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FEB 27 - MAR 5, 2019 Vol. 41 no. 9 | 1 Section | 8 Pages
Bike Plan details revealed
By CaROL BROOks freeLAnce Writer cab1hp@gmail.com
After several months of study, Andrew Edmonds, transportation planner with the High Point Urban Area Metropolitan Planning Organization, and Steve Bzomowski, senior planner with Alta Planning + Design, presented the High Point Regional Bike Plan to the Jamestown Town Council on Feb. 19. The plan’s vision is to improve the bicycle network within the HPMPO to create safe, comfortable and accessible bicycle connections within and between communities, all while protecting
the environment. Jamestown is a member of the HPMPO, which also includes seven other municipalities, four counties and three divisions of the North Carolina Department of Transportation, covering nearly 700 square miles in west-central North Carolina. Jamestown Planning Director Matthew Johnson is a member of the steering committee. “About a year ago we started the process of trying to create a regional bike network,” Edmonds said. “This plan is really only a set of recommendations. “The purpose of this plan is to identify opportunities and constraints for bicycling in the High Point region and to establish rec-
ommendations for improvement.” “This is the first bike plan for the region as a whole,” Bzomowski said. “Bicycling can really fill in gaps in our transportation system, especially locally, 0-3 mile trips. Improvements could come in the form of bicycle lanes, shared-
lane markings, separated facilities such as greenways and shared-use paths. The plan would also make recommendations for bicyclerelated programs and policies. The Bike Plan steering committee met with area citizens at 12 community events beginning in the spring of 2018, including National Night Out Aug. 7 in Jamestown. An online survey was also available. Interested parties were asked about bicycling improvements they wanted to see, such as bike lanes and greenway trails. Last fall, ideas were compiled into a draft, with the final document presented during the winter of 2018-19. “One thing we heard was the
desire for physical separation from the roadway,” Bzomowski said of comments received. “We need to have opportunities to have separation from automobile traffic. As traffic and speed limits climb, that separation is more and more important.” Bzomowski noted that outside of the High Point Greenway and Bicentennial Greenway, there are not many bicycle facilities in the area. There are 15 priority projects within the HPMPO as a result of the Bike Plan survey. One priority is the High Point/Jamestown/Lexington Avenue Complete Street see BIke, PAGe 2
Council hears budget Miss High Point Teen hosts progress reports Valentine Banquet for veterans A lot of business took place at the Feb. 19 Jamestown Town Council meeting. • The town is working on completing a strategic plan for an area of Jamestown Park focusing on baseball fields, chipping area, playgrounds, shelters and associated parking lots. Bids have come in from eight firms related to this project.
The following citizens have been elected to serve on a steering committee to interview the three best bidders and to provide guidance in the planning process and application for a Parks and Recreation Trust Fund grant: George Reeve: Dane Beck, Ragsdale YMCA; Michelle Belcastro, Jamestown Youth League; John Capes, Town Council representative; Steve Owen and Jim Pendry, Parks & Recreation Comsee BudGeT, PAGe 4
Photo courtesy Town of Jamestown
Former Pinecroft-sedgefield Fire department assistant Chief Tommy Cole was honored with a resolution recognizing his service to the department and to the town. Cole has accepted a position as Fire Chief of the City of Graham. He is pictured with Mayor Lynn Montgomery.
eight student athletes sign to participate in college sports (Part II) By nORMa B. dennIs freeLAnce Writer ndworddesign@gmail.com Eight Ragsdale High School athletes participated in a signing ceremony Feb. 15 to take part in college sports. Below is Part II highlighting three more students who will participate in track and field programs. Kaitlin McGoogan Kaitlin McGoogan was offered scholarships to eight universities and actually applied to six of them. But she chose the University of North Carolina – Charlotte because of its great prephysical therapy program. She plans to major in kinesiology. “Also, Charlotte is a great city that has a lot to offer,” she said.
McGoogan, a thrower, will participate on the track and field team at college. “The throw program at UNC – Charlotte has produced All-Americans and all of their previous athletes made tremendous gains while attending the university,” McGoogan said. “I have been a part of track for six years but I did not start throwing shot put and discus until my freshman year at Ragsdale. During my time in high school, track and field is the only sport I participated in.” McGoogan’s mother ran track in high school and from an early age she wanted to be a sprinter and learn to run fast. “I loved the sport of track,” McGoogan said. see sTudenTs, PAGe 4
By nORMa B. dennIs freeLAnce Writer ndworddesign@gmail.com When 15-year-old Meghan Gadsden was crowned Miss High Point Outstanding Teen in November of 2018, she knew exactly what she wanted as a personal platform. “I call it ‘It takes a child to raise a village,’” Gadsden said. “I talk to children ages 5-18 and encourage them to volunteer in their communities. One might say Gadsden is an expert on the subject. For approximately four years she has taught dance at a local homeless center in Charlotte close to where she lives, and has volunteered at a soup kitchen. Not only does the homeschooled high school sophomore volunteer, she also started a foundation called “Second Chance to Dance.” She began by collecting gently used dance equipment for those in need. She soon started conducting fundraisers to provide scholarships to students who might otherwise not be able to participate in dance. For the past three years, the program has been run as a non-profit. Board members select the scholarship winners based on submitted applications. “For the past two years we have provided two $1,000 scholarships and hope to double the number of scholarships this year,” Gadsden said. “We also are encouraging studios to give these students a reduced price so their scholarships will go farther. “My parents have always pushed me to give back to the community,” she added. “I found a path I was interested in and still help others. When I talk to kids, I tell them what I have done and the impact I have made as a volunteer.” As Miss High Point Outstanding Teen, Gadsden aspired to do more. Her brother is currently serving in the Navy, stationed in Japan, and Gadsden wanted to do something special to honor veterans in the High Point area. “Veterans have done so much for this country, it is important that we give back to them,” Gadsden said. Victor Jones, who served in the military as a Marine and is currently a representative on the High Point City Council and a board member of the Heroes Center Veterans Support Camp in High Point, connected Gadsden to Bob Uber, founder of the camp. Uber and Gadsden decided to hold a Valentine’s Day Banquet for area veterans. Veteran organizations throughout the community were notified of the event, which was open to the first 25 veterans to respond, along with one guest of each. ABC Supply Co., which is donat-
Photos submitted
(above) special guests at the banquet included Chris Lingerfelt, 93, a WWII veteran who represented the VFW in Thomasville, and his friend Charlotte from Jamestown. (at right) Meghan Gadsden, who was crowned Miss High Point Outstanding Teen in november 2018, is shown with Bob uber, founder of the Heroes Center Veterans support Camp, left, and Bev Hakki, director of the camp, during a special Valentine’s day Banquet that Gadsden helped sponsor for veterans. ing roofing material for the Heroes Center’s dorm renovation, sponsored the banquet. Kay Brooks, a Heroes Center volunteer, helped Gadsden organize the evening’s program, which included a jazz band and speakers from the Center, the Miss High Point Outstanding Teen program, and Gadsden. Harrisburg Family Restaurant outside of Concord catered the meal. “The event went great,” Gadsden said. “I was really nervous because I wanted it to go well. But I was blessed to have everyone from the Heroes Center help so much. I learned that I could pick an idea and depend on others to help me make it happen.” Although Gadsden lives in the Charlotte area, the rules of the teen pageant say that young women ages 13-17 may participate in any pageant in the state in which they live. This is the second year Gadsden has participated in a Miss Outstanding Teen pageant. “I have been interested in pageants since I was 12 when I entered my
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first one,” Gadsden said. “I hope to eventually compete in the Miss America pageant. It is the No. 1 scholarship provider for women in the entire world.” As Miss High Point Outstanding Teen, Gadsden will compete in the state pageant in April. It will be held in High Point after a 14-year run in Raleigh. If Gadsden is not selected as Miss North Carolina Teen, she will be eligible to participate in another local pageant. Whatever the outcome of any pageant, the success of the Valentine’s Banquet for veterans has given Gadsden a desire to do more for them. “I loved the people I worked with at the Heroes Center,” she said. “The banquet went really well and I would like to do more for veterans here and branch out to veterans in other locations as well,” Gadsden said. Expect to see more of Gadsden in the future. The young pageant winner – volunteer – founder of a nonprofit hopes to establish her own YouTube channel.
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By CaROL BROOks freeLAnce Writer cab1hp@gmail.com