The Pineville Pilot

Page 1

Home Sales in Pineville

Pineville gets artsy

page 11

page 7 Locally Owned & Operated www.thecharlotteweekly.com

Volume 3, Number 3 • March, 2015

Town council, staff questions cell tower application by Courtney Schultz news@pinevillepilot.com

See more in Crystal O’Gorman’s story on page 3. Lauren Pittman sells fruits and veggies for Springs Farm at the Downtown Pineville Farmers Market. Photo courtesy of Downtown Pineville Farmers Market

The Pineville Town Council discussed an application to increase the height of a cell tower near Walhorn Restaurant during a public hearing at the council’s meeting on March 10, leaving the council and town staff with concerns. Tony Stewart, of Crown Castle, submitted an application on behalf of T-Mobile to increase the height of an existing cell tower, located at 12109 Lancaster Hwy., by 20 feet. The council originally approved the tower’s construction in June 1996 and, in 2009, approved additional co-locates on the existing tower to allow additional cell phone companies to gain coverage. The applicant asked for an additional 20 feet to add another co-locate for T-Mobile. Crown Castle owns the tower and rents the land from the town, so the council must approve the increase. Pineville Planning Director Travis (see Cell tower on page 10)

Belk distribution center set to shut down in September Over 100 employees given choice to relocate to South Carolina by Ryan Pitkin ryan@carolinaweeklynewspapers.com

On a March day, the Belk fulfillment center in Pineville was loud with the sound of heavy machinery and trucks leaving to distribute online orders and fulfill other needs for area stores. The sound is only matched by the laughs of warehouse workers who can be heard through the wall joking together as they accomplish tasks. While everyday work life continues as it has since the center opened in 2008, it will come to an end in

September 2015. Belk, Inc. recently announced it would not renew the lease on the space, which is located on Nations Ford Road and shares a building with other corporate distribution centers, such as Jason’s Deli. Officials with Belk said they are shifting focus to continuing expansion of a distribution and fulfillment center in Jonesville, South Carolina. “This difficult decision was made only after a careful evaluation of our strategic growth plans and assessment that the facility does not allow for expansion needed to accommodate future growth,” Belk spokesperson Jessica Graham said in a statement. “We believe closing the

center is in the best long-term interests of Belk and our stockholders.” As online business has increased for Belk – by at least 42.5 percent for two consecutive fiscal years – fulfillment centers, which send out online orders and fulfill requests from stores that have run out of products, have become more crucial to the corporation. Officials decided years ago to expand on the Jonesville center to accommodate that demand. “We invested $42 million across (fiscal years) 2014 and 2015 in our Jonesville distribution and fulfillment center to meet the demands driven by this sales growth, expanding (see Belk on page 5)

INDEX: News Briefs, 6; Scores, 8; Home Sales, 11; Crime Blotter, 11; Education, 14; Faith Notes, 16; Calendar, 17; Sports, 18

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News

Pineville Farmers Market grows this spring by Crystal O’Gorman crystal@carolinaweeklynewspapers.com

After a year hiatus due to a lack of involvement, Downtown Pineville Merchants Association hopes the Downtown Pineville Farmers Market turns over a new leaf this May. The merchants association was given control over the farmers market in March 2014, said Pineville Mayor Pro Tem Melissa Rogers Davis. She said she feels enthusiastic about the changes and believes it will add more foot traffic to the streets of downtown. “I’ve wanted to see downtown come to life for quite some time … I’m excited about what the Downtown Pineville Merchants Association is doing,” she said. Since taking on the farmers market last year, the association relocated the market to the town hall parking lot and doubled the amount of vendors. The merchants association also hopes to feature entertainment at the farmers market, such as musicians and cooking demonstrations, but they mostly want the farmers market to build community engagement in Pineville. Downtown Pineville has been a place where farmers sold their produce, livestock and goods to the community since the town’s inception, according to Charlotte-Mecklenburg Historic Landmarks Commission. Bill McConnell, secretary of Downtown Pineville Merchants Association and co-manager

news@pinevillepilot.com

of Downtown Pineville Farmers Market said the association has been interested in developing the farmers market for over 3 years. “It was an informal farmers meet-up and lacked visibility on College (Street),” he said. He said they went before town council and asked for control over the market. McConnell returned to the town council on Tuesday, March 10 to ask for $1,600 to pay for entertainment and advertising costs, such as a street banner, newspaper ads, rack cards and street signs. “We are operating on a shoestring budget and we need funds to keep it going,” he said. The association will not charge vendors to set up shop in the market. “We want to welcome new vendors and keep them coming back,” Adele Mahan, comanager of Downtown Pineville Farmers Market, said. They’ve already signed 11 vendors, which only leaves room for one vendor to sign up for this season. Don Eury, a longtime Pineville resident said he’s been growing vegetables for 50 years. He started the informal farmers meet-up ten years ago with fellow farmer Jack Thrower, but it never picked up traction. “I am glad we have the merchants association pulling this together; it may be our last shot to get it going,” Eury said. Eury also will sell a variety of fruits and vegetables at the famers market and roadside at

his residence, 1703 Lakeview Drive.

Don Eury in his greenhouse on Lakeview Drive in Pineville. Crystal O’Gorman/PP photo

Suzie Surrett of Suzie Q’s Farm in Lincolnton signed on to sell naturally raised pork, beef and free-range eggs at the Pineville market for the first time this season. She said this is the only Charlotte area market her farm plans to sell at this year. “We like the small market, the larger ones have a lot of resale items. Sometimes with smaller markets, you get more locally grown produce,” she said. McConnell also wants to keep the market quaint. “We’ll never be larger than 12 vendors due to space size and concerns for quality. We want variety and good quality, locally-grown produce,” he said. The Downtown Pineville Farmers Market will open on May 16, a Saturday, which will coincide with the fourth annual Crops and Shops Festival. The association already signed Charlotte jazz musician and vocalist Sabra

Calles to perform during the opening event, which also will feature face painting for kids. McConnell said they are working on getting a chef to provide cooking demonstrations. “We hope the farmers market continues to build a sense of community in the heart of Pineville,” Mahan said. The Downtown Pineville Farmers Market will run each Saturday from May 16 to the end of September from 8 a.m. until noon. Find more information about the market and updates at facebook.com/pinevillefarmersmarket.

Downtown Pineville Farmers Market will run every Saturday from May 16 until the end of September. Below are a list of vendors and the vegetables, meats and goods they plan to sell. • Don Eury – Tomatoes, cucumbers, corn, okra, melons, peaches, watermelons and strawberries • Jack Thrower – Pickles • Wilbert Gamble – Blackberries, blueberries and sweet potatoes • Ray Alexander – Amish-made wildflower honey • Lane Wise – Jams, jellies and rolls • Greyson Gathright – Zucchini, squash, peppers, asparagus, collards, grapes, strawberries and peaches • Jonathan Burton – Tomatoes, squash and melons • Kelly Stevens of Growers Outlet – Vegetable, herb and flower plants • Jenna Goddard of Springs Farms – Peaches, strawberries and corn • Suzie Surrett of Suzie Q’s Farm – Naturallyraised pork, beef and free range eggs • Kevin Clapp – Fresh fish, oysters, crab and other seafood

Pineville Pilot • March 2015 • Page 3

News

Getting to know Pineville’s new fire chief by Hannah Chronis hannah@carolinaweeklynewspapers.com

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Mike Gerin, 40, assumed his role as chief of the Pineville Fire Department, on Jan. 1, accomplishing a lifelong dream. Gerin has a long and storied history with the Pineville Fire Department that he says is near and dear to his heart. It began nearly 26 years ago when Gerin was a 15-year-old sophomore at South Mecklenburg High School. “The reason I got into the fire service in the beginning is because when I was 15 at South Meck, I took a sports medicine class and could volunteer with the fire department for extra credit,” Gerin said. “That’s where my love for the fire service got started.” Apart from enrolling in a four-year stint with the Marine Corps after graduating from South Meck, Gerin has been with the Pineville Fire Department since his sophomore year of high school. He feels he knows it like the back of his hand. Gerin takes the helm of the fire department after former chief Bill Griffin stepped down to assume the role as assistant chief/training chief on Dec. 31, 2014. Griffin served as chief for 21 years. Gerin said Griffin plans to spend more time with his family and his son’s baseball team, but will remain involved with the department. “Bill is still the first assistant chief,” he said. “He didn’t remove himself. He is as involved as he’s ever been and now he’ll get to have more time to train firefighters, which is what he loves doing.” “Under Chief Griffin’s command, the Pineville Fire Department has responded to and successfully resolved thousands of fire, rescue and emergency medical calls adhering to our top priorities of life safety and preservation of property,” Pineville town officials stated in its monthly newsletter. Gerin added Bill set a positive precedent for the Pineville Fire Department to continue growing and serving the town. The Pineville Fire Department, which provides both fire and EMS services, was established in 1955 and currently runs eight trucks that cover approximately 6.5 square miles. Gerin said the department has “changed drastically” since its inception. “We’re becoming more and more professional,” he said. “We aren’t volunteer-based anymore – we have paid employees during the day – and I think

Mike Gerin

our plan is to become as involved in the community as we possibly can.” A major piece of community involvement stemmed from the department’s smoke detector installment plan. Officials from the Pineville Fire Department worked with representatives at the county and state level to inspect the smoke detectors of homes 10 years old or older for free: If homeowners want a smoke detector, the state provides it and the Pineville Fire Department installs it. In the two months since its inception, more than 70 smoke detectors have been installed in Pineville at no cost to the homeowner. Gerin said he hopes to continue reaching out to Pineville residents and establishing relationships between the fire department and the community. “You don’t want people to be scared of the fire department,” he said. “You don’t want them to be scared to ask questions. Fifty or 60 years ago, the fire department was the centerpiece of a community. We want to get back to that.” Gerin said his role as fire chief helps him serve the community he loves and continue developing his passion for the fire department that began 26 years ago. “There are so many things I love about the fire service,” he said. “A lot of times, we see people at their worst. The best part of the job is helping someone during their worst time. That’s what we all do it for. If you see someone go into cardiac arrest and the family is hovered over you and you can bring them back – there’s no gratification like that. It’s all about helping people during their worst time.” The Pineville Fire Department is located at 108 Church St. news@pinevillepilot.com

News

Belk (continued from page 1)

its footprint by 67 percent and upfitting its conveyor systems, racking and automation,� Graham said. “With the Jonesville expansion, as well as the addition of store fulfillment and direct ship from vendors, we are building our capabilities to foster continued growth.� There are currently 111 employees working at the Pineville fulfillment center,

and all will be given the choice to relocate to the Jonesville center, Graham said. Jonesville is 60 miles – nearly an hourand-a-half drive – from the current Pineville center. Management at the nearby Belk department store at Carolina Place Mall said they were unaware of whether the closing of the fulfillment store would affect the time the store could restock orders or fulfill requests from customers when a product runs out.

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The Pineville Pilot

10100 Park Cedar Drive, Suite 154 Charlotte, NC 28210 Phone: 704-849-2261 • Fax: 704-849-2504 news@pinevillepilot.com

EDITORIAL Managing Editor Courtney Schultz

News Briefs Council discusses On-Demand software purchase

The Pineville Town Council discussed purchasing an estimated $20,000 “catcher Features Editor software” to provide On-Demand services Josh Whitener Art Director for the town’s IPTV system at its meeting News Writers Maria Hernandez on March 10, but tabled the decision. The council approved the installation of Hannah Chronis A&E Editor the service in the 2014-15 budget year. The Ryan Pitkin Dee Grano town purchased and installed the main comCrystal O’Gorman Faith Columnist ponent of the service, which cost the town Sports Writer Rev. Tony Marciano $30,000, but during installation, the vendor Ben Doster realized the component did not work with the town’s billing software, preventing the ADVERTISING service from operating and billing properly. Charlotte Conway The town will need to purchase the Adrian Garson “catcher” piece to enable the service to work. DISTRIBUTION “This was obviously a capital purpose Manager (town staff) did not expect,” said Haynes Mike Kochy Brigman, Pineville town manager. Councilmember Les Gladden had conPUBLISHER cerns about who should be responsible for Associate Publisher the mix-up of equipment. Randi Trojan Many councilmembers were concerned Founder about spending more money on the service without what they felt was a proper marketAlain Lillie ing plan from the vendor. Advertising: “I’m upset that we haven’t met our threeadsales@carolinaweeklynewspapers.com year goal on TV subscribers that we wanted,” said councilmember David Phillips. The town planned to increase its subThe Pineville Pilot is published by the Carolina scriptions by 100 people each year, but, Weekly Newspaper Group. All rights reserved. according to councilmembers, the town Reproduction without permission is strictly only has about 280. prohibited. Phillips felt the town needed a bigger interest base from subscribers and residents to move forward with the substantial purchase. He said a person from the town, or the vendor, needs to be held accountable

for the current TV service’s marketing. “I think we, as a town, have dropped the ball on marketing,” Phillips said. Gladden said he feels the vendor or town needs to conduct a phone survey to determine whether the current subscribers want the On-Demand services. He also urged town staff to negotiate the $500 per month administration fee the vendor would charge the town for use. Brigman said adding the services would keep the town competitive with other providers. He said the service generates about $1 million of revenue to the town and that revenue may outweigh the added costs. Councilmembers agreed to table the decision until town staff determines whether the town has the necessary customer base for the services. Contact Brigman at 704-889-4168 or hbrigman@pinevilledsl.net for more information.

Mecklenburg County requests right-of-way for trail

Pineville Town Manager Haynes Brigman presented a request at the Pineville Town Council meeting on March 10 from Mecklenburg County Parks and Recreation for the approval of right-of-way access within property owned by the town behind the Lake Park at the end of Lake Park Drive to access portions of the Carolina Thread Trail. The Carolina Thread Trail seeks to extend from Virginia to South Carolina and the trail in Pineville would navigate mostly along Little Sugar Creek. The county is requesting a 30-foot rightof-way to install a 10-to-12-foot-wide walking path from the cul-de-sac at the end of Lake Drive. They also plan to purchase an adjacent site to the area specified to accommodate parking.

Councilmembers had concerns about whether the installment would disturb the construction of a dog park the town plans to build. Parks and Recreation Director Kristy Detwiler said during the meeting the town will find out if it received funding for the dog park in July. Haynes said he plans to contact the county about concerns over the dog park, but wanted to confirm the council approved the location.

NCDOT plans to improve Industrial Drive railroad crossing

The North Carolina Department of Transportation is looking to improve the railroad crossing on Industrial Drive as part of its TIP Plan. The crossing is located on a Pinevilleowned street, so the NCDOT must have approval and participation from the town to complete the improvements. The state agreed to take on 90 percent of the costs of the project, but wants Pineville to contribute the other 10 percent, Pineville Town Manager Haynes Brigman said at the Pineville Town Council’s meeting on March 10. The project is estimated to cost $250,000, so the town may need to contribute $25,000. Councilmember Les Gladden said the traffic has increased on Industrial Drive and he knows trains still use the railroad, so he feels the improvement would be necessary. The improvements will include grade and asphalt repairs, automatic crossing bars and warning lights. The NCDOT would be responsible of oversight of the project, but the town would have the say in the final design. The council voted to pass the agreement with the state for the improvements during the March 10 meeting.

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Ceramics, clay and culture Town’s partnership with Arts Delivered offers programs for all ages by Josh Whitener josh@carolinaweeklynewspapers.com

When one door closes, another one opens. That’s the philosophy that’s driven Pineville Parks and Recreation staff to develop ways to offer arts education opportunities to the community, following the closing of the Civic & Cultural Arts Center (CCAC) of Pineville last summer. CCAC closed its doors, at 329 Main St., in July 2014 following what town and CCAC leaders previously said was a difference of “vision” and “goals.” The organization called Pineville home for six years and previously partnered with the town for funding, arts classes and workshops. Its absence left residents wondering what was next regarding arts programs in town. “As soon as I saw (CCAC had closed), it was like a bummer – I didn’t know what to think or what was going to happen,” Rick Crowley, founder of Arts Delivered, said. Crowley previously worked with both Pineville Parks and Recreation and CCAC separately on clay and ceramics programs through Arts Delivered. He uses his company to bring visual arts programs to towns, clubs, after-school programs and other organizations in the greater Charlotte region. When Crowley heard about the gap left by CCAC’s leaving, he approached Pineville Parks and Recreation Director Kristy Detwiler about potentially partnering with the town to continue offering visual arts opportunities to the community. “I just asked Kristy, ‘Hey, do you think the town might be interested in keeping these programs going and running them through the Belle Johnston (Community) Center?’” Crowley said. “Some of the cultural programs we wanted were written into the budget, and real quickly within those meetings (with town leaders) they asked if I would be interested in being a

contract vendor, and we formed a partnership.” One of the first programs offered through the partnership was a free “glaze-your-own Christmas ornaments” program for children. Crowley said the response was positive, as more than 40 children attended the program. Crowley and Pineville Parks and Recreation also focused on another population group in the town: senior citizens. The town and Arts Delivered launched a program on Tuesdays at The Dorchester – an independent living community in Pineville – in which residents make clay projects. When the projects are finished, they’re transported to the Belle Johnston Community Center and fired in the center’s new computerized kiln; then, they’re returned to the residents to be glazed. Detwiler said Pineville has received positive response from the community regarding those and other programs the town has offered through its partnership with Arts Delivered. “As soon as we started some workshops or classes, we realized there’s a lack of affordable arts and cultural programming in our area,” Detwiler said. “Classes filled up really quick, and we would have waiting lists, too.” Looking ahead, some of the programs the town plans to offer through its partnership with Crowley include summer camps for children, a pottery sale in the spring, “Mommy and Me” preschool clay classes, ceramic hand building and pottery classes for adults, among others. Detwiler said the town also has partnered with another local art educator to offer painting classes, is forming a community theater group and is considering partnering with another organization to start a dance program. “As long as we can keep (these programs) affordable for the community, I think it’s going to be a huge hit and a great addition,” she said. The following list includes several programs that will be offered this spring through Pineville Parks and Recreation’s

partnership with Arts Delivered. Those interested can register at the Belle Johnston Community Center, located at 1000 Johnston Drive: • Ceramic Hand Building and Pottery Classes April 23 and 30; May 7, 14, 21 and 28 10 a.m. to noon or 6:30 to 8 p.m. This six-week class offers step-by-step instructions and includes low-fire clays and glazes, kiln firings and tools. No experience is required. The registration deadline is April 20. Cost: $68 for the six-week session • Clay Creations Workshops for Kids April 9 and 10 12:30 p.m. This two-part class is for kindergarten through eighth-grade students. Registration is required, and the class is open to the first 20 students who register. Cost: Free • Mommy & Me GYO (Glaze Your Own) April 16 1 to 2:30 p.m. Moms and their preschool-aged children will be able to glaze their own bisque-fired piece of art. Juice and cookies will be provided. The registration deadline is April 10. Cost: $3 for Pineville residents; $5 for nonresidents Find more information about these and other programs, including upcoming summer camps, at www.townofpineville. com/parks-and-recreation or www.artsdelivered.com. Look for additional coverage of arts programs in Pineville in next month’s issue of The Pineville Pilot.

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News

The Pineville Pilot Restaurant Scores The Mecklenburg County Health Department inspected the following dining locations from Feb. 12 to March 12.

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Lowest Score: • Zuma Fun Center, 10400 Cadillac St. – 93 Violations included: Dish machine doesn’t reach proper temperature; food debris on the can opener; no sanitizer on site; bags of chili and cheese being held beside the pizza oven at improper temperature; ready-to-eat chicken and hot dogs without a date mark to determine when it was opened. Person in charge said the items were opened longer than 24 hours before inspection; heavily pitted and melted cutting board; two plastic containers with cracks in them; cracked ice scoop holder bucket repaired with duct tape; and leak at the dish machine.

All Scores: 28134 • Burger King, 10000 Lee St. – 96 • Comfort Suites, 10415 Centrum Pkwy. – 96 • Fresh to Order, 11025 Carolina Place Pkwy., unit D18 – 96 • Pineville Ice House, 400 Towne Centre Blvd. – 95 • Quality Suites, 9840 PinevilleMatthews Road – 94.5 • Taco Bell, 10917 Carolina Place Pkwy. – 96 • Waldhorn Restaurant, 12101 Lancaster Hwy. – 97 • Zuma Fun Center, 10400 Cadillac St. – 93 About the grades Restaurants are given grades of A for scoring at least 90 percent, B for 80 to 89 percent and C for 70 to 79 percent. The state revokes permits for restaurants that score below 70 percent.

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News

Cell Tower (continued from page 1)

Morgan expressed concerns over the safety of the tower based on the increased “fall zone� with the height increase. Morgan said the increased fall zone would cause damage to Walhorn as well as nearby power lines. “Under ice loading this tower is shown to only withstand what appears to be only three seconds at 30 mph winds. Should this tower fail, significant power failures to Carolina Place Mall area and private property could result,� read the town staff’s report to council. The 2009 engineering report also excludes the foundation and foundation bolts from being certified as structurally sound, according to the staff report. The 2014 engineering report from FDH Engineering, Inc., of Raleigh, states structural upgrades were made, but the report doesn’t detail them. The report also gave the tower a structural rating of 106.1 percent, which means the tower height increase would make the tower 6.1 percent over capacity. “It’s like if you had a piece of wood that was supposed to support 100 pounds and you load it up with 110 pounds,� Morgan said. However, FDH Engineering considers up to 10 percent above capacity as acceptable, according to the report. Morgan said although the structural report says the tower reaches the minimum standard, he feels if there was a tower location that would warrant additional safeguards, it would be this tower. The petitioner said the tower’s current height would cause damage, so the increased height wouldn’t make a difference. Morgan also said he felt the signatures on the most recent engineering report were illegitimate, stating the

signature for the senior project engineer, Bradley Newman, appears photoshopped onto the document. Newman’s signature is in a black box with a white signature in the middle beside a black box with his white seal. Project engineer Jeff Teberge’s signature also appears photoshopped, Morgan said, as the “written� signature is cut off on the document. Morgan and town staff contacted FDH Engineering and found both Newman and Teberge no longer worked at the company. When Morgan told the contractor about the issue, the applicant said he didn’t know they no longer worked with the company. “In the span of two days, the contractor scrambled to get a new engineer to do the report� and the contractor said the newest report came back with a 104.8 structural rating, Morgan said. The contractor received the new report just hours before the meeting, but the council requires all meeting documents be ready for the town’s review at least two weeks in advance for town staff reviews and evaluations. The complications regarding the engineering reports left some councilmembers with distaste. “It’s ridiculous that you’d bring a document before this board that is falsified,� said councilmember Les Gladden, who added he feels the petitioner lied under oath because the documents he presented didn’t have a current engineer’s signature. All individuals who spoke during the public hearing, including the petitioner, swore an oath stating they would only present facts during the hearing based on perjury regulations the town put in place. Petitioners said they didn’t know about the misinformation on the 2014 report and sought to alleviate the concern with a new report from a different engineer; however,

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Morgan said he still was left with concerns. Town staff shared an alternate proposal with council and petitioners located near the Pineville Police Department, 1.08 miles away from the Waldhorn tower, because Morgan said that tower wouldn’t need structural reinforcement. The petitioner wasn’t interested in the alternative. “The coverage we want to protect is on the south side of the mall and the police station tower is on the north side,� the petitioner said. “It’s too much of an overlap of the already existing tower and would duplicate coverage.� Residents and business owners also shared concerns over the potential height increase. “My concern is my customers,� said Waldhorn owner Thomas Maier. “(They) might say it’s just 20 feet and it may not come down on me, but it could affect my customers. I want my customers to be safe coming in and out of the restaurant.� Maier said the tower has been a concern since he built the restaurant in June 1999 and the potential increase causes more concern. Councilmembers were left with multiple concerns regarding the town’s safety and the legitimacy of the structural report. “You don’t live here,� Mayor Pro Tem Melissa Rogers Davis said to the applicant. “You come in, you build, (and) you leave. You leave it to be a concern of the people around it.� The council ultimately motioned to defer the application until its April 14 meeting. Morgan said that it’s up to the applicant whether to pursue the land use permit in April. He said it’s possible the applicant may ask for an extension to the May 12 meeting, but it would be up to the applicant.

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News

Home Sales in Pineville

A breakdown of recent home sales FEB. 2015 FEB. 2014 Homes Sold Average Sales Price

9 $274,263

14 $196,533

FEB. 2013 3 $193,617

Editor’s note: Information provided by the Charlotte Regional Realtor Association and www.sales.carolinahome.com

Address

Date sold

Sale price

28134 Carolina Village 14116 Green Birch Drive Feb. 25 $257,500 Danby 13518 Dansville Drive Feb. 27 $141,000 Mccullough 15718 Country Lake Drive Feb. 24 $417,714

The Pineville Pilot

Crime Blotter The following people were arrested in Pineville between Feb. 9 and 16, according to the Pineville Police Department. • Kevin McNary, 8300 block of McMullen Creek: Drunk and disruptive; malicious conduct. Feb 10. • O’Brien French, 10000 block of Kettering Drive: Possession of drug and drug paraphernalia. Feb. 10 • Landon Lucas, 11000 block of Carolina Place Parkway Shoplifting. Feb. 10 • Nicole Pagano, 11000 block of Carolina Place Parkway: Shoplifting. Feb. 10 • Keiston Davis, 11000 block of Carolina Place Parkway: Second degree trespassing. Feb. 11 • Nicole Hunter, (no block specified) Johnston Road: Driving while impaired. Feb. 12 • Kevin Tracy, 11000 block of Carolina Place Parkway: Shoplifting; possession of a controlled substance while in custody. Feb. 13 • Walter Inman, 100 block of Marine Drive: Resisting, delaying and obstructing arrest. Feb. 14 • Dewayne Chavis, 100 block of Marine Drive: Order for arrest for damage to property; resist, delay, obstruct arrest. Feb. 14 • Aviona Fleming, 11000 block of Carolina Place Parkway: Shoplifting. Feb. 14 • Geral Holen, 9400 block of Pineville-Matthews Road: Simple physical assault. Feb. 14 • Stacy Coffey, 9400 block of PinevilleMatthews Road: Simple assault. Feb. 14 news@pinevillepilot.com

Address

Date sold

15610 Country Lake Drive Feb. 20 12805 Jacks Lane Feb. 18 15804 Country Lake Drive Feb.9 Parkway Crossing 12813 Delvin Castle Court Feb. 27 Woodside Village 12301 Agate Lane Feb. 25 12424 Agate Lane Feb. 25

Sale price

$386,520 $358,900 $409,745 $210,000 $142,000 $145,000

• Travis Burton, 400 block of Towne Centre Boulevard: Possession of marijuana. Feb. 14 • Corey Thomas, NC-51 at I-485: Transporting open container of liquor. Feb. 15 • Alfaro Gonzalez, North Polk Street at NC-51: Drug violations and possession of drug paraphernalia. Feb. 15 • William Daniels, Johnston Drive at Main Street: Possession of cocaine. Feb. 15 • Abriana Dubose, I-485 Inner Ramp: Possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia; open container while driving. Feb. 16 • Shalonda Cunningham, 11000 block of Carolina Place Parkway: Shoplifting. Feb. 16 • Gideon Mulugeta, 10000 block of Centrum Parkway: Possessing and concealing weapons. Feb. 17 • Colin Marcho, Park Road near NC-51: Possession of marijuana. Feb. 18 • Tiffanny Smith, 11000 block of Carolina Place Parkway: Shoplifting. Feb. 18 • Heather Hamacher, 11000 block of Carolina Place Parkway: Participating or aiding in the commission of a crime; resisting and obstructing arrest. Feb. 18 • Caroline Blackley, 11000 block of Carolina Place Parkway: Shoplifting. Feb. 20 • Bandon Porrata, Juanita Drive, no address listed: Trespassing. Feb. 20 • Selena Walton, 10000 block of Kettering Drive: Underaged consumption of alcohol. Feb. 20 • Chamlers Caldwell, Lancaster Highway: Driving while impaired. Feb. 21 • Dorothy Moore, 12000 block of Sabal Park Drive: Possession of marijuana. Feb. 22 • Ann Faucher, 9400 block of PinevilleMatthews Road: Warrant for arrest. Feb. 22 (see Crime Blotter on page 12)

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www.facebook.com/BlackDogAppreciationDayBlackDogWalk For vendor information contact: Charlotteblackdogs@gmail.com Pineville Pilot • March 2015 • Page 11

News

Crime Blotter (continued from page 11)

The following incidents occurred in Pineville between Feb. 9 and 22, according to the Pineville Police Department.

Home/Business Break-in • Blue Haven Pools, 10020 Industrial Drive: Burglary with forcible entry. Feb. 9 • 12000 block of Meadow Creek Lane: Burglary with forcible entry at home. Feb. 15 • 400 block of Cone Avenue: Burglary with forcible entry. Feb. 19

Vehicle Break-ins • 100 block of Ried Lane: Breaking and entering into a vehicle. No items listed as stolen. Feb. 16 • 300 block of Lynwood Lane: Breaking and entering into a vehicle. Some parts and accessories listed as stolen. Feb. 17

Property Theft • Dollar General, 325 S. Polk St.: Shoplifting. Feb. 10 • 11000 block of Carolina Place Parkway.: Larceny. Feb. 10 • Belk, Carolina Place Mall: Shoplifting. Feb. 10 • 11000 block of Carolina Place Parkway.: Shoplifting. Feb. 11 • Sears, Carolina Place Mall: Shoplifting. Feb. 13 • Dillards, Carolina Place Mall: Shoplifting. Feb. 14 • Sears, Carolina Place Mall: Shoplifting. Feb. 14 • Reeds Jewelers, Carolina Place Mall: Larceny (theft of property, didn’t specify shoplifting). Feb. 16

• Dillard’s, Carolina Place Mall: Shoplifting. Feb. 16 • Toys “R” Us, 11300 Carolina Place Pkwy.: Shoplifting. Feb. 16 • 10000 block of Park Road: Larceny. Feb. 17 • Dillard’s, Carolina Place Mall: Shoplifting. Feb. 18 • Sears, Carolina Place Mall: Shoplifting. Feb. 19 • Sears, Carolina Place Mall: Shoplifting. Feb. 20 • 11000 block of Carolina Place Parkway: Pickpocketing. Feb. 21 • 11000 block of Carolina Place Parkway: Shoplifting attempt by juveniles. Feb. 21 • 11000 block of Carolina Place Parkway: Theft of auto parts and accessories. Feb. 21 • Macy’s, Carolina Place Mall: Shoplifting. Feb. 22 • 10000 block of Kettering Drive: Motor vehicle theft. Feb. 22

Fraud • 12000 block of Sabal Park Drive: Fraud by trickery. Feb. 9 • 12000 block of Pine Acres Avenue: Obtaining money by false pretense. Feb. 10 • 100 block of Mallard Drive: Identity theft; obtaining money by false pretense. Feb. 10 • 11000 block of Carolina Place Parkway: Attempting to use ATM card without permission. Feb. 11 • 10000 block of Stokeshill Court: Obtaining money by false pretense. Feb. 12 • 200 block of Water Oak Drive: Identity theft; obtaining money by false pretense. Feb. 13 • Nakato Japanese Restaurant, 8500 Pineville-

Matthews Road: Defrauding innkeeper (probably failure to pay); communication of threats. Feb. 15 • 11000 block of Carolina Place Parkway: Obtaining money by false pretense. Feb. 21 • 11000 block of Carolina Place Parkway: Attempt to use ATM card without permission. Feb. 21 • 11000 block of Carolina Place Parkway: Attempt to use ATM card without permission. Feb. 21

Drugs • 10000 block of Kettering Drive: Possession of drugs and drug paraphernalia. Feb. 10 • 400 block of Town Centre Boulevard: Consumption/possession of unidentified drugs at hotel room. Feb. 14 • NC-51/I-485: Transportation of open liquor container; possession of drugs and drug paraphernalia. Feb. 15 • North Polk Street at NC-51: Possession of drugs and drug paraphernalia. Feb. 15 • Johnston Drive at Main Street: Possession of cocaine. Feb. 15 • I-485 Inner Ramp: Possession of marijuana. Feb. 16 • Park Road near NC-51: Possession of marijuana. Feb. 18 • Juanita Drive, no address specified: Trespassing; possession of cigarettes by under-aged person. Feb. 20 • 10000 block of Kettering Drive: Possession of alcohol by minor. Feb. 20 • 12000 block of Sabal Park Drive: Possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia. Feb. 22

Vandalism/Hit-And-Run • 11000 block of Carolina Place Parkway: Damage to personal property. Feb. 19 • 8300 block of Pineville-Matthews Road: Damage to personal property in hit and run incident. Feb. 20

Other • 8400 block of Habersham Point Circle: Armed robbery. Feb. 9 • 8300 block of McMullen Creek Parkway: Aggravated assault; drunk and disruptive incident. Feb. 10 • 300 block of Dover Street: Communication of threats; simple physical assault. Feb. 10 • 800 block of Pelican Bay Drive: Unauthorized used of conveyance. Feb. 12 • 8700 block of Pineville-Matthews Road: Simple physical assault; damage to personal property. Feb. 13 • 9400 block of Pineville-Matthews Road: Simple physical assault. Feb. 14 • 8600 block of Pineville-Matthews Road: Assault on a female. Feb. 15 • 8600 block of Pineville-Matthews Road: Communication of threats. Feb. 15 • 10000 block of Park Road: Dumpster fire. Feb. 17 • 12000 block of Sabal Park Drive: Aggravated assault. Feb. 18 • 10000 block of Centrum Parkway: Possession and concealment of weapons. Feb. 17 • 9800 block of Pineville-Matthews Road: Assault on a female. Feb. 21

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2015 Nestled adjacent to Ballantyne and SouthPark in south Charlotte, the Town of Pineville offers the small-town feel with all the big city amenities within its borders, just across the street in south Charlotte, and only a few minutes away from Uptown. With a current population of just over 8,000 and growing quickly with beautiful new neighborhoods from John Wieland’s McCullough (see image below) to True Home’s Parkway Crossing, Pineville is on the move. As Pineville’s only newspaper, the residents of Pineville read The Pilot cover-to-cover. Get in front of these attentive and loyal readers and turn them into your customers by advertising in The Pilot.

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Pineville Pilot • March 2015 • Page 13

Education

South Mecklenburg High School to perform “Guys and Dolls” by Crystal O’Gorman crystal@carolinaweeklynewspapers.com

South Mecklenburg High School will perform “Guys and Dolls” March 19 through 22. Theater Director Bonnie Hall said South Meck students have been working on the production since November and anticipation is building for opening night. “They can see it coming together,” Hall said. “It’s not just lines on a page. To see them see it, it excites me.” “Guys and Dolls” is a romantic comedy where the most unlikely sinners and saints come together in the name of love. The play is written about the gambling and cabaret scene in 1940s New York City. Floating craps gambler Nathan Detroit, played by senior Ahmad Ayube, bets Sky Masterson, played by fellow senior Jaleel Cummings, that he will not be able to get the next girl he sees to fall in love with him. That girl happens to be Sarah Brown, played by senior Mary Kathryn Evans, a do-gooder from Save-a-Soul Mission. At the same time, Miss Adelaide, a dancer at Hot Box nightclub played by sophomore Elora Steele Tickle, is fixated on marrying Nathan Detroit. Hall said it was important for the students to learn what life was like in the 1940s and 1950s, to better understand the lives of people like the characters in the play. Hall had her class research the gambling and cabaret scene in New York City during the time and wanted them to understand why gambling

was outlawed in order to breathe life into the characters and challenge their misconceptions. “Many girls questioned why there were women working in the cabarets when most were housewives,” Hall said. “I had to explain that it was just another way to make money for those who needed the additional income.” After learning the history, students learned the language and terminology of 1940s New York. “It was so funny that I had to explain what a Reader’s Digest is and Ovaltine and who is Emily Post,” Hall said. Elora Steele Tickle said learning her characters accent was the hardest part. “I have worked hard to learn to speak with a New York accent and how to incorporate my accent Ahmad Ayube expects to give performance in into my character ahisnoteworthy breakout role as Nathan Detroit. Photo courtesy of South when singing,” Mecklenburg High School she said. Hall continued to enrich their characters by making up backstories that aren’t part of the original script to give actors a point of reference. “I made it up and that’s their story,” she said. “I wanted them to act through the backstory.” Mary Kathryn plays Sarah Brown. Evans said she believes learning Sarah’s story helped her perform better, while also making the role a

more exciting experience. “I’ve heard that characters, like Sarah, are (like real) people and it is the actor’s job to bring them to life. Learning how to bring Sarah to life and figuring out what choices or even body movements that she would make has been a lot of fun for me,” she said. Hall said she’s proud of how the actors have developed, but she is particularly proud of firsttime main stage actor Ahmad, who plays Nathan Detroit. “He’s been in my theater class for two years, but this is his first public performance,” Hall said. “I encouraged him to audition for the part and he has grown so much as a person since. He really delved into it.” Ahmad said, “I have always enjoyed theater but never had a structured learning or performing environment. Finding theater in high school has since drastically changed me … the thing that has impacted me the most has been the new opportunity to expand my thinking that only acting theater provides.” Jaleel, who plays Sky Masterson, will perform his first play and he said it helped him overcome his timidity. “I’ve learned that I’m capable of performing in front of an audience without messing up or fumbling my lines,” he said. “I guess you can say I learned to believe in myself.” Hall believes seeing her students grow through theater is the best part of her job. “Watching them start as freshmen and to see them grow as a person is an amazing experience

More than 100 students at South Mecklenburg High School are involved in the production of the upcoming performance of “Guys and Dolls.” Photo courtesy of South Mecklenburg High School

and truly a privilege,” she said. “A lot of kids get that from theater performance.” The production of “Guys and Dolls” cost South Meck $10,000 and more than 100 students are involved with the play ranging from stage crew, set builders and cast. Hall said the play is a student-run performance and more than half the cost went towards play royalties and scripts. Hall, who’s been the theater director at South Meck since 2009, said she likes to change the styles of plays performed every year. Last year, South Meck performed “The Wiz” and the year before they won awards for “Bye Bye Birdie.” “We perform plays that will connect with our audience members and their generation, and try to put on performances that are lively and entertaining,” said Hall. “Guys and Dolls” opens on Thursday, March 19. Performances on March 19 through 21, Thursday through Saturday, start at 7 p.m. and the performance on March 22, a Sunday, starts at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $10 and are available at the door. Visit www.southmeckmusicals.com for more information.

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Education

The Pineville Pilot

Education News & Notes

Pineville fifth-grader to participate in global program Pineville Elementary School fifth-grader Éowyn Muck applied to be a part of People to People, a global travel and education program. To participate, she collected letters of recommendation and went through an interview process with the delegation leader. Éowyn was selected to join other fifth- and sixth-grade students from the greater Charlotte area to travel to Australia for 15 days this summer. In Australia, she will visit the Sydney Opera House in a behind-the-scenes tour, met and hold koalas at a nature preserve in Brisbane, interact with local students at the Gin Gin School, meet and learn about the aboriginal people, snorkel and explore the Great Barrier Reef with a marine biologist and participate in a farm stay on a sheep farm and help run the ranch. Éowyn is completing various fundraising projects to fund the trip. Pineville Elementary is holding a “phoneraiser” to collect old cell phones, tablets and ink cartridges to raise funds by recycling the materials. Contact the school at 704-341-1802 for more information.

Pi nevil l e

Honor Roll

PINEVILLE ELEMENTARY School A Honor Roll Third grade: Elliott Ballowe, Thomas Bedzinski, Anika Boucher, Elijah Colvin, Zoey Cook, Sarah Davey, Corah Edwards, Julio Flores Ramos, Tamiah Garcia, Jayden Jefferson, Jack Kaiser, Asya Karaeva, Natalia Lainez, Sabrina Lateefuddin, Omar Perez Rocha, Carlee Pinto, Anderson Platero Soto, Austin Romanat, Bruno Salvi, Trishna Suthar, Ellis Sutton, N’Kaiya Taylor, Morgan Tompkins, Kendrick Valentine, Viviana Zambrano and Liliana Zapote. Fourth grade: Pearson Baldwin, Caroline Cochran, Michael Hill, Rohan Patel, Adam Simpson, Evan Stinson-Wesley, Gali Strilka, Yi Tung Tsui, Michael Weed and Laurel Young. Fifth grade: Joshua Calland, Bethanny Flory, Sami Kazzaz and Mudra Yajurvedi. A/b Honor Roll Third grade: Oliver Alvarez-Romero, Mackenzie Balwin, Hailey Chamniss, Raphaela Corral, Nydesion Ducan, Christopher Enireb-Gaibor, Jan Marcos Espinoza Huizar, Imran Faridy, Emily Finland, Estrella Franconews@pinevillepilot.com

Charlotte Catholic announces seven national merit finalists Seven Charlotte Catholic High School seniors have been selected finalists in the 2015 National Merit Scholarship competition based on last year’s PSAT scores. Tyler Caponigro, Elliot Chambers, Polly Jasper, Faith Kressner, Ian Miller, Haley Schilly and Martha Wood were all among the 15,000 finalists of this year’s nationwide competition. Nearly 1.5 million high school juniors from more than 22,000 high schools nationwide entered this year’s contest by taking the Preliminary SAT. The pool of semifinalists comprises less than one percent of all U.S. high school seniors and includes the highest scoring entrants in each state.

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Seven Charlotte Catholic students were selected as finalists for the 2015 National Merit Scholarship Competition. Photo courtesy of Charlotte Catholic High School

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Fourth grade: Alexis Acosta-Mendez , Ashley Aquilar Jimenez, Itzel Aquilar-Fonseca, Emma Alford, Valeria AlvarezPimentel, Laney Ballowe, Stephanie Beach, Jamison Becker, Taniyah Cheeks, Kellen Childers, Erin Clark, Joharis Cubero-Acuna, Jamiah Davis, Allison Geraghty, Isabella Harris, Gerson Hernandez, Skyler Jennings, Allen Johnson, Tyler Jones, Natalie Kashefska, Melany Landa-Vasquez, Alexander Lich, Elijah Martinez, Alexander Petty, Isabella Smith, Peyton Smith and Brenda Tripathi. Fifth grade: Angel Abundio, Aaliyah Aleem, Kayla Benzel, Khamani Burch, Jenae Burwell, Alexander Call, Nicolas Cebey, Kierah Cox, Bianca Enireb-Gaibor, Micaela Flandoli, Fiona Ganchenko, Ciara Gasque, Estella Gethers, Angel Giuria, Issac Gonzalez Cervantes, Alani Hall, Rebeka Huitron Vazquez, William Jonas, Kyle Kaizer, Lorelai Kaminski, Joseph Moore, Eowyn Muck, Owen Osborne, Emily Grace Person, America Reyes Duarte, Mia Salvi, Karina Sanders, Jacob Shackelford, Jake Sninsky, Asher Stern, Anslei Taylor, Jabari Washington and Kilik Xiong. Pineville Pilot • March 2015 • Page 15

Faith

The Pineville Pilot

Faith & Religion News & Notes

Pineville UMC to host Youth Sunday Pineville United Methodist Church will host a Youth Sunday event on Sunday, March 22. Members of the church’s youth group will lead worship and offer a message based on Isaiah 41:10. “The vehicle for this message is video, song, prayer and sermon. We pray that you will lift up the youth group as they prepare for this day and for your attendance and support,” the church said in a newsletter. Email sjenkins@pinevilleumc.org for more information about Youth Sunday. Pineville UMC is located at 110 S. Polk St. in Pineville.

‘Easter Under Construction,’ rummage sale coming to Harrison UMC The children’s ministry at Harrison United Methodist Church will host “Easter Under Construction” on March 28, a Saturday, from 2 to 4 p.m. in Building 100.

Page 16 • March 2015 • Pineville Pilot

The “family-friendly” event, free and open to the community, will include crafts, ice cream and activities for all ages, according to a church announcement. Find more information at www.harrisonchurch. org. Harrison UMC also is seeking donations for its upcoming annual Rummage Sale for Haiti, slated for April 25, a Saturday. Items currently being accepted include furniture, appliances, household and kitchen items, lamps, exercise equipment, holiday decorations, collectables and more. Televisions, adult clothing and entertainment units will not be accepted. Scheduled pick-ups and drop-offs for the sale are from 9 a.m. to noon on March 21 and April 18. Proceeds from the April 25 sale will benefit a school in Haiti, according to a church newsletter. Email haitirummagesale@yahoo.com for more information. Harrison UMC is located at 15008 Lancaster Hwy. in Pineville.

Women’s Bible studies at Pineville Nazarene The women’s ministry at Pineville Church of the Nazarene hosts two weekly Bible studies for women. The first study, “Children of the Day: 1 and 2 Thessalonians,” meets on Tuesdays

at 9:30 a.m. in Room 440 of the church. The study is based on a book of the same name by Beth Moore and focuses on “how to let go of past mistakes and discover your circumstances are not coincidental,” read a church newsletter. The second study, “Gideon: Your Weakness, God’s Strength,” meets Wednesdays at 7 p.m. in Room 320 of the church. The study follows a book of the same name by Priscilla Shirer, which focuses on viewing weaknesses as “gifts … given specifically and strategically by God to unlock the door of God’s strength,” read the church newsletter. Find more information about these studies and other Pineville Nazarene women’s ministry events at www.pnaz.org/ ministries/ladies-ministry. The church is located at 8614 Pineville-Matthews Road in Charlotte, near the border of Pineville.

St. Mark AME Zion hosting weekly community prayer service Individuals seeking prayer or wishing to be involved in a community prayer group are invited to attend St. Mark AME Zion Church’s weekly community prayer service. The church opens its doors to the

community every Tuesday evening from 6:30 to 7 p.m. and encourages people to “come see what great things for the New Year God has in store for you,” the church wrote in a news release. St. Mark AME Zion is located at 605 Johnston Drive in Pineville.

NSAI meeting at The Well The Charlotte chapter of Nashville Songwriters Association International, or NSAI, will host its next monthly meeting at The Well Church & Coffeehouse on April 14, a Tuesday, from 7 to 10 p.m. Local songwriters who are interested in writing, recording, publishing and marketing their original music are invited this event. They’ll get the chance to meet local artists and people from the music industry in Nashville, who’ll help them discover ways to get their music “out there.” The event also features a time of sharing original songs and receiving constructive feedback on the work. Find more information at www.the-well.org, or call 704-8894325. The Well Church & Coffeehouse is located at 220 N. Main St. in downtown Pineville. Send faith news items to news@ pinevillepilot.com. Announcements should be sent one month in advance.

news@pinevillepilot.com

Calendar 3.17.15 Tuesday 6 to 7 p.m. Outdoor Survival & Nature Education: Nutrition and Field Cooking

tax is not reflected in the admission price. President James K. Polk Historic Site, 12031 Lancaster Hwy., Pineville 4.11.15 Saturday 9 a.m. to noon 2nd Annual Health and Wellness Fair

Trevor Hudspeth, a wilderness emergency medical technician from the McDowell Nature Center, will discuss topics regarding outdoor survival, including camping, navigation, survival basics and woodland wildlife recognition. He will emphasize specific skills, such as caloric intake, equipment and different stove and preparation techniques. The program is a partnership with Mecklenburg County Parks & Recreation. Registration is required at cmlibrary.org. Contact Eric Hartman at 704-416-6600 or ehartman@cmlibrary.org for more information.

The Pineville Parks and Recreation Department invites residents to join them for a day of fun and health activities. The activities will include classes in yoga, boot camp, self-defense, soccer, dance, cheer, tai chi, gymnastics and cheer, among others, as well as a bounce house, music and local business promotions. Businesses can call 704-889-2400 to reserve a free space to promote their business and help make the community healthy.

South County Regional Library, 5801 Rea Road, Charlotte

Pineville Lake Park, 1000 Johnston Drive, Pineville

3.18.15 Wednesday 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Open call for community theater play: “Arsenic and Old Lace” Pineville Parks and Recreation will host an open call for all adults interested in participating in Pineville’s first community theater play with a performance of Joseph Kesserling’s “Arsenic and Old Lace.” They will need eleven males, three females, backstage crew, a set designer, costumes, hair and prop managers, advertising, lights and sound technicians. Callbacks will be on March 22, a Sunday, from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m., and March 23, a Monday, from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. The cast read-through will be on March 29, a Sunday, at 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. and rehearsals will be on Sundays from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. and Mondays and Wednesdays from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Show dates will be June 20, 26 and 27 at 7 p.m. and June 21 and 28 at 2 p.m. Contact Kristy Detwiler at 704-889-2400 or parknrec@pinevilledsl.net for more information. The Hut, 413 Johnston Road, Pineville 4.9.15 Thursday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Home-school History Day The President James K. Polk Historic Site will host a fun-filled day just for home-school students, who are 7 to 14 years old. Students will experience what life was like for young James K. Polk in the early 1800s in Mecklenburg County. Activities will include hands-on chores, backcountry food presentations and historical craft making. The cost is $5 for children and $3 for adults. Applicable sales news@pinevillepilot.com

4.18.15 Saturday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. PCAA 2015 Spring Fling The Pineville-Ballantyne Community Association will host its 2015 Spring Fling, the group’s annual fundraising festival. The event is the largest fundraiser the PCAA holds during the year and proceeds go to support the athletic association. It will feature food, inflatables and games for the whole family and T-ball, softball and baseball games will be played all day. Contact Any Reim at fundraising@pcaasports.org for vendor and sponsorship opportunities. Jack Hughes Park, 198 Reid Lane, Pineville 4.18.15 Saturday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Paws in the Park Black Dog Appreciation and Black Dog Walk presents an event that will feature more than 50 vendors, demonstrations, food trucks, dog rescue groups, dogs available for adoption, a dog walk and the annual Black Dog Walk. There also will be a live performance by CJ and Brother Max. Black Dog Appreciation is still accepting applications for businesses and rescue groups for the event. Applications can be obtained by emailing Charlotteblackdog@gmail.com. All dogs are welcome and admission is free. Visit www.facebook.com/ BlackDogAppreciationDayBlackDogWalk for more information. Pineville Lake Park, 1000 Johnston Drive, Pineville

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Name: Grits Gender: Male Age/Weight: 10 Months and 22 pounds Breed: Terrier Mix Grits is great with other dogs, kids and cats. He is a smart, loving and loyal dog that is looking for his forever home. He loves to be around people and would do well with someone home or that can take him to work. He is deaf and knows many hand signs. He is UTD on shots, neutered, and heartworm negative.

PLEASE HELP CONTROL THE PET POPULATION, HAVE YOUR PET SPAYED OR NEUTERED MONROE LOW COST SPAY/NEUTER CLINIC Call 704-292-SPAY(7729)

PUBLIC NOTICE The Pineville Town Council Will hold several budget planning Sessions on the following dates:

• March 24, 2015 • April 7, 2015 • April 16, 2015 • April 28, 2015 All sessions will be held at 6:00 p.m. at the Pineville Police Building, 2nd Floor Training Room. Located at 427 Main St., Pineville, NC, 28134. Budget sessions are open to the public. Pineville Pilot • March 2015 • Page 17

Sports

by Ben Doster ben@carolinaweeklynewspapers.com

Charlotte Catholic junior catcher Tommy Miller leaves his post behind the plate to visit his pitcher at the mound during tense game situations, and shares a joke to loosen him up. But Charlotte Catholic hasn’t had many high-pressure moments this season. Aside from a 3-1 win over Providence Day in the season opener, the Cougars have cruised comfortably past opponents, pounding Berry 16-0, Harding 18-1 and Olympic 13-3. The Cougars recorded 21 hits against the Cardinals. Though their bats are already hot, coach Randy Belk knows the strength of his team lies within its arsenal of pitchers led by North Carolina commit junior Nick Bruno, Clemson signee senior Johnny Koletic and junior Davis Sofarelli. “All three of them are very talented and very different,� Belk said. “Johnny is a tall, lanky kid that throws hard and has got some movement on the ball.

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Nick Bruno has super control, spots the ball well, runs it up there in the high 80s also, and then Davis, his control is phenomenal and he’s got a great breaking ball.� Koletic’s go-to pitch (and favorite) is his fastball, but he also is comfortable throwing a changeup and slider to keep batters off balance. He brings a high level of intensity to the mound, which carries over to his teammates. “Bruno competes with me out there,� Davis said. “He helps me throw the ball. It’s good competition. We go in the bullpen and throw spots. He fires me up before the games. He helps me out. Pregame, he gets me excited and makes me focus in on the game.� Bruno’s intensity comes from a strong desire to win and even stronger disdain for losing. “I just have to get everybody in the same boat and compete and have fun and while you’re out there do your job and do what you’re supposed to do to the best of your ability,� Bruno said.

(From left) Johnny Koletic, Davis Sofarelli, Tommy Miller, Nick Bruno all are ready to win this season. Ben Doster/PP photo

“I think my mental approach is pretty good. Mental approach is big when you’re pitching, so you have to have a smart game plan.� He added the Cougars control their own destiny and are capable of going as far as they want. “Baseball is one of those sports where

everything is in your own hands and you got to wake up every day and play the game,� Bruno said. Like Bruno, Koletic is eager to see Charlotte Catholic succeed. He said the Cougars have been working well as a team. (see Cougars on page 19)

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Page 18 • March 2015 • Pineville Pilot

news@pinevillepilot.com

Sports

Cougars (continued from page 18)

“I want to see that keep on going,” Koletic said. “I’m excited to see those big games, Providence, Ardrey Kell and South Meck. Those would prove what team we are.” Similar to Bruno and Koletic, Sofarelli puts his fastball and curveball pitches to use. The trio is fortunate to have a three-year starter in Miller catching for them. Miller, who is a solid catch and throw guy, manages his pitchers well too. “They’re quick and they do good work,” Miller said. “I don’t have to move much, because they’re very accurate.” Charlotte Catholic made the transition from 3A to 4A last season, finishing with a 13-11 (8-7 So. Meck 8) record and lost to Roberson, 8-0, in the first round

by Ben Doster ben@carolinaweeklynewspapers.com

South Meck coach Jonathan Tuscan admits his team may not be as talented or deep as other area teams, but said his group is a scrappy one. But like most years, the Sabres will still be in conversations regarding So. Meck 8 elite. Senior second basemen Max Bazin, who will eventually move to shortstop, and teammate pitcher/catcher/second baseman Eric Jones both signed to play for Davidson, while junior center fielder Lawson McArthur is committed to North Carolina State. “Bazin, he’s a good athlete,” Tuscan said. “He may have played every position here for us in his four years. He’s just a freak athlete, hardnosed kid [and a] phenomenal leader. Jones, it took him a little while to get comfortable, but he settled in, stepped up as a leader. He’s going to be big.” That’s not a bad core of talent to start with. Bazin, who was the No. 1 starting pitcher for the Sabres last season and pitched during the 2013 state championship series, learned in late July he needed Tommy John surgery to replace a ligament in his elbow, which can be career-threatening. Dr. James Andrews, well-known surgeon, performed the operation on Bazin in Florida on Aug. 25, 2014. He completed rehabilitation at Architech Sports & Physical Therapy in Charlotte. “It was devastating to find out I wouldn’t be able to pitch this year,” Bazin said. “It’s one of those things you can’t really control.” Jones, who joined South Meck after it won the N.C. High School Athletic Association Class 4A state championship in 2013, gives the Sabres news@pinevillepilot.com

of the state playoffs. But the Cougars welcomed a solid group of talented players from last season’s junior varsity team that finished 18-2, including players like Sofarelli, and have high expectations for this season. “We’ve got some good little defensive players,” Belk said. “Defensively, I think we’ll be very solid.” Belk is excited about the development and play of second baseman Dirk Masters, shortstop McCann Mellett and outfielder Hunter Swanson. Nicholas Weaver, who has been limited with an arm injury, has played some right field, but has fit in nicely as the designated hitter. He has a .778 batting average, recording seven hits, two RBIs and a double. “He’s hitting the ball solid – hitting it all over the place,” Belk said. “He’s done a great job.” Masters also hits the ball well (.417 batting average), connecting for five hits, five RBIs and a double.

versatility with his ability to play multiple positions, but his role will center mostly behind the plate. “I saw this was a program I wanted to play in, an environment I wanted to play under,” Jones said. “I wanted to play under Coach Tuscan. I felt like I was welcomed with open arms.” He’s taken on a leadership role that he uses to take younger players under his wing by making them feel welcome, encouraged and helping them improve along the way. McArthur is a three-year starter.

Combine that talent with guys like Miller (.692 BA, nine hits, seven RBIs, three doubles) and Alexander Womack (.333 BA, four hits, seven RBIs) and you’ve got more than enough talent to make this one of the Cougars best seasons in years. Belk, who is in his 38th year at Charlotte Catholic and 35th year as the head coach, said the Cougars have a tough schedule. Their biggest challengers will be Ardrey Kell, Providence and South Meck. “[Those] teams have competed in the state in 4A for years, so just unbelievable baseball programs in Charlotte,” Belk said. “Last year was our first year in that conference and we want to try to go in and compete for that top spot in this conference.” Belk added his goal for Charlotte Catholic is to compete day in and day out, so the team will be successful in the conference and make it to the playoffs.

likes of Ardrey Kell, Charlotte Catholic and Providence, he knows others must step up for the Sabres to be successful. The six-year South Meck head coach added there were times in the offseason where the Sabres lacked leadership from their upperclassmen and moments when the underclassmen haven’t stepped in to fill varsity roles. “That’s what’s got to come together,” Tuscan said. “It’s a long season. We’re going to have to play as one and be a

Lauson McArthur, far left, Eric Jones, center, and Max Bazin are hoping to knock it out of the park this season. Ben Doster/PP photo

“He’s been swinging the bat really well, (he’s a) left-handed hitter and closed out the Myers Park game,” Tuscan said. McArthur is also the vocal leader of the bunch. “I like to explain to people what happens in various situations and how to handle it mentally and physically,” McArthur said. Tuscan is fortunate to have Bazin, Jones and McArthur to depend on, but with a schedule that features the

scrappy group – the leaders stepping up and the freshmen finding a way to contribute.” Lawson said the outcome of games depend on how the younger players contribute, but said the older players need to provide motivation. “The whole left side of our infield is underclassmen except for me in center,” he said. “That’s what determines the way we play and our chemistry and the way we are motivated. We like to make them feel as comfortable as

they can, because they’re such a big asset to our team.” South Meck is off to a strong start (4-0, 1-0 So. Meck 8) that includes a 3-2 win over Independence in its season opener on March 3 and a 6-5 win over Marvin Ridge on March 7. Tuscan added the team chemistry is similar to the 2013 state championship team. “The chemistry is very promising,” Bazin said. “We’re one whole unit and that’s really going to serve us well when we get later into the season and the playoffs.” South Meck’s success also will significantly hinge on how well the young pitching staff performs, which must mature quickly. The group of hurlers doesn’t have a single senior, but is filled with talented juniors, sophomores and freshmen – a promising thought for future seasons. Juniors Christian Umphlett and Colby Bruce will be the Tuesday and Friday starters. “I’m excited to see them,” Tuscan said. “Colby switched from Covenant Day and just came in and has been busting his butt to be able to play. We’re excited to have those guys.” Tuscan knows one game at a time sounds cliché, but said that’s the approach the Sabres have to take. He added it’s up to the players, especially the younger ones, to execute their roles. “We don’t need a freshman to come in and hit .300, but we need them to be able to bunt, hit and run, move a guy on base, put together good AB’s and we’ve got to have the upperclassmen leadership,” Tuscan said. It’s the little things, and South Meck has to do them and do them well if it wants to have another successful spring. Pineville Pilot • March 2015 • Page 19

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