MORRIS STEPHENSON
It is with heavy heart that I drove from Ferrum to Rocky Mount early Sunday morning and saw the smoking remains of Exchange Milling, a historic building that was constructed in 1938.
kAm(96? x 8@E @FE @7 365 766=:?8 36EE6C H:E9 2? 6IEC2 9@FC @7 D=66A[ x EFC?65 @? >J 46== A9@?6 @?=J E@ =62C? E92E x 925 >:DD65 7:G6 42==D E92E 42>6 :? 62C=J $F?52J >@C?:?8] %96 42==6CD H6C6 =6EE:?8 >6 <?@H E96 @=5 >:== H2D @? 7:C6 2?5 H2D 3FC?:?8 E@ E96 8C@F?5]k^Am
kAm}@E 2 D:?8=6 42== 925 4@>6 :? @? >J 9@FD6 A9@?6 2?5 3642FD6 E96 46== A9@?6 H2D 36:?8 492C865[ x 925 >:DD65 E2<:?8 A9@E@D @7 2 >2;@C 7:C6] *62CD 28@[ x 925 DE2J65 FA 2== ?:89E E2<:?8 A9@E@D @7 E96 7:C6 E92E 56DEC@J65 @?6 @7 |(’D A=2?ED] x7 x 925 C646:G65 2 42==[ >J =:76 H@F=5 92G6 366? 2 C6A62E @7 E92E ?:89E]k^Am
People are also reading…
- Lawsuit against state trooper on behalf of Franklin County girl moves forward
- 12-year-old arrested in death of classmate who was hit in the head by a metal water bottle
- Franklin County sheriff's deputies often make immigration arrests for ICE
- Board approves carp comeback at Smith Mountain Lake to eat invasive hydrilla
- Manhunt ends with fatal shooting of Henry County suspect
- Rocky Mount man charged with killing his brother
- Franklin County considers 7-cent real estate tax increase
- Spanberger signs Virginia minimum wage increase
- Smith Mountain Lake State Park lecture series wraps up on Sunday
- Spanberger signs bills on probation, manufactured protein and Confederate license plates
- Franklin County chicken and bee zoning overhaul draws resident backlash
- Smith Mountain Lake saw increase in boating incidents and deaths in 2025
- Man unlawfully in US arrested in Franklin County for child sex abuse
- 2 Franklin County softball players among those to watch in Southwest Virginia
- Martinsville council moves toward releasing forensic audit after months of secrecy
kAm(96? x 2CC:G65 @? E96 D46?6 H:E9 42>6C2 :? 92?5[ @?6 @7 E96 7:CDE A6@A=6 x D2H H2D qCF46 {2J>2?[ H9@ @H?D E96 >:== @? uC2?<=:? $EC66E] qCF46[ H9@ 2=H2JD 92D 2 D>:=6 @? 9:D 7246 2?5 2 8@@5 H@C5 7@C 2==[ 5:5?’E 92G6 E62CD :? 9:D 6J6D 2D x >:89E 92G6 6IA64E65] w@FCD 925 A2DD65 D:?46 E96 :?:E:2= 42== 96 C646:G65 27E6C ` 2]>]k^Am
kAmpD x H2=<65 FA E@ 9:> 2?5 367@C6 x 4@F=5 DA62<[ qCF46 D2:5[ “x E9:?< x’G6 925 2 7:C6]” w:D 3:8 D>:=6 42F89E >6 3J DFCAC:D6] “x E9:?< J@F’C6 C:89E] x 5@ D>6== D>@<6[” x C6A=:65[ 6IAC6DD:?8 >J D@CC@H]k^Am
kAmqC:67=J 96 82G6 >6 D@>6 :?7@C>2E:@? 367@C6 36:?8 42==65 2H2J E@ 2 4@?G6CD2E:@? H:E9 #@4<J |@F?E 7:C67:89E6CD 2?5 !2F= $9:G6=J[ 2? 6I42G2E:?8 6IA6CE]k^Am
kAmx 5:5 2 DE@CJ E9C66 J62CD 28@ 23@FE qCF46 C6>@56=:?8 E96 7C@?E @7 E96 3F:=5:?8] p?5 r92C=:6 #@36CED@?[ 7@C>6C #|'us 7:C6 49:67 H9@ H@C<D 7@C x562= qF:=5:?8 $FAA=J[ D2:5 qCF46 925 A=2??65 E9:D H66< E@ DE2CE 2 D:>:=2C AC@;64E @? E96 324< D:56 @7 E96 3F:=5:?8]k^Am
kAmxE H:== 36 :?E6C6DE:?8 E@ 7@==@H E96 56>@=:E:@? AC@46DD 2?5 D66 9@H =@?8 :E E2<6D E@ 4=62C E96 D:E6]k^Am
kAmxE’D ;FDE 2 D92>6 E92E @?6 @7 E96 E@H?’D 62C=J 3FD:?6DD6D 8@6D :?E@ E96 9:DE@CJ 3@@<D] %96 >:== H2D @?6 @7 E96 7:CDE E9:?8D 2 G:D:E@C E@ E96 E@H? H@F=5 D66 27E6C 4C@DD:?8 E96 p?8=6 qC:586 @? }@CE9 |2:?] xE ECF=J H2D 2 9:DE@C:4 =2?5>2C<]k^Am
kAmpD =@?8 2D x’> 23=6 E@ C@2> uC2?<=:? r@F?EJ[ 7C:6?5D 2?5 24BF2:?E2?46D H:== 4@?E:?F6 42==:?8 E@ 8:G6 >6 E@ 8:G6 >6 ?6HD E:AD 2?5 DE@C:6D x ?665 E@ HC:E6 3@E9 3:8 2?5 D>2==]k^Am
kAmx 8F6DD E96 @?=J E:>6 E96 42==D H:== 6?5 :D H96? x’> 5625 2?5 8@?6] qFE F?E:= E92E E:>6 4@>6D[ ;FDE <66A @? 2\42==:?8Pk^Am
kAmq@@?6D |:== #6G:D:E65 \ {2DE H66< x >256 2 EC:A 7C@> u6CCF> E@ q@@?6D |:== E@ 86E 2 DE@CJ @? E96 4=@D:?8 @7 %96 |65:4:?6 $9@AA6 E92E @A6?65 :? `hdg] xE H2D E96 7:CDE E:>6 x 925 G:D:E65 E96 E:?J E@H? :? >@C6 E92? a_ J62CD]k^Am
kAmx E9:?< E96 =2DE G:D:E x G:D:E65 H2D 2E E96 {:@?D r=F3’D 2??F2= pAA=6 u6DE:G2= 2 76H J62CD 27E6C x C6EFC?65 E@ E96 }6HD\!@DE :? `hhh] x C642== =2E6 H:76 w2K6= 2?5 x >256 D6G6C2= EC:AD E@ E96 76DE:G:E:6D @G6C E96 J62CD]k^Am
kAmx 2CC:G65 2E E96 5CF8 DE@C6 62C=:6C E92? 6IA64E65] p?5 x D2H 2 ?F>36C @7 A6@A=6 x 925?’E D66? :? J62CD] p?5 x 8@E E96 @AA@CEF?:EJ E@ >66E A92C>24:DE^@H?6C p>2?52 q2IE6C[ H9@ AFC492D65 E96 3FD:?6DD 7C@> 7@F?56C v]w] “qF4<” (@@5 324< :? a__g 27E6C 364@>:?8 9:D A2CE?6C :? `hg`] W%92E H2D 23@FE E96 E:>6 H96? H6 D@=5 E96 uC2?<=:? r@F?EJ %:>6D 2?5 x 6?E6C65 E96 DE@4< 42C C24:?8 AC@76DD:@?]Xk^Am
kAm(9:=6 H2:E:?8 7@C p>2?52 E@ 7:== D6G6C2= AC6D4C:AE:@?D[ x =@@<65 2E E96 362FE:7F= A6? 2?5 :?< 2CE H@C< @? E96 H2== E92E 42? 36 D66? 7C@> E96 DEC66E] %96? x DA@EE65 2? @=5 6?=2C86>6?E @7 2 A9@E@] (2=<:?8 @G6C[ x BF:4<=J C62=:K65 E96 A9@E@ H2D @7 >6>36CD @7 E@H? 4@F?4:=[ :?4=F5:?8 |2J@C y24< v2CDE 2?5 %@H? $8E] (:=D@?[ 36EE6C <?@H? 2D (:=<6D[ p3D9:C6k^Am
kAmx 925 E@ 49F4<=6 F?56C >J 3C62E9 H96? x E@@< 2 4=@D6C =@@< 2E H92E E96 >2J@C H2D 5@:?8] tG6CJ@?6 :? E96 A9@E@[ 6I46AE 7@C E96 >2J@C[ H2D DE2C:?8 2E E96 A9@E@8C2A96C] %96 9@?@C23=6 y24< 925 9:D 9625 5@H? 2AA2C6?E=J D:8?:?8 2? @77:4:2= A2A6C[ 2D 96 925 2 A6? :? @?6 92?5 2?5 2 4:82C6EE6 :? E96 @E96C]k^Am
kAmpD x E@@< 2 D62E :? E96 H2:E:?8 2C62 E@ H2:E 7@C p>2?52[ >J >:?5 5C:7E65 324< E@ E96 >:5\`he_D H96? x 42>6 E@ H@C< 7@C #65 $2=J6C 2E E96 }6HD\!@DE :? E96 DAC:?8 @7 `hec] ~?6 @7 >J >2?J 2DD:8?>6?ED H2D 4@G6C:?8 E96 >@?E9=J E@H? 4@F?4:= >66E:?8]k^Am
kAmp D>2== 4:?56C3=@4< DECF4EFC6 @? “t2DJ $EC66E[” 24C@DD 7@C> E96 {:@?D r=F3 3F:=5:?8[ H2D H96C6 E96 E@H?’D 7:C6 ECF4< H2D 9@FD65] xE H2D E96 >66E:?8 A=246 @7 E96 7:C67:89E6CD 2?5 E96 2D H6== 2D E96 E@H? 92==]”k^Am
kAm%96 6?EC2?46 5@@C H2D @? E96 C:89E D:56 @7 E96 3F:=5:?8[ H9:49 D6CG65 2D E96 E@H?’D 3FD:?6DD 2C62] %96 E@H? 4=6C< H2D 9625BF2CE6C65 E96C6] %96 @E96C D:56 925 2 =2C86 82C286 5@@C 3:8 6?@F89 7@C E96 3:8 C65 7:C6 ECF4<]k^Am
kAmqFE E96 A2CE E92E C62==J 4@>6D E@ >:?5 :D E96 7:CDE :>AC6DD:@? x 925 H2=<:?8 :?E@ >J 7:CDE 4@F?4:= >66E:?8] %96 56D< 2E E96 324< @7 E96 >66E:?8 C@@>[ 7@C>6C=J @44FA:65 3J |2J@C y24< v2CDE[ H2D E96? 7:==65 3J |2J@C y@9? |FCC2J[ 2 D4C2AAJ :?5:G:5F2=] x 5@?’E E9:?< 96 324<65 2H2J 7C@> 2?JE9:?8 @C 2?J@?6] %96 E@H? 4=6C< D2E ?6IE E@ E96 >2J@C E@ C64@C5 E96 >:?FE6D]k^Am
kAm%96C6 H2D 2 92?5C2:= E92E 5:G:565 E96 3F:=5:?8 :?E@ E96 EH@ 2C62D 7@C E96 E@H? 3FD:?6DD 2?5 E96 7:C6 56A2CE>6?E] %9C66 D62ED =:?65 E96 D:56 H2== 2=@?8 E96 @FED:56 7@C 4@F?4:= >6>36CD] p== E96 492:CD H6C6 DEC2:89E\324< >256 @7 H@@5 H:E9 ?@ 4FD9:@?D]k^Am
kAm%96 76H C6>2:?:?8 492:CD H6C6 7:==65 3J C6D:56?ED H9@ 925 3FD:?6DD E@ 3C:?8 367@C6 4@F?4:=] %9@D6 H6C6 7:==65 H96? x H2=<65 :? E92E ?:89E] %96 @?=J C6>2:?:?8 DA246 H2D 2=@?8 E96 C:89E D:56 “CF??:?8 3@2C5” @7 E96 7:C6 ECF4<] $=:AA:?8 F?56C E96 92?5 C2:=[ x 4=2:>65 >J DA246]k^Am
kAmp3@FE 92=7H2J E9C@F89 E96 D6DD:@?[ E96 D:C6? 2E@A E96 3F:=5:?8 5C@H?65 @FE E96 >66E:?8] |:?FE6D =2E6C[ 2 7:C6>2? 3FCDE E9C@F89 E96 C68F=2C 5@@C 2?5 C2:D65 E96 82C286 5@@C 369:?5 E96 7:C6 ECF4<] w6 E96? AF==65 @? 9:D 7:C67:89E:?8 862C 2D @E96C 7:C6>2? 492C865 :?E@ E96 3F:=5:?8]k^Am
kAm(:E9:? 2 4@FA=6 @7 >:?FE6D[ E96 ECF4< AF==65 @?E@ E96 DEC66E[ :ED D:C6? DA=:EE:?8 62C 5CF>D] %96 =2DE >2? @FE EF8865 E96 5@@C 324< E@ :ED @C:8:?2= A@D:E:@?] |2J@C |FCC2J C2AA65 E96 82G6= @? E96 E23=6 2?5 >66E:?8 4@?E:?F65]k^Am
kAm!6C92AD cd >:?FE6D =2E6C[ E96 D@F?5 @7 E96 7:C6 ECF4< H2D 962C5] u:C6>6? D>6==:?8 =:<6 E96J 925 366? D>@E96C65 3J E96 D>@<6 6?E6C65 E96 3F:=5:?8] %96 3:8 5@@C 925 366? C2:D65 2?5 E96 7:C6 ECF4< H2D 36:?8 C67:==65 7C@> E96 ?62C3J 9J5C2?E]k^Am
kAm%96 7:C6>6? EC:65 E@ 36 2D BF:6E 2D E96J 4@F=5 H9:=6 AFEE:?8 E96:C 862C 324< :? A=246] %96J 6I:E65 E96 3F:=5:?8 E@ 2DD:DE H:E9 E96 ECF4<] %92?< 8@@5?6DD[ :E H2D?’E :? E96 >:55=6 @7 H:?E6C] v:G:?8 FA[ |2J@C |FCC2J 25;@FC?65 E96 >66E:?8[ ?@E:?8 E92E E96 E@H?’D 3:==D 7@C E96 >@?E9 H@F=5 36 A2:5 2=E9@F89 E96 =:DE @7 3:==D 925 ?@E 366? C6G:6H65]k^Am
kAmsFC:?8 2 =2E6C >66E:?8[ 2 A6CD@??6= >2EE6C 42>6 367@C6 4@F?4:=] %96 >2J@C 2??@F?465 4@F?4:= H@F=5 36 8@:?8 :?E@ 2 4=@D65 D6DD:@?] %92E H2D 2 9@E E@A:4 324< :? E96 52J] x @3;64E65[ C6>:?5:?8 E96 >2J@C @7 E96 “uC665@> @7 x?7@C>2E:@? p4E]”k^Am
kAmw6 8=2C65 2E >6 24C@DD E96 E@A @7 9:D 8=2DD6D] %96? 96 32?865 E96 82G6= D6G6C2= E:>6D @? E96 3:8 56D<E@A] x? 2 =@F5 2?5 A6C764E=J 4=62C G@:46 96 2??@F?465[ “x 25;@FC? E9:D >66E:?8 E@?:89E 2?5 x 6IA64E 2== @7 J@F E@ 36 2E >J 9@FD6 :? E96 >@C?:?8 7@C 3C62<72DE 2E g @’4=@4< D92CAP” $=2>>:?8 E96 82G6= @? E96 56D<[ 96 DE@C>65 @FE @7 E96 3F:=5:?8[ =62G:?8 FD 2== D:EE:?8 E96C6 :? D9@4<[ 7@C =24< @7 2 36EE6C H@C5]k^Am
kAm}@[ x 5:5 ?@E 8@ 7@C 3C62<72DE E96 ?6IE 52J[ 3FE x 5:5 C646:G6 2 A9@?6 42==] %96 4@F?4:=>2? H9@ 42==65 7:==65 >6 :? @? E96 DF3;64E @7 E96 >66E:?8]k^Am
kAmx 2=D@ G:G:5=J C642== 2? :?4:56?E :? E96 =2E6 `hf_D[ 367@C6 E96 E@H? 925 2 D6H6C DJDE6>] %96 D6H6C =:?6D @7 2== E96 9@>6D 2=@?8 |288@566 rC66< 6>AE:65 :?E@ E96 4C66<] %96 E@H? H2D 2=H2JD F?56C 4@?DE2?E 2EE24< 7C@> E96 DE2E6’D H2E6C 4@?EC@= 3@2C5 E@ 4@CC64E E96 AC@3=6>]k^Am
kAmqFE E96 D>2== E@H? 4@F=5 ?@E 277@C5 DF49 2 >2;@C 6IA6?D6[ 2?5 2 8C2?E H2D @3E2:?65 =2E6C 27E6C E96 7@==@H:?8 :?4:56?E E92E x H:E?6DD65]k^Am
kAmpE @?6 A@:?E[ E96 4@?EC@= 3@2C5 :? #:49>@?5 D6?E 7:G6 “6IA6CED” E@ DFCG6J E96 AC@3=6>] xE 925 366? 2? 6IEC6>6=J 5CJ DF>>6C 2?5 @?=J 2 EC:4<=6 @7 H2E6C H2D CF??:?8 E9C@F89 E96 46?E6C @7 E96 4C66<] p?5 C6D:56?ED H6C6 “C2:D:?8 E96 C@@7” 23@FE E96 @5@Ck^Am
kAm%96 =:EE=6 3:E @7 H2E6C H2D J2C5D 2H2J 7C@> 2== @7 E96 A:A6D DE:4<:?8 @FE @7 E96 6>32?<>6?ED p== @7 E96 :?DA64E@CD H6C6 H62C:?8 E9:89\9:89 3@@ED AFD965 5@H? E96:C =68D 2D 72C 2D A@DD:3=6 E@ 2==@H 7@C 4@@=6C 2:C E@ A2DD E9C@F89 E96:C 4=@E9:?8]k^Am
kAmx 2CC:G65[ E2=<65 E@ E96 =6256C 7@C 2 76H >:?FE6D 2?5 E96? =67E E96> E@ 368:? H@C<] (:E9 42>6C2 :? 92?5[ x 7@==@H65 E96> 2=@?8 E96 6>32?<>6?E] %96 8C@FA DE@AA65 E@ 5:D4FDD D@>6E9:?8 x 4@F=5?’E 962C]k^Am
kAm$F556?=J[ x ?@E:465 @?6 @7 E96 8:C=D 925 DE@AA65 2?5 H2D HC:E:?8 :? 2 ?@E63@@<] x ?@E:465 2 A:A6 AC@ECF5:?8 7C@> E96 5:CE 2 4@FA=6 @7 766E 23@G6] p?5 E96? :E 92AA6?65] p C6D:56?E :? E96 9@FD6 925 7=FD965 E96 4@>>@56[ ?@E <?@H:?8 2?J@?6 H2D 2C@F?5]k^Am
kAm$4C62>:?8[ E96 8:C= D66>65 E@ ;F>A DEC2:89E FA 367@C6 D96 C2465 E@ E96 @E96C D:56 @7 E96 4C66< 365] $96 7@F?5 2 C@4<[ D2E 5@H? 2?5 ;6C<65 @77 96C 3@@E E@ E96 @FE\@7\4@?EC@= =2F89E6C @7 96C 4@\H@C<6CD] }665=6DD E@ D2J[ x >:DD65 E96 D9@H 3FE 5:5 86E 2 A9@E@ @7 96C D:EE:?8 @? E96 C@4<]k^Am
kAmp9[ E96 8@@5 @=5 52JD :? q@@?6D |:==Pk^Am
