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Vol. 130, Issue 220 $1.25 Swimmers INDEX Obits ... page 3A Opinions ... page 4A compete in Business ... page 5A Sports ... page 1B Isolated Storms Classifieds ... page 6B High Low BRSL tourney page 1B Serving Surry County since 1880. 86 67 For subscriptions, call 786-4141. The Mount Airy News www.mtairynews.com Printed on recycled newspaper Sunday, August 8, 2010 Two cancel travel plans due to ad MONDEE TILLEY to the commercial. The Greater Mount Airy Cham- cial, Collins said she got that and ended up holding passed by outrageously in- STAFF REPORTER senators wrote a letter to ber of Commerce, said she letters from people who Mount Airy, because we appropriate means), is ade- Kathleen Sebelius, secre- has gotten at least two e- were planning visits here, are home of Andy — hold- quate grounds for our de- At a time when tourism tary of the U.S. Depart- mails from people cancel- who disagreed with the en- ing us responsible to where molishing all of our Grif- in Mount Airy is at an all- ment of Health and Human ing any future plans to visit dorsement, and canceled she ended up canceling all fith DVD’s and for our time high, a recent com- Services, requesting that Mount Airy because of the their travel plans. of her reservations,” said never returning to Mount mercial starring Andy Grif- the department pull the ad commercial. Collins said a 70-year- Collins. Airy to spend our vacation and reimburse the govern- She hopes that the fall- old woman from Georgia Another e-mail from a time and money. The May- fith supporting President ment for any taxpayer dol- out from the commercial canceled her plans to visit man from North Carolina Barack Obama’s health- berry thing has totally lost lars spent on the effort. will just be a “hiccup” Mount Airy after seeing the stated, “If you have any its glitter. Our condo- care plan may have an ef- In July, 11,300 visitors rather than become a boy- latest commercial and in- clout with Andy Griffith fect on tourism. came through the Mount cott that happened a few stead made plans to visit you need to shut him up. lences!” The controversy was Airy Visitors Center, a years ago when Griffith the NASCAR museum in His making of the video for Collins hopes that visi- dubbed “Mayberrygate” by number which was up from and Ron Howard appeared Charlotte. the Great Community Or- tors realize that while “The media outlets after four Re- July of last year when in a commercial supporting “She did not agree with ganizer, Mr. Obama (who Andy Griffith Show” was publican senators, includ- 8,900 tourists visited the Obama for his presidential him doing a commercial is masquerading as a states- based on Griffith’s child- ing Sen. Richard Burr of area. However, Betty Ann bid. like that and was disap- man in D.C.) and his health hood memories of growing Winston-Salem, objected Collins, president of the Following that commer- pointed in him for doing care system (that was See AD, page 2A Let the skateboarding begin MONDEE TILLEY STAFF REPORTER The sounds of wheels rolling around quarter-pipes, boards landing off hubbas and skateboarders dripping with sweat was the proof of the pudding that the city’s newest recreation facility, a skateboard park, was officially open Saturday morning. A ribbon-cutting was held Friday afternoon for the skateboarding plaza at Riverside Park, where construction recently was completed under the direction of the non- profit group Skate Mount Airy Inc., but the actual skate- boarding didn’t begin until the opening ceremony was held at 10 a.m. yesterday. Will Jackson, who has been instrumental in getting the facility built and owner of local skateboard shop, Canvas, said everyone is proud of the park. “The main thing is that we are proud of it,” said Jack- son, who said he was asked on a daily basis by his cus- tomers when the park would be open. He said it is the only street plaza skateboard park within a 100-mile radius and has even heard a couple of people talking about moving MONDEE TILLEY/THE NEWS See BEGIN, page 2A Sam, a standard poodle, and his owner Kim Baker register to enter several contests at the Dog Days of Summer hosted by the Downtown Business Association Saturday. Co-chair B.J. Easter, owner of Froo Froo Pet Boutique, and DBA member Paul Hodges explain what contests were being offered. Dog Days of Summer benefits local animal rescue groups MONDEE TILLEY sidewalks of Downtown Mount Airy Stowers, owner of Thelma Lou’s STAFF REPORTER Saturday morning with the second Puppy Parlor, were pleased with the annual Dog Days of Summer. turnout and participation for the The sight of tails wagging, Co-chairs of the event and event, which raised money for local quaffed poodles walking proudly Downtown Business Association animal rescue groups which are all with their owners and puppies wait- members B.J. Easter, owner of Froo non-profit and run by volunteers. ing to find new homes filled the Froo Pet Boutique, and Claudia See DOG, page 6A MONDEE TILLEY/THE NEWS Don and Caroline O’Brien of Southport just happened to stop MONDEE TILLEY/THE NEWS in downtown Mount Caleb Hogue does a back-180 off a manual pad at the Airy Saturday morning new Mount Airy Skateboard Park Saturday morning. with their dogs, Zebu- lun, a Labradoodle, and Ruby, a Brittany Museum exhibit to Spaniel, on their way to Pennsylvania and were delighted to find out capture the ‘Face’ there was an event for dogs happening on Main Street called Dog of Mount Airy Days of Summer. STAFF REPORT If a person could capture the face, the spirit and the his- tory of Mount Airy in a single image, what would it be? Health reform meetings planned for seniors That’s a question the Mount Airy Museum of Regional History is asking local residents as part of a new exhibit TOM JOYCE by Bill Wilson of the is how the legislation might to block its implementa- called simply “Faces” as part Mount Airy’s 125 birthday STAFF REPORTER AARP. The sessions will be impact their existing cover- tion, Davis said the Surry celebration this year. purely informational, with age under Medicare, the County Senior Center nei- The exhibit, scheduled to open in November, offers an Most people are con- no attempts made to market federal health-care insur- ther endorses nor con- opportunity for local residents to become actively in- cerned about how the new insurance or other services ance program for people 65 demns the legislation. volved in the exhibit design process by contributing pho- health-care reform law will of that organization, ac- and older and the disabled. “We’re neutral,” she tos that they feel represent life in Mount Airy. The photos affect them, and local sen- cording to Annalisa Davis, “I’d say it’s a high con- said. But through next could be images of children at Reeves, a grandmother’s iors have a chance to find Surry County Senior Cen- cern,” Davis said Friday. week’s meetings, organiz- wedding photo, a family Christmas, fishing on the Ararat out through two meetings ter coordinator. “It’s confusing to a lot of ers hope to inform county or just about anything that exemplifies life in Mount Airy in the coming week. Davis said many older folks.” residents about the law, both past and present. Both will be held Fri- local residents she comes About half of Americans with the programs at both According to Matt Edwards, executive director at the day, the first at 11 a.m. at into contact with are un- are opposed to the bill, ac- sites to include a Power- Mount Airy Museum of Regional History, “We’re very ex- the Mount Airy Senior clear about the implications cording to one recent poll. See HEALTH, page 6A cited about the community involvement component of this Center and the other at 2 of the controversial health- While the new measure project. It really gives area residents a chance to shape the p.m. at Pilot Mountain Se- reform package approved also has sparked lawsuits ‘face’ of this exhibit by contributing their images — the nior Center. in Washington earlier this by some states, including See FACE, page 3A They will be conducted year. Of particular interest Virginia, which are seeking 2A Sunday, August 8, 2010 The Mount Airy News, Mount Airy, NC www.mtairynews.com PAGE TWO organizers prevailed, to the ment donated land at satisfaction of area skaters Riverside Park to accom- BEGIN: who came out Saturday. modate the skateboarding Joey Jones said the park plaza and will maintain the Continued from page 1A is simply, “Awesome. facility. “We are really having a The park was built by here because of the new blast. This is a really good Artisan Skateparks, a Kitty park. way for kids to be active. Hawk company, with some The project has been in I’m stoked it’s finally facets undertaken by local the works by the group here,” said Jones. business Freeman Concrete since 2007. During that Caleb Hogue said he Construction. time, Skate Mount Airy en- was ready for the park to fi- Several of the skate- gaged in a fundraising nally open. boarders out Saturday campaign, which at times Ben Martin said the park morning commented on the struggled due to the weak- is “freaking amazing.” quality of the facility. ened economy. The slow Although no city funds Contact Mondee Tilley economy threatened the were used for its construc- at [email protected] project several times, but tion, the municipal govern- or at 719-1930.