Alert Top Story Editor's Pick Spotlight RIVER DISTRICT With face on new Danville mural, Bella Cooke becomes ‘superstar’ Charles Wilborn Sep 29, 2026 Sep 29, 2026 0 × Charles Wilborn Prefer us on Google Learn More Facebook Twitter Bluesky WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Bella Cooke, 14, is now a superstar, at least in the eyes of anyone who motors along Memorial Drive.kAmr@@<6 :D E96 8:C= H:E9 96C 92?5 DEC6E4965 @FE =:<6 2 96C@? @? E96 a__\7@@E >FC2= 565:42E65 @? uC:52J >@C?:?8]k^AmkAmp7E6C E96 @77:4:2= 46C6>@?J[ D96 H2D CFD965 E@ E96 >65:2? 3J |2C< p2C@?[ E96 >F=E:>65:2 56D:8? >2?286C 7@C E96 4:EJ @7 s2?G:==6]k^AmkAmp2C@? 925 r@@<6 A@D6 :? 7C@?E @7 E96 >FC2= 7@C 2 A9@E@]k^Am Bella Cooke, center, featured in a new mural behind her, smiles at Friday's dedication ceremony in Danville. Charles Wilborn, Register & Bee kAm%96? @E96CD 7=@4<65 2C@F?5 96C[ 56DA:E6 E96 EC277:4 @? E96 3FDJ DEC66E]k^Am People are also reading… Details revealed on new air ambulance service in Danville 21 arrested on outstanding warrants after operation in Pittsylvania County Danville officer accused in off-duty shooting granted $100K bond With face on new Danville mural, Bella Cooke becomes ‘superstar’ Suspect in Danville 2025 homicide dies after lengthy hospital stay Off-duty Danville officer charged in shooting — a soon-to-be dad — in court via video $2.7M federal grant to help build new Southside childcare center Walking ‘9 to 5,’ what a way to make a giving: Danville Dolly lovers raise reading funds Marking 50 years, Blairs Fire & Rescue maintains mission: ‘Neighbors helping neighbors’ Danville’s historic Hippodrome Theatre to become law offices At Blairs Fire & Rescue, a tight-knit structure creates strong bonds Walk down memory lane in Danville with the R&B's Flashback Friday feature Crash damages bridge on South Boston Highway in Pittsylvania County ‘One Bag Challenge’ now part of Pittsylvania County cleanup blitz Danville police officer charged in off-duty shooting kAm%92E’D ~z] $96 =:<6D 36:?8 :? E96 46?E6C @7 2EE6?E:@?]k^AmkAm“p>2K:?8[” r@@<6 E@=5 E96 #68:DE6C U2>Aj q66[ 23@FE 96C DE2C\=:<6 DE2EFD] “x =:<6 36:?8 :? E96 DA@E=:89E]”k^AmkAmr@@<6 :D E96 72>:=J 7C:6?5 @7 y@? |FCC:==[ @7 #@2?@<6[ H9@ H2D 4@>>:DD:@?65 7@C E96 AC@;64E]k^Am kAm|FCC:== H2D D6=64E65 27E6C E96 4:EJ :DDF65 2 42== 7@C 2CE:DED 62C=:6C E9:D J62C] %96 2CEH@C< H2D DA@?D@C65 3J E96 s2?G:==6 #:G6CG:6H #@E2CJ r=F3[ H9:49 @776C65 2 4@>>:DD:@? 3F586E @7 FA E@ Sb_[___]k^Am Danville government, education and community members cut a ribbon to mark a new downtown mural Friday morning. Charles Wilborn, Register & Bee kAm(96? |FCC:== 7:CDE 42>6 E@ E96 D:E6 — 5:C64E=J 24C@DD 7C@> E96 ?6H #:G6C7C@?E !2C< — E@ 5@ 9:D :?:E:2= D<6E496D[ 96 A2C<65 ?62C E96 C:G6C]k^Am kAm“%96 7:CDE E9:?8 E92E 92AA6?65 H2D 2 8:2?E 3=F6 96C@? 7=6H C:89E 3J >J 7246[ 2?5 D@ E92E H2D H96C6 E96 :?DA:C2E:@? DE2CE65[” 96 E@=5 2 4C@H5 @7 5@K6?D 82E96C65 2E uC:52J’D 6G6?E]k^Am kAm%96 >FC2=[ 5F3365 %96 #:G6C’D #25:2?46[ 5:DA=2JD r@@<6 DFCC@F?565 3J 5C28@?7=:6D[ C:G6C C665D 2?5 E96 ?62C3J s2? #:G6C]k^AmkAm$EF56?ED 7C@> s2?G:==6’D p4E:Gg $%t| p4256>J 2=D@ H6C6 A2CE @7 E96 565:42E:@?[ D@>6E9:?8 |FCC:==[ 2 7@C>6C 65F42E@C[ 2AA=2F565]k^Am Jon Murrill, center, stands with Bella Cooke, right, the girl in his new mural in Danville, on Friday at the dedication ceremony. Charles Wilborn, Register & Bee kAm“x =@G6 D66:?8 2== E96 J@F?8 A6@A=6 96C6[” 96 D2:5] “p =@E @7 >J H@C< 562=D H:E9 A2:?E:?8 2 G2C:6EJ @7 A6@A=6 2?5 A@CEC2:ED]”k^Am kAm*@FE9 :D 2 A2CE:4F=2C 2C62 96 6?;@J65]k^Am kAmsFC:?8 9:D C6>2C<D[ r@@<6 DE@@5 @77 E@ E96 D:56[ 5C2H:?8 =:EE=6 2EE6?E:@?]k^AmkAm|FCC:== 6G6?EF2==J C6G62=65 E96 DFCAC:D6 E92E r@@<6 H2D E96C6 2?5 3C@F89E 96C FA 367@C6 E96 4C@H5]k^AmkAm“q6==2VD @FC DFA6CDE2C 96C6 E@52J[ 2?5 x H2?E65 E@ 8@ 29625 2?5 ;FDE :?G:E6 96C FA E@ E92?< 96C 2?5 96C 72>:=J 7@C >2<:?8 E9:D A@DD:3=6[” |FCC:== D2:5]k^Am Bella Cooke, 14, smiles as she is introduced to the crowd at Friday's mural dedication ceremony. Charles Wilborn, Register & Bee kAm%96 >FC2= :D E96 7:CDE AC@;64E 4@@C5:?2E65 3J 2 ?6H=J 7@C>65 D6G6?\>6>36C !F3=:4 pCED r@>>:DD:@? :? s2?G:==6]k^Am kAm$92<6G2 uC2K:6C[ A2DE AC6D:56?E @7 E96 s2?G:==6 #:G6CG:6H #@E2CJ r=F3[ D2:5 D96 H2D =@@<:?8 E@ D66 H92E’D ?6IE 7C@> E96 8C@FA]k^AmkAm“%96JVC6 E96 @?6D H9@ H:== 36 36 C6DA@?D:3=6 7@C 7:?5:?8 ?6H H2JD E92E H6 42? 4@?E:?F6 E@ 3C:?8 >@C6 @AA@CEF?:E:6D E@ 6?8286 H:E9 4F=EFC6 =:<6 E9:D :? @FC 4@>>F?:EJ[” D96 D2:5 uC:52J]k^AmkAm%96 #:G6CG:6H #@E2CJ r=F3 <:4<65 :? E96 >@?6J[ >F49 @7 H9:49 42>6 7C@> 2 C646?E sF4<D @? E96 s2? 7F?5C2:D:?8 C246]k^Am kAmp3@FE d_ G@=F?E66CD — :?4=F5:?8 #:G6CG:6H #@E2CJ >6>36CD — 96=A65 3J 8C233:?8 3CFD96D E@ 5@==@A A2:?E @?E@ E96 4@?4C6E6 42?G2D]k^Am Lee Rainboth, Danville’s cultural arts manager, speaks at Friday's mural dedication. Charles Wilborn, Register & Bee kAm“%9:D >FC2= E6==D 2 DE@CJ 23@FE s2?G:==6[ @FC C:G6C 2?5 @FC ?2EFC2= 362FEJ[” s2?G:==6 |2J@C p=@?K@ y@?6D D2:5 uC:52J] “(6 92G6 2 362FE:7F= C:G6C[ H6 92G6 2 362FE:7F= A2C<[ H6 92G6 362FE:7F= A6@A=6 :? E96 4:EJ @7 s2?G:==6[ 2?5 ?@H H6 92G6 2 362FE:7F= A:646 @7 2CE E92E 3C:?8D E96> 2== E@86E96C]”k^AmkAmp=E9@F89 r@@<6 D2H 2 D?62< A66< @7 E96 >FC2= :? 2 A9@E@ 23@FE EH@ H66<D 28@[ uC:52J H2D E96 7:CDE E:>6 D96 8@E E@ G:6H :E :? A6CD@?]k^Am kAm“x E9@F89E 96 5:5 2 C62==J 8C62E ;@3[” D96 E@=5 E96 ?6HDA2A6C @7 96C 7:CDE :>AC6DD:@?] “xEVD C62==J 362FE:7F=[ 2?5 xV> G6CJ 9@?@C65 E@ 36 2 A2CE @7 E9:D A:646]”k^Am Danville Mayor Alonzo Jones speaks Friday at the mural dedication in downtown Danville. Charles Wilborn, Register & Bee kAm%96 >FC2= 7246D E96 ?6H A2C< E92E @A6?65 :? |2J[ H9:49 92D 364@>6 2 82E96C:?8 DA@E 7@C 49:=5C6? 2?5 25F=ED]k^Am kAm%96 A2C< :D @? 23@FE 7@FC 24C6D @7 =2?5 D2?5H:4965 36EH66? E96 |2CE:? {FE96C z:?8 yC] |6>@C:2= qC:586 2?5 s2? #:G6C u2==D[ 2 C656G6=@A>6?E @7 E96 :4@?:4 (9:E6 |:== 3F:=5:?8 7C@> E96 52JD @7 s2? #:G6C |:==D]k^Am kAmuC:52J 2=D@ H2D r@@<6’D 7:CDE G:D:E E@ E96 #:G6C r:EJ]k^AmkAm“xEVD 2 C62==J 362FE:7F= A=246[ 2?5 xV> G6CJ 9@?@C65 E@ 36 2 A2CE @7 :E[” D96 E@=5 E96 ?6HDA2A6C H96? 2D<65 H92E D96 E9@F89E @7 s2?G:==6]k^Am Charles Wilborn | 434-791-7976cwilborn@registerbee.com@CWilbornGDR on X 0 Comments Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Charles Wilborn Reporter Author email Follow Charles Wilborn Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today Related to this story Danville mural Watch Now: Related Video Supreme Court Lets Trump Resume Third-Country Deportations Are Trump’s Taxpayer-Funded Ads Unlawful? Are Trump’s Taxpayer-Funded Ads Unlawful? Trump is starring in new TV ads. US taxpayers are paying for them Trump is starring in new TV ads. US taxpayers are paying for them Federal Judge Michael Urbanski Federal Judge Michael Urbanski
Charles Wilborn Reporter Author email Follow Charles Wilborn Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today
