Northwest Observer / October 1 - 14, 2020 by pscommunications

Oct. 1 - 14, 2020

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Developer unveils plan for 650 acres in Summerﬁeld David Couch, CEO of Blue Ridge Cos., wants to extend water and sewer lines from the city of Greensboro and expand Summerfield Farms on Pleasant Ridge Road

ing a plan to develop his 650 acres around Summerfield Farms on Pleasant Ridge Road. He said the proposal for Summerfield Farms Village he unveiled to Summerfield Town Council last week checks off recommendations in the town’s comprehensive plan. He also wants to extend water and sewer lines from the city of Greensboro to accommodate denser housing on portions of his development and to preserve open spaces where he’d otherwise have to build septic fields.

by CHRIS BURRITT SUMMERFIELD – At 58 years old, Summerfield developer David Couch said he’s run out of time for town leaders to adopt rules governing a 10-year-old comprehensive plan that encourages moderately priced housing, the preservation of open spaces and the creation of public trails.

“I’ve not run out of patience, but I’ve run out of time that I can wait for them to get it right,” Couch said in an interview after his presentation to the council, referring to decade-long efforts by

So Couch, CEO of Blue Ridge Cos., is propos-

...continued on p. 2

Photo by Chris Burritt/NWO

Summerﬁeld Farms owner David Couch says he wants to build a variety of houses, ranging in price from $250,000 to $2 million, on 650 acres that includes a shared open space of 80 to 100 acres accessible by public trails.

Reading, writing and temperature checks With COVID-19 precautions in place, ‘Classrooms are going to look very different,’ one principal said by CHRIS BURRITT

NW GUILFORD – Before Oak Ridge Elementary School students can exit their parents’ cars each morning, staff members will check their temperatures. They’ll be required to stand on red circles on the sidewalks and in the hallways to maintain a distance of six feet. Their classroom will be

IN THIS ISSUE News in brief..................................................3 Your Questions ..............................................4 New advertiser introduction ........................8 Pets & Critters ................................................9 Copperheads – just leave them be ......... 10 Pet Briefs ...................................................... 12 NWO Kids’ Korner.................................. 13, 21

barebones, stripped of rugs and pillows, while everyone will wear masks. These are a few of the changes imposed by Guilford County Schools (GCS) as it prepares to bring back students

...continued on p. 6

Pet Adoptions...........................................14 Crime/Incident Report...................................15 Educator Proﬁle: Janiese McKenzie .......... 18 Nighthawk baseballers commit to colleges ..19 Community Calendar.................................... 22 Grins and Gripes ............................................. 24 Editor’s Letter ..................................................26 Classiﬁeds ................................................ 27 Index of Advertisers ....................... 31

DEVELOPER

rants and other amenities as models for what he envisions on Summerfield Farms.

...continued from p. 1 town leaders to adopt an updated UDO (unified development ordinance) that is more closely aligned with the comprehensive plan created by a citizen-led committee and approved by the council in May 2010. The town’s Zoning Board is completing work on recommended updates to the UDO, which the council must approve before the revised document is adopted. As he bounced along his property in a white pickup truck, Couch said he plans to ask the council to amend the town’s zoning ordinance with a text amendment allowing “for a development agreement that regulates this piece of property to be developed into one of the highest quality developments on the East Coast.” Couch cited two developments – Serenbe in Chattahoochee Hills, Georgia, and Blackberry Farms in Walland, Tennessee – featuring organic gardening, restau-

Even though Couch provided few details during his presentation to the council, critics of denser development are already speaking out, reminiscent of the bitter debate over planned development in 2017 that helped Gail Dunham win the mayor’s race that November. “Giving Mr. Couch what he wants (is) in contradiction to virtually every citizens’ desire for small town life and very managed growth,” Henson Farms homeowner Jolinda Babcock told the council in an email last week. “We will have to live with a massive influx of people, the cost of infrastructure, widened roads taking citizens’ land, traffic jams, no rooms in schools, more commercial growth, assuming what he said is true – that he needs high density multi-use development.” A new road would bisect the development, running from Pleasant Ridge Road to Brookbank Road near Henson Farms and a short distance from Henson Village, Couch’s proposed shopping center on

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N.C. 150 near Interstate 73. Also nearby is Revolution Academy, a public charter school under construction on N.C. 150. “We will have tons more traffic, noise, congestion and possible safety concerns that are inevitable with more people from the highway, shopping center and school,” Babcock said. “So when we see yet another plan to build again on land literally touching Henson Farms, it stings.” Couch’s presentation to the council created confusion among some residents. He presented a site plan showing 450 houses in a series of cul de sacs stretching from Pleasant Ridge Road to Interstate 73, as an illustration of the development he said is allowed by the town’s zoning rules. However, he said he’s not going to build that type of development. The presentation of Couch’s concept at www.sffarmsvillage.com included several slides without any explanation. In last week’s interview, Couch said he plans to update the website to alleviate the confusion. He said he’s willing to discuss his

plans with skeptics and opponents. “My phone is open and this truck is open to anyone who wants to take the time to listen and see what I want to do,” he said. Another slide in Couch’s presentation shows a preliminary concept for what he said he actually wants to build – five neighborhoods, or hamlets, with a mix of housing ranging in price from $250,000 to $2 million, adhering to the town’s comprehensive plan’s recommendation “for some land development for moderately priced housing.” More than 10 miles of trails connecting to the proposed extension of the Atlantic and Yadkin Greenway and the Piedmont Greenway would bisect the development. Some of the trails would be open to the public while some would be usable by residents only, he said. The trails would connect to several tracts to be preserved as open spaces, including 80 to 100 acres adjacent to Summerfield Farm’s wedding and events venue and food/gift market on Pleasant Ridge Road.

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“It makes tons of sense to design walkways and trails and passageways out to what I call Central Park,” Couch said. “The idea is to create ‘green fingers’ and walkways so that you can own a small home here and enjoy the entire property.” Couch said he would install fire hydrants in his development, addressing Summerfield Fire District’s desire for additional sources of water for fighting fires. Water and sewer lines from the city of Greensboro could be extended to property outside the proposed development, as long as those homeowners would be willing to pay for them, Couch said. Running services to U.S. 220 would encourage owners of commercial property to upgrade and expand businesses in the town’s “Gateway corridor,” he added. Couch said he wants to extend the utilities to his future commercial center, Henson Village. He estimated the start of construction on the shopping center and Summerfield Farms Village is two or three years away.

As he seeks the council’s backing to extend water and sewer lines to his property, Couch said he also wants the council to support the creation of a special tax district by Guilford County that would charge homeowners in Summerfield Village – not Summerfield taxpayers who live outside the development – for water and sewer services. Couch estimates that over 25 years, the construction of houses in his development would generate $22 million in tax revenues, with $19 million going to the fire district and the rest to the town of Summerfield. Whether he is able to get water and sewer service will determine how he ultimately develops the property, Couch said. Backed by policies in the town’s comprehensive plan, he said he envisions building smaller single-family homes, townhouses and other housing for young families and the elderly who often can’t afford to buy new homes in Summerfield, where the typical starting price is $500,000, he said.

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NEWS in brief

Summerﬁeld council to pay $272,000 for town hall design by CHRIS BURRITT

SUMMERFIELD – Summerfield Town Council voted 4-1 to hire Charlotte-based architectural firm Creech & Associates to design a new town hall for a fee of $272,000.

The contract, approved during a special called meeting Tuesday, Sept. 22, advances plans for construction of a single-level, approximately 9,000-squarefoot building to accommodate town

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Since early 2018, the town of Summerfield has paid nearly $200,000 in attorney fees to defend council members and staff in suits filed by former council member Todd Rotruck, Don Wendelken, Dwayne Crawford and Gail Dunham. The most recent suit, filed by Dunham, has not yet been heard in court, nor has the appeal filed by Wendelken and Crawford.

In recent issues you’ve written about Summerfield resident Gail Dunham suing Scott Whitaker, Summerfield’s town manager.

Will the town of Summerfield – i.e., we, the taxpayers – be paying the attorney fees to defend Whitaker in this suit?

And what about the attorney fees for the lawsuit that Dwayne Crawford and Don Wendelken filed against the town in 2019, and their appeal earlier this year? The town (taxpayers) will pay the attorney fees to defend Town Manager Scott Whitaker in the latest lawsuit, which was filed by Gail Dunham; the case has not yet been heard in court. As for the lawsuit filed May 30, 2019, by Summerfield residents Dwayne Crawford and Don Wendelken – and former council candidate Danny Nelson, who withdrew from the suit shortly before the Nov. 5, 2019, election – the town, Mayor Pro Tem Dena Barnes, and council members John O’Day, Reece Walker and Dianne Laughlin were named as co-defendants in that suit. The plaintiffs claimed the named defendants unlawfully appropriated town funds to pay for Laughlin’s legal defense in the quo warranto action former council member Todd Rotruck had filed against her after she was appointed to fill his seat. Rotruck took office in December 2017, but lost his council seat four months later following a ruling by the Guilford County Board of Elections that he had not established permanent residency in Summerfield. The seat remained vacant for about six months until the council appointed Laughlin to serve in Rotruck’s seat until the next election.

Crawford and Wendelken’s case was dismissed by a Guilford County Superior Court judge in December 2019, but in February of this year they filed an appeal and it will now go before the North Carolina Supreme Court; a hearing date has not yet been scheduled. As for who pays the attorney fees to defend those named in the lawsuit, the town (taxpayers) are absorbing those fees as well. When we checked with Whitaker

two weeks ago, he told us the town had just received two invoices from Nelson Mullins totaling $35,833.04, most of which was work the law firm performed in August related to Crawford and Wendelken’s appeal. In the last 2 ½ years the town has incurred nearly $200,000 in attorney fees to defend council members and staff in lawsuits filed by former council member Todd Rotruck, Crawford, Wendelken and Dunham.

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...continued from p. 3 administrative needs and public meetings. Council member Teresa Pegram voted against the move, reiterating her opposition to spending an estimated $3.5 million for a facility while residents are struggling financially during the COVID-19 outbreak. The contract requires Creech to participate in two public meetings during which the firm will gather public input on issues such as the appearance of the building. The agreement assumes the council will build the structure on townowned property. The council hasn’t decided where to construct a town hall. Among the possibilities is 13.3 acres the town owns across Summerfield Road from the existing Town Hall; the tract parallels U.S. 220 on its eastern boundary. Pegram urged the council to delay the project for a year, then motioned for the council to schedule a Nov. 3 referendum for Summerfield voters to decide

whether they want a new town hall. State law doesn’t allow municipalities to put such questions on a referendum, Town Attorney Bob Hornik told the council. “You’ve got to deliver,” Councilman John O’Day told Brent Green, the Creech partner who presented the firm’s proposal. Creech was one of 20 firms that wanted to build the new town hall. By a 4-1 vote, the council concurred with Whitaker’s recommendation and authorized him to negotiate a contract with the firm. Since its strategic planning retreat in February, the council has discussed a town hall during its monthly meetings and budget deliberations. To get the project rolling, the council appropriated $100,000 in the current year’s budget for hiring an architect to begin designing a new town hall and another $400,000 for initial construction services related to the project. A draft of the town’s five-year capital improvements plan under review by the Finance Committee initially earmarks $3.5 million for total expenses for a new facility.

Stokesdale council to meet in person Oct. 1 The draft agenda for a special called meeting includes a closed session with two discussion items by PATTI STOKES STOKESDALE – For the first time since March 12, Stokesdale Town Council plans to hold a public meeting in person rather than remotely via Zoom. A special called meeting is planned for this Thursday, Oct. 1, beginning 7 p.m. at Town Hall, with those attending encouraged to wear a facemask, stay 6 feet apart and wash their hands. A period for Citizen Comments is included near the beginning of the draft meeting agenda; per Gov. Roy Cooper’s executive order limiting the number of

people gathered inside to 25, should there be more than 25 people attending, including council members, staff, the town attorney and members of the media, citizens wishing to speak will take turns entering and leaving the council chambers. Immediately following citizen comments, Council is expected to go into closed session to discuss two items: future staffing needs and potentially purchasing property for sale by a homeowners association. As per North Carolina general statutes, Council cannot vote on discussion items in closed session. After reconvening the open-to-thepublic meeting, Council will potentially vote on items discussed in closed session, discuss a request from Stokesdale PTA to

...continued on p. 20

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upon a continuation of positive public health trends related to the coronavirus outbreak, GCS said.

for a limited number of days per week. Pre-K through second graders are scheduled to return to class five days a week beginning Tuesday, Oct. 20, while third through fifth graders will return the following Monday, Oct. 26. Middle schoolers will return for two days of in-person instruction per week beginning with sixth graders on Oct. 20, and seventh and eighth graders Oct. 26; half will attend classes on Mondays and Tuesdays and half on Thursdays and Fridays. High schoolers will follow that same pattern when they return Jan. 20. The reopening for all grades depends

“We want our students to understand their classrooms are going to look very different,” Oak Ridge Elementary Principal Penny Loschin said in an interview earlier this week. To minimize the risk of spreading the virus, students will be assigned their own desks, chairs and learning materials, and they’ll eat lunch in their rooms, she said.

...continued from p. 1

Loschin said her staff is preparing a video for students that will explain changes they can expect, including removal of some desks in classrooms to create more space for social distancing and water fountains being replaced with

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water coolers for filling individual bottles. Some children began returning to school on a voluntary basis earlier this week. Oak Ridge Elementary is among the county schools that offer a half day program for pre-K and kindergartner students. Younger students arrived this past Tuesday, Sept. 30, while kindergartners return next Monday, Oct. 5. Loschin said she was pleased to see that students are following social precautions. “They’re very familiar with wearing masks,” she said. “They’re very comfortable with social distancing. They were scrubbing their hands with sanitizers. These have become the norm.” As of earlier this week, Oak Ridge’s enrollment has dropped to about 653 students, down from a previous expectation of 770, according to Loschin. After the school year resumed in August with virtual learning only, some parents enrolled their children in private and charter schools offering in-person instruction, she said. Some others opted to home school their children or enroll then in GCS virtual academies. Loschin said she believes the return of students will restore a degree of normalcy. “This is what we live for, face-to-face instruction,” she said. “It’s very, very strange to be in the building without students.” Northern Guilford High School parent Fiorella DeLisa said her two children, Mateo, a senior, and Christina, a sophomore, want to resume in-person classes now and she feels the same way. All students “should go back in October,” said DeLisa, adding that she believes the school district should take precautions to allow high schools to reopen before January. Her eighth grader, Malena, plans to return to school later this month.

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Remote learning is proving “to be frustrating for kids,” DeLisa said, partly because of difficulties of online communications between students and teachers. Northern Guilford High Principal Janiese McKenzie said she believes

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parents are pretty evenly split on their students returning to school, with some in favor and others opposed. On a cautionary note earlier this week, High Point Christian Academy suspended in-person instruction and athletics for two weeks because some students tested positive for COVID-19. Separately, Appalachian State University Chancellor Sheri Everts said in an email that a 19-year-old student died this past Monday, Sept. 28, of complications from the virus, after being diagnosed earlier this month. At Northern Guilford High, teachers are removing personal items from classrooms because they may be moving from room to room to reduce class changes among students, McKenzie said. Limiting movement among students would make it easier for contact tracing in the event a student is diagnosed with the virus, she explained, adding the change has caused stress for some teachers. “As teachers, we like to personalize our space,” McKenzie said. “We don’t have that right now. It’s pretty sterile.” For seniors, the resumption of inperson classes in January raises the hope that they’ll enjoy prom and other rituals of their final year. That is, if the threat of virus remains at bay. “We don’t know what the spring is going to look like,” McKenzie said. “But it is our hope that they get something of the traditional experience. “What I guarantee is that these kids are going to come out of their senior year with a sense of resilience,” she said. “These kids have been on a roller coaster, and we don’t even know how that roller coaster ride is going to end.” Visit www.gcsnc.com for more information relating to Guilford County Schools’ students returning to the classrooms, including an overview of procedures and protocols, remote learning resources and a dashboard showing the number of verified COVID-19 cases among GCS staff by school.

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Sebastian King, candidate for N.C. Senate

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Sebastian King graduated from Northwest Guilford High School and later, from LoneStar Community College with honors before going on to Texas A&M University. King was the first in his family to graduate high school and college. As an Eagle Scout, King prides himself in being a principled leader who believes doing the right thing is more important than playing politics. After graduating from college, King served as policy advisor for Rep. Jon Hardister, North Carolina House of Representatives’ majority whip. During his time as one of Hardister’s advisors, King helped hundreds of constituents within the state’s 59th District.

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Sebastian King is a candidate for N.C. Senate, District 27. King has also been an advocate for “those who need a hand up,” has worked with Guilford County commissioners to bring a mental health facility to Guilford County, and has worked with and listened to community leaders in Greensboro and High Point to ensure all citizens have access to opportunity. As the vice president of Triad and Triangle Golf Today, a small family business in its 26th year, King says he understands that families know how to spend their money better than politicians do. He says he also understands small businesses are the backbone of North

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October 2020 a monthly feature of the Northwest Observer

Phoebe and Kennedy stand tall in support of Sebastian King, NC Senate candidate.

See more local pet photos in our summer Pets & Critters album on Facebook.com/ NorthwestObserver

Tipper is 12 years old but his owner, Laura Althouse, reports he still acts like a kitten! Tipper loves to hide and can often be found in funny places around the house, like inside an empty package, as pictured here.

Keely and her family are new to North Carolina. Keely loves to explore her new land in Dorsett Downs in Stokesdale, chasing squirrels, lizards and other wildlife. She would have you think she is still a puppy, but in reality, she is almost 9 years old. Her special talents include loads of tricks (for treats, of course), including ringing a bell to go outside and playing dead. Summer and a reside in Oak noli Mag Ridge with their owners, Josh and Sheree Kogutkiewicz. Summer and ide â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Magnolia love spending time outs and Summer enjoys chasing squirrels, g min Magnolia enjoys swim in the pool.

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– just leave them alone by ANNETTE JOYCE Very few people are crazy about snakes – especially copperheads. Just the sight of one of these crawly critters will send most people racing in the opposite direction. Copperheads are the only venomous snake native to the northwest Guilford area. With the fall season bringing cooler days and shorter nights, combined with it being the species’ prime mating season, copperhead sightings are on the upswing. In the Piedmont area, there are two subspecies of copperheads – the southern and the northern. Primarily differentiated by their skin coloration, the southern copperhead is beige with a vivid coppery

or brown pattern and the northern copperhead has a deep brown skin tone. Young copperheads, which are about 8 to 10 inches at birth, are similar in appearance but have a bright yellow tail tip. Size is another distinguishing feature of a copperhead. These snakes have a thick body but average only about 2 to 3 feet in length. When threatened, they have the ability to spread their bodies to appear more menacing.

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It’s mating season for copperheads, and sightings of the venomous snakes have increased recently. Be especially on the alert when in the woods, or near thick weeds or wood piles – and if you see a copperhead, back up and leave it alone.

Females usually give birth to living young in August, September or early October. These births can result in litters containing anywhere from two to 18 snakelets. Lindsey Zarecky, vice president of Conservation and Research at the Greensboro Science Center (GSC), told us she’s recently had more reports of copperhead sightings and is often asked what to do about these snakes. “Copperheads are relatively docile and will keep rodents away,” she said. “Since they are venomous, the best thing to do is to leave them alone. If

(there’s a snake in the area and) you’re concerned about children or pets, have someone who knows what they’re doing move it.” In an article published by Live Science, Jeff Beane, reptile collections manager at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, said, “Snakes may sense humans as a threat, but they don’t have the same concept of fear that humans do – so in that sense, they are not particularly scared of humans.” However, he added, “they definitely do not want anything to do with humans.”

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According to the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, “a large percentage (of bites) occur while persons are attempting to capture, kill or handle copperheads.”

reactions and even death in inquisitive pets that opt to tangle with one of these reptiles. If you think your pet has been bitten, it’s wise to contact a veterinarian at once.

In the same Live Science article cited previously, David Steen, a snake researcher at Auburn University, noted that humans are a lot bigger than snakes, and snakes “view us as a potentially dangerous predator. They will defend themselves if they feel threatened, but if we leave them alone, they’ll leave us alone.”

Zarecky mentioned that copperheads, like any other snakes, “really don’t want to be around you” and that most encounters occur by accident. To keep the snakes away from your house, she suggested eliminating any nearby piles of brush or stacked wood.

Although they normally are found in woodlands, copperheads can be found almost anywhere this time of year. Cleverly camouflaged, these snakes blend into gardens, among leaves and on rocks. They can be found in wood piles, dilapidated buildings, trash dumps and underneath sheds. At night, they often spend their time soaking in the heat that lingers on sun-warmed asphalt. Because they are so well camouflaged, it’s difficult to see a copperhead in its habitat, so people working in their fall gardens, raking leaves or stacking wood need to be especially careful this time of year. Although human fatalities from copperhead bites are rare, their bites are extremely painful, require medical attention, and can cause extensive scarring or loss of extremities. Pet owners should also beware that copperhead bites can cause serious

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Like any other creature, copperheads also have their own predators to deal with – eastern kingsnakes, black rat snakes, birds and various carnivorous mammals, including opossums.

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Zarecky mentioned people’s concerns about having rat snakes on their property and wondering how to get rid of them.

“You should be happy to have these snakes,” she said. “They help keep the copperheads away.” Still, if you encounter a copperhead, the best piece of advice for dealing with it – and it can’t be said enough – is to observe it from a distance and leave it alone. “The further away you are from the snake, the more the snake will appreciate it. And if the snake seems agitated, walk away,” Steen confirmed.

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Dog rescues trump birthday gifts Get tickets for Boots & Buckles, Oct. 14 by ANNETTE JOYCE

“You just can’t leave out the dogs if you do the cats,” Sabrina Napper said. A fourth grader at Summerfield Elementary School, Sabrina is talking about her efforts to collect donations for local dog rescues in lieu of gifts for her 10th birthday on Oct. 6. Last year, Sabrina collected four shopping carts filled with items for two local cat rescues. A lover of both canines and felines, this year she’s once again foregoing her own birthday gifts as she sets her sights on helping meet the needs of rescue dogs. “It just seems like they should have a birthday too,” she said. With the help of her parents, William and Debbie Napper, Sabrina has passed out flyers in her Elmhurst Estates neighborhood asking for donations and placed a closed plastic tub at the bottom of her family’s driveway for folks to place their donations. She’s looking for any kind of dogrelated items – food, treats, dog toys, brushes, shampoo, collars, leashes, etc. Her mom also said rescues often need old towels, sheets and blankets; dog crates and carriers in good condition will also be accepted. Sabrina plans to accept donations at her home and at the Northwest Observer’s office in Oak Ridge through

Photo courtesy of William Napper

Rather than collecting birthday gifts for her 10th birthday, Sabrina Napper is asking for donations for local dog rescues.

Oct. 31. After that, she and her parents will deliver the items to Ruff Love Rescue. Sabrina would like to get enough donations to include another rescue, but is concerned the pandemic will cut down on this year’s response. Sabrina lives with her parents, two sisters, Hannah, 16, and Victoria, 4, in Summerfield. The family has three cats and one dog.

want to donate? Drop off dog items through Oct. 31 in the gray donation box at two locations: The end of the Nappers’ driveway at: 7489 Weitzel Drive, Summerfield By the front office door of: Northwest Observer 1616 N.C. 68 North, Oak Ridge

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Info, ticket purchases, donations: Purchase tickets for Boots & Buckles’ dine-in dinner or dinner to-go for $75 each at www.HorseFriendsNC.org/tickets; dinner will be provided by Above & Beyond Catering. Thanks to area restaurants and businesses, there will be a wide range of donated items for the live and silent auctions; the auctions will be available online and open for bidding prior to the event. More info: email Lisa@HorseFriendsNC. org or SueParker@HorseFriendsNC.org.

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SUMMERFIELD – For the second year in a row, HorseFriends’ Boots & Buckles benefit will be held in Summerfield Farms’ The Barn, at 3203 Pleasant Ridge Road in Summerfield; the event is scheduled to take place Wednesday, Oct. 14, from 6 to 9 p.m. Lisa Bunch, HorseFriends’ fundraising director, said the benefit will be a 15th anniversary celebration of HorseFriends operating as a non-profit in the Triad; the organization serves individuals with special needs through therapeutic horseback riding. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, this year’s benefit will have limited tickets for the dinner, live and silent auctions, and musical entertainment provided by the band Bordering Red. Attendees are required to wear a facemask and practice social distancing, except when seated for dinner. HorseFriends will also offer BBB (Boots & Buckles Benefit) Dinner To-Go, which will be an opportunity to support the non-profit’s therapeutic riding

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The Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996

Can you find the

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r e n r o K ’ s d i K

COPPERHEADS... true or false?

Read this week’s pet feature article on page 10, and see if you can answer the following true/false questions correctly.

TRUE or FALSE? Copperheads usually hatch in Spring during the months of March, April and May. TRUE or FALSE? Most experts recommend that if you see a copperhead you should try to kill it. TRUE or FALSE? Copperhead mothers have anywhere from two to 18 snakelets.

STUMPED? See page 22.

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The Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996

CRIME / INCIDENT report

District 1 Sheriff’s Ofﬁce

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

Sept. 17 | A 27-year-old female was arrested at 2:38 a.m. on N.C. 150 W/ Auburn Road in Summerfield for simple assault and also cited for speeding. Sept. 19 | A 28-year-old female in the 8000 block of Eversfield Road in Stokesdale (near U.S. 158) reported a known suspect assaulted her. Sept. 19 | A 45-year-old male in the 7500 block of Harkwood Court in Oak Ridge reported a known suspect pushed him in the chest with her finger.

COMMUNICATING THREATS

Sept. 24 | A 43-year-old male in the 8100 block of Spotswood Drive in Summerfield (near U.S. 158) reported a known suspect threatened him. Sept. 28 | A 65-year-old female in the 500 block of Carson Ridge Drive in Colfax

reported a known suspect threatened her during a verbal argument.

DRUGS

Sept. 15 | A 20-year-old male was cited in the 8400 block of U.S. 158 in Stokesdale for possession of a Schedule VI controlled substance (marijuana). Sept. 21 | A 22-year-old female was arrested at 12:27 a.m. in the 700 block of N.C. 68 N/Pleasant Ridge Road in northwest Greensboro for possession of a Schedule VI controlled substance (marijuana) with intent to sell and also cited for possession of drug paraphernalia. Sept. 26 | A 33-year-old male was cited in the 7700 block of N.C. 68 N in Stokesdale for possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.

FRAUD

Sept. 22 | A resident of the 5200 block

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of Saddle Brook Road in Oak Ridge (near Beeson Road) reported he purchased five cords of firewood through a Craigslist ad but only received one. Sept. 23 | A resident of the 3200 block of Pleasant Ridge Road in Summerfield reported an unknown suspect defrauded her of $10,642.46 on Sept. 22 at 10:30 a.m. Sept. 25 | A resident of the 7000 block of Carriage Cove Drive in Oak Ridge reported an unknown suspect hacked into his computer, accessed his bank account and stole $10,966 while talking to him on the phone earlier that day.

SPEEDING TO ELUDE ARREST

Sept. 18 | A 19-year-old male was arrested at 2:30 a.m.in the 7900 block of N.C. 68 N/U.S. 158 in Stokesdale for speeding to elude arrest.

THEFT

Sept. 17 | An employee of CVS Pharmacy in Summerfield reported an unknown suspect stole her purse from a back room. Sept. 19 | A resident in the 8700 block of Bame Road in Colfax reported someone stole a total of five political signs for President Trump from her yard on July 1 and Sept. 19. Sept. 24 | A resident of the 2200 block of Oak Ridge Road in Oak Ridge reported an unknown suspect stole 12 plastic pallets worth $210. Sept. 24 | An employee of Food Lion in Summerfield reported an unknown suspect stole several items between 6:45 and 7:15 p.m. Sept. 27 | A resident of the 7700 block of Alcorn Road in northwest Greensboro reported an unknown suspect stole a silver Apple Watch Series 3 worth $180 off her back porch between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

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TRESPASSING

Sept. 23 | A homeowner reported an unknown suspect trespassed on his property in the 8200 block of Walter Combs Way/ U.S. 158 in Stokesdale between 9 and 10 p.m.

VANDALISM

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Sept. 25 | A resident of the 5000 block of Korem Drive in northwest Greensboro (near Alcorn Road) reported an unknown suspect damaged the left-rear window and the front passenger-side door of her vehicle, causing $500 worth of damage altogether, between Sept. 24 at 1:30 p.m. and Sept. 25 at 2:15 p.m.

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“For a lot of our students, the arts are a mental escape. Especially with the extra stress and screen time related to remote learning, our students really needed to get up and be able to dance it out!” Destination Arts owner Cameron Ligon said as she looks back on the period her studio was closed due to COVID-19 restrictions imposed last spring on “non-essential” businesses. After almost six months, Ligon couldn’t be more excited about her studio’s longawaited re-opening.

“Kids need to safely be around other kids more than ever right now,” she said. “We hope that dance can be a time for them to get out of the house and get back to having fun and nurturing relationships, while still being safe and responsible.”

Daily health checks for staff, smaller classes, enhanced cleaning procedures and taped 6-foot x 6-foot boxes for students are only a few of the virus-related safety measures Destination Arts has put into place; UV air ionizers have also been installed in the studio’s HVAC systems and medical-grade HEPA air purifiers are now in each classroom. Besides in-person classes, the studio provides livestreaming so dancers who

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After being shuttered for almost six months due to COVID-19 restrictions on non-essential businesses, Destination Arts recently re-opened and the studio’s dance students are once again enjoying “dancing it out.” need to stay home for any reason can still participate. Ligon recently started Destination Education Learning Hub, a learning center for up to 25 students which takes advantage of classrooms that are empty during the day; students enrolled at the learning hub can complete their required distance learning work while also participating in daily enrichment activities in a safe, small-group environment.

“We love our northwest community and are so thankful for the families who have stuck with us through unstable times,” Ligon said. “So many small businesses, and especially so many arts businesses around the U.S., haven’t made it through this. “We are very blessed to be able to open again,” she continued. “On another note, I have the greatest staff around, and I want to thank them for sticking by us through the tough times. If you haven’t gotten the pleasure to take a class from this fantastic group of people, you don’t know what you’re missing!”

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McKenzie honored by GCS’ Principal of the Year award nomination The Northern Guilford High School principal was one of eight semifinalists announced in late August; the winner of the district award will be announced Oct. 9.

sional success, including being a semifinalist for Guilford County Schools’ Principal of the Year award this year, to her students. Janiese McKenzie

by MARK ROGERS Northern Guilford High School Principal Janiese McKenzie credits her profes-

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educator said. “The relationships with my students are truly my greatest asset and professional success. I love them and treat them as if they are my own, and I think they feel that.” McKenzie has spent 21 years in education and was honored when Guilford County Schools announced in late August that she was one of eight semifinalists for the district’s Principal of the Year award. “For me, the biggest honor was in the nomination,” she said. “A retired guidance counselor nominated me and she has been in education a very long time. To get a nomination from someone who has been around so long and worked for several principals is an honor.” The process she underwent after being nominated was a bit “daunting,” McKenzie said. “You have to essentially write eight one-page essays in the

application. Out of respect for her (the guidance counselor who nominated her), I went ahead and completed it.” McKenzie said her mother, who was an educator for 34 years, influenced her decision to go into the field of education. “She was at Guilford Primary when it was still open and I remember that she would bring one particular young man home on the weekend because his situation was dire,” McKenzie said.

“He was like my little brother for a while. I saw the influence that she had upon him in particular. I just thought that one day it would be really cool to be like my mom.”

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But McKenzie didn’t initially set out to be an educator. “I went to college to be an orthopedist because I had so many issues with some joint stuff,” she explained. “I had a bad ankle – and I played basketball – so I was really drawn to orthopedics.” But during her junior year of college, McKenzie tore her ACL and required major surgery. “While I was getting my stitches out, I nearly passed out,” she said. “I thought, ‘I can’t do this.’” Shortly after that, McKenzie said she had a college professor, Dr. Cliff Schimmels, who wrote books for educators about teaching middle school students. “I loved and respected him,” she said. “He would come to our basketball games, and after one of them he asked me when I was going to go into education… That’s what I ended up doing. I wanted to teach biology and I wanted to coach.” After graduating from college, McKenzie received a call from someone at Western Guilford about a position

teaching biology. “I said, ‘Absolutely!’” she said. “That’s where it all began.” She later worked as a curriculum facilitator, and then one day her principal suggested she look into the PTLA program (Piedmont Triad Leadership Academy). “It was a program for aspiring leaders in Guilford County,” McKenzie explained. The group she joined included 20 educators and was partnered through UNCG, with some of the university’s professors providing the training. When she finished the program, she was ready to begin her administrative career. “Working with the students is my favorite part (about being in education),” McKenzie said. “In a classroom, I might impact 150 students. In administration I can cross paths with 1,350 students (Northern’s current enrollment). The kids are truly why I do what I do and I love them like they are my own. I also like to work with teachers, support them and help them become better teachers.”

Three Northern Guilford senior baseballers commit to Div. 1 colleges committed to play at Virginia Military Institute (VMI) next fall; Jacob Halford, a senior righthanded pitcher, will play at North Carolina State University; and (L to R), Northern Guilford seniors James Newsome, Jacob Halford and Josh Deslauriers will continue their baseball careers Josh Deslauriers, a senior outfielder, at Division 1 universities next year. will continue his by MARK ROGERS baseball career at High Point University. Though the Northern Guilford NightDespite the challenges brought on hawks only got to play four games last by COVID-19, three Northern Guilford spring before their season was halted due High School senior athletes have set to the pandemic, the three players and their sights on winning a state championtheir head coach, Landon Kimrey, say ship next spring before continuing their the team is ready for whatever the 2021 baseball careers at Division 1 colleges season holds. after graduation. “Last season was a tough blow for all James Newsome, a senior righthigh school spring athletes,” Deslauriers handed pitcher and first baseman, has ...continued on p. 31

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The Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996

EanesComfort.com OCT. 1 - 14, 2020

NEWS in brief ...continued from p. 5 hang banners of supporters on the town’s fence around the water tower, and offer

a second period for Citizen Comments before the meeting adjourns.

Preview: Oct. 1 Oak Ridge Town Council meeting by CHRIS BURRITT

OAK RIDGE – Oak Ridge Town Council has scheduled two public hearings this Thursday, Oct. 1, when it resumes its monthly meetings in Town Hall with limited attendance due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Since April, the council has conducted its meetings remotely via Zoom due to public gathering restrictions. Starting this week, the council plans to livestream its monthly meetings using new equipment installed in the council chambers. In the first public hearing, the council will seek input concerning a

request to rezone 35.6 acres in the northwestern corner of the town’s extraterritorial jurisdiction, from agricultural to RS-40 (Residential). As many as 29 houses would be allowed on the land if the council approves the rezoning request by property owner Mary A. Leight, according to Sean Taylor, Oak Ridge’s planning director. The tract is located north of Bentridge Forest Drive near its intersection with Vanhoy Road and is part of a larger tract in Forsyth County that is bounded on the north and west by Belews Lake, Taylor said. Another portion is located in Stokesdale. As a result,

the owner is seeking rezoning of the entire tract by elected officials in Oak Ridge, Forsyth County and Stokesdale, Taylor said. In the second public hearing, the council will seek public feedback on a proposed text amendment to the town’s code of ordinances that would eliminate four zoning districts – highway business district, corporate park, light industrial and heavy industrial. The highway business district shares characteristics of the general business district, which would be retained under the proposed changes. Parcels currently zoned as highway business would be grandfathered under that designation, Taylor told Town Manager

CARLY COOKE

want to attend? Due to Gov. Roy Cooper’s public gathering restrictions, Oak Ridge will limit the number of people in Town Hall’s council chambers to 25. Another 25 people can be accommodated in the lobby, if needed. Citizens can also view a livestream of the meeting on the town’s Facebook page and on YouTube (search for “Town of Oak Ridge”).

It’s time for our County Commissioners to support our schools

Carly will work to: • Invest in our master facilities plan to ensure safe, modern, tech-ready facilities for all of our students.

Tested for every weather extreme.

• Protect tax payers’ investment by allocating adequate maintenance funding to ensure facilities are well maintained. • Fully fund the GCS operating budget so that our educators and school staff are compensated fairly and we can attract and retain top talent.

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The other three districts don’t conform to the town’s land use plan and the “overall goal of creating a village feel for Oak Ridge,” Taylor said.

County Commissioner District 5

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Bill Bruce in a Sept. 25 memo.

“As a Commissioner, I will advocate for all Guilford County families like they are my own.”

• Put STUDENTS first by pledging to collaborate with our Board of Education for the benefit of our community.

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OCT. 1 - 14, 2020

The Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996

Fall Word Scramble

r e n r o K ’ s Kid

Unscramble the letters below to reveal words associated with fall

LFOTBOAL

________

LAVEES

______

KNPIUPM

_______

ROAHCDR

_______

KAER

____

ORANC

_____

LEPAPS

______

DAYREIH

_______

FEBIONR

_______

RSWOACECR

_________

EVHSATR

_______

AMUNTU

______

STUMPED? Look on page 22 for the word list Thank you to Moore Music Company for making this week’s Kids’ Korner possible

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615 West Market Street, Greensboro • 336.274.4636 • mooremusiccompany.com

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2424 Oak Ridge Road, will sponsor a Cub Scout pack that will meet at the church every Sunday starting Oct. 4, 4 to 5:15 p.m. This program is open to all children K-5; the meetings will initially take place outdoors with social distancing guidelines being followed. More info: 130cubmaster@gmail.com.

EVERY THURSDAY

TUESDAY, OCT. 6

calendar

 Food trucks | Stokesdale Elementary School is

hosting a different food truck every Thursday, 5 to 7:30 p.m. at 8025 U.S. 158. D’Z Butts BBQ will be there Oct. 1, The Pearl Kitchen on Oct. 8, Pacific Rim on Oct. 15 and West Coast Wanderer on Oct. 22. More info: Stokesdale Elementary School, (336) 643-8420.

THURSDAY, OCT. 1

 Special called meeting | Stokesdale Town Council

will hold a special called meeting Oct. 1, beginning 7 p.m., with council members attending in person at Stokesdale Town Hall, 8325 Angel Pardue Road. Following a period for citizen comments, the council plans to go into closed session to discuss staffing needs. See News Briefs in this issue for more details.  Town Council meeting | Oak Ridge Town Council

will meet in-person at Oak Ridge Town Hall on Oct. 1, 7 p.m. Visit www.oakridgenc.com for a meeting agenda; see News Briefs in this issue for a meeting preview.

SUNDAY, OCT. 4

 Merchants Association | Summerfield Merchants Association invites business professionals who live in Summerfield or operate a business in Summerfield to a meeting Oct. 6, 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Odyssey Dental of Summerfield, 7506 Summerfield Road. Due to COVID-19 safety guidelines, attendance is limited to 25, so attendees must sign up in advance. To learn more and/or RSVP, visit facebook.com/ SummerfieldMerchantsAssociation.

WEDNESDAY, OCT. 7

 Hotdog drive-thru | Gideon Grove United Meth-

odist Church will host a hotdog drive-thru Oct. 7, 5 to 7 p.m. at 2865 Gideon Grove Church Road. Bags including one hotdog with chili, slaw, chips and condiments will be handed out to those waiting in the car line; limit six bags per vehicle. Prayer will be offered to those who want it. More info: Laura Harrell, (336) 643-6042.

THURSDAY, OCT. 8

 Meet the Republican Candidates | Northwest

 Cub Scouts | Oak Ridge United Methodist Church,

Republican Women will host a Meet the Candi-

The Wright Stuﬀ

Tax & Consulting Services For Individuals & Businesses

Flight Simulation Model Kits, Display Models Birthday Parties

www.wrghtstﬀ.com 2306 Oak Ridge Road

 Tax Returns  Tax Planning  Payroll Service  Bookkeeping  Financial Reports  Budget Analysis

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

dates event Oct. 8, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at The Barn at Summerfield Farms, 3203 Pleasant Ridge Road. Clarence Henderson, one of the four black men who staged a sit-in at a segregated Woolworth’s lunch counter in Greensboro in 1960, and other Republican candidates for regional and statewide office will attend. More info and to RSVP: Dena Barnes, ncgopgal@gmail.com.  Town Council meeting | Stokesdale Town

Council will meet Oct. 8, beginning 7 p.m. Visit www.stokesdale.org for a meeting agenda, and see News Briefs in this issue for a meeting preview.

TUESDAY, OCT. 13

 Town Council meeting | Summerfield Town Coun-

cil will meet Tuesday, Oct. 13, beginning 6:30 p.m. Visit www.summerfieldnc.gov for a meeting agenda and view a livestream of the meeting on the town’s Facebook page.

WEDNESDAY, OCT. 14

 Boots & Buckles | Purchase tickets now to

HorseFriends’ fundraiser Oct. 14, 6 to 9 p.m. at Summerfield Farms, 3203 Pleasant Ridge Road, Summerfield. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, limited tickets will be available for the dinner, live and silent auctions, and musical entertainment provided by the band Bordering Red. Social distancing guidelines, including the wearing of face masks, will be in place. HorseFriends will also offer Dinner To-Go – tickets for Dine-In or Dinner To-Go are available at www.HorseFriendsNC.org/tickets; more info: Lisa@ HorseFriendsNC.org or see ad on p. 11.

WE’LL BE BACK IN PRINT THURSDAY, OCT. 15 (the Northwest Observer is now offered in print the first, third and fifth Thursday of each month)

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

Kids’ Korner Answer Key Copperheads... true or false

Carlotta Lytton

, CPA, PC

Individual & Corporate Tax Returns

OLD SCHOOL

HOME REPAIR /IMPROVEMENTS “No Job Too Small”

Wood Rot Repairs • Bathroom Remodeling • Painting Decks and much more! • Insured

Specializing in Payroll & Accounting for Small Businesses 7805 US Hwy 158, Stokesdale clyttoncpa@bellsouth.net

phone: (336) 644-7033

OCT. 1 - 14, 2020

fax: (336) 644-7038

(336) 669-7252 | oldschoolsjhr@triad.rr.com

The Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996

from page 13

TRUE or FALSE? Copperheads usually hatch in Spring during the months of March, April and May. They usually hatch in August, September or early October. TRUE or FALSE? Most experts recommend that if you see a copperhead you should try to kill it.

Fall Word Scramble from page 21

FOOTBALL

APPLES

LEAVES

HAYRIDE

PUMPKIN

SCARECROW

ORCHARD

HARVEST

RAKE

AUTUMN

ACORN

Experts say to leave them alone! TRUE or FALSE? Copperhead mothers have anywhere from two to 18 snakelets.

Kids’ Korner

Ordinary peOPLE,

Extraordinary impact “You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.” – Jane Goodall

Volunteers, donations fuel church backpack ministry Oak Ridge United Methodist Church’s backpack ministry has been helping feed those at risk for hunger since 2010 by ANNETTE JOYCE OAK RIDGE – About 15 percent of students in northwest-area schools are at risk for hunger. Troubled by this and guided by Jesus’ instructions to feed the hungry, Oak Ridge United Methodist Church members Jessica Humphrey and Dana Hanlon helped launch the Backpack Ministry at their church in 2010. While children whose families require financial assistance are able to get free and reduced-price lunches at school, the church was concerned about the weekends when children aren’t at school and therefore not getting meals in the cafeteria. The Backpack Ministry helps with this situation by providing children with nutritious meals and snacks on non-school days. Initially serving only three students at Oak Ridge Elementary School, the ministry has exploded over the past 10 years. It now serves over 220 students in 10 area schools including Oak Ridge, Stokesdale, Summerfield and Northern Elementary schools, Northwest and Northern Middle and High schools, Summerfield Charter School and Greensboro Academy.

When the church opened its new family life center in 2013, it included an extra-large space for a ministry pantry and an area to assemble the food-filled backpacks; additional space is already needed.

Fortunately, as more children have been identified as being in need, the community has responded and volunteer support for the program has grown exponentially. “The community has been huge in this ministry,” said Beth Waterfield, who coordinates the Backpack Ministry. “There are so many people, other churches, organizations and businesses who currently help us.” She mentioned Lowes Foods, Bank of Oak Ridge and Summerfield Merchants Association as some of the organizations that have consistently donated to the program, while lamenting there’s not enough room to acknowledge all the people and groups who are involved in the ministry. The Backpack Ministry’s leadership team includes Waterfield, Wendy Kesslering, Amy Bruce,

Stokesdale

Located at Kings Crossing

7705 Highway 68 N (336) 441-8066

Madison

Photo courtesy of Beth Waterfield It takes a team of volunteers – and a lot of donations – to keep Oak Ridge United Methodist Church’s Backpack Ministry in operation.

Summerfield

4420 US Highway 220N (336) 793-5391

High Point

NEWEST LOCATION High Point

706 Burton Street 619 Greensboro Road 2410 Eastchester Dr (336) 548-6674 (336) 885-4321 (336) 841-6553

April Welker, Jill Rudolph and Lisa Reitmeir. The group has had to make several adjustments due to the pandemic – i.e., with most schools closed for in-person classes the first several weeks of the school year, backpacks have had to be picked up rather than being sent home with students. Other challenges have come with being able to purchase the quantities of needed food in bulk and the increased prices of food. Waterfield said there are up to 2,000 more children in the northwest/northern area of the county who may qualify to receive food through the Backpack Ministry. Her team will continue to do whatever it can to reach them, all the while depending on God to bring them what they need to do so.

Want to volunteer or make a donation? Email NWGABPMinistry@gmail.com

Thanks to Tire Max for sponsoring this new monthly feature in which we recognize “ordinary” people in our readership area who make an extraordinary impact on others. To nominate an “ordinary” person for this feature, email editor@nwobserver.com with their name, a detailed description of how they positively impact others, and your contact info.

GRINS and GRIPES

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

words or less

online: nwobserver.com e-mail: grinsandgripes@nwobserver.com Grins & Gripes are published based on available space and editor’s discretion.

ST BAPTIS T RE O

ALTH HE

WAKE F

 The man at Oak Ridge Park who was all too happy to rid the hiking trail of the copperhead making its way across the path. Your fearless act helped ensure that no one had a painful encounter. COVID-19

PROTECTED

care for life

Welcome Hayden Morrison, FNP-C Now accepting new patients. Our family caring for yours. Specializing in comprehensive primary care. >> virtual

visits available

FAMILY MEDICINE – SUMMERFIELD 4431 US Highway 220 North, Summerfield, NC 336-643-7711 A WAKE FOREST HEALTH NETWORK PRACTICE. ACCEPTING MOST MAJOR INSURANCE PROVIDERS.

OCT. 1 - 14, 2020

 People who care about rezonings even when they’re not for property with views from their back windows, and who take time to educate themselves on our local towns’ development ordinances and their effect on property owners’ rights.  Maureena Shepherd & Associates with Allen Tate Realtors for their generous and continuous support of local schools and PTSOs. We appreciate you so much!  Patrick of Change The Nations Church for feeding the hungry of Greensboro.  Will Gunter, bugler. In the absence of active military teams due to COVID-19 restrictions, we appreciate you helping to provide military honors at two funerals for veterans recently.  The young men of Scout Troop 600 for your service to our community. These young people recently spent part of their Saturday picking up trash along N.C. 150.  Mrs. Molly Stoltz, Oak Ridge Elementary employee who delivers lunches to our Colts in need. Additionally, thank you to the staff members who organize and prepare the lunch kits.

The Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996

 The smile-maker who adds a little bit of bling to the tree at 1408 N.C. 150 E. in Summerfield (across from entrance to The Vineyards). It puts a sparkle in the day as we pass by.  Oak Ridge for preserving open space: Town Park – 80 acres; Whitaker property – 60 acres; Cascades Preserve – 130 acres; soon Bandera Farms – 115 acres. That’s a total of nearly 385 acres, which is great for a small town!  The “crew” with Vulcan Materials Company who maintain the beautiful grounds surrounding the Veterans Monument in Stokesdale. Words cannot express the appreciation felt for your never-ending support.  The groups in orange vests picking up trash on N.C. 150 in Oak Ridge on Saturday, Sept. 26. Thank you so much for caring for our environment!

9 a.m. until

 Candidates who don’t disclose their party affiliation on their political ads. Are they ashamed of the party they belong to or are they trying to hoodwink the voters?  All those escaping other areas of the country where liberal policies dominate, and then trying to impose those policies on us here.  Summerfield Town Council. Despite overwhelming opposition, you approved a development to connect to the Birkhaven subdivision, despite several concerns. Then you “claim” the neighborhood’s voices have been heard. Have they? I guess we will see at the next ballot box.  Northwest Observer, for publishing hateful/inflammatory speech against Asians. Allowing a reader to call COVID-19 the “Chinese disease” is meant to push blame onto Asians, while detracting from their own lack of response. Northwest Observer should

not perpetuate racism against Asians.  The “grinner” who called COVID-19 the “Chinese disease.” Racist much? And shame on the Northwest Observer for publishing such racist garbage. We should be uniting as a country and not saying things so obviously offensive and divisive.  Businesses who don’t follow the mask mandate. In one local business in Summerfield, I saw at least four employees in a small space and not one of them wore a mask to protect their customers.  The person who used “Chinese disease” in his Grin (Sept. 17-30 issue). It’s not proper to deliberately associate Wuhan, and more generally, China, with the COVID-19 pandemic. It leads to discrimination and stigmatization in our community.  Oak Ridge leadership for failing to slow growth and development. Focus on small town charm development.  Todd Warren, the “leader” of Guilford County Association of Educators, for being an alarmist.

Where fun and church come together!

We’re Back

Beginning October 4, Sunday evenings 6pm - 7pm Options available for in-person and remote AWANA (Pick up materials and instructions for the coming year on Sunday, October 4)

Reaching boys and girls with the Gospel of Christ and training them to serve Him Programs for ages 2 thru high school Keeping your kids safe: We will follow all CDC guidelines for safety including face coverings, social distancing and recommended cleaning procedures.

1715 NC 68 N, Oak Ridge (336) 643-7684 • oakridgecbc.org

Pre-order pounds at Order Form. www.oakridgencfire.com BBQ

All U Can Eat & Take Outs 4 p.m. until sold out

Oak Ridge Firefighters’

$8 per plate $5 for Seniors & Kids Under 12

BBQ

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Saturday, Oct. 17 Take-out only

9 am - 12 pm

or until sold out

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DRIVE THRU SERVICE (Use the rear entrance off Scoggins Road)

CASH OR CHECK ONLY

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Our “secret” BBQ sauce $

To pre-order 20 lbs or more: call (336) 643-3783

Awana and the Awana logo are registered trademarks of Awana Clubs International

The Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996

OCT. 1 - 14, 2020

NEW ADVERTISER

LETTERS/OPINIONS

...continued from p. 8

Carolina’s economy and that businesses are having to do more with less, which is why he seeks solutions to regulations that have hurt small businesses and has been an advocate for lower taxes. King serves on High Point University’s Board of Visitors, Guilford County’s Board of Adjustments, Next Generation Academy’s Board of Directors, New Hope Community Development Board and is a Scholarship Donor. He also chaired the School Safety Advisory Committee and served as vice chair of the Mental Health Advisory Committee. King is married to Victoria Allred King, who he says is “the love of his life,” and the couple enjoys a mutual love of politics and golf. King also enjoys playing basketball and reading.

Submit your letters (maximum 350 words)

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

Include your name, daytime phone number and name of community. Letters from the same writer will be published no more than every 30 days.

Choose words carefully In our Sept. 17-30 issue, a shout-out to businesses which a reader submitted a Grin had crumbled due to the longfor two local breweries term effects of the pandemic. which have gone down Since the Grin was published, during the pandemic and multiple adjectives have been placed the responsibility bestowed on me, not the least of on the “Chinese disease” which include “insensitive” and instead of referring to the “racist.” affliction as COVID-19, or In my opinion (and perhaps, the coronavirus. Did I pause my ignorance), the reader’s term Patti Stokes publisher/editor at that term? Yes. And after was intended to be a side slap to some thought, I chose to let it go by. China’s government for its initial handling However, had I realized the term “Chi- of the coronavirus when first detected in nese disease” or “Chinese virus” would be Wuhan. China is a one-party, socialist republic, so derogatory to anyone of Chinese – or and its citizens have very little influence further, of Asian – descent, I would have deleted it, as it served only to detract from over their government’s actions. Why,

then, should the initial handling of the virus outbreak in Wuhan, China, reflect poorly on anyone of Chinese descent – or, as one reader wrote to me, on “Asians” in general (which unless specified includes those from India, Japan, Korea and many other countries in Asia)? It seems ludicrous to me, but I’m told it has happened. Although this paper is in my care, I have always maintained it belongs to the communities it serves and should reflect the diverse personalities and opinions of the many thousands of people who live within them. With that said, I’ll continue to seek accuracy, fairness and wisdom when carefully considering how to strike a balance between allowing readers the opportunity to speak freely versus sheltering others from the opinions they wish to express and the words they choose to express them. In turn, I remind readers that whether their words are submitted anonymously (i.e., in a Grin or Gripe) or openly with their name disclosed (i.e., in an editorial), they will be heard loudly and have the potential to bring far-reaching and sometimes unintended consequences. In closing, thanks to those who reached out to me directly and invited productive dialogue over the past two weeks – and for confirming that print is indeed not dead …

SEBASTIAN KING FOR NC SENATE

BRINGING OUR SMALL TOWN VALUES TO RALEIGH 26

OCT. 1 - 14, 2020

The Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996

 AUTO SALES & SERVICE

Luxury Service. Southern Hospitality. THE EUROPEAN AUTO SERVICE PROS

Now oﬀering courtesy pickup and delivery

6716 US Hwy 158, Stokesdale Just 1/4 mile off I-73 EuroHaus.pro | 336.891.3876

Place online at

DEADLINE: Monday prior to each issue

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

INDEX Auto Sales & Service ........ 27 Employment .................... 27 Save the Date.................. 27 Yard Sales ....................... 27 Home Services ............27-29 Misc. Services .................. 29 Misc. for Sale .................. 30 Misc. Wanted .................. 30 Pets & Animal Services .... 30 Real Estate ...................... 30

 EMPLOYMENT

 YARD SALES

EXPERIENCED AUTO MECHANIC needed. Three-plus years experience with strong diagnostic skills and ability to repair simple and complex automotive issues. Apply in person at M & M Tire, 5570 Spotswood Circle, Summerﬁeld.

YARD SALE. Fri. and Sat., Oct. 2 and 3, 8am-1pm. 8302 Strand Dr., Stokesdale. Clothes, books, thread, yarn & antiques.

BILL'S PIZZA PUB in Oak Ridge is hiring for both day and night shifts. Please apply in person, 1431 NC Hwy. 68, Oak Ridge. We're looking for happy workers for happy customers!

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

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

 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, Volkswagen, Mini and Porsche. 32 years experience. (336) 337-0669.

CRAFT FAIR. Sat., October 3, 10am-3pm. 8318 Maloe Ct., Oak Ridge. Local artisans. Face coverings and social distancing expected per NC guidelines. OAK RIDGE FIREFIGHTERS' BBQ. Sat., Oct. 17. 9am-12pm or until sold out. Station 15, 8325 Linville Road, Oak Ridge. Takeout only. BBQ is $8 per pound. To pre-order 20 lbs. or more, please call (336) 643-3783.

 EMPLOYMENT Endura Products is proud to be a U.S. American-made manufacturer of parts for entry door systems. We have several employment opportunities available for immediate hire in our Stokesdale, NC, operation.

Open Positions:

Production Crew Members (1st & 2nd Shift) Machine Operators (1st & 2nd Shift) Maintenance Technicians (1st & 2nd Shift) Machinist (1st Shift) Production Supervisor (2nd Shift) Maintenance Supervisor (1st Shift with ability to flex hours)

Hours:

First Shift: Monday – Friday, 6:30am – 3:00pm, possible OT on Saturdays, 5:00am-1:00pm Second Shift: Monday – Thursday, 3:30pm-2:00am, possible OT on Fridays

Preferred Skills for Production Roles: Use of tape measure/reading calipers Machine operation to include set-up and troubleshooting Previous carpentry experience or wood-working knowledge

Physical Requirements:

Must be able to lift up to 35/lbs repetitively Comfortable working in a non-climatecontrolled environment Ability to stand for 8-10 hours

Apply at https://www.enduraproducts.com/careers/ or call (336)665-4048 to schedule a time to come in and complete an application

Why work for Endura?

Join an established organization with a great team Weekly pay • Affordable, Competitive Benefits Package Safe Working Environment Created to Maintain Social Distancing in the Workplace • Overtime Opportunity Willing to train those with no prior manufacturing experience, but who are ready to work and eager to learn!

DOWN-SIZING SALE. Sat., October 3, 8am-12pm. 1584 Deer Run Ct. (River Oaks), Oak Ridge. Equipment, furniture, toys.

Planning a Yard Sale? Place your ad online at

www.nwobserver.com ANTIQUE YARD SALE. Saturday, Oct. 3, 8am-12pm. 8522 Hwy. 65, Stokesdale. Pedal cars and tractors, hobby horses and other antiques. BIG MULTI-FAMILY SALE. Sat., Oct. 3, 7:30am. 145 Millstone Dr., Summerfield. Tools, furniture, décor/art. Wide variety. NEIGHBORHOOD YARD SALE. Saturday, Oct. 3, 7-11am. Grove Park Dr., Oak Ridge. LOCHMERE NEIGHBORHOOD yard sale. Sat., Oct. 3, 7 am-noon. Rain date will be Sun., Oct. 4, 7 am-noon. Strawberry Rd., near Hwy. 150, Summerfield. MULTI-FAMILY YARD SALE. Saturday, Oct. 10, 7am-until. Frog's Leap neighborhood off Hwy. 150, Summerfield. Enter at Dubach Rd. Watch for signs and balloons.

 HOME SERVICES AIR CONDITIONING & HEATING A-ACTION AIR. Will your furnace work this season? Call (336) 382-3750 or (336) 268-6768.

CLEANING CHRISTIAN MOM needs work cleaning houses, running errands. Will ﬁt to your budget. Pet taxi/pet sitting also avail. References. Call Laura Bennett, (336) 231-1838. THE CLEANING TECHNICIAN LLC. With the COVID-19 pandemic, you may be a little overwhelmed. I would like to oﬀer my cleaning services at a discount. Licensed, bonded, and insured. Call Lisa, (336) 207-0770.

The Northwest Observer • Totally The Northwest Observer • Totally locallocal sincesince 19961996

continued on p. 28

OCT.1 1 - 14,2020 2020 OCT. - 14,

27 27

HOME SERVICES

ANNASARAH'S CLEANING. Excellent references. Trustworthy. Family owned business. Free estimates. (336) 543-3941.

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.

ORTIZ LANDSCAPING, complete lawn care. Trimming, cleaning, planting & mulch, gutter cleaning, patios & pavers, waterfalls, retaining walls, sidewalks, stonework. Residential and commercial. (336) 280-8981.

MAID-2- SHINE. Excellent ser vice, 15 years experience. Free estimates, excellent references. (336) 338-0223. PAOLA CLEANING SERVICE. Residential & commercial. Insured. (336) 669-5210. CRYSTAL CLEAR WINDOW CLEANING Gutter cleaning, pressure washing. Fully ins. windowcleaningnc.com (336) 595-2873

DECORATING EXPERIENCED INTERIOR DECORATOR & personal furniture shopper will help you with style, color, shopping & furniture placement. E-mail appeninc@gmail.com or call Ann Appenzeller, (336) 314-1411.

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

Need an electrician? Call BLACKMON ELECTRICAL, INC. Free est. Comm. & res. Licensed & insured. Call (336) 430-5018. Do you have ELECTRICAL NEEDS? Call Coble Electric LLC at (336) 209-1486.

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

GENERAL REPAIR & SERVICES FIX YOUR MOWER! Service and repairs. Spring specials. "We do it right." Free pickup & delivery. Call Rick, (336) 501-8681. OLD SCHOOL HOME REPAIR See display ad on page 22. APPLIANCE REPAIR – Call Mr. Appliance A step above the rest! (336) 609-5707.

28 28

OCT. OCT. 11--14, 14,2020 2020

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. CLOCK DOCTOR. Free house calls for sick clocks. (336) 643-9931 or (336) 392-4124. 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.

GRADING / HAULING NC FORESTRY, MULCHING & LANDWORKS. Triad's top-rated land experts! Forestry clearing, site clearing, drainage installation, driveway installation, etc. Check us out on Facebook and Google, NCForestryMulching.com, or call (336) 362-6181. 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.

Your business should be here! Place your classified ad online at www.nwobserver.com E&W HAULING & GRADING INC. Driveways, fill dirt, demolition, lot clearing, excavating, bobcat work, etc. (336) 451-1282. ANTHONY’S GRADING & HAULING Excavating, land clearing, demolition, dirt, available. Zane Anthony, (336) 362-4035. DTW GRADING & HAULING, INC. Offering complete bobcat services and hauling. Fill dirt, asphalt millings, stone and more. Daniel Wilson, (336) 339-0212.

GAULDIN TRUCKING, grading & hauling, bobcat work, lot clearing, driveways, fill dirt, gravel, etc. (336) 362-1150.

GUTTERS / SIDING / WINDOWS WILSON SEAMLESS GUTTERS, new construction, repairs, replacement, leaf guards. Free estimates. (336) 420-0200.

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

WE’LL BE BACK IN PRINT THURSDAY, OCT. 15 To place a DISPLAY AD in our next issue or a future issue, contact Laura: (336) 644-7035, ext. 11, or advertising@nwobserver.com

To place a CLASSIFIED AD:

SOUTHERN CUTZ LAWN CARE, offering complete lawn maintenance services & bush hogging. Nathan Adkins, (336) 430-6086. COLFAX LAWNCARE. Core aeration & seeding. Fertilizing, mowing, trimming, pine needles. Complete lawn care maintenance. Res./comm. Fully insured. Serving the Triad for 32 years. (336) 362-5860. ALL-SEASON STUMP GRINDING. Owner Alan Winfree. Free est. Call (336) 382-9875. AQUA SYSTEMS IRRIGATION. Quality irrigation systems. NC licensed contractor. We service all systems. Free estimates. (336) 644-1174. 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.nwobserver.com (336) 644-7035, ext. 10 classifieds@nwobserver.com

CAROLINA STUMP & TREE SERVICE Complete tree service, $1 million liability, workman’s comp. Rick & Judy, (336) 643-9332. www.carolinastumpandtreeservices.com.

PECHES LANDSCAPING & LAWNCARE. Tree service, brush cutting & clearing, mulching, landscaping & lawncare, deck, fence and retainer wall building, land clearing, wood chipping and snow removal.. Call John, (336) 451-6941, or call Brad, (336) 453-6180.

GUZMAN LANDSCAPE & MAINTENANCE Pine needles, mulch, leaf removal, tree pruning, complete lawn maint. (336) 655-6490.

EXTERIOR GREENSCAPES. Lawn maintenance service. Call for a free estimate (336) 682-1456. DELIMA LAWNCARE. Commercial & Residential. Free estimates. (336) 669-5210. FAY'S LAWNCARE & LANDSCAPING Complete tree removal & trimming. Storm damage clean-up. Landscaping & hardscaping. Insured. Taylor, (336) 458-6491.

The • Totally local since 1996 TheNorthwest NorthwestObserver Observer • Totally local since 1996

HILL LAWNCARE & OUTDOOR SERVICES. Free est. Call (336) 669-5448. WILSON LANDSCAPING, INC. Lawn maint., landscaping. Irrigation/ landscape contractor. Hardscaping & landscape lighting. 26 years exp. (336) 399-7764. ARBOR MASTERS TREE SERVICE Total tree removal, storm damage cleanup, shrub and tree pruning. Free estimates. Licensed & insured. (336) 643-9157.

The Northwest Observer

Keeping you connected since 1996!

 HOME SERVICES 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. SOUTHERN STYLE concrete & landscapes. How about a new patio or fire pit? We can help with all of your outdoor living and entertainment spaces! Fire pits, driveways & sidewalks, patios and more! Give us a call at (336) 399-6619 for all your concrete and landscape needs. MASONRY CONCEPTS, brick, block, stone concrete & repairs. Free est. (336) 988-1022, www.masonryconceptsgso.com.

MISC. HOME SERVICES/PRODUCTS JUNK & DEBRIS REMOVAL, construction, remodeling, and general cleanup, out buildings, garages, basements, yard waste, etc. Call (336) 706-8470. ON EAGLE'S WINGS residential home design/drafting. Call Patti, (336) 605-0519. WILSON SEPTIC PUMPING & REPAIR. Family owned since 1972. Mention you saw this ad in the NWObserver for a discount. (336) 643-6427.

PAINTING & DRYWALL LAWSON'S PAINTING. Custom decks, pressure washing, boat docks, block ﬁll, wood repair, stain work, textured ceilings, sheetrock repair. Call (336) 253-9089. CARLOS & SON PAINTING. Interior and exterior. 24 hours/7 days a week. Free estimates, licensed/insured. (336) 669-5210. PAINTING INTERIOR & EXTERIOR, 40 yrs. exp. Sheetrock repair. Average BDRM walls $100. Insured. Call Brad Rogers, (336) 314-3186. STILL PERFECTION PAINTING. Reliable, skilled, aﬀordable. Painting, pressure washing, handyman services. Scott Still, (336) 462-3683, stillperfectionpainting.com.

 HOME SERVICES

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

(336) 931-0600

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

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

PRESSURE WASHING CUTTING EDGE PRESSURE WASHING. Aﬀordable, dependable. Please call anytime for free estimate. (336) 706-0103. HOUSE SOFT WASHING, roof soft washing, pressure washing. Check out our 5- star reviews online! Please visit our website, MartinsPressureWashing.com. PRESSURE WASHING, gutter & window cleaning. Fully insured. Crystal Clear, www. windowcleaningnc.com or (336) 595-2873.

Like us on Facebook and keep up with all the northwest-area news! REMODELING / CONSTRUCTION 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.

 HOME SERVICES

NC GENERAL CONTRACTOR with 30 years experience. Specializing in new homes, room additions, kitchens & baths, garages, decks, vinyl siding and windows, painting, tile, laminate and vinyl plank, and remodeling of all kinds. Quality for the right price. Free est. Call (336) 362-7469.

ROOFING

AFFORDABLE HOME REPAIRS. One call ﬁxes all! A+ with BBB. For a free estimate call (336) 643-1184 or (336) 987-0350. 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.

Services TM Construction , INC

BUILDING | RENOVATIONS | ADDITIONS

Outdoor living spaces | Fire pits

(336) 644-8615 office (336) 508-5242 cell Licensed & insured NC Gen. Contractor #72797

JLB REMODELING, INC. Remodeling and additions. Fully insured. NC GC license #69997. Free est. Call (336) 681-2902 or visit www.jlbremodeling.com. ORTIZ REMODELING – Total restoration & home improvement. Drywall, painting, kitchen cabinets, interior trim & more. Free estimates. (336) 280-8981. PREMIER CONSTRUCTION for all your remodeling/renovation needs. (336) 430-9507. AMERICAN BUILDER CONSTRUCTION INC. Repairs & remodeling, kitchens/baths, additions, decks, attics, basements. Licensed & insured. Short wait list. NC General Contractors. (336) 225-7478. BELEWS CREEK CONSTRUCTION. Kitchens/baths, custom decks, garages, dock work, siding, windows, rooﬁng, rotted wood. Sr. disc., 41 yrs. exp. (336) 362-6343.

The Northwest Observer • Totally The Northwest Observer • Totally locallocal sincesince 19961996

PREMIER ROOFING, LOCALLY OWNED. Catering to all your roofing needs. Call (336) 430-9507 for free assessments. BELEWS CREEK CONSTRUCTION. Lifetime shingle and metal roofing. We fi nance. Free Estimates. Since 1979. Please call (336) 362-6343. RED RHINO ROOFING, based in Oak Ridge, NC. Storm damage specialist experienced with all types of roofing. BBB accredited A, and listed with Angie's List. Call (336) 944-6118, or visit redrhinoroofing.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. ROOFING PRO PROFESSIONAL SVCS. Roofing, siding, windows and gutters. $500 discount for first-time buyers. Not valid with any other offers. Call Ray, (336) 419-6245. KEITH SMITH CONSTRUCTION 30 years experience. Residential shingle & metal roofing. Free est. (336) 362-7469.

Your business should be here! Place your classiﬁed ad online at

www.nwobserver.com

 MISC. SERVICES

LOCALLY OWNED & OPERATED

Gated access with 24/7 available here camera surveillance We carry moving & shipping supplies

(336) 643-9963 • 8207 B & G Court, Stokesdale ERRANDS, laundry, mowing, babysitting, doctor appts., cooking, cleaning, etc. $13 per hour. Please call (336) 209-0344.

continued on p. 30

OCT.1 1 - 14,2020 2020 OCT. - 14,

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 MISC. FOR SALE

 REAL ESTATE

PERSIMMON PULP, pudding and more. Call (336) 816-3441.

LAND FOR SALE

ART MOVING SALE! Several Originals under $500. Large giclees, $50-$100. For details visit newlookﬁnishes.com.

 MISC. WANTED

SUMMERFIELD/ROCKINGHAM COUNTY. Small and large tracts available. Gorgeous property. Call (336) 430-9507 anytime. 51 ACRES. Rockingham County, Bethany area. Mostly wooded. (336) 580-2452.

$$$ – WILL PAY CASH for your junk / wrecked vehicle. For quote, call (336) 552-0328.

2 BED, 1 BATH, duplex in Stokesdale. $850/month. For info call (336) 549-0501.

 PETS & ANIMAL SVCS.

NICE 1-LEVEL TOWNHOUSE, convenient Guilford College area, quiet neighborhood. 2BR/2BA. $975 per month. (336) 392-1454.

WENDY COLLINS PET SITTING LLC. Bonded & Insured. Follow us on Facebook. Call or text (336) 339-6845.

AUTUMN RIDGE TOWNHOMES IN OAK RIDGE!

COMING SOON! Summerﬁeld/Greensboro. 14 exclusive one +/- acre homesites. For more information call (336) 430-9507.

FREE PICK-UP of unwanted riding & push mowers, tillers, ATVs, generators, power washers, go-carts, mini-bikes, golf carts, 4-wheelers, etc. (336) 689-4167.

6-YEAR-OLD FEMALE CALICO CAT. Has all shots and has been spayed. Needs indoor home. Owner died. Call (336) 644-6129.

 REAL ESTATE

Open Sunday 2-4 pm

buyshugart.com

Unique Townhomes available in Oak Ridge. Only 5 units left! Don’t miss your chance to be a part of this wonderful community.

Nancy J. Hess

nancy.hess@bhhsyostandlittle.com (336) 215-1820

HOMES FOR RENT

Kim Wilson

kwilson@bhhsyostandlittle.com (336) 662-7805

HOMES FOR SALE NEW CONSTRUCTION IN OAK RIDGE

BEAUTIFUL SUMMERFIELD HOME

8413 Wolf Ridge Trail

nday 2- 4 pm Open House Su

We Help Everyone! SELLERS & BUYERS

Disney Construction in the new Wolf Ridge development. Oak Ridge and NW schools. Open floor plan with 3 bedrooms on main with a suite on second level plus bonus! Office can flex as dining, library or living room. Covered rear porch with fireplace. Ready this Fall.

7900 Hoskins Ridge Drive 4 bedrooms, 4.5 bathrooms 6.14 acres former Parade home $693,000

Nancy J. Hess

(336) 643-4248

nancy.hess@bhhsyostandlittle.com (336) 215-1820

Nancy J. Hess

nancy.hess@bhhsyostandlittle.com (336) 215-1820

www.ANewDawnRealty.com

We’ll be back in print

Thursday, Oct. 15

To place a DISPLAY AD in our next issue or a future issue, contact Laura: (336) 644-7035, ext. 11 | advertising@nwobserver.com

To place a CLASSIFIED AD:

www.nwobserver.com | (336) 644-7035, ext. 10 | classifieds@nwobserver.com

30 30

OCT. OCT. 11--14, 14,2020 2020

The Northwest Observer reaches over 12,000 mailboxes in Summerfield, Oak Ridge and Stokesdale every week. Plus, it’s available for free online and at local restaurants, grocery stores, post offices and more.

We’ll help you reach northwest Guilford County!

 REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

Selling or renting?

The • Totally local since 1996 TheNorthwest NorthwestObserver Observer • Totally local since 1996

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Without their partnership, the Northwest Observer could not be free to you, our readers! ACCOUNTING

Carlotta Lytton, PCA ......................... 22 Kimberly Thacker Accounting............ 22 Samuel K. Anders, CPA, MSA, PC....... 3

AUTOMOTIVE SALES / SERVICE

EuroHaus .......................................... 27 Piedmont Truck Tires Inc. .................... 5 Prestige Car Wash ..............................16 Tire Max ............................................ 23

BUILDING & REMODELING

TM Construction Services .................. 29

CANDIDATES / POLITICAL

Carly Cooke, County Commissioner... 20 Michelle Bardsley, School Board ........ 18 Prosperity Guilford for Carly Cooke ...... 7 Sebastian King, NC State Senate ...... 26 Troy Lawson, County Commissioner .... 8

CHURCH

Central Baptist Church / AWANA....... 25

DANCE / MUSIC / ACTING

Destination Arts..................................16 Moore Music Company ..................... 21

DENTAL SERVICES

Magnolia Shores Family Dental ......... 10 Summerfield Family Dentistry .............. 3

EMPLOYMENT

C & H Cafeteria..................................15 Endura Products ................................ 27

EVENTS

HorseFriends Boots & Buckles ............11 Oak Ridge Fire Dept. BBQ................. 25

GROCERIES / SUPPLIES

Southern Foods ................................... 2

HAIR CARE

Great Clips .........................................17

HOME PRODUCTS & SERVICES

BEK Paint Company .......................... 29 Carpets by Direct ................................14 Eanes Heating & Air ...........................19 New Garden Landscaping & Nursery ..10 Old School Home Repair ................... 22 ProStone, Inc. .....................................12 Stokesdale Heating & Air................... 20 Stokesdale Storage ............................ 29

INSURANCE

Gladwell Insurance .............................15

LEGAL SERVICES

Barbour & Williams Law ...................... 4 Scott Tippett – Hagan Barrett Law .....12

MEDICAL CARE

LeBauer HealthCare............................ 6 Novant – Forsyth Pediatrics ................16 Oak Ridge Physical Therapy ...............17 Wake Forest Baptist Health ............... 24

ORTHODONTIC CARE

Olmsted Orthodontics ........................17 Reynolds Orthodontics ...................... 18

PET SERVICES & PRODUCTS

Bel-Aire Veterinary Hospital ................13 Northwest Animal Hospital .................11

REAL ESTATE

A New Dawn Realty .......................... 30 Nancy Hess, Berkshire Hathaway ...... 30 Nicole Gillespie, RE/MAX .................... 3

RECREATION

The Wright Stuff ................................ 22

RESTAURANTS

Oak Ridge Diner.................................16 Rio Grande Mexican Kitchen..............17

YOUTH SPORTS / CAMPS

Oak Ridge Youth Association ............ 18 YMCA of Greensboro .......................... 8

BASEBALLERS SIGN ...continued from p. 19

said. “We were at least fortunate enough to play four games at the beginning of March, but many teams did not have the opportunity to even play their first game.” Deslauriers and his teammates began last season hoping to build on the successes of the previous year. When their playing time was cut short, the players soon turned their attention to summer travel baseball, which not only kept their skills honed but allowed college coaches to see their abilities. “After the abbreviated school season, I entered the summer baseball season uncommitted with some D1 interests,” Deslauriers said. “I think it (the pandemic and season cancellation) opened up new challenges and with new challenges comes opportunities to grow and develop both on and off the field,” Halford said. “Obviously things will be a little bit different once I step on campus at North Carolina State, but the mentality is the same as it is at Northern – win games. I’m excited to be a part of the winning culture they’ve put together at NC State and would love to make an impact right away.” Newsome admitted the quarantine “was a major obstacle” as well as a disappointment, since he and his teammates had trained so hard for a successful spring season. “Our 2019 season came to an end sooner than we had hoped, but all of our returning players had the motivation they needed to work harder in the off-season to prepare for a stronger 2020 season. Unfortunately, our season came to an abrupt end because of COVID-19, which was tough because we all felt like we had a chance for a deep run in the playoffs.” Newsome said summer baseball helped all of them prepare for this year and beyond. “For me, making my recent commitment to Virginia Military Institute and having my college decision completed allowed me to solely focus on what I can do best to help the team. Fortunately, all of us have been able to continue playing baseball this summer and fall, and we will come back stronger and focus on completing the same goals in 2021 that we had in 2020.” On why he selected VMI, Newsome

The Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996

said he was looking for a school “with the total package.” “I will be attending a school with a rigorous academic reputation to prepare me for life after baseball,” he said. “As far as baseball goes, I am fortunate to be able to continue my college career as a two-way player at the D1 level. Now I just pray we can get back some normalcy and my teammates and I can focus on winning a state championship.” Halford and Deslauriers share that goal. “Knowing we will probably play (next spring) is a great feeling, and also having extra time before the season starts is almost a blessing in disguise,” Halford said. “It gives everyone a chance to grow and improve on the aspects of their game. I think if our team really buys into the process at Northern, then we will be good. We have the pitching to win championships and the offense to complement that. I think we have a real shot at bringing that 3A state title back to Northern come June.” “I’m excited to (potentially) get back into the classroom and on the field,” said Deslauriers, whose recruiting at High Point University was done with the help of technology, by sharing videos with coaches and livestreams of games. “Online school has allowed me to be more productive at home with school work while also giving me time to put in work in the weight room and cages,” he continued, adding that online learning has had its benefits, but he much prefers being in the classroom. “I think I speak on behalf of my classmates when I say we are missing the social interaction and in-person aspects of learning,” he said, adding, “With the upcoming shortened 2021 season, I know all of the guys feel the same way about this year. Everyone knows what we’re capable of. Northern baseball still has unfinished business from last year. We want another conference championship. We want another state championship. “We will be ready whenever the school season returns,” he said. “We all know the next game is not promised and I’m sure that motivating factor will play into the process this spring. Playoffs or no playoffs, we’re going to go out there, give all of our effort, and have some fun in the process.”

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