Jobless rates inch up

Unemployment rates in Henry County and Martinsville rose slightly from June to July, with the city’s rate once again the highest in Virginia.

Martinsville’s unemployment rate for July was 20.6 percent, according to statistics released Wednesday by the Virginia Employment Commission.

That was slightly higher than the city’s June rate of 20.2 percent. However, VEC statistics show a decline compared with July of last year, when the city posted 21.5 percent unemployment.

In search of a job
Worker profiles

According to information released Wednesday by the Virginia Employment Commission, 4,680 people in the Henry County-Martinsville micropolitan area, or 15.3 percent, were unemployed in July.

Leah Lagesse and Rex Pope, both of Martinsville, are two of them.

Fruits, veggies focus of grant

There were hundreds of apples at Albert Harris Elementary School this week, and they weren’t carried in by students intent on impressing their teachers.

The apples were given to parents and students during an open house that highlighted a grant program the school will take part in this year. Through the $38,808 Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Albert Harris will partner with the Martinsville-Henry County Coalition for Health and Wellness and the Virginia Cooperative Extension to provide students with fresh fruit or vegetable snacks three times a week.

Slaying, fire probes continue

Police still do not know whether a fire that destroyed a Ridgeway mobile home is related to the slaying of a man whose body was found near the home three days before it burned.

Henry County Sheriff’s Sgt. Curtis Spence said Wednesday that investigators have not determined if the Tuesday blaze was related to the shooting death of Kenneth Wayne Booth, 51, of Eden, N.C.

The home at 143 Meeks Road, Ridgeway, was deemed a total loss after fire gutted about half of it and smoke damaged the remainder, Henry County Fire Marshal Rodney Howell has said.

Candidate offers to withdraw
From 5th District contest

Whoever distributed information on independent congressional candidate Jeffrey Clark’s financial troubles has until late today to confess if they want him to quit the 5th District race, the candidate said Wednesday.

Clark announced earlier this week that he would drop out of the race if the person who distributed the information came forward within 48 hours and admitted to it. On Wednesday afternoon, he said he would extend the deadline until this evening.

Skate park group meets its goal

The $100,000 goal to build a skate park at J. Frank Wilson Park has been met.

As of Wednesday, $100,260 had been raised with a few donations still coming in, said Gary Cody, director of Martinsville Parks and Recreation. The $100,260 includes monetary donations and “in-kind” donations, such as some materials and services, Cody said.