Today's News

The saying goes that two heads are always better than one. Grayson leaders agree, as they seek to use three heads — their own, along with the towns of Independence and Fries — to seek acceptance into Virginia's Enterprise Zone Program.

The program provides various incentives for qualifying businesses if they create more than four jobs that pay at least 1.75 times the federal minimum wage rate and provide benefits.

Though Galax must replace a couple of key components to what was a whisker away from being a championship team, the Maroon Tide should have plenty to look forward to as it begins the 2009 volleyball season tonight at Carroll County. Though it will be difficult to replace MED player of the year Jamie Cockerham, she of the 333 kills, 60 aces and 146 digs, the Maroon Tide has the components in place to produce another winning season, which has become the norm

INDEPENDENCE — With the expansion of the New River Valley Regional Jail, costs per year have escalated to more than $700,000 for Grayson County prisoners in the upcoming budget year.

Grayson leaders continue to look for ways to cut that amount, and have been working with Giles County for the last few months to develop a Day Report Center similar to the one Giles started last year.

We met in a small music shop in southern Virginia, some years ago.

The woodgrain of that violin was not finished to a lustrous sheen, but more to an appearance far beyond its years. We had that in common.

Overwhelmed by its rustic appeal to the eye, we went home together. That purchase, at the time, was much more a luxury than necessity.

Not being a musician, our first session was truly a revelation. What had I done? When bow first met strings absolute horror was revealed. That beautiful chunk of wood had no more music within it than its buyer had.