Members of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society at Surry Community College recently led an initiative to write letters of gratitude to veterans. Pictured here are, from left, Christina Blakley, PTK chapter president; Victoria Blakley, chapter recording secretary; and Richard Blakley, father of chapter members, working on the letters. (Submitted photo)

Members of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society at Surry Community College recently led an initiative to write letters of gratitude to veterans. These letters were given out to veterans on the Honor Flight from Washington, D.C., on its return to the Piedmont Triad International Airport in Greensboro.

The project was in partnership with the James Hunter Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. Surry Community College’s PTK Chapter Co-advisor Dr. Kathleen D. Fowler said “This year, PTK gathered 80 letters for veterans. The letters were written by PTK members, faculty, staff and students at Surry Community College as well as by local community members. All of the letters thanked veterans for their service and self-sacrifice in defense of their country.”

The Honor Flight’s mission is to transport America’s veterans to Washington, D.C., to visit the memorials dedicated to honoring those who have served and sacrificed for the United States. It functions as a series of independent hubs working together to carry out the mission, with the Triad Honor Flight hub in High Point serving the local area.

Those who know veterans who would like to participate in the Triad Honor Flight, or those looking to volunteer as a guardian for the veterans, can go to triadhonorflight.org for more information.

Phi Theta Kappa 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 Fowler at 336-386-3560 or fowlerk@surry.edu or Kayla Forrest at 336-386-3315 or forrestkm@surry.edu or go to http://www.ptk.org/. Follow the local chapter on Facebook @surryPhiThetaKappa.­­

Taylor walk-off lifts Hounds over Eagles

SCC, schools start live school lab construction

• A woman listed as homeless was jailed under a $50,000 secured bond Thursday on a long list of charges including being a fugitive from justice, according to Mount Airy Police Department reports.

April Leann Taylor, 43, was encountered by officers at Walmart during a larceny investigation and subsequently arrested as a fugitive from Montgomery County, Virginia, where she is wanted on an unspecified matter. Taylor also is accused locally of possession of a Schedule II controlled substance (methamphetamine), a felony; possession of a stolen vehicle; resisting, delaying or obstructing a public officer; aiding and abetting a larceny; second-degree trespassing; and possession of drug paraphernalia.

In connection with the same incident, Ashley Hutton Norman, 41, also listed as homeless, was charged with larceny and possession of stolen goods from Walmart, identified as men’s clothing, seat covers, fishing supplies and cooking items with a total value of $591 which were recovered.

Taylor is scheduled to be in Surry District Court on July 11 and Norman, July 15.

• Regina Lynne Taylor, 47, of Galax, Virginia, was charged with substitution of price Wednesday after an incident at the Goodwill store on Rockford Street, where she allegedly placed a $5 price tag on a mini-shelf with a higher value. She is facing a July 11 appearance in District Court.

• A license plate, number TCD8763, was discovered stolen Monday from a 1988 Nissan D21 pickup owned by J.C. Luther Ramzy Hatcher, which was taken while the vehicle was at Hatcher’s residence on Banner Street.

• A break-in was discovered on June 10 at the home of Jonathan Wayne Edmonds on Maple Street, which was entered after a window pane was removed. A Midea window-unit air conditioner, black in color and valued at $178, was listed as stolen.

Frank Fleming is known for drawing legions of fans during his distinguished career in modified racing, and Thursday night a crowd gathered at the Municipal Building to support Fleming in a regulatory dispute with the city government.

It involves a sign he wants to display at a site on Merita Street off U.S. 52-North where a new Frank Fleming Body Shop and Collision Center is being developed. This represents a $2 million expansion of his present longtime location on Springs Road near radio stations WPAQ/WSYD just outside the city limits.

The expansion also will create nine or 10 new jobs in addition to his present force of about 10 employees, Fleming said during a public forum at a meeting of the Mount Airy Board of Commissioners.

However, the project — which involves the now-rundown site of a former Winn-Dixie supermarket — is being hindered by another city board’s decision disallowing Fleming’s use of an existing sign displayed by the grocery business before it closed. The body shop owner has sought to re-purpose it in order to draw attention to his new operation.

He has been barred from doing so through a recent vote by a powerful group known as the Mount Airy Zoning Board of Adjustment — a quasi-judicial administrative body whose decisions affect private property rights to the same extent as court rulings.

Its decision is based on a relatively new sign ordinance approved by the commissioners in 2016 whereby signage for new businesses in the city may be no taller than 15 feet. Those already existing were grandfathered in under the measure.

Fleming is appealing the Zoning Board of Adjustment’s ruling to Surry County Superior Court, which is scheduled to hear the case in September, based on information revealed Thursday night.

In the meantime, Fleming, his brother Chris, also a longtime modified racer, and a throng of supporters made their way to City Hall in an effort to have the commissioners approve some amendment to the ordinance or other action allowing him to utilize the sign.

“This will enable me to use an existing sign that is in good condition,” he said during the public forum of Thursday night’s meeting, when the issue was not on the agenda for regular board consideration.

Chris Fleming also spoke on the matter during the forum, recalling how his brother had eyeballed the Merita Street property numerous times when they passed by it, and expressed interest in buying and improving the site.

“We know how bad the property looks now,” Chris Fleming said. “Frank bought the property — but he didn’t know about the sign (restriction).”

Chris also pointed to a safety concern posed by the lack of a tall sign to direct people to the body shop, in which motorists who miss the turn at Merita Street near McDonald’s would have to continue along U.S. 52 and double back to the business. This would require turning into busy lanes of fast-moving vehicles.

“I’m asking you to help Frank help the community,” Chris said of how the sign could contribute to the body shop’s success and aid improvement overall.

The crowd of supporters applauded the brothers’ position and stood up at one point to highlight their numbers.

The Mount Airy Board of Commissioners took no vote on the matter Thursday night, conforming to a regular practice in which issues raised during public forums are not considered during the same meeting. But they agreed to place the matter on the agenda for another meeting on July 21.

In the meantime, city officials did express a desire to find a solution to the impasse and prevent Fleming and the municipality from incurring huge expenses required by a court fight.

“Reasonable people can come up with reasonable answers,” Mayor Ron Niland said.

Niland wasn’t on the city council when the updated sign regulations were adopted in 2016, and said it wouldn’t hurt to have that package reviewed. “Looking at it is a good thing.”

Commissioner Steve Yokeley, who was on the board when the sign measure was approved and voted in favor of it, offered a similar view.

“I thought we had a good ordinance at the time,” Yokeley said, but added that this doesn’t mean it couldn’t be changed.

Commissioner Jon Cawley, who lobbied for the placement of the matter on the July 21 meeting agenda, was more stern in his take on the situation.

“I hope we can find a solution that will be pro-business,” Cawley said. “It never should have gotten to this point.”

One parting remark by Cawley regarding regulations also drew applause from the audience: “What’s good for the city also should be good for the citizens.” Cawley told Fleming that he deserved all the support exhibited Thursday night.

Commissioner Tom Koch also spoke highly of Fleming, saying his body shop had done a great job repairing his car after it was sideswiped while parked.

Still, Niland and other officials emphasized Thursday night that the board can’t just snap its figures and help Fleming without going through proper channels.

Since an ordinance already on the books is involved, changing it would require certain steps including a public hearing, according to the mayor.

Commissioner Joe Zalescik also reminded that an active appeal is under way. “I don’t think we as commissioners should interfere with that,” he said.

“One of the big issues in Mount Airy is signage.”

Support for Frank Fleming’s request also has come from an external source.

While she was unable to attend Thursday night’s meeting, Deborah Cochran, a former mayor and city commissioner, issued a statement to that effect.

“This property has been unsightly over the years and now Frank is bringing it back to life,” Cochran wrote regarding the Merita Street location.

“I wholeheartedly support an amendment to the existing sign ordinance,” added the former city official, who is a candidate for at-large commissioner in this year’s municipal election. “Highway 52 is a thoroughfare and the amendment would allow businesses located 300 feet back off the highway to have a taller sign.”

Cochran expressed confidence that Fleming would make sure it is refurbished in a professional manner.

“Frank has been dealing with this issue for months,” she wrote.

“He moves at lightning speed on the race track — I hope each commissioner will move fast on June 16th and approve this amendment, so Frank can continue taking care of business.”

So much changed over the past two years as the global pandemic occupied much of the collective time and attention of Americans. The landscape of the workforce changed during COVID-19 as many employers allowed, and employees gladly accepted, the chance to work remotely.

Melissa Hiatt, director of the United Fund of Surry, said this week that shift to remote work impacted her ability to raise money from workplace campaigns. Fewer workers in the building led to lower participation rates which in turn led to lower goals. The workplace campaigns are an essential component of the fundraising conducted by the United Fund of Surry to aid their mission in support of two dozen other groups.

In a new move meant to provide an additional opportunity for local businesses to offer support to the United Fund while also offering maximum exposure for themselves, businesses may now opt to be a United Fund Partner for the entire slate of events.

In years past this included sponsorship opportunities for the Downtown Rocks and Runs 5k & 10k and the Greater Granite Open golf tournament. Hiatt and her team added in an adult Easter egg hunt this year which is planned to expand next year. Now, there is a plan for an exciting new event in January – a Bourbon Bonanza – details are still forthcoming she said.

The new United Fund Partner plan will allow a one-time donation to be made that will then splash the sponsoring businesses name all over print donation materials handed out for the workplace campaigns; event flyers, and the United Fund’s social media, “They get to be part of the marketing for the whole campaign,” Hiatt advised.

She sees the new program as a chance to expand the marketing reach of both the United Fund and the sponsoring businesses. Furthermore, the partnership will allow these businesses to plan out their marketing through the year with these events in mind which can allow for more targeted spending as needed.

Above and beyond the business promotion, partnerships also come with goodies for the businesses to use as they see fit including multiple entries into the downtown races, the golf tournament, and a dinner on the evening of the bourbon auction. “These can be for vendors, for employees, for incentives – whatever they want to do,” Hiatt said.

There are places to have a business name added to signage, gift baskets, mile markers during the foot race, as well as golf and beverage carts at the golf tournament.

With partnership levels starting at $1,600 for the whole year she feels there will be a giving level for anyone who wants to participate. Individual sponsorship opportunities will remain because, “Some people want to stay right where they are,” finance manager of the United Fund of Surry, Paula Hiatt, said.

Recently both Hiatts, no relation, along with leaders of the member organizations of the United Fund looked over the Impact Report from 2021 to see how they were able to serve the people of Surry County. Under the umbrella of United Fund are found 25 organizations broken into four categories: crisis, seniors, medical and family and youth.

For the report year 2021 United Fund organizations aided 26,458 residents of Surry County in delivering 103,537 units of service. Some people utilize more than one of the services provided by member organizations. Consider when a child is helped by Surry Friends of Youth and is a member of Girl Scouts. She is counted only once but the services she received are counted individually to provide a more accurate representation.

Melissa Hiatt said that total is nearly one-third of the population of Surry County having received at least one benefit from a member organization of the United Fund. They used the volunteer hours of 1,172 people in 2021 to deliver 60,748 hours of service. That saves Surry County $1,733,749 in savings for services the county would have offered, but United Fund organizations instead provided.

For a suite of services that is used by one-third of the county, it could be reasonable to assume a similar percentage are making donations to the United Fund. Hiatt informed that the number is closer to 3% of the population who donate.

The pandemic may have changed the face of fundraising but the needs of the people of Surry County have not gone away, in fact they are increasing and changing in scope. More services are needed by senior citizens and that may be the trend going forward as the area population quickly ages.

Hiatt reminds the public that no matter what the needs may be a donation, sponsorship, or partnership with the United Fund of Surry “is an investment in the community.”

The Mount Airy Museum of Regional History will be holding two commemorations on Sunday — a Juneteenth celebration and Rotary Family Fun Day

The annual Juneteenth Celebration will be from 1 to 4 p.m.

“This celebration will be free to the public and will be held in the museum courtyard,” museum officials said. “We will have a reading of the Emancipation Proclamation, games and activities, a children’s craft table, live music, and even a new walking tour. The walking tour maps will be free to public and they are a self-guided tour of black history here in downtown Mount Airy.”

The day coincides with the museum’s first Rotary Family Fun Day of the season where admission to the public and activities are free “thanks to a grant from the Rotary Club of Mount Airy,” officials said. “Anyone is welcome to tour the museum and partake in the Juneteenth festivities for no charge during this event.”

Anyone with questions can contact the museum at mamrh@northcarolinamuseum.org, by calling 336-786-4478, or by stopping by at 301 N. Main St.

Though their journey into adulthood is just beginning, students in Surry County already have struck gold by being selected to receive scholarships potentially totaling $14,000.

The eight recipients involved are among 215 rural North Carolina students overall who were tapped for academic aid from the Golden LEAF Foundation based in Rocky Mount. Those students, double the number locally who received that assistance in 2021, were selected out of a pool of more than 1,600 applicants.

Recently graduated high school seniors entering college as first-year students are each eligible for a $3,500 Golden LEAF Scholarship annually for up to four years of undergraduate study at a participating four-year North Carolina college or university. Community college transfer students are eligible for $3,500 a year for up to three years of undergraduate study.

The local scholarship winners include Michelle Bedolla-Villalobos of Surry Early College High School, who will be attending the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Haley Chilton, an East Surry High School graduate bound for N.C. State University; Victoria Griffin of Surry Early College High School of Design, who will attend UNC-Chapel Hill; Alberto Hernandez of Surry Early College High School, headed for the University of North Carolina at Charlotte;

Also, Meaghan Pell of Forsyth Technical Community College, who will attend Appalachian State University; Sebastian Sanchez-Aguilar, a recent Surry Central High School graduate bound for N.C. State University; Dante Watson, another Surry Central student who will continue her studies at N.C. State; and Christopher White, a Surry Early College High School of Design graduate who’ll also do so at N.C. State.

The Golden LEAF Foundation is a non-profit organization established in 1999 to receive a portion of North Carolina’s funding from a 1998 Master Settlement Agreement with cigarette manufacturers.

Its mission has included working worked to increase economic opportunity in North Carolina’s rural and tobacco-dependent communities through leadership in grantmaking, collaboration, innovation and stewardship as an independent and perpetual foundation.

The Golden LEAF Foundation established the Golden LEAF Scholarship Program to broaden educational opportunities and provide support to students from rural counties with the goal that after graduation recipients will return and contribute back to those communities. The North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority (NCSEAA) administers the program and selects students for awards.

Scholarship recipients from rural, tobacco-dependent or economically distressed North Carolina counties are chosen based on career and educational goals, a review of school and community service activities, academic performance, length of residence in the county and expressed intent to contribute to the state’s rural communities upon graduation from college.

“My sincerest congratulations to Michelle, Haley, Victoria, Alberto, Meaghan, Sebastian, Dante and Christopher for earning this award,” state Rep. Sarah Stevens of Mount Airy said in a statement. “I’m sure you will put in the hard work to help you accomplish your goals — we need students like you to help our rural communities thrive.”

“Congratulations to the students from Surry County for receiving this award,” state Rep. Kyle Hall, whose 91st House District includes it along with Stokes and Rockingham counties, said in a statement.

The students tapped for scholarships “have already demonstrated leadership and strong academic performance,” Hall added. “Receiving a Golden LEAF Scholarship is a great honor and these students should be proud of their accomplishment.”

“We are proud to award scholarships to hardworking and bright students with deep roots in their rural communities,” stated Scott T. Hamilton, Golden LEAF Foundation president and chief executive officer.

“We look forward to the future success of these scholarship recipients as they follow their educational pursuits and develop into North Carolina’s next generation of rural leaders.”

The State Employees Credit Union Foundation recently awarded eighteen $500 scholarships to Surry Community College students.

Seven scholarship recipients are Nurse Aide (CNA) students. They are Samantha Lunsford of East Bend; Diana Hernandez of Hamptonville; Ellen Bryant, Kassidy Dollyhite, Ellie Niston and Bella Purcaru of Mount Airy; and Alexandra Flores-Ruiz of Yadkinville.

Three scholarship recipients are Emergency Medical Technician students. They are Tabitha Nicholson of Dobson; Kristi Hogan of Lexington; and Elizabeth Penley of Statesville.

The scholarship presentation was made during a Board of Trustees meeting on May 9. Dr. David Shockley, president of Surry Community College, presented checks to the recipients.

An additional eight scholarships were given to students in the Truck Driver Training program. The recipients are Juan Negrete of Dobson; Isaac Midkiff of King; Terrell King and Autumn Pingree of Mount Airy; Austin Simpson of Pinnacle; Sherry Hawks of State Road; John White of Walnut Cove; and Matthew Martinez of Winston-Salem.

The SECU Foundation established a major scholarship program to assist students in each of the 58 community colleges in the North Carolina Community College System under the Bridge to Career Program. These $500 scholarships are designed to remove financial barriers for students seeking to obtain state-regulated or industry-recognized credentials that lead to sustainable wage careers within their communities.

Mount Airy officials approved an $18.4 million budget for the city Thursday night over the objections of one councilman who complained about a lack of discussion over the 2022-23 spending plan and related issues.

The municipal budget for the upcoming fiscal year that begins on July 1, adopted in a 4-1 vote with Commissioner Jon Cawley dissenting, keeps the property tax rate at 60 cents per $100 of assessed valuation. The charge for water and sewer service also is unchanged.

While the $18.4 million general fund package — which does not include Mount Airy’s water-sewer operation — is the same figure first proposed when the preliminary budget was unveiled last month, it does reflect a recent addition.

That involves an expenditure totaling $201,150 in appropriations for the Surry Arts Council ($87,500), Mount Airy Public Library ($103,650) and Mount Airy Museum of Regional History ($10,000), an annual provision that had been omitted in the preliminary budget.

Ongoing city funding next year for the Mount Airy Rescue Squad, $10,000, and Mount Airy-Surry County Airport, $20,000, wasn’t slashed.

The Mount Airy Board of Commissioners restored the funding to the other agencies after a crowd showed up at its previous meeting on June 2 to object to the cuts specifically for the arts group and museum. In the case of the library and Surry Arts Council, which occupy buildings owned by the city government, structural improvements eyed for those are planned which apparently were meant to make the loss of the annual allocations more palatable.

City Manager Stan Farmer explained Thursday night that to avoid increasing the budget to accommodate the extra $201,150, a capital improvement fund was decreased to provide the extra funding and keep the bottom-line numbers the same.

“We added, but we took away,” Farmer said.

The general fund budget for 2022-23 is about 24% higher than that adopted last June for the present fiscal year that ends on June 30, totaling $14.9 million.

It includes $3.2 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act, COVID-relief funding allocated to Mount Airy which is reflected in the overall budget and largely targeted for facility improvements and equipment additions among the various municipal departments.

The passage of the budget Thursday night was accompanied by sharp criticism by Commissioner Cawley over how the city budgetary process was handled and the future financial outlook.

He charged that there was a lack of public discussion on the spending plan, pointing to the fact no budget workshop was conducted. In recent years, Mount Airy officials have held such a special meeting, sometimes lasting several hours, to hammer out various details, but this year other city leadership opted not to do so, Cawley said.

“It’s something we’ve always had,” said the North Ward commissioner and mayoral candidate, who added that he never failed to learn key facts during those sessions and is “disappointed” that none occurred this year.

“I have missed that process very much,” Cawley said of the void left behind. “It’s not acceptable to me.”

The dissenting councilman also raised concerns about how this year’s inflated budget package might adversely impact the city property tax rate for the 2023-24 fiscal year in terms of a possible increase.

Cawley mentioned that there will be some carryover expense from the American Rescue Plan Act projects, and also cited a $1,500 raise for full-time municipal employees in the 2022-23 budget which will be ongoing. He questioned if this situation is sustainable over time.

“And I really want an answer.”

In reaction to Cawley’s comments, fellow council members said they were satisfied with the budget process led by the city manager, to whom some of Cawley’s criticisms were leveled.

“I think it’s a good budget going forward,” Mayor Ron Niland said.

The mayor also believes the package just passed won’t necessarily affect the 2023-24 budget, as argued by Cawley.

“What we do next year will be next year,” Niland said.

“The budget is not really dependent on past years and it doesn’t really depend on future years.”

The city manager also weighed in on that issue, indicating that higher-than-normal spending this coming year because of the injection of federal dollars shouldn’t be the case for 2023-24 and there’s no real reason to think taxes will rise.

“There could be other efficiencies, other revenue sources,” Farmer said, which could be in play and offset any need for a property tax increase.

The mayor, who is running to retain his seat against Cawley this year, also referred to comments by Cawley directed toward Farmer.

“I think we need to be a little kinder when we take on city staff,” said Niland, who expressed support for the job Farmer is doing.

Summer has always kicked off in June which just so happens to be National Great Outdoors Month. A classic spot in my mind that provides relaxation, fun, and adventure is none other than the local cave, Devil’s Den.

Devil’s Den is not some hole in the ground, it’s a local feature that has promoted tourism for more than a century, assisted in early navigation and transportation, potentially housed fugitives, inspired folklore and stories passed down over generations, provided habitat for a host of unique wildlife, and so much more.

The cave is hidden right off the Blue Ridge Parkway on the south-facing side of the mountain in neighboring Fancy Gap, Virginia, a few miles north of North Carolina. When I say Devil’s Den, most people only think of the cave system. In reality, the cave lies within the roughly 250-acre Devil’s Den Nature Preserve on top of Harris Mountain. To know the whole story though you truly have to start at the beginning.

Millions of years ago, the shifting of tectonic plates pushed rocks up into the Blue Ridge Mountains that we see today, and some rocks at Devil’s Den have been dated as being 600 million years old. The cave is unique in that it formed due to the collision of the Appalachian and Piedmont rock encrustations which means rocks forming the mountains hit rocks forming the hills. That collision is why some rocks stand 40-50 feet tall around the cave and some have created gaps big enough for us to fit in to explore. The rocks of the cave are also interesting as they are made up primarily of metamorphic schist and granite and also include features such as several solid bands of quartz.

Shifts in the earth have closed off certain passageways over time, and there is no real record of just how big or deep the cave is. What is well known is there is an old ladder leading down on the left side. You can also eventually exit the cave further down the mountain following the creek.

There’s more to the nature preserve than just the cave though, there are also hiking trails. Today you can take a short hike along the Good Spur Trail, which is actually a part of the roadbed for the original Good Spur Road. Before the creation of the Fancy Gap Highway, the passage up and down the mountain was extremely difficult.

As interest in traveling west picked up in the late 1700s, the need for roads that could handle wagon travel began to pick up. These early mountain roads would seem more like a dirt trail to us today, but they were a big difference at the time. Flower Gap Road, first officially documented in May of 1750, along with the Good Spur Road, which was first documented in 1786, were two of the earliest established mountain roads in the area.

Aside from families traveling west, these roads were also important to farmers such as Robert S. Harris, whose family gave Harris Mountain its name. Robert Harris once lived on the land that is now the Devil’s Den Nature Preserve, and remnants of his old farm home built in the late 1800s are still part of the property. The land was passed down eventually to Edward Harris Carlan who donated the land to the public.

When visiting the cave, it’s interesting to remember that tourism has been bringing people there for more than a hundred years, since the 1890s in fact. During this time, they even had guided tours down into the cave that allowed visitors to travel hundreds of feet down.

It became a tourism hot spot in the 1920s following the Hillsville courthouse massacre of 1912. It was rumored that members of the Allen Family hid out in the cave as the Baldwin-Felts Detective Agency searched for them, but this was never confirmed. There have even been stories over the years that the Allen family left treasure down in the caves to keep some of their valuables safe from the law, but that story too has been left unconfirmed.

According to local legend, the cave helped to hide not just moonshine makers, but the moonshine itself. It has been said that the caves have been used as a drop-spot by moonshine sellers in the past. There are many other tales about the cave such as people going in never to return, but oddly enough no one has ever reported seeing supernatural creatures or “The Devil.” In fact, the site gets its name based on its rock formations more than anything.

Overall, this local recreation area is more than meets the eye. All along the property, you can enjoy a variety of wildlife from deer to rare salamanders and unique migrating songbirds. Even ten years ago, they still offered tours of the cave, and though that service is no longer available, the caves are still free to explore. The caves close in the winter, but they usually open up to the public May-November. I hope you all enjoy getting out this summer whether you drive out the parkway, hike, or explore.

Cassandra Johnson is the Director of Programs and Education at the Mount Airy Museum of Regional History. She is a Carroll County native whose family has been exploring the Devil’s Den cave for generations.

Along with recruitment and retention of officials and related behavior issues in high school sports, which were previously addressed in this column, another concern across the high school landscape this year has been the impact of Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) on high school athletics.

It has been less than one year since the NCAA suspended its longstanding amateur rules to allow college athletes to monetize their success and profit from their NIL, and many changes have occurred at that level. And, throughout the year, several state high school associations have established policies to help high school students navigate through murky NIL waters.

The state of officiating, NIL and information about the 50th anniversary of Title IX, were among the subjects discussed during the NFHS’ Media Availability Session yesterday. A recording of the webinar is available here.

With regard to NIL, we realize that high school students can be tremendous entrepreneurs – they already are in a number of capacities. Students have the ability to be recognized for their athletic prowess and that can be a nice opportunity for a young person.

However, the NFHS and its member associations believe high school student-athletes should not be able to benefit as professionals from something they do not own – that is their high school uniform. The NFHS and its member state associations would not support a situation that would involve a member school and a student-athlete entering into a professional contract while representing that member school.

Right now within the 51 member state associations, while some state statutes are bringing high school student-athletes into their language, no student-athlete in a member school can be a professionally paid student by virtue of their identity as a student-athlete in that member school.

We believe the purpose of high school athletics and performing arts is not to develop professional athletes but to develop kids, to help kids develop life skills and help them develop relationships. The high school locker room is arguably the last bastion of amateurism within an education-based setting, and we want to protect that.

The purpose of high school athletics is very different from the professional level – and even the college level. High school students can enjoy some success with NIL, but it cannot be done while wearing the school uniform.

And with what has happened at the college level this past year, there are some major concerns about the breakdown of amateur sports – and what the future holds in high schools nationwide.

At the high school level, there is a concern about the absolute breakdown of culture and climate of the high school locker room and the purpose for kids to play high school sports. If high school student-athletes are allowed to wear their Friday Night Lights jerseys to engage in professional contracts, not only are the dynamics of amateurism disrupted, but also the dynamics of a team, the school and the community. You have students earning money because they are a high school student and a pretty good athlete with the jersey on. This is extremely disruptive to the purpose of high school sports.

There is a concern about the breakdown of not just the pathway to education after high school and perhaps participation, but also the breakdown of the very sensitive culture and climate that is amateur high school sports.

We know that adjustments, tweaks and re-thinking of issues are important in our ever-changing world. The NFHS and its member state associations continue to be open to change, but resolute in the belief that high school sports is not about preparing students for the next level of play but preparing students for life.

A public hearing — and possible action — is scheduled today by the Mount Airy Board of Commissioners on the proposed annexation and rezoning of property near Walmart, for which the owner says there are no plans.

“At this point, nothing,” Bill Juno said of the land located in the 1400 block of Edgewood Drive, off U.S. 601 (Rockford Street).

In addition to requesting that the two parcels involved — a total 1.48-acre site — be brought into the city limits through voluntary annexation, Juno, through an entity known as Rockford Street, LLC, of which he is the principal, is requesting that its zoning be changed.

The property now is classified as RL, a Surry County designation that stands for Residential Limited. In conjunction with the proposed annexation, city officials are being asked to alter its zoning to B-4, or Highway Business.

Citizens will have a chance to weigh in on those issues at today’s hearing, to be held during a commissioners meeting that begins at 6 p.m.

Although the rezoning would facilitate further business development in a bustling section of town on the property in question, Juno says there is nothing on the drawing board regarding this.

“At this point, no plans for anything right now,” he said.

Juno is the longtime owner of multiple Subway restaurants in Mount Airy, including one near the site being considered for annexation/rezoning.

“It’s behind the other property we have,” he said of the 1.48-acre tract.

Juno added that it is appropriate for the site’s zoning to be altered to a business classification.

Mount Airy’s B-4 districts typically are located on major thoroughfares and collector streets, according to city planning documents.

Municipal staff members specify that the rezoning request is consistent with future high-intensity land-use recommendations in the Mount Airy Comprehensive Plan. The high-intensity designation applies to both residential and a wide variety of retail, service, office, institutional and civic uses along major arteries, planning documents state.

Annexation, meanwhile, aids the obtaining of municipal services such as water and sewer as a result of property being taken into the city.

The parcel eyed for annexation on Edgewood Drive has direct access to public water and sewer lines would have to be extended by the developer about 175 feet down that road to serve the property.

Later in tonight’s meeting in the wake of the public hearing, the commissioners are scheduled to vote on the annexation and rezoning in separate decisions.

The Mount Airy Planning Board, an advisory group to the commissioners, voted 7-0 in favor of both on May 23.

And they said unto me, “The remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach: the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down, and the gates thereof are burned with fire.” And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days and fasted, and prayed before God of heaven. Nehemiah 1:3-4

A typical thought is that when something is broken, it can never be fixed. Some would say it is ruined. Others may say it will never be the same again, but with God, that is not the case. I want to start this column by saying there isn’t anything that God can’t fix, and I will go further to say that God takes broken pieces and makes everything beautiful.

God’s people and Jerusalem in Nehemiah are only one of many examples in the Bible of God taking brokenness and creating beauty. As you can see in Nehemiah 1:3-4, the book starts with an emotional Nehemiah, but as you read through the twelve chapters of the book of Nehemiah, you will see beauty, miracles, and God-filled people. It is my favorite book about this transformational brokenness to beauty.

The process to get all this started is easily found in Nehemiah 1:4, “And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days and fasted, and prayed before God of heaven.”

It started with identifying the brokenness. This step can be challenging, I believe. If we are being honest, denial sometimes can be easier than admission. Think about it this way. You turn your car into a pole at the drive-through. You quickly look at the damage and start to reason how much damage has occurred. Anyone who has ever experienced this will know what I mean when I say ignoring the damage will lead to more problems.

When God incarnate came to planet Earth, Jesus found lots of damage that had been let go for way too long. Like Nehemiah’s perspective, we were broken, and God’s people needed to be fixed. This repair begins with us admitting that the dents, scrapes, and loose parts are present in our lives, and the master mechanic is Jesus. Listen to John 3:16-17, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world, but the world through him might be saved.”

Following Nehemiah’s truthful observation, next, we see the progression of steps. Take some time to mourn. God understands our emotions; after all, He created them, but then we have to hand them over to God. Fasting and praying is a whole topic in and of itself, but in short, it is our way as believers to give everything to God. It is the act of not letting anything distract us from what needs to be handed over to the One who can fix everything and make everything beautiful.

Listen to the words of Solomon in Ecclesiastes 3:11, “He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.” The process is not in our control, not in our time, and not in our way.

These three statements might frustrate us, but it is the only way. God’s ways are higher than ours, and his thoughts are higher than ours. Trust and obey, for there is no other way to be happy in Jesus than to trust and obey. Follow the process, and I promise you will experience the beauty that God will provide. Next week we will look closer at the splendor of our God, but until then, identify your broken pieces, hand them to God, and get prepared for the amazing things God will do in your life. God bless you.

It has been twelve weeks since the Surry County Board of County Commissioners and the African American Historical and Genealogical Society agree to transfer the former J. J. Jones High School back into the hands of her alumni.

As the county’s fiscal year is reaching its end, the first benchmark of the agreement is set for July 1 when the deed will be transferred to the Save Jones group.

Co-chair of the Save Jones School Committee Adreann Belle advised this week that, “We are progressing nicely toward taking over the Jones Family Resource Center.” She said planning and work continue at the L. H. Jones Family Resource Center in anticipation of the transfer of the deed from the county to the Save Jones School group. Save Jones was given the former J. J. Jones High School from Surry County after it had been listed as surplus property due to the cost of maintenance on the aging building.

“Cosmetically, it’s not that bad,” Belle advised this week. “The boiler needs to be replaced, it’s on last legs. We are looking for some grant money, around $350,000 to help with that.” The county’s assessment of the building had identified the boiler, plumbing, roof, wiring, HVAC and windows as all being near the end of their projected life cycle.

After the boiler, the roof is the next major project; it will then be time for an architectural analysis to get the design elements of the new mixed-use facility. “We want a cultural and heritage center to preserve the artifacts not just of the school, but of the community,” Belle said of the future facility.

The group has made an application to the General Assembly for $500,000 in grant money to further projects that will transition the former school from its current configuration as the home for the organizations of YVEDDI to a mixture of residential and community use spaces. LaShene Lowe, president of the African American Historical and Genealogical Society, said Wednesday that at this time all YVEDDI occupants have signaled their intention to stay in the new Jones.

The end of month fundraising goal for the group is $20,000, down two thirds from the last update provided. To add to the Save Jones effort, there are several events upcoming that the community is invited to participate in beginning this Friday, June 17, at 7 p.m. with a Masquerade Ball at the Jones School Auditorium. “This is a dress to impress event,” Belle said, “but we will provide the masquerade mask.”

She said this is the one to put fun back in fundraiser, “We will have snacks, drinks, and music so it’s an opportunity to have some fun.” Entry to the masquerade ball is $15.

Furthermore, the Save Jones group will have booths set up this Saturday in both Mount Airy and Elkin for Juneteenth events. Juneteenth is the day in 1865 when residents of Galveston, Texas, learned that slavery in the United States had been abolished, two months after the end of the Civil War and 2 1/2 years after the Emancipation Proclamation.

In Elkin, the event is Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at The Heritage Center, 257 Standard Street. Greg Brewer, president of Bridge of Unity extended the offer, “If you are able to come, we would love to have you here. Our events will focus on things that bring us together and not focus on the differences – but things like food, fun, and fellowship that we can all agree on.”

Fernando “Sly” Best, CEO of Bridge of Unity, laid out the activities beginning at 11 a.m. with events for kids such as bounce houses, field day games, and an art gallery for anyone seeking some relief from the heat inside the Heritage Center. A selection of more than 30 vendors will be on hand and Elkin’s Got Talent karaoke begins at 2 p.m. where there is a $100 prize for the winner. From 4 p.m. – 6 p.m. the band Retropunkz will take the stage, “They are number-one in New Orleans and Bourbon Street,” he said.

“Come hungry,” Best has told those going to the Juneteenth event. There is an all you can eat buffet beginning at 5 p.m. that costs $25, but he warned, “Get there early because last year the ticket and the food ran out quick.” With selections of crab legs, brisket, ribs, turkey legs, hamburgers, chicken and more this is a ticket that understandably could fly out the window.

No fear if the buffet runs out, Best said he has it covered with a group of food trucks ranging from soul to creole and points in between heading to Elkin this weekend.

In Mount Airy, also on Saturday, the Second Annual Juneteenth Celebration with be held in the Market Street Arts & Entertainment District and Melva’s Alley. Big Dawg Catering & Food Truck will be there along with multiple artists and a performance from the UNC Chapel Hill Kamikazi Dance Team at 2 p.m.

Organizer Dougenna Hill said vendors were chosen from Black owned local businesses again this year to participate in the event. There will be live music in Melva’s Alley featuring Lois Atkinson & Aquarius Moon will be found from 7 p.m.- 9:30 p.m.

Before the evening’s music, there will be a moment of silence and a toast of red fruit punch, a donation of Lenise Lynch of Hampton Inn of Mount Airy. “Red is a color that evokes cultural memory of the bloodshed by our enslaved ancestors through the transatlantic slave trade,” said culinary historian Adrian Miller.

On Sunday, the Mount Airy Museum of Regional History is holding its own Juneteenth event from 1 – 4 p.m.

There will be a reading of the Emancipation Proclamation, games, live music and history focused activities such as crafts and a self-guided walking tour of the main street area that focuses on local African American history. This event is free to the public.

This is in reference to the June 11 column of Their View, “No compromise on gun laws” by F. Paul Valone.

Spot on. Mr. Valone’s analysis of the two main knee-jerk “solutions” advocated by gun control zealots cuts to the chase. His path forward:

a. citing true gang violence statistics,

b. rescinding Marxist/Socialist policies of defunding the police and unrelenting narrative of “systemic racism,” and

c. desisting with Black Lives Matter (BLM) anti-family philosophy and anti-religious morality denigration

Until the long-term issues above are addressed, his deterrence suggestions to adopt a security model used in airports merits serious consideration. An additional security at schools having a Junior Reserve Officer Training Program (JROTC) is to arm both program instructors, since they, too, like volunteer teachers, have had training in open carry and gun safety.

Finally, yes, we do “need to act” as Biden pontificated with respect to mass shootings; not by politicizing the event, rather by:

b. removing Soros-placed District Attorneys,

c. automatically pronouncing death sentence without appeal on a surviving mass shooter, and

d. enforcing current gun laws.

Leave our 2nd Amendment Right alone.

On June 3 my Subaru stopped. The motor blew up, at the stop light in front of Scenic Subaru.

Two police officers and a sheriff’s deputy were there immediately. One of them said “don’t sweat the small stuff. God’s in charge.”

I want to thank these three men who helped us. My husband has cancer. I had him with me on way to oncology office. He’s very sick and the Scenic Subaru people were extra kind and helpful. Angels all around.

• An encounter with officers late Tuesday night led to a homeless man being jailed under a large, $81,000 secured, bond on charges including resisting arrest, according to Mount Airy Police Department reports.

Gregory Wayne Childress Jr., 37, was the subject of a traffic stop on Long Street near South Franklin Road due to an unspecified equipment violation regarding the 2009 Pontiac G6 he was operating.

Childress also was wanted on an outstanding arrest order for failing to appear in court which had been issued on May 2 and was charged Tuesday night with resisting, delaying or obstructing a public officer, although the reason for this was not specified in police records.

He also was charged with possession of a Schedule III controlled substance, identified as Suboxone. Childress is scheduled to appear in Surry District Court on July 25.

• A crime involving the obtaining of property by false pretense was discovered last Saturday at Walmart, where an unknown suspect had taken items from the store and returned them for a gift card. This was identified as batteries valued at $31.28 which were used to obtain a gift card of the same sum.

• A Suzuki Hayabusa motorcycle valued at $2,500, identified as white in color, was discovered stolen from the Edgewood Place Lane residence of owner Trey Junius Dalton on June 8. No model year or license tag information was noted.

• Travis Lee Wells, 29, listed as homeless, is facing a felony drug charge that was filed after he crossed paths with officers during a suspicious-vehicle investigation in the 1200 block of West Lebanon Street on June 5.

Wells was found in possession of methamphetamine and paraphernalia including red cut straws and plastic baggies with white powder residue, an aluminum grinder and a glass smoking device.

He was charged with possession of a Schedule II controlled substance and possessing drug paraphernalia, and also was found to be the subject of two outstanding arrest warrants for charges of larceny and damage to property which had been filed by Davie County authorities. Wells was held in the Surry County Jail under a $5,500 secured bond and is slated for a Sept. 12 appearance in District Court at Dobson.

More than 30 years have passed since the death of an accomplished local student-athlete, but her legacy continues through annual memorial and scholarship programs for students at the school she attended, Mount Airy High.

This included the presentation of the Charlotte Weatherly Yokley Memorial Award to Jessica Sawyers and the awarding of the Charlotte Weatherly Yokley Scholarship to Mackenzie Welch.

Both occurred during Mount Airy High School’s annual honors program held recently near the end of the school year.

The presentation of the memorial award to Jessica Sawyers, signified by a trophy, was made by Pam Yokeley, Charlotte’s mother, and previous winners Oshyn Bryant (2021), Catherine Sawyers (2020) and Owen Perkins (2019).

It is based on academics, athletics and character.

Jessica plans to attend the University of North Carolina at Greensboro this fall. She is the daughter of Denise and Calvin Sawyers.

The receiving of the Yokley scholarship will aid Mackenzie Welch in her studies at Western Carolina University beginning in the fall. She is the daughter of Beth and David Welch.

It was bestowed to her by Pam Yokley and Charlotte’s sisters, Allyson Ferguson and Sheldon Fowler.

The scholarship selection is based on academics and character.

Charlotte Yokley, who would have graduated from Mount Airy High School in 1992, was a member of the National Honor Society, a junior marshal, received the John Hamilton Award in 1990 and was a member of the school’s varsity basketball, track and tennis teams.

In the summer of 1991, just before the start of her senior year, Charlotte was traveling the British Virgin Islands on a sailing expedition with a group known as Actionquest. During the trip, a collision with another boat operated by an intoxicated driver led to her death.

Both the memorial award and scholarship program were established the next year as lasting tributes to her.

A Pilot Mountain man is dead, apparently shot by his son, during a domestic dispute which occurred Saturday evening, June 11, according to Surry County Sheriff Steve C. Hiatt.

While the sheriff released few details — and said no additional information would be released at this time — it appears as if the victim was shot while engaged in a domestic assault of his wife, the shooter’s mother.

In a written statement released Wednesday evening, the sheriff said his deputies arrived at 180 Moravian Lane in Pilot Mountain after a 9:19 p.m. call on Saturday. Upon arrival at the home, they found Michael Williams Goins, 47, dead from “an apparent gunshot wound.”

The sheriff’s office, along with special agents from the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation “remained on the scene conducting interviews and gathering information throughout the night,” the sheriff said.

“During the investigation, detectives determined that the shooting incident occurred during a domestic assault incident between Goins and his wife, Sherry Palmer Goins…Present during the incident, was their son, Andrew William Goins,” who the sheriff said fired a single shot with a firearm.

The sheriff’s statement did not include what sort of gun was involved, nor any other details regarding the assault.

“This incident is still an active investigation and no other information will be released at this time,” the sheriff said.

Guy Sparger stands apart from other Freemasons not just in District 25 but across the nation for his recent recognition of 70 years of membership in the organization.

He was honored by his peers at his home in Mount Airy last week by a collection of masons who have seen 30 and 40 anniversary pins bestowed – but never seen a 70-year pin.

Local freemason Ricky Lawson joked, “They have special recognitions for 25, 50, and 60 years – but not 70 years!” Of the ten local Masons who attended there were none who could recall another Mason being so honored for that length of time.

Sparger is a lively gentleman in his 90s who held court with the assorted guests at his home, some of whom he was not as familiar with. For the local Masons of Round Peak Lodge #616 and Copeland Lodge #390 it was their honor to be there for the plaque and pin ceremony for the United States Navy veteran and elder local Mason.

Mary Louise Sparger, wife of the honoree, had the pleasure of pinning on the anniversary year lapel pin to her husband. The Spargers have been married since 1952, “that’s a lot of good years,” he told the men on the porch.

After leaving to attend school at UNC-Chapel Hill, Sparger entered the Freemasons on April 20, 1951. Yes, the math is a bit off, “They always keep us behind a year on the recognitions,” Lawson noted. It was in 1990 that he made his return to take care of his mother.

At that time, the Spargers moved into their current home off Sparger Road, just above North Surry High School. Even the road where the home is found has taken on the family name as he said his father had “help(ed) move the road up the hill from the water where it used to be.”

As Mary Louise explained they made such changes to the old home to make it livable. It is a lovely mix of old wood with modern touches that is reminiscent of many older farmhouses in Surry County that have had a facelift here and there, but the striking beauty of old quality craftsmanship shows through.

“We make good men better.”

Jonathan Underwood, grand secretary of the Grand Lodge of North Carolina, praised Sparger noting again just how rare an accomplishment he has achieved. “It is very rare. We see a few as people are living longer now, 50s and 60s, but only a few who make 70 years. Especially given you have to be 21 to enter, it’s rare.”

“Freemasonry is a philosophical and philanthropic organization,” he went on, “whose aim is to teach men to be better, to live by the Golden Rule, and to be of service to one another.” Freemasonry teaches members to show concern for people, care for the less fortunate, and help for those in need.

Those are noble guideposts to follow in life, and Sparger said if more people ascribed to those goals that a closer sense of community could be found. “We’d be better off if more people went to church. I’d say going to church, being aware of what is going on around you and helping other people — that’s the way to get back to a greater sense of community.” The two pastors in attendance gave nods of approval to this diagnosis.

Each of the Masons agreed that they can and have a desire to serve others as is their mission. However, they would like to see the number of Masons increasing. Sparger said, “It’s the same in the churches now too, they ain’t coming like they used to.”

The average age of a North Carolina Mason, Lawson said, is 64 years old. The assembled masons struggled between them to produce an age of the youngest mason they could think of locally before concluding they could recall two members in their 20s in this area.

Bringing new members into the fold will only help the Masons with their desire to grow as men and to serve their community. “Masons are ready to help,” Sparger reminded.

Much of what the Freemasons do is cloaked in a bit of mystery; ask someone on the street who or what the masons are, and you may get a fantastical answer involving secret societies and intricate ceremonies. The Grand Lodge of North Carolina says, “The fraternity is so old and so many of its records have been lost or destroyed, or never written, that a vast amount of Masonic lore is admittedly legend. “

One masonic historian wrote, “The Freemasons kept their trade secrets secret as did most guilds such as ironmongers, bakers, and weavers. This secrecy protected the quality of the guild’s work and ensured job security for its members.”

Fully organized since 1717 it is thought the origins of Freemasonry may go back to guilds of stonemasons in the Middle Ages. Lawson said he thinks the origins go much further than that back to the time of King Solomon. Whatever the date, they write they are “the world’s oldest and largest non-religious, non-political, fraternal and charitable organization.”

“The guild of Freemasons transformed into a social and fraternal institution in the 17th and 18th centuries. During this time, they used the tools and legends of their trade as metaphors to emphasize internal enlightenment and personal growth among the fraternity’s members.”

The men within its ranks then influenced the development of modern concepts of democracy and personal liberty – ideals entrenched in the founding of the United States.

In North Carolina, the first documented evidence of Masonic activity can be dated to Wilmington and New Bern during the early 1750’s.

Today the work of a mason may look different than in centuries past, but the underlying mission of the Freemasons remains one of service. Sparger has served several times over in his lifetime and is not done just yet; there are still ways he can make a difference.

Three local baseball players recently received All-State Honors for the 2021-22 season.

The N.C. Baseball Coaches Association (NCBCA) takes nominations at the conclusion of each baseball season to create an All-State team for each public school classification. No teams were named in 2020 with the season cancelled due to COVID-19.

All three of Surry County’s All-State players compete in the 2A division. Two of the players, East Surry’s Folger Boaz and Luke Brown, are repeat selections, while Surry Central’s Dakota Mills was selected for his first All-State team.

Mills is a member of the class of 2022, while Brown and Boaz are members of the class of 2023.

Hitting: .568 batting average (42/74)*, .667 on-base percentage, 42 hits, 19 RBIs, 42 runs, 5 home runs, 3 triples, 7 doubles, 22 base on balls, 30 stolen bases**

Fielding: .985 fielding percentage, 182 put-outs on 196 total chances, 11 assists, 2 double plays, 3 errors

*school record, tied for No. 19 in N.C. history

**school record, tied for No. 27 in N.C. history

Surry Central finished fifth in the FH2A Conference. The Golden Eagles were 12-13 overall and 6-6 in conference play.

Mills is Surry Central’s first All-State selection since Tyler Myers in 2017.

Hitting: .390 batting average (30/77), .521 OBP, 49 RBIs***, 22 runs, 7 home runs, 7 doubles, 13 BB

Pitching: 11-0 record, 63 innings pitched, 3 complete games, 0.89 ERA, 126 strikeouts, 41 base on balls, only 18 hits allowed

Hitting: .306 batting average, 17 RBI, 13 runs, 1 home run, 6 doubles, 9 BB

Pitching: 7-1 record, 58.1 innings pitched, 2 complete games, 1.68 era, 79 strikeouts, 34 BB, 1 save

East Surry finished the 2022 season as the Foothills 2A Conference (FH2A) Regular Season and Tournament Champions. The Cardinals were 24-2 overall and 12-0 in conference play.

At least one East Surry player has been named to the NCBCA All-State team each year since 2016.

Listed below are Surry County’s All-State baseball selections by year. In addition to East Surry and Surry Central, North Surry and Elkin have also had players named All-State in the past decade.

2022 Folger Boaz (ES), Luke Brown (ES), Dakota Mills (SC)

2021 Folger Boaz (ES), Luke Brown (ES), Luke Bowman (ES)

2019 AJ Wilson (ES), Seth Keener (ES)

2018 Kain Kiser**** (ES), AJ Wilson (ES)

2017 AJ Wilson (ES), Kendal Tucker (NS), Tyler Myers (SC)

2016 Tyler Smith (ES), Kendal Tucker (NS), Chase Chandler (NS)

2015 Daniel Brinegar (EK), Nick Wilson (NS)

2014 Tyler Marion (ES), Scott Meredith (ES)

****Kiser was also named NCBCA 1A State Player of the Year

Full 2022 NCBCA 2A All-State Team

Below is the full list of players named to the 2022 NCBCA 2A All-State Team. Selections are listed in alphabetical order by school.

Brooks Brannon – Randleman (NCBCA 2A State Player of the Year)

Ty Lawson – Whiteville (NCBCA 2A State Pitcher of the Year)

The Surry Arts Council’s Summer Concert Series continues with a full weekend of entertainment starting with North Tower Band on Thursday. The Entertainers will perform on Friday and The Magnificents will take the stage on Saturday. All three shows will start at 7:30 p.m.

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

The Entertainers are proud to have shared in the South’s Beach Music tradition for more than 30 years. While staying true to their R&B and Beach Music roots, the group also satisfies the most diverse audiences by playing selections from the latest Top 40, Classic Rock & Roll, and Country music.

The Magnificents Band has a wealth of live playing experience in varied styles of music, includingclassic soul, beach, Motown, Top 40, and dance hits. The band brings a diverse of high-energy collection of music and motivation to get people dancing.

Each concert will begin at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evening. Admission to each show is $15 or a Surry Arts Council Annual Pass. Children 12 and younger are admitted free with an adult admission or Annual Pass. The Dairy Center, Whit’s Custard, and Thirsty Souls Community Brewing will be at the concerts to provide food, snacks, drinks, beer, and wine for purchase. No outside alcohol or coolers are allowed to be brought into the amphitheatre area. Those attending are asked to bring a lounge chair or blanket to sit on.

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

Copeland Elementary was in the spotlight recently when fifth grader Billy Creed and his artwork were recognized as a North Carolina Farm to School Art Contest winner during the awards reception in Raleigh.

Each year, winners of this contest are chosen, and their artwork is featured in the NC Farm to School Calendar. During the hybrid reception, it was revealed that Billy’s artwork will be representing the month of January in the 2022-2023 calendar.

This year, the NC Farm to School program received more than 4,246 entries from across the state so judges had to take on the challenging task of choosing 13 winners. There are two levels of judging – a prejudging to narrow down the field and then final judging. There are a different set of judges for each event, most having a background in agriculture or visual arts. Each of the 13 winners will be featured as a month, or the cover, in the 2022-2023 North Carolina Farm to School calendar. In addition, honorable mentions will be posted to the North Carolina Farm to School website in late May.

Felecity Davis, a kindergartener at Shoals Elementary, was also recognized as an Honorable Mention in the contest.

“I am super proud of all the students at both Copeland Shoals and how hard they worked on the 2022-23 Farm to School Calendar contest,” said Hank Whitaker, who serves as visual arts instructor at both of the recognized elementary schools. “Billy Creed from Copeland Elementary School has been great to work with all year and is a talented young artist. Felicity Davis at Shoals Elementary School is also a talented young artist. It is great to see them receive recognition for their hard work.”

With the 2021-22 school year now complete, The News is recognizing the local student-athletes that were presented with All-Conference Honors for their respective sports during the spring.

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

All-Conference Honorable Mentions will include (HM) following the selection’s name.

East Surry – Trey Armstrong, Anthony Ayers, Folger Boaz (FH2A Player of the Year), Luke Bowman, Luke Brown (FH2A Pitcher of the Year), Caden Lasley (HM), Tristen Mason (HM)

Millennium Charter – Phillip Byrd, Ethan Holladay (HM)

Mount Airy – Logan Dowell, Ian Gallimore, Kamden Hawks, Rylan Venable (NW1A Pitcher of the Year), Reece Deaton (HM), Cameryn Wilson (HM)

North Surry – Ethan Edwards, James McCreary, Brodie Robertson, Kolby Watson, Keaton Hudson (HM), Cam Taylor (HM)

Surry Central – Brady Edmonds, Dakota Mills, Kade Norman, Clay Whitaker, Justin Reeves (HM), Mason Jewell (HM)

East Surry won both the regular season and conference tournament championships in the FH2A Conference. The Cardinals’ went 12-0 in conference competition during the regular season, then won back-to-back games to win the FH2A Tournament Title. Folger Boaz, Luke Bowman, Brett Clayton, and Matthew Keener were named to the FH2A All-Tournament team, Trey Armstrong was named Tournament MVP and Chad Freeman was voted conference Coach of the Year.

The Cardinals were seeded No. 4 in the 2A West and reached the fourth round of the state playoffs for the fourth-consecutive postseason. East Surry finished the year 24-2, and its only loss in the 2A division came against the eventual state champions.

Millennium Charter tied for fourth in the NWPC Conference with a 3-7 record. After starting the season 1-11 overall, the Lions won five-consecutive games in which they outscored opponents 71-14. Millennium came up short in its first-round game of the conference tournament and did not qualify for the state playoffs.

Mount Airy finished tied for second in the NW1A Conference with a 10-2 regular season record. The Bears closed the regular season and opened the conference tournament riding a seven-game winning streak, the program’s longest in more than 60 years. Mount Airy reached the NW1A semifinals, and Reece Deaton was named to the All-Tournament team.

The Granite Bears earned the No. 8 seed in the 1A West and reached the third round of the playoffs for the second time in four seasons. The team finished the year 19-9 overall.

North Surry tied for third in the FH2A regular season standings with a 7-5 record. After starting the season 6-7 overall, the Greyhounds won 10-of-11 games and reached the FH2A Tournament Championship. Myles Draughn, Ethan Edwards and Kolby Watson were named to the FH2A All-Tournament team.

North Surry was given the No. 21 seed in the 2A West and dropped its first-round playoff game 2-1 in extra innings. The Hounds finished the season with a 16-10 record.

Surry Central finished fifth in the FH2A regular season standings with a 6-6 conference record. The Golden Eagles dropped their first-round matchup in the FH2A Tournament.

Central was given the No. 23 seed in the 2A West and nearly upset the No. 7 seed, eventually falling 7-5. Surry Central finished the season 12-13 overall.

A local attorney running for the District 17B district court judge seat in the fall will get an early start on her job, after being appointed to the vacant post by Gov. Roy Cooper. District 17B covers Surry and Stokes counties.

Gretchen Hollar Kirkman, a Mount Airy attorney, was among four judicial appointments Cooper announced Tuesday.

The Mount Airy resident previously served as a district court judge for District 17B, when she was appointed to that seat in 2018 to fill a vacancy after Charles M. Neaves Jr. retired from that post. She lost a re-election bid later that year in a tight race with Tom Langan. The death of Judge Spencer Key created the present vacancy, and Kirkman easily won the GOP nomination for the seat over Mark Miller.

Because there are no other candidates filed to run for the seat in November, the primary effectively gave her the victory, and Cooper’s appointment allows her to take the judge seat several months early.

Kirkman is the sole practitioner at the Law Office of Gretchen Hollar Kirkman, PLLC. Previously, in addition to serving as a District 17B judge, she was an attorney at the Law Office of Sarah Stevens. The Surry Central High School graduate received her Juris Doctor from Wake Forest University School of Law and her Bachelor of Arts from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

– Jennifer Bedford as District Court Judge in District 10F, which serves part of Wake County. She will fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Kris Bailey. Bedford serves as a Wake County Guardian ad Litem. She has worked as a senior legislative analyst and lead committee counsel at the North Carolina General Assembly. She was also an assistant district attorney in North Carolina and served in the U.S. Army. Bedford received her Juris Doctor from Pennsylvania State University and her Bachelor of Arts from Georgia State University.

– Matthew Rupp as District Court Judge in District 24, which serves Avery, Madison, Mitchell, Watauga and Yancey counties. He will fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Larry Leake. Rupp is a partner at Angle, Rupp and Rupp, Attorneys at Law. Previously, he was an assistant district attorney in the District Attorney’s Office for the 35th Prosecutorial District and the 26th Prosecutorial District. His prior experience also includes serving as counsel for the House Committee on Ways and Means and Counselor to the Inspector General. He received his Juris Doctor from Duke University School of Law and his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Notre Dame.

– Shante’ Burke-Hayer as District Court Judge in District 26, which serves part of Mecklenburg County. She will fill the vacant seat formerly held by Judge Kimberly Best. Burke-Hayer is managing attorney at Burke-Hayer Law Firm, PLLC. Previously, Burke was Of Counsel – Attorney at Hunt Law, PLLC, and a legal analyst at Wells Fargo. She received her Juris Doctor from the Charlotte School of Law and her Bachelor of Arts from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

“These appointees bring years of experience and knowledge to the bench,” Gov. Cooper said. “I am grateful for their dedication to their communities over the years, and grateful for their willingness to serve.”

Usually when actors who worked with Andy Griffith come to town it’s because of the Mayberry connection, but in Daniel Roebuck’s case his role on “the other” television series starring the local native — “Matlock” — was involved.

Roebuck appears in 55 episodes of that legal drama, which ran on the NBC and ABC networks from 1986 to 1995, playing Cliff Lewis, the junior partner of the law firm headed by the Griffith character, Ben Matlock.

And Daniel Roebuck’s face also is familiar to fans of the movie “The Fugitive,” in which he portrays Marshal Biggs, one of the officers working under Deputy Marshal Samuel Gerard (Tommy Lee Jones) trying to apprehend the title protagonist (Harrison Ford).

The versatile actor’s long list of TV and movie credits further includes “U.S. Marshals,” a sequel to “The Fugitive,” and the TV series “Lost,” among others.

Yet Roebuck’s visit this week to Mount Airy, his first — lasting from Monday night to Tuesday afternoon — was all about soaking up sights and sounds of the man he worked with on “Matlock.”

This included visiting the Andy and Opie statue; Griffith’s homeplace on East Haymore Street; the Andy Griffith Museum; Grace Moravian Church, where young Andy learned to play the trombone and performed in the church band; and the new Andy Griffith mural on Moore Avenue showing Griffith at different stages of his career, which features an image of him as “Matlock.”

Of course, there also were the other obligatory stops visitors often take in, the granite quarry and radio station WPAQ.

To reach those locations, Roebuck was chauffeured around in a Squad Car Tours vintage Ford Galaxie driven by Mark Brown, which included the actor checking out the Mayberry Courthouse located next door to the squad car headquarters.

“What a great tour!” Roebuck, 59, exclaimed upon exiting the Galaxie, just before greeting and posing for photos with members of a large crowd gathered there.

The visiting actor explained that he had been on the road the past few days, covering about 1,200 miles, encompassing a number of key areas of North Carolina.

One was a site in Sylva in Jackson County in the far western portion of the state where an iconic scene in “The Fugitive” was filmed involving a collision between the prison bus Dr. Richard Kimble was on and a train.

The wreckage was left in place and has been a tourist attraction in the years since the movie’s release in 1993 — but Roebuck’s visit was accompanied by him falling down a hillside there and getting a banged-up face.

He also went to Wilmington, where “Matlock” was filmed. “And my brother lives there,” Roebuck said.

So his swing through Mount Airy was an appropriate addition to the travel itinerary, where something else stood out to him more than its various tourist attractions.

“My first impressions of Mount Airy is great people, ahead of everything else,” he said.

Roebuck also talked about working with Andy Griffith on “Matlock,” which transpired after a circuitous, typically Hollywood path. After initially appearing on the program in its first season, Griffith was so impressed with Roebuck’s work that he promised the young actor he would have a regular role on the show, according to the Internet Movie Database (IMDb) website.

This would take five seasons, two additional guest appearances as different characters and a change of networks, from NBC to ABC, but Griffith kept that promise and Roebuck finally became a series regular.

“What I remember most about my time with Andy Griffith is that there wasn’t a day when we weren’t laughing and smiling and having a good time,” Roebuck recalled Tuesday, which was despite the hard, grueling work required by episodic TV. The veteran actor also took an interest in Roebuck’s personal life.

“Andy was instrumental, pardon the pun, in helping my wife pick the music for our wedding,” he said. It incorporated a trombone choir, hearkening back to Griffith’s time in Mount Airy when he learned to play that member of the brass family.

Roebuck also remembers how Griffith wore black sneakers due to suffering from Guillain-Barre syndrome, a disorder accompanied by weakness and tingling in the feet. Roebuck said he has copied that approached by wearing such footwear all the time, even with suits and other formal attire.

“If it was good enough for Andy Griffith, it was good enough for me,” he reasoned Tuesday.

The 10-year anniversary of Griffith’s death in July 2012 at age 86 is approaching.

Daniel Roebuck’s more recent projects have included working on a reboot of the classic TV series “The Munsters,” playing Grandpa Munster in a role that merges his two favorite genres, horror and comedy. Spearheading that production was the singer, songwriter, filmmaker and voice actor Rob Zombie.

Roebuck wore a Munsters ball cap while in Mount Airy.

One of Roebuck’s reasons for visiting Mount Airy this week was to film material for his own social media channels. This included capturing some scenes at the Mayberry Courthouse site, where he took on the jobs as director and actor.

“He’s wanting to support our city for his social media outlets,” said local Tourism Development Authority Executive Director Jessica Roberts, who called Roebuck “a really interesting guy.” She, Brown and Jenny Smith of Mount Airy Visitors Center helped guide him to the various locations Tuesday.

“I think it is amazing that he is interested in our town,” Roberts said, and seeking to present it on his social media network. “I just think he wants to be a part of what’s going on in Mayberry.”

DOBSON — The Surry Community College volleyball team is set to hold its annual youth camp in July.

The volleyball camp will begin Monday, July 11 and run through Wednesday, July 13 at the SCC gym on the Dobson campus. The camp is open to rising fourth to rising eighth graders, and will take place from 8 a.m. until 11 a.m. each day.

Participants will receive individual instruction and drills for all areas of volleyball including serving, hitting, passing, setting and blocking. Campers will also receive teamwork skills and drills.

The camp is under the direction of Surry Head Coach Caleb Gilley, along with other areas coaches.

Coach Gilley will be entering his third season with the Knights in 2022. Surry finished the 2021 season 25-4 overall and nationally ranked.

Gilley previously coached at East Surry High School from 2011-2019 and led the Cardinals to seven Northwest 1A Conference Championships as well as two West Regional Championships. He was named Northwest Coach of the Year six times, and was honored as the AVCA Coach of the Year for North Carolina in 2019.

Gilley will be assisted by current volleyball players from the Lady Knights volleyball team. This includes the Knights’ All-Region setter, Anna Stevens, and Region 10 Player of the Year Michelle Thao.

The cost of the camp is $45 if registered before July 1 ($40 for multiple family members before July1) and $60 if registered after July 1 ($50 for multiple family member after July 1).

Each camper will receive a Surry Volleyball t-shirt for attending, and will also be eligible for camp awards and door prizes given at the conclusion of the camp.

For more camp information or to request a camp brochure, please contact Surry coach Caleb Gilley at 336-386-3593 or gilleycr@surry.edu

Additional information is available at knights.surry.edu

The days are long, the afternoons hot, and the Mount Airy Museum of Regional History has changed its hours.

The facility has switched over to summer hours, meaning it is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m., and on Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m.

“The hours aren’t the only thing changing, and we will soon be opening up new exhibit spaces including our kid’s gallery,” officials there said recently. “We are also bringing back beloved events and programs such as our children’s summer camps in June and July and Ghost Tours on Friday and Saturday evening at 8 p.m.”

While most events there have a charge, many offer a discount for museum members. A full-year family membership is $55. For more information, contact the museum at mamrh@northcarolinamuseum.org or call 336-786-4478, or visit in person at 301 N. Main St.

While she was serving on the Mount Airy Board of Commissioners, Shirley Brinkley was among the majority voting for a 25% increase in city property taxes — but now is singing a different tune.

Brinkley is advocating that taxes be slashed in the municipal budget for the 2022-23 fiscal year that begins on July 1, which the present council members possibly will adopt during a meeting this Thursday night without such a cut.

Although the proposed $18.4 million budget, released last month, is $3.5 million higher than that approved in June 2021 for the present fiscal year, the property tax rate is projected to remain at 60 cents per $100 of assessed valuation.

That might satisfy some citizens, yet Brinkley, a former South Ward commissioner who served two terms, believes the board should go an extra step given the present state of affairs with consumers hit by record gas prices and inflation at a 40-year high.

“A tax cut in this economy should have been your priority instead of increasing the budget by $3.5 million,” Brinkley told city officials while speaking during a public hearing on the spending plan at a meeting earlier this month.

That increase is largely due to Mount Airy’s receiving of about $3.2 million in federal COVID-relief funding through the American Rescue Plan Act, which is reflected in the overall municipal budget even though local tax dollars aren’t involved.

The bulk of that funding is proposed to be spent on a long list of projects during the next fiscal year, mainly including major building and equipment needs at City Hall, Reeves Community Center and elsewhere.

Brinkley implied that city officials should have found some way within the budget parameters to reduce property taxes rather than increase spending on items that do not directly help local residents.

“You are here to make changes and improvements that will benefit all citizens of Mount Airy, and I say all — not the few here and there.”

The former commissioner added, “I see many on this board making your decisions, and forgive me for saying this, in a vacuum,” and not “looking at the needs of all the citizens.”

Brinkley punctuated her comments with stern criticism.

“I’m just going to say, shame on you,” Brinkley told the commissioners at one point, warning that some would be held accountable come ballot time in November.

“Elections are on the horizon — voters are putting their eyes on those running that are honest and will keep their word, those committed to tax cuts,” she said.

“If I stepped on toes, I apologize,” Brinkley concluded in her remarks to city officials. “If you felt anything, maybe you had a little conscience from what I said.”

Ironically, Brinkley was on the city council the last time property taxes were raised, in June 2018 when the rate jumped from 48 to 60 cents. Before that, the last tax increase had occurred in 2007.

Part of the 2018 hike was due to Brinkley’s insistence that city firefighters get a raise.

For the next fiscal year, full-time municipal employees are recommended to receive a $1,500 increase.

Brinkley was up for re-election in 2019, but chose not to run for a third term.

Instead Marie Wood successfully campaigned that year for the South Ward seat held by Brinkley and in addition to serving as a commissioner is the city’s mayor pro tem, or vice mayor, who presides in the absence of the chief executive.

With Mayor Ron Niland not attending the last council meeting when Brinkley spoke, it fell to Wood to respond to Brinkley’s address — including her belief that now is not the time to reduce taxes.

Based on Wood’s statements, this is because the municipality is facing a financial crunch the same as private consumers.

“Things are going up — they are not going down,” she said of prices.

In her opinion, “it will be impossible to cut taxes — in this environment,” Wood added.

“Would I love to have my taxes cut? Absolutely,” she said. “But I don’t see that as a possibility — I’m saying I just don’t.”

East Surry High School’s Luke Bowman officially signed his NJCAA National Letter of Intent and will continue his academic and baseball careers at Surry Community College.

“It means a lot to me to be able to play college baseball,” Bowman said. “This has been a dream ever since I’ve started playing. From playing little league to travel and throughout school ball, it has always been something I’ve wanted to do.”

Bowman helped East Surry continue its tradition of success during his two seasons with the varsity squad. The 2021 and 2022 Cardinals combined to win: two conference championships, one conference tournament championship (no tournament was held in 2021), one 1A West Regional Championship and one 1A State Runner-up trophy.

“He’s a phenomenal kid,” said East Surry coach Chad Freeman. “We all know he’s a great athlete and a great ballplayer, but he’s an even better person. He was a leader on the team that set the example by how hard he played, but could be vocal if he needed to. He’s also a really smart ballplayer.

“He will bring a lot to the Surry Community program and then to wherever he goes after.”

Part of the reason Bowman said he chose Surry Community College was because of the program’s success, making it an easy transition since he was coming from a successful high school program.

“I wanted to play at Surry because of the location and the reputation they have of always being good at baseball,” he said.

Bowman was planned to split time between varsity and JV his sophomore season at East before the season was cancelled. The following year, Luke came back and had an incredible season that helped earn him All-State honors.

Freeman said that Bowman is just as worthy of being named All-State as a senior if not more. The awards for the 2022 season have not been issued at the time of publication.

Offensively, Bowman finished his senior season by setting the East Surry school record with 46 runs scored. He had a .463 batting average, a .626 on-base percentage, 10 extra-base hits (seven doubles, two triples and one home run) and 20 RBIs.

Bowman also set the Cardinals’ record for career batting average at .448.

“Being able to play at East Surry with the people I grew up with was the best years of my life,” Bowman said. “There was never a dull moment in practice or games. All the coaches and every kid made it a very special place to be.”

In addition to his offensive contributions, Luke was a cornerstone of East Surry’s strong defense. He came into his junior season as the team’s starting catcher.

“He was just lights out behind the plate,” Freeman said. “He gets a lot of praise for his contributions on offense, but he had the same impact defensively. He had a tough job handling our pitches and made it look easy. Then this past year he only had two errors all season. That’s impressive when you play 26 games and handle the ball as much as he handles it.”

Bowman finished the 2022 season with a .992 fielding percentage, 228 put-outs and 22 assists.

“I have a ton of trust with Luke,” Freeman said. “I probably communicated with him more than any other player on the team because he’s involved in pretty much every play. We also talked a lot between innings, and he’d tell me different things he noticed and his thoughts on what we needed to do. It was like having another coach on the field.

“Obviously he was good, but he also made everybody else around him better. He really was a big part of our success this year.”

Bowman’s athleticism and baseball IQ made him a valuable asset to the Cardinals. While he specialized as the team’s catcher, he was also used as an outfielder. Freeman said that he believes Luke can be just as successful as an outfielder at the next level if his future coaches need him there.

Bowman also spent time on the mound for East Surry. When the Cards would play three games in a week, Freeman said he had total confidence in Bowman to throw a few innings. He even earned a win on the mound for East Surry as a senior.

Freeman said he had no doubts that Bowman would’ve played any position on the field if it meant helping the team succeed.

“He’s athletic enough that if I had even asked him to play middle infield he would have,” Freeman said. “He’s a tremendous athlete, an intelligent player and I can’t brag on him enough for how he helped our team be successful.”

Humbled to be signing his way to collegiate baseball, Bowman expressed gratitude to some of the people most responsible for helping him get to this point.

“I’d like to thank my parents and my grandparents more than anything,” Bowman said. “They always made sure I was at every practice and every game. I would also like to thank all the coaches; I wouldn’t be where I am today without them.

“I’m just ready to continue playing baseball at the next level. I think it will be very fun, especially with “Double A” Anthony Ayers also coming to play with me.“

• A Virginia woman was the victim of a recent break-in of a motor vehicle in Mount Airy, according to city police reports.

The crime was discovered on June 5 at a residence in the 1200 block of Greenhill Road, which involved an undisclosed sum of money and a portable battery charger valued at $30 being stolen from an unsecured vehicle. The owner of the property was identified as Charlotte Pamela Cloud of Robin Ridge Road in Cana.

• Michelle O’Rourke Brown, 54, of 211 Locklear St., was jailed without privilege of bond on the evening of June 7 for her alleged violation of a protective order. It had been filed by Surry County authorities the day before, with Linda Malmquist of Brindle Road in Dobson listed as the complainant.

A warrant in the matter was served on Brown at Mount Airy Bowling Lanes. She is scheduled to appear in District Court on June 28.

• Michael Edward Salisbury, 20, of 3411 Meadowbrook Road in Cana, Virginia, was served with an outstanding criminal summons for a charge of injury to real property on June 4, after officers responded to a call of an intoxicated pedestrian at Walmart.

Further investigation revealed Salisbury to be the subject of that summons, which had been issued on Feb. 18 with no other details listed. The case is set for Wednesday’s session of District Court.

• Police learned on June 1 that a break-in had occurred at a vacant residence on Fairlane Drive owned by Nancy Marion of that street. Household goods were stolen during the incident, with no loss figure supplied.

There was no turbulence to be found that would hinder the Second Annual Auto Show at the Mount Airy-Surry County Airport that was held on Saturday. It was a return of a popular event from last fall that grew in size of both attendees and participants in the auto show and fly-in.

Displayed were classic cars, hot rods, modern American muscle, custom creations, and for this edition of the show motorcycles were added to the assortment of vehicles parked on the tarmac for onlookers to meander through before looking under the hood. It was a chance to show off the cars, the airport, and enjoy watching planes take off and land from up close.

Winners for the competition were Best in Show for Dale Bishop of Pilot Mountain and his 1968 Mustang GT 428, as well as People’s Choice which went to Ty Tutterow of Mocksville for his 1966 GMC C-10.

Event organizer Tamsen Beroth threw herself with gusto into this project again this year and she was found at the front gate leading the ticket selling and taking – effective leaders often lead from the front. A big smile welcomed visitors as she pointed where to go and what to do like this was old hat.

However, Speedology Lifestyle Solutions (SLS) is a young company that was created by Beroth in 2021 and is growing. She has an extensive background in the automotive, technology and marketing space with over 20 years of experience. There is a sense of excitement in her to share that knowledge and her joy of autos with others.

The SLS team ismade up of automotive enthusiasts who are now busy organizing events for residents and car clubs throughout the year in North Carolina. They want guests to enjoy scheduled meets and gatherings with other like minded individuals.

The purpose of Speedology’s structured events is to provide safe and entertaining venues where participants can show their enthusiasm for all things related to the automotive industry. Fans can focus on celebrating the variety of vehicles and people that come together to share the mutual appreciation of a shared passion.

Where Beroth seeks to set her event apart is that “first and foremost” it is to be of a family friendly nature. “I want to be able to offer this amazing opportunity – especially to the younger generations – to be able to do something together in a fun and safe environment.”

Her business “can be the source for event management when it comes to auto shows, car meets, races, rallies, fundraisers, and corporate gatherings.” Already their plate of events has swelled from 2021 and following the Mount Airy event there will be a pair of events at the NASCAR Technical Institute later this year.

As she and SLS have been growing their business, the Mount Airy-Surry County Airport is on the grow as well. Airport manager George Crater was bubbling with praise Monday in speaking about the previous weekend’s event, “It was just like anything else we have done with SLS they do a great job of coordinating.”

Beroth had multiple goals: facilitate a fun auto show, spread the word about the airport, and bring attention to the community partner for the event Mayberry4Paws. Animal causes are near to her heart, she said of Mayberry4Paws, “They are in a real need for fosters and are such a great organization.”

Crater added, “We are very pleased with the results and while we do not yet know how much the contribution to Mayberry4Paws will be, I can tell you we had over 120 vehicles and 15 fly in-outs. The weather was a big help.” He noted that last year the conditions of intermittent rain and overcast skies prevented the fly-in aspect of the auto show to be enjoyed to its fullest.

The airport is experiencing a big year as more people are getting back out to travel and Crater says some of the scheduling problems with the big carriers are leading more people to private travel. Companies such as NetJets are growing as they offer the personalized service and timing travelers desire over crowded commercial cabins, middle seats, and the long-lost bag of peanuts. Fuel sales are up year to date at the airport over last year despite the rising cost fuel, he said.

Over last weekend he noted several of the flights in and out were for folks staying in Virginia at the Primland Resort; he welcomes them to Mount Airy. He said the airport is competing with the airport in Martinsville, Virginia, for private air travel needs for travelers to this region. To entice more pilots to fly to Mount Airy, a terminal expansion is planned.

The expansion project at the airport is in the design phase now; the current design calls for a 1,500 square foot two-story terminal building featuring a restaurant, flexible workspaces, and prominently displayed granite fireplaces. Plans are still in flux, and he noted that supply chain issues may necessitate changes to the design or timeline.

The mockup designs for the project have yet to be delivered to Crater; he says he cannot wait to share the designs with the public.

Adding a place to eat on site will be appealing for those who are popping in to top off their tanks. Those who may wish to linger can enter Mount Airy using courtesy vehicles on hand at the airport for such, or “we can send someone to pick them up if we need to.”

The hogs ran loose from Veterans Memorial Park in Mount Airy this past weekend as the First Mount Airy Men’s Shelter Summer Festival Motorcycle Ride took place to help raise money for the cause. It was the first of its kind event for the charity, whose organizers hope to open a year-round homeless shelter for men in need in Mount Airy.

The reason for the festival was to bring awareness to and raise needed funds for the Mount Airy Men’s Shelter. Since she began speaking to groups such as the Rotary Club of Mount Airy last fall, Ann Simmons has been leading a team on a mission to secure land, break ground, and open doors of a dedicated shelter.

While the target need is for single men, she has said that there should be room available, if possible, for homeless men who may have children, or families in need. It is something that she feels she was called to do to improve the lives of others.

Under a bright sun the field along West Lebanon Street was filled with dozens of vendors selling their wares. Kids had bounce castle options which is always a good position for them to be in. As the adults wandered through the stalls more than one jealous eye was cast toward a flagon of refreshing strawberry lemonade or a tasty looking Aunt Bea’s sandwich.

With the sounds of Santo Chessari Jr. belting out the hits of Neil Diamond and local talent Kinston Nichols serenading with a range from Sinatra to Green Day, it was an all-ages affair.

Dancers entertained the crowd from Danceworks as well as the Surry and Carroll County Dance Centers who were recently featured at the Daytona 500. Kids ran loose as raffles were held for golf clubs and an outdoor griddle that was drawing lots of attention.

The main draw was the motorcycle ride though and after some safety instructions and prayer from Ron Mathews, more than 60 bikes rolled off as their throaty engines called for all in attendance to turn their heads and see.

Organizers of the Mount Airy Men’s Shelter are working toward building a facility on West Lebanon Street that would be near the Daymark Treatment center. They want to be able to house single men, men with children, and families out of the elements be it the heat and humidity of the summer, or freezing temperatures in winter.

The founders want to help the homeless by having a “safe and secure place to lay their heads with hot meals readily available.” The end goal is a year-round full-time facility where they can provide access to health resources, job skills training, money management/budgeting, public relations skills training, and access to regular meetings to help those with substance use disorder.

Offering more than just a pillow or a meal, the Mount Airy Men’s Shelter wants to help men transition back to what many of them desire: independent living. With counseling, skills classes, meetings, and a location across the street from one of the area’s major treatment centers — the shelter has the potential to significantly change lives.

The founders also point to a potential long-term savings to the taxpayers of Surry County. “Part of their mission states that ‘The community endures the cost if we do not provide for and address the issues of male homelessness in Surry County.’”

Costs can get passed back to the community when the homeless are arrested for trespassing on a cold night. Or, when one arrives to the emergency department at Northern Regional Hospital, they will not be turned away from not having health insurance; the hospital will have to recoup those costs somehow.

The recently begun Strengthening Systems for North Carolina Children program is looking at these issues, such as homelessness, as traumatic factors that can have a negative impact on a child. The Mount Airy Men’s Shelter could be one of the potential mitigation solutions to remove the adverse childhood experience of homelessness from that child. Also, the skills training may be the plus-one addition that a parent needs to break their cycle of unemployment.

Simmons knows those are the potential long-term outcomes, but she managed to keep her eyes focused on what is right ahead of her over the weekend. For her event she said, “The best part of the day were the tireless volunteers who came and helped out, the Aunt Beas crew who donated and served food.”

“Thanks to Santos who kept the music going and Kinston Nichols who put on a great performance — I hear he’s ready to put a band together,” she offered. “The girls dance teams from Danceworks Inc, Surry County Dance Center and Carroll County Dance Center, were all really good. I don’t think I ever moved that much as a child.”

What The Mount Airy Men’s Shelter founders have done is identify a need, one that has a target audience and a goal to help the homeless help themselves. To get the fundraising ball moving for them this past weekend’s Summer Festival helped bring in some funds they will use to move forward. “We are all exhausted but super happy for all the exposure for the Mount Airy Men’s Shelter.”

In the interim they will continue to help with food services for the homeless and being an advocate for those in need. More information and ways to help the Mount Airy Men’s Shelter can be found at: www.mountairymensshelter.com.

Seven area youths got a chance to paint, build their own rockets, test out parachuting, and release butterflies from downtown during the Mount Airy Museum of Regional History’s STEM Jr. Camp.

Cassandra Johnson, program and education director at the museum, said many of the activities were designed to be hands on, and meant to connect science with history.

“There’s not a lot of connection between science and history in the classroom,” she said recently. Johnson planned last week’s camp activities to show how important science is today, and how vital it was to pioneers settling the region in centuries past.

While the STEM camp is over, there will be other opportunities for area youth to attend the museum’s summer activity camps.

The next session will be the Explorers Camp June 20-June 24, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. each day, for ages 8 to 13.

“If your child is more about being outside and hands-on, this is really the camp that I recommend,” she said. “We’ll have a butterfly display, a butterfly release, we’ll go down to Riverside Park one day, we’ll be learning basic things about bird watching, local plants, bees…making a compass…a sun dial, a little about star charting and navigating,” all skills settlers to the region and earlier residents would have used and needed.

The cost of the camps for the general public is $100, with additional children in a family getting a $10 discount for the week. For museum members, she said the cost is discounted $20, so one child would cost $80, additional children from the same family would cost $70.

Johnson said parents should pack a snack for their child each, because there is a brief snack period each day. For more information about the camps, or the museum, call 336-786-4478 or visit the website at https://www.northcarolinamuseum.org/

JJ Jones Intermediate School recently learned it has been certified and named as a Leader in Me Lighthouse School by FranklinCovey Education.

“This recognition is evidence that the school has produced outstanding results in school and student outcomes, by implementing the Leader in Me process with fidelity and excellence,” the Mount Airy City Schools system said. “It is also because of the extraordinary impact the school is having on staff, students, parents, and the greater community.”

Leader in Me is an evidence-based PK-12 model, developed in partnership with educators, designed to build perseverance and leadership in students, create a high-trust culture, and help improve academic achievement. This model equips students, educators, and families with the leadership and life skills needed to thrive, adapt, and to contribute in a dynamic world.

With Leader in Me, students learn to become self-aware, interdependent, take initiative, plan ahead, set and track goals, do their homework, prioritize their time, be considerate of others, communicate effectively, resolve conflicts, find creative solutions, value differences, live a balanced life, and contribute to society.

“Our school is honored to be recognized as a Leader in Me Lighthouse School,” said Principal Chelsy Payne. “The Leader in Me has helped our students, staff, and families with setting goals, tracking progress, and celebrating success. In addition, it has allowed us to invest in students’ leadership roles and give back to the greater community. One of my favorite aspects of The Leader in Me is Student Led Conferences. I appreciate how being a Lighthouse School empowers us to shed a beacon of light and make a positive difference for the future.”

“We are thrilled to recognize Jones Intermediate as a Leader in Me Lighthouse School,” said Sean Covey, president of FranklinCovey Education. “Schools who achieve this Lighthouse Certification are great examples of a strong leadership model , and of what it means to be a Leader in Me school. This school has experienced incredible results by implementing the principles and practices related to Leader in Me. And we are so pleased and honored to be their partner and to celebrate the success they are experiencing.”

Since its official launch nearly a decade ago, more than 5,000 public, private, and charter schools across 50 countries have adopted the Leader in Me process, while nearly 600 schools have achieved the Lighthouse Certification. It is earned by schools that demonstrate the following:

● The principal, school administration and staff engage in ongoing learning and develop as leaders, while championing leadership for the school;

● Leadership principles are effectively taught to all students through direct lessons, integrated approaches, and staff modeling. Students are able to think critically about and apply leadership principles;

● Families and the school partner together in learning about the 7 Habits and leadership principles through effective communication and mutual respect;

● The school community is able to see leadership in the physical environment, hear leadership through a common language, and feel leadership through a culture of caring, relationships, and affirmation;

● Leadership is shared with students through a variety of leadership roles and student voice leads to innovations within the school;

● Schoolwide, classroom, family and community leadership events provide authentic environments to celebrate leadership, build culture, and allow students to practice leadership skills;

● The school utilizes the 4DX process to identify and track progress toward Wildly Important Goals for the school, classroom, and staff;

● Students lead their own learning with the skills to assess their needs, set appropriate goals, and carry out action plans. They track progress toward goals in Leadership Notebooks and share these notebooks with adults in student-led conferences;

● Teacher planning and reflection, trusting relationships, and student-led learning combine to create environments for highly engaged learning.

There were plenty of friendly, knowledgeable folks to be found along the Mount Airy Blooms tour of gardens — but the real stars of that event were the plants.

Those taking in the tour Saturday were treated to a colorful and imaginative showcase of gardens at local residences — eight in all — plus a variety of informative displays by Surry County Master Gardeners at what is known as the Blue House, located downtown.

Visits to the different stops occurred on a self-guided basis, which produced steady traffic during the morning and afternoon hours, with a common theme evident at each location: an appreciation for greenery and beauty that highlighted the joys of gardening.

“When I’m in my garden, I’m in a different zone,” explained Carla Kartanson, whose home on North Main Street was one of the tour stops.

“It’s my spiritual time,” Kartanson added, when she can escape the pressures of the outside world and achieve a sense of comfort while working with or simply enjoying the plants — one going hand in hand with a certain mental state.

“I think you have to put yourself in a zone.”

While inspiring others to take up the gardening hobby and make the community a greener, more attractive place, the Mount Airy Blooms tour also emphasized how one can utilize whatever space is available — regardless of light and other factors.

That is certainly true at Kartanson’s home featuring a well-positioned site with southern-exposure chock full of flowering plants, including a colorful display of zinnias.

“I was inspired by Herb’s,” she said of nearby resident Herb Mason, whose home also was part of Saturday’s tour, with Kartanson a first-time participant in the event.

“The irises were already here when I moved here,” Kartanson said of relocating about 4.5 years ago from Texas, where she lived for a lengthy period and worked in the homebuilding field, after growing up in this area. Her flower garden also includes such varieties as Easter lilies, gerbera daisies, lantana and others.

But one thing Kartanson wanted visitors to take away from Saturday’s tour was the fact that lack of sunlight needn’t be a hindrance to plant growth. That is evident with her front yard facing the busy North Main Street, a shaded area where grass would not even grow well, she discovered upon moving here.

Though some homeowners purposely provide alternate landscaping just to avoid mowing their lawns, it was a necessity in Kartanson’s case. She researched plant species that thrived under low-light conditions and the result is a well-arranged grouping of mulched beds bearing rhododendron, azaleas and similar varieties that collectively create an attractive, engaging spot.

Kartanson has been involved in gardening for about 40 years, since “I first got married and started moving around and bought homes.”

Before returning to her native area, Kartanson lived in Dallas, in a gated community where yards were strictly regulated — fostering what she indicated was a state of conformity and uniformity that discouraged free-form gardening.

She was happy to move to the home in Mount Airy where her creative energies can run free.

In addition to picking up plant tips from the various residences along the tour, participants were treated to a one-stop, virtual oasis of educational exhibits at the Blue House of the Gilmer-Smith Foundation at 615 N. Main St.

About five different stations were set up at tents in the back yard there by Master Gardeners, including a display of live plants native to the area and one showcasing container gardening.

At another location, visitors were warned about the dangers of the spotted lanternfly, an invasive species that is steadily encroaching on this region. That insect is a known pest of grapes, apples, maples, oaks and others.

On a less-menacing note, Tasha Greer of Lowgap, a Master Gardener for six years and also an author, displayed and answered questions about an array of edible plants she brought along, such as garlic, kale, artichokes and breadseed poppy.

Saturday’s tour was presented by Mount Airy garden clubs, with Event Coordinator Anne Webb pleased with the turnout for the every-other-year attraction.

Proceeds from Mount Airy Blooms will benefit several appearance projects locally, including the rose garden at Joan and Howard Woltz Hospice Home and restoration of grounds at the historic Moore House.

Money also is targeted for the maintenance and upkeep of a mini-garden and fountain at the junction of North Main and Renfro streets and maintenance for a pollinator garden on South Main Street near the Municipal Building.

Another beneficiary will be exceptional children’s classes at B.H. Tharrington Primary School, for which special programming is to be provided.

With the 2021-22 school year now complete, The News is recognizing the local student-athletes that were presented with All-Conference Honors for their respective sports during the spring.

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

All-Conference Honorable Mentions will include (HM) following the selection’s name.

East Surry – Samantha Blose, Liannette Chavez, Addison Goins, Morgan Bryant (HM), Sophie Hutchens (HM)

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

Mount Airy – Karyme Bueno, Aliyah Flores (NW1A Defensive Player of the Year), Morgan Hiatt, Mackenzie Hudson (NW1A Co-Goalkeeper of the Year), Grey Moore, Alex Rose, Kylie James (HM), Paola Ramirez (HM),

North Surry – Kimberly Elias, Callie Allen (HM), Weatherly Reeves (HM)

Surry Central – Brittany Frausto, Dafne Perez, Wendy Cantor (HM), Lillian Orozco (HM)

The following players were also named to the N.C. Soccer Coaches Association’s 1A or 2A All-Region teams. No local players were named to the NCSCA’s All-State teams.

East Surry – Samantha Blose, Liannette Chavez

Mount Airy – Karyme Bueno, Aliyah Flores, Morgan Hiatt, Mackenzie Hudson, Grey Moore, Alex Rose

Surry Central – Brittany Frausto, Dafne Perez

East Surry finished 11-7-2 overall and 8-4 in conference play. The Cardinals were third in the FH2A standings and reached the first round of the 2A State Playoffs.

Mount Airy finished 17-3-4 overall and 10-2 in conference play. The Granite Bears won the school’s first-ever NW1A Conference Championship and reached the second round of the 1A State Playoffs. Will Hurley was named NW1A Coach of the Year.

North Surry finished 3-16 overall and 2-10 in conference play. The Greyhounds were sixth in the FH2A standings.

Surry Central finished 7-10-3 overall and 4-8 in conference play. The Golden Eagles were fifth in the FH2A standings.

Shoals Elementary School recently named 16 students as May Leaders of the Month.

The character trait for the month of May was communication. “These students were selected for showing their awesome communication skills,” school officials said.

Northern Regional Hospital recently awarded the 2022 Robin Hardy Hodgin Education Scholarship to two area students pursuing a career in the healthcare field. Each will receive a $5,000 scholarship.

Liszbhet Hernandez, of Mount Airy, and Kylie Bruner, of Pilot Mountain, were the two scholarship recipients.

Liszbhet is a 2022 graduate of Surry County Early College High School and will attend UNC-Charlotte in the fall to pursue an associate’s degree in nursing. Lizbhet’s aspirations for healthcare began at a young age, and she has volunteered at Dunmoore Plantation Assisted Living Alzheimer’s Care Unit and at Surry Medical Ministries.

“I was overjoyed to learn I had been chosen for this award, and I am thankful and grateful,” she said. “This scholarship will help me with my overall cost of tuition and books. I plan to use this scholarship towards my books and with the money that is leftover, I’ll pay off my tuition. I plan to be driven to succeed in the future and winning this scholarship will help me be one step closer to achieving my goal to become a nurse.”

Kylie is a 2022 graduate of East Surry High School and plans to begin her studies to become a nurse practitioner at UNC-Chapel Hill in the fall. She is working as a certified nursing assistant in Northern Regional Hospital’s Pre-Apprentice Program. Bruner has aspired to a career in healthcare since the age of 6, when she lost two of her grandparents to cancer.

“The scholarship provided to me by the Robin Hardy Hodgin Scholarship Fund will benefit me by providing a slight relief from the added stress of paying for college. I am so thankful to become a recipient of this scholarship because I feel valued and held to a great honor being chosen by the scholarship committee. As I embark on my educational nursing journey, the Robin H. Hodgin scholarship allows me to go to college more empowered and with less worry about the cost of my education,” she said.

Historically, the foundation has awarded 10 individual $1,000 scholarships, but this year, the committee chose to award two scholarships in the amount of $5,000 each to two graduates, screened and selected by a team of hospital leaders. The scholarship can be used to cover the cost of tuition, books, and supplies for selected students who enroll in accredited healthcare programs in the areas of nursing, pharmacy, or other allied-health professions. The scholarship, established in the 201-2020 school year, has already awarded $28,000 to support local graduates going into a healthcare field.

“This valuable program provides a much-needed helping hand to deserving students who have chosen to pursue fulfilling careers in healthcare while honoring the distinguished and ongoing career of Robin Hodgin, one of the most gifted and committed nursing leaders we have at Northern Regional Hospital,” said Chris A. Lumsden, president and chief executive officer of Northern Regional Hospital. “It is one of the numerous ways Northern provides support for our local youth, and exemplifies our commitment to education.”

Northern Regional Hospital established the scholarship program in October 2019, named in honor of Senior Vice President for Patient Services and Chief Nursing Officer Robin H. Hodgin. The scholarship is funded through private donations, matched dollar-for-dollar by the Northern Regional Foundation. The Hospital’s Scholarship Committee awards one-time scholarships for up to 10 eligible students enrolled in a health science degree-granting program at an accredited college or university of their choice.

Scholarships are awarded to prospective students who reside in Surry County and the surrounding region and aspire to a career in nursing or allied-health professions – including respiratory therapy, physical therapy, medical imaging technology, laboratory science, pharmacy, and others.

“I am honored to serve on the scholarship committee for the Robin Hardy Hodgin Education Scholarship,” said Tina Beasley, executive assistant for Northern Regional Hospital. “This scholarship is a testament to the talents and leadership of Northern Regional Hospital’s top nursing executive, Robin Hodgin, who has served our hospital for more than 40 years. This scholarship program is designed to help jumpstart their careers of students pursuing a career in nursing or allied health. Recipients are chosen based on merit, academics, community involvement, and financial need. This year, both recipients ranked in the top 5 of their class and had high GPAs. Both students were involved in many extra-curricular and community activities. Each student received outstanding recommendations from their teachers and school administrators. We have no doubt that both Kylie and Lizbhet will represent Northern Regional Hospital well.”

For more information about the Robin Hardy Hodgin Scholarship Fund, about Northern Regional Hospital Foundation, and to donate, visit wearenorthern.org.

Unlike others who serve Mount Airy in highly visible positions, city Planning Board members often labor in relative obscurity while playing important roles — but efforts were undertaken to ensure one member’s contributions didn’t go unnoticed.

Jeannie Studnicki recently was honored during a city council meeting for her volunteerism as a member of the Mount Airy Planning Board for nearly seven years — the last two as its chairman.

Studnicki’s present term on that board will expire this year and she is not eligible for reappointment due to serving the maximum time allowed.

The planning group is an advisory board to the Mount Airy Board of Commissioners on growth-related matters such as rezoning and annexation requests.

It analyzes present and emerging land-development trends and activities and recommends plans, policies and ordinances designed to maximize opportunities for growth while promoting public health, safety, morals and welfare.

The Planning Board gets first crack at zoning and land-use issues coming before the municipality which prove controversial at times, taking preliminary action on such matters in making recommendations to the commissioners for final decisions.

Studnicki has a marketing background and other business expertise, which has included being responsible for spearheading extensive and sustainable growth strategies for Fortune 500 companies.

She grew up in Ontario, Canada, and came to New York as a student-athlete before eventually making her way to Mount Airy.

Studnicki has taken a special interest in historic-preservation efforts while serving with the Planning Board. That included taking a lead role in recent years to have areas of Mount Airy with architecturally valuable sites added to the National Register of Historic Places.

“We have been very fortunate to have a person of your capabilities serving the city of Mount Airy,” Mayor Ron Niland told Studnicki during a late-May council meeting when she received a certificate of appreciation for her work with the planning group.

“That’s going to be a big void to fill on that board,” Niland added in reference to Studnicki’s departure. “So we want to recognize her for the invaluable contribution she has made while serving on our Planning Board.”

In remarks afterward, Studnicki — who joined that group in 2015 when she was appointed to an initial three-year term as the replacement for N.A. Barnes, who rotated off — mentioned that this also has been a good experience for her.

“It’s been a special time,” she said. “I have learned so much.”

A spirit of community was evident in her response to being honored by the city government.

“I’ve lived here for quite a while now,” Studnicki said of Mount Airy, where she has made a contribution in other volunteer roles in addition to the planning group.

“And it’s nice to be able to contribute to its success and its growth.”

In this day and age, most people will rarely have to use the services of their local funeral home, which is something to be grateful for. But that wasn’t always the case, and the public’s interaction with these businesses used to be much more prevalent — funeral homes used to also function as a basic ambulance service, and provided an early form of life insurance.

Before the mid 1800s, the care of the recently deceased was left up to the family. It was up to them to build coffins and sometimes even dig the graves. Times were harsh, living and working conditions were poor, which led to high mortality rates. Families preparing their deceased loved ones for burial was a common occurrence.

Luckily, for much of recent history, these duties can be designated to funeral homes, allowing the family to mourn without the added trauma. However, preparing for funerals has not always been the sole duty of funeral homes; they have historically fulfilled other roles in their communities.

Starting in the 1800s, funeral homes also fulfilled the essential service of transporting the sick and injured, much like a modern emergency medical service. Before the Surry County EMS program began in 1974, many funeral homes in Surry County had their own ambulances. Though it may seem strange to us now, it was a practical choice, as funeral directors were already on call 24/7 for funeral purposes. More importantly, hearses could be easily adapted to both function as hearses and ambulances due to their design and their size.

One of the first records of a hearse in Mount Airy is from 1892. Totten and Poole funeral home, which would eventually become Moody’s funeral home, was the first to purchase a hearse for the community.

In 1935, Ashburn and Calloway Funeral Home, having recently moved into its remodeled building on Pine Street, replaced its old combination ambulance and funeral coach with a new Chrysler. The vehicle was picked up by co-owner JE Calloway in Ohio and driven back to Mount Airy, where it was put on display for the public to view. An advertisement for this car promoted that it was equipped with hot and cold running water, electric fans for the summer, heating for the winter, and all first aid equipment that could be needed.

Another local establishment, Hennis Funeral Home, located on North Main Street and opened in 1942, advertised its ambulance service in 1942 as being available day or night, and only costing $2.50 for calls within the city.

In 1938, Moody’s Funeral Home purchased a new $4,000 Buick ambulance. With 140 horsepower, it was finished with a solid leather interior and was air conditioned. Moody’s went beyond the conventional ambulance, and as of 1946, was also the Surry County and surrounding territory representative for the Air-Ambulance Service of Durham. The planes were advertised as the “first fully organized aerial ambulance service in the US.” The air ambulance was said to be able to transport the sick and injured to any part of the US within hours and had a nurse in attendance on all flights.

The community was also served by Mutual Burial Associations, an organization under which subscribers could pay a fee which would collectively go toward the funeral costs of the association’s members. Locally, the Harrison Mutual Burial Association operated out of both Hannah Funeral Home and Moody’s. In 1931, the association paid for at least 80 members’ funerals in 1931, each costing between $50-$100. (between $951 to almost $2,000 today). Membership for Harrison Mutual Burial Association was a 25 cent fee in 1936, up from 10 cents in 1932.

Moody’s in Mount Airy’s is the longest operating funeral home. Its origins date back to the 1870s, when Bob Totten operated a coffin and furniture business in Mount Airy. When E.A. Hannah moved to the area from Indiana, he purchased Totten’s business, officially starting the business that would become Moody’s in 1902.

Wade Moody began working at what was then called “E.A. Hannah Harness and Coffins” in 1915 at the age of just 19 with a salary of $25 a month. Less than a decade later, Moody would become co-owner of the business along with D.E. Nelson, before becoming sole owner in 1932. After World War II devastated an untold number of families, the home was staffed for the most part by veterans of both world wars. Wade Moody was known at the time for playing a leading role in the local posts of the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars. As an article from 1948 states “Moody’s is not only an undertaker’s establishment but also the center of many civic affairs and ventures.” The business remains in the family to this day.

Katherine “Kat” Jackson is a staff member at the Mount Airy Museum of Regional History. Originally from Australia she now lives in King. She can be reached at the museum at 336-786-4478.

The following marriage licenses were issued in Surry County:

– Caleb Luke Atkins, 19, of Surry County to Brianna Abigail Pack, 20, of Surry County.

– Juan Carlos Rodriguez, 24, of Surry County to Tamara Destiny Alvarez Chautla, 19, of Surry County.

– Joseph Manford Cockerham, 68, of Surry County to Carolyn Ellene Hooks, 72, of Surry County.

– Robert Shane Baker, 28, of Galax, Virginia, to Dakota Brooke Hash, 21, of Galax.

– Tanner Bradley Lane, 25, of Pulaski County, Virginia, to Dakota Paige Truhe, 22, of Randolph County.

– Cuauhtli Lozada Cortes, 27, of Surry County to Ellise Marie Vangilder, 25, of Buncomb County.

– Michael Brian Bishop, 35, of Patrick County, Virginia to Amber Renee King, 33, of Patrick County.

– Casey Dale Marion, 26, of Surry County to Stephanie Lynn Thomas, 26, of Davidson County.

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

• Candida Michelle Bowers, 42, a white female wanted on probation violations who is on probation for resisting a public officer and use/possession of drug paraphernalia;

• Rosanna Lynn Coins, 33, a white female wanted on probation violations who is on probation for felony possession of a schedule II controlled substance;

• Michael Andrew Berrier, 50, a white male wanted on probation violations who is on probation for driving while impaired level 1 and drive while license revoked;

• Summer Jade Jenkins, 20, a white female wanted for failing to appear in court on probation violations who is on probation for possession of schedule II and possession of schedule VI controlled substances.

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.

Fireflies light the June nights

There is a new glow to brighten the nights as the arrival of fireflies give new light to the June night. The fireflies flutter on the lawn signaling with their tail lights. We hope this will be an abundant year for them. Some summers, there seems to be more fireflies than usual and we are hoping this will be that kind of summer. One factor that seems to increase the presence of fireflies is when afternoon thunder showers occur.

Still time to plant four o’ clocks

The colorful four o’ clocks can still be planted in the warm soil of June. You can purchase packets of four o’ clock seed from garden departments, super markets, Home Depot, Lowe’s and Ace Hardware. Packets of seed cost around $2 and come in colors of red, yellow, white, pink and wine. They thrive in all types of soil and will bloom all the way until frost. Use some Flower-Tone organic flower food to get them off to a good start.

Verbenas will perform in hanging baskets

The verbena produces well in hanging baskets and an unusual characteristic of the verbena is the way it cascades over the sides of the hanging baskets and fills the inside and outside of the baskets with colorful blooms and foliage. Verbenas come in red, white, pink, purple and blue. Set about three plants well spaced out in each basket so they will have plenty of room and not become root bound. Feed them once a month with Flower-Tone organic flower food and water each evening. They will bloom all summer long. Pinch off spent blooms to promote new blooms.

Investing in a part of American history

American bee balm plants are a part of American history and have been since the Revolutionary War. New England colonists used its leaves to make tea as a substitute after the Boston Tea Party when tea from England was thrown overboard into the Boston Harbor. American bee balm can be purchased from nurseries, hardware’s, garden departments as well as Lowe’s and Home Depot. If you buy one and re-pot it in a larger container, it will grow all summer long and produce plenty of leaves and pretty pink or lavender flowers. Perhaps you can make some bee balm tea from the leaves.

Time to purchase a durable weather wand

Hot, dry, humid days will soon be upon us as we move further into June. This means warm and dry soil and thirsty vegetable plants. Purchasing a durable water wand to use all summer long is a worthwhile investment that will really pep up your garden plot on hot summer days when no rain is forecast. An adjustable water wand has many settings such as stream, mist, spray, shower and pour. A wand can place irrigation in the exact place and amount without wasting water. The stream mode is a great way to water seed in the furrow before covering up seed with a hill of soil. A good water wand costs $12 to $14. The best feature of a water wand is you can place water where you need it and not waste water in the middle of the row.

Making a great moist chicken casserole

For this casserole, you will need four chicken breasts boiled until tender, remove skin, de-bone and cut into half inch chunks, one head or one pound bag of chopped broccoli, one large egg, one can Campbell’s cream of chicken soup, one eight ounce packet of parmesan cheese, one half cup mayonnaise, one fourth cup milk, small bag Pepperidge Farm cornbread stuffing. Cook broccoli until tender. Place cut up chicken chunks into a casserole dish sprayed with Pam baking spray and mixed with cooked broccoli. Mix cream of chicken soup, egg, parmesan cheese, mayonnaise and milk in a bowl and pour over the chicken and broccoli. Top casserole with the stuffing. Melt a stick and a half of light margarine and spread over the top of the stuffing. for at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes. Will serve five people.

Keeping an eye on Japanese beetles

As the days of June get warmer, it may pave the way for arrival of the Japanese beetles. We hope there will not be many of them this summer. Some years they are worse than others. They are enemies of roses, grapevines, green beans and foliage. Keep the beetle traps and liquid Sevin spray ready and control them as they make their appearance in your vegetable and flower garden. Place traps where they will draw the beetles to the traps and away from the vegetable and flower garden.

Planting portulaca in a tub or pot

It may be called desert rose, cactus flower, or rose moss. Whatever you call it, it is colorful and loves summer warmth. It blooms fresh and new every morning that the summer sun shines. The flowers are red, yellow, white, orange, pink, tan, wine, burgundy and bronze. It will be in bloom when you purchase it in six and nine packs. It can be planted in a large container or tub to produce a rainbow of color. As the foliage grows, it will cascade over the sides of the tub or container producing more flowers.

Impatiens also make colorful baskets

Of all the annuals of summer used to fill hanging baskets, impatiens make the best and most colorful as they cascade over the baskets and produce hundreds of colorful flowers. Plant only about three plants per basket to allow them to sprawl out. There are so many colors to choose from including red, white, pink, wine, salmon, bright orange and purple.

Taking care of the Christmas cactus

All the Christmas cactus are spending summer in a semi sunny location on the front porch. The containers are replenished with cactus medium and given a fresh drink of water each week. We feed them with Flower-Tone organic flower food once a month. If the cactus foliage turns reddish, this is a signal from the cactus that it is receiving too much sun and needs to be moved where it doesn’t receive to much direct sun.

Keep setting out a few tomatoes each week

To assure a harvest of tomatoes all summer long, set out a four pack of plants each week for as long as you can find healthy plants. Use calcium carbonate (powdered lime) in bottom of furrow when you set out the plants to prevent blossom end rot and feed with Tomato-Tone organic tomato food. Water base of the plants with the water wand on weeks when little rain is forecast. This will also prevent blossom end rot.

Stake or cage all peppers

All types of pepper plants will benefit from cages or stakes that will protect them from wind and summer storms. As peppers form, the cages and stakes will keep plants cleaner and easier to harvest.

Cooling off containers and the hanging baskets

The heat of the mid June sun shines down on the hanging baskets and containers all during the day, drying out the soil. Use the water wand in shower mode or a sprinkling can to apply water until it runs out the holes in the bottom of containers and baskets. Apply water in late afternoon or early evening.

Keep birds returning to the baths each day by refilling the baths with cool fresh water and emptying out the sun heated water from the all day sun. This keeps the water from being infested by egg laying insects and pollen and pollution as well as to provide fresh cool water to all types of birds.

Checking ferns of summer on the deck

The ferns are lush and green as they spend summer on the deck in a semi-sunny location. They need a drink of water each afternoon to refresh and cool them off. The panda and asparagus ferns need trimming each month to promote new growth. An application of Flower-Tone organic flower food each month gives them a boost.

“Pressing fact.” The husband came home and found his new bride crying. “I was pressing your new suit and burned a hole in the seat of your new pants.” “Forget it,” replied the husband. “Remember, I got an extra pair of pants for that suit.” “Yes, its lucky you have,” said his bride, “I used them to patch the hole!”

Doing the math. Duke: “How about lending me $50?” Luke: “Sorry, I can only lend you $25.” Duke: “But why not the $50?” Luke: “No, $25 only, that way its even, each one of us loses $25.”

The following divorces were granted in Surry County:

– Thomas Ray Freeman and Penny Irene Freeman; granted on June 2.

– Jeana Hope Towe and Larry Mitchell Towe; granted on June 2.

– Madison Collins and Joseph Simpson; granted on June 2.

– Victoria Leeann Nagel and Christopher Thomas Nagel; granted on June 2.

– David Price and Delores Price; granted on June 2.

– Rebecca Ann Westmoreland and Robin Eric Westmoreland; granted on June 2.

– Kirsten Beall and Anthony Beall; granted on June 2.

– Alexandria Bristel and Cedric Bristel; granted on June 2.

– Sarah Lacy Yarbrough and John Christopher Yarbrough; granted on June 2.

– Kimberly Suzanne Bowman and Nicky Shawn Bowman; granted on June 2.

– Deborah McMillian Simmons and James K. Simmons; granted on June 2.

• An Ararat woman was jailed Tuesday on charges stemming from a break-in at a local flea market last month, according to Mount Airy Police Department reports.

Shawn Phalen Murphy, 37, of 226 Pearman Lane, was encountered by investigating officers at the scene of the crime on May 15, a storage building at Bonnie Lou’s Flea Market on Carter Street, where Jose Guadalupe Padron of Hemmings Street in Dobson was the victim of the breaking and entering — but fled as they approached.

Murphy was located by police Tuesday at a Welch Road location and arrested on warrants for charges filed the day of the incident on Carter Street, including felonious breaking and entering of a building along with three misdemeanors: resisting, delaying or obstructing a public officer; possession of a Schedule VI controlled substance (marijuana); and attempted larceny.

The Ararat woman also is facing unrelated charges, including four counts of failing to appear in court, issued Tuesday; a larceny charge filed by the Surry County Sheriff’s Office on May 15; and a second-degree trespassing violation, May 12. Murphy was incarcerated under a $13,300 secured bond and is scheduled to appear in District Court on Monday.

• A costly piece of equipment was discovered stolen Wednesday morning from a parking lot at a construction site in the 1900 block of Caudle Drive. The Stihl Cutquik concrete saw owned by Wemco Contracting Inc. of Siloam Road, Dobson — orange in color and valued at $1,000 — was taken from a tool box.

• Kimberlee Monik Duncan, 41, of Pfafftown, was charged with first-degree trespassing on June 2 after allegedly refusing to leave a residence in the 500 block of Worth Street, from which she had been banned the same day in connection with a domestic investigation.

Duncan was released under a $1,000 unsecured bond to appear in Surry District Court on July 25.

• Two people were jailed on May 31 after police responded to a breaking and entering call at a residence in the 900 block of West Pine Street, where records indicated that glass windows were broken to gain entry.

Hannah Marie Schmidt, 28, and Timothy Travis Hicks, 45, both listed as homeless, are each charged with misdemeanor breaking and entering, with Schmidt additionally accused of possessing methamphetamine, a felony, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Hicks also was found to be the subject of an outstanding arrest order for failing to appear in court which had been filed in June 2021. Both were confined in the Surry County Jail under $500 secured bonds and are to appear in District Court on July 25.

Christine Reece of Oak Ridge is listed as the victim of the illegal entry.

• A break-in was discovered on May 31 at the home of Jose Elias Rivera Reyes on Factory Street. Glass in a screen door was broken and a locked wooden door forced open in order to gain entry. Nothing was listed as stolen, but the property damage totaled $400.

• A case of financial card fraud was reported on May 30, which involved an apparently known individual using card information of Patty Sue Morton, a Newsome Street resident, to make an online payment without her permission.

The crime, for which the monetary loss was not listed, remained under investigation at last report.

• April Elizabeth Warren, 46, of 240 Starlite Road, No. 105, was jailed without privilege of bond on May 27, when she allegedly hit her boyfriend, Steven Erik McIntire of the same address, in the head with a lamp, fled from officers who responded to the domestic disturbance and subsequently was found with meth.

After allegedly running from the scene on foot and refusing to comply with police orders to stop, Warren was subdued and found with a small glass bottle containing the crystal-like substance.

She is charged with possession of methamphetamine, a felony; assault with a deadly weapon; resisting, delaying or obstructing a public officer; and possession of drug paraphernalia. Warren is slated for a July 11 court appearance.

Mount Airy City Schools Educational Foundation recently held its first dinner aimed at raising money for “innovative programming” throughout the district. The night was met with celebrated success as the ballroom of Cross Creek Country Club was packed with more than 150 individuals ready to support children.

Superintendent Dr. Kim Morrison welcomed the group and explained how the foundation came to be and what it would support.

“Our amazing Board of Education had the foresight to support an educational foundation that will ensure our innovative programs continue for generations to come. We are overwhelmed at the outpouring of support from the community to support these efforts and we are blessed to be in Mount Airy with such a great community of people who really care about the success of Mount Airy City Schools.”

Deputy Superintendent Dr. Phillip Brown served as the evening’s MC and introduced the various students who performed throughout the event.

The district’s dual language immersion program, Language Leaders, was represented by kindergarteners from BH Tharrington Primary School. Students sang and danced while the salad was being served.

JJ Jones Intermediate School’s Melody Makers followed with two songs and were led by Hollie Heller. During the serving of the main course, students shared their experiences in career and technical education and how the program has provided unique opportunities and connections for them.

Following the testimonials were individual student performances from middle school student Luca Livengood and high school student Angel Rivera accompanied by Meredith Dowdy, Mount Airy High School music teacher. During dessert, Mount Airy Middle School’s Chorus, led by Jennifer Riska, performed three songs. Students involved in Mount Airy Middle School’s Interact Club escorted guests to tables and selling raffle tickets for the foundation.

Career and Technical Education Director Olivia Sikes, Career Development Coordinator Catrina Alexander, foundation treasurer Lesa Hensley, and foundation board member Ellie Webb coordinated the event while foundation board members served as table hosts. At the close of the evening, $42,000 had been raised toward the $50,000 goal.

Sikes shared, “Community involvement has always been a key factor to the success of our students. This event was yet another example of how blessed we are to serve in such a supportive community. Because of this support, students will continue to learn through innovative programming and enriched learning experiences.”

The creation of this foundation provides the district with a third way that individuals can give. “Three Ways to Give” includes the Mount Airy Youth Foundation, alumni support through Mount Airy High School, and the Mount Airy City Schools Education Foundation. Each method of giving has a targeted purpose:

1. The youth foundation has been around for years and supports athletics in the district while also providing all students and staff with yearly passes to athletic events;

2. The alumni giving through the high school goes toward a designated project at the school. Funds from the alumni go toward a memorial being designed and built at the corner of N. South Street and Orchard Street to honor graduates who have served in the military. Once that project is complete, a new one will be presented;

3. The educational foundation will serve as an avenue for donors to give to the district’s art programs, dual language immersion program, and CTE/workforce development programs.

“I was thrilled with the support of the community and the willingness to get behind the foundation during its early stages,” said Education Foundation Chair Kyle Leonard. “I am so excited for the future and how the foundation will benefit all MACS kids towards their future. This is a special time for MACS and the future looks bright.”

Anyone wishing to help the foundation reach their $50,000 goal can drop donations at the Community Central Office located at 351 Riverside Drive. Checks need to be written to the Mount Airy High School Education Foundation.

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

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

– The Holder Family Limited Partnership, Holder Family Limited Partnership and Lillian A. Holder to Stephennie Marie Elizalde; lot 1 block 3 Highland Park PB 1 28 Mount Airy; $207.

– David J. Brown to Wanda M. Whitley; condominium deed unit 1B Greenhill Condominiums bk 1 PG 75-77 Mount Airy; $590.

– Ephraim Monroe Hiatt and Amy Jones Hiatt to Kelly H. Byrd and Kem G. Byrd; 64/100 acres Westfield; $0.

– Janene Budnik, Charles A. Budnik Jr., Regina S. Watters and C A Budnik Jr. to Michael Matthew Janow; 10.001 acres Dobson; $332.

– Lee Roy Willard to Betty Willard; 3 acres Mount Airy; $0.

– Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC, J.P. Morgan Mortgage Acquisition Corp. and Charles Del Beitel to J.P. Morgan Acquisitian Corp. and First American Title; 1624/1017 substitute trustees deed 1.285 acres; $248.

– Lisa Corder, Deborah C. Garris and Billy G. Corder to Wanda C. Molina; 3.436 acres PB 40 150 Marsh; $0.

– Robert Rufus Easter Jr. and Juanita D. Easter to Tyler Andrew Easter; 40.264 acres PB 33 142 Bryan; $0.

– Josh Ray Holder and Elizabeth Holder to Laraine S. Miller; lot 16 Oriole Estates subdivision PB 25 191 Pilot; $956.

– Standard Development Company, LLC to SE 1225 and 1227 Mount Airy, LLC; tract two 0.516 acres tract one and tract three 0.484 acres tract two PB 32 135; $1,350.

– Terry A. Reinhart to Michael Lee Cudd and Victoria Paige Cudd; lot 1 tract and lot 2 0.7659 acres and lot 3 0.1699 acres and lot 4 tract Mount Airy; $458.

– Lavanda B. Kirkman to Larry Eugene Childress Jr. and Toynia Childress; tracts Mount Airy; $418.

– Deborah M. Fowler to Rodney Fowler; tract one 0.68 acres and tract two .79 acres Shoals; $0.

– Shirley Moore Holcomb to Brian Edward Key; tract 556 Burcham Road State Road Elkin; $0.

– Sabrina Terry and Keith Terry to Timothy M. Decker and Karen A. Decker; 1.77 acres Pilot; $600.

– Clock Corner, LLC to Rand Properties, LLC; 3,940 sq ft Mount Airy; $1,255.

– Howard E. Lichtenberger and Claudia L. Lichtenberger to Freedom & Liberty Worship Center, Inc.; tract Pilot; $1,028.

– Joshua B. S. Horton and Rachel Marie Horton to Jesus Gonzalez Guerrero; 1.4408 acres tract seven River Bend PB 14 76; $150.

– John Michael Varnier to John Michael Varnier, Dawn Varnier Beechner and Dawn Beechner Varnier; lot 39 section E Cross Creek Country Club Inc.; residential development phase II PB 9 32-33 Mount Airy; $0.

– Noe Garcia and Shinee Gacia to Redoak Development, LLC; 1.012 acres Mount Airy; $180.

– Michael Dale Wall and Katrina Jane Wall to Cody J. Lunsford and Kristen N. Lunsford; 2.90 acres Mount Airy; $210.

– Ryan A. Stanley to Abel Santoyo; lot 7-11 V M Draugh land PB 4 55 Dobson; $368.

– Wanda C. Molina, Danny R. Molina and Deborah C. Garris to Billy G. Corder; 1.066 acres parcel 2 PB 40 150 Marsh; $0.

– George Robert Jenkins Jr. to Hallie Kast; tract Marsh; $0.

– Pamela Sue Robins to Autum Phillips Hawkins; tract one 1 acre and tract two 3,760 sq ft Elkin; $370.

– Ricky D. Baker, Linda Westmoreland and Eddie Westmoreland to Harley W. Vestal; lots 25-28 and 41-42 J.E. Brown subdivision PB 4 166; $50.

– Richard L. Weagraff to Kelsey M. Creson; lot 9 section 1 Autumn Hills subdivision PB 14 194; $260.

– Lisa Corder, Billy G. Corder, Wanda C. Molina and Danny R. Molina to Deborah C. Garris; 1.789 acres PB 40 150 Marsh; $0.

– Warren Rowan Properties, LLC to Belmont Ventures, LLC; 2.482 acres and .35 acres lots 49-50 Hillcrest development PB 1 33 and 16,198 sq ft lot 5 J.G. Booker property PB 6 50 Mount Airy; $570.

– Willis Edward Branch and Mary Kathryn Branch to Jay Mitchell Robertson; tract one 1.183 acres PB 28 125 and 144 and tract two 25.638 acres PB 28 146 Dobson; $215.

– Mary O’Quinn and Mary Beall to Michael Andre; lot 57 section 1 Burkwood PB 4 125 Mount Airy; $0.

– Jeffrey Dean Johnson and Tamara Johnson to Joseph Nathaniel Johnson and Rebecca Athey Johnson; 2.85 acres Dobson; $360.

– Estate of Genevieve Parks Edwards, Sharon E. Dawson and Genevieve Parks Edwards to Devaron Scott and Abigail Scott; lot 12 Springfield Estates PB 14 226 Longhill estate of Genevieve Parks Edwards file 22 220; $490.

– Marletta R. Page to Richard L. Bagby and Elizabeth Bagby; lot 41 Hollyview Forest section 3 PB 7 2 Mount Airy; $630.

– Norma Morris Cockerham to Marrisa Leigh Cockerham Montgomery; tract Westfield; $0.

– William Bruce Crigger to Cossie Ayers; tract Mount Airy; $50.

– Estate of Dolly Grayson Cockerham, Vickie Cockerham Lowe, Dolly Grayson Cockerham, Aubrey C. Lowe, Joseph Bryan Cockerham, Tracy Cockerham, Phillip D. Harrison and Amy L. Harrison to Leticia Reyes De Carreon; lot 19-20 Fisher Creek development PB 15 61 PID 5937-00-44-0964 and 5937-00-45-1011 Eldora; $27.

– Daniel Ray Southern and Beth C. Southern to Luann S. Edwards; tract Stewarts Creek; $0.

– Eagle Ridge Properties of NC, LLC to John C. Kennedy; lots 44-47 block C Orchard Hills subdivision PB 4 72 Mount Airy; $390.

– Bedford Stevens Jr. to Nancy J. Stevens; quitclaim deed tract Eldora; $0.

– Nancy J. Stevens to Corine J. Brouwer; tract Eldora; $400.

– Stephanie Ann McKnight and Ricky Fredrick McKnight to Danny Leon Wood and Melissa Mae Wood; lot 14-15 section A PB 4 196 Wildlife Club Marsh; $0.

– William Edgar Buehler and Amy Bell Buehler to Jerry Michael Watson and Patsy Gentry Watson; condominium deed unit 110 Plantation Place Condominium (formerly Hazelnut Plantation Condominiums phase 11) bk 1 217-218, 221, 233, 235, 254, 276, 295, 302, 305, 322, 325, 343 and bk 1 306 Mount Airy; $638.

– Brian Gammons and Andi Lynnette Gammons to Andy Larry Cockerham and Misty Hurlburt; 5.00 acres new lot 1 PB 38 114 Stewarts Creek; $0.

– Krista Moore Jones and Michael R. Jones to Jane Walker Parrish; 0.48 acres lot 31 and portion of lot 32 Earnest M. Calloway subdivision PB 6 100 Mount Airy; $520.

– John M. Wilmoth Jr., Linda Wilmoth and Sherry Wilmoth to Sherry Wilmoth; $0.

– Tammy Brown Elliot and David Elliot to Ralp Beshears and Libby Beshears; lot 6 block A Victoria Heights subdivision Elkin; $410.

– Stephen Michael Veghte to Margaret A. Christian Trust and Margaret A. Christian; four tracts Mount Airy; $530.

– Yvonne White Edwards, John Edwards, William C. White, Garry T. White, Linda White, Ella H. Moore, Jennifer Moore Zeman, Donna M. Swift, Wayne Swift, Lisa Moore Harris, Lewis Moore, Ginger M. Ramey, Phillip Ramey, Brandon Moore and Charlotte R. Moore to Keith Moore; 8.730 acres Dobson; $0.

– Bethany Marie Riddle and Nicholas Allen Riddle to David Lee Whitaker Jr. and Tracy Ann Whitaker; 5.002 acres Rockford; $145.

– Frances McAlister, Emma Faye Lehman and Jerry D. Lehman to William Clay Draughn and Faye H. Draughn; 23.599 acres PB 40 113 South Westfield; $176.

– CK Technologies, LLC to Creative Opportunities, LLC; 30.0026 acres PB 23 23; $7,160.

– Terri Hawks Weddle, Lynn P. Weddle, Alisha Stone Howard, Christopher Michael Howard, Ryan Lee Stone and Jessica Bowman Stone to Eric D. Baugus; tract; $310.

– Michelle P. Wagoner, Gregory Wagoner, Scarlet P. Lyons and Rocky Charles Lyons to David Fuller Callaway and Allison Elizabeth Callaway; 0.397 acres Elkin; $360.

– The Allen J. Lovill Trust, Robert J. Lovill III, Elizabeth J. Lovill and Allen J. Lovill to Kenneth Hutson and Stefanie France; lot 16 Ring Creek subdivision PB 23 79; $46.

When passing by Mount Airy High School along North South Street, one notices the walls, sidewalks and signage of a typical educational institution — but probably don’t realize that a thriving business is also within its confines.

During one recent morning at Blue Bear Cafe as the school year wound down, Ocean Davis, a senior, was putting the finishing touches on a fruit smoothie after earlier serving up cookies and brownies to an appreciative recipient. Chances are, another customer soon would be ordering a fresh-brewed cup of latte from the student-run operation.

The coffee at Blue Bear Cafe is reputed to be so tasty that teacher Ashley Pyles did not shy away from comparing what the kids prepare to that offered by a international coffeehouse chain:

“They make the best coffee, hands-down, over Starbucks any day,” Pyles said proudly.

Along with a variety of coffees — including frappe, latte and Americano — there are several flavors of fruit smoothies available, various sweet treats including bundt cakes, snack items, hot chocolate, cider and more.

The menu at Blue Bear Cafe further includes specialty drinks featuring what apparently has become a local sensation, bubble teas.

Yet perhaps the best product served up there is success — cooked up daily by apron-wearing student entrepreneurs who are gaining valuable business experience during the school year which can aid them in a career.

“It’s never about the coffee,” Workforce Initiatives Coordinator Polly Long said when discussing the mission involved, or for that matter the caffeine, the stimulative ingredient of that popular beverage.

“It’s about the skills,” added Long, a longtime school system employee who is being given much credit for making the on-campus business a reality.

“A student-operated coffee shop has been a dream of Polly Long’s for years,” says a statement prepared in conjunction with the Blue Bear Cafe program receiving special city government recognition during a recent council meeting. That statement also references the role “students with extraordinary talents” have played in its success.

The cafe, which emerged in 2019, seeks to provide targeted youth with training in essential entry-level skills and create a pathway to employment in the service industry.

For example, junior Jennifer Griffin has her sights set on becoming a pastry chef.

Blue Bear Cafe operates through the Occupational Course of Study unit at the school and is overseen by teachers Jennifer Gentry and Ashley Pyles in addition to Long.

“Jennifer is sort of our pastry chef,” Gentry said of Griffin’s go-to role in the operation.

About 10 students are enrolled in the program during a given academic year. They also take regular courses in addition to working a specified number of hours for the cafe, constituting class periods. It is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. when school is in session.

Blue Bear Cafe occupies a strategic space in the high school’s media center, which provides an inviting setting to enjoy a beverage or snack arguably rivaling that of any coffeehouse on the planet. The surroundings are pleasantly lit by large windows facing North South Street.

The place was arranged with the assistance of Goodwill Industries, Long said, which helped supply start-up funds to acquire new furniture and accessories.

It is tastefully adorned by walls painted in a soft-brown and olive-green color scheme, imprinted with phrases such as “serving kindness one cup of the time” and inspiring words including “imagine,” “create,” “inspire” and others.

Students respond by constantly adding new drinks and even developed a website to promote the business. A Blue Bear Cafe Facebook page is available to assist with orders.

The facility’s spic-and-span kitchen is located in a side room, near a counter area where students check out library materials as part of dual, harmonious existence between the two facilities. A gift shop specializing in student-made products also is located at the cafe offering items including mugs and T-shirts and handcrafted items from local entrepreneurs.

Along with the culinary talents honed by the youths, other abilities are learned that they can apply to many additional career endeavors besides a coffee shop itself.

These include leadership, communication, organization skills and teamwork, plus the real-life functions of dealing the public in taking orders, making change from a cash register and processing credit card orders.

“They’re seeing it in real time,” Long said of the impression left on those from the outside world who are able to witness education being applied to an actual enterprise. The students involved are a mixture of upperclassmen and lowerclassmen who ensure a seamless transition with the transfer of knowledge as they come and go.

“They are basically learning how to run a business on their own,” Pyles observed.

While the cafe is shut down for the summer, before resuming operations again with the start of the next school year, it has been popular among members of the public who can call in and pick up orders on the campus.

In other cases, large orders will even be delivered to customers.

“We are in the black,” Long said of the cost related to that service given the surge in gas prices. “What we try to do is break even,” with any profits going right back into the business.

“We use some of that money to take them (students) on field trips,” Gentry advised.

Long is hoping to expand Blue Bear Cafe to a downtown location if one can be found under the right circumstances.

The smell of success from Blue Bear Cafe has emanated to City Hall a couple of miles away, as evidenced by the special recognition it received during a recent meeting of the Mount Airy Board of Commissioners.

Pyles attended that session along with two students, Griffin and fellow junior Shatavia Robison, who were there for a presentation on the program highlighted by the girls passing out chocolate chip cookies to those in attendance.

The cookies were contained in colorful packaging with labels extolling such sentiments as “be nice” and “choose happiness.”

“This program is first and foremost all about our kids,” Pyles said of the effort that “has just blown my mind.”

“The Blue Bear Cafe is one of the bright shining lights of the Mount Airy school system,” Commissioner Jon Cawley remarked, while thanking Polly Long for her involvement.

“I know y’all will go far in life,” Commissioner Marie Wood told the students.

“Great job, ladies,” said the board’s Joe Zalescik.

“This is what a community like Mount Airy is and can be,” Mayor Ron Niland said of the cafe’s success.

If anyone were to have needed medical assistance at the county commissioners meeting Monday night, they would have found themselves in the care of some of the best emergency responders Surry County has to offer. On hand were thirteen paramedics who were being recognized by the members of the board of commissioners for saving lives and for representing the county with honor in competition.

Surry County Paramedics Hannah Simmons, Aaron Stolzfus, and Mark Vogler were recognized for having saved ten lives in the line of duty.

Similarly honored for having saved five lives were: Daniel Banks, Staphany Blizard, Colby Cooper, Tiffany Earley, Mason Gwyn, Shellie Killgo, Hunter Odum, Abby Samuels, Mason Sewell, and Kaitlin Smith.

Smith along with Joshua Lecrone were also recognized for their participation as members of the 2022 Surry County State Paramedic Team. In the 30th annual competition the pair were crowned 2022 Region I Champions and advanced to the finals.

The competition is part of the North Carolina EMS Expo, an educational conference that brings together paramedics, EMTs and county emergency services directors to sharpen their skills with presentations from faculty from across the state and the country.

The teams all faced the same scenario as each emerged from sequestration to respond to a mock emergency. This year’s scenario had multiple patients at a rural farm setting — including a victim trapped in hay baler equipment, a Spanish-speaking victim experiencing chemical poisoning and an unresponsive person experiencing burn trauma.

Each team takes turns to assess, treat and stabilize victims in a scenario that lasts 12 minutes. They must move quickly and use their experience, education, and training to provide care to the victims. They may use first responders to assist while they render the most critical care. Teams were judged on professionalism, communication, patient rapport, conduct, attitude, appearance, and attire.

The competition is watched by hundreds of peers from bleachers that are set up inside the ballroom at the Joseph S. Koury Convention Center in Greensboro. It provides a training opportunity not only for the competing teams, but also for the paramedics and emergency medical technicians who closely observe each team’s analysis and reaction to the scenario.

Tom Mitchell, chief of the North Carolina Office of Emergency Medical Services, announced the winners at a banquet held Tuesday evening to cheers and applause from hundreds of the winners’ peers.

The team from Mecklenburg County EMS won the competition defending their title from the last competition in 2019.

“All of the teams in this competition are winners. They are North Carolina’s best of the best in emergency medical response,” said Mitchell. “We offer our special congratulations to this year’s winners.”

The commissioners offered their thanks to the women and men who risk themselves for the people of Surry County.

In other county commissioners’ news from Monday:

– A new offer has been made on the Westfield School site. The offer was made by John and Beverly Shelton in the amount of $102,000. A recent prior offer was rescinded by the bidder shortly after it was made due to additional costs of potential remediation.

Commissioner Van Tucker reminded the board in the absence of County Attorney Ed Woltz that accepting the initial offer only begins a bidding process. Woltz previously told the board members that they also had the ability to walk away from any offer prior to finalizing the sale for any reason.

“This bid should start a process which hopefully would land us with a little more in a final offer somewhere along the way in the open bidding process,” Tucker said as he made a motion to accept the offer.

Commissioner Larry Johnson pointed out that the Sheltons live in proximity to the former Westfield school, “I’m pretty sure these people live across the street. I think that’s good news too.”

The offer was accepted and now a period of upset bidding will begin in which any other party may offer an increase to the initial bid.

– County Development Services Director Marty Needham advised the board that the planning board has given its unanimous approval to a rezoning request that will yield a new Dollar General at 120 Mount View Drive in Mount Airy. The new location is just to the North of J. J. Jones Intermediate School at the intersection of Riverside Drive and Mount View Drive.

The tract of 2.14 acres needs to be rezoned from Rural Agriculture to Rural Business-Conditional. Commissioner Mark Marion asked if the new store would have a similar design to newer Dollar General location in Dobson on Zephyr Road, which was confirmed. The board was told new Dollar General locations are to have a larger footprint with increased cooler space for food items needing refrigeration.

Property owner James Lambert told the board the store has his blessing, and the commissioners approved the rezoning request.

– Penny Harrison of the county’s tax office was on hand to hold a public hearing on the renaming of private roads in the county. From the first of June 2021 through the end of May 2022 there were 13 instances of either a new private road being built, a private road name change, or corrections to private road names. As per state statute, the commissioners have to approve the naming or renaming of all roads, public or private, in the county.

The list of names was posted for one month with no challenges offered to the tax office, nor did any speakers rise during the meeting to speak at the hearing. Seeing no challenges, the names were approved by the board.

Roads impacted were: Cozy Creek Trail, Parker Hill Trail, Mountain Berry Way, Great Southern Trail, Legacy Lane, Pond Spring Trail, Willows Walk Lane, Rodriguez Lane, and Lovers Creek Trail all in Mount Airy.

Also on the list were Lewis Acres Lane in Pinnacle, Blue Dog Farms Lane in Dobson, David Lee Trail in Elkin, and Brudys Trail in Pilot Mountain.

– Dr. David Shockley of Surry Community College sent in a request to have Deidre Rogers reappointed to the Board of Trustees of the college, which was unanimously approved.

The 2022 Arts Alive camp kicked off the weekly summer camp series with more than 50 participants ages 3-5 years old along with middle and high school volunteers.

Emily and Bruce Burgess are working with arts and crafts, Shelby Coleman is hosting a drama class, and Tyler Matanick is working with music. Each class rotation emphasizes this year’s theme “Reach for the Stars.” Each class is teaching and reinforcing astronomy facts but the goal of Arts Alive continues to be to have fun and engage children in the arts to build future audiences.

Participants are looking forward to the annual Arts Alive Parade on Thursday, June 16 at 5:15 p.m. from Truist to the Andy Griffith Playhouse. The parade is followed by a celebration at the Andy Griffith Playhouse featuring arts, crafts, food, face painting and a performance by Arts Alive participants on the Andy Griffith Playhouse stage.

Surry County Manager Chris Knopf presented the board of commissioners with his budget message Monday night for the upcoming fiscal year 2022-2023. He provided a bottom-line overview of the tentative budget for next year of $93,607,336. For comparison, the 2021-2022 county budget total was $83,889,031.

Of perhaps the greatest interest to the citizens of Surry County is that there is again to be no increase to the property tax rate. Revenues are reported as healthy and tax collection outpaces projections by around 2%.

Sales tax revenues estimates have been “very conservative” during the pandemic, but the revenues have been incredibly high. He attributed the robust sales tax revenue to be due to online shopping.

Knopf pointed out a few of the highlights that created the discrepancy between the two budget years. In the next budget an additional $1.2 million was included for weatherproofing projects on two county buildings. He told the board that in the past year many of the county buildings in Dobson had been well taken care of, such as the Government Center.

Jessica Montgomery of the public works office had identified of county buildings as a priority. She had told the board in April that weatherproofing projects were going to be needed at the Judicial Center where there is a need to replace windows, expansion joints, internal doors, and a wall that was damaged by water.

Weatherproofing at the Historic Courthouse in Dobson needs to be a priority as well. “Weatherproofing this building is crucial to saving the life of this building. This building has some issues and it’s all due to the fact that it is pulling in all the moisture from outside.”

Knopf noted that when taking out debt service, weatherproofing, and the worker’s compensation fund change, what he called an apples-to-apples budget comparison, the new total would be around $86 million or a 2.9% increase. “Which is below the inflation index right now,” Commissioner Eddie Harris commented.

The county still owes on its long term promise to Mount Airy for the Spencer’s Mill project which adds $250,000 to the budget; the county also makes an annual contribution to the Surry County Economic Development Partnership totaling $155,000.

Getting support from the county will be the Mountain-to-Sea Trail in the sum of be $100,000; $543,000 to support the Northwest Regional Library; $20,000 for the Mount Airy Museum of Regional History; $12,000 to the Surry Arts Council; and $9,000 to the Foothills Arts Council.

Furthermore, there is a proposed increase of $784,000 to the spending that falls under the Surry County Sheriff’s Office. In a notable change, the county is creating a $250,000 firefighters fund to reimburse strategically selected volunteer fire departments with expenses related to their need to hire full time firefighters.

Increases to public safety funding also include $566,000 for ambulance chassis remounts, the addition of power lift systems to ambulances, and sheriff’s office cruisers in need of camera or other equipment replacement.

The public-school systems had a proposed increase in the draft budget of $20 to the per student allocation taking it from $1,220 to $1,240 per student. Commissioner Larry Johnson encouraged the board go further.

“I would love to see it go to $1,260, we’re already in the bottom ten in the state. I’d like to see us move it up a notch or two. They all work so hard, and we have three of the best school systems in the state — I’d like for them to have a little more.” The final number, as with the entire budget, is still being settled on.

On Wednesday night at a budget planning meeting Dr. Travis Reeves, superintendent of Surry County Schools, and the board had a wide-ranging conversation on school safety in the wake of recent school shootings around the nation.

“We’re going to have to do more than just architectural improvements, we’re going to have to make it a mindset,” Commissioner Van Tucker said of school safety. “There will be no exceptions, when you go out if it’s inconvenient – it’s still just inconvenient. Somebody’s gonna have to take a pass card who’s authorized to get back in there; and not have a rock under the dang door.”

In areas of personnel the budget has projected $516,000, or 44% of the requests that were made from department heads and elected officials, to hire. A 5% cost of living adjustment will be added to all full-time county employees.

The county manager’s budget message is another point along the budgeting process. Assistant to the county manager Nathan Walls explained that now is the time for the public, and the board, to provide feedback. The recommended budget is available to look at in the Clerk to the Board’s office.

“The public hearing is scheduled at the board meeting on Monday, June 20. Citizens and the board can provide any comments or feedback they want during the public hearing.”

“The board will then decide whether to make changes, schedule another meeting to discuss the budget further or adopt the budget that night. They can make changes and adopt the budget on the same night of June 20 if they choose.”

© 2018 The Mount Airy News