Columns

Later this month, the town of Hillsville will say goodbye to the second police chief in the past two years who was not in the mood to deal with extra drama associated with an already difficult position.

And we can’t say we blame him or his predecessor one bit for getting out of that situation on their own terms.

Chief Greg Bolen turned in his resignation to the town on June 30, after hearing repeatedly that his job may or may not be threatened after the new town council took office July 1.

Recently, Fries Town Council was encouraged to revisit a master plan that it had previously developed for the town’s revitalization… and we couldn’t agree more.
In recent years, small towns have seen their share of economic downfall, and Fries is no exception. A place of history and an ideal spot for outdoor recreation, the area has a lot of promise. But over the years, the area’s redevelopment seems to have, quite frankly, ground to a halt.

This May 7 letter from Jody Ray, former Galax High School principal and resident of the neighborhood near the proposed school, was written to Galax Mayor C.M. Mitchell and shared with The Gazette. Below are excerpts from the letter:

This is no doubt a challenging decision, and I have confidence in our council to make an informed one, in the best interest of the citizens of Galax.

We’ve become so jaded in national elections by the disconnect between casting a vote as a citizen and the decisions of the Electoral College that we can forget the power of a single vote in local politics.
Last week’s local elections — particularly in Hillsville — demonstrated clearly that, at the local level, every vote does indeed count.