The town of Dobson will host a Halloween carnival on Saturday and invite the public to participate. This event brings the fun and flavor of previous Latin festivals and merges it into a large Halloween carnival celebration.

Saturday is a day in Dobson, because the Halloween Carnival will start at 11 am in Dobson Square Park and last until 8 pm

The Halloween Carnival will have fun activities planned throughout the day, such as the Mariachi band playing from 11 am to 2 pm. The carnival will feature Mariachi Grullense De Charlotte.

There will be food trucks on hand, including T's Treats, La Rancherita, Billy's Concessions and Liz's Tacos.

There will be a children's clothing competition divided into three age groups: under 3 years old, 4 to 8 years old and 9 to 12 years old. Adults are welcome to enter in costumes, but the competition is for children.

There will be carnival rides and you can get an all-day wristband for only $5.

Both Salem Baptist Church and Solid Rock Baptist Church will attend, and many local companies will also participate in luggage or entertainment.

The crematorium was cited by the state, and the owner said the problem had been resolved

Maybury half marathon returns

Similar to any competitive race, Saturday's Mayberry Half Marathon, Mount Airy's 10K and 5K produced a series of winners-but arguably the entire community won the biggest prize.

"This event is of great significance to our sports tourism work in Mount Airy," said Darren Lewis, director of city parks and entertainment, as he stood near the starting line of three games on North Street in the city center on Saturday morning.

In a few minutes, nearly 300 runners will seriously run to the sidewalk during the half-marathon (13.1 mile) part, as runners in the 10K (6.2 mile) and 5K (3.1 mile) races are waiting for their turn in a staggered fashion.

Lewis said that although the temperature was as high as 30 degrees at the start of the first race at 8 AM, more than 800 runners participated in the race. Their presence is not only beneficial to local parks and recreational facilities, but also to the entire city. .

This is a particularly welcome development for two aspects of the local economy that suffered losses during the pandemic, dining and lodging. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the Mayberry event was not held in 2020, which exacerbated the situation.

"All restaurants are very busy," Lewis, who also serves as a temporary city manager, said of the extra Friday night traffic generated by the Mayberry half-marathon, 10K and 5K influx of participants.

They came from close and far away-"There are now twenty different states," he said as he continued to register.

In forwarding the report from Lenise Lynch, the general manager there, Lewis added that the hotel industry is also aware of this impact, including the Hampton Inn on Rockford Street.

"She said they were almost sold out," he said.

The standard entrance fee for runners ranges from US$25 to US$60, depending on a person’s age and the event involved. The Mayberry half marathon, 10K and 5K generate more than US$20,000 in revenue, and the proceeds are usually used locally Parks and entertainment projects.

With the economic victory of the community, Saturday's gathering provided an opportunity for local athletes to stand out.

Although the participants are from many states, the men and women champions of the half marathon are all close to home.

Eli Roberson, 29, of Stewart, Virginia, won the 13.1 mile championship in 1 hour, 20 minutes and 48 seconds, with a speed of 6 minutes and 10 seconds per mile.

"Well, we were fairly conservative at the beginning," Robertson said of the negotiation, which is usually described as a flat and fast route, which starts in the city center, goes to Riverside Park, then continues along the urban greenway system, and then back. garden.

"I think my lead is comfortable," he said of the distance between himself and the second player Chuck Inman, another Virginia player from Chesapeake.

But Robertson realized that Inman was approaching and "and really had to push it", he said that he entered the final kick to finish the game 11 seconds ahead of Inman.

This is the first time Robertson has participated in the Maybury Half Marathon.

The 41-year-old Megan Ballentine from Mount Airy participated in her first half-marathon in her history. On Saturday, her time of 1 hour 37 minutes and 55 seconds proved to be the number one in women's ranking.

This is a good thing for the 23rd overall ranking.

The 17-year-old Marshall Love from Concord won the 10K game in 35 minutes and 55 seconds.

Malah Pinyan, 33, from Salisbury, ranked fourth among women with a time of 39 minutes and 7 seconds.

The 5K winner was another local resident, 25-year-old Dobson City resident Kevin Parker, whose time was 17 minutes and 32 seconds.

Sharon White, 58, from Lenoir, Tennessee, ranked first among the female players with 23:57 and 22nd overall.

"Deputy" to participate

Perhaps the most striking example of the integration of sports and tourism on display on Saturday was the clothing chosen by Vanessa Martin of Charleston, West Virginia, for the half marathon.

Martin wears the off-hand uniform that Barney Fife might wear in "The Andy Griffith Show"-her outfit also includes a holster, badge and hat.

Although the continued popularity of TV series starring locals is often the reason why many people come to town, Martin chose to combine this with her participation in the half marathon.

"This is Andy Griffith-this is Maybury's game, baby," a longtime fan of the show said when explaining her choice of running clothing. "This is the first time I have participated in this kind of competition."

Lewis said that it was the first time someone was wearing a deputy uniform to participate in the game.

However, Martin, 48, who works for Konica Copiers, was not present on Saturday, just to provide a comedic effect-she is an experienced runner and has a long list of half marathons on her resume.

"This is my third time in five weeks," she said of Saturday's event.

On Saturday's Mayberry Half Marathon, 10K and 5K attracted almost as many total participants as the 12th annual event in 2019, which set a record number of 822.

Lewis said that after the cancellation of the game in 2020, it is challenging to resume the game.

He explained that this year's event has adopted additional marketing methods. Due to the continued existence of the pandemic, other competitions usually held in the spring were cancelled in early 2021, so the event also faced obstacles.

"So everyone reschedules their dates to this fall," Lewis said of the Maybury Half Marathon, 10K and 5K races from other regions.

However, the happy result was once again achieved in "Mayberry".

Are Surrey County officials about to sell the former Jones School site in Mount Airy?

Although there is no official news, some similar activities are taking place regarding the county government’s declaration of surplus property on July 19th.

At the same time, in September, a sign for sale was posted outside the facility on Jones School Road, which was an all-black campus in the last century. It now has various community agencies, such as Head Start, which operates under the umbrella of the LH Jones Family Resource Center.

County officials decided to sell the former school in response to the increase in maintenance costs that often revolve around old buildings. Also in surplus are Graham Field, a sports facility across the road from the Resource Center, and the former Westfield school property in NC 89, which has become a community center in recent years.

The surplus package does not include the Jones Alumni Auditorium, located near other former school facilities, which is owned by the JJ Jones High School Alumni Association.

Although the former campus did not bid to acquire the campus within a few weeks of its listing, a community source said on Friday that there were signs that the project had made some progress.

Among them was Bristol Mitchem, the manager of the LH Jones Family Resource Center, who was asked by county officials to "walk around" the facility next Monday, but was unidentified. The sale may force community agencies to relocate to other places.

Meanwhile, the former school is on the agenda of the Surrey Committee meeting held at the Dobson Historical Court on Monday, which will begin at 6 pm with the participation of county manager Chris Knopf.

County spokesman Nathan Walls said on Friday: "At the Monday night meeting, the manager will release the latest news about the Jones Resource Center."

However, no detailed information about what this will bring is released in advance, including the possibility of receiving an offer to purchase the old Jones School property.

"So we will provide any of this information by then," Walls added when talking about the meeting.

Commissioner Larry Johnson, representing the Mount Airy District, also provided a preview when the county committee last met on November 1.

"In our next meeting (Monday), we will spend a lot of time in this area," he said of the Jones School when addressing the audience who was monitoring the situation during the meeting.

According to community sources, the sign for sale on Friday is still rising. "The sign collapsed," the person added while discussing recent activities at the site, including the re-erected sign.

"People say someone knocked it down."

Walls said that when accepting an offer to purchase a property that was declared to be surplus, a price reduction process would be used, in which a potential buyer submits a proposal, then advertises and counter-offers. The bid must be a certain percentage higher than the previous one.

There is no official indication that any bids have been made.

Although the entire Old Jones campus is owned by the county government, it is still the pride of former students, including its addition to the National Register of Historic Places earlier this year.

It is named after John Jarvis Jones, a pioneer African-American educator who moved to Mount Airy in 1914.

Nancy Bowman Williams, chair of the JJ Jones High School Alumni Association, stated that members hope that those who purchase the property will respect its historical integrity in any new use.

Williams was a student who graduated from Jones High School in 1965. He graduated before the integration took place. He said that one question is whether the parking facilities of the resource center can be maintained in order to be adjacent to the association. The auditorium holds events.

This fall semester, Mount Airy High School’s internship program hit a record high, with 52 students working in 31 different companies throughout the community.

"This is the largest number of interns in our project," said Katie Ferguson, a career development coordinator at Mount Airy High School.

The Mount Airy High School Internship Program was officially launched in the 2009-2010 school year. As an honors course, internship opportunities are provided for students in the fall, spring and summer. Students start with two weeks of classroom participation. Ferguson began to understand students and their career interests.

"Once I understand the students and their career interests, I will try to match them with a mentor to give them the opportunity to learn more about the career," Ferguson said.

All internship sites are located in the community.

In the two-week class, students learned different skills, things they might be interested in, and different career paths. Students will also learn how to properly write emails, make resumes and cover letters, and learn workplace etiquette.

Ferguson said: "We believe that job opportunities are a critical first step in integrating work-based learning into student life, increasing classroom relevance, and helping students grasp their career paths."

Matthew Bagley is a senior at Mount Airy High School. He is at the Mount Airy Police Station with Sergeant Stacey Inman ( Stacey Inman) interned together.

"We are trying to get students interested in criminal justice to comply with our different duties in the police station," Inman said.

Bagley walked around the police department, observing different parts of the police department and being able to interact. He is currently with the patrol, but will soon go to the investigation department, where he will take on more serious responsibilities.

"I like it very much," Inman said. "He helped during the Autumn Leaves Festival, which was a life-saving straw for me. His ability to interact with our community really showed the softer side of the police department."

Bagley began to experience the feeling of working in the police force.

"I believe that our participation with young people is our future," Inman added.

Brooks Sizemore and Janson Dezern are the other two seniors at Mount Airy High School and they are internships at Shenandoah Furniture.

“Interns at Shenandoah Furniture help to provide new ideas for achieving goals and completing projects. This is a unique way to explore the different departments within our organization while building personal relationships with students in our community,” said their mentor Rocky Killon.

Killon has been an internship partner at Mount Airy High School for many years.

In Shenandoah, Setzmore and Dezeen were able to do it themselves. They pack different furniture and decorate many products.

The project organizer said that the high school students in the project learn responsibilities and gain experience of interaction in the work environment, which is an important part of preparing for life after high school.

The sound of cannons in the distance, the turbulent North Atlantic ocean, the constant mosquitoes in the jungle once hoped to be forgotten, or the light from the Kuwaiti oil fields at midnight-these can be found in the movie, or soon in Surrey County. .

The Surrey County Contract Registration Office will launch a new project in early 2022, as officials there will begin the process of collecting histories of local veterans. The project to preserve first-hand interviews and narratives was conducted in conjunction with the Veterans History Project of the Library of Congress.

The Veterans History Project (VHP) of the American Folklore Center collects, preserves, and provides personal accounts of American veterans so that future generations can directly listen to veterans and better understand the reality of war.

"Personal history is not what you call academic history," said Todd Harris of the Surrey County Deeds Registry. "We want to collect what they saw and heard, what they experienced, and how it affected them when they returned home."

The first-hand information of veterans will create the main source material needed for future research and scholarships. They will also help illustrate the humanity and sacrifices of those who helped shape the history of the country.

As a history student, Harris knew that the project had to have a sense of urgency to collect these stories before it was too late. "It's important to preserve history." As these veterans pass away, their stories keep passing by.

In order to produce a more complete picture, VHP also collected oral histories of members of the Venus family, which are defined as the parents, spouses, siblings, or children of members of the armed forces who died during the war.

"Everything we do here will be shared with VHP and the Library of Congress," Harris said. "However, this project is designed for Surrey County. Although the Library of Congress may only interview veterans who served in combat, we want the stories of all veterans."

Harris told a story that is too common today. One of his family members who served in the Pacific Theater during World War II moved westward, "I always said that I should talk to him and collect his stories, and then he died. Before I came to the deed registry to work for many years , This is the catalyst, this is the origin."

Locally, Harris mentioned that Stanley King "served on the USS Intrepid. He is now 96 years old, so he is really one of the people I want to interview the most." There will be other Stanleys there, this project The aim is to find them and bring them to tell about their experiences.

Harris encourages everyone to share information with veterans organizations, churches and other local groups to promote and increase the level of participation of veterans. Asking veterans to tell their stories and then archiving these stories may be a way for some families to get more closure or gain more understanding. The proceeds from the project will be worthwhile, but Harris pointed out that the project will not cost the county a penny.

The Deed Registry also sought help from writer and historian Tom Perry in this project. "Tom has done a great job in researching and preserving many local histories that can be traced back to the Civil War. He was naturally involved," Harris said.

Perry assisted in gathering oral history from Vietnam veterans in southern Virginia for use in a similar project, "It frustrated me. I interviewed each of these people, and everyone broke down at some point." He said. "I realized that no one had spoken to them."

Some veterans, especially those from the Vietnam era, found that they were seen as outcasts instead of the ticker parade and the iconic VJ Day kiss in Times Square. Many people don't want to tell their stories because they are afraid of judgment, or worse, they are afraid of memory. The danger of losing their collective knowledge is real and increases with the passage of time and every flag on the coffin.

In order to correct this oversight and add color to the country’s more complete story, the Surrey County Veterans History Project will be officially launched in early 2022. If more veterans want to participate, the project will continue throughout the year.

Harris also said that through the help of Dr. Palm Helston, veterans who need help during the project will be helped.

"The assistance is mainly technical, such as scanning documents or photos." Hellston added: "We will assist in writing and editing their stories. This should not prevent any veterans from becoming part of the project."

Harris, who has been put on hold due to COVID-19, wants to make sure that they tend to proceed with caution, as these veterans tend to belong to groups more susceptible to the virus. "We have to watch out for COVID, but if there are no other outbreaks, we will start in January."

Veterans Day used to be called Armistice Day. At an event held in Mount Airy on Thursday, a speaker suggested another name to commemorate the holiday of American soldiers:

"It should be called'Thanksgiving'," said Tim Watson, the district attorney in Surrey and Stokes counties, who explained that everyone in the United States owes service since the Revolutionary War began nearly 250 years ago. Of those people’s huge debts.

"Although we will never be able to repay this debt," Watson added when referring to the sacrifices made by many people, including the final sacrifice, "we can say'thank you'."

This is exactly what Watson and other members of the entire community did on Thursday, because Mount Ally held a full-scale Veterans Day commemoration after the pandemic reduced holiday activities last year.

The 2021 holiday begins with a downtown parade on Thursday morning and ends with a colorful and spectacular patriotic show at the Mount Airy War Memorial, with an estimated 200 participants.

It started at 11 am, marking the signing of the armistice agreement ending World War I on November 11, 1918.

On Thursday, many former service personnel were in the audience to recognize these people by raising their hands. Another highlight was the presence of local students who were unable to participate in 2020 due to COVID restrictions.

They include North Surrey High School Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Team units and the Greyhound Voice Chorus. Large groups of Boy Scouts in uniform held flags in front of the war memorial and walked in the parade with Mount Airy and the marching band of North Surrey High School.

Although many parts of the community gathered for Thursday’s Veterans’ Day event, a common bond was obvious: the importance of patriotism embodied by the military.

On Thursday, another spokesperson, the chairman of the Surrey County Council, Mark Marion, said that it is because of their years of service that Americans can enjoy freedom and be proud of their identity. He believes this includes Admire the national flag.

"You carry this flag all over the world." Marion said to the veterans present. He added that everyone else should do this at will, and they should also make other patriotic gestures.

"We will sing the national anthem before all games," Marion said of one such practice in Surrey County. "Why? Because you veterans say we can."

District Attorney Watson is not a veteran, but on Thursday, wearing a uniform—the uniform of an adult boy scout leader—continued the theme when he stepped onto the podium immediately after Marion.

"We must never forget the importance of veterans to this country," he commented. "All the veterans here today, thank you for everything you have done for us."

Watson pointed out that this promise can be traced back to the mid-1970s, when farmers and other ordinary people in the British colonies took up arms as citizen soldiers to fight against the world's most powerful military force in order to fight for the independence of the United States.

Watson asserted that the love of freedom is what distinguishes the United States from the rest of the world, and the military has maintained its vitality in countless conflicts. "That war was fought many times," he said.

"Your service is vital, and it still is," Watson said in a comment on veterans-otherwise, "at least we might speak with a British accent and curtsey to the Queen."

"We are forever grateful for their brave love and sacrifice," Surrey County Sheriff Steve Hiatt said of the veterans in prayer for Thursday's service.

Another spokesperson for the plan, Joe Zalescik, a member of the Mount Airy Committee, cited census data as saying that there are 19 million veterans in the United States.

However, not all those who served in the service received the respect they deserve, Zalescik continued, noting in particular the Vietnam War veterans who were despised when they returned.

The city commissioner said that he was always grateful for the service of the soldiers, but took additional measures for those fighting in Vietnam. He welcomes them home because they did not receive such a greeting since they first came back.

Zalescik also stated that although it is important to express gratitude and hold an annual celebration, given the problems faced by many veterans, they also need more attention.

This includes dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), homelessness, high suicide rates and difficult access to health care services.

Zalescik said that veterans should be able to go to any medical institution and get the treatment they need, and his remarks won applause from the crowd.

"We really need to work harder," he said of doing more for former servicemen.

In addition to remembering the soldiers' own sacrifices, Thursday also mentioned the hardships facing their families.

Those who serve leave behind wives, fathers or mothers, and they must deal with trials and tribulations at home.

"So family, I also think you are veterans," Marion told viewers who fit this situation, and his comments also won applause.

"Sometimes I think their service is the hardest," Watson said in front of the microphone when it was his turn, referring to the memorial behind him with the names of war victims in Surrey County written on it.

"If you don't believe it, ask those who have lovers on that wall," he commented to those who gave everything.

"The greatest respect we can pay to them is to never forget their sacrifices," Watson said. "I hope and pray that we will never forget that freedom is not free."

The Mayor of Mount Airy, Ron Niland, read out a Veterans Day announcement on Thursday, mentioning the role of “outstanding people” who have kept the country’s freedom while advancing the cause of global freedom .

The announcement further cited their "willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good", and Niland (Niland's late father was in the army) provided personal notes.

"God bless our veterans-thank you so much for everything you have done for me and my family and families around the world."

Their team includes craftsmen such as weavers, luthiers, and printmakers, but they all have one thing in common: they are selected to stop on a new Blue Ridge craft trail that passes through the area.

It has six artists and art organizations located in Mount Airy and Elgin in the Yadkin Valley region of North Carolina.

The list includes the Surrey Arts Council headquartered in Mount Airy and five locations in Elgin: Foothills Art Center, John Fuchs Gallery, November Hall, Yadkin Valley Fiber Center and Yadkin Valley Quilts.

Leslie Hartley of the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area issued a statement saying that allowing these entities to walk on designated trails would encourage visitors to the area to meet famous artisans and discover uniqueness Of handicrafts and experience the charm of the town.

The Blue Ridge National Heritage Area in Asheville was designated by Congress and the President in November 2003.

It aims to protect, preserve, interpret, and develop the unique natural, historical and cultural resources of western North Carolina to benefit present and future generations, while also inspiring economic opportunities in the region.

The route just launched in the area is part of the broader Blue Ridge Craft Trails initiative organized by Asheville to promote craftsmen, art organizations, and heritage tourism to increase such opportunities in 25 counties in western North Carolina .

"The long history of craftsmanship and creativity in Surrey County continues today," Angie Chandler, executive director of the Blue Ridge National Heritage District, said in a statement. "We are very happy to celebrate the Yad King Valley area as a vibrant center for handicrafts."

According to Tanya Jones, executive director of the Surrey Arts Committee, being placed on the new craft route is a goal that the Surrey Arts Committee has been working on for months.

This includes the weekly reception of various artisans in the art studio of the Andy Griffith Theater.

"We do have a different person every Saturday in the summer," Jones added on Monday. The Surrey Arts Council paid these people and allowed them to collect all the proceeds from the sale of their products. This arrangement lasted 12 to 15 weeks.

Jones explained: "This is our way of trying to benefit local artists affected by the pandemic."

She also praised the trail initiative in general, saying it is a way to benefit people throughout the region by encouraging tourists, "and let them know that our handicrafts are very important."

The suggested itinerary and a brief introduction to participating sites are on the Blue Ridge Craft Trails website BlueRidgeCraftTrails.com. There is a Blue Ridge Craft Trails sign on the window or door of each craft station to welcome visitors.

You can check the route online at https://www.blueridgeheritage.com/itineraries/surry-county-nc/

The project was funded by the Surrey County Tourism Development Authority, Appalachian Regional Council, North Carolina Western Community Foundation, Henderson County Community Foundation Perry Rudnick Foundation, North Carolina Arts Council, and Blue Ridge National Heritage Area provided.

A Mount Airy man was arrested and jailed for nearly 100 child sex crimes.

According to a statement by Surrey County Sheriff Steve C. Hiatt, 37-year-old Mark William Combs is located at 131 Noel Lane in Mount Airy , Was arrested by officials from the Surrey County Sheriff’s Office in a case involving local, state, and federal authorities.

Combs was charged with 65 counts of tertiary sexual exploitation of minors, 5 counts of statutory sexual offenses, 5 counts of indecent assault on minors, 5 counts of endangering nature, 1 count of first-degree kidnapping, and 1 count of statutory rape15 Children under the age of, and an allegation of incest with a child.

He went to jail with a secured bond of 3.9 million U.S. dollars.

"Mr. Combs' arrest is the direct result of a month-long investigation conducted by the Surrey County Sheriff’s Office, which originated from a network received by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office in Wisconsin Prompt," the sheriff said.

He said that the Criminal Investigation Department of the Sheriff’s Office and the North Carolina Bureau of Investigation executed a search warrant against residents of Combs on November 4, interviewed Combs, and protected his electronic equipment. He was arrested and imprisoned on charges.

The Sheriff’s Office said it was unable to release more information about the allegations at this time.

"This investigation is ongoing," Sergeant Hiat said. "These types of investigations are very emotional, time-consuming, and lengthy. Law enforcement agencies work together and communicate openly to completely eliminate the jurisdictional boundaries of criminals hiding. Thank you to all those involved in the investigation for helping this investigation approach the finish line."

Combs' appearance in court is set for November 17.

During the Korean War of 1952-53, Paul Madren was an air force member who used to monitor enemy activities in the air-now he is preparing for a very different kind of flight.

When the residents of Mount Airy and other veterans from the area flew to the country’s capital on a triad honour on Thursday, no hostilities were involved.

A total of 80 veterans have served the country in various wars. They will travel to Washington free of charge to thank them for their contributions, including visiting important sites commemorating this heritage.

Madlen, now 90, applied for the program a few years ago. "And they don't have flights," he said. It turns out that Thursday’s one will be the first in 10 years.

"I was selected," Madren said of the opportunity to become a member of High Point's non-profit Triad Honor Flight organization, "the last mission."

The plan is aided by fundraising events as well as corporate sponsors and other supporters. In Madren's case, Surry Sunrise Rotary Club sponsored the trip and the guardian's trip, and his son was also named Paul.

"Every veteran has a guardian to accompany them," Madron said of the chartered flight that will take off from Piedmont Triad International Airport early Thursday (appropriate Veterans Day) and return that night.

Of the 80 veterans planning to participate in the Triad Honor Flight, 7 served during World War II. "The oldest person in this group is 98 years old," said Madlen from Alamance County.

He and 16 Korean War veterans formed another team. "The rest are Vietnam, Desert Storm, etc.," Madlen said of the conflict to be represented.

His wartime activities included serving as an electronic radio engineer and expert in a reconnaissance squadron. Its main task is to drive a camera-equipped F-80 Sabre jet along the river that separates North Korea and South Korea and nearby roads, while recording the movement of troops and other activities.

"We fly every morning and evening," the Ai Lishan man recalled.

He thinks Triad Honor Flight is a rare opportunity to exchange war stories with a group of people who have in common while serving in different theaters.

"Most of us have never talked about these things," Madlen said of the obstacles faced in relating experiences to non-veterans who lack the same frame of reference-the "you must be there" situation. This often includes the closest family members, and it is expected that Thursday's flight will fill the gap in this regard.

"You can recall something that happened," Madlen said.

The opportunity to visit relevant major locations in the Washington area in a concentrated and well-organized manner is also one of the attractions of this trip.

Veterans plan to participate in Iwo Jima, Air Force, World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War and Lincoln Memorial.

After returning to Piedmont Triad International Airport on Thursday night, veterans will participate in a welcome home party.

Paul Madron is very happy to have the opportunity to participate in this so-called "mission."

"I am proud to be invited to be a member of this group," he said. "I am more proud to be able to serve."

After introducing the master plan proposal for the central business district to city officials, significant changes in the downtown of Mount Airy-possibly including two-way traffic-may occur.

After raising concerns at the Mount Airy Committee meeting on October 21. It was then asked to allocate US$75,000 for the plan—actually an update of the plan before 2004—to be completed by the planning company Benchmark CMR, which is already working for the municipality.

Board members Jon Cawley and Tom Koch objected to the action, which is part of the consent agenda and usually includes routine items approved by rubber stamp votes without discussion.

Their worries led to a detailed discussion of the downtown master plan on October 21, but no funding action was taken. The committee members unanimously decided to shelve the matter until the Benchmark representative gave an in-depth introduction at the first meeting in November last Thursday.

Benchmark President Jason Epley explained how the company helped improve the urban area through a modern master plan, which once again led to no funding decision for the proposal.

Since 2011, the Charlotte-based company has provided Mount Airy with planning-related services due to privatization. The arrangement includes two Benchmark employees working inside the municipal building.

On October 21, Commissioner Cawley questioned the payment to Benchmark for the cost of the downtown project, and Benchmark has received $145,000 per year to provide services to the city government on a contract.

Then raised a related concern that the Benchmark staff will be responsible for the overall planning, that is, the two employees stationed here, their current activities may be affected in Cawley's view. He also wants to know whether this can be incorporated into the company's regular work here without having to pay tens of thousands of dollars more.

Eppley addressed one of these issues in a speech at a recent conference, saying that senior staff are ready to deal with the master planning task.

The project will be jointly managed by Epley and Dan Douglas, another city center planning team leader. Local employees, city planning director Andy Goodall (Andy Goodall) and Ben Barcroft (Ben Barcroft) are also listed as team members.

Proponents say that an updated master plan is needed to guide future public and private investment in the city center in a cost-effective manner, while identifying development opportunities; public parking solutions; and possible changes in traffic flow, such as the removal of traffic lights along North Avenue , Making it two-way instead of one-way.

Burying overhead power lines for aesthetic reasons is one of the other considerations.

Epley pointed out that based on his observations during lunch there, the downtown Mount Airy is already a vibrant place and overcrowded, but it is important to plan ahead and not be satisfied with the current achievements.

"I think now is a good time to develop a master plan," he said. According to the company’s president, although many improvements have taken place in the city centre over the years, some parts need to be refurbished.

Epley’s approximately 30-minute visual/oral presentation included photos of downtown areas in other cities that have been transformed through Benchmark efforts, such as Concord; Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; and Suffolk, Virginia.

For example, Concord's situation includes streetscape planning, new residential development, parking lot and crosswalk upgrades, etc.

The images from that city include widened sidewalks and outdoor dining tables. This was an early idea for downtown Airy Mountain, but with little success.

Committee members including Joe Zalescik welcomed the introduction by Benchmark officials and suggested that one-way (currently implemented) and two-way traffic issues should be investigated for business owners in the city center.

Cowley also asked Epley if he thought there was enough space in the center of Mount Airy to widen the street.

"Are there specific areas that can be done? Of course," Epley replied, but others may not be suitable. Benchmark officials added that many factors must be considered.

The discussion then turned to the idea of ​​burying overhead wires in the city center and whether improvements there would make the project easier.

"Buying wires is never easy," Epley replied. However, the best time to pursue this goal is when there are major changes to the entire streetscape, he said. "In any case, you will tear things off."

Epley stated that the master plan update will involve the help of the "core city team" and the project steering committee, and include listening meetings with stakeholders. It is also envisaged that the final result of the panel discussion will be presented to the committee members.

"We think it will take nine months to complete," Epley said.

Although the discussion at the October meeting included an updated bid price of $67,000 for Benchmark, the meeting agreed to an amendment to the budget regulations on the agenda that listed the cost at $75,000.

There is no explanation for this difference.

Since no fund-raising action was taken last week, it is expected to be reviewed at a future meeting.

City Council members voted 3-2 on October 7 to approve a series of $295,000 municipal revenues allocated to the central business district for a total of $592,000. Mount Airy Downtown Inc. agreed to provide $297,000.

At the top of the list is the updated master plan.

Despite the vote to allocate city funds, no budget amendments were made to actually fund the various components.

Cawley and Koch were the two opponents in the October 7 vote. They stated that it is too early to commit to city funding because the exact source of the $295,000 is not yet known.

One possible source is the city’s anticipated federal U.S. Relief Program Act funding, and the city is awaiting guidance on the permitted uses of the funds. Another possible source is the municipal surplus fund.

After last year’s COVID-19 spurred downsizing of events, the annual Veterans’ Day commemorative event held on Thursday by Ai Lishan will return to normal.

This will include plans to take place at a familiar location, the Mount Airy War Memorial on the corner of South Street and Rockford Street, where 200 to 300 people usually gather.

But in 2020, when restrictions on large gatherings took effect, the event was moved to the indoor Veterans Memorial Park, attracting about 40 people who maintained social distancing and wearing masks.

Also last year, the traditional festival parade did not take place, but it will return on Thursday. The parade, including units that highlight military groups, is scheduled to depart from the Veterans Memorial Park at 9:30 a.m. and finally reach the city center.

As always, starting at 11 am, a Veterans’ Day celebration full of music, color and spectacular will begin at the War Memorial

Three special speakers will also appear, including Joe Zalescik, the newest member of the Mount Airy Committee; Mark Marion, Chairman of the Surrey County Committee; and Tim Watson, District Attorney of Surrey and Stokes County. ).

Due to the ban on school field trips related to COVID, the North Surrey High School Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Team and the Greyhound Voice Chorus will also participate because they did not participate in the 2020 Veterans Day event.

Marion said on Friday that his focus will be on the P word.

"Patriotism and what our veterans are fighting for and what certain people in this country are becoming," the county magistrate said in expressing concern about the recent attacks on this practice and the flag.

He also mentioned the existence of North Surrey students, including its JROTC task force.

"It's refreshing to see young people patriotic," said Marion, whose father served in the Navy during World War II and had other family members connected to the military.

Marion added that as long as he is the chairman of the county council, Old Glory will get the respect he deserves in Surrey.

• Thursday’s show will begin with an opening speech by the local radio station owner Kelly Epperson, who is the long-time host of the city’s Veterans Day event;

• Surrey County Sheriff Steve Hiatt will issue a call;

• The national anthem was then sung by the Greyhound Voice of North Surrey High School, and then the pledge of allegiance was pronounced by all those present.

• The next person on the show is the mayor of Mount Airy, Ron Niland, who will deliver a welcome speech and announce the city's Veterans Day declaration.

• Speakers Zalescik, Marion and Watson will give their speeches later;

• This resulted in a mix service song for North Surry High School Greyhound Sounds;

• Later, there will be a flag breaking ceremony for North Surrey Air Force JROTC students. The event will end with a speech by Epperson.

Unlike the severe weather in November that has been a factor in Veterans Day in some years, Thursday’s forecast calls for mostly sunny days and high temperatures in the mid-1960s.

This won't be the traditional Norman Rockwell Thanksgiving scene, with people crowding in the restaurant-but the community holiday dinner on November 25th will be sub-optimal.

Over the years, this popular event at Mount Airy First Baptist Church is planned to use a drive-through model, led by a local group called "Friends of the Bright Community" (FOBC).

"It will be a little different," admitted Darris Wilkins, who is also known as "Lady Turkey", and he is the main organizer of the free Thanksgiving feast that has existed for 25 years.

It is scheduled to be held in the parking lot behind the church from 11 am to 1 pm on Thanksgiving Day.

Although the drive-through arrangement reduces the social opportunities that are usually provided for dining in the fellowship hall of the church, it is important to remember that there is no annual community Thanksgiving dinner offered in 2020.

"Some of our volunteers are infected with COVID, so we think we just need to cancel it completely," Wilkins said.

As the coronavirus rages again this fall, organizers believe that the drive-through approach is cautious - and also reflects their desire to maintain the holiday tradition that was originally spearheaded by the famous local speaker Melva Houston who died last year.

The Friends of the Guangming Community represent various sects, races, and genders. They embody the spirit of gathering people from all walks of life—some people simply cannot afford a festive meal.

"I will feed the people under the bridge, and I will feed the people who own this bridge," Houston once said.

Wilkins said that in choosing the drive-through method, meal planners have used the expertise surrounding the system, which has been used in another First Baptist project.

“I’ve been discussing with some people at Friends Feeding Friends how they organize their friends because it’s a bit new to us,” she said. Wilkins has been involved since the holiday meal, and now is her seventh year leading the event.

"We have several teams that will help us," she added, adding that there needs to be enough personnel to deal with the logistical challenges of vehicles lining up to pick up meals in the parking lot.

"According to the way they set it up, it should be very fast."

Usually about 400 meals with all the ingredients are served.

Although the community Thanksgiving dinner is free to the public, donations are also accepted—whether in money or other ways.

"I absolutely need food donations," Wilkins said of the items trying to make dinner complete.

She specifically mentioned turkey, box stuffing, chicken soup, potato pearls and desserts. Those who wish to help can call 336-756-6778 or the church office, 336-786-5185.

However, the main course turkey is not expected to be short.

"We will have a lot," Wilkins assured. This should mean a lot, a lady from Turkey.

Local residents who visited the Airy Mountain Regional History Museum caught a glimpse of a custom that dates back more than half a century.

Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is a festival that originated in southern Mexico and can be traced back to the Aztec Empire. This day actually happened from November 1 to November. 2. It is a festival to commemorate the death of relatives and friends.

On Saturday, the museum became the home of the local Dia de los Muertos, with music, traditional Mexican dancers, food and handicraft vendors, handicrafts for tourists, face painting and other activities. The core of the celebration is a community ofrenda, which is an altar or display area where people leave reminders of their deceased relatives.

“We want to showcase a lot of Hispanic communities and traditions,” said Angelica Jimenez, a volunteer at the event. "This is a beautiful tradition to celebrate their (departed relatives) coming to earth."

She said that people celebrate Dia de los Muertos by showing and participating in favorite events of the dead, which usually means dance, music and food.

The museum's executive director Matt Edwards stated that the museum started its annual commemorative activities in 2019.

"We have a good lineup," he said of the components of the celebration. In addition to music, dance and food, the museum also has the community ofrenda, which will be exhibited throughout the month. On Saturdays, the Museum of Forest Anthropology at Wake Forest University will also be exhibited in the local museum.

"We are here in 2019," said Sarah Cromwell, assistant director of the Wake Forest facility. She said that over the past 20 years or so, the region's interest in Spanish culture has grown, especially during festivals and commemorative events such as Dia de los Muertos.

Yanette Baker, who traveled to Mount Airy with her family from Winston Salem on Saturday to attend the event, said she was there to show her children the custom of celebrating the dead.

Edwards said that the first celebration was a great success, and the result on Saturday was even more gratifying. More than 60 people participated in the first hour. By noon, this number had climbed to 200. Dance and music, two activities that tend to attract more people, are still ahead.

"Ultimately, this plan is about the community," Edwards said a few days before the Saturday meeting. "This is about building bridges. This is an opportunity to help celebrate the important traditions of the fast-growing part of our community and introduce these traditions to others."

Coming to Rockford Street, the space once occupied by Dollar General will be a new entry from the same parent company Popshelf (labeled pOpshelf), which is currently undergoing renovations and will soon open.

As a familiar face of the retail industry in Surrey County, Dollar General has been on the path of growth and expansion for many years, and Popshelf is the company's new conceptual model.

Dollar General announced in August that it plans to complete a round of aggressive new store openings and existing location renovations. In the second quarter of this year alone, they invested US$518 million in their stores.

Todd Vasos, CEO of Dollar General, stated that the launch of the new Popshelf concept highlights the company's "spirit of innovation and is built on a good track record of store format innovation."

Scott Mushkin, CEO of R5 Capital, said in an interview: "I walked in and said,'Wow, this is really a special thing.'" "The only thing left is that. What is deeply impressed is the number of less than five in 2005."

Popshelf differs from many existing Dollar Generals in its design and pricing model. According to its parent company, the new Popshelf “is designed to allow customers to enjoy a fun, affordable and stress-free shopping experience, where they can find popular seasonal and home decor, health and beauty essentials, and household cleaning products. , Party supplies, entertainment needs, etc.—about 95% of the goods cost less than $5."

Gone are the bright yellow signs and the shopping experience customers are used to. The rest will be a variety of goods at reasonable prices. Emily Taylor, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of Dollar General, said: “At Popshelf, customers will find a differentiated retail concept designed to bring happiness to their shopping experience and provide surprising offers.”

The new concept will focus on providing a combination of constantly updated merchandise, seasonal specials and limited-time merchandise. Popshelf is looking to surpass the normal fares offered by its traditional stores. The goal is to sell popular brands and products and create a treasure hunt experience in the store.

Popshelf will also provide a select cross-category of the private labels that Dollar General has established, so customers can still find the private label products they are accustomed to.

Jeff Owen, Chief Operating Officer of Dollar General, stated that Dollar General opened 8 Popshelf stores in the first six months, each with an area of ​​approximately 9,000 square feet. The performance of these stores “far exceeds Our expectations". Early success led to accelerated deployment of new concepts.

There are 30 locations operating in five states, and each location employs an average of 15 employees. Job information for the new Mount Airy store began to appear in mid-October. Checking the Popshelf website shows that all full-time and part-time positions are now accepting applications.

Mount Airy officials took action on Thursday afternoon, and they hope this will result in the city receiving funding from the national opioid solution to help address the epidemic locally.

The Mount Airy committee voted 5 to 0 in favor of becoming part of a memorandum of agreement between the state government and the rest of North Carolina, which involves a fair distribution of the benefits of the solution.

"There are billions of dollars in funding now available," City Attorney Hugh Campbell explained in a council meeting on Thursday.

Campbell said that Surrey County officials asked Mount Airy to be part of the process, hoping that all four cities in the county would participate 100% in anticipation of the settlement of the national opioid lawsuit.

The funding came from certain counties and cities in North Carolina and thousands of other people across the country filed lawsuits against "large pharmaceutical companies" (opioid drug manufacturers and drug distribution companies), demanding them to be held accountable for their actions. Campbell said that attorneys general from all states are also involved.

It is advantageous for all local governments in North Carolina to sign a memorandum of agreement and "show solidarity" in response to the opioid epidemic, the city commissioner said in a resolution approved on Thursday.

This is expected to maximize the share of opioid settlement funds received by states and counties to help reduce the harm caused by opioids.

In 2020, Surrey County reported 503 drug overdose and 30 deaths. Opioids, including various painkillers obtained through prescription, have been accused along with the illegal drugs heroin and fentanyl (a controlled synthetic opioid).

“As of 2019, the opioid epidemic has claimed the lives of more than 16,500 North Carolina people, torn apart families, and ravaged communities from the mountains to the coast,” the committee members passed the resolution stated.

City Attorney Campbell mentioned the Gold Leaf Foundation, a non-profit entity established in 1999 to use tobacco settlement funds from national legal actions against cigarette companies to help transform North Carolina’s economy.

"It's very similar," he said of the opioid settlement funds, noting that this includes funds from some large pharmaceutical companies that have gone bankrupt.

Based on discussions during the Thursday meeting, it remains to be seen how much Mount Airy will receive and when.

Of North Carolina’s share of settlement gains, 80% will go to local governments, including all 100 counties and larger cities in the state.

Campbell said the money will be released within 18 years.

"It looks like there is a lot to do," Commissioner Joe Zalescik said of more than 40 pages of information about the North Carolina Memorandum of Agreement and local funding requirements.

Mayor Ron Niland stated that he hopes that the Mount Airy community will eventually benefit from more opioid mediation programs.

According to state guidelines, this may include exploring the root causes of drug abuse, addiction, and overdose deaths in the area, as well as identifying and evaluating potential strategies to respond to epidemics.

In the early 1980s, Jamey Horton worked at Wendy's in Mount Airy-not only does he own and operate 17 Wendy's branches, but he also won two awards from the restaurant company.

Horton's business recently received the annual market honor and the Small and Medium Franchise Brand Transformation Monument Award. This happened at an event in Dublin, Ohio, where the fast food chain is headquartered.

The award was presented by Todd Penegor, President and CEO of The Wendy's Company, which was founded by Dave Thomas in November 1969 (this month 52 years ago).

Horton is the son of James of White Plains and Carol Horton. He graduated from North Surrey High School in 1977 and has a long-term relationship with Wendy.

"I started after I graduated from high school," he said this week, that was in 1983.

Today, Horton lives in Johnson City, Tennessee, and is the President and CEO of Tri-Cities Restaurant Group. The 17 Wendy restaurants he owns and operate through the group are located in eastern Tennessee and southwestern Virginia. The names of the three cities refer to Johnson City-Bristol-Kingsport.

Its Virginia restaurants include restaurants in Bristol and Abingdon.

The awards involved were awarded to the best performing franchisees in the Wendy system, which operates more than 7,000 restaurants in the United States, Mexico, Canada, and 14 foreign countries. Its annual sales exceed 13 billion U.S. dollars.

Horton explained that the Brand Transformation Monument Award is related to the major changes experienced by the Tri-City Restaurant Group after it took over in 1996. This was a low-performance operation at the time.

North Surry graduates' career interest in Wendy's goes back to the basics. "It's fresh—never frozen," Horton said of the chain’s product line. "If I want to enter that industry, I want to go with the best people."

Horton continued his studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the Arthur M. Spiro Entrepreneurship Leadership Center at the Clemson University School of Business.

He also received an MBA from Dave Thomas University.

Horton met Thomas, who died in 2002 and is known for his cordial nature expressed through numerous TV commercials promoting Wendy.

"I played golf with him once and had dinner with him three or four times," the former Surrey County resident said, adding that Thomas himself was as sincere as he portrayed in the ad.

Horton said his career was inspired by local roots.

"My father is in business-he is a self-employed in the insurance industry," he said of James Horton. "Being an entrepreneur is very close to me."

Wendy’s executive has four children, Jason Horton of McDonough, Georgia; Brad Horton of Johnson City; Brandon Horton of Moxville, North Carolina; and Ni of Charlotte But Holden.

Horton also has two younger brothers.

Outside of work, his hobbies include traveling. Horton has visited 19 different countries.

For nearly 30 years, the Surrey County Sheriff’s Office and County Schools have been working to provide children with a Christmas program through Graham Atkinson for children and adults in the community who cannot provide themselves with clothes, shoes, food and gifts. This year is no different.

"The number of children helped depends on the angel tree submitted to the Salvation Army," said Dr. Travis Reeves, the head of the county school.

"I was there last week and they have received orders for 500 angels. We are usually able to help 500 to 800 children, and we expect more big numbers this year."

The plan started nearly 30 years ago, hoping to feed 50 families. In the eyes of the organizers at the time, even this goal seemed ambitious. In 2020, 700 children received clothes and toys, and many families received food.

"We don't want our students to leave," Reeves said. "This is an indispensable project in our community." He explained that the food and clothes provided are enough for the children and their families to spend the winter. Children will also receive Christmas toys so that they will not feel left out.

Every year, community members go to Wal-Mart to shop for these children. They will develop a budget based on the amount of funds raised, and then receive a list of what their children want. They spend time shopping for these children, trying to provide happiness during the Christmas holidays.

"This event fully illustrates our community. People are here and willing to help, which really exudes enthusiasm. It shows that this is where you want your children to grow up and live," Reeves said. "We put students and families first."

"We believe that every boy and girl should experience the joy and excitement of a happy Christmas morning, wearing a warm belly," said Surrey County Sheriff Steve C. Hiatt.

It is important for Hiatt that children be able to celebrate Christmas with gifts and food. He made it clear by continuing the program to encourage community members to help.

"We can continue to work hard together to ensure that every child has a Merry Christmas." Hiatt said.

The people who contributed to this event all have the same passion for helping others.

"We need your help to achieve this goal," Hiatt said.

"There are many good people on the board who really want to make a difference. When we can all help others, there is no greater feeling or sense of accomplishment than that," Reeves said.

The county school system provided a lot of help for this activity. The school council and interactive club organize fundraising events.

"They came up with very creative ways to participate," Reeves said. "Some hosted fundraising events, some helped with shopping, making food boxes and delivering food boxes."

"We focus on student leadership. Show them how they can change the world."

A TV show will also be held on November 29 to raise funds for the "Give Your Kids a Christmas" event. Students also provide help in this regard. Some perform, some host. Last year was the first year they implemented the TV Marathon and it was a success. The location plan of the TV show has not been finalized, but in addition to the school system website, social media such as Facebook live may show the event.

On Saturday, December 11, at 8 am, everyone was invited to help pack food boxes at Surrey Central High School.

At 9pm on Thursday, December 9, people were invited to Walmart in Elgin to buy clothes and toys for the family.

Donations are welcome, and a check will be sent to Sheriff Atkinson's Give a Kid a Christmas, Inc. PO Box 827, Dobson, NC 27017 before December 4th.

Mount Airy has taken steps to improve pedestrian safety—especially in areas with heavy traffic in towns—which involves cleanup and modernization of plans completed in 2013.

This started when the city government applied for state funding in late May to modify the plan, which was recently approved.

The cost of updating the pedestrian plan is estimated at US$45,000. The grant requires a 20% local match, that is, the Mount Airy Committee approved and formally accepted the grant at the last meeting on October 21, totaling $9,000.

Mount Airy is eligible for funding through the North Carolina Department of Transportation because its existing walking and/or biking program is more than five years old, which still requires a competitive process. It applies to municipalities and counties with a population of less than 50,000.

According to Martin Collins, the city’s director of community development, the shelf life of walk plans is usually about 10 years and needs to be revisited to cope with changing conditions.

The plan adopted in 2013 includes the installation of high-visibility crosswalks, special signal lights and other pedestrian-friendly facilities at major intersections, as well as the installation of more sidewalks and other pedestrian-oriented facilities at Airy Mountain.

These were determined with the help of local committees.

"I think the committees involved have done a very good job," Collins said on Tuesday, and their input was part of the research that produced the recommendations.

However, the suggestions made did not become reality, such as providing pedestrians with some safe ways to pass the intersection of US 52 and US 601 (Rockford Street).

"We still have some dangerous crossroads," Collins said on Tuesday, and needed the help of the updated plan to resolve the problems at these locations. "I think that for such things, safety is always extremely important."

Statistics show that in the 12 years ending in the past ten years, 34 pedestrian-related car accidents occurred in Mount Airy, which claimed the lives of 4 people.

The 2013 Integrated Pedestrian Plan was developed by Kimley-Horn and Associates of Charlotte at a cost of US$31,500. It is one of the three consulting companies considered in the study.

Collins said Tuesday that the planned update process will include a department of DOT that participates in its pedestrian and bicycle program and arranges for a company to work with the city.

It is expected that a list of recommendations will be produced again, and the Director of Community Development hopes that members will give priority to these recommendations in order to arrive at a manageable quantity that can be implemented.

Collins was praised at a recent commissioner meeting for his efforts to obtain a grant from interim city manager Darren Lewis, but was not sure when the updated plan would be completed.

According to Mayor Ron Niland, 17 people have applied to become Mount Airy's next city manager.

This number reflects applications received before the Monday deadline set for the process, and because it was postmarked on or before November 1, other people may join the application.

Nilan said on Tuesday that he believes that some valuable finalists can be collected from the group at hand, and he also regards today's economic abnormality as an aggravating factor.

"It's less than I thought," the mayor said. "But you have a pandemic and other things, and people are just not interested in moving."

Niland believes that the number of applicants for managerial vacancies reflects the overall economic situation of employers' difficulty in finding enough employees for certain positions.

The last time Mount Airy looked for a city manager in the market was in 2010, and 40 people applied for the position that Barbara Jones—the assistant manager here at the time—was appointed to fill by the board.

Jones retired as a manager on October 1, ending his 30-year career in the city government.

After she left, Mount Airy officials opened a big net to secure Jones's successor, which resulted in applicants from far away in the country.

Eight people from North Carolina applied, one of them was from Surrey County, and the others lived in California, Texas, Ohio, Maine, Georgia and Virginia.

The mayor said: "The next step may be to look at applicants and try to narrow their (field) to 8 or 10 people you might want to talk to over the phone." "Many of them are in out-of-state - they might be at first Had to accept some telephone interviews."

Niland said he plans to request a private meeting during the Mount Airy committee meeting on Thursday afternoon to determine the exact procedure for hiring new managers.

Normally, applicants will be narrowed down to a small number of finalists to choose someone for the job.

Then time must be set aside for the selected person to give sufficient notice to his or her current employer.

"So we are thinking about mid-January," the mayor said of the time frame for the arrival of newcomers, and based on these factors, this may be extended to February.

Jones has stated that she plans to retire so that the next city manager can take office in time during the municipal budget season. It started at the beginning of the year and reached a climax when the spending plan for 2022-23 was passed in June next year.

Airy Mountain Park and Recreation Director Darren Lewis (Darren Lewis) serves as interim city manager, while also taking care of his day-to-day duties.

According to previous reports, it is said that Lewis has always been disinterested in the manager's work.

Ararat, Virginia — A boat trip can be a pleasant experience, as can barbecues, so when an event in Ararat combines the two, it proves to be an unforgettable moment.

This was reflected in the 34th Annual Barbecue/People's Choice Award Cruise-In organized by the Ararat Ruritan Club in late October.

The food part of the afternoon activity was provided by four different chefs. According to information provided by Mary Dellenback Hill of the Club Management Committee, in order to prove their culinary expertise, all barbecues were sold out before 5:30 pm.

The people in the aprons are Caleb Parker, Greg Parker, Cody Magee and Billy Magee, who are described as "great chefs."

At the same time, as the afternoon time passed, unique vehicles entered the parade one after another, with a total of about 40 vehicles, and the event organizers expressed their appreciation for their existence.

The People's Choice Award trophy was awarded to Billy Lane, the car owner who decided to become the group's favorite.

The winning entries are democratically decided by the attendees, who will vote for each ticket at a price of US$1 or US$5.

Melva Houston left a lasting mark on Mount Airy, remembered last weekend for his talent and generosity. From the current habitat on the Thirsty Souls Community Brewing side, Houston will continue to overlook Market Street for many years to come.

The celebration on Saturday at Airy Hill Market Street was to celebrate the grand opening of Melva Alley. Jazz musicians, craft beers and street vendors set up a day in the arts district, which is the end of the market street arts and entertainment district activities in 2021.

This alley is just an inconspicuous entry point, transformed into bright colors, with light strings hanging overhead and seats under a large Houston mural. Greensboro muralist Jeks created this mural, and then I will create the Andy Griffith mural for the side of the south wall of the Brannock and Hiatt Furniture Co. building.

As Mount Airy's favorite daughter, Houston failed in the fight against lung cancer in May 2020. This native of Memphis, Tennessee has lived in this granite city for more than 40 years, and is deeply missed even by those who have never seen her.

"Since we moved here three years ago, I have never had a chance to actually meet her," Robbie Curley said. "I have listened to her wonderful music and felt her lasting existence through her close friends. I am lucky to regard them as good friends." Many people have similar thoughts at Alley's opening ceremony and on social media.

Those talented and powerful people often leave a huge mark, and Houston is no exception. As a veteran of jazz, blues and gospel music, Houston began her singing career as a substitute singer for Isaac Hayes. She toured with Sam and Dave and others, and then temporarily left the music industry.

When she returned to the stage, Houston received praise on the European tour and found famous fans in Germany. She also pleased people closer to home at the Carolina Blues Festival and the John Coltrane International Jazz and Blues Festival, and is known for recognizing faces on the stage of local venues.

Locally, Houston is not only remembered for her voice. Houston provided a free Thanksgiving meal to the public at the First Baptist Church in Mount Airy in 1996, and she led this work until 2014.

"My body is a little tired, and I will have to let go for a minute," she said when she resigned from her leading role in the festive dinner. Organizing and supervising all the details has been hard work for eighteen years, but she likes it.

In return, her fans and community love Houston. "I think it says a lot about Melva and who she is, people are here," Beth Warner said Saturday night, as the Aquarius Moon is adding bass lines to Bill Withers' "Use Me".

With a tap of the toe, the adult man sang the wrong word, but Melva Houston might not care. As a performer who feels energy from the audience, even if the wording is wrong, Houston will thank her for her efforts.

"She can hold the audience in her palms and make them feel that they are involved in everything," Karen Green once said of her former band partner.

The sense of community felt around Melva's Alley last weekend proved that even after she left, she was still very involved in Mount Airy.

Mount Airy officials are seeking state grants of up to $500,000 on behalf of the Northern District Hospital to help build the project and create more than 50 jobs there.

The commissioner of the city took action at a recent meeting, authorizing city staff to submit a grant application to the North Carolina Department of Commerce.

If successful, the funds will be used to build a 25,000-square-foot medical office building on land along South Street owned by the hospital.

The facility is part of a major expansion announced by the Northern District Hospital in May, which includes the addition of office buildings, parking lots and other facilities, at an estimated total cost of 11 million U.S. dollars.

Chris Ramsden, the hospital's dean and chief executive officer, has recently been discussing the possibility of obtaining state funding with the Surrey County Economic Development Partnership.

It will come from the Ministry of Commerce's rural sanitation building reuse grant program.

Todd Tucker, president of the Surrey Economic Development Partnership and the county’s chief industrial recruitment officer, said that Mount Airy had previously sought building reuse grants, mainly to help those who wish to use the funds to expand and upgrade its The manufacturing company of the facility.

The hospital project is a bit different, as Martin Collins, director of community development for Mount Airy, the city’s main funding seeker, admitted Friday.

"This is not about reusing a 40-year-old vacant building," Collins said of the usual target types for reuse plans. "This will be a brand new building."

However, according to the Director of Community Development, the lack of "reuse" elements should make no difference.

"This is a new building (involved), but it may be eligible," he said of the guidelines designed by the Ministry of Commerce for rural sanitation facilities, which are the same as previous industrial grants.

If the application is successful, the City of Mount Airy will be responsible for managing the grant funds, which has been the case in the past.

According to Tucker, the total amount of grants awarded will be based on the number of new jobs achieved by the hospital and the number of eligible projects seeking state funding through a competitive process.

Hospital officials estimate that the new medical office building will generate more than 50 “high-paying” positions.

Tucker’s partner team believes that helping the northern region obtain funding to reduce the cost of building facilities is a good community economic development project.

According to Tucker, the funds received require a local 5% match, and these funds can come from the city government or any other local donors.

A local tourism official has been reappointed as a member of the Southeast Tourism Association's board of directors.

Jessica Roberts, executive director of the Mount Airy Tourism Development Agency and Surrey County Tourism Partnership, was approved to serve on the board of directors of the Roswell, Georgia-based organization for a new two-year term.

Founded in 1983, the Southeastern Tourism Association (STS) is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting tourism and tourism in 13 states-Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana , Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia - and the District of Columbia.

Roberts' re-election was announced earlier this month.

"It is a real honour to be elected to the Southeastern Tourism Association's board of directors and to be re-elected to represent North Carolina," she commented on Thursday.

"I am honored to be able to serve with many industry leaders throughout the Southeast and to work together on behalf of Mount Airy and Surry County to promote tourism throughout the Southeast."

Roberts added that although the Georgia-based entity has a regional focus, her involvement has benefited the community.

"Tourism is an important part of our local economy," she explained.

"As part of organizations such as the Southeast Tourism Association, we can help our local businesses and industry partners by providing education, research and important information about the industry, so that we can all become successful travel partners."

Monica Smith, President and CEO of Southeast Tourism Association, said that it is of special significance to be a member of the Southeast Tourism Association's board of directors.

"The STS Board of Directors is a leader in the tourism industry. They provide the association with vision and guidance, which is essential for STS to launch new plans and meet the needs of our members during the pandemic," Smith said in a statement.

“As STS continues to advocate and support the tourism industry and promote tourism in our region, the leadership of the board of directors provided valuable insights and direction,” the group official pointed out.

"Each board member has unique skills or expertise, which will help us continue to strengthen professional development in the industry, effective publicity efforts, and develop new networks and recognition programs for our members."

In addition to spearheading local tourism programs for most of the past two decades, Roberts has also been involved in other regional efforts that benefit Mount Airy and Surrey Counties.

Earlier this year, she became the chairman of the Blue Ridge Parkway Association, which is considered the marketing department of Scenic Highway.

It is a non-profit entity established in 1949, consisting of companies and organizations that provide services to tourists along the Shenandoah National Park, Blue Ridge Parkway and Great Smoky Mountains National Park Corridor

In addition, Roberts is the chairman of the Piedmont Triad Film Committee's executive committee based in Winston Salem, which aims to attract film and television productions to Surrey and other communities in the area. She has held this position since 2018.

This weekend, Dobson Square Park hosted an event that combined Latin Festival and Halloween into the Dobson Halloween Carnival.

For all local events this weekend, dark clouds are an unwelcome sight, and it doesn't seem to matter when the sun shines bright light on the carnival participants.

On a day threatened by cool breeze and lingering rain, turnout was high. Dobson Town manager Laura Neely is busy selling cycling wristbands at the entrance. Neely said she was satisfied with the turnout rate, especially considering that there will be plenty of other events in the area this weekend.

Before Saturday’s event, Carnival had been working for several months. Neely said that the plan starts in the summer, but has been concerned about the COVID-19 numbers. It was not until September that the carnival received the green light, and the plan made in advance was immediately implemented.

The setting of the carnival rides is very similar to the Spring Folly held by Dobson in the past. R&D Amusements came in to set up rides for the carnival, and these routes proved that people wanted to ride them. The infinite riding wristband means that for those who dare to try, they can quickly follow a trip with a rotating teacup.

"Me? Impossible," Shelly Rourke said of hitchhiking. "I'm too old. Don't you know that it was for the young people above?" When she pointed to a Disney princess riding a horse with Marvel heroes.

Various community groups have set up skill games because a spiderman was seen attacking a balloon on a cork board with a large number of darts. There are no pranks from midway barkers here, these games can actually be won, and Spider-Man is satisfied with his gains.

The high-pitched scream of the horn on the other side of the park indicated that the Mariachi band had started again. Neely would like to thank Marlene Lopez for helping arrange live music.

After canceling so many events last year, it makes sense to combine Latin Superstars with Halloween events this year. Showcasing the colors, decorations and sounds of Spanish culture and combining them with fun Halloween events is the goal of the organizers.

For the participants, the goal is simple, "People just really want to go out and do something," Neely said. It won’t hurt to take some free candies home.

Surrey County hosted a trick or treat event for district students at the Surrey County Service Center in Dobson on Friday. With the threat of severe weather imminent, the plan changed in the last few days, shifting the party to an indoor haunted house visit.

The parking lot of the service center was crowded with yellow school buses in the area. As a group of children left, the next round was on the bus. What stood out from the street was the tactical vehicle of the Surrey County Sheriff’s Office parked next to it to an ambulance, and the children crawled in one by one.

Representatives of county employees and local organizations attended the meeting. Some groups are distributing candies or prizes; the Surrey County Beekeepers Association is distributing self-styled honey tubes and instructed not to open the honey for the time being. Not only that, it also provides useful information about bees and what can be done to help reduce the bee population.

The smiling faces of children in costumes can be seen everywhere, and some adults seem to have a great time. The group of people from North Carolina’s Cooperative Promotion Department dressed well, like a cow and a carton of milk. Teachers and students voted to get them back to their class and vote for the best candy. The Citizen Secret Course was disguised as Snickers.

Adults and children mingled in costumes. Surrey County Committee Chairman Mark Marion disguised as Freddy Kruger and wandered in the service center strangely. It was not an ordinary day.

A pair of local civil society organizations recently joined forces with students in Surrey County to raise awareness of two major issues: drug abuse and lack of organ donation.

This includes the partnership between Mount Airy Rotary Club and Mount Airy Kiwanis Club, as well as the merger of Red Ribbon Week and Donate Life events.

The National Red Ribbon Week, which ends today, focuses on encouraging young people to live a drug-free life, while Donate Life emphasizes the necessity of organ and tissue donation as a life-saving gift.

The donation of life activities are usually highlighted in the special commemorative events in April each year. But since last spring COVID-19 reduced school gatherings and other activities, the theme is usually highlighted, and the Kiwanians and Rotary club members did some impromptu performances this year.

This has led to the launch of a joint campaign in recent days.

The Rotary Club provided red ribbons, red wristbands, red pens and red pencils during Red Ribbon Week as part of its US$10,000 allocation to respond to the local opioid crisis.

This is a two-pronged initiative involving recovery and prevention, with the distribution of red ribbons and other materials aimed at the latter.

At the same time, Kiwanis Club sponsored green wristbands for local youth.

Efforts include providing students with forms for the two sports to sign pending discussions with their parents at home.

A Beth Hinesley organization called HonorBridge (formerly Carolina Donor Service) visited North Surrey High School last Monday to organize students and provide registration forms.

Hinesley later brought the band and form to the principal of Surry Early College High School of Design within a week, and combined the red ribbon drug prevention program.

East Surrey High School is another stop on Wednesday.

Students from Mount Airy and Surry Central high schools will be targeted in the Donate Life event planned for next April.

"The Donation of Life Awareness Program and the Red Ribbon Drug Prevention Program will be very successful programs for our high school students," Rotary Club member Carol Burke said in a statement.

A happy Friday is not about two 350 gallon oil drums tipping over and spilling on the road on Rockford Street. A team from the Surrey County Emergency Services Department, Surrey Dangerous Goods, and Ultimate Environmental rushed to the scene to mitigate the damage.

Crowds stood in droves on Rockford Street on both sides of the road. Traffic from Highway 52 was greatly supported as Rockford condensed on a lane in front of Scenic Ford.

The parking lot leading to Scenic is blocked, which means that customers in this area will be there for a long time, and other customers cannot enter. Scenic Ford employees are watching the progress anxiously as one of the cleaners uses suction to remove oil from the roads and drains.

"The only thing I really saw was that the barrels fell as soon as (the driver) went around the curve," Adam Martin said from the parking lot of Simons Nissan. Others heard the commotion or sirens, but did not see the oil drums causing them to roll over fatally.

A member of Surry County Hazmat stated that they have prevented the spill from reaching a nearby storm drain.

After being shelved due to the pandemic in 2020, Mount Airy's biggest running event is accelerating, starting in 2019.

According to Darren Lewis, the city’s director of parks and entertainment, although the 2021 version of the Mayberry Half Marathon, 10K and 5K plans will not be held until November 13, hundreds of people have signed up to participate.

"Currently, we have 530 people registered, representing 19 states," Lewis reported earlier this week.

Lewis said that although many of these competitions only attract local interest, the Maybury half marathon, 10K and 5K have a much wider range of influence. Lewis said his entertainment department is now in its 13th year.

He mentioned that so far, the states represented by those who have signed up include Oregon, Colorado, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan, North Carolina and New York in addition to the entire Southeastern state.

One of the reasons for the popularity of the event is its fast and flat route, which uses the granite urban greenway system to promote faster time than other places.

The number of participants in 2019 was 820, setting the Mayberry half-marathon, 10K and 5K records, breaking the record high of 721 participants in 2018.

When last year's event was cancelled due to safety reasons surrounding COVID-19, the organizers announced that runners who had signed up would postpone their registration and retain their places for this year.

The three different runs involved started in a staggered pattern in downtown Mount Airy.

Participants start from Main Street, turn left into Pine Street, then turn left into Riverside Drive, and then turn right into Riverside Park. All runners can enter the greenway and then turn around to finish the race at the starting point of the trail in Riverside Park.

Pickup will take place at Thirsty Souls Community Brewing in the city center. Lewis pointed out that a new attraction this year is the duck donut at the finish line.

The Mayberry Half Marathon, 10K and 5K "are having a significant impact on our communities," and the director of parks and entertainment has observed their economic impact on accommodation, dining and retail components.

"Sports tourism remains the main focus of the leisure sector."

The town of Dobson will host a Halloween carnival on Saturday and invite the public to participate. This event brings the fun and flavor of previous Latin festivals and merges it into a large Halloween carnival celebration.

Saturday is a day in Dobson, because the Halloween Carnival will start at 11 am in Dobson Square Park and last until 8 pm

The Halloween Carnival will have fun activities planned throughout the day, such as the Mariachi band playing from 11 am to 2 pm. The carnival will feature Mariachi Grullense De Charlotte.

There will be food trucks on hand, including T's Treats, La Rancherita, Billy's Concessions and Liz's Tacos.

There will be a children's clothing competition divided into three age groups: under 3 years old, 4 to 8 years old and 9 to 12 years old. Adults are welcome to enter in costumes, but the competition is for children.

There will be carnival rides and you can get an all-day wristband for only $5.

Both Salem Baptist Church and Solid Rock Baptist Church will attend, and many local companies will also participate in luggage or entertainment.

When Mount Airy officials voted in June to close the Worth Street section near the Northern District Hospital, they worried that this might cause traffic problems in nearby streets-this concern has become a reality.

“It seems that everyone is turning to Haymore,” said Mark Morency, a resident of nearby West Haymore Street, adding that since the shutdown took effect on October 11, there has been a significant increase in traffic there.

"I think it might be six to eight times, if not more," Morense said of the additional traffic on the compact residential streets connecting South South and Rockford streets.

According to Morency, a neighborhood resident who has been in the sign business for 11 years, combined with higher traffic, motorists ignore the 25 mph speed limit announced along West Haymore and use it as an entry point.

"I have some cars that can go faster than 25 miles per hour," he said of observations since the shutdown.

Morency said that many of his neighbors are also concerned about the situation, and the band director of Mount Airy High School complained about the impact of traffic in a public forum at a council meeting last week.

A short section of Worth Street, which has been closed, extends from the south to Rockford Street, where the intersection with Worth is occupied by traffic lights. Motorists trying to enter Rockford from the south often use this street and vice versa.

As part of the expansion plan for the northern region, this part has become a construction site, operating between the hospital and the parking lot used by the staff and the public where the helipad is located.

The hospital's dean and chief executive Chris Lumsden called for the closure in May. It is sought along with the main project planned for a healthcare facility, with a total cost estimated at 11 million U.S. dollars, including building construction and more parking areas, including a deck.

Part of this growth equation involves the redevelopment of the North Campus of the hospital along the affected Worth Street.

Before closing the road, a public hearing was required at the Mount Airy Committee. At the hearing, for safety reasons, 7 people (mainly related to the hospital) spoke in support of closing the street.

They focused on the dangers of crossing the busy road between the parking lot and the hospital, including sick or injured people having to be transported across Voss Street to a medical helicopter for trauma center transportation.

Two other citizens who spoke at the public hearing in June expressed concern about the impact of the closure on neighboring roads. Among them, the already busy intersection of South Street and Rockford Street was listed as an issue of special concern.

While voting unanimously to close Worth, some people in the city council expressed similar views.

Commissioner Jon Cawley foresees a problem when drivers try to turn left from South Street into the heavily trafficked Rockford Street. They are used to doing so from Worth.

Board member Steve Yorkley suggested that the city government ask the North Carolina Department of Transportation to study the matter to find possible solutions.

At the last board meeting on October 21, Jonathan Jones, band director and teacher of Mount Airy High, spoke about the closure of Worth Street.

"This does create an unsafe situation," Jones said.

"There is really nowhere to turn left safely near the hospital (enter Rockford Street/US 601)," Jones said of an impact surrounding the closure.

He pointed out the sight distance problem and the time it takes for the bus to make such a turn. "It's really unsafe on buses-they are not designed to accelerate."

Jones said the situation was different when Voss Street opened, and the traffic signal at its intersection with Rockford allowed such turns. "That lamp is a life-saving straw."

Jones urged city officials to take action to resolve safety issues.

"I ask this board to do everything you can," he said, "use a lamp or something to solve this problem quickly."

A complication is that Rockford Street/US 601 is located on the state highway system, which means that the North Carolina Department of Transportation must approve the location of any traffic lights that affect the route.

This includes the intersection of South South and West Haymore.

Morency proposed a more direct solution for West Haymore, which is located on a street opposite the Worth Enclosure and is under the control of the city government.

"A permanent solution is to set up some speed bumps there," he said, noting that this has worked in other places, including Durham, where Morense lived until he moved to Mount Airy.

This idea evoked different reactions, including police chief Dale Watson, who was contacted by Morense, the city manager's office and the Department of Transportation about this issue.

According to an email sent by Watson to Morensee, Watson believes that motorists will still speed up between bumps.

At the same time, Mayor Ron Niland stated before the meeting last week that speed bumps would hinder snow removal, so avoid speed bumps on municipal streets, although Yokeley said they have been installed on Cross Creek Drive.

"I know this will increase traffic on South Street and West Haymore," Yokeley, who closed Worth Street, also promised to speed up DOT investigations by sending emails to the city’s contacts with the agency.

Although Chief Watson suggested strengthening police patrols in West Haymore to stop speeding, Morency believes that installing bumps is a more practical option.

"There must be a solution that doesn't cost a lot of money."

Two men were arrested at a traffic stop last week, one of whom has recently become the most wanted criminal in Surrey County. Both men have unexecuted arrest warrants and are charged with multiple felony drug charges, including trafficking in methamphetamine.

On October 20, detectives from the Street Crime Department of the Surrey County Sheriff’s Office made a vehicle stop near Pine Grove Road. Detectives identified the passenger in this car as 20-year-old Anthony David Bledsoe at 217 Wilburdos Road, Dobson. Law enforcement knows that Bledsoe is one of the most wanted criminals in Surrey County.

According to a statement issued by Sergeant Steve C. Hiatt, the drug paraphernalia was in a prominent position during the detective’s initial approach. After further inspection of the vehicle, detectives discovered smuggled quantities of methamphetamine.

Driver Freddie Lee Willard Jr., 41 years old, lives at 4646 Little Dan River Road, Cloudville, Virginia. He is wanted for criminal cases in Surrey County and Virginia.

Willard was charged with three counts of trafficking in methamphetamine, one count of conspiracy to traffic in methamphetamine, one count of maintaining a drug vehicle/dwelling/place to store controlled substances and one count of possession of drug paraphernalia.

Willard's security deposit is $325,000, and he will appear in court for the first time this week. Willard received an additional security deposit of $8,000 from Virginia and Surrey County to pay for his unfinished criminal proceedings.

Bledsoe’s charges include two counts of trafficking in methamphetamine, one count of conspiracy to traffic methamphetamine, one count of possession of drug paraphernalia, and one count of resisting a public official.

Bledsoe's security deposit is $300,000, and he will appear in court for the first time this week. Bledsoe received an additional security deposit of US$18,000 for its unfinished criminal proceedings.

Surry County's Most Wanted appears in the every Sunday edition of The Mount Airy News and is a service of The News and law enforcement agencies (such as Surry County Sheriff's Office). Anyone who knows the personal information listed on the wanted person should call the Surrey County Sheriff's Office at 401-8900.

With the fall and cold temperatures, the Greater Mount Airy Chamber of Commerce is hosting its second annual Granite City Chicken Stew and Auction.

The event started last year because the COVID-19 pandemic forced the Chamber of Commerce to cancel the annual Autumn Leaves Festival.

"In 2020, COVID has dealt a heavy blow to us," said Travis Frye, Director of Projects and Events at the Chamber of Commerce.

Every year the Autumn Leaf Festival brings most of the money, so not having it is a huge setback. In order to find a way to accumulate the money they usually do, the city needs a new event-an event where people will participate in and comply with the COVID protocol. Thus, the granite city stewed chicken was created.

"This idea stems from the need for funding," Frye said.

Anyone who wants to buy stewed chicken is very popular. After ordering, you will receive a quart of stewed chicken, four packs of oyster biscuits, tableware, desserts and hand sanitizing wipes, all in a carrying bag.

Last year, candy was provided by Chic-fil-a and Ridgecrest Retirement Home, and they both contributed biscuits.

The stewed chicken is made by All Sauced Up Barbeque located in Pilot Hill. The Chamber of Commerce emphasizes booking. You will no longer be able to order after November 1st. The advance deadline is to give All Sauced Up Barbeque time to provide all these chicken stews.

"We are always looking for ways to interact with the community," Frye said.

This event did exactly that. In uncertain times like the pandemic, the distribution of classic southern comfort food seems to be exactly what everyone needs.

The event was a huge success because they sold nearly 400 quarts of stewed chicken.

The chamber of commerce also provides free delivery services for companies that order stewed chicken. Last year, “Northern Hospital purchased 218 quarts of stewed chicken,” Fry said. The people in the hospital had to come to get each stew chicken separately, so why not bring it to them?

This is a great way to support frontline workers in the medical field during a pandemic.

A quart of chicken stew with all additional costs is $14. Order before 11:55 PM on November 1st. Pickup time will be from 11 am to 4 pm on Friday, November 5th at 119 Moore Avenue.

To place an order, please click on the link to go directly to the booking page. https://members.mtairyncchamber.org/events/details/the-granite-city-chicken-stew-nov-2021-1769

For more information, please visit the Chamber of Commerce website https://www.mtairyncchamber.org/ or call Travis Frye at extension 336-786-6116. 204 or Travis@MtAiryNCChamber.org

Mount Airy Any plan to restore the disputed zoning clause to enable it to control areas outside the city limits must first go through the county government.

This fact emerged last Thursday night, when the issue of reigniting the Extraterritorial Jurisprudence (ETJ) district was discussed, which was abolished by a 3 to 2 vote in 2019.

Commissioner Steve Yorkley supported the clause, allowing the city government to manage commercial and residential development one mile outside its entire border, and then filed a motion directing the Airy Hill Planning Commission to evaluate this possibility.

It is an advisory group of committee members that is responsible for studying issues related to zoning and making final recommendations for action to the city council.

But when Commissioner Jon Cawley, an opponent of ETJ, pointed out the existence of a state law that prohibits municipalities from enforcing zoning on their own, Yokley barely said what he said.

"It's not our decision," Cowley said. "It is up to the county commissioner to decide whether we can get the ETJ (area) again."

Cowley cites North Carolina Regulation 160D-202 (c), which states: "No city may extend its extraterritoriality beyond the scope of its company without the approval of one or more county commissions that have jurisdiction over the area. A mile away."

"You're right, we don't have the right to do this," agreed Mayor Ron Niland, a former city manager here who was also familiar with such regulations when he was a consultant to other city government departments.

"This will be given to us by the county council," Nilande added.

After Mount Airy voted to cancel the external area in June 2019, it passed its control of the relevant area to Surrey officials. This happened after a public hearing was held in the city’s high school auditorium, during which most residents of the area spoke out of their control.

The ETJ zoning has existed for nearly 20 years after its implementation as a precursor to large-scale mandatory mergers to monitor and manage the growth of peripheral areas that were eventually introduced to the municipal government. With such mergers no longer a problem, the tone of most city commissioners in office two years ago is that extraterritorial jurisdictions are no longer useful.

The area is estimated to have 7,000 to 8,000 people, covering approximately 9,000 acres.

Yorkley believes that the area still needs to protect urban residents living near the county border from unnecessary development outside Airy Mountain.

A spokesperson at the public forum last Thursday night reiterated some of the same concerns expressed by ETJ opponents in 2019, including the lack of accountability of elected officials in Mount Airy among the "voters" in the region.

"I can't vote for you, but you can tell me what I can do with my land," Chris King, who lives on North Franklin Road and was previously included in the now-defunct ETJ district, told committee members. "That would be wrong."

Jin also gave an example of how residents who might be considered no-man’s land were affected. He said he had to purchase a city permit to build a garage on his property. However, no municipal inspectors actually came out to inspect the work, Jin said, he said this represented the disadvantages and coverage gaps faced by people living in the area.

Local citizens said that if the ETJ clause is restored, at least he should be allowed to vote in municipal elections or run for municipal office.

Jin also complained that residents in the area had to pay double rates for urban water supply due to living outside of its limits.

Yorkley's bill passed

Although Cawley mentioned state regulations that restrict Mount Airy's ability to restore extraterritorial jurisdiction, the committee members voted 4-1 to support Yokeley's motion to submit the issue to the planning committee. Based on the motion, the team will evaluate the zoning proposal and make recommendations on what should be done.

"We can complete all the steps we want to complete, but we don't have the right to re-establish the ETJ (area)," he said of city officials. "And we need to understand this as we move forward."

The Mayor of Niland pointed out that Mount Airy still reserves the right to request the Surrey County Commission to approve the restoration of the extraterritorial zoning.

Cowley said that in contact with the county commissioner, "they have made it clear to me...they are not interested" to re-discuss the ETJ issue.

"So I think this is a formality we should probably give up," he said of any such request to Surrey.

The culmination of a project started many years ago will be celebrated in the center of Mount Airy this Saturday afternoon to commemorate a late local singer.

This will include the grand opening of Melva Alley during the Halloween themed party held in the Art and Entertainment District of Market Street, featuring a large mural by Melva Houston.

The schedule includes live music performances and Halloween costume contests from 2 to 9 pm, as well as other events-given Houston’s love of acting and the October 31 holiday, this was deemed appropriate.

After a long battle with lung cancer, she passed away in May 2020.

I am deeply admired not only for the talents of Houston jazz/rhythm and blues artists, but also for her charity to help the unfortunate, which is considered a devastating loss for the community.

In her career, Houston has left a series of jobs as an internationally renowned artist. She once served as a backing singer for Isaac Hayes on the Stax label, and used her very charming stage. Famous for performance.

Locally, Houston is a member of the Greensboro band The Gate City Divas, which has eight versatile female musicians who are influenced by blues and other genres. She has appeared in events including the Carolina Blues Festival.

Although the veteran singer is from Memphis, Tennessee, she still uses Mount Airy as her home and has lived here for more than 40 years. From 1996 to 2014, she founded and coordinated a free community Thanksgiving meal.

Soon after her death in 2020, people close to Houston initiated a $35,000 project to develop the Melva Alley along Market Street, centered on her lifelike murals. Alleys are part of a special art/entertainment area, which operates on Market Street during the warmer months and includes live music and artist displays.

“This is one of the bigger projects than everyone we have been working on,” commented Lizzie Morrison, the main street coordinator, who played a key role in creating the area.

"Melva's legacy will continue to exist in the music played in the alleys of Melva. It will continue to exist in people who have been inspired in the field," added Morrison, who is associated with Mount Airy Downtown Inc. .

"It will continue to exist in the children who see themselves representing there. I am very happy with the results of all this."

Activities on Saturday include:

• Starting at 2 pm, the Ladies Auxiliary, who specializes in fashionable blues, will perform;

• 4 pm: Special tribute to Melva Houston;

• 4:30 pm: Bob Sanger Quintet, Jazz and Blues Band;

• 6:30 pm: Halloween costume contest (children, groups, individuals and pets) provides candy prizes;

• 7pm: Music continues, featuring rhythm and blues party band Aquarius Moon.

Morrison mentioned that the Saturday party will mark the end of 2021 Market Street Arts and Entertainment District activities, and craft beer, food and other attractions will also be part of it.

"Melva Houston's legacy lives here," the main street coordinator observed the alley named after the late but unforgotten singer.

"We hope this place will inspire community, creativity and infectious smiles."

A proposal requiring Benchmark (which has signed a contract to provide planning and zoning services for Mount Airy) to pay an additional $67,000 for the city center master plan was hindered by the concerns of two city commissioners.

This progress was made at a meeting last Thursday night, after the city council members voted 3-2 on October 7 to allocate $295,000 of municipal revenue to a series of projects that benefit the central business. A total of 592,000 USD was spent.

At the top of the list is the updated master plan to guide future public and private investment in the city center in a cost-effective manner. This will revisit the previous plan completed in 2004.

On October 7, when a list of six different projects was received, city officials were asked to allocate US$75,000. The total cost for the update was US$125,000. Mount Airy Downtown Inc. Group provided US$50,000.

The latter used the tax revenue collected by the municipal service district on the property in the central business district and allocated US$297,000 for all six projects totaling US$592,000.

At the last meeting on Thursday night, the Mount Airy committee received a proposal for Benchmark to update its downtown plan at a cost of $67,000.

This aroused the skepticism of commissioners Jon Cawley and Tom Koch, who voted against the grant of $292,000 on October 7 for reasons including not knowing the exact source of the funds-federal stimulus funds or city savings.

"This is a hasty decision," Cowley said of the move at a meeting last week, when he and Koch also questioned Benchmark's involvement.

The Charlotte-based company has been providing planning-related services for Mount Airy since 2011, when city officials decided to privatize these functions, including two Benchmark employees working inside the municipal building.

Don't "push this"

In addition to questioning all aspects of the downtown plan, Cowley also expressed concern about the way the agreement was reached with Benchmark.

This includes reviewing the matter through the agreed agenda of the Thursday night meeting, which refers to routine items that are usually grouped together for action in a rubber stamp ballot.

"This means that we did this without any discussion," Cowley explained at the meeting, when the downtown master plan issue was removed from the agreed agenda at Koch's request to proceed according to its own merits. consider.

"I don't want to see us pushing this in the consent agenda," Cowley agreed.

According to the new contract that came into effect on July 1, the company has received US$145,000 per year to serve the city government, and he questioned the payment of Benchmark for the downtown project.

"It doesn't tell us who at Benchmark will work on it," Cowley said of the wording in the company's proposed plan.

"Will it be those two?" The senior commissioner asked the director of urban planning Andy Goodall (Andy Goodall), a Benchmark employee, Cowley said that while spending time with another community, he was "Excellent work" has been done here-and another company employee stationed there, Ben Barcroft (Ben Barcroft).

If so, Cowley wanted to know whether the downtown study would interfere with their daily duties in the city. He also asked whether the work of the program could be done internally by Benchmark employees without paying an additional $67,000—"even if it takes longer."

There was also a question of how the $67,000 research fee was derived on Thursday night—instead of the $125,000 originally cited—Cauley speculated whether this was a question of Benchmark "saving the day" by offering a cheaper price.

"I don't have an answer to anything," he said.

"We didn't get any information in advance," Koch said of the board members' preparations before Thursday's meeting.

Cawley added that he also wants to know what needs to be updated in the 2004 study. "I hope that professionals will come in and evaluate our current plans."

In view of Cowley and Koch’s concerns, the five committee members unanimously agreed to postpone funding for the downtown master plan.

"I think Benchmark should come and do a presentation," commissioner Joe Zalescik suggested, and this will indeed happen at an upcoming conference. "I want to hear the opinions of Benchmark and its professionals."

Commissioner Steve Yorkley said he wanted to act quickly on the downtown master plan, but he agreed that some questions needed answers.

In addition to guiding future investments in the city center, the plan will also include identifying development opportunities; public parking solutions; traffic flow analysis and possible changes, such as removing traffic lights along North Avenue to make them two-way rather than one-way; and burying overhead Power lines, etc.

Officials said it could provide funding for Mount Airy approved by the American Rescue Program (ARP) Act to help communities recover from the pandemic, and the city is expected to receive about $3 million.

If the board of directors agreed to proceed with the downtown plan last Thursday, it will receive funds from the city’s fund balance or savings before officials determine whether this allows the use of federal ARP dollars.

In the ongoing anti-drug struggle in Surrey County, the Surrey County Sheriff’s Office reported that three local men were recently arrested and faced multiple charges related to drug crimes. These arrests are not part of any ongoing activity, highlighting that a simple traffic stop can produce greater results.

The Surrey County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Street Crime Department and narcotics detectives regularly conduct vehicle parking and searches, which often result in seizures of illegal narcotics. According to information released by Sheriff C. Hiatt, these recent vehicle parking and search warrants seized smuggled quantities of methamphetamine, smuggled quantities of heroin, marijuana and other illegally controlled substances.

The most recently arrested and charged are:

– James Robert Brintle, 25 years old​​, lives at 163 Glen Terrace, Mount Airy. He was charged with three counts of trafficking in methamphetamine, one felony of maintaining a drug vehicle, and one Possession of drug paraphernalia, one count of operating an uninsured vehicle, one count of driving with the driver’s license revoked, one count of displaying a false license plate, and one count of failing to conduct current inspections. According to the Sheriff’s Office, the seizure of illegal narcotics was a direct result of vehicle interceptions by the street crime department. Brintle received $250,000 in secured bonds and the court date was October 27.

– Michael Andrew Ayers, 56 years old, from 212 Sarah Street, Mount Airy, was charged with one count of possession of intent to manufacture, sell and deliver methamphetamine and one count of possession of Schedule IV (alprazolam) , And a device for possession of drugs. A search warrant was issued against the residence at 212 Sarah Street. During the search of the residence, the Narcotics Section of the Mount Airy Police Department, the Narcotics Section of the Stokes County Sheriff’s Office, and the Narcotics Section of the Yadkin County Sheriff’s Office assisted in the search. Ayres received $20,000 in secured bonds, and the court date was October 27.

-Trolone Jerrod Griffin, 38 years old, from 174 New Street Apartment #5, Mount Airy, he was charged with two counts of trafficking in methamphetamine, two counts of trafficking in heroin, and two counts of maintaining drug vehicle/residential/controlled substance premises Of felonies, one count of possessing marijuana, one count of possessing drug paraphernalia, one count of possessing cannabis paraphernalia, one count of not having an operator’s license, one count of expired license plate, and one count of not wearing a seat belt .

It is said that after a large amount of smuggled methamphetamine was found in the vehicle, the detectives executed a search warrant at the address of No. 174, Apartment No. 5, New Street. According to the sheriff, during the search of the residence, detectives seized additional smuggled amounts of methamphetamine and smuggled amounts of heroin in the residence. Griffin received $150,000 in secured bonds, and the court date was October 27.

Griffin previously appeared among the most wanted criminals in Surrey County on September 29 and October 20, 2012, charged with possession of intent to sell and deliver cocaine, sale and delivery of cocaine, and maintenance for preservation and sale of cocaine Related to the house.

When a person sneezes, have you ever said "bless you"? Or did you choose four-leaf clover? Blow out your birthday candles and make a wish? If you do, then you may be one of the 25% of the American population who admits to have superstitions!

Superstition is the belief that things can bring good or bad luck to a person. For example, do you know that someone believes that wearing one of their favorite clothes will cause their favorite football or basketball team to win? You may know a celebrity with this kind of superstition: Michael Jordan. When Jordan led the North Carolina Tarheels to the national championship in 1982, he began to wear his UNC training shorts under the Chicago Bulls uniform, which he believed would bring him good luck and game victory.

Scientists believe that people have superstitions because they want to feel that they have some influence on forces they cannot control, especially supernatural forces that may cause harm to them. This is especially true in the South, because the roots of the region are that agriculture is a way of life. Many superstitious beliefs center on agriculture and try to predict the upcoming weather, which may be very important for people whose entire livelihood depends on good crop production. Take the humble Trichinella, for example. A common belief in Surrey County and surrounding areas is that caterpillars, those hairy black and orange caterpillars, can predict how bad and long the winter will be. It is believed that if you see caterpillars with large black stripes, the winter will be long and harsh. Farmers prefer to see caterpillars with larger orange, red or rust colored bands because they believe these colors indicate milder winters and better planting conditions. Another animal-centered agricultural belief is the basis of Groundhog Day. People think that if a groundhog sees its shadow on February 2, there will be six weeks of severe weather or continuous cold. Get started their planting.

Online polls found that the most common superstition in North Carolina is fear of black cats. Many people think that black cats are bad luck, but few people know the origin of this belief. In the Middle Ages, black cats and other black animals, such as crows or crows, were harbingers of future unfortunate events, especially impending death. Another common belief in this period is that black cats are witches in disguise. In fact, historical documents indicate that during witchcraft trials, black cats are often killed because they are considered witches or witches’ pets. Crossing the road with a black cat is also considered a bad omen. People believe that because black cats are a symbol of "evil", if a black cat crosses your path, it means that you are actually blocked from the road to heaven and the connection with God. An acquaintance among the fortune-tellers of the family will bring bad luck.

Of course, seeing someone completely turn around when they encounter a black cat may seem silly to some people, but what about other superstitions in daily life in the South? The most prominent example is the practice of saying "bless you" when someone sneezes. Although the origin of "bless you" is not clear, there are several theories about why we do it. One view is that when the bubonic plague swept across Europe, sneezing was one of the earliest symptoms of the plague. People want to protect a person from dying of the plague by saying "God bless you" when he sneezes. Another belief is that when a person sneezes, the soul will be temporarily separated from the body. If someone does not bless the body of the sneezing person, demons or demons may suddenly rush into and take over the body of the person.

Many people who think that superstition is something of the past may be surprised by the number of superstitions that still exist today. Take the number 13 as an example. For a long time, the number 13 has been considered an inauspicious number. Some people trace this belief to the Nordic gods, while others can trace it back to Judas Iscariot. As we all know, there is a widespread fear of the number 13 in Western culture, that is, a large number of multi-storey buildings will skip thirteen floors, and some airports will skip thirteen floors. Similar fears exist in many Eastern countries such as China, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, and Vietnam, but not the number 13, but the number 4.

So, what are your superstitions? Where are your friends and family? As Halloween approaches, please pay attention to the little superstitions around you. The black cat in the neighbor's Halloween decoration. Your boss knocked on the wood when he mentioned bad things. A friend threw salt on their shoulders. These actions may seem stupid, but really, do you want to seize this opportunity?

Casey M. Wilson is a volunteer at the Mount Airy Regional History Museum. She and her family live in Mount Airy. For more information, please call the museum at 336-786-4478.

Since 2016, residents of the Timberlake community in Mount Airy have been working with the Surrey County Sheriff’s Office to free their communities from the scourge of drugs.

These efforts continued on Saturday, the 6th Annual Neighbourhood Gathering and Weenie Roast. The gathering time is scheduled from 1 to 6 pm to give residents of the Timberlake community an opportunity to have fun, highlight neighbourhood vendors and raise funds for ongoing community improvement projects.

Timberlake, also known as Simmonstown, has become synonymous with the drug trade, with people soliciting illegal drugs on foot. The community did not let this situation continue, but stood up to reclaim their streets and improve the area for future generations.

Project Timberlake community organization started its work from a simple community organization. "Many neighbors I have talked to, they all want to do something about the drug problem," said relevant resident Barbara France (Barbara France) when the Timberlake project started. "At that time I decided to contact the sheriff's office to see if we could start the Neighborhood Watch program."

Walking through Timberlake today, you will see a respectable community like many other communities in Mount Airy, with maintained yards, gardens, and signs of community support. But this is not always the case, because France, who has lived in Timberlake since 1976, reminded: “Children can see drug dealers standing on the corner of Galen Street and Eleanor Avenue and easily earn a dollar. "This was something that the late Martha Joyce and other residents couldn't bear, so she and other concerned residents helped organize a solution.

For the past six years, the Timberlake project has been coming together to allow residents to raise funds and raise awareness for community improvement efforts. While walking through Timberlake during the day, France pointed out that community groups have made some changes, such as adding neon lights "Children play" signs. "These kids really don't have any place to play, people just hang out here," France said.

There is also a new eye-catching "neighborhood surveillance zone" sign. When drivers enter Gaylon Street, they will greet the drivers, announcing that these residents have eyes and ears, and will use them to report suspicious activity. "See something; say something—this is how we do it. If you see something, call the sheriff," France said.

Since the launch of the project in 2016, the key to the improvement Timberlake has seen is the establishment of neighborhood observations and the improvement of the relationship between residents and law enforcement agencies. Community gathering in 2016. "It (a surveillance program) does not require any cost, and it actually does prevent crime."

Barbara France does see that the situation on the ground in the Timberlake community has improved since the implementation began six years ago. This requires the efforts of the entire community, and France is pleased to point out that people are already working on this before she is deeply involved. This work is ongoing, and for Timberlake's neighbors, now is not the time to stop improving the community.

The future home of Timberlake Community Center was built on Gaylon St. and is currently owned by Kenneth Robinson. Robinson intends to donate this building to the community, but the building needs work before that.

France believes that community centers have great potential and can be used as places for nearby children to play or gathering places for elderly groups. Funds raised through this event will help improve the building and the land on which it is located, so that the center can be completed.

The event will host Halloween costume contests for children and adults, corn caves, neighborhood hawkers and toast. There will be door prizes, 50/50 bingo games and a 50-inch flat-screen TV will also be presented. The Surrey County Sheriff’s Office will once again attend this year’s community events to reiterate their commitment to the community.

It is planned that Timberlake’s 6th Annual Neighbourhood Gathering and Weenie Roast will be held on October 30th at the Family Worship Center at 187 Gaylon St. from 1 pm to 6 pm.

Anyone who noticed a house fire on East Poplar Street in Mount Airy on Monday night shouldn’t panic—this is just a controlled burning for fire training purposes.

The Mount Airy Fire Department conducts such exercises on a regular basis. The dual purpose is to provide an opportunity to practice for real things while removing worn-out, unneeded structures from the community.

"It's cheaper to get rid of them this way," fire chief Zane Poindexter said on Friday.

In this case, an old house at 220 E. Poplar St. is involved, which is scheduled to be lit at 5 pm on Monday. The last controlled combustion of this type occurred in November last year in a house next to the Rockford Street Fire Station.

Monday’s training exercise will be different from other exercises, including not only Mount Airy personnel, but also members of four local voluntary fire departments, which are part of an automated assistance agreement that was invited to sign with the city.

These included the Franklin, Four-Way, Bannertown, and White Plains troops, who sent personnel to Mount Airy to fight the fires. In return, these troops regularly provided manpower for fires in their respective coverage areas. The agreement ensures that there is a sufficient number of people in each situation.

Poindexter expects up to 30 firefighters to participate on Monday.

A key difference surrounding controlled combustion will involve the fact that the water used for fire fighting does not come from municipal fire hydrants, but through tanker truck methods.

Poindexter explained that there are two reasons for this.

"In that area, the (city) water supply system has older pipelines," he said of the vicinity of Dong Yangshu Street. Firefighters wanted to avoid putting pressure on these pipelines and fire hydrants in response to fires in target houses.

"We want to work with our automated rescue department to train us on how to work with them in their non-hydrant areas," Poindexter said of the remote communities where Mount Airy firefighters might be able to help.

It is expected that staff will be on site for most of Monday night. After the house has been razed to the ground, the site will be monitored at night to prevent emergencies.

"By midnight, everyone should be back to the station," Poindexter said.

The chief of the fire department mentioned that the owners contact him from time to time, hoping to control the burning of the dilapidated houses.

However, Poindexter said this is not as easy as going out to play a game, but requires government approval, which requires a lot of time and "a lot of paperwork."

Scheduling can also be an issue. "Sometimes we can't use them-we have other things to do," he said of the occasions that provide such structures.

The old houses on Dongbaiyang Street are not like that. "This is a success," the director said.

Clint Riggs is 6 feet 4 inches tall and weighs 275 pounds. As the starting offensive linebacker of the Mount Airy Bears to protect the quarterback-but he recently took this to the next level by helping to save lives.

On August 25, a young man found 73-year-old Bobby Swaim unresponsive in the yard of his home on West Oakdale Street. In a stressful situation, precious few seconds passed, Clint was able to call 911 to call for emergency assistance and help transfer Swaim to a location where emergency personnel could use their skills.

"They put him in an ambulance and restored his pulse at the scene," the city fire chief Zane Poindexter said Thursday night when Clint was at the Airy Mountain Committee meeting because of his role. And be commended.

The 16-year-old third-year student of Mount Airy was awarded a recognition decision on the grounds that he "thinks quickly and is committed to serving the community" in helping to save Swim's life.

"Mr. Riggs is a shining role model for the youth in the community, and his selfless behavior will be a role model for others in the coming years," the resolution added. It expresses the mayor and committee members' "sincere appreciation and gratitude for (his) valuable contribution to Mount Airy and surrounding communities."

On Thursday, the young man received a standing ovation from the audience at the parliament meeting, including him and Swim’s family.

The community service story of Clint Riggs' impact on Bobby Swaim actually started last spring, when Clint and his father Jonathan participated in a An organization called Raising Men Lawn Care Services (RMLCS).

According to the decision of the city government, it combines the courtyard maintenance service volunteer alliance with the commitment to build an inspiring plan to put young people on a positive path.

Participants accepted the "50 Yard Challenge" to mow many lawns for free for the elderly, disabled, single parents, veterans, and other community residents in need. Clint accepted this challenge on May 4.

Swaim was one of Clint's "clients," and the young man went to his residence on August 25 for no reason—as if guided by some invisible force—Clint recalled at the meeting on Thursday night.

"I really didn't plan to go there-I just happened to be at the end of town," he said of venturing to Sweem's home after getting his driver's license two days ago.

Clint was thinking "back and forth" in his mind whether he should check the lawn there, and at the last second something was triggered in his heart.

"God is pulling my heart, saying that I need to be in the right place at the right time," the high school student said, while playing down his role in the incident. "So don't thank me-thank God."

"When he got there, he found Bobby in the driveway... unresponsive, lying there," Chief Poindexter explained in detail.

"I think our fire truck is the first fire truck there," he said of the project where urban firefighters respond to medical emergencies as part of their duties.

"Mr. Swim is in the yard where it is difficult for our people to start treatment," Poindexter continued. "Clint not only called (911), but also helped them move him to a suitable place so that they can perform CPR on Mr. Swaim."

According to the comments at the meeting, the patient was hospitalized for about a week and a half before he had a happy ending.

"It's because of this young man and some dedicated first responders," the fire chief concluded. He owes this to the "outstanding" youth in the community and the "parents who want to teach their children to do things right. This is what we do here."

Swim did not attend the meeting on Thursday night, but his daughter-Amy Miles of Kneresville-was there to help and thank Clint.

Myers said it is not clear whether her father had a heart attack on the day he was found, but it turned out that he had a pacemaker.

It was also mentioned on Thursday night that Clint Riggs has been suffering personal losses in recent weeks-his father died of complications from COVID-19 on September 25-in a life-saving event. Months later. Jonathan Riggs left a total of three children and his wife Malinda.

However, it was pointed out on Thursday night that the lessons of helping others that Clint Riggs' parents instilled in him and that led to the saving of Bobby Swim's life will continue.

"It thinks it's a special, special thing," Chief Poindexter said of the various factors that together led to this result.

Due to the COVID-19 panic, Mount Airy city center will be a pretty desolate place on Halloween in 2020, but this year the trick-or-treating people will return to the familiar central business district resort.

Halloween celebrations have long been held in the city center, and participating businessmen distributed candies to witches, monsters, superheroes and any other costumed characters that appeared before they were strangled by the coronavirus last year.

Instead, a drive-through "Trick or Treat" event was held at the back of Mount Airy School, which had a large number of participants.

This year, from 3pm to 5pm on October 31st, the Halloween celebrations will return to Mount Airy city centre, and to a large extent the participation of participants from other parts of the city will be increased.

It will include free trick-or-treating/trick-or-treating activities to the public coordinated by the Downtown Business Association and the Airy Mountain Visitor Center.

"We are inviting local businesses and community organizations to set up a downtown to distribute sweets," explained Jenny Smith of the visitor center.

For the first time, traditionally participating merchants will distribute candies with entities from outside the venue. This will include businesses such as 13 Bones Restaurant, Chili's Bar and Grill, including Mount Airy City Schools’ Blue Bear Bus, which will provide a “trick or treat” walking experience.

As of Thursday, there are approximately 20 different entities in line so far, and this number is expected to increase as Halloween approaches.

"If your business or organization is interested, please let me know," Smith added when sending out the public invitation, although there is no registration deadline involved.

"They can contact me and we will find a place for them," she said on Thursday. "There is enough space on the main street."

"We will close the main street from oak to pine (street)," said Phil Marsh, president of the Downtown Business Association, which will happen around 2pm on Halloween.

This will allow those distributing merchandise and participating merchants to locate along that part of North Main.

"We have some stores that will be open for this," Marsh said. The store is usually closed on Sundays, and on Halloween this year, its operators are planning to participate.

Although Halloween celebrations in the city center usually attract large crowds, Smith believes that this year is especially true because it is one of the few local festivals on that Sunday. Others were transferred to different days for various reasons.

The local radio station WSYD will host a costume competition for children (by age group), pets and families. The competition is scheduled to start at 5 pm

Approximately 90 participants participated in the last costume competition in 2019. The competition was held in the downtown pavilion on the corner of Main Street and Oak Street-Marsh said that the large number of participants prompted the move to a more spacious location this year.

"We will put the stage in the middle of the street," he said.

Members of Mount Airy Rotary Club took part in the textile crash course this week.

Dr. David Hinks, Dean of North Carolina State University's Wilson School of Textiles, attended the Rotary Club meeting held at Cross Creek Country Club on Tuesday, where he introduced information about textile science.

Wanda Urbanska, the development director of the North Carolina Textile Foundation, joked that on this day, Airy Mountain will put aside other nicknames such as Granite City and accept its past identity as a "sock city."

After Hinks joined North Carolina State University in 1993, he took over the leadership position of Wilson Textile College in 2016. Hinks told the Rotary Club that the textile project at North Carolina State University was the last similar project in North America, for example, Clemson has been closed.

With more than 1,000 enrolled undergraduate and graduate students from the Wilson Textile Institute and a research budget of more than $7 million, North Carolina State University continues to be a leader in this research field.

The entire textile industry still employs more than 500,000 employees in the United States. Hinks points out that more than half of the workforce can be found within a three-hour drive from Mount Airy. "North Carolina is still the center of American textiles," Hinks said.

Sinks said that the future of North Carolina textiles will come from answering this question, "How do textiles help people?" Wilson School has worked hard in the Textile Comfort Center project to improve personal protection such as fire-fighting suits used by first responders. equipment.

The Nonwovens Research Institute is focusing on the research of engineered fabrics. Hinks pointed out that the Nonwovens team has been working hard to research medical mask technology long before the current pandemic. To give another example, Hinks said that when thinking of cleaning products like Swiffer, they may look and function like woven materials, but they are not.

In terms of research, cooperation and innovation, Wilson College is a leader. As leaders, they believe that they have a responsibility to help other institutions. "(Wilson School) said yes when people came to us for help," Hinks said of cooperation. "I also want to thank Light Blue School," Hinks said with a smile. "The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Duke University are important partners in the field of research."

Hinks reflects that Wilson School is at a huge advantage in their work because, as he said, “The performance of North Carolina State University and Wilson School is beyond our ability.” Use funds from North Carolina and transfer them. Combined with private and corporate donations, Wilson School has the consumption power to realize dreams and innovation.

Hinks regards education as the key to the creation of a modern textile workforce, and is happy to cooperate with community colleges such as Gaston Community College to provide the "2 2 Program" that combines two years of community college study with two years of Wilson school study Hinks hopes to see Surrey Community College participate in the next few years. "Sufficient workforce (textiles) is a problem, and I am very happy that Surrey Community College is here today. Without the community college system, the rest of this system cannot function."

In other Rotary Club news:

The annual exhibition of local wineries and craft breweries organized by Mount Airy Rotary Club, Budbreak Wine and Craft Beer Festival. Held on a hot and humid day in late August.

Due to the ongoing health crisis, the event was cancelled in 2020 and then rescheduled from May to August this year, but as people were excited about the opportunity to celebrate outdoors, the event made a comeback. At the weekly meeting on Tuesday, the Rotary Club offered a check for $27,000 for the proceeds of the 2021 Bud Po Wine and Craft Beer Festival.

Bob Meinecke, the main Budbreak organizer of the Rotary Club, has stated that Budbreak in 2019 has raised enough funds for the Rotary Club to distribute $24,000. One year later, the date changed to make the event go deep into the summer canopy days. It is a gratifying sight to see that the amount raised has increased compared to 2019.

The lifetime amount raised by the Budbreak event exceeds $150,000 and is used to help numerous organizations in the region. In the past few years, funds raised from Budbreak have been allocated to the Surrey Arts Council, Mount Airy Regional History Museum, Salvation Army, Surrey Joint Fund, Surrey Medical Department, Mount Airy Police Department’s Friends Support Group and other regional agencies, and the Shepherd’s Homeless shelter, Yokefellow Food Pantry, Immediately Stop Hunger, and Boy Scouts of America.

Plans for the Budding Festival in 2022 are already underway, but returning to a normal family date in early May will be orderly.

Will the controversial zoning clause that once allowed Airy Mountain to control areas outside its borders return?

At the very least, the extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ) zoning issue will be shelved and put on the agenda for discussion at the city council meeting on Thursday night.

The ETJ area is an area that extends one mile outside the city limits. Mount Airy maintains control of commercial and residential development. After being implemented before the large-scale annexation, it existed for nearly 20 years to supervise and manage the growth that was eventually introduced into the fringe areas of the municipal government.

But in recent years, the division of extraterritorial jurisdictions has been controversial, including those who live outside the city cannot vote for elected municipal officials who make decisions that affect their property.

There are approximately 7,000 to 8,000 people in the ETJ area, covering approximately 9,000 acres.

In June 2019, the committee members voted to cancel the special zone with a 3-2 decision. Earlier, a public hearing was held in the auditorium of Mount Airy High School, led by ETJ residents, who demanded to leave their control.

After the abolition of the special zone in 2019, the jurisdiction will be under the jurisdiction of the county government.

Commissioner Steve Yokeley voted against the gradual abolition of extraterritorial jurisdictions, arguing that despite the end of mandatory mergers, urban residents in marginal areas still need to be protected from unnecessary development.

Shirley Brinkley of the board voted another negative vote, while committee members Jon Cowley, Dean Brown, and Jim Ambrist favored the abolition of the ETJ area.

Of these five people, only Yokley and Cowley remained in the city council.

Earlier this year, the Vision Committee, led by Yokeley, was one of five such committees established to seek possible improvements to Mount Airy, bringing the issue of zoning back to the forefront as one of its top tasks.

Specifically, the committee recommends investigating the possible restoration of the ETJ zone, including allowing city planners to study areas that may be needed.

According to Yorkley's request, all of this led to the issue being included on the agenda for discussion during the Mount Airy Committee meeting starting at 6 pm on Thursday.

He explained on Tuesday that nothing happened to the Vision team’s recommendations earlier this year.

"I think some research should be done," Yorkley said. "Nothing has been done yet, so I think we need to discuss it on Thursday."

Yokley clarified that he did not seek other officials to take action to restore the extraterritorial jurisdiction at this time. "But I do think we need some research."

The senior commissioner did say on Tuesday that he believed the vote to repeal the ETJ clause was the second most unreasonable decision made by the city council during his 12-year term.

He declined to mention the person at the top of the list, saying it will be disclosed on Thursday night.

After the recent sale of the large Main-Oak complex to an entity in Durham, an innovative housing seems to be heading towards downtown Mount Airy.

It involves the new owner-Mt. Airy One, LLC-plans to develop Airbnb, also known as Air B and B units, on the property.

Its former owner, Burke Robertson (Burke Robertson), a long-term local businessman, described it as an “overnight” rental, and he thought it would be a reference to the former Spencer industrial estate planned to be across two streets. Supplement to the boutique hotel on the development.

"I think this is a good positive move for Mount Airy and downtown Mount Airy," Robertson added on Tuesday.

Robertson owns two three-story side-by-side buildings for more than 20 years, with a total area of ​​nearly 50,000 square feet, and participated in the August transaction. These are the Main-Oak Building at the corner of North Main and East Oak Street, and the Main-Oak Emporium at the corner of Oak and City Hall Street.

According to Robertson, Loaded Goat is a 3,000-square-foot sports bar and grill located in the latter and will remain unchanged after the change of ownership.

"A hot market"

Robertson believes that the time to promote the Airbnb concept on a large scale in Mount Airy is just right.

"Now this is a very open market," he said. "This is a hot market."

Airbnb refers to a rental concept in San Francisco in 2007, when two roommates in need of money loaned their apartment rooms to people attending a design meeting because the hotel was overbooked.

Since guests sleep on inflatable mattresses, they named their efforts "air bed and breakfast". The concept was later extended to other places, providing travelers with short-term vacation rentals of cabins, beach houses, unique houses and even boats.

Compared with other types of accommodation, it tends to adopt a more personalized "host" approach, but it is different from traditional bed and breakfast places because it does not necessarily provide breakfast.

Robertson said that he had considered plans to transform the Main-Oak building into apartments or other housing types, including his own overnight rental, but because of his father's time, he rejected the Airbnb project.

"I'm old—I'm too old," he explained.

In 2017, Robertson announced the closure of the Main-Oak Emporium retail store of the property. At the same time, his wife and co-owners hope to retire and no longer be responsible for the company's daily operations.

When Main-Oak Building and Main-Oak Emporium were listed for sale, Burke Robertson and Associates real estate agency advertised both as suitable for retail, office, potential residential and event center uses. The total selling price of these structures is $1,860,000.

The former owner is happy to transfer control of the housing project at hand to Mt. Airy One, LLC, whose registered agent is listed as Jeffrey A. Benson of Durham.

"I have seen these plans," Robertson said of the idea of ​​the Main-Oak site.

Benson could not be reached for comment.

The timeline of the Airbnb project is currently unclear.

"Obviously, it depends on everyone who works with them," Robertson said of the various government approvals that the ownership group might need, such as approvals from the city government.

He said that work may "start sometime early this year."

Mount Airy Planning Director Andy Goodall said when contacted last Friday that so far, his office has not received any plans or other paperwork related to the project.

On Tuesday afternoon, several cars collided on Interstate 77 near Elkin, causing deaths. The southbound part of the interstate was temporarily closed.

"It looks like there are five vehicles in total," Surrey County Emergency Services Supervisor Eric Southern (Eric Southern) said of the accident that occurred shortly before 3 pm, just next to the Elkin exit on I-77 southbound.

The severe damage resulted in the death of a motorist who was apparently in one of the vehicles alone. As of around 4 pm, information about the person, including identity, age, address, gender, and the type of vehicle he or she rides has not been determined

"It's really bad," Southern said of the results.

At the same time, emergency response and large-scale cleanup work prompted the closure of the southbound section of Interstate 77 in the Elgin area, and China Southern Airlines hopes to remind the public about this.

The enclosure extends from the Elkin exit of I-77 to Jonesville, approximately three miles away.

On Tuesday afternoon, motorists were forced to reschedule their travel plans to bypass the accident site instead of avoiding the area altogether.

Southbound I-77 traffic is required to leave the interstate at the Elkin exit. The detour requires the use of CC Camp Road and US 421 to pass through the town to rejoin the interstate.

China Southern Airlines expects that the affected interstate highways may be closed for at least four or five hours on Tuesday.

At about 4 pm, the county forensic doctor went to the scene with emergency personnel and other personnel to deal with the deaths involved.

Regarding the chain reaction type collision that was still under investigation in the previous report, no other details were released.

Last weekend, a group of people gathered in an unlikely place to participate in a new event that brought young and old people to Mount Airy Surry County Airport.

The inaugural Mount Airisari County Airport Auto Show by Speedology Lifestyle Solutions LLC will not let fog or light rain hinder the gathering of people who have a good time.

As she hopes this will be the first in a series of such events in the area, event organizer Tamsen Beroth (Tamsen Beroth) became blurred on Saturday as she runs around and oversees such events. Little things that go well. From planning and marketing, to friendly and helpful staff, from parking lots to transportation and accommodation for those in need-there is no evidence that this is the first auto show event at the airport.

Walking on the apron of the Airy Mountain Surrey County Airport is already a brand new experience for some of the people in the event, and on another day, it may be a sufficient field trip. Occasionally, the crackling sound of the air traffic control radio will sound through the loudspeaker to remind everyone that they are indeed at a fully functional and in-use airport.

All types of vehicles are welcome, from precious race cars to classic trucks to novel rides, you can see everything in the line. The family with their children and Fido on a leash walked from car to car. People stop to take a favorite photo of a shiny ride, or chat about horsepower.

Eagle Carports, one of the sponsors of the event, has arranged the exotic layout of various luxury cars such as Bentley, Lamborghini, McLaren, etc. The scissor-style doors are open, and visitors are warmly welcomed.

Tick ​​Performance also brought participants some of the most impressive "fast driving" parts, as well as a beautiful customer car equipped with all camera flashes.

In addition to a large number of fully restored classic cars, Mount Airy Toyota and Mount Airy Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram also provide the latest rides on the apron.

It is not every day that people check the Skyline GT-R on the right side of the fully restored Bel Aire, and then walk over to check the Beechcraft 35. It is the elements of the airport that make this auto show different from the ground up. Part of the purpose of the event is to increase the visibility of the local airport. As a joint venture between Mount Airy and Surrey County, the local general aviation airport is the economic driver of the region.

A study published earlier this year by North Carolina found that the Smith-Reynolds Airport in Winston Salem is the only general aviation airport that has a greater economic impact on the region it serves than Mount Airisari County Airport. Bringing people to the airport to participate in the auto show means more people talk about the airport, and more people realize that they may have to take advantage of the airport option.

Mount Airy Surry County Airport Manager George Crater is very excited about this event. "Let me tell you, the most important thing for me is that we are all impressed by the Speedology team. We dealt with the airport there and they (events) planned well. Except for that light rain and some low clouds," Crater said that from his point of view, the event was a success.

The community partner of this event is the local non-profit organization Mayberry4Paws, whose goal is to subsidize the cost of animal sterilization and sterilization to reduce the number of animals entering the Surrey County Animal Shelter. They also work tirelessly to ensure that pets in shelters are taken away by reputable rescue organizations to increase the likelihood of successful re-housing.

Non-profit organizations like Mayberry4Paws rely heavily on the contributions of community members to help offset their operating costs. Grant writing and occasional inheritance gifts from the donor's estate may help, but what really adds up is the small dollar donation.

Raising more than US$700 for Mayberry4Paws at the first auto show is no small feat. When talking about her collaboration with Mayberry4Paws, dog lover Beroth said: "This is really important to me, because everyone knows where the funds for the first auto show will be used."

When the crowd stood up and the whine of the propeller changed from a low buzzing to a huge roar, the pilot put the aircraft into gear and aimed the aircraft's nose at the runway. After walking a short distance along the taxiway, turning north, and finally checking air traffic control, Beechcraft 35 began to rumble on the runway and flew into the sky.

When the plane disappeared, the young man Gavyn Koen watched and waved. When asked where the pilot might go, Gavin did not hesitate to point to the shrinking plane in the sky, and gave the best answer to a stupid question "sky".

Airport manager Crater and event organizer Beroth agreed that both parties hope to do so again next year. "We have a plan for 2022," Bellos said, "I hope to announce this in the near future."

Next fall, after everyone recovers from the autumn leaves, if the fog decides to dissipate again in due course: Little Gavin and more crowds will do it for the second annual Mount Airisari County Airport Auto Show Get ready.

On September 22, with cool temperatures and colorful leaves, autumn officially arrived. For farmers, autumn is one of the most important periods of the year-harvest time. Food is collected, preserved and stored throughout the winter.

Reaping is when rural communities come together and help each other get their work done. After that, since the members of the community had gathered in one place, food, dance, music, and friendly competitions were all conducted. Today, for many people, autumn means pumpkins, festivals and visits to local county fairs. The fair as we know it today is different from the past, but one thing remains the same: agriculture.

The expo started in the United States in the early 1800s and is usually held in August, September or October. They are social and commercial activities where people gather and compete to showcase farmers’ best agricultural products and livestock. People sell products for homes and farms, but fresh hot food is the main attraction. Entertainment includes music, competitions, horse riding and juggling. However, education is the main goal of the exhibition, which includes the history of agriculture and introducing new technologies to the public and farmers.

The exhibits of the community fair are often included in the county fair, which is a joint effort of the community and county officials. The White Plains Community Fair in 1919 is one such example. Locals are encouraged to import exhibits into the White Plains Community Fair and then bring them to the county fair, all for the best year in Surrey County.

Virginia-Carolina Fairgrounds, also known as Mount Airy Fairgrounds, has held a county fair every year since the early 1900s. The Veterans Memorial Park as we know it today was built on the Airy Mountain Fair. The Surrey County Agricultural Fair has been held there since 1947 and continues to do so.

In 1941, the Mount Airy Fair had a high attendance, with people coming from Surrey and its neighboring counties in North Carolina and Virginia. As the Second World War raged in Europe, the United States did not directly join the fight until December of that year, and tensions increased. The county fair is a popular source of temporary distraction and joy.

The war disrupted every aspect of life. Due to lack of manpower and all resources allocated to support the war effort, many fairs were cancelled. However, where possible, fairs are held to maintain a sense of normalcy and boost morale. What's more interesting is the most unusual event: this year boasted about his "Charlotte's Web" (this book will not be published until 1952), the newspaper reported as follows:

The magical spider writes on his web

An educated spider writes on the Internet while weaving, and the citizens who have been here in the past few days are amazing with their clear writing. This spider was found at Roy L. Campbell's home on Rockford Street on Tuesday morning, when his spider web clearly contained "Mt. Airy, NC" and "Winston-Salem" and one that began with "Mr." The rest of the man’s name could not be deciphered. Many interested people browsed the network on Tuesday, but the smart spider was not satisfied and tore it off at night to replace it today. According to the latest report, construction is still in progress.

In 1942, the Mount Airy American Legion Fair took "victory" as the theme, aiming to "provide six daytime and night fun for fun lovers in Aili Mountain and its surrounding areas, and get rid of the worries of war." world. Due to the "Victory" theme, the focus is on the production of Victory Garden and field crops. Other rewards include free admission for soldiers, sailors, and marines, and a $50 war bond for school children.

The North Carolina State Fair began in 1853 and has been held for 168 years this year. However, the exposition has been cancelled several times: from 1861 to 1868 because of the civil war and reconstruction, in 1918 because of the First World War and influenza, and from 1942 to 1945 because of the Second World War. 1953 was the 100th anniversary, but due to cancellation, only 86 sessions of the exposition were held that year. The State Fair started in Raleigh last week and will be held from October 14th to October 24th.

Make sure to support your local county fair and maintain a rich agricultural tradition and innovative vitality.

Justyn Kissam is the learning manager of Kaleideum.

From the perspective of passers-by, Mount Airy is getting more parking spaces on South Street near the municipal building-but these parking spaces are actually just offsetting the missing parking spaces in the nearby public library.

In 2020, there will be parking problems in the city government buildings in Rockford and South Street. At that time, it was reported that the Mount Airy Public Library would cancel 11 parking spaces due to the construction project.

In recent days, the Surrey Arts Council has initiated this work, including the construction of a multifunctional facility near the Blackmond Amphitheater near the library.

The Mount Airy Commission was told last year that 11 library parking spaces along Rockford Street would be permanently lost because the art building is located in a narrow location.

They later learned that during the construction of the multifunctional center, 15 parking spaces will be temporarily unavailable, including all available parking spaces in the library along Rockford Street, only parking spaces are left in front of the library.

Since the plot was built behind the library on South Street between the Municipal Building and the Airy Mountain War Memorial, some pressure can now be relieved. The plan calls for the lot to contain 13 spaces, and work began a few weeks ago with the art center project launched on the other side of the library.

"Actually, it's going well," Mayor Ron Niland said when he updated the status of activities near City Hall last weekend, including the parking lot base and curb/gutter work being completed.

He expects the work to be completed "at the latest" on the first day of this week.

In order to appease library staff and users, officials said that the parking lot will be connected to the library through a new sidewalk.

But Niland said it can also be used by the general public, which is especially needed during large events in the city center.

"This will have many uses," the mayor added.

He said that a key use of the new space will benefit citizens participating in the council meeting of the municipal building. They sometimes have to park their cars in the Mount Airy post office parking lot or on the east side of South Street, both of which need to cross busy roads to reach the building.

Niland mentioned that the lot added to the mix will make it easier for them to get in by parking outside the city hall.

Although the city government owns the land there, the Surrey Arts Council is paying for the new lot with funds designated for its multi-purpose center, which will house a conjoined twin museum and statue, as well as programming, classrooms and office spaces.

This includes $300,000 in city government revenue approved for the project.

It is not expected that parking fees will exceed $15,000, but Mayor Niland said on Friday that the fees will eventually be much less.

"It may be between 6,000 and 8,000 US dollars."

According to the land lease signed last year, the new multi-purpose facility will be handed over to the city government and leased to the Surrey Arts Council for 25 years.

Betty Lynn is famous for playing Barney Fife's sweetheart Thelma Lou in The Andy Griffith Show , She died late Saturday night after a brief illness. She is 95 years old.

Lynn is deeply loved by the Andy Griffith Show family. In 1990, she began to regularly participate in some performance gatherings and Maybury theme events across the country. In 2007, after attending Mayberry Days in Mount Airy, she decided to permanently move to Andy Griffith's hometown, and until her death, she always regarded Mount Airy as herself s home.

She regularly holds autograph sessions at the Andy Griffith Museum. During the days when she was arranged at the museum, fans flocked to her, often lined up on the sidewalk outside the building.

Despite being loved by fans, Lynn reciprocated this affection, always taking time to chat with them, sharing Mayberry's memories, and ensuring she is free even on days when she might be a little uncomfortable.

"I feel very happy when I am with them," the veteran actress said of her time with fans in an interview with The Mount Airy News in September 2016. "This has given me a huge improvement. People are great — they like this show very much," the 90-year-old actress said in that interview, when talking about the "Andy Griffith Show." "In fact, they gave you a big boost-even if I don't feel good."

Betty said that her time there is not only for fans time, but also good for her.

"I met a lot of people," the late actress said in 2016. She said at the autograph session on Friday that she might see tourists from California, Illinois, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Carolina and other states.

"People drive here from everywhere."

Although the Surrey Art Committee has signature photos on hand, Betty says she never knows what signature someone will bring her.

"I tried to sign everything they brought," she said.

Those who knew Lynn quickly expressed their condolences after her death.

"I feel very honored and happy to work with Betty and be her friend for many years," said Tanya Jones, executive director of the Surrey Arts Council. "It was obvious from the first time we met that faith, family, friends, and-very, very important-her fans are the most important to her. Betty has brought so much joy and love to so many people. Betty’s performance on the screen and the memories of her for those lucky enough to meet her and know her will continue these feelings."

His death brought affectionate words from many people who knew her.

"RIP Betty Lynn," director Ron Howard tweeted that he was the actor of Betty in the Andy Griffith show. "She played Selma Lue in the "Andy Griffith Show" and brightened every scene she was in and every filming day she was there. The last time I saw it a few years ago When she was, she still used her enthusiasm to light up the room. It was a pleasure to meet her and work with her. She is really 95 years old."

"Betty is a close friend of everyone who knows her," said Eleanor Donahue, friend and actor of the Andy Griffith Show. "Her talents will continue to be brought to her fans through the Andy Griffith Show. Come rejoice."

After learning the news, Karen Knotts, the daughter of Don Knotts, wrote on Twitter: “I heard the beloved Mayberry idol and friend Betty Lin En (Betty Lynn) passed away last night and I feel very sad. No one is more loyal to fans than her. Such a loving and kind soul. We will always remember and love you, Betty."

Although she is best known for her role in the Andy Griffith show, Lynn had a long career even before playing Selmalu.

Elizabeth Ann Theresa Lynn (Elizabeth Ann Theresa Lynn) was born on August 29, 1926 in Kansas City, Missouri. Raised by her maternal grandparents Johanna and George Andrew Lynn. Long-term engineer of the Missouri Pacific Railway Company.

At the age of 5, Lynn began to learn dance with the famous dancer Helen Burwell at the Kansas City Conservatory of Music. By the age of 14, she began to perform and sing in the dinner club, and performed and produced commercials for local radio shows.

USO scouts visited Kansas City and found Lynn. After the age of 18, Lynn began performing for USO Camp Shows in the United States in 1944. Then, she performed as a member of the USO Overseas Foxhole Tour in the first half of 1945. She and guitarist Tommy Decker started their overseas tour, stopped in Casablanca and then Iran, and finally went to the China-Burma-India Theater of the war, where they visited most of the soldiers in the theater and performed for them, but their main task was Comfort and entertain the wounded soldiers in the military hospital.

After the Allied forces recaptured Yangon in May 1945, she was one of the first Americans to visit American prisoners of war who were released to the Kolkata hospital after suffering terrible atrocities during their imprisonment. She is also believed to be the only American woman who walked the dangerous Burmese highway during the war.

On one occasion, Lynn, Tommy Decker, several Marines and an interpreter took a jeep to the "Road to Mandalay", a remote area not far from the front line. A U.S. Marine Corps captain gave Lynn a loaded Colt revolver and told her: "Take this. You may need to use it." She recalled, "I don't know if he wants to use it. In the enemy, I was still desperate for myself, but I picked up the gun and kept getting closer."

She said she put the gun on her hip during the day and under the pillow at night.

After the war, Lynn received special commendations from the US Department of War for his services "out of scope". She was later appointed honorary colonel of the U.S. Legion.

In 2009, she participated in the first honor flight of the North Carolina Triad with World War II veterans and visited the World War II Memorial in Washington, DC. The surviving veterans and those memorialized," she said at the time.

Career than Selma Lou

Lynn returned to New York City after the war and quickly found a job. When she caught the attention of Hollywood scouts, she was touring the Northeast with Park Avenue in preparation for the Broadway show for the new show. She received invitations from seven studios, but finally decided to conduct a screen test for Twentieth Century Fox. Daryl F. Zanuck, the head of the studio, immediately chose Lynn and finally signed a multi-year contract with her.

Lynn's first film for Fox was "Sitting Pretty" in 1948 with Clifton Webb, Robert Young and Maureen O'Hara. She won a gold medal in photography for her portrayal of Ginger. Later that year, Lynn also lived in Peggy's apartment with William Holden and Jenny Crane.

Warner Bros. borrowed Lynn from Fox so that she could play the protagonist in another 1948 film "The Bride of June," which was released in 1948 with Betty Davis and Robert Montgomery. She has also produced several films for Fox and other companies, including RKO, MGM and Universal Pictures. In these movies, the mother is a freshman and the father is a guard. It is a dozen cheaper, paid on demand (again in collaboration with Betty Davis), and many rivers have to cross and be behind high walls.

When her contract with Fox expired, Lynn was looking for a job in the television industry, which was still in the early stages. Her early performances included the eight-month "Egg and Me", which is generally considered the first comedy series on TV and was broadcast live on CBS in New York five days a week in 1952.

Back to Hollywood the next year, where was she in Raymond? A season of ABC-TV. During this period and decades, she also performed in live theater productions, including the protagonist in Peg O'My Heart and in The Moon Is Blue, King of Hearts, Be Your Age, Come Blow Your Horn and Love Letters character of.

Lynn performed in more than two episodes of the Matinee Theater, a popular one-hour anthology series on NBC-TV, which is usually broadcast live five days a week. She also continued to work on the radio, including as the lead or host for some episodes of Lux Radio Theatre, Stars Over Hollywood and Family Theatre.

In the 1950s and 1960s, she was a frequent guest of television westerns. Part of the roundup includes the stories of Mustangs, Freight Trains, Cheyenne, Wells Fargo and Sugarfoot, as well as the two seasons of Disney Gifts co-stars: Texas John Massacre and Tom Trian.

When the producer of the Andy Griffith show contacted her about playing Barney Fife's girlfriend Selma Lou, Lynn still signed a contract with Disney in John Slaughter, Texas. Fortunately for Barney, Maybury and several generations of TV audiences, Disney is gradually reducing the production of John Slaughter, Texas, and therefore agreed to let Lynn participate in Griffith's performance.

"Before I went to read this part, I had watched Griffith's show twice," Betty recalled. "I remember I laughed out loud-it was so funny. I don't do this often. I thought, oops, it's really unusual."

Her reading went well, and she was selected as Selma Lou.

Her portrayal of the role left the audience so deeply impressed that many years later, it seemed that most people thought she was a frequent visitor to the series, appearing almost as often as Barney, Andy, Aunt Bee and Opie. The fact is that she only appeared in 26 of the 249 episodes of the show, and she was absent for almost the entire last three seasons.

That's because, after Don Knotts left the show in the 5th year to seek film opportunities, although he occasionally played the role of the famous Barney Fife, his departure meant the end of Betty Lynn's campaign.

When Don Knotts returned in the sixth season, Lynn appeared on the Griffith show for the last time, the first of his five cameo appearances as Barney. Fans will have to wait for more than 20 years, but in Mayberry’s world, everything is right again. When Thelma Lou and Barney finally got married in Return to Mayberry, this film made for television was featured in the NBC ratings blockbuster in 1986 . "Once we get there to shoot a movie, everything is in place," she said. "The spark is still there."

Of the actors who were still alive when Griffith died, only Ron Howard appeared more in the series than Lynn.

After starring in the Griffith series for the first time, Lynn continued to work steadily, mainly on TV. She played Fred McMurray's secretary in "My Three Sons" and Brian Keith's secretary in "Housework". In the first season of Matlock in 1986, when she played Ben Matlock's secretary Sarah, she also collaborated with Andy Griffith again. Similarly, she reunited with Ron Howard in ABC-TV's short-lived Smith Family in 1971, starring Henry Fonda.

Lynn has appeared in a wide range of works, from Disney's "The Elephant Stealing Boy" to "Modern Squad", from the little house on the prairie to the "Suffocation Brothers" comedy time.

After Lynn moved to Mount Airy, Mayberry fans almost felt like members of the royal family when they visited her. Lynn returned that feeling and has been looking forward to the time she will meet with the fans.

"The fans are so cute," she said. "I really like to meet them and have the opportunity to visit. They come from all over the country. It's so touching, they still remember my movies and like the Andy Griffith show like they do. Especially for Gerry On the Fes show, there are also many young children who are fans. So, I think the popularity of this show is continuing to the new generation. This makes me happy."

To commemorate Lynn and echo Barney Fife's description of Thelma Lou, the local Surrey Arts Council organizes "You are a cat!" every year to recognize individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the Mayberry Days Festival.

Along with other actors and staff on the Andy Griffith show, Lynn won the TV Land Legend Award in 2004. She was selected to Marshfield's Missouri Walk of Fame in 2006 and won the Cherry Award the following year at the town's annual Missouri Cherry Blossom Festival and received the Blossom Medal.

In 2012, Lynn was also the first star award winner on the sidewalk at the entrance of the Andy Griffith Museum. In 2016, on her 90th birthday, Governor Pat McCrory awarded Lynn, and Governor Dan Forest awarded Lynn the Long Leaf Pine Medal, which is generally considered the highest civilian honor in North Carolina.

She was not satisfied with her honor. Before the pandemic, she greeted fans at the Andy Griffith Museum almost every month. At the time of her death, she had been completing the revision of her autobiography, which is expected to be published after her death.

Betty is a lifelong pious Roman Catholic, she is a long-term member of the Catholic Church of St. Timothy in Los Angeles. After moving to Mount Airy, she joined the local Catholic Church of Holy Angels.

Several cousins ​​of Betty Lynn, many precious friends and countless fans who admired him survived. Betty's performances as Thelma Lou and other roles will continue to attract audiences who admire it for generations.

Plans to provide private funeral services in Culver City, California. The memorial service will be announced later.

Instead of flowers, you can donate to the Betty Lynn Scholarship Endowment Fund (for students engaged in dance or acting careers) or the Barbara and Emmet Forest Endowment Fund (for the Andy Griffith Museum and Maybury Day ) Donate to commemorate her Surry Arts Council, PO Box 141, Mount Airy, NC 27030; or Holy Angel Roman Catholic Church, 1208 N Main Street, Mount Airy NC 27030, or a charity chosen by the donor.

Sometimes, when the opportunity comes, it will summon in the form of a huge chair, turning around to show that Blake Shelton or Kelly Clarkson choose you to join their team.

For local amateur singer Jackie May, this opportunity may come in the near future.

The virtual public call for the 22nd season of the NBC reality singing show "The Voice" has begun, and May has been selected for Wednesday's audition.

May has been signing contracts with the Shanren Auction House and Ayers Trading Post in the town, and at the same time raised his singing voice in the church. Now the lights will be brighter, and the stage will be bigger than his solo performance on Pine Street.

The audition for "The Voice" has been difficult to achieve, and Mei reflected that "many people did not get this opportunity." Therefore, May has been practicing and preparing for the upcoming 90-second fierce competition. In a short period of time, May will have to introduce herself, show off his southern charm, and then dazzle the judges with the music number he chose.

It turns out that choosing this song is a difficult thing for May because there are so many choices.

"I am willing to accept suggestions because I can't really make a choice now. I will definitely pray for it." Mei said with a smile.

"I am from the struggle, I was told that I would not accomplish anything," May said. Getting rid of opponents is not always easy, but May's goal is to do it. "Follow your heart and pray, because some people will disappoint you, but like me, I have always been working hard and praying."

As the audition drew closer, May narrowed his selection of songs to "Roll (Eighteen Wheeler)" from the country group Alabama, or perhaps famous for the movie "Brother, Where Are You" "I am a person who is constantly sad"? "

No matter what he chooses, Jackie May will go all out because he believes in himself. Those who want to know if they have something suitable to try to mirror shows like "The Voice" might suggest, "If you start listening to others, you will never know what will happen in life."

"The Voice" aired on NBC, and the 22nd season will premiere in 2022. The judges include Kelly Clarkson, Arianna Grand, John Legend and the best coach of all time Blake Shelton.

Mount Airy is now operating without a major government leader-the city manager-but is working to fill the vacancy created by Barbara Jones' recent retirement.

When talking about the process of replacing Jones, Mayor Ron Niland said: "We will try to find people as soon as possible." Jones's official departure date is October 1.

This ended her 30 years of municipal government career, including 12 years as a city manager.

In addition to his regular job, Darren Lewis, the director of Mount Airy Park and Recreation, also served as an interim manager. Lewis said he would not apply for the job vacancy left by Jones.

When she announced her retirement on September 9, the mayor said that an extensive search would be conducted to find a successor.

Niland stated that at the end of last week, his office had received 10 to 12 applications/resumes.

"It's still early," he added. "We will still accept applications before November 1."

Niland believes that as the deadline approaches, the interest of city manager candidates will increase. "It takes a while to put things together," he said of assembling materials for the application process.

The job vacancy is being advertised locally on the Mount Airy City Facebook page, the North Carolina Municipal League website and the International City/County Management Association website.

"We advertise to several local universities and their alumni networks," the mayor said of trying to get applications from the most valuable people.

"At this point, most of what we have comes from North Carolina."

Niland expects that the Mount Airy committee will have a healthy number to consider, so that the final selection will be made after a round of interviews.

"I think we will receive about 35 to 40 applications before everything is over," he said.

After Don Brookshire resigned in January 2010, when Mount Airy last looked for a city manager, 40 people applied for the position, and Jones was appointed by the commissioner.

The mayor said before the 2022-23 municipal budgeting process: "Our goal is to (hiring) someone at the beginning of this year."

The job description posted on the city government’s Facebook page stated that the manager performed “complex professional and administrative work” while serving as the city’s chief executive and chief operating officer.

According to the job notice, experienced personnel with a master's degree in public administration are preferred.

© 2018 Airy Mountain News