Northwest Observer / Sept. 16-29, 2021 by pscommunications

Sept. 16 - 29, 2021

bringing the local news home to northwest Guilford County since 1996

New town hall on hold until building costs decline

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Two Summerfield schools impose COVID-19 quarantines Summerfield Charter Academy and Summerfield Elementary are taking precautions after some students and staff tested positive for the virus by CHRIS BURRITT SUMMERFIELD – Positive COVID-19 cases prompted Summerfield Charter Academy to quarantine its sixth grade, while five students and one teacher at Summerfield Elementary School are isolating at

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Artist’s rendering courtesy of Creech & Associates

An artist’s rendering shows the proposed new Summerfield Town Hall. Plans for the town hall were modified last spring to bring the project within its $3.5 million budget. Summerfield leaders have decided to halt development of the new town hall until costs for building materials decline.

Rising costs for metal and other building materials in recent months have pushed expenses for the town hall more than $100,000 over budget by CHRIS BURRITT

IN THIS ISSUE

‘We are seeing deep impact of COVID,’ EMS director says August was reportedly the busiest month in county’s history of ambulance service

SUMMERFIELD – Summerfield leaders have decided to halt development of the new town hall until costs for building materials decline enough for the project to meet its $3.5 million budget. “We are going to pause and wait for pricing to come down so that we can be able to deliver the project at or under budget,”

Towns await news of PARTF grants .......................2 News in brief ...........................................................3 Your Questions .......................................................4 York resigns as town planning manager .............7 Summerﬁeld Town Council meeting ...................8 Bits & Pieces ...........................................................10 Stokesdale Town Council meeting .................... 12

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by PATTI STOKES Ninety percent of people admitted to the hospital these days for COVID, including almost every Jim Albright, EMS director

NWO Business & Real Estate ............................... 15 NW Guilford’s ‘really crazy’ housing market .... 16 Real Estate/Business Briefs.................................. 18 A new direction: Career changers ...................20 Photo Page: Remembering 9/11 ........................28 Bits & Pieces ..........................................................29 Student Proﬁles .....................................................32 Eagle project honors ﬁre dept. supporters ........35 NWO Kids’ Korner .................................................34

...continued on p. 14

RidgeFest photo feature .....................................36 Crime/Incident Report ........................................37 Community Calendar .........................................38 Grins and Gripes ..................................................40 Letters/Opinions ...................................................42 Classiﬁeds .............................................................43 Index of Advertisers .............................................47 NWO On The Go...................................................48

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SEPT. 16 - 29, 2021

The Northwest Observer

Kudzu is creeping toward the sign marking the future site of Bandera Farms Park, creating the need for the town of Summerfield to take steps to get rid of the overgrowth. Workers plan to trim the kudzu around the sign, according to Town Manager Scott Whitaker. The fast-growing vine covers a large area that’s slated for a future parking area. Meanwhile, the town may consider bringing in four-legged help. “We haven’t talked about goats,” Whitaker said in an interview last week. “But goats are always a possibility when you are talking about kudzu.”

by CHRIS BURRITT OAK RIDGE – Leaders in Oak Ridge and Summerfield expect to hear Sept. 24 whether their towns are going to receive state funds for two major park projects. Oak Ridge applied for a $450,000 matching grant from the North Carolina Parks and Recreation Trust Fund (PARTF) to help pay for the development of Heritage Farm Park on Linville Road. Summerfield is seeking a $500,000 grant for the development of Bandera Farms Park, a hiking and horseback riding preserve planned for Bunch Road. The state Parks and Recreation Authority had planned to select grant recipients from applicants across North •Carolina Totallyinlocal since 1996 late August. It delayed the

decision because the state General Assembly hadn’t passed the budget, which is the source of PARTF funding, according to Bayard Alcorn, a consultant to the program. In Oak Ridge, the Town Council appropriated $855,000 in the fiscal year that started July 1 for the expansion of Town Park. Council members have said they want to grade the site, install utilities and build bathrooms and a parking lot as initial steps, even if the town fails to win a PARTF grant. It applied for the grant last May after being passed over for funding a year ago. “I’m ready to go,” Oak Ridge Councilman George McClellan said during the council’s meeting Aug. 5. He echoed the views of other council members who said

...continued on p. 6

we’ve done a great job.”

NEWS in brief

‘We can do better,’ representatives of Republic Services say STOKESDALE – Jorge Fernandez, general manager, and Joe Salamone, area director, operations, with Republic Services, attended Stokesdale Town Council’s Sept. 9 meeting to discuss customer service issues that residents of the town have experienced. Republic Services contracts with both the towns of Stokesdale and Summerfield to provide solid waste and recycling services to their citizens and businesses. Republic has had its share of complaints about delayed or skipped trash and recycling pickup over the years, and since transitioning from an every-week

The company has increased wages by over 38% since he took over as general manager a little more than a year ago, Fernandez said, but the labor shortage issue persists. Adding to customer frustrations has been how – or if – the company responds to customer complaints.

to an every-other-week recycling pickup schedule in Stokesdale earlier this year, some of those complaints have accelerated. The reduced recycling pickup schedule was part of an agreement between Republic and the town to extend its franchise contract by one year with no rate increase. Fernandez, a Stokesdale resident, said he offered no excuses for service issues. “We have had a labor shortage in our industry,” he said, “but that’s no excuse. There’s a fine line between reasons and excuses. I don’t think

“It’s extremely difficult if you call Republic Services,” Fernandez admitted, saying the company has set up email addresses exclusively for Stokesdale and Summerfield customers to use if they have a problem with their service. “If someone gets missed, we’ll have a human being respond,” he assured the council. Salamone said he talked to a Republic Services driver earlier in the day, who told him that switching recycling pickup to every other week in Stokesdale was not going well. “He said that out of 700 homes,

about half could use every-week service,” Salamone said. “We’ve seen a surge in disposal and recycling and we’re just generating more (during the pandemic). It sounded good going to every other week, but we need to regroup.” Confirming their commitment to “do better,” Fernandez said, “We’re the experts. We need to be more proactive.” The town will review its franchise agreement with Republic Services next year, when it comes up for renewal.

have a problem with your service? Stokesdale residents can email StokesdaleServices@RepublicServices. com and Summerfield residents can email SummerfieldServices@ RepublicServices.com. Fernandez said an operations clerk has been hired to personally respond to complaints.

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Tim Jones, whose family owns this building on U.S. 158 in downtown Stokesdale that was home to Bi-Rite for almost 60 years, says anyone who is interested in the family’s long-term plans for the building may contact him directly. Bi-Rite served its last customer at this site Aug. 31, and although owner David Wrenn is still leasing the building, Bi-Rite began operating out of its new store on Ellisboro Road Sept. 1.

Now that the new Bi-Rite has opened on Ellisboro Road, have the owners of the building on U.S. 158 that Bi-Rite occupied for almost 60 years indicated what their future plans might be for the building? We reached out to Stokesdale resident Tim Jones, whose family owns the building on U.S. 158 that Bi-Rite has leased for almost 60 years. Jones, a former Stokesdale Town Council member, presently serves as chair of the town’s Planning Board and is a candidate for Stokesdale Town Council in the Nov. 5 election. In response to our question, he

expressed concern that a reader would submit a question “on behalf of the Northwest Observer” about privately owned property and asked if the question has “anything to do with someone’s local political views.” He suggested that anyone who is interested in his family’s plans for the property contact him directly. Bi-Rite owner David Wrenn told us this week he is still leasing his former space on U.S. 158 and is considering another use for it, but has not yet made any decisions.

...more Questions on p. 29

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PARTF GRANTS ...continued from p. 2 they want to proceed with development of Heritage Farm Park after hearing specific design recommendations and cost estimates from consulting firm McGill Associates. Town staff expected to get final design and construction documents from McGill by Sept. 10, according to Town Manager Bill Bruce. Meanwhile, the consultant plans to incorporate recommendations from the town’s Parks and Recreation (P&R) Advisory Board into its plans. During a meeting last month, the P&R board dove into what Parks and Recreation Director Terry Lannon called “the nitty gritty details.” It recommended brick for the façade of the bathroom building and overall lighting similar to what’s installed at Town Park. The board is recommending to the council that the park operate from dawn to dusk, although it suggested nighttime lighting of athletic fields like at Town Park. Council members concurred with Mayor Ann Schneider’s suggestion that the Finance Committee review McGill’s cost estimates and recommendations for the timing of work. The town’s capital improvement plan calls for additional spending after this fiscal year’s $855,000 appropriation. The plan recommends construction of two lighted multi-purpose fields and trails during the fiscal year starting July 1, 2022, at an estimated cost of $800,000. The plan also envisions a 1.2-mile trail circling Heritage Farm Park, with a playground, picnic shelters, tennis courts, a basketball court and a site honoring veterans. In Summerfield, a PARTF grant for as much as $500,000 would help pay for improvements to Bandera Farms Park. The Town Council voted in April to approve the master plan for the 115-acre tract at Bunch Road and Interstate 73 envisioned as a public trails preserve.

Separate from the PARTF grant, town leaders reported earlier this month that the North Carolina Horse Council has awarded the Bandera Farms project $50,000. The park’s master plan estimated costs of $1.79 million for the project, consisting of 4.5 miles of trails and two trailheads with parking, an adventure playground, picnic shelter and restrooms. It also calls for construction of a mile-long section of the Piedmont Greenway, using natural materials. In a second phase, the greenway will be paved with asphalt, at an estimated cost of $1.05 million. Over the past year and a half, the Piedmont Land Conservancy (PLC), a Greensboro-based nonprofit land preservation group, has spearheaded efforts to create the trails park on the undeveloped property. PLC negotiated the purchase of the land from heirs of Dr. Joe Henson, a deceased Greensboro physician who bought the property in the early 1970s. Last December, the nonprofit paid $575,000 for the land, with a state grant and financial contributions from the towns of Summerfield and Oak Ridge, the city of Greensboro and Guilford County. The group is now planning the development of the rolling, wooded land with trails for horseback riders and hikers. In addition, property running along the Reedy Fork Creek floodplain serves as the future route of the Piedmont Greenway, a trail that will stretch 19 miles from Greensboro to Winston-Salem through Summerfield and Kernersville. The asphalt greenway will accommodate runners, walkers and cyclists, while the natural-surface trails looping through the property will handle horses and hikers, according to Palmer McIntyre, PLC’s conservation planner. Eventually, PLC plans to transfer ownership of Bandera Farms to Summerfield since the property is located inside the town limits.

TOWN HALL ON HOLD ...continued from p. 1

Mayor Pro Tem Tim Sessoms said during the Summerfield Town Council meeting this past Tuesday, Sept. 14. Sessoms recommended the delay after he, fellow council members Lynne W. DeVaney and John O’Day and town staff had worked for several months to whittle down costs for the town hall. Working with architectural firm Creech & Associates and construction manager Samet Corp., town leaders brought costs within $50,000 to $60,000 of the $3.5 million budget, Sessoms said. However, efforts faltered over the past month as rising costs for metal and other materials pushed expenses for town hall more than $100,000 over budget, he said. Erratic pricing has proved frustrating for the project. Earlier, designers decided to use metal studs as a less expensive option than wood studs, only to be stymied as metal costs have climbed recently, Sessoms said.

“It will be very difficult for us to continue at this time,” he said. Later in an interview, he said he anticipated that the project will be delayed for months. In April, town staff unveiled a redesign of the new town hall after the original design for the 9,000-square-foot building proved too expensive. The new design was about 1,000 square feet smaller than the original layout, presented by Creech in February.

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SEPT. 16 - 29, 2021

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We’re Back

Summerﬁeld planning manager resigns effective Sept. 2 by CHRIS BURRITT SUMMERFIELD – Summerfield planning manager Chris York resigned earlier this month. In the weeks leading up to York’s resignation, two incidents had been reported in which he disparaged Town Council member Teresa W. Perryman and criticized Don Wendelken, administrator of Summerfield Scoop.

late June and suspend him for a week after he sent a personal text message to a Summerfield resident that included an inappropriate comment about Perryman.

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York’s resignation was effective Thursday, Sept. 2, Town Manager Scott Whitaker said in an interview last week. He declined to discuss the personnel matter but said the town plans to advertise for York’s replacement “pretty immediately.” “I don’t expect it (finding a replacement) to be quick, though,” Whitaker noted. Meanwhile, Brad Rentz, the town’s planning technician and enforcement officer, is helping with work previously performed by York.

When hired in April 2019, York was the planning department’s only employee, with responsibility for reviewing building applications and rezoning requests and other day-to-day-planning activities. He worked on some contentious issues, such as reviewing developer David Couch’s plans to develop about 1,000 acres in Summerfield and helping complete updates to the town’s unified development ordinance, a set of development rules adopted by the council in June. York’s work drew praise from some council members and Whitaker, who said he was “a really good planner – probably the best we’ve had.” However, it was some of York’s personal antics that led Whitaker to discipline him in

Chris York

In April 2020, York temporarily lost his credential from the American Institute of Certified Planners. Spurred by a complaint by Wendelken, an investigation by the American Planning Association found York had acted unprofessionally in February of that year when he posted Facebook comments about Wendelken that were deemed inappropriate for a town employee. In his Facebook post, written under a fictitious name, York reacted to Wendelken’s decision to post a photo of Finance Officer Dee Hall’s car parked in a handicapped-only spot at the Summerfield Community Center during a Town Council meeting. Later, Hall apologized and explained when she arrived at the meeting at dusk it was raining and she hadn’t seen the partially faded painting on the asphalt that indicated the spot was reserved for handicapped drivers. In recent interviews, Perryman and Wendelken said they believe that York’s text message and Facebook post were grounds for his departure. “As a representative of the town of Summerfield, that shouldn’t have happened,” Wendelken said. “He brought it upon himself.”

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SEPT. 16 - 29, 2021

SUMMERFIELD town council

Sept. 14 / MEETING HIGHLIGHTS as reported by CHRIS BURRITT Mayor Pro Tem Tim Sessoms called the monthly meeting in Summerfield Community Center to order, with council members Lynne W. DeVaney, Teresa W. Perryman and John O’Day present. Mayor BJ Barnes and councilman Reece Walker were absent. DeVaney offered the invocation, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. “We want to recognize the absence

of air conditioning,” Sessoms said, noting the malfunction of the cooling system in the building, which is undergoing renovations, made it “as hot as Hades in here.”

RESOLUTION

Perryman read a resolution praising the contributions of Summerfield historian Gladys Scarlette, who passed away Aug. 7 at age 92.

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WHAT they voted on, and HOW they voted: Mayor Pro Tem Tim Sessoms and council members Lynne W. DeVaney, Teresa W. Perryman and John O’Day voted on the following items during the Sept. 14 council meeting. Mayor BJ Barnes and councilman Reece Walker were absent. In Summerfield, the mayor votes only to break a tie.

 4  0: Authorize students from Northwest Guilford and Northern Guilford high schools to proceed with the next phase of painting a mural on the inside of the pedestrian tunnel under U.S. 220.

 4  0: Appoint Loren Sterling as a regular member of the Historical Committee and Kenneth Robinson as an ex-officio member of the committee. Scarlette compiled the town’s history in three books and numerous newspaper articles, while contributing to the town’s Historical Committee and the History Committee of Summerfield First Baptist Church, according to the resolution.

development, partly to protect the town’s supply of well water.

The council declared next year’s Founders’ Day celebration will be dedicated in Scarlette’s memory.

As an example, Kaplan cited the board’s recommendation that triplex and quadplex dwellings should not qualify for density bonuses under moderately priced housing guidelines for developers and builders.

PUBLIC SAFETY Summerfield Fire District. The district reported responding to 126 calls in August; 61 of those were EMSrelated, 26 were fire-related and 39 were for miscellaneous reasons. Firefighters installed 19 child safety seats. Sheriff’s Office. The District 1 sheriff’s office reported it responded to 95 calls in Summerfield last month.

PUBLIC COMMENTS

Carter Spradling (left) and Jesse Day (middle), planners with Piedmont Triad Regional Council, talk with Oak Ridge Town Council member George McClellan at SMA’s Sept. 7 meeting hosted by PS Communications, publisher of the Northwest Observer. The planners sought feedback from SMA members on Summerfield’s Land Development Plan, which the town hopes will act as a guide for making decisions about the amount, type and pattern of future land development.

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SEPT. 16 - 29, 2021

 Gail Dunham, a candidate for mayor in the Nov. 2 election, said she favors low overall density in development. She criticized the council for adopting the unified development ordinance (UDO) in June after making changes that relaxed density restrictions. The council adopted the changes the same night that it approved the UDO, without review by the Planning Board or a public hearing to gain residents’ views. Perryman, seeking reelection to

The Northwest Observer •the Totally local 1996low density council, saidsince she favors

 Beth Kaplan said she was disappointed that changes to the UDO recommended by the Planning Board in August will discourage construction of more affordable housing.

MANAGER’S REPORT Pedestrian tunnel art

 4  0 to authorize students

from Northwest Guilford and Northern Guilford high schools to proceed with the second phase of painting the inside of the pedestrian tunnel under U.S. 220. In a power point presentation, Northwest Guilford’s Autumn Jackson and Amir Kazzaz told the council they and other students want to paint a mural on the southern side of the tunnel that “blends the cityscape of Greensboro with the countryside of Summerfield.” Over four Saturdays, they plan to paint the mural with depictions such as Greensboro’s skyline, the Lake Higgins reservoir and scenes with animals around a barn and people fishing. Students painted the northern side of the tunnel last spring. “I love what you did and I love what

Photos by Patti Stokes/NWO

Photo by Chris Burritt/NWO

From left, Northwest Guilford High School students Autumn Jackson and Amir Kazzaz tell the Summerfield Town Council about plans by students at their school and Northern Guilford High School to resume painting the inside of the pedestrian tunnel under U.S. 220. Students painted a mural on one side of the tunnel this past spring.

The entrance to the A&Y Greenway’s pedestrian tunnel beneath U.S. 220 in Summerfield (top right) sports brightly painted geometric shapes on one side; continuing inside, the concrete walls of the 110-foot-long tunnel have been transformed with an “abstract, bold take on a park scene that includes shapes and bold colors not typically found in nature, yet synonymous with the four different seasons," students described to Summerfield Town Council when they presented their plans for the mural at the council’s March 9 meeting. The high school students got their mural project underway in April, and one side of the tunnel now depicts cyclists, a runner and a dog walker against a backdrop of dark brown trees and a sky of triangular shapes in various shades of blue. Changing colors of the leaves denote the different seasons.

you are going to do,” DeVaney told the students. article on front cover.) The committee consists of DeVaney, Town Hall update. Rising prices for metal and O’Day and Sessoms, who told the council other building materials prompted a council price increases over the past month pushed committee planning development of the new the project more than $100,000 over budget. town hall to recommend pausing the $3.5 million project until costs decline. (See related

...continued on p. 10

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SEPT. 16 - 29, 2021

SUMMERFIELD TOWN COUNCIL ...continued from p. 9

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Town Manager Scott Whitaker said.

Historical Committee appointments

 4  0 to appoint Loren Sterling

as a regular member of the Historical Committee and Kenneth Robinson, who lives outside the Summerfield town limits, as an ex-officio member of the committee.

Dog park. The council instructed the Trails and Open Space Committee to explore possible locations for a dog park after discussing building a dog park, possibly in Summerfield Community Park west of the amphitheater, at last month’s meeting. The committee plans to share its findings with the council next spring.

Water meeting. The council set Oct. 26 as the tentative day to discuss how the town plans to spend a state appropriation of $1.1 million for creating a water supply for fire protection.

COUNCIL BUSINESS ETJ update. Whitaker said the Guilford County Board of Commissioners hasn’t yet decided whether to grant Summerfield’s request to create an extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ) on unincorporated property abutting town limits. Planning post resignation. Whitaker said Chris York recently resigned as planning manager. (See related article on p. 7.) Bandera Farms Park award. The North Carolina Horse Council gave $50,000 for development of Bandera Farms Park, a horseback-riding and walking preserve planned for Bunch Road, Whitaker said. (See related article on p. 2)

CLOSED SESSION

The council recessed the meeting and went into closed session to discuss a legal matter. After reconvening, the council took no action.

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STOKESDALE town council

Sept. 9 / MEETING HIGHLIGHTS as reported by PATTI STOKES Mayor John Flynt called the monthly meeting to order. Following an opening prayer and Pledge of Allegiance, a revised agenda was adopted and Flynt then introduced Jim Albright, director of Guilford County Emergency Services.

Fire service district. Albright spoke first about a proposed change in the way the county taxes citizens for fire protection in the Stokesdale fire district. The requested change comes from the county, not the fire department, he explained, and he said Stokesdale’s fire district is one of only two in the county that does not have a service district overlay for fire protection. Stokesdale Fire District (SFD) charges the third lowest fire tax of any district in the county, Albright noted. “The pressure we’re seeing (to raise the fire tax) is from declining volunteerism, which leads to a need for more paid staff,” Albright said, adding there is no indication from SFD that it has plans to immediately raise the fire tax.

 5  0 to schedule a public hear-

ing for Oct. 14, after which the council will vote on whether to authorize the county to have fire taxation authority

over its town limits.

Update on pandemic. Albright was then asked to speak about the impact of COVID on the county’s emergency management system. (See related article on front cover.)

 5  0; after requesting one correction in the May 13 minutes, those minutes as well as minutes from the Aug. 24 regular meeting and closed session meeting were approved.

Republic Waste. At the invitation of councilman Jim Rigsbee, Jorge Fernandez, general manager, and Joe Salamone, area director, operations, with Republic Services, spoke about the company’s services and steps they are taking to improve them. (See related article in News Briefs.) Fire Department. Fire Chief Todd Gauldin said the department responded to 87 calls for service last month; of those, 39 were fire-related and 48 were rescue-related. As a safety tip, Gauldin advised residents to store fuels away from their home. Gauldin also said anyone needing a smoke detector or help with installing one, at no charge, can come by the fire station.

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Interim town clerk Dale Martin said six new water meters were installed last month; 38 meters are on hold; the town processed 37 8-1-1 calls, and population-related info was sent to the state demographer’s office. The Guilford County Emergency Operations Plan is ready for review.

Events Committee. Councilman Derek Foy announced the Christmas parade will be held Saturday, Dec. 11, in downtown Stokesdale. Also, a 9/11 ceremony was planned at the fire station on Sept. 11. Regarding the 9/11 ceremony, Gauldin added that afterward, an Eagle Scout project honoring those who have contributed to the fire department since it was created in 1954 would be unveiled (see p. 35).

FINANCE

Finance Officer Kim Thacker reported on the general fund and water enterprise financial transactions and balances as of Aug. 31. She also said the town recently received $362,737 from an American Rescue Act grant, and will receive the other half of the grant in 2022. Thacker said online finance classes she attended in early September, which were offered by the UNC School of Government, were very beneficial. “It’s nice to know there are resources available when I have questions to make sure we are following statutes and policies and procedures,” she said.

CITIZEN COMMENTS

 Mike Crawford, a Stokesdale resident for 12 years and a candidate for mayor in the Nov. 2 election, said Full-service medicine, surgery and dentistry he has been married for more than Surgical and therapeutic laser 48 years, is the proud father of two children, and has worked varied jobs Wendy Camp, DVM including that of a catalogue manager, 1692-J NC Hwy 68 N, Oak Ridge • (336) 643-8984 stockbroker and business owner. www.nw-animal-hospital.com “I know what it means to make a payroll, whether I get paid or not,” SEPT. 16 - 29, 2021 The Northwest Observer •he Totally said. local since 1996 20% OFF DENTAL CLEANING in September 2021

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Crawford said the town’s webpage and social media presence can be improved, as well as the town park, and as mayor he would do more to protect existing businesses as well as to attract new businesses to Stokesdale. “I believe in government, small and limited,” he said. “… I am honest, ethical, and have no ax to grind.”  Vicki White-Lawrence, vice president of Friends of Stokesdale, invited everyone to a candidate open house hosted by the nonprofit on Thursday, Oct. 7, at 7 p.m. All six council candidates are invited, she said, and a table will be set up for each so that citizens may speak with them individually. White-Lawrence thanked the Northwest Observer for a recent article that helped draw several new people to the group’s monthly meeting the previous evening. She encouraged everyone to learn more about Friends of Stokesdale on its Facebook page.

REZONING

Town Planner Oliver Bass presented a request to rezone 1.15 acres on Lyman Street from RS-40 to CZ-LI (Conditional Zoning – Lighting Industrial). He noted the surrounding properties are mostly industrial or undeveloped. The applicant wishes to open an auto repair/services business, CP Truck and Automotive Solutions, on the property. No one spoke for or against the request.

 5  0 to approve the rezoning request.

Board of Adjustment (BOA). After a brief recess, the council reconvened as the Board of Adjustment and heard a request from Danielle and Michelle Kelly, who sought a variance to install an 8-foot-high fence (rather than a 4-foot-high fence, as allowed by the town’s ordinance), about 77 feet from their front property line at 8306 Misty Meadow Drive. After several neighbors spoke in opposition to the variance, the Kellys withdrew part of their request and asked if they could install an 8-foot

fence only around a parking pad where they have trailers stored.

 5  0 to deny the variance, based on several findings of fact, including that the Kellys had not demonstrated an unnecessary hardship would result from the strict application of the town’s ordinance.

Water line extensions. Regarding extending water lines, Rigsbee asked

gems in

fellow council members to consider “coming down N.C. 65 before we go jumping on something. Let’s just cover the bases and see if it’s feasible.” Budget amendment. Thacker presented a budget amendment to the budget ordinance for the fiscal year ending June 30, to increase the amount pulled from general funds and Capital Park Improvements by $120,000 so the town can move forward on the

purchase of 9.8 acres for $214,000. To that, Flynt said the council had been trying for a couple of years to add features to the park and the current year’s budget was approved based on $100,000 being available for capital park improvements, which would now be used for purchasing property.

 4  1 (Flynt opposed) to approve the budget amendment.

allocate $2,927,000 from money it received through the American Rescue Plan; the town would use the money for water projects.

Closed session. Council recessed at 10:23 to go into closed session; after returning about 40 minutes later, no action was taken and the meeting was adjourned.

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SEPT. 16 - 29, 2021

‘DEEP IMPACT’ ...continued from p. 1

ICU patient, are unvaccinated, Jim Albright, Guilford County Emergency Services director, told the Stokesdale Town Council at its Sept. 9 meeting. “Politics aside, one of the things that’s different with this run of COVID than what we saw last spring is the fact that we do have a vaccine available,” Albright said. “And I will tell you that we are seeing significantly less severe illness in the vaccinated. That is just simply a medical statement, not a political statement.” Albright attended last week’s council meeting to discuss a change in the way fire protection is taxed in the Stokesdale Fire District, but while there he was asked to give an update on the pandemic’s effects on emergency services in the county. “I’ve spent 35 years in public safety, but never imagined I would be managing a pandemic, and particularly a pandemic that has had as many multiple crescendos and decrescendos as we’ve dealt with over the last 18 months. We are seeing deep impact of COVID in this community at this point,” Albright told the council. “Hospitals are basically at capacity.

SEPT. 16 - 29, 2021

From an emergency management and EMS side, typically if we had a disaster in this community, we could call for help and there was help coming, but a pandemic impacts every single community, so we have no surge capacity across the U.S., and that’s what’s making this so difficult.

“My employees also are getting sick, and they have family members who are sick,” Albright continued. “And quite frankly, they’ve been working in high levels of personal protection equipment, etc., for 18 months and last month was the busiest month in the history of ambulance service in Guilford County. We typically run 220 calls a day, but instead of around 7,000 calls we ran 8,000 calls. That was about 30 additional calls per day, and when we get to the hospitals, the emergency rooms are literally stacked full of patients.”

On a positive note, there has been a slight dip in call volume in the past week, Albright said. “Thank goodness!” he exclaimed. “I literally was working employees to a level they had never been worked in the history of EMS.” While the severeness of illness from the Delta variant is similar to other variants of COVID, it is much more contagious, Albright pointed out.

“You carry 1,000 times the viral load in your nose with Delta than you did with other variants. So, do masks help? Yes, because they cut down on transmission of particle, and by the same token, if you’re wearing a mask it cuts down on your inhalation of particle. It does not save you from getting an infection.” For non-acute issues, it’s not

Stay

uncommon for patients to be waiting 12 or more hours before they’re being seen in the emergency room, Albright added, noting that is leading EMS crews to look for other options of care such as urgent care facilities and telehealth.

“From an epidemiology side, part of the conversations around vaccines are that if we can decrease the amount of illness in the community, it cuts down on the mutant viruses that also are generated,” Albright said. When Councilman Jim Rigsbee asked if Albright could “get those poor ambulance ladies a raise?” Albright responded, “We are actively working with our board of county commissioners right now,” then emphasized that emergency services personnel are overworked these days. “They don’t get to go home until the work is done,” he said.

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The Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996

Adobe Stock photo

Local Realtors predict the “really crazy” housing market may persist through the end of this year, before gradually beginning to stabilize.

Northwest Guilford’s ‘really crazy’ housing market Estate Briefs 18 Real Owners of three Summerfield properties seek rezoning

New Direction 20 ATeacher, nurse find

new careers as Realtors

Retreat at Sixty-Eight will be the first tenant in a 22 The commercial development at N.C. 68 and Interstate 73

General 26 Dollar opens newest store

Northwest Guilford’s

‘really crazy’ housing market Buyers are offering more than asking prices for homes and are putting down nonrefundable fees to stand out among bidders in the housing shortage by CHRIS BURRITT NW GUILFORD – When homeowners ask Stokesdale real estate agent Dawn Stone to sell their houses, she responds with a question: Have you secured a new place to live? If not, she advises them to reconsider their desire to move – at least for now. The shortage of houses for sale in northwestern Guilford County has led to an escalation of prices, tempting some owners to consider listing their houses without thinking through all of the consequences. In some cases, sellers who pocket more money than they had ever imagined turn around and spend most, if not all, of their proceeds on new houses, according to Realtors. “They may sell high, but they’ve

Adobe Stock photo

With what many Realtors are referring to as a “really crazy” housing market, it’s not uncommon for sellers of well-cared for homes to receive multiple offers – and above the asking price – within a day or two of going on the market.

also got to buy high,” said Stone, who owns A New Dawn Realty with her son, Phillip Stone. “I’ve never seen the inventory of houses so low. If there’s ever been a time to push up pricing, now is the time to do it.” Buyers paid more than asking prices in Oak Ridge, Summerfield and Stokesdale in the second quarter, according to the Greensboro Regional Realtors Association (GRRA), citing statistics from the

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Triad Multiple Listing Service. Sellers received 100.8% of list prices in the three towns in the quarter ended June 30, GRRA reported. A year earlier, sellers got 97.7% of asking prices in Oak Ridge and Summerfield and 98.7% in Stokesdale. Average sales prices have jumped over the past year. They climbed 22.9%, from $429,180 to $527,382, in Oak Ridge and Summerfield in the second quarter from a year earlier. In Stokesdale, they increased 18.9%, from $308,833 to $367,052.

price,” said Allen Tate Realtor Bobbie Maynard, an agent for 35 years. The housing market was “busy, busy” around 2005, but most sales were around asking price, according to Gail Kerber, owner of Kerbappeals Real Estate in Stokesdale. Back then, potential buyers had the opportunity to look at houses two or three times before deciding whether to make an offer, she said. Now, new listings are drawing multiple offers within a day or two of going on the market.

GRRA didn’t indicate whether actual prices had previously exceeded asking prices in northwestern Guilford County, but several real estate agents we spoke with said they didn’t remember such an occurrence.

“It’s just a matter of looking at the house and putting in an offer the best you can,” Kerber said. “It’s really crazy out there.”

“There have been some times of low inventory and hot competition, but not with buyers paying way over list

In recent months, Keller Williams Realtor DeDe Cunningham listed an

The Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996

Oak Ridge house as “Coming Soon,” meaning it would be available for showing to potential buyers in a week or two. Based upon an exterior photograph that accompanied the “Coming Soon” advisory and photos from 14 years earlier when the house sold before, a buyer offered $30,000 over list price and a $50,000 due diligence fee, according to Cunningham. The house was listed for more than $400,000. The seller received – and accepted – the offer. Buyers “are starting at asking price and going up,” Cunningham said. “Rarely do I see offers below asking price.” Historically low interest rates have spurred demand for housing while the COVID-19 pandemic has weighed on supply over the past year and a half. Early in the outbreak, health-related lockdowns kept people at home, spurring some to spend on home improvements that have allowed them to stay put instead of selling their houses, Realtors said. Rising prices and delayed deliveries of building materials have slowed construction of new houses. “The fact that homes are selling for higher than asking price reflects supply and demand,” Cunningham confirmed. For homeowners who decide to sell, many are getting multiple offers that initially exceed asking prices. Many buyers are also offering due diligence fees totaling thousands of dollars to entice sellers to accept their offers. Once a buyer and seller have entered into a contract, the fees are not refundable even if the sale of the house doesn’t go through, according to Realtors. That can put buyers in a tough spot. If an appraisal values a house for less than a buyer has agreed to pay, the seller needs to reduce the price or the buyer needs to make up the difference out of his own pocket – or risk losing the due diligence fee.

“When people are putting down so much money that’s nonrefundable, everybody’s anxiety level is high,” Stone said. “One of the hardest jobs is keeping everyone calm, cool and collected.” But for some buyers, offering more than asking price along with due diligence fees isn’t enough, agents said. “Cash offers are king, especially for homes without appraisals,” said Gil Vaughan, a Keller Williams agent. Forgoing appraisals can speed the closing process, typically favored by buyers and sellers, he said. Even so, all cash is no guarantee of success. Vaughan said he’s working with clients offering to pay cash for a house in the $800,000 range, and so far they’ve not found what they’re looking for. Houses selling for $450,000 and less typically draw a half dozen or more offers, Vaughan noted. “Good homes in the northwest area that have been updated and properly cared for are usually gone in three to seven days,” he said. “The majority of them are selling for more than asking price.” Realtors said they believe the supply shortage will persist through the end of the year and ease gradually after that. In the past four to six weeks, Cunningham said she’s seen “little hints” that the supply crunch may be softening, such as the reduction of list prices for houses initially priced too high. In some cases, houses are going unsold for a few days longer than earlier this year. “It is going to be a seller’s market for some time, but I think we are moving to a more reasonable seller’s market,” Cunningham said. “It is going to be a slow change.”

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REAL ESTATE BRIEFS

Owners of three Summerfield properties seek rezoning

Photos by Chris Burritt/NWO

Pete Bryant of Summerfield is seeking to have his property rezoned to accommodate the expansion of his two companies, Southern Exposure Landscape Management (left) and Southern Lights Outdoor Lighting & Audio.

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SUMMERFIELD – The owners of two tracts of land in Summerfield are seeking rezoning of their property for expansion of their businesses while a third owner wants to build two houses on agricultural land.

Southern Exposure Landscape Management Summerfield landscaper Pete Bryant is seeking the rezoning of nearly 4.5 acres at 6212 Lake Brandt Road for the expansion of his two companies, Southern Exposure Landscape Management and Southern Lights Outdoor Lighting & Audio.

Bryant is requesting the rezoning of the tract, next to Summerfield Fire Station 39, from single family residential (RS-30) to conditional zoning industrial (CZ-IND) district. During an open house last week for residents to learn about his plans, Bryant said he’s renovating a farmhouse built in 1913 as the centerpiece of an outdoor display for his patios, fireplaces and other landscaping and hardscaping projects. “It’s going to be an extension of our outdoor showroom,” Bryant said.

SEPT. 16 - 29, 2021

The town’s Planning Board is scheduled to consider the three requests during its meeting Monday, Sept. 27. It will forward its recommendations to the Town Council, which will consider approving the requests during its Oct. 12 meeting.

The Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996

As of now, he said he plans to continue operating from his nearby location in the historic Hillsdale Brick Store building at N.C. 150 and Lake Brandt Road. Some homeowners who live near Bryant’s property expressed concerns about the possibility that he may park equipment on the land. Bryant said he plans to create a landscaped buffer, as required by the town’s development rules.

“We want it to look good,” Bryant told homeowners. “We want to be good neighbors.” ...continued on p. 22

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irection

Kara Winicki and Stephanie Lomax have both experienced new rewards as well as challenges after leaving their jobs as a teacher and a nurse and delving into the world of real estate by ANNETTE JOYCE

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Making the leap

Not only does Kara Winicki, 57, love teaching others, but she relishes learnFull automotive repair & maintenance • Tune-ups ing new things and enjoys being conWheel & tire repair/alignment • NC inspections stantly challenged. ASE certified technicians The same passion that put her at the front of the classroom for nearly – 25 years also propelled her into the field Dan Rice Mitch Glover of real estate. President VP/GM of Greensboro Because of her husband’s job, Winicki and her family have lived in various states including New York, Maryland (336) 668-0091 • 312 S Regional Rd, Greensboro and North Carolina. Wherever they 11 locations open M-F 7:30-5:30 have lived, Winicki has always found a Emergency roadside 24/7/365 • Shuttle service within 8 miles job as a teacher. www.piedmonttrucktires.com Fourteen years ago, the family landed in Summerfield and Winicki joined the teaching staff at SummerSEPT. 16 - 29, 2021 The Northwest Observer •field Totally local since 1996 Elementary. Later, she went to

Northwest Guilford High School where she taught Early Childhood, a three-year program that focuses on parenting and child development. Over the years she took time off to be with her two boys when they were young, but she always returned to the education field. Winicki said she enjoyed her job, but had often “tossed around” the idea of going into real estate. “I reached a point where I was coming to the end of my teaching career, but I wasn’t ready to retire. I knew that if I was going to do something else, I had to go for it,” said Winicki, who joined Allen Tate Realtors’ Lomax Home Team about a year ago. Like any good teacher knows to do, Winicki did her homework before making a career transition. Her sister was a longtime real estate agent in Manhattan, which gave Winicki an up-close look at what the job entailed. She also had a couple of friends who were Realtors and talked to them about the pros and cons of going into real estate. As COVID restrictions dragged on and her classroom teaching moved online, Winicki decided to pursue her real estate license. Her first step was to complete the 75-hour training course required by the North Carolina Real Estate Commission. Winicki had earned her master’s degree while teaching at Summerfield and her National Board Certification while teaching at Northwest, so she was familiar with the discipline required of a student while also working full-time. The real estate training, she said, “was no joke,” and took an immense amount of time and focus. Before obtaining her real estate license, Winicki had to successfully complete the course and pass the course exam, and then pass the state exam. While she loves her new career, Winicki said she misses her teaching

and refined to make her an exceptional teacher have transferred into her new career as a Realtor – in today’s “fast” market, Winicki finds it’s especially crucial to educate her clients, communicate with them and make certain they know what to expect. Her second career is as rewarding as she hoped, and she has a bit of advice for others looking to make a career move. “Research whatever career you’re going into. Really know the expenses you’re going to incur, and have a nest egg,” she said. “You need to know that it’s not going to happen overnight.” Photo by Annette Joyce/NWO

Stephanie Lomax (left) and Kara Winicki have embraced second careers as Realtors with Allen Tate Realtors. colleagues and friends, as well as the students from her Early Childhood classes. “I had taught some of these girls for three years in a row and we had gotten really close,” she said. As a teacher, Winicki had learned that building strong relationships with students and parents made a huge difference in how well a student progressed. Establishing those types of relationships with her clients accomplishes the same thing. In fact, she said many of the skills she developed

Ready, set, go Stephanie Lomax has always been driven to help other people and improve their lives. With that kind of motivation, it’s not surprising she was drawn to the nursing profession. At age 23, Lomax graduated from UNC-Greensboro as an RN, BSN and went to work in the neuro intensive care unit at what was then Moses Cone Hospital. There, she spent 12-hour shifts caring for some of the hospital’s sickest patients – those with conditions such as brain cancer, brain aneurysms and head injuries. During her 20-year nursing career, Lomax also worked in cardiology and health coaching. While she enjoyed what she did, she wasn’t immune to the

drawbacks of the profession – long hours, high stress, rigid schedules and emotional burnout. About six years ago, after deciding it was time to make a career change, she considered her skill set: problem solving, advocating for her patients, flexibility and quick response time. She also considered her interests. “I had a personal trainer who was a builder and I loved listening to her talk about building and selling homes. It sounded so exciting. I also loved looking at homes,” she said. It wasn’t difficult to decide that selling real estate would be the perfect second career. She quickly confirmed the decision was a good one during her pre- and post-licensing courses that she described as “fun.” As a Realtor and the team leader for Allen Tate’s Lomax Home Team, Lomax, 51, has found that helping people buy and sell homes and seeing how happy they are when they reach their goals gives her great satisfaction. “I love the relationships that are formed, and I’ve met some of my best friends,” she said. “I like meeting new clients and seeing them happy.” Lomax also enjoys the negotiating component to being a Realtor.

... continued on p. 26

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REAL ESTATE BRIEFS

...continued from p. 18

music and arts studio. The Vandergrifts are seeking the rezoning of the property from light industrial (LI) to Business Zoning District (BN), which permits the operation of a dance studio. “What we need is space,” Suzanne said during an open house earlier this week. Since buying the property in February, the couple has been renovating their new space and recently began offering some classes there. The move is part of an expansion beyond their studio at the Cardinal

Fleming Road houses Greensboro Performing Arts Center Garland and Suzanne Vandergrift, owners of Greensboro Performing Arts, are seeking the rezoning of

nearly 6 acres at 7200 Summerfield Road to convert the former Cathedral of Faith Christian Center into a dance,

Owner Reid Holt Martin is seeking the rezoning of roughly 4.8 acres at 2854 Fleming Road from agricultural district (AG) to conditional zoning – rural residential (CZ-RR) to create two residential lots. The property is located

Crossing shopping center at Inman and Fleming roads. The former church property includes two buildings with a gymnasium. Over the summer, students staged two musicals, “Shrek” and “Matilda,” on an outdoor stage. It’s possible the couple may expand the stage to accommodate bigger shows, Garland said. Kevin Murray recently relocated the Jumping Bean coffee hut to the parking lot of Greensboro Performing Arts on Summerfield Road. on the east side of Fleming Road south of Pleasant Ridge Road. An open house for residents to learn about the request is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. this Thursday, Sept. 16, at Summerfield Town Hall.

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The Retreat at Sixty-Eight, a complex of 264 apartments, is slated for completion early next year and will be the first tenant in a commercial development at N.C. 68 and Interstate 73 just south of Oak Ridge. A 19,500-square-foot strip center is planned for N.C. 68 across from Guilford Technical Community College’s Cameron campus. Leasing efforts began recently, according to Robbie Perkins, a commercial real estate broker for listing agent NAI Piedmont Triad in Greensboro. Possible tenants include medical and service businesses, as well as restaurants in the strip center and two outparcels along N.C. 68, Perkins said.

22 SEPT. 16 - 29, 2021

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Where dreams and lifestyles come toge Rich and Kathy Dumas know a lot about building dream homes – homes that are not only beautiful but designed to perfectly fit a family’s lifestyle.

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Since launching R&K Custom Homes in 1992, the Dumases have built more than 400 high-quality homes in the Guilford County area while establishing themselves as premier builders with a stellar reputation for customer satisfaction. At the foundation of R&K’s success is a sincere desire to ensure clients get exactly what they want in their new home while also having an enjoyable experience as it is being created. “We believe it’s vital to give our homebuyers our full attention before, during and after construction,” Rich affirmed.

Rich and Kathy Dumas, owners of R&K Custom Homes

Before getting a home project underway, R&K team members meet with homeowners to discuss their family’s needs, wishes and best location for their future home as well as their lifestyle and the price range they want to work within.

Rich and Kathy, along with their middle daughter, Kristen, work closely with homeowners on their building plan – whether that means tweaking an existing plan they want to work with or creating one from scratch – before forwarding it to an architect. “We walk with them though the pro-

cess and provide needed guidance to keep them within budget and the home properly flowing,” Kathy said. “While doing this we’re careful not to influence our tastes into their selections, rather to help personalize their home to fit their sense of design and needs.” The preliminary planning is done onsite, which helps the homebuyer save time and money, Rich added. The “onsite” he refers to is the

Brought t

ether 2,200-square-foot office/ showroom the couple added to their Summerfield home, which they built three years ago. There, clients can see samples of brick and stone, hardwood flooring and faucets, while also viewing some of the latest design trends the Dumases have incorporated into their own home. During the 29 years they’ve been in business, Rich and Kathy have developed long-term relationships with their suppliers and subcontractors. They recognize this as critical, as it ensures everyone involved in the homebuilding process understands and shares the same expectations for quality and pride in their profession. Long after R&K has completed a home, the Dumases make themselves easily accessible to the homeowner for follow-up questions.

“We strive for satisfied customers,” Rich said. “Once we’re done, the homeowner is not forgotten.” In response to the company’s growth, Kristen joined the familyrun R&K team in May 2016. “We have a new generation of young, fresh clientele, and we enjoy working with them,” Kathy said. “With this in mind, Kristen brings young and fresh ideas, helping us keep on top of our game!” Field Operating Manager Paul McMinn joined R&K in 2012 and is the Dumases’ “right-hand man.” He brings over 35 years of experience in the homebuilding business, having worked in it from the ground up. “We’re dedicated to turning ideas and visions into reality,” Kathy said. “Our long-term relationships with our homeowners and repeat referrals are a testimony to our commitment to helping you achieve the home of your dreams.”

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A NEW DIRECTION ...continued from p. 21

Coming

Sept. 30 Fall

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Home-grown stories about everything from maintaining and improving your home, to housing trends, history and humor of life in northwest Guilford County In print every spring and fall and online year-round at nwobserver.com

SEPT. 16 - 29, 2021

“I want to get the best thing for my clients, and I don’t want them to give away any more than they have to,” she said. When it comes to putting together a deal, she said she likes to get creative and “think outside the box.” Never has this been more essential than in today’s market, with low interest rates and a shortage of houses on the market that often lead to sellers getting multiple offers for their home. “I’m always looking for what we can do differently to make our offer stand out from the others,” she said. As with all careers, being a Realtor has its negatives. Although touted by many as offering lots of flexibility, Lomax said that notion is a bit misleading. Successful Realtors pattern their lives to fit the needs of their clients, which means being available when they call. “I have some flexibility, but I do work a lot,” she said. “With this market, you just have to run with it. I’m okay because I enjoy what I do, and I like my clients.” For those thinking about starting a second career, Lomax gave this advice: “Don’t be afraid. People have these ideas of what they want to do, but they’re too afraid. Just do it!” Lomax believes she made the best choice possible for her second career. Her only regret? “I wish I had done it sooner,” she said.

Have you changed careers? If you or someone you know has made a career change after being dedicated to one field for several years, and you’d like to be considered for an article in our monthly “New Direction” series, email patti@nwobserver.com.

Dollar General opens newest store

Photo by Annette Joyce/NWO

Dollar General (DG) recently opened its new store at 7105 U.S. Hwy 158 in Stokesdale. The new Stokesdale location includes the company’s on-trend home décor and an expanded party preparation selection. Normal hours of operation may be found through the DG app. To commemorate the opening of its newest store in Stokesdale, DG plans to donate 100 new books to a nearby elementary school to benefit students ranging from kindergarten to fifth grade. Through a partnership with the Kellogg Company, the donation will be part of a planned donation of more than 100,000 books across the country to celebrate new DG store openings. DG supports literacy and education initiatives through the Dollar General Literacy Foundation. The addition of the Stokesdale store opens the opportunity for schools, nonprofit organizations and libraries within a 15-mile radius of the store to apply for Dollar General Literacy Foundation grants. Since its inception in 1993, the foundation has awarded more than $197 million in grants to nonprofit organizations, helping more than 14 million individuals take their first steps toward literacy or continued education. For more information about the literacy foundation and its grant programs, visit www.dgliteracy.com.

WE’LL BE BACK IN PRINT THURSDAY, SEPT. 30 To place a DISPLAY AD in our next issue, contact Laura: (336) 644-7035, ext. 11 | advertising@nwobserver.com To place a CLASSIFIED AD: www.nwobserver.com (336) 644-7035, ext. 10 | classifieds@nwobserver.com

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Sept. 11, 2021 Ceremonies for the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, were held at the amphitheater in Oak Ridge Town Park and at Stokesdale Fire Department on Saturday, Sept. 11. In Oak Ridge, Special Events Committee Chairperson Patti Dmuchowski (left) recounted learning about the attacks while working her corporate job near Newark airport in New Jersey, and the deafening silence in the skies immediately afterward as well as the sense of patriotism that ensued in the weeks and months that followed as our nation both mourned together and united. Mayor Pro Tem Jim Kinneman spoke of the need to embrace cultural, political, religious and other differences rather than use them as wedges to divide. Members of Scouts BSA Troop 600B and Troop 219G, and Sea Scout Ship 3, participated in both the ceremony in Oak Ridge and in Stokesdale.

In photo below right, Smith Brown (Scouts BSA Troop 600B), Stewart Chipman (Sea Scout Ship 3), Dylan Hirko (Scouts BSA Troop 600B), and Lindsay Claspell (Scouts BSA Troop 219G) present the flag at the beginning of the ceremony in Oak Ridge and in middle photo, Andrew Gunter (Scouts BSA Troop 600B) plays Taps while standing on a hill overlooking the amphitheater. In photo far right, two Scouts ring a bell at 8:46 a.m. and 9:03 a.m., the times of the first and second plane crashes on Sept. 11, 2001.

In Stokesdale, former town councilman Frank Bruno, organizer of the annual 9/11 ceremony in the town, said he could remember everything he was doing the morning of the terrorist attacks, and in the days that followed. “As we were watching the news about the first plane, we saw a second plane hit the World Trade Center … and then we knew the world had changed,” he said. “… My cousin was in the first tower that was hit and we didn’t know for the first 12 to 18 hours if she was alive. All she remembers from that day is a firefighter running her out of the building and telling her to ‘run’ – and then he ran back into the building. So you think about all those first responders. I think, even if they knew those buildings were about to fall, they would have still run in there to help because that’s what they were trained to do and that’s what their lives were all about. It’s a sad thing to remember that day, but today is about paying tribute to those people.”

Over 100 people, including Scouts, town council members and first responders, attended the ceremony in Stokesdale. Near right, (L to R), Stokesdale Fire Deputy Chief Randy Southard, Mayor John Flynt (behind Southard), Pastor David Bailey and Stokesdale Fire Chief Todd Gauldin stand at attention as Scouts perform the flag ceremony. Photos by Patti Stokes/NWO and courtesy of Holly Stewart, on behalf of Scouts BSA Troop 219G, Troop 600B, and Sea Scout Ship 3.

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...continued from p. 4

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Computers collected by the county for e-cycling are kept in a secure part of Synergy Recycling’s facility until data can be destroyed, according to the county’s environment service program manager.

Regarding the recyle/e-cycle event in Summerfield this Saturday (Sept. 18), will compact discs or mattresses be accepted? And what about computers – will all of the data on the hard drives be wiped clean? Clyde Harding, community environmental service program manager with Guilford County, told us that neither compact discs nor mattresses are collected at any of the county’s recycle/ e-cycle events. Mattresses can be taken to 6310 Burnt Poplar Road (City of Greensboro Transfer Station) or City of High Point (Kersey Valley) Landfill, Harding said.

As for data wiping or physical destruction of hard drives, Harding referred us to a link on the county’s website, where we found this information: “All data bearing devices received at Synergy Recycling are kept in a secure part of the facility until data can be destroyed. Data is destroyed using one of the following mechanisms: data wiping – data is wiped/overwritten to NIST 800-88 standards, leaving no retrievable data on the device; or physical destruction: the data-bearing device (most typically a hard drive) is shredded at our facility into 1-inch pieces.

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“Synergy Recycling is certified to the R2:2013 standard, which has strict requirements for data sanitization and data security,” according to the county’s website. “The Synergy facility is visited periodically by Guilford County staff to ensure that resident material is handled appropriately.”

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• Trust Administration • Corporate Work • Real Estate Matters

Tracy Williams, attorney

SEPT. 16 - 29, 2021 29

Tra

TWO SCHOOLS UNDER COVID QUARANTINE ...continued from p. 1 home after testing positive for the virus. In the two weeks since Revolution Academy ended its quarantine of all students and staff, two more students have tested positive, Principal Mary Catherine Sauer said. Some of their classmates are also quarantining due to tracing requirements, she said.

“We are just like any other school, having to send kids home with cold and allergy symptoms because that’s what we have to do,” Sauer said in an interview earlier this week. She said she didn’t know exactly how many of Revolution Academy’s approximately 640 students are quarantining. Sauer said the charter school is following Guilford County’s mask mandate, which allows exemptions for medical, behavioral and other issues.

Fewer than half of the school’s students have been granted exemptions, she said, although some parents “are throwing around very high percentages” that aren’t accurate. She said she didn’t know exactly how many exceptions the school has granted. The county’s mandate “tells you you’re not supposed to require documentation” to justify exceptions, Sauer said.

inside the building at the grade level.” Swofford called the quarantine “an unprecedented move for Summerfield Charter Academy. We want nothing more than to have our scholars here in the building learning together.” Siblings of sixth graders and students in other grades aren’t required to quarantine, Swofford told parents. He didn’t reply to an interview request.

He described the resurgence of the virus as “a continual struggle,” requiring the school’s staff to “navigate the ongoing pandemic, striving for what is best for our scholars’ wellbeing and learning potential.”

Even so, she said she understands that some schools require documentation before granting exemptions. While that’s an option at Revolution Academy, she said, “We count on our parents to understand their children and their children’s medical and behavioral issues.” Summerfield Charter Academy Principal Rudy Swofford told parents in an email earlier this week that sixth graders are moving to remote learning until next Tuesday, Sept. 21. Four sixth-graders tested positive for COVID-19, Swofford said. “While investigating the cases, it seems highly possible that there had been spread

At Summerfield Elementary School, five students tested positive this past Friday, Sept. 10, while a staff member also tested positive last week, according to Principal Denise Ebbs. The students aren’t all in the same class, she said. In an email to parents earlier this week, Ebbs

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said the students and the staff member are isolating at home. “All individuals who were identified as being in close contact with these individuals are being contacted and asked to quarantine as well,” she said. The principal told parents that health information about individuals “is considered confidential and cannot be shared.” Staff has conducted “deep cleaning at the school” in adherence with Guilford County Schools’ requirements, she said. The school is also requiring mask wearing during recess.

“Students will be given a time while outside to take a break from mask wearing,” Ebbs said. “When the risk level goes down, we will go back to not wearing masks while outside.” A positive case triggers a series of notifications, according to Ebbs and Robert Richmond, principal of Northern Guilford Elementary School. Janson Silvers, a spokesman for Guilford County Schools, didn’t respond to a request for confirmation of the school system’s policy on notifications. Ebbs sent a letter to parents with children in classrooms where a positive case was reported, she said in an email to the Northwest Observer earlier this week. “The letter also encouraged parents to watch for symptoms and to notify me of any symptoms of concern and of students that are testing for COVID,” she said. The school’s staff is also notified by email when a colleague tests positive, Ebbs said. So are teachers of students testing positive. A positive test by a student or staff

member triggers notification of the Guilford County Health Department, as well as the school’s staff and parents of the infected student’s classmates, according to Richmond. Five students at Northern Guilford Elementary are quarantining this week, he said. The health department conducts contact tracing and decides whether anyone else needs to quarantine, Richmond said. The school also gives parents of infected children instructions for remote education and a date for returning to school, based on public health guidance, he added. Editor’s note: Guilford County Schools’ website includes a COVID cases dashboard that indicates the number of reported active COVID cases as of Sept. 14, per school; the numbers are separated into categories, by student, staff, and student-athlete populations. Based on the online COVID dashboard, of the 72,950 students attending 125 schools, there were 223 active student COVID cases reported to the public health department as of Sept. 14 and five schools have had reported clusters (five or more COVID cases) since the school year began Aug. 23; none of the reported clusters have been in Guilford County Schools’ northwest-area schools.

Northwest Guilford Kiwanis presents the 12th annual

FORE Kids

Tournament

Please help us help children in our community! All proceeds benefit local Kiwanis children’s charities

Saturday, Oct. 2

8am Shotgun Start Pine Knolls Golf Club - Kernersville

GOLFERS WANTED CAPTAIN’S CHOICE • $60 per player / $240 per 4-player team Single players and ladies welcome!

Of the approximate 10,000 employees in the GCS system, the dashboard indicates there are 45 active COVID cases reported as of Sept. 14.

Breakfast biscuits ● 50/50 drawing ● Marshmallow drive Raffle prizes ● FREE drink cart ● Snack Boxes ● Fried chicken lunch Hospitality tent ● Putting contest ● Goody bags

Attempts to confirm how much the reported numbers lag behind real-time data were unsuccessful, but we’ll continue trying to obtain that information.

Thanks to our sponsors: Rio Grande Kitchen & Cantina • EPES Transport • Loflin Concrete, Inc. Pepsi Ventures • Northwest Observer • Hilco Transport • Edward Jones Coca-Cola Bottling Consolidated • J.P. Monroe • Forbis & Dick • Lowes Foods

View GCS’ online COVID dashboard at www.gcsnc.com by typing “COVID cases dashboard” in the Search bar. Have a question or feedback about the number of confirmed student or staff COVID cases in your school? Please email patti@nwobserver.com.

To enter, contact Mark Masters (336) 260-1970 • nwgkiwanis@gmail.com

The Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996

SEPT. 16 - 29, 2021

Youth

welcome to ... Sync A regular section in the Northwest Observer focused on our local youth and the adults who positively impact them.

STUDENT PROFILES Thanks to the coaches and teachers at Northern and Northwest High Schools for their student recommendations and input, which make it possible to recognize these talented, dedicated students for their accomplishments in academics, athletics and cultural arts.

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NORTHERN GUILFORD Jack Gooch, senior Sport: football (defensive end)

What’s your earliest memory of playing football? I was in second grade, and it was my first game of tackle football. I remember I was so excited. The only thing I remember from the actual game is my mom (pictured above with Jack) yelling at me from the stands. What’s your favorite memory of playing football? In the eighth grade, when we won the conference championship. Who’s your favorite football player? Cam Newton. As a Panthers fan, I remember when he was drafted and how he helped turn the Panthers around. He was exciting to watch because of his versatility. He had a very strong arm while also being super athletic. Do you have a coach quote or “coach-ism” to share? One thing our coaches emphasize all the time is doing your job. If we have 11 people buy

SEPT. 16 - 29, 2021

The Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996

in and we all do our job on every play, then we will find success. Who has helped you the most to develop your football skills? Two people come to mind: ever since I walked into high school, Coach G has believed in me every day. He’s taught me so much about the game and how to play it; the second person is my mom. She has sacrificed an unthinkable amount for my siblings and me. She taught me how to work hard and have a good work ethic. What do you do to get hyped up before a game? I just put music in and try to lock in and focus on what I’m supposed to do and what my job is. What’s been one of the hardest things about playing football/attending school during a pandemic? One of the hardest things is keeping track of schoolwork. Last year was all online, so there was plenty of time to get work done; this year with in-person school, more work is being assigned with less time to do it and that makes it challenging to keep up. What’s your favorite subject in school? History How do you like to spend your spare time? I like to watch football and hang out with friends. What’s something about you that many people may not know? I like ketchup on macaroni and cheese. What are your plans for after high school? I plan to play college football and after college I would like to begin coaching football.

SEPT. 16 - 29, 2021

Youth Sync Hiding your smile? We can help! Matthew J. Olmsted, DDS MS Oak Ridge Commons Shopping Center 2205 Oak Ridge Road, Suite CC (336) 441-7007

olmstedorthodontics.com We are OPEN and accepting new patients NORTHERN GUILFORD Hazen Harvell, senior Sport: cross-country/track When did you start running competitively? I started running when I was 7 and I joined my elementary cross-country team when I lived in Denver, Colorado. I still keep in touch with my coach. What do you enjoy most about running? I like competing against myself and am always trying to get better times. On average, how many miles do you run per week? During season, I run around 40 miles a week. I will run up to 60 miles a week during off seasons.

the 1972 Summer Olympics). (A favorite quote from Prefontaine is) “Success isn’t how far you got, but the distance you traveled from where you started.”

NORTHERN GUILFORD

What do you do to help you become a faster runner? I run almost every day, and I weight train every other day.

When did you start running competitively? I started running when I was in sixth grade with the middle school cross-country and track team. What do you enjoy most about running? I enjoy running with my friends and team because they push me to be my very best and we have so much fun. On average, how many miles do you run per week? Around 30 miles per week. What’s a favorite memory of being on the cross-country team? One of my favorite memories of cross-country was when I broke 20 minutes (for 3.1 miles). It felt so great to work really hard and finally achieve the goal that I had been working towards for years. Do you have a runner/athlete you look up to? I have been so lucky to be able to meet so many great people and runners through cross-country. I really look up to Emma Fredericks, who was a senior when I was a freshman.

Do you listen to music when you run for a distance? No, I just zone out while running. Do you have a “coach-ism” to share? I was told by my coaches in the fall and winter months that if you are cold, you’re not running fast enough! How do you get hyped up before a competitive running event? Our team listens to loud music on the bus on the way to our events. Do you participate in any other sports? I run cross-country, indoor track and outdoor track, running all year. Favorite subject in high school? Math

What’s one of your favorite memories of being on the cross-country team? My favorite memories are the bus rides before and after the meets, because we blast music and go get dinner afterwards. Coach Ngo loves taking us to Dairi-O, but when we end late at night and everything is closed, we just stop at Sheetz.

How do you like to spend your spare time? My favorite thing is to work out, hang out with people and play video games. Do you even lift, bro??

Do you have a runner/athlete you look up to, and why? I have always looked up to Steve Prefontaine (an American long-distance runner who competed in

What do you hope to do after you graduate? I’m going to pursue a degree in aerospace engineering, and I am going to try to run in college.

What’s something about you that not everyone knows? I’m kind of a neat freak, I keep my room very organized and like my things in a certain way. I also love a good-smelling candle!

Kiersten Kohler, junior Sport: cross-country/track

The Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996

She welcomed me onto the team and pushed me to be my best. What do you do to help you become a faster runner? I try to be as wellrounded as possible. I focus on eating well, cross training and lifting weights so that I can be my very best. I also do this in a running sense, making sure to go on long runs, doing short sprinting workouts, and everything in between. Do you listen to music when you run for a distance? Yes! I love listening to music while I run. When I am with the team I don’t, but when I am on my own it is a great motivator. Do you have a “coach-ism” to share? Coach Ngo always tells us to go out there and try our hardest. How do you get hyped up before a competitive running event? The day before every meet we have team dinners and we listen to music on the bus ride to every meet to get hyped up. Do you participate in any other sports? I run track as well as work out at the gym year-round. Favorite subject in high school? Math How do you like spending your spare time? I like baking and hanging out with my friends when I have free time. What’s something about you that not everyone knows? I am currently taking Mandarin 5 and have been studying Chinese since fifth grade.

...continued on p. 35

SEPT. 16 - 29, 2021

Football WORD SEARCH r e n r o K Kids’ Football Triva

Impress family and friends with these interesting facts. Players in the NFL were not required to wear a helmet on the field until 1943. Before this, players often grew long hair because they thought this would protect their head. The first footballs were made from inflated pig’s bladders, which look similar to the oval shape of a football. Later on, they made them out of cowhide or rubber, giving the football the long, oval shape it is today that’s easy to grip and throw. All NFL footballs are manufactured in a village called Ada, in Ohio, at the Wilson factory. Quarterback Paul D. Hubbard invented the huddle to keep the other team from reading his hand signals. The National Football League is organized into two divisions: the National Football Conference and the American Football Conference. There are a total of 32 teams. Between Labor Day and New Year’s Day the NFL manages 272 regular season games. start

INTERCEPTION

TOUCHDOWN

GUARD

FIELD GOAL

TACKLE

BLOCK

KICKOFF

finish

END ZONE

QUARTERBACK SAFETY

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PROFILES: KIERSTEN KOHLER ...continued from p. 33 Do you know yet what you hope to do after you graduate? I wish to continue running in college, whether that is on a team or for personal fitness, and possibly study architecture or business.

NORTHWEST GUILFORD Alex Sarantos, senior Sport: football (slot receiver, long

snapper, kickoff, and kickoff return) What’s your role on the football team? I am one of the team captains. What is one of your earliest memories of playing football? Playing for the Hurricanes in Mt. Olive, North Carolina, where I moved from. What’s one of your favorite memories of playing football? When I made my first touchdown (I was playing for the Hurricanes at the time). Who is your favorite football player, and why? Chad Johnson (a former

NFL wide receiver who played 10 seasons for the Cincinnati Bengals, one season for the New England Patriots and a pre-season for the Miami Dolphins). I like his performance and his confidence on and off the field. Do you have a “coach-ism” to share? One thing Coach Wallace stresses over and over is “overcome adversity.” In other words, keep striving toward your goals, and nothing great comes easy. Who has helped you the most to develop your football skills? My grandfather, Rick Mooney, Ricky Proehl, Will Weltch, and the Northwest High School football coaching staff have fostered my football passion.

Eagle project honors ﬁre department supporters

Favorite subject in high school? Math What do you like to do in your spare time? I enjoy spending time with my family and friends, and fishing. What is something about you that not everyone knows? I enjoy cooking. How do you get hyped up before a football game? I listen to music while watching college highlights. What’s one of the hardest things about playing football/attending school in the pandemic? Managing my time.

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Photos courtesy of Holly Stewart, Scouts BSA Troop 600

William Gibson of Stokesdale, 16, a recent Eagle Scout recipient, stands attentively during the 9/11 ceremony at Stokesdale Fire Department in downtown Stokesdale on the morning of Sept. 11. Following the ceremony, Stokesdale Fire Chief Todd Gauldin spoke of working with Gibson on his Eagle Scout project, which is a plaque mounted on stone (photo, above right) and placed at the base of the fire department’s ﬂag pole; the plaque honors all those who have contributed to the fire department over the years. Shortly before William was born, Gauldin asked his parents, Mark and Laura Gibson, for permission to use their pond as a water access point and place a fire hydrant there, to which they readily agreed. Over the years a friendship formed and the Gibsons, along with William and his younger brother Jack, have since been avid supporters of the local fire department. William is a junior at Northwest Guilford High School and a member of Scouts BSA Troop 600.

The Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996

SEPT. 16 - 29, 2021

OAK RIDGE TOWN PARK l Sept. 9, 10 & 11, 2021 “We didn’t know what was going to happen this year because of COVID, but obviously, everyone was ready to get out and enjoy the park. And, the weather could not have been better,” said RidgeFest organizer Randy Floss after the three-day event. “Ticket sales were up 80% compared to a ‘normal year,’ and with the new amusement company, the rides were able to handle about 25% more than previous years.” Floss estimates about 5,000 people attended RidgeFest Saturday night, and said the fireworks being scheduled earlier in the evening, with the rides and music starting back up afterward, helped stagger the traffic as people left the park. “The biggest challenge we dealt with from a COVID standpoint was that there were four different types of food we couldn’t do because the vendors couldn’t get enough help,” Floss noted. “A special 9/11 ceremony all came off without any issues and involved the Cub Scouts, ORMA, sheriff ’s deputies, and the Marine color guard,” he continued. Already setting his sights on next year, Floss said he’ll plan for additional rides, and hopes to add a large carousel, another kiddie ride and more food vendors.

Photos by Patti Stokes/NWO

Proceeds from RidgeFest, which come from a percentage of ticket sales, will be donated to local charities and for educational purposes.

CRIME / INCIDENT report

District 1 Sheriff’s Ofﬁce

has recently responded to the following incidents in northwest/northern Guilford County ... ASSAULT

FRAUD

Sept. 8 | A resident of the 7900 block of Lester Road in Stokesdale (off N.C. 68 N) reported she and a known suspect had been arguing, and then he chased her while wielding a hammer.

Sept. 2 | A resident of the 2500 block of Pleasant Ridge Road in Summerfield reported an unknown suspect stole $603.50 from her bank account.

COMMUNICATING THREATS

Sept. 9 | A 22-year-old male was arrested in the 8300 block of Belews Creek Road in Stokesdale for larceny.

Sept. 5 | A resident of the 2800 block of Kinsey Court in Summerfield (near Strawberry Road) reported a known suspect made the shape of a gun with his fingers, pointed at her son and acted as if he were shooting him.

DEATH INVESTIGATION Sept. 1 | A resident of the 8100 block of Angels Glen Drive in Stokesdale (near Stokesdale Town Park) reported his mother passed away at his residence between 8:30 and 10 a.m. Sept. 2 | A friend of a resident of the 6100 block of Windsor Farme Road in Summerfield (off Bunch Road) reported he found the resident deceased from natural causes.

DOMESTIC INCIDENT Sept. 8 | A resident of the 7700 block of Cedar Chase Drive in northwest Greensboro (off N.C. 150 W) reported at 4:30 a.m. she and her husband had a domestic dispute.

FOUND PROPERTY Sept. 1 | An Oak Ridge resident turned several drug-related items in to the District 1 sheriff’s office that he said he found while cleaning out his ex-girlfriend’s residence in the 8400 block of Haw River Road in Oak Ridge. The items included used syringes, plastic baggies with white residue, unidentified pills and socks.

LARCENY

OVERDOSE Sept. 12 | A citizen reported at 6:48 p.m. a man overdosed in the parking lot of Dollar General and Village Pizza in Stokesdale; he was transported to a hospital to receive medical treatment.

PROPERTY SEIZED Sept. 7 | After a consent search was performed on a residence in the 6700 block of Alley Road in Summerfield (off Strawberry Road), sheriff’s officers confiscated 19 items that included several firearms, ammunition, a Schedule VI controlled substance (marijuana) and drug paraphernalia.

THEFT Sept. 2 | A resident of the 7500 block of N.C. 68 N in Oak Ridge reported between Aug. 30 at 10 p.m. and Aug. 31 at 2 a.m. an unknown suspect entered a vehicle in her driveway and stole $328 worth of items, including her brown Fossil purse containing a black wallet with her personal cards, a cream-colored iPhone 6, $47 cash, brown sunglasses and 54 Adderall pills. Sept. 2 | The manager of American

...continued on p. 42

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The Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996

SEPT. 16 - 29, 2021

mark your

calendar

EVERY TUESDAY, THURSDAY

 Farmers markets | Fruits of the Spirit Farmers

Market, held at Stokesdale United Methodist Church, 8305 Loyola Drive, will continue the next few weeks on Tuesday evenings from 4 to 7 p.m. Oak Ridge Farmers Market, held at Oak Ridge Military Academy, 2317 Oak Ridge Road, will continue on Thursday evenings from 4 p.m. to dusk. The farmers markets will wrap up for the season in October.

EVERY SUNDAY, TUESDAY  Cub Scouts | Oak Ridge United Method-

ist Church at 2424 Oak Ridge Road is host to Cub Scout meetings every Sunday from 4 to 5:15 p.m. Visit oakridge130.mypack.us or email 130cubmaster@gmail.com for more info. Oak Ridge Presbyterian Church at 2614 Oak Ridge Road also hosts Cub Scout meetings every Tuesday, starting at 7 p.m. Visit pack600rocks.com or call Kathryn Bunthoff, (336) 655-9781, for more info. Cub Scouts are open to boys and girls age K-5.

Tax & Consulting Services For Individuals & Businesses  Tax Returns  Tax Planning  Payroll Service  Bookkeeping  Financial Reports  Budget Analysis

8400 Hwy 158 • PO Box 469 Stokesdale, NC 27357 kim@kimberlythacker.com

(336) 644-2741 office (336) 644-2743 fax

When your pet ages disease or illness may come along with it. Call us to schedule a

Purchase Tickets NOW for SEPT. 30 EVENT

Submit your events online at

 25th Anniversary | Oak Ridge Lions Club invites the

community to celebrate the club’s long history in Oak Ridge and the 25th anniversary of its biggest annual fundraiser, the Tom Brown Memorial Golf Tournament, on Thursday, Sept. 30, 6 to 9:30 p.m. at three locations in Oak Ridge Commons shopping center in Oak Ridge. Tickets for the celebration are $25 each and will include a taco bar, live music and cornhole at Rio Grande; appetizers, snacks, mocktails, games and prizes at the Bank of Oak Ridge; and a dessert bar, coffee, cider and teas along with games and prizes at Allen Tate Realtors. Purchase tickets from any Lions Club member, including Patti Stokes, who can be reached at patti@nwobserver.com or by calling the Northwest Observer office at (336) 644-7035.

will hold its annual Stop, Drop and Roll 5K walk/run fundraiser and the popular Sparky’s Dash for kids on Saturday, Oct. 2. Visit www.jonesracingcompany.com/ stopdropandroll5K to learn more and/or register to participate (see ad on p. 11 for more details).

Click “community calendar” on the left-hand side

Deadline for inclusion in each issue is

9 a.m. on Monday

SEPT. 17 & 18  Consignment sale | Trinity Covenant Church will

host a consignment sale for children’s clothes from tots to teens Sept. 17, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sept. 18, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 5200 W. Friendly Ave. in northwest Greensboro. Visit trinitytotstoteens.wordpress.com to sign up as a consignor. More info: (336) 299-9403.

FRIDAY, SEPT. 17  Movie in the Park | Town of Summerfield will host

a free Movie in the Park event featuring Disney’s “Bolt” on Sept. 17 at Summerfield Community Park Amphitheater, 5404 Centerfield Road. Music begins at 6:45 p.m. and dancers from Bella Ballerina Greensboro will be performing; the movie begins at 7:45 p.m. (dusk). Kona Ice will be onsite selling shaved ice. Bring chairs and/or a blanket to sit on.

Mark Your

When is it happening? Where is it happening? And who do I contact for more details?

www.nwobserver.com Serving the northwest Triad area since 1991

for a list of upcoming local events and event details

(336) 665-1286 • bel-airevet.com

(non-profits are also invited to post your event/details at this site)

SEPT. 16 - 29, 2021

Licensed Massage Therapist NC LMBT# 18352

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The Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996

Carlotta Lytton

, CPA, PC

Individual & Corporate Tax Returns Specializing in Payroll & Accounting for Small Businesses

7805 US Hwy 158, Stokesdale clyttoncpa@bellsouth.net

phone: (336) 644-7033 fax: (336) 644-7038

SATURDAY, SEPT. 18  Recycling/E-cycling event | Town

of Summerfield will host a free recycle/e-cycle event for Guilford County residents Sept. 18, 8 a.m. to noon at Laughlin Professional Development Center, 7911 Summerfield Road. Materials accepted include tires, large appliances, electronics and personal documents (up to five boxes). No business waste will be accepted. Paper shredding services will only be offered until the container fills up. More info: (336) 641-3792 or (336) 643-8655. See ad on this page.

MONDAY, SEPT. 20  UDO open house | Summerfield

Planning Board members will host an open house Sept. 20, starting at 5:30 p.m., to discuss UDO text amendments that will be presented at the board’s monthly meeting on Sept. 27. The open house will be held at Summerfield Town Hall, 4117 Oak Ridge Road. Visit summerfieldnc.gov to see the proposed amendments. More info: (336) 643-8655.

SATURDAY, SEPT. 25  Food pantry | Good Samaritan

Ministries’ food pantry in Stokesdale will open for those in need of food on Sept. 25, 9 to 10:30 a.m. at Stokesdale Business Center, 8500 Ellisboro Road. The usual check-in procedure will be followed, and boxes of food will be placed in cars without recipients getting out. To make a financial donation or request emergency assistance, contact Terri Johnson, (336) 643-5887 or terrij1957@yahoo.com.  Heritage Day | The Town of Oak

Ridge will host its annual Heritage Day in Oak Ridge Town Park Sept. 25, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Many activities are planned throughout the day to celebrate the town’s rich history, including displays of household goods and farm equipment; French & Indian, Revolutionary and Civil War re-enactors; blacksmithing and outdoor cooking demos; kids’ activities; vendors selling arts and crafts and vintage/repurposed items; people dressed in period costume; and a baking contest. There will also be tractor-pulled rides around the

park, old vehicles, live music and the firing of a real cannon. Interested vendors and those with historic memorabilia to display are invited to contact Oak Ridge Town Hall at (336) 644-7009 or ssmith@oakridgenc.com.

MONDAY, SEPT. 27  Lions Club | Oak Ridge Lions Club,

a non-profit that helps people who are sight- or hearing-impaired and contributes to the community in numerous other ways, will meet Sept. 27 at the Oak Ridge Room, 2205 Oak Ridge Road (next to Bistro 150). Come at 6 p.m. to socialize and if you would like, order dinner and/or a beverage from the Bistro, which donates the club’s meeting space; the business meeting runs from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. More info: Frank Kelleher, president, (336) 327-7786 or frankxk95@gmail.com.

WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 29  Free webinar on illness | Authora-

Care Collective, a nonprofit that gives palliative and hospice care to patients in Greensboro and Burlington, will host a free Zoom webinar Sept. 29, noon to 1 p.m., presenting “Empowerment, Humility and Joy Through a Long Journey of Illness.” Visit Northwest Observer’s online calendar at www.nwobserver.com for info about accessing the meeting or contact Charity Pierce, (336) 478-2760 or charity.pierce@authoracare.org.

SATURDAY, OCT. 2  Golf Fore Kids tournament | North-

west Guilford Kiwanis Club, a nonprofit that engages in projects to benefit children in our community, will host its 12th annual Golf Fore Kids tournament Oct. 2, starting at 8 a.m. at Pine Knolls Golf Club, 1100 Quail Hollow Road in Kernersville. Golfers can enter for $60 per single player or $240 for a four-player team. Participants will receive breakfast biscuits, a fried chicken lunch, goody bags, snack boxes, free drinks and more. All proceeds will benefit local children’s charities. For more info and to enter, contact Mark Masters, nwgkiwanis@gmail.com or (336) 260-1970. See ad on p. 29 for The Northwest Observer • more details.

Location: Laughlin Professional Development Center 7911 Summerfield Road, Summerfield, NC Date: Saturday, September 18, 2021 Time: 8:00 am to 12:00 pm Materials to Be Accepted:

�

• Tires • Large Appliances • Electronics, including: Computers, televisions, electronic games and toys, cell phones, and microwaves. • Personal documents to be shredded (max. 5 boxes per vehicle)

�

Call (336)641-3792 or (336)643-8655 for more information.

Sponsored by: Guilford County Environmental Services & the Town of Summerfield.

Bring our pumpkin home

ADOPTION

RUN & WALK

and 1-mile fun run Join us for this fun event to help us cover our final adoption costs and bring our daughter home from India

Daniel, Tiffany, Adelaide & Luke Midkiff

Saturday, November 13 Oak Ridge Town Park Register at 4adoption.eventbrite.com 9 am 5K ● 9:30 am fun run Totally local since 1996

SEPT. 16 - 29, 2021

GRINS and GRIPES

Delighted or dismayed by something in your community? Share your thoughts in

words or less

online: nwobserver.com e-mail: grinsandgripes@nwobserver.com

Grins & Gripes are published based on available space and editor’s discretion.

 The sweet lady at Cascade Park in northwest Greensboro who noticed we had forgotten our dog’s leash and offered us hers to borrow. It was so nice not having to go all the way back home to get ours!  Randy Floss’s knees, for holding up through leading the way on yet another successful RidgeFest.  The dude who complained about the Oak Ridge ABC store being out of his favorite brands of liquor: right on! We need our mint juleps, and we want them now!  Merchants of Oak Ridge member Randy Floss for the hours … and hours … and hours he volunteered to organize RidgeFest and be there to make sure things ran smoothly. Awesome job!

 Ricky Jones Sr. for being a great person and picking up our son’s baseball bag full of gear. Even more, thanks for the words of encouragement for all of us. It’s appreciated more than you know!  Town of Oak Ridge and Randy Floss for the best RidgeFest ever! You did an amazing job remembering those killed Sept. 11, 2001, and the 13 soldiers killed in Afghanistan on Aug. 26. So blessed to live in this community.  Stokesdale Bi-Rite owner David Wrenn for the new store he built in our community – so nice and spacious, and love all the new amenities!  The Town of Oak Ridge for hosting RidgeFest at Oak Ridge Town Park (and special shoutout to the parks staff for all their hard work!), and for the great fireworks show Saturday night!

Regarding two readers’ gripes in our Sept. 2-15 issue about the reworking of the car rider line at Stokesdale Elementary causing backups for commuters, the school’s principal, Mrs. Allison Bennett, offered this response last week: “As the principal of Stokesdale Elementary I have informed North Carolina Department of Transportation and Guilford County Schools about our car rider line, and safety is our top priority. The car rider line has improved each day since the first day of school.”

 Guilford County School Board. What happened to the $300M school bond referendum that passed last year? Kids in trailers, failing A/C units— and now (GCS superintendent Sharon) Contreras blames long car lines on parents who won’t allow their kids to ride the bus.  Mary Catherine Sauer, principal of Revolution Academy, for spreading biased information on Twitter that masks don’t work and not taking extra precautions to keep students and staff safe.  The person who recently griped about elementary school traffic

LOVE

“really holding up commuters.” If you’re important, people will wait. If they won’t wait on you, you should leave earlier. The world doesn’t revolve around you!  The person griping about someone else’s garbage cans. Try being less petty and passive-aggressive, and mind your own business. If it’s a hassle to avoid them while driving, you don’t need a license.  Those who cite COVID statistics to claim it’s a mild illness. Spend 30 minutes in a hospital ICU and then tell me if it’s not serious. Lung, heart, kidney, liver problems for many that “recovered” – that is, if you don’t die.  The principal of Revolution Academy – thanks for settling the debate about masks! You and your staff proved that not wearing them doesn’t work. Send your kids to Revolution, where science-denying teachers know more than scientists and doctors!  Parents who let their children drive to drop-off at ORE. Cutting in line, racing down side roads, using the teacher-only lane, driving on the grass on the wrong side of the road... what’s that? The children aren’t the ones driving??  ORSC for restructuring dues to be “more in line with other swim clubs in the area.” Those clubs include tennis

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For locations, details or to join, visit ymcagreensboro.org/FallJoin Join one and gain access to all locations, including 3 in Greensboro! Spears: 336.387.9622 • Bryan: 336.478.9622 • Hayes-Taylor: 336.272.2131

SEPT. 16 - 29, 2021

The Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996

the school’s gym: “Guilford County Schools put the signs there due to citizens damaging the playground and in response to keeping the school grounds safe for Stokesdale students. It is our top priority for our grounds to be safe for our students during school hours and safe in preparation for the next school day.”

for the same fee you want our family to pay for just a pool – and without price gouging for family size.  Whoever decided to post the “No Trespassing” sign at Stokesdale Elementary School’s gym to keep citizens from using the walking track for exercise. I understand “no trespassing” during school hours, but what’s the harm in walking before, after and on weekends? Editor’s note: Stokesdale Elementary’s principal, Mrs. Allison Bennett, provided this explanation for why the “No Trespassing” sign was placed at

Outside the

STARTING AT

$99/MO1 THE AFFORDABLE 1

 Councilman Jim Kinneman for his speech at Oak Ridge’s 9/11 ceremony Saturday morning. It was a slap in the face to every American who lost their life or a loved one in the attacks by foreign terrorists on Sept. 11, 2001!

…

The following reader-submitted GRINS and GRIPES express opinions about state and/or national topics, and have been separated from the other Grins and Gripes as a courtesy to those who do not want to read others’ opinions on state and/or national political and other non-local topics in a local newspaper.

GRINS to...

collapsed in a matter of days. Thank you, Mr. President!

 President Biden for rescuing under dire circumstances more than 120,000 people after the Afghan government, already demoralized by Trump’s surrender agreement with the Taliban,

GRIPES to...

 The decision makers who left American citizens stranded in Afghanistan.

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The Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996

SEPT. 16 - 29, 2021

CRIME/INCIDENT REPORT

LETTERS/OPINIONS

...continued from p. 37

Submit your letters (maximum 350 words) online: nwobserver.com e-mail : editor@nwobserver.com Include your name, daytime phone number and name of community. Letters from the same writer will be published no more than every 30 days.

Troop withdrawal leaves free societies vulnerable I wish to thank those in the military who protect our country and am praying for the families of those killed in the Kabul evacuation as well as those who gave their lives over the past 20 years in the Afghanistan War. It is my hope they will find peace in knowing that their loved ones did not die in vain. They can be proud knowing that they served our country well by taking the fight to the enemy and keeping the battle on foreign land. Unfortunately, President Biden has ceded the battlefield to a very vicious and cruel adversary. One that follows Sharia law and is the antithesis of

freedom and will do whatever it takes to disrupt our American way of life. The Taliban now have taken control of vast resources left behind by our hasty withdrawal and will no doubt start planning to attack free societies around the world. It is the worst of a worst-case scenario and one can only hope there are still competent intelligence and military leaders at the top willing to act in America’s best interests. This is the pinnacle of incompetency in Joe Biden’s incompetent 47-year political career. Lee Haywood, SUMMERFIELD

Flag Storage on Inman Road in northwest Greensboro reported between Sept. 1 at 8:45 p.m. and Sept. 2 at 9:40 a.m. an unknown suspect cut the lock on a storage unit and stole $34,800 worth of items, including a gray 2019 Harley-Davidson Iron 883 motorcycle, a red 2013 Harley-Davidson Street Glide motorcycle, several helmets, a black docking stand, three black custom motorcycle seats, a black motorcycle backrest, assorted tools and a black Verizon WiFi hotspot. Sept. 6 | An employee of Circle K on Norcross Road in Colfax reported at 12:10 a.m. an unknown suspect stole two cases of Modelo beer with a retail value of $34. Sept. 10 | A resident of the 5800 block of Deer Meadow Lane in Summerfield (near Pleasant Ridge Road) reported on Sept. 4 at 5 p.m. and Sept. 9 at 7 p.m. an unknown suspect entered a building on his property and stole $1,370 worth of items, including an orange STIHL pole saw, an orange Husqvarna chainsaw, an orange Husqvarna backpack blower, a black/

silver CRAFTSMAN 75-piece tool set and 230-piece tool set, a black/ orange Milwaukee cordless drill and a black CRAFTSMAN circular saw. Sept. 11 | A resident of the 3100 block of Pleasant Ridge Road in Summerfield reported between 3:30 a.m. and 10:50 p.m. an unknown suspect broke into his residence and stole $1,640 worth of items, including a black 60” flatscreen TV, a white Xbox One gaming system, one white and one camouflage Xbox One controller, several video games and $200 cash.

UNCLASSIFIED Sept. 2 | The town manager of Summerfield reported a known suspect has been sending threatening emails to town employees since May 3.

VEHICLE TOWED Sept. 4 | An abandoned vehicle in the roadway in the 6700 block of Alley Road in Summerfield (off Strawberry Road) was towed after the owner was advised to move the vehicle but refused.

District 1 Sheriff’s Office

This space available for

YOUR

OPINIONS Send your

7504 Summerfield Road • Main number: (336) 641-2300 Report non-emergency crime-related incidents by calling: (336) 373-2222 • 8 a.m.–5 p.m., M-F https://www.guilfordcountync.gov/our-county/sheriff-s-office

Always make a total effort, even when the odds are against you.

Send your letters and opinions letters to &editor@nwobserver.com opinions to editor@nwobserver.com

( MAXIMUM WORD COUNT 350 ) [ Maximum word count 350 ] Letters from the same writer will be published no more than every 30 days Letters from the same writer will be published no more than every 30 days

SEPT. 16 - 29, 2021

The Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996

– Arnold Palmer

Follow @ORYASPORTS and visit ORYA.ORG

 AUTO SALES & SERVICE

 EMPLOYMENT

SAM'S AUTO BODY SHOP. Any type of body work. 45 years exp. (336) 965-7955.

RENOVATION WORKS is seeking an experienced carpenter or carpenter's helper for our expanding team. Pay commensurate with experience. Call or text (336) 427-7391.

CHOICE TIRE AND AUTOMOTIVE. Oil changes, inspections, alignments and general automotive repairs. 1080 US Hwy 66 S, Kernersville, NC. (336) 992-9002.

Place online at

DEADLINE: Monday prior to each issue

NEED HELP? Call (336) 644-7035, ext. 10 Mon - Fri • 9am -12:30pm

INDEX

KNIGHT IMPORT SPECIALTY SERVICE. European Auto Service & Repair. Specializing in factory-scheduled maintenance and repairs. BMW, Audi, Volvo, Mercedes, Volkswagen, Mini, and Porsche. 32 years experience. 4559 US Hwy. 220, Summerﬁeld (across from Food Lion). (336) 337-0669.

 CHILDCARE AVAILABLE PIEDMONT FOREST SCHOOL at Oak Ridge Park will oﬀer outdoor, play-based learning for preschool and elementary children this fall. Time slots for toddler/preschool and K-5, including home school and after school. Check website for openings, www.piedmontforestschool.org.

Auto Sales & Service ........ 43 Childcare Available.............43  EMPLOYMENT Employment...................43-44 STOKESDALE & SUMMERFIELD areas. Consignment Sale............ 43 Part-time custodian positions are available Preschool ........................ 44 for late afternoon/early evenings. ComSave the Date.................. 44 petitive pay and beneﬁts. Apply online at Yard Sales ....................... 44 http://smoworks.com/careers, or call (336) 294-7665. Thanks! Home Services ...........44-46 Misc. Services .................. 46 LAND SURVEYING CREW MEMBER Misc. For Sale .................. 46 position available. Previous experience is preferred but not required. Misc. Wanted .................. 46 Career opportunity. Please call to set Pets & Animal Services .... 46 up interview, (336) 275-8084, or visit Real Estate ...................... 46 www.hughcreedassociates.com.

THE TOWN OF OAK RIDGE is accepting applications for one part-time Parks & Recreation groundskeeper position. 25 hrs. per week. Flexible schedule that requires many weekends. Applicants must have a clean NCDL and be able to pass a background check. Applications can be found at www.oakridgenc.com under the Employment tab. Submit applications to tlannon@oakridgenc.com or at Oak Ridge Town Hall, M-F, 8:30am4:30pm. CARDINAL MILLWORK & SUPPLY. Now hiring full-time warehouse help to assist in loading and unloading building materials. Also hiring full-time drivers. Hours are 7am-4pm for both positions. Email chris@cardinalmillwork.com, or apply at 7620 West Market St., Greensboro. (336) 665-9811. OAK RIDGE PHYSICAL THERAPY. Physical Therapist Aide. Two positions available, one each at Oak Ridge and Eden clinics. Part-time aide position. Mon.-Fri., 1:30-6:15pm. Perform a variety of tasks including: laundry, cleaning, scheduling patients, calling patients, assistance with patient care as directed, misc. Must be CPR certifi ed. Background criminal, drug and fi nancial check will be done. Mail resume to PO Box 875, Oak Ridge, NC 27310. SUMMERFIELD VETERINARY HOSPITAL is currently seeking a full-time Kennel Assistant. Weekends and holidays a must. Drug test and background check required. Please apply in person, 4318 Hwy. 220 N., Summerfield, NC 27358, or email Lydia@ summerfieldvet.com. (336) 643-6326.

HIRING?

We can help!

Place your classiﬁed ad online at

www.nwobserver.com

 CONSIGNMENT SALE

trinitytotstoteens.wordpress.com

Trinity Tots to Teens Sale THIS FRIDAY AND SATURDAY! Trinity Covenant Church 5200 W. Friendly Ave., GSO

Come shop with us! Friday, Sept. 17 9 am - 7 pm

Saturday, Sept. 18 8 am - 1 pm Facebook & InstagramTrinity Tots to Teens

continued on p. 44

TheObserver Northwest• Observer • Totally The Northwest Totally local since local 1996since 1996

SEPT. 16 16 - 29, 2021 SEPT. - 29, 2021

43 43

EMPLOYMENT

HOME SERVICES

MR. APPLIANCE of Greensboro is now hiring appliance repair technicians. Must have great customer service skills. Experience preferred, but willing to train the right candidate. Paid vacations. Company vehicle. No nights or weekends required. $500 sign-on bonus. If interested, text or call Daniel at (252) 363-1510.

AIR CONDITIONING & HEATING

BALEX ELECTRICAL COMPANY, LLC. Got Power? Residential, commercial and solar electrical services. (336) 298-4192.

MCGEE'S HANDYMAN SERVICES. Water-damaged wood replacement, bathroom remodel, decks and much more. Call (336) 423-1259.

PRESCHOOL MT. PISGAH WEEKDAY SCHOOL. Enrolling toddlers through pre-K! Please contact us today for more information at mpws@mtpisgahgso.org.

SAVE THE DATE FALL ARTS & CRAFTS EXTRAVAGANZA. Oak Ridge Presbyterian Church, 2614 Oak Ridge Rd., Oak Ridge. Saturday, Oct. 9, 10am-4pm. Vendor space available. Visit orpc.org under the welcome section for more info.

YARD SALES BELEWS LANDING community yard sale. Saturday, Sept. 18, 7am-noon. Crows Nest Drive, off of Ellisboro Rd., Stokesdale. MULTI-HOME YARD SALE. Fri., Sept. 24, and Sat., Sept. 25, 9am-4 pm. Collybrooke Development, 196 Tillingham Trace, Stokesdale. Furniture, estate items, art and more. 1ST ANNUAL STONEHENGE COMMUNITY yard sale. Saturday, Oct. 2, 8am-noon. Come to Currieton Dr., Oak Ridge & follow the signs. Multiple homes will be participating! Loads of items of all kinds! Rain date will be Oct. 9.

PLANNING A

A-ACTION AIR. Air conditioning checkup, $49.95. Call (336) 268-6768 or (336) 382-3750.

CLEANING CRYSTAL CLEAR WINDOW CLEANING Gutter cleaning, pressure washing. Fully ins. windowcleaningnc.com (336) 595-2873 CHRISTIAN MOM needs work cleaning houses, running errands. Will fit to your budget. Pet taxi/pet sitting also avail. References. Call Laura Bennett, (336) 231-1838. THE CLEANING TECHNICIAN LLC. Back in business. Spring cleaning time is here. I would like to offer my cleaning services. I do detailed cleaning. I also offer carpet cleaning and floor steaming. Licensed, bonded, insured, and vaccinated. Call Lisa, (336) 207-0770. ANNASARAH'S CLEANING. Excellent references. Trustworthy. Family owned business. Free estimates. (336) 543-3941. MAID-2- SHINE. Excellent ser vice, 15 years experience. Free estimates, excellent references. (336) 338-0223. PAOLA CLEANING SERVICE. Residential & commercial. Insured. (336) 669-5210

DECORATING BLISSFUL ART & FRAMING. SHOP LOCAL! Framing, gifts, graphic design. 4533 Hwy. 220 N., Summerfield. (336) 298-4502. EXPERIENCED INTERIOR DECORATOR & personal furniture shopper will help you with style, color, shopping & furniture placement. E-mail appeninc@gmail.com or call Ann Appenzeller, (336) 314-1411.

ELECTRICAL

YARD SALE? Or call (336) 644-7035, ext. 10

CKH ELECTRIC, LLC. Give us a call for your next residential, commercial, or industrial project. Free estimates, licensed, insured, & BBB accredited. (336) 944-4820.

44 SEPT. SEPT. - 29, 2021 1616 - 29, 2021

MONTERO'S HARDWOOD FLOORING Installation of hardwood, laminate & tile; hardwood sanding & finishing. Commercial & residential. Insured, 17 yrs. exp. Free est., exc. references. Call (336) 215-8842 or visit Monteros-hardwood-flooring.com.

GENERAL REPAIR & SERVICES APPLIANCE REPAIR – Call Mr. Appliance A step above the rest! (336) 609-5707. GARY’S HANDYMAN HOME SERVICES “Providing value for the home-ownership experience.” Gary Gellert, serving NC’s Piedmont Triad area. Garygellert@gmail.com, (336) 423-8223. GREENERTIMES SMALL ENGINE Sales & Service Center. All types sold and repaired; comm./res. 9428 NC Hwy. 65, Stokesdale. (336) 548-9286 or (336) 312-3844. AFFORDABLE HOME REPAIRS. One call fixes all! A+ with BBB. For a free estimate call (336) 643-1184 or (336) 987-0350. CLOCK DOCTOR. Free house calls for sick clocks. (336) 643-9931 or (336) 392-4124.

“No Job Too Small” Wood Rot Repairs • Bathroom Remodeling Painting • Decks and much more! • Insured

(336) 669-7252

oldschoolsjhr@triad.rr.com

Do you have ELECTRICAL NEEDS? Call Coble Electric LLC at (336) 209-1486.

Place your ad online:

FLOORING

GRADING / HAULING H&L GRADING, LLC. No job too tough or too small. Call us first! We are a full-service grading company that specializes in residential projects. Owner/ operator Timmy Hart has more than 30 years of grading and equipment experience. Fully licensed and insured. Land clearing, debris removal, driveways, French drains and much more. (336) 543-7867. E&W HAULING & GRADING INC. Driveways, fill dirt, demolition, lot clearing, excavating, bobcat work, etc. (336) 451-1282. ANTHONY’S GRADING & HAULING Excavating, land clearing, demolition, dirt, available. Zane Anthony, (336) 362-4035. DTW GRADING & HAULING, INC. Offering a sum of aggregates, including but not limited to: fill dirt, stone, asphalt millings, and crushed concrete. We also offer full bobcat services. Driveways, minor clearing, drainage solutions and snow removal. Daniel Wilson, (336) 339-0212. BRAD'S BOBCAT & HAULING SVCS. LLC. Debris removal, grading, gravel/dirt, driveways, concrete work. (336) 362-3647 GAULDIN TRUCKING, grading & hauling, bobcat work, lot clearing, driveways, fill dirt, gravel, etc. (336) 362-1150.

GUTTERS / SIDING / WINDOWS S&M SEAMLESS GUTTERS. Install new gutters. Repair and clean old gutters. Free estimates. Fully insured. (336) 587-8223 or (336) 709-5944.

Your HOME SERVICES

L & T SMALL ENGINE SERVICE "We get you mowing!" Comm./res., all models. 2103 Oak Ridge Rd., Oak Ridge. Call (336) 298-4314, LandTsmallengineservice.com.

Let us introduce you to our readers.

to learn more or to place your classified ad!

The Northwest Observer •Observer Totally local since 1996 The Northwest • Totally local since 1996

company should be here! Call Rene' at (336) 644-7035

or visit www.nwobserver.com

 HOME SERVICES

WILSON

Seamless Gutters

Installation, repair, replacement, Leaf Guard

Stokesdale

336-420-0200 LAWNCARE / LANDSCAPING AQUA SYSTEMS IRRIGATION. Quality irrigation systems. NC licensed contractor. We service all systems. Free est. (336) 644-1174. INTEGRITY TREE SERVICE, LLC. Tree removal, risk assessment, tree pruning, dead wood removal. Competitive pricing. Fully insured. Owner-operated. Call for free estimate, (336) 210-8310. COLFAX LAWNCARE. Core aeration & seeding. Fertilizing, mowing, trimming, pine needles. Complete lawn care maintenance. Res./comm. Fully insured. Serving the Triad for 33 years. (336) 362-5860. EXTERIOR GREENSCAPES. Lawn maintenance service. Call for a free estimate (336) 682-1456. DELIMA LAWNCARE. Commercial & Residential. Free estimates. (336) 669-5210. D S L DRAIN SYSTEMS & LANDSCAPING. Complete lawn service & drain systems. Mowing, pine needles, mulch, leaf removal, fertilization, trimming and more. Also providing drain systems solutions. (336) 362-4354. ORTIZ LANDSCAPING, complete lawn care. Trimming, cleaning, planting & mulch, gutter cleaning, patios & pavers, waterfalls, retaining walls, sidewalks, stonework. Residential and commercial. (336) 280-8981. SOUTHERN CUTZ LAWN CARE, oﬀering complete lawn maintenance services & bush hogging. Nathan Adkins, (336) 430-6086.

 HOME SERVICES

ALL-SEASON STUMP GRINDING. Owner Alan Winfree. Free est. Call (336) 382-9875.

NEW PHASE CONCRETE. Here for all your decorative concrete needs. Specializing in decorative stamp, stained, epoxy and all other concrete poured ﬁnishes as well. Also oﬀering refurbishment of existing stamped concrete. Make your existing stamped look like new again! (336) 399-1474 or (336) 595-4654.

CAROLINA STUMP & TREE SERVICE Complete tree service, $1 million liability, workman’s comp. Rick & Judy, (336) 643-9332. www.carolinastumpandtreeservices.com. GUZMAN LANDSCAPE & MAINTENANCE Pine needles, mulch, leaf removal, tree pruning, complete lawn maint. (336) 655-6490. HILL LAWNCARE & OUTDOOR SERVICES. Free est. Call (336) 669-5448. WILSON LANDSCAPING, INC. Lawn maint., landscaping. Irrigation/ landscape contractor. Hardscaping & landscape lighting. 26 years exp. (336) 399-7764. ARBOR MASTERS TREE SERVICE Total tree removal, storm damage cleanup, shrub and tree pruning. Free estimates. Licensed & insured. (336) 643-9157.

CONCRETE COATINGS Flake Epoxy Systems Garage Floor and Concrete Resurfacing Decorative Concrete Overlays Eric Sauls, Owner ● (336) 970-3543 Call for your free estimate

MISC. HOME SERVICES/PRODUCTS

STEVE NEWMAN TREE SERVICE. Free est. Lic./Ins. 40+ years experience. All phases of tree work. Lots & natural area thinning and cleanup. Large shrubbery jobs, chipping. Oak Ridge. Call (336) 643-1119. Hire a local with references.

COX POOL SERVICE. Openings, closings, routine maintenance, weekly service. No contracts, free estimates! (336) 327-5122.

MASONRY

JUNK & DEBRIS REMOVAL, construction, remodeling, and general cleanup, outbuildings, garages, basements, yard waste, etc. Also can haul mulch. Call (336) 706-8470.

SOUTHERN STYLE concrete & landscapes. How about a new patio or fire pit? We can help with all of your outdoor living and entertainment spaces! Fire pits, driveways & sidewalks, patios and more! Give us a call at (336) 399-6619 for all your concrete and landscape needs. COLONIAL MASONRY. 40 yrs. exp. Specializing in outdoor living spaces; dry-stack natural stone and flagstone. Let us help you plan your patio, fire pit, fireplace, kitchen – or anything else you would like! Call (336) 949-9019. www.colonialmasonry.com.

ON EAGLE'S WINGS residential home design/drafting. Call Patti, (336) 605-0519.

PAINTING & DRYWALL STILL PERFECTION PAINTING. Reliable, skilled, aﬀordable. Painting, pressure washing, handyman services. Scott Still, (336) 462-3683, stillperfectionpainting.com. LAWSON'S PAINTING. Custom decks, pressure washing, boat docks, block ﬁll, wood repair, stain work, textured ceilings, sheetrock repair. Call (336) 253-9089. CARLOS & SON PAINTING. Interior and exterior. 24 hours/7 days a week. Free estimates, licensed/insured. (336) 669-5210.

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PAINTING INTERIOR & EXTERIOR, 40 yrs. exp. Sheetrock repair. Average BDRM walls $100. Insured. Call Brad Rogers, (336) 314-3186.

 HOME SERVICES

BEK Paint Co. Residential & Commercial David & Judy Long, owners

(336) 931-0600

BEKPaintCompany.com • References Available • Licensed & Insured • All Work Guaranteed

PLUMBING FREEMAN PLUMBING – new construction, remodel and repair. For ALL your plumbing needs! (336) 580-4525. RICK PEGRAM BACKFLOW TESTING & REPAIR. Install, repair, and test large and small backﬂow assemblies. NC Plumbing Lic. P12534. Tester # RWCT1408. (336) 601-9012. BRANSON PLUMBING & SOLAR. No job too small! Experienced, guaranteed. Lic./ Ins. Cleanliness in your home is our #1 priority. Call Mark, (336) 337-7924. WEBSTER & SONS PLUMBING, Inc. (336) 992-2503. Licensed, insured, bonded. 24/7 service. Plumbing, drain cleaning, well pumps. Give us a call, we do it all! Go to www.webstersplumbing.com for more info.

PRESSURE WASHING CUTTING EDGE PRESSURE WASHING Aﬀordable, dependable. Please call anytime for free estimate. (336) 706-0103. HOUSE and ROOF SOFT WASHING. Martin's Pressure Washing. (919) 931-0856. PRESSURE WASHING, gutter & window cleaning. Fully insured. Crystal Clear, www. windowcleaningnc.com or (336) 595-2873.

The Northwest Observer Sharing news of your community and keeping you connected with your neighbors since 1996!

continued on p. 46

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TheObserver Northwest• Observer • Totally The Northwest Totally local since local 1996since 1996

SEPT. 16 -16 29, 2021 SEPT. - 29, 2021

 HOME SERVICES

REMODELING / CONSTRUCTION

ORTIZ REMODELING – Total restoration & home improvement. Drywall, painting, kitchen cabinets, interior trim & more. Free estimates. (336) 280-8981.

Of The Triad

The Bathroom of Your Dreams in as Little as a Day

(336) 497-0765 NCGC License #84330

www.BathPlanetTriad.com RENOVATION WORKS, INC. New construction, remodeling, additions, kitchen, bath and decks. We are a locally owned, full-service design and build company, A+ accredited with the BBB. Visit www.myrenovationworks.com or call (336) 427-7391 to start your next project. KEITH SMITH CONSTRUCTION, LLC. N.C. General Contractor with 30 years experience. Specializing in new homes, room additions, kitchens & baths, garages, decks, vinyl siding and windows, painting, tile, laminate and vinyl plank, and remodeling of all kinds. Quality for the right price. Free est. Please call (336) 362-7469. DOUGLAS Construction & Remodeling, LLC. Custom Builder, sunrooms, garages, additions, kitchens, baths. Licensed & Insured, BBB A+ accredited. Free est. Visit www.douglascr.com or call (336) 413-5050. JLB REMODELING, INC. Remodeling and additions. Fully insured. NC GC license #69997. Free est. Call (336) 681-2902 or visit www.jlbremodeling.com.

Construction Services, INC

BUILDING | RENOVATIONS | ADDITIONS

Feature Walls

(336) 644-8615 office (336) 508-5242 cell Licensed & insured

NC Gen. Contractor #72797

tmcsi.net

46 SEPT. - 29, 2021 46 SEPT. 1616 - 29, 2021

PAINTING, DECKS AND MORE. Call Premier Construction for free estimates. (336) 430-9507. AMERICAN BUILDER CONSTRUCTION. Repairs & remodeling, kitchens/baths, additions, decks, attics, basements. Licensed & insured. Short wait list. NC General Contractors. (336) 225-7478. BELEWS CREEK CONSTRUCTION. Kitchens/baths, custom decks, garages, dock work, siding, windows, rooﬁng, rotted wood. Sr. disc., 41 yrs. exp. (336) 362-6343.

Place your Classiﬁed ad online at

www.nwobserver.com ROOFING BELEWS CREEK CONSTRUCTION. Lifetime shingle and metal rooﬁng. We ﬁ nance. Free Estimates. Since 1979. Please call (336) 362-6343. DUSTIN CLINARD ROOFING. Shingles, metal, and leak repairs. Call (336) 268-1908. CLINARD & SON ROOFING, LLC. 40 + years experience. (336) 643-8191.

 MISC. SERVICES

locally owned & operated 6705 US Hwy 158, Stokesdale

LAND FOR SALE

 MISC. FOR SALE FREE upright Kendall piano and perfect cond. sleeper sofa, pastel ﬂame stitch. Must pick up. (336) 908-5100.

Got stuﬀ? Need stuﬀ? Place your ad today:

www.nwobserver.com

ROCKINGHAM COUNTY/SUMMERFIELD address. Wooded, creeks, secluded and private. 25+/- acres can be subdivided. No HOA! Call (336) 430-9507. Anytime! SUMMERFIELD. Custom homesites for the distinguished buyer. Excellent large building lots. Choose or bring your own builder. One phase only, 12 tracts remain. Call anytime for a private showing. (336) 430-9507.

SELLING OR RENTING?

 MISC. WANTED $$$ – WILL PAY CASH for your junk / wrecked vehicle. For quote, call (336) 552-0328. FREE PICK-UP of unwanted riding & push mowers, tillers, generators, power washers, go-carts, mini-bikes, 4-wheelers, ATVs, golf carts, and yard equipment. (336) 689-4167.

We can help you reach ALL of northwest Guilford County!

Call (336) 644-7035, ext. 11, or place your ad online at

Didn’t get your NWO?

 MISC. SERVICES

Please let us know!

YOGA CLASSES in Summerﬁeld. Kids & adults. Beginner friendly. Please see YOGALANE.COM for info. (336) 298-1119.

PORTABLE WELDING SERVICE. Welding & fabrication services. Call (336) 908-6906

HOUSE, PET and FARM SITTER available. The price depends on the duties requested. I was a horse breeder for 20 years and have experience with most animal types. Call and leave a detailed message including the dates and number of animals. (336) 290-7220.

 REAL ESTATE

(336) 643-9963 (affiliated with Stokesdale Storage)

PREMIER ROOFING. Commercial/residential. Providing service for all of your rooﬁng needs. Locally owned. Please call (336) 430-9507 for free assessments.

IDOL INSURANCE. Serving Rockingham and northern Guilford County for over 100 years. Homeowner, automobile, and commercial. 116 East Murphy St., Madison, NC. (336) 548-6818.

 PETS & ANIMAL SVCS.

Direct-mailing the NWO is one of our largest expenses, and one of our most important commitments to our readers!

If you live in zip code 27310, 27357 or 27358 and didn’t receive your copy on Thursday/Friday, please email info@nwobserver.com.

The Northwest Observer •Observer Totally local since 1996 The Northwest • Totally local since 1996

SELLING

index of DISPLAY ADVERTISERS

Please support our advertisers, and tell them where you saw their ad! ACCOUNTING

EVENT VENUE

By the Book Accounting .....................13 Carlotta Lytton, CPA.......................... 38 Kimberly Thacker Accounting............ 38 Samuel K. Anders, CPA, MSA, PC......16

The Gardens at Gray Gables ..............14

AUTOMOTIVE SALES / SERVICE

Southern Foods ................................. 37

Beamer Tire & Auto .......................... 10 EuroHaus .......................................... 43 Piedmont Truck Tires ......................... 20 Tamco Auto Sales ..............................17 Tire Max ............................................ 30

BANK / LENDING NFM Lending .....................................41

BUILDING / REMODELING

Bath Planet ....................................... 46 Disney Construction Company........... 24 Don Mills Builders .............................. 27 Johnson & Lee LLC............................ 25 Old School Home Repair ................... 44 R&K Custom Homes ..........................19 Ray Bullins Construction .................... 23 TM Construction Services .................. 46 Walraven Signature Homes ............... 23

CHILDREN’S SERVICES

Guardian Ad Litem ............................ 22

FUNERAL SERVICES Forbis & Dick Funeral Services ............13

GROCERIES / SUPPLIES

INSURANCE

Gladwell Insurance Agency................ 29

LEGAL SERVICES

Barbour & Williams Law .................... 29

MEDICAL CARE

DENTAL SERVICES

PET SERVICES & PRODUCTS

Fall Fling at Heritage Greens ............. 21 Midkiff Adoption 5K .......................... 39 NW Guilford Kiwanis Golf Tourney .....31 SFD Stop, Drop & Roll 5K ...................11 Stafford Estate Sale ............................. 4 Summerfield SummerCycle Event ...... 39 Town of Oak Ridge Heritage Day ........ 7 Trinity Covenant Preschool Sale ......... 43

Let’s CELEBRATE together!

BEK Paint Company .......................... 45 Carpets by Direct ................................. 2 CharCo Concrete Coatings ................ 45 Eanes Heating & Air Conditioning ....... 9 New Garden Landscaping & Nursery .17 Rymack Storage ................................ 46 Scott’s Tractor, Reidsville ....................41 Stokesdale Heating & Air................... 18 Wilson Seamless Gutters ................... 45

ORTHODONTIC CARE

EVENTS

cheer you on in all life’s big events

HOME PRODUCTS & SERVICES

COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION

Summerfield Family Dentistry ............ 35

We’ve got 26,000 readers ready to

Elvis Mendoza In-Home Massage...... 38 YMCA of Greensboro ........................ 40

CHURCH

Summerfield Merchants Association.... 8

CELEBRATE

HEALTH & WELLNESS

LeBauer HealthCare............................ 3 Wake Forest Baptist Health ............... 32 Wake Forest – Summerfield ............... 21

Central Baptist Church......................... 6

There’s so much to

Olmsted Orthodontics ....................... 33 Bel-Aire Veterinary Hospital ............... 38 Northwest Animal Hospital .................12

REAL ESTATE A New Dawn Realty ...........................13 Nicole Gillespie, RE/MAX .................. 34 Smith Marketing, Allen Tate .............. 23

Engagements ● Birthdays Anniversaries ● Birth Announcements Graduations ● Weddings

RETAIL

Cass Jewelers ...................................... 5

YOUTH SPORTS / CAMPS

Oak Ridge Youth Association ............ 42

Interested in a celebration ad? Call or email Laura for details. (336) 644-7035, ext. 11 or advertising@nwobserver.com

The Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996

SEPT. 16 - 29, 2021

PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE

Postal Patron PO Box 268, Oak Ridge, NC 27310 • (336) 644-7035

PAID

Oak Ridge, NC Permit No. 22 ECRWSS

d ia Soula Papadopoulos of Oak Ridge visite In August, Dimitrios Jimmy and Anastas h whic 0, 202 er emb Dec in d plete elevator, com the Acropolis in Greece and used the new visitors for the first time since 2017. This makes the Acropolis accessible to disabled to the egree angle and gets from the bottom one-of-a-kind elevator is at an almost 90-d time a extr had they top, the to such a quick ride top of the hill in just 32 seconds. With e! hom back ts even catch up on the to peruse the Northwest Observer and

Buddies Tyler Warguez of Oak Ridge and Xander Stoltz of Stokes Stokesdale took the Northwest Observer to a Greensboro Grasshoppers game this summer. The NWO might have been a good luck charm because the Hoppers had a big win with TWO grand slams!

For his 16th birthday present, Reid Teoh (left) and his uncle, Eric Perdew, drove fast (almost 150 mph) and then got another adrenaline rush by reading the Northwest Observer in Victory Lane at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Send us photos of you with the NWO! Email your high-res photo to : photos@nwobserver.com

Northwest Observer / Sept. 16-29, 2021

Articles inside

Grins and Gripes

RidgeFest photo feature

Photo Page: Remembering 9/11

Crime/Incident Report

Stokesdale Town Council meeting

NW Guilford’s ‘really crazy’ housing market

Real Estate/Business Briefs

Bits & Pieces

NWO Business & Real Estate

York resigns as town planning manager

Summerfi eld Town Council meeting

News in brief