Virginia Foxx (orange hardhat) listens along with numerous employees of Martin Marietta Composites as company Vice President Grant Godwin (far right) talks about products being produced at the plant for military applications. Foxx, who represents the 5th District in the U.S. Congress, helped secure a grant to fund the research and development work.

Foxx visits county; tours factory

United States Representative Virginia Foxx (R-Watauga) visited Alleghany County Tuesday as part of her annual “listening tour,” including a stop at a local manufacturing plant, Martin Marietta Composites.

Foxx’s visit there was a tie-in with a grant she helped secure for MMC to produce panels used in military vehicles and for other applications. Following a tour of the plant, Foxx spoke to the company employees saying, “I know it’s certainly gratifying for you all to realize that here in Alleghany County, we’re going to be able to help protect our military persons overseas. The work that you’re doing does that and I thinking adding these panels is going to be great for our military folk. We’ve always known that mountain folks were intelligent and hard-working people; we’re glad to see others learn that, too. She continued, “I’m really proud of what you’ve done...you all are helping keep this country safe (and) keep this country free. I can’t imagine anything better to feel good about. Thank you for what you’re doing...I hope we can spread the word nationwide about what we’re doing here in Alleghany County.”

Foxx then extended an invitation to the employees to speak with her representative on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at the County Office Building from 2 p.m. until 4 p.m. Citizens interested in learning more may call 778-0211 or go online at www.foxx.house.gov.

Following the tour, Foxx attended a luncheon with local community leaders at Blue Ridge Electric Membership Corporation’s offices on U.S. 21.

The annual event, held for the second time this year, was sponsored by the Alleghany County Chamber of Commerce.

Get the rest of this article in this week's issue of the Alleghany News! Back