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

Today's News

  • The Ongoing Battle

    With the methamphetamine trafficking problem in Galax once again in the media spotlight last week, some smoldering sentiments reignited for those who believe more could have been done to prevent Mexican drug cartels from establishing operations in the city.

    Many feel that police could have done more earlier in the game, but what critics don't consider is that this level of organized crime was something new and unfamiliar in Southwest Virginia, and the cartels counted on rural law officers' inexperience to help them stay hidden.

    Click here to read more...
  • VDOT wants big trucks to stay unstuck

    HILLSVILLE — Two road-related public hearings have been scheduled for the May 11 meeting of the Carroll Board of Supervisors.

    One hearing will be for the secondary road construction budget for 2010, and the second will seek input on placing restrictions on Virginia 620 on Lambsburg Mountain to keep tractor-trailers from getting stuck there.

    Bob Beasley, resident administrator of the Virginia Department of Transportation office in Hillsville, approached county supervisors about the need for hearings on these two topics at their April meeting.

    Click here to read more...
  • Grayson talks trash, taxes

    INDEPENDENCE — Grayson County leaders are considering charging for curbside trash pickup to close a nearly $1.1 million gap in the 2009-10 budget County residents could also face a 3 cent tax increase on the levy and a 25 cent increase on personal property.

    Supervisors began their budget workshop Tuesday night with a $900,000 deficit.

    The ongoing issue of how much money to provide the school system was again the highlight of the meeting.

    Click here to read more...
  • Tornado touches down

    It may have been minor, but the National Weather Service has confirmed that a tornado touched down near the Grayson/Carroll line on Martha's Knob Road on May 6.

    According to the NWS office in Blacksburg, the tornado was on the ground for approximately 1.8 miles along Martha's Knob Road. The tornado's EF0 rating on the scale means wind speeds were 65-85 mph and it was about 15-20 yards wide.

    The twister touched down around 10:25 p.m. near the intersection of Peaks Mountain Road and traveled east-northeast along Martha's Knob Road to the intersection of Dickey Road.

    Click here to read more...
  • Carroll water projects making progress

    HILLSVILLE — Supplying water for a new truck stop at Exit 1 in Lambsburg will proceed along two tracks as the Carroll Public Service Authority continues infrastructure work there.

    The Carroll officials will continue to work on a smaller water tank to serve the Love's Country Store and Travel Stop facility planned for the Interstate 77 exit just north of the North Carolina line, PSA members discussed at Monday's meeting.

    Click here to read more...
  • Grayson tackles tax bills

    INDEPENDENCE — Both the commissioner of revenue and treasurer are on board with the possible change to twice-a-year tax collections in Grayson County.

    Talks continued during a budget workshop on May 5. Grayson Supervisors’ Chairman Mike Maynard asked Commissioner of Revenue Larry Bolt and Treasurer Junior Young to attend the meeting and walk the board through the process.

    Young said the real estate taxes would be split into two payments — one half due on October 5 and the other half due April 5.

    Click here to read more...
  • Twisters strike in N.C.

    ENNICE, N.C. — The National Weather Service has confirmed that two different tornadoes touched down in Alleghany County, N.C., late last Friday night, May 8.

    That locality borders on Grayson County in Virginia.

    Cement silos were collapsed, five homes were damaged and several other structures were heavily damaged.

    There were some reported injuries, as well, including two people sucked out a hole in a roof peeled back by the winds.

    The first tornado registered an EF2 on the EF scale and was located 2.5 miles west-northwest of Ennice.

    Click here to read more...
  • Galax furniture makers encouraged by market

    Though Doug Bassett hasn't seen such an unstable economy in all of his career in the furniture industry, the vice president of sales at Vaughan-Bassett Furniture was pleased with how well the company's new lines were received at the High Point market last month.

    Attendance was down at the market in High Point, N.C., and Bassett said he had never attended when the stock market was at its shakiest.

    Since October 2002, the furniture industry has been in a major economic struggle, he said.

    Click here to read more...
  • Rescuers train for disaster

    HILLSVILLE — When emergency personnel from multiple agencies arrived Saturday morning on the scene of a grisly accident between a school bus and a pickup with an intoxicated driver, they found multiple victims scattered on the ground and in the bus, covered in blood.

    They faced lives hanging in the balance, a hazardous materials spill and distraught parents.

    Thankfully, it was all a simulation designed to prepare rescuers for the worst, held on Carroll County High School's driver education lot above the football field.

    Click here to read more...
  • Pick Your Passion

    A group of organizers are providing the perfect opportunity for locals to give back, as well as the possibility of getting much more in return.

    There's no better way to gain the satisfaction of helping out, make friends, build a resume, find job connections and — if you're new in town — get acquainted with the community and its local organizations than through tomorrow's volunteer fair.

    Click here to read more...

Copyright © 2013
The Galax Gazette is your source for local news, sports, events and information in Galax, Grayson, Carroll, and surrounding areas.