Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, August 1, 1993                   TAG: 9308010140
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: D3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Landmark News Service
DATELINE: GALAX                                LENGTH: Medium

EX-NEWSPAPER OWNER ARTHUR GURLEY DIES

Gurley was a member of Galax City Council, a congressional aide to the late Rep. Dan Daniel, and executive director of the Galax-Carroll-Grayson Chamber of Commerce.

Gurley was the former owner of The Gazette in Galax and The Floyd Press. He sold the Galax newspaper to Times-World Corp. in 1966, and both properties became a part of Landmark Communications Inc. in 1969.

Gurley went to Galax in the mid-1950s from The Roanoke World-News. He went to work at what then was The Galax Gazette, which he later bought from H.B. Zabriskie.

Gurley also bought The Floyd Press, which he later sold to present owner Bill Sumner.

At one time, Gurley tried a Grayson County newspaper, founding The Independence Journal in 1963. It folded within 11 months.

After selling The Gazette to Times-World, Gurley remained at the newspaper as editor and publisher. While working at the Galax paper, he took a year's leave of absence to serve as legislative aide to then-5th District Rep. Dan Daniel in Washington.

Gurley retired in 1978. He later was named to a vacancy on City Council. In 1980, he began a three-year stint as executive director of the regional chamber of commerce, based in Galax.

In that capacity, he helped establish the first Galax farmers' market, worked for highway and bridge improvements and initiated the annual Poor Man's Dinner for state legislators, which coincides with the Galax Fiddlers' Convention each August.