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Columns

  • School bus advertising considered

    School systems are always looking for ways to obtain funds because of the money crunch experienced by most systems, including Grayson County.
    In Kentucky, the legislature is considering a bill to allow advertising to be displayed on school buses.
    Similar legislation passed the House last year but died in the Senate.
    The bill would prohibit the advertising of alcohol and tobacco products, political or campaign messages and sexual-oriented messages.

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  • Pass a blue law special

    The Capitol Building in Richmond might be the only place where it’s appropriate to mix liquor and hunting. Lawmakers should allow both on Sundays.
    Current law forbids hunting and liquor sales on Sundays, mostly. The liquor exemption is not universal. Alcoholic Beverage Control stores in Hampton Roads, Richmond and Northern Virginia may open on Sundays, but the rest of the commonwealth is dry.

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  • New store a good idea at GCHS

    A new store opened in Independence last Friday but at an unusual site.
    The Devil’s Den school store opened in the auditorium at Grayson County High School.
    The concept is a good one since students will operate the store with adult supervision.
    This will give students the opportunity to develop their skills in providing a service to students and even the teachers. It will also teach them how to deal with the public.

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  • Virginia’s superior gun check system

    If Virginia has a choice between two background check systems for people who want to buy guns, it should use the better one.
    Right now, the better system belongs to the state, not the federal government.
    When Virginia established its point-of-sale background check program in 1989, it was the first of its type. Virginia built its program around state police-maintained databases that provide near-instant review of criminal and other records that would block a sale.

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  • Life Skills program beneficial for students

    Grayson County Public Schools proudly shares in the role that public school systems across the state have taken in a stand against the use of tobacco products amongst students.   
    According to the Virginia Youth Tobacco Survey; from 2001 to 2009, smoking among Virginia high school students has been cut by about a third, 28.6 percent down to 19.7 percent; and smoking among middle school students in Virginia has dropped 65 percent since 2001, 10.6 percent down to 3.6 percent.   

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  • Primary system works just fine

    Virginia’s hullabaloo over petition signatures has been made significantly louder by the intertwining political and personal rivalries on display.
    But even the noise doesn’t change this simple equation: The requirements to get on the presidential primary ballot were in place before the season began. Changing them now would be unfair to those candidates who managed to follow them.
    In the commonwealth, candidates for president are required to collect 10,000 signatures - 400 from each congressional district - to merit a spot on the primary ballot.

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  • New laws took effect on Jan. 1

    For anyone that cares, new state laws are enacted on Jan. 1 and July 1 each year.
    The new laws in Virginia become effective on July 1 while in North Carolina, they become law on Jan. 1. New Year’s Day meant changes for drivers in North Carolina.
    If you buy gas anywhere in the state this year, you will pay more at the pump after the state motor fuels tax increased by 3.9 cents and a federal ethanol tax break worth 4.5 cents a gallon disappeared.
    The state motor fuel tax is adjusted every six months and is representative of wholesale fuel prices.

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  • Christmas Chest is a true community effort

    Every Christmas, the Galax Y’s Men sponsor the Community Christmas Chest.
    The drive begins in November to raise $30,000 to fill 550 boxes with food to deliver to the less fortunate families in Galax and the Twin Counties.
    Galax realtor Gene Cox, a member of the club for many years and one of the driving forces behind Christmas Chest, is quick to tell you that it’s a total effort from the community.

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  • Cheerleaders applauded for their cheering

    Sometimes were take cheerleaders for granted.
    Sure Grayson County fans enjoy their spirit, doing their variety of cheers and their acrobatics on the floor.
    But have you ever thought about how boring a game could be if we had no cheerleaders.
    This was the case a couple of weeks ago when the Chilhowie Warriors played Grayson County in Independence.
    They had no cheerleaders. The players only had their fans to cheer them on.
    I appreciate the cheerleaders and feel they add a lot to our games.
    Of course Grayson County beat Chilhowie.

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  • Declaring Christmas tree month appropriate

    From early November until a few days before Christmas, tractor-trailers loaded with trees are a familiar site in Grayson and surrounding counties.
    I was sitting at the traffic light at the 1908 Courthouse last Wednesday and watched two trucks heavily laden with trees pass through Independence.
    Gov. Bob McDonnell recognizes the importance of Christmas trees to the state’s economy and recently declared December as Christmas Tree Month in Virginia.

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