"In the end, we conserve only what we love. We will love only what we understand. We will understand only what we are taught." Baba Dioum, Senegalese poet

4:00 PM Ceremony at the 1908 Courthouse - Independence

      Alleghany Community Theatre’s next Readers Theatre will stage scenes from two versions of William Shakespeare’s “Macbeth” Thursday, April 24th at 7 pm in the Alleghany County Library, 122 North Main Street in Sparta.

      “What makes this show special,” said the show’s co-producer and ACT president Jim Williams, “is that the entire cast is made up of students from Alleghany High School and the Sparta Elementary School.”  The production will consist of two parts.  First, the high school students will read selected, significant scenes from Shakespeare’s original “Macbeth.”  Then after the intermission, students from the Sparta Elementary School’s gifted and talented program will perform a short, modernized and humorous version of the play.

Dance and music connect cultures.  Even when language is a barrier persons from all backgrounds can communicate with each other through music and dance.  To promote better understanding of many cultures and to explore all the beautiful dances from around the world,  Iara Kendrick, of the Moving Arts Center  in Woodlawn, Virginia, is offering local residents the opportunity to form a dance company incorporating dances from all continents around the globe.  

Willing Partners opened a new thrift store in Independence today, May 1, giving away free snacks to customers. The new store is right next to Walters' Drug on Main Street in the old Grayson Garment factory building. Willing Partners is a nonprofit member agency serving the Twin Counties and Galax. In Galax, the Willing Partners food bank gives away more than 1200 food boxes to needy families a month. The mission of Willing Partners is to “bring together people, churches, and groups who share a common desire to improve the lives of those in need.”

A North Carolina resident who is qualified to register to vote may register In-Person and vote at a One-Stop Site in the person's county of residence during the One-Stop Absentee Voting period. The One-Stop Voting period extends from 19 to 3 days before Election Day.

The process is sometimes referred to as “In-Person Registration,” but it is important to recognize that it not permitted on Election Day itself.

On Saturday, May 10, on Main Street in Independence, Grayson County will hold its first community-wide Earth Day celebration.  This all-day festival wraps up three weeks of Earth Day activities in the community, which have included river-side and roadside clean-ups, the planting of gardens, and tours of local businesses which are mindful of the environment.

The festival will begin at 10:00 a.m. with a ribbon-cutting for the new Farmer's Market and will conclude with a concert by Earth Mama at 4:00 p.m. in the middle of town.  A Procession of the Species Parade is scheduled at 2:00 p.m., in which participants will dress as their favorite species, and which will also feature environomentally friendly vehicles.