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Local News

  • Carroll emergency board faces changes

    HILLSVILLE — In the past, Carroll officials clarified that the county's Emergency Services Board cannot overturn the suspension of a volunteer without further action of the supervisors.

    At last Monday's meeting, the supervisors clarified all the duties of an ESB member.

    In fact, Carroll officials at their regular January meeting made several changes to the ESB's responsibility in an effort to clarify that group's mission for the county.

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  • Winter Wonder

    FANCY GAP — While most people begrudge winter, cold weather crystallizes at least one thing that Terry and Diana Murphy find glorious to behold.

    Every time the temperature dips below 20 degrees, natural patterns of ice form on the windows of their home on Martha's Knob Road in Fancy Gap.

    The long streaks and the feathery fingers of ice look gorgeous. "I just know it's ice crystals," Murphy said. "And it's very pretty."

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  • Man loses home to fire

    HILLSVILLE — A Carroll County man lost his home at 6742 Poplar Camp Road in a Monday morning fire.

    Emergency officials report that Delton Newman's home, a single-wide trailer that had been added on to, caught fire at about 8:47 a.m. Monday.

    Firefighters from Hillsville and Carroll Fire and Rescue responded to the scene and found the home ablaze upon their arrival.

    Emergency workers saw the owner on the road, and he told them no one was in the home. The owner also explained that he had built a fire and then gone outside.

    The home was a total loss.

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  • Griffith may run for seat in 9th District

    RICHMOND — Republican delegate and Virginia House Majority Leader Morgan Griffith is considering a run for the U.S. House of Representatives seat held by Democrat Rick Boucher of Abingdon.

    Griffith said he has had conversations with people in the district and officials from the National Republican Congressional Committee about challenging Boucher, but is far from making a decision about seeking the seat in the November election.

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  • Medicaid cuts looming for hospitals

    Providers could see sharp cuts in Medicaid payments at a time when the need is greater than ever before.

    Virginia's hospitals, such as Twin County Regional, are attempting the delicate balancing act of asking legislators to spare Medicaid from deep cuts, while acknowledging the state faces a significant budget shortfall of $4.2 billion.

    At stake are millions of dollars in payments that go to provide medical care for the poorest Virginians. And it comes at a time when Medicaid's rolls are at a record high.

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  • Judge: Dove not guilty

    INDEPENDENCE — A Galax man charged with seven felony counts of taking indecent liberties with a child has been found not guilty in Grayson Circuit Court.

    Grayson County Commonwealth's Attorney Douglas Vaught told The Gazette that David Dove was found not guilty in a bench trial after two full days of testimony.

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  • Dogged by detractors, trespassing proposal put down

    HILLSVILLE — No one liked a proposal meant to deal with nuisance dogs, and the Carroll supervisors unanimously buried the idea at their Jan. 11 meeting.

    The proposal would have let people who are harassed by aggressive or nuisance dogs on their own property make a complaint to authorities, and the animal control officer would take action based on the complaint.

    Citizens reacted. In December, several citizens turned out to share their support or displeasure for the idea, even though the public hearing wasn't scheduled until December.

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  • Briarleigh Court in Hillsville burns

    HILLSVILLE — Following the Saturday morning blaze at Briarleigh Court apartments on North Main Street, one resident suffered burns and smoke inhalation and remains hospitalized.

    Emergency officials say that the fire started at about 4:30 a.m. at the apartments owned by Rural Development.

    All 37 residents of the independent living facility for the elderly were accounted for. Three of them had smoke inhalation.

    Resident Emily Bowman remained in good condition at Twin County Regional Hospital Monday after being admitted for treatment.

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  • Dept. of Health: Virginia flu levels dropping

    For the first time since mid-September, Virginia has dropped from the list of states that have widespread levels of flu, ending a 15-week run.

    Diane Woolard, division director of the department for surveillance and investigation at the Virginia Department of Health, said the state has reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that Virginia is no longer experiencing widespread levels of flu as of the week ending Jan. 2.

    The levels in Virginia are still higher than normal for this time of year, because of the H1N1 virus, or swine flu.

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  • Shock and Awe

    Despite the frigid weather last Thursday, many Twin County residents got hot under the collar.

    That heat was fueled by anger after opening their electric bills.

    While the bills should have been no surprise, given the months of debate about American Electric Power's 14.5 percent base rate increase request, seeing those figures in print was still a shock.

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