Craig Oder News Today

Its time again for the annual Martinsville-Henry County Christmas Parade in uptown Martinsville and 115 entrants are busy getting ready for the event that kicks off at 5 p.m. on Saturday.

The richness of holiday celebrations is changing this year from sound to sight. The pandemic has significantly limited how people can gather, so many local area traditions are taking on new forms, or replaced with new observances altogether. The popular Smith River Singers, whose concerts bring in crowds topping 1,000, are silent this year, not even appearing in small groups. However, they have released last year’s concert on video free, for anyone to watch at any time. The town of Ridgewa...