Blackberry native wins Jack Dalton Award

January 30, 2025January 30, 2025

The Henry County Board of Supervisors presented Clifford Stone with the 2024 Jack Dalton Community Service Award during its Jan. 28 meeting.

Stone, a resident of the Blackberry District, was recognized for his long history of volunteer service to the Bassett community.

“This prestigious award is a tribute to the legacy of Mr. Jack Dalton, whose exemplary public service set a standard of commitment and selflessness that continues to inspire our community,” said Chairman Jim Adams. “Mr. Stone’s tireless dedication to improving the lives of others, from his leadership with local organizations to his involvement in community projects, embodies the spirit of service that this award was created to recognize. We thank Mr. Stone for his invaluable contributions to Henry County and encourage all of our citizens to follow his example of giving back for the betterment of our community.”

Throughout his life, Stone has been volunteered with the Sanville Ruritan Club, the Bassett Area Jaycees, Bassett Kiwanis, the Martinsville Moose Lodge #2003, the Martinsville-Henry County Chamber of Commerce, the Adult Day Care Board, and the Clean Community Commission. Stone is also a founding member of the Greater Bassett Area Community Inc., a local non-profit organization, and has served as its Treasurer and financial advisor since its inception. During the calendar year, Stone was instrumental in organizing Street Light Sponsor Project, Beautification of Fairystone Park Highway, Rhythms by the River Family events, and the Highway 57 Cruise-In.

The Jack Dalton Community Service Award is named in honor of Jack Dalton, who served as a member of the Henry County Board of Supervisors for more than 24 years, and who was serving as the Board Chairman at the time of his death on May 24, 2000.

The award is the most prestigious honor bestowed by the Board of Supervisors and annually goes to the Henry County resident who best demonstrates the exemplary community service that marked Dalton’s years of public service.

Polar vortex 2025: Extremely cold temperatures headed to the eastern US

Selcuk Acar/Anadolu via Getty Images

(NEW YORK) — Multiple rounds of frigid, arctic air could sweep across the eastern half of U.S. in the coming weeks, ushering in an abnormally cold start to 2025.

The first blast of bitter cold hits the Northern Plains and the Midwest on Wednesday and Thursday and then reaches the Northeast by the end of this week.

The surge of arctic air will likely be the start of multiple back-to-back cold blasts lasting throughout much of January, unleashing freezing temperatures across a large swath of the country.

Beginning next week, the polar vortex will likely trigger even colder air across the eastern half of the U.S.

The polar vortex lives in the upper atmosphere and is located near the North Pole in the arctic. When the polar vortex is strong, it locks the cold air in the arctic. When the polar vortex gets weaker, or breaks up, it unleashes cold air to the south.

Temperatures will likely be below average throughout most of January for the eastern half of the U.S., especially the East Coast.

It is too early to know exactly how cold it will get, but there could be dangerously freezing temperatures for millions.

With the surge in cold temperatures, odds favor more precipitation falling as snow rather than rain in many spots.

A large, fast-moving storm may bring snow to parts of the Midwest and severe thunderstorms to the South early next week. Some of that snow may reach the mid-Atlantic, as well.