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The Mount Airy News
Police reports
• A Mount Airy woman is facing a long list of charges stemming from a weekend incident, including speeding to elude arrest and driving while impaired, according to city police reports. Windy Renee Doss, 25, of 126 Summit Drive, was the subject of a traffic stop attempt early Saturday in which she allegedly failed to heed blue lights and sirens, prompting a vehicle pursuit. Doss, operating a 2003 Honda Civic,...
Changing road names concern residents
In a follow up to action taken by the Surry County Board of Commissioners at its June 3 meeting, where commissioners approved a list of names for new roads and changes to a handful of existing road names, more information was requested by the public. During the meeting, Chair Van Tucker called for a public hearing on the matter but there were no members of the community present to take part in the discussion. ...
Wet May follows dry April here
The timing has been off this spring for the weather gods, who failed to fulfill April’s rainy reputation by delivering abnormally dry conditions then — only to open up the skies in a big way during May. This included a whopping 7.96 inches of rain being measured last month at F.G. Doggett Water Plant in Mount Airy, the city’s official weather-monitoring station. The magnitude of this is even more noteworthy,...
Ground Steak star of the festival
For a day, Dobson was far more than the county seat, at least in the eyes of food enthusiasts. For food truck connoisseurs, the town was Ground Zero. Seafood, slushies, tacos, kettle corn, Japanese cuisine, various sorts of burgers, multiple flavors of frozen lemonade, even gourmet coffee — was all there. Yet a humble Surry County dish was the star of the show — the ground steak sandwich. Then again,...
Police reports
A Mount Airy woman has reported being scammed out of money, according to city police reports. Brenda Marshall Joyce, a resident of Essex Lane, told police that she was victimized on May 28, which records indicate involved a transaction through an unspecified bank/savings and loan institution by an unknown suspect. The exact monetary loss was not disclosed, nor was the means involved in the obtaining of property by false pretense...
Spencer's redo takes another step
Redevelopment efforts at the former Spencer’s textile mill property in downtown Mount Airy have taken another key — half-million-dollar-plus — step that will include work to support the new Balladeer Marriott hotel there. The Mount Airy Board of Commissioners voted unanimously last Thursday night to award a contract for Phase III of a multi-pronged plan to replace and/or extend all public infrastructure on and around the old industrial site. It...
Rotary pioneer to help mark local milestone
It’s not every day that a person or organization becomes 75 years old, and a local group soon will be celebrating that accomplishment in a major way. Dr. Sylvia Whitlock, the first female president of any Rotary club worldwide, is slated to be the keynote speaker when the Rotary Club of Mount Airy marks its three-quarters-of-a-century existence as a key service organization here. This will occur during a luncheon gathering...
Infamous 'Escape-proof jail' decommissioned
Transitioning from the old Surry County detention center to the new one took place some time ago and last week the board of commissioners and the Surry County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) took action to close the book on the long and storied history of what is now called the Judicial Center Annex. The board voted unanimously to draft a letter to state inspectors that signifies the former jail complex will no longer be used for any housing of inmates. but rather for office space and...
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The Surry County Board of Commissioners last week voted unanimously to send notification to state inspectors that the former wings of the detention center are no longer in use for housing of inmates. County Attorney Ed Woltz said that should free up the use of interior space there for any purpose the county sees fit — other than housing inmates.
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Lt. Randy Shelton of the Surry County Sherrif's Office gives a tour of the old jail facility in January. Last week, the board of county commissioners voted to send a letter to state inspectors declaring the 1974 and 2002 jail wings are no longer in use for housing.
Arts council awards nearly $3k in scholarships
The Surry Arts Council recently awarded more than $2,700 in scholarships to Surry County students who are pursuing a college degree in the arts. The scholarship committee which made the awards consisted of Henry Rowe, Kathy Pruett, Jennie Lowry, Sylvia Lowry, and Adam Rudisill. Marianna Juliana, contract and grant administrator for the Surry Arts Council, coordinated the process. Applications were received in dance/movement, design, drama, instrumental music, tv/film/communications, visual/fine art, and voice. ...
Up to 110 houses may be built locally
A major housing development is being proposed for Mount Airy, which could help alleviate a shortage of homes locally. “We’re talking about 100 to 110 houses,” Mayor Jon Cawley said after a city council meeting Thursday night. During that meeting, commissioners had voted 5-0 to schedule a public hearing for later this month on a request for the voluntary annexation of a parcel of about 32 acres to accommodate the...
Plants need good food for great start
Great organic food for veggies-flowers Flowers and vegetables are only as productive as what you feed them with. They need more than chemicals and fertilizer pellets. They need the food that boosts their growth cycle. There are many organic, healthy foods available that will provide nutrients for vegetables, flowers, flower beds and and plants that will get your vegetable garden off to a great start without use of chemicals which subtract from the plants rather than add important food values. Most garden centers and hardware’s...
Marriages
The following marriage licenses were issued in Surry County: - Isaiah James Shupe, 23, of Surry County to Leia Jaclyn Johnson, 20, of Surry County. - Carlton Henry Mabe II, 39, of Roanoke County, Virginia, to Kelly Kristina Leggett, 37, of Montgomery County, Virginia. - Jonah Vernal Myers, 20, of Bell County, Texas, to Tera...
A tradition millions of years in the making
Surry County has plenty of events which become so ingrained in people’s lives they become an annual rite of sorts. Folks plan family get-togethers around Mount Airy’s Autumn Leaves Festival, seemingly the entire Mayberry-loving world considers Mayberry Days their annual family reunion, and old time music lovers watch for the yearly Old Time Fiddlers and Bluegrass Convention with almost as much anticipation as children look forward to Christmas. Pilot Mountain...
Using movie character's name lands man in jail
Telling city police that his name was Jack Reacher turned out not to be a good idea for a Mount Airy man who wound up in the Surry County Jail as a result. The person whose actual identity is Ricky Mitchell Sheets, 38, of 145 N. Gilmer St., was encountered by at least three officers late last Saturday night. They were responding to an intoxicated-pedestrian call and found sheets sitting...
Gilley family subject of genealogical group meeting
The Surry County Genealogical Association will be meeting Monday at the Mount Airy Public Library, with Surry County native Wade Gilley Jr. the featured speaker. He will talk about his research in his family history, and a possible tie to “The Andy Griffith Show.” “Wade will talk about his researching into the Gilly line,” officials with the group said. “Wade also will show us how far back their line goes,...
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Established in 1880, The Mt. Airy News serves Surry County, North Carolina, and surrounding areas.
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