Marriages – Mount Airy News

The following marriage licenses were issued in Surry County:
– Chandler Levi Hiatt, 24, of Carroll County, Virginia, to Allie Brooke Dowdy, 23, of Carroll County.
– Robert Lee Miller Jr., 50, of Surry County to Angela Dawn Miller, 48, of Surry County.
– Jerry Minton East Jr., 48, of Surry County to Chelsea Dawn Reynolds, 33, of Surry County.
– Gabriel Ramirez Alvardo, 43, of Surry County to Petra Leandro Alonzo, 32, of Surry County.
– Patrick Zane East, 26, of Surry County to Alexis Marie Kinnan, 26, of Surry County.
– Colton Gray Jones, 30, of Surry County to Lauren Ayn Huels, 37, of Surry County.
– Dalton Dave Boyd, 33, of Surry County to Delana Rishell Smith, 29, of Surry County.
– Jose De Jesus Aguilar Duran, 30, of Carroll County to Maria Elena Perez Palacios, 31, of Surry County.
– Eric Joseph Treannie, 24, of Yadkin County to Madison Alayna Duke, 22, of Darlington County.
Talk, they hear you: five conversation goals
Surry County Most Wanted
March 06, 2022
The Surry County Community Corrections office is seeking information on the whereabouts of the following individuals:
• Darrel Wayne Gearhart, 37, a white male wanted on probation violations who is on probation for felony indecent liberties with a child;
• Lela Noelle Shipman, 23, a white female wanted on probation violations who is on probation for violating a domestic violence protective order, injury to real property, second degree trespassing, resisting a public officer, possession of a schedule II controlled substance, use/possession of drug paraphernalia and larceny;
• Kenneth Paul Rupert, 42, a white male wanted on probation violations who is on probation for felony speeding to elude arrest and two counts of felony possession of methamphetamine;
• Kay Matthews Calhoun, 63, a white female wanted on probation violations who is on probation for level 1 driving while impaired.
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.
March 06, 2022
The following marriage licenses were issued in Surry County:
– Chandler Levi Hiatt, 24, of Carroll County, Virginia, to Allie Brooke Dowdy, 23, of Carroll County.
– Robert Lee Miller Jr., 50, of Surry County to Angela Dawn Miller, 48, of Surry County.
– Jerry Minton East Jr., 48, of Surry County to Chelsea Dawn Reynolds, 33, of Surry County.
– Gabriel Ramirez Alvardo, 43, of Surry County to Petra Leandro Alonzo, 32, of Surry County.
– Patrick Zane East, 26, of Surry County to Alexis Marie Kinnan, 26, of Surry County.
– Colton Gray Jones, 30, of Surry County to Lauren Ayn Huels, 37, of Surry County.
– Dalton Dave Boyd, 33, of Surry County to Delana Rishell Smith, 29, of Surry County.
– Jose De Jesus Aguilar Duran, 30, of Carroll County to Maria Elena Perez Palacios, 31, of Surry County.
– Eric Joseph Treannie, 24, of Yadkin County to Madison Alayna Duke, 22, of Darlington County.
March 06, 2022
Research shows (SAMHSA, 2021) that one of the most important factors in healthy child development is a strong, open relationship with a parent. It is important to start talking to your children about alcohol and other drugs before they encounter them. Per SAMHSA (2021), parents can use these five goals when talking to kids about alcohol and other drugs:
1. Show you disapprove of underage drinking and other drug misuse.
More than 80% of young people ages 10-18 say their parents are the leading influence on their decision whether to drink. Send a clear and strong message that you disapprove of underage drinking and misuse of other drugs.
2. Show you care about your child’s health, wellness, and success.
Young people are more likely to listen when they know you’re on their side.
Reinforce why you don’t want your child to drink or use other drugs. The conversation will be more successful if you’re open and show concern for their health and safety.
3. Show you’re a good source of information about alcohol and other drugs.
You want your child to make informed decisions about alcohol and drugs
with foundational information about their dangers. Establish yourself as a trustworthy source of information so they can come to you with any questions.
4. Show you’re paying attention and you’ll discourage risky behaviors.
Show you’re aware of what your child is up to, as young people are more likely to drink
or use drugs if they think no one will notice.
5. Build your child’s skills and strategies for avoiding underage drinking and drug use.
Even if you don’t think your child wants to try substance use, peer pressure is a
powerful thing. Having a plan to avoid alcohol and drug use can help children make better choices. Talk with your child about what they would do if faced with a decision about alcohol and drugs, such as texting a code word to a family member or practicing how they’ll say “no thanks.” Remember, keep it low-key. Don’t worry, you don’t have to get everything across in one talk. Plan to have many short talks. “Talk. They really do hear you.”
If you, or someone you know, would benefit from learning more about “Talk. They Hear You,” start by contacting Charlotte Reeves, Surry County Office of Substance Abuse Recovery Community Outreach Coordinator, at [email protected]. Visit our website at surrycountycares.com for more information about substance use disorder and the many resources in our County.
March 06, 2022
Editor’s Note: Community Comment is a periodic column in The Mount Airy News featuring commentary from community leaders in Mount Airy and Surry County.
Mount Airy City Schools (MACS) is ahead of the curve in academic preparation. We accelerate children at every level. “Acceleration” means that we allow students to move faster through the traditional curriculum and work ahead. This is important because the state standards are just a baseline for how much can be and should be learned at each grade level.
BH Tharrington Primary has a nurturing program. This helps all children find their area of giftedness. We have individualized instruction for all children working at their pace and exposing many students to “above grade level” curriculum. An individual pathway makes sure all students are able to move at a pace that is comfortable for them.
The Academically and Intellectually Gifted program at JJ Jones Intermediate identifies students in third grade for a separate setting in fourth and fifth grades. This allows the students to move at a much faster pace than the standard curriculum and allows them to explore topics beyond their grade level. Our teacher can also compact the curriculum to help all students go at a pace that may include several grade levels. We have specialized equipment that allows fifth grade students who qualify to attend a middle school course virtually with a teacher from Mount Airy Middle School every day. While many schools across the nation have cut gifted programming, we have expanded it.
Our MicroSchool has helped students who need to move at an even faster pace and who may be two grade levels ahead. The MicroSchool allows students to be at home learning online for part of the week and enjoy a “place-based” learning experience once a week. This year they have come together for STEAM activities and experiments and many environmental excursions. We may have a first grade student learning second or third grade concepts and working with students from upper grade levels each week.
Another program, Dual Language Immersion (DLI) is so popular that it often has a waiting list. This program allows students to be fluent in Spanish and English, taking Spanish a majority of the day in K-second grade and 50% of the day in third through fifth. The DLI program has now extended to middle school where students will take advanced courses in Spanish and learn to apply their Spanish in many ways throughout the real world.
The middle school acceleration model encourages students who are ahead in mathematics to take advanced courses beginning in the sixth grade.
Once students have entered the eighth grade they have many options. If they are ready to take high school courses for credit, we offer our High School Accelerate where English I, Math 1, Earth and Environmental Science, Spanish I, and American History I are taken during their eighth grade. They take these high school courses face-to-face with experienced and highly qualified teachers. We even have students who have virtually joined our high school sophomore courses to make sure they are not held back but pushed forward.
Our North Carolina Association of Scholastic Activities challenges all students and helps them stretch their academic skills. Mount Airy Middle School has been able to win the statewide cup and place every year because of the amazing students we have and how well they compete across the state.
Our summer programs allow for all students to explore their passions. The summer programs are built around the theme of STEAM and match the summer program to students’ natural interests. The program in the summer is an extensive menu of free summer programs and activities from kindergarten through twelfth grade. We encourage you to watch for the menu of options coming soon.
The last piece of our acceleration puzzle is the high school academic program. The many pathways to success allow for all students to be involved in honors and college courses. Ninety percent of our students attend a two- or four-year university and taking care of their general courses in high school can save them thousands of dollars. The support system at Mount Airy High School allows students to take Advanced Placement courses for college credit while giving the students the support they need to be successful in those courses. The College and Career Promise Courses provide the opportunity for all children to take courses through Surry Community College. The credits they receive help them with college success.
The career and technical education courses also provide many certification programs and exciting internships with businesses right here in our county. Students can learn to fly a drone, become a pilot, become an entrepreneur, create 3D models, design websites, explore all health science careers, and learn to cook. All schools get the opportunity to travel and our strategic plan encourages us to return to traveling outside of the state and country. Many of these trips have included trips to Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, and China. We can’t wait for our students to begin to learn outside the walls of our school again.
Our families love our ability to “accelerate” their children. We get feedback each year on this program and try to cater to the needs of students. We know every child is gifted, we want to find how they are gifted and use their educational support to match their gifts. If you are interested in our program please visit: https://bit.ly/3sYzcnf
For more information or if you want to become a Granite Bear please contact us and visit our website at : https://www.mtairy.k12.nc.us/
March 06, 2022
• Authorities are investigating a first-degree burglary at Cloud Zone Tobacco and Vape involving the theft of property valued altogether at more than $3,500, according to Mount Airy Police Department reports.
The crime was discovered on the morning of Feb. 26 at the business on North Renfro Street, which three unknown suspects broke into the night before while it was occupied.
They then stole merchandise with a total value of $3,586, including CBD products listed as a one-pound jar of Delta H hemp, nine three-ounce jars of Delta H hemp and 30 Packwoods hemp-infused Delta 8 cigarettes.
• Police learned Wednesday that power tools valued at $667 had been stolen from a vehicle owned by Dennis Dwain Angel. The theft occurred while the 1995 Chevrolet was unsecured at an unidentified commercial/office building in the 400 block of West Pine Street.
The loss included a Stihl orange and tan chainsaw and a DeWalt brad nailer 18-inch nail gun.
• A bodily assault occurred on Feb. 26 at the residence of Solmarie Pacheco on Lovill Street, where a known suspect is said to have struck her in the nose and face using his fists. No arrests were reported in the immediate aftermath of the incident.
• A hit and run case was reported on Feb. 25, which involved an unknown driver sideswiping a 2001 Dodge Caravan owned by Bobby Dean Huff Jr. of Holly Avenue and fleeing the scene.
The incident occurred while the minivan was parked at A Touch of Mayberry on North Main Street, where Huff is employed. It caused damage put at $2,000.
March 06, 2022
Something meant to remedy a problem, the pain chart at the hospital, may have played a little-known role in the blight of opioid abuse. Surry County is expected to receive over $9 million from the opioid settlement, and a long-term plan has been drawn up to utilize those funds based on community feedback.
$26 billion has been settled by three drug manufacturers to resolve lawsuits claiming their business practices helped fuel the deadly opioid crisis. “Our communities will begin to receive money this year to help people struggling with substance misuse,” focusing on treatment, recovery, prevention, and harm reduction services, Attorney General Josh Stein said.
Of the state’s $750 million settlement, 1.5% is expected to reach Surry County which Mark Willis, the county’s opioid response director, said will be paid to the county over 18 years. He spoke recently to the county commissioners to discuss plans focusing the roughly $500,000 a year the settlement will add to the fight on drugs.
A painful outcome
Surry was not alone but was victim to “a number of events that were outside of your control, no different than 2,000 other rural counties.” With the implementation of pain as the sixth vital sign by the American Pain Society, Willis told the commissioners, pain management became a barometer of patient satisfaction.
How well hospitals dealt with pain had a direct effect on their ratings, “That lead to doctors taking what drug companies said and over prescribing opiates,” he explained. In this area, Surry County stood out from other counties. From 2006 – 2014 in Surry County 55 million pills were sold, 105% more than the average of neighboring counties “including Forsyth.”
Seeing a problem, North Carolina adopted in 2017 the Strengthen Opioid Misuse Prevention (STOP) Act. It was another measure designed to help by limiting the quantity of pain pills that could be prescribed.
The sudden change created a problem for those patients who had been managing their pain as directed and became a causal factor in creating many addiction problems.
“You had people getting 60-90 opioid pills of 80mg, 100mg, 120mg. Then you tell them, ‘You are not getting anymore, you’re only getting seven days. We don’t think you need anymore.’ They went elsewhere and where they went was the street.”
The business of abuse
Economics also came into play, Willis pointed out that finding a “tick” of heroin on the street costs a fraction of a pill, making it the faster easier option. The path of least resistance has then led from pills to heroin in the blink of an eye.
Eighty percent of heroin users today he said started on legal prescriptions for opioids. “Although the intent of the state legislature was good, what we didn’t do was put something in place to help people who need treatment for opioid addiction.”
Commissioner Eddie Harris pointed out that weak border security needs to be considered on the list of events working against the war on drugs. Willis agreed saying the majority of drugs like cocaine, methamphetamine, marijuana, or the newest concern “novel psycho active substances – fentanyl, and dozens and dozens of different analogs of fentanyl flooding your streets,” cross from Mexico.
He noted cartels there have improved all elements of operations from smuggling to the science of producing synthetic drugs, even calling some of the business techniques “Harvard level.”
Traffickers want people hooked, so fentanyl is now found mixed in with other drugs. Non-opiates like Xanax or ecstasy, even marijuana vapes may be laced with fentanyl to create a new addict because of its “exceptionally addictive” nature.
Willis said EMS crews have reported that the refinements to the science have led to stronger drugs on local streets, and an uptick of drugs laced with fentanyl has been documented. The federal Commission on Combating Synthetic Opioid Trafficking reported two thirds of overdose deaths nationally from June 2020 to May 2021 were from fentanyl and synthetic opioids.
A community plan
To see what citizens felt were the areas of concern, a community needs assessment of 25 questions got back 730 responses, twice as many as were needed Willis noted. Interviews were done with community leaders and responses ranked by their readiness level, or how prepared the community is to act.
Willis applauded the county’s progress so far on creating an action plan and offered that Surry County was doing “one hundred percent more than a third of NC counties.”
Having an action plan is critical in using settlement money, everything must fall under the allowance of the memorandum of agreement. The settlement requires data collection, analysis, and reporting back on the efficacy of the programs – the same as with federal grants – to ensure compliance with the MOA.
Commissioner Van Tucker asked what he can tell his constituents is being done, Willis advised, “tell them we have a plan: our citizens say they want this, the MOA says we can do it, and we have a plan, so we know what we are going to spend on.
“We need to be able to build a program in this county that will adapt itself to any problem. You’ve gone through crack cocaine, heroin, opioid pills, and now we’re looking at the novel psycho active substances. There will be something else in the next few years, we will have systems in place that can handle whatever the next outbreak is.”
An ounce of prevention
The plan focuses on prevention and will hire an outreach coordinator to facilitate youth prevention education groups and information dissemination, an estimated annual cost of $117,000. “What we need to do with prevention programs – they are usually the last things to be done. I think we should build a protective dome around Surry County that rivals anything anyone has ever seen.
”We have asked for help from Partners Health Management to specifically address substance use disorder in this county to saturate for 18 months this county with prevention and SUD related programs.”
Treatment programs, as well as addition of counselors and addiction specialists to the jail will be a key in breaking the cycle of abuse. The current budget projection is based on estimates for a staff of four, and what those salaries would look like at an outside treatment center, roughly $177,000 annually.
Wills said a healthy recovery system will require a peer support specialist who will pair with the re-entry coordinator to work with detention centers, businesses, and treatment centers. The goal is to be able to find people jobs, like the pilot programs with Leonard Buildings and Wayne Farms that place people into employment post incarceration. The positions are budgets at $188,000 annually.
Partners is going assist to help with a volunteer network of recovery coaches to replicate what AA/NA does with mentors, someone to talk to when having a problem. That is going to take training for those mentors, the budget hold $10,000 annually to offset those training costs for mentors.
The settlement is not a silver bullet, it will only be an additional tool in the ongoing fight again substance abuse. Preventing substance issues before they start is playing offense, treatment and recovery are wholly reactive measures, Willis suggests a plan with more offense.
March 05, 2022
Going to the dentist ranks right up there with death and speaking in public as one of mankind’s greatest fears — which is understandable to anyone who’s ever experienced a painful procedure.
Not only must a patient dread that discomfort, there is also the injection of anesthesia before the real pain can commence.
But the dental services offered by the Surry Medical Ministries free clinic in Mount Airy have gotten a shot of funding — a $46,755 Blue Cross Blue Shield grant — that will greatly numb this situation through the use of more-effective anesthesia.
This was one of two major developments diagnosed for the Rockford Street facility in recent days.
Clinic adds days
The other involves an expansion of the general clinic schedule to benefit those seeking a variety of services, according to Nancy Dixon, president of the Surry Medical Ministries governing board. It went into effect this past week.
Surry Medical Ministries, which provides free services to people without health insurance, has been operating only two days each week, on Tuesdays from 5 to 8 p.m. and Thursdays, 9 a.m. to noon.
The new clinic hours include a Monday schedule of 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., the original Tuesday time from 5 to 8 p.m., Wednesday hours of 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Thursday, also 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Surry Medical Ministries officials say the extra hours of service will impact the care of patients with chronic disease, many of whom have been disproportionately affected by COVID.
The clinic opened in 1993. It relies on medical professionals and others in the community who serve those in need on a volunteer basis.
Surry Medical Ministries’ caseload has more than doubled since COVID-19 struck.
“Dental anxiety” factor
The positive impact the $46,755 Blue Cross Blue Shield grant will have in allowing the clinic to see more patients in need of dental services — through the new anesthesia method — can be considered critical when examining the caseload at hand.
Its backlog is such that someone must wait several months for an appointment. “We’re all the way booked into July,” Dixon said.
Surry Medical Ministries is the only provider for adult dental services in Surry County for the uninsured population, offering one monthly dental clinic on the first Tuesday from 5 to 8 p.m. staffed by two dentists and one assistant. Surry Health and Nutrition Center, the county health department, presently lacks a dentist and has only been offering pediatric care.
The role the enhanced anesthesia component will play in allowing more patients to be processed might not be readily apparent, but was clearly explained by clinic officials.
Surry Medical Ministries prioritizes dental emergencies such as extractions and surgical procedures, which require time — including the period for the injected anesthesia to take effect.
Many clinic patients are “very fearful” of the dentist, officials say, and/or have a high tolerance to anesthetics, making it more difficult for them to feel sufficiently numb for the dentist to begin surgery. This slows down the process and thus reduces the number of patients who can be managed during one clinic session.
The facility will use funding to support the enhancement of present dental services by 25 percent, based on information provided by Dixon.
Doctor’s perspective
Further elaboration on the issue was supplied by Dr. Ken Peavy, one of the lead dentists in the clinic’s volunteer dental unit.
“At almost every clinic, a patient or two leaves before the treatment can be completed or even initiated because their dental anxiety and the pain (which is from the oral infection) is so overwhelming,” Peavy said in a statement.
“We have others leave because the pain and anxiety has caused their blood pressure to rise to levels so high that it is too dangerous to give them local anesthesia.”
Peavy added that many times, after 10 minutes of trying to reassure patients and coax them to at least try to have a painful tooth removed, the staff administers the local anesthesia, then waits another five to 10 minutes. “And they still say they can feel it and we can’t finish,” the dentist related.
“This is especially heartbreaking for the dental providers because we know how effective local anesthesia is, but local anesthesia doesn’t do anything to relieve the psychic pain they are feeling — not only have they not been helped, they have taken up 20 to 30 minutes of our limited surgery time and other patients have to wait.”
The excessive wait resulting has caused some patients to be unable to stay long enough for their turns, who end up leaving before even being seen and treated.
One extremely safe and effective solution to reduce both pain and anxiety is the inhalation use of a mixture of nitrous oxide and oxygen (N2O sedation) sometimes referred to as “laughing gas,” according to Peavy.
He says N2O sedation has been one of the safest agents used in medicine and dentistry because it can be mixed and delivered for the desired effect and rapidly reversed in just a few breaths. The N2O sedation has a rapid onset that is as fast as many IV medications, the dentist mentioned regarding the catalyst for the clinic becoming more efficient.
The new method will better assist patients with their dental anxiety while speeding up procedure time and allowing more people to be served during the clinic hours.
Dixon says the enhanced anesthesia component will be added in the next few months as the Blue Cross Blue Shield funds are processed and related installation occurs.
March 05, 2022
The seventh grade academically and intellectually gifted students at Gentry Middle School decided to create a blessing box on campus for their 2021-2022 service project. They wanted to create a place where people in the community who are in need of basic supplies could go to pick up different items.
The students worked with Chuck Hiatt at North Surry High School to have the box built. After Hiatt and his students delivered the box, the Gentry students painted it and started collecting items to get the box stocked. Jonathan Phillips and his students helped to get the box set up out by the school’s mailbox.
“We are so excited to see an idea turn into something that can help our community,” school officials said of the effort. “If you know anyone who might need food or toiletry items, please pass this along. We will continue to collect items to keep the box stocked. You can also come by anytime to add items to the box. Thanks so much for the support of everyone who has donated items or helped to make this project happen. We hope this blessing box will be a help to citizens in our community for years to come.”
March 05, 2022
Millennium Charter Academy recently inducted 17 students into the National Junior Honor Society.
Membership in this near-century-old international organization is both an honor and responsibility rooted in “outstanding scholarship, character, leadership, service, and citizenship,” according to information released by the school.
The Academy requires its candidates to: maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 3.75 in grades 6-8; be outstandingly principled; lead others into and through service; set the example of how one ought to act.
”These seventeen young people have proven themselves time and time again in their continuous pursuit of excellence,” school officials said. “Furthermore, the administration of Millennium Charter Academy thanks the parents, siblings, friends, and teachers of these distinguished young people. A significant reason that each of them were honored is because of the love, support, guidance, influence, and input provided by those closest to them.“
March 05, 2022
Surrey Bancorp (Pink Sheets: SRYB), the holding company for Surrey Bank & Trust, recently reported earnings for the fourth quarter of 2021 and the full year.
For the quarter ending Dec. 31, net income totaled $1,179,807 or 28 cents per share, which was down from $1,498,414, or 36 cents per share earned during the fourth quarter of 2020.
The decrease in earnings results from a decrease in net interest income.
Net interest income decreased by 11% from $3,638,909 in the fourth quarter of 2020 to $3,237,515 for the same period in 2021 as net interest income yields declined. The decrease is due to the reduction of loan origination fees from the Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). PPP origination fees totaling $184,751 were recognized in the fourth quarter of 2021 compared to $773,100 recognized in the fourth quarter of 2020. The large decrease in fee recognition was due to the winding down of PPP loans in the fourth quarter of 2021. PPP loans totaling $24,775,780 were paid off in the fourth quarter of 2020 while only $3,331,485 in PPP loans were paid off in the fourth quarter of 2021.
The provision for loan losses decreased from $125,666 in the fourth quarter of 2020 to $61,428 in 2021. Noninterest income decreased from $804,890 in the fourth quarter of 2020 to $488,331in 2021. This decrease was primarily attributable to the reduction in insurance commission due to the sale of SB&T Insurance in the first quarter of 2021. Insurance commissions in the fourth quarter of 2020 amounted to $238,179. Noninterest expenses decreased from $2,441,728 in the fourth quarter of 2020 to $2,142,849 in the fourth quarter of 2021. This decrease is attributable to salaries and employee benefits associated with SB&T Insurance.
Net income for the year rose, however. As of Dec. 31, net income for the year was $5,103,575 or $1.22 per share outstanding, compared to a $4,578,161 or $1.10 per share outstanding for the previous year. Earnings for the year are approximately 11.5% higher than for the same period in 2020. The increase in earnings results from a decrease in the provision for loan losses and a decrease in noninterest expenses.
The provision for loan losses decreased from a provision of $689,853 in 2020 to a provision of $387,359 in 2021. This decrease is due to the estimated economic impact of the pandemic lessening in 2021 as the federal government added stimulus to the economy. Noninterest expenses decreased 4.7%, from $9,196,654 in 2020, to $8,763,536 in 2021. Most of the decrease results from a reduction in salaries and benefits associated with SB&T Insurance.
Surrey Bancorp is the bank holding company for Surrey Bank & Trust and is located at 145 North Renfro Street, Mount Airy. The bank operates full-service branch offices at 145 North Renfro Street, and 2050 Rockford Street in Mount Airy and a limited-service branch at 1280 West Pine Street in Mount Airy. Full-service branch offices are also located at 653 South Key Street in Pilot Mountain, 393 CC Camp Road in Elkin and 1096 Main Street in North Wilkesboro, and 940 Woodland Drive in Stuart, Virginia.
Surrey Bank & Trust can be found online at www.surreybank.com.
March 05, 2022
An African drum and dance workshop will be held in the Andy Griffith Museum Theatre on Saturday, March 19. The workshop will begin with drumming at 1 p.m. followed by an African dance workshop at 2:15 p.m. The workshops are free for all ages and are limited to 30 participants per session.
Tam Tam Mandingue of Winston-Salem will be providing 30 drums at each workshop. With an authentic imported drum for every participant, these education programs immerse participants in both the music and dance of West Africa.
Participants learn rhythms and songs that represent the traditions of several African ethnic groups, then learn dances that historically accompany the musical selections. Strong emphasis is placed on the traditional West African values of respect, community, and teamwork. Living Rhythms workshops broaden participants’ understanding of our increasingly interdependent world, and encourage them to embrace a life of critical thinking.
The African drumming and dance workshops are sponsored in part by the African American Historical and Genealogical Society with funding from a Grassroots Grant from the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural & Cultural Resources.
Contact Marie Nicholson at [email protected] or RJ Heller at [email protected] with questions, to participate, or for more information.
March 05, 2022
Talk about a last-minute rush.
As of early on Feb. 25, only three local non-profit organizations had applied for money from Mount Airy’s share of federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds designated last year to help communities nationwide recover from the COVID pandemic.
But by the application deadline four days later — last Tuesday — the number of groups seeking assistance had ballooned to 16, which submitted funding requests totaling $2.4 million.
The city government was tapped for $3.2 million through the American Rescue Plan Act, and no decision has been made regarding whether such requests actually will be granted and in what sums.
With aid for non-profits an allowable use of the federal dollars, Mount Airy officials have explained that they wanted to get information on proposed projects or programs from applicants for funding ahead of the city’s annual spring budget process.
The number of applicants and the specific requests sought were compiled and released publicly Thursday afternoon at a meeting of the Mount Airy Board of Commissioners.
That list includes (in the order reported by the city):
The Surry Young Entrepreneurs Program, Surry Arts Council, Mount Airy Men’s Shelter, Mount Airy Rescue Squad, Sandy Level Community Council Inc., Veterans Memorial Park, Surry Medical Ministries, Rotary Pup Dog Park, Tiny Tigers Rescue Inc.;
Also, the Shepherd’s House homeless shelter, Masonic Properties of Mount Airy Inc., Surry Children’s Center, African-American Historical and Genealogical Society, Mount Airy Museum of Regional History, Mount Airy Public Library and Mount Airy Junior Woman’s Club.
The $2.4 million in assistance overall which these organizations are requesting is to support various projects with a total estimated price tag of $8.1 million.
This is believed to be the first time in Mount Airy’s history that such potential funding was offered on a widespread basis.
Information released by the municipality does not specify the projects, but some have been reported on previously, as exemplified by requests from two major entities.
The largest sum sought is $475,000 from the museum, and the Arts Council is next with a request of $357,500.
Both have targeted city funding in recent years for facility additions and/or improvements.
Another example is third on the list, the Sandy Level Community Council, which is seeking $262,920 toward a total project cost of $346,880. Its plans call for renovations of the historic Satterfield House so it can become a community center offering educational and other programs at a site where a Rosenwald school also was once located.
Mayor Ron Niland and Commissioner Marie Wood believe any requests granted should be for non-profit organizations with solid records of community service which are planning meaningful programs and projects not duplicated by others.
The city government also will designating the federal money for its needs.
Downtown improvements, employee salaries and upgrading the communications capabilities of the council meeting room in the Municipal Building through a major technology upgrade have been listed as possible uses by the municipality.
Equipment and building-related expenditures such as new trucks and HVAC upgrades are among other needs cited.
March 05, 2022
Organizers of an upcoming event aren’t asking participants to sing for their supper. Instead, they are asking for individuals willing to run for someone else’s lunch.
The 2022 YVEDDI Meals on Wheels 5K/10K run is slated for March 26, with YVEDDI hoping to use the event to raise significant funding for the Meals on Wheels project.
Lisa Money, Meals on Wheels director, said this will be the eighth 5K/10K run the organization has sponsored, although there will be some differences this year because of COVID-19. Chief among those is the need for individuals to register in advance — there will be no onsite registration the day of the run.
The annual run has been a big hit for the agency.
“Our first year, we had 165 people on a waiting list for Meals on Wheels,” she said, with lack of funding the primary reason her organization couldn’t serve all who wanted the meals. “We knew we needed to do something big, and quickly. With the help of a lot of volunteers we pulled it together.”
The result? She said that first run raised enough money to move everyone off of the waiting list.
Meals on Wheels delivers lunches to area senior citizens, using a cadre of volunteers who drive the meals out to the client homes. Prior to the pandemic, she said they delivered a lunch to clients Monday through Friday.
“They got a hot meal delivered every day,” she said. Nearly as important, those receiving the meals also made a social contact with the delivery volunteers.
“For some of our people, they live alone, they have no one else,” Money said. “A lot of times our driver is the only person the client sees and talks to each day. It provides a safety check on them.”
Unfortunately, the coronavirus pandemic has forced the program to change how it operates. At present, she said volunteers only go out on Tuesdays, delivering five boxed meals the client can use at his or her convenience during the week. Money is hopeful that declining COVID case numbers will soon mean the agency can get back to daily deliveries.
COVID-19 also affected the 5K/10K effort.
“The first year of the pandemic, in 2020, we didn’t get to have it,” she said of the run. “We always have it on the last Saturday in March, and we shut down on March 17, so it was cancelled.”
Last year, Money said the race went on, but with some modifications. There was no onsite registration race day, and participants were asked to remain in their cars until a few minutes before start time. There also was no award ceremony — medals were mailed to those who had won them.
This year, she said restrictions will be loosened a bit. While there will be no race day registration, there will be a ceremony afterward recognizing the winners.
“We ask that everyone wear their mask or face covering until it’s time for their race to start,” she said, then to wear them again after the races when onsite. “We ask people to social distance as much as possible.”
According to information supplied by the Meals on Wheels program, the 5K/10K run has raised a total of $70,000 since its inception, which has provided funding for 20,000 meals.
While that is a lot, it’s only a fraction of what the agency does each year. In the most recent fiscal year, she said the agency provided 94,328 meals. At present, she said they have 329 clients, with another 45 in Surry County on a waiting list.
She also said the agency is in need of additional volunteers to help deliver food. Sometimes, she said, people are put on a waiting list simply because there are no drivers available to deliver.
That has become particularly acute during the pandemic, with some volunteers having to step aside from fear of contracting the virus.
“The deliveries are mid-day…most of our drivers are retired. They are in that vulnerable age group for COVID, so many of them have stopped delivering.”
Anyone interested in learning more about volunteering can call Money at 336-367-3522.
As for the March 26 run, the event will be at Dobson Square Park, with the 10K starting at 8 a.m. and the 5K getting underway at 8:15. The cost is $20 for individuals age 17 and younger, $30 for adults, through March 11. Afterward, the cost is $35 for all ages. Those registered by March 11 will also get a “moisture-wicking t-shirt.”
For additional information, or to register, visit https://yveddi5k10k.itsyourrace.com/event.aspx?id=5192
March 05, 2022
GREENSBORO — North Surry incredible playoff run came to an end Saturday as the Greyhounds fell 79-62 to Robinson.
Nine first-half lead changes left the No. 4 Greyhounds and No. 6 Bulldogs tied up 34-34 at halftime of the 2A West Regional Final. Robinson took advantage of North Surry turnovers and second-chance opportunities in the third quarter to slowly gain a double-digit lead, then kept building the lead to as many as 22 in the fourth quarter.
“I was proud of the way our guys fought tonight, even though it wasn’t the outcome we wanted,” said North Surry coach Tyler Bentley. “We knew they were going to be big, strong and athletic, and we held our own in the first half. Our guys battled the whole game, but then they got that 8-10 point lead and kind of stretched us to get out of our zone and have to match up with them.
“They’re a tough, strong and physical team, so we’ve got to get tougher, stronger and more physical on our end.”
Robinson came into Saturday’s West Regional Final 26-3. Like the Hounds, the Bulldogs won their conference with a 12-0 record and won 12-straight to reach the Final Four.
Nine players on Robinson’s 13-man roster were listed at 6’0” or taller, with junior forward Daevin Hobbs leading the way at 6’6”. Bentley compared Robinson’s athleticism to that of East Forsyth and Mount Tabor, who North Surry played in the Frank Spencer Classic earlier this season.
“Top to bottom, they may be the most athletic team we’ve faced.”
The Greyhounds went basket-for-basket with the Bulldogs in the first half. Similar to their Elite Eight game against West Caldwell, North knocked down three 3-pointers in the first quarter. This included triples from James McCreary and Cam Taylor on back-to-back possessions.
Robinson did most of its scoring in the paint, and its offense really came alive in the second half. Hobbs broke the 34-34 tie 14 seconds into the third quarter. Hobbs and fellow forward Jermaine Gray combined for 17 in the quarter, while also bringing down seven rebounds – more than North Surry’s as a whole in the third.
Robinson won the rebounding battle 45-29. Hobbs, who tied for the most points in the game with 23, also grabbed 16 rebounds.
Once Robinson led by 10 at the end of the third quarter, the Greyhounds knew it was going to be a tough mountain to climb. The Bulldogs tight defense made this even more difficult by forcing four turnovers in the first four minutes of the fourth quarter, and turning those into seven points on the other end.
North Surry finishes the season 23-5 overall. Prior to Saturday’s loss, the Hounds had won nine consecutive games and 15 of their past 16. This included finishing 12-0 in the Foothills 2A Conference, then winning back-to-back games to win the conference tournament.
“We had goals of winning the conference and making a run in the playoffs,” Bentley said. “Our guys latched on to that in the beginning of the season, and it allowed us to make this run. We ended up playing our best basketball at the very end of the season, which is every coach’s dream. Doing that allowed us to get to this point today.”
The Greyhounds’ trip to the Final Four comes after three seasons without a playoff win.
“These guys have a ton to be proud of with what they have accomplished this year and what they’ve given this community,” Bentley said. “We had the community come out to home and away games and these guys gave them something to cheer on.
“This is our first real away game in about a month. We get here and look up in the stands – and this is a big gym – packed with blue shirts. That’s really special. I’m so thankful for everyone’s support this entire season.”
Jahreece Lynch led the Greyhounds with eight assists and tied Ryan Simmons and Cam Taylor with five rebounds. Lynch was also the team’s leader in steals with four.
Scoring
Robinson – 17, 17, 24, 21 = 79
North Surry – 19, 15, 13, 15 = 62
RN: Daevin Hobbs 23, Jaylen Jackson 23, Jermaine Gray 14, Zi’ Kei Wheeler 9, Andrew Jordan 4, Brian Rowe 2, Jamari Brooks 2
NS: James McCreary 18, Jahreece Lynch 17, Cam Taylor 11, Kolby Watson 10, Jackson Smith 4, Ryan Simmons 2
March 05, 2022
Mount Airy hosted East Surry Friday in what was the first-ever nonconference meeting between the schools in girls soccer.
An hour-long 0-0 stalemate was broken by a Mount Airy goal in the 60th minute, then the Bears added a safety net nine minutes later to win 2-0.
“This was a really good experience for us,” said Bears coach Will Hurley. “He’s got a great team, and they’re very well-coached so I knew we were in for a challenge. [William] Hart always does a great job.”
Mount Airy finishes week one of the season undefeated at 3-0. With two wins over North Wilkes earlier in the week, the Lady Bears have now outscored opponents 18-0. Karyme Bueno and Kate Deaton each scored in the win over the Cardinals.
East Surry drops its first match of the season to finish week one 1-1-1. The Cardinals opened the season with a 2-2 tie against Elkin, with Morgan Bryant and Liannette Chavez each scoring against the Buckin’ Elks. Bryant netted two goals in a 5-1 win over Starmount, as did Ember Midkiff, and Addison Goins scored once.
“The girls had a hard week, but we are better now than we were five days ago,” Hart said.
Both defenses had strong showings on Friday, keeping most of the action between 18-yard boxes. Attempts to bypass the opposing back line were unsuccessful more often than not with two veteran keepers – Mount Airy senior Mackenzie Hudson and East Surry junior Katie Collins – willing to leave their lines.
The Granite Bear defense recorded its third shutout of the season. After making some lineup changes, Hurley wasn’t sure how efficient everything on defense would be when the Cardinals came to town.
“I learned that our back line is true,” Hurley said. “I really didn’t know that going into this thing, because we moved our striker to the back line to play sweeper and she’s done a phenomenal job. We actually moved one of our center backs up to striker, and she played an awesome game too. She didn’t score, but still did a lot for us.”
East Surry finally broke through the back line in the 29th minute. Midkiff and Chavez executed give-and-go passes through the midfield, then Midkiff found Bryant inside Mount Airy’s 18. Bryant made the Bears’ sweat before Mount Airy could send the ball over the end line for a corner kick.
A short pass from the corner gave Chavez a better angle for a cross. The senior’s pass sailed over the defense and landed near the far post, where Goins was just a step late of connecting for a shot on goal.
Four of Mount Airy’s five first-half shots were placed on frame but saved by Collins. In the second half, Deaton sparked a counterattack and sent a through ball to Alex Rose at striker, however her shot went just outside of the left post.
Mount Airy’s presence in East Surry’s defensive half midway through the second half led to the Bears’ first goal. After numerous unsuccessful attempts to penetrate the back line, Deaton finally put a through ball ahead to Paola Ramirez in the 60th minute. Collins prevented a shot by charging Ramirez, but Bueno swooped in to clean up the leftovers of the collision.
Nine minutes later, Mount Airy’s Grey Moore lined up for a free kick to the left of East Surry’s 18-yard box. After having an earlier free kick from a similar spot saved when she attempted a direct shot, Moore placed her kick near the six-yard line for Bueno.
Bueno was swarmed by Cardinal defenders, but Deaton was there to finish things off.
East Surry had two late chances to get back in the game. Kynsley Penney, who had a big game for the Cards at right back, pressed up when East was inside Mount Airy’s defensive third. A Granite Bear clearance came right to Penney, setting her up for a 40-yard shot that went right at the goal. Hudson kept the scoreboard clean by snatching the shot after one bounce.
The second opportunity came when Midkiff made a run up the Bears’ sideline. The sophomore cut into the box before firing a shot in the 71st minute, and it was saved by Hudson.
Mount Airy controlled possession down the stretch to secure the 2-0 win.
“It’s was a tough game from the beginning to end,” Hart said. “I’m proud of the effort my girls gave. We know what we want to accomplish, and we just have to put in the work to get there and play to our full potential.”
Hurley echoed Hart’s sentiment for his own team.
“This is one of the better girls teams I’ve ever had, from top to bottom,” Hurley said. “We’ve got potential, there are just things we have to keep working at. We have to work on our midfield; that’s no secret. Everybody can see that. But we’re just starting to bloom. We’ve got three really good seniors, and they’re doing a great job leading this team.
“This team really doesn’t have that much drama. They all get along with each other. When somebody scores, and it doesn’t matter who it is, they all go and celebrate.
Both Mount Airy and East Surry will take next week off for Spring Break. The Bears return to the pitch March 14 to face West Stokes on the road, and the Cardinals will host North Wilkes on March 15.
Scoring
ES – 0, 0 = 0
MA – 0, 2 = 0
Karyme Bueno (MA) 60’, Kate Deaton (MA) 69’
March 04, 2022
There are several irons in the fire these days for development of Mount Airy’s downtown. With the final branding announcement on the hotel project still under wraps, the multi-phased projects in the area adjacent to the new hotel are coming into view as the vision for downtown begins to take shape.
The best known of the Spencer’s Mill projects is the ongoing hotel project. Lizzie Morrison of Mount Airy Downton Inc. recently reported to the county commissioners that the hotel chain has committed more than $1 million to design plans for the hotel and multi-purpose market center.
The supporting projects around the hotel area have been drawn up to create a destination for businesses to bring conventions and corporate gatherings to the area. A feasibility study conducted found simply, “Mount Airy needs a downtown hotel with a convention center.”
“We have established over many years we cannot accommodate several types of meetings here,” said Jessica Roberts of the Mount Airy Tourism Development Authority. “We have a lot of companies who have headquarters here that are going to Winston-Salem or Greensboro that we know of already who would have multiple events at a facility like this.”
The feasibility study called for a convention center totaling 44,000 square feet of space, and the Spencer’s Mill project was designed out to a flexible 26,500 square feet. Morrison told the board that all projections for this phase were conservative to “make sure Mount Airy and Surry County can indeed support the facility.”
A comparison was made to halls in Statesville and Hickory. Hickory boasts 84,000 square feet but their location is right off the interstate, yielding no tangible benefit to the downtown, Morrison said. Statesville has a modest 16,500 square feet facility with no adjoining lodging, they are dealing with the same issue Mount Airy is designing its way out of.
The 14,000 square foot convention floor itself will allow for large groups at one time and have a bay door to allow trucks inside to bring in supplies for trade or auto shows. In addition to the convention center would be a connected visitors center, between them they would offer classroom and office space, as well as meeting rooms for the conventioneers.
When the ribbon is cut, the new convention center has a built-in client base. Leonard has told officials they would be interested in having several events a year at the new convention center. Organizations such as Downtown Mount Airy Inc. could also move offices into the new space.
Outside will be an array of features for the visitors and residents alike, including a pocket park along Willow Street. A new pavilion to be constructed along Franklin Street that can be used as a farmers’ market, and a splash pad is to be added as well. Morrison advised, “We don’t want to recreate what’s in Dobson, but we want to be able to turn the water off and use it for something else.”
“This is to support the visitors center and convention center, but this is going to be a public park that benefits all local citizen and families and gives them yet another thing to do in Surry County.
“We have been presenting this to community groups like the Rotary Clubs, and the residents of Renfro and Spencer’s Lofts, the Spencer’s Mill residents, local industry leaders and the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. This project checks off all the boxes.”
With a projected finish date of fall 2024, the new boutique hotel is the crown jewel of Phase 2 of the development and is slated to offer 70-80 rooms, include a full-service restaurant, bar, and a possible rooftop lounge area.
The hotel is being added to compliment the convention center and because business leaders have asked for more space to entertain when bringing in guests to the area. This would be the county’s only full-service hotel with onsite restaurant and bar.
With the elements being created in Phase 3, the overlap begins to show itself and the opportunities for businesses to capitalize on new events, conventions, trade shows, and more local foot traffic during the week may make mouths water.
A combination of city, county and private money are going into the hotel project, with $14.6 million of the total estimated $17.8 million cost to be covered by private investment.
There is excitement around these projects, Morrison said even among local kids. “I presented to a group of second through fifth graders for innovation day, and when we got to the slide showing the exterior with the water feature, the kids just loved it.”
Phase 1 has been completed and much like the hotel component was mostly private money. The city gave roughly $3 million for preliminary costs of developing the site that includes 16 units at Spencer’s Mill Lofts and the 65 units at the Spencer’s Mill Apartments.
Morrison gave a glowing report of the success of Phase 1, “I am typically an optimist for all things downtown Mount Airy, but to complete an apartment project in May 2020, I was nervous about their ability to fill up. But these apartments were full in five months and have a 20% wait list to this day.”
Phases 1 and 2 are projected to bring in $300,000 a year in property taxes between the city and county, and more than $2 million in combined sales tax revenue for the county and state – these projects “equal big numbers in the long haul,” said Bryan Grote of Mount Airy Downtown Inc.
Adding in full time residents to downtown with new options to live, at differing price points, is a surefire way to have a larger base headcount downtown.
March 04, 2022
DOBSON — The filing period for various state and local offices ended Friday in Surry County, highlighted by another candidate entering the race for an at-large seat on the Mount Airy Board of Commissioners.
Tonda Phillips, 44, a resident of Greenbriar Street, joined previous filers Steve Yokeley and Deborah Cochran in vying for the office now held by At-Large Commissioner Joe Zalescik.
Zalescik is seeking a South Ward seat on the non-partisan city council long occupied by Yokeley, which two other candidates also filed for, Gene Clark and Phil Thacker.
Also up for grabs is the North Ward council post of Jon Cawley, who decided to file for mayor this year instead against present Mayor Ron Niland and Teresa Lewis.
Four people are candidates for the North Ward seat, John Pritchard, Joanna Refvem, Teresa Davis Leiva and Chad Hutchens.
Phillips is a member of the local realty profession who has been involved in community service including heading various projects as president of the Rotary Club of Mount Airy.
She was one of five people countywide tossing their hats into the ring Friday before a noon filing deadline.
Also doing so then was a Democratic candidate for the Central District seat on the Surry County Board of Commissioners, Ken Badgett, 56, of Rockford Road, Dobson.
Badgett is the lone Democrat seeking the office now held by Republican Mark Marion, who is running for re-election to a second four-year term in a race that also includes GOP opponent Landon Tolbert.
The other three Friday filers are candidates for the Elkin Board of Education, Earl M. Blackburn, Johnny M. Blevins and Patty Crosswhite, who are vying for its City District seat.
All three are Republicans whose filings came on the heels of another GOP member signing up to run for that office Thursday, Denny Lazar.
Also filing Thursday was Jennifer Kleinheksel, who when the smoke cleared was the only person seeking the West District seat on the Elkin school board.
Cumulative filings
The final slate of candidates at the close of filing further includes these for the offices specified:
• Incumbent Bill Goins, who is seeking his second term for a Mount Airy District seat on the Surry County Board of Commissioners against two other Republicans, Steven R. Odum and Walter D. Harris;
• Incumbent South District Commissioner Eddie Harris and GOP challenger Tessa Saeli;
• Republican Sheriff Steve Hiatt;
• Another GOP incumbent, District Attorney Tim Watson;
• Four people vying for three local District Court judge seats, including incumbents Marion Boone and Thomas Langan along with Gretchen Hollar Kirkman and Mark Miller. All are on the GOP ticket;
• Republican clerk of court candidates including first-term incumbent Neil Brendle, Teresa O’Dell and Melissa Marion Welch;
• Republican incumbent 90th District state Rep. Sarah Stevens and challenger Benjamin Romans, also a GOP member;
• Four Republicans seeking the 66th District state Senate seat serving Surry and other counties: Shirley Randleman, Eddie Settle, Vann Tate and Lee Zachary;
• Democratic incumbent Mamie McKinney Sutphin and a Republican challenger for her District 2 seat on the Surry Board of Education, Tony L. Hutchens;
• Two Republicans seeking the District 3 seat on the county school board, Kent Whitaker and Jessica George;
• A trio of GOP hopefuls for that board’s District 4 seat, Jimmy Yokeley, T.J. Bledsoe and Donna McLamb;
• Incumbent Mount Airy Board of Education members Kyle A. Leonard in District A and Ben Cooke, District B, both Republicans who are facing no opposition in their re-election bids, which also is the case for the board’s at-large member, Democrat Tim Matthews.
For offices in which multiple candidates have filed for a particular seat of the same political party, primaries will be conducted on May 17 to narrow the field for the general election in November.
In many cases, no Democratic candidates have filed, meaning seats actually will be won through the May primaries.
Persons with no party opposition automatically advance to the November ballot.
In the case of Mount Airy where elections are non-partisan, primaries are required when three or more candidates toss their hats into the ring for a position, with the two top vote-getters then squaring off in November.
Primary elections are in store for all four council seats affected by the 2022 election cycle.
March 04, 2022
The Alpha Xi Tau chapter of Phi Theta Kappa at Surry Community College has received designation as a Five Star chapter.
This designation requires the chapter to have completed an Honors In Action Project and a college project, as well as involvement in service projects at the local, regional and international levels with Phi Theta Kappa. This SCC chapter was one of 18 total college chapters in the Carolinas region to meet these requirements.
In 2021, the chapter raised more than $3,000 for Hope Chapel Orphanage in Ghana as the club’s Honors In Action project. The money raised was a result of multiple fundraisers, including prize raffles and yard sales, and the awarding of a grant from Phi Theta Kappa to help their efforts.
Other initiatives recently taken by the chapter include creating cards for senior citizens and veterans, raising awareness of child labor in Africa and cleaning local river access points. The chapter also received a second grant from Walmart Giving for $3,000, which allowed members to start a student outreach center as part of their college project.
“Our PTK students have demonstrated their desire to help both our local communities and the world, and their diligent efforts to serve others have been impressive and inspiring,” said Surry Community College’s PTK Chapter Co-advisor Kayla Forrest.
Phi Theta Kappa is an honor society recognizing the academic achievement of students at associate degree granting colleges and helping them to grow as scholars and leaders. The society is made up of more than 3.5 million members and nearly 1,300 chapters in 11 nations.
For more information about Phi Theta Kappa and their projects, contact PTK’s faculty co-advisors Dr. Kathleen Fowler at 336-386-3560 or [email protected] or Kayla Forrest at (336) 386-3315 or [email protected] or go to www.ptk.org. Follow the local chapter on Facebook @surryPhiThetaKappa.
March 04, 2022
Josh Penn’s charisma and infectious personality made people want to be around him throughout football season, but it was just the opposite for Mount Airy’s opponents whenever Penn’s received a handoff.
Described by coach J.K Adkins as the player that, “brought the thunder to our backfield tandem,” Penn quickly gained a reputation as one of the most difficult players around to tackle. The 5’11”, 215 pound running back made life miserable for opposing varsity squads, and he hopes to continue that trend when he suits up for collegiate football this fall.
Surrounded by his friends and family, Penn signed his NCAA National Letter of Intent to play football for The University of Virginia’s College at Wise, or UVA Wise.
“It’s exciting,” Penn said. “I’ve been dreaming about this since I started playing football, and everybody helped me through it. I’m kind of nervous to go start my first year and play with a whole new team.”
Penn started playing football at age 7, but really got serious with the sport in eighth grade.
“I started playing with different people and going against bigger teams,” he said. “I got in the weight room more, got bigger and was able to just run people over. That’s when I was like ‘I think I can do it. I think I can play college football now.’”
Penn originally played receiver when he joined the varsity football team his junior year, but moved to running back ahead of his senior season.
“He actually approached me about playing running back,” Adkins said. “And I told him ‘with your size, your ability and your speed, we’re going to give you a shot at it. If you win the job, you win the job’…and he won the job early.”
Penn’s move to the backfield was a welcome one as the Bears transitioned from a pass-dominant offense to a run-heavy option.
In his first game at the position, Penn carried the ball eight times for a game-high 105 yards rushing as well as a touchdown. He was one of two players to record at least 100 yards rushing in the game, which helped Mount Airy total 272 yards on the ground as a team – a total that the previous season’s team only surpassed once.
“He’s a hard kid to bring to the ground,” Adkins said. “I always joked about Josh appearing to be 32 years old. He looks like grown man. I think people that we played felt like that too. You look at a 16-year-old kid that’s 170 pounds playing linebacker, and it’s a hard ask to tell that kid to try and take down a kid that looks like Josh does.”
Through Mount Airy’s first five games, Penn found the end zone five times and averaged more than 10 yards per carry. The Granite Bears outscored opponents 264-12 in that stretch.
An injury took Penn out for a good chunk of the season after this, but he was determined to return.
“I just kept telling myself that I was going to come back before playoffs,” Penn said. “All these colleges were still hitting me up, wanting me to come up for visits, so that’s what helped me through. The coaches helped me through it, and our athletic trainer helped me get ready to come back.
“I want to thank my family, coaches, teammates, and athletic trainer Patrick O’Neal for helping me through all my injuries.”
Penn made a partial return to the field in the regular season finale to get back in the rotation. He only carried the ball twice in the Bears’ playoff opener the following week, but did so for 89 yards and a touchdown. He was able to fully integrate back into Mount Airy’s offense later in the playoffs and helped the team reach the 1A West Regional Semifinal.
Penn finished the season with 52 carries for 578 yards and eight touchdowns.
“His stats would’ve been eye-popping had he not been hurt and missed half the season,” Adkins said. “He’s a great kid, a hard worker and a tremendous player that is extremely coachable.
“We’re going to miss him,” continued Adkins. “He always brought the energy. Even when he was hurt, he was a leader on the sidelines. He’s a pleasure to have around and has a great personality. I’m really proud of him.”
Mount Airy finished the 2021-22 season 13-1 overall. The Bears also finished 6-0 in conference play to help the seniors – Penn included – go out as the Northwest 1A Conference Champions.
”Playing at Mount Airy was like a brotherhood between all the players and the coaches. I feel like I can trust everybody here, ” Penn said. “Thank you to everybody at Mount Airy for helping me and supporting me.”
March 04, 2022
The Surry County Board of Commissioners take a few minutes at the top of their meetings to acknowledge members of the community for excellence.
Eagle Scouts come to be recognized for the hard work and dedication that go into achieving that prestigious rank. Eagle Scout rank represents a milestone of accomplishment that is “recognized across the country and even the world,” states the official website of Scouts BSA.
This evening, there was something different about the new Eagle Scouts that set them apart from many of those who came before, Audrey and Reagan Poindexter are siblings — sisters in scouting who have achieved the highest rank, and with it the honor they deserve.
Proud parents DeAnn and Jeff Poindexter beamed as the commissioners read the proclamations and handed the ladies’ their commendations. Reagan and Audrey are trailblazers in the local scouting community as they are the first female Eagle Scouts in Surry County, and the entire Dogwood District.
An animal lover, Reagan put out collection boxes at several locations to collect pet food and supplies for the Surry County Animal Shelter as her community project required for the rank. With cash donations she also made 33 pet beds as part of her service project. Audrey constructed an 80 x 120-foot pollinator habitat and four benches at the sustainable agriculture building on the grounds of Surry Community College.
From a family that believes in scouting, the sisters join their brother Nolan, who reached Eagle in 2019. Reagan said scouting allows her a chance to do fun things outdoors such as sailing and archery. Big sister Audrey chimed in that she had the chance to rappel down Pilot Mountain as part of her climbing badge.
“Old Hickory Council and the Seven Rivers District wishes to congratulate Audrey and Reagan Poindexter for achieving the Eagle Scout Rank,” said Chris Lawson, executive for Seven Rivers District.
“The rank of Eagle Scout is an accomplishment which tells the world that an individual holds up to the highest values in Citizenship, Service, and Devotion. An Eagle Scout is prepared to take on whatever challenges that will come and see it through to the end.”
Chairman Bill Goins has fond memories of scouting and recalls as such when Eagle Scouts appear before the commissioners to receive their commendation. The connections made in scouting, and the lessons learned, he tells them, follow those scouts the rest of their life.
BSA national board chair, and former AT&T executive, Randall Stephenson knows something about leadership. In 2017 he said, “I’ve seen nothing that develops leadership skills and discipline like this organization. It is time to make these outstanding leadership development programs available to girls.”
The Boy Scouts of America had a name change in 2019 following the inclusion of young ladies into the program for older youths, however despite some confusion, Scouts BSA only refers to the specific program for 11 to 17-year-olds that is now co-ed. The organization itself is still called Boy Scouts of America.
Some opposition was leveled from former scouts to allowing girls in, and the Girl Scouts of America were none too pleased with the new Scouts BSA moniker. They sued the Boy Scouts of America for using “scouts” in the new name. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein ruled against them in 2021, “‘Boy Scouts’ is a brand, ‘Girl Scouts’ is a brand, but ‘Scouting’ alone is an activity,” he ruled.
Scouts BSA saw a need to open their ranks, not only to combat declines in new membership, but also as a direct response to parents. In announcing the change, they said, “Families today are busier and more diverse than ever, and there are more single-parent households than ever before, making convenient programs that serve the whole family more appealing.”
Since the change, more than 31,000 girls have joined and there are more than 3,000 Girl Troops across the country. In this area there are currently two Girl Troops active: Troop 0539G at Flat Rock Baptist Church, and Troop 0529G at Dobson United Methodist Church — to which the Poindexters are members.
“The Boy Scouts of America has had a coed tradition in its Venturing and Explorer programs for decades and allowed females into Cub Scouts in 2018 and the BSA program in 2019, changing its name to Scouts BSA,” Lawson of the district office said. “This has allowed Scouting to become a true family adventure.
“Since that time Scouts BSA has chartered girl troops throughout the country and are now seeing girls achieve the Eagle Scout Rank. We congratulate Audrey, Reagan, and Girl Troop 529G for this outstanding achievement.”
“It’s a great opportunity to make friends and have fun,” Audrey gave as her best summation of scouting. Archery, climbing, rowing, lifesaver skills, and sailing, certainly sound like fun, but more than that, she said scouting, “Can open up opportunities for you and help you gain respect.”
March 04, 2022
A lengthy investigation by the Surry County Sheriff’s Office resulted in the seizure of more than 4 pounds of methamphetamine on Wednesday and the arrest of two area residents — one jailed under a $2.5 million bond. Two other local individuals were arrested earlier in the probe. All totaled, law enforcement seized more than 5 pounds of meth, nearly three dozen firearms, cash, and related material.
Arrested Wednesday was Kevin Louis Markham, 41, of 184 Westview Drive, after a traffic stop during which investigators located 4.3 pounds of methamphetamine, large amounts of U.S. currency and assorted drug paraphernalia.
According to Sheriff Steve C. Hiatt, the vehicle stop led to the execution of search warrants at the addresses of 470 Tom Jones Road, Ararat, and 262 Hickory Street, Mount Airy.
“Investigators located additional amounts of methamphetamine at the address of 262 Hickory Street,” the sheriff said.
The Surry County Sheriff’s Office S.W.A.T. team executed a search warrant at the Ararat home, which the sheriff said is a secondary residence of Markham and owned by Adrian Martinez, 37, and Teresa Del Rosario Martinez, 45, of 109 Escondido Lane, Lowgap. They had been arrested earlier in the probe, on Feb. 11.
During the search of the Tom Jones Road home in Ararat, the sheriff said investigators located more than four ounces of methamphetamine, 21 firearms, U.S. currency, a stolen GMC Yukon, and assorted drug paraphernalia. Additionally, deputies located Joshua James Myers, 32, of 470 Tom Jones Road, who was wanted for an outstanding probation violation. Myers allegedly was found in possession of a small amount of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia, resulting in him being charged with one count of possession of methamphetamine and one count of possession of drug paraphernalia. Myers was placed under a $10,500 secured bond with a scheduled March 23 court date.
Markham was charged with three counts of trafficking methamphetamine, one count of maintaining a drug vehicle, one count of possession of a stolen motor vehicle, and one count of possession of drug paraphernalia. He was jailed under a $2.5 million bond with a March 23 court date.
The traffic stop that led to the findings and arrests stemmed from a longer investigation involving the sheriff’s office along with Homeland Security Investigations, North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, Mount Airy Police Department, Stokes County Sheriff’s Office, Yadkin County Sheriff’s Office, Boone Police Department, and the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office, Sheriff Hiatt said.
That probe had led to the earlier arrests of Adrian Martinez and Teresa Del Rosario Martinez, which helped lead to Wednesday’s arrests.
On Feb. 11, the sheriff’s office Narcotics Division executed a search warrant at the address of 109 Escondido Lane in Lowgap. That search warrant led to the seizure of 24 ounces of methamphetamine, Methylenedioxy-N-benzylcathinone (hydrochloride) or known as BMDP, marijuana, 13 firearms, and assorted drug paraphernalia.
Adrian Martinez was charged with two counts of trafficking methamphetamine, one count of maintaining a drug dwelling, one count of manufacturing marijuana, and one count of possession of drug paraphernalia. He was jailed under a $280,000 secured bond.
Teresa Del Rosario Martinez was charged with one count of maintaining a drug dwelling and received a $7,000 secured bond. Both are scheduled for court appearances on March 23.
“This just shows when law enforcement agencies work together as one, there are no jurisdictional lines for offenders to hide behind,” the sheriff said, adding that he was thankful to all of the agencies and law enforcement personnel that assisted with this investigation.
March 04, 2022
“God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him.” – John Piper
And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” – Luke 10:27
A lawyer comes up to Jesus with a question. His question is “what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” And Jesus, who regularly answers a question with another question, asks him “What is written in the Law?” To this the lawyer answers with our verse up above; the Luke 10:27 passage. Jesus tells him that he has answered correctly. It is this answer that I want us to look at in detail. What exactly does it mean?
It means, in general, that followers of Jesus, Christians, are people that love God with all of who they are. God is the sovereign ruler of the universe and there does not exist a square inch of reality that is not his; this includes every bit of you and me. The reality of Christianity, real Christianity, is loving God means giving him everything we are. And everything we are includes our heart, soul, strength, and mind.
To love God with our heart means to be passionately in love with God. Being someone who loves God does not simply mean you believe the right things, nor that your love is an action. Loving God is doing the right things and love is action, but loving God is more than those things. To love God is to feel love for God. God’s call for all Christians is to be in love with him. To be head over heels, puppy dog, boy just discovered girls aren’t icky, heart beating out of your chest, sweaty palms, emotional love.
To love God with our soul means to put the hope of our eternal self in his hands. For as long as people have walked this earth we have wondered about eternity and our place in it. So we have sought to find, and came up with, a way to ensure that eternity favors us. Some have put that hope in science and some in false religions and cults, but the truth is we all put that hope in something. The Bible calls Christians to put that hope in God: To trust not in our own ability to ensure our eternal reward, but to trust in the sacrificial work of Christ on the cross: That he lived perfectly and died for my sins and that even though I should die because of my sins I now get the eternal life that he deserves.
To love God with our strength is to love God with what we do. Once someone becomes a Christian they are given a new heart that seeks to please the one who loves us most, God. The call to love with our strength is the command to love with our hands and our feet; to let the new heart of Christ flow into our actions. Christ, in affirming the lawyer’s answer, is saying that to be one of his is to do what pleases him and what he has called us to. And not to do it because we have to or because it earns anything. But to do it because that’s what love does. Love seeks to please its lover.
To love God with our mind is to seek to know God more. When we love something, truly and deeply love something, we want to know all there is about it. New relationships often start with long conversations over the phone, or now through Snapchat I guess, because each person wants to know more and more and more about the person of their affection. People who love football spend hours looking at stats of their favorite players. Baseball junkies pour over baseball cards. None of this is mandatory. Instead, it flows from a heart that is in love. Love seeks to know and understand. To love is to seek to better know him and better understand him. He is found most directly in his Word.
This lawyer rightly says that to inherit eternal life one must love God with their heart, soul, strength, and mind. One must love God with all of who they are. Do you have eternal life?
March 04, 2022
Marissa Montgomery, FNP-C, has joined the clinical team of Northern Family Medicine – the Family Medicine Division of Northern Regional Hospital.
As a certified Family Nurse Practitioner, Montgomery will meet, diagnose and treat patients for a wide variety of common and chronic conditions and ailments – including minor injuries, diabetes, high-blood pressure, high cholesterol, and Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs). She will also perform annual wellness visits and offer COVID testing and treatment options.
Montgomery believes strongly in providing high-quality care by creating a respectful and trusting relationship with her patients. “I give my undivided attention to patients and listen fully to what they have to say,” she said. “In that way, I am able to develop a treatment plan that takes into consideration their individual preferences, needs and values.”
“I’ve been taught and always practiced patient-centered care,” she continued. “My approach is to provide holistic care for the whole person – attending to their mental, spiritual and social needs – because all of those aspects affect one’s physical health.”
“We are pleased to welcome Marissa Montgomery to our team of clinicians who work collaboratively and comprehensively to ensure the best possible care for patients,” said Jose L. Mendoza, MD, board-certified family medicine physician at Northern Family Medicine. “Marissa’s strong nursing knowledge and skills, along with her positive energy and compassion, will further enrich our efforts to provide safe, quality care to those we serve.”
Montgomery is not new to Northern, or Mount Airy. She was born in Northern Hospital 28 years ago, and then raised and educated in the Mount Airy region. Not surprisingly, the energetic Montgomery is a lifelong ambassador for both the hospital and her hometown. “Northern is committed to providing high-quality care to patients in a healing, family-like environment; and Mount Airy is a friendly, tight-knit community where everybody is willing to help each other,” she said.
Becoming a nurse – and, in particular, a Family Nurse Practitioner – has been the singular professional goal pursued by Montgomery since her high-school days. By participating in an accelerated academic program in high school, she graduated with college credits that were applied directly to the nursing program of Surry Community College. After earning her associate’s degree in nursing from Surry in 2015, she launched her career as a healthcare clinician by taking her first nursing job in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of Northern Regional Hospital.
Over the next four years, Montgomery continued to attend to the needs of patients in several clinical units at Forsyth Medical Center. She also effectively managed her time to complete advanced nursing studies with Chamberlain University. in Downers Grove, Illinois, earning both a Bachelor of Science in nursing degree in 2019, and her Master of Science in Nursing in Family Medicine degree in April of 2021.
Her focused energy is fueled on a daily basis, she said, by the interactions and relationships she developed with her patients and their families. “I believe it’s every patient I’ve come in contact with who has led me to this point,” she said. “They all have a unique story and disease process – and they allowed me to learn from them so that I can apply my new knowledge to help others. They’re also so grateful that it fills my heart.”
Montgomery also acknowledges and appreciates the support she received from several mentors she met on her journey to achieve her professional goal. “There were three professors in the nursing program at Surry College – Kiena Williams, Ann Scott, and Lorrie Heath – who, from day one, really believed in me and continued to push me to be the best that I could be,” she recalled. “Another mentor was Kelly Manuel, a Family Nurse Practitioner at Northern Family Medicine, who graciously taught me many things while serving as preceptor during my master’s program.”
Marissa and her husband, Campbell, enjoy outdoor activities and spending time with family and friends. Montgomery also does volunteer work – including spending time and helping residents at a women’s homeless shelter in Winston-Salem.
To schedule an appointment with Marissa Montgomery, Family Nurse Practitioner, call 336-786-4133 or visit the Northern Family Medicine Office at 280 N. Pointe Boulevard, in Mount Airy.
March 04, 2022
DOBSON — The ongoing candidate filing period also has been accompanied by some “unfilings” at the Surry Board of Elections office in Dobson, including that of a county school board hopeful.
Brent Long of Pilot Mountain withdrew Tuesday from the ballot for the District 2 seat on the Surry County Board of Education. That left Democratic incumbent Mamie McKinney Sutphin of Pilot Mountain and Republican challenger Tony L. Hutchens of Mount Airy as the only candidates left in that race with filing ending today.
But Long’s departure was accompanied by the addition of five candidates Tuesday and three on Wednesday, including Phil Thacker, a former member of the city school board, tossing his hat into the ring Tuesday for a South Ward seat on the non-partisan Mount Airy Board of Commissioners.
Two candidates entered the race Wednesday for North Ward commissioner in Mount Airy, Teresa Davis Leiva and Chad Hutchens.
Other new filers include Kyle A. Leonard and Ben Cooke, for re-election to their seats on the Mount Airy Board of Education. Both are Republicans, with Leonard, 31, a Cherry Street resident, representing District A on the board and Cooke, 50, of Wrenn Avenue, District B.
The incumbent Democratic at-large member of the Mount Airy Board of Education, Tim Matthews, filed previously to retain his seat.
Also entering the political fray Tuesday were two people for a Mount Airy District seat on the Surry County Board of Commissioners, including incumbent Bill Goins and Steven R. Odum, both Republicans.
Goins, 53, of Grandview Drive, Mount Airy, is seeking his second four-year term on the county board and presently serves as its chairman.
Odum, 49, resides on Springs Road in Mount Airy.
Walter D. Harris, also a GOP member, is another candidate for the Mount Airy District seat who signed up in early December before the filing process was halted until Feb. 24 by court challenges over redistricting.
Republican Jimmy Yokeley, 62, of Pine Street in Dobson, filed Wednesday for the District 4 seat on the Surry County Board of Education, joining previous filers T.J. Bledsoe and Donna McLamb.
The District 4 post is now held by Terri Mosley, the school board’s chairman.
Tuesday at 5 p.m. was the deadline to withdraw a candidacy and not have one’s name appear on the May primary ballot. Anyone withdrawing after that will be listed.
City council breakdown
Thacker, 67, of East Devon Drive, served on the Mount Airy Board of Education from 2000 to 2020, when the Democratic incumbent lost to Republican Randy Floyd in an election held in the wake of a switch of city school board seats from non-partisan to partisan.
As of Tuesday’s close of filing, Thacker was the third candidate in the race for the South Ward council seat now held by Steve Yokeley, the others being present At-Large Commissioner Joe Zalescik and Gene Clark.
Yokeley has filed to run for the at-large position, along with Deborah Cochran, a former Mount Airy mayor and at-large commissioner.
A North Ward slot on the city council now held by Commissioner Jon Cawley also is up for grabs during the 2022 election cycle, which includes the May primary and the general election in November.
Cawley is running for mayor, with John Pritchard and Joanna Refvem filing so far in the North Ward council race along with the latest entries Wednesday of Leiva, 37, an Essex Lane resident, and Hutchens, 45, of Country Club Road.
Other mayoral candidates are Ron Niland, who now holds that position, and Teresa Lewis, a former at-large commissioner.
After operating during normal business hours this week at the Surry Board of Elections headquarters, the filing period has a shortened schedule today from 8:15 a.m. to noon, when it closes.
March 04, 2022
To the Editor,
At the alumni meeting of the J J Jones Alumni, held on Feb. 14, the normal order of business was dispensed with in order to provide adequate time for a round table discussion of the proposed sale of the former J J Jones High School; currently housing the YVEDDI, a nonprofit providing a variety of services for all county residents.
During the round table discussion, a statement was made relative to the L.H. Jones Auditorium, currently owned and operated by the J J Jones Alumni. The purpose of this letter is to set the record straight. The statement made alluded to there being serious problems in the auditorium. That statement was inaccurate. I want to assure the alumni and all supporters, that the L. H. Jones Auditorium is very well maintained; there are no issues that are not being addressed and there is no danger of the auditorium being taken from the alumni, due to some unmet requirement.
The alumni is proud of the fact that, though lean, our resources are sufficient to keep the bills paid. There has never been an inspection that we have not passed; our insurance is current, and we are in good standing with IRS.
Yes, we do have some maintenance issues as expected with a building more than 50 years old. As these arise, they are corrected in the order of priority, and affordability. Of course, there is not enough money in the bank to do everything we want and need to do, immediately. But, we have a strong determination and are confident that everything on the to do list will be accomplished. Fund raising is ongoing and critical. A large portion of our income is from donations to our alumni, over and above our membership dues. We are eternally grateful for our supporters.
In closing, I’d like to reach out to the people that may not realize we consider them one of our own, graduate or not, if you walked through the doors as a student, for any length of time; were the beneficiary of the love, concern for your wellbeing and your future, from the teachers and administrators; we need you, your talent, energy and creative minds. We want you, your children and grandchildren, to take interest and pride in the building and keep it operational for the benefit of the community, for years to come.
You’re invited to attend our alumni meetings, held monthly on the second Monday of each month from 2-3 p.m. at the L.H. Jones Auditorium. Come see for yourself, what the alumni has accomplished.
Nancy Bowman Williams, President
Annapolis, Maryland
March 04, 2022
https://www.mtairynews.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/MTA030422V.pdf
March 03, 2022
• A traffic stop for driving left of center led to the discovery that a Mount Airy man was wanted on a felony drug charge, according to city police reports.
James Curtis Taylor, 39, of 147 Puckett St., was encountered by officers last Friday on West Pine Street near Muse Avenue, with an investigation revealing that he was the subject of an outstanding warrant on a charge of possession of methamphetamine.
It had been issued on Jan. 10 through the Surry County Sheriff’s Office, with Taylor additionally accused then of possession of drug paraphernalia.
He was released on a $2,500 unsecured bond to appear in Surry District Court on March 23.
• Also last Friday, George Lee Moore, 60, of Lexington, was charged with larceny and possession of stolen goods stemming from an incident at Walmart, where he allegedly was caught stealing merchandise by store loss-prevention personnel.
It was identified as a a CarPlay media receiver valued at $198, which was recovered. The case is slated for the March 21 session of Surry District Court.
• Veronic Denice Webster, 40, of 119 Oakwood Drive, was jailed under a $1,000 secured bond on Feb. 24 after police responded to a larceny call at Dollar General on North Renfro Street, where she allegedly had concealed a bottle of light body spray in her pocketbook.
Webster also was found to be the subject of two outstanding orders for arrest for failing to appear in court, one that had been filed on Feb. 16 in Yadkin County and the other on Feb. 23 in Surry.
She is now facing another appearance in Surry District Court on March 28 and has been banned from Dollar General.
• A break-in discovered on Feb. 23 at a vacant commercial/office building on Moore Avenue downtown resulted in the theft of tools and other property valued at $650 owned by local businessman Gene Rees.
Included were a variety of DeWalt, Milwaukee and undocumented power tools, 13 altogether; Milwaukee and other power tool batteries (10) and multi-pack battery chargers (two); along with a pair of tool tote bags.
• An EBT (electronic benefits transfer) card was discovered stolen on Feb. 21, with Savanna Newman of Churchill Lane listed as the victim of the crime. The card is said to have been taken from Newman’s residence by an unknown suspect, with no loss figure listed.
March 03, 2022
The Mount Airy Rescue Squad has served the community for more than 60 years and now could use some assistance of its own as the squad recovers from COVID-19 effects.
“For one, it affected us monetarily,” squad Chief Nathan Webb said of an overall budget reduction of about 10% in funding from various sources.
That impact was double-edged, with the squad’s expenses increasing as a direct result of the pandemic while revenues declined.
“We had to purchase an unprecedented amount of PPE supplies,” Webb said of personal protective equipment such as face shields, gowns and gloves to safeguard its all-volunteer ranks providing a wide range of services.
“From time to time we did have a few members contract the virus,” added the squad chief, “myself being one of them,” with the pandemic also requiring some to undergo quarantines.
One bright spot was an annual fundraising campaign last year for the organization that was established in 1961. “That did recoup some of the funding,” Webb said.
However, the need continues, evidenced by the launching of the 2022 campaign in the past few days which has included an appeal by mail to each resident and property owner in the squad’s service area requesting financial assistance.
“Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, we need your support more than ever,” an open letter from the squad leadership states.
“As is true for many public safety agencies, the virus has affected our operational budget,” it continues. “As a non-profit organization, we rely heavily on donations, grants and fundraising events to fund our lifesaving work.”
While the squad has coped with the budgetary and personnel repercussions of the coronavirus, its scope of work has continued to be massive, including handling more than 1,600 calls last year.
The squad’s 55 volunteer members respond to a variety of emergencies. These can include motor vehicle accidents, agricultural and machinery extrication, search and rescue operations, swift-water rescues, those involving persons trapped in trenches or confined spaces and high-angle rescues.
Its coverage area for rescue and medical services includes not only the city of Mount Airy but neighboring communities in Surry County — a 177-square-mile district overall.
As a certified North Carolina heavy-rescue provider, the squad offers mutual-aid response for Surry and surrounding North Carolina and Virginia counties.
Along with the life-or-death situations, squad members play a role not as critical or noticeable but one valuable all the same at various community gatherings requiring orderly management of vehicle flow and crowds.
The Mount Airy Rescue Squad supplies standby assistance for festivals, parades, 5K runs, school functions and other events.
Yet unlike other agencies, it is a non-tax base emergency service and depends on donations to continue serving the community, which make up the largest portion of the rescue squad’s annual budget.
Fortunately, Webb said, the unit hasn’t been forced to shut its doors as others have — with the need for assistance ongoing.
All donations to the Mount Airy Rescue Squad are entirely tax-deductible, and every penny given goes directly to the squad, officials say.
The open letter to the public refers to squad members “continuing a tradition of neighbor helping neighbor and (being) very active in the community,” which can consider the squad its own as a local emergency agency.
“We are here to serve you in your greatest time of need,” it states. “Your contribution will help our organization answer emergency calls with the best immediate medical care available.”
Donations can be mailed to Mount Airy Rescue Squad, P.O. Box 1053, Mount Airy, NC, 27030.
March 03, 2022
Residents living in and around Mount Airy can learn about their risk for cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, diabetes, and other chronic, serious conditions with screenings by Life Line Screening. Cross Creek Country Club will host this community event on March 7.
Screenings can check for:
• The level of plaque buildup in your arteries, related to risk for cardiovascular disease, stroke and overall vascular health.
• HDL and LDL Cholesterol levels
• Diabetes risk
• Bone density as a risk for possible osteoporosis
• Kidney and thyroid function, and more.
Free parking is also available.
Special package pricing starts at $159, but consultants will work with patients to create a package that is right based on age and risk factors. Call 1-877-237-1354 or visit our website at www.lifelinescreening.com. Advance registration is required. Cross Creek Country Club is located at The site is located at 1129 Greenhill Rd in Mount Airy.
March 03, 2022
A tightly-contested game snowballed out of control Wednesday as East Surry defeated Mount Airy 15-0.
Originally a 2-0 game through four innings, East Surry capitalized on Mount Airy errors to double its lead in the fifth inning. The Cardinals got hot in the sixth and had 14 batters in the top of the inning. A grand slam from Folger Boaz scored the game’s final four runs, then the Bears went three up, three down in the bottom of the inning so the game was ended via mercy rule.
The game against East was Mount Airy’s second in two days. The Bears won their season opener, hitting a walk-off to defeat Reidsville 10-9. The victory was the team’s first under new head coach Josh Wilson.
Wednesday’s win was the 2021-22 opener for the Cardinals, who are one season removed from winning the 1A West Regional Championship. Folger Boaz and Luke Brown combined to throw a no-hitter with 11 strikeouts. Boaz started on the mound and threw nine strikeouts in 4.1 innings, and Brown struck out a pair of batters in the remaining 1.2 innings.
The Granite Bears made the first scoring threat of the night after its defense sent each of the Cardinals’ first three batters back to the bench. Rylan Venable and Logan Dowell were each walked with a strikeout in-between, then both players advanced to scoring position on a double steal.
Boaz kept the scoreboard clear with back-to-back strikeouts.
Venable threw his first two of seven strikeouts in the top of the second as the Cards once again went three up, three down. Boaz struck out the first two batters in the bottom of the inning, but Josh Penn made it to first on a Cardinal fielding error. Penn was tagged out when he got caught in a pickle.
East’s Brett Clayton was walked to begin the third inning, giving the Cards their first baserunner of the season. Tristen Mason bunted and reached first while also moving Clayton to third. Venable stuck out Gabriel Harpe, then the Bears intentionally walked Boaz to bring Armstrong to the plate.
With bases loaded, Armstrong bit the bullet and hit a grounder to the second baseman. Though out at first, it allowed Clayton to give East a 1-0 lead.
East Surry’s advantage increased to two runs in the fourth. Clayton led off once again, and he and Mason were walked while both having a full count. A wild pitch moved Clayton to third before Harpe approached the plate for his second plate appearance.
With runners on the corners, Mason took off for second base. A Granite Bear error on the play allowed Clayton to score again and make it a 2-0 game.
Dowell was walked to start the bottom of the inning, but was called out when Reece Deaton got on base via a fielder’s choice. Deaton made it to second in the inning, but was left on the bag as the Bears remained scoreless.
East Surry’s Luke Bowman and Armstrong each got on base to start the fifth inning. Anthony Ayers put the ball in play in the infield, and a Granite Bear fielding error allowed Ayers to safely reach first while also allowing both Bowman and Armstrong to score.
Mount Airy’s final scoring chance came in the bottom of the fifth. Ian Gallimore was walked to start the inning, then moved to second on a wild pitch. Brown took the mound for East after the first out, and a single via error by Ashton Gwyn moved Gallimore to third with only one out.
East Surry kept the shutout alive with two quick outs. Gwyn was thrown out at second by Bowman with Venable at bat, then Venable grounded out.
Bowman then increased the Cardinal lead to 5-0 in the top of the sixth by scoring off an RBI single from Armstrong. Boaz was walked by Gwyn, then crushed a double to score run No. 6. A wild pitch thrown to Brown scored Boaz, then a Mount Airy fielding error put Brown on first and scored Ayers to make it 8-0.
The Bears got the second out of the evening on a fly-out, but then East loaded the bases. Harpe connected for a hit and safely reached first on an error that also allowed the Cards to score two runs.
Deaton took over on the mound after Peyton Inscore was walked to load the bases. Zach Edwards was awarded a base on balls to score run No. 11 and load the bases again, then Boaz hit his grand slam.
Two Mount Airy players flied out and one struck out in the bottom of the sixth inning, ending the game via mercy rule.
Mount Airy goes on the road for the first time this season to face Mount Tabor on February 4, and East Surry faces Polk County on Feb. 5.
Scoring
East Surry – 0, 0, 1, 1, 2, 11, X = 15
Mount Airy – 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, X = 0
March 02, 2022
SALISBURY — This wasn’t a typical shock-and-awe outing for the Salisbury girls basketball team, but the Hornets got past North Surry 68-59 in Tuesday’s regional semifinal.
North Surry pressed more than the Hornets anticipated and were more rugged than what the Hornets had seen on film, but Salisbury answered the bell and did what it needed to do to advance.
“They were really physical,” Salisbury senior Rachel McCullough. “They surprised us. It was a very tough game.”
Sixth-seeded North Surry (19-6) took it to the second-seeded Hornets for a stretch of about eight minutes, turning an 8-2 deficit into a 24-19 lead by locking up Salisbury’s scoring leaders McCullough and Kyla Bryant,.
Bryant was scoreless in the first quarter and had only four points at halftime.
“Definitely a game of runs and North Surry came to play,” Salisbury head coach Lakai Brice said. “We had to keep our composure.”
With the Hornets stagnant on offense, reserve forward MaKayla Noble bailed them out with an explosive offensive burst and got them going. She scored eight points in the second quarter. Twelve of Salisbury’s 18 second-quarter points came off the bench. Besides Noble, the Hornets got buckets from Icesis Nwafor and Haley Dalton.
“We came back by playing as a team, with a lot of energy and we had good ball movement,” Noble said.
Salisbury (26-1) made it to halftime with a 29-28 lead and was able to regroup from there.
The Hornets picked it up on both ends of the floor in the first few minutes of the second half.
“We were playing zone, but we were able to create some havoc by being aggressive in the zone,” Brice said. “We’ve got some long people in there, and they were getting their hands on passes. That led to some transition offense.”
Bryant connected on a soft jumper off the dribble to open the half. Then a fierce three-point play by Jamecia Huntley triggered a technical foul on the visitors. After McCullough cashed in the technical free throws, it had gone from 29-28 to 36-28 in a hurry. Then Huntley made a step-back 3-pointer — accidentally banking it — and the lead was 11.
Huntley, who scored 11 in the third quarter, swished a 3-pointer to put the Hornets up 51-34.
“We picked up the defensive intensity — that’s what changed,” Bryant said. “”We got after them in the zone, and we got layups.”
That run early in the third quarter provided the separation that would carry the Hornets through the rest of the night.
Salisbury had a 29-point third quarter and led by as many as 23 points before North Surry started fighting back again.
North Surry had to overcome a second technical foul — and a player ejection for throwing a punch.
North Surry could have been blown out, but the visitors kept making shots, kept fighting and the Hornets contributed some stretches of sloppiness.
With the lead down to 13 points with 4:34 left, the Hornets got a timeout and refocused.
Bryant made a driving scoop out of that timeout, Jaleiah Gibson fought for a bucket, and the Hornets were able to finish and take their 25th decision in a row.
Sadie Badgett kept making 3-pointers and scored 22 for the Greyhounds. Callie Allen had 21.
Huntley scored 17, Bryant had 14, and Noble and McCullough scored 12 each for the Hornets.
It was a well-balanced win, with four in double figures and 20 points off the bench.
“Our defense during that run in the third quarter was the key,” Brice said. “That’s why we work so hard on defense in practice. I know these girls can put the ball in the hoop. But this far along in the playoffs, it comes down to getting stops.”
The NCHSAA has tweaked its format for Saturday’s regional basketball championship games. Instead of the games being playing on the home court of the higher seed, as the association indicated in February, the NCHSAA will choose one regional site for both the boys and girls games in each classification.
In the regional final, Salisbury will play defending champion Shelby, a winner over Randleman on Tuesday. The game will be contested at Greensboro’s Grimsley High School at noon, with the 2A boys regional final to follow.
Scoring
North Surry 13 15 13 18 — 59
Salisbury 11 18 29 10 — 68
N. SURRY — Badgett 22, Allen 21, Tompkins 6, Phillips 3, Chaire 3, Mauldin 2, Bennett 2.
SALISBURY — Huntley 17, Bryant 14, McCullough 12, Noble 12, Gibson 5, Walker 4, Nwafor 2, Dalton 2.
March 02, 2022
DOBSON — Work by the Surry County Parks & Recreation staff and volunteers has resulted in the first segments of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail being officially designated within Surry County’s jurisdiction by the secretary of the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources Office.
One section of trail and parking facilities is located near Friendship Motor Speedway off Highway 268, while a second section of trail links Carolina Heritage Vineyard & Winery to Burch Station River Access on Highway 268. The two segments combine for a length of ¾ of a mile.
The 1,175-mile Mountains-to-Sea State Trail is a trail for hiking and backpacking that spans North Carolina from the Great Smoky Mountains to the Outer Banks. The trail’s western endpoint is at Clingman’s Dome, where it connects to the Appalachian Trail. Its eastern endpoint is in Jockey’s Ridge State Park.
“We’re excited the trail sections have received this well-deserved recognition,” said Daniel White, Surry County Parks & Recreation director. “Staff and volunteers worked exceptionally hard to acquire easements and construct the segments. We’d like to thank the property owners who provided the easements and worked with the county to turn this idea into reality. Easements were donated by Wayne Farms, Duke Energy and Carolina Heritage Vineyard & Winery. The County of Surry and the Elkin Valley Trails Association have also worked together to make these sections possible. In the near future, hikers of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail will be able to trek through the beautiful county limits of Surry County.”
The goal of this project is to connect Burch Station River Access to Downtown Elkin. Ultimately, this trail will connect from Surry County’s western border all the way to the eastern border, creating a link to Pilot Mountain.
Jimmy Flythe, Duke Energy Government and Community Relations director, said: “Duke Energy congratulates Surry County on the Mountains-to-Sea Trail designation. We appreciate the collaboration with Surry County Parks & Recreation to allow a portion of the trail on company-owned land. Surry County has been great to work with on this project and several others over the years.”
Matthew Wooten, Dobson Complex Manager for Wayne Farms LLC, said: “Wayne Farms is committed to being good stewards of the resources that have been entrusted to us. We are passionate about sustainability. This trail is something that will be enjoyed by all for generations to come. Partnering with Surry County on this important project has been a pleasure and something we were very excited to help with.”
March 02, 2022
The Surry Community College Ambassador Scholars Program recognizes students who served as public relations representatives by hosting campus visitors, conducting campus tours, supporting special events, and setting an example of excellence for Surry students. The Surry Community College Foundation established the Ambassador Scholars Program in 1993.
Ambassadors and Student Government Association members for the 2021-2022 year are: Brayden Adams of Indian Trail; Jesse Keaton of Boonville; Kailey Myers of Lowgap; Kameron Burch, Christopher Hernández Carrillo and Makynna Jackson of Mount Airy; Nataly Avalos, Jacob Mills and Jacquelin Cortes Montero of Dobson; and Estevan Luna Zamora of Hamptonville.
SGA President Brayden Adams of Indian Trail is a first-year student in the process of earning an Associate in Science. He chose to attend Surry Community College to be part of the baseball team. He looks forward to being part of student government and getting to know people on campus as time goes on. Eventually, he plans to transfer to a four-year university to continue playing baseball.
Senior Ambassador and SGA secretary Jesse Keaton of Boonville is completing an Associate in Arts, as well as a certificate in Nurse Aide. She plans to attend Appalachian State University in the fall, hoping to go into the medical field to work with pediatric patients. As a student, she is also involved with National Society of Leadership and Success, Phi Theta Kappa, Scholars of Global Distinction and Surry’s Minds Matter. Keaton states that she has enjoyed the classes and connections she has made with fellow students and staff at Surry Community College.
Senior Ambassador Kailey Myers of Lowgap is pursuing both an Associate in Arts, as well as an Associate in Science through the Surry Early College. She plans to transfer to a four-year university in the fall to study Biology and Chemistry. Myers states that she has enjoyed the faculty-to-student ratio, opportunities available for students and supportive instructors during her time at Surry Community College.
Junior Ambassador Kameron Burch of Mount Airy is in his second year of the Information Technology program at SCC. He is currently taking all classes online and says that he appreciates the ability to take online classes. While still uncertain of his plans beyond graduation, he is currently considering going into cybersecurity or software development.
Junior Ambassador Jacquelin Cortes Montero of Dobson is currently a student at the Surry Early College and is obtaining an Associate in Arts. She also plans on earning certificates in Spanish Language and Medical Administration. After graduation, she is going into dental hygiene. Jacqueline states that she enjoys how welcoming SCC feels including the environment, staff and faculty. Her hobbies include going to the gym and spending time with her family and best friend.
SGA Event Coordinator Christopher Hernández Carrillo of Mount Airy is pursuing an Associate in Science through the Surry Early College. He also plans to obtain certificates in Medical Administration and Spanish Medical Interpreter. After graduating from Surry Community College, he hopes to go to a four-year university to become a diagnostic medical sonographer and obtain a sonographer’s license. In addition to being an SGA member, he also serves as the event coordinator. Christopher is the secretary of the SCC National Society of Leadership and Success chapter, and enjoys reading, learning new languages and working out.
SGA Vice President Nataly Avalos of Dobson is a sophomore at Surry Early College High School and is pursuing an Associate in Arts. She plans on transferring to a four-year college university and majoring in International Business. She enjoys the environment of Surry Community College, including the instructors and the educational opportunities.
Senior Ambassador and SGA Mascot Jacob Mills of Dobson is a senior at Surry Early College High School and is completing an Associate in Fine Arts in Visual Arts. After graduation, he plans on attending Appalachian State University to receive a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Arts Education (K-12). He also plans on getting a master’s degree in fine arts or design. He has enjoyed the warm atmosphere that the teachers and instructors of Surry Community College have provided.
Junior Ambassador Makynna Jackson of Mount Airy is a junior at Surry Early College High School and is part of the Associate in General Education program at Surry Community College. She plans on going to a four-year university to major in Chemistry. Her hobbies include drawing and reading.
Junior Ambassador Estevan Luna Zamora of Hamptonville is a second-year student completing an Associate in Arts and Science. He enjoys the fact that he is taking classes that will go toward his major at a four-year university for a fraction of the cost. He plans on becoming a mechanical engineer and appreciates the math and science departments at SCC for having caring teachers that bring out the best in their students.
Kendra Myers, coordinator of student services and SGA advisor, is also the faculty leader for the Ambassador Scholars Program. “SCC is fortunate to have strong student leaders. Students are nominated and selected based on those leadership skills. Other criteria include diverse backgrounds, and a willingness to represent Surry Community College on campus and in the community,” Myers said. “Student leaders serve in many capacities while providing tours for our school, meeting individuals throughout the community, and assisting with many fundraising events on campus. SCC is proud to have these fine individuals serving as representatives of our college.”
Senior Ambassadors receive an academic scholarship of $500 per semester for a total of $1,000 for the duration of their service year. All ambassadors must maintain a GPA of 3.0 and be nominated by a SCC faculty or staff member and go through an interview process. SGA officers receive an academic scholarship between $300 and $500 per semester based on their help in the office, with a maximum of $600-$1,000 per year.
For more information about the SCC Ambassador Scholars Program or the Student Government Association, contact Myers at [email protected] or 336-386-3465.
March 02, 2022
The line to gain admittance into Ron King Gymnasium started forming two hours before tipoff on Tuesday.
Even with the North Surry fanbase split between Toast and Salisbury – where the varsity girls competed in the Elite Eight at 6:00 – every seat was filled to see the 2021-22 Greyhound boys compete at home one last time. Fans knew that West Caldwell, fresh off a win over the No. 1 ranked team in the state, was the only thing standing between North Surry and a trip to the 2A West Regional Final.
The Greyhounds overcame a second-quarter deficit to lead by double digits at halftime. North Surry’s advantage increased to as many as 23 points in the second half, securing the Hounds’ win by a score of 84-73.
North Surry (23-4) will compete in its first Final Four since the 2016-17 season.
“I feel incredible,” said head coach Tyler Bentley, who is in his fourth season with the Greyhounds. “I honestly don’t have the words right now. The guys fought for 32 minutes, and you have to give them all the credit for what they’ve accomplished.”
One of the players that personified the school’s trademark “Greyhound Grit” was junior James McCreary, or “Stone Cold” as he’s colloquially known in the Dawg Pound. McCreary matched a career-high 31 points, a record set just two days prior, and did all his scoring in the first three quarters. He also tallied seven rebounds, four steals, four assists and a block.
A 9-2 run by West Caldwell (21-10) gave the Warriors a 25-19 advantage two minutes into the second quarter. Things went from bad to worse when McCreary took a shot to the eye and had to leave the game.
Jahreece Lynch picked up the slack and scored all eight points of an 8-0 North Surry run, which led to the game’s final lead change. Bentley said it was the team’s changes on defense and emphasis on keeping their composure that lead to the second-quarter surge.
The Hounds continued to draw fouls and build the lead at the line, going 14-of-16 from the stripe in the second quarter to lead 44-34 at halftime.
“We knew that if we just stayed the course that we could score, ” he said. “It was about getting stops on the defensive end.”
McCreary emerged from the locker room, to a thunderous reaction no less, and played the final few minutes of the second quarter. He made his biggest impact in the third quarter when he hit shot 4-for-4 from 3-point range and scored 18 points, while West Caldwell was held to just 19 as a team.
“James, being the competitor that he is, I knew he was going to come back out and give us 100%; that’s just who he is,” Bentley said. “Honestly, coming back from that might’ve helped him play better tonight.”
Kolby Watson added seven of his 13 total points in the third as well, with Lynch and Cam Taylor each scoring as well to give North Surry 29 third-quarter points. On a night when the crowd was electric from tipoff to the final buzzer, perhaps the loudest reaction of the night came when Taylor threw down a two-handed slam to put the Hounds up 16.
After two made free throws from the Warriors, North went on a 9-0 run over a period of 102 seconds. West Caldwell finally ended their drought with a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to make it 73-53.
Lynch knocked down a 3-pointer to open the fourth quarter, and Jackson Smith scored his first of three field goals in the quarter to make it a 25-point game. North Surry finally slowed its offense down and played it safe the rest of the way. The Hounds were outscored 13-2 as the game winded down, but North never looked worried and still won by 11.
North Surry finished shooting 9-of-15 (60%) from beyond the arc and 19-of-25 (76%) from the foul line. West Caldwell went 4-of-17 (24%) from 3-point range and 11-of-18 (61%) from the stripe.
McCreary was North Surry’s leading scorer and rebounder with 31 points and seven boards, and he and Taylor each had a block. Lynch wasn’t far behind in the rebounding category with seven, and he dished out a team-high seven assists. Watson grabbed five steals for the Hounds in addition to his five assists and four rebounds.
The Greyhounds have now won nine consecutive games and 15 of their past 16. North Surry has only trailed for a combined 90 seconds during the second half of playoff games.
“We played ‘good’ basketball throughout the season, but they understand what the goal is and that dialed-in focus started just before the conference tournament,” Bentley said. “They knew what we wanted to achieve, and they’ve been locked in and focused every day in practice and every game. We’re playing our best basketball at the right time, and that’s what every coach wants at the end of February and early March.”
Bentley also expressed his gratitude for the North Surry students and fans that made Ron King Gymnasium an awesome environment all season, especially since the Hounds only allowed 25 fans per game during the 2020-21 season.
“Our fanbase and our community have been top notch,” Bentley said. “They’ve been that way all season really. Our fans, students and community packed in the gym…there’s nothing like it.”
The Hounds finish the year 14-1 at home.
No. 4 North Surry will face No. 6 Robinson (26-3) on Saturday, March 5, in the 2A West Regional Championship. The game will be held at Greensboro’s Grimsley High School at 2:00 p.m.
Robinson won the Yadkin Valley 1A/2A Conference with an undefeated 12-0 record. The Bulldogs have won 11-straight games, all by double digits, and are undefeated in the 2A division.
The only opponent shared by North Surry and Robinson is Forbush. Robinson defeated Forbush 84-63 in the Sweet 16, and North Surry defeated Forbush 99-91, 78-71 and 93-76 this season.
Robinson reached the West Regional Final with the following wins: 77-52 vs. No. 27 Burns, 89-62 vs. No. 11 Hendersonville, 84-63 vs. No. 14 Forbush, 49-45 vs. No. 7 Monroe.
Updated playoff brackets can be found at https://t.maxpreps.com/3M0OsJa
Scoring
West Caldwell – 16, 18, 19, 20 = 73
North Surry – 17, 27, 29, 11 = 84
WC: Malek Patterson 17, Quinton Ford 15, Kayvin Felder 14, Mason Anthony 12, Jordan Patterson 6, Truitt Mckinney 5, Kalen Bowers 4
NS: James McCreary 31, Jahreece Lynch 19, Kolby Watson 13, Cam Taylor 11, Jackson Smith 8, Ryan Simmons 2
March 02, 2022
A Mount Airy businessman has been appointed to a city advisory group.
Steve Scott was named to the Cemetery Trustees Board in a vote by the Mount Airy Board of Commissioners during its last meeting on Feb. 17.
The Cemetery Trustees Board is a five-member group that oversees the municipal-owned Oakdale Cemetery, a 22-acre facility situated along North Main Street which contains more than 6,000 burial sites.
Bill Beamer, who had been serving on the board, became no longer eligible for that due to moving outside the city limits and Scott was chosen to replace him.
Scott was approved to serve out Beamer’s unexpired term, which ends on Nov. 1, 2023, and may be reappointed after that.
He is the longtime owner of Airmont Florist and Gift Shop.
Among other members of the Cemetery Trustees Board are Dr. John Crane, Ivy Sheppard and Bill Rountree, who in July 2020 were reappointed for four-year terms ending on March 1, 2024.
The fifth member of the board is Mayor Ron Niland. The mayor automatically becomes part of it for his or her term in office.
Scott also serves on another city advisory group, the Mount Airy Library Board.
March 02, 2022
Three Surry County Schools students were selected to participate in the Northwest NC All-District Honor Band event held at Appalachian State University in Boone on Feb. 18-20.
Representing East Surry were Nate Parrish, who performed as the ninth clarinet in the 9-10 Symphonic Band, and Rachel Dolinger, who performed as eighth clarinet in the 9-12 Concert Band. North Surry was represented by Colby Callaway, who performed as second tuba in the 9-12 Concert Band. These students are enrolled in the band programs at their respective Surry County high schools.
Several COVID-19 protocols made the 2022 event operate a little differently than in the past. For instance, the number of students selected for each band was reduced in order to allow for physical spacing in rehearsal and performance venues. Rehearsals were also broken up into 50-minute blocks and the HVAC system was allowed to change over air in between each block. However, these and other protocols did not discourage participants. After an all-virtual event in 2021, everyone involved was excited to be able to have an in-person experience this year.
These students rehearsed and performed with other student musicians in the Northwest District Bandmasters Association. Guest conductors led rehearsals which culminated in a concert in the Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts on the afternoon of Feb. 20.
The 9-12 Concert Band was conducted by Robert Johnston, director of bands at Ronald Reagan High School in Pfafftown, and the 2021 Northwest District Award of Excellence winner. The 9-10 Symphonic Band was conducted by Todd Ebert, director of bands at Cuthbertson High School in Waxhaw. While no Surry County Schools students were selected for the 11-12 Symphonic Band this year, it was conducted by Colonel Don Schofield, the commander and conductor of The United States Air Force Band in Washington, D.C.
The All-District Honor Band is sponsored each year by the Northwest North Carolina Bandmasters Association, a division of the North Carolina Music Educators Association. This is a highly competitive event where more than 1,200 students representing 19 counties audition each year. In order to audition, students are required to practice and perfect a solo specific to their instrument, major scales, chromatic scale as well as sight-read a piece of music after looking at it for only 30 seconds. Auditions are scored by a panel of judges and students receiving the highest scores are invited to be members of the honor bands.
March 02, 2022
Surry County Schools was well-represented with 18 projects competing in the recent The North Central Region 5 Science Fair, with several receiving recognition at the event. Among those were:
– Emilynn Haymore from Pilot Mountain Elementary received Honorable Mention.
– Nathaniel Murphy from Copeland Elementary received Honorable Mention
– Emma Mae White from Meadowview Magnet Middle received Honorable Mention in the Junior Division, Environmental Category.
– Bailey Ray from Meadowview Magnet Middle received a Third Place recognition in the Junior Division, Mathematics Category.
– Makynna Jackson and Isabella Jackson from Surry Early College High received a Second Place recognition in the Senior Division, Engineering Category.
All totaled, 122 projects were registered in three divisions; Elementary, Junior, and Senior.
The virtual presentations mark the first time that Surry County Schools’ students have been able to participate in the Regional Science Fair proceedings for the past two years. With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, students did not have the opportunity to participate in last year’s competition due to safety concerns. This school year, students were excited to present their projects and push towards the regional competition.
Each student prepared slide presentations of their project and shared the slides with judges. The competition judges reviewed each project and developed individualized questions for the students based on their observations. After the review process, each student was given time to meet with judges virtually for around 3-5 minutes. Students were asked questions and given more time to elaborate on their project and scientific findings.
“Science and engineering are alive in Surry County Schools, and students at every level, elementary, middle, and high school are gaining valuable skills that transfer to the world of work,” said Superintendent Dr. Travis L. Reeves. “Not only did students demonstrate creativity in their research but they also presented that research to judges in an interview. The ability to synthesize information and communicate it in a professional manner sets students apart competitively and prepares them for what’s next, whether that be college or careers. I am extremely proud of how hard our students work to develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills each day in their classrooms and the high-quality lessons teachers create to facilitate learning. It has been wonderful to see our students back in action this year on the regional level building upon concepts learned in the classroom. Congratulations to all.”
March 02, 2022
Mount Airy officials will realize some return on the city government’s $67,000 investment late last year in a downtown master plan during an update at a meeting Thursday afternoon.
A representative of the Benchmark consulting firm — likely its president, Jason Epley — is slated to provide a presentation on the plan’s progress since then at a 2 p.m. meeting of the Mount Airy Board of Commissioners.
The commissioners voted in November to allocate the $67,000 for the master plan. This was part of a total funding commitment to it of about $125,000 — also involving financial input from the group Mount Airy Downtown Inc. using Municipal Service District tax revenues levied in the central business district.
Benchmark, which has been providing planning-related services to Mount Airy since 2011 through a privatization move, took on the extra task of modernizing a downtown master plan introduced in 2004 for the additional sum involved.
Both city government and downtown leaders have thought it necessary to update the 18-year old study to incorporate new elements to better guide future investments there (public and private) in a coherent and cost-effective manner.
Benchmark also is focusing on public parking solutions; a traffic-flow analysis and possible changes such as the removal of stoplights along North Main Street, making it two-way rather than one-way; and burying overhead power lines, among others.
Survey undertaken
A key development occurring since the planning firm was tapped for the master plan effort involved the launching of an online public survey to help steer the plans for the downtown area, which ended on Jan. 31.
“We had 481 responses total which was well over our goal of 250,” Main Street Coordinator Lizzie Morrison of Mount Airy Downtown disclosed afterward regarding the survey respondents.
The process allowed them to express views on issues such as the potential stoplight removal and two-way traffic conversion, although media requests to access the survey results were not successful. The overall findings have been discussed by a steering committee for the plan, according to Morrison.
“Most people were very positive about the downtown-revitalization efforts over the last several years, and expressed interest in potential changes to the streetscape that would center on a safer pedestrian experience,” Morrison related.
“In addition to the survey, Benchmark has been conducting downtown stakeholder interviews with property and business owners, community leaders and city department heads to gather more information.”
It was not known beforehand if any traffic recommendations will be aired during Thursday afternoon’s meeting.
Plans for the master plan update also have called for public workshops to give citizens more opportunities to participate in the downtown enhancement process.
Morrison has been encouraged by what is transpiring, including the public interest being demonstrated.
“People are not apathetic to what is happening here — the citizens of Mount Airy are interested and excited about what is to come for our wonderful small town,” the Main Street coordinator said.
“It is encouraging to get such a large response for the survey and to see so much optimism from the interviewing process.”
Epley advised last month that Benchmark personnel were still working through the overall analysis for a then-tentative early March presentation of a downtown assessment.
“And the survey is part of that,” he added. “We will release the survey results (then).”
March 01, 2022
For one man with local ties, the photos and videos of Russia’s brutal attack on Ukraine carries a special significance.
Don Masura is a second-generation Ukrainian-American. While he was born in the U.S., raised around Detroit, he still identifies strongly with the native homeland of his grandparents.
“My grandparents immigrated to the United States,” he said Tuesday afternoon. “Both sides of my family…from the Carpathian Mountains area of Ukraine.”
Growing up in the northern regions of the U.S., he said he had many friends who were immigrants — friends would readily identify with their Polish or Italian or Spanish ancestry. Masura, however, was not able to freely tell people he was Ukrainian.
“I was raised without being able to discuss my heritage,” he said. When he was growing up, Masura said most people in America considered Ukraine to be part of Russia, because it was under the control of the Soviet Union.
“To tell people that you were from Russia or that you were of Russian heritage…was not smart. People didn’t like Russians.” Instead, his parents told him to tell friends he was Austrian.
As he grew into adulthood and aged, Masura said he wanted to learn more about his true heritage, and three years ago he was able to finally visit Ukraine, spending time in the capitol city of Kyiv.
“It was a life-changing experience. I saw people who looked like my cousins and uncles.” Despite never having been to the nation, Masura said “everything was familiar. Ukraine itself is an absolutely gorgeous country. I stood in the central square. I could see the golden domes of the churches. There were flowers everywhere, and people were friendly and it was clean. People were happy. I can’t tell you how loving and kind everyone there was.”
Masura, a member of the Greater Mount Airy Chamber of Commerce and one of its volunteer ambassadors, is a small business owner, operating his own High Point-based consulting firm, The Threshold Performance Group. He said he it was fulfilling to finally see his family’s homeland, to connect to the people and places in Ukraine.
Now?
“To see the same streets I walked on, filled with war, breaks my heart,” he said. He also carries worry about relatives. While his immediate family is all in the United States, Masura said he has a cousin who immigrated back to the land of their ancestors, married and took up residence there.
“I’m worried about him,” he said, adding he has not been able to contact his cousin in recent days.
He does have other friends there who have sent out emails to him and others outside the country, describing what is going on.
“They talked about how it is so frightening,” he said of the emails. People there are having to go to extremes trying to stay safe.
“One example is the people are hiding underground. One said there are 1,200 people hiding in a train station underground and the only toilet facility they have is one bucket, and yet they don’t complain,” he said, expressing his admiration for the people of Ukraine. “They are finding a way…they are hungry, they are scared. Families are separated. Yet they fight, with everything they’ve got.”
While Ukraine may not be perfect, Masura said when he visited there three years ago, he spent time talking with many of the young people. He said they were happy and optimistic about their future, about Ukraine continuing to find its own identity after generations of being dominated by Russia, the former Soviet Union, and before that various empires which controlled Eastern Europe.
Some of that history, particularly recent history with Russia and the Soviet Union, is on display in the Kyiv city square.
“I went through a park that was the equivalent of the holocaust museum in Washington, D.C.,” Masura recalled. There, among memorials and museums was the story of Stalin, the Soviet Union leader, who would starve the people of Ukraine and elsewhere in his empire — just to keep them in line. Masura said there are memorials there to many people who died from Stalin’s brutal treatment.
And now, Russia is again invading its neighbor, apparently targeting both soldiers and civilians.
“They have not lost hope,” he said of the Ukrainians he is in contact with. “That’s what they need from the rest of the world, the prayers and the support so that they don’t lose hope. They have already lasted three or four days longer than everyone thought they would.”
Masura said the nation’s ability to hold off the Russian take-over has, in his opinion, given time for the U.S. and European nations to better coordinate their response. He fears, given the superior numbers of the Russian invaders, that the nation will eventually fall. That does not mean the war will be over.
“It is a culturally rich country. The people there are stubborn. They love their country in a way that is hard for us to understand, that they would line up with rocks and sticks to fight somebody to save their country.
“Depending on how it goes, it will turn into a guerrilla situation. The Russian troops don’t want to be there…there will be a lack of stability. I don’t think Russia will be able to take control over Ukraine and run it, because the people won’t allow that.”
Masura hopes sanctions and other actions by the rest of the world, combined with the dogged resistance being put up by Ukraine, will convince Russia’s Vladimir Putin the war is not worth it, that he will withdraw his troops.
Regardless of the eventual outcome, he said the response of Ukrainian residents should be a lesson to Americans.
“This is an excellent example of people who love their country. You may not always love your government but you can love your country.”
March 01, 2022
DOBSON — Seats on the Surry County Board of Education have been one of the more popular selections for candidates filing for office so far.
At the close of filing Monday afternoon, seven people had tossed their hats into the ring for county school board seats, including during a brief court-interrupted filing period in December and a resumption of that process which began last Thursday.
Donna McLamb was the latest to do so on Monday, when she officially became a candidate for the District 4 seat on the Surry Board of Education on the Republican ticket.
Before the filing of Lamb, 60, of Foley Brindle Lane, Dobson, fellow GOP member T.J. Bledsoe, also of Dobson, had been the only other candidate for the District 4 post that is now occupied by Terri Mosley, the board’s chairman.
Meanwhile, three candidates have filed, as of Monday afternoon, for the District 2 seat on the Surry Board of Education. They include Democratic incumbent Mamie McKinney Sutphin of Pilot Mountain and Republican challengers Tony L. Hutchens of Mount Airy, and Brent Long from Pilot Mountain.
The only other county school board slot affected by the 2022 election cycle is the District 3 seat for which Kent Whitaker of Dobson and Jessica George of Siloam were the only candidates to have filed by Monday’s closing. Both are Republicans.
That seat previously was held by Earlie Coe, who stepped down last year. Melissa Key Atkinson subsequently was appointed to serve the remainder of Coe’s unexpired term.
In comparison to the county school board, less candidate interest has been shown in Mount Airy Board of Education races. Both have partisan seats.
At last report, only incumbent at-large member Tim Matthews, a Democrat, had filed in a bid to retain that seat, with no one doing so for District A and B.
Those positions are now held by Kyle Leonard and Ben Cooke, respectively.
The filing period will continue today and Thursday from 8:15 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Friday, 8:15 a.m. to noon, when filing closes at the Surry County Board of Elections office in Dobson.
About 35 candidates had signed up as of Monday to run for various local and state offices, in anticipation of a primary election in May and the general election next November.
March 01, 2022
Surplus school properties have been a hot topic for the Surry County commissioners of late. With decisions looming on the fate of J. J. Jones High School, it was Westfield Elementary that needed some extra attention at the last board meeting.
Commissioner Van Tucker advised his fellow board members that a possible home for items on the lot of the former Westfield Elementary had been found. At Westfield were a World War II memorial and a flagpole with a bell that have significance to the community.
Tucker had been asking the board members, and the public, for help in finding these artifacts a new home. He reported that a scout wants to take on this project as part of Eagle Scout certification. He noted that would include bringing in the equipment necessary to uproot the flagpole and memorial for the move to Westfield Baptist Church.
He asked the board to give permission in advance to the Westfield Baptist group and the scouts to move ahead if and when the church’s deacons approved it.
County Attorney Ed Woltz made sure everything was in line with regulations and advised when the school was surplussed last year along with J.J. Jones that it was a surplussed as “real property.” These artifacts would be considered personal property attached to real property and would need to be surplussed as well.
The board passed a resolution to designate the items as personal property and the flagpole with bell to Westfield Baptist, and to grant pre-approval for the groups to move when approval is gained.
The county will gift these items to the church, who will agree to keep them in the public use going forward. For artifacts being displayed outside the church, where anyone can see, the public use component is easily met.
“They will freely and gladly comply with whatever it takes to satisfy the county’s paperwork request,” Tucker reported yesterday.
“Those people died heroically serving the country in World War II,” he said of the desire to save the memorial and the artifacts that hold significance to this community, “We don’t want anyone’s treasures to be lost.”
In other business at a recent board meeting:
– The Health and Nutrition Center sent a request to the board for authorization to buy a new truck. Previously, pandemic relief funds were used by them to buy an incident trailer, and now a vehicle is needed to get that trailer around the county for vaccination clinics and other functions.
Mount Airy Chrysler Dodge agreed to hold the vehicle for the county upon its arrival but would not be able to hold it until the next commissioners meeting. Knopf advised that no county fund would be used for the truck and noted the department had done due diligence in their selection of the vehicle based on departmental needs. The request was approved.
– The Town of Dobson is also in the market for a 100-foot aerial ladder truck for their fire department. The current Dobson fire fleet will not be able to reach the tallest buildings with its 50 foot truck, however officials have now determined the new truck is too large to fit down many Dobson neighborhood streets.
Previously, Dobson was going to sell the 50 foot ladder truck to help pay for the new one, that plan was scrapped. Town Manager Laura Neely sent a request to the county commissioners planning retreat last week for a contribution for the purchase, which Dobson had negotiated down to $90,000. With hotels, county buildings, and the new detention center being cited as the need for the purchase, the commissioners made a surprise offer to fully cover half the costs of the new ladder truck.
– The county’s Animal Control Committee sent forth a list of names to be reappointed to the committee: Tony Davis and Tony Tilley were reappointed by the board. Melissa Hiatt, executive director of the United Fund of Surry, was appointed to fill a vacant seat on the committee.
– Finally, Todd Harris, Surry County Register of Deeds, appeared before the commissioners to give credit for a job well done. He heaped praise on his staff for its recent certifications achieved through the School of Government at UNC Chapel Hill.
“They passed with flying colors. Even this squirrel found an acorn down in Chapel Hill and was able to pass,” Harris offered. “We are very happy to announce, and very proud that this gives us 100% certification. I have an incredible staff.”
Recognized were: Misti Collins, Deputy Register of Deeds 1; Laken Haynes, Deputy Register of Deeds 1; and Jennifer Barker, Assistant Register of Deeds 2. Harris was certified as well as Register of Deeds. Also, in attendance to show departmental support for their teammates were Teresa Tilley and Teresa Smith.
March 01, 2022
Millennium Charter Academy is hosting a youth football camp on March 12.
Coaches for Millennium’s first-ever middle school football team are putting the camp on for any current fourth-eighth grade students. The camp is free to attend.
In addition to MCA coaches, as well as middle and high school coaches from the triad, young athletes will be instructed by current professional players from the Carolina Cobras Arena Football Team and former Carolina Panthers. Campers will participate in football skills and drills.
The camp will be held at the Millennium Charter Academy soccer field, located at 500 Old Springs Rd in Mount Airy.
For more information or questions, email [email protected]
March 01, 2022
Mia McMillen’s impact on Surry Central sports began as soon as she walked in as a freshman in 2018.
She has represented the Golden Eagles during every athletic season of her four years in high school, and has received All-Conference recognition in each one as well. The question regarding her future in collegiate athletics was never ‘if’ she would make it, but rather ‘which sport will she choose?’
After signing her NCAA National Letter of Intent, that question has been answered: Mia McMillen will continue her academic and volleyball careers at Limestone University upon graduation.
“I have put a lot of effort into my athletics,” McMillen said. “I love that my work is paying off, and am really excited about opportunities and experiences I will have at the collegiate level.”
Mia is one of three Golden Eagle seniors continuing their volleyball careers in college. McMillen signed with Limestone, Jaylyn Templeton signed with Greensboro College and Katelyn Patterson signed with Meredith College.
“They were our solid three for years. Kate in the back, Jaylyn to put the ball up and Mia to put it back down,” said Carrie Bruce, who served as head volleyball coach the past two seasons. “It was a triple threat on the court for us. They really were our glue and our foundation. They were great leaders for our team this past year, and we’re definitely going to miss them.”
McMillen served as outside hitter for Surry Central and received All-Conference Honors all four years. Her 340 kills this season were No. 6 in the 2A Division and tied for No. 28 among all public school classifications. She was also No. 19 in the 2A Division with 316 digs.
“Mia has pretty much been our rock; our go-to player on the court,” Bruce said. “She has been a force to be reckoned with. She got her 1,000th dig this season, and I’m so extremely proud of her for that. Her hitting percentage was off the charts, and she did very well in the hitting and defensive aspects of the game. She will be an asset in anything they need her to do.”
In McMillen’s four years with the volleyball team, the Golden Eagles amassed an overall record of 64-32, a conference record of 40-12 and a playoff record of 4-4.
Even with the shortened 2020-21 season, Mia graduates with 877 kills, 1,297 digs, 208 aces and 53 blocks.
“I was very fortunate to be on a high school team which competed hard each night and made playoff runs each year,” McMillen said. “I have been blessed with great coaches at SCHS, Coach Tolbert and Coach Bruce, and also with my Twins travel team, Coach Brandon and Coach Gilley. I am grateful for supportive teammates and parents who push me to do my best.”
Of all the sports in which she competes, volleyball was actually the sport McMillen picked up the latest.
“I didn’t start volleyball until the eighth grade, but immediately fell in love with the sport,” Mia said. “I just have so much fun on the court hitting the ball and playing defense. I love the celebrations after a big point and competing with my teammates.”
In addition to volleyball, McMillen is a four-year member of the varsity basketball and track and field teams.
In basketball, Mia went from being an All-Conference Honorable Mention as a freshman – the only freshman to play significant minutes on a 24-6 team with four senior starters – to winning Conference Co-Player of the Year as a senior. McMillen averaged 21.5 points, 9.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 5.2 steals and 0.5 blocks this past season. She led Surry Central in all five categories as a senior and as a sophomore, while leading 4-of-5 as a junior.
Mia is also a two-time state silver medalist in track. She won individual conference championships in the 100-meter hurdles, 300-meter hurdles and long jump her freshman year, while also finishing second in the 100-meter dash. She went on to become the 2A Midwest Regional Champion in 300 hurdles, earned All-Region Honors in the 100 hurdles before becoming 2A State Runner-up in the event.
After no sophomore season due to COVID-19, Mia won four conference championships and was named Conference Female Athlete of the Year as a junior. She went on to win regional championships in the 100 meters, 200 meters and 300 hurdles, was regional runner-up in the long jump and helped Surry Central win the Regional Team Championship. Mia was State Runner-up in the 300 hurdles, and finished in the top six of the 100 and 200 meters at the 2021 championship meet.
McMillen holds the Surry Central and Surry County outdoor track and field school records for the 300-meter hurdles, 100-meter dash, 200-meter dash and long jump.
March 01, 2022
The Moore House in Mount Airy was bustling with energy Monday as Melissa Hiatt of the United Fund of Surry gathered together representatives from the 26 member organizations for a lunch meet and greet. On the agenda was preparation to open the next round of funding request for the member agencies the United Fund of Surry supports, and they heard an update on the Community Campaign.
The United Fund recently moved into the upstairs at Moore House and Hiatt said they are “excited to be in their new offices.” Hosting a group at the house is a welcome change as the Moore House has been sitting unused since the pandemic. “No one has been here since closing for COVID.”
As the signage outside of Reeves Community Center reflects, the goal set of $430,000 has been exceeded, at last update the current total sat at $451,000 with a handful of workplace campaigns still ongoing. “This a good comeback from not making goal last year following the pandemic,” and there is still a “Dine-Out for the Fund” night scheduled with local restaurants in March.
The agencies under the United Fund umbrella serve needs all across the county, in fact Hiatt said at times United Fund is plugging in holes where local or state agencies cannot assist. The Ararat Rescue Squad, Surry Friends of Youth, and Yokefellow Ministries are among those agencies who benefit from being a part of the United Fund.
While the United Fund of Surry helps to distribute funds to the member agencies, she reminded the group that they are here to serve their agencies, “This is about you and the people you serve.”
In Surry County she reported 17,578 people have directly benefited from a service from one of the agencies, which equates to 25% in a county of roughly 70,000. “Those are just the direct touches, when you think about how many people around those received a benefit as well, the residual footprint is much higher than that.”
Take Mountain Valley Hospice & Palliative Care as a prime example of a larger footprint, their direct service is for the patient, and secondary services are then offered via counseling and support to the family members in a time of great need. When extrapolated to the 18-county region they serve in both North Carolina and Southern Virginia, the impact felt from the services of Mountain Valley can reach into homes all across the region – and beyond.
In a minuscule sampling of the services utilized from the member organizations in the past 12 months, Hiatt gave the following: 69,000 meals, 530 scholarships, 1,078 prescription assistance requests, and more than 7,000 counseling classes were provided by United Fund agencies.
“This number that blows my mind, because I don’t know how this happens with all volunteers and no paid staff, but 3,298 crisis calls were met by rescue squads,” Hiatt observed. “That’s amazing when you think about the number of people who leave their home as a volunteer to get in a truck to aid someone and they have no idea where they’re going.”
People helping people comes in many forms and she encouraged the members to lean on one another where complementary services may overlap, or where one member agency could offer services to another. “It’s always better to partner with another non-profit at a lesser rate than it is to pay someone else to do it.”
A total of 58,827 volunteer hours were racked up by the agencies utilizing an army of 1,096 volunteers. Hiatt said that labor savings to the county has a price tag of $1.7 million. “When you speak to a county commissioner, remind them what you’re worth.”
There is still time to help the Community Campaign reach an even higher total, the public can make donations through: http://www.unitedfundofsurry.org/donate.
The Community Campaign for the United Fund of Surry is ongoing through the end of March.
March 01, 2022
Joined by his friends and family, East Surry senior Layton Allen signed his NCAA National Letter of Intent to play college football at Lenoir-Rhyne University.
“It’s something I’ve always looked forward to and it’s always been a dream for me, so to sign is a dream come true,” Allen said. “As soon as I started playing football, I wanted to make it to the next level and just show how good I am.”
Allen spent a lot of his high school career doing whatever was asked of him as he waited for his number to called. When the circumstances finally allowed for him to be unleashed, Layton built a legacy as one of the top receivers in Surry County history.
“He’s one that has worked for every inch that he’s earned,” said East Surry coach Trent Lowman. “He’s worked his craft: whether running cone drills and working in the weight room by himself. He has tried to perfect everything about being a wide receiver, and it really paid off this year.”
Allen spent most of his sophomore season on the JV team, but that was because of the impressive roster of upperclassmen above him on the depth chart. East Surry finished 15-0 in 2019, won the 1AA State Championship and had the third-most single-season yards passing (4,686) in North Carolina history.
“As a sophomore, he probably could’ve started as a varsity receiver at any of the surrounding schools,” Lowman said. “He was really sharp, and could’ve started for us if we didn’t have four guys that are now on ACC rosters. It’s kind of unheard of. He was already good then, but he’s gotten a lot better.
“I think it just speaks to the work ethic and intrinsic motivation he has, and should carry forward over his next four years at Lenoir-Rhyne.
Layton got his first taste of being a varsity starter as a junior, though the circumstances were less than ideal for the receiver.
“That season was just something else,” Lowman said. “It was already weird playing a seven-game schedule in the spring, but we had a sophomore quarterback in Folger [Boaz] – and he even battled an ankle injury for a lot of the season so weren’t able to open up the passing game as much as we wanted – as well as a lot of new guys on the OL and a few great running backs.
“This was really the first year that he got to be ‘that guy’ for us as a receiver.”
As a senior, Allen led the 2A division in receptions (83) and yards receiving (1,294). He was fifth and sixth in the state in those categories, respectively, among all classifications. His 12 receiving touchdowns tied for fifth in the 2A division.
According to East Surry’s football record book, Layton graduates as the program’s all-time leader in career receptions (123) and single-season receptions (83 in 2021), and is in the top five of every receiving category.
On breaking Stephen Gosnell’s single-season reception mark, Allen said: “It means a lot. Stephen Gosnell, I know he was a great receiver here and I practiced with him so much. He helped me a lot. To break one of his records…that means a lot to me too.”
Allen is the seventh Surry County football player from the past decade to surpass 2,000 career yards receiving, joining: Mount Airy’s Donavon Greene, North Surry’s Colton Acord and Nick Badgett, and East Surry’s Blake Marion, Landon Stevens and Stephen Gosnell.
“Layton wasn’t surrounded by two or three other guys going to play division I football, either,” Lowman said. “All four staring receivers from that 2019 team are now on D-I rosters; Layton wasn’t in that same situation. We had good players out there this year, but it wasn’t the same. There was a little bit more focus on him from defenses, as well.”
He also served as one of the go-to guys whenever East Surry needed a big play.
“There were a few games this year where we weren’t doing so hot in times and we would throw a short pass to Layton, ” Lowman said. “He would break a tackle and pick up 10 or 12 yards to give us that spark.”
Allen expressed his gratitude to the East Surry coaching staff and his teammates for helping him get to this point.
“Personally, East Surry has been a home for me since the minute I got here,” Allen said. “My brother came here and played football. All my friends have been here. I’ve had great coaches, great teammates. It’s been awesome.”
Layton also thanked God and his parents for making his football career possible.
In addition to his accomplishments on the field, Lowman said that Allen is an excellent student, as well as a loving brother and son.
“He’s surely done it right,” Lowman said. “He’s the person you want him to be outside of school, inside the school and on the football field. He’s worked hard and he’s earned this.
March 01, 2022
The Northwestern Regional Library Quiz Bowel was held Feb. 19 at the Andy Griffith Playhouse in Mount Airy.with . The the team from Mount Airy High School coming out on top, with North Surry High School as runner up.
North Surry made Mount Airy fight for the win. The two teams had to compete with each other in back-to-back matches before Mount Airy won 120-80.
The event is an academic competition for high school students. Eight area high school teams competed including Alleghany, East Surry, Elkin, Mount Airy, North Surry, South Stokes, Stokes Early College, and Yadkin Early College.
The event includes two teams of four team members each competing with each other to answer questions about science, mathematics, social studies, literature, and current events. The event is double-elimination so that all teams are involved for several rounds.
This year’s Mount Airy team members included Andrew Myers, Tyler Utt, Angel Rivera, Nicholas Calcillo-Solis, Chris Lim, and the sponsor was Rod Hosking.
March 01, 2022
A female inmate at the Surry County Detention Center died Monday night, after having been jailed earlier in the day on a failure to appear charge relating to an earlier driving while intoxicated case.
Few details are being released by the sheriff’s office at this time.
Sheriff Steve C. Hiatt, in a written statement released this morning, said that Ashley Michelle Hicks, 31, had a “medical emergency” while in custody at the center.
“Detention staff located the inmate and immediately started emergency medical care,” Sheriff Hiatt said in the statement. “Surry County Emergency Medical Services was notified of the event by detention staff and arrived to assist a short time later. Ms. Hicks passed at the scene.”
Captain Scott Hudson said Hicks had been brought to the jail by officers from the Mount Airy Police Department at 5:05 p.m. that day. While he could not release details of the “medical emergency,” he did say “It appears to be a medical emergency and it is not due to suicide.”
The sheriff said his office has informed both the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation and the North Carolina Jail Inspector’s Office of the death. As a matter of policy, he said the SBI is conducting an investigation into her death.
Angie Grube, a communications official with the SBI, said there is little information to be released at this time.
“SBI agents responded to the scene/jail to conduct an investigation, which is standard,” she said. “Our investigation remains ongoing.”
She said it will be up to the state medical examiner to determine the cause of death, which could take several days or even weeks before all results are back.
March 01, 2022
The North Carolina Cooperative Extension, Surry Center, wants to promote healthy eating and is offering a free webinar Thursday on growing you own food.
The “Grow Your Own Salad Bowl” webinar is being held Thursday, March 3 from noon to 1 p.m. The Cooperative Extension staff will be showing how to start your own salad bowl garden in order to grow your own tasty salad. “Seeing how easy this is will make you want to get started right away. You will never want to go anywhere else for your greens,” the announcement states.
The Cooperative Extension says do not let limited space stop you from growing your own food, a lot can be done in limited space. In these time of uncertainty about supply chains and what may be found from day to day at the market, taking matters into your own hands can eliminate some of that shortage anxiety.
Adding in those homegrown extra leafy greens can yield savings during times when prices keep climbing, and the health benefits to adding in more greens have been well known.
A 2020 study published in the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine, led by Joshua Dunaief, MD, found that a diet rich in dark green leafy vegetables is associated with decreased systemic C-reactive protein levels over time.
Subsequently, those lower levels were correlated with reduced risk of diseases promoted by chronic inflammation. Foods with natural anti-inflammatory properties are highly recommended by doctors.
Dr. Frank Hu, Harvard School of Public Health, says “inflammation is an important underlying mechanism for the development of diseases” such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
This webinar, the Cooperative says, will help participants raise their garden and “know where your food comes from.” Beyond the security of knowing the food is safe and pesticide free, they also say it can just be plain old fun. “Grow your own. It is exciting to watch your food grow from seed or transplant to table.”
Read more at: https://surry.ces.ncsu.edu/2022/02/grow-your-own-salad-bowl-webinar/
February 28, 2022
Charlie Shelton recently passed away at the age of 86, having lived his life building successful businesses and bringing great change in and around Surry County, alongside his brother Ed. Their family on both their mother’s and father’s sides had longstanding ties to this region, with their ancestors being some of the many early settlers who made their living off the land during the pioneer days.
James Madison “Matt” Shelton, the Shelton brothers’ grandfather, began life as a farmer, just like his father before him, but eventually found his calling as a master carpenter. It was this career change that brought the family into Mount Airy from its outskirts. The family purchased a few acres of land and a rickety old house, where Matt would put his carpentry skills to use, building upon the house to add rooms for his children. While living in this house, Matt’s son George Reid Shelton, known as Reid, attended Franklin School, located on Franklin Road in Mount Airy.
Charlie Lee Badgett was both a tobacco farmer and a blacksmith. He and his family lived and worked on their White Plains farm. The family had 11 children, including his third daughter, Bertha Lillian. From the Badgett family’s house, the Blue Ridge Mountains made up the skyline to the north, with Pilot Mountain being visible to the south. Badgett would grow his tobacco, toast it, before bringing it into Mount Airy where it would be sold for 25 cents for a pound.
Badgett’s farm thrived in the bustling tobacco industry surrounding Mount Airy. In the early 1890s, the town had as many as 21 tobacco factories. However, the factories were soon hit hard by the so-called “tobacco trust,” which monopolized the tobacco industry with James B Duke of Durham at its helm. By 1910, many of the former tobacco factories had been converted into textile mills, with Mount Airy making its foray into the industry of furniture manufacturing.
In 1926, Reid Shelton had just finished up his barber training in Charlotte, and soon had his own chair in a barber shop in Winston-Salem.
When Reid Shelton was 19 years old, he crossed paths with a girl he had briefly attended Franklin School with, Bertha Badgett. Speaking years later of the school, Reid recounted ”That’s where I picked her out but she doesn’t remember me.” Now young adults, they began dating and were married, surrounded by their family on the property of Charlie Badgett’s tobacco farm on Oct. 23, 1926.
The newlyweds lived in Winston-Salem for a time, before returning home to Surry County and to Franklin Street, right across the road from the school where their paths first crossed. Their first son, Charles Madison Shelton, named in honor of both of his grandparents, was born in the early hours of May 12, 1935. Charlie’s younger brother Edward was welcomed into the family not long after.
When Charlie was around 10 years old, his paternal father came to live with the family. The younger Shelton adored his grandfather, and learned the manufacturing skills that Charlie would later utilize to rise to success later in life, by following his grandfather to the factories where he worked. Growing up, Charlie would also work for his maternal grandfather on his tobacco farm.
As he grew, Charlie was constantly finding ways to make an honest profit, from collecting soda bottles that earned him a penny each in deposits, to building and selling lawn furniture with the scraps he got from the factory where his grandfather worked. Taking after grandfather Badgett, by the time he was 16, he had begun planting tobacco.
The Shelton brothers founded various successful construction businesses and established a thriving vineyard that was instrumental in the designation of the Yadkin Valley as a viticultural region, the first in North Carolina. To support the growing industry, they also supported Surry Community College in establishing what is now known as the Shelton-Badgett North Carolina Center for Viticulture and Enology.
They were also instrumental in the creation of the Mount Airy Museum of Regional History, with the museum’s original first floor gallery, established through a major grant from the Shelton Foundation and dedicated in honor of the Shelton’s grandfathers.
Together with his brother Ed, Charlie would continue to tap into the spirit of innovativeness and industrialism that his ancestors drew upon to survive in the early days of settlement in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Katherine “Kat” Jackson is a part-time employee at the Mount Airy Museum of Regional History. Originally from Australia she now lives in Winston-Salem. She can be reached at the museum at 336-786-4478.
February 28, 2022
Three Surry Community College students, dually enrolled in local high schools, are finalists for Park Scholarships from North Carolina State University. These students are Nancy García Villa of Dobson, Nydia Cabrera Cabrera of Mount Airy, and Weatherly Reeves of Mount Airy.
Nydia Cabrera Cabrera is the daughter of Floriberto and Maria Cabrera. Nydia will graduate from North Surry High School where she is president of the student council. She also volunteers for local events and is a district nominee for the U.S. Presidential Scholars in Career and Technical Education Program and is godmother to her two nieces. Nydia plans to major in computer science.
Nancy García Villa is the daughter of Gricelda and Arturo García. Nancy will graduate from Surry Early College High School where she is a Scholar of Global Distinction, student council president, and National Society of Leadership and Success vice president. She also has been recognized as a LatinxEd 20 Under 20 recipient. Nancy plans to major in political science.
Weatherly Reeves is the daughter of Leslie and Dr. Travis Reeves. Weatherly will graduate from North Surry High School where she is Cadet Commander for Air Force JROTC unit NC-811, a National Honor Society member, and an all-conference member of the varsity soccer team. She is also an aspiring author and has written a fantasy novel for young adults. Her love of writing grew by attending the North Carolina Governor’s School East for English. She enjoys volunteering for Flags for Vets, Give a Kid a Christmas, and the Salvation Army Toy Drive. Weatherly plans to major in design studies at the College of Design.
Of 2,260 scholarship candidates from around the globe, 112 were chosen as finalists. These students were selected following application review and interviews conducted by more than 280 NC State and Park Scholarships alumni and friends. Finalists will go on to participate in final selection activities, where they will meet faculty, alumni, current Park Scholars, and other distinguished guests.
The Park Scholarship is a four-year scholarship valued at $116,000 for in-state students and $208,000 for out-of-state students, including tuition and fees, room and board, books and supplies, travel, and personal expenses. All finalists who participate in final selection activities and enroll at NC State are guaranteed a $10,000 scholarship – $2,500 per year for four years.
Since 1996, the Park Scholarships program has brought more than 1,200 students to NC State based on outstanding accomplishments and potential in scholarship, leadership, service, and character. The program develops and supports Park Scholars in these areas, preparing them for lifelong contributions to the university, state, nation, and world. The scholarship includes tuition and fees, room and board, enrichment activities, and additional expenses.
Park Scholarships is named for the late Roy H. Park, a 1931 NC State alumnus who created the charitable Park Foundation, dedicated to education, media, and the environment. Approximately 40 scholarships will be awarded this year to high school seniors for undergraduate study in any discipline at NC State.




© 2018 The Mount Airy News

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