The Surry County chapter of the American Red Cross will now be managed by the executive director of the Winston-Salem-based Northwest North Carolina Chapter.

Hugh Quinn is now in charge of Surry County's chapter, after Cathy Loggins retired June 30, according to the Mount Airy News.

The change is part of a restructuring of management that is happening in chapters throughout the county, the paper reported.

Officials say the management restructuring changes are due to tough economic times.

“There will not be any changes in services. Most of the services are already provided by volunteers," Quinn said, according to the paper.

The Surry County Chapter was formed in 1917 and is one of seven chapters in the Heart of Carolina Region which extends from Boone to Burlington.

Unemployment in Surry County rose from 10.2 in May to 10.9 percent in June, according to the Mount Airy News.

The county had a labor force of 33,016 with 3,588 people considered unemployed. Unemployment was at 11.8 percent June 2010.

The numbers are based on figures recently released by the N.C. Employment Security Commission. Surry County had one of the higher unemployment rates in the area.

Alleghany was at 11.6 percent, and Wilkes 12.5 percent. Stokes had 9.8 percent unemployment, Forsyth at 10.1, and Yadkin at 9.3.

More than $31 million in unemployment benefits were reportedly paid out to Surry County residents from July 2010 to June 2011.

Unemployment increased in 91 counties across the state, dropped in six statewide and remained the same in three.

Officials said the increases are partially due to changes in local and state education at the end of the school year.

SURRY COUNTY, N.C. (WGHP) - Officials from Duke Energy will officially present a 250,000 dollar grant to Surry Community College on Friday, June 24. 

The grant supports the school’s efforts to provide workforce training in advanced manufacturing.  It will be used for purchasing equipment to establish state-of-the-art training labs at SCC’s Elkin and Pilot centers.