Five local companies have placed trees with special decorations, such as this one. Each decoration lists a person who will receive gifts through the Become Santa Claus to Senior Citizens program.

Amid all the fast-paced excitement of Christmas, one part of society-the elderly-sometimes gets lost in the shuffle, but an annual gift program was launched in Airy Mountain to help fill this gap.

The goal of the national "Being Santa Claus to Senior Citizens" campaign is to senior citizens. They may live a life of isolation or they would not receive any gifts at all. At the same time, it provides basic necessities that some people may not be able to afford in times of inflation.

"It's now in progress," Mary McHugh, spokesperson for the effort here, said on Thursday. It is regularly led by the family alternative senior care in the local area to provide door-to-door services for this group of people.

Home Instead, work with non-profit organizations and community organizations to determine that elderly residents in the area can now benefit from the Mount Airy gift program. According to McHugh, it will last until December 3.

The mechanism for achieving this goal involves placing Christmas trees in different locations around the town, decorated with ornaments containing the names of seniors and gifts they want.

• Pages Books and Coffee, 192 N. Main St., Mount Airy;

• Belk at Mayberry Mall, 388 Frederick St.;

• CF Jones Restaurant, 976 W. Pine St;

• Goin' Postal at 707 W. Pine St.

Individuals only need to visit the holiday trees in the listed locations, select decorations, buy the gifts they need, and then pack or unpack them and return them to the store with decorations.

The information provided by McHugh mentioned that blankets, adult diapers and toiletries are just some of the basic necessities on the holiday wish list for seniors this year as part of this year's plan. Other gifts can include clothes and common items to make your day full of energy.

Shoppers are encouraged to buy as many gifts as possible for the elderly, and these gifts will be delivered to the recipients in time during the holiday season.

Even with the pandemic raging, about 500 people will still receive assistance in the Mount Airy area in 2020, compared with more than 400 people in the previous year.

"We can meet the demand, which is great," McHugh added on Thursday.

This year, the coverage of the program has been expanded, and it is expected that approximately 600 people will benefit.

In addition to the physical aspect of the gift, the organizers said that the plan is a way to remind the elderly community to cherish them, while ensuring that the neglected elderly feel the warmth of the holiday again this year.

Van Lankford, the owner of the Home Also office that serves Surrey and surrounding counties, believes this can help eliminate holiday depression, and he says that small acts of kindness can have a big impact in this regard.

Lankford said in a statement: "During the pandemic, we have all experienced feelings of loneliness, and the elderly are at a particularly high risk of isolation."

“Santa Claus who has become an elderly person shows to the elderly in our community that they are valued and considered during the holidays,” he further said. "Finding ways to care and support each other is now more important than ever, and we thank the community for participating every year."

Tom Joyce's contact information is 336-415-4693 or Twitter @Me_Reporter.

The board is still considering the choice of Jones school

Ruritans donates to community causes

Then there is one.

Three months after hiring a new city manager for Mount Airy across the country, the field has been significantly reduced.

"We have narrowed it down to one candidate," Mayor Ron Niland said when he updated the process for him and Mount Airy committee members to replace long-term manager Barbara Jones.

The finalists for this job attracted a total of 21 applicants, who have not yet been determined and are waiting for further negotiations, which may involve salary and other issues.

"We are negotiating with the candidate and reaching some kind of agreement," Nilande said.

Due to personnel issues, at a board meeting on Thursday night, a closed-door meeting discussed continuing efforts to hire new city managers.

Jones announced her retirement on September 9 and took effect on October 1, ending her 30-year career in the city government. She has been a city manager since August 2010 and became the first woman in Mount Airy's history to hold this position.

When Jones' resignation was disclosed, Nilande announced immediate efforts to secure her successor.

After 21 applicants applied before the November 1 deadline, officials decided who to interview, and the number was then reduced to five.

Nilan said this number includes two people living in North Carolina, as well as people from Virginia, Georgia and Texas.

As the discussion is still ongoing, he declined to reveal the location of the finalists.

But according to the mayor, a new city manager will soon be appointed in Mount Airy to guide the day-to-day operations of the city government, which has approximately 170 full-time employees.

"We expect to complete this work in the first week of January," he said of filling the vacancy.

Mount Airy officials believe that such a timing is critical because preparations for the annual city budget began that month.

Since Jones left, Darren Lewis, the director of parks and entertainment, has been serving as an interim manager while taking care of his day-to-day duties.

• According to the city police report, the Mount Airy man was arrested on suspicion of threatening to shoot his son.

It is said that the incident occurred on Wednesday at the residence of 70-year-old Frankie Lee Shuff at 217 Burgundy Road. He shared the residence with his son Barry Donnell Shuff.

Later that day, Elder Shuff was accused of communicating threats. He was detained in Surrey County Jail with a deposit of $500 and is scheduled to appear in the District Court on January 3.

• On Tuesday, a crime involving property damage occurred at the Lady Bug coin laundry at 615 South Street. A water valve in the shop was targeted by an unknown person. The loss is set at $50.

• Rebecca Odell Hylton, 38, from 308 New Crosswinds Drive, faces a long list of drug and theft-related felony charges that stemmed from an incident at Walmart on December 6, where she allegedly stole value A variety of beauty and cosmetics products for US$132 and US$16 were found to possess controlled narcotics. Police records show that it includes a white rock-like substance and a brown sticky substance.

Hylton was charged with fraud/identity theft (details not listed), possession of Schedule I controlled substances, and possession of Schedule II controlled substances, these are felony, and five misdemeanors: theft; possession of stolen goods; carrying concealment Weapons; resist, delay or obstruct public officials; and possess drug paraphernalia.

She was also found to be the subject of two pending arrest warrants for failing to appear in Surrey County Court on November 9 and September 22. Hylton was jailed for $38,000 in secured bonds, scheduled for Monday in Surrey District Court.

• Dollar General on North Renfro Street was the scene of the theft on December 6, when “miscellaneous hygiene goods” worth $10 were taken away by an unidentified suspect, hid and left the store.

The Small Business Center of Surrey Community College will provide free online webinars in January and February. These webinars cover various topics such as e-commerce, networking and website building

The Facebook Shops and Facebook Marketplace webinars will be held on January 20th from 6pm to 8pm. Marketplace is a way to market your small business and sell in your local area. Customers can browse your list or search for nearby items to find good things to buy.

Small business website building 101 and 102 webinars will be held from 6 pm to 9 pm on January 24. This seminar can help you quickly design a website for your business without having to master a small amount of technical knowledge.

The webinar on the building blocks of the Small Business Network will be held on January 26 from 1pm to 2pm. The seminar will teach the importance of doing things virtual and doing business actively. This seminar will be held again on February 2nd from 1pm to 2pm

The webinar on turning prospects into profitability will be held from 1pm to 2pm on February 9. The importance of social media to establish virtual connections and community outreach to establish connections. This seminar will be held again on February 16th from 1pm to 2pm

The webinar "Understanding the eBay Store: Selling from Your eBay Site" will be held on February 10th from 6pm to 8pm. This hands-on course will provide a step-by-step approach for individuals preparing to become eBay store owners. You will learn how to launch, brand and optimize your eBay store website.

The webinar "How to start a small business" will be held from 6 pm to 8 pm on February 15th. In this seminar, you will learn the basics of entrepreneurship and turn you from an idea into an opportunity. Understand the key strategies of start-up, financing and marketing, as well as important information about legal issues, permits, zoning, operations, etc.

To register for an upcoming virtual seminar or view a complete list of upcoming Small Business Center products, please visit www.surry.edu/sbc. After registering for the webinar, a link to join the event will be emailed to you.

For information on confidentiality, one-on-one consultations and resource recommendations, please contact SBC Director Mark Harden at hardenm@surry.edu, or call 336-386-3685.

The Small Business Center provides seminars, workshops, resources and consulting for potential business owners and existing business owners. SCC Small Business Center has facilities in Dobson, Elkin, Mount Airy, Pilot Mountain and Yadkinville.

Surrey County has issued the following marriage certificates:

– Richard Knight Catania, 25, of Montgomery County, Virginia, and McKenzie Anderson Cooper, 24, of Montgomery County.

– James Harlan Simmons, 66, Surrey County, and Glenda Jane Lowe, 48, Surrey County.

– John Asten Shelley IV, 24, Surrey County, and Alexis Kailey Sweat, 22, Rock Island County.

– Marcos Lovaton, 26, in Surrey County, to Zaide Moran Munoz, 23, in Jalpandesella County.

– Dalton Lee Castle, 18, from Russell County, Virginia, to 16, from Madison Grace Mullins, Buchanan County, Virginia.

– Francisco Javier Olmos Martinez, 41, of Surrey County, and Alexis Marie Gammons, 22, of Surrey County .

Contrary to the reversal, Mount Airy officials have allocated US$400,000 in city funds to the Surrey Arts Council to help it complete the construction of the multifunctional facility.

On Thursday night, the Mount Airy Committee voted 4-1 to approve the effective cancellation action taken in June 2020. The committee subsequently decided with a 3-2 result that it would not fulfill the $1 million pledge made to the art group in 2019 before the board composition changed to hold municipal elections in the same year.

This amount will be paid in increments of US$200,000 per year over five years to support the construction project. But after the three new commissioners took office, most of them decided to keep the $200,000 provided by the Surrey Arts Council for the fiscal year in 2020, covering the term of the previous commissioners-out of respect for them-but denied the rest 1,000,000.

The then Mayor David Rowe voted a tie for the cancellation of funds supported by new commissioners Tom Koch and Marie Wood and opposed by long-term board members Jon Cawley and Steve Yokeley. Ron Niland, now the mayor of Mount Airy, but then its general commissioner, did not attend that meeting, so Rowe's intervention was required.

Fast forward to Thursday night. Cowley, Yorkley, Wood, and Commissioner Joe Zalessik voted in favor of the grant of $400,000, which was formally requested by the art organization on December 2, and Koch adopted him. The same position proposed in 2020.

Koch said at the time that he could not support the long-term funding of the arts organization because the city needs new police, fire and sanitation vehicles, and these projects should take priority over assisting external groups.

On Thursday night, he once again expressed his financial concerns about the Surrey Arts Council’s funding. According to the budget amendment, this funding will come from the municipal fund balance or savings, of which 400,000 U.S. dollars.

Koch accused the city government of "no comments" on the plan for the new art facility, which is now taking shape along Rockford Street near the Blackmond Amphitheater and Mount Airy Public Library. Construction of the facility began on September 27.

This includes the inability to review the building specifications, which he said may reduce the cost of the project, with a price tag of $3.5 million, and Koch questioned whether expensive materials such as marble are part of it. He expressed further concern that the Surrey Arts Council had started construction without obtaining all the necessary funds.

Koch also reiterated his previous request for the organization to provide financial records when the board of directors met earlier this month, including recent balance sheets.

"I made a request two weeks ago, but got nothing," a North Ward representative said of the financial data.

Koch tried to postpone the vote on funding on Thursday night until he got some answers, but without success, he said it would be "cautious."

Koch’s concerns were addressed by Tanya Jones, executive director of the Surrey Arts Council, who attended the meeting on Thursday.

Jones said the art group tried to plan the facility in a financially responsible way. "There is no marble in the building," she once commented on Koch's statement about this material.

In the more than four years since the project was formed, the Surrey Arts Council has been cooperating with the city government—from day one, Jones continued.

She said that in order to comply with the contribution of other funding sources to the multifunctional facility, construction began at the beginning.

Jones also repeatedly disclosed at the board meeting on December 2 that the financial records of the Surrey Arts Committee requested by Koch have been filed with City Hall because they were submitted during the annual budget process. Commissioner Joe Zalescik said that financial information about the group is also available online.

"The funds left to raise are $800,000," Jones said of all the crooks and turns that brought the project to this point. "We are short of 800,000 US dollars."

Surrey County officials have been asked to provide the remaining $400,000 needed, but they have not taken any action.

"As the board of directors, we did not commit $400,000," said Larry Johnson, the county commissioner representing the Mount Airy district.

After the Surrey Arts Council board members delivered a speech on December 2, the city commissioner touted the new facility and the expected tourism benefits of other SAC facilities such as the Andy Griffith Museum by a 4-1 vote.

Its new multifunctional facilities will include offices, classrooms and exhibition spaces, including a museum and a statue dedicated to the original Siamese twins who lived near Mount Airy in the 1800s. Accommodation for artists and scholars to give lectures will also be provided with public toilets.

Once completed, the city government will own the building and lease the facility to art groups.

Those committee members who supported the US$400,000 grant did not make any comments to emphasize their position on Thursday night.

But Cowley said at the December 2 meeting that he fully supports this initiative:

"I look forward to voting yes to support this."

Edward Jones Financial Advisor Tammy Joyce from Mount Airy attended the Barron 2021 Top Women Advisors Summit which was almost held from December 7th to 11th. This is the eighth time Joyce has participated in an invitation-only event.

The conference brought together some of the most accomplished women in the wealth management field in the United States to discuss their practices and investment portfolios, and enabled them to connect with their peers and discuss challenges and opportunities.

"The summit is a rare learning opportunity, and I am very fortunate to have this opportunity to learn from my industry peers," Joyce said. "I am very happy to incorporate the knowledge I have learned into my practice and the services I provide to customers."

Edward Jones is a Fortune 500 company headquartered in St. Louis that provides financial services in the United States and through its subsidiaries in Canada. The company's nearly 19,000 financial advisers provide services to more than 7 million clients, with total assets under management of US$1.8 trillion.

The Mount Airy High School Quiz Bowl team ranked first in the Virtual Fall Championship League with a score of 10-0 this season. The virtual winter league will begin at the end of January, and the team will also participate in the Mount Airy Public Library's quiz bowl competition on February 19th at the Andy Griffith Theater.

The students of Central Middle School have been enjoying their new extracurricular classes this year.

Thanks to Stephanie Boone Cook (Stephanie Boone Cook) for receiving a grant from the North Carolina Outdoor Advisory Committee, the school can use this space for outdoor learning. This space contains whiteboards, picnic tables and other useful tools to help students make the most of outdoor learning.

Surrey Community College Small Business Center (SBC) Director Mark Harden (Mark Harden) has received a Level 2 certification award from the Small Business Center Network of the North Carolina Community College System.

The award was presented to Harden in recognition of his completion of the required training milestones in the certification program. The award is based in part on active partnerships with federal, state, county, and municipal agencies and organizations.

Harden's work includes providing seminars for the U.S. Small Business Administration, the North Carolina Secretary of State, and the North Carolina Department of Revenue. SBC and Harden also work with Thread Capital (North Carolina Rural Center), North Carolina Small Business Technology and Development Center, local chambers of commerce, and economic development partnerships for various economic development activities and other community activities.

During his three years as the director of the SCC Small Business Center, Harden made a significant contribution to the community. He won the Rookie of the Year award for the North Carolina Small Business Center in 2020.

Harden advised hundreds of aspiring entrepreneurs and small business owners while supporting small business entrepreneurship, creating more than 150 new and reserved jobs in the area. In addition, during his tenure, SCC SBC held more than 100 business seminars in the region, with nearly 1,000 attendees.

Consulting and seminars cover a variety of important topics, including business planning, capital financing, e-commerce, marketing, accounting, QuickBooks, income tax, sales tax, licenses/permits, website design, etc.

Harden works with the local community to support American Express’s Shop Local activities and serves many economic development and workforce training committees in the region to provide services to the local community. He participated in leading Surrey County and leading Yadkin County.

For information on confidentiality, one-on-one consultation and resource recommendations, please contact Harden at hardenm@surry.edu or call 336-386-3685.

The Small Business Center provides seminars, workshops, resources and consulting for potential business owners and existing business owners. SCC Small Business Center has facilities in Dobson, Elkin, Mount Airy, Pilot Mountain and Yadkinville.

To register for an upcoming virtual seminar or view a complete list of upcoming Small Business Center products, please visit www.surry.edu/sbc.

During the donation season, United Surrey Foundation officials hope to remind people to consider donating to their institutions, which in turn can help other organizations.

Melissa Hiatt, executive director of the Surrey United Fund, said on Thursday: "There are 15 days left this year to give and receive charitable deductions."

She said this year—the second year that fundraising activities were affected by the coronavirus pandemic—is different from the past few years. The Surrey Joint Fund's fundraising goal this year is US$430,000, and this money will be used to support its 26 member institutions.

Hiatt said: "Although the event is going well and the gift is a little early, the demand is much higher." "Surrey County is very helpful, but also very educated. Although we are fortunate to have multiple non-residents in the community. For-profit organizations, but there are still unmet needs. New non-profit organizations have emerged this year, and some have sought support from the joint fund. It is not clear whether the new request meets the funding criteria, but we hope to be prepared to support citizens in need, "she says.

The mission of the Surrey United Fund is to strengthen and support the community. The services provided by 26 member institutions focus on youth and family services, elderly services, crisis intervention and medical intervention.

"All donations are supported by citizens of Surrey County, and there is no administrative cost to leave the county," Hiatt said. The motto of the Surrey United Fund is #keepitlocalsurrey.

"No matter which path you choose, #keepitlocalsurry means that your investment in the community is having an immeasurable impact. You are improving the quality of life of those who need help most now and in the future," Hiatt said.

Individuals can help support the joint fund and its work in the community in many ways. These include:

– Initiate or participate in workplace donation activities, allow the company's offices or branches to donate, volunteer services and speak out for important causes;

– Donate online at http://www.unitedfundofsurry.org/donate;

– Mail the donation to PO Box 409, Mount Airy, NC 27030;

– Make a legacy gift: a gift to the joint fund to ensure the maximum use of U.S. dollars to support the community in the coming years. Call 336-789-3087 to discuss leftover gifts;

– Volunteer to serve on a committee of the Joint Fund Board of Directors.

For more information about the Surrey County Joint Fund, please visit http://www.unitedfundofsurry.org/

Access to services may be a common complaint of marginalized groups, whose dissatisfaction sometimes requires legal action to bring about change. But there are situations where you can't wait and you need to adopt innovative methods to solve persistent problems.

When it comes to getting care for those struggling with substance use disorders in Surrey County, a big obstacle is getting patients to get the care they need. A transportation plan was launched in May, funded by the county and a grant called "Ride the Road to Recovery." This funding enables the team to hire employees and purchase vehicles used to transport patients to treatment.

"Many people with substance use disorders don't have enough transportation to receive treatment, mainly in Surrey County cities, so we have to go to them to provide them," said Nathan Walls of the county manager's office.

Since the start of the program, the number of ride requests has risen at a certain rate, which shows how much this transportation service is needed and appreciates that it may continue to develop. The county’s report stated: “The number of requests increased from 31 in June to 122 in October, and they are rising every month.

“Between July and August, the number of people almost doubled, from 41 to 79. Starting in May, the number of travelers increased from 13 to 55 in June, and 129 in July. 145 passengers, 195 in September and 256 in October. This means that the total number of passengers has increased by more than 1,869%."

This growth means that the program needs help in the form of volunteer drivers. A newly launched volunteer driver program called TIRES (Common Desired Outcome Successfully Emerged) is looking for volunteers who will operate the planned vehicles and transport residents to the required services.

This new method of providing patients with the care they need through the use of volunteer drivers may be at the forefront. It is considered the only program of this kind in North Carolina, and there are no other documents in states where “other local governments mainly provide transportation services for drug abuse patients”.

Getting people in need to receive treatment is only part of the goal of Ride the Road to Recovery. In addition to those important journeys to treatment, "it is also necessary to go to medical treatment, probation, court, TASC, vocational rehabilitation and NC Works to make appointments because they have no other way to get there," said Mark Willis, director of the county's drug abuse recycling department. Say.

“If we are really helping people on the road to recovery, the only thing we can do is to connect county residents with their other needs. Thanks to the comprehensive understanding of the recovery and our marketing efforts, we have seen an increase in passengers. "

The TIRES program has just been launched and, as the transportation coordinator Deborah Giep said, it gives residents of Surrey County the opportunity to contact neighbors in need and help them.

She said that concerns about COVID-19 may raise concerns about participation, but the county is providing these personal safety items for riders and drivers. "We provide safety equipment; if there is no mask, every rider will get a mask."

Earlier this year, the Surrey County Substance Abuse Recovery Office asked the public to participate in a survey of their experiences and perceptions about substance abuse disorders and those who struggle with the disease. From February 8th to April 14th, 730 copies of VOICES were collected. The participation of cross-population groups and the supplementary answers from more than 200 members of the public provide a snapshot of the community’s understanding and views on the issue.

From these 730 surveys, it was found that people have a broad understanding of the continuing drug abuse problem in this field, and an equally alarming number of participants stated that it is easy to find drugs in their communities.

In the 677 responses to the question “Do you know that local families are negatively affected by opioid use?” 588 people said yes. They knew that there was such a family, which was 87% of the respondents.

"Do you think your community has an opioid addiction problem?" 97.8% of the answers were yes.

When asked whether "Illegal opioids, including illegal prescription drugs and heroin, are everywhere in my community", 94.1% of people answered that they found these drugs easy to find.

One data point shows that over the years, public perceptions of substance use disorders have changed. The communities surveyed were provided with options regarding what the root cause of substance use disorders might be: choice, moral deficiencies, or illness. Residents of Surrey County acknowledge the consensus of medical professionals that these people are coping with the disease.

Pastor Michel Mathis said in a video on SurryCountyCares.com that for some people who regard substance use disorders as moral depravity, she wants to remind them: “None of us is not sinful. Jesus even said, who doesn’t Sin, whoever can throw the first stone." She remembered a sentence she had borrowed from a pastor in Ohio, do you want to be a stone thrower-or do you want to sit down and help like him?

Addiction is a chronic and debilitating disease, and despite best efforts, some people still cannot recover. This does not mean that you will not try your best. Helping neighbours in need and getting them to receive treatments that can change the trajectory of their lives can be a game-changing experience for the suffering people and their loved ones.

According to data from the Surrey County Drug Abuse Website, for every dollar spent on prevention, you can save $10 in long-term treatment costs alone. Sending a person to an institution such as Daymark for treatment can prevent a range of other problems related to withdrawal. The reduction in the number of people looking for unlocked doors at gas stations will also be positive for the entire community.

"They saw the light," Giep said of the participants in the "Road to Recovery", "(They) want to continue this route and journey, and look forward to completing their plan."

These programs exist, and subsidies for vehicles and county staff are in place to promote ride-sharing programs. What is needed now is the driver and ask the community for help.

To request a ride or become a volunteer driver from the transportation plan, residents should call Deborah Giep at 336-401-8266 or submit a message on www.surrycountycares.com/transportation.

Mount Airy officials are considering amending the city's zoning regulations to manage subletting housing — and action is planned to be taken on Thursday night — following Church Street residents complaining that there is a temporary accommodation facility nearby.

This happened earlier this fall because the activity surrounding a boarding house at 204 W. Church St. caused concern among neighbors, who were prompted to resolve the issue at the public forum of the City Council meeting.

"The police carried out a lot of activities," said Elizabeth McDowell, a spokesperson for the forum, who claimed to be a former military flight nurse and lived across the street from the room in question.

"We are all very dissatisfied with this," said Daphne Ayers, another West Church Street resident, who mentioned that the problem was caused by the short-term existence of monthly renters.

According to Ayres, it started as a three-bedroom, one-bathroom house purchased by a young local resident, and later had more bedroom and bathroom space. I don’t know the maximum number of people staying there at a given time.

"We think it's people coming and going," Ayers added when referring to the vehicles parked there. Another spokesperson said that the vehicles displayed permit labels from all over the United States, including Texa. States such as Sri Lanka and Arizona. "We have met the police many times there."

McDowell said that her two teenage daughters were uncomfortable getting in the car every day to go to school because of the safety issues in the subletting house that she referred to as a "public nuisance" on the forum.

"So we need to involve this security issue."

Another forum speaker, Tim Ayers, pointed out that as a community located in the R-6 (general residential) area, although apartments are located there, it is mainly composed of single-family houses.

But he said that the existence of the subletting house has greatly damaged its character.

Tim Ayres told city officials that 15 families have been on the record and opposed the use.

He said: "We don't want to have a sublet near us."

Daphne Ayers said: “We want to change the regulations to prevent this from happening,” the forum’s comments suggest not only to ban such places in the city in the future, but also to ban the existence of such places.

McDowell referred to the language in the Mount Airy Act, which pointed out that the purpose of these laws is to promote public health, safety, ethics, and the general welfare of citizens.

Mount Airy Planning Director Andy Goodall responded to residents’ concerns and pointed out that the sublet did not have a city permit because the owner of the property decided to abandon the use.

According to the planning director, strict building codes are the reason for this.

But Goodall said that the Mount Airy Planning Committee-an advisory group of members-will discuss and consider how to deal with changes in dormitories and boarding houses that the city allows.

Now, with the development of proposed amendments to the regulations, this has happened, which will require public hearings before the changes can be approved and implemented. The committee members are expected to schedule a hearing at a meeting on Thursday night at another board meeting to be held at 6 pm on January 20

A proposed change in Mount Airy's residential use guidelines would involve the deletion of the term "boarding/subletting" and replacing it with a separate sublet — divided into temporary and non-temporary facilities.

A temporary dormitory is defined as any single residential unit containing no more than five rooms, limited to the number of people paying rent, and temporarily designated as less than 30 days.

Before issuing an operating certificate, such facilities must meet the city's minimum housing standards and state building codes.

The proposed amendment also requires a resident manager to supervise the house.

Each room needs a parking space, and the manager needs a parking space, located on the side or back of the building.

The wording that allows boarding/dormitories to be provided in R-20 (single-family housing), R-6 (general housing), and R-4 (office-residential) partitions was broken in the revision package.

According to city government documents, only R-4 areas that have obtained special use permits are allowed to use temporary facilities and provide more leeway for non-temporary facilities.

• According to a report from the Mount Airy Police Department, a man in Ararat, Virginia, was sentenced to jail for a huge deposit after he was found to be a fugitive after receiving a call from a suspicious vehicle.

Catlin Joe Moncus, 36, lives at 3321 Willis Gap Road. He ran into police officers at the Jasper Pointe apartment near North Franklin Road late Saturday night. They found his name was listed on the National Crime Database because he was in Virginia. Wanted for something unspecified.

Moncus was also found to be the subject of a pending arrest warrant because he failed to appear in court in Surrey County. He was detained in the county jail with a deposit of US$50,000 and plans to appear in court in Dobson on January 3.

• Christopher Reuben Clark, 38, from 274 Hiatt Road, was charged with theft at Walmart on Monday, where management allegedly found him hiding stolen goods. The commodities involved are not specified.

Clark is scheduled to appear in Surrey District Court on January 7 and was barred from entering Walmart's property.

• Two women face charges of theft and drugs due to the incident in the Dollar General store on South Main Street on November 25.

Police records show that 34-year-old Ashley Luann Goins lives at 511 Gillespie Street in Dobson. After searching her purse for possible causes, she was found to have miscellaneous cosmetics and hair products worth $37. , And found it intact. She was accused of theft and possession of Schedule II controlled substances, Schedule III controlled substances and Schedule IV controlled substances.

Sophia Danielle Shelton, 25, was listed as homeless and was allegedly also found carrying stolen goods and illegal drugs, and was charged with hiding goods, possessing stolen goods and possession of accessories. Table III Controlled substances.

In the incident, oxycodone and alprazolam pills as well as Suboxone bars and an unknown white powder were seized and sent to the state crime laboratory for analysis.

The two women are scheduled to appear in the district court on Monday.

Pilot Hill-A group of regional veterans received a special salute in recognition of their long record of serving former soldiers.

This involves the 75th Diamond Jubilee Award presented during the 9436 Mountain Veterans Party of Foreign War Pilots held earlier this month, marking the overall service provided to the veteran community over the years.

Visiting VFW officials from the state and district levels attended that occasion, which took place at a Christmas dinner provided by its lady support staff for the group.

The postal commander Kembold explained on Thursday that mountain veterans of foreign war aviators have existed for about 40 years.

However, over time, it has been combined with VFW positions in Pinnacle, King and Collinstown. King VFW was launched after World War II and won the 75th Diamond Jubilee Award for its long life.

Byrd said that the Pilot Mountain position has been officially recognized because it is now a pioneer in all other positions.

The combined organization has 60 members, representing multiple communities involved.

Byrd served in the U.S. Navy during the conflict in Lebanon in the 1980s. He said the Pilot Mountain VFW Group was involved in many activities to help former military personnel and raise their awareness.

This includes participating in the VFW Buddy Poppy project, which provides compensation to veterans who assemble poppies-replicas of bright red flowers, symbolizing the huge loss of life during the war.

The program helps VFW live up to its motto "Remember the dead by helping the living."

Bird also mentioned that the Aviator Hill Post participated in the November Veterans Day parade.

Another way it makes a valuable contribution is to form a joint honor guard with veterans of Mount Airy in foreign wars after 2019 to award military honors at the funerals of the veterans.

Byrd said that due to COVID-19, the VFW honor guard was inactive at the beginning of 2021-but has participated in nearly 90 funerals since March.

Pilot Mountain VFW members meet at the postal headquarters in the town on the second Thursday of each month.

December 21 marks the winter solstice, which is the longest night of the year.

"But the name Longest Night also describes how many of us feel during this season," said a statement from the First Presbyterian Church of Pilot Mountain. "Long and dark winter nights, memories of past experiences and situations can become irresistible. Unemployment, health problems, the end of a relationship, the death of a loved one, all these can make this season a painful period, and bring Come a greater sense of loss."

To help people through this period, Pilot Mountain First Presbyterian Church will hold the so-called longest night service at 7pm on December 21st.

"Come out, share and listen to prayers, scriptures, and music with us, acknowledging that God's presence is for those who are grieving and struggling-and God's word to light up our darkness. Welcome everyone," The church said.

The church is located at 316 E Main St, in Pilot Mountain.

This weekend, the Surrey Arts Council will launch the "Best Christmas Pageant Ever" directed by Amanda Barnard.

The show opens at the Andy Griffith Theater on Saturday, December 18th at 3 pm. Another performance will be held on Sunday, December 19th at 3pm. More than 700 regional students will watch the performance on Friday.

Ralph, Imogene, Leroy, Claude, Ollie, and Gladys Herdman are terrible people. They set fire to Fred Shoemaker's tool shed, blackmailed Wanda Pierce to get her charm bracelet, and hit Alice Wendelken on the head. And this is just the beginning.

When the herders showed up at the church to receive free snacks and suddenly took over the Christmas pageant, the other children were shocked. Obviously, they are not doing well. But Christmas magic is everywhere, and herders who have never heard of Christmas stories before began to reimagine it in their own way.

Production star Jason Holt as father, Bob Bradley, Julia Ann Banfield as mother, Grace Bradley, Ava Crismon as Beth Bradley, Mason San Angelo as Charlie Bradley, Brooks Harold as Ralph Hedman, Gracie San Angelo as Imogen Hedman, and Tanner Price as Leroy Herdman, Noah Wilkes as Claude Herdman, Maddie Youell as Ollie Herdman, and Noelle Snow as Gladys Herdman.

Other actors include Crystal Folger-Hawks as Mrs. Armstrong, Jessica Schuyler as Mrs. McCarthy, Billie Smith as Mrs. Slocum, Jordan Dover as Mrs. Clausing, Alexis Holladay as Mrs. Clark, Noah Petree as Mrs. Clark and Jack Reverend Hopkins, and Alex Bowers as Jack Reverend Hopkins. , Annie Rachel Shepard as Alice Windken, Caroline Williams as Maxine, Thomas Holladay as Elmer Hopkins, Maggie Wallace as Beverly, Atty Coxhawks plays Hobby, Claire Yule plays Dana, Chloe Vinson as Doris, Morgan Cooke as Juanita, and McKennawall as Shirley.

Singing in the Angel Choir are Juliet Barnard, Jackie Dela Cruz, Addison Graves, Isabel Hurt, Caitlin Holladay, Macanna Holladay, Lily O'Neill , Genevieve Quinn and Abby Skyler. The shepherds are Anderson Holladi and Samuel Holladi, and the beauty pageant angels are Prim Hawkes, Paisley Montgomery and Adela Smith.

The production staff include director Amanda Barnard, music director Jane Tesh, stage manager Madeline Matanick, assistant stage manager Abby Brady, technical director Tyler Matanick, costume and prop hostess Shelby Coleman, lighting operator Max Barnard and stage staff Ella Pomeroy and Walker York.

All audiences need to wear masks.

For tickets or other information about the show, please visit www.surryarts.org or call the Surrey Arts Council at 336-786-7998. Tickets will be sold at the door one hour before the show time, subject to availability.

For the tenth consecutive year and the second year of the pandemic era, Mount Airy Chick-fil-A will host drive-through food events.

Chad Tidd, the owner of Mount Airy Restaurant, said that the event will be held on December 16th from 7 am to 7 pm

"This is a drive-through," Ted said Tuesday morning. "We will let our team members collect on the spot, and the guests don't even have to get off the car."

He said his crew will accept donations of non-perishable food, cash and checks, and the proceeds will be donated to the Second Harvest Food Bank in northwestern North Carolina.

Chick-fil-A has been conducting holiday food events for ten years, usually as part of a larger regional food event organized by WXII in Winston Salem. Although it may be one of the smallest locations for regional food events, Tidd says his store usually raises the most money for the food bank-he attributes this to the generosity of people who live and work in Surrey County.

As last year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, TV stations opted out of regional food promotion activities, but Chick-fil-A continues to maintain its tradition.

Even before the pandemic, his restaurant would deliver food as a drive-through event.

"This has traditionally been very effective. Drive-though is our specialty."

He said that in the years before the pandemic, it was not uncommon to donate food on the spot to park cars, go out to deal with TV stations, food banks, or Chick-fil-A staff. Last year, as well as this season, it was impossible.

He said that the website usually collects 8,000 to 10,000 US dollars in cash donations and fills 25 to 30 cartons provided by the food bank-enough for the food bank to provide nearly 100,000 meals to people in need.

Tidd said those donors will also receive a gift in the form of a digital card.

“It can be a Chick-fil-A dessert, it can be a main course, or it can be a breakfast food,” he said. "We try to have fun with it and make it a cool interactive experience. We just want to give something to recognize those who give to others."

Tidd said that for those who wish to participate, a Chick-fil-A tent will be set up in front of the parking lot on December 16, next to a restaurant sign showing the location of the collection point. He suggested that those who plan to donate by check write the check to Second Harvest Food Bank.

"We look forward to seeing everyone," Ted said.

It started as a relatively small textile business in Mount Airy 100 years ago and has now developed into the production of socks for some of the world’s largest international customers-and now says that as the company enters its second century of operations, it hopes to gain more More growth.

Renfro Brands is celebrating its 100th anniversary and charting a future in which it hopes to continue to be profitable-even with major changes reshaping the company. The company said that these changes include a renewed commitment to diversity within its management and an environmentally conscious approach to finding better ways of operating.

"This year is an important year for the company because it announced the new ownership of the privately held company The Renco Group Inc., after Renfro launched the direct-to-consumer market Loops & Wales and corporate rebranding." The company said in a statement on its 100th anniversary this week.

While retaining its corporate headquarters in Mount Airy, the company continues to move its operating base to nearby Winston-Salem. Since CEO Stan Jewell took office in 2017, more and more production and corporate functions Deal with it there.

The company was founded in 1921 under the name Renfro Hosiery Mills and was originally a small domestic manufacturer. A century later, Renfro has grown into a leader in the trousers industry, with more than 1,500 employees worldwide. It also demonstrated the ability to quickly transform - just like last year, when the COVID-19 pandemic gave the company another opportunity to produce masks. The company produced millions of masks and even donated nearly 2,000 to Mount Airy for use by its city employees.

The company said: "As Renfro plans for the next phase of growth, the company is focused on making a positive impact on the world." "Renfro has long supported the belief in'a happy life, living in socks', and understands that although it started For high-quality socks, but its impact is far more than that. Through its new corporate social responsibility program Project Footprint, Renfro has set out to create better job opportunities for more people, continue to give back to the communities where he works, and do everything Strive to protect a healthy planet for a healthy future."

"As a company, we are very proud of what we have achieved today, thanks to our employees, partners and communities who have supported and trusted us for the past 100 years," Jewell said on Tuesday. "Project Footprint is not only the way we develop the way the founder started, but also our continued commitment to achieving our vision of helping people stand up again and achieve a better life."

As part of the project's footprint, Renfro is committed to achieving the specific goals of each pillar of its plan-our community, our planet, and our people, and will expand these goals with new actions and efforts every year. Among the goals set so far, Renfro pledged to achieve the following goals by 2025:

– Renfro will increase the number of so-called "BIPOC employees"-black, indigenous and colored people-at the manager level by more than 20% to ensure that leaders reflect the company's consumer base.

– Renfro will launch the annual sock capsule on its direct-to-consumer platform Loops & Wales, 100% of the proceeds will be donated to an organization that helps people get back on their feet.

– Renfro will use sustainable yarns and materials in at least half of the products it produces, increasing this proportion to 100% by 2030.

In addition, starting in 2022, Renfro's goal is to donate more than $1 million worth of employee working time to non-profit organizations, provide employees with time to practice its values, and volunteer with organizations rooted in the local community.

The company’s statement stated: “Renfro will continue to advance and develop the Project Footprint to expand its influence and meet the emergence of new demands.”

We know that anyone driving on U.S. Highway 52 is trapped behind a car with the Ohio label, and the speed is slowed to 35 miles per hour to get the iconic photo of Pilot Mountain. This photo is a passing ceremony for travelers on a North Carolina highway, similar to the "Barstow, California: 2,554 Miles" sign outside Wilmington, or the straw hat south of the border marked on I-95.

For the residents here, Pilot Mountain's knobs are not only proud of being seen because of the beauty in the well-known backyard. When the mountain caught fire on the weekend after Thanksgiving due to human negligence, the community felt a series of emotions that something so cherished and revered was in danger.

On the night of Saturday, November 27, someone called 911 because people noticed something that didn't seem to be right. "We're leaving the Mount Airy parade and going home. We happened to see a bright orange, just a bright orange sky," Keisha Worrell said of being on U.S. Route 52 that night. Said while driving nauseously.

In the extraordinary age of smartphones, social media spread the news of fire as quickly as the dry and windy conditions of the scene. Fearless citizen journalists post videos to Facebook groups and share images at a faster rate than regional TV stations.

For people living at the foot of the mountain, this feeling is direct and obvious, because the smell of smoke reveals what the eyes and ears cannot report on their own. A resident of Pilot Hill said via email, “The slightest breeze can cause fear. When the wind stops, smoke fills the air.”

As firefighters and the state team started fighting, and the local community raised supplies from Pilot Knob Volunteer Fire Department at such a speed, Mayor Evan Cockerham had to request a suspension of donations. The team on the mountain began a slow downhill battle, and they chased the fire towards the containment line.

On the western front, firefighters used portable pumps to deliver water to a temporary tank that was 3,300 feet uphill. Nearly 8,000 feet of hoses extended from the temporary water tank to various cleaning points within 100 feet of the fire.

When hearing 8,000 feet of hose being used, or 1,050 acres being destroyed by a fire that cost more than $500,000, some people may think of a desolate scene. When the disaster strikes and before the smoke dissipates, the mind can assume the worst. These figures paint an incomplete picture of the millstone fire.

As the trails at Pilot Mountain State Park reopen, those trails that return to the park first are sending positive reports. Signs of burning are visible, but trees and forests have proven to be as resilient as before.

There is a report of damage to the fence in the park, but due to the unremitting efforts of the North Carolina Forest Service, the State Park Service and the local fire department, the fire has always been contained in the park.

Last week, when the sky was clear, nature finally joined the battle, and much-needed rain fell on the area. This is exactly what is needed to lift the outdoor burning ban. Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler said: "We saw some much-needed rain over the weekend. Thankfully, this helped reduce the fire hazard and allowed us to lift the burning ban on a statewide scale."

"However, I will still remind residents to be vigilant about responsible and safe burning. Make sure you have a valid burning permit and contact your NCFS County Ranger for wildfire prevention and fire safety tips."

The burning ban was lifted in most parts of the state on December 8. When the statewide burning ban comes into effect, all previously issued outdoor burning permits have expired, so new permits will be required.

The investigation into the Grindstone Trail fire on Pilot Mountain continues. As we all know, the fire was caused by an escape campfire in an unspecified area. Jimmy Holt, ranger of the North Carolina Forest Service, said that it is unlikely to determine who caused the fire. Anyone responsible for setting a fire may have to bear any expenses related to fire fighting.

The message from Governor Roy Cooper to Pilot Mountain Mayor Evan Cockerham remains the same: Stay vigilant when it comes to fire safety. The embers of a bonfire, false New Year’s Eve fireworks, or nasty cigarette butts can all be the sparks that will set off the next grindstone fire.

• According to a report by the Mount Airy Police Department, an investigation into the Dollar General theft on North Renfro Street resulted in a homeless person being jailed on Saturday with a secured bond of $50,000.

The encounter with 41-year-old Kyle William Gwyn was classified as a homeless Virginia resident, and it turned out that Gwyn’s name had been entered into the National Crime Database because of the crime Wanted for an unspecified matter.

Subsequently, in addition to being charged with theft at Dollar General, he was also arrested as a fugitive. The goods allegedly stolen from the store were not confirmed in the police records. Gwen was originally scheduled to appear in Dobson today.

• The police learned last Thursday that Cloud Zone Smoke and Vape, a company on North Renfro Street, had suffered theft. It involved six containers of MIT 45 vape liquid, valued at US$612, which were stolen by an unidentified suspect.

• Jesse Paul Hensley, 31, living in 928 N. South St., was charged with two felonies, the theft of a motor vehicle, and possession of stolen property on December 1.

This stemmed from the theft of the 1996 Ford Explorer owned by Nathaniel Kyle Sawyers of McBride Road. The car was found to have been stolen from a location on Woodland Drive on November 15 under safe conditions at the time.

Hensley was sentenced to jail for a deposit of $2,000 and is scheduled to appear in Surrey District Court on January 18.

• On November 24, a traffic stop in the 500 block of Riverside Drive resulted in the arrest of two men on felony drug charges involving methamphetamine.

Danny Jay McCraw, 62, from 143 E. Crosswinds Court, was accused of possessing Schedule II controlled substances with intent to sell or deliver, while Michael Dean Myers, 44, from 1220 Banley St., was accused of possessing Schedule II II Controlled substance, felony.

The two were also charged with misdemeanor of possession of drug paraphernalia. McGraw was released with a $5,000 unsecured bond, and Myers was detained at the Surrey County Jail with a $5,000 secured bond. The two are scheduled to appear in the District Court on January 31.

More than 300 participants-some of them wearing holiday-themed costumes-participated in a brisk and wet 5K at Greenway on Saturday.

The annual Rosy Cheeks Toy Drive 5K running event is hosted by Mount Airy Parks and Recreation, Reeves Community Center Foundation and Mount Airy Police Department. It attracts participants, everyone wants a fun run and has the opportunity to donate to them Toys and money. The annual Christmas toy car.

This is the 14th game-last year a virtual event due to the coronavirus pandemic-309 people officially participated in the game. This is more than 300 parks, and Rec Director Darren Lewis stated in late November that this is the goal of 5K this year.

In the 3.1-mile race along the Ararat River Greenway, all participants ran onto the sidewalk at the beginning. The average completion time of participants was 38:13, but this does not indicate how fast some runners are.

Cayden Dalton of Stewart, Virginia topped the overall score with a score of 17:39 or an average of 5:40 per mile.

Jack Badger of Knoxville, Tennessee ranked second, and Charles Walker of State Road ranked third.

Brooke Hull of Winston-Salem ranked first among female runners with a time of 20 minutes and 25 seconds, followed by Bailey Reuginger of Clemmons and Abigail Hemric of Danbury.

For the second year in a row, the Christmas tree display highlights the humble traffic cones — 78 of them to be precise — providing Airy Mountain with a unique holiday spirit.

Traffic cones are often used by street workers in urban public works departments to close roads or designate work areas.

Each traffic cone is a simple study of orange and white. However, nearly 80 people put it into use to create an 18-foot-tall Christmas tree, which shows that even such ordinary objects can be turned into beautiful and festive things for passersby to appreciate.

"They stop to take pictures almost every day," Public Works Director Mitch Williams (Mitch Williams) said of the tree erected outside his department headquarters, located at 440 E. Pine St. (NC 103) , Near the Ararat River Bridge near Binjiang Park.

Last Christmas, this particular tree first decorated the place. This idea was born from another tree that Williams found on the Internet. It was placed outside the building of a company that produces traffic cones.

Williams added on Tuesday that the local tree was formed during the 2020 coronavirus panic, hoping that the cone display — lit at night — will at least bring some joy to the community.

With the pandemic still raging, public works workers are seeking to inspire the same response this Christmas season.

Williams said of the exhibition: "After we took it down last year, someone immediately asked if we planned to put it on again next year."

The original tree took about half a day for the public works staff to complete, but the way it did so allows it to be disassembled, stored and reinstalled like other decorations for future Christmas use.

Except for the traffic cone, it is composed of old pallets, plywood and 4×4 wood chips.

Although it is intended to be a festive holiday display, the prevalent orange hue of the cone tree also provides a subtle reminder of the need for attention and safety during the Christmas season—actually throughout the year.

The top of the tree is not a traditional star, but a small circular sign with "slow" on one side and "stop" on the other side, which further enhances this.

Williams said the plan is to make cone trees a local annual holiday tradition.

"As long as people like it, we will stick to it," the director of public works assured.

"So we hope it can bring people some smiles and Christmas cheers-something a little different."

After dealing with delays related to COVID-19 and other factors, a date for opening a new facility in Mount Airy was determined to better address the homelessness problem.

"We just had a meeting last night," Jana Elliott, executive director of the Shepherd’s House, said Tuesday of the Homeless Shelter Management Committee, which decided to set aside a decision on January 11. A ribbon-cutting event will be arranged every day to celebrate the major expansion project.

"Our goal is to move ourselves and (and) the residents into the shelter after the ribbon is cut," Elliott added when talking about the staff office and the people receiving services.

More detailed information about this milestone will be released in the coming weeks.

It represents the planning of the Shepherd’s House officials over the years to more effectively solve the growing homelessness problem in the Mount Airy area, which includes having to refuse those who need help due to space constraints. For example, in 2019, this happened to 80% of people seeking help, which translated into more than 400 people.

The current shelter was opened at 227 Rockford Street in 2003 to provide temporary emergency housing for 18 people.

The new facility will accommodate more people, and the new facility will be located on Spring Street behind the existing shelter.

"We will have 64 beds," said Elliott, who has been the executive director of Shepherd's House since last spring-"a big improvement from where we are now."

The expansion project held a groundbreaking ceremony in October 2019-just before the emergence of the coronavirus pandemic-and similar to many other aspects of society, COVID-19 has affected the construction of new facilities.

In July, it was reported that the shelter will open on October 1, but was affected by various delays.

"All of the above," Elliott said of issues such as having problems obtaining certain materials for the project and sometimes not being fully equipped for construction personnel due to the COVID agreement. "One little thing after another."

However, Elliott stated that the shelter officials are satisfied with the overall progress of the project.

"Contractor, he did a great job," she said of the local JG Coram construction company that handled the work.

Elliott said that now only "some finishing touches" need to be completed.

She also mentioned that as another preliminary step in the opening of the shelter, Airy Mountain City issued a certificate of occupancy.

In addition to affecting buildings, the COVID-19 crisis has also exacerbated the already serious homelessness problem in the area.

In addition to providing temporary housing, residents of the Shepherd’s House also participate in programs designed to help them obtain employment and self-sufficiency.

In addition to the COVID, another factor that extended the construction schedule involves design-related decisions to develop a commercial kitchen in a new location, not just a residential kitchen that meets the needs of shelter occupants.

Officials said that commercial kitchens will allow valuable teaching content to be included in the program, giving residents the opportunity to learn cooking skills that can be transformed into workplaces, and hopefully end the cycle of homelessness.

Pilot Mountain’s Cox-Needham Funeral Home will host its second annual commemorative event on Friday, December 17.

This event allows those who have lost their loved ones to visit and celebrate the lives of those who have passed away.

The staff of the funeral home will set up a table of hot cocoa and biscuits outside. Everyone who comes will receive these refreshments and an ornament with the name of the person they lost last year.

“We want to respect others while also allowing people to move on and make good memories,” said Teresa Simpson, office manager.

The event was once held indoors, but due to the impact of COVID, it has been moved to outdoor events for the second year in a row.

"Due to COVID-19, we chose a safer method. We will initially do it indoors, but we want to be safer," Simpson said.

They hope that there will be carols in the event.

The event will be held at the Cox-Needham Funeral Home at 822 West Main Street, Pilot Mountain.

The activity time is from 6 pm to 8 pm

Each family will get a free decoration, and additional decorations will be purchased for $12.

Reply by calling 336-368-2233 or email to CoxNeedham@afpfuneral.com no later than Wednesday, December 15

The first-year students of Copeland Elementary School recently hosted a Community Assistant Day event. Special guests include representatives from the Surrey County Sheriff’s Office, operators from the Suryad King Power Member Company, members of the North Carolina Employee Credit Union, and local farmer Chaslow.

COVID-19 interrupted the meeting schedule of local groups, but this did not weaken their determination to do good for the community.

Due to the pandemic, members of Surrey County Retirement School Staff (SCRSP) recently held their first meeting in nearly two years. But the gathering at Cross Creek Country Club in Mount Airy reminds people that it is very active.

Some community businesses are benefiting from it.

For example, every September, SCRSP sponsors the Red Cross blood donation and collects donations for the Salvation Army on Christmas Day.

During the usual quarterly meetings, members donate food, which is distributed to Dobson’s Foothill Food Pantry, Airy Mountain’s Yokefellow Food Bank, and SEAMS, which provide these services at Pilot Mountain.

In addition, paper products were collected for the Shepherd’s Home Homeless Shelter in Mount Airy.

The Surrey County branch of the North Carolina Retirement School Personnel Organization has approximately 160 members.

SCRSP's biggest project is to provide annual scholarships to help local students go to college.

"We are very proud of the $1,200 scholarship awarded to Surrey Community College and hope to promote this scholarship," suggested Jane Bell, president of the group.

Winners for 2022 will be selected from applications received from public high schools in Mount Airy, Surrey County, and Elgin.

In addition to planning to participate in SCC, the selection criteria also include personality, scholarship, academic prospects, financial needs, career potential, and suggestions.

Applications are available at the counseling office of the high school, and the deadline for submission is March 31, 2022.

Local musician Darrius Flowers received a $5,000 grant for emerging artists from the North Carolina Arts Council.

Tanya B. Jones, executive director of the Surrey Arts Council, advised Flowers to apply for this funding.

Although they didn't start playing music until February 2017, Flowers will play violin, guitar, mandolin, banjo and bass. He can also sing and dance flat feet.

"God has given me the ability to learn music quickly. Although I am mainly self-study, I have taken courses through the TAPS program. This is how I participate in the Surrey Arts Council. When I set up workshops through the Surry Arts Council, I learned from these lecturers I took courses there and it helped me to make progress in music," Flowers said. TAPS is the abbreviation of Traditional Art Course, which is a series of free music courses provided by the committee for regional youth.

Flowers was also a recipient of the Wayne Henderson Scholarship, which allowed him to take private lessons from local musician TAPS teacher Jim Wipperman.

Hua'er has always liked music. It has always been a part of him.

"I have fallen in love with music. I don't remember the day when I didn't listen to music. I can't tell what made me want to start. I just know I want to. Flowers said, "Let's try to play the violin. Right," as they said, the rest is history.

Flowers had already participated in various live performances at the age of 18. He has been performing live performances intermittently for about three years. He played with many different bands at the Autumn Leaf Festival and performed in other festivals many times. He is also active in his church, playing and singing every Sunday.

"I want to have my own recording studio, make albums for myself and others, and write my own songs. I also want to start touring and playing music all over the world," Flowers said.

The grant was given because of Flowers’ musical talent, but Flowers thanked the Surrey Art Committee for helping him discover it.

"I am very grateful to the Art Committee for reaching out to young people to learn how to play and inherit local traditional music. They also help young people realize their dreams and are willing to help and encourage them along the way," Flowers said.

For Flowers, applying for this grant is not an easy task, because he has to go through multiple stages and meet multiple different requirements.

"I submitted three different songs that I recorded. In one of the songs, I played all the five instruments mentioned above, and sang the lead vocal and backing vocals," Flowers said. "I have to answer a lengthy questionnaire that details my musical background and future goals. I have received funding to help develop my songwriting and music production skills."

Flowers hopes to use the grant he received and his own radio station to open his own recording studio.

He continues to be an important member of the Surrey Arts Council and continues to perform and produce music.

"I would like to personally thank the TAPS project and everything they have done for me. I hope that more children will take advantage of the great opportunities provided by the Surrey Arts Council," said Flowers.

The staff of Dr. John L. Gravitte of DDS recently donated boxes of toys that people there collected for the annual Toys for Tots event.

The staff there added something new to the Toys for Tots event-dental gift bags filled with toothbrushes, toothpaste, dental floss and other age-specific dental hygiene products.

In total, the staff filled three large boxes with toys, including nearly 400 dental gift bags.

A specific term gradually entered the vocabulary to describe the seemingly evolving criminal activity: porch pirates.

Although traditional "pirates" are often romanticized in books and movies about brave individuals adventuring on the high seas, pirates on land will sneak out on porches and doorways in the dark or at other times when no one is noticing.

Their eponymous partner on the ship may be looking for buried treasure, but the goal of the porch pirates is to deliver packages to their homes-sadly, they are most active during Christmas and are ready for the long-awaited gifts.

"It's the season now," Mount Airy Police Chief Dale Watson said when discussing the problems that his department often encounters.

"This is the Grinch season, that's for sure," Watson said of the fictional character, who despised Christmas and stole gifts from nearby villagers in an attempt to stifle their holiday spirit.

"It's very common," he added when talking about piracy in the porch of the city. "We expect to see more this year than in previous years."

Online shopping is increasing, where the products ordered by consumers are shipped to them by one of the delivery services or the post office.

This year's well-known supply chain issues have raised concerns about the unavailability or delivery of goods to buyers before Christmas. Coupled with the threat of porch pirates stealing the gifts they received, this threat is also on the rise locally and elsewhere.

In a recent national study, 43% of respondents stated that packages were stolen—up from 36% the year before.

"Now is the season of dedication," the police chief mused, saying that this does not guarantee a happy moment in the theft.

"Some people are short."

The Chief of Police of Mount Airy provided some advice to the public to help reduce the chance of becoming a victim of porch piracy by combining modern technology with old-fashioned human interaction.

One thing he readily suggested is called a ring camera or camera, which will alert the homeowner if someone approaches the door or enters the range of the security camera.

The homeowner can then view the person's video stream and use two-way audio communication to talk to him or her, even from a remote location.

A surveillance system that records activities around the home is still an option, and it helped solve the "Grinch" case that occurred in Mount Airy during Christmas last year.

After the family’s gifts were stolen when they were delivered to the front porch of Orchard Street, the photos taken led to the suspect being identified by the police and prosecuted. This is due to the posting of a picture of the man on Facebook.

The other tricks provided by Chief Watson do not require paying cash for fancy technical equipment.

"Know your neighbors," he said of a common-sense approach, because they can serve as an extra pair of eyes, investigating what is happening in the home when the owner is away, and become valuable witnesses.

It is also a good idea to arrange for the package to be delivered when the recipient is at home, and specify that this will not happen unless the buyer is present to sign for it.

When discussing past porch thieves who had left unattended packages, the police chief said that some people spare no effort to identify potential easy targets, including tracking delivery vehicles to different locations.

Consumers can also use the tracking systems of major courier companies and the U.S. Postal Service to let them know when the package is placed on the truck and receive an update on the arrival time.

Chief Watson said there is no harm in establishing rapport with delivery drivers who frequent the community.

Delivering packages to the workplace is another option.

In any case, avoid the situation where the package is left unattended on the front porch for several hours and attracts thieves.

Watson said that in addition to contacting the courier company, victims of porch piracy should also report to law enforcement officials to be on the safe side.

Surrey County has issued the following marriage certificates:

– Nathaniel Edward Murphy, 30, of Surrey County, to Sabra Linda Ann Lowe, 30, of Surrey County.

– Kenneth Alex Pack, 30, of Patrick County, Virginia, and Sarah Beth Franklin, 21, of Surrey County.

– Kelsey Gabriel Banks, 46, from Forsyth County, Alice Virginia Cockerham, 45, from Surry County.

– Abraham Mojica Arredondo, 45, from Surrey County, Martha Idalia Meja Acosta, 53, from Surrey County .

– Armando Guarneros Garcia Sr., 36, Surrey County, and Laura Alicia Pena Martinez, 50, Surrey County.

– Ethan Phillip Bryant, 19 years old, from Surry County, to Tess Snow Harbour, 20 years old, from Forsyth County.

– Ivan Shawn Wilson, 49 years old, from Wilkes County, Lisa Gail Goad, 56 years old, from Surrey County.

– Ruben Garcia Arellano Jr., 24, Patrick County, and Abbagail Grace McCann, 22, Surrey County.

– Sparrell Jack Akers Jr., 60 years old, from West County, Tammy Michelle Taylor, from Surrey County, 50 years old.

– Reese Bryant Savoie, 60, Surrey County, and Marie Busick Paynter, 53, Surrey County.

• According to a report from the city police, a Mount Airy man who was found sleeping in the driveway was eventually detained in jail with a deposit of $50,000 because he was a wanted fugitive in a neighboring state.

36-year-old Victor Shaun Hawks was listed as homeless. When he received a call from a suspicious person on Banner Street last Sunday, he ran into the police while he was lying in his residence. Driveway.

Hawkes was found wanted in Patrick County, Virginia, for unknown reasons, leading to his imprisonment in Surrey County Jail. He will appear in Dobson District Court on December 20.

• On Wednesday, a car was stolen from a 2009 Chevrolet Impala owned by Robert Earl Barr. The car was not secured when it entered Barr's home in the 1700 block of Fancy Gap Road.

The CPX-2 9mm pistol of the SCCY brand is worth $200 and is orange in color.

• Kendall Shane Ziglar, 34, lives at 237 Jones School Road and was sentenced to jail on Wednesday without bail privileges on charges of breaking into and entering and violating a domestic violence protection order.

Ziglar allegedly broke the window and entered the home of 61-year-old Mary Ziglar. The police record did not indicate her relationship with the defendant. When this happened, the protection order was effective against Kendall Shane Ziglar, who was not granted bail because the accusation was of a domestic nature.

He is scheduled to appear in Surrey District Court on Monday. Ziglar was accused of violating a protection order on December 2, involving the same victims and locations, and was sentenced to jail without bail. He is scheduled to appear in court on the matter on January 31.

• Tyler John Taylor, 27, lives at 136 West End Drive. After an incident occurred on November 29, he was involved in theft of merchants, felony and resistance, delaying or obstructing public officials, and shoplifting/hidden goods. Arrested for a misdemeanor. Tractor supply on Rockford Street.

According to police records, Taylor met the officer conducting welfare inspections in the fitting room there and was found to have hidden goods worth 159 dollars. In addition, he also removed a safety device from Carhartt's coat. According to police records, The case requires compensation.

He allegedly tried to resist arrest by strengthening his arms and refusing to obey police orders. Taylor was detained in the county jail with a deposit of $1,000 and is scheduled to appear in the district court on February 21.

• On November 26, a theft occurred in Dollar General on North Renfro Street, when a known suspect took the razor and deodorant, and apparently did not charge him immediately after the incident.

Photos-Guests of all ages like to take photos with The Nutcracker, who sits in front of the Andy Griffith Theater before the Sunday afternoon performance.

SURRY ARTS COUNCIL dance students dance with the company in selected scenes.

When children want to visit and take photos during the holidays, Santa Claus is usually Big Kahuna, but recently this happy old elf ran away for his money.

On December 5th, when the young audience ballet performed the festival favorites, guests of all ages were very happy to take photos with the Nutcracker. Before the performance, the Nutcracker himself stayed in the hall for a while, visited people and asked them to take pictures.

More than 500 people attended the performance at the Andy Griffith Theater. On Monday, another 750 students from around Surrey County were sent to the show.

Tanya Jones, Executive Director of the Arts Committee, said: “This is the first time since the pandemic that students have taken a school bus to the Andy Griffith Theater. It’s great to see the school bus crowded the parking lot and the students crowded the auditorium.”

About seven years ago, the sharpening wheel broke when the young James Easter was sharpening the knife, and the fragments of the grinding wheel flew away-one of them pierced his chest.

Easter believed that he was about to die, which prompted him to assure God that if he survived, he would correct his rude ways and take straight and narrow paths.

He survived-this allowed James and his brothers Russell and Ed to embark on a 64-year career in gospel music, which made the trio a household name in most parts of the country.

The last surviving member of the trio, James Easter, died late Friday night after being hospitalized for COVID-19 less than two weeks. He was born on April 24, 1933.

He is the second of the three brothers and sisters who make up the Easter Brotherhood. All three were born and raised in Mount Airy, and eventually got together as a music group in Danville, Virginia, and they moved to work at the Dan River Cotton Mill.

Before the three of them gave their lives to God, they had a background that could be called unruly, which was more troublesome than theirs. James was even arrested and eventually sentenced to 15 years in prison. After serving five years in prison, he was released, but continued to live brutally until the sharpening wheel accident.

He kept his promise to God and established the Easter Brotherhood with his brothers in 1953. In the early days, as many other musicians and singers joined and withdrew, they were called the Green Valley Quartet, but they were eventually called the Easter Brothers.

The trio recorded a few singles and then an album, and gained followers while continuing to work full-time until 1979 when they decided to work full-time in music. At that time, the trio had a regular WPAQ show in Mount Airy, and their performance schedule eventually took them to Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, Smithsonian Institution and Sydney Opera House.

Nevertheless, it was a difficult career choice, and the three had to spend a lot of time traveling to spread their music and continue to build a following.

"A lot of people don't know that we were born and raised in Mount Airy, because we have not left," said Easter at Jack A. Mount Airy's Loftis Square in May.

"It is an honour for Airy Mountain Town to let us do this today," he said during the dedication.

The three have composed and performed more than 400 songs during their careers, and many of their descendants are engaged in gospel, bluegrass and western music careers, including husband and wife duo Jeff and Sheri Easter. Jeff is the son of James.

In addition to the followers of the majority of fans, the Easter Brothers have also been recognized by their peers in the music industry. The trio was twice named the Gospel Bluegrass Band of the Year by the American Bluegrass Music Conservation Association; twice was selected as the Best Traditional Bluegrass Band of the Year; in 2001, the band's CD "Heart and Soul" was nominated for the Pigeon Award by the Gospel Conservatory of Music ; One year later, the band won the Bluegrass Song of the Year Award for "Thank God for my blessing".

Ed, the youngest of the three, died in 2019 at the age of 85, while the oldest Russell died in the fall of 2020 at the age of 90.

When looking at the raw data of North Carolina and comparing Surrey County with its neighbors, the truth of the matter is clear: With COVID-19, no one has been out of the predicament.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services have been posting regular updates on the Internet, which contain a large amount of data on the pandemic, including hospitalization rates and vaccinations.

Analysis of the numbers revealed repetitive patterns, such as a two-week lag after a social gathering. About two weeks after Halloween, and again after Thanksgiving, the COVID numbers in the area got worse.

Surrey County had an average daily COVID infection rate of 15 cases per day in the week before Halloween, and then reached a stable level about two weeks after 32 cases of infection per day.

After Thanksgiving, the bumps after Halloween were reflected again. Starting next Monday, the daily infection rate has soared to 51 cases in one day, and Surrey County has only dropped below 20 cases once. The state had 4,274 people on that Monday, compared to 1,592 the day before, indicating that demographic and county exposures may have increased at the same time.

When the state health department released the data on its dashboard on Friday, it represented the lagging and ambiguous end of the 14-day incubation period after Thanksgiving. The average value displayed during the period after the holiday is the same, with only more than 32 cases per day.

The Northern District Hospital reported that their number of COVID cases has remained stable, with an average of 25 cases per day, but the overall positive rate has increased. The 14-day positive rate in Surrey County was 10.8%, which pales in comparison to 15% in Yadkin County or 15.4% in Stokes County. Although lower than the positive rate reported here last time, a small increase in the 14-day trend has been seen in the most recent update.

Robin Hodgin, Senior Vice President of Patient Services and Chief Nursing Officer of Northern Hospital, said: “The ICU and the downgrading ward are full, and there are 9 COVID patients between the two wards.” “The rest of the COVID patients are in our internal medical operating room.” She also estimated that the number of unvaccinated patients was 77%.

Hawking said there have been very few flu cases at this time. However, bed space in the area is still a problem, and some hospitals cannot accept patient transfer due to lack of available beds. The northern hospital continues to impose restrictions on visits.

Looking at the entire region, Allegheny County stands out for the wrong reasons. In the past week, the county has seen 682 new COVID cases and 1,086 new virus cases in the past two weeks. Surrey County has 712 people and Yadkin County has 884 people. In contrast, Forsyth County has 396 people in the same two weeks, which is a much larger population base.

Surrey County's vaccination rate is lower than the state and national average in all categories. The most vulnerable people, those 65 years and older, have the highest vaccination rates, with 83% of people in Surrey fully vaccinated. Among all age groups, the proportions of the first dose of vaccine were 53% and 49%, respectively.

Vaccination rates across the state are rising for all age groups. In late October, there was a surge in vaccination across the state, with the first dose of vaccination surpassing the second dose for the first time in a few months. The increase in vaccination rates at the time was due to Pfizer's approval of vaccination for children aged 5-11. When this vaccination age group is available, many North Carolina families use this opportunity to improve protection.

Pfizer also received authorization to administer booster injections to eligible 16- and 17-year-olds late last week. The Pfizer booster is currently the only booster authorized for this age group. According to NCDHHS, across the country, 25% of eligible people received boosters, and more than 50% of older people received boosters.

The outgoing head of state in response to the pandemic is an early supporter of vaccinating children, including her own. NCDHHS Secretary Mandy K. Cohen, MD, said: “Giving your child a COVID-19 booster shot will help strengthen and expand their protection against the COVID-19 virus, especially the protection of new variants. , I encourage everyone 16 years and older to be vaccinated as we enter the holidays, boosters."

Immunizations and boosters are still the best choice for the general public to fight the COVID-19 virus. Unfortunately, starting vaccination now will not produce immunity before Christmas. In the next round of gatherings and celebrations, CDC reiterated their own holiday wish list to the public, which included the following tips:

· Get ​​the COVID-19 vaccine as soon as possible. Looking for a vaccine.

· Wear a mask that covers your nose and mouth to help protect yourself and others.

· Keep a distance of 6 feet from other people who do not live with you.

· Avoid crowds and poorly ventilated indoor spaces.

· Test to prevent spread to others.

· Wash your hands often with soap and water. If soap and water are not available, use hand sanitizer.

Last summer, Carr Norris from Pilot Mountain participated in a unique academic and professional development experience with elementary school students from across the state, namely the National Youth Leadership Forum (NYLF) in Greensboro: The Path to STEM.

NYLF Pathways to STEM is one of the Envision by WorldStrides program series (www.envisionexperience.com) that enables students to explore their interests and experience learning outside the classroom. Carr was nominated by his third grade teacher, Denise Phillips of Pilot Mountain Elementary School. Due to COVID-19, he will not be able to participate in the summer of 2020. However, he was able to transfer his courses to the summer of 2021.

In addition to studying at school, Carl is also passionate about piano and plays football in the spring and autumn. He is active in his church and is always looking for opportunities to help others and take responsibility. For more than two years, he has also successfully operated a garbage and recycling route for urban residents living near him. Although he is very young, he has a dream of working in the field of computer science. When Carl was informed of this opportunity, he decided to seek help to fund the project. Thanks to the generosity of many companies, family and friends, he was able to achieve this goal.

Carr was able to participate in intensive and engaging hands-on seminars with other young students from all over the country, focusing on self-management, time management, communication, collaboration, and goal setting.

Carr explored three STEM career paths: medicine, engineering, and CSI (crime scene investigation). Some of the activities he can do include building and programming robots, dissecting the heart of a calf, creating model lungs, diagnosing snake bites, learning emergency first aid, blood drop analysis and copying, fingerprint analysis, and building bridges.

“As an alumnus of Envision, I am very happy that Carr Norris can meet, work and collaborate with like-minded students from other cities and schools,” said Amanda Freitag Thomas of Envision.

"Undoubtedly, my favorite part of participating in the Envision program is being with motivated students in an environment designed to help us challenge assumptions, meet new people, and grow," Carl said. "Creating the same learning environment is the core focus of all our projects. In the NYLF Pathways to STEM course, students build the confidence and skills needed to achieve excellent results in the classroom while being exposed to STEM fields and concepts. They learn how to adapt to the new environment. , New challenges and communicating with new people, given that the world is changing so fast due to technology and innovation, this is the basic skill for success," he said.

For more than 35 years, Envision by WorldStrides has enabled students to become the best of themselves through programs that allow students to discover their passions, explore careers, and have a positive impact on their world. In 2018, Envision became a member of the WorldStrides family. WorldStrides is the largest educational travel and experience provider in the United States, working with more than 50,000 educators every year to help more than 550,000 students see the world and themselves in a new way.

The new members are appointed as members of the local group, which plays a key role in one of the most important local industries, tourism.

The recent action involving the Mount Airy Tourism Development Authority (TDA) stemmed from its two members, Jennie Lowry and Nick Patel, who were not eligible for Re-elected.

At the city council meeting on December 2nd, Chad Tidd and Jatin Patel were appointed to replace them, and commissioner Joe Zalescik was appointed as a representative of the city government to join the organization.

The Tourism Board is composed of people from different sectors of the local tourism industry who have experience or participate in promotion.

Established by the North Carolina State Assembly, the Airy Mountain Tourism Development Board decides how to use the occupancy income generated by local accommodations to promote travel and tourism in the city.

It is also part of the Surrey County Tourism Partnership and is responsible for managing marketing plans across the county.

The Mount Airy Group has a total of eight members, of which six members are limited to two consecutive terms. The other two are representatives of the city government, including commissioner Zalescik and Mount Airy Chief Financial Officer Pam Stone, who serve a one-year term. Stone is a non-voting member.

Chad Tidd is related to Chick-fil-A of Mount Airy and has worked in the Tourism Bureau in the past, as is Jatin Patel. The latter resigned due to the term limit rule, and Tidd resigned directly.

Both Jatin and Nick Patel represent category 1 of the TDA membership component, which includes the owner/operator of taxable tourist accommodation in the city.

Both Tidd and Jatin Patel are appointed by the City Council for a three-year term that will expire on January 15, 2025.

Both Zalescik and Stone will serve for one year, ending on January 15, 2023.

"Thank you for your appointment," Zalescik said at a recent committee meeting when the TDA membership action was approved.

"I am honored to serve on this committee," adds Zalescik, who owns a company called Station 1978 Firehouse Peanuts.

On September 16, he was appointed as commissioner by members of the city council to fill his vacant general seat.

As the power outage affected approximately 3,000 Duke Energy residential and commercial customers in the area, many Pilot Mountain businesses had to temporarily shut down on Saturday morning.

It is not clear what caused the power outage, but Duke Energy stated that approximately 3,000 customers were affected. Although the company stated that it hopes to restore power before 4 pm on Saturday, most customers will restore power before 1 pm about 3 hours after the power outage. At that time, about 20 customers in the town had no electricity.

Some people have also reported cell phone outages, although it is unclear how common this situation is.

The local church called on higher authorities to work hard to extend the city's water and sewer services to the property it seeks to relocate: Mount Airy Commission.

However, depending on the history of the location in question, some type of sacred intervention may be required to achieve this goal without paying a huge price—whether for the refuge city church or the city government.

It is located on the northbound portion of South Andy Griffith Parkway west of Newsome Street and can be described as a "no man's land" for utility connection purposes.

According to county tax records, Refuge City Church, also known as Refuge Ministry Inc., owns 4.18 acres of land there.

"It was donated," said Andrew Bullins, co-pastor of the church with about 100 members. It is now renting a small shopping mall at 1130 S. Main St., which also has a Subway branch.

"We will build a new facility," said Brings. In addition to his pastor duties, he also works as an intensive care nurse at the Northern District Hospital.

The larger structure covering 4.18 acres will allow Refuge to expand its presence in the community, including providing space for youth ministry and other components.

Although people associated with the Refuge City Church are excited about the project, plans regarding the availability of municipal water and sewer services at the site have been shelved.

Brins said that when investigating the matter at the city staff level, he was told that the church had to pay about $130,000 to extend the line there.

His understanding is that public utilities can access property within the city without having to pay such fees.

Brings was advised to refer the matter to the commissioners for possible relief, and did so in the public forum at the last meeting on December 2.

"I ask the city government to solve this problem," he said at the time of the obvious problem of the city providing public utility lines for the Refugee Department's property lines without incurring huge costs to the church.

City Public Works Director Mitch Williams was assigned to study this issue during the meeting.

"There is no terrain prohibiting the installation of water and sewers for it," Williams later explained when asked to detail the status of the property owned by the Refugee Department-which is not uncommon in Mount Airy.

"I do know that there are dozens of lots around the city in the same situation," the public works director and long-term city engineer acknowledged the issue of the accessibility of existing utilities.

"I don't know the exact history of this plot, or why there is no water and sewers," Williams added, and he did mention that the same property was the subject of similar investigations conducted by Airy Mountain officials during the summer. 2016.

It involved a company that planned to build at the site and then be owned by local businessman Gary Harold, but was derailed due to barriers to utility connections.

As there is no municipal water supply or sewer pipeline nearby to connect, the unnamed company is faced with paying for the expansion project to obtain the utility services needed for its operations.

The estimated value at the time was US$195,000.

According to a discussion by officials in August 2016, according to the city's public utility policy, private real estate developers-not the local government-must pay all costs related to water supply and sewer extension lines to serve the relevant areas.

In most cases, this is not the main obstacle, but the property involved in the current request is far away from the existing line.

The tone of the discussion in 2016 was that due to high costs, the city government has no incentive to pay for such expansions of commercial or residential land—even if these areas are within municipal boundaries.

At the time, someone pointed out that this may mean that it would cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to provide services for a house, which is not feasible.

Williams said on Wednesday that he plans to prepare a report for the committee's next meeting.

This weekend plans to host a holiday open day in one of the oldest houses in Mount Airy to benefit the Salvation Army.

It is scheduled to be available at Cousin Emma's Bed and Breakfast from 1pm to 4pm on Saturdays and Sundays.

Located at 501 S. Main St., this historic residence is said to be part of the Underground Railroad System in the 1800s and was designed to help those who escaped the shackles.

Those who participate in this weekend’s activities can visit the original single-room slave huts and manor houses on site.

Emma Suzanne Brown is the owner of this house dating back to the mid-1850s. She purchased the South Street property in 2015 and refurbished it into a new role as a bed and breakfast.

Brown launched a holiday plan in 2019 as a fundraiser for the Salvation Army, which provided assistance to youth camps and other activities. Due to the pandemic, no tour was held last year.

Visitors to this house can see a rich variety of buildings, furniture, pictures and other objects from the past-as well as additional elements of Christmas decorations.

The vintage clothing guide is part of the 2019 tour, which introduces the items Brown collected during his global travels.

The antiques of Cousin Emma's Bed and Breakfast include a country lawyer sofa before the Civil War, two chairs and a clockwork wall clock of 1823 in the living room; a huge brass gas chandelier from the formal dining room of the Pinehurst Hotel ballroom; and 87 different types used by monks Wardrobe made of beautiful wood.

There is also a restored original iron claw foot bathtub with custom-made faucets and hand-held showers, as well as original maple cabinets and chestnut panelling on the walls and ceiling of the large kitchen.

The tour fee is US$10 for adults and US$8 for seniors. All proceeds will be donated to the Salvation Army. Cash or cheque will be accepted.

Dobson-The "Early Bird" candidate threw his hat into the ring this week before the court ordered a suspension of political applications, and is now waiting for the next step in the process.

After 14 people formally announced their intention to look for various local offices on the first day of their application on Monday, others did so later this week—but an order from the North Carolina Supreme Court suspended the process.

Due to concerns about the reclassification issue, it temporarily suspended all applications for the 2022 election cycle.

The Surrey County Election Commission released an updated list of candidates late Wednesday afternoon, which included all candidates submitted before the afternoon deadline on the day the order took effect.

It shows that no other Mount Airy residents have applied for the city’s threatened mayor and three commissioner seats.

So far, candidates for mayor include the current mayor Ron Nilan, commissioner Jon Cowley and Teresa Lewis.

Two people have applied to run for Cawley's North District Commissioner seat, which was opened due to the candidacy of mayor, Will Pfitzner and Joanna Refvem. But Pfitzner later stated that he would withdraw from the competition because he didn't know that a respected family friend Reevem was also seeking the position, and he thought he would do better.

A notable county seat application submitted later this week was Teresa O'Dell from Mount Airy, before she was replaced by Dobson's Neil Brendle in 2018 , Served as a court clerk in Surry for one term.

Brundle applied for re-election on Monday, and the election also included Dobson's Melissa Marion Welch.

All three of them are Republicans, and now they need to hold a primary election in May next year, and the winner will become the Republican candidate in the November general election.

At the same time, Eddie Harris of State Road applied for re-election to the Southern District seat on the Surrey County Committee this week. ).

Walter D. Harris has applied for a seat in the Mount Airy area of ​​the Surrey County Council, which is now the first incumbent Republican, Bill Goins, who has not yet done so Do.

No one has applied for a seat in the central district of the county council, which is now occupied by Mark Marion, and next year is also in jeopardy.

Other new documents not previously reported include Tony L. Hutchens from Mount Airy, who joined the competition for a seat on the Surrey Board of Education as a Republican member.

Previous applicants for the seat include current Democratic Mamie M. Sutphin and Republican Brent Long.

Tim Matthews, in Filee later this week, is seeking to re-elect his large seat to Yu Education Mountain as the Democratic Party.

The filing process will reopen at some point.

"As soon as we receive the new date for the application period, we will immediately notify everyone," Surrey County election director Michelahev announced Thursday afternoon.

Just in time for Christmas, a Mount Airy man received a considerable sum of money-not through Santa Claus, but through the North Carolina Education Lottery.

Mitchell Urquiza said earlier this week that he was still shocked after a $20 scratch-off lottery ticket turned into a $100,000 victory.

The 31-year-old deliveryman stopped at the Quick Stop store on North Franklin Road in Mount Airy to buy tickets for the Grand Money lottery game.

Urquiza told the staff at the Raleigh State Lottery Office that he did not immediately scratch the lottery because he likes to spend time trying his luck throughout the day instead of announcing the results all at once.

"In the beginning I really didn't believe it," Urquiza said of the final award. "I always thought it must be a mistake."

Urquiza said that once he realized he was a big winner, he called his wife and told her what had happened.

"She doesn't believe it either," Urquiza told the lottery representative. "She let me go home so she can make sure I read it right."

Urquiza arrived at the lottery headquarters on Tuesday to collect the prize. Because of the requirement for federal and state tax withholding, he brought back $70,756.

After paying off some of the bills with his bonus, Urquiza said he wanted to help several family members and possibly buy a house for his wife and two children.

The Grand Money game he participated in was launched in September, with four top prizes of US$2 million and six prizes of US$100,000. Three prizes of USD 2 million and three prizes of USD 100,000 are still to be claimed.

Urquiza's lottery luck represents the first reported win in the area since a woman in Cana, Virginia bought a ticket to a $1,000,000 Bankroll game at the Speedway convenience store on Rockford Street in June.

She won $1 million, but chose to pay $600,000 in a lump sum and brought back $424,503 after federal and state withholding taxes.

Recently, 15 students graduated from the crisis intervention team training of Surry Community College and Partners Health Management.

Graduates include Andrew Goins, Kody Hudson, Logan Jessup, and Dustin Johnson from the Surrey County Sheriff’s Office; Hunter Blose, Chandler Bodenhamer, Dustin Bowman, Katie Cooper, Bubba Killgo, Zack Murphy, and Cecilia Thoppil from the Surrey County Emergency Medical Services Center ; Will Blackburn, James Brooks, Jessica Cave and Brian Nelson of the Elgin Police Department;

The course lasted 40 hours in five days. Topics covered by students include adult and child mental health, substance abuse disorders, intellectual and developmental disabilities, autism, dementia and Alzheimer's, homelessness, post-traumatic stress disorder/substitution for veterans Trauma, demotion strategy, NC harm reduction plan, officer self-care, and involuntary commitment process. They also received suicide prevention training and were introduced to the mental health assistance program, which is an alternative to prisons or unnecessary use of the local emergency department.

The first responders all gained practical learning through different experiences, such as the feeling of certain daily functions when experiencing auditory hallucinations, listening to recordings played by MP3 players, similar to the experience of patients with mental illness. They also listened to first-hand stories of survivors with mental health problems or substance abuse disorders, and visited the Ark and Children's Center in northwestern North Carolina.

Partners Health Management aims to provide officials and EMS personnel with tools they can use to better help people who are experiencing a mental health crisis through this crisis intervention team training. This is intended to be an additional resource and tool for them to help them pay attention to and recognize behavior patterns, thereby helping people obtain beneficial treatments and resources.

Partners has become part of the Surry community and was formed in 2012 through a merger with Crossroads Behavioral Healthcare. Mental health, intellectual/developmental disability, and substance use disorder (MH/IDD/SUD) services are needed in central and western North Carolina.

For more information about the SCC Basic Law Enforcement Training Program, please contact James “Jim” McHone, Director of Law Enforcement Training at 336-386-3292 or email to mchonej@surry.edu.

For more information about the SCC Emergency Medical Plan, please contact Dr. Doug Underwood at 336-386-3584 or email underwoodd@surry.edu.

Late Wednesday, the state Supreme Court suspended all applications for candidates for the North Carolina elections in 2022, and the spring primaries moved from March 8 to May 17.

This move is in response to two lawsuits that challenge the new boundary between seats in the North Carolina House of Representatives and seats in the state assembly, all of which are redrawn using 2020 census data.

These lawsuits were filed by a group called the Coalition for the Protection of Voters of North Carolina and another group of individuals to overthrow the new districts and force them to redraw. The plaintiff claimed that these areas were "extremely" partisan, and divided the state by ensuring that the Republican Party won 10 of the 14 congressional seats and a majority of the two houses of the convention.

In its ruling, the Supreme Court outlined a series of steps that both parties must follow in an effort to complete the litigation once and for all in the May primary election, followed by the regularly scheduled November 8 general election.

Wednesday’s ruling also put aside the normal appeal rules to speed up the Supreme Court’s ability to resolve cases before the election.

According to Wednesday’s ruling, the court has:

• Suspend the submission of candidate applications to all offices, "until a final judgment is made on the merits of the plaintiff’s claim (including any appeals) and remedial measures (if necessary) have been ordered:"

• Prevent the Election Committee from holding the primary elections originally scheduled for March 8, and instead hold the primary elections on May 17. The order authorizes the court to order a shortening of the submission period when necessary;

• Order the court of first instance to issue a ruling before January 11;

• It is required that “any party” who wishes to appeal the ruling of the court of first instance submit a notice of appeal within two working days after the ruling, and “expected to start an expedited briefing and hearing in this court immediately thereafter”.

The order stated that candidates who have been accepted by their respective local election committees are deemed to have been submitted correctly and will become part of the election unless they withdraw their candidacy.

Wednesday’s Supreme Court lawsuit was filed after two rulings made by the North Carolina Court of Appeals earlier this week, one of which suspended applications for candidates for seats in the state Congress and the General Assembly, and subsequently ordered the reopening of the application period. .

Last week, the plaintiffs provided their own reasons for the postponement of the application until the court of first instance can rule on their lawsuit seeking to force a re-division of the state. On Monday, a three-judge panel in the Court of Appeal approved the suspension for this purpose.

On Tuesday, the full appellate court cancelled the suspension, but all documents were postponed due to Wednesday's lawsuit.

This is far from the first time the Republican Party has faced such an action. The party redrawn the map of Congress and the General Assembly after the 2010 census, so that the state was embroiled in lawsuits challenging these seats until it was finally ordered by the court to redraw the map in 2016 and 2017.

The Travis Manion Foundation, one of the leading senior service organizations in the United States, recently partnered with Surry Early College to organize a food collection event for the community.

Students from Surry Early College High School Interact Club and Run-Ruck Club collected non-perishable food and donated it to Dobson Food Pantry. Class teachers race to see how many pounds of food they can collect. Every week, Interact student volunteers weigh food and record all donations. Finally, the club members sorted all the donated food and packed them into backpacks. Students from the Run-Ruck Club transported the food in the backpacks two miles to the local food storage room and restocked them in time before the holiday.

The students collected 411 pounds of food to donate.

Operation Legacy Service Projects brings together veterans, families of fallen heroes, and foundation supporters through local service projects. During the "Legacy Action", the Travis Manion Foundation united the community through a common cause. The volunteers adhered to the spirit of "If it wasn't me, then who..." While paying tribute to the hero's sacrifice, lead a movement with personality, leadership and selfless service.

Residents of Surrey County will have the opportunity to learn more about the children’s COVID-19 vaccine next week. At that time, the Surrey County Health and Nutrition Center will collaborate with the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services to host a live event on the topic Zoom activity.

"Understanding COVID-19 and Vaccinating Your Child" will be broadcast live on Monday, December 13th from 5:30 pm to 6:30 pm

"Like millions of adults and adolescents, children aged 5-11 can now receive a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine," the Health and Nutrition Center said when announcing the Zoom meeting. "The Food and Drug Administration has approved lower doses of Pfizer's BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for children of this age. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that all children aged 5-11 be vaccinated to prevent serious diseases and help them stay healthy. ."

Dr. John Morrow, the medical director of the Surrey County Health and Nutrition Center, will host the virtual presentation, which will give residents more opportunities to learn more about the recently approved Pfizer vaccine for children (5-11 years old), as well as current Medical guidance. The interactive presentation will also provide viewers with an opportunity to use the best available science to answer questions about vaccines for children, adolescents and adults.

"We are very pleased to be able to provide this presentation to parents in Surrey County because they are faced with the decision to vaccinate their children," said Surrey County Health Director Samantha Angie. "This is a unique opportunity to delve into the science and data that proves the importance of the COVID-19 vaccine for all ages."

To register for this webinar, please visit https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN__uSOAYjKS7-cQSjY8oJZGw.

For more information, please call (336) 401-8400 or visit the health center's Facebook page.

After four years of absenteeism, Republican Shirley Landman is seeking to return to the North Carolina Senate.

Landman applied for the newly formed 36th District Senate on Tuesday and announced plans to seek the office. The seats include some or all of Surrey, Wilkes, Yadkin, and Alexandria counties.

The longtime Republican made subjects familiar to conservatives her top priority.

In her statement announcing her candidacy, she said: "School safety is the top priority. We must demand an end to our most precious resource-our children's indoctrination, including the teaching of'critical racial theory'." "I am right. The unborn child has taken a strong stand and is committed to enacting various anti-abortion legislation. As the Supreme Court considers the possible overturn of the Roe v. Wade case, strong and experienced leadership is needed to resolve North Carolina’s outdated abortion laws .

"I wholeheartedly support our Second Amendment to the Constitution, and I sponsor the legal castle doctrine in North Carolina," she continued. "This legislation protects our Second Amendment’s right to retain and carry weapons, allowing us to protect ourselves, our families and our property. The Second Amendment continues to be attacked, and legislators must be proactive, not reactive. ."

"Castleism" means that a person has the legal right to use lethal force in his home, vehicle or workplace to defend himself without first trying to retreat. In states that do not recognize this doctrine, legally, a person must attempt to retreat before using lethal force.

Landman spent six years in the state Senate. When current Senator Don East died less than two weeks before being re-elected in 2012, she was appointed to the position for the first time. On the weekend before the election, the Republicans let Landman replace East.

After that, she easily won two re-elections until 2018, when the re-election included her and the current Republican President Dianna Ballard in the same newly created 45th Senate district. Ballard won the primaries that spring and continued to win seats in the Senate.

Although Landman lost the primary election, she was still very popular among voters in Wilkes and Surrey counties and easily surpassed Ballard in the primary elections in these two counties. However, her advantages in her hometown are not enough to overcome Ballard's advantages in his hometown, Watoga County, and nearby Ash and Allegheny counties.

Before she entered the Senate, Landman served in the North Carolina House of Representatives for four years. Prior to this, she was the long-term clerk of the Wilkes County Courthouse.

When Landman announced the news this week, she also talked about the needs of the elderly, the recovery of the pandemic, and other issues that she considers high priority.

"Our seniors are going through difficult times, and I have been working hard to ensure that North Carolina does not tax their Social Security benefits," she said. "In addition, I also initiated and promulgated the Elder Abuse Law to prosecute those who use our elderly...

"We must continue to work to restore the post-pandemic economy. With job opportunities, we need to get people back to work. Infrastructure needs are critical to economic development and the creation and retention of jobs. Agribusiness is important to our states and counties. It is very important that we must pass legislation to support and protect our farmers. For example, I helped Senator Brent Jackson pass the "agricultural rights" legislation.

"We must support and do what is necessary to help our public safety officials and medical staff. We want to thank our veterans and those currently serving in our armed forces. We created the North Carolina Department of Military and Veterans Affairs , But there is more demand at the state and federal levels.

"Drugs and substance abuse are a problem in all communities and are destroying our families and communities. I was able to get 1.4 million US dollars from the General Assembly for a facility-based crisis center that has been built and opened in Wilkes County To meet the mental health and substance abuse needs of Wilkes and surrounding counties."

"During these difficult times, I am honored to serve on the North Carolina State Senate. This is an amazing responsibility, and I did not take it lightly. In my efforts to improve the efficiency of the government, I have created opportunities for working families, creating employment opportunities and Raising wages is very important to me."

The general election will be held on November 8. If the Republican Party nominates more than one candidate for the seat, the primary election will be held on March 8. As of Tuesday night, no one else has applied for or announced to run for a seat in the 36th District Senate.

Dobson-From 4 to 7 pm on Saturday, the Dobson area will have the opportunity to experience local historical landmarks while celebrating the festival.

This will involve the second holiday trip to Capps Mill Estate. This is an open event for the public with unique decorations, vendors including various artisans, refreshments such as biscuits and hot chocolate, and enjoy a simple Christmas of previous years in a specific environment.

The core of the site is a large mill on the Mitchell River, which dates back to 1827, and there is also a house built in the late 19th century nearby.

"We want to share history," said Christine Blydenburgh, who bought the property in recent years with her husband Joe after looking for a historic home. They now operate Kapps Mill Estate Guest House and Event Center there, a lodging place also provides space for different gatherings.

It is located at 962 Kapps Mill Road off Zephyr Road, west of Dobson.

Blydenburgh said that even though the coronavirus was raging during the first holiday tour last year, more than 200 people participated, many of whom were from Mount Airy.

She added that the owners hope to host a bigger event on Saturday.

"They can visit the house and the factory," Bradenburg said of waiting for the opportunity for attendees.

"There is something new to see," the co-owner added, who explained that some parts that were closed during the 2020 event are now open. "We added a photo display in the pavilion", she mentioned a new attraction.

"This is a free event," Bradenburg emphasized when talking about the Capsmere Manor holiday trip, encouraging visitors to come on Saturdays. "Unless they buy something from a supplier, no money is involved." Most of them are located in old mills.

Various craftsmen will provide what the organizer calls "unique gifts" for purchase.

The original plan called for biscuits and hot chocolate to be enjoyed by the fire pit, but the burning ban imposed across the state due to dry conditions in recent days would prohibit this.

Bledenburg said that during the holiday tourism activities, the warmth of the Christmas season will still be adequately supplied.

John M. Kapp bought the factory around 1843, and its ownership remained in the Kapp family until the middle of the 20th century.

In October 2018, the picturesque waterfall and dam of Caps Mills were frequently visited, but in October 2018 they became victims of Hurricane Michael and were washed away by floods.

Blydenburgh said that this historic site still has a lot to offer.

• According to a report from the city police, a gun was found stolen in a residence in Mount Airy last Friday.

This was caused by breaking into the Wendy Gal Scott home on Austin Avenue, which was not secured at the time. A 637 Smith and Wesson .38 Special pistol, gray, stolen. Its value is US$520.

• Amanda Lee Messick, 39, lives at 212 Bluemont Road, was arrested on felony drug charges last Wednesday and possesses Schedule II controlled substances.

The case was filed through the Surrey County Sheriff’s Office on November 15, when Messick was also accused of possessing drug paraphernalia.

She was detained in the county jail with a security deposit of $500 and is scheduled to appear in the Surrey District Court on January 26.

• Catherine Tiffin Spainhour, 32, from 286 Brewster Lane, was charged with theft and possession of stolen goods after an accident at the local Dollar General store on November 30. The address of the store is not listed.

Spanish Hour admitted in the investigation that she opened a package of feminine hygiene products and stole an item from it. She is scheduled to appear in the district court next Monday.

The Surrey County Committee held its last regular meeting of the year on Monday, which was a changing of the guard when they elected new officials. Commissioner Bill Goins (Bill Goins) moved to the chair, and the board of directors elects Commissioner Eddie Harris (Eddie Harris) as vice chairman.

As with the practice of this committee, there is a rotating schedule of officials, in which the person who does not have the chairperson is selected as the chairperson, and the vice-chairperson is deleted from the chairperson.

According to Commissioner Van Tucker, the rotation format can increase transparency and eliminate the appearance of any small factions running on the board. He said that the rotation of officials can generate more and better ideas, as well as new voices in the committee.

Having a publicly functioning county committee is a huge benefit for the citizens of this county, because these officials are overseeing a huge annual budget of close to $80 million.

The outgoing chairman Mark Marion thanked the board and county staff for their hard work during his tenure. After a short break in the meeting of moving name tags and taking pictures, the committee took a seat and chaired by Chairman Bill Goens.

In other committee news:

-Introduced to the local Eagle Scouts in recognition of their highest level of honor in Scouting. As Chairman of Eagle Scout, Chairman Goins took the time to talk about the great honour of reaching Eagle and pointed out that people have noticed Eagle Scouts, and the title is still meaningful.

Although not all Eagle Scouts can participate in the meeting, everyone deserves respect, and the committee celebrated the achievements of the following individuals: Garyn Bender, Nicholas Bryant, and Alexander Kaufhold. The committee also extended congratulations and best wishes to Eagle Scouts Joshua Joyce, Ethan Faw, Chase Harris, Skylar Lawson and Jacob Haywood.

-Joan Sherif, Director of the Northwest Territories Library, talked about the state of the library system. Sherif reported on the strong circulation of the entire system and said that although the flow of people may have declined, they showed an increase in the use of online resources.

The Northwest Territories Library has 13 libraries, and she reported that the system's book circulation has increased by 10%. "It's always nice to see this. People say, "Are people still reading? "I think the answer is yes."

"The library is as important as ever," Sharif said. "They are part of education for all ages." The system uses grants from the Emergency Connect Fund to purchase Chromebooks and hotspots to help bridge the digital divide, as evidenced by this. A Chromebook is a streamlined tablet device that is mainly used for web-based services such as browsing, and does not have an advanced processor for graphics or games.

Anna Nichols from Pilot Mountain and Sherif outlined the changes and improvements of the regional system, such as Lowgap now has Saturday time, or Pilot Mountain where there is a makerspace for business development activities. Nichols explained: “We are trying to find small niches and provide help in small ways that become a big deal.”

-Commissioner Tucker provided an update on his attempt to relocate the World War II Memorial, the old school bell and track and field memorabilia from the Old Westfield School. He is in contact with local church groups, trying to find the best habitat for these "close at hand" cultural relics.

-Commissioner Larry Johnson asked specific questions about important issues he wanted to see. The issues surrounding Jones’ school property are his biggest concern, and county manager Chris Knopf said that the board’s choice has been outlined and is unlikely to change. Knoff said that at this time it was in the hands of the committee members.

"This issue is complex and wide-ranging," Commissioner Harris said. The board decided that the Jones issue requires its own retreat meeting. "We need to treat it fairly," he said.

Commissioner Johnson also investigated the county's participation in PART (Regional Transportation Committee that manages commuter bus routes). The board of directors had been uncertain in previous meetings whether the number of passengers justified further participation in PART. Johnson asked how Surrey County could get rid of the agreement.

There is no clear way to remove a county from a multi-county agreement. County Attorney Ed Woltz requested and obtained permission to speak with PART attorney Tom Terrell. "He has the best feeling about how to solve this problem...even if it may not be very desirable" for PART.

Johnson finally asked when the committee could use funds from the US rescue plan. Knopf reported that he would be happy to put ARP spending back on the agenda for discussion in January.

-The county manager Knopf reminded the committee members that at their next meeting, they will vote on part of the matching funds for the expansion of the Surry Rural Health Center on Highway 89. Dr. Challie Minton has stated that he will seek to expand and agrees with Commissioner Marion that this is necessary. "They develop so fast; they burst at the seams over there."

In the last business of the evening, Knopf submitted a funding request to the board of directors to recover part of the expenses incurred by the residents of Toast in cleaning up the nuisance property. Several board members stated that they were aware of the faulty property west of the Old Franklin Fire Station on Toast Road.

Commissioner Harris said that Doug Hall of the Surrey County Code Management Department considered this to be one of the most serious "problem properties." Community members organize and assemble heavy equipment on their own to solve their ongoing problems. They removed 22.4 tons of rubbish from the property, which has been a problem of squatters.

The committee members would like to thank the residents of Toast for their hard work and unanimously voted to pay the $1,007.55 cost of dumping garbage. Even Tucker, who is financially conservative, voted on the board: "I think if we can spend a thousand dollars to get rid of this mess, he will be happy to do it."

Dobson-The first day of the candidate application period is usually accompanied by a lot of activities, and this is the case with Dobson this week.

"We had a very busy day at the Surrey County Election Commission (office), and 14 people applied for the office," the county election director Michella Huff announced Monday evening. That was the first day that those seeking various local seats in Mount Airy and elsewhere in Surrey could officially put on their hats for the 2022 election season.

However, one of the applicants, Will Pfitzner, the candidate for the northern seat of the Mount Airy Committee, has withdrawn from the race.

Joanna Refvem has also applied to serve as North District Commissioner.

At the same time, three people who announced their intention to run for mayor also submitted applications on Monday: Jon Cowley, Theresa Lewis and Ron Nilan, who is now the mayor.

Cowley, 59, is the longest serving city council member since 2008. He announced in July that he intends to run for the highest elected position in Mount Airy and made it clear that he thinks Niland is doing well.

His decision to run for mayor can be traced back to David Rowe, who once held the post, resigned in October 2020 due to health reasons.

Cowley has stated that he hopes to play a different role in the city government. Cowley stated in July that although the mayor does not have the right to vote in his actions-except to break the tie-one thing he can do is "tell our story." He believes that the mayor is the facade of the city and the most eye-catching representative.

The 66-year-old Niland formally announced at a council meeting last Thursday that he would run for mayor and submitted an application on Monday.

"This is a period of change in the history of our city," Nilan said on Thursday, adding that he hopes to continue the "great work" that has already started and become part of Airy Mountain's vision for many projects.

Lewis also announced her candidacy for mayor a few months ago.

She is a former on-the-job commissioner of Mount Airy and a retired local businesswoman who has long-term connections with WorkForce Unlimited human resources company.

Lewis, 63, cited her past experience with the city government—including playing a key role in launching its recycling program about 10 years ago—as what made her eligible for public office again.

Over the years, she has also served on the boards of various community organizations.

The three candidates submitted on Monday will force the Mayor of Airy Mountain to conduct a primary election in March. This is necessary when three or more candidates are seeking a specific position.

The Mount Airy election is non-partisan.

Since Cowley was not allowed to run for public office and his current committee seat, this opened the door for others to apply for the North District-Cowley never encountered opposition in his three re-election campaigns there.

At noon on Monday, when the candidate's application period began, Pfitzner and Refvem did so without hesitation.

But Pfitzner, 28, said on Tuesday that his candidacy is short-lived and he will withdraw his name from the proceedings sometime this week.

"I didn't know Joanna would apply," he said of Reveem, a neighbor of his Montclaire Drive and a friend of Pfitzner's family.

"I really believe that Joanna will do a good job," Pfitzner said, while expressing that he didn't want to run against someone so close.

As the owner of a company called LazerEdge Designs, his reasons for seeking public office include adding different elements to the city government.

"I want young people to enter the leadership," Pfitzner said, saying that he only temporarily postponed his plan. "I will run for some type of city leader in the future."

Refvem, 67, is a semi-retired counselor at Mount Airy High School. She mentioned on Tuesday that her family has lived in the city since 1996. She wants to do something to help "a community that is very good for us," the candidate said.

She is not particularly concerned about the city government activities that promote the election for public office.

"I have absolutely no agenda at this time," said Refvem, who plans to measure the concerns of citizens and how she can help. "I think I want to be a good student in the community."

Candidates for the party county office also submitted applications on Monday, including:

• Surry Sheriff Steve Hiatt, 58, a Republican who will be campaigning for his second term in the office he was elected to in 2018;

• The current court clerk Neil Brendle, 45 years old, is also seeking a second consecutive term of Republican votes;

• Brundle’s challenger, Melissa Marion Welch, a 41-year-old Republican from Dobson;

• Walter D. Harris, 68, applied to run for a seat in the Mount Airy District of the Surrey County Council, and is now served by Bill Goins, a first-term incumbent and Republican;

• Tessa Saeli, 48, a resident of Elgin, is seeking a seat on the long-serving Eddie Harris (all Republicans) County Committee Southern District;

• The current Democratic member of the Surrey County Board of Education, 44-year-old Mamie M. Sutphin of Pilot Hill, represents District 2 on the committee;

• Brent Long, 56, is also a resident of Pilot Hill. He is a Republican and is seeking to overthrow Supthin.

• Jessica George, 33, from Siloam, is a Republican seeking to fill the seat on the 3rd District County School Board that was recently vacated by Early Ke;

• Republican TJ Bledsoe, 40, a Dobson resident, campaigned for a seat on the Surry County Board of Education District 4, now chaired by Terri Mosley, chairman of the board.

The candidate application period will end at noon on December 17.

© 2018 Airy Mountain News