Howell’s Wholesale Thanksgiving items for sale: t 3PBTUJOH1BOT t 5IBOLTHJWJOHUSJNNJOHT t "MMTQFDJBMJUFNTGPS 5IBOLTHJWJOHGBNJMZEJOOFS 617 A Liberty Street Martinsville, Va 276-336-4525 Saturday, November 23, 2019 Vol. 1 No. 13 (USPS-6) www.henrycountyenterprise.com • $1.00 City Offi cials Explain Reversion, Urge County to Join Conversation Brandon Martin provide services for the citi- fi nancial reserve is what keeps Staff writer zens of Martinsville contin- the city stable. You don’t want ues to increase, while revenue to get into a situation where Th e Martinsville City does not. you start spending that re- Council discussed the poten- To balance the budget, the serve and you use that to bal- tial reversion of a city into a city expects to have to use the ance the budget.” town at the Municipal Build- city’s fund balance which will Reversion will allow for ing on Nov. 19. increase rates in fees or result the possible consolidation Under the new town re- in signifi cant reduction of with the county for services version status, Martinsville services to its citizens. such as schools or constitu- would still maintain respon- “Th e city council sets the tional functions. sibility for urban services policy for the city regarding Assistant City manager such as police, fi re, water and the fund balance and cash re- Eric Monday, who also is city sewer. Th e county, on the serves,” explained City Man- attorney, listed the steady de- other hand, would take over ager Leon Towarnicki. “We cline in population as having services such as schools, social do have a cash reserve for an adverse eff ect on schools. services, mental and health the utilities and a fund bal- “Over the last decade, facilities, and the constitu- ance for the general fund and the student population has tional offi ces. through that, it’s $13 million declined by almost over 600 Reversion, a process the or $14 million so the per- students,” he said. “Th e loss PHOTO BY BRANDON MARTIN city has been considering ception that the city is going of each student means a cor- Eric Monday, Assistant City Manager and City Attorney, discussed various points since the 1980s, is being con- broke is simply not the truth. of Martinsville potentially reverting from a city to a town during a meeting Tuesday sidered because the cost to Th e city has money and that See Reversion, page 6 in Martinsville. Localities respond to concerns about potential fi rearms legislation Brandon Martin and Debbie Hall ginia Beach Municipal Building. “Dealing with the gun violence Staff writers “It’s an emergency here in Vir- in Virginia will be a top priority ginia, and it’s time to take action,” of our administration,” Northam Local authorities said they have Northam told the Associated said. “Now certainly with a Dem- responded to calls from many Press at the time. “Every one of ocratic Senate and House, I be- about changes that may be pro- these pieces of legislation will save lieve we can move forward with posed to fi rearms legislation fol- lives.” common sense gun legislation. lowing the outcome of the No- Less than two hours into the Among the policies that vember election. special session, Virginia lawmak- Northam hopes to get passed is Many of the proposals of most ers abruptly adjourned the meet- legislation on universal back- concern to residents were among ing and postponed any movement ground checks, closing a loophole a sweeping gun control package on gun laws until after the No- allowing private citizens to sell Gov. Ralph Northam introduced vember elections. guns without getting background during a July 2019 special session Following big wins for Demo- checks. He also looks to place a of the General Assembly, Pat- crats in that election where they ban on assault weapons, high- rick County Sheriff Dan Smith took control of both chambers of capacity ammunition magazines, Virgil “JR” Powell said. Earlier this year, Gov. Ralph the Virginia General Assembly, silencers and devices that increase Northam (D) announced a list of Northam looks to make strides on a gun’s fi ring rate known as “bump gun-control policies to be voted gun legislation again with this be- stocks.” on in a special session following ing the fi rst time since 1993 that When asked if he would con- Powell Recognized the May 31 attack which led to Democrats have had full control See , page 4 the death of 12 people at the Vir- to enact their agenda. Firearms Legislation for his Service Brandon Martin 1989, Powell joined the Staff writer United States Marine First Horizon Acquires Local Branches Corps (USMC) for six Virgil “JR” Powell, di- years, serving in both Op- rector of the Martinsville- erations Desert Shield and Following BB&T, SunTrust Merger Henry County 911 Center, Desert Storm. Following was presented the 2019 his time in service, Pow- Governor’s Emergency ell found out that life can Brandon Martin County and Patrick County would close in early 2020, and First Horizon Medical Services (EMS) sometimes throw you a Staff writer be forced to close. anticipates it will retain the SunTrust Award for Outstanding curveball. “First Horizon is excited to wel- employees. Th e branches will operate Contribution to EMS Tele- “Following my six years First Horizon National Corp. an- come new employees and customers under the First Horizon brand. communication at the 40th serving in the USMC, I nounced that it has entered into a to our family,” Bryan Jordan, CEO First Horizon noted that the new Annual Governor’s EMS returned home to Martins- deal with SunTrust Banks Inc. and and chairman of First Horizon, said branch acquisitions were unrelated to Awards ceremony in Nor- ville along with my wife BB&T Corp. to acquire 30 branches in a release. “We are proud of the their own recent merger with Iberia- folk. and our two children,” he across North Carolina, Virginia and tradition of trust we have earned for Bank. Th e award recognizes explained. “I was initially Georgia on Nov. 8. more than 155 years and look for- Th e merger between SunTrust and outstanding EMS provid- interested in law enforce- At the onset of 2019, U.S. region- ward to working with BB&T and BB&T is not expected to take eff ect ers and organizations from ment. While waiting to al lender BB&T agreed to buy Sun- SunTrust to design a seamless on- until the fi nal months of 2019 or across the Commonwealth hear back from local law Trust banks for approximately $28 boarding experience.” possibly not until early 2020. In the for their demonstrated level enforcement agencies, I billion in stock. Th e SunTrust branches in Collins- meantime, both banks will continue of excellence and dedica- learned of a position open Th e two companies share the ville, Martinsville and Stuart are all operating separately. tion to the EMS system. as a 911 dispatcher in the same region in the Southeast and slated to make the transition. “We expect the transaction to Presented in conjunc- local Martinsville-Henry Mid-Atlantic with approximately Due to the regulatory require- close ... in the fourth quarter of tion with the Virginia De- County 911 Center. I ap- 3,000 combined branches. Of those, ments involved in the SunTrust and this year,” says Brian Davis, direc- partment of Health (VDH) plied and was interviewed about a quarter of them are within BB&T merger, the branches are be- tor of corporate communications at Offi ce of Emergency Medi- by (then) 911 Director a couple of miles of each other, ing divested. First Horizon will as- BB&T. “Once that happens, we will cal Services’ Annual EMS Henry Gilbert. I remember American Banker reported. Until re- sume about $2.4 billion in deposits continue to serve clients through the Symposium, the awards Mr. Gilbert calling me on cently, it was expected that some of and will purchase roughly $410 mil- See Bank Merger, page 3 ceremony caps off the week- the phone and said he had the branches in Martinsville, Henry lion in loans. Th e deal is expected to long training event. Th e read a Letter of Recom- largest EMS training event mendation that had been in the Commonwealth and prepared by my USMC one of the largest in the na- commanding offi cer. He tion, this year’s symposium stated ‘I don’t know who Christmas Magic Comes to Martinsville welcomed more than 1,700 you are or anything about participants. Th e sympo- you but after reading this Brandon Martin “One word to help these sium off ers each participant letter of recommendation, Staff writer vets get what they want is the opportunity to earn up I’ve got to at least meet being patient,” Richardson to 26 hours of continu- you.’” Th e 2019 Martinsville- said. “Being denied a couple ing education credits for After being hired in 1995 Henry County Christmas of times works on your pa- recertifi cation as an EMS as a 911 dispatcher, he was Parade is set for Nov. 23, be- tience. Th ey’re going to give provider via more than 400 promoted to Assistant Shift ginning at 5 p.m., in Uptown it to you, but that’s how it class sessions. Supervisor in 1998, Opera- Martinsville, along Church, works.” When asked about the tions Supervisor in 2000, Main and Broad streets. Richardson helps obtain award, Powell attributed his and fi nally to his current Th e theme for this year is funds for veterans that need success at the Martinsville- position in 2012.