Never a Dull Moment

Jessica South Perdue was born in New York and lived in Pennsylvania and West Virginia before settling in Danville after he mother took a job with Corning Glass. You’ve probably seen her artwork around Danville without even knowing it. She has been a tattoo artist for 25 years. Along with her husband, “Peanut,” a fellow... Read More

Arts + Music, Entrepreneurship, Local

January 19, 2023

Is It Real?

Of course, if you were visiting Scotland, your list of places to see would resemble mine if it included visiting Loch Ness. If so, you might hope to see one of the Loch’s monsters for yourself. Also, you might think that just visiting the mysterious Loch would be a treat. At least it was for... Read More

Essays, Uncategorized

January 6, 2023

City Notes: A Reunion?

City Notes is a multi-issue series about revitalization in the area told through the words of Barry Koplen. Would history repeat itself? That thought hadn’t occurred to me until David, a construction supervisor friend of mine, told me to look at the gray building across Craghead Street and down the street from the one his... Read More

City Notes

January 4, 2023

A Healthy and Happy New Year

As a new year begins, I thought it would be a good time to do a status check on where I am health-wise and where I’d like to go in the year ahead. Those who’ve read this column over the last several years know that from time to time I have mentioned wanting to eat... Read More

Confessions of a 30 Something

January 4, 2023

Storytelling Keeps Life History Alive

The Danville Storytelling Festival (DSF) is celebrating 21 years of spreading the words from local and regional storytellers. The festival grew from a vision of Dr. Fred Motley. Originally, it started as a one-day event to celebrate Black History Month. “I wanted to preserve and incorporate the city’s African American presence and contributions into the... Read More

Arts + Music, Local, Uncategorized

December 15, 2022

The History of the Harry Johnson Holiday Classic

For 33 consecutive seasons, George Washington High School hosted a boys’ basketball tournament over the Christmas holidays. The Danville Register and Bee Holiday Shootout began in 1983 in the George Washington gymnasium and continued uninterrupted through 2015. Because of its popularity and continual sellouts, the tournament was moved to the Grant Center at Averett... Read More

Local, Sports

December 13, 2022

Harry Johnson (1938-2020)

Coach Harry Johnson is a native of Danville, Virginia, where he has spent most of his life. He is a product of the Danville Public School system and received a B.S. degree from Virginia State University and a Masters Degree from the University of Virginia. Before beginning his career in education, Harry played professional... Read More

Local

December 9, 2022

Stay Humble. Practice Patience (and Lots of It)

Matt Doss grew up in Pelham, North Carolina, but has called Danville home for most of his life. After high school at Bartlett Yancey, he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Averett University. Doss sings lead for local favorites, The League of Ordinary Gentlemen (LoOG). Music has been part of Doss’s life since middle... Read More

Arts + Music, Local Notes

December 6, 2022

Reviving a Classic

Almost four years ago, Mayor Jones and I were discussing ways we could provide more positive outlets for the youth of our region. At some point, the conversation turned to the old Holiday Shootout basketball tournament that had been a staple in our community for many years before eventually falling by the wayside. We believed... Read More

Confessions of a 30 Something

December 3, 2022

Behind the Scenes of The Harry Johnson Holiday Classic

Much hard work goes into a basketball tournament with the magnitude of the Harry Johnson Holiday Classic. The tournament takes place for three days at the end of each year, but the event is a year-long process. “The committee will start meeting in mid-January to evaluate the tournament that was just completed while it is... Read More

Local, Sports