Today's News

INDEPENDENCE — A jury in Grayson County last week found a North Carolina man not guilty of all charges stemming from an Aug. 10, 2007 incident at the Galax Old Fiddlers' Convention.

Galax police had charged Teddy Ray Nixon of Jonesville, N.C. with malicious wounding, reckless driving and leaving the scene of an accident after Nixon allegedly struck a pedestrian with his vehicle near Felts Park.

According to a police report, Capt. James Cox was on bike patrol in the park when he heard screaming from the back gate off Railroad Avenue.

INDEPENDENCE — Nearly 75 people packed the Grayson County courthouse for a public hearing on the 2009-10 budget for the school division.

Twelve people spoke during the 45-minute hearing, all of whom asked the board of supervisors to consider passing the entire $4.6 million budget requested by educators.

Prior to opening the floor for discussion, Supervisors’ Chairman Mike Maynard made a few remarks about where the board stands with the school budget process.

 Ideal running conditions led to a new course record, while Galax High School’s distance program was well-represented at the New River Trail-Dr. Ed Dannelly III 10K Run, sponsored by the Galax Parks and Recreation Department.

David Cheromei, a 29-year-old from Marion, trimmed more than two and a half minutes off the existing record, set in 2003, in winning the event by nearly six minutes with a finishing time of 31 minutes, 16 seconds.

Linda Kidder, 52, improved her finishing position by two spots to take the female overall title with a time of 45:38.

While some are unaware of the services provided by the Woods River Chapter of American Red Cross — which serves Galax, Grayson, Carroll and Wythe counties — to others, especially people who have received help after losing their home or even their job, its efforts are evident.