A1 Vol. 131, Issue 257 .50 INDEX Obits ... page 3A Opinions ... page 4A Business ... page 5A Sports ... page 6-7A Eagles spike Bears Classifieds ... page 8-9B Partly Cloudy Serving Surry County since 1880. High Low Page 6A Forsubscriptions, call 786-4141. 89 62 The Mount Airy News www.mtairynews.com Printed on recycled newspaper Wednesday, September 14, 2011 Applicants encouraged to certify MEGHANN EVANS Job postings should be listed then on the STAFF REPORTER company’s Web site, www.pgwglass.com, or through the N.C. Employment Security Commission. DOBSON — Though Pittsburgh Glass At last week’s meeting, Johnson intro- Works has not yet begun most of its hiring duced Dr. George Sappenield, vice presi- for its new Elkin location, county lead- dent of corporate and continuing education ers are encouraging people to pursue Ca- at Surry Community College, to talk about reer Readiness Certiication through Surry how people can prepare with the Career Community College in preparation to ap- Readiness Certiication program. ply. Sappenield told the crowd that most of Ever since the announcement was made the hiring for the hourly jobs with PGW that Pittsburgh Glass Works plans to create will likely take place after January. As part 260 jobs by moving into a plant in Elkin, of the hiring process, the employer will be people have been calling the county to in- looking at Career Readiness Certiicates, he quire about job openings. Job openings said. A press release issued by the college have not yet been posted by the company, earlier this year stated that Pittsburgh Glass but people can begin working on receiving Works has “indicated a preference to hire - applicants with a Career Readiness Certii- a certiicate that could improve employabil cate.” ity, oficials say. - MEGHANN EVANS/THE NEWS Commissioner Paul Johnson told citi- “That’s a nationally recognized certii cate that indicates skills that a worker may Dr. George Sappenfield, vice president of corporate and continuing education at zens gathered at a Surry County Board of Commissioners meeting last week that have,” explained Sappenield to the crowd. He said people need to plan ahead, be- Surry Community College, speaks at a recent county commissioner meeting about PGW will be hiring soon. He elaborated Career Readiness Certification. Monday that it will likely be 60 to 90 days. See CERTIFY, page 2A County asked to consider policy MEGHANN EVANS STAFF REPORTER DOBSON — A county resident encouraged the county commissioners to consider a no kill policy and other changes for the animal shelter during a recent meet- ing. Paula Stanley, a resident of Pilot Mountain, came be- fore the Surry County Board of Commissioners during an open forum to offer several suggestions about the han- MONDEE TILLEY/THE NEWS SUBMITTED PHOTO dling of impounded animals. The building located at the corner of Oak and Main streets was This is the only photograph that could be found of the building locat- Stanley, who said she loves pets and especially painstakingly renovated to look like it did when it was first built ed at the corner of Oak and Main streets. The building’s owner Gene dogs, explained to the com- in the 1890s. Rees used this picture to restore the building to its former glory. missioners how she got in- terested in this issue. She said she always knew in the back of her mind about eu- The old… made new again thanization of animals at the Three downtown buildings get a new life county animal shelter, but MONDEE TILLEY she thought things had im- STAFF REPORTER proved when the new adop- tion center was added to the shelter a few years ago. It’s easy to see that in downtown But recently Stanley came Mount Airy many of the buildings across some statistics that are quite old, but during the past year, surprised her. three of those buildings have been According to the 2010 completely remodeled and now have Public Animal Shelter Re- brand new businesses inside. port provided on the N.C. Two property owners, Gene Rees Department of Agricul- and Richard Whitley, have taken dif- ture’s Division of Animal ferent approaches to how they reno- Welfare Web site, www. vated the buildings, both have an eye ncspayneuter.com, Surry on the past and the future of down- County Animal Control im- town. pounded 1,982 dogs in 2010 Rees owns a building on the corner and euthanized 1,713, or 86 of Oak and Main streets that was built percent, of them. The shelter in the 1890s. It started out as Smith took in 1,951 cats and eutha- Clothing and was owned by Gertrude nized 1,835, or 94 percent. Smith’s father. In the 1950s, the build- “I was totally shocked, ing was remodeled and the facade and something inside me changed from its original look. When kind of snapped when I saw Rees decided to renovate the building, that,” remarked Stanley. he was able to ind one picture of the She said that instead of building in the Mount Airy Museum sitting around and com- of Regional History. He took great plaining about the high pains to restore the building to its euthanization rate, she de- original glory. cided to talk to commis- In order to register the building as sioners and animal control a historic property, it had to be located and health department of- within a certiied national district, which the central business district of ficials. She said she has MONDEE TILLEY/THE NEWS spoken to Animal Control Mount Airy is. He said the rules on Director Gary Brown, who SUBMITTED PHOTO how historic buildings are renovated Patricia Melton styles Patty Edwards’ hair THIS IS THE FRONT OF THE OLD SMITH’S CLOTHING BUILDING THAT HAS NOW are strict. Tuesday afternoon in the newly remodeled BEEN COMPLETELY RENOVATED. See POLICY, page 2A See LIFE, page 3A salon on Franklin Street called Salon 222. Sweet Potato Festival to be held in Rockford this weekend STAFF REPORT ing sweet potato pies, sweet In addition to staples set up booths to sell their ride for a small fee. Carter estimates the at- potato sonkers and sweet revolving around the fea- wares. Several local bands are tendance at the annual fes- potato cake, a new dish this tured tuber, there will be “I hope people come out scheduled to perform in tival to hover around 1,000 ROCKFORD — This people each year. Saturday historic down- year. plenty of chicken stew, to support the local econo- the amphitheater located “People should come try country ham biscuits, pin- my with the vendors who behind the general store “I hope people come out town Rockford will be over- just to have a good time,” run with sweet potatoes. the pies and sonkers. We to beans and cornbread will be there,” said Carter. throughout the event with a have absolutely the best available as well. Local “There will also be local new group taking the stage said Carter. The 14th annual Sweet Admission to the festival Potato Festival will take ones around. An 86-year- sweet potato growers will authors. One author has roughly every hour. is free. place around the Rockford old lady prepares them and be selling their potatoes some new ghost stories that “There will be a wide va- General Store from 10 a.m. she’s like a grandmother to at the event. he will bring.” riety of stuff. The bands are to 5 p.m. The festival will all of us around here,” said The festival will also A local stable op- playing all kinds of music feature a number of sweet- Carolyn Carter, owner of feature local craft vendors eration will have horses from bluegrass to pop and potato-based dishes includ- the Rockford General Store. and authors who plan to available for people to some country,” said Carter. A2 2A Wednesday, September 14, 2011 The Mount Airy News, Mount Airy, N.C. www.mtairynews.com windows and sunroofs. A we start buying land or buying plans or multi-million dollar incen- agreeing to anything, there’s another step CERTIFY: tive package was offered POLICY: we can take.” to the company, which in- She said there is another movement to Continued from page 1A cludes the county purchas- Continued from page 1A make shelters more user friendly and have ing a manufacturing build- more open space for animals to play. She cause they do not simply their Web site, (applicants) ing for $6.5 million then listened to her concerns. said having animals in cages, which often take a test. He said students won’t be behind. They’ll al- leasing it to the company Of the issue, Stanley said, “This is not stresses them out or changes their person- can take a course which in- ready be ready.” for $1 a year for 12 years. In something that is just unique to Surry alities after a few days, is not the optimum exchange, the business has cludes pre-tests and online More than 1,000 certii- County or North Carolina.” way for people considering pet adoption to skill-building lessons to cates have been awarded in to create 260 jobs and in- Stanley spoke to commissioners about view them. She also noted that many people prepare for the assessment. the college’s service area vest $85 million in machin- the “no kill” movement, a movement that are uncomfortable visiting the pound. She The assessment areas are during the past two years, ery, equipment and personal would require the policy that any healthy admitted that she has not visited the shelter.