Jan. 23 - 29, 2020
bringing the local news home to northwest Guilford County since 1996
IN THIS ISSUE Your Questions ............................. 3 News in brief................................ 4 Oak Ridge Town Council meeting ... 6 Calendar Events ........................... 8 Crime/Incident Report ................. 10 NWO Business & Real Estate....... 11 Real Estate Briefs ....................... 12 Summerfield friends find success Former stay-at-home moms Jessica Draper and Kristen Berlin are enjoying the fruits of their business, JK Made, which focuses on natural health remedies such as elderberry syrup. Photo courtesy of JK Made
......................... 14 Business Briefs .......................... 20 Student Profiles .......................... 23 Bare’s honor is ‘well-deserved’ .... 24 All Star, All-American athletes...... 25 Grins and Gripes......................... 26 Classifieds ................................. 28 Index of Advertisers .................... 31 NWO on the Go! ......................... 32
www.nwobserver.com
Check signing authorization, invoice review – and apology – spice up meeting A special called council meeting takes twists and turns before ending after public comments by PATTI STOKES STOKESDALE – The agenda for a special called meeting Jan. 21 initially promised to be short if not sweet, with only one item to discuss and vote on: an application submitted by a Stokesdale citizen to develop a state grant proposal for park improvements. In the days leading up to the meeting the agenda grew exponentially, however, as council
Photo by Patti Stokes/NWO
Stokesdale Mayor John Flynt (left) listens as council member Derek Foy shares his thoughts on an issue discussed at the Jan. 21 special called meeting. members Jimmy Landreth and Derek Foy requested four more discussion items be added, along with a period
for public comments. After a brief discussion about
...continued on p. 2
Plan for charter school on N.C. 150 worries Henson Farms residents by CHRIS BURRITT
SUMMERFIELD – Residents of Henson Farms are concerned that a charter school planned for N.C. 150 may threaten the neighborhood’s water supply and worsen traffic. “Oak Ridge Road will likely be widened because of the school,” Bob Jones, acting president of the Henson Farms’ homeowners association, told the Summerfield Town Council Jan. 14. He predicted that traffic “will skyrocket” with the opening of the school and construction of the Henson Village shopping center planned across N.C. 150 from the proposed school. Since announcing plans for the school late last year, organizers of Revolution Academy are preparing to sell $19 million in bonds to finance the purchase of 28 acres and construct buildings on N.C. 150. In an email earlier this week, Mary Catherine Sauer, the school’s principal, said “we
are committed to being good neighbors and look forward to being an active member of the Northwest community.” Organizers held an open house Jan. 12 at the nearby Henson Forest Clubhouse, giving residents the opportunity to ask questions, Sauer said.
“We have considered how our plans will affect the surrounding neighborhoods and have used that to help guide the process,” she noted, urging people to contact her with concerns. Developing a school at the site will not require a zoning
...continued on p. 27