Nov. 21 - 27, 2019
bringing the local news home to northwest Guilford County since 1996
IN THIS ISSUE News in brief .................................. 2 Your Questions ............................... 4 Summerfield Town Council Meeting .. 6 NWO Business & Real Estate ......... 11 Real Estate Briefs/Q&A .................. 12 Affordable housing in NW Guilford? 16 This Old Barn................................ 14
Bryant’s Table Owners of BJ’s Grill in Stokesdale will provide a Thanksgiving Day meal for those in need of food and companionship. In memory of their son Bryant, they’ll also be raising money for ARCA, an organization that works with drug addicts. by PATTI STOKES
A wooden cupola on this old barn in Stokesdale shares the story of days gone by.
Friedreich’s what? ......................... 24 Crime/Incident Report ................... 26 Calendar Events ........................... 27 Beyond volleyball... ...................... 29 High School Sports ........................ 30 Student Profiles ............................ 32 Grins and Gripes ........................... 34 Classifieds ................................... 36 Index of Advertisers ...................... 39 NWO on the Go! ........................... 40
This Thanksgiving Day, Barry and Missy Joyner, owners of BJ’s Grill on U.S. 158 in downtown Stokesdale (next to Stokesdale Post Office), will once again open the restaurant’s doors to anyone in need of a Thanksgiving meal or just someone to share it with. This will be the second year the couple has celebrated Thanksgiving Bryant Joyner died Feb. 18, in this way. They said they 2018, at age 28 of a drug had the idea a few years overdose. ago, but it wasn’t until they lost their son/stepson that they acted on it. Bryant Joyner, son of Barry and Lisa Joyner, died of a drug overdose Feb. 18, 2018, four days after being rushed to the hospital. At age 28, he left behind a wife and two young children. Bryant’s battle with drugs, and later also with alcohol, began when he was around 15, his father recalled. “He broke his ankle and had to have pain medication. We felt that’s when it started,” Barry said. “A year later he broke another ankle…” That meant even more
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pain medication and the beginning of Bryant’s long, downward spiral into the dark world of drug addiction.
“What I want people to realize is, you never think of a child being hooked on medication,” Barry said. “It really didn’t dawn on me because it was medicine prescribed through the doctor. “You would think it was safe. At that time, we didn’t know what we know today.” “Opioids weren’t as out there as they are now,” Missy Joyner, Barry’s wife and Bryant’s stepmother, echoed. As they began to realize Bryant had a drug problem, the couple said they would talk with him and ask if things were okay. “Your children in that situation reassure you that they don’t have problems with anything,” Missy said. “They’re just doing what addicts do – covering up. “We tried the ‘tough love’ parenting. He couldn’t have cash. We didn’t enable him. If he got these drugs, he had to use his own money and work for it,” she continued. “When they’re adults, all you can do is talk to them and pray they can hear. We relied on prayer.” The couple said that over the ensuing years, Bryant sought help on several occasions; he attended AA meetings and checked into ARCA (Addiction Recovery Care Association), a Winston-Salem-based non-profit that works with recovering drug addicts. “His mom took him to ARCA and to the AA meetings,” Missy said. “She was keeping his money for him. He was sober and clean for over a year – she thought, and we thought he had it under control.”
...continued on p. 10
NEWS in brief
Town explains role in proposed water system ahead of open house by CHRIS BURRITT OAK RIDGE – The operator of the town’s water system would report to Town Manager Bill Bruce and provide monthly reports to the Town Council and finance officer Sam Anders, according to the draft of Oak Ridge’s water system management plan. Town staff submitted the plan to
state regulators and posted it on the town’s website last week in advance of an open house for residents to ask questions about the proposed water system. Town staff, council members and representatives of Envirolink, the consultant hired by the town to evaluate the feasibility of a system, will provide answers. The open house is scheduled
You’re invited to the
Stokesdale Tree Lighting
Saturday, Nov. 30 at 6:30 pm
Stokesdale Town Hall, 8325 Angel Pardue Road Refreshments • Bring your camera for photos with Santa!
Please bring canned good donations for the Good Samaritans Ministry in Stokesdale
A nd don’t miss the
Stokesdale Christmas Parade Saturday, Dec. 14 at 2pm Downtown Stokesdale Enjoy festive floats, cars, horses, elected officials, celebrities, bands and more!
for 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. this Thursday, Nov. 21, at Town Hall. The establishment of a water system would require approval of Town Council and a favorable evaluation by state regulators of the town’s financial and operational capabilities to operate the system. Town staff is submitting documents to the state Department of Environmental Quality for review. If the council decides to proceed with the proposal, it would hire a company – possibly Envirolink – to operate the system. In the documents posted last week on the town’s website, town staff explained the relationship between the town and an operator responsible for operation and maintenance services. The operator would be in charge of the water distribution system, staff and round-the-clock emergency oncall services, according to the draft plan. The town would also contract for services including maintenance
NOV. 21 - 27, 2019
The service provider would report directly to Bruce and prepare monthly reports for the town manager and finance officer, the draft said. The council would figure the water system’s annual budget and water rates, estimated at $45 to $50 a month for residential users. Initially, the system would serve new subdivisions with 30 or more houses. Users of existing private wells and community wells wouldn’t be required to connect to the municipal system, according to the town’s proposal.
want to go? An open house for discussion of Oak Ridge’s proposed water system is scheduled for 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. this Thursday, Nov. 21, at Town Hall, 8315 Linville Road.
Councilwoman chastises others for being ‘cold,’ ‘judgmental’ and ‘rude’ by PATTI STOKES
STOKESDALE – Appointed in July to fill the remainder of former Councilman Bill Jones’ four-year term, which expires at the end of this month, Stokesdale Town Council member Deanna Ragan read a prepared speech during the council members’ closing comments at last Thursday’s monthly council meeting. “Sadly, the things I thought I would love about this (serving on the town council) wound up being the worst and hardest,” Ragan said. “I knew going into this that you can’t please everyone, but what I didn’t know or expect was how cold and judgmental people can be. I’ve had people stare me down and give me nasty looks – and I still don’t even know their names. Why? I don’t understand. “I also have struggled with the
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of water billing records, creating and distributing monthly water bills and processing payment of bills.
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disrespect and rudeness toward the female staff here at Town Hall,” Ragan continued. “It was clear from the beginning that many have let their personal issues and problems dictate how they speak to someone, even in emails. And that is never okay. “On this note, despite what a ‘few’ may think, Alisa (Houk, town clerk) knows and does so much for this town and loves her job in spite of it – so stop bullying her and get behind her to better serve this town.” Ragan did not specify who her comments were directed toward, but based on emails received via a Public Records Request submitted by the Northwest Observer, Councilman Tim Jones, who was often curt in his emails to the town clerk, was at least one of those targeted in her remarks.
Turning to Town Attorney Tom Medlin, Ragan said, “Something that I thought could never happen, is, you make me actually feel sorry for a lawyer.” Ragan concluded by congratulating the three new council members who will be sworn into office next
On the
gems in
month and encouraged them not to let personal agendas “or anyone else’s negativity” affect them in their elected job. “One thing so evident in all three towns, those who did show up voted over all the bickering and petty fighting. … If anything, the tragedy of
young, sweet Noah Chambers has taught us is that life is short, so let’s not waste it by squabbling over things and let’s work together as one council and one great small town,” Ragan said. Ragan did not run for election in November; she, along with council
members Tim Jones and Frank Bruno, who lost their bids for reelection, will serve until the Dec. 12 meeting, when newly elected council members Derek Foy, Jim Rigsbee and Jimmy Landreth will replace them on the council after being sworn into office.
... News Briefs continued on p. 28
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NOV. 21 - 27, 2019
Regarding the question we responded to in our Nov. 7-13 issue about whether bicyclists are allowed to ride two or three abreast (yes, they are), an update to the passing law in North Carolina was brought to our attention. It is now also legal to pass a bicyclist (or bicyclists) on a double yellow line, as long as there is enough sight distance to do so and as long as the bicyclist is not signaling or in the process of making a left turn. In order to pass, the motorist must allow four feet of passing distance or move entirely into the opposite lane while passing. “The bicycling community encouraged the passing of the new law, as we want to facilitate motorists being able to pass, as long as the passing is done safely,” Attorney Ann Gron-
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inger with CJG Law Firm in Charlotte and Durham wrote in an email to the Northwest Observer. Groninger, who specializes in protecting bicyclists, cofounded the organization Bike Law and wrote the Ride Guide, used by bicyclists, motor vehicle drivers, police officers and anyone interested in understanding North Carolina’s rules of the road as they pertain to bicycles.
them to review their practices and enforce a safe and predictable riding format within their group.”
“It is our experience that almost all bicycling groups will ride two abreast,” Groninger noted in her email. “We encourage this for the reasons mentioned in your response. However, it often appears that groups are riding three or more abreast, as some riders from the front move to the back. And yes, there are groups out there who do not ride in an orderly fashion, but that is not typically the case, and when we learn of them we encourage
in nearby Summerfield Charter Academy and Greensboro Academy. How many children have applied to attend those two schools?
The principal of Revolution Academy, the new charter school planned for N.C. 150 in Summerfield, said in the Northwest Observer last week (Nov. 14-20 issue) that there is a high demand for seats
We called Summerfield Charter Academy and Greensboro Academy. They
BJ’s Grill invites you to
BRYANT’S TABLE FREE Thanksgiving Lunch 11am - 3pm on Thanksgiving Day BJ’s Grill • Stokesdale 8212 Hwy 158 | 336.644.1500 Accepting donations in loving memory of Bryant. All proceeds will go to ARCA. FIGHTING ADDICTION TOGETHER.
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list probably overstates the number of children who actually want to enroll in the school, Sahol said. Some parents submit applications to multiple charter schools. When their children are accepted by one of the schools, the parents don’t necessarily inform the other schools, Sahol said. offer kindergarten through eighth grade – the same as proposed by Revolution Academy. Nearly 1,500 children are on the waiting list at Greensboro Academy, according to Michell Sahol, the office administrator. That’s almost double current enrollment of 756. Summerfield Charter Academy gets as many as 1,000 applications a year, said Tari Burris, the school’s registrar. Its current enrollment is 773 students. Summerfield Charter Academy and Greensboro Academy operate in the same fashion since both are managed by National Heritage Academies Inc., the Grand Rapids, Michigan, operator of more than 80 charter schools in nine states. Each school will hold a lottery in March to place students in unfilled seats for the 2020-21 academic year. There are seats for 88 children in kindergarten, though younger siblings of current students get first dibs on openings. Younger siblings get preference in higher grades as well. Winning a seat in the upper grades is tougher than in kindergarten because those classrooms are filled by students rising to the next grade. On average, 20 to 40 seats become available during the academic year, due to the relocation of parents’ jobs to other cities or a decision by parents to switch their children to other public schools or back to homeschooling, according to Burris. Greensboro Academy’s waiting
Even so, she said, the school’s waiting list “is a big number.”
What is the Town of Summerfield’s noise ordinance, specifically as it relates to setting off fireworks? I live near
Summerfield Farms and it isn’t a big deal once in a while, but the fireworks at their special events are extremely disruptive and difficult for families in the area with dogs and/or small children. Just wondering what the expectations are, since Summerfield Farms continues to grow and the surrounding area is typically quiet.
Within the Summerfield Development Ordinance, noise regulations are limited to Article 3-3.3 – Event Permit, Summerfield Town Planner Chris York told the Northwest Observer. “In subsections D.4 it states that ‘Noise shall be controlled so that no adjoining property owner or occupant is unduly disturbed by the event,’” York said. “Our ordinances are silent on the matter otherwise.” Summerfield Farms is an approved agri-tourism facility and as such, only some of the uses on that property require event permits, York noted. “But the Town does not regulate fireworks or pyrotechnic displays, so a permit is not required from us for a fireworks display,” he said. “The only
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SUMMERFIELD town council Tuesday, Nov. 12 / MEETING HIGHLIGHTS as reported by CHRIS BURRITT Mayor Gail Dunham called the monthly council meeting to order. Mayor Pro Tem Dena Barnes and council members Dianne Laughlin, Teresa Pegram and Reece Walker were present. Councilman John O’Day, who was out of town, participated in the meeting remotely using his cell phone. Rev. Denise Kilgo-Martin, pastor of Summerfield Peace United Methodist Church, offered the invocation, which was followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.
CONSENT AGENDA 4 1 (Pegram opposed) to
Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT), the council agreed to take over maintenance of an 88-yard-long section of Centerfield Road that deadends at Summerfield Community Park due to the redesign and construction of the parking lot for the park. NCDOT will continue maintaining the remaining 757 yards of Centerfield Road, according to the resolution adopted by the council.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
approve the consent agenda, which consisted of four items, as well as the meeting agenda and closed session minutes of the Oct. 8 meeting. The council also agreed to amend the town’s budget, shifting $2,000 that had been designated for Parks and Recreation capital spending to instead be used for gasoline and maintenance of vehicles used by the Parks and Recreation Department. Separately, the council reclassified $40,000 budgeted for the creation of a master plan for trails and open spaces as a capital expenditure. Fourth, at the request of the North
Tree lighting. The annual Christmas tree lighting event is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. this Saturday, Nov. 23,* at Summerfield Athletic Park. Although admission is free, everyone is encouraged to bring food for backpack programs supporting needy children, Town Manager Scott Whitaker said. * UPDATE. Due to the forecast of inclement weather on Saturday, the event has been rescheduled for Sunday, Nov. 24, at 5:30 p.m. Lawsuit. A lawsuit filed by Summerfield residents Dwayne Crawford and Don Wendelken against the town has been remanded to North Carolina Superior Court Judge David Hall, Town Attorney Bill Hill told the council. (See related article on p. 3 of our Nov. 14-20 issue.)
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NOV. 21 - 27, 2019
WHAT they voted on, and HOW they voted: Mayor Pro Tem Dena Barnes and council members John O’Day, Dianne Laughlin, Teresa Pegram and Reece Walker voted on the following issues during the Nov. 12 meeting. Mayor Gail Dunham was present, but in Summerfield the mayor only votes when there is a tie vote.
4 1: Approve (Pegram opposed) the meeting agenda and open and
closed minutes of the Oct. 8 meeting; a budget amendment; and a resolution seeking the state’s abandonment of a short section of Centerfield Road
4 1: Approve (Pegram opposed) a request asking NCDOT to deed the town five parcels of land that were unused during construction of I-73
4 1: Approve (Pegram opposed) scheduling the council’s annual strategic planning retreat on Feb. 1
4 1: Approve (Pegram opposed) a contract for the Brough Law Firm of Chapel Hill to serve as the town’s attorney
Lawyer appreciation and hiring. The council presented a plaque of appreciation to Hill for his 15 years of service as town attorney.
meeting, and $100 for his return trip to Chapel Hill – for a total of $850 for each council meeting, according to Whitaker.
“I will miss you,” said Hill, who resigned in May but agreed to continue serving as town attorney until his replacement was hired; Hill’s replacement will take over next week.
EMERGENCY SERVICES
Principal Robert Hornik Jr. or another lawyer with the firm will attend the regular monthly council meetings for a flat fee of $650 per meeting, according to the Memorandum of Understanding between the town and the firm. For other town-related legal services, the town will pay an hourly rate of $200 and $185 depending upon which of the firm’s lawyers performs work for the town. Hill was paid $185 an hour.
Fire District. Asst. Chief Jenna Daniels reported that Summerfield Fire Department ran 27 fire-related calls, 69 EMSrelated calls and 34 other calls in October. Firemen installed nine car seats and provided information to more than 900 people, including over 700 children, as part of Fire Prevention Month. As she had done previously, Pegram asked for a breakdown of the number of emergency calls the department handled last month exclusively inside Town of Summerfield limits (versus within the entire fire district, which extends beyond the town limits). And as she had responded previously, Daniels said the department doesn’t generate reports that way, rather reports show types of calls and locations for the entire Summerfield Fire District.
The attorney traveling to Summerfield for town business will be paid half his hourly rate for all travel time. As an example, the firm will charge $100 for its lawyer traveling an hour from Chapel Hill to Summerfield, $650 for a council
Sheriff’s Office. Sgt. Eric Gordon said Guilford County Sheriff’s District 1 office responded to 134 calls for service in Summerfield in October. Of those, 39 were false alarms and six were larcenies, he said.
4 1 (later in the meeting) to hire Brough Law Firm of Chapel Hill to provide legal services to the town from Nov. 18 through Dec. 31, 2020. Pegram was opposed to the decision.
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COMMITTEE REPORTS Historical. Chair Gary Brown reported that Angela-Daniel Upchurch, president and curator of the Milton Renaissance Museum in Milton, North Carolina, and her husband, Jim, toured the Martin House at N.C. 150 and Summerfield Road. Upchurch told the committee the historic house “would be a good candidate for a community museum,” Brown said. He added that committee member Bruce Petersen is leading efforts to develop recommendations for potential uses for the Martin House and the Gordon building. Trails and Open Space. Chair Jane Doggett reported the U.S. 220 sidewalk that opened in late August is attracting users. “When you drive by, there are lots of people going up and down the sidewalk,” she said.
PUBLIC COMMENTS Dwayne Crawford urged town lead-
ers to address a proposed amendment to the town’s comprehensive plan in March 2017 independently from discussions about the unified development ordinance (UDO).
to express their views about the UDO. O’Day told the mayor she was out of order and said she was “grandstanding” to gain attention for her views about development.
About 2,000 residents signed a petition in 2017 backing the proposed amendment that would set maximum housing density of one unit per 60,000 square feet, Crawford said, noting the Zoning Board discussed the amendment and recommended it be considered after adoption of the UDO, a set of regulations governing commercial and residential development.
During the exchange, Dunham pounded her gavel and told O’Day that she wouldn’t “recognize your personal attacks.” (See related article on front page of our Nov. 14-20 issue.)
Consideration of the amendment as part of the Zoning Board and council’s deliberations over the UDO “is too much for citizens to have to deal with,” Crawford said. “It is a question best answered completely independent of the UDO process.” Later in the meeting, Dunham criticized what she described as a lack of opportunities for Summerfield residents
BUSINESS FROM MANAGER 4 1 (Pegram opposed) to
instruct town staff ask NCDOT to deed to Summerfield five parcels of land that were unused during construction of Interstate 73. The so-called “remnant properties” are located along the possible route of the Piedmont Greenway, a proposed 19-mile trail from Summerfield to Triad Park in Colfax, Whitaker said. The parcels along I-73 are located on Brookbank Road, Bunch Road and Westcott Drive, according to Whitaker. He said the town wouldn’t maintain the parcels, which range in size from
almost one acre to 4.2 acres.
4 1 (Pegram opposed) to hold the council’s annual strategic planning retreat Saturday, Feb. 1, at the offices of the Piedmont Triad Regional Council in Kernersville; this is where the retreat was held last January. Pegram and Mayor Dunham (who will no longer be in office when the retreat occurs) said they’d prefer the gathering be held in Summerfield because it would be more convenient for residents to attend and local vendors could be tapped to provide food and services.
Town clerk certification. Town Clerk Lance Heater recently completed the educational requirements for certification as a North Carolina Certified Municipal Clerk. He earned the certification through the Clerk’s Certification Institute at the UNC School of Government. With no additional comments by council members, the meeting was adjourned at 8 p.m.
DATE CHANGE: We’ve moved the event to Sunday because of weather!
Sunday, November 24, 5:30pm Summerfield Athletic Park (5200 Hwy. 220 North) Northwest High School Honors Vocal Ensemble • Bella Ballerina dancers • light food/drink/S’mores • bonfire
FREE EVENT! Also collecting food for two local backpack programs serving Oak Ridge, Summerfield, Stokesdale, and Northern elementary schools, Northwest and Northern middle and high schools, and Summerfield Charter and Greensboro academies.
Drop-off locations: ACI Physical Therapy, Bank of Oak Ridge, Edward Jones, Garden Outlet, Greensboro Performing Arts, Prime Financing, Summerfield Family Chiropractic, Summerfield Family Eye Care, Summerfield Farms, The Animal Hospital at Lake Brandt, Town of Summerfield Needed items: canned vegetables (14.5 oz); canned fruit (14.5 oz); canned ravioli (15 oz); canned tuna (5 oz) canned chicken (12.5 oz); pork & beans (15 oz); spaghetti sauce (can only, no glass); mac-n-cheese (7.25 oz box); Knorr Pasta Sides (4.5 oz pouch); microwave popcorn; crunchy or chewy granola bars; peanut butter crackers
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NOV. 21 - 27, 2019
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BRYANT’S TABLE
...continued from p. 1
Through it all, Bryant enjoyed being outdoors, spending time with family, and loved his pit bull, Harley. “He had a strange way of showing it, but he truly loved his wife and kids,” Missy said. “His wife is wonderful and she truly tried to help him.” But after over a year of being sober, Bryant got control of his money again and began using it to buy the pills that had given him a temporary high so many times before. And about three months later he died of a drug overdose. Missy said the week before his death, Bryant had been keeping his kids during the day while his wife was
at work. The almost 1- and 3-year-old seemed well cared for, but “After she (his wife) picked them up, he did what he wanted to do… and then he would be ready the next morning.” The day Bryant’s parents got the call he had been rushed to the hospital “was a day that we feared but we prayed would never come,” Barry said. “I know a lot of kids with addiction problems and they’re still here. I didn’t expect him to die, but when he ended up in the hospital…” Hooked up to life support, Bryant had only the faintest indication of any brain activity. “We had four agonizing days,”
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Barry said. “Finally, we knew there was nothing that could be done. “To go through this is a pain you wish on no one,” he added. Nine months after Bryant’s death, Barry and Missy decided to open BJ’s for a few hours on Thanksgiving. “We did it for two reasons,” Barry said. “We’ve had BJ’s for 23 years now and we wanted to do something for the community. We have a lot of customers who don’t have family nearby and we had thought about this for a couple of years. Then, with what happened with Bryant, we thought it would be a good way to help. ARCA was really great for him and I know they have helped a lot of people.” Last year, through word-of-mouth, the couple served over 150 plates on Thanksgiving Day. Some who came for the meal also donated to ARCA, and others stopped by just to leave a donation. This year the couple wanted to reach even more people so they sent letters to area churches, are posting the event on Facebook and advertising in the Northwest Observer. Barry and Missy said they used to spend Thanksgiving Day with their families. That won’t be any different this year. “Now all of our family members will be here with us, helping to do
this,” Barry said. “Bryant’s mother, Lisa Joyner, will be there, and he has cousins, aunts and uncles who will help,” Missy said. As for the feedback they’ve received for their outreach, “It’s a small town and everybody knows everybody. Everybody is affected by the drugs in one way or the other – they are either the addict or the person who loves the addict,” Missy said. “They (friends, family and community members) think it’s a great idea we’re raising this money.” Barry stresses he wants others to know there is help through organizations like ARCA. “Addiction is not just an individual thing, it’s a family thing. Anytime you have a family member who is an addict, it affects everybody,” he said. “It’s not easy, but people can change their lives and that’s what I hope. If doing this helps just one or two people, it’s all worth it.”
want to join in/donate? BJ’s Grill, 8212 U.S. 158, will serve free Thanksgiving meals on Thanksgiving Day, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. To make a donation, write a check to ARCA and drop it by the restaurant or mail it to BJ’s Grill, P.O. Box 414, Stokesdale; put “In memory of Bryant Joyner” on the “For” line.
It’s our birthday! “Born November 1996”
Celebrating 23 years of covering northwest Guilford County’s local matters
Photo by Patti Stokes/NWO
The first pair of attached townhomes in Oak Ridge’s Autumn Ridge community is well underway, with another pair adjacent to them in the early construction phase. The 22-townhome community on 15.9 acres off Zack Road was the first to be approved in Oak Ridge’s TC-R (town core residential) district, which was adopted in January 2016 as part of an updated Land Use Plan; the TC-R zoning district allows two homes per one acre in the Town’s core. The 2- and 3-bedroom homes are between 1,831 and 2,010 square feet, and start at $275,000. Area Realtors say people are looking for new homes in northwest Guilford County in the mid-$300Ks and under, and a shortage of them on the market has resulted in pent-up demand.
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Affordable housing in northwest Guilford County?
12 Real Estate Briefs
Subdivision on N.C. 150 is approved by Oak Ridge Zoning Board.
12 Real Estate Q&A
Reader asks about building activity in two northwest Guilford County areas.
14 This Old Barn
One-time Stokesdale farm, barn and outbuildings offer glimpses of the past.
REAL ESTATE BRIEFS
Zoning Board approves subdivision plan for 25 houses on N.C. 150 OAK RIDGE – The Oak Ridge Zoning Board has approved the preliminary plat for Pemberly Estates, a 25-lot subdivision planned for N.C. 150, west of East Harrell Road. The plat approval follows last month’s rezoning of the property and gives developer Kevan Combs permission to start work on the subdivision, Town Planner Sean Taylor said in an interview earlier this week. Approval of the plat by the Town Council isn’t
required, he noted. Combs has a contract to buy the 48-acre tract from Mayor Spencer Sullivan, his wife, Linda, and her mother and two sisters. They expect to close the sale of the property to Combs in the first quarter of 2020, the mayor said in an interview. Combs didn’t return a telephone message asking about his plans for starting the subdivision after the purchase is completed.
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What is being built on N.C. 68 North, by the new I-73 loop at Leabourne Road, and also up by Bill’s Pizza? In last month’s Business & Real Estate section (our Oct. 17-23 issue), we wrote about workers preparing 51 acres at N.C. 68 and I-73 where Greensborobased East Wind Development Co. is building apartments as the first tenant in a commercial and retail center. For more details, you can view that article by visiting
www.nwobserver.com and, in the middle of the homepage, select “or Click here to view previous issues” and then select our Oct. 17-23, 2019 issue – or type in “East Wind Development” in the Advanced Search bar on our website). As for what’s being built at the large construction site near the corner of Fogleman Road and N.C. 68 in Oak Ridge, the Oak Ridge campus of The Summit Church is building a 28,000-square-foot sanctuary there. We’re written about this previously as well, most recently in our Sept. 19-25, 2019 issue (for more details, access the article the same way as above, via www.nwobserver.com).
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This Old Barn
Unused for decades, Stokesdale farm with cupola-topped barn offers history lesson by CHRIS BURRITT STOKESDALE – Strand Drive deadends at the old farm of John and Florence Flynt, the grandparents of Stokesdale’s mayor. The buildings are empty, except for old equipment and memories of two generations who raised tobacco there.
Photo by Chris Burritt/NWO
Stokesdale Mayor John Flynt grew up farming tobacco with his brother and father on this property once owned by his grandparents; the property is tucked away on two blocks northeast of U.S. 158 in downtown Stokesdale.
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As teenagers, Mayor John Flynt and his brother, Jim, helped their father, Edwin, farm the land. They left home for college in the 1970s as their father eased into retirement, bringing farming on the property to an end.
“The house is probably beyond repair,” Flynt said earlier this week as he walked around the property. Like a teacher offering a history lesson, the mayor explained how the farm buildings figured into the lives of his grandparents. A wooden cupola sits atop the barn, providing ventilation for drying of
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Flynt’s grandparents drew their water from a well, helped by this metal wheel they turned to reel up the rope attached to the bucket.
hay stored on the second floor. Down below were two tack rooms and four stalls for horses that pulled a plow before their grandfather bought a tractor. The horses gnawed on the logs and planks, leaving behind chew marks in the stalls. Handmade hay
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Affordable housing in northwest Guilford? The high cost of land makes it a challenge for builders to sell new houses for less than $325,000, keeping potential buyers out of the market and forcing empty-nesters out of the community
property to developers are seeking top dollar for their inheritances, putting upward pressure on sale prices.
by CHRIS BURRITT NW GUILFORD – Rev. Cecil Donahue warned the Summerfield Town Council that he was “going to stop preaching and go to meddling now.”
A truck unloads roof trusses at a house under construction in Stokesdale’s Treeline Trails subdivision
After offering the invocation at the start of the council’s meeting in September, Donahue, pastor of Center United Methodist Church, said, “If my son wanted to come live here, he couldn’t afford it.”
Between the preacher’s remarks and the Nov. 5 elections in Summerfield, Oak Ridge and Stokesdale, campaigning thrust the issue of housing affordability into the spotlight. It also divided candidates between those who oppose any
Photo by Chris Burritt/NWO
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relaxation of housing density rules and others who support the allowance of two houses per acre in downtown areas. The five winning candidates for Town Council in Summerfield and two of the three winners in Oak Ridge favored higher density in their town cores. The seven losing candidates in the two elections were staunch opponents of higher density anywhere within their town’s limits. Affordable housing is “wanted by all age groups,” Derek Foy, the leading vote-getter in Stokesdale’s election, said during a candidates’ forum last month. Practically speaking, though, some elected officials’ support for higher density may not translate into more affordable housing in northwest Guilford. “We are not seeing a real rush by developers to do that,” Oak Ridge planning director Sean Taylor said in an interview last week. And of course, “affordability” is a subjective term. Roughly one house per acre is standard in northwest Guilford. It is dictated by the practicality of placing private wells and septic tanks far enough apart to meet state environmental regulations. Heirs selling their families’
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On average, third-quarter housing sale prices in Oak Ridge and Summerfield were nearly $180,000 more than in Greensboro, according to the Greensboro Regional Realtors Association.
In Oak Ridge and Summerfield, the average sale price was $419,300 in the three months ended Sept. 30, the association said. The average price in Greensboro was $239,330. In Stokesdale, where the average housing sale price was $313,003, some developers are building subdivisions with houses selling for around $325,000. At that price, new houses are becoming affordable, at least by northwest Guilford standards, according to Keller Williams Realtor Cara Buchanan. Buchanan is the listing agent for Woodvale and Woodvale North, two adjacent subdivisions near U.S. 220 and 158 in Summerfield. Most of the houses have sold for less than $325,000, attracting couples who want their children to attend northwest Guilford schools, she said. “I think the future is more affordable housing,” said Buchanan, explaining a lack of listings priced between $300,000 and $400,000 has created pent-up demand in that price range. Developers who build less expensive houses in northwest Guilford try to purchase property from owners before
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Though prices vary, an acre of land in northwest Guilford County (factoring in the costs of building roads, wells and septic systems) is roughly $75,000, according to developers. On average, land represents about 20 percent of the cost of a finished house, translating into a price of $375,000 without amenities, developer Paul Milam said in an interview earlier this week. “People are looking for new homes in the mid $300Ks and under, and there are very few of them,” confirmed Allen Tate broker Belva Jo Moore, the listing agent for a house selling for $333,000 in Treeline Trails, a new subdivision on Athens Road in Stokesdale. Moore said the three-bedroom, three-bath house may attract a family with children or a retired couple looking for a smaller house and less property to maintain. “People who want to downsize may not want to leave the community,” she said. In Oak Ridge, most of the buyers of townhouses under construction in the Autumn Ridge subdivision on Zack Road are empty nesters, according to listing agent Nancy Hess, of Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Carolinas Realty. The starting price for the townhouses, with two bathrooms and two or three bedrooms, is $275,900, according to the website of Shugart Homes, Autumn Ridge’s developer. A map of the 22 units planned for the development shows that five have been sold so far. Milam, the developer, has abandoned plans to build as many as 48 townhouses and twin homes on nearly 30 acres on N.C. 68 south of Fogleman Road. He said he dropped the project last
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The Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996
...continued from p. 16
summer after the property’s owners turned down his request for more time to evaluate whether the tract would accommodate enough units to make the project financially feasible. Determining whether the ground was suitable for a septic system large enough for the development was one of the considerations, he said. The development, aimed at people 55 and over, was going to be built on one of the few tracts in Oak Ridge’s town core suitable for such a project, Milam said. “We need more sites and a larger area” where Oak Ridge’s zoning regulations allow two units per acre, Milam said. Allowing four units per acre “would create more opportunities,” he said. “People are moving away,” Milam said. “People can’t afford to move here.” During campaigning last month, Oak Ridge Town Council candidate Van Tanner said allowing higher density zoning would depreciate current homeowners’ property values. Incumbent Councilman Doug Nodine said he favored adopting a new zoning ordinance requiring a single house to be built on even larger tracts than currently required – as large as four-acre tracts. Nodine was reelected; Tanner didn’t win a council seat. Rev. Donahue of Center United Methodist Church said he views opposition to higher density as exclusionary. A generation ago, northwest Guilford was home to families who earned different levels of income, he said. The farming, working-class population contributed to the rural character that some people now living in northwest Guilford say they don’t want to lose. “We are pricing our children and grandchildren out of the ability to live in Summerfield,” Donahue said. “I think that needs to be considered acutely and see if that is really what we want to do.”
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Hands-on experience and attention Scott Naylor, owner of Naylor Custom Homes, knows he’s succeeded when his customers settle into their new homes and eagerly share their experience with everyone they know. Even during the worst economic slumps, referrals – which are the lifeblood of Naylor’s custom homebuilding business – have enabled the company to grow continuously since it was established in 2004. In fact, the business has grown so much that two years ago Naylor brought on one of his sons, Jesse, to work alongside him and learn all aspects of the construction business.
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Naylor, who grew up in northwest Guilford County, has always been “a hands-on builder” and his experience dates back to his years at Western Guilford High School, when he worked parttime in heating and air conditioning. He went “full-blown” into the business in his early 20s, and has since acquired more than two decades of residential and commercial construction experience. Naylor Custom Homes is a result of its founder’s vision to build superior homes across the Piedmont Triad. Naylor’s attention to detail throughout the construction process is essential for realizing that vision. “It starts right at the beginning, as we walk the customer through the design and construction details, and goes all the way through the closing phases,” Naylor said. As each house is being constructed, Naylor is personally involved through every step of the process and puts himself in his homeowners’ shoes by asking, “Would I want this to be this way for me?
“I want to do it the w satisfied with it. I’m p feel like I’m pretty ea with. I am on the job tool belt on every day
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f a unique custom home is what ylor’s attention to detail ensures fits their lifestyle, while making the
Naylor’s attention to detail not only gives homeowners a beautiful home that fits their lifestyle, but also ensures an enjoyable, stressfree building experience. “By setting up agreedupon, realistic goals, we’re able to give our customers peace of mind while the company works to deliver exceptional craftsmanship that is within budget and on time,” he said. Most of his subcontractors have worked with Naylor for several years, as have vendors who work with clients on cabinets, fixtures, tile and other accessories. “They know my product and they’re professional in helping the clients through the decision-making process,” Naylor said, adding, “We love building homes and want them to enjoy not only the finished product but the process along the way.” On a personal note, Naylor and his wife, Jamie, live in Kernersville and have two sons, Jake, 25, and Jesse, 24, and a daughter, Olivia, 12. During his free time, Naylor enjoys active family adventures. “We spend our summers on the softball field and lake and during the winters we ski when we get a chance,” he said. He also enjoys traveling and playing in poker tournaments.
way I would be particular, but I asy to get along b and still put my y,” Naylor said.
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THIS OLD BARN
...continued from p. 14
Photo by Chris Burritt/NWO
A ceramic cat rests on top of the well on property once owned by Flynt’s grandparents, John and Florence Flynt.
damp basement. The moisture replenished the leaves so they could be tied into bundles without crumbling.
Photo by Chris Burritt/NWO
Stokesdale Mayor John Flynt remembers hams once hung from the rafters of this smokehouse constructed of hand-hewn logs that still rests on property once owned by his grandparents.
racks and a feed trough remain in the dusty barn, used mostly for storage now.
late 1800s. The property is owned by Flynt’s cousin, Susan Cummings, who lives in Washington, D.C.
Seven buildings stand on the 7 ½ acres, tucked two blocks northeast of U.S. 158 in downtown Stokesdale. Though he’s not certain, Flynt thinks the horse barn was built in the
Flynt recalled pulling tobacco with his brother and putting the leaves in a log barn to dry. The next stop was the packing house where the brothers transferred the leaves to a cool,
Flynt’s grandparents lived in the two-story house shaded by big oaks. Out back is the smokehouse constructed of hand-hewn logs where the mayor remembers hams hanging from the rafters.
“They killed pigs after it got cold and cured them during the winter,” he said. His grandparents drew their water from a well, helped by a metal wheel that they turned to reel up the rope
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attached to the bucket. Nearby, at the top of a leaning pole, is a heavy bell his grandmother rang at dinner time. (It still rings in a deep clang.) Next to the house is a small building with a front porch. This structure once contained the drug store and medical practice of Julius Jasper Hilton, Flynt’s great-great-grandfather. The mayor heard stories from his father that in the early 1900s the doctor traveled across Guilford County, taking eggs from patients who couldn’t afford to pay for care. He also bartered for a walnut tree from which he had a furniture maker build a lazy Susan, which was passed down to the mayor.
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Friedreich’s what? Lily Pierce, a writer for the Northwest Observer, shares her personal experience and another northwest Guilford County resident’s experience with Friedreich’s Ataxia, a progressive, neuromuscular genetic condition by LILY PIERCE Imagine being a teenager, your mind racing with all kinds of thoughts – from weekend plans to college plans, from football games to finding a summer job and that boy or girl you
like. Then, for no apparent reason, certain things start to become difficult – carrying a glass of water across the room, walking up and down bleachers, keeping up with the other kids in P.E. Inexplicably, your sunny youth gets shaded by the cloud of some dark, debilitating force. This is how Friedreich’s Ataxia starts for many of us. As an adolescent, I became slower and clumsier. For a while, we chalked it up to “growing into my body” and “going through a phase.” As my symptoms progressed, they became harder to ignore. Halfway through high school, I couldn’t go up or down a staircase without holding the rail. I remember walking arm-in-arm with my cousin on the beach, struggling to navigate the shifting sands; he marveled at my
Courtesy photo
Summerfield resident Lily Pierce (left) and Stokesdale resident Leeanne Hayes reflect on life with a progressive, neuromuscular genetic condition called Friedreich’s Ataxia.
heavy footsteps and asked, “Can you try to walk gently instead of stomping?” But I couldn’t.
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As I aged from freshman to senior, my mind became consumed with an endless flow of tiny anxieties throughout the day. While other girls worried about the mundane and the important – from hair and clothes to grades and extra-curricular activities – I was doing the same… but I was also praying I wouldn’t trip over a bookbag lying in the aisle when I turned in my homework. While other kids wondered who they would sit with at the pep rally, I wondered how I would find a seat without drawing attention to my klutziness. While other kids enjoyed their relatively care-free youth, I detected every stare, every whisper as I stumbled by, mindful of the scant laughs and hushed comments like, “there’s something wrong with that girl.” At age 16, I was diagnosed with
The Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996
Friedreich’s Ataxia, a progressive, neuromuscular genetic condition that disables my mitochondria (the engine in body cells) from correctly processing the protein frataxin. As a result, I struggle with balance, fine motor skills, fatigue and other things. Tragically, cardiomyopathy (weakening and/or thickening of the heart muscle) is an often life-shortening side effect. I walked until age 19, used a rollator walker from ages 19 to 23 and have been “confined to a wheelchair” through today, at age 26. I put “confined to a wheelchair” in quotation marks because the term “confined” sounds oppressive, but my wheelchair is my ticket to freedom. I no longer live in a world of constant anxiety, trying (and failing) to hide my handicap. I use a wheelchair so I can engage with the world without being tired and worried about falling. I blog, I work out, I love my job and I’m highly involved in church activities at the local
and district levels (I attend Gideon Grove United Methodist Church).
Most importantly, despite my falls, struggles and bad days, I am joyful. Leeanne Hayes of Stokesdale is another FA patient who thrives in life. I live in Summerfield, and only one in 50,000 people have Friedreich’s Ataxia, so our both living in the Northwest Observer readership area is an intriguing coincidence. After Leeanne agreed to my interviewing her, I visited her in her home, an accessible place she designed and her family built. Leeanne’s experiences in younger years vary from my own because her symptoms didn’t appear until she was in college. One of the first red flags for her was an inability to carry a hamper down the stairs to her dorm’s laundry room in the basement. She had to throw her dirty clothes in a sack and drag it down the stairs. Her mother, a nurse, encouraged her to pursue the issue, and she was diagnosed with Friedreich’s Ataxia in her early 20s. When I asked her if she ever felt anxious or insecure about her walking, others’ opinions, etc., during that time, Leeanne replied that she didn’t care and “just did what she had to do.” She walked for several years and has used a wheelchair for the last seven years. Much of Leeanne’s life now revolves around her 15-year-old daughter, Annabel, who is involved with theater, dance, early college and piano. Clearly, Leeanne’s limitations have not held her daughter back. I hesitate to even say Leeanne has limitations, though. When asked how she grapples with fatigue and other FA symptoms while keeping up with Annabel’s activities, she said she simply pushes through the struggles. In fact, rather than referring to disability-related issues like fatigue, she cited “building inaccessibility” as
her No. 1 obstacle to attending her daughter’s performances. If you can’t tell already, Leeanne is a firecracker. She told me the doctors advised her not to have a child, since pregnancy can increase the speed of progression. With a mischievous grin, she added, “I’ve always been kind of stubborn.”
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Leanne is an active, serving member of Mt. Zion United Methodist Church. She chairs the Safe Sanctuary Committee, makes bulletins when needed and teaches a Sunday School class for junior high to high school students (I also teach a small group class at my church). When I commented that since I have an older adult class, her job sounds harder than mine, she smiled and said, though it wasn’t intentional, she basically “grew up” with these kids, teaching them at each age bracket.
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In Leeanne’s and my experience, children love us regardless of our differences. My mom theorizes that kids warm up to us quickly because we wheelchair users are closer to a child’s eye level. Speaking of children, Leeanne spends her days volunteering at Huntsville Elementary School, driving herself in her accessible van. Before her grandmother passed away six months ago, Leeanne helped her run errands. Disabled people often rely on helping hands, so hearing about that role reversal felt refreshing. “You don’t really like to sit around, do you?” I asked Leeanne. “No,” she replied. “And, at this point, it’s like a challenge.” By “it,” she means “not allowing FA to be the reason I don’t live my life.” At one point, she referenced her watering the flowers in the yard and doing most of the house cleaning, and I couldn’t help thinking, “I’m in a wheelchair, too, and even I feel
...continued on p. 28
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A Journey to the Manger
Nov. 13 | Sheriff’s deputies responded to a domestic disturbance at 1:33 a.m. in the 6900 block of River Gate Court in Oak Ridge (off Haw River Road) and discovered a verbal argument between a 50-year-old male and a 51-year-old female had escalated to a physical altercation; both of them were bleeding but refused EMS treatment. The male was arrested for assault on a female, and the female was arrested for simple assault. Nov. 18 | At 12:08 a.m. in the 6900 block of Summerfield Road, a 34-year-old male reported a known suspect assaulted him; he sustained minor injuries to the forehead but declined to press charges.
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Nov. 11 | Residents of the 9000 block of Ellisboro Road in Stokesdale reported a known suspect threatened to shoot up their house.
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Nov. 12 | A resident of the 4600 block of Tiarella Drive in Summerfield (near U.S. 220 N) reported a known suspect threatened to shoot him if he came within the suspect’s striking distance.
DRIVING WHILE IMPAIRED
Nov. 12 | A 32-year-old male was arrested at 9:56 p.m. in the 8300 block of U.S. 158 in Stokesdale for driving while impaired. Nov. 14 | A 55-year-old male was arrested at 4:42 p.m. in the 4500 block of U.S. 220 N in Summerfield for driving while impaired.
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NOV. 21 - 27, 2019
Nov. 14 | A 40-year-old female was arrested at 1:17 a.m. at the intersection of N.C. 68 N and U.S. 158 in Stokesdale for possession of a Schedule II con-
The Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996
trolled substance (methamphetamine) and possession of drug paraphernalia. Nov. 15 | A 30-year-old male was arrested at 11:30 p.m. in the 7600 block of N.C. 68 N in Stokesdale for larceny, possession of a Schedule I controlled substance (heroin), possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of marijuana paraphernalia; a 24-year-old female with him was cited for possession of marijuana up to a half ounce and possession of drug paraphernalia. Sheriff’s deputies seized heroin and marijuana; they classified a voided pen, a cut straw, a brass lighter, a debit card, a sunglasses case and a smoking pipe as evidence. Nov. 16 | A 24-year-old male was cited at 11:50 p.m. in the 1400 block of N.C. 68 N in Oak Ridge for possession of a Schedule VI controlled substance (THC oil) and possession of marijuana paraphernalia; sheriff’s deputies seized a smoking pipe and a vape pen filled with THC oil.
THEFT
Nov. 10 | An employee of Food Lion in Summerfield reported that on Nov. 9 at 8:30 p.m. an unknown suspect bought a $500 Food Lion gift card but only paid the cashier $200. Nov. 12 | The owner of Johnson and Lee LLC in Stokesdale reported an unknown suspect stole about $4,000 worth of copper/silver wire from his business sometime between Nov. 8 and Nov. 11.
VANDALISM
Nov. 16 | The owner of Lomax Construction in Colfax reported an unknown suspect ripped the back gate off its hinges by ramming it with their vehicle between Nov. 15 at 8 p.m. and Nov. 16 at 8:30 a.m.; the damage was estimated at $5,000.
mark your
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ate a Dewey’s holiday store seven days a week during the holiday season at 3722-A Battleground Ave. in Greensboro (next to Big Lots).
tion with Domino’s, will offer free pizza in front of their Dewey’s Bakery holiday store Nov. 23, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 8001-B in Oak Ridge Marketplace (on N.C. 68, next to Carolina Priority Care and across from the Shell station). Parade/Tree Lighting | (Pending inclement weather) The Town of Oak Ridge will host its first annual Thanksgiving Parade Nov. 23, 3:30 p.m., followed by a holiday market, food trucks, a visit with Santa and lighting of the Christmas tree in Town Park. See ad on p. 10 for details, and check the Town’s Facebook page for updates.
SATURDAY, NOV. 23
SUNDAY, NOV. 24
Click “community calendar” on the left-hand side Deadline for inclusion in each week’s issue is
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9 a.m. on Mondays
Christmas Parade | You can still register to partici-
pate in the Town of Stokesdale’s Christmas Parade, Saturday, Dec. 14, at 2 p.m. in downtown Stokesdale. Email stokesdale@stokesdale.org for a parade entry application; registration deadline is Nov. 30.
NOV. 22 THROUGH DEC. 22 Christmas Store | The 32nd annual Kernersville Arts
& Crafts Guild’s Christmas store opens Nov. 22 and runs through Dec. 22, Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday, 1 to 5 p.m., at 117-A E. Bodenhamer St. More info: Kathryn Boglovits, (336) 497-7411, or kathryn.boglovits@yahoo.com.
NOW THROUGH DEC. 20, 24 Holiday Stores | Three local churches will operate
a Dewey’s Bakery holiday store this Christmas season to raise funds for church missions: Morehead United Methodist Church, 3214 Horse Pen Creek Road in Greensboro; Moravia Moravian Church of Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge Marketplace off N.C. 68 N; and Summerfield Peace UMC, Old Summerfield Square Shopping Center off U.S. 220 N. Visit church websites for details. Northwest High School’s Band Boosters will also oper-
Free Pizza | Moravia Moravian Church, in coopera-
Fall Bazaar | Flat Rock United Methodist Church
Christmas Tree Lighting | Join the Town of Sum-
will hold a fall bazaar Nov. 23, 7 a.m. to 12 noon at 6720 U.S. 158 in Stokesdale. Enjoy a big country breakfast, baked goods and vendors. There will also be a raffle for a Christmas village display.
merfield for an annual Christmas tree lighting and food collection for two local backpack programs on Nov. 24, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Summerfield Athletic Park, 5200 U.S. 220 N. Also enjoy carols, light food, drinks, s’mores and a visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus. Visit summerfieldnc.gov for a complete list of needed food items to donate. More info: Cheryl Gore, (336) 643-8655, or cgore@summerfieldnc.gov. See ad on p. 7 for more details.
Genealogical Expo | Daughters of the American
Revolution (James Hunter Chapter) is partnering with the Genealogical Society of Rockingham and Stokes Counties to hold a free genealogical expo on Nov. 23, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Stokesdale Town Hall, 8325 Angel Pardue Road. There will be experienced genealogists to help you start a family tree, explain where to search for information from the internet, libraries and state records, and more. Please bring family members’ names with their birth and death dates going back three or more generations. More info: Kim Thompson, (336) 907-6957, or kimthompsondar@gmail.com.
TUESDAY, NOV. 26
MS Be Strong | This self-help group invites those
living with multiple sclerosis, along with their family, friends and caretakers, to their next meeting Nov. 26, 6:15 to 8 p.m. in the parlor at Main Street United Methodist Church, 306 S. Main St. in Kernersville. More info: triad.ms.newlydiagnosed@gmail.com.
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NEWS in brief
...continued from p. 3
McClellan survives Oak Ridge election recount OAK RIDGE – Town Councilman George McClellan survived a recount of ballots in the town’s Nov. 5 election, according to Guilford County’s Board of Elections (BOE).
McClellan for the third seat on Town Council. Incumbent Doug Nodine and newcomer Martha Pittman were the top two vote-getters in the election for three seats.
Candidate Mike Stone, who had requested the recount, picked up a vote in BOE’s canvass of ballots, Charlie Collicutt, BOE’s director, said in an interview earlier this week.
Collicutt said Stone requested the recount after unofficial results showed he trailed McClellan by eight votes. McClellan got 781 voted compared to 773 for Stone in the unofficial tally, Collicutt said.
McClellan, an incumbent, won by seven votes, collecting 781 votes compared to Stone’s 774, according to official results posted on the BOE’s website. If Stone had prevailed in the recount, he would have displaced
YOUR QUESTIONS
...continued from p. 5
permitting requirements are those prescribed by the state or county.” Town Manager Scott Whitaker said he recalls two past occasions when complaints about fireworks at Summerfield Farms have been received at Town Hall. “They involved both the noise level (which can carry a great distance) and timing (too late at night),” Whitaker said. “I believe the first was a learning experience for Summerfield Farms — they had complaints and vowed to better prepare neighbors. The next complaint was prefaced that the farm did notify adjacent neighbors prior to the fireworks show, but the complaint was that it was still very loud.” Summerfield Farms Marketing
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Stone picked up a vote after the canvass found that a voter with an unclear registration was, in fact, eligible to vote, Collicutt said. A recount of votes following the canvass made the results official, he said.
NOV. 21 - 27, 2019
Manager Lauren Stigall said with any client wishing to have fireworks at their event, “we take requests seriously to ensure safety comes first. Our mission is to be good neighbors by alerting residents of an upcoming fireworks display. For example, with the most recent fireworks in September 2019, we collaborated with the Summerfield Fire District, Guilford County Fire Marshal’s Office and Guilford County Sherriff’s Office to ensure all policies were being followed. We contacted HOAs adjacent to the farm to notify their residents and hand-delivered notices to neighbors on Pleasant Ridge Road from Bunch Road to Greenlawn Drive. We value our community and make following noise ordinance policies a priority.”
FRIEDREICH’S WHAT? ...continued from p. 25 inspired by this lady.” We share a “silver lining” sort of outlook on life. Though we aren’t exactly grateful to have a disability, we can both see how we’ve become stronger and wiser from our experiences. Confessing to Leeanne that I don’t know how I would’ve turned out if I never had FA, she nodded in agreement, adding, “Everyone you meet is going through something.” “Everyone has struggles, so people may look at us and say, ‘Oh, those poor girls,’ but we aren’t the only ones with hardships,” I commented. Leeanne crinkled her nose in disdain and proclaimed, “I hate pity! I don’t feel sorry for myself, and others shouldn’t either.”
Near the end of our interview, I asked Leeanne, “What would you want others to know about people in wheelchairs?” She replied, “We’re just like everyone else; there’s no need to be intimidated.” Then, with a smile, she added, “And open the door; it helps.” I agree, and have this to add: we’re just human beings sitting in chairs. Whether we’re inspirational or resentful, whether we see the glass half-empty or half-full, whether we fight or throw our hands in the air in despair – it’s all in how we choose to deal with the hand we’ve been dealt. And that applies to anyone under any circumstances. Before I became “confined to a wheelchair,” I thought the ability to walk was so important, but now, I am wiser to know what really matters in this life: appreciating our loved ones... passion...
The Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996
drive... stopping to smell the roses... and so much more. Leeanne and I have learned to enjoy life with our baggage in tow, so if we could just stay in our current physical states longer and have more time to spend with our families, serve in our churches and be the best we can be, that’d be a blessing. Writers update on Friedreich’s Ataxia: On Oct. 14, I attended the FARA (Friedreich’s Ataxia Research Alliance) Annual Scientific Symposium in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, where patients, families, doctors, etc., are updated on the status of ongoing research methods for an FA treatment or cure. As the symposium wound to a close this year, I figured we would leave with a similar impression as in past years – “The various research avenues are making progress, but we don’t know when a treatment will become available to patients.” As we were finishing up, however, the president of FARA, Ron Bartek, stepped to the microphone. He seemed fidgety and excited, and I watched him with curiosity. Then he shared the title of a breaking press release, choking on the last few words: “Reata announces positive topline results from the MOXIe registrational trial of Omaveloxolone in patients with Friedreich’s Ataxia.” As he continued to read the article and the weight of his words sunk in, cheers erupted throughout the room. My eyes brimmed over with tears. For the first time ever, a medicine has been statistically shown to improve symptoms in FA patients. Reata Pharmaceuticals has begun the process of seeking FDA approval for the treatment. Though this medicine won’t eliminate all the limitations people like Leeanne and me face, I hope it will halt or slow down progression in our hearts and bodies while we wait for the ultimate cure to be developed.
Want to help? Donate at curefa.org
Beyond volleyball… Middle school coach hopes students’ team experience will provide lifelong lessons and leadership skills by MEREDITH BARKLEY While Northern Guilford Middle School’s boys volleyball team finished its season in early November as undefeated conference champs, their coach hopes they picked up something more enduring from it all. Russell McHenry, who has coached boys and girls volleyball since the school opened more than a decade ago, hopes his students’ team experience will provide lifelong lessons to help them navigate through life. “We don’t talk about wins and losses,” McHenry said of his sixth, seventh and eighth graders. Being part of the team “is an experience that hopefully provides them with the skills and the knowledge to be healthy and active throughout their lives. “We want to create leaders,” he continued. “We want to create kids who can be successful beyond the game of
Photo courtesy of Nancy Williams
(L-R) Barry Wesoly, Mason Williams and Lincoln Scofield started playing on Coach Russell McHenry’s boys volleyball team as sixth graders and finished as conference champions.
volleyball – in high school, in life.” The team, which finished with a 7-0 record, included three eighth graders who played together all three years of middle school: Barry Wesoly, Mason Williams and Lincoln Scofield.
Photo courtesy of Nancy Williams
Northern Middle boys volleyball players Barry Wesoly, Mason Williams, Cameron Davis, Wyatt McHenry, Eric Noe, Lincoln Scofield, R.J. Smith, Riley Bradshaw, Elliot Flowers, Derrick Silver, Josh Echenique, Hayden Camilon, Arimeeh Mack, Nathan Moody, Ben Mulry, Press Lawson, Cameron Wall and coaches Russell McHenry and Melanie Montoya recently celebrated after winning the middle school boys conference championship.
“They’re just gifted and talented young men,” McHenry said. “Those three went above and beyond expectations. But it’s a team sport. So everyone did well.” The conference is made up of teams from Guilford County middle
schools, the coach said. Many of his players also play other sports. And since high schools in the region don’t offer boys volleyball, his players will have to select another sport when they get there. “That’s heartbreaking,” McHenry said. “It’s sad that we get them to the middle school level, but they have
nowhere to go from there.” Many of his players and their parents are reluctantly resigned to that fact. Said eighth grader Williams: “If they had boys volleyball at high school we’d play and try to get college scholarships.” As McHenry hoped, Williams views
...continued on p. 31
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29
HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS
Northern’s football team battles for lead in final two minutes of game The Nighthawks advance to face Northwest Cabarrus this Friday in third round of playoffs
“They’re a good football team, but they’re beatable,” Northern’s Erik Westberg said of the fifthseeded Trojans. “We just need to come in and play well.”
by MEREDITH BARKLEY
Against fourth-seeded Cox Mill (7-5), Northern, a 13 seed, battled back from a 12-point third-quarter deficit for the win. The Nighthawks took the lead with about two minutes to go and recovered a Carlton Colemanforced fumble with four seconds remaining to preserve the win.
Northern Guilford football advanced to the second round of the state playoffs last week, going on the road to down Cox Mill 39-35 and set up an encounter at one-loss Northwest Cabarrus on Friday. Northwest’s Trojans’ only loss this season: a 41-34 defeat earlier this month to Cox Mill.
“Our defense came up big and made the play when we needed to
and iced the game for us,” Westberg said. Middle linebacker Tyler Anderson, a senior, had a big night on defense with 26 tackles, and a Slater Ward interception set up the winning score. The Nighthawks had 439 yards total offense – 273 rushing and 166 passing. Quarterback Will Lenard completed 16 of 28 passes and threw two touchdowns – both to Michael Frogge, who had six catches for 49 yards. Niles Mosley led rushers with
ever for the Vikings.
Despite a dominant second half, Northwest Guilford mens soccer team lost its state playoff final four matchup with Winston-Salem’s R.J. Reynolds Tuesday, closing out the best season
“It was definitely heartbreaking yesterday the way the game ended,” Coach Jason Allred said of the 2-1 loss.
Sat., Nov. 23 | 3:30 - 6:30 pm | Town Park 3:30 pm | Parade starts on Lisa Dr., then turns north on Linville Rd. Arrive early to park! 3:30 - 6:30 pm | Holiday market, food trucks & more! Plus visits with Santa! 6:00 pm | Lighting of luminaries, Town Christmas tree, and Community Trees
Limited parking at Town Park. Additional parking at CrossFit, SECU & OR Elementary. In case of inclement weather, check the town’s Facebook page/Rain Date: Sat., Dec. 7
& A S S O C I A T E S
NOV. 21 - 27, 2019
Noting that Cox Mill and Northwest Cabarrus are only a few miles apart, he said: “We’re going right back to Cabarrus County. Our kids feel confident.”
by MEREDITH BARKLEY
Thanksgiving Parade & Light Up the Night Event
30
Northwest Cabarrus (11-1) advanced to the second round by edging 12-seeded Marvin Ridge (6-6) 31-30 last week. Having already defeated the only team the Trojans lost to, Westberg said: “We feel good about” the game.
NWHS mens soccer team ends best season ever in semi-final round
Don’t miss the Oak Ridge
SERVING HEARTS.
15 carries for 119 yards and two touchdowns. Jordan McInnis had 15 carries for 114 yards and one touchdown.
SELLING HOMES.
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Reynolds’ Demons, a No. 1 seed,
face Wake Forest, a No. 2 seed, for the 4A state title this weekend. It was the No. 2 seeded Vikings’ second loss this season to Reynolds; they lost at Reynolds 4-3 in September. Three previous Viking teams had made it to the fourth round of the state playoffs, but never to the fifth – the semifinal round. “The initial aftermath last night was painful,” Allred said Wednesday. “But they’re proud of what they’ve done. I’m proud of what they’ve done.” The Demons outshot the Vikings 4-2 in the first half and took a 1-0 lead into the break. Northwest, which
evened the score with a second-half goal, dominated after the break. It had seven second-half shots on goal to only one for Reynolds. But Reynolds made good on that shot, scoring with less than four minutes remaining for the 2-1 win.
This year’s five returning seniors include the four state qualifiers from last year: Heath Gonyer at 138 pounds, Max Benfield at 132 pounds, Jake Barlow at 220 pounds and Owen Elwonger at 170 pounds. Gonyer has finished runner-up in the state tournament the past two years.
“You’ve got to give their keeper credit,” Allred said of Noah Gottlieb. “He made some really good saves.”
From there, it’s a young team. The roster will likely have one junior, several sophomores and about 15 freshmen, said assistant coach Matthew Benfield, Max Benfield’s father, noting some of the younger wrestlers will be on the junior varsity squad.
One was a penalty kick he blocked with 10 minutes remaining that would have put the Vikings up. Eight seniors from this year’s team will graduate next June.
Northern Guilford’s wrestlers looking to pin and win This year’s five returning seniors include four state qualifiers from last year by MEREDITH BARKLEY There’s lots of optimism around Northern Guilford wrestling as the team prepares for the coming season. The Nighthawks won the Mid-State 3A Conference tournament in 2017-18, Coach Justin Harty’s first season, and sent five wrestlers to the state tournament. Last season the team won the regular season conference title and sent four wrestlers to the states.
Those two teams have been the school’s best so far, Harty said. But Northern’s wrestlers are just getting started, he assures. “There was talent here,” said Harty, UNC-Chapel Hill’s only four-time All American and four-time All ACC wrestler. “What I’ve done is come in here and get them believing.”
“If we can get those guys some mat time (competition experience) and the older guys bring them along, we’ll have a strong young team next year,” he said. With experienced wrestlers returning and the crop of young talent coming up, “If there’s a year we could do something really big, it’ll be this year,” Max Benfield said. Harty aims to have his team “in the best shape of their lives and competing at the highest level.” To that end he figures on teaching them the sport’s fundamentals so they not only win matches but pin opponents.
His goal this year: 10 state qualifiers.
“We’re excited. It’s go time,” he said. “We’ve got everything here to build a strong program year after year after year.”
“That’s a huge step. But that’s what we’re working for,” he said. “I’m really proud of our guys.”
Northern’s first match was Wednesday evening against conference foe McMichael.
VOLLEYBALL
...continued from p. 29 his time on the team as a growth experience and likes the way the coach guided the team. “He doesn’t care about the wins and losses,” Williams said. “He cares about making the team stronger and (about) the leadership the kids have throughout the community and the team.” Williams’ mother, Nancy, said she and other parents have found lots to like in that coaching style. “They have so much support for each other,” she said of the team. At Northern Middle, McHenry said he keeps “a large number” of players on his team, and finds ways to get them involved. “I want them to feel like they’re part of something special,” he said. “I’m very proud of them.” At the end of the regular season, the boys and girls teams played each other in what has become a tradition of “friendly competition,” he said. It was, he said, “our culmination of the year.” The boys won in a close game that was followed by a pizza party. “We do it as a way to celebrate their hard work, celebrate their commitment, celebrate their success,” McHenry said. “It’s about ‘we.’ It’s not about ‘me.’”
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Student Profiles brought to you by
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STUDENT PROFILES compiled by MEREDITH BARKLEY 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.
NORTHWEST GUILFORD Reagan Kargo, girls basketball A senior shooting guard at Northwest Guilford, Reagan Kargo grew up surrounded by family members who loved basketball. Her dad, Ray,
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Student P rofiles
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played for a small Pennsylvania college and older sisters Bailey and Campbell played high school ball. Bailey even took it further – she has been a shooting guard for the University of Delaware’s Blue Hens.
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STUDENT PROFILES
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158 compiled by MERED We just say ITH BARK Thanks to what nee LEY the ds to be student reco coaches and teachers said.” The twin mmendatio s see it as at Norther the players dedicated each oth n and Nor ns and inpu on the tea er, making a way of helping students for thwest Hig t, which mak m,” Josh h Schools each oth their accomp and making said. e it possible How emotio for their er bet ter lishments to recogniz the team nally clos in academ twins? e these tale personal. bet ter. Not NORTHE e are the ics, athletic nted, hing RN GUILF s and cult ural arts. ORD “Very,” Josh Josh and It’s a twin han dy thing, folk said. whe Jesse Auge s. r, soccer soccer teamn their Northern Guilfor Having live When the d together y see tea d goes up aga they know mmates mistakes all their live inst foes. making eac they’re not s, But it can anyone and h other bet ter tha nearly as Still, they n vocal. find ways – even disc also be a bit confusi have a kind of get ting communica oncerting ng points acr of unspok their – to teamm tion that oss. like when en not even teammate the twins ates, longtime “converse” s can boa “We’re pre field. For st. on the all the wor tty direct with other,” said “We’ve bee ld, it look they’re in each s like Jesse, who n a heated pla ying togeth long that back. “Bu plays cen dispute. But nothing of er so it’s a lot t we’ ter it’s the kind, easier for understand teammates. re not like that with say the twin are seniors us to where we ” s, who and team the ball and wan co-captain The twin how we wan t to direct s. “They’ll see The special s do share tain things t to do cerbond with us going bond tha a brotherly we have er,” said t Josh (lef at each oth Jesse Aug teammate to do to gam Josh, who e,” t) and er have as win s, Jesse said see themse however, the plays cen “They’ll thin twins can . and lves as inve ter mid. k it’s an arg come in developme sted in the Coach Aar that’s just ir nt. They on King said the way we ument. But are, after twins: “Th leaders. of the communica all, team ey always end up play te. next to eac ing h other on “We’ve gro work rea wn up with lly well tog the field. They a majority ether.” of And that’s a good thin g for the
32
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NOV. 21 - 27, 2019 Your sm ile New sm has waited long ile, new enough. you
! Matthew J. Oak Ridge Olmsted, DDS MS Commons 2205 Oa k Ridge Roa Shopping Cente r (336) 441 d, Sui te CC -7007
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20
SEPT. 26
- OCT. 2,
2019
The No
olmsted orthodon tics.com
year-round since. At Northwest, Kargo led the team in scoring last season with 14.4 points per game, hitting nearly 50 percent of her field goal tries and nearly 40 percent from 3-point range. She also hit nearly 80 percent of her free throws and emerged as a floor leader for the Vikings. “She’s a great shooter,” Coach Haley Hackett said. “She has a very high basketball IQ. She’s a very composed player. She has become a tremendous leader for our girls, on and off the court. She’s good at making decisions on the fly in the game.” In the classroom, Kargo likes the sciences, particularly Honors Genetics.
In that class, she said, she’s getting a good look at how the human body and DNA function. She has committed to play basketball for Limestone College in South Carolina next year and is considering a major in the health sciences. “I’m very excited,” Kargo said. As a member of the Key Club and National Honor Society at school she does volunteer work with teachers. And through her church – Westminster Presbyterian – she helps feed the homeless at Greensboro Urban Ministries. “It feels good to do that,” she said of feeding the less fortunate. “They all say ‘thank you’ and are really appreciative.”
student profile sponsor
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Next-level training at Proehli�ic Park
sports-speci�ic preparation for athletes ages 16 and up morning or evening training sessions available 2 or 3 days a week
Each week during the school year, the NWO profiles students who excel in sports, cultural arts and academics, thanks to the businesses and churches that make this feature possible. Contact us to learn more about sponsoring our student profile feature advertising@nwobserver.com | (336) 644-7035, ext. 11
The Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996
Student Profiles brought to you by
Chris Jessup and Olmsted Orthodontics
Your smile has waited long enough. New smile, new you! Matthew J. Olmsted, DDS MS Oak Ridge Commons Shopping Center 2205 Oak Ridge Road, Suite CC (336) 441-7007
olmstedorthodontics.com NORTHERN GUILFORD Carson Lomax, boys basketball Senior Carson Lomax, Northern Guilford’s leading basketball scorer last season, had some intense experiences while life guarding at Bur-Mil Park’s public swimming pool last summer. The six-foot-four senior describes them as “a little adrenaline rush.” “They (the kids he rescued) were splashing and as soon as their heads
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went under I knew they weren’t coming back up,” he said. “So I had to go in and get them.” The enormity of those episodes took a while to sink in, he said, noting other lifeguards at the pool last summer had similar lifesaving experiences. “It doesn’t really hit you until a few minutes after you saved them what you really did,” Lomax said. “You gave them another shot at life. It’s a really good feeling.” Lomax no doubt feels that kind of adrenaline kick on the basketball court as well. At Northern Guilford Middle he played several sports, but when he got to high school he put all of his athletic focus into basketball.
Wa t e r
f r on t H
ome !
“That was my favorite of all of them, and I thought I could get the most out of it,” he said. He likes basketball’s “up tempo” style of play, and it obviously suits him well. He’s played since freshman year, started last season and scored a team best 13.6 points a game, according to MaxPreps.com. The past couple summers he also played on an AAU (Amateur Athletic Union) team. “Other teams, they look to stop Carson,” said first-year coach Kellen Parrish of Lomax, who he notes has a “high IQ on the floor.” “He’s the head of the snake for us,” Parrish noted. “We’ve got to get him
open to get him shots.” As for classroom subjects, Lomax especially likes psychology. In it, he said, he’s learning “about your mind, how you think and why.” In college next year, though, he expects to study business. Outside of school he has fed the homeless through Grace Community Church in Greensboro and volunteered to help care for animal rescues at Red Dog Farms in Stokesdale, a nonprofit that rehabilitates, fosters and adopts out animals. “It’s nice to feed the homeless,” Lomax said. “It’s giving you experience in their shoes. It makes you realize how lucky you are to have what you have.”
Who will be the voice for this child? Over 250 children in Guilford County will go to court alone. Learn how to be an advocate for an abused or neglected child by becoming a Guardian Ad Litem.
Nicole E. Gillespie, SPS REALTOR®/Broker
(336) 412-7580 | volunteerforgal.org
RE/MAX Realty Consultants 336.210.3895 cell 1.800.965.1893 efax www. NicoleGillespieRealty.com
The Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996
NOV. 21 - 27, 2019
33
Wishing you a blessed Thanksgiving
GRINS and GRIPES
Delighted or dismayed by something in your community? Share your thoughts in
40
words or less
online: nwobserver.com e-mail: grinsandgripes@nwobserver.com Grins & Gripes are published based on available space and editor’s discretion.
GRINS to... Proudly serving the Triad since
1963
Home • Auto • Motorcycle Business • Life • Medicare Solutions
(336) 299-5185 • 5709 Friendly Ave., Greensboro
www.gladwellinsurance.com
spring, summer, fall or winter we’ll be there to help you weather the changes!
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Ask about special financing Subject to credit approval, see store for details
7101 US 158, Stokesdale • (336) 643-7397 NEW SYSTEM INSTALLATION • SERVICE • REPAIR
34
NOV. 21 - 27, 2019
The Veterans Monument Committee of Stokesdale for doing an outstanding job with the service this year. Perfect service for a perfect day. Our new (Summerfield) mayor and all newly elected town council members for being opposed to Planned Development. No need to worry about Summerfield being overdeveloped now! Doug Nodine for being re-elected to Oak Ridge Town Council, and by such an overwhelmingly huge margin! I do hope the rest of the council will see that the residents want you as mayor and will vote accordingly. Summerfield Fire Department for installing my grandson’s new car seat. Now there is no need for me to worry that it was not installed properly. Thank you for providing this great service to the community! Justin at L&T Small Engine Service in Oak Ridge. Friendly, polite and knowledgeable are great attributes to have in business, and he has them all. Plus, the company’s repair service is reasonably priced! The office of Lisa Jo Adornetto, DDS, in northwest Greensboro for the free Veterans Day clinic in honor of veterans. My 93-year-old father, a WWII veteran, was made to feel so welcomed into our community thanks to their generosity. The Summerfield Elementary School family that involved the Henson
The Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996
Forest neighborhood in the school’s food drive for the Backpack Buddies program at Oak Ridge United Methodist Church. TM Construction for the backsplash and reclaimed wood accent wall. It adds value to our home. Summerfield Mayor Gail Dunham – no, a laugh-out-loud, at the mental picture of using two gavels. A much larger Grin at the prospect of adult leadership on the Summerfield Town Council going forward. The sweet couple at Food Lion who reminded me not to let an impatient and rude driver ruin the rest of my day.
GRIPES to...
The out-of-date gripe about female employees bringing in carts after dark at Food Lion. Equal pay for equal work? Should females get paid the same as male employees when males have additional duties based on their gender? Last week’s Northwest Observer, Nov. 14-20 issue. You lead with a story about a charter school plan, but push recognition of Veterans Day to page 18. Why? Editor’s note: We wanted to dedicate a full page of photos to the two veterans’ events we attended, and since there are other things that must go on the front cover (such as the name of the newspaper, issue date, “What’s Inside” section, etc.), placing those photos there would have limited how many we could have fit on that page.
...continued on p. 39
Holiday Store brought to you by
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Mon -Sat 10 am - 6 pm | Sun 1 -6 pm NEW LOCATION: 8001-B Marketplace, Oak Ridge (right beside the urgent care and across from the Shell station)
FREE PIZZA LUNCH: Sat., Nov. 23, 11am - 1pm Santa knows where to shop in front of the Holiday Store, in cooperation with Domino’s
Celebrate the holidays with something from Cass Jewelers
The best location to find that special gift for that special someone.
Celebrate the holidays with something from Cass Jewelers
Merry Christmas Appearing in the Northwest Observer’s Nov. 28, Dec. 5, 12 & 19 issues. Support your local community businesses this holiday season.
Want to advertise in our Holiday Gift Guide? (336) 644-7035, ext 11 | advertising@nwobserver.com
336.292.1736 | cassjewelers.com 4008-G Battleground Ave. Just minutes away from the NW area.
Convenient to Summerfield, Oak Ridge, Stokesdale
The Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996
NOV. 21 - 27, 2019
35
AUTO SALES & SERVICE
SAVE THE DATE
KNIGHT IMPORT SPECIALTY SERVICE. European Auto Service & Repair, 4559 US Highway 220, Summerfield (across from Food Lion). Specializing in factory-scheduled maintenance and repairs. BMW, Audi, Volvo, Mercedes, Volkeswagon, Mini, and Porsche. 32 years experience. (336) 337-0669.
BJ's Grill would like to invite everyone to "BRYANT'S TABLE." We will host a free Thanksgiving lunch at 8212 US Hwy. 158, Stokesdale, from 11am-3pm on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 28. We will be accepting donations in honor of Bryant's memory. All proceeds will go to ARCA. LADIES NIGHT IS BACK! Please join us Thursday, Dec. 5, from 6-9pm, Golden Antiques & Treasures, 4537 Hwy. 220 N, Summerfield. Great music, yummy food & drinks, and special vendors.
THE EUROPEAN AUTO SERVICE PROS
Place online at
Service that is more than just a Repair
www.EuroHaus www. www.EuroHaus.pro•336.891.3876 EuroHaus.pro .pro• .pro • 336.891.3876 6716 US Hwy 158•Stokesdale
Just 1/4 mile off I-73
DEADLINE: Monday prior to each issue
NEED HELP? Call (336) 644-7035, ext. 10 Mon - Fri • 9am -12:30pm
INDEX
Auto Sales & Service ................... 36 Employment ............................... 36 Save the Date ............................. 36 Home Services ......................36-38 Misc. for Sale ............................. 38 Misc. Services ............................. 38 Misc. Wanted .............................. 38 Pets & Animal Services ................ 38 Real Estate.................................. 38
36
NOV. 21 - 27, 2019
EMPLOYMENT
SOMETHING GOING ON? Place your Save the Date classified ad online at www.nwobserver.com, or call (336) 644-7035, ext. 10.
AIR CONDITIONING & HEATING
ARBOR MASTERS TREE SERVICE. Help wanted. Call (336) 643-9157.
A-ACTION AIR. Will your furnace work when it's time? Call (336) 382-3750.
nwobserver.com
SAVE THE DATE FALL BAZAAR, Flatrock UMC, Nov. 23, 7am-12pm, 6720 Hwy. 158 E., Stokesdale. Big country breakfast, baked goods and vendors. There will also be a raffle for a Christmas village display. LOVE TURKEY & ALL THE TRIMMINGS? Come join Gideon Grove UMC, 2865 Gideon Grove Church Rd., Stokesdale, on Sunday, Nov. 24, for a free meal & lots of fellowship. We will open our 25-year time capsule at 4pm followed by an early Thanksgiving dinner at 5pm. Stay and help trim the Christmas trees.
•Weekly/bi-weekly/monthly •Deep/move-in, move-out •Post-construction/airscrubber •Odor remediation
Focus on what matters most We’ll handle the rest 336.897.0928 maidright.com/greensboro $25 off! MAIDS OF HONOR HOME CLEANING. Locally owned, bonded staff. 40 years in service. BBB A+ rating. (336) 708-2407.
ELECTRICAL Do you have ELECTRICAL NEEDS? Call Coble Electric LLC at (336) 209-1486. BALEX ELECTRICAL COMPANY, LLC. Got Power? Residential, commercial and
STAFF POSITIONS open in local childcare center. Teacher, asst. teachers & substitute positions available. Call (336) 643-5930 for more info.
HIRINGWe? can help!
HOME SERVICES
HOME SERVICES
solar electrical services. (336) 298-4192. Need an electrician?
Call BLACKMON ELECTRICAL, INC. Free est. Comm. & res. Licensed & insured. Call (336) 430-5018.
CLEANING CRYSTAL CLEAR WINDOW CLEANING Gutter cleaning, pressure washing. Fully ins. windowcleaningnc.com (336) 595-2873. AMERICAN MAID. All your housecleaning needs. Weekly/biweekly/as needed. Call for your free estimate. (336) 409-4554.
GENERAL REPAIR & SERVICES
OLD SCHOOL
HOME REPAIR /IMPROVEMENTS “No Job Too Small”
Wood Rot Repairs • Bathroom Remodeling Painting • Decks and much more! • Insured
Find us on facebook for updates! facebook/northwestobserver CHRISTIAN MOM needs work cleaning houses, running errands. Will fit to your budget. Pet taxi/pet sitting also avail. Refer References. Call Laura Bennett, (336) 231-1838. THE CLEANING TECHNICIAN INC. For a one-time clean or bi-weekly, I can fit your schedule. Licensed, bonded and insured. Call Lisa, (336) 207-0770.
The Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996
Contact us for a free estimate!
(336) 669-7252
oldschoolsjhr@triad.rr.com
CLOCK DOCTOR. Free house calls for sick clocks. (336) 643-9931 or (336) 392-4124. AFFORDABLE HOME REPAIRS. One call fixes all! A+ with BBB. For a free estimate, call (336) 643-1184 or (336) 987-0350.
HOME SERVICES
HOME SERVICES
HOME SERVICES
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.
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.
COLFAX LAWNCARE. Core aeration & seeding. Fertilizing, mowing, trimming, pine needles. Complete lawn care maintenance. Res./comm. Fully insured. Serving the Triad for 28 years. (336) 362-5860.
SOUTHERN STYLE concrete & landscapes.
ORTIZ LANDSCAPING, complete lawn care. Trimming, cleaning, planting & mulch, gutter cleaning, patios & pavers, waterfalls, retaining walls, sidewalks, stonework. Residential and commercial. (336) 280-8981.
at (336) 399-6619 for all your concrete and
ALL-SEASON STUMP GRINDING. Owner Alan Winfree. Free est. Call (336) 382-9875.
JUNK & DEBRIS REMOVAL, construction, remodeling, and general cleanup, out buildings, garages, basements, yard waste, etc. Call (336) 706-8470.
APPLIANCE REPAIR – Call Mr. Appliance A step above the rest! (336) 609-5707. FIX YOUR MOWER. Free pickup & delivery. Call Rick, (336) 501-8681.
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.
APEX EXCAVATING & CONSTRUCTION SERVICES, LLC. We offer a variety of services including: lot clearing, forestry mulching, bush hogging, tree and stump removal, driveways (gravel or concrete), drainage, retaining walls, patios and walkways. We also do new construction prep– footers, basements and utilities. Locally owned and operated. Fully insured and free estimates. Call Aaron, (440) 812-1262.
GRADING / HAULING
LAWNCARE / LANDSCAPING
ECO-FRIENDLY LAND CLEARING and drainage. Serving the Triad and surrounding areas. ncforestrymulching.com or call (336) 362-6181. Forestry mulching/drainage work. Insured and professional! Check out our Facebook and Google reviews!
STEVE NEWMAN TREE SERVICE. Free est. Lic/Ins. 40 yrs. exp. Lots & natural area thinning and cleanup. Large shrubbery jobs, chipping. Oak Ridge, (336) 643-1119
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.
BRAD'S BOBCAT & HAULING SVCS. LLC. Debris removal, grading, gravel/dirt, driveways, concrete work. (336) 362-3647. E&W HAULING & GRADING INC. Driveways, fill dirt, demolition, lot clearing, excavating, bobcat work, etc. (336) 451-1282.
The Northwest Observer 23 years and counting! Want to reach our readers? Call (336) 644-7035 or email advertising@nwobserver.com for more information.
AFFORDABLE LANDSCAPING for all your landscaping needs, including irrigation, installation and repair. Call Joe at J. Gibson Landscaping, an Americanowned and operated small business. Built on capitalism, not socialism. In God we trust. (336) 419-7236. www.EAGLEHARDSCAPES.com. Founded in 1981. Patios, outdoor kitchens, landscape design, all your rock needs, pool decks, fountains, room additions, rock walls, retaining walls and more! Please visit our website. FAY'S LAWNCARE & LANDSCAPING Complete tree removal & trimming. Storm damage clean-up. Landscaping & hardscaping. Insured. Taylor, (336) 458-6491.
ANTHONY’S GRADING & HAULING Excavating, land clearing, demolition, dirt. available. Zane Anthony, (336) 362-4035.
PRO2CALL TREE SERVICE, LLC. Don't Touch that tree until you call me! Licensed & Insured. (336) 413-tree(8733).
GAULDIN TRUCKING, grading & hauling, bobcat work, lot clearing, driveways, fill dirt, gravel, etc. (336) 362-1150.
SOUTHERN CUTZ LAWN CARE, offering complete lawn maintenance services & bush hogging. Nathan Adkins, (336) 430-6086.
DELIMA LAWNCARE. 24 hours/7 days a week. Free estimates, licensed/insured. Commercial & Residential. (336) 669-5210. CAROLINA STUMP & TREE SERVICE workComplete tree service, $1 million liability, work man’s comp. Rick & Judy, (336) 643-9332. www.carolinaStumpAndTreeServices.com. ARBOR MASTERS TREE SERVICE Total tree removal, storm damage cleanup, shrub and tree pruning. Bobcat work and more. Free estimates. Licensed & insured. Call Joe at (336) 643-9157. WILSON LANDSCAPING, INC. Lawn maint, landscaping. Irrigation/ landscape contractor. Hardscaping & landscape lighting. 26 years exp. (336) 399-7764. GUZMAN LANDSCAPE & MAINTENANCE Pine needles, mulch, leaf removal, tree pruning, complete lawn maint. (336) 655-6490.
MASONRY 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. MASONRY CONCEPTS, brick, block, stone MASONR
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 landscape needs.
MISC. HOME SERVICES/PRODUCTS GRILLS, FIRE PITS, gas logs, heaters, gas inserts, tankless water heaters. General home repairs. Call Don Hill, (336) 643-7183.
PAINTING & DRYWALL
BEK Paint Co. Residential & Commercial David & Judy Long, owners
(336) 931-0600
BEKPaintCompany.com • References Available • Licensed & Insured • All Work Guaranteed
CARLOS & SON PAINTING, interior and exterior. 24 hours/7 days a week. Free estimates, licensed/insured. (336) 669-5210. PAINTING – INTERIOR & EXTERIOR 32 yrs. exp. Sheetrock repair. No job too small. Insured. Brad Rogers, (336) 314-3186. 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.
concrete & repairs. Free est. (336) 988-1022, www.masonryconceptsgso.com.
The Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996
continued on p. 38
NOV. 21 - 27, 2019
37
HOME SERVICES
HOME SERVICES
MISC. SERVICES
MISC. WANTED
PLUMBING
KEITH SMITH CONSTRUCTION
WILSON SEPTIC PUMPING & REPAIR. Family owned since 1972. (336) 643-6427
FREE PICK-UP of unwanted riding & push mowers, tillers, ATVs, generators, power washers, chain saws, mini-bikes, go-carts, most gas & metal items, etc. (336) 689-4167.
FREEMAN PLUMBING - new construction, remodel and repair. For ALL your plumbing needs! (336) 580-4525. BRANSON PLUMBING & SOLAR No job too small! Experienced, guaranteed. Lic. & insured. 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.
30 years experience. Specializing in room additions, kitchens & baths, garages, vinyl siding and windows, painting, ceramic tile, laminate, hardwood and linoleum floors, and remodeling of all kinds. No job too small. Free est. 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.
PRESSURE WASHING PRESSURE WASHING and gutter cleaning. Save $50+ with our fall specials! Visit MartinsPressureWashing.com or call (919) 931-0856. PRESSURE WASHING, gutter & window cleaning. Fully insured. Crystal Clear, www. windowcleaningnc.com (336) 595-2873.
thanks
our advertisers for
making each weekly issue possible!
ROOFING
REMODELING / CONSTRUCTION
PREMIER ROOFING, LOCALLY OWNED. Catering to all your roofing needs. Call (336) 430-9507 for free assessments.
JLB REMODELING, INC. Remodeling and additions. Fully insured. NC GC license #69997. Free est. Call (336) 681-2902 or visit www.jlbremodeling.com.
CLINARD & SON ROOFING, LLC. Residential roofing, rubber flat roofs, roof coating, metal roofs. 30 years experience. Call (336) 643-8191 or (336) 268-1908.
ORTIZ REMODELING – Total restoration & home improvement. Drywall, painting, kitchen cabinets, interior trim & more. Free estimates. (336) 280-8981.
KEITH SMITH CONSTRUCTION 30 years experience. Residential shingle & metal roofing. Free est. (336) 362-7469.
BELEWS CREEK CONSTRUCTION Kitchens/baths, custom decks, garages, dock work, siding, windows, roofing, rotted wood. Sr. disc., 39 years exp. (336) 362-6343.
BELEWS CREEK CONSTRUCTION ROOFING. Lifetime shingle and metal roofing. Financing available as low as $59 per month. Free Estimates. In business since 1979. (336) 362-6343.
PREMIER CONSTRUCTION for all your remodeling/renovation needs. (336) 430-9507.
MISC. SERVICES
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.
REAL HAIR FOR REAL PEOPLE. Cuts, color, highlights, balayage, perms, keratin, waxing, and upstyles. Halo Hair Studio, 515 College Road, Suite 20, Greensboro. (336) 482-1333. Located near Guilford College. Find us at: Halohairnc.com or FB: Halo Hair Studio Greensboro.
38 38
NOV. 2121 - 27, NOV. - 27,2019 2019
ERRANDS AND MORE, LLC. As Christmas approaches, call us to help out with shopping, wrapping & much more! We offer a variety of services including senior care services and corporate errands. Insured & bonded. Look for us on Facebook & Google. You may call us at (336) 2022420 or email errandsandmore64@gmail. com. NEW PILATES STUDIO open in Colfax. Privates, duets, & classes available. Contact Ruth Edwards at (336) 688-8039, or visit Reignitepilates.weebly.com. FREE PICK-UP of unwanted lawn mowers and any gas items, metal, electrical, air conditioners, tools, etc. (336) 689-4167. BOAT and RV STORAGE. $40/month; with 3 month minimum. 701 Brigham Rd. Located near Pleasant Ridge Road and Hwy. 68. (336) 663-3051.
MISC. FOR SALE OLD LOG TOBACCO BARN. Includes stone foundation. $1,500. (336) 573-9409. H & L Grading, FIRE WOOD FOR SALE. $250 per dump truck load delivered locally. (336) 543-7867.
PETS & ANIMAL SVCS. WENDY COLLINS PET SITTING LLC. Bonded & Insured. Follow us on Facebook. Call or text (336) 339-6845.
Send in your pet photos to photos@nwobserver.com for our Pets & Critters section in the first issue of every month.
REAL ESTATE LAND FOR SALE LAND, LAND, LAND. Northern Guilford County and Southern Rockingham County. All shapes and sizes available. Individuals, builders and developers, we've got what you need. (336) 430-9507 anytime.
SELLING OR RENTING? Place your ad online at nwobserver.com.
HOMES FOR SALE PROFESSIONALLY LANDSCAPED!
SEASONED FIREWOOD, delivered and stacked, 1/2 cord, $80. Call (336) 686-6373 PERSIMMON PULP & more. At The Old Mill on Saturdays, or call (336) 816-3441. SEASONED FIREWOOD. $80/pickup truck load, delivered & stacked. (336) 253-7615.
MISC. WANTED $$$ – WILL PAY CASH for your junk / wrecked vehicle. For quote, call (336) 552-0328. Couple in search of 4-5+ ACRES in the NW area and close to PTI Airport for residential and small horse farm use. Email information to kalong721@gmail.com.
TheThe Northwest Observer • Totally local local sincesince 19961996 Northwest Observer • Totally
6905 River Gate Court, Oak Ridge Former model home w/extensive upgrades, gourmet kitchen, granite throughout, 4BR/3.5BA/3-car garage! Kichler landscape lighting, gourmet kitchen, pre-wired for auto mower & no HOA. Room for a pool to be installed! $389,900
DeDe Cunningham REALTOR®/Broker NC Licensed Contractor
(336) 509-1923 dedesrealestategroup.com dedecunningham@kw.com
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By the Book Accounting ....................... 3 Kimberly Thacker Accounting............. 27 Samuel K. Anders, CPA, MSA, PC...... 27
BEK Paint Company ........................... 37 Budget Blinds ..................................... 27 MaidRight Cleaning............................ 36 New Garden Landscaping .................... 5 Old School Home Repair .................... 36 ProStone, Inc. ..................................... 26 Stokesdale Heating & Air....................34
AUTOMOTIVE SALES / SERVICE EuroHaus ........................................... 36 Vestal Buick / GMC, Inc. ..................... 25
BUILDING / REMODELING Builders MD........................................ 12 Disney Custom Homes ....................... 15 Don Mills Builders ............................... 23 Friddle & Company, Inc. ..................... 17 Johnson & Lee, LLC............................ 21 Lansink Custom Homes...................... 15 Naylor Custom Homes ....................... 20 Ray Bullins Construction ..................... 22 R&K Custom Homes .......................... 19 RS Dezern Construction ..................... 15 Walraven Signature Homes ................ 22
CHILDREN’S PROGRAMS
Gladwell Insurance .............................34 Justin Fulp, Farm Bureau Insurance .... 27 Triad Insurance / Blue Store ................ 29
LEGAL SERVICES Barbour & Williams Law ..................... 16 Scott Tippett, Hagan Barrett Law ....... 14
MEDICAL CARE / INSURANCE Aetna ........................................... Insert LeBauer Healthcare .........................8, 9
ORTHODONTIC CARE
CHIROPRACTIC SERVICES
Olmsted Orthodontics ........................ 33
Oak Ridge Chiropractic ...................... 10
PET SERVICES & PRODUCTS
CHURCH Oak Ridge United Methodist Church .. 26 World Bible School ............................. 24
Bel-Aire Veterinary Hospital ................ 27 Northwest Animal Hospital ................. 31 Westergaard Kennels............................ 6
DENTISTRY
REAL ESTATE
Summerfield Family Dentistry ............. 27
FUNERAL SERVICES
A New Dawn Realty ............................. 3 Berkshire Hathaway Home Services ... 13 Carolyn Cudd, Allen Tate .................... 14 Dede Cunningham, Keller Williams ....38 Nancy Hess, BHHS Yost & Little ......... 18 Nicole Gillespie, RE/MAX ................... 33 Ramilya Siegel, Keller Williams ........... 25 Smith Marketing ................................. 15
Forbis & Dick Stokesdale ...................... 3
RETAIL
HEALTH & FITNESS
Cass Jewelers ..................................... 35 Moravia Moravian Dewey’s Store........ 35
Thanksgiving Dinner at BJ’s Grill........... 4 Town of Oak Ridge Parade/Lighting ...30 Town of Stokesdale Tree Lighting ......... 2 Town of Summerfield Tree Lighting ...... 7 Vintage Market Days ............................ 5
Chris Jessup, Personal Trainer ............. 32
...continued from p. 34
We hope the reader who criticized us noticed that we had two writers/ reporters attending two separate Veterans Day events who wrote about these events, published photos and captions to go with them, and we also uploaded more photos from these events on our Facebook page. And although the reader would only know this if he/she had brought their Gripe to my attention first and given me a chance to respond versus submitting it anonymously with no ques-
INSURANCE
Guardian Ad Litem Program .............. 33
EVENTS
GRINS AND GRIPES
THE
tions asked, I will share that we also designed and donated a display ad to the Stokesdale Veterans Monument Committee to promote their Veterans Day program in Stokesdale in advance and additionally promoted this event in our Calendar Events section. We’re sorry the reader felt our coverage of the veterans was “pushed” to the back of the paper, implying we don’t care about them as much as we do a charter school, but that’s far from the truth.
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and his daughter, Ava, enjoyed Andre Bishundat of Stokesdale a stop at Port of Roatan, a summer cruise that included ment to take in the beautiful Honduras, where they took a mo Northwest Observer. scenery and the latest news in the
Julie Lough and Kori Mabe of Summerfi eld, along with their husbands, traveled to the Netherlands, where they had a wonderful time with plenty of beautiful arch itecture, great food, art galore ... and of course they had their Nor thwest Observer! Here they are in Bruges, Belgium, catching up on the news from home.
Where do you take your Northwest Observer? Email your photo to photos@nwobserver.com