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The Mount Airy News

partner publisher · 5.8K followers
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Data center plan OK'd, hailed as 'great document'

Mount Airy’s data center ordinance is now gospel, having been approved unanimously after months of consideration — with one city official saying the issue was a done deal in another way. “The biggest thing I’ve learned through this process is we don’t have the option to say ‘no,’’’ Mayor Jon Cawley said of an outright ban on the controversial facilities locating here. “That is not an available option unless you want to go into litigation,” Cawley added regarding the fact data centers are legal enterprises. The only thing a locality can do is adopt regulations ensuring the facilities operate in ways that don’t hamper its quality of life, city officials said, which the Mount Airy Board of Commissioners hopes was accomplished with its decision Thursday night. If it failed to enact a data center ordinance, Commissioner Calvin Vaughn said then, one could have come into town under existing regulations, “which are more lax.” Vaughn and other board members say the new ordinance protects Mount Airy in regard to various data center implications such as allowable locations and water usage. “I think it’s a great document,” he said of the ordinance spanning 13 pages, “something other municipalities can use as a

Mt Airy, NC · 2d

chathamstartribune.com

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Lover's Leap widening complete

After years of earth moving and traffic snarls, an ambitious road-widening project in Southside Virginia is ready for prime time. State leaders this weekend cut the ribbon on the newly completed eastbound lanes of Route 58 over Lovers Leap Mountain in Patrick County. For the past five years, work crews...

Patrick County, VA · 2d
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American Songwriter

partner publisher · 245.6K followers
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Born 81 Years Ago Today in North Carolina, the High School English Teacher Who Became a Grammy-Winning Country Music Star

On this day (November 10) in 1945, Yvonne Vaughn was born in Mount Airy, North Carolina. Today, she’s better known as country singer Donna Fargo, who kicked off a string of four straight No. 1 hits with 1972’s “The Happiest Girl in the Whole U.S.A.”. Among the...

Mt Airy, NC · 1d

The Mount Airy News

partner publisher · 5.8K followers
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City land sales boosting housing market

Along with adding some extra jingle to the city coffers, recent sales of surplus municipal land are helping to provide more housing in a tight market locally. “When we sold these properties, the intent was to build houses on them,” City Manager Darren Lewis said last Thursday night when the latest transaction was approved by the Mount Airy Board of Commissioners. That involved a site of about one-half acre on Carolina Avenue. It is one of 11 different parcels declared surplus property by city officials last year and put on the auction block, some of which are outside the city limits Included were lots on North Franklin Road, East Wilson Street, North Main Street, Fancy Gap Road, Lakeview Drive (three parcels), Carolina Avenue (three parcels) and Lyn Avenue. Only the property on Lyn Avenue remains unsold from that list, which is located in the Westwood area near North Franklin Road. Lewis said after Thursday night’s meeting that plans for “10-plus” houses have resulted from the sales of surplus property, meaning officials saw no future use for it by the municipality. To market the land, Mount Airy has been using GovDeals, an online marketplace geared toward government, educational and related entities

Mt Airy, NC · 1d

The Carroll News

partner publisher · 1.7K followers

Data Center debate takes new direction as Alabama changes minds and Cavaliers complete historic season

“My whole goal in this was to go down there and get with the locals because the locals are just like us,” said Delilah Brady, who turned the microphone around and faced the audience. “I wanted to find all the negatives…. I went everywhere and I talked to everybody and they were happy. It was almost like they lived in this little utopia or something… Overall, I mean, everybody liked them.” Goodge owned data centers made a big impression on Carroll County visitors. Carroll County pulled away in the fourth quarter to defeat James River 40-20 in Buchanan, Va. on Friday, November 6, in the process completing the first perfect regular season in program history. “It’s a blessing,” said running back Hunter Gravley. “This is something I thought Carroll County would never see and I’m just grateful to be part of it.”

Carroll County, VA · 8h

The Mount Airy News

partner publisher · 5.8K followers

Carroll officials more open to data center after visiting one in Alabama

Data centers have been front-and-center in both local and national debate, including just across the border in Virginia, where opposition to a proposed data center there has been widespread, including among some county officials. But a few county officials, along with residents, who generally opposed such centers may be changing their minds after several visited a Google-owned data center in Jackson County, Alabama. A public hearing regarding the recently adopted Emergency Data Center Ordinance occurred at the beginning of a recent Board of Supervisors meeting in Carroll County, with the goal of making the emergency ordinance permanent. The Data Center Ordinance was formulated to place restrictions on data centers locating in the county and includes limits to water consumption, noise pollution and places strict decommissioning requirements on facilities after they close. Delilah Brady spoke during the public hearing portion of the meeting and requested that the supervisors adapt the emergency data center ordinance and make it a permanent part of the county code. The Data Center Ordinance was subsequently adopted by a unanimous vote of the board. Google has expressed an interest in locating a data center on a piece of property owned by a private landowner near the Wildwood

Jackson County, AL · 1d

wvpublic.org

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Franklin County Banjo Player Gene Parker Made His Instrument Sing

This story was originally published by Radio IQ and is part of a series reported by students at the Handmade Music School in Floyd County, Virginia. The students are compiling a songbook of tunes and songs played in their community and telling the stories behind the music. This story aired...

Floyd County, VA · 2d

familydestinationsguide.com

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A Bologna Sandwich And A Horror-Movie Cameo Made This North Carolina Country Store A Local Legend

Priddy’s General Store in Danbury, North Carolina has appeared in a horror film, serves one of the most talked-about bologna sandwiches in the South, and somehow still manages to feel like the most welcoming place you’ve ever walked into. If that combination doesn’t make you want to get...

Danbury, NC · 15h

pcpatriot.com

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Small Community, Big Accomplishments: Barren Springs Ruritan Club Earns Five Gold Awards

BARREN SPRINGS, VA — What began as a vision to bring neighbors together and make a difference has grown into an award-winning community service organization. The Barren Springs Community Ruritan Club proudly celebrated a remarkable achievement on November 7, 2026, when it received five Gold Honor Awards from Ruritan National during the New River District Convention held in White Gate, Virginia.

Barren Springs, VA · 15h

WJHL

partner publisher · 83.8K followers

Former Washington Co., Va. deputy sheriff arrested for domestic violence

BRISTOL, Va. (WJHL) — The Bristol, Virginia Police Department (BVPD) reports that a former local deputy sheriff has been arrested and charged with domestic violence and felony strangulation following three alleged separate incidents this year. According to a news release from the BVPD, Peyton Hurd, 25, was employed as a deputy sheriff with the Washington […]

Bristol, VA · 1d

wcyb.com

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High School highlights and scores: November 10, 2026

Three local volleyball teams won region titles on Tuesday. All of these schools have qualified for the state tournament.

Abingdon, VA · 1d

The Mount Airy News

partner publisher · 5.8K followers

Surry County Schools EC teacher recognized with award

In recognition of his role in education, North Surry High School teacher Justin Gammons was recently awarded with the 2026 Surry County Schools Educator of Excellence Award. Gammons’ distinction was posted to North Surry’s Facebook page where the post amassed numerous comments with fellow educators and community members congratulating him on the award. “Congratulations to our very own, Justin Gammons. Mr. Gammons was recognized as Surry County Schools Educator of Excellence,” the post read. This year marks Gammons’ second year teaching in the district and his tenth year teaching overall. “Way to represent not only North Surry but also SCS!” continued North Surry’s post. Gammons was officially recognized during an award ceremony at the 75th Annual North Carolina Conference on Exceptional Children (EC), which was held last Thursday in Greensboro. “I was genuinely honored and shocked at the same time,” Gammons said of finding out that he received the designation. According to the department’s award description, teachers were chosen and recognized based on their “dedicated service and outstanding contributions to the education of exceptional children in our state.” One EC educator from each of North Carolina’s 115 public school districts was chosen to be represented and recognized for their commitment

Surry County, NC · 1d

WDBJ7.com

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Target 7: Virginia works to address nursing shortage

ROANOKE, Va. (WDBJ) - From classrooms to hospitals, nursing leaders are working to strengthen Virginia’s health care workforce by preparing more educators, helping students pay for school and introducing young people to careers in medicine. At Radford University, nursing leaders say a shortage of faculty can make it harder...

Virginia · 2d

The Mount Airy News

partner publisher · 5.8K followers

Board of Elections counts provisional ballots ahead of county canvass

Following the Nov. 3 midterm elections, the Surry County Board of Elections met Tuesday afternoon to review and vote on provisional ballots, giving partial or full approval to 148 of 244 of the ballots. As with many meetings held to verify results following the election, several attendees were present to oversee the three-and-a-half-hour process. During the public forum, some attendees voiced their gratitude to the board and thanked them for running a smooth election. “We’re family right here. We got a good board,” Surry County Board of Elections Chair Chris White said following the public forum portion of the meeting. “I’m very appreciative of my board.” Elections Director Sydney Bedsaul Romine organized the review of provisional ballots into nine categories. Each ballot, which has been researched and reviewed by two election staff members, was reviewed once again in the meeting, this time by the board, where they were either approved or not approved based on state recommendations and guidelines. Some votes were partially approved based on conditions the ballot met or did not meet, which required the board to manually remark partially approved ballots on the correct ballot style. In all, 148 provisional ballots were approved by the board —

Surry County, NC · 19h