time,” Venable said.

Moore, Randolph, Gaston County Schools as well as Asheboro City schools are also targeted for the change that has advanced to the House Standing Committee on Local Government on Feb. 14. Year-round schools have a built-in exclusion to the school system calendar changes proposed in the bill.

In North Carolina a school calendar must cover at least nine calendar months, have a minimum of 185 days or 1,025 hours of instruction, and must have at least nine teacher workdays.

Longtime local businessman and former Mount Airy city council member Steve Yokeley has been named as interim president and chief executive officer for the Greater Mount Airy Chamber of Commerce.

He fills the post vacated when Randy Collins resigned in December, while the chamber’s executive committee searches for a permanent replacement.

“The chamber is just a vital part of the community, but without a leader,” Yokeley said of his decision to take on the role. “They needed some help, and I was just honored to be asked to help for a little while.”

Yokeley said members of the chamber’s executive committee — made up of the board’s officers — approached him with the idea last week. He told them he would be happy to step in to help, so the board named him the interim president and CEO and introduced him to the staff earlier this week.

“They have a wonderful staff,” he said. “I was really surprised when Randy resigned… but he left it in excellent condition. It’s very strong, they are just a super staff, every one of them are on the ball. They have really kept it going, they are already getting things organized…I know we’re all going to work well as a team.”

Yokeley, who served on the Mount Airy Board of Commissioners for 13 years, has been active in the local business community for many years. The long-time dentist retired from that field, only to start his own real estate firm, Group 3 Real Estate. On Tuesday, Yokeley said he sold that firm a couple of years ago, though he continues to work there on a part-time basis.

Now, he said he expects to be spending quite a bit of his time at the chamber office on Main Street. “I will probably be there most days, attending all of the chamber committee meetings…I anticipate I’ll be there some every day.”

In addition to crediting Collins for having left the chamber in solid shape and saying the staff there is strong and ready for continued challenges, Yokeley said all of the organization’s committees have strong chairpersons, with good leadership onboard.

When Collins stepped down at the end of 2022, the chamber said it would begin the search for a replacement, while naming Finance Director Tammy Snow as office manager for day-to-day office leadership. However, Snow has since left the chamber.

Attempts to reach chamber officials for comment were not successful.

“Dr. Yokeley is a former Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors member and has served in various capacities as a volunteer within the chamber and community, so we welcome him with a sense of familiarity and open arms,” the organization said in a social media posting announcing his appointment.

Yokeley said he is not sure on the board of directors’ plans for filling the position on a permanent basis, and while he might be open to the idea of working with the chamber long-term in a part-time capacity, he’s not really interested in taking on the CEO and president’s job on a full-time, long-term basis.

“I told them I would be available for two or three months, after that, I don’t know, I don’t know what their time frame is, I don’t know how far they are in the search,” he said. “I know it’s going to be a difficult search to replace Randy, I think they want to take time to make sure they get the right person.

“I’ve already had two careers. I may do a third one, but it’s going to be part-time,” he said.

For now, though, he said he is looking forward to working with the chamber in his new, albeit temporary, position.

“I’m excited about it. I’ve been on the chamber board for several years and know what an important part of the community it is. I just want to continue to be sure that is the case,” he said. “Hopefully we can grow it, too, increase membership and get people involved. It’s a wonderful thing for all the businesses, networking, making sure we have a strong program for economic development.”

The 2023 1A/2A Indoor Track State Championship will feature 21 athletes from Surry County.

For some, championships will be defended, while others look to make the podium for the first time. Athletes qualified for the state championship based on their top performances throughout the season.

North Surry and Elkin boast returning state champions. Elkin sophomore Aniya Edwards is the defending 1A/2A State Champion in the girls’ 55-meter dash and 500-meter run, and North Surry senior Jared Hiatt is the defending state champion in boys long jump.

Mount Airy and Millennium Charter both have qualifying athletes that medaled in 2021-22, while Surry Central – who leads the county with 11 athletes competing in the state meet – looks for its first indoor track medalist since Sarah Brown shattered the 1A/2A pole vault record in 2019-20.

Other returning 2022 medalists from Surry County include: Mount Airy junior Blake Hawks, who won bronze in boys long jump and triple jump; Millennium Charter senior Ava Utt, who won bronze in girls high jump; and North Surry sophomore Ella Riggs, who won bronze in girls shot put.

The 2023 Indoor Track State Championship will be held Feb. 11 at the JDL Fast Track in Winston-Salem. The 1A/2A competition will begin at 9 a.m.

Sophomore Aniya Edwards will compete in four events for the Buckin’ Elks.

Edwards looks to defend her crown in both the 55 and 500 meters. She is seeded No. 3 in the 500 meters with a time of 1:21.08, and No. 4 in the 55 meters with a time of 7.27 seconds. Edwards won those events in 2022 with times of 1:20.53 and 7.20 seconds, respectively.

The Buckin’ Elk will also compete in the 300 meters, in which she is seeded No. 5 with a time of 41.66 seconds, as well as the 4×400-meter relay. The team of Edwards, Alyssa Davis, Ragan Speer and Maggie Tomlin are seeded No. 9 with a time of 4:38.66.

Ava Utt became the first Millennium Charter athlete to medal in indoor track in 2022 and looks to improve upon that performance in 2023.

Utt, a senior, is tied for the No. 10 seed in the girls high jump with a mark of 4-08.00 feet – the same height that earned her a bronze medal this past season.

Blake Hawks returns to the state meet looking to improve on his two bronze medal performances in 2022.

Hawks, a junior, is seeded No. 3 in triple jump with a mark of 41-06.00 feet, while holding the No. 4 spot in long jump at 21-00.00 feet

Senior Jared Hiatt will compete in three events at the state for the second consecutive season: long jump, high jump and triple jump.

Hiatt was seeded No. 8 in long jump in 2022 before winning gold in the event. He enters the event as the favorite this year with a mark of 22-02.00 feet.

Hiatt is also seeded in the top four in high jump and triple jump. The senior’s mark of 6-03.00 is No. 3 in high jump, and his height of 41-05.50 is No. 4 in triple jump.

Junior Ariana Liberatore and freshman Lenae Sumner will also represent the Greyhounds in the three jumping events. Sumner is seeded No. 12 in high jump with a mark of 4-08.00 feet, while Liberatore is No. 13 in triple jump at 32-04.00 feet and No. 20 in long jump at 15-04.50 feet.

Sophomore Ella Riggs is seeded No. 2 in shot put with a distance of 36-04.00. This is more than three feet better than her 2022 bronze medal mark of 33-02.50.

Surry Central’s 11 qualifying athletes come in the form of four relay teams and one individual competitor.

Three of the Golden Eagles’ relay teams will compete in the girls’ competition: the 4×200 team of Wendy Cantor, Aylin Rodriguez, Ivy Toney and Cassie Sneed is seeded No. 15 at 1:56.62; the 4×400 team of Rodriguez, Toney, Cantor and Rubi Cortes-Rosa is seeded No. 15 at 4:44.90; and the 4×800 team of Cortes-Rosa, Toney, Abigail Hernandez and Lanie Fitzgerald is seeded No. 8 at 11:19.56.

Central’s boys will compete in the 4×800 relay as well. The team of Sony Orozco-Flores, Alexis Pedraza, Brangly Mazariegos and Ignacio Morales is seeded No. 18 with a time of 9:17.03.

Morales is also set to compete in the 3,200 meters, in which he is seeded No. 6 with a time of 9:52.81.

Mount Airy police say a home invasion by an armed man late Tuesday afternoon was thwarted when the home owner shot the would-be invader.

According to information released by the Mount Airy Police Department, Joshua Wade Murphy, 41, was at home Tuesday when Daniel Scott Laskey Brown, of Mount Airy, broke into Murphy’s home through the front door while armed with a handgun.

“Once Brown came through the front door, he was confronted by Joshua Murphy, who fired one shot, striking Brown in the neck,” the statement from the police department said.

The statement, released by Police Chief Dale Watson, said the incident occurred shortly before 4:30 p.m., when officers were dispatched to the Andrews Street residence of Murphy in reference to reports of a shooting.

”Officers responded to the residence and located the home owner, Joshua Wade Murphy…standing in the front yard of his residence armed with a shotgun. There was a white male lying in the front yard who had sustained a single gunshot wound to the neck.”

The man suffering from the gunshot wound, Brown, “…was transported by Surry County EMS to Wake Forest Baptist Medical Hospital at which point he was immediately treated for his injuries,” the police chief said. He was admitted to the hospital and was still listed as being in critical condition as of 3:30 p.m. Tuesday.

No legal action has been taken against either men.

“After consulting with the Surry County District Attorney’s Office there will be no criminal charges issued at this time,” the chief’s statement said.

What appeared to be a major law enforcement operation Monday evening just off Rockford Street ended with a woman being led away in handcuffs and charged with driving while impaired and child abuse.

The incident occurred around 6 p.m. as darkness was setting in, making the flashing blue lights from a cluster of Mount Airy Police Department vehicles assembled behind The Red Barn facility readily noticeable to passersby.

At first it appeared that The Red Barn, where multiple businesses operate, might have been a focus of attention by police.

One officer asked about the situation at the scene declined to offer any information about its nature.

But a witness said the woman, operating a 2004 Lincoln Navigator sport-utility vehicle, had led police into a rear parking lot at that location on the corner of Rockford and Worth Streets, with The Red Barn not involved.

The several law enforcement vehicles that converged were lined up behind the SUV driven by the woman, with another parked off to the side as if to hem in the SUV on all sides.

This culminated with the arrest of its driver, whom Police Chief Dale Watson identified as Mary Mar Reyes, 28, of 130 Eastwinds Court.

Watson described the restraining of Reyes as standard procedure: “Yes, being handcuffed is standard when we place someone under arrest, even for DWI.”

It also was not known why so many officers were involved in her arrest. But this can result from someone reporting an allegedly impaired driver at a certain location and the call being received by multiple units that then respond to get the motorist off the road before problems occur.

The witness at the scene said it appeared a child had been in the car with the woman arrested. The child was picked up and taken away by another party, the witness added.

In addition to DWI, Reyes was charged with misdemeanor child abuse and having no operator’s license. Police records indicate she also had no insurance.

Reyes is scheduled to appear in Surry District Court on Feb. 20.

Establishing the county as a sanctuary for life, the board of county commissioners Monday voted to approve the non-binding resolution that had been requested from some members of the community last year.

This endeavor was a labor of love for supporters of the resolution who felt that they were advocating for those who could not advocate for themselves. They expressed that these are not embryos or hypothetical future citizens, but rather from the moment of conception are full human beings with all the same unalienable God given rights the founders said shall be afforded to all.

Kevin Reece told the board that he was glad they were taking up the resolution and recognizing that life begins at conception. “We’re here because God gave us life and out mothers made the choice to go through with it,” he said. “I’m glad my mother went through with it.”

“I’m thankful to have three minutes you gave me because the kids aborted don’t get that. I’m happy to speak on their behalf,” Jason Johnson of Snow Hill Baptist said in support of the measure.

He was speaking for himself and members of the gallery when he said, “I am glad God gave me life, and gave me eternal life. God is pro-life and he wants us to be pro-life.”

Since the Supreme Court’s ruling Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization struck down the precedent set by Roe v. Wade, Reece said that more and more people are coming into North Carolina to have abortions.

The Roe decision established federal level abortion policy that was the law of the land, but Dobbs has thrown the matter back for individual states to make their own policies.

Some states have more restrictions on when an abortion can be done. Gov. Cooper has noted the state will not seek to prosecute anyone crossing state lines to seek treatment they cannot obtain in their home state causing one of many slippery slopes due to a wide range of state policies on abortion.

“It’s my belief people have been flocking to our state to murder children. The more towns and boards that recognize that life begins at conception sends the message to Raleigh that we need to do something about it,” he said.

Woodrow Holder of Holy Cross Missionary Baptist recounted from the Old Testament the tale of Cain and Abel, “Cain slew Abel, he killed his brother. The Bible says his brother’s blood cried out from the ground.”

Holder’s point of view was that being a remaining a silent casual observer to abortion is similar to being an accessory to murder. “ I am sorry to have to say this but I am afraid we have all slew our brothers and sisters because we haven’t stood up more for life. It breaks my heart the shape this nation’s got in.”

“It’s shocking that we have to be here doing this,” Paula Stanley agreed. “I can’t believe we live in a nation where we have to say this…. We’ve lost our way.” She feels that every county across the state should be taking the same stance to proclaim themselves advocates of pro-life policies.

Advocates for the unborn rose from unlikely places. “I don’t understand why a man that is 6’4” and weighs 280 pounds would have anything to do with this, but God keeps putting it in my path. I am here, as has been said, to stand up for those who can’t stand up for themselves,” Mitch Callaway of Stones Throw Christian Ministries said.

Some expressed they did not appreciate the way distant politicians and judges have forced their point of view on others like, “The so-called intellectual elite…who arrogantly think that they know better than us ignorant rednecks of Surry County tell us that women must have a choice; after all, it is their bodies,” Earl Blackburn explained to the board.

“Yes, they do have a choice just like a person who owns a gun has a choice.”

“If a person with the right to choose takes a gun and kills someone else, that choice becomes murder. Abortion is the same way…. Do not babies in the womb have a choice whether they live or die? I think they do but they cannot speak up for themselves,” he said.

Since 1970 the CDC, Blackburn said, reported 70 million abortions but that states such as Illinois and California have not reported their data. The true number of lost souls cannot be calculated and among those could have been the next Mozart, Michael Jordan, or Billy Graham, “Alas, we’ll never know.”

Commissioner Van Tucker echoed the same. “I too am an adoptive father and was blessed to adopt an infant son with my precious wife Karen. We brought him home at three days and he is now 37 years old: he is a gift from God.”

“We brought him home and probably helped his chance at life, but he has greatly enriched my life and many, many more. I have to believe saving life and protecting it in the womb could have some other great results like that.”

Martin Cable got choked up when explained he wasn’t a preacher but, “Just a citizen who had the privilege of adopting a baby girl that otherwise I never would have gotten to raise. The mom made the choice to keep her, and I was fortunate enough to adopt her… a life than could have been aborted, but it changed my life.”

Chairman Eddie Harris regularly poses questions on the nature of the family in modern American life. He has asked if some of the dysfunction and disconnect of the 21st century may be caused in part from the breakdown of values. The value humans place on life is high on that list. “There’s been too much cheapening of human life… it’s a disgrace to our nation. I hope God can bring some change to our nation and make us appreciate the sanctity of life.”

He went on to note that the resolution was not a direct response to Dobbs v. Jackson but rose from the public and comments during open forum from individuals and groups such as Lifeline Pregnancy Center and Stones Throw. With other county elected officials on hand from Wilkes County and the Town of Rhonda who helped the board refine the resolution, and with similar resolutions passing in neighboring counties Harris said, “The timing is appropriate, and the time is now.”

“I am happy to make the motion that we adopt the resolution…declaring Surry County to be a strong advocate for life and urging the citizen of the county to promote and defend the inalienable right to life,” Tucker said, bringing the matter to a vote which had the expected outcome, a unanimous decision in support of the resolution.

From its introduction the five members of the Surry County commissioners spoke in support of the pro-life resolution. While there are nuanced differences between them on abortion born from pragmatism, they were in agreement that life is sacred and each one has its own intrinsic value.

PILOT MOUNTAIN — A concert by the Grammy-winning band Old Crow Medicine Show is scheduled in April to headline a new festival being launched by the town of Pilot Mountain.

The first-ever Pilot Mountain Outdoor Adventure Festival and Expo is set for the weekend of April 21-23, to include activities both downtown and at Armfield Civic and Recreation Center Park nearby.

Old Crow Medicine Show is slated to perform at 8 p.m. on April 22 in the baseball field section of the Armfield Center.

“We know we can fit 6,000 (people) into that area,” said Scott Needham, a Pilot Mountain town commissioner who has been involved with putting the new festival together along with other municipal personnel.

Needham was referring to Old Crow Medicine Show’s tendency to draw large, sell-out crowds, something being signaled as word of its upcoming appearance has spread.

He said Tuesday that 2,000 tickets already had been scooped up by fans of the group specializing in old-time/folk/alternative country/Americana sounds with a reputation for putting on high-energy concerts.

“We sold about 1,000 tickets our first week,” Needham added.

In addition to capturing a Grammy Award in 2015 for Best Folk Album, titled “Remedy,” Old Crow Medicine Show has been inducted into the Grand Ole Opry. Its more well-known songs include “Wagon Wheel” and ”Paint This Town.”

The band originated in Harrisonburg, Virginia, and presently is based in Nashville.

Needham said one of its members, guitarist Mason Via, hails from Stokes County.

Tickets can be ordered via the town of Pilot Mountain website at https://www.pilotmountainnc.org/vist/page/music

A lawn concert-style seating format will be involved, with attendees invited to bring lawn chairs and blankets but no coolers or outside food/drinks.

In addition to the music at Armfield Civic and Recreation Center Park, seven groups will perform at a downtown bandstand on West Main Street on both Saturday and Sunday during the Pilot Mountain Outdoor Adventure Festival and Expo weekend.

Further planned is a Friday night downtown block party on April 21 to feature music by a DJ.

While much attention surrounds the concert by Old Crow Medicine Show, Needham said the overall purpose of the Pilot Mountain Outdoor Adventure Festival and Expo involves promoting local natural resources.

He pointed out that plans for the inaugural gathering are coinciding with 2023 being declared the Year of the Trail in North Carolina.

To that end, the festival is an attempt to showcase such attributes in the Pilot Mountain area.

“We have two state parks that are real close together,” Needham said of Pilot Mountain and Hanging Rock. “We think our future is in the outdoor recreation economy.”

As is the case with many small towns in the region, Pilot Mountain has suffered from the closing of traditional textile industries that were their lifeblood for generations.

Needham said it is hoped the festival will highlight what the town has to offer and perhaps entice manufacturers or retailers of products geared toward the outdoor recreation industry.

“Hopefully, it will improve our economy,” he said regarding implications of the upcoming event.

Along with music, it will feature elements stressing the outdoor focus, including a bike criterium (typically a mass start, multi-lap event contested on a closed course where laps tend to be a mile or less and include four to six corners); a disc golf tournament at Armfield Civic Center; and a 5K run.

Various vendors also are to be part of the festival footprint, including those offering beer and wine, among other attractions.

Organizers believe the booking of Old Crow Medicine Show will be a major driver for the what the Pilot Mountain Outdoor Adventure Festival and Expo seeks to accomplish.

Needham credits Christy Craig, local events coordinator, who chairs the Pilot Mountain Tourism Development Authority, for lining up a group of that caliber.

“She really beat the bushes,” he said.

Needham invites everyone to come and enjoy all aspects of the new festival “and help our area grow.”

Defense was the name of the game as two Surry County rivals did battle in Ron King Gymnasium.

North Surry and Surry Central combined for 167 points in the teams’ initial meeting on Jan. 13, a game North won 97-70. The rematch saw both teams held to season lows, barely combining to break the 100-point mark.

The Greyhounds took a lead in the second quarter and held on for the remainder of the night to win 55-49.

The Greyhounds recognized nine seniors prior to the Feb. 7 win: Kolby Watson, Jahreece Lynch, Makiyon Woodbury, Isaac Johnson, Keaton Leonard, Jackson Smith, James McCreary, Cam Taylor and Zeke Moore.

North Surry clinched the Foothills 2A Conference Championship outright with the victory, defending their conference title from this past season. The Greyhounds improve to 22-1 overall and 11-0 in FH2A competition, while the Golden Eagles drop to 16-6 overall and 7-4 in conference play.

Prior to Tuesday’s game, North Surry had only been held to fewer than 72 points twice this season: a 69-60 win over South Stokes on Dec. 6, and a 62-59 win over East Surry on Jan. 24.

Having already tried and failed to win a shootout against North Surry, Surry Central instead focused on its defense in the rematch with the 2A West’s top-ranked team.

The Hounds were taken aback out of the gate, trailing 11-2 six minutes into the first quarter. It was the Eagles’ intensity on defense and patience on offense that allowed them to build their initial lead. Central had no problem passing the ball around while waiting for the best shot, which resulted in all seven of the team’s first-quarter field goals coming off assists.

Jacob Mitchell led Central with six points in the quarter, while Josh Pardue and Ayden Wilmoth each added five.

North Surry closed the first quarter by scoring nine of the final 14 points, cutting Central’s lead to 16-11 after eight minutes of play, then opened the second quarter with an 11-2 run. The Hounds assisted on six of its seven field goals in the second period, while the Eagles had no assists on six second-quarter points.

Jahreece Lynch, who led North Surry with six assists, dished out four assists in just the second quarter.

North Surry spread the love in the first half, with no player scoring more than seven points across the first two periods. Six Hounds scored in the first half, led by seven from Lynch, six from Kolby Watson and five from Kam McKnight.

North led 26-22 at halftime, then both teams came out of the break locked in on defense. The teams combined for just one point through the first two minutes of the third quarter as each took a more methodical approach.

James McCreary, who led all scorers with 15 points, scored 11 of the Greyhounds’ 17 points in the third quarter. This included North’s first seven points of the second half.

Central managed to tie the game at 28 after a 3-pointer from Adam Hege, then Pardue scored inside after McCreary hit a 3-pointer for North. The Greyhounds pulled ahead with a 6-0 run, but the Eagles still had fight in them and fired off the next four points.

What followed was the run that would ultimately be the difference-maker in the game. Cam Taylor scored a layup alley-oop on a pass from Watson, then McCreary and Makiyon Woodbury added field goals as North closed the quarter with a 6-0 run. The Hounds then opened the fourth quarter with a Lynch dunk and two free throws from McKnight.

The 11-0 run across quarters put North Surry up 47-34 with less than 5:30 to play.

Central opened the fourth quarter with four turnovers and a pair of missed free throws, which would come back to haunt the visitors. Despite efforts to rally, North held on to its double-digit lead until just 2:30 remained in the game.

Hege found McMillen open for a 3-pointer with 2:30 to play. McMillen’s triple made it 51-42, then Pardue put back an offensive rebound to make it a 7-point game. McCreary scored his final field goal of the game with 1:30 to play, but it was countered by a Wilmoth 3-pointer to make it 53-47 with 40 seconds on the clock.

Central elected not to foul on North Surry’s next possession, which allowed McKnight to find Lynch open for two points. Central was still in the game, but couldn’t get a quick shot up as North played some of the tightest defense it had all game.

Pardue finally scored for the Eagles with 11 seconds to play and was fouled as well. He missed the and-1 free throw, which was rebounded by North Surry, and Surry Central didn’t foul in the final seconds to stop the clock.

Surry Central shot a season-low 1-of-7 (14%) from the free throw line in the six-point loss. North Surry only attempted seven free throws as well, but made 4-of-7 attempts (57%).

Neither team made a free throw in the first half.

McCreary was the leading scorer in the game with 15, also finishing with four rebounds, three assists, one steal and one block. Taylor nearly had a double-double for North with eight points and eight rebounds, and Lynch was the Hounds’ leader in assists and steals with six each. Lynch added 13 points and three rebounds.

Mitchell had a double-double for Surry Central with 10 points and 11 rebounds. Pardue added six rebounds, two blocks and five assists to go with 11 points, and Hege tied Pardue with a team-high five assists. McMillen led the Eagles in scoring with 12 points.

SC: Tripp McMillen 12, Josh Pardue 11, Jacob Mitchell 10, Ayden Wilmoth 9, Mason Jewell 4, Adam Hege 3

NS: James McCreary 15, Jahreece Lynch 13, Cam Taylor 8, Kam McKnight 7, Kolby Watson 6, Jackson Smith 4, Makiyon Woodbury 2

GREENSBORO — Local swimmers punched their tickets to the state championship meet at the 1A/2A Central Regional Championship.

The regional championship was held at Greensboro Aquatic Center on February 4 and hosted by both Mount Airy High School and Bishop McGuinness Catholic High School.

The following local schools had swimmers qualify for the state championship: Elkin, East Surry, North Surry, Surry Central, Mount Airy, Starmount and West Stokes

Swimmers from these schools combined for 25 top-3 finishes at regionals – 18 in individual events and seven in relay races. Twelve of these medal-winning performances earned regional championships; eight in individual events and four in relay races.

All four local relay championships came from Elkin swimmers. The girls team of Amelia Presley, Mattie Wells, Morgan Wiles and Sophie Welborn won the 200-yard medley relay and 200 freestyle relay, while the team of Wiles, Presley, Welborn and Sedessa Hatcher won the 200 freestyle relay.

Henry Snyder, Marshall Wells, Troy Snow and Luke McComb won the regional title in the boys 200 medley relay for Elkin.

Elkin also had the most individual championships of local swimmers. Welborn, Presley and Wiles each won individual titles for the girls, and Marshall Wells won a title for the boys.

Surry Central, Mount Airy and Starmount also boasted individual regional champions. Surry Central’s Mallory Cave won a title on the girls side, then Mount Airy’s Matheson Williams and Starmount’s Peyton Ponce de Leon won titles in the boys competition.

Elkin finished regional runner-up in the girls team competition. East Surry’s girls had the next highest finish at fourth, followed by Surry Central in 11th, West Stokes in 13th, North Surry tied for 16th, Mount Airy in 18th, Forbush tied for 22nd and Starmount in 24th.

Elkin’s boys also had the highest team finish of local schools, finishing fourth overall. Mount Airy’s boys were next at seventh, followed by West Stokes in ninth, East Surry in 11th, North Surry in 13th, Starmount in 14th, Surry Central in 21st and Forbush in 25th.

Competitors that finished in the top-6 of a regional event automatically qualified for the 1A/2A State Championship Meet. Then, the six next fastest times from across the state fill the 24 spots per event.

State qualifiers are listed below by event. Individual races are formatted as: regional finish, name, school, time. Relays are formatted as: regional finish, school, time, relay members.

All race distances are measured in yards.

1. Elkin 1:50.36: Amelia Presley, Mattie Wells, Morgan Wiles, Sophie Welborn

7. East Surry 2:08.91: Haley Joyce, Claire Hull, Aby Caro, Ilihanie Caro

8. West Stokes 2:12.57: Hannah Fulp, Gordon Grabs, Kylie Holmes, Morgan Sargent

1. Elkin 1:44.35: Henry Snyder, Marshall Wells, Troy Snow, Luke McComb

5. East Surry 1:50.18: Aiden Richardson, Colby Goins, Andrew Needham, Gavin Atkins

7. North Surry 1:55.73: Jackson Graves, Konnor Mauldin, Javier Villalon-Lopez, Jordan Inman

1. Peyton Ponce de Leon, Starmount, 51.39

1. Elkin 1:41.38: Amelia Presley, Mattie Wells, Morgan Wiles, Sophie Welborn

2. East Surry 1:48.79: Ilihanie Caro, Kaci Collins, Kennedy Cook, Claire Hull

2. Elkin 1:34.11: Troy Snow, Henry Snyder, Luke McComb, Marshall Wells

4. Mount Airy 1:41.20: Matheson Williams, Noah Moore, John Stafford, Hayden Bender

6. West Stokes 1:42.51: Griffin Sparks, Luke Nickless, Matthew Howell, Brayden Lapham

1. Peyton Ponce de Leon, Starmount, 53.91

1. Elkin 3:44.25: Morgan Wiles, Amelia Presley, Sedessa Hatcher, Sophie Welborn

4. East Surry 4:02.71: Kaci Collins, Ilihanie Caro, Kennedy Cook, Haley Joyce

2. Elkin 3:31.60: Troy Snow, Luke McComb, Henry Snyder, Marshall Wells

7. Mount Airy 3:52.85: Matheson Williams, Noah Moore, John Stafford, Hayden Bender

North Surry clinched the Foothills 2A Conference Championship outright on Tuesday by defeating Surry Central 54-43.

The Greyhounds, now 15-6 overall and 10-1 in conference play, repeat as FH2A Champions while matching their conference win total from a year ago. North can improve on its 10-2 FH2A record from 2021-22 with a win over North Wilkes in the regular season finale.

In the first meeting between North Surry and Surry Central this season, junior Sadie Badgett was the only Greyhound that had much luck scoring. Badgett finished that game with 27 points, while no other North Surry player had more than three.

This wasn’t the case in the rematch. The same seven Greyhounds that scored in the first North-Central game also scored in the Feb. 7 game, but this time three Hounds scored in double figures as part of a balanced attack.

The Greyhounds’ only senior, Sarah Mauldin, put up a season-high 14 points while dishing out a team-high four assists. Mauldin was recognized after the game as part of Senior Night.

Freshman Kalyn Collins tied Mauldin for the most points by a Greyhound. Collins added three rebounds, three assists, three steals and a block in the victory.

Surry Central first-year Layla Wall was the only Golden Eagle to hit double figures, leading all scorers with 15 points to go with five rebounds and a pair of steals.

The Greyhounds built an early lead that survived the final three quarters of play.

The teams were tied 10-10 after Wall scored off an assist from Ashley Santamaria with 2:11 to play in the first quarter. A give-and-go between Badgett and Callie Robertson put North up by two, then a steal from Jaxie Draughn set Reece Niston up for a transition layup to close the quarter up 14-10.

North Surry’s run extended to the second quarter as the Hounds scored the first 10 points uninterrupted, taking a 24-10 lead. The Greyhounds scored four field goals during this stretch, and all four came in the same way: a cut across the lane to set up an open look in which the scorer didn’t even have to dribble. Four different players assisted on the four field goals.

North assisted on 17 of its 21 total field goals in the game.

Central responded by scoring the next seven points. Jenna Cave, who led Central was four steals, had two during this run.

North Surry’s lead increased to 37-23 with 3:15 left in the third quarter. Not ready to quit just yet, Central went on a 7-0 run with scoring contributions from Wall, Ragan Hall and Mallie Southern.

The Greyhounds maintained their 10-point lead throughout the fourth quarter. Surry Central managed to get to the free throw line for 10 attempts in quarter, making seven, but failed to slow North Surry’s offense down.

Surry Central drops to 12-10 overall and 3-8 in the FH2A Conference with the loss. The Golden Eagles sit in fifth place in the conference standings, and can secure the No. 5 spot in the conference tournament with a win over East Surry on Feb. 10.

SC: Layla Wall 15, Ragan Hall 8, Ashley Santamaria 7, Mallie Southern 4, Jenna Cave 4, Gaby Montero 2, Presley Smith 2, Brianna Wilmoth 1

NS: Sarah Mauldin 14, Kalyn Collins 14, Sadie Badgett 12, Reece Niston 7, Jaxie Draughn 4, Callie Robertson 2, Josie Tompkins 2

Cedar Ridge Elementary School recently named its leaders of the month for January among the student body and the staff.

“These students and staff members have shown respect,” school officials said, referencing the character trait being emphasized during the month.

Surry Rural Health Center and Scenic Pharmacy provided T-shirts for the student leaders and Matt Swift of Farm Bureau provided a gift to the staff leader, Victoria Calhoun.

On the heels of a successful Mayberry Citizens Academy last fall, Mount Airy officials are rolling out a spring edition of the program to give local residents the opportunity to learn more about city government.

“It is no secret that citizens across the United States possess little knowledge about their government or its operations,” City Manager Stan Farmer said in a statement announcing the latest academy and the role it can play in addressing that issue.

“This is particularly true at the local government level,” Farmer added. “Ironically, residents know least about the level of government closest to them.”

Mount Airy officials are seeking to bridge this gap with the continuation of the Mayberry Citizens Academy.

Its second version will start on March 7 and run for a total of eight sessions each Tuesday evening over an eight-week period until April 25.

During those classes, to run from 5:30 to 7 p.m., a different aspect of local government will be covered by the city manager or relevant department head.

The range of topics includes city and state government relations; fire operations; police and code enforcement; public works/utilities; finance; parks and recreation; and planning. The last session will be a graduation ceremony.

Farmer pointed out that the aim of the program is to better inform citizens about matters that typically arise in municipal government and alleviate a lack of understanding often greeting those.

“This paradox can create challenges for local government leaders who try to garner resident buy-in, particularly when addressing complex issues such as new ordinances, funding capital projects or rezoning decisions,” the city manager stated.

“Although articles (from) the local newspaper, city website, social media and Board of Commissioners meetings can help local governments connect with residents, public sector leaders have long sought better methods for promoting engagement and information sharing.”

The Mayberry Citizens Academy reflects a nationwide trend of local government officials initiating programs promoting a better understanding of local governments, according to Farmer.

Variously referred to as citizen academies or leadership institutes, these programs seek to educate through direct contact with public officials, site visits and hands-on activities.

“These programs are fairly common throughout the nation,” Farmer advised.

The upcoming Mayberry Citizens Academy is limited to 15 attendees.

“Several of Mount Airy’s finest have signed up already for the spring class,” the city manager reported last Friday. He says there is no deadline to do so, with the registration to proceed on a first-come, first-served based until the class limit is reached.

Those interested in learning about their local government and having a little fun in the process, Farmer pledged, are asked to complete a short, half-page application on the city of Mount Airy website — at https://www.mountairy.org/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=495— which can be sent to sfarmer@mountairy.org or dropped off at the Municipal Building.

Applicants must be city residents, but if there are seats remaining non-residents may be considered. Emphasis will be given to creating a diverse class from as many different neighborhoods within Mount Airy as possible, organizers say.

An attendance policy will be in force to ensure a full and dedicated class. Participants missing two or more classes do not graduate, but will have the option to make up classes they missed when the next academy takes place.

Those doing so may graduate with the next academy.

During the graduation ceremony, each student will be presented with a certificate of completion signed by the mayor, and a class shirt embroidered with the city logo.

Their pictures will be taken with the mayor and classmates to be sent to the local newspaper and other media outlets.

© 2018 The Mount Airy News