.....Advertisement.....
.....Advertisement.....

Public Safety

  • Parkway issues travel advisory

    Blue Ridge Parkway officials are asking motorists to avoid traveling the parkway at least through Wednesday, especially on sections in Virginia affected by Hurricane Sandy.

    Parkway officials are concerned that a large number of trees may come down as a result of further winds.

    Click here to read more...
  • Suspicious fire destroys business

    The old Stevens Creek school building was destroyed by a fire that was reported shortly before midnight on Oct. 28.

    The Fries and Galax volunteer fire departments battled the blaze, located on Pine Ridge Lane off Stevens Creek Road, for several hours before it was brought under control.

    Grayson County Sheriff Richard Vaughan said arson investigators with the Virginia State Police were due on the scene Monday to begin their investigation. He termed the fire “suspicious.”

    Click here to read more...
  • Ice cream recalled due to allergen

    A recall has been issued for Kay’s Classic vanilla bean ice cream sold by Food City and Super Dollar stores in Virginia.
    Manufacturer Schoep’s Ice Cream Company of Madison, Wis., alerted customers that because of a packaging error, the ice cream contains an undeclared allergen.
    The recall was initiated upon discovery that certain containers of Kay’s vanilla bean ice cream contained Kay’s Butter Pecan Ice Cream.

    Click here to read more...
  • Woodlawn woman passes away after early Oct. wreck

    UPDATE — An 80-year-old Woodlawn woman involved in a two-vehicle collision Oct. 3 has died.

    Ila Faye Payne passed away Oct. 27 at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, N.C., according to an obituary from Vaughan Guynn Funeral Home.

    Click here to read more...
  • Storm has at least one Carroll victim already

    HILLSVILLE — Even in the quiet before the storm Hurricane Sandy struck, the winds blew over a tractor-trailer on Interstate 77 Monday morning, according to local authorities.

    Not a lot of information was immediately available, but Virginia State Police First. Sgt. Mike Musser described it as being like a usual wind-related accident at the 3 mile marker in the Lambsburg area.

    The place has a history of empty tractor-trailers falling victim to the wind in that spot.

    Click here to read more...
  • Road deaths and injuries down over past five years

    In 2007, the number of people who died on Virginia roads surpassed 1,000 for the first time in nearly two decades.
    That grim toll marked a turning point. Traffic fatalities statewide have exceeded 800 only one year since.
    Safety advocates point to a multitude of changes and trends in explaining the drop. Among them: stricter licensing for young drivers, anti-DUI laws, educational and law enforcement campaigns, increased seat belt use, safer roads and better vehicles.

    Click here to read more...
  • Public hearing set on volunteer force idea

    HILLSVILLE — Carroll County officials will seek public comment on the idea of setting up a volunteer force to work with the sheriff’s office.
    The hearing will be at the board of supervisors’ November meeting.
    The supervisors initially approval the concept at their September meeting.
    Sheriff J.B. Gardner explained that the force would consist of veteran officers who have retired or those who have graduated from the police academy but haven’t found a job.

    Click here to read more...
  • Police, family organizing search for missing man

    FRIES — Family members of Samuel Joseph Sheehi are asking for community assistance in finding the missing Fries man.
    The family is working with Twin County law enforcement to find Sheehi, who has been missing for two weeks.
    Family members say 32-year-old Sheehi was last seen Oct. 10.
    He is about six feet tall and weighs 180 pounds, with a medium build, blue eyes, and buzz cut blond hair. He wears oversized clothing and has several tattoos.

    Click here to read more...
  • Scam involves sweepstakes, debit cards

    INDEPENDENCE — A legitimate contest or sweepstakes will never ask a winner to pay money in advance to get their prize, cautions Grayson Sheriff Richard Vaughan.
    A local woman almost fell for such a scam, but a family member and the sheriff intervened before any money was lost.
    The Grayson Sheriff’s Office is warning of a scam involving a sweepstakes award and pre-paid debit cards from Walmart.

    Click here to read more...
  • Meth lab clean-up ordinance approved

    HILLSVILLE — At least one person in Carroll County feels good about a new ordinance that calls for methamphetamine makers to clean up their drug labs after conviction.
    The Carroll County Board of Supervisors held a required public hearing on the idea, already approved by places like Galax, at the Oct. 9 meeting.
    When Supervisors’ Chairman Sam Dickson saw that no citizens signed up to speak, he asked Sheriff J.B. Gardner if he wanted to say anything.

    Click here to read more...