Inside: Police arrest suspect in killing • Page 2A
Friday, March, 29, 2019 • Vol. 14 • No. 13
ABOUT US P.O. BOX 1104 Matthews, NC 28106 (704) 849-2261 justin@cmgweekly.com unioncountyweekly.com
WEEKLY PICKS Grand opening The Ashley HomeStore Outlet celebrates its grand opening 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. March 30 at 9632 E. Independence Blvd., Matthews. The store is offering deep discounts and a chance to win a shopping spree. The first 200 customers get a free fleece blanket.
Concert series The Town of Indian Trail launches its Hits After Six concert series April 4 with 1970s and 1980s rock band Sonic Rewind. Events take place 6 to 9 p.m. on Thursdays at Crossing Paths Park. The first event will include food and drink vendors, as well as yard games and bounce houses.
Friday flicks Indian Trail Parks and Recreation screens “Incredibles 2” as part of its Friday Flicks outdoor movie series at dusk March 29 at Crooked Creek Park. Family activities take place from 6 to 9 p.m. Admission is free.
Outdoor movie Union County Parks and Recreation screens “Peter Rabbit” March 29 during The Scene of Spring Outdoor Movie Series at Cane Creek Park in Waxhaw. The event includes music, local vendors and food trucks. Activities span 6 to 10 p.m. The movie starts at 8 p.m. Admission is free.
Living PLUS 55 A SENIOR'S GUIDE
GOING THE DISTANCE: 69-year-old prepares for his 19th Boston Marathon, Page 4A SUPPORTING OLDER ADULTS: 15 people fighting for seniors, Page 5B DEVELOPMENT TREND ALERT: The many benefits of cohousing, Page 8A
Theaters Get ready for a good cry. Tim Burton’s “Dumbo” hits the big screen. It’s the latest Disney animated hit to get the live action upgrade.
CAMERA ROLL Children got to touch more than 30 vehicles at a festival held March 23 at Chestnut Square Park. Photos courtesy of Town of Indian Trail
Remember WWII, Page 1B Retired nurse can hear again, Page 7A
Candidates tout their conservative principles Six Republican hopefuls try to win over Union voters by Paul Nielsen paul@cmgweekly.com
Expo showcases 50-plus companies by Dante Miller dmiller@cmgweekly.com
INDEX Crime................................................................................ 6A Classifieds..............................................................7B In the Know......................................................... 2A Munch Madness....................................... 3A Loud&Live.............................................................4B Sudoku.........................................................................3B Crossword..............................................................4B
MONROE – The Union County Business Expo attracted more than 50 companies March 21 at the Union County Agricultural Center. The event was an excellent opportunity for business owners, new or experienced, to network with one another. It's one of the Union County Chamber of Commerce's signature events.
Chamber membership starts at $300 a year for individuals or nonprofits. Business memberships start at $395, depending on the number of employees. However, chamber staff and members stress the fee is an investment. “It's an opportunity to network with other non-profit organizations, as well as businesses, in the community so that we can build those colsee EXPO, Page 8A
Spring Forward into Fitness!
Top: Laidbacktravel.com Cruise Planners won third place in the expo booth contest. Above: Carolina Family Chiropractic, located at 8019 Ardrey Kell Road in Charlotte, provides a demonstration. Dante Miller/UCW photos
MONROE – There was almost no disagreement on policy among six Republican candidates seeking the party’s nomination in the 9th District Brown congressional special election at a forum on March 27. State Sen. Dan Bishop, businesswoman Leigh Brown, Matthews resident Gary Dunn, former Mecklenburg County Commissioner Matthew Ridenhour, Union Bishop County Commissioner Stony Rushing and former Union County State Sen. Fern Shubert all attended the forum sponsored by the Sweet Union Republican Women and attended by around 150 people at the Old Courthouse. see CONGRESS, Page 5A
March Special
50% OFF Joining Fee! Expires March 31st
Water Park opens Friday, May 24th! Located off Hwy 74 across the street from Lowe’s on Hanover Dr. in Monroe
704-282-4680
Page 2A • Union County Weekly • March 29, 2019
NEWS BRIEFS
IN THE KNOW PHOTO OF THE WEEK
active in the community since 1980. The club is also involved in an oratorical contest, computer scholarships, breakfast with Santa and improved student party. Call 980-328-5700 or visit www.wedding ton-optimist.org to learn more.
STAY CONNECTED • Instagram: @ucweekly • Twitter: @UCweekly • Like us on Facebook • Web: www.unioncounty weekly,com • E-edition: issuu.com/car olinaweeklynewspapers
UCPS to hire teachers, staff at career fairs
CONTACT US PRESIDENT Jonathan McElvy
The Town of Indian Trail opened a new exhibit of student artwork March 20 at town hall with a VIP reception for artists and their families. Photo courtesy of Town of Indian Trail
MOST POPULAR STORIES • Police charge suspect with first-degree murder • Creatives launch CBD shop • Five summer camps that focus on animals • Cosmetology program offers diploma, license • Cavs foul on bid for first title
TWEETS OF THE WEEK • “Congratulations to the CHS Percussion ensemble! This past weekend they were named the Carolina Winter Ensemble Association’s 2019 Silver Medalist!” – Cuthbertson High (@CHSCavaliers) • “What's new around the U?! 5 of the 7 bond projects are in the construction phase with 2 projects substantially completed! Visit our bond website to see the progression of these projects. http://www.ucpsbond2016.com #TeamUCPS” – Union County Schools (@UCPS_MonroeNC)
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PUBLISHER Adrian Garson BUSINESS MANAGER Rebecca Jensen MANAGING EDITOR Justin Vick justin@cmgweekly.com NEWS EDITOR Karie Simmons karie@cmgweekly.com SPORTS EDITOR Andrew Stark andrew@cmgweekly.com CONTENT PRODUCERS Paul Nielsen paul@cmgweekly.com Dante Miller dmiller@cmgweekly.com ART DIRECTOR Kylie Sark art@cmgweekly.com ADVERTISING Charlotte Conway Kate Kutzleb adsales@cmgweekly.com
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Photo courtesy of Union County Public Schools
Houlihan recognized for community engagement MONROE – The National School Public Relations Association will recognize Andrew Houlihan at its national conference this summer in Washington, D.C. as one of 14 Houlihan Superintendents to Watch. Melissa Merrell, who chairs the Union County Public Schools Board of Education, credited Houlihan for outstanding leadership and community engagement. “From day one, his enthusiasm created a #TeamUCPS culture that goes beyond our 53 schools and into our entire community,” she said. “He invites everyone to be engaged and #BeTheBest.” Houlihan's team have implemented several communication strategies to expand engagement since 2016, including: • Held listening and learning tour with stakeholders. • Expanded digital literacy and college/career readiness resources. • Developed Books and Brackets reading challenge. • Implemented monthly Twitter chats for staff.
Police arrest suspect in killing MONROE – Monroe Police have arrested 29-year-old Christopher Terrell Walker on charges of first-degree murder in the shooting death of 71-year-old Archie Lee Blount. Monroe Police responded to a call of shots fired at 9:42 p.m. March 24 at the 400 block of English St. Upon arrival, officers found Blount deceased beside his vehicle with what appeared to be multiple gunshot wounds. During the investigation, police were called to a neighboring home where they found Walker and a weapon. After brief questioning, police took Walker into custody. Investigators are working to determine the events leading up to the shooting. Blount and Walker both lived at the same home, police said. Anyone with additional information is asked to call the Monroe Police Department at 704282-4700.
Union Academy student wins Optimist Club essay contest
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WEDDINGTON – Jackson Helms, a senior at Union Academy, won the Weddington Optimist Club’s essay contest. Helms was awarded a $100 first place prize. His essay will be sent to the district level to be judged. “Jackson Helms did a wonderful job of articulating this year’s theme,” Club President Mary Ann Maxson said. The theme was “When All the World’s Problems are Solved, is Optimism Still Necessary?” Second and third place winners, Sydney Ayers and Annaliese Winnail, received $75 and $50 awards, respectively. The Optimist Club of Weddington has been
WEDDINGTON – Union County Public Schools will host career fairs for prospective teachers and non-instructional staff April 6 that will allow candidates the opportunity to interview for positions on the spot. The teacher fair takes place 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., followed by the career fair for non-instructional positions from 2 to 4 p.m. Both events will be held at Weddington High, 4901 Monroe-Weddington Road. Candidates interested in pursuing non-instructional careers will have the opportunity to interview for available positions in the district’s after-school, facilities, nutrition and transportation departments. Prospective teachers can register in advance on the UCPS website.
AAA: Gas prices continue to rise due to demand CHARLOTTE – Gas prices have gone up another nickel on the week across the Carolinas and most motorists are paying more at the pump than they were this time last year, according to AAA Carolinas. North Carolina’s $2.46 average is up five cents on the week, 19 cents on the month and is two cents more than this time last year. Charlotte averaged $2.44 on March 20, $2.37 on March 13 and $2.21 on March 20, 2018. “Since early February, gasoline demand has been steadily increasing while stocks have been gradually decreasing causing more expensive pump prices across the country,” said Tiffany Wright, AAA Carolinas spokesperson. “This week, we officially passed last year’s prices.”
AARP chapter meets monthly MONROE – Patricia Poland, a genealogist with the Union County Public Library, explained how to research your family tree at Union County AARP's March chapter meeting. The group generally meets from 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday of the month at the Ellen Fitzgerald Senior Center, 327 S. Hayne St. Upcoming meetings are April 23, May 28, June 25 and Sept. 24. For details, contact W. Beatrice Colson, interim president, 704-221-0192; Mary Lawwill, vice president, 704-821-4541; or Sylvia Newbill, secretary, 512-350-0081 or sylvianew bill53@gmail.com.
Lions Club holds screening INDIAN TRAIL – The Indian Trail Lions Club is sponsoring a free vision screening for all ages. The screening takes place 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. March 29 at Hemby Insurance, 101 Blythe Drive. Premier Family Eye Care and Lions Club members will staff the screening.
Master Gardeners hold spring plant sale MONROE – The Union County Master Gardeners will feature a variety of vegetables, herbs, perennials, annuals, houseplants, container trees and shrubs at its spring plant sale. The sale takes place 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. April 13 at the Union County Agricultural Center, 3230 Presson Road. April 14 will serve as the rain date. Call 704-283-3822 or email ucmgwebsite@ gmail.com for details.
www.unioncountyweekly.com you’re invited
Charlotte’s 1st Annual Tour of 55+ Homes Tuesday, April 30th 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. Bus departs at 10 a.m. from 4830 Randolph Rd., Charlotte You must ride the bus to be part of the tour.
Join us for tours of four local communities and learn how wonderful life can be!
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Union County Weekly • March 29, 2019 • Page 3A
First Round
Thirsty 32
March 22 to 26
March 29 to April 2
April 5 to 9
April 12 to 16
1 Provisions Waxhaw
April 19 to 23
Final Fork Edible Eight Sweet 16
April 26 to 30
April 19 to 23
April 12 to 16
April 5 to 9
8 Fox’s Pizza Den 5 Stacks Kitchen 5 Stacks Kitchen 12 Ice Cream and Pizza Works 13 Queens South Bar & Grill
13 Queens South Bar & Grill
March 29 to April 2
March 22 to 26
8 Saveeda’s American Bistro
1 Athens Pizza
8 Saveeda’s American Bistro 9 Sabor Latin Street Grill 5 Poppy Seeds Bagels
5 Poppy Seeds Bagels
12 Lucy’s Bake and Deli 4 Hickory Tavern 4 Hickory Tavern
Waxhaw
6 El Vallarta Mex Express
First Round
16 Brooklyn Pizza Parlor
Final Fork
9 Bistro D’Antonio
Thirsty 32
16 Brooklyn Pizza Parlor
Road to the
8 Fox’s Pizza Den
4 Black Chicken
Championship
Munch Madness
1 Provisions Waxhaw 16 Broome Street Burgers
Sweet 16 Edible Eight Final Fork
Matthews
11 Rippington’s
13 New Asia Market 6 Phat Daddy’s Cafe
11 Mama’s Pizza & Pasta
11 Rippington’s
11 Mama’s Pizza & Pasta
3 Mary O’Neill’s Irish Pub
3 Carnitas Mexican 3 Carnitas Mexican Guanajuato Guanajuato 14 Ararat 17
3 Mary O’Neill’s 14 701 Main Restaurant 7 Emmet’s Social Table
7 Emmet’s Social Table
7 Mario’s Italian Restaurant
10 South Main Street Barbeque
7 Mario’s Italian Restaurant 10 The Steak ‘n Hoagie Shop
2 Maxwell’s Tavern
2 Moochie’s Tavern 2 Maxwell’s Tavern
2 Moochie’s Tavern
15 GRITS Home Cookin’
15 Fresh Chef Restaurant
Champion 1 Fox’s Alley 1 Fox’s Alley Bowling Bar & Grill Bowling Bar & Grill 16 Little Country Kitchen
1 The Trail House 1 The Trail House 16 El Cafetal
8 Spiro’s Hilltop
8 Your GG’s Kitchen 8 Spiro’s Hilltop
8 Your GG’s Kitchen
9 El Vallarta
9 Cactus Rose Cafe 5 Sileo’s NY Deli
5 Franklin Court Grille
12 Jefferson Street Deli
5 Sileo’s NY Deli
12 Jefferson Street Deli
12 Sun Valley Cafe
4 The Smoke Pit
4 Grapes Wine Bar 4 The Smoke Pit
4 Grapes Wine Bar 13 Chokh Di Noodle House 6 Mia Famiglia
11 Omega Coney Island
13 Red Bowl
Indian Trail
Monroe
11 Omega Coney Island
3 Pig-n-Vittles
No need to fill out the entire bracket. Each week, we'll collect votes for each round until a winner emerges. There are two ways to vote: 1. Email your round favorites to justin@cmgweekly. com. 2. Find photos of each bracket on Facebook or Instagram and leave a comment with who you want to win.
14 Athenian Grill 14 Athenian Grill 7 Juke Box Deli and Pub 10 Sabor 10 Sabor Latin Street Grill 2 The Bridge Restaurant
11 Hathaway’s Chicken N Biscuits
How to vote
3 Hickory Tavern
2 The Bridge Restaurant
15 NY Pizza & Pasta
Who got snubbed? Would you like to file a formal complaint to the Munch Madness: Road to the Final Fork selection committee? Email justin@cmgweekly.com why your favorite restaurant deserved to be on the list or receive a higher seed and we may print responses. Remember, there is no crying in competitive food.
6 Oasis Sandwich Shop
11 Hathaway’s Chicken N Biscuits
3 Pig-n-Vittles 14 Sea Hut 7 The Grumpy Monk 7 The Grumpy Monk 10 Crossroads Grille 2 Stone Table 2 Stone Table 15 Duke’s Grill
Visit the Union County Weekly Facebook to cast your vote
You can also check us out on Instagram @ucweekly
And don’t forget to follow us on Twitter @ucweekly
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Page 4A • Union County Weekly • March 29, 2019
Pineville man, 69, prepares to run his 19th Boston Marathon
Dolph Janis (left) founded Clear Income Strategies Group in 2005. Jeff Conyers joined the company as an associate last year. Paul Nielsen/UCW photo
by Paul Nielsen paul@cmgweekly.com
CHARLOTTE – Back in 1981, Joe Schlereth signed up to run in the United Way Corporate Challenge 5K. Schlereth, who was working for Axa Equitable, had no choice. “I was told all the managers were going to participate, and I was one of the managers,” Schlereth said. Schlereth didn’t train much for that race but he did achieve his goal of beating the other managers from his company. A year later, Schlereth again ran in the race. While he didn't improve, the race proved to be an eye-opener. “I have to get in better shape,” Schlereth said at the time. “I considered that two strikes.” Schlereth, 69, of Pineville, has been running and running ever since. He started with local races – 5Ks and 10Ks – before running his first marathon in 1985. “I still remember my time, and I wish I could get that now. It was 3 hours, 28 minutes and some seconds,” Schlereth said. “Pretty decent time for a first-time marathoner.” In two weeks, Schlereth will depart for Boston, where he will run in his 19th Boston Marathon on April 15. He has run in more than 300 marathons and ultra-marathons, in addition to many shorter races. Ultra marathons are races longer than a 26.2-mile marathon and include distances of 50K, 100K, 50-miles, 100-miles and 24-hour races. Favorite race The Boston Marathon is his favorite race. The reasons are many. The 26.2-mile course runs through the historic suburban towns of Hopkinton, Framingham, Natick and Wellesley before ending in the heart of downtown on Patriots Day. All runners also must post a qualifying time to be one of the lucky 30,000 runners entered this year. Schlereth finished the 2018 Boston Marathon in 4:23.02 but this year’s qualifying mark is 4:05 for his age division of 65-69. Schlereth has run several sub-four-hour qualifying marathons since the 2018 Boston Marathon. “It is prestigious because it is one of the few marathons that you just don’t sign up,” Schlereth said. “You have to hit a certain time based on your age and gender.” And then there are the enthusiastic crowds that line the race course in support of the
Firm educates clients on retirement solutions by Paul Nielsen paul@cmgweekly.com
CHARLOTTE – When Medicare, life insurance and extended care financial solutions professional Jeff Conyers was thinking about becoming an associate at Clear Income Strategies Group in south Charlotte, he had just one question for company founder Dolph Janis. Janis has been in the retirement services industry since 2005. His company strives to find common-sense solutions for individual retirement needs. “He wanted to find someone that is doing right for the clients,” Janis said. “One of the first questions he asked me is: What do I do for my clients? The answer was what is best for them.” Conyers, who owns Carolina Living Benefits, signed on about nine months ago as an associate. He said the company’s emphasis on customer service was one reason he joined the company. “We don’t work for an insurance company. We don’t work for a bank. We don’t work for a brokerage,” Conyers said. “We work for our clients.” Janis said educating clients about different retirement strategies is extremely important to the associates at Clear Income Strategies. Janis also offers his clients a variety of annuity options that best fit their needs. “We don’t charge fees for services. We get compensation from the companies we work with,” Janis said. “Last year alone, I wrote with 19 different companies. You go to a standard advisor, they have probably written with one or two, sometimes three companies, if you get lucky. We tell people the truth. We are going to do what is the best for the client. One person’s situation is
Joe Schlereth not only runs long distances, but he shares his love of running with others through mentoring with Charlotte-based Run For You. Photo courtesy of Joe Schlereth
runners. Some years have as many as 500,000 spectators lining the course. “The city really supports it, and it is really like a happening,” Schlereth said. The future Schlereth said he'll keep running until his body can’t take it anymore. He's planning to run the Boston Marathon in 2020. “I keep saying that I am near the end,” Schlereth said. “I want to do 20 Bostons. I’m realistic in that my body is going to say, ‘Don’t do this anymore.’ But I am feeling pretty good.” Regardless of when his competitive running career begins to wind down, Schlereth intends to stay active in the sport. For the past 10 years, Schlereth, who is a certified distance running coach, has been active in Run For You, where he mentors runners young and old. Run For You is a Charlotte-based running training program for runners of all ages and all abilities and pace. It has three training locations in Piper Glen, Midtown and University. Schlereth is affiliated with the Piper Glen group. “I have a passion for running and I want to pass some of that along,” Schlereth said. “If I can’t do the marathons anymore, hopefully I will still be helping people by being a coach and helping people train. Running will always be a part of me until I have to be in a rest home or underground somewhere.”
different from everybody else. Your strategy is going to be different from everybody else that we talk to. The clients are making the choices. We are not making the choices. Some advisors are going to try and sway you one way.” Before getting into retirement services almost 15 years ago, Janis managed a casino and a restaurant in addition to being a golf professional. “I had a lot of people I know that got destroyed in 2001, and I have been an educator my whole life,” Janis said. “I have done my fair share of educating. When I got in this business I said, ‘How can we educate people in the right way.’ “We are built on customer service. A lot of these people run these one-man shops and they will meet with you once a year if you are lucky. They are going to hear from us weekly, monthly just to stay in touch. Our focus is that nobody is ever forgotten. They don’t contact you until they need you.’’ Conyers said a personal experience led him to become a Medicare, life insurance and extended care financial solutions professional. “My dad had Alzheimer’s and what I realized in helping him with all of his personal decisions was that the folks he was trusting to lead and guide him were not necessarily doing that,” Conyers said. “They were more interested in lining their own pockets. As I learned the Medicare business and got licensed, I started helping folks at church, as well as my dad. When I lost my corporate consumer products job, I decided to do this full time. “At the end of the day, there are a lot of people in this business for a number of different reasons. But at the end of the day, my motivation was to help folks and do as I would want done to me.” On the web: https://clearincomeforlife. com.
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Union County Weekly • March 29, 2019 • Page 5A
CONGRESS (continued from page 1A)
Bishop, Brown, Ridenhour, Rushing and Shubert all touted their conservative principles on issues that included supporting President Trump, building a wall on the country’s southern border and protecting the unborn and the Second Amendment. But when it came to electability and beating expected Democratic Party nominee Dan McCready in the general election, there was a difference of opinion on who would be the best Republican candidate. Republican Mark Harris defeated McCready by 905 votes in last year’s general election but the state ordered a new election after allegations of absentee voter fraud emerged. Harris, who supported the call for a new election, is not running in the May 14 primary. Ridenhour said during his losing 2018 re-election campaign that he received more votes than Harris and Bishop, who represents parts of south Charlotte and Matthews and Mint Hill, in the 27 voting locations where all three of their names appeared on the ballot.
“At the end of the day, who can win? Who can beat Dan McCready?” Ridenhour said. “Who can keep this seat red as it should have been when Mark Harris won the election? I know that I can beat Dan McCready. Mecklenburg County is Dan McCready’s home turf, and that is my home turf, too. I know I can beat Dan McCready in Mecklenburg County.” Bishop countered that he is the best candidate to take on McCready in Mecklenburg County and across the rest of the district. During the forum, Bishop announced that former Union County GOP chairman Dan Barry, former Union County State Sen. Tommy Tucker, current Union County State Rep. Dean Arp and former Mecklenburg County Commissioners Karen Bentley, Bill James and Jim Puckett have all endorsed him. “Matthew is correct, he had more votes in the precincts we shared than I did,” Bishop said. “But I won my race for re-election to the senate and Matthew lost his race for re-election to the county commission. I am a tested and proven conservative. I was the only Republican who survived in Mecklenburg County.”
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Bishop also said Ridenhour has “expressed concern” his support of HB-2 could be a problem in the general election. Bishop was the primary sponsor of HB-2, which was also known as the “Bathroom Bill.” “It will not be a problem for me because the people throughout my district understand that people are entitled to privacy in a bathroom,” Bishop said. “It’s not hard to get. I don’t hide my principles, I never have.” Rushing, who was the top vote-getter in the county commissioner’s race last fall, said the fact he has lived or worked in many of the counties in the district makes him the best candidate to defeat McCready. Union County accounted for 30 percent of the votes last November with Harris winning the county with 59 percent of the vote. “A local Democrat in Mecklenburg County was asked, ‘Who do you worry about the most,’” Rushing said. “She said Stony Rushing. She knows my reach in the 9th District. She knows the support I have here in Union County, top vote-getter in the last election. I spent less than $5,000. I don’t need the name recognition, I have the name recognition.” Shubert said she has been taking
Gary Dunn, of Matthews, has previously run for Charlotte mayor and North Carolina governor. UCW file photo
conservative stands for many years, including back when Union County was a Democratic stronghold. “I am a traditional conservative,” Shubert said. “I have been talking for years about illegal immigration. I’m pro-life and I am pro-Second Amendment. I have a record, look at my record.” Brown, who has been a Realtor for the past 19 years, said she would be a strong supporter of President Trump policies. “I would like to support him in those efforts,” Brown said. Dunn said he would represent all
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the people in the 9th District. “I will protect your best interests, I will protect your constitutional rights,” Dunn said. Stevie Rivenbark, Albert Wiley, Jim Anglin and Kathie Day are also on the ballot but did not attend the forum. The general election, if the winner of the May 14 primary gets at least 30 percent of the vote, will be held on Sept. 10. If no Republican in the crowded field meets that threshold, then the run-off will be held Sept. 10 with the general election being held on Nov. 5.
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Matthews Community Center 100 E McDowell Street, Matthews
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2019
Thrive Over 55 Senior Expo March 29, 2019 • 9am-12:30pm
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Page 6A • Union County Weekly • March 29, 2019
After 35 years, Stallings police chief is ready for retirement by Dante Miller
The Union County Sheriff's Office reported these incidents March 15 to 21:
Hemby Bridge
Driving While Impaired • 4100 block of Faith Church Road
dmiller@cmgweekly.com
STALLINGS – After serving 35 years of law enforcement and emergency services, Police Chief Minor Plyer Jr. is looking forward to a new chapter in his life – retirement. Plyer has served the community for 12 years. He was appointed police chief in June 2012, a few years after his brother founded the department. He too retired as police chief. Plyer's last day is March 28. “It’s been an amazing journey, and I can’t imagine a better place to wrap it up,” Plyer said, noting he couldn't have asked for a better council or colleagues. “I'm only leaving because I have 35 years in and I want to do something else for a while.” Colleagues describe Plyer as a man with a big heart, as well as consistently positive, extremely understanding and bit of a jokester. He is mostly viewed as a mentor by many and has demonstrated exceptional leadership. “He reinstated community police and services division when he became chief here and put me in that [community relations officer] position so that we can have a direct link to the community,” Ben Davis said. “Both he and his brother, Larke, have a very community-orientated policing philosophy.” After his brother retired, the police department hired an outside chief for roughly a year. Things didn't work out, and Plyer filled the role
CRIME SCENE
Indian Trail
Police Chief Minor Plyer Jr.'s last day as Stallings police chief was on March 28. Dante Miller/UCW photo
without a second thought. “That year was a tough year for us,” he said. “But we just refocused on what this department's mission was supposed to be. Our growth has been getting a stronger relation to the community. That's why we have such amazing community support here.” Plyer said the reason why Stalling is continuously named one of the safest towns in the nation is because of community and their trust in the police department. “We keep ranking as one of the safest cities,” he said. “It's not because we're going out there and preventing all this crime because the people in this town watch out for each other.” Vehicle break-ins are still the number one crime committed in Stallings, mainly because people don't lock their doors in neighborhoods. Roughly 10 years ago, when Plyer was on patrol, the mayor at the time thought it would be best for the town not to have a police department, but instead, contract that out to the sheriff's office similar to what Indian Trail does.
“It works great for them,” Plyer said. “The townspeople came out and filled up this town hall and said 'no, you're not getting rid of our department.' So we owe our existence to the town. Whenever I interview people here, I always tell that story, and I tell them that we pay them back every day.” Since his time as police chief, the department has gained a K-9 officer and community relations officer. There are 23 sworn positions and three civilian positions. “I will miss Minor’s humor, calm demeanor and commitment to helping his fellow human being,” Town Manager Alex Sewell said. “The town will use a best-practices approach to evaluating and selecting our community’s next police chief with the goal of filling the position by fall 2019.” While searching for Plyer's successor Assistant Police Chief John Flynn will act as police chief. “I can't wait to see what happens next in the future,” Plyer said. During his retirement, Plyer hopes to travel more and will enjoy not being on call for the first time in 35 years.
Animal Call Bite • 200 block of Lauren Drive Break-Ins • 3000 block of Great Falls Drive • 4800 block of Starcrest Drive Break-Ins, Vehicles • 3000 block of Streamlet Way • 5000 block of Dresden Court Disorderly Conduct • 5600 block of Poplin Road Fraud • 200 block of Clear Springs Court • 5900 block of Oakwood Lane Identity Theft • 6100 block of Stoney Ridge Drive • 7000 block of Sedgewick Road Possess/Receive Stolen Vehicle • 2000 block of Emerson Lane Possession of Schedule IV Controlled Substances • 5700 block of West U.S. 74 • 5800 block of West U.S. 74 Possession of Marijuana • 6900 block of Stinson Hartis Road Property Damage • 300 block of Braxton Drive • 5500 block of Potter Road • 6100 block of Daybreak Drive • 6300 block of Daybreak Drive (2 cases) Thefts • 2100 block of Younts Road (5 cases) • 5200 block of North Rocky River Road • 5700 block of West U.S. 74 • 6600 block of Old Monroe Road
Marshville
Break-Ins • 3700 block of Marshville Olive Branch Road Burning Property • 3900 block of Holly School Road Possession of Marijuana Paraphernalia • 100 block of South Forest Hills School Road Possession of Schedule I Controlled Substances • 2200 block of Sojourn Road Possession of Schedule II Controlled Substances • 100 block of South Forest Hills School Road Thefts • 1500 block of Acme Road Weapon on School Property • 100 block of South Forest Hills School Road
Marvin
Break-Ins • 1000 block of Spyglass Lane
Monroe Break-Ins
• 300 block of East Phifer Street • 400 block of East Old U.S. 74 • 500 block of John Street • 1100 block of Lancaster Avenue • 1700 block of Goldmine Road Break-Ins, Vehicles • 1300 block of Lucille Avenue • 3200 block of Down Wind Drive • 3900 block of Sanford Lane • 4400 block of West U.S. 74 • 4500 block of West U.S. 74 Discharging Firearm • 2600 block of Nelda Drive Driving While Impaired • 1400 block of West Roosevelt Boulevard • 2100 block of West Roosevelt Boulevard Drunk & Disruptive • 1900 block of Dickerson Boulevard Extortion • 2400 block of West Roosevelt Boulevard Fraud • 7500 block of Arant Road Harassing Phone Call • 4500 block of Varner Drive Hit & Run • 200 block of West Roosevelt Boulevard • 500 block of Morgan Mill Road Interference With Meters • 5700 block of Sustar Drive Possession of Cocaine • 2000 block of West Roosevelt Boulevard Possession of Drug Paraphernalia • 2900 block of Monroe Way Possession of Heroin • 2500 block of Woodbrook Lane Possession of Marijuana • 400 block of West Roosevelt Boulevard • 400 block of West Sunset Drive • 500 block of North Church Street • 500 block of South Johnson Street • 500 block of Sunnybrook Drive • 600 block of West Roosevelt Boulevard (2 cases) • 800 block of Burke Street • 3300 block of Pageland Highway • 3500 block of Zebulon Williams Road Possession of Schedule IV Controlled Substance • 1300 block of East Sandy Ridge Road Possession of Schedule VI Controlled Substance • 600 block of Lasalle Street Possession of Stolen Firearm • 700 block of South MLK Jr Boulevard Property Damage • 20 block of Macedonia Church Road • 300 block of East Windsor Street • 500 block of Morgan Mill Road • 900 block of Maurice Street • 900 block of West Franklin Street • 1200 block of Sand Dollar Court • 1300 block of Walkup Avenue • 1600 block of Walkup Avenue • 1700 block of Icemorlee Street • 1700 block of Maurice Street Resist, Delay, Obstruct • 1100 block of North MLK Jr.
Boulevard Speeding to Elude Arrest • 100 block of West Jefferson Street Thefts • 300 block of East Green Street • 600 block of Curtis Street • 600 block of West Roosevelt Boulevard • 800 block of East Roosevelt Boulevard (2 cases) • 900 block of Secrest Hill Drive • 1500 block of East Sunset Drive • 1600 block of West Franklin Street • 1900 block of Dickerson Boulevard (2 cases) • 2100 block of West Roosevelt Boulevard • 2200 block of Lancaster Avenue • 2300 block of West Roosevelt Boulevard • 3500 block of West U.S. 74 Thefts, Vehicle Parts • 2400 block of West Roosevelt Boulevard • 3000 block of Old Charlotte Highway Trespassing • 600 block of Hospital Drive Unauthorized Use of Vehicle • 600 block of Hillsdale Drive • 700 block of English Street
Waxhaw
Break-Ins • 9400 block of South Providence Road Break-Ins, Vehicle • 1500 block of South Providence Road Property Damage • 1800 block of South Providence Road Thefts • 10000 block of Weiss Way
Weddington
Animal Call Bite • 1000 block of Baron Road
Wesley Chapel
Driving While Impaired • 100 block of Airport Road • 3700 block of Wesley Chapel Road Property Damage • 100 block of Airport Road • 6100 block of Weddington Road The Stallings Police Department reported these incidents March 11 to 17: Driving While Impaired • 13700 block of East Independence Boulevard Robbery with a Dangerous Weapon • 3200 block of Fieldstone Drive Thefts • 4200 block of Suttle Place
ONLINE EXTRA: Read crime reports from previous weeks on our website: www.union countyweekly.com
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3/19/2019 8:37:30 AM
Union County Weekly • March 29, 2019 • Page 7A
Ellen Fitzgerald Senior Center serves as one-stop shop for socialization by Andrew Stark andrew@cmgweekly.com
MONROE – For the past 42 years, the Ellen Fitzgerald Senior Center has been helping seniors age and live well with a variety of activities designed to keep them active and engaged in the community. The center, which was built in 1977 in historic downtown at 327 S. Hayne St., is available for seniors 55 and older and has everything under the sun to offer those looking for interaction, networking or activities. Its mission is to provide a focal point to enhance and support independence and dignity, as well as encourage seniors' involvement in the community. And it does that job very well, but be warned that all the center offers may take some time to sink in. On Thursday afternoons, for example, the Ellen Fitzgerald Senior Center is filled with the melodies of the Senior Center Singers practicing harmoniously in the background. That group performs at nursing homes and other functions around Union County. But on that particular day, there were classes for woodworking, ceramics, jigsaw and word puzzles, a walking club, pickleball games, line dancing, quilting and the popular card game Canasta sprinkled in throughout the morning and early afternoon. The next day, the schedule was much different and included activities such as range-of-motion fitness classes, aerobic exercise, bowling, Euchre, cornhole and yoga. Class sizes vary by the day, and new members and guests are always welcome. “Our most popular classes are definitely exercise,” said the center’s director Colleen Puceta. “Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays we have a range-of-motion class at 9.
The Ellen Fitzgerald Senior Center in Monroe packs in a lot of activities throughout the week, including card games, pickleball and fun things to do outside. Photos courtesy of EFSC
At 10 is a standing aerobics class and 11 is a yoga class on the mat and on the floor. Tuesdays we have a seated chair yoga class that has really picked up a lot of attention and attendees here of late. Canasta is big. Bridge and all of the card games are also very popular. “But we have everything from golf, pickleball, dancing and table tennis. It’s a broad mix of different activities for sure.” Puceta has been at the center for about a year and is getting to know most of the regulars. She said some will come to multiple classes during the day or certainly come to several classes throughout the week. But, she said, everyone can find something to do at center, which also has a clay and pottery studio for those interested in ceramics or woodworking. So no matter what gets seniors to the center in the first place, they always have a good time and come back another day. “We have a lot of people who come in from Indian Trail, Waxhaw and we have a lot of people who come in from the city as well,” Puceta said. “It’s a mix of single and married people, but we also see neighbors that invite each oth-
er when they come here and see all that is here.” Monroe residents aged 55 and over can join the center at no cost, and the vast majority of the classes will not accrue additional fees, although there are extra charges for some off-site activities, including bowling and golf. Non-Monroe residents will pay just $60 for an individual and $90 per couple in yearly dues. In addition to the card games, classes and other activities, the center offers caregiver and other support groups including diabetes, visually impaired and AARP members. It also offers free blood pressure checks, truly making the Ellen Fitzgerald Senior Center a one-stop shop for seniors looking to keep active. “We have support groups and educational programs as well, but I think one of the main things is the socialization,” Puceta said. “Just being out is good and we have pottery, ceramics, woodworking, to singing and playing cards, so that’s one key thing. Everyone can enjoy themselves. “There is really an activity for everyone here. It’s a great resource for seniors.”
Bob Smyth, a hearing instrument specialist with Beltone, explains the new hearing aids to Yvonne King. Dante Miller/UCW photo
Retired nurse receives gift of hearing by Dante Miller dmiller@cmgweekly.com
MATTHEWS – Yvonne King was living with only one hearing aid for about a year and is losing her hearing in both ears. On top of that, the hearing aid she had wasn't working well, but she couldn't afford new ones. She worked as a nurse for 25 years at the Consolation Nursing Home. She would have continued if she didn't break her arm from a fall while helping a patient. She has had balance problems and a knee replacement. Things haven't been the same since her fall, and after over two decades of selflessness, it was time for someone to help her. That person was her husband, Desmond. Desmond wrote a heartfelt letter to the Beltone Hearing Care Foundation to see if they could help his wife. The foundation approved Yvonne to receive a pair of top-of-the-line Legend hearing aids. She received her fitting March 12 at the Beltone Hearing Aid Center. “This is a blessing for me, and I thank you guys [Beltone] for the work you've put in,” Yvonne said. “Every time I need help I just run in here to Bob, and he fixes whatever needs to be fixed.” Hearing Instrument Specialist Bob Smyth said Yvonne's years as a nurse resonated with him. Legend hearing aids can cost upwards
of $7,000, and according to Smyth, hearing aids are not covered by insurance. “Some people deserve our help,” Smyth said. “Yvonne is one of those people. Ms. King has spent many years as a nurse taking care of other people. Now it's time somebody took care of her. She's a good person.” Yvonne is a kind person, but her ongoing hearing loss was irritating her and loved ones. “It was very frustrating not being able to hear people and people not being able to hear me,” she said. “Sometimes I don't respond properly because I can't hear what they're saying.” “To say one thing over and over and you're still not getting through to the person could be very irritating,” Desmond replied. “But you don't show it.” Yvonne goes to church consistently and said her church family is warm. “They do their best for me,” she said. “I was sitting in the second pew in the church. The priest came up to me and said, 'I see you got a front row seat,' and I said, 'Better to hear you with,' but I still couldn't hear.” One of the unique things about Beltone is that each patient can have their routine check-ups free of charge. “We do that so that we can check on little changes when they're little,” Smyth said. “The good thing is there's a lot of adjustments, and the bad thing is there's a lot of adjustments. So for thing things I can do, I want to get it as close to perfect as possible.” Yvonne and Desmond will celebrate their 54th anniversary in July. They look forward to eating a nice dinner and listening to music. Beltone is located at 600 Matthews-Mint Hill Road, Suite E. Call 704 814-7419 for details.
Page 8A • Union County Weekly • March 29, 2019 Follow us on Instagram to see more photos from the Union County Business Expo held on March 21 @ucweekly
EXPO (continued from page 1A)
laborations,” said Melita Mitchell, a member of the chamber's board and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. Gina Shinn and Kristen Warden both own entertainment stores. Shinn, of Masquerade Designs LLC, said membership in the chamber led to fellow businesses hiring her for anniversaries and spring flings. She has also gained exposure from local media outlets. Face Art and More has been open for 15 years. Warden said her family-owned business has noticed increased exposure and customer flow since joining the chamber two years ago. “It's a great networking opportunity, all you have to do is engage, come to the meetings, come to our luncheons, and go to our open houses – just watch the calendar,” said Gene Robbins, a board member and owner of Robbins &
Associates Insurance Agency. Companies can participate as much or little as they desire, but the more they participate, the better, Robbins said, because you meet a lot of awesome people. Mitchell pointed to leadership development as another perk, particularly through groups like Young Professionals and Women in Business. “It's also a great opportunity to make a difference if you want to be a person who's in on businesses that are making decisions for our community to make sure we have a great place to live, work and play this is the place to be,” Chamber President Pat Kahle said. Want to know more? Call 704-289-4567 or email info@UnionCoun tyCoC.com for details.
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Architect: Cohousing comes with many benefits by Pamela Biery Contributor
Charles Durrett is busy. He has been designing, teaching and building cohousing communities in the United States since he brought the concept here from Denmark with Kathryn McCamant some three decades ago, but things are different this year. “Instead of working on demonstrating the value of cohousing, our firm is occupied keeping pace with a number of communities under development,” he said. Durrett is also completing a new book to help others initiate cohousing communities. Cohousing is just now really hitting its stride in the United States. The US Cohousing Association reports 165 established cohousing communities with another 140 forming. Cohousing is a planned community consisting of private homes clustered around shared space. While each attached or single family home has traditional amenities, including a private kitchen, there are shared spaces that reflect each community – often with a shared community kitchen, lodge house, gardens and outdoor spaces. The legal structure is typically a homeowner association or housing cooperative. McCamant & Durrett Architects designed the first US cohousing community in Davis, California, completed in 1991. Affordable living and sustainable housing concerns are major issues confronting every age group in America today. Healthy, educated, proactive adults want to live in a social and environmentally responsible community. They also seek to maintain a quality lifestyle while stretching their dollars further into the future. I caught up with Durrett and quizzed him on the “hows and whys” of 50-plus cohousing.
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Q: What are some of the unique G R O Uof P50+ cohousing characteristics communities? Durrett: One word: proactive. These communities are filled with individuals who are choosing to take control
of their destinies through planning, not leaving things up to chance. For instance, accommodations are made for shared caregivers to live on site and long-term mobility and access issues are examined. Just the process of thinking things through as a group changes cohousing participants, preparing them with realistic views of their future. Q: What are some mature adult cohousing benefits? Durrett: Emotional well being, saving money through shared services and community and maintaining independence for much longer than is commonly possible. Today, more Americans live alone in their later years, a significant health concern. This is a reflection of our culture, and one that we have the power to change. New York University sociology professor Eric Klinenberg notes that social attitudes need to progress so older people can stay connected as they age. The biggest cohousing benefit for any community is living with kindred and having a number of close friendships. But it cannot be overlooked that cohousing costs are significantly less than other senior facilities and gives the longest possible independent lifestyle – good for living a full life and conserving financial resources. Q: How does cohousing reduce an individual’s carbon footprint? Durrett: Cohousing takes an individual out of the single-home mindset. Top of mind: better lifestyle, greener lifestyle. Seniors realize that it’s really OK to leave their ranchette and move closer to town, knowing they will be living with people they are comfortable with and that they are creating a home they can easily maintain for the next 20-plus years. Americans drive some 5 billion miles caring for seniors in their homes (Meals on Wheels, Whistle Stop Nurses, and so on). In our small, semi-rural county in the Sierra foothills, on-demand buses alone has made 60,000 trips in massive, lumbering, polluting vans-buses – usually carrying only one senior at a time
– schlepping a couple thousand seniors total over hill and dale to doctor’s appointments, to pick up medicine or to see friends. In our cohousing community of 21 seniors, I have never seen a single on-demand bus in the driveway. In cohousing it happens organically by caring neighbors: “Can I catch a ride with you?” or “Are you headed to the drug store?” This alternative is much more fun and inexpensive for all involved, and much less damaging to the environment. Site location that allows for walkable lifestyles is a large factor, as well. Wolf Creek Lodge, a senior cohousing community with 30 units, built on 1 acre, is within walking distance of downtown Grass Valley, California, population 12,000. Nevada City Cohousing is also a short stroll to the downtown historic district. Cohousing is a mind shift that is not just greener, it makes a better life. Q: How would cohousing affect my retirement planning? Durrett: Cohousing is a proactive, realistic way of addressing issues. It's an ultra-responsible approach to assessing how to provide for one’s own future. Everyone in the process is dealing with understanding that mortality is real and that aging successfully means examining the whole person benefits – economic, emotional and physical well being. Cohousers choose to place themselves in a fun, life-affirming and embracing community. The big thing here is that by living independently longer, money is saved at every juncture, so by taking control, resources can go much further. Turns out that an independent, quality life costs less than facilitated retirement. Learn more about cohousing Watch for Charles Durrett's new book, profiling the successful development of Quimper Village Cohousing in Port Townsend, Washington at www. cohousingco.com/products. Sign up for Cohousing Co. news and occasional updates, including the new book release, with the working title, “Quimper Village Cohousing: How 40 Seniors Made A New Neighborhood to Suite Their Real Needs.”
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Union County Weekly • March 29, 2019 • Page 1B
Realtor gives WWII vet models of DeVenuto planes he worked on during war felt calling to help veterans
by Karie Simmons karie@cmgweekly.com
by Paul Nielsen
MINT HILL – What started as a business relationship between a real estate agent and a client looking to sell his house, eventually turned into a friendship based on a shared interest in history and aviation. It didn’t matter the two friends are more than 30 years apart. Ed Funderburk, 60, has been selling real estate in Mecklenburg and Union counties for 32 years. Paul Norman, 94, had already moved to a new house on Grove Hall Avenue in Mint Hill, but he hadn’t sold his previous home. He strung Funderburk along for about a year while he debated whether to sell the house, rent it out or let his family decide what to do. One day, Norman called Funderburk and asked him to come by his office. He owns the Paul Norman Company, a sheet metal fabrication shop near the Charlotte Douglas International Airport, and has reported for work every day until this past year. His daughter, Susan, now runs the business. As soon as Funderburk walked into Norman’s office, he noticed his aviation and World War II memorabilia. “I threw my paperwork on the chair beside me and I said, ‘Hell, let’s talk about planes,’” Funderburk said. Funderburk had wanted to be a fighter pilot in the Navy and even passed the entrance exam after graduating college. But after talking with fighter pilots that came out of Vietnam, he decided at the last minute not to go in due to the politics. Norman was a Navy flight captain (crew chief ) on naval fighters in WWII. It was the perfect match. “I’ve always had great respect for those who served, regardless of which conflict,” Funderburk said. The two talked for hours about Norman’s time in the Navy. He was 18 years old and liv-
paul@cmgweekly.com
Above: Ed Funderburk presents the model planes he made to Paul Norman, who was a Navy flight captain on fighters during WWII. Right: A model of the WWII Naval fighter Grumman F4F Wildcat. Photos courtesy of Ed Funderburk
ing in Union Grove, N.C., when he was drafted for WWII. He saw joining the service as an educational experience and a change of pace from life on a farm. “A young man can learn very fast in whatever interest they put you in, and I was interested in airplanes,” Norman said. “It was an experience to an old country boy.” When the war began in 1939, the United States was just coming out of The Great De-
pression. Good paying jobs were still hard to come by and new opportunities were scarce, Norman said. see PLANES, Page 3B
WWII pilot survives capture after 68th mission At one point, German soldier held gun to his temple by Paul Nielsen paul@cmgweekly.com
MINT HILL – On Dec. 17, 1944, Thomas Easterling and 11 other P-47 fighter planes took off from a base in France for a railroad station near Mannheim, Germany. It was the day after the Battle of the Bulge began, and the station was full of trains and box cars loaded with German troops, tanks, artillery and ammunition headed toward the fighting. This would be Easterling’s 68th mission in western Europe. It would also be his last. An earlier U.S. bombing mission had blocked the tracks north and south of the station, trapping the trains and its cargo. “We had them pinned up in there,” 95-year-old Easterling said from his Mint Hill home on March 25. Easterling’s plane had been damaged the day before, so he hopped in a new P-47 at around 2 p.m. Easterling was one of three groups of four planes that took off for the railroad station. “We bombed in pairs, and we bombed from about 2,000 feet,” Easterling said. “Once you drop
your bombs, or rockets, you come back around strafing. Everyone had done that and there were explosions going off everywhere. We worked it over pretty good.” But Easterling was not done. He still had some 50-caliber ammunition left in his eight machine guns. He noticed an area that hadn’t been heavily damaged. “I thought I would attack that, and it would be my last pass,” Easterling said. It was his last pass. “I fired just a short burst and I could see pieces of this car flying apart,” Easterling said. “Then, I opened up on it and it just exploded. It looked like the whole world exploded in front of me. I couldn’t get over it or to the sides of it.” Easterling saw a small opening in the explosion that he hoped would be big enough to fly his fighter plane through to safety. “But I got inside and the thermal effect was so great that it lifted my plane straight up into all this stuff, train wheels and everything that was coming down,” Easterling said. “My plane got busted to pieces. In front of me
MATTHEWS – After moving to the area a decade ago, Nick DeVenuto read in a newspaper about a visually impaired and blinded veterans group needing volunteers to provide transportation for members. DeVenuto jumped behind the wheel of his car, and he has never looked back when it comes to helping veterans. Along the way, DeVenuto drove a shuttle cart at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Charlotte, and he started collecting signatures from WWII veterans. As time passed, the number of WWII veterans dwindled fast. DeVenuto organized a luncheon March 20 at the Americana Restaurant to not only honor the few remaining World War II veterans left but also any veteran that served the country. About a dozen veterans attended the event. Matthews Mayor Paul Bailey, Mint Hill Mayor Ted Biggers and Indian Trail Mayor Michael Alvarez were among those thanking veterans for the service. The Matthews Rotary Club paid for the luncheon. “I have been helping veterans since I moved here from New York because I needed a calling,” DeVenuto said. “My calling is to help veterans. I started a little ministry taking veterans to and from their appointments and it grew into bigger things.” Much bigger things, too. DeVenuto has worked on veterans’ farm equipment, done carpentry work and helped them navigate the VA system, among other activities. DeVenuto enjoys hearing veterans talk about their service and sacrifice to the country, and he wants as many people as possible to hear those stories, too. “They have such amazing stories,” DeVenuto said. “My love for World War II veterans, and all veterans, is beyond my scope. I’m so honored and privileged to be able to help these veterans, and they do need help. The World War II guys, they need people to hear their stories.’’ C.L. Brasfield, 95, of Charlotte, was one of the WWII veterans at the luncheon. Brasfield, who served on the island of Guadalcanal during the war, said DeVenuto has been a tremendous help to him and all veterans. “Nick has helped me get treatment that I didn’t know that I deserved,” Brasfield said. “He helps me in so many ways, I just can’t remember all the ways he has helped me. I’m glad he found out about mex.”
World War II veteran Thomas Easterling (right) stands with Department of Veterans Affairs volunteer Nick DeVenuto. The Mint Hill resident was shot down and captured by the Germans during the Battle of the Bulge. Paul Nielsen/UCW photo
there was a disc about the size of a house and there was no way to get by it. I was traveling fast, and it was too. It cut off about four feet of my left wing just like a weed eater. This thing that got me was the top of a fuel storage tank. My engine was on fire. Oil was all over.”
Easterling parachuted from his burning plane. When he landed, Easterling had two broken legs, a head injury and several missing teeth. “As soon as I landed, civilians were the first ones there, and they see PILOT, Page 4B
Nick Devenuto helps Elmer Winterfeld show off some of his military memorabilia. Paul Nielsen/UCW photo
Page 2B • Union County Weekly • March 29, 2019
Veterans reflect on their WWII service by Paul Nielsen paul@cmgweekly.com
MATTHEWS – On June 6, 1944, Curtis Outen waded ashore Omaha Beach in Normandy, France during the Allied D-Day landings that signaled the start of the liberation of western Europe from Nazi occupation during World War II. More than 5,000 Allied soldiers were killed during the initial assault, including many on Omaha Beach, while thousands more were wounded during the bloody battles. On March 20, the 97-year-old Charlotte resident drove himself to the Americana Restaurant in Matthews for a luncheon honoring local military veterans from the Second World War through wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Several of Outen’s fellow WWII veterans also attended the event, which was organized by Nick DeVenuto. Here are four stories from World War II veterans about the courage and sacrifice they showed in a war the United States became involved in nearly 78 years ago. Curtis Outen, U.S. Army Outen, who has called Charlotte home for nearly all of his life, landed with the second wave on D-Day, and within minutes, a piece of German shrapnel ripped his pants. Outen then had to climb through barbed wire to reach the bluffs above the beach. “I thought I had been shot because I was bleeding a lot,” he said. “But I just kept going.” Outen then saw heavy combat as Allied troops captured the key French towns of Carentan and Saint-Lo. Outen’s company was involved in heavy fighting at Hill 192, which is also known as the Purple Heart Hill, near Saint-Lo. When the battle for Saint-Lo ended, Outen was one of only 18 members of his 100-man company that had not been killed or seriously wounded. “We tore up Saint-Lo, and they (Germans) did, too,” Outen said. Outen was later wounded in northern France. After he got out of the hospital, he served with a Military Police Battalion in Europe until the end of the war. Lucy Gentile, Outen’s caregiver, said one particular story that Outen told her sticks out the most. “He was in a foxhole and the bombs were
coming so close to him that it was shaking the ground in the foxhole,” Gentile said. “He said he prayed and there was nobody in the foxhole with him, but someone said, ‘Pray out loud.’ He swears it was God telling him to pray out loud so anybody in the other foxholes could hear him. It must have been a terrible time, and so many of them didn’t come back.” Charles Richardson, U.S. Army-8th Air Force Richardson also was involved in the Allied Invasion of Normandy on D-Day, and he flew two of his 35 missions during the war in a B-17 bomber that day. Many of his 33 other strategic bombing missions were runs deep into Germany, including one where his plane returned with more than 600 holes in it. Richardson, who was born in Charlotte, was a gunner and the plane’s radio operator. What does the now 95-year-old Richardson remember most about his service in the war? “Getting shot at,” Richardson said. “We grew up awful fast. I was just a kid when I went in, and I was a man when I came out.” Richardson said seeing the Allied invasion force on D-Day from the air was a sight to behold. “It was almost unreal,” he said. “The entire English Channel was so filled with boats that it looked like you could walk across them. Every type of military ship you could think of was crossing there. We thought we would rush right in, but we got stopped on the beach. The Germans were very well prepared.” After the war, Richardson went to work as a parts manager in the automotive industry for Mercedes-Benz. “It was kind of funny that I was working for a German company after the war,” Richardson said with a laugh. C.L. Brasfield, U.S. Army Brasfield, 96, served in the Pacific Theater on the island of Guadalcanal, where he wrote up autopsy reports while working with a pathology unit. Brasfield joined the Army in November 1942 and was discharged in December 1945. “I was on Guadalcanal for 18 months,” Brasfield said. “It was very somber writing
World War II veterans Charles Richardson (left) and Curtis Outen look over a book about the Allied D-Day landings that both Charlotte residents participated in on June 6, 1944. Paul Nielsen/UCW photo
up those reports. You knew what the cause of death was because it was related to the war.” Brasfield also spent time on the island studying to be a minister. Brasfield is the minister of visitation-chaplain at Charlotte’s Eastway Church of God, which is the city’s oldest Pentecostal Church. He is also a volunteer chaplain with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department. Brasfield said the support the troops received from Americans back home was uplifting to all those in uniform at the time. “I felt very proud to be part of the Army, and we enjoyed the backing of the country,” Brasfield said. “They were with us and they appreciated us.” About seven years ago, Brasfield learned he was the last living soldier of his unit. “There were about 40 people in my unit,” Brasfield said. “I think I was the youngest one.” Elmer Winterfeld, U.S. Navy Winterfeld, 92, joined the U.S. Navy in 1944 and served in the Philippines on a PT Boat during World War II. Winterfeld was trained to do every job on the boat in case a fellow crewman on the small boat was
injured or killed. The Indian Trail resident was in the Philippines when the war ended. “We were preparing to invade the southern part of Japan, but Truman dropped the A-Bomb and that took care of that,” Winterfeld said of the conflict’s ending. Winterfeld was eventually discharged in 1946. The journey back to the United States from the Philippines is one trip that he’ll never forget. “Seventeen days out of 19, we went through a typhoon,” Winterfeld said. “It was horrible. When we went to unload the ammunition in the magazine, it was all over the place. That was live ammunition.” After working several jobs after WWII, Winterfeld rejoined the Navy during the Korean War and served on the U.S.S. Salem, a Des Moines-class heavy cruiser. As part of his deployment on the Salem, Winterfeld spent considerable time in the Mediterranean Sea. Winterfeld chronicled his time on the Salem with a vast personal collection of original photographs of historic sites across the Mediterranean, including a visit with Pope Pius XII and snapshots of actor Errol Flynn and actress Elizabeth Taylor.
Indian Trail resident Elmer Winterfeld talks about his experiences in the U.S. Navy during World War II and the Korean War. Paul Nielsen/UCW photo
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Union County Weekly • March 29, 2019 • Page 3B
and was the U.S. Navy’s dominant fighter in the second half of the Pacific War. Funderburk eventually sold Norman’s house, but their relationship didn’t end there. He felt compelled to do something special for Norman, so over a period of almost two years, he built replicas of the F4F Wildcat and F6F Hellcat. He recently gifted Norman the planes as a thank you, and Norman says they’re very good. The models are extremely detailed from the color schemes to wear from the pilot walking along the wings to the marks from the pilot’s feet rubbing on the pedals. Funderburk does a lot of research for every model he builds to make them as realistic as possible. “If you shrunk yourself down to about an inch tall, climbed inside and strapped the seatbelts on, you could take off in this thing,” he said. “That’s how detailed these things are.” Norman gets nostalgic whenever he looks at the models Funderburk made. He said it brings him back to both a critical time in his life and a crucial point in history for the country. He said WWII was “cruel” from all sides but it had to be done, and he lost a lot of friends. “It was you or him,” Norman said. “War…what it means is I’m
PLANES (continued from page 1B)
“There was not a lot to do, so joining the service was a step up actually,” he said. “It was a great opportunity for me as well as helping the country and I felt good about that.” Norman had wanted to be a pilot, but missed the deadline to apply. As a crew chief, he prepped the planes before flight, checked the instruments and controls, diagnosed problems and trained repairmen. He had to be an expert on every aspect of the planes he worked on, which included the Grumman F4F Wildcat and F6F Hellcat. The F4F Wildcat was an American carrier-based fighter aircraft that began service with both the U.S. Navy and British Royal Navy in 1940. With a top speed of 318 mph, the Wildcat was the only effective fighter available to the U.S. during the early part of WWII, but it wasn’t as quick or maneuverable as Japan’s Mitsubishi A6M Zero. The F4F Wildcat was eventually replaced with the faster F6F Hellcat, which was credited with destroying more than 5,000 enemy aircraft while in service. The Hellcat could compete with the Zero
going to kill you or be killed.” Funderburk believes it’s important to honor all of our veterans – whether they were on the front lines of combat or behind the scenes making sure the planes, tanks, ships and other machinery were in good shape. “The WWII guys are literally the greatest generation. These guys were 19 and 20 years old and some even lied about their age so they could fight in the war,” he said. “If it hadn’t been for what they did and the sacrifices they made, we wouldn’t be here. It’s just what we owe them and they’re disappearing rapidly because they’re dying off. It’s just my way of saying thanks.” When it comes to recognition, it is no surprise Norman shies away from the limelight. He appreciates the time Funderburk spent on the models, but he’s humble. “I don’t feel like we did anything special. We did our duty at the time we were needed,” Norman said. “I think I did something honorable, yes, but not heroic. I honored the flag.”
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Page 4B • Union County Weekly • March 29, 2019 rel of a German soldier’s pistol being pressed against his temple. (continued from page 1B) “He said he was going to shoot me, and I believed him,” Easterling said. “I just said started stripping me of anything they want- a short prayer. I didn’t pray to save my life. ed,” Easterling said. “I was wearing my class What I prayed for is for God to accept me ring and by that time, both my hands were into heaven when that guy pulled the trigger. swollen up pretty big. Some guy wanted that But like that, the mayor yelled something like ring, and he got it off, meat, flesh and all. SS an order, and the SS trooper put the gun in troops came up and saved me, pushing the his holster.’’ civilians off me.” Easterling was then ferried to several locaEasterling was then loaded into an ox cart tions before finally being placed in a POW and taken to a nearby town. The town square camp. Easterling received no real medical atwas full of people and the mayor was on a tention or adequate nourishment. second-floor balcony giving a speech East-York Times As signsSyndication of the Allied advance toward the TheasNew Sales Corporation Theweather New York Times Syndication Sales Corporation erling laid on the ground in freezing camp increased, the German guards 620 Eighth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10018fled, fol620For Eighth Avenue,Call: New1-800-972-3550 York, N.Y. 10018 Information while being surrounded by German SS troops. lowed by most of the POWs. Easterling and For Information Call: 1-800-972-3550 For Release Monday, May 14, 2018 It was then that Easterling felt the cold barfour other wounded POWs finally fled after For Release Thursday, May 10, 2018
commandeering a car from a nearby town. “The five of us were finally the only ones there,” Easterling said. “There was no water or anything like that. We weaved our way through the lines, and we finally got back to some Americans.’’ When Easterling got back to England, he was put in a cast from the neck down. When he returned to the United States, Easterling was in traction for over a year and underwent five surgeries to help repair his wounds. Easterling was finally discharged from the Air Force in November 1947 after spending 30 months in different hospitals. Easterling didn’t talk about his experiences until one of his grown children started “pestering” him about his service during the war. “She knew I was a prisoner of war and that I
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LOUD&LIVE March 29
Venues
• Beantown Tavern: Coconut Groove Band • Char Bar (Mint Hill): Courtney Lynn & Quinn • Grumpy Monk: Analog Crash • Hinson’s Drive-In: Almost Acoustic • Mac’s Speed Shop: StellaRising Trio • Moochies Tavern: Black Glass • Pineville Tavern: Prodigal Sons • Queen South: Stark Reality Trio • Southern Range: Dylan Ray • Stooges Pub: Action Jaxxon • Stumptown Station: Mike Ramsey • Trail House: The Two’s and Three’s • Vintner’s: Beauty and the Blues
Matthew’s • Beantown Tavern: 130 Matthews Station St. • Hinson’s Drive-In: 2761 CPCC Lane • Kristophers: 250 N. Trade St. • Mac’s Speed Shop: 142 E. John St. • Moochies Tavern: 15060 Idlewild Road • Pizza Peel: 110 Matthews Station St. • Seaboard: 213 N. Trade St. • Stumptown Station: 107 N. Trade St.
March 30
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was wounded but that is all she knew,” Easterling said. “She wanted me to write something.” Easterling started writing about his experiences for his children, including son John who is married to singer/actress Olivia Newton-John. Those writings turned into the book “Ticket to Hell” by Frank Harwood. “I wrote that for my children, and it took me about five years,” Easterling said. “Writing that down is what got me to be able to talk about it.” A second book, “Furrow In The Clouds: The Story of Young Thomas Easterling, Farmboy, Fighter Pilot, Prisoner of War,” was written after Newton-John told her father-in-law’s story to a book publisher while on a flight. “That’s the way this other one got published, it was through her,” he said.
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• Dunwellz: Music Bingo • Fox’s Alley: Shannon Lee w/ Tonya Wood • Kristopher’s: Karaoke • Mary O’Neill’s: MisTics • Moochies Tavern: Province of Thieves • Pour 64: Analog Crash • Queen South: DJ Matt • Southern Range: The Lighthouse Duo • Stooges: Hardwired • Stumptown Station: Mark & Brian • Sweet Union: Radio Flyer • Trail House: Irrashional
March 31 • Moochies Tavern: Matt & John Acoustic Duo
April 1 • Moochies Tavern: Mike Huffman
April 2
Mint Hill • CharBar: 7312 Town View Drive • Dunwellz: 7110 Brighton Park Drive • Pour 64: 4410 Mint Hill Village Lane • Stooges Pub: 13230 Albemarle Road • Vintner’s Hill: 7427 Matthews-Mint Hill Road Monroe • Fox’s Alley: 1901 Skyway Drive • Grumpy Monk: 2841 W. U.S. 74 • Southern Range: 151 S. Stewart St. Pineville • Pineville Tavern: 314 N. Polk St. Indian Trail • Sweet Union: 13717 E. Independence Blvd. • Trail House: 6751 Old Monroe Road Stallings • Small Bar: 4320 Potters Road Waxhaw • DreamChaser’s: 115 E. North Main St. • Mary O’Neill’s: 116 W. North Main St. • Queen South: 1201 N. Broome St.
• DreamChaser’s: Music Bingo
April 3 • Beantown Tavern: Chuck Johnson Duo • Trail House: FireByrd
April 4 • Jonathan’s: Jem Crossland (Elvis fan club) • Pizza Peel: Music Bingo • Seaboard: Mike Waters • Small Bar: Jim Tierney • Trail House: Music Bingo
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Union County Weekly • March 29, 2019 • Page 5B
15 people fighting for seniors We started a tradition with the launch of our senior expos last year to recognize 15 people in Mecklenburg and Union counties focused on providing resources to enhance the lives of seniors. Here are 15 more people that support older adults. • Tom Bartholomy – Bartholomy heads up the Better Business Bureau of Southern Piedmont and Western North Carolina, which warns seniors of prevalent and emerging scams. • Larry Berg & Harry Watkins – The duo started a veterans coffee house at Waxhaw Baptist Church in 2017 that has attracted dozens of retired military and their spouses. • Carla Cunningham – The Charlotte nurse-turned-legislator filed House Bill 423, known as the Caregiver Relief Act, on March 20. It seeks to support those caring for an aging population, not to mention grandparents helping raise
grandchildren. • Iris Devore – The Happy Times Club recently celebrated its founder’s 90th birthday at the Levine Senior Center, a venue in Matthews she also launched. Her legacy includes opening the Matthews Help Center. • Susan Didier – Didier coordinates arts and cultural programming for Indian Trail Parks & Recreation, ensuring the 55-and-older crowd, known as Prime Time Players, has fitness, presentations and other activities that build camaraderie. • Harris High – In addition to expanding Heritage Funeral and Cremation Services with locations in Weddington and Ballantyne, High chairs the board of directors for Council on Aging in Union County. • Jill Lipson – Lipson directs the senior and adult services at the Levine Jewish Community Center, which offers a variety of activities through its Oasis Senior Enrichment Program. • Michelle Marcano – Mercano connects veterans to local, state and federal services they need in her role as division director for Union County Veterans Services. • Lance Nelson – After 22 years
How did you do? Below is the solution to the Sudoku puzzle from Page 3B
in the Air Force, Nelson works with the Department of Veterans Affairs as a veterans readjustment advisor and outreach program specialist. • Monica Smith – Smith oversees the adult services wing of the Union County Social Services, which ensures adults get good care. The agency takes reports from the community about abused or exploited adults. • Josh Stein – As North Carolina attorney general, one of Stein’s goals is to protect consumers, especially seniors. Price gougers, con artists and other scumbags best stop what they’re doing now. • Thom Tillis – U.S. Sen. Tillis serves on the Senate Armed Services and Veterans’ Affairs committees. He’s also introduced pro-veteran legislation designed to protect disability benefits and increase access to the American Legion. • Shannon Tucker – Tucker started working with Charlotte Speech and Hearing Center in 2000 as a speech-language pathologist and climbed her way to executive director by 2010. The organization is very active in the community. • Joyce Waddell – The state sen-
AARP launches ‘Stop Rx Greed’ campaign RALEIGH – AARP has launched ‘Stop Rx Greed,’ a nationwide campaign aimed at lowering prescription drug prices. The goal of the campaign is to help drive down drug prices by advocating for a variety of legislative, executive and regulatory actions at both the federal and state level. “This issue is a top priority for older Tar Heels and that is why we are launching this campaign,” AARP North Carolina President Catherine Sevier said. “AARP is calling on lawmakers to enact solutions that will provide long overdue relief for not just older Americans but all consumers. Those solutions must lower drug prices and not simply shift costs around in the system.” As part of the campaign, AARP Research conducted a national survey of likely voters ages 50 and older. The survey found that significant
The Happy Times Club celebrated the birthdays of leaders Iris Devore and David Guthrie on Feb. 7 at the Levine Senior Center. UCW file photo
ator sits on the Committee of Pensions and Retirement and Aging. The Charlotte resident has fought for cost-of-living adjustment increases for retired state retirees. Previously recognized champions March 2018: April Barnes, Peter Brunnick, Beverly Earle, Nate Huggins, Dahn Jenkins, David Lacy, Katherine Lambert, Vilma
majorities of self-identified Republican, Democrat and independent voters shared concerns about the high price of drugs, and support common-sense policies that will lower prices. Survey findings include: • 72 percent say they are concerned about the cost of their medications. • 63 percent say the cost of prescription drugs is unreasonable. • 90 percent support allowing Medicare to negotiate for lower drug prices. • 80 percent report taking at least one prescription medication. • Nearly 40 percent say they did not fill a prescription provided by their doctor with cost being the most common reason. “We are calling on Congress, the administration and states to pass commonsense, bipartisan legislation to lower prescription drug prices now,” Sevier added. “It is time for drug companies to stop price gouging Americans.” The Stop Rx Greed campaign will include national television, radio and
Leake, Linda Miller, Julian Montoro-Rodriquez, Trena Palmer, Suzanne Pugh, Renee Rizzuti, Linda Smosky & Jim Weiland. September 2018: Michael Alvarez, Arthur Barlett, Cindy Berrier, Kathleen Shelby Boyett, Pat Cotham, Barry Edelman, Les and Roberta Farnum, Wayne Felton, Andrew Friend, Lynn Ivey, Kathy Joy, Michael Olender, Colleen Puceta & Scott Stone.
digital ads, editorial content, emails to members, social media posts, ongoing advocacy and grassroots activity in D.C. and the states, and a petition calling on Congress and the Administration to take action now. As part of the campaign, AARP will push for support of a number of policy solutions at the national and state level to help lower drug prices, including: • Allowing Medicare to negotiate for lower prescription drug prices. • Allowing states to negotiate lower prices with drug companies. • Giving state attorneys general authority to crack down on outrageous price increases. • Clamping down on pay-for-delay and other loopholes that keep lower cost generic drugs off the market. • Capping consumers’ prescription drug out-of-pocket costs. • Preserving state pharmacy assistance programs. For more about Stop Rx Greed, Visit www.aarp.org/rx for details.
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Page 6B • Union County Weekly • March 29, 2019
CBD store focuses on holistic properties by Paul Nielsen paul@cmgweekly.com
CHARLOTTE – Charlotte’s first franchised Your CBD Store opened March 2, but the full-service shop is just one of many places in the metro area where CBD products can be purchased. Your CBD Store has almost 200 franchises across the country and touts itself as a leader in the global hemp market that is becoming popular among people who believe in its healing properties. The store’s products are made with cannabidiol, which is derived from the cannabis plant but comes without the intoxicating effects of marijuana. The passage of the 2018 Farm Bill said CBD and hemp extracts are now included in federally legal products for sale, provided the concentration of THC does not exceed the limit of 0.3 percent as defined in the new law, which opened the sale of some CBD products across the country. “CBD gets confused with marijuana,” Messina said. “It is not going to get you high. You are going to get the benefits of the plant but you are not going to get the high. A hemp plant has higher levels of CBD and lower levels of THC. It’s the opposite of a marijuana plant, which has higher levels of THC and lower levels of CBD.” Proponents of CBD products claim its use can help with a variety of ailments, including inflammation, chronic pain, anxiety, depression, addiction and several other conditions. There are even products for dogs and cats. Messina has been using CBD for several months. She said it works for her. “I personally struggle with
anxiety and sleeping,” Messina said. “I am really into alternative, holistic, natural ways of healing. I wanted to take a different route and take something that doesn’t cause a separate issue, or feel like I needed to take a pill every day. I was taking essential oils and that led me into the CBD route. It wasn’t until I tried CBD until I felt totally different. “It was like day and night. I usually couldn’t sleep at night and this stuff helps me do that. It helps me relax. It eases my mind.” Messina said business has been steady since the store opened at 4749 South Blvd., with people coming in looking for natural alternatives to prescription and over-the-counter drugs. The store sells a variety of items, including pain creams, lotions, tinctures, chapstick, bath bombs and beauty products. Messina believes using a CBD product is especially beneficial
for combating inflammation. “Inflammation is kind of the root of all problems,” Messina said. “Inflammation can cause so many different conditions and ailments, anxiety, depression, chronic pain.” Messina finds many of the company’s customers are middle-aged or older, and they are repeat customers. “We want our customers to be educated,” Messina said. “We will sit down with them and see what they need help with. People want to get an alternative medicine, a natural healing, a natural solution. People love our products, and they are constantly coming back.” The Your CBD Store sells CBD that is organically grown in Colorado and the cultivation of the product is monitored by the Colorado Department of Agriculture, Messina said. “They use third-party testing, and you can look up the lab results,” Messina said. “They are very transparent about what is in your product. I think that is super important because if you get it from a gas station, you really don’t know what is going in it.”
Amanda Messina owns the Your CBD Store in south Charlotte. Paul Nielsen/UCW photo
Katherine Lambert, CEO of the Western Carolina Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association, says the Charlotte Walk to End Alzheimer's is a way to raise money for research and local support services. Photo courtesy of WCCAAA
Alzheimer’s Association needs support during Longest Day CHARLOTTE – The Alzheimer’s Association – Western Carolina Chapter invites residents to help fight the darkness of Alzheimer’s on The Longest Day on June 21. Leading up to and culminating on June 21 – the summer solstice and the day with the most light – participants will host an event or choose an activity to shine a light on the 5.8 million Americans living with Alzheimer’s disease and the more than 16 million family members and friends providing care and support. In North Carolina alone, there are more than 170,000 people living with Alzheimer’s and 473,000 family members and friends caring for them. This fundraising effort symbolizes the challenging journey of those living with Alzheimer’s disease and their caregivers. Participants can do what they love to honor a caregiver, someone living with Alzheimer’s, or someone lost to this devastating disease for The Longest Day, which is a “day of action” for the Alzheimer’s Association during Alzheimer’s & Brain Awareness Month in June. Last year, the Western Carolina Chapter raised more than $99,000 through The Longest Day. “We encourage local residents across central and western NC to join us in making The Longest Day season the biggest yet,” CEO Katherine Lambert said. “This is a wonderful way to get empowered to make a difference in the fight against Alzheimer’s and other dementias. Together,
the strength of our light will outshine the darkness of Alzheimer’s.” Participants will raise funds and awareness to advance Alzheimer’s Association care, support and research programs. Visit www.alz.org/ thelongestday or call 800-272-3900 to start or join a team, host an event, register individually or learn more. Help with Queen’s Cup As the charity beneficiary of the Queen’s Cup Steeplechase, the Alzheimer’s Association – Western Carolina Chapter is seeking volunteers to lend a hand at this year’s event on April 27 in Mineral Springs. Volunteers must register through https://tinyurl.com/ALZQCVolunteer for the organization to get credit for the volunteers they provide. Volunteers must be at least 16 years old and attend a pre-race day training. The Charlotte Steeplechase Foundation estimates $160,000 has been donated to the Alzheimer’s Association since 2014 through the Queen’s Cup Steeplechase. Walk among best in nation The 2018 Walk to End Alzheimer’s - Charlotte was ranked No. 23 in the nation out of the Alzheimer’s Association’s 2018 Top 30 Walks. The Charlotte walk earned a spot among this ranking for the first time in 2016 and has held the No. 23 spot in the past two years with more than $641,000 raised in 2018. Rankings are earned by event revenue and include walks from over 600 communities nationwide. The Alzheimer’s Association Western Carolina Chapter will host its 2019 Walk to End Alzheimer’s Charlotte on Nov. 2 at BB&T Ballpark.
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Union County Weekly • March 29, 2019 • Page 7B
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Developer with Hartford Fire Insurance Company located in Charlotte, NC. Position will serve as an individual contributor to oversee technical deliverables for maintenance projects through the software development life cycle, including validating deliverables for maintenance projects, validating the completeness of estimates, quality and accuracy of technical designs, build and implementation. Apply online at https://thehartford. taleo.net/careersec tion/20015/jobdetail.ftl? job=1900559 referencing job code: 1900559/ 11474.139. Hartford Fire Insurance is an Equal Opportunity Employer
MERCHANDISE WANTED WANTED; Vinyl LP’s, Comics, Coins, Jewelry, Military Items, Musical Instruments, Antiques, Collectibles, & More. Stop by Precious Restorations 315 W. John St. Tues-Sat 10-4. 704-9650074
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FINANCIAL Beware of loan fraud. Please check with the Better Business Bureau or Consumer Protection Agency before sending any money to any loan company.
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PART TIME NEWSPAPER DRIVERS NEEDED - Candidates must have a clean driving record, proof of auto insurance and be able to lift 50-75 lbs. Additionally, the ideal candidate can work Thursday, Friday, or both and can make a long-term commitment to grow their workload and earnings. Must be able to pass DMV background check. For more information, please contact: ad sales@cmgweekly.com
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• Group Coordinator Lead – Full Time, 2nd Shift • Laborers – Full Time, 2nd & 3rd Shifts • Tasker – Full Time, 3rd Shift Bilingual (Spanish & English) candidates highly desired! DHL Supply Chain is the leading global third-party supply chain manager specializing in a wide range of warehousing, transportation and logistics services. Our Distribution Center in Charlotte, NC offers excellent career opportunities.
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LEGAL NOTICE
GARAGE SALE
HELP WANTED
HELP WANTED
NOTICE TO CREDITORS The undersigned, having qualified as Executrix of the Estate Jill Gift Lockhart, late of Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, hereby notifies to all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to present them to the undersigned on or before June 1, 2019, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, firms and corporations indebted to the said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This the 1st day of March, 2019. Jan G Boyer, Executor 4712 Fielding Drive, Raleigh, NC 27606.
GARAGE SALE HUGE 51st Annual Attic, Garage, Bake and Yard Sale,...all rolled into one. SouthPark Christian Church, 6650 ParkSouth Drive, 28210 Located off Park Road at the intersection of Park South Drive and Old Reid Road. Friday, April 5th, 2019- 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM Saturday, April 6th, 2019 - 8:00 AM - 2:00 Percentage of sales will benefit the students of Montclaire Elementary School.
Microsoft Corporation currently has the following openings in Charlotte, NC (job opportunities available at all levels, e.g., Principal, Senior and Lead levels). Software Engineer: Responsible for developing or testing comp. sw apps, systems or services. http://bit.ly/MS Jobs_SDE http://bit.ly/ MSJobs_IT_SDE Multiple positions available. To view detailed job descriptions and minimum requirements, and to apply, visit the website address listed. EOE.
Accountant (Charlotte, NC) Participate in month-end close; analyze transaction records; prepare sales report & profitability report; prepare tax filing; generate payroll and commission report. Master of accounting with 6 months experience. Send resume to Niagara Machine, Inc. Attn: Wade Christensen, PO Box 19946, Charlotte, NC 28219
EDUCATION & INSTRUCTION AIRLINE MECHANIC TRAINING – Get FAA Technician certification. Approved for military benefits. Financial Aid if qualified. Job placement assistance. Call Aviation Institute of Maintenance (866)724-5403
Page 8B • Union County Weekly • March 29, 2019
DON’T MISS THE OPPORTUNIT Y TO L I V E AT C H A R LOT T E ’S N E W E S T A N D B E S T - L O C A T E D A C T I V E A D U L T C O M M U N I T Y.
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© 2018 Cresswind is a registered trademark of Kolter Homes. Prices, homesites, home designs and other information subject to errors, changes, omissions, deletions, availability prior sales and withdrawal at any time without notice.
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