SPECIAL REGIONAL EDITION:
Matthews - Mint Hill Union County & South Charlotte
Friday, Dec. 27, 2019 • Vol. 12 • No. 52
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ART CLASSES WHAT'S INSIDE:
Pages of past Karie Simmons picks her favorite designs, 1B
>> Pages 3A through 5A
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL
Weddington finishes on top again
Double take Check out memorable scenes from 2019, 3B
by Andrew Stark andrew@cmgweekly.com
Looks familiar Charlotte Catholic earns 3-peat, 4B
Myers Park Baptist Church has been in Charlotte since 1943. Photo courtesy of Myers Park Baptist Church
'Flipping the scripture' Beer Baby Web series focuses on Resident Culture, 4B
ALSO INSIDE: >> Most popular stories of the past year, 2A >> Five area events to remember, 3A-5A >> Test your wits with our crossword, 2B
Myers Park Baptist Church unveils bold messages on immigration, climate change by Karie Simmons karie@cmgweekly.com
CHARLOTTE – Myers Park Baptist Church isn’t your typical Southern Baptist church and its members want everyone to know it. The 75-year-old congregation in one of Charlotte’s oldest neighborhoods has long taken the stance that everyone is welcome in the
church. That means atheists, believers of different faiths, immigrants, LGBTQ – everyone. Now, they’re turning the volume up on that message through a series of colorful posters with bold sayings both inside and outside the sanctuary, announcing the church’s position on immigration, climate change, social justice, religious freedom, racial equality, women’s empowerment, sexual identity and
environmental justice. A few of the messages read, “Jesus was an undocumented immigrant, just saying …” “We can’t affect positive change on the environment? What a bunch of manure.” “Where you can use whichever restroom you identify with. Amen & hallelujah.” see BAPTIST, Page 2A
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WEDDINGTON – It took Weddington two games to get going this season, but from there, everything just seemed so easy. The Warriors won each of their first two games by two touchdowns, but the defense had “struggled” by allowing 33 points in two games to start the year. The defense wouldn’t allow 33 combined points over the next 10 games, which included six shutouts highlighted by a 35-0 win over South Iredell in the first round playoff game. That unit turned into the best defense in school history and one of the stingiest in recent memory for any team in any classification. The offense, behind 5-star running back Will Shipley, had put up school records in points as well. But then in the state championship game Dec. 14 against unbeaten and high-scoring Lee County, the Warriors needed to twice come up with huge stands to take control of the game and win 34-14 to claim their second straight 3-AA title. After Shipley’s first of four touchdowns put the Warriors up 7-0 early, Lee County marched down the field on a 21-play drive that would end at see WEDDINGTON, Page 2A
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Page 2A • Special Regional Edition • Dec. 27, 2019
BAPTIST (continued from page 1A)
“A pastor, an atheist and a transgender woman walk into a church. No joke.” “Helping Charlotte get its God on since 1943.” The campaign is among the first outcomes of a strategic planning process that began four years ago. At the time, the majority of the congregation agreed the church needed to brand itself better, especially for new Charlotteans who don’t know its history. Some of the members formed an identity task force to tackle the issue and worked with an outside firm to poll the public through phone surveys, focus groups and other research methods. What they found was only a small percentage of the surrounding Charlotte population knew who Myers Park Baptist Church was and what it stood for. “When people drive by, they see a Southern Baptist church and say, ‘We know what they’re about,’ well, they’re wrong,” said Chaz Seale, chair of the identity task force. Seale said Baptist churches, especially those in the South, are known to be highly exclusive, conservative and have been associated with abuse, scandals, racial bias and hatred toward homosexuals and immigration. Seale said Myers Park doesn’t want to be known as “that kind of Baptist church.” “We need to speak a lot more loudly, more clearly and in a fun way to show people who we really are or else they’ll just assume that we’re something that we’re not,” he said.
Seale described the church as “highly interfaith,” with more than 2,000 members representing more than 20 different faith communities. It’s also a safe environment for sharing different opinions, and a place where controversy and free discussion on scriptures is accepted. Its members believe strongly in social justice and that climate change exists, but it’s up to mankind to do something about it. They want to talk about school shootings, mental health and gun control, and don’t agree with how illegal immigration is being handled in the U.S. “We’ve been down to the deportation centers as a church and it’s abysmal how they’re treating human beings,” Seale said. The church also welcomes the LGBTQ community and recently installed new inclusive restroom signs that read, “All who identify as men,” and “All who identify as women.” “This campaign isn’t about making a political statement,” Seale said. “These are just things that we stand for and if someone wants to take that as political, that’s fine, but it’s what we talk about and it shouldn’t be political.” Laurie Donato was the co-creative director of the campaign, along with her business partner, Ruben Lopez. She has been a creative director for 20 years and currently works for an ad agency in Charlotte. Donato said she used to attend Myers Park with her mom when she was a child, but hadn’t been since she moved back to Charlotte as an adult. She thought she knew what the church was about from childhood memories, but her mom insisted it was different.
As soon as Donato heard the Rev. W. Benjamin Boswell speak, she realized her mother was right. She was actually going through the process of joining the church when she learned about the rebranding effort and offered her services pro-bono. “Everything we’re trying to do is to change people’s perception of Myers Park Baptist Church,” Donato said. “We want to flip the scripture.” Lopez and Donato created over a dozen witty, bold and colorful messages for Myers Park Baptist Church that were eventually printed on posters and pew pencils. They also made a video with Go North Films called “Myers Park Baptist Church. OPEN TO ALL.” It shows the reveal on Dec. 8 and explains why the church is taking this stance. Donato hopes the video helps spread the word not only across the region and state, but also the country. “We think this is a message that is not going to stop in Charlotte,” she said. “This is a message that is really going to break through because no one is doing it.” But Donato believes you have to take risks to start a conversation. Sometimes, she said, companies and organizations fail when it comes to marketing their message and the risk doesn’t pay off. “I think we’re saying exactly who we are instead of who we’re trying to be,” Donato said. “People who get it wrong are trying too hard. It’s forced. This isn’t forced and if you like it, join us and if you don’t, that’s OK, too.” The Rev. Boswell said that while the intent of the campaign is not to offend anyone, he knows not
The pew pencils at Myers Park Baptist Church are colorful and engraved with bold and witty messages. Photo courtesy of Myers Park Baptist Church
everyone will like the church’s new messages. “That’s a sad moment when those who have always been front and center and have always been included are somehow offended by a poster that says we love transgender people,” Boswell said. “People feel that somehow because we want to include people who have been marginalized, that we don’t want to include them and that’s just not true. We love everybody.” The point is to show people – especially those who have historic church hate from experiences in their past – what church can be, instead of what it has been. Boswell said the poster that reads “When we say ‘bless your heart' we mean it strictly in the biblical sense” aims to overturn Southern passive aggressive behavior. Meanwhile, the saying “A pastor, an atheist and a transgender woman walk into a church. No joke” reframes what it means to be Baptist. His favorite message is “Spoiler alert: God loves you uncondi-
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NEXT WEEK We are publishing a special regional edition Jan. 3 that combines Matthews-Mint Hill Weekly and South Charlotte Weekly. We will not be publishing Union County Weekly next week so that we can focus on the launch of our new Indian Trail and Waxhaw weeklies on Jan. 10. Thanks for bearing with us for the next couple of weeks. We've had expedited deadlines to accommodate our printer during the holidays.
Want to learn more? Myers Park Baptist Church is located at 1900 Queens Road, Charlotte. Visit www.myersparkbaptist. org, find the church on Facebook or follow on Twitter and Instagram @mpbaptist for more information. Weddington defeated Lee County to win a second straight 3-AA title Dec. 14 at Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh. Photo courtesy of Ashleigh Mock
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Charlotte Catholic players hoist their championship trophy in celebration after beating Southern Nash for the 3-A title on Dec. 14. Flip to page 4B to read the full story. Andrew Stark/CMG photo
tionally,” because in the end, the campaign will be successful if people see the signs and feel a deeper love of who they are, regardless of whether they join the Myers Park Baptist community. The campaign has been in the works for a while, but Boswell said they chose to release it in December because that’s when many people are thinking about the story of Christmas. “Christmas sort of evokes these feelings of love, whether it’s love for your family, your spouse or your partner, but also love for humanity, so we thought it was appropriate to reveal our message of inclusivity and love during the season of love,” he said. “We thought it was a message that would resonate with the season.”
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CONTENT PRODUCER Kayla Berenson kayla@cmgweekly.com ART DIRECTOR Kylie Sark art@cmgweekly.com ADVERTISING Charlotte Conway Kate Kutzleb Maya Cann adsales@cmgweekly.com
WEDDINGTON (continued from page 1A)
Weddington’s 2-yard line when linebacker Alec Mock picked off a pass in the end zone to kill the drive. “It’s incredible,” said Mock, an Air Force commit who led the team with 12 tackles and the pick to earn Defensive MVP honors. “Me and Trey Alsbrooks played together since the third grade in Pop Warner. We have great chemistry, we all trust each other and we know where everyone will be. Sometimes we made mistakes, but we kept learning from it and getting better.” The defense would have to hold again to open the third quarter, in a tone-setting stop that would pave the way for the second-half rout. After Weddington opened the half with a 21-7 lead, quarterback Dante Casciola threw an interception that would be turned into seven points. Lee County got the ensuing onside kick back, down just seven points with the ball near midfield. “For the first time in a long time, I think our kids had to fight through some adversity, but I think our kids did well in that third quarter,” Weddington coach Andy Capone said. “We have 100% confidence and anytime their backs are against the wall, they stand up strong. Obviously, it’s not what we wanted, but they did a great job of scoring and getting the onside kick. When you have a defense led by (Mock), you always feel like they can stand strong and get you the ball back.” The Warriors forced a three-and-out on the next two Lee County drives, and limited their offense, which came in averaging 42.5 points per game, to just four first downs the rest of the game in a dominating performance. On the season, Mock, Alsbrooks, Malik Mustapha and the Weddington defense allowed just 6.5 points per game. It was a school record, and just the second time in Weddington history (2013, 9.4) that they’ve allowed less than 10 points per game. Mock and the defense also know what it’s like going against this Warriors offense, which averaged a school-record 44.0 points per game. In the state championship game, Shipley made Carter-Finley Stadium his playground. The Warriors racked up 280 yards in total
in the win, and Shipley accounted for 263 of them. Shipley only got 10 or more carries in six of the 11 regular-season games. Although he’d carried the ball double figures in all four games coming into the final, his season-high was 17. “Our plan was to get him more carries throughout the season,” Capone said with a chuckle. “We didn’t have to, but to his credit, how many 5-stars that don’t get as many touches as he does wouldn’t complain about it? He just keeps chugging along and he’s our biggest cheerleader for anybody else who gets the rock and all of that. We knew he was going to be fresh.” Fresh he was. He got a season-high 26 carries for 256 yards and four touchdowns. He also caught one of the Warriors two completed passes for seven yards. “Coming into the game, I hadn’t gotten as many carries as tonight throughout the whole season, really,” Shipley said. “Coming in I knew I was going to have to take whatever load I had to take for us to win this football game. If it was 26 (carries), 40 or two or three, I was going to do whatever coach and the team needed me to do. I feel great right now. Tomorrow morning will probably be a different story.” Then there’s Capone, the Warriors coach who certainly fits the bill over a “player’s coach.” He said two years ago when Tim Carson resigned, the Weddington players were egging their former assistant on to take the job. “It’s special,” he said. “To have a group of guys that are high-schoolers worried about calculus and Spanish keep coming and asking me, ‘Are you going to get it? Are you going to apply?’ It means the world to me … Weddington is where I want to be and these guys welcomed me and continue to welcome me.” Capone has done his part, too, guiding the team to a 30-1 record and two titles in his two years at the helm. “It’s unbelievably special to see what these guys have done,” he said. “To end the season undefeated and how we did it is special. I don’t know if I have words to describe it right now, but as you look back it will be something that you’ll never be able to replace. I just couldn’t be happier for these guys and all the work they put in. Everything we ask them to do they do it, they push it and they make each other better. “Something special is going on at Weddington.”
Special Regional Edition • Dec. 27, 2019 • Page 3A
Matthews-Mint Hill Weekly's 100 Biggest Newsmakers Business
Kelly Barnhardt: Leaving leadership of Matthews Chamber of Commerce. Roland Bibeau: Emceed Matthews hospital's 25th anniversary party. John Bly: Led LBA Haynes Strand's merger with Aprio & Inc. 5000 rank. Kim Gossage: Matthews Chamber named her Business Person of the Year. Joy Greear: Novant exec observed hospital anniversary & aided charities. Brian & Starr Haigler: Shared vision for country club on Brief Road. Jessi Healey: Chamber's top ambassador ran for Mint Hill commissioner. Linda Hunt: Observed 25 years of the Carrington Place nursing center. Angela Lee: Water director promoted to Charlotte assistant city manager. Paige McKinney: Added women's & small business programs at chamber. Dustin Mills: Apologized to town after subcontractor chopped 200 trees. Glenn Mosack: Plans $9.7 million Mosack Group expansion in Mint Hill. Jason Niec: Expanded Black Chicken Market in downtown Matthews. Fabi Preslar: Business hall-of-famer fought breast cancer. Bill Rhyne: Harris Teeter exec won chamber Community Service Award. Bob Smyth: Installed free Beltone hearing aids to deserving seniors. Jimmy & Missy Toler: Dunwellz owners won Munch Madness & Best Bar.
Education
Leisa Christian: Became principal of Northeast Middle School in January. Mark Davis: Sought more athletics facilities at Covenant Day School. Matthew Dowell: Butler High recognized band leader as its top teacher. Jay Hancock: School head celebrated Carmel Christian's 25th anniversary. John LeGrand: Butler principal was promoted to admin role at CMS. Mary McCray: Opted not to seek another term on school board. Monica Palmer: Joined Albemarle Road Elementary as leader last month. Larry Peroulas: Guided Socrates Academy to National Blue Ribbon Award. Josh Swartzlander: Bought land to build gym next to Queen's Grant High Kimberly Tuttle: Claimed CMS Teacher of the Year honors. Clayton Wilcox: CMS leader resigned after icy exchange with Matthews. Earnest Winston: The area resident became CMS superintendent. Calvin Young: Butler High school resource officer earned state award.
Faith/Nonprofit
Sandra Conway: Celebrated 40 years of the Matthews HELP Center. Karla Ennis: Hoisted the Nancy Glenn Community Servant Award. Marilyn Fargo & Andree West: Led the Mint Hill Women's Club. Becky Griffin: Broke ground on barn at Mint Hill historical village. Rebecca & Michael Holt: Brought festival for Charlie's Heart Foundation. Tisha Margraves: Launched satellite office of Bright Blessings. Lee Anne Moore: Announced Matthews Alive raised $147,716 for charity. Dan Morrill: Helped preserve barn & former mayor's home in Matthews. Nik Patel: Applied for rezoning to build new BAPS Charlotte temple. Kevin Qualls: His Christian Adoption Services formed a key partnership. Natisha Rivera-Patrick: Touted the need for more affordable housing. Barbara Taylor: Unveiled new “Tank Town” exhibit at heritage museum. Brian Turner: Matthews Masonic Lodge cheered 125 years under his lead.
Government
Beth Blair: Ex-CFO for Charlotte Works is new Matthews finance director. Hazen Blodgett: Matthews town manager requested a $25.6 million budget. Jay Camp: Matthews promoted him to serve as planning director. Ken Joyner: County assessor said home values increased 43% on average. Corey King: Matthews parks & rec director opened Rice Park on Oct. 18. Kerry Lamson: Updated Matthews leaders on affordable housing study. David Leath: Convinced Mint Hill to add firefighters & fire truck. Tim Ledford: Mint Hill police chief added staff & continued outreach. Clark Pennington: Matthews police chief added staff & motor unit. Sheryl Smith: Role evolved to managerial as Mint Hill grows. Brian Welch: Mint Hill manager added police, fire & public works staff.
Politics
Paul Bailey: Matthews mayor requested to delay John Street widening. Ted Biggers: Mint Hill mayor didn't run again, ending 20-year tenure. Dave Bland: Returned to Matthews commission after 26-year absence. Bill Brawley: Former legislator seeks N.C. House District 103 rematch. Mike Cochrane: Mint Hill leader lauded public safety & public works. Dale Dalton: Mint Hill commissioner proud to add police & firefighters. Barbara Dement: Re-elected after apologizing for late campaign forms. Renee Garner: Leading vote-getter became Matthews mayor pro tem. John Higdon: Three-term town commissioner elected as Matthews mayor. Patrick Holton: Woof 'n Hoof owner clawed way on Mint Hill board. Rachel Hunt: State legislator introduced bill to add teacher assistants. Tony Long: Joined Mint Hill board via chamber & planning experience. Jason Majewski: Entered Matthews mayor's race, creating rare primary. Ken McCool: Missed town commissioner seat by 13 votes. Jeff Miller: 'Miller Time' lives on with seventh term on Matthews board. Richard Newton: Town commissioner opted to run for Mint Hill mayor.
Above: Richard Newton, Joy Greear, Mike Cochrane, Tim Ledford and Dale Dalton break ground Oct. 22 on a future barn at the Mint Hill Historic Village. Justin Vick/CMG photo Below: Dave Bland responds to a question at Matthews-Mint Hill Weekly's candidate forum Oct. 10 at the Levine Senior Center as Renee Garner and John Urban look on. Karie Simmons/CMG photo Kress Query: Pressed CMS for more security at school mobile units. Susan Rodriguez-McDowell: County commish led outreach forums. Brad Simmons: Won a three-person race to become Mint Hill mayor. Mark Tofano: Sought to inject advocacy in Matthews and ran for office. Karen Trauner: Unsatisfied with a rezoning, she ran for Mint Hill mayor. John Urban: Architect builds on legacy, adding fifth Matthews board term. Larry Whitley: Rejoined Matthews commission after two-year absence.
Sports
Christopher Alexander: Rocky River jumper among nation's best. Joe Badgett: Coached Carmel Christian men's hoops to second state title. Muggsy Bogues: NBA legend continued inspiring kids through camp. Cierra Burdick: Pro hoops player returned to Butler to lead summer camp. Casey Carr & Chris Graham: Brought Stumptown Athletic to region. Brian Hales: Coached Butler football to 8-4 overall & 6-1 in conference. Marissa Hart: Girls soccer player was NC Gatorade Player of the Year. Kellie Kayton: Coached Carmel Christian tennis to fourth NCISAA title. Mark Sanders: Butler girls hoops coach won District 9 coaching honors. Mark Steffens: Hired as first coach of Stumptown Athletic soccer team. Jamal Worthy: The region's top running back led Butler to an 8-4 record.
5 events to remember April 17: CRTPO OKs delay for East John Street widening
Other
Gillian Baker: Chamber named her Matthews Woman of the Year. Jatwan Cuffie: Pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter in Butler shooting. Jerry Flowe: Veteran was grand marshal of the Mint Hill Madness parade. Carol Hambridge: Matthews Alive inspired artist's downtown mural. Derek James: WCCB anchor's spicy takes drew ire from Howard Stern. Maddie Miller: 9-year-old sold 4,203 boxes of Girl Scout cookies. Jerry Mullis: Chaired Mint Hill VFD, transferring EMS to town. Bob Sebrosky: Shape guy impressed neighbors with geometric sculptures.
May 8: CMS names Kimberly Tuttle as Teacher of the Year Aug. 24: Novant Matthews Medical Center celebrates 25th anniversary Sept. 1: Lonestar performs at Matthews Alive Nov. 5: Towns elect new mayors
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Page 4A • Special Regional Edition • Dec. 27, 2019
Union County Weekly's 100 Biggest Newsmakers Business
Leon & Olya Banchik: Dentists won chamber's Community Impact Award. John Hendley: Earned lifetime achievement Award from the chamber. Mike Henn: Celebrated 20 years of Henn Automotive in Waxhaw. Deana Hicks: Mom created a subscription box service One Girl Inspired. Mackenzie Moser: Pitched a live-work-play project in Indian Trail. Chris Plate: Convinced Union County to develop first industrial park.
Education
Camela Bell: Monroe Charter Academy hired her as its founding principal. Rhett Brown: Wingate pres made higher education more accessible. Kate Earp: Principal celebrated 10 years of Poplin Elementary in 2018-19. Angela Foster: UCPS's top assistant principal works at East Union Middle. Jonathan Harbin: Monroe High staffer won UCPS Teacher of the Year. Andrew Houlihan: Superintendent inked contract extension through 2023. Lynn Kroeger: Business journal tapped her CFO of the Year. Reed Parlier: CATA grad was killed in UNC Charlotte shooting. Maria Pharr: Established student gateway from SPCC to Wingate. Barry Ross: Ross prepared Apprenticeship Academy for opening. Ben Tewolde: Weddington High staffer won Beginning Teacher of Year. Terry Vaughn: Vaughn, of Kensington, was among several new principals. Sharyn VonCannon: UCPS named her its top principal. Ann Walters: Headmaster left Union Academy after contract expired. Kristi Williford: Under her, Western Union Elementary became global-ready. Kelsey Zoda: Served as campus administrator for new Thales Academy. Yubley Zolke: Top teacher joined Waxhaw Elementary as principal.
Faith/Nonprofits
Keith Adams: He championed literacy when Literacy Council closed. Kathy Bragg: Her shelter hired first development director & held outreach. Bill Deter: Ex-mayor took over as president of Weddington Optimist Club Andrew Friend: His Council on Aging formed chorus to reignite memories. Steven Furtick: His podcast nominated in iHeartRadio Podcast Awards. Nathel Hailey Sr.: The NAACP president earned Citizen of the Year award. Larry Helms: Served as grand marshal of Indian Trail Christmas parade. Gladys Kerr: Received key to Waxhaw for her service & history-keeping. George Massey: Former EMT earned Man of the Year for contributions. Mary Ann Maxon: Grew Weddington Optimist Club's brand & membership. Denise Milliken: Realtor & shelter volunteer won Woman of the Year. Steve Smith Sr.: NFL legend spoke about experience with mental illness Shannon Tucker: Opened Charlotte Speech & Hearing Center in Monroe.
Government
Above: Leon and Olya Banchik cut the ribbon to mark the opening of Reafield Dental. Waxhaw Mayor Stephan Maher (far left) was among those visiting. Dante Miller/CMG photo Below: Anne Pruitt, who works in the insurance industry, won a seat on the Weddington Town Council. She campaigned on Election Day at Siler Presbyterian Church. Kayla Berenson/CMG photo Jan Smith: Defeated Wesley Chapel mayor Brad Horvath in election. David Willis: Wants to replace Craig Horn in the N.C. House.
Sports
Chase Coble: The 43-year-old sheriff's captain died unexpectedly Oct. 11. Greg Ferguson: Left Waxhaw town manager gig after two years. Nathan Hunt Gwyn Jr.: Presides over Superior Court District 20B. Bjorn Hansen: County's road guru helped towns upgrade intersections. Dennis Joyner: His public health division joined investigation of e-cigs. Ashley Lantz: Sought to improve child support enforcement. Minor Plyler: Stallings Police chief retired after 35 years in public safety. Erskine Smith: Filling in as interim town manager of Waxhaw. Mark Watson: First-year county manager restructured processes & staff.
Politics
Todd Barber: He's the only fresh face to join the Indian Trail council. Daniel Barry: Presided over new Hornet's Nest Republican Men's Club. Dan Bishop: With the White House's support, he won U.S. House seat. David Cohn: Passionate Indian Trail councilman left the dais. Catherine DeFinis: Filled vacant seat on Waxhaw town board. Wyatt Dunn: Mayor supported LYNX Silver Line extension to Stallings. Freddie Gordon: Revived political career with Monroe council seat. Heather Grooms: Defeated an incumbent to join Stallings council. Gary Hamill: Wingate's ace soccer coach became town's mayor. Craig Horn: N.C. House rep is running for state superintendent. Brad Horvath: Wesley Chapel mayor pressed county on rezoning decisions. Angelia James: Fresh face edged out veterans for Monroe council seat. Lynn Keziah: Keziah's political resume in Monroe dates back decades. Bobby Kilgore: Monroe mayor joins League of Municipalities board. Pedro Morey: Retired policeman sought structure on Waxhaw council. Ron Pappas: Succeeded Steve Maher as Waxhaw mayor. Joe Pollino: Won Marvin mayor via write-in votes for second time. Anne Pruitt: Joined Weddington council off respect of mayor & public. Deborah Romanow: Left Stallings Town Council early. Stony Rushing: County commish was second in U.S. House primary. Anne Simpson: Became Waxhaw commissioner on second attempt.
Gabriella Castro: Senior led Cuthbertson to a state title in cross country. Kyle Durham: 800-meter star was NC Boys Track & Field Athlete of Year. Kayla Hamblin: Parkwood sophomore won second state swimming title. Cade Haynes: CATA wrestler earned state title & school wins record. Vic Johnson: Won national coach of year & second state title with UA. Kyle Montaperto: CATA wrestler ended 2018-19 at 48-1 & state title. Amber Parker: Parkwood softball star won first wrestling state title. R-Truth: Won WWE 24/7 title 25 times this year, as well as the U.S. title. James Shipley: All-American led Weddington to a three-peat in lacrosse. Will Shipley: Junior running back led Weddington to undefeated season. Rick Spencer: Coached XC, indoor & outdoor track titles in 2018-19. Alexis Sudjianto: Lit up summer golf circuit after graduating high school. Jack Wilton: NCHSAA gave him the Heart of a Champion Award.
Other
Steve Bowers: Updated Waxhaw on opening YMCA branch by 2022. Scott Brooks: Owner of Brooks Sandwich Shop killed in shooting. Joshua Lee Burgess: Dad, 32, arrested on charges of murdering daughter. Lucero Capote: Two were arrested on charges of murdering mother of five. Micah Fagala: Started club at Piedmont High School to help teens cope. Anthony Hamilton: Wowed with National Anthem at NBA All Star Game. Pete & Sherri Kimbell: Couple sought to expand holiday light experience. Landon Knestrick: Pangolin fan secured Pearl Harbor relic. Michael O'Neill: Inspired community with poem, “Autism is a Miracle.” Sayo Oni: Took New York trip after Best Actor win at Blumeys. Hailey Pendleton: Her values allowed her to hang with a PGA Tour pro. Sarah Porter: 11-year-old raised $24,000 selling ornaments for charity. Gene Stowe: His book, "Inherit the Land" will become a documentary. Ryan & Ashley Tobin: They appeared on Lifetime's "Designing Spaces.” Alexia Vega: Spelled way to first in UCPS bee & third in regional bee. Alden John Whitehead: Father, 30, arrested on murder charges of son.
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5 events to remember Jan. 28: Stallings supports LYNX Silver Line extension July 8: Wesley Chapel warns county about development Aug. 26. Stallings OKs Atrium Health hospital Sept. 9: Vice President Mike Pence campaigns in xounty Nov. 5: Several new faces elected to local offices
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Special Regional Edition • Dec. 27, 2019 • Page 5A
South Charlotte Weekly's 100 Biggest Newsmakers Business
John Barton: His firm shared vision for more urban, walkable Ballantyne. Marvin Ellison: Lowe's CEO adding 1,900 jobs in city via tech center. John Hawk: Millennial took over Home Instead Senior Care franchise. Chuck Howard: CEO celebrated 50 years of Autobell. Reggie Isaac: Microsoft campus director says adding 430 jobs in city. Michael Jordan: Supported opening of family medical facility. Janet LeBar: Guiding direction of new Charlotte Business Alliance. Doug Lebda: Uprooting LendingTree's HQ from Ballantyne to SouthEnd. Marshall Nevins: His firm, Northwood Office, began project in Ballantyne. Gene Woods: Atrium CEO worked to expand region's health industry.
Education
Jennifer De La Jara & Lenora Shipp: New faces joined CMS school board. Phil Dubois: Described day of fatal shooting as darkest in UNCC history. Barry Giller: Charlotte Christian leader looks forward to future growth. Brooklyn Hough: Pegged to plan opening of Rea Farms K-8 school. Arch McIntosh: Charlotte Latin headmaster left after 18 years. Glyn Cowlishaw: Closed $27.8 million campaign at Providence Day. Rebecca Crawford: Named principal of Dilworth Elementary campuses. Elyse Dashew: Earned second term on school board & appointed chair. Tyler Erb: Won Southwest Teacher of the Year honors at CMS. Chuck Fortuna: Joined Elon Park Elementary as principal. Maureen Furr: Longtime South Meck High School principal retired. Jay Hancock: Carmel Christian took “interim” off head of school title. Daniel Lugo: Queens University of Charlotte welcomed him as president. Christy McCauley: Promoted to principal at Hawk Ridge Elementary. Emily Miles: CMS named Sterling Elementary staffer its top principal. Sean Strain: Fell short on votes to make Rea Farms school a full magnet. Kurt Telford: Raising $23 million for fine arts space at Charlotte Catholic. Clayton Wilcox: CMS superintendent agreed to resign after suspension. Earnest Winston: New CMS superintendent reached out to Ballantyne.
Faith & Nonprofits
Mara Campolungo: Sandbox director put a spotlight on Ordinary Angels. Laura Clark: CEO says United Way invested $26.4 million into region. Kristina Cruise: Stepped down as CEO of Promising Pages. Neil MacAuley: Photographer empowered young with superhero photos. Mary Nell McPherson: Planned to retire from Freedom School Partners. John Munro: Senior pastor celebrated Calvary Church's 80th anniversary. Tracy Priest: Took reins of Trips for Kids Charlotte amid 20th anniversary. Katy Ryan: Raised $1.4 million through 24 Hours of Booty
Above: CATS Planner Jason Lawrence assists residents with a transit planning exercise April 13 at the Ballantyne Hotel. The feedback helps CATS determine light rail recommendations for Ballantyne and Pineville. Justin Vick/CMG photo Below: N.C. Sen. Dan Bishop talks to a supporter May 14 at a south Charlotte restaurant. He would go on to win primary and general elections to represent the region in Congress. Paul Nielsen/CMG photo
Government
Dena Diorio: Recommended a $1.9 billion county budget. Garet Johnson: He's developing the city's 2040 comprehensive plan. Marcus Jones: City council approved his $2.6 billion budget. Ken Joyner: Assessor explained rising values & four-year reval cycles. Jason Lawrence: Led public input of light rail in Ballantyne & Pineville. John Lewis: CATS CEO sought reliable bus service & expanded transit. Garry McFadden: Sheriff wanted to improve mental health in jail. Joe Penner: Sought solutions for unpaid Medic bills. Kerr Putney: Police chief called out judges for repeat offenders.
Kim Montgomery: Ardrey Kell soccer coach made a difference. David Paige: Coached Charlotte Latin to eighth NCISAA wrestling title. Joe Schlereth: Pineville man, 69, ran in his 19th Boston Marathon. Josh Springer: Tallied 300th win with Providence Day girls hoops. Jenna Thompson: South Meck star never lost a tennis match. Jack Walker: Ended Myers Park swim career with six state titles. Jacqie McWilliam: Said CIAA Tourney leaving Charlotte after 13 years.
Sports (Pro)
Politics
Dimple Ajmera: City councilwoman reelected & running for NC treasurer. Dan Bishop: With the White House's support, he won a U.S. House seat. Tariq Bokhari: Advocated for pay raises for police & fire departments. Pat Cotham: Well-traveled commissioner raised awareness about poverty. Trevor Fuller: County commissioner running for the U.S. Senate. Susan Harden: Rallied support for quarter-cent sales tax hike for the arts. Mark Harris: Gave up pursuit of congressional seat due to health scare. Marcia Lee Kelly: Serves as CEO of Republican National Convention. Vi Lyles: Mayor testified to US House about climate change. Dan McCready: Challenged Mark Harris & Dan Bishop for Congress seat. Gina Navarrete: Women's marcher sought Tariq Bokari's council seat. Victoria Nwasike: Ran against Councilman Ed Driggs in GOP primary. Matthews Ridenhour: Campaigned against sales tax hike for the arts. Allen Smith: Touted Green New Deal in congressional run. Donald Trump: His remarks irked city council, propelled Dan Bishop.
Sports (Prep)
Mike Brodowicz: Coached Charlotte Catholic football to a third state title. Kim Cousar: Retired after 34 years as baseball coach of Charlotte Latin. Calvin Davis: Collected 30th title with Country Day boys tennis trophy. Nikoly Dos Santos: Providence star one of state's top female wrestlers. Jason Estep: Led Charlotte Christian football to 6 of last 8 titles. Johnny Harris: Ensured local Wells Fargo Championship through 2024. Jack Heath: Drew praise from Jack Nicklaus after Junior PGA tourney. Drake Maye: Myers Park QB committed to play football at Alabama.
Kyle Allen: Backup QB was hot out gate for Panthers but later cooled. William Byron: Young NASCAR driver tallied 5 top 5s & 13 top 10s. Stephen Curry: Returned home for NBA All-Star Game and gave back. Jeff Gordon: Inducted in NASCAR Hall of Fame & continued calling races. Max Homa: Hoisted Wells Fargo Championship trophy at Quail Hollow. Jimmy Johnson: 7-time NASCAR champ said 2020 will be his last season. Junior Johnson: NASCAR legend sold Seven Eagles home & later died. Christian McCaffrey: Emerged as MVP candidate in third NFL season. Cam Newton: Injuries & age prompted trade rumors for franchise QB. Ron Rivera: Carolina Panthers coach was fired after 5-7 start to 2019 Terry Rozier: He replaced Kemba Walker on Charlotte Hornets. David Tepper: Panthers owner fired coached & brought MLS to city. Kemba Walker: Left Charlotte Hornets after not getting max contract.
Other
5 events to remember
Heather Briganti: Deemed 2019 North Carolina Mother of the Year. Iris Caldwell: Virgin sought love on Lifetime's "Married at First Sight." Alexander Fultz: 1 of 10 Prudential Spirit of Community Awards winners. Arella Flur: Took New York trip after Best Actress win at Blumeys. Riley Howell: Victim in UNC Charlotte shooting took fight to killer. Caelynn Miller-Keyes: Fought for roses on "The Bachelor." Teagan O'Sullivan: Defeated peers in Jeopardy Teen Tournament game. Jules Oringel: Started Return Home Supplies to wipe out gun violence. Allie Papajohn: Cultivated following showing city cuisine on Instagram. Mary Ellis Stevens: Greta Thunberg came to freshman's climate strike.
Feb. 15-17: NBA All-Star Weekend returns April 30: Two students killed in UNC Charlotte shooting Aug. 2: CMS hires Earnest Winston as superintendent Sept. 10: Dan Bishop elected to U.S. Congress Dec. 17: Major League Soccer franchise comes to Charlotte
Will Retirement be harmful to health?
R I N G I N T H E RING IN THE NIENW RE! R G IYNE A TH
N E W Y E A R ! T U EN S DE A YW , D EY C EE MA B ER R ! 31ST
Read more if you want to your retirement to be from a job NOT life At first the fantasy of doing nothing on a beach for 2 weeks seems great. But secretly many people get to a point even before the 14 days are up when they begin to think that they want to get back home. And it’s because doing nothing other than sleeping, eating and drinking doesn’t always make you feel great as the holiday was intended.
RING IN THE STARTING AT 9PM M U S IN C AE N D K A RY A O K EA O N P!A T I O F E A T U RW I N G D J PE H I L F RR OM
Ever noticed after the holiday how long it takes to switch your brain back on at work or how long it takes to get going again n simple fitness regime? So if 14 days is perhaps just too long of a period to do nothing what would it be like with 20+ years of inactivity?. Let’s face it the honeymoon with retirement ends very soon and people feel void. Either you’re retired or planning to, this void feeling or loneliness is a ghost that threatened our lives and our relationships.
BD I G APNODP DP R IONDKU CSTPIEOCNISA L S FOO
Grandparents feel that grandkids are ignoring them or always on the phone, grandkids feel their grandparents are not understanding or not leveling up with them. The only way to this cycle to be broken is to be active and always be occupied with the grandkids activities.
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704-847-4884 EATMARIOSPIZZA.COM
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It’s easy to say keep up with the grandkids and all that good stuff if you don’t have chronic back, neck and knee pain that’s always the objection I got when I talk with my patients, that’s why I’m offering you my toolkit. This toolkit contains 3 guides and a dvd. The 3 guides are: How to put an end lower back pain without painkillers, injections or surgery +7 simple tips to get rid of nagging hip or knee pain without painkillers, injections or surgery and How to ease annoying daily irritating neck pain and headaches naturally plus dvd called “why this is happening to me” discussing the causes of your aches.
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Page 6A • Special Regional Edition • Dec. 27, 2019
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YEAR IN REVIEW Special Regional Edition • Dec. 27, 2019 • Page 1B
My favorite cover designs of 2019 As the news editor at Charlotte Media Group, a huge part of my job is laying out the Matthews-Mint Hill Weekly, Union County Weekly and South Charlotte Weekly newspapers. That’s three, 12-page (sometimes more) papers every week for 52 weeks, with the exception of the occasional combined regional edition like this one. That’s a lot of newspapers to design in a year and sometimes I forget everything I’ve worked on. With 2019 coming to a close, I decided to get nostalgic and dig into our archives. Here are a few fronts and inside covers I’m most proud of from this year. Remember, you can always look back on past editions of the Weekly by visiting www.issuu.com/carolinaweeklynewspapers. - Karie Simmons Inside: Beat the heat at indoor trampoline parks • Page 2B Matthews-Mint Hill Weekly • March
22, 2019
#4
Fun & Leadership
Arts Entertainment you By ught to Bro
Art Music Theater Sports Technology Nature
@eatdrinkclt
LAST CHANCE TO VOTE for your favorites!
Friday, May 31, 2019 • Vol. 19 • No. 22
ABOUT US P.O. BOX 1104 Matthews, NC 28106 (704) 849-2261 thecharlotteweekly.com
South Charlotte Weekly • May 17, 2019 • Page 1B
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Happen"
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by Karie Simmons . karie@cmgweekly.com
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by Karie Simmons karie@cmgweekly.com
Kids who attend Waxhaw Animal Hospital’s vet camp learn what it takes to be a veterinarian and even help a little, too. Photo courtesy of Waxhaw Animal Hospital
Is your child into animals? Is he or she begging for a cat, dog, goat or fish? Do they dream of working at a zoo or becoming a veterinarian? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, then keep reading. Summer camps are one of the best ways to let your child explore their interests, especially when it comes to animals. There are a handful of camps across the region that offer the opportunity to learn about the creatures in our oceans, what it takes to run a farm and how to
care for our pets when they’re sick. These camps could spark a lifelong passion for animals that turns into a future career, or maybe your child will decide they’re just better off with a pet rock. They won’t know unless they try…so here are a few camps to consider: Farm camps First up is My Farm Camps Experience on Hammond Family Farm. The Hammonds recently bought 21 acres in Pineville and moved their popular summer camp from their Ballantyne farm to 12381 Downs Road in Pineville.
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Camps are for kids 6 to 16 years old and run from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Each day starts with morning farm chores, gardening, feeding the animals and grooming the horses, and then it’s time to saddle up. Beginner riders will be in small groups learning how to ride in the ring; more experienced riders will venture to the trails. Afternoons are spent playing on an obstacle course, creating arts and crafts and having water fights. A farrier and vet will also stop by for horse and hoof care, as well as a chiropractor. Sessions cost $395 and fill up fast.
iNSiDE Editor's pop culture corner
Absolutely. Having a full-time job makes it really hard to get everything in. Obviously, a couple years ago, this was much easier to handle, but now that it’s turned into kind of a side business … I fill up almost every night of the week with something, and if I’m not doing something, it’s because I said no and just wanted to go home after work. I’ve made it work, but it’s certainly getting exhausting sometimes. I always say if I didn’t love it I wouldn’t do it anymore, and so far I have not wanted to stop.
• The ninth season of “Married at First Sight,” which airs June 12 on Lifetime, follows Charlotte couples as they stumble through the ups and downs of marriage with complete strangers. I had a fun chat with Dr. Viviana Coles, who is a relationship expert guiding the couples, that we’ll publish soon. • “To Have & To Hold” is a little bit closer to everyday life, delving into issues related to finances, intimacy and parenthood. The show, which features Charlotte couples, debuts June 1 on OWN. • Why are people complaining so much about the final season of HBO’s “Game of Thrones” feeling rushed? I’d say 90 percent of TV shows go unresolved due to cancellation or the network ordering fewer episodes in a season. I thought the ending was satisfying and left viewers with enough rope to arrive at their own theories or predictions as to what will happen with characters. – Justin Vick
Why do you love it?
WHAT’S INSIDE:
What sets @eatdrinkclt apart? I only post food. I don’t post any lifestyle shots or photos of me, so when you follow, I think you know what you’re getting. You’re not going to see me posing on a wall because I don’t do fashion. I don’t do fitness. It’s just strictly food. There aren’t as many accounts that are just strictly food, which is not a bad thing, but if you just want to look at food, you can follow me for that.
by Andrew Stark andrew@cmgweekly.com
From a personal standpoint, does the work to maintain the account and the pressure to always be posting ever get to you?
Photo courtesy of Yes I Can
More than a sports camp Yes I Can offers uplifting basketball instruction by Andrew Stark andrew@cmgweekly.com
CHARLOTTE – Dan McGovern has been running his Yes I Can Basketball in and around the Charlotte area since 1997. The business has grown from instruction to leagues and summer camps and expanded to a few new locations, including gyms in uptown Charlotte, Matthews, Stallings, south Charlotte and most places in between. But other than that, little has changed for McGovern and his camps that offer more than just the fundamentals of the game. And that’s just the way he likes it. “One of the things we struggled most with
Charlotte Latin offers unique camps ranging from sports to performing arts to academic enrichment and even help with college applications. Photo courtesy of Charlotte Latin
fun ideas like Weird vs. Wired and Dough, Donuts & Dozers but bring suits, goggles and a towel on Thursday because it’s always swimming day. The camp includes before and after care along with a lunch. “Camp Victor is a little bit of everything from cooking, art, science and other enrichment options,” Walker said. “Camp Victor is our in-house pride and joy of a day camp experience ... It’s sports in the afternoon with the enrichment element with the technology, cooking and all of that, so
704-458-9389
cupcakedelirium.vpweb.com/
After I hit 1,000 or 2,000 followers, that’s when it started growing really fast. I remember one day hitting 10,000 and I was just like, how did that happen? Honestly, it was unintentional. I was always posting, always trying to engage, always liking other people’s photos. So I think it was partly being on there so consistently and partly because there weren’t many food Instagrams to follow when I started. Being on there consistently has been huge. I’ve never stopped in four years. I’ve never taken a week off. I’ve barely even taken three days off of posting.
see ANIMALS, Page 2B
we kind of sprinkle it throughout.” Camp Victor has been so popular, in fact, that new this year the school is expanding the camp. “We have an extension of our day camp program because it’s been so successful and had so much interest over the years and we knew kids didn’t want to age out,” Walker said. “So we have Camp Victor SNAKE (students in nature, adventure, see LATIN, Page 3B
I love eating, first and foremost. I like exploring new food. I don’t have a picky bone in my body when it comes to food. Oh, macaroons! (Joannah Long, Amélie's marketing manager, had just placed a colorful plate of macaroons on the table). Being a resource when people ask me or send me messages like, where should I get this? Where should I go for this? What part of town? I love answering those messages. A lot of times, off the top of my head, I know where to get what you asked for. I think that’s a huge part of it for me, just being able to help people in Charlotte when they’re looking for stuff, especially since there are new restaurants every five minutes.
see YES I CAN, Page 2B
Over the edge NASCAR stars raise money for charity, 2A
see EATDRINKCLT, Page 2B
outdoor movies summer safety tips cheer on sports admire classic cars activities for kids live music farmers markets food trucks comedy shopping local history fireworks
We spend so much of the year counting down the days until summer only for the season to come and go without us noticing. Our 80 Days of Summer edition is a guide to maximizing your time. The dozens of ideas that follow spare you from annoying your friends with complaints about there not being anything to do.
If you're staying around the Queen City this summer, you should... Cheer on the Charlotte Knights There are several reasons why the Charlotte Knights are the hottest ticket in minor league baseball. For starters, the Triple-A affiliate plays at BB&T Ballpark, where the Charlotte skyline serves as the perfect backdrop for the stars of tomorrow. Second, promotions like Bark at the Ballpark and Friday Night Fireworks are just plain fun. Other intangibles include affordable tickets, competitive games and summer nights.
FIND YOUR FUN ARTS INDOORS
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PAID ACTIVITY FOOD ALCOHOL
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LIVE MUSIC
Watch films made locally If you find yourself mumbling under your breath during a Marvel Studios trailer how Hollywood is devoid of original ideas, then you may want to give the 10th annual Joedance Film Festival a try. Think Sundance, but with this festival, the submissions all have connections to the Carolinas. Named after the late Joe Restaino, a 20-year-old who lost his life to cancer, the event raises money for pediatric cancer research at Atrium Health Levine Children’s Hospital. The event takes place Aug. 1 to 3 at The Charlotte Ballet.
CULTURAL
Go on a whitewater adventure The U.S. National Whitewater Center can be enjoyed by land and by sea. There’s whitewater kayaking, whitewater rafting and stand-up paddle boarding, as well as trails, climbing, mountain biking, a ropes course and ziplines. Events like the Fourth of July Celebration on July 3 to 4, as well as the River Jam concert series, keep people coming back throughout the summer.
MOVIES
Listen to gospel music The Rock the Park Christian Music Festival arrives at Carowinds on June 1. For King & Country, Kari Jobe, We Are Messengers, Micah Tyler, Disciple, Mr. TalkBox and Egypt Speaks are slated to perform at the festival. Admission to the amusement park is included with tickets. The event includes a free cheesecake reception for pastors.
FAITH SPORTS
FOR KIDS EDUCATIONAL
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Scott L Weinstein DDS PA Pediatric Dentist
A Great Beginning to Your Child’s Oral Health for Life.
DAYS OF
Cell/text: (704) 957-5458 Web: www.TheraTouchFootCare.com 7928 Council Place, Suite 106 Matthews, NC 28105
When did you notice you were gaining a lot of followers?
When it comes to camps, Charlotte Latin has everything under the sun this summer CHARLOTTE – Charlotte Latin has been running summer camps for years, but the school has continued to expand each year. In 2019, for example, they will offer 27 unique all-day summer camps. Some, like Nike Tennis camps, run over several different weeks throughout the summer. Others offer more customizable schedules down to specific days of the camp week. “We’re very proud of (our diversity), said Laura Walker, Charlotte Latin’s co-director of summer camps. “We want to offer a variety of camping trips, hobbies and enrichment opportunities that kids can expand learning on. “We have a lot of different day camps, so often morning and afternoon sessions will get paired together to create a full-day camp option. You can customize the schedule to where if you want a full-day camp of a particular genre, you can. If you want just a morning or just an afternoon camp, you can, and if you want to pair two camps, you can also do that.” Camp Victor, designed for ages 5 to 9, is one of the school’s flagship summer camps. Here, the staff offers always-changing, hands-on activities and a low camperto-staff ratio. The weeks are themed with
Trimming toenails Reducing thick toenails Reducing Dianne Nguyen, RN corns and calluses
crolling through @eatdrinkclt on Instagram will make you hungry for burgers, pizza, sushi and fries. It’ll also make you want a margarita from Pacos Tacos and Tequila, a tuna melt from The Common Market and a slice of Ooey Gooey Butter Cake from Firebirds Wood Fired Grill. Is your stomach rumbling yet? The account was created by 27-year-old Allie Papajohn, a self-taught Instagrammer with a degree in journalism and public relations from the University of South Carolina. In addition to running @eatdrinkclt, she also works full time in marketing at Bojangles’ corporate office. Papajohn started the account when she moved to Charlotte in November 2014. As she ate her way around the city’s booming restaurant scene, she snapped pictures of everything she tried. She didn’t want to post them on her personal Instagram, so she made a separate account just for food and drinks and, at the time, just for fun. Fast forward four and a half years and @eatdrinkclt now boasts over 47,000 followers. It’s one of the most-followed food and drink accounts in the area, and restaurants all around the Queen City (and beyond) are flooding Papajohn’s inbox asking her for coverage. I recently sat down with Papajohn at Amélie’s French Bakery & Café in Carmel Commons (7715 Pineville-Matthews Road) to preview its summer menu and pick her brain about life as an Instagrammer.
Lions, tigers and bears, oh yes! Five camps that focus on animals
Nursing Foot Care
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Photos courtesy of My Farm Camps
80
"We Make It “We Make It Happen”
Q&A with one of Charlotte’s most-followed Instagrammers
see SUMMER, Page 4A
Cast your vote online at www.thecharlotteweekly.com/best-of-the-weekly
Voting will run through May 31
704.752.1900 | www.ballantynepedo.com
Matthews-Mint Hill Weekly: March 22
We published several Summer Camp Guides in early spring, but in my opinion, this one is the best. I really like the touches of yellow throughout the page. Yellow always prints great. There’s even a little bee that flies from the section header down to a story about five camps that focus on animals. I really enjoy creating small details like that.
South Charlotte Weekly: May 17
This is my favorite page design of the year. I interviewed @eatdrinkclt, one of Charlotte’s most-followed Instagrammers, and used photos from her account to make the inside cover look like an Instagram feed. It took forever to place those “like” graphics one by one, but in the end, it turned out awesome.
South Charlotte Weekly: May 31
Even though it was extremely tedious, I had a lot of fun designing the 80 Days of Summer edition. I wanted to make the front look like a sunset, with little summer-themed illustrations around the title, but that was easier said than done. Still, the process taught me the designs that take the longest and require the most creativity often turn out the best.
Inside: Sound off on critical intersections • Page 2A
Arts Entertainment BROUGHT TO YOU BY
Flip to page 1B Friday, June 14, 2019 • Vol. 14 • No. 24
ABOUT US P.O. BOX 1104 Matthews, NC 28106 (704) 849-2261 justin@cmgweekly.com unioncountyweekly.com
Nursing Foot Care
Thanks for the memories!!
Sincerely, the Class of 2019
MONROE – Union County Public Schools recognized graduating seniors recently for their future plans at academic signing events. We caught up with a few seniors from Marvin Ridge High School and the Central Academy of Technology and Arts to have them reflect on the past four years and share a few words of wisdom for future grads. Some of the responses have been edited for brevity and clarity. By Paul Nielsen and Karie Simmons
Trimming toenails Reducing thick toenails Reducing Dianne Nguyen, RN corns and calluses Cell/text: (704) 957-5458 Web: www.TheraTouchFootCare.com 7928 Council Place, Suite 106 Matthews, NC 28105
Member puts in 50 years with history club, 2A
Think & Drink Elmore explores the science of happiness, 1B
Arts Entertainment
Union County Weekly • Aug. 2, 2019 • Page 1B
Matthews-Mint Hill Weekly • Oct. 18, 2019 • Page 1B
Hunter Thompson
Katherine May
Bryce Crooke
CATA academy: Pre-engineering Future plans: Appalachian State University – psychology What is your favorite memory? “Senior year as a whole because we got to wrap up our three years together. You just kind of keep that in mind your fourth year so you make the best memories.” What will you miss? “Mostly the friends but also some of the teachers, too, because they’re half of the fun of CATA. They make it a great place.” Which teacher inspired you? “My math teacher Ms. Royster. She teaches calculus. I didn’t even have to take that class but she pushed me to get the best grade that I could. It just taught me a lot, other than just calculus.” Do you have any advice for underclassmen? “Don’t stress yourself out too much. I know junior year is the worst, but your senior year is the best.”
CATA academy: Pre-engineering Future plans: Appalachian State University – chemistry What is your favorite memory? “The pep rallies are fun. The senior one was good because we all got to run in and wear black.” What will you miss? “My friends.” Which teacher inspired you? “Mr. Recher. He was my first engineering teacher. He taught us the basics so it helped us and inspired us to do what we want to do and figure out what we want to do in engineering.” Do you have any advice for underclassmen? “Study and figure out what you want to do and stick with that.”
CATA academy: Transportation Future plans: Western Carolina University – social work, natural resource conservation What is your favorite memory? “We were able to design and build go-karts, so that was pretty cool. We were able to race them after some permission from administration.” What will you miss? “Definitely the family bond between everyone in my academy. There’s just a bunch of different kinds of people here. It’s a really cool environment.” Which teacher inspired you? “My Spanish teacher, Ms. McAbee. I would always tell her what I wanted to do when I grow up, and she would always tell me to dream bigger and do something above what I wanted to do.” Do you have any advice for underclassmen? “Keep an open mind. It’s a really accepting place, so if you have something weird about yourself, just own it. Nothing’s considered strange at CATA.”
!! YOU ROCK
HAVe a greaT suMMer! u I’ll miss Yo :( NeXt Year
Theaters Aug. 2: Hobbs & Shaw Aug. 9: Dora and the Lost City of Gold Aug. 9: Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark Aug. 23: Angle Has Fallen Aug. 16: Blinded By the Lighthouse Aug. 16: Good Boys Aug. 23: Overcomer Aug. 16: The Angry Birds Movie 2
Carolina Characters brings superheroes, princesses to life
>> flip to page 4A for more
Stay-at-home mom bakes twenty dozen cookies a week by Paul Nielsen paul@cmgweekly.com
Aug. 2: Dear White People (Volume 3) Aug. 2: Derry Girls (S2) Aug. 2: Otherhood Aug. 5: Enter the Anime Aug. 5: No Good Nick: Part 2 Aug. 8: Jane the Virgin (S5) Aug. 9: Cable Girls (S4) Aug. 9: Glow (S3) Aug. 9: iZombie (S5) Aug. 9: Rocko’s Modern Life: Static Cling Aug. 9: The Family Aug. 9: Tiny House Nation: Volume 1 Aug. 13: Tiffany Haddish Presents: They Read Aug. 14: The 100 (S6) Aug. 15: Cannon Busters Aug. 16: Invader Zim: Enter the Florpus Aug. 16: Mindhunter (S2) Aug. 16: Sextuplets Aug. 21: American Factory Aug. 21: Hyperdrive Aug. 23: Hero Mask: Part 2 Aug. 29: Falling Inn Love Aug. 29: Workin’ Moms (S3) Aug. 30: Styling Hollywood Aug. 30: The A List Aug. 30: The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance
Listen to our podcast “Coffee with a Candidate” on Anchor, Google Podcasts and Spotify.
by Karie Simmons karie@cmgweekly.com
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Family turns health scare into business STALLINGS – There is a FedEx commercial airing on TV that shows a couple receiving an electric mixing bowl as a gift and one of the actors says, “We don’t bake.’’ Eventually, the couple fills their one millionth cookie order. Someday, that could be Gina and David Burke of Stallings. Unlike the actors in the FedEx commercial, Gina Burke has been baking for years. She had good reason to start baking what are now called Pink Turtle Cookies. Pink Turtle Cookies are made with simple and healthy ingredients like almond-flour, honey and eggs. They naturally do not have any gluten, grain or dairy. “They are actually a very healthy alternative to traditional sugar cookies,” Gina Burke said. “The only bit of sugar is in the icing. Otherwise, it’s a protein-packed snack.” And baking healthy cookies became a necessity for the Burkes. In late 2013, Gina Burke gave birth to twins, Daniel and Emily Rose. The couple quickly found out their son couldn’t eat any grains. Gina Burke, an engineer by trade, decided to become a stay-athome mom. “If he ate any grains, meaning oats, rice, wheat, whatever, he would throw up,” Gina Burke said. “There was a lot of vomit in our house. Like a lot of vomit. That happened to about age 3, and he did grow out of it. We ate grain-free for three years, and we realized the value in that.’’ The couple then slowing started intro-
Aug. 6: Batman Hush Aug. 6: Detective Pikachu Aug. 6: Poms Aug. 6: The Command Aug. 6: The Curse of La Llorona Aug. 6: The Outsider Aug. 6: The Swan Princess Aug. 6: Tolkien Aug. 13: Attrition Aug. 13: Leo Da Vinci Aug. 13: Lying and Stealing Aug. 13: Teacher Aug. 13: The Jungle Bunch Aug. 13: Trial By Fire Aug. 13: Vault Aug. 16: Avengers Endgame Aug. 20: A Dog’s Journey Aug. 20: Brightburn Aug. 20: DC Batman Family Matters Aug. 20: Isabelle Aug. 20: Phil Aug. 20: Play or Die Aug. 20: The Biggest Little Farm Aug. 20: The Hustle Aug. 20: The Sun Is Also A Star Aug. 2: Into the Dark: School Spirit (Episode 11) Aug. 16: The Amazing Johnathan Documentary Aug. 23: Jawline
you By ught to Bro
BIG SCREEN MAGIC
COMING SOON
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WHAT'S INSIDE:
Gold anniversary
Arts Entertainment you By ught to Bro
Crossing off my
Carolina bucket list
From top to bottom: View of the Blue Ridge Mountains from the Craggy Gardens visitor center; The Grove Park Inn near downtown; Flowers at Craggy Pinnacle; An interesting tree along a trail; Another view of the moutains; Brunch at Over Easy Café in downtown Asheville. Karie Simmons/UCW photos
Karie Simmons
CHARLOTTE – Imagine you’re a kid and your favorite web-slinging superhero shows up to your birthday party. Mind. Officially. Blown. Well, Carolina Characters is turning those imaginations into reality. The Charlotte-based entertainment company has around 40 characters available for parties and events within an 80-mile radius of the Queen City, sometimes further. Maybe you’ve seen a few of them around the region. There’s Snow Queen, Mermaid Princess, Island Princess, Wonder Hero, Bat Superhero, Panther Superhero, Iron Superhero, Spider Superhero, Captain Jack and The Dark Lord of the Galaxy, among others. You might even catch the three witches from the wellknown Halloween movie “Hocus Pocus” out and about. Sure, they’re popular guests at children’s parties, but many of the characters have also made appearances at Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden in Belmont, Carolina Cobras games in Greensboro, the Winston-Salem Symphony, Matthews Alive and Wake Forest University. They can also be seen entertaining crowds at charity events or cheering up patients at local hospitals. Wherever they are, you can thank 29-year-old Moriah Thompson. She founded Carolina Characters after studying acting at Boston University and trying to break into the film industry. At one point, she even worked as a birthday party clown and princess-for-hire. Thompson moved to Charlotte from Wilmington in 2015 to be
closer to Atlanta, which had a booming film industry at the time. She worked part-time jobs in between gigs but wasn’t feeling fulfilled. Her boyfriend suggested she start her own entertainment company and soon after, Carolina Characters was born. Thompson started small with a just a few characters like Snow Queen and Mermaid Princess. She taught herself how to sew the costumes and style the wigs. “It was a crash-course lesson,” she said. “A big part of the beginning was just the hustle.” Thompson did everything she could to help spread the word about her budding business, from handing out flyers to offering free appearances and trades for advertising. Her boyfriend even helped play some male characters like Spider Superhero, Captain Jack and The Dark Lord of the Galaxy, but it quickly became too much too handle. Thompson said they got so busy they had to turn down gigs because they didn’t have enough actors. Now, that’s not a problem. Thompson has about six actors who work for her and most are required to play multiple roles. They are all extremely familiar with the characters they play down to the backstories, personalities, voices and movements because they have to stay in character at all times during appearances. see CHARACTERS, Page 2B
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Poplin Elementary fourth-grade teacher Brian Barrows was a favorite target of students in the dunk tank. Paul Nielsen/UCW photo
Poplin celebrates 10th anniversary by Paul Nielsen
Gina Burke began baking healthy cookies because her children have trouble eating traditional treats. Paul Nielsen/UCW photos
paul@cmgweekly.com
ducing gluten into their family diet, but that led to Emily Rose having a negative neurological response. “It was something that could have been tremendously detrimental to her if from the outset we had been giving her gluten,” Gina Burke said. “We took it away, and she is a very healthy little girl all because her brother threw up all the time. It is a miracle, quite honestly. There was always supposed to be one kid and we never could figure out how twins came to be. We say that he (Daniel) came along to save his sister’s life. So, we have to be gluten-free.”
INDIAN TRAIL – Poplin Elementary School celebrated the end of its 10th year with a celebration on June 7 at Wise Acres Organic Farm. Current and former students and their families enjoyed lunch and a variety of activities at the farm, which is located next to the school. In addition to eating hot dogs, ice cream and cotton candy, current and former students took part in a dunk tank, face painting, balloon animals and bubble wands. “We are celebrating Poplin’s 10-year anniversary with a carnival-style celebration,” Principal Kate Earp said. “All our families are taking part and even our kids at the middle school and high school that went through Poplin are taking part. Everybody is having a great time and it is a great time,
see COOKIES, Page 2A
see POPLIN, Page 6A
Show Boat Jekyll & Hyde Madagascar
w en’s sho Childr
Aug. 7:All I See Is You (2016) Aug. 12: Andy Irons: Kissed by God (2018) Aug. 16: Photograph (2019) Aug. 23: Mike E. Winfield: StepMan (Season 1) Aug. 23: Alice Wetterlund: My Mama is a Human and So Am I (Season 1) Aug. 23: Alonzo Bodden: Heavy Lightweight (Season 1) Aug. 31: Boy (2010) Aug. 31: Computer Chess (2013) Aug. 31: Failure to Launch (2006) Aug. 31: Far from Home (2014) Aug. 31: First Born (1984) Aug. 31: Flashback (1990) Aug. 31: Hellboy II: The Golden Army (2008) Aug. 31: I, Frankenstein (2014) Aug. 31: Jack Frost (1998) Aug. 31: Kicking the Dog (2009) Aug. 31: Klip / Clip (2012) Aug. 31: Korkoro (2009) Aug. 31: La Maison de la radio (2013) Aug. 31: Looking Glass (2018) Aug. 31: Music from the Big House (2010) Aug. 31: Naples ‘44 (2016) Aug. 31: Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist (2008) Aug. 31: Parting Glances (2009) Aug. 31: Pirate Radio (2011) Aug. 31: Poltergeist II: The Other Side (1986) Aug. 31: Sacred Ground (1983) Aug. 31: Sucker Punch (2011) Aug. 31: Surviving Progress (2011) Aug. 31: Ten Dead Men (2008) Aug. 31: The Bog Creatures (2003) Aug. 31: The Collectors (1999) Aug. 31: The Hills Have Eyes Part II (2006) Aug. 31: The Man Nobody Knew: In Search of My Father, CIA Spymaster William Colby (2011) Aug. 31: The Oyler House: Richard Neutra’s Desert Retreat (2012) Aug. 31: The Penguin Counters (2017) Aug. 31: The Uninvited (2009) Aug. 31: This Ain’t No Mouse Music (2013) Aug. 31: Top of the Food Chain (1999) Aug. 31: Top Spin (2014) Aug. 31: Vito (2011)
I
want to start this off by admitting I’m originally from New England, so cut a Northern girl some slack. When I moved here two years ago, I didn’t know much about the greater Charlotte area, let alone the Carolinas. Since then, I’ve been doing my best to experience as much of these two beautiful states as I can. My goal is to one day become so Carolinian my parents don’t even recognize me at the dinner table. I’ll say, “Pass the biscuits and Cheerwine,” and my mom will faint into her bowl of clam chowder. It’s only a matter of time. In the past two years, I’ve hiked Crowders Mountain; sat front row on Fury 325 at Carowinds (drooled from the force); people watched in Myrtle Beach; fell in passionate love with Bojangles’ chicken; spent the day in Greensboro, tried fried okra (loved it); seamlessly used “y’all” in a sentence; dazzled at the Christmas lights in McAdenville; and re-enacted scenes from “The Notebook” in Charleston. You know, all the typical things we do here in the Carolinas. But there’s a lot I still haven’t done. I haven’t toured the Biltmore Estate, cheered on the Panthers, rafted at the U.S. National Whitewater Center, seen a NASCAR race, boated on Lake Norman or eaten my way (completely) through the North Carolina BBQ Trail. I did go to the Outer Banks in high school, so we can actually cross that one off, too. We can also cross off Asheville, which has been sitting near the top of my Carolina bucket list for a while. My boyfriend and I recently spent the day there and hit several must-see spots, starting with the famous Grove Park Inn on Macon Ave. If you didn’t know, the Grove Park Inn is named after Edwin Wiley Grove, who was a big name in the pharmaceutical industry in the late 1800s. He owned a lot of land on Sunset Mountain in Asheville and opened the hotel there with the help of his son-in-law, Fred Seeley, on July 12, 1913. More than a century later and Grove Park Inn is still as beautiful as ever. The property boasts an 18-hole golf course designed by Donald Ross (he designed Pinehurst), six tennis courts, indoor and outdoor pools, a
Top to bottom: Spider Superhero, Mermaid Princess, Wonder Hero and Female Bat Hero are just a few of more than 40 characters available for parties and events through the Charlotte-based entertainment company Carolina Characters. Photos courtesy of Moriah Thompson
43,000-squarefoot spa, a sports complex, walking PRO TIP: trail and restaurant The menu at Over Easy Café called Blue Ridge. changes pretty frequently, so The back patio on the other check their Facebook or Insside of the lobby is great for photagram @overeasyasheville tos of the grounds with the backdrop for pictures of what’s current. of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Tons of famous people have stayed at the Grove Park Inn over the years, including Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, Helen Keller, Michael Jordan, Macaulay Culkin, Jerry Seinfeld, Harry Houdini, Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt, Barack Obama and Billy Graham. There are rumors the hotel is haunted, but we didn’t see anything paranormal while we were there. I was getting ‘hangry,’ so we headed into downtown for brunch at Over Easy Café on Broadway Street. It was listed online as one of the top breakfast places in Asheville, and they weren’t wrong. I got some sort of summer omelet with chorizo and jalapeños, a biscuit and cup of fruit, while my boyfriend got breakfast tacos with bacon. Ten out of 10 would recommend to a friend. Asheville has a lot of neat shops and boutiques and we spent much of the see ASHEVILLE, Page 2B
Now I’m listening Editor gives in to podcasts by Karie Simmons karie@cmgweekly.com
There’s nothing worse than driving to work in the morning and listening to talk radio, especially when I’m sleepy from staying up too late watching reruns of “Parks and Recreation.” I need music to wake up and get pumped for the day, not a bunch of guys huddled around a microphone gabbing to one another and taking calls from strangers. I thought podcasts would be the same – like NPR, but less informative and somehow more boring – so I avoided them for years. I thought if I put my hands over my ears and screamed “La La La La La” loud enough they would just go away, but I was wrong. If anything, the trend is only growing stronger. It seems like everyone has a podcast from actors, comedians and authors to journalists and reality TV stars. We even started an election podcast at the Matthews-Mint Hill Weekly called “Coffee with a Candidate.” More than a dozen episodes, ranging from seven to 15 minutes, can be found on Anchor, Google Podcasts and Spotify. So what’s all the hype about? On a recent road trip to visit my grandparents in Virginia, I decided to find out. After all, there’s only so much music to fill the air on a fourand-a-half-hour drive. see PODCAST, Page 4B
Halloween events around the region by Kayla Berenson kayla@cmgweekly.com
From costume contests to haunted houses, there are plenty of ways to celebrate Halloween around Charlotte. Charlotte: SCarowinds While some go to amusement parks for the thrill of the rides, SCarowinds visitors will get an additional thrill. Carowinds transforms into a “scream park” for Halloween with mazes and scare zones like CarnEvil, Bone Brigade and Depths of Darkness, along with scary characters roaming the park. Admission is charged. • When: Select nights through Oct. 27 • Where: Carowinds, 14523 Carowinds Blvd. • Details: www.carowinds.com/scarow inds
Indian Trail: Halloween Spooktacular Halloween is on a school night this year, making it hard for kids to stay out late trickor-treating. Luckily, Halloween Spooktacular in Indian Trail takes place on the Friday before Halloween, allowing for a full night of fun and enough time to sleep in the following day. Kids will be able to go “trunk-ortreating,” and there will be contests and DJs. • When: 6 to 9 p.m. Oct. 25 • Where: Chestnut Square Park, 315 Matthews-Indian Trail Road • Details: www.indiantrail.org/132/ Community-Events Marshville: Halloween on Marsh Street Parents will not have to wonder if there are designated trick-or-treating areas in Marshville as the town hosts its own celebration for Halloween. Kids in attendance will be able to enjoy free hot dogs, pump-
kins, hayrides, games and a DJ playing music throughout the event. • When: 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 31 • Where: Main Street, Marshville Matthews: Haunted Trail Those who are not afraid of being scared will enjoy the Haunted Trail presented by Matthews Playhouse. Visitors will be able to walk through the trail in the woods behind the Matthews Community Center and get spooked by actors in costumes, who will scare them when they least expect it. There will also be food trucks and desserts for guests, along with a Not-So-Spooky see HALLOWEEN, Page 2B
Right: Whether you like your Halloween activities spooky or not, there's plenty to choose from. MMHW file photo
Summer Theatre 2019 tickets on sale now! June 7 – July 27 tix.cpcc.edu • 704.330.6534 • Free parking!
Beehive:
The 60s Musical Revue
A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder
Union County Weekly: June 14
This cover features graduating seniors from Marvin Ridge High School and the Central Academy of Technology and Arts for a story called, “Thanks for the memories.” I decided to make it look like a yearbook with headshots, little doodles, stickers and notes written in a handwriting font – all inspired by my own middle and high school yearbooks.
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Union County Weekly: Aug. 2
If there was a runner-up for my favorite design of the year, this would be it. The cover features photos from my trip to Asheville over the summer, placed in a geometric way that just looks so cool. The vibrant colors of the Blue Ridge Mountains and the yellow flowers I found at the top make the page pop.
Matthews-Mint Hill Weekly: Oct. 18
Putting Spidey on the cover of the Arts & Entertainment section was a no-brainer, especially since I had the perfect photo from Moriah Thomason, founder of Carolina Characters. All I had to do was cut him out in Photoshop, put a shadow behind him and boom – he looks like he’s coming right off the page.
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Special Regional Edition • Dec. 27, 2019 • Page 3B
Scenes from 2019
Sam Woods, the first baby born at Novant Health Matthews Medical Center, rocks out with a band during the hospital's 25th anniversary celebration on Aug. 25. Justin Vick/ CMG photo
Here are some of our favorite photos published in the Matthews-Mint Hill Weekly, Union County Weekly and South Charlotte Weekly during 2019. Right: Families try The Ice at Sun Valley Commons. The venue, located at 6467 Old Monroe Road in Indian Trail, will remain open for skating through Jan. 5. Karie Simmons/CMG photo Below: Forest Hills played for a state championship against unbeaten Farmville Central in January at Reynolds Coliseum in Raleigh. They lost 86-71. Andrew Stark/CMG photo
Staff at the Matthews Fire Department understands how small touches make a big difference during Matthews Alive over Labor Day weekend. Alec Smith/CMG photo
Providence Day School students spent five days learning about different countries and global health during Global Week from April 1 to 5. Karie Simmons/CMG photo
Right: Pawsitively Matthews featured off-leash areas for play, food trucks, live music and other opportunities to spoil your beloved pets. The sixth annual event was held Nov. 2 at Stumptown Park. Karie Simmons/CMG photo
Want to see more photos? Visit our Facebook pages for a photo album with more of our favorite photos from the past year. Find us at @mmhweekly, @ucweekly & @southcltweekly
Festivities for the fifth annual Heart for Monroe – Follow Your Heart 5K roll through downtown Monroe on March 30. The effort raises money for families. Dante Miller/CMG photo
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Page 4B • Special Regional Edition • Dec. 27, 2019
Cougars stay course for third straight football title by Andrew Stark andrew@cmgweekly.com
CHARLOTTE – In large part, Charlotte Catholic’s 23-7 victory over Southern Nash in the NCHSAA 3A championship mirrored a season in which uncertainty led to the ultimate affirmation and some history for the Cougars. By now, much has been written on the Cougars’ early-season struggles. Their offense couldn’t move the ball well in games against Good Counsel (they scored 0 points), Archbishop Rummel (7 points), Weddington (0), Marvin Ridge (14) and lowly Sun Valley (20). Worse, at one point they were sitting at 2-3 on the season after Weddington beat the wheels off of the Cougars for their first conference loss in a decade. That’s when the sky was falling. To outsiders, the same thing could have been happening in the first half of the state championship game on Dec. 14. After stopping Southern Nash on the opening drive, sophomore Jimmy Brewer fumbled the handoff on the first play from scrimmage. Then Paul Neel got stopped on Southern Nash’s 2-yard line for a turnover on downs. Later, after their best drive of the day to that point, quarterback Harrison Barnett was intercepted near the endzone. The Cougar defense, like they had all season, was great, limiting a potent Southern Nash offense to just 112 yards. Despite 140 yards of offense, the Cougars committed two turnovers and entered halftime tied at 0. “I felt really good about us at halftime because we hurt ourselves more than they had stopped us,” Charlotte Catholic coach Mike Brodowicz said. “They made a goal-line stand
Charlotte Catholic earned a championship banner and trophy after defeating Southern Nash 23-7 on Dec. 14. Andrew/Stark/SCW photo
on us, but I didn’t think that was our forte.” Neel and Brewer led the Cougars on the opening drive of the second half, but they stalled again at the Southern Nash 13 before Cole Knapp’s 31-yard field goal gave Catholic a 3-0 lead. On the ensuing drive, Wake Forest commit Quinton Cooley, who came in averaging more than 200 yards rushing per game, scored from 1-yard out to cap a nine-play, 77-yard drive. This is when the game turned, much like the Cougars' season, following the humiliating 45-0 loss to Weddington that made them re-evaluate certain things, Brodowicz has said. Since that game, the Cougars went on to win 10 straight. Catholic, having played a number of low scoring, close games during the season, would
never panic. That seasoning paid off as the Cougars would open up the game in the decisive fourth quarter. Neel’s 39-yard scoring run early in the final period capped a nine-play Cougar drive and gave them a 10-7 lead they would never let go. “I thought the drive that answered the score was a huge drive for us,” Brodowicz said. “Our offense has been maligned most of the year about the way they performed, but I thought in the last half of the season they really picked it up and became a Charlotte Catholic offensive line and running backs.” In the fourth quarter alone, the Cougars ran for 104 yards of their 268 rushing yards for the game. Neel (who finished with 27 carries, 156 yards and two touchdowns) and Brewer (17 carries, 85 yards and a score) earned indi-
vidual accolades as Brewer was the offensive MVP and Neel earned the game’s Most Outstanding Player honor. “We knew we had played really good teams and that if we made a few changes we could get things going, that’s what we did and we haven’t been stopped since,” Neel said. “I knew I would break one eventually, I just needed to keep pounding it in there. It was the same with Jimmy.” While the offense took time to get going, the defense never allowed Cooley and the Southern Nash offense to get going. “That Cooley kid is a really good back,” Brodowicz said. “It was a lot of hard work ...You saw how powerful all of their running backs were. There were a couple of times I thought the play was dead, but Cooley bounced it out and the quarterback did a nice job on the bootleg. We had to be very disciplined on defense, and I thought our guys did a great job of sticking to their gaps.” The Cougars finished with 10 games where they allowed 10 points or less and the defense ultimately played a vital role all year. “It’s amazing,” said Defensive MVP Liam Barbee. “We’ve been doubted all year and we’ve had some adversity but we came back and it feels great to be back on top. We’ve had to step up in some key situations this year and we’re used to that. The defense rallied and we stepped up. The goal was to stop the run.” The Cougars did that and stand on top once again for the third straight year. It’s the first time in school history that they’ve won three straight titles, and that’s saying a lot for this storied program. “This is special. I don’t think it’s sunk in yet, but it’s special to do something that’s never been done here before.”
Beer explorer taps Resident Culture as local favorite CHARLOTTE – Alexis Dickie has been to 547 breweries around the globe, but when she comes home to Charlotte, Resident Culture Brewing Company in Plaza Midwood is always her first stop. Because she works remotely, Dickie is able to travel frequently. Before visiting a new place, she uses Google Maps to find breweries around the area. She said her friends and family constantly asked her for suggestions, so she decided to turn her passion for travel and beer into a blog and Instagram page, Adventures and Ales. One year later, her page has more than 6,000 craft beer-loving followers. Dickie gives her travel, brewery and beer recommendations. Her favorites countries she has been to are Costa Rica, Portugal and Australia. Her favorite brewery she’s visited is Other Half in New York City. But in Charlotte, she swears by Resident Culture. “I love the plants, I love the lights, I love that it’s always a little loud, it’s dog-friendly, there are food trucks outside and those are all things that I love,” Dickie said. “The people that work here are cool and everyone is so nice, even if they’re slammed. And the beers are amazing. My favorite style is a juicy IPA and they have the best ones here.” Chris Tropeano is the head brewer at Resident Culture. He said
since the brewery opened two years ago, it has embraced the “funky” Plaza Midwood vibe through its interior design, beers, artwork and overall feel of the brewery. He said the name Resident Culture has a double meaning. First, it symbolizes the local culture of the residents in the neighborhood. But it also nods to the local yeast used in the beer, which is unique to the brewery. Tropeano said Resident Culture is known for its hazy IPAs and lagers. He said their unique beer separates them from other breweries in the area. Over the summer, Resident Culture held a lager fest, where he and his team brought in breweries from around the country to showcase their lagers, which is something that not many breweries have done. While he enjoys making beer, Tropeano is his harshest critic. “It can be a challenge enjoying the fruits of my labor because I’m always looking for the flaws,” Tropeano said. “But it is pretty rewarding to see people come in and enjoying your product and really liking it. It’s nice to have that direct feedback.” Another one of his favorite parts of being in the beer industry is getting to meet others in the community. “I think the industry is filled with a lot of really great people and that’s kind of why I got into the industry in the first place,” Tropeano said. “It’s fun to go to events and make new friends.”
Tropeano said cultivating relationships with others in the beer industry is equally as important to him as making good beer. He hopes in the future, Resident Culture can distribute more beer and add more locations. He also wants to focus on improving the brewery’s new pop-up location in Uptown Charlotte. Dickie recommends those visiting Charlotte and interested in the brewery scene to visit Resident Culture first. From there, she said to make a plan to tackle which breweries they want to visit. “It can be overwhelming since there are so many [breweries],” Dickie said. “Obviously, come to Resident first. Everyone is super nice that works at breweries and there are some really good beers in Charlotte and a lot of awards are won here and things like that, so there’s a lot of really good options.” When it comes to getting into the beer scene, Dickie’s biggest piece of advice is to try as many beers as possible. She said many breweries will allow you to taste the beer before purchasing it, but ordering a flight of beer is also a good way for people to see what they like. “There’s nothing worse than ordering a 16-ounce pour of something and you’re like, ‘I hate this,’” Dickie said. Dickie said the beer community has been very supportive on social media. While some beer influencers
Alexis Dickie shares her adventures trying beer around the world, including Australia and Portugal, with her 6,000 Instagram followers. When home, she’s at Resident Culture. Photo courtesy of Alexis Dickie
who care a lot about their numbers, hashtags and algorithms, she is more interested in just posting photos of her beers and writing travel guides on her blog. Though some have told her the brewery scene in Charlotte and around the country will plateau eventually, she only sees it growing. She hopes to help more people in the future and continue giving her insights on her passion. “I like to travel, I like to drink beer and I like to help people learn more about those things,” Dickie said. “That’s why I started my website and Instagram, so I hope it continues to grow. I’m just always excited to get to try new breweries and try new beers.”
Want to learn more? Resident Culture Brewing Company is located at 2101 Central Ave., Charlotte. Call 704-3331862 or visit www.residentculture brewing.com for details. Instagram: @adventures.and.ales Website: adventuresandales.com
WEEKLY WEB SERIES >> Newcomer Kayla Berenson explores the Charlotte region's growing brewery scene in our new web series, “The Beer Baby,” which airs Wednesdays on YouTube and Instagram TV. Find us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn @mmhweekly, @ucweekly or @southcltweekly for updates.
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