To the Surry County Board of Commissioners and to the school boards of the school systems within the county’s borders for continuing to study the issue of school safety. Despite the spate of shootings around the nation in recent months, it is still far too easy to take the attitude of “it always happens somewhere else.” Local officials are not doing that, however, and next week will be discussing how to maintain or improve school safety.

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To local Boy Scout officials who are organizing a Feb. 23 memorial pancake breakfast in honor of the late Dan Stone. Stone was a man who devoted much of his life to scouting and to the ideals of that organization, who died an untimely death in a car wreck two years ago. This is a way to keep his memory alive and to allow him, in a way, to continue serving the youth who were so important to him.