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Government

  • County thanks administrator for seven years of service

    INDEPENDENCE — Grayson County held a farewell party for outgoing County Administrator Jonathan Sweet last week, in the Boardroom of the Grayson County Courthouse. The celebration consisted of refreshments, reflections and fellowship with the community.
    Sweet has accepted the position of County Administrator in Pulaski County, and will begin his new job on Jan. 16, 2017. He has served his position as County Administrator in Grayson County since June 1, 2009.

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  • County holds organizational meeting

    The Grayson County Board of Supervisors held their Organizational Meeting at the Matthews State Forest Meeting Center in Galax on Jan. 3.
    The meeting is held at the first of each year to elect a chair and vice chair; a clerk and deputy clerk; and review and approve changes to the board’s rules and procedures, and their code of conduct.
    The meeting opened with County Administrator Jonathan Sweet, who called the meeting to order and began with the election of officers.

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  • Treasurer proposes revision for delinquent properties

    INDEPENDENCE — The Grayson County Board of Supervisors received a proposal this month to align the county’s policy of putting real estate up for auction with the Code of Virginia.
    Grayson County Treasurer Kelly Haga approached the board at their Jan. 12 meeting to present the proposal, which would shorten the time frame for delinquent taxes to be paid off before homes are sold at auction.

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  • Guide to the 2017 General Assembly

    Professional lobbyists aren’t the only ones who can have a voice at the General Assembly in Richmond. Thanks to the internet, you can see what legislators are up to and share your opinions.
    Here’s a guide to the basics for this year’s session, which begins Jan. 11 and runs through February

    Do Your Homework
    Become familiar with the legislation beyond what you read or hear.

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  • County seeks new administrator

    INDEPENDENCE — Following the announcement that Jonathan Sweet would resign the County Adminstrator position to accept a new job in Pulaski, the Grayson County Board of Supervisors has worked as a team to carefully select the right candidate to fill the empty seat.
    Sweet’s announced last year that he had accepted the position of county administrator in Pulaski. His last day was Jan. 16.

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  • Training Center bills fail in General Assembly

    By BRIAN FUNK
    Staff

    RICHMOND ­— Two bills from local legislators aimed at keeping the Southwestern Virginia Training Center open have failed to advance in the Virginia General Assembly.
    Del. Israel O’Quinn (R–5th District) and Del. Jeff Campbell (R–6th District) both introduced bills in the House of Delegates to stop or delay the training center’s scheduled closing in 2018. Their districts include the area served by the mental health facility in Carroll County.

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  • Fries introduces new town manager

    FRIES — February’s Fries Town Council meeting opened with the introduction of Brian Martin, who will serve as a part-time town manager along with Brian Reed.
    Martin is employed by the Mount Rogers Planning District Commission, and serves as a circuit town manager for the Glade Spring and Troutdale communities in addition to his new position in Fries.
    Martin’s day job, he says, is his position as a loan funds administrator.
    Martin has been involved with town management for the past five years, and has been with Mount Rogers for 16 years.

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  • Region has no options in healthcare coverage

    Landmark News Service
    and Staff Reports

    With Optima and Anthem leaving the federal health insurance exchange in Virginia, residents of the Twin Counties are left with no options to select an individual plan, unless other companies agree to offer plans before the end of the month.

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  • Morley joins race for Wilson District supervisor

    INDEPENDENCE — Democratic candidate Gesche Morley will join the Wilson District Board of Supervisors race in this year’s upcoming general election.
    Morley will be on the ballot this year alongside Republican candidate, Thomas Rex Revels.
    The winner will fill the seat of Supervisor Eddie Rosenbaum, who confirmed earlier this year that he will not be running for another term. The new term for this seat will begin in January, 2018.

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  • Future uncertain for young DREAMers

    By SHANNON WATKINS
    Staff

    “I think most of our parents brought us here for a better life, for the American Dream,” says Gustavo Mar of Galax, who came to America from Mexico with his family in 1999.
    He was 9 years old, and Mar and his two sisters were accepted into the federal Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program as soon as it was created. They’re among about 800,000 young people in the U.S. — from toddlers to millennials — often called “Dreamers.”

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