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Armed suspect fatally shot by...

INDEPENDENCE — Virginia State Police are continuing an investigation into the shooting death of an armed suspect by Grayson County Sheriff’s Department officers on Tuesday night.

The suspect, Jimmie Knight Smith, 55, of 423 Powerhouse Road in Independence, was killed during an incident where he allegedly threatened to kill officers and pointed a semiautomatic rifle at them.

Anthem returns to Va. insurance...

Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Virginia announced Friday that it will re-enter 63 counties and cities in the commonwealth, where 70,000 people would have been left without any insurance options in the 2018 Affordable Care Act (ACA) exchanges.

Galax, Carroll and Grayson are included in those areas where Anthem will offer individual health insurance policies, according to the company.

Nofsinger indicted in Galax...

HILLSVILLE — Richard Denny Nofsinger Jr. was indicted by a Carroll County Circuit Court grand jury on Monday for murder charges related to a double homicide of an infant and her mother last year.

Nofsinger faces one charge of capital murder in the death of Anastasia Alley, 21 months, and one charge of first-degree murder of her mother, Alyssa Kenny, 28, both of which occurred on March 10, 2016, in Galax.

Nofsinger was arrested in May 2016, but his state case was postponed so that a federal child pornography case could proceed.

Police: sex offender used...

INDEPENDENCE — An Independence man has been arrested and charged with soliciting a minor through social media, allegedly through the abuse of public internet access at the local library.

According to a news release from Grayson County Sheriff Richard Vaughan, deputies arrested James Michael Fantazier, 25, on Sept. 1.

Civil War letters reveal lives...

Staff Report

HILLSVILLE — Henry Lindsey, a Carroll County soldier in the 29th Virginia lnfantry, wrote to his wife: “I drawed soap today for the first time — about the size of a hen egg. We have to pay $1.50 per lb. for soap to wash our clothes.”

His wife Polly, writing from their home in the Dugspur area, replied to Henry: “Times are very hard in Carroll and everything is scarce and powerful high: pork $1.50 a lb., butter $3, wheat $15...”

School officials address...

After a city council member raised questions about the need for a new artificial turf football field at Galax High School, given the $879,000 cost, school officials decided to address the issue directly in an interview with The Gazette.

“I think it’s time we attempt to answer the football field [question], but in the attempt, we’re going to answer some other things,” said Schools Superintendent Bill Sturgill.

The field is already completed and was dedicated last month.

Driver charged in Delhart Rd....

Staff Report

A driver from Sparta, N.C. was charged with driving under the influence after he allegedly ran off the road and crashed his vehicle last Friday, seriously injuring a passenger.

According to a Virginia State Police report, Daniel Hartzog Osborne, 29, was operating a 1998 Ford Explorer on Delhart Road the night of Sept. 15 Friday, about one tenth of a mile south of Nexus Road in Grayson County, when he ran off the road to the right, striking a tree.

The vehicle was carrying two passengers: Cody Brackens, 26; and Jorden Garris, 27.

Guns stolen from Galax pawn shop

Galax police are investigating a break-in at Gardner’s Pawn Shop, in which several handguns were stolen.

On Monday at approximately 1:28 a.m., Officer Trevor Jefferson of the Galax Police Department located an alarm activated at the pawn shop at 113 W. Grayson Street downtown.

Upon investigating, a window was found to be broken at the front of the business, according to a police report. Sgt. Jody Poole and Jefferson searched the building and found the business had been entered and several guns taken.

Virginia facing teacher shortage

Additional reporting by Landmark News Service

As public schools across Virginia opened their doors for the new school year, many did so without all of the teachers they needed.

That’s because of a growing exodus of experienced teachers and an unwillingness among many young people to go into a lower-paying field when they’re facing student-loan debt from college. Virginia also faces competition for teachers from other states who recruit nationally.

Free Market opens in Independence

INDEPENDENCE — The Free Market, a new community resource offered by Grayson LandCare, is now open to the public and accepting items and monetary donations.