Today's News

INDEPENDENCE — Fitness company Nautilus Inc. will continue manufacturing cardio equipment in Independence beyond a previously set potential closing date of Friday.

In October, the company issued the federally mandated 60-day notice to its employees that the plant may not operate past Dec. 18.

Wayne Bolio, senior vice president of the Vancouver, Wash.-based company, told The Gazette in October that the company was "actively marketing" its commercial business and that, if a purchaser was not found, the plant could potentially be shut down.

Hundreds lined up outside of First Baptist Church in Galax on Monday for the annual free Morgan Shepherd Charitable Fund event, this year featuring country music artist Kellie Pickler.

The first person in line, Chris Larue, arrived to the front doors at 7 a.m., holding a Pickler CD in hopes of getting her autograph.

Some, like Robert and Wanda Tilley of Madison, N.C., drove two hours and waited five hours in line to see the concert.

And 10-year-old Madison Bullis, who attends Gladeville Elementary, decided to take the day off to attend her first concert.

INDEPENDENCE — Grayson County's constitutional officers have dug deeper into their budgets to eliminate additional expenses after the most recent cuts in state funding.

In September, Gov. Tim Kaine released a plan to close the gap on a $1.35 billion shortfall in the state.

The plan included reductions across the board, including a 6.9 percent decrease in sheriffs and regional jails, 9.9 percent for commonwealth's attorneys, 15.6 percent for circuit court clerks and 17.6 percent for treasurers, finance directors and commissioners of revenue.

Even before the recession, the domestic furniture industry struggled to survive, but Vaughan-Bassett Furniture Co. held on.

Now, with the industry on its last legs and an economy in crisis, the Galax-based company is still holding on — thriving, even.

It remains one of the largest employers in Galax with 574 workers, and this year Vaughan-Bassett announced that it would reopen part of its Elkin, N.C., manufacturing plant and create some new positions in Galax. A possible expansion of its Galax plant has also been mentioned.