A1 LOG ONTO WWW.MTAIRYNEWS.COM FOR ARCHIVE • GAMES • FEATURES • E-EDITION • POLLS & MORE The Mount Airy News Serving Surry County since 1880. INSIDE STORY WEATHER SPORTS ONLINE Perdue fundraiser Mostly Sunny Three stay Holiday Meals & appears set to plead today. High of 59. perfect .... 6 Memories contest at guilty .... 7 Low of 35 ........ 2 mtairynews.com Vol. 131, Issue 347 TUESDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2011 50 cents daily/$1.25 Sunday Fire displaces local family, destroys home and belongings Tom Joyce three fire departments rushed to oxygen. Staff Reporter the scene in a densely populated Some stood by with tears in their residential area of the Toast com- eyes as members of the Franklin, TOAST — A fire early Monday munity. Four-Way and Bannertown volun- afternoon, believed to have origi- “It was a major working fire teer fire departments attacked the nated from a heating source, dis- when they got to the scene,” said blaze. Flames were seen shooting placed eight members of a local Earl Mounce of the Surry County through the roof in at least two family. Fire Marshal’s Office. “And it had spots, leaving a gaping hole at the The blaze was reported just be- already got in the attic, which poses top of the home’s midsection. Much fore 1 p.m. at the home of Sarah some problems.” smoke damage appeared to have oc- Shelton at 154 Pine Drive, located Shelton lived in the one-story curred as well. off North Franklin Road near its house along with children and Once the flames were brought intersection with Carolina Circle. grandchildren. All managed to es- under control, firefighters donned Tom Joyce/The News A large plume of smoke rose from cape the burning structure, includ- air packs to work inside the struc- Flames shoot through the roof of a home on Pine Drive in the the brick structure as members of ing one person in the household on See FIRE | 7 Toast community early Monday afternoon. Share your Garcia, Hicks meals and receive police dept. honors memories Tom Joyce Think you have the best Staf reporter best dog-gone dessert in the county? Maybe the sassi- Two members of the est soup, tastiest turkey, or Mount Airy Police Depart- most scrumptious side dish? ment have become the recip- Well, here’s your chance ients of annual awards pre- to find out, by entering the sented by the department. Meals and Memories Holi- Carlos Garcia was named day Recipe Contest, spon- its “Officer of the Year,” sored by Patterson-Collins while Kimberly Hicks has Chevrolet. The winner gets been chosen “Employee of braggin’ rights until the the Year.” Both were hon- next contest, and a $150 ored during the MAPD’s prize! There is also a spe- annual Christmas dinner cial prize of $75 in the Main held Saturday at First Bap- Course Category, sponsored tist Church of Mount Airy. by New Image Weight Loss About 115 people — includ- Center. ing department members, Want a sneak peak at their families and others — some of the competition? attended. Here’s one entry: Both Garcia and Hicks My Granny’s Morgan Wall/The News were selected for their re- Cranberry Salad Jody Jarrell’s second grade class is learning luency through Christmas carols. See HONORS | 2 Ingredients: 2 cups whole cranberries 1 cup water 1 cup sugar Cedar Ridge second graders 1 cup crushed pineapple 1/2 cup chopped walnuts 1 ( 3oz. ) package lemon Jell-O become Christmas crooners Description: This is rec- Morgan Wall ipe has been in my house- Staf Reporter hold for 3 years. I was very close to my Granny Iris…she LOWGAP — As the Christmas was the GREATEST…I miss season approached, Jody Jarrell, a her so much…The first year second-grade teacher at Cedar Ridge me and my family was in Elementary School, began looking for Carlos Garcia our first new home, during a good way to teach his students some the Thanksgiving holiday, of the more traditional Christmas I had posted on facebook song, songs he quickly realized they what I was thankful for and did not know, sung by some of the said that I wanted to make classic artists of the 1950s and 1960s. new holiday traditions that I Jarrell plays music in his class con- could carry on for as long as stantly to have some noise in the back- I could. My cousin contact- ground. It is always quiet and, he said, ed me and asked if I had this the students seem to love it. He tells recipe and I told her I didn’t. them that as long as they are working, She said had acquired this the music will stay on. As a fan of the recipe through my granny’s season, he was looking forward to be- sister and she gave it to me. ing able to play Christmas music. Morgan Wall/The News We have made this recipe “I love the old Christmas music by Second graders at Cedar Ridge Elementary School sing along with their song EVERY Thanksgiving since See STUDENTS | 7 books. See MEALS | 2 Kimberly Hicks Thursday commissioners meeting has been canceled Staf Report tice,” Mayor Deborah Co- The city’s regular sched- chran said at the board’s ule includes a session Those who were expect- last meeting on Dec. 1 beginning at 2 p.m. on ing to attend a meeting of when the decision was the first Thursday of the the Mount Airy Board of made to cancel its Dec. 15 month, and 7 p.m. on the Commissioners Thursday session. third Thursday. The ini- Larry Jones/Submitted Photo night should find other On behalf of his oice’s Christmas fund, Surry County Sherif Graham Atkinson collects a check Cochran gained an as- tial meetings are more for plans — that session has surance from City Manag- briefing purposes. from North Surry Student Body President Amy Fillius, left, and Public Relations Chairperson Jes- been canceled. sica Thompson. The school collected $2,367 to help local families in need. er Barbara Jones that there However, the next first- City officials recently were no pressing matters Thursday meeting of the scrapped the meeting, in looming to require meet- Mount Airy board on Jan. keeping with a tradition af- ing this week. 5 will begin instead at 7 North Surry donates to fecting their regular sched- ule of convening on the This represents one of p.m. That is being done first and third Thursdays only two occasions during to accommodate an ad- of each month at the Mu- the year when the city gov- vertised public hearing on sherif ’s Christmas drive ernment deviates from its an updated Surry County Josh Armstrong collect the check from student body presi- nicipal Building. In recent years, however, the com- normal schedule. The oth- Transportation Plan from Staf reporter dent Amy Fillius, public relations chairper- missioners have decided to er involves the first-Thurs- the N.C. Department of son Jessica Thompson and drafting teacher forgo their second monthly day meeting in July, due to Transportation. North Surry High School presented a Daron Atkins. meeting in December due Independence Day. That The plan is aimed at $2,367 check to the Surry County Sheriff’s Since the early 1990s, the annual drive to its proximity to Christ- acknowledges the fact the identifying local road pri- Office Christmas Fund on Monday. has ensured local families and individuals mas. July 4 holiday period is tra- orities for the next 25 Sheriff Graham Atkinson was on hand to See DRIVE | 3 “This is a normal prac- ditionally a vacation time. years. A2 2 Tuesday, December 13, 2011 The Mount Airy News, Mount Airy, N.C. www.mtairynews.com Meals Honors From Page 1 From Page 1 when they responded. The Officer Garcia, whose bi- police captain cited Garcia’s lingual abilities also prove and that is my Granny’s way spective recognitions as a overall actions, both during to be an asset to the depart- of having Thanksgiving with result of a vote among all and after the event. ment at times, does a lot of us. I love and miss you Gran- members of the depart- He proved to be a calm- traffic enforcement. ny Iris. ment, which has 42 sworn ing influence to younger “It’s just an honor to have officers and 56 employees That seems like a pretty officers on the scene during him with us,” Freeman said. in all. a tense situation, Freeman Hicks Called tasty treat, and a really great Garcia has been on the said. “In my opinion — “Outstanding” memory shared by the cook. city police force for more and others’ — he probably Capt. Freeman was equal- Do you have one to match, than nine years and his hard saved lives that night and ly praiseworthy regarding or top that? work and leadership skills we’re just proud of him as the service of Kimberly If so, enter your recipe have provided a good exam- an officer.” Hicks, a 22-year veteran and special memory by go- ple for others in the depart- In the wake of the shoot- of the Mount Airy Police ment, one of its command- ing, Garcia has stressed to Department who also was ing to www.mountairynews. ing officers said Monday. com, then clicking on the fellow department mem- named its “Employee of the “He’s a wonderful offi- bers the importance of Year” in 1999. tab labeled Meals and Mem- cer,” Capt. Alan Freeman staying alert “and how the Hicks, whose title is ad- ories Recipe Contest spon- said, “one of those who unexpected can happen,” ministrative supervisor, sored by Patterson-Collins works hard and does his Freeman said.