Local News

FRIES — The battle for permanent authority for U.S. Cellular to operate a tower in Fries will continue for at least another six months.

According to Dick Gibson — the attorney representing U.S. Cellular in the case — the Federal Communications Commission reissued a Special Temporary Authorization regarding the cell tower in Fries on July 18.

The temporary authority will now expire Jan. 29, 2009.

When Galax Police Chief Rick Clark took his position eight years ago, he never imagined he would be holding a town hall meeting resulting from an outbreak of street gangs.

But after street gang evidence, such as graffiti tagging, arose nearly four years ago on Grant and Givens streets, gang activity has escalated to the point of making it into the school system, a concerned Clark told listeners at a special gang symposium Thursday.

Then, members begun to readily admit that they were a part of a gang.

HILLSVILLE — The appeal Tuesday by the owner of Horton's Pups for his prior 40-misdemeanor-count conviction had the same outcome in Carroll Circuit Court as the original trial, which resulted after a puppy mill investigation last fall.

After hearing about six hours of testimony, evidence and arguments by the attorneys, Judge Brett Geisler upheld the conviction against Hillsville resident Lanzie "Junior" Horton of 25 counts of neglecting animals at his commercial breeding facility, 14 counts of cruelty and a single count of exceeding his county-issued kennel license.

WYTHEVILLE — Four Carroll County residents have been charged in connection with beating a father after he asked them not to curse in front of his children at a convenience store, according to the Wythe County Sheriff’s Office.

Three of the suspects are being held in the New River

Valley Regional Jail in Dublin without bond.

Wythe Sheriff Doug King said 30-year-old John D. Mullins of Birchleaf told officers he had stopped to get gas at the store at Exit 24 off Interstate 77 just after midnight on July 19.