July 22, 2021
• A Mount Airy man has been jailed under a $100,000 secured bond on second-degree forcible rape and assault charges filed in Surry County, according to city police reports.
In addition to the felony rape charge, Michael Ray Simmons, 63, of 208 Mayberry Ave., is accused of assault/battery on an individual with a disability, which is a misdemeanor.
Simmons was served with warrants on those cases by city officers at his home on July 13, with no other details listed in police records regarding the charges and further information unavailable Thursday from the Surry County Sheriff’s Office. Simmons is scheduled to appear in Surry District Court on Aug. 11.
Enjoying the Simple Life in Patrick County, Virginia
One place that my wife, Fyllis, and I visited promised a “luxury boutique” that has won accolades as among the best resorts in the country. The other invited us to “experience the simple life.”
These very different settings stretch along the Virginia–North Carolina border. Together, Patrick County, Virginia, and the Primland resort offer an inviting getaway with an eclectic appeal. Primland combines touches of elegance with a friendly, casual atmosphere and opportunities to enjoy activities not found at many resorts.
The surrounding area of Patrick County offers an immersion in a locale where people cling proudly to their strong Appalachian heritage and colorful past. Much of the traffic in the region consists of trucks carrying freshly downed trees, horse trailers, and an occasional plow heading for a farm.
• A $500 handgun has been reported stolen in Mount Airy, according to city police reports.
The crime was discovered Sunday at the home of Michael Gerald Kightlinger on South Gilmer Street, where the Glock 9mm weapon with night sights was removed from his unsecured Ford pickup along with other property of Kightlinger’s including a Streamlight tactical pistol light and 15 rounds of 9mm hollow-point ammunition. The items taken were valued at $635 altogether.
• Jennifer Nichole Sawyers, 42, of 1208 Newsome St., was served with a criminal summons for a larceny charge Sunday after officers encountered her during a civil disturbance call at a residence on Northwood Drive. The summons had been issued through the Surry County Sheriff’s Office on March 12 with Robert Shane Webb of Northwood Drive as the complainant.