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Tom Gwyn remembered
The Elkin community is mourning the loss of former mayor Tom Gwyn who passed away on Friday at the age of 93. Gwyn was not born in Elkin but spent many years of his life serving the community in a variety of ways including a long tenure as mayor from 1981 to 2007. Gwyn and his wife Laura came to Elkin in 1957 after beginning their married life together in Poitiers, France. In addition to his 26 years as mayor of Elkin, Gwyn also served...
Grace Clinic provides free mammograms for patients in need
On April 30, Grace Clinic of Yadkin Valley, in collaboration with Hugh Chatham Health and Foundation For The Carolinas, hosted a mammogram clinic. There were 15 uninsured patients provided with a free screening mammogram. Grace Clinic is a free, nonprofit medical home for uninsured/underinsured, low-income, and Medicaid/Medicare patients. Grace Clinic patients who were seen at this mammogram clinic were well past due for their screening mammograms due to lack of...
Threat of storms can't drown out wine fest fun
Cloudy skies threatened a wash out but that did not deter wine lovers from coming to enjoy the 21st annual Yadkin Valley Wine Festival. Yadkin Valley Chamber President David Steelman said an estimated 3,000 guests attended Saturday’s festival at Elkin Municipal Park. “Considering the weather forecast all week long, which wasn’t good, we’re just really surprised and amazed we’ve got this many people,” Steelman said Saturday. As of mid-day the rain and storms had held off and folks were busy perusing the food and vendor...
Strawberry harvest half done? Still time to pick your own
Halfway into the strawberry harvest May has reached its halfway point and so has the strawberry season. There are three more weeks for enjoying the strawberry harvest. The pick-your-own fields are still colorful with white blooms and bright red tart berries. They are ready for picking or the strawberry farmers will pick them for you. Always call ahead if you need them ready-picked. As the season progresses, it’s a good idea to check and see if the fields are open all day. The warm May...
NC Trail Days 2024 brings events to Jonesville May 30 – June 2
The fifth annual NC Trail Days Festival is planned for May 30 through June 2 with events happening in Jonesville and Elkin. Elkin and Jonesville have become destinations for hikers, paddlers and nature-lovers as the region boasts three great state trails: the NC Mountains-to-Sea Trail, the Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail, and the Yadkin River State Trail. Jonesville will host numerous events during the festival including trivia night, night hikes,...
Strickland, Sechrist reach 1A Tennis semifinals
Mount Airy’s Kannon Strickland and Connor Sechrist made it all the way to the 2A Doubles State Semifinals before falling to the eventual champions. Strickland, a 2023 doubles state runner-up, returned for his second state tournament, while Sechrist made his first appearance. The pair entered states as the No. 3 seed from the 1A West. Strickland/Sechrist opened the tournament with a 6-2, 6-0 quarterfinal victory over Rosewood’s Joseph Bailey/Aedan Peacock. ...
Bovender elected new president of YVUF
David Steelman, Executive Director of the Yadkin Valley United Fund, has announced that Mike Bovender will assume the duties of President June 1, 2024. Along with being President he is one of the owners of Surry Maintenance, Chief of Elkin Rescue Squad, and Treasurer of the Yadkin Valley Chamber of Commerce. Other officers elected were Wendy Wood, Surry-Yadkin Electric President Elect; Justin Roberts, First Community Bank Vice President; Missy Shore, SECU, Treasurer; and Denny Lazar, Elkin Vine Line Past President. ...
Memorial Day ceremonies planned locally
The annual Memorial Day service in Yadkin County is scheduled for 11 a.m. on Monday, May 27 at the Yadkin County Park, located at 6600 Service Rd. in Yadkinville. Local Boy Scouts will lead the pledge of allegiance for the ceremony. Taking part in the service will be Yadkin County Veterans Council Chairman James Cline, Eddie Vogler, representing American Legion Post 336, Ricky Taylor, representing American Legion Post 505, Steve Mosteller, representing VFW Post 10346. ...
Guest Column: A tribute to EHS music teacher Tonya Smith
The year was 1976. I was in Mrs. Fosters fifth grade class at North Elkin Middle School. As a new arrival to North Elkin, I learned of the annual talent show. Time to let this place know that I’ve arrived. There was only one thing to do — gift the adoring crowd with my rendition of “Bad, Bad Leroy Brown” by Jim Croce. I knew the words by heart. I sang along with the radio every time it played. Mrs. Foster said there was a little girl in the seventh grade that could play the piano, and might be persuaded...
Elkin loses in 2nd round of tournament, East Wilkes still dancing
The 2024 1A NCHSAA Softball State Championship Tournament is well underway. East Wilkes is the only local team which remains in play. Elkin High School easily won their first round game against the Cardinals of Cornerstone Charter School, 15-0, with the game ending after only 3 innings of play. However, the Lady Elks fell short in play with the Rowdy Rebel Bulls of South Stanly High School on Friday, May 10. The Bulls had a strong sixth inning to end the Buckin’ Elks season, 3-5. ...
Elkin Wet Lightning summer swim team registration open
On-line registration for the Elkin Wet Lightning summer swim team is now open for all area swimmers ages 5 thru 18 (age as of June 1, 2024). EWL is a summer rec program that competes within the Blue Ridge Swim League. Swimmers will have the opportunity to practice each weekday morning and then compete with teams in Dobson, Mount Airy, Hillsville, Galax and Wytheville, Virginia. EWL’s head coach again this year will be Caeson Baker, a college junior at UNC-Wilmington and long-time swimmer under the direction of legendary Elkin High School coach, Oz Prim. Prim, and his daughter, Julianna, will...
Welborn signs with Catawba College
Elkin High School senior and stand-out swimmer, Sophie Welborn, has signed her National Letter of Intent to swim for Catawba College in Salisbury. Welborn remarked, “My family and I visited six colleges across four different states, each of them had some of the things I was looking for, but none of them felt like home. I chose Catawba because it checked all the boxes that were important to me. Catawba has a young coach that has a record of building upon the previous year’s successes. The team chemistry and energy was amazing and it’s a smaller college that is really...
Yadkin County teacher earns ‘Going Local’ grant
RALEIGH — North Carolina Farm Bureau has awarded Yadkin County teacher Ashley Gentle, of Yadkinville Elementary School, an Ag in the Classroom “Going Local” grant. “There is no more valuable resource in North Carolina than our students and the teachers charged with their education,” said North Carolina Farm Bureau President Shawn Harding. “Through our Ag in the Classroom program, the state’s farmers are investing in the future leaders of North Carolina, as well as the future of agriculture, which is the state’s top economic sector.” ...
Blevins resigns from Elkin School Board
During the public comment portion of Monday’s Elkin City Schools Board of Education meeting, school board member Johnny Blevins submitted his resignation. Blevins was elected to the board in 2022. He is leaving due to an upcoming move outside the school district. “I do thank you for the opportunity to serve. It’s been my honor and privilege,” Blevins said. “I wish the school system well. My children were raised in it. My wife taught in it. I love the people of Elkin, the people of...
Blevins resigns from Elkin School Board
During the public comment portion of Monday’s Elkin City Schools Board of Education meeting, school board member Johnny Blevins submitted his resignation. Blevins was elected to the board in 2022. He is leaving due to an upcoming move outside the school district. “I do thank you for the opportunity to serve. It’s been my honor and privilege,” Blevins said. “I wish the school system well. My children were raised in it. My wife taught in it. I love the people of Elkin, the people of...
‘Dialed in’ Bears shut out Rams
Mount Airy took care of business by defeating Highland Tech 8-0 on May 10. The Granite Bears allowed just two hits while racking up 10 in the shutout. The victory sent Mount Airy to the Sweet 16 for the second time in three seasons. “That’s how the No. 1-ranked team is supposed to win,” said Mount Airy coach Josh Wilson. “That’s a pretty good baseball team with some pretty good...
Yadkin Valley Festival toasts NC’s top wine region
ELKIN — The Yadkin Valley Wine Festival celebrates North Carolina’s premier wine region each spring with a day of wine, food, music and art. This year’s festival is set for Saturday, May 18, at Elkin Municipal Park and features 16 wineries from Yadkin Valley wine country. The park setting allows patrons to bring chairs or blankets and spend the afternoon relaxing in the sun or under shade trees. “It’s nice...
Shots fired near West Yadkin Elementary
On Friday evening at 7:40 p.m., the Yadkin County Sheriff’s Office received a call of shots fired near the area of sports fields at West Yadkin Elementary School. It was reported that fired rounds had impacted a building on the campus during a sports event. According to the Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to the area and found evidence of the rounds hitting a concession stand. From that evidence they were able to determine a direction, then location from which the shots were fired. At the...
Yadkin Early College Class of 2024
Yadkin Early College students concluded their high school careers on Friday with a commencement ceremony held at Union Grove Baptist Church in Yadkinville. All of the 54 graduates completed college credits in addition to receiving their high school diploma, with most also obtaining an associates degree from Surry Community College. Yadkin Early College Teacher of the Year Blake Johnson was among those who addressed the graduates during the ceremony. Johnson has taught at the Yadkin Early College for 13 years. ...
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Established in 1911, The Tribune serves Surry, Wilkes and Yadkin counties in North Carolina.
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