Martinsville News

A roughly 80-year-old home overlooking the Martinsville hydroelectric dam burned Tuesday night.

Fire investigators likely won't be able to enter the former American of Martinsville plant before the end of this month to try to find the cause of the March 3 blaze that destroyed it, an official said Tuesday.

The Martinsville Community Development Department is accepting public comments as part of a process required to be considered for a Community Development Block Grant to rejuvenate an area on the city's north side.

"Scavenger's Daughter" will premiere at 7 p.m. Sunday in the Richard Wetherill Visual Arts Center at Hollins University.

The city already has two such sirens - one each at the fire stations on West Church Street and Starling Avenue.

A group of different types of vultures are seen in a wooded area near the interesection of Mulberry Road and Corn Tassel Trail in Martinsville.

To help prepare for that, Henry County and Martinsville will take part in a statewide tornado drill at 9:45 a.m. Tuesday.

Martinsville is considering turning over its housing assistance program, which also serves Henry County residents, to Danville as a money-saving measure.

The days of Shakespearean intimidation are over, if TheatreWorks Community Players and the cast of "Julius Caesar" have anything to say about it.

A new Martinsville police chief is expected to be announced by the end of next week, according to City Manager Leon Towarnicki.

Due to the recent harsh weather, a June completion date now is anticipated for the construction of the shell building on Lot 8 in the Patriot Centre at Beaver Creek industrial park, said Henry County Administrator Tim Hall.

"But I'm not ruling anything out" as the cause of Monday's blaze at the former American of Martinsville plant, city Fire Marshal Ted Anderson said Thursday.

Armstrong confirmed Wednesday that he has submitted a letter of intent to U.S. Sens. Tim Kaine and Mark Warner, as well as the Virginia State Bar, to seek a seat on the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia.

People were lined up to enter the expo when it opened at 4 p.m. Wednesday. Fast Track 2014 offered area residents - both new and established - an opportunity to learn about the businesses in their backyard, according to the attendees Wednesday night.

The buildings on Aaron and Broad streets caught fire around 5:30 p.m. Monday. Within the hour, walls on one building collapsed as explosions could be heard from inside the structure.

This panoramic view of the fire scene was taken Tuesday morning, with smoke still rising from the rubble.

The city fire marshal and an area resident reflected Tuesday on the blaze that claimed the former American of Martinsville plant the evening before.

Bob Koester and Mike Bryant with Patrick Henry Community College talk Monday about how they are going to set up the college's booth at Fast Track 2014.

Motorists should be on the lookout for possible icy spots through mid-day today, according to Phil Hysell, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service Office in Blacksburg.

The scene attracted spectators at Cleveland Avenue, in the parking lots around the Department of Motor Vehicles office on Starling Avenue and the city recycling bins on Market Street, as well as on Aaron Street, before the roads were blocked by city officials.