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Today's News

  • Nelson indicted in Internet solicitation case

    ROANOKE — A 38-year-old Hillsville man already facing state charges for soliciting a teenage girl from Kansas over the Internet has been indicted on four counts by a federal grand jury.

    If found guilty, Dewey Edward Nelson could spend at least 10 years in federal prison, because two of the charges have a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison, according to federal officials.

    The FBI and the Hillsville Police Department teamed up to investigate allegations that Nelson went to Kansas to pick up a juvenile he met on the Internet and brought her back to Virginia.

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  • Citizens oppose Galax tax, rate increases

    Reducing the city's budget gap from nearly $2 million to $550,000 by raising taxes and rates had a handful of city residents and restaurant owners speaking out during Monday's budget hearing.

    They told Galax City Council that they feared tax increases, especially the 1 percent meals tax hike, could do more harm than good.

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  • Carroll rejects Log Cabin Homes' site plan

    HILLSVILLE — The Carroll Industrial Development Authority rejected Log Cabin Homes owner Tom Vesce's submitted site plan last Thursday, but county officials said they would work with the company on a second attempt.

    Vesce had raised objections in local newspapers to his treatment at the hands of county officials after they declined to attend a ribbon cutting at a site in the industrial park his company obtained last year.

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  • No bailout for Carroll pool this summer

    HILLSVILLE — Opening up the pool this year would drain too much revenue from the county, members of Carroll’s finance committee discussed last Wednesday.

    The committee, which includes Supervisors’ Chairman David Hutchins and Supervisor Wes Hurst and county staff, decided to recommend the pool remain closed this year.

    The committee members met to consider concerns raised by citizen Jamie Waters, who spoke at a public hearing for the 2009-2010 budget, as well as a petition against the pool closing that gathered more than 150 signatures.

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  • Burglars to serve prison time

    ABINGDON — Four burglars who tried to raid a Dugspur home in August 2008, only to be discovered by the homeowner, all received prison time in federal court in Abingdon last Tuesday.

    The four men charged after trying to break into the home of David Branscome in Dugspur last Aug. 26 include three brothers from Mount Airy, N.C. — Christopher Ryan Music, 21; James Russell Music, 20; and William Lloyd Music, 24 — and Corey Keith Smith, 20, also of Mount Airy.

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  • Independence dentist faces drug charges

    INDEPENDENCE — A two-month investigation by the Bureau of Drug Enforcement Services (DES) of the Virginia State Police has resulted in charges against an Independence dentist.

    Sgt. Mike Conroy of Virginia State Police said that Dr. Gordon J. Miniclier, who operates a dental office at 150 W. Main St., was arrested June 4.

    Conroy said special DES agents executed search warrants at Minclier’s office and his home at 1690 Rim Rock Road.

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  • GALAX LEAF & STRING GUIDE

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    The 8th Annual Galax Leaf & String Festival will continue to highlight the rich cultural heritage of the region by showcasing local musicians, artisans and authors on Friday and Saturday in downtown Galax.

    And this year, with a banner presentation being held and a tribute to The Crooked Road featuring regional musicians, Leaf & String is being designated a partner of the state's heritage music trail.

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  • Outdated state computers delay jobless benefits

    Some unemployed workers in Virginia are eligible for a seven-week extension of benefits, but the Virginia Employment Commission needs a computer programming update before it can distribute checks.

    It’s unclear how many of the more than 100,000 Virginians collecting unemployment checks could be caught in the delay.

    The VEC says extension payments should be made by June 26, after needing almost two months to complete new computer programming.

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  • AmeriPumps lays off workers

    HILLSVILLE — AmeriPumps, with about five months of inventory ready to go, has laid off about half the employees at its Hillsville location in the wake of the ongoing recession.

    Partner Don Branscome believes that the company will still get up to full capacity — but only after the economy improves.

    "Construction is going good," he said. "The pump business is not going so good right now because of the economy."

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  • Grayson talks twice-a-year taxing plan

    INDEPENDENCE — Citizens could have an opportunity to express their concerns about twice-a-year tax collection during the Grayson Board of Supervisors regular meeting June 11.

    Supervisors tentatively set that date to hold a public hearing regarding the ordinance change that would switch tax collections from once a year — due Dec. 5 — to twice a year — with due dates of Oct. 5 and April 5.

    If approved, citizens would pay the same amount of taxes they do now, but that amount would be split into two equal payments.

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