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Widespread flooding, power outages hit Surry County
Surry County has been inundated with rain over the past 24 hours, with strong and gusty winds added to the mix overnight, shutting down schools, flooding businesses, and leaving thousands without power. Bands of heavy rain and high winds are sweeping ahead of the Hurricane Helene, which made landfall in Florida Thursday night and is creeping northward through Georgia and the Carolinas. The National Weather Service in Blacksburg, Virginia, continues...
North Carolina schools to operate remotely or close Friday as Hurricane Helene brings threats of severe weather
NORTH CAROLINA (WGHP) — Schools across the Piedmont Triad and surrounding areas will be closed on Friday, September 27 due to the threat of severe weather caused by Hurricane Helene, several school districts announced Thursday. At a press conference Thursday, Governor Roy Cooper emphasized the risks—including landslides, flash flooding, damaging debris flows, slope failure and […]
Pfafftown neighbors share concerns about ‘compound’
PFAFFTOWN, N.C. (WGHP) — A growing homeless encampment in Pfafftown has sparked concerns from neighbors who say they no longer feel safe in the area. The site, known locally as the “Pfafftown Compound,” has become the focus of both community members and county officials as they seek a resolution. Residents say the situation has escalated over […]
Stokes County Schools will be remote Friday due to Helene, severe weather
STOKES COUNTY, N.C. (WGHP) — Schools in Stokes County will be learning remotely on Friday due to severe weather, according to a Stokes County Schools statement posted to social media on Wednesday. We are expecting showers and thunderstorms to redevelop Wednesday evening, especially in the mountains and foothills. Highs will be in the lower-80s, and […]
History concerns halt house burn
There are numerous cases of historic homes being spared from the wrecking ball, but in Mount Airy’s case it was a controlled burn instead. The Mount Airy Fire Department was all set to torch a yellow house at 126 W. Church St., next to First Presbyterian Church, for instructional purposes. “We love to do live structural burns because that’s the best kind of training you can get,” Fire Chief Zane...
Plans cooking up for Sonker Festival
Fall is here, which means the annual Surry County Sonker Festival is just around the corner — scheduled for Oct. 5 to be exact. The annual event now in its 43rd year will be staged at the historic Edwards-Franklin House, a structure built in 1799 which is located at 4132 Haystack Road west of Mount Airy. It features live old-time and bluegrass music, tours of the house and other attractions. ...
County eyes significant renovations at Sheriff's Office
Roughly nine months ago the Surry County Sheriff’s Office successfully transferred the inmate population from the two former sections of the Surry County Detention Center to its gleaming new home on East Woltz Street in Dobson. With that move completed, the existing sheriff’s offices on N. Main Street in Dobson, and the two now decommissioned sections of the previous detention center, are being eyed for renovations that will create new offices and needed storage space and the board of commissioner approved funding for the architectural...
'Next step' taken on convention center
Another key development has occurred with plans to construct a much-anticipated convention/conference center on the former Spencer’s textile mill property in downtown Mount Airy. “No question this is a project we have all been waiting for,” City Manager Darren Lewis said during a meeting of the Mount Airy Board of Commissioners last Thursday night. During that session, the board voted unanimously in awarding a contract for architectural and engineering services...
Write-in candidate to run for Elkin School Board
Voters in Elkin will see a write-in slot on the ballot for the upcoming Elkin School Board city district race. This will be the first time since Board of Education elections in Surry County became partisan that a candidate will be campaigning as a write-in. WT Stille IV, who goes by the name ‘Ted’, said he was approached over the summer and asked to run for School Board in Elkin as word in the community spread that School Board Chairman Richard Brinegar, who is running...
Yadkin commissioner candidates take part in forum
The four candidates running for three open seats on the Yadkin County Board of Commissioners faced off on Tuesday evening in a forum hosted by the Yadkin County Chamber of Commerce. All four of the candidates are longtime Yadkin County residents who have numerous years of experience in government and service-related groups in the county. On the ballot in November for the board are incumbent David Moxley, joined by newcomers...
Have a list, back-up plan for emergencies
As part of Preparedness Month 2024 the Surry County Health & Nutrition Center is sharing tips to keep families safe. Recent unexpected heavy rains in North Carolina’s coastal communities have illustrated that an emergency situation can develop without much preamble and leave even seasoned residents in difficult situations for prolonged periods of time. While Surry County is less likely to feel the brunt of pounding rains from a slow-moving tropical system than folks living on the coast, those who live in the Yadkin Valley know...
Election official urges caution with voting related texts; public equipment testing planned for Friday
DANBURY — Stokes County Elections Director Jason Perry urges citizens to be wary of texts and messages related to voting in the upcoming election. Perry said he’s aware of individuals across the state — including himself — who have received such messages, and they’re not from a Board of Elections office. “My guess is that those sending the messages are well-intentioned and not scammers,” Perry said. “But I would caution...
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