Today's News

HILLSVILLE — It's been many a mile since the Carroll Wellness Center opened almost five years ago, and the non-profit fitness facility remains in step with the community's needs.

Members have put 1 million miles behind them on the 10 treadmills in those years, for example, said Executive Director Greg Hampton.

In just the first year, exercisers climbed 29,400 stories on the wellness center's step-mill alone — that's roughly equal to 288 Empire State Buildings.

A roast of Galax Superintendent Sam Cook, who retired in December and will return to his hometown in Franklin County, turned into a fitting farewell at a Galax schools faculty and staff dinner on Jan. 5, as Cook's friends delivered their heartfelt thanks and appreciation for his 13 years of serving the school system.

School faculty, city staff, friends and even some students were there to say goodbye to Cook and look back on the successes, memories and famous sayings Cook will leave behind.

INDEPENDENCE – The Virginia/Carolina Regional Water Authority officially announced last Thursday that it has reached an agreement with a property owner for an option to purchase land to build a new regional water plant.

In the authority’s regular meeting Jan. 8, Chairman Bryan Edwards — who also serves as Sparta, N.C., town manager — said testing is still needed on the proposed site, and should be finished around April 1.

Galax City Council, which recently hesitated to approve changes to the city's 55-year-old charter, held a hearing on the proposed amendments at its Monday's meeting.

Most of the changes included fine-tuning and updating the charter's language to make it easier to adopt ordinances, said City Manager Keith Holland.

“The hesitation was about the time, whether or not we'd get it in on time,” said Holland. The deadline to submit the changes to the General Assembly for approval was Jan. 14.