Today's News

HILLSVILLE — Losing Carroll County as a water and sewer customer will probably cause future rate increases for other users in Hillsville, the town manager warns, but for the upcoming fiscal year the budget proposes holding the line on both fees and taxes.

The fiscal year 2010-11 budget proposal is a lean one, according to Town Manager Larry South in his annual budget message. On top of the challenging national economy, Hillsville will also take a hit with Carroll County's decision to change water and sewer service providers.

Chestnut Creek School of the Arts will celebrate its official opening in downtown Galax with a black tie gala on Friday evening and a community celebration of the arts on Saturday.

The Colorful Black Tie Gala is planned for Friday evening from 7 to 10. The school will host “Women of the Blue Ridge Plateau,” the opening exhibit for “Minds Wide Open: Virginia Celebrates Women in the Arts.”

HILLSVILLE — As staff get ready to lock the doors and turn off the lights for the last time at the Virginia Department of Transportation office in Carroll County, a spokeswoman says the state agency has not made all the decisions about how the shutdown process will unwind.

INDEPENDENCE – Citing a possible deficit of more than $5.5 million by December, the Grayson County Board of Supervisors has begun crunching numbers for the 2010-11 budget.

County Administrator Jonathan Sweet addressed the board during its first work session last Wednesday night and noted that the goal of the meeting was to give supervisors a broad look at projected revenues and expenses the county will encounter as it moves into a new budget year.

Sweet first asked supervisors to consider informally adopting a budget mission as they begin the three-month process.