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The Mount Airy News

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Food Lion holds re-opening ceremonies across the county

Improvements to local Food Lion stores were showcased with several re-opening ceremonies across Surry County Wednesday morning, with many attendees entering contests for the chance to win prizes. The grocery story chain spent more than $270 million to enhance and renovate stores across the Greater Greensboro area, consisting of 94 total stores, according to Food Lion. All three Mount Airy locations were included in the renovation project, alongside one in Dobson, Elkin and Pilot Mountain. Additionally, Food Lion Feeds invested $375,000 in celebration of the grand-re-openings to support local hunger relief efforts across, according to a statement from Food Lion. For the first 100 attendees, gift cards and reusable shopping bags were distributed to customers. At the ribbon cutting ceremony, ten randomly selected customers selected by raffle were able to play a peel-and-reveal game to win monetary prizes, with the grand prize totaling $1,000. Through Nov. 10, customers will have additional opportunities to win prizes through scratch off tickets distributed at the registers. Keely Casstevens was the last of the ten chosen customers to take a turn to play for a prize at the Food Lion store off of West Lebanon and was the store’s grand prize winner. “When I

Surry County, NC · 20h

WSET

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Testimony details moments before Carroll County deputy was fatally shot

CARROLL COUNTY, Va. (WSET) — Testimony in court shed new light on the moments leading up to the shooting death of Carroll County Deputy Logan Utt in May. The man accused of killing him, Michael Puckett, appeared before a judge for his preliminary hearing on Thursday. Carroll County Deputy...

Carroll County, VA · 2d
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WSLS

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Patchwork 250: The man behind 1,000 handmade guitars in Grayson County

GRAYSON COUNTY, Va. – Patchwork 250 is a new initiative from WSLS 10 that tells Virginia’s story, one piece at a time. Like a quilt made of many patches, every person, story, and tradition adds something special to our history. Join us as we celebrate 250 years by sharing the stories that make our region unique, one patch at a time.

Grayson County, VA · 2d
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The Carroll News

partner publisher · 1.7K followers

Galax woman dies in Skyline Highway crash

Virginia State Police is investigating a fatal two-vehicle crash that occurred Friday Oct. 30, 2026 at 4:30p.m. on Skyline Highway (Route 89) in Grayson County. Thirty five year old William B. Earp of Galax was driving southbound in the 3100 block of Skyline Highway in a 2020 Ford Escape when traffic slowed causing him to lose control and slide sideways into the northbound lane of the highway. A 2006 Peterbilt 379 tractor trailer traveling northbound collided with the Escape resulting in the death of 34 year old Jasmine L. Benbow of Galax, who was sitting on the passenger seat but not wearing a seat belt. The driver, William B. Earp and as well as a juvenile passenger, suffered serious injuries in the wreck. The crash remains under investigation though charges are said to be pending. The driver of the tractor trailer, 43 year old Larry J. Carpenter of Elkin, N.C., suffered minor injuries in the wreck.

Grayson County, VA · 22h

The Mount Airy News

partner publisher · 5.8K followers

'Clean' campaigns waged for city offices

Politicians often talk a good game about wanting to run a clean campaign with no mudslinging, but this proved to be more than lip service leading up to this week’s municipal election in Mount Airy. Sure, the candidates were out to win and fought hard to do so by vigorously courting voters throughout the 2026 political season. But that’s as far as it went, with no dirty tricks involved, office-seekers are saying in the aftermath of Tuesday’s outcomes favoring two incumbents, Mayor Jon Cawley and North Ward Commissioner Chad Hutchens. “I want to thank Bill for running a clean campaign, not negative,” Cawley said of Bill Goins, whose attempt to capture the city’s top elected office in the non-partisan race fell short. Cawley came out on top to win his second four-year term by a vote margin of 2,042 to 1,230, or 63% — including 0% hard feelings. “First of all, I want to congratulate Jon on his win,” Goins commented regarding that result. “Secondly, I want to thank Jon for running a positive campaign, because that is not always the case in some elections,” he added. “I told him back in May or June that I was going to

Mt Airy, NC · 21h

Ashe Post & Times

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Traffic stop leads to arrest of Florida fugitive with outstanding charges

CRUMPLER — Sheriff B. Phil Howell announces the arrest of 61-year-old Frederick Adam Cooper of Fleetwood, following a traffic stop for improper equipment. The stop led deputies to discover that Cooper had a felony extradition fugitive warrant from Broward County, Florida. On Oct. 10, Deputy Daniel Rodriguez was patrolling the Crumpler area when he noticed a vehicle in violation of the law and performed a traffic stop. Due to the nature of the stop, Sgt. Bledsoe arrived on scene with K9 Keeko and conducted an open-air sniff, yielding a positive alert, resulting in a probable cause search of the truck. Deputies located a Glock handgun, handgun magazines, a clear baggie containing a crystal substance, and drug paraphernalia. After confirmation from the Ashe County 911 Dispatch, Cooper was served with an extraditable warrant out of Broward County. Deputies placed Cooper under arrest and transported him to the Ashe County Sheriff’s Office after medical clearance from the Ashe Memorial Hospital. Cooper was charged with felony extradition/fugitive other state, felony possession of firearm by felon, felony possession of methamphetamine and possession of marijuana up to one-half ounce. Cooper was placed under a No Bond. In North Carolina, a no-bond means a judge has

Crumpler, NC · 1d

The Mount Airy News

partner publisher · 5.8K followers

Plans for Christmas parade unfold

The annual Mount Airy Christmas Parade on Nov. 21 will feature the usual holiday floats, marching groups and sparkling lights, but also the added attractions of Jeff and Sheri Easter and a first-ever “sensory-friendly area.” The Easters, who lead a popular Southern gospel group and have ties to the legendary Easter Brothers locally, will serve as grand marshals for the parade scheduled for 5 p.m. that day through the downtown area. Meanwhile, a special area will be designated along the procession route to accommodate onlookers who are sensitive to loud noises. “Because we’ve had a few complaints about the sirens and everything,” Gail Hiatt of the sponsoring Downtown Business Association said of the sounds emanating from public safety vehicles in the parade along with horns and other loud noises. “We’ve never done this before,” Hiatt added regarding the quiet zone. Applications available The Christmas parade typically includes elaborate floats by local businesses, high school marching bands, fire trucks, unique vehicles, festive costumed characters, community organizations, sports teams, churches, local elected officials and others. And, of course, more than a few pieces of candy and other goodies will be tossed out by those riding in the parade. It is considered the

Mt Airy, NC · 2d

wisenewsnetwork.com

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Elkin Buckin' Elks Versus Cherryville Ironmen NCHSAA 2A Football Playoff Preview

Cherryville, NC (WNN) - Excitement is building as the Cherryville Ironmen prepare for their first-round NCHSAA 2A playoff game Friday, November 6, 2006, when they host the Buckin' Elks of Elkin High School. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 pm at Rudisill Stadium in Cherryville, NC. There are many sports writers and coaches across the state who believe this Ironmen team can make a deep postseason run. Although the ultimate goal is to be playing on championship weekend, December 10-12, Coach Patrick Bowman has kept his team focused on one game, one week at a time all season. He and his staff have done a great job of keeping the players focused on each game and resisting the temptation to look beyond easier teams. In several post-game interviews with Wise News Network, Coach Bowman has stated that he always chooses his guys. The team has bought into this philosophy as Bowman has built a culture of winning in just three seasons. The coaching staff's confidence in the players has helped them build confidence in themselves. It will take more than just confidence to keep playing until December. Fortunately, Cherryville is blessed with many playmakers at skill positions, giving them an opportunity as long as they execute their game plan each week.

Cherryville, NC · 2d

wisenewsnetwork.com

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The Cherryville Ironmen Shutout the Elkin Buckin’ Elks 63-0 to Open the NCHSAA 2A Football Playoffs

Cherryville, NC (WNN) - The Cherryville Ironmen set one school record and tied another as they shut out the Buckin’ Elks in the first round of the NCHSAA 2A State playoffs on November 6, 2026. The 2026 Ironmen are the first team in school history to win playoff games in back-to-back seasons. Last season they went 1-1 in the playoffs. Cherryville tied a school record for most wins in a season at 7, which has happened only five other times. In 1934 Cherryville finished 7-0-3, 1935 7-1, 1953 7-3, 1977 7-3 and 2018 7-5. The 63 points fell just 5 shy of tying the record for most points scored, set against North Stokes on 8-22-25 with a score of 68-8. The 63-point differential is probably a record but has not yet been verified. Speaking of records, the Cherryville New Year’s Shooters probably set a record tonight for most black powder used in a game. They fire their muskets after each Ironmen score, and there were plenty of those tonight as blue-grey smoke floated over the field for most of the game. As the smoke dissipates, the 7-4 Ironmen will now travel to Sparta, NC, to face the Trojans of Alleghany High School on November 13.

Cherryville, NC · 18h

The Mount Airy News

partner publisher · 5.8K followers

Support urged for local caregivers

Estimates show that about 43.5 million caregivers have provided unpaid services to an adult or child in the past year — with a proverbial law-of-averages situation existing locally. It’s one Mount Airy Mayor Jon Cawley described in no-uncertain terms during an October council meeting. “Chances are if you are not a family caregiver right now, you have been, you may be at some point or you know someone who is, or you will someday need a family caregiver yourself to help you live independently at home,” Cawley said. That session included the mayor reading a city proclamation highlighting November as National Family Caregivers Month. “This is a real thing in our world,” said the mayor, whose own family has been touched by it involving care for his elderly mother-in-law who resides outside the county. North Carolina has 2.1 million family caregivers who are helping older parents, spouses and other loved ones live independently in their homes and communities — where they want to be, according to the city proclamation. Applying a state average to that involvement shows that 14,000-plus Surry County residents are looking after older parents, children with medical needs or spouses. Age-friendly city Recognition of caregivers has special

Mt Airy, NC · 2d

The Mount Airy News

partner publisher · 5.8K followers

Whitley puts name in Surry Central’s record book

Micah Whitley cemented his place among Surry Central’s all-time great defenders with a record-setting career. Despite having his senior season cut short, Whitley will graduate as Surry Central’s all-time leading tackler. Whitley, a middle linebacker, finished his career with 413 tackles. He surpassed Wyatt Wall’s record of 388 tackles against Forbush earlier this season. Wall, a 2025 graduate who played two seasons with Whitley, was present to see his former teammate break the record in East Bend. “I’ve been lucky enough to be his coach all four years,” said Surry Central defensive coordinator Stephen Priddy, who coached both Wall and Whitley. “It was great to see it firsthand and be a part of it. “He’s withstood a lot of trials and tribulations in our seasons, but to still have the work ethic, dedication and loyalty that he does speaks to what kind of person he is.” Whitley was a four-year varsity player for the Golden Eagles. He averaged nearly nine tackles per game as a freshman and worked his way up to nearly 14 per game as a senior. As a sophomore, Whitley and Wall combined for 247 total tackles and 36 tackles for loss. Whitley took on a much

Dobson, NC · 2d

The Mount Airy News

partner publisher · 5.8K followers

Mount Airy Middle repeats as football conference champion

The Mount Airy Middle School football team put together another dominant season in 2026. The Granite Bears went 7-0 to complete their second consecutive undefeated season, including a 5-0 record in the Foothills Middle School Athletic Conference. Mount Airy finished first in the conference standings, followed by Pilot Mountain at 4-1, Chestnut Grove at 3-2, Southeastern Stokes at 2-3, North District at 1-4 and Central Middle at 0-5. The Granite Bears outscored opponents 230-50. Despite their undefeated season, the Granite Bears faced their share of obstacles, namely injuries. Head coach Choppy Cawley applauded his team’s “next man up” mentality. “We had at least one starter out with an injury in every game this season, which gave lots of guys on our team the chance to step into starting roles and they rose to the occasion,” Cawley said. “They were a great team to coach all around. They play hard, are receptive to coaching and most importantly enjoyed being around each other every day. “This team will be fun to watch in high school as they will surely make some deep playoff runs when they get to varsity.” Cawley is assisted by coaches Jimmy Selba, Andre Nance, Andrew Boles, Bobby Moore,

Mt Airy, NC · 1d

The Mount Airy News

partner publisher · 5.8K followers

Harris: Board didn't realize it approved Flock spending

During a Board of Commissioners meeting Monday evening, Commissioner Eddie Harris spoke publicly about increasing community concerns on Flock cameras and surveillance, revealing that he does not recall the board voting on Flock contracts and that he believes there might have been miscommunication regarding how the expense was presented in their budget. As the open session portion of the meeting concluded with general county business, Commissioner Harris acknowledged the feedback he said he has received from the concerned residents. “I feel like the folks who are concerned that have emailed us and so forth and come to the meetings deserve some sort of reaction from us in some form,” he said. Commissioner Harris said that to the best of his understanding, the sheriff’s department is meeting or has already met with Flock about these concerns. He continued, saying while he is not certain on the matter, his initial understanding for the reason why the board does not remember voting on Flock cameras is because the budgeting expense might have been categorized as a request for body cameras instead of a Flock subscription. “And I think there was some miscommunication on this,” he said. He explained the general structure of the

Surry County, NC · 1d

The Mount Airy News

partner publisher · 5.8K followers

Board approves foreclosure on tax delinquent properties

Tax Administrator Penny Harrison sought a request to refer delinquent tax accounts to foreclosure from the Board of Commissioners during their meeting Monday, which was approved by the board. Seven accounts were chosen at random by Harrison and her team for foreclosure, as all attempts to collect taxes on those parcels have been unsuccessful, according to Harrison. After five or more years of no tax collection, Surry County can begin the foreclosure process through assistance from Kania Law Firm, according to the county’s policies. After ten or more years of no tax collection, taxes for a parcel are uncollectable, Harrison explained during the meeting. Each of the seven parcels Harrison brought before the board have gone five or more years without collection. Combined, the estimated assessed value of the seven parcels totals more than $370,000. As of Sunday, the total amount of taxes owed across all seven parcels exceeds $28,000. These parcels include: A 0.714 acre property in the Mount Airy TownshipA 0.582 acre property in the Mount Airy TownshipA 4.87 acre property in the Pilot TownshipA 3.55 acre property in the Westfield TownshipA 0.73 acre property in the Bryan TownshipA 4.06 acre property in the Eldora TownshipA 2.67 acre

Surry County, NC · 22h

The Carroll News

partner publisher · 1.7K followers

Two Emergency Service providers recognized for life saving actions

Carroll County Emergency Services Director Jason Felts recognized the work of two members of the emergency services department at the November meeting of the Carroll County Board of Supervisors. “I want to come before you all for a couple of awards and y'all know I'm very passionate about what we do,” said Felts as he addressed the supervisors. “On September 17th, a nurse called 911. Her husband was having anaphylaxis, a severe allergic reaction and she didn't know what to do. She says all my training, all these years, but I didn't know what I was going to do and I thought I was going to lose my husband.” Felts continued by recounting what the wife of the ailing husband said to him. “She said, ‘I just wanted to call and tell you that the crew that showed up with their compassion and professionalism, I know that he was going to be very well taken care of and when they shut the doors on the ambulance, I wasn't worried about following them at a high rate of speed going to the hospital because I knew they were taking good care of him and giving him the life-saving measures that he

Carroll County, VA · 1d

The Mount Airy News

partner publisher · 5.8K followers

Veterans Day in city to honor patriotism

One good thing about Veterans Day activities in Mount Airy next Wednesday is that unlike previous years, no rain or cold temperatures are in the forecast — with perfect conditions for honoring military members in store instead. “It’s for them,” said Mark Barr, who has been organizing Mount Airy’s annual Veterans Day program since 2013. It will be held Wednesday at Blackmon Amphitheatre near City Hall, with both veterans and the public urged to attend. The service is scheduled for 11 a.m., which commemorates the signing of the Armistice ending World War I in 1918 at that time on the 11th day of the 11th month. This will come after the Mount Airy Veterans Day Parade that will pull out at 9:30 a.m. from Veterans Memorial Park on West Lebanon Street en route to the downtown area. “It looks like it’s going to be a pretty good-sized parade this year,” Barr said of the procession that will feature entries by military organizations and Junior ROTC students from local high schools. Amphitheatre service The 11 a.m. program at Blackmon Amphitheatre will include Staff Sgt. Steven Munoz of the local recruitment unit of the U.S. Marine Corps as guest speaker. Veterans of

Mt Airy, NC · 2d

The Mount Airy News

partner publisher · 5.8K followers

SCC alumni nominated for international wine awards

DOBSON — Three Surry Community College Viticulture and Enology alumni were nominated for Wine Enthusiast’s 27th Annual Wine Star Awards, which honors individuals and companies that make “outstanding contributions to the wine and spirits industry,” according to wineenthusiast.com. Katy Kidd, Surry Community College class of 2014, Matheson Worrell, class of 2016, and Elizabeth Higley, class of 2019, “have been nominated for major international awards,” college officials said. “Wine Enthusiast Magazine is one of the top wine magazines in the world.” “These nominations are huge for North Carolina and the Viticulture & Enology Technology program at Surry Community College. North Carolina is standing out worldwide due to the efforts of our program,” said Enology Instructor David Bower. Kidd and Worrell co-founded Dynamis Estate Wines of Jonesville, where they are also the winemakers. They were nominated together for “Winemaker of the Year” and are the only nominees from the United States in this category. Dynamis supports SCC with barrel donations and discounts. Wine Enthusiast Magazine wrote about the two, “Born-and-bread North Carolinians Katy Kidd and Matheson Worrell are evangelists for the wines of the American South. The Blue Ridge Mountains are primed for wine, they promise, and they’re doing an excellent job

Dobson, NC · 18h

The Mount Airy News

partner publisher · 5.8K followers

School board recount decision to take time

DOBSON — While Tuesday’s general election is history, there’s still a bit of unfinished business surrounding a Mount Airy Board of Education race with a 19-vote difference between two candidates. Republican Kyle Leonard was the apparent victor for the at-large school board seat now held by longtime member Tim Matthews, a Democrat, with a vote margin of 1,763 to 1,744. Recounts are a usual step when such a razor-thin result occurs, but that won’t be triggered until certain determinations are made, a local election official said. “The current vote totals show less than a 1% difference between the two candidates,” according to Surry County Elections Director Sydney Bedsaul Romine. “Technically, we’ll need to wait until after all remaining ballots are processed before we can determine whether this contest falls within that threshold,” Romine explained. One factor involves provisional ballots in the mix. A citizen is allowed to cast a provisional ballot during an election whenever questions arise about his or her eligibility to vote, which can include not presenting a photo ID upon arriving at a polling site. Those persons can still vote that day, subject to their eligibility being verified. Provisional ballots basically are put on hold until election

Mt Airy, NC · 19h

WFXR

partner publisher · 29.1K followers

Carroll County’s Hunter Gravely with 76-yard touchdown run

BUCHANAN, Va. (WFXR) — Carroll County’s Hunter Gravely with 76-yard touchdown run against James River earns play of the week.

Buchanan, VA · 1d

wataugaonline.com

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WYN’s 12th Annual Festival of Trees Is Just Around the Corner

Local organizations, designers, and friend groups are gathering to deck the halls for this year’s annual Festival of Trees fundraiser, beginning the week of November 16th. Festival of Trees has become a tradition in kicking off the holiday season in the High Country. With more than 100 decorated trees and wreaths on display across Watauga, Ashe, and Avery counties and available for purchase via online auction, the event raises money to support Western Youth Network (WYN)’s vital programming for children and youth across the region.

Watauga County, NC · 1d