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The Mount Airy News

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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 · 2d

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 · 2d

The Mount Airy News

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Local man runs for 24 hours

It’s one thing to complete a marathon, half marathon, 10K or 5K race — which all can be done in a span of minutes or hours — but a Mount Airy man has managed to run for an entire day. This occurred when Charles Hiatt took on the OMR Ultra 24 Hour Challenge from Oct. 30-31 in Mint Hill, near Charlotte. Unlike some races with spread-out courses, the OMR Ultra 24 Hour Challenge involves a 1.35-mile loop that participants run over and over — “and over again,” Hiatt stated with a note of humor. The local man, an employee of Eagle Carports in Mount Airy, started the event on Oct. 30 at 7 p.m. and finished on 7 p.m. the next day to cap what organizers call “a festive, Halloween-themed test of endurance.” While the running career of the former two-pack-per-day smoker previously included completing three World Marathon Majors in Boston, Chicago and most recently Sydney, Australia, he was a bit leery about the late-October event. “Running for 24 hours straight was definitely my biggest challenge yet,” Hiatt acknowledged. A friend and fellow runner, Josh Seawell of Pinnacle, had invited him to participate in the Mint Hill event. “Against my

Mt Airy, NC · 2d

The Mount Airy News

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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 · 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

The Mount Airy News

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Missed opportunities doom Greyhounds against East Burke

CONNELLY SPRINGS — North Surry struggled to make the most of its opportunities in a first-round 4A state playoff game against East Burke. The No. 17 Greyhounds never led against the Cavaliers. North Surry had chances on both sides of the ball to seize momentum, even cutting East Burke’s lead to one score twice, but couldn’t follow through. Late touchdowns allowed the No. 16 Cavaliers to pull away for the 36-14 win. “It ultimately came down to not seizing control in some pretty key moments,” North Surry coach Jackson Smith said. “We had a great game plan going in, and I thought our kids played really hard, but we just didn’t win those game-swinging plays.” Turning the ball over on downs inside the 5-yard line and giving up big conversions on third and fourth downs were examples of North Surry’s missed opportunities, Smith said. “East Burke ran well, they’re well-coached, they played physical and did a good job of keeping our offense off the field,” Smith said. “You can’t afford to miss your chances against a team like that in the playoffs.” North Surry (5-6) also dealt with the loss of two starters early in the game: Damarcus McClure and

Mt Airy, NC · 2d

The Mount Airy News

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Granite Bears leave it all on the field against Shelby

Mount Airy’s soccer season ended with a 2-0 loss to Shelby on Nov. 9. The Granite Bears and the visiting Golden Lions played a scoreless first half before Shelby struck early in the second. No. 3 Mount Airy had chances to score but couldn’t convert, allowing Shelby to double its lead with another goal midway through the half. No. 11 Shelby fended off the Granite Bears’ final attacks to secure the shutout and advance to the 3A West regional semifinals. “I’m just heartbroken for the seniors,” Mount Airy coach Cody Atkins said. “They were definitely emotional after the game, and the coaching staff was emotional too. We felt like they gave everything they had and really put their hearts into it. “They really left it all on the field.” Atkins said the Bears played a solid match at every position, which made the loss tougher to accept. “It’s hard to swallow when you play good, make good runs, take good shots, leave it all out there and still come up short,” he said. “We felt like we were the better team, it just wasn’t our night.” Mount Airy (21-5) ramped up its offense in the second half after going down

Mt Airy, NC · 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 · 20h

The Carroll News

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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 · 13h

The Mount Airy News

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Honor society holds mental health fair at community college

DOBSON — More than 200 students recently attended the “Behind the Smile: Mental Health Fair” hosted by Surry Community College’s Alpha Xi Tau Chapter of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society in the George R. Stockton Plaza on the Dobson campus. “Sometimes we have to look beyond the smile someone presents to the world and recognize what may be hidden behind the mask,” said PTK Chapter President Kelley Peele of the reason behind the event. “Taking the time to check in and have an honest conversation may seem like a small gesture, but it can remind someone that they matter, and that they do not have to carry their struggles alone,” Peele said. “PTK hoped to create a space where students could find support for their mental health as a whole, recognizing that what weighs on us emotionally can often be connected to challenges we are facing in everyday life. We wanted students to be able to explore mental health and community resources at their own pace, without having to explain what they needed or why. In a rural community, reaching out for support can still feel difficult, so a great deal of care went into making the fair welcoming,

Dobson, NC · 1d

The Mount Airy News

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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

The Stokes News

partner publisher · 1.8K followers

Planting the Future: NC Farm School 2027

DANBURY — The NC Cooperative Extension is officially accepting applications for its upcoming NC Farm School programs in the Western Piedmont region. Designed for new, aspiring, and transitioning farmers, NC Farm School equips agricultural entrepreneurs with business planning tools, strategic concepts, and one-on-one planning help to launch and sustain profitable farm businesses. The Western Piedmont 2027 Program offers a combination of classroom instruction and on-farm visits for one full day of business ideation across Yadkin, Davidson, Davie, Stokes, and Forsyth counties. The program begins with a virtual orientation on March 15, followed by monthly in-person sessions from March through June. Classroom topics cover business setup, product selection, cost and income estimation, market research, risk management, and farm regulations. ● March 15 - Zoom Orientation, 6:30 p.m. ● March 22 - NC Cooperative Extension, Yadkin County Center, Yadkinville ● April 26 - NC Cooperative Extension, Davidson County Center, Lexington ● May 24 - NC Cooperative Extension, Davie County Center, Mocksville ● June 28 - NC Cooperative Extension, Forsyth County Center (and Stokes County farm tours), Tobaccoville ● July TBD - Graduation Dinner, TBD “Go to NC Farm School,” said Timothy Davis, without hesitation, when asked about his NCFS experience. “You learn

Danbury, NC · 1d

caswell.news

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Dissolution Decisions Loom for Two Small NC Towns

On the heels of a financial takeover of two North Carolina towns last month, Local Government Commission (LGC) staff are exploring the possibility of dissolving each of them once and for all. A team of LGC staff have been working with the towns of Rowland and Ronda over the past...

Ronda, NC · 16h

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 · 23h

The Mount Airy News

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Elkin school board to name new superintendent Nov. 16

The Elkin Board of Education is ready to hire a new superintendent — but board members are keeping the name secret until a meeting scheduled for next week. Officials with the school system said a new superintendent for Elkin City Schools is expected to be in place for the start of the calendar year. The board has been working since the summer to recruit and hire a replacement for Dr. Steve Hall, who left the position in June to assume the superintendent’s role in Surry County. The Elkin school board hired North Carolina School Board Association consultant Sam Thorp to aid with the search and hiring process. On Monday, Nov. 16 the board has scheduled a special called meeting in the media center at Elkin High School beginning at 6:30 p.m. A closed session will be held first, at 6 p.m. for the board to finalize discussions. In open session the board will officially vote on the new hire and sign the contract ahead of announcing the new leader and a welcome reception, according to officials. The name of the new superintendent will not released until the contract is signed at the Nov. 16 meeting. The new superintendent is expected

Elkin, NC · 1d