Hello again and welcome back to Danville Field Notes, a weekly column that compiles news tidbits from around the Danville-Pittsylvania County region.
This column runs every Monday with information about recent, ongoing and upcoming news items.
Today, I’ve included information about a news conference with Averett University’s new president, surveys for residents to share input on Pittsylvania’s comprehensive plan rewrite, and a new public microchip scanner for animals in Danville.
With so much going on in Southside, it’s always difficult to pick just a handful of news items to include in this column — as always, if you think there’s something I should write about, let me know at grace@cardinalnews.org.
Averett University’s new president says school is “at a crossroads” and her leadership will be “at the intersection of courage and care”
Tatia Granger, who began as Averett University’s president on Aug. 1, expressed her enthusiasm for the role, saying she’s excited by the “collaborative team spirit” and the “amazing faculty and staff” at Averett.
The school has been in financial straits for several years. A former president, Tiffany Franks, revealed in 2024 that financial mismanagement had led to a budget deficit.
The university has since phased out several academic programs and put several properties up for sale, including the president’s house, the university’s equestrian center, and the North Campus athletics hub, which will be leased back and primarily used by Averett.
Granger said it’s too early to have a specific plan for continuing the university’s financial recovery, but she said it will require “that we think about what’s on the horizon.”
“We know where we are, we know what our situation presents,” she said. “It’s going to be incremental, so we have to take some steps and be very thoughtful, prioritize and make some smart decisions.”
In her remarks, she said that she would lead the university with courage and care, and she promised to be a good steward of the school’s resources, history and future. She also said she continues to learn about the university from its trustees, faculty, students and other stakeholders in the community.
Granger comes to Averett from the College of William & Mary’s Raymond A. Mason School of Business, where she had been an associate professor in organizational behavior since 2017. Previously, she was an adjunct professor with the department.
She is only the second female president of the university, the first being Franks, who retired in early 2025 after 17 years in the position. Granger is also the first Black president in the school’s 167-year history.
After Franks’ retirement, David Joyce became president in January 2025. He stepped down about three months later due to his wife’s medical diagnosis. Thomas Powell was named president in April 2025 and led the university until July 31.
“I’m grateful to the folks who have been here, who have been in the trenches making the hard decisions,” Granger said. “I’ve arrived at a space where folks have continued to uphold Averett and hold it steady. We’re going to be doing that…and as soon as I have some specifics, I’ll let you know.”
New public microchip scanner for animals installed outside Danville Police Department
As conversations continue around the Danville Area Humane Society, its high euthanaisa rates and a string of recent controversies, a new microchip scanner is now available for public use in the city.
The scanner, installed last week, is in a weatherproof box mounted to a light pole near the main entrance to the Danville Police Department.
A sign above the scanner has instructions for its use, including a QR code and link to search a microchip number to determine who registered the chip, as well as the local number to call to report a found pet.
If residents find a lost pet, this device would allow them to scan for the animal’s microchip registration information and contact the owner, rather than dropping the animal off at the Danville shelter.
A microchip mistake at the Danville shelter in April resulted in the euthanasia of a beloved dog named Eve, whose microchip was registered with the Lynchburg Humane Society. Proper scanning of Eve’s microchip would have allowed her to be returned there.
The public scanner was inspired by Deputy City Manager Earl Reynolds, according to a news release from the police department. Reynolds heard about a similar installation in Chesapeake, and he brought the idea to city and police staff.
Best Friends Animal Society, a national animal welfare nonprofit, supplied the scanner to Danville, the release said.
Audrey Lodato, senior director of regional programs for Best Friends, said at last week’s city council meeting that she worked with the police department and public works to install the scanner and provided training on the equipment to the department’s animal control officers.
“While that may seem like a small thing, it really isn’t,” Lodato said. “A microchip scanner in the hands of a trained officer might very well be the difference of an animal being able to go home in this community.”
Pittsylvania County has seven surveys to gather residents’ feedback on comprehensive plan rewrite
Pittsylvania is in the midst of rewriting its comprehensive plan, a long-range planning document that will guide the county over the next 20 years.
The county’s consultants, Line and Grade, a civil engineering firm based in Charlottesville, is in the second of four phases in the rewrite process.
The county has put together several surveys to gather resident input. County residents can share feedback on where growth and development are appropriate in Pittsylvania and which areas of the county should be preserved and protected for farms and forests, the survey website states.
Seven surveys, organized by topic, are available on the site:
- Development forms and visual preference
- Infrastructure, facilities and services
- Employment and economic growth
- Rural and environmental resources
- Governance and civic leadership
- Local amenities and quality of life
- Housing and neighborhoods
Residents can also take a hands-on approach by marking up a physical map, downloadable here, and submitting it online.
Physical maps are also available for pickup at the county planning office at 53 Main St. in Chatham.
