The Shadow
Two major changes in the Alleghany Highlands took place on July 1, the official formation of Alleghany Highlands Public Schools and the name change from Dabney S. Lancaster Community College to Mountain Gateway Community College.
Consolidation of Covington City Schools with Alleghany County Public Schools brought about a new school board and superintendent on July 1, along with the name change of Alleghany High School Mountaineers to Alleghany High School Cougars.
Covington High School has been scheduled to serve as the school district’s middle school (Covington Middle School), and Alleghany High School will serve as the new district’s facility for acquiring a secondary education.
Mountain Gateway Community College added women’s basketball and cross country to the community college’s athletic program.
New apartment buildings are being constructed adjacent to the YMCA in Low Moor, and near exit 29 in Alleghany County, the Fastbreak, BP Station has become the Mobile Fastbreak Station.
Just up the road from there near Exit 29 off I-64, the Willow Creek Outpost that was located on Route 629 has gone out of business.
Many changes have taken place in the Town of Clifton Forge. The Victory Baptist Church adjacent to Clifton Forge Town Hall has purchased the building that housed Family Dollar.
Family Dollar has moved from the building to the former Victory Baptist Church building that had housed the A&P Store, Safeway, and A&P again prior to being converted to a church. Now the building houses Family Dollar/Dollar Tree.
The Flower Center in Clifton Forge has been relocated from adjacent to Jack Mason’s Tavern to across Ridgeway Street further east, and Jack Mason’s Tavern has been remodeled to include the space that the Flower Center occupied.
Mountain Field Market also moved its location on Ridgeway St. in Clifton Forge, farther east to where Ridgeway Street intersects with Main St.
Jack Mason’s Tavern now includes three large-connected serving rooms, and where the Flower Center once operated, a door now leads to Jack Mason’s Brewery.
Grab and Go on Ridgeway Street has replaced East Coast Petroleum, and the establishment sells BP gasoline and propane. Farther west on Ridgeway, the Shell Station has been reopened as a Grab and Go service station that features a number of gaming machines.
The Truist (former BB&T Bank building in Clifton Forge) along with the Primis Bank building in Clifton Forge are both empty.
Also, in the Town of Clifton Forge, the building that was once Pizza Hut is now Domino’s Pizza.
The Pizza Hut in Covington has been converted to Michael’s New York Style Pizza, and Wells Fargo Bank on Main St. in Covington is empty and up for sale.
Covington Motors, Inc. moved from the City of Covington to Alleghany County after purchasing from Dr. Krishna Sankar the property that once housed Western Sizzlin where the car dealership is now located.
A1 Dance Studios now occupies the building where Good News Church was located on Lexington Ave., and Good News Church on Main has relocated to the building that once housed Grand Piano
A new Wendy’s Restaurant was built adjacent to the old Wendy’s building that stands empty on the banks of the Jackson River.
As for societal changes, the referendum to elect school board members rather than have them appointed as they were in the past was approved, and in 2023, the election process will begin.
Also, Reid Walters was hired as the new Alleghany County Administrator, and Allen Dressler has been hired to replace Krystal Onitais as City Manager of Covington.
