A1 Vol. 131, Issue 272 .50 INDEX Bears Take Two Obits ... page 3 Opinions ... page 4 Business ... page 5 Sports ... page 6 Classifieds ... page 8 Partly Cloudy Serving Surry County since 1880. High Low Page 6 Forsubscriptions, call 786-4141. 78 58 The Mount Airy News www.mtairynews.com Printed on recycled newspaper Thursday, September 29, 2011 PART requests county funding to save trips Meghann evans decision on service adjust- posed cuts in services or the trips will likely be elimi- sioners and member of the years without requesting ments. At a special meeting addition of outside revenue nated from Route 6 Surry PART board, expects to staff RepoRteR additional county dollars. on Wednesday, the board is to reduce the more than County. The proposed cuts help County Manager Den- From most counties the To close a large budget authorized the authority to $1 million budget short- are the 5:50 a.m. and 10 nis Thompson present the only funds PART has been gap, the PART Board of request counties to contrib- fall that PART faces this a.m. southbound trips and information to the rest of collecting is a five-percent Trustees decided Wednes- ute funds if they want to year. The funding request the 8:45 a.m. and 4:17 p.m. the Surry County board at tax on gross receipts of day that several PART Ex- prevent a decrease in ser- from Surry County will be northbound trips. PART is a future meeting. But John- rental cars in the coun- press trips will be cut in a vices. Otherwise, the pro- $86,667, equivalent to $1 not proposing to cut entire son said he does not expect ties, which has decreased month unless counties are posed service adjustments per registered vehicle in the routes, just trips on certain that to take place at the Oct. with the troubles in the able to provide additional will go into effect on Oct. county. This amount was routes. 3 meeting. economy. Johnson also said funding. 31. suggested but not officially McKinney said the “I’m willing to consider PART Express is a service Earlier this month the “The board really wres- requested earlier in the year PART board chairman helping out because PART that all citizens can take ad- governing board for the tled with (it) this morning,” as the PART board consid- will now send letters to has been such a good tool vantage of. Piedmont Authority for Re- remarked Brent McKinney, ered how it would close the the counties with requests for the people of this coun- Though the county has a gional Transportation ap- executive director of PART, budget gap. for funding. Paul John- ty,” Johnson remarked. proved fare increases for on Wednesday. If the county does not son, chairman of the Surry He said PART has built $40,000 line item that is rural routes but postponed a The purpose of the pro- find funding for PART, four County Board of Commis- lots in the county over the See PART, page 2 StudentS meet at pole for prayer Beam’s piano to be donated at Voce concert Friday Mondee tilley est award given by the North Carolina Chapter of staff RepoRteR the Choral Directors Asso- ciation. One of the things As part of the Preserva- he was most proud of was tion North Carolina confer- the formation of the Sandy ence that will begin today, a Beam Scholarship Fund local musical group, Vocé on his 60th birthday. That will have a special perfor- scholarship provides schol- mance at 7 p.m. on Friday at arships to students who the Andy Griffith Playhouse want to pursue a career in where the grand piano of music. a local music teacher who Beam died suddenly on died earlier this year will Feb. 18. He was going to be donated to the Surry Arts play the part of Ray-Bud’s Council. boss, Clyde, the day he died During the concert, a in the play, “Dearly De- niece of the former direc- parted.” The play went on tor of the group will donate without him, however, the Sandy Beam’s grand piano Friday night performance to be used at the Andy was dedicated to Beam. Griffith Playhouse. Tanya Jones, executive Beam was the music director of the Surry Arts director for First Presbyte- Council, said the donation rian Church where he was of Beam’s piano is mean- a member and the former ingful to her and all of the music director for 44 years. students he taught over the He taught music at Franklin years. She said his piano Elementary School, where was his most prized posses- he was the music teacher sion. in 1960. Beam went on to “It’s a wonderful tribute teach music at Gentry Mid- and very fitting because dle School and then retired Sandy was so important to from teaching music while both the arts council and at North Surry High School. the arts. His love was mu- Even after retirement he sical theater. Almost every continued to teach private time Sandy directed music, Morgan Wall/The neWs music lessons. See You at the Pole Day is a global day of student prayer celebrated on the fourth Wednesday of September. It the orchestra was always on Beam started Vocé in stage, so to have the piano is a prayer rally where students meet at the flag pole before school. Mount Airy High School students meet at 2002 at the Surry Arts on the stage during musi- the flag pole on the football field. Council and started the cals will be very special,” group’s predecessor known said Jones. as the Surry Chorale. She said there will be a In November of 2010, plaque made that will go on Beam received the Laura PMES Pirates getting in ship shape Hoggard Award, the high- See BEAM, page 2 MoRgan Wall cal health. Students at the Principal Angela Carson. fresh produce to schools school have spent the past The school also incorpo- across the state. staff RepoRteR week learning all about rated the U.S. Department “You should have five milk and cows. Every class- of Agriculture Fresh Fruits servings of fruits and veg- Students study room participated in a door- and Vegetables grant into etables each day,” Frith told PILOT MOUNTAIN decorating contest with the the day, providing students students. “Try to start small — Pilot Mountain Elemen- winner receiving free ice with an extra snack this and build up. You can re- through dissections tary School students spent cream. Teachers and stu- week. As part of a presen- place one fruit or vegetable MoRgan Wall to remember five years, 10 Wednesday getting in “ship years, 20 years from now,” dents also were encouraged tation by Beth Frith with serving with something that staff RepoRteR shape with a pirate wellness to wear black and white in the Farm to School pro- is not as good for you. You she said. “That’s how she celebration.” sold me on it.” honor of the Holstein cow. gram of the N.C. Depart- want to spread the servings DOBSON — Fourth- What started as a cel- “Today on the announce- ment of Agriculture Food out during the day, not just All of the school’s ebration of World School graders at Rockford El- fourth-grade students divid- ments we talked about the Distribution division, stu- wait until the end of the day ementary School were af- Milk Day transformed into benefits of milk and how dents each received a North and realize you haven’t had ed into groups Wednesday a complete wellness cel- forded a unique opportunity with each group getting its you say ‘milk’ in other Carolina-grown Gala apple. enough.” Wednesday to get an up- ebration as students learned languages. I told them in The Farm to School pro- “The teachers have own dissection tray, tools about milk, fruits and veg- close look at several crea- and animals. Fourth-grade any language it’s milk and gram contracts with North been doing activities in the tures. etables and appropriate eat- it does a body good,” said Carolina farmers to provide teachers gathered them all ing habits as well as physi- See SHAPE, page 7 Pattie Holcomb, fourth- into one room to walk them grade teacher, approached through the dissection of Principal Dana Thomas seven different animals. about purchasing dissection Each student also received kits for her students. a guidebook with diagrams “That’s so 21st century. It’s something they’re going See DISSECT, page 7 Morgan Wall/The neWs Morgan Wall/The neW Jordan Quesinberry works to open a crayfish and Pilot Mountain Elementary School students show off their milk mustaches in front of a giant cow Wednesday observe its inside anatomy at Rockford Elementary as the school celebrates World School Milk Day. School Wednesday. A2 2 Thursday, September 29, 2011 The Mount Airy News, Mount Airy, N.C. www.mtairynews.com showing a deficit, but Ran- option. variety. There’s going to be Franklin Road will be open dolph has an annual license In another effort to re- some soloists from Vocé as from 8 to 9 a.m. A tour PART: fee of $1 per vehicle to go duce deficits, the PART BEAM: well. It will be a lot of fun,” of historic Cherry Street toward PART. McKinney board voted earlier this said Merritt. will be from 9 to 10 a.m. Continued from page 1 said he believes the short- month to increase single- Continued from page 1 He said the concert will A White Sulphur Springs fall from Surry County trip fares for long routes, in- be repeated during the Sun- tour will be from 10 to 11 not designated for any par- alone is around $250,000.