Northwest Observer / July 21 - Aug. 3, 2022

July 21 - Aug. 3, 2022

bringing the local news home to northwest Guilford County since November1996

IN THIS ISSUE Park alcohol rules approved ...............3 Your Questions .......................................4 Oak Ridge July 7 council meeting.....6 Stokesdale July 14 council meeting...10 NWO Business & Real Estate ...............13

www.nwobserver.com

Dealing with the ‘Great Resignation’ Just as with employers across the country, many in northwestern Guilford County are grappling with a labor shortage that some experts predict may persist for years

by CHRIS BURRITT NW GUILFORD/GREENSBORO – One after another, “hiring” and “help wanted” signs dot U.S. 158 in Stokesdale, illustrating the lingering labor shortage.

New property owner plans to build 4,000-square-foot office building and if feasible, restore historic Moore house on 4.7-acre tract in Oak Ridge. ................14 Business & Real Estate Briefs ...............16 Business Q&A ........................................18 Kids’ Korner ...........................................26 Obituary ................................................27 Community Calendar ....................... 28 Crime/Incident Report ....................... 30 Grins and Gripes ................................. 32 Letters/Opinions .................................. 34 Classifieds ............................................ 35 Index of Advertisers ............................ 38

As COVID-19 eased last year, the economy surged, creating more jobs than employers have been able to fill, even now. Along 1 ½ miles of U.S. 158, seven companies – paving contractor Thomson Arthur, manufacturers Culp Home Fashions and Endura Products, Terminix, Harrell’s Quality Waterproofing, Countryside Village Retirement Community and Dollar General – are looking for help.

Adobe Stock photo

Some experts predict the lingering labor shortage that came to a head when COVID-19 restrictions eased last year may persist for years.

“Even with the signage on the road, I can’t get a person to call,” said Greg Harrell, who started his waterproofing company 34 years ago. “I’ve never seen anything like this. Look across the board. Everybody is looking for help.”

...continued on p. 22

Oak Ridge explores water sources for fi refighting, drinking A study lays out multi-million-dollar options for the town to tap groundwater or buy it from Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Utilities

by CHRIS BURRITT

Going on vacation?

Don’t forget your NWO!........................ 40

Employers in waterproofing, plumbing and other get-your-handsdirty trades struggled to find workers even before the onset of COVID-19 2 ½ years ago. The dearth of workers

OAK RIDGE – Town leaders are examining two primary options to establish a more reliable supply of water that would initially aid firefighters and eventually serve homeowners and businesses.

The options recommended by consultant Wooten Co. envision tapping groundwater in Oak Ridge or piping it into town from Forsyth County. The water would reach fire

hydrants from 30,000-gallon above-ground tanks placed around town or from a 250,000-gallon tank erected behind Oak Ridge Fire Department on Linville Road.

The town is exploring long-term alternatives for water as part of its establishment of a municipal system. The system requires developers of new subdivisions with at least 30 lots to turn over deeds for community wells to the town.

...continued on p. 2

Hardwood Waterproof Laminate Vinyl

Carpet LVT/LVP Area Rugs

336.288.6643

336.288.6643

LOWEST PRICES

PERIOD ALL PET PROTECTION

12

* months

INTEREST-FREE FINANCING *On select products with approved credit.

Cannot be combined with any other offer. See store for details.

Call today and we’reonourway!

Serving North & South Carolina since 1960 Greensboro • Wilmington • Myrtle Beach 336.288.6643 WE COME TO YOU

2837 Battleground Avenue, Greensboro Mon - Fri 8 am - 6 pm • Sat 10 am - 4 pm

carpetsbydirect.com

2

JULY 21 - AUG. 3, 2022

The Northwest Observer

WATER IN OAK RIDGE

investment in its municipal system.

...continued from p. 1

As a later step, installing tanks and lines for fire protection is the first priority of town leaders, who also want to build a system capable of supplying drinking water.

“We have to do what we can afford,” Mayor Ann Schneider told the council during its meeting July 7 after Town Manager Bill Bruce reviewed Wooten’s study. “That’s the balance that we always have, doing what’s right for the town within our means.”

Summerfield leaders are also exploring the establishment of a municipal system that would supply water for firefighting and drinking. Stokesdale has operated its own water system since 2003, after receiving a $3 million state grant three years earlier to address areas within the town that had contaminated water; the town has gradually expanded its water system in the years since.

If Oak Ridge and Summerfield decide to spend on water lines, tanks and hydrants, they plan to rely upon $1.1 million appropriations from the state legislature. In addition, the two towns are waiting to hear whether Guilford County is going to give them a share of its $104 million in federal COVID-19 relief funds.

Summerfield asked the county for $22 million for water projects, while Oak Ridge is seeking nearly $2.8 million. Oak Ridge Town Manager Bill Bruce told the council that staff is also exploring other financial sources.

Even if Oak Ridge were able to secure enough money, Mayor Pro Tem Jim Kinneman cautioned that building a distribution system without adequate demand for water could prove costly for the town. He recommended town leaders consider securing commitments from developers to buy water •asTotally since 1996 part oflocal Oak Ridge’s long-term

“I’m very enthusiastic for municipal water,” Kinneman said, but then added, “If we get the money from alternate sources, we may rush too quickly to put something in that might get minimal use.”

In Oak Ridge, costs for erecting the tank behind the fire station and related work would approach $2.8 million, according to Wooten’s study.

Extending a line to the elevated tank from Kernersville, a connection point for water from Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Utilities, would cost $5.2 million.

Additionally, laying water lines to strategic locations around Oak Ridge would cost $10.8 million, according to Bruce.

Installing above-ground tanks at 11 locations around town would total $500,000 to $600,000 per tank, the manager said.

Councilman George McClellan said buying water from Winston-Salem/ Forsyth Utilities would ensure a more reliable supply than tapping wells.

“The downside is we are talking about a heck of a lot of money here,” McClellan said. “It would have to be done probably in stages.”

After hearing the manager’s presentation earlier this month, the council decided to determine its next steps based upon recommendations of the town’s Water Advisory Committee, which is scheduled to meet Aug. 24 to resume addressing the town’s water needs.

The committee has already reviewed Wooten’s report and plans to get into the “nuts and bolts” of options it will recommend to the council, said Councilman Spencer Sullivan. He serves as the council’s liaison to the committee.

Sullivan said the committee may offer multiple options for the council’s consideration. “It will always be a strategic approach in terms of what’s the best value for the town and will serve our long-term interest best,” he said.

Council approves beer/wine rules for concerts in park The alcohol consumption policy applies to four Music in the Park concerts scheduled for next summer

by CHRIS BURRITT OAK RIDGE – After toughening proposed rules, Oak Ridge Town Council approved a policy to allow consumption of beer and wine at four Music in the Park concerts next summer.

The policy requires that vendors of alcoholic beverages provide town staff with verification of their state alcohol sales permits. It also requires that Oak Ridge hire at least one off-duty sheriff’s deputy to enforce park regulations and “specifically to watch for unruly behavior” and people attempting to take beer and wine away from the amphitheater area designated for drinking.

“You can’t get a beverage and go fishing,” Parks and Recreation Advisory Board (P&RAB) co-chair John Browning told the council during its meeting July 7. “You have to stay within the designated area.”

The council voted unanimously to adopt the policy recommended by the board after adding the requirement that vendors must dispense beer and wine in easily identifiable cups.

Councilman Spencer Sullivan recommended the additional precaution to help deputies identify drinkers. While the board didn’t discuss that requirement, Browning said, “we could implement that.”

The policy also mandates that people who want to drink must provide government-verified identification that they’re 21 years or older. Vendors will issue wrist bands identifying people who can buy and consume alcohol.

 Clarification

“We really didn’t get into how many times you can go back,” Browning said.

“Our hope is that the vendor will recognize if a person has been up there 10 times and has trouble getting to and fro.”

A front-page article in our July 7-20 issue failed to report that Piedmont Triad Airport Authority (PTAA) has approached property owners Chris and Fenna Corry about buying their property in an area targeted for aviation-related economic development.

Browning added that “it would be illegal” for concert goers to bring beer and wine to the events since alcohol isn’t allowed in Town Park, except for four concerts next summer.

PTAA officials have met with the couple numerous times, according to Kevin Baker, the authority’s executive director.

“Attendees shall be limited to purchase two drinks per visit from a vendor,” the policy states.

During public comments, Oak Ridge resident Andy Michels asked whether the town would be legally liable if a concert goer who drank was later involved in a traffic accident. Council members and town staff didn’t answer his question.

Consumption of alcohol will be allowed during four of the six monthly

...continued on p. 5

While PTAA hasn’t made an offer for the couple’s 5.1 acres west of Old Oak Ridge Road, it has offered “to move ahead with the process, and even considered beginning the appraisal process in 2014,” Baker wrote in an email July 8. “But to date, they have declined to move forward.”

Stonefield Cellars

Winery, TasTing room & Vineyard 8220 NC Hwy 68 N, Stokesdale

stonefieldcellars.com • (336) 644-9908

Tasting Room Hours: Thur-Sat Noon-6pm, Sun 1-6pm

Tasting Room Hours:

Garden, patio, & lawn seating year round ● Large variety of wines ● Private party rentals ● No outside alcohol or pets ● Smoke free property

Friday

Thu - Sat 12- 6pm • Sunday 1- 6pm See website for special event hours Flavors Concert Season : June - September, every Friday night 7-9pm 8220atNC 68 N, Stokesdale ● Advance Held rain or shine ● Food truck eachHwy concert ticket purchase recommended

stonefieldcellars.com • (336) 644-9908 For more information and to purchase tickets, visit us online: www.stonefieldcellars.com or facebook.com/StonefieldCellarsWinery The Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996

JULY 21 - AUG. 3, 2022

3

your QUESTIONS www.nwobserver.com /northwestobserver @mynwobserver @northwestobserver

OUR TEAM Patti Stokes, editor/publisher Laura Reneer, marketing manager

File photos/NWO

Kelli Jessup, publisher’s assistant

The historic Martin House (left), built in the 1830s, and the Gordon Hardware building at the intersection of N.C. 150 and Summerfield Road are for sale.

Rene Collins, administrative assistant Yvonne Truhon, graphic designer Leon Stokes, IT director Lucy Smith, finance manager Linda Schatz and Tom McCoy, distribution Chris Burritt, staff writer; Helen Ledford, Lily Pierce and Annette Joyce, contributing writers

HOW TO REACH US email: info • celebrations • photos communitynews • realestatenews calendarevents • grinsandgripes opinions • editor • questions ... @ nwobserver.com phone: (336) 644-7035 fax: (336) 644-7006 office: 1616 NC 68 N, Oak Ridge mail: PO Box 268, Oak Ridge, NC 27310 hours: vary, so please call before dropping by

WANT TO ADVERTISE? Contact us at (336) 644-7035, ext. 11 display: advertising@nwobserver.com classified: classifieds@nwobserver.com Independently owned & published by

4

JULY 21 - AUG. 3, 2022

I read recently that the town of Summerfield is trying to sell the historic Gordon Hardware building for $115,000 and the Martin house for $100,000 with the help of Preservation North Carolina.

How long has the town owned the buildings and how much did it pay for them?

Dee Hall, Summerfield’s finance officer, provided these answers to the reader’s questions: In June 2014, Summerfield purchased what’s known as the Gordon Southern Tract – the hardware building and the 0.3 acres on which it sits – for $66,709.21. That amounts to $41,709.21 for the land and $25,000 for the building, according to Hall.

The purchase of the hardware building was part of a larger transaction that also included the Gordon Northern Tract, consisting of 13.4 acres with a house and barn. The bigger tract was the proposed site for the new town hall until the Town Council halted the project in May. Summerfield paid a total of $399,000 for the combined northern and southern tracts, which are located on either side of N.C. 150 at SummerThe Northwest Observer field Road.

Only the Gordon Hardware building and its 0.3 acres are for sale, Hall said, confirming the town plans to retain ownership of the larger tract.

Summerfield bought the Martin house in December 2015 for $90,761.89 – $46,961.89 for the house and $43,800 for the land, Hall said.

The following year the town contracted to demolish the white frame addition

that was not part of the original 1830s structure, and later, had the floor supports repaired. At one point staff spent considerable time researching companies to restore the windows in the historic house and seeking bids for the work, although that project was put on indefinite hold.

At a March 2018 budget meeting, Whitaker reported the town had spent

Accepting New Patients 4529 Jessup Grove Road, Greensboro (336) 605-0190 • northwestpeds.com

• Totally local since 1996

$36,800.91 on the Martin House for items including initial property condition assessment, lien search, boundary survey, asbestos removal, demolition of room additions, roof flashing, structural/ flooring repairs, insurance and mowing.

After further consideration over the years, Summerfield leaders simply found costs for restoring the two buildings for town use to be more expensive than could be justified. Earlier this year, the council instructed Town Manager Scott Whitaker, Historical Committee

BEER, WINE RULES

"This is advanced hearing healthcare with soul and heart!"

“This is advanced

How We Can Help Pediatric and adult audiological services

Chair Mark Brown and committee member Gary Brown to evaluate ways to find a buyer or buyers willing to preserve the buildings’ historical value while creating new uses for them.

Last month, the council voted unanimously to enter into “options-topurchase” agreements with Preservation North Carolina to market the properties nationally in hopes of selling them.

“The goal is to get the properties into qualified, historically minded hands,” Whitaker told the council in a memo.

How We Can Help "This is advanced Expertise on all levels of How We Can Help "This is advanced hearing healthcare hearing technology and hearing healthcare with Pediatric and adult assistive devices hearing healthcare with audiological services Pediatric and adult soul andsoul heart!" with and heart!” audiological services soul and heart!"

Expertise on all levels of Speciality in Cochlear hearing technology and

Expertise on all levels of assistive devices Implant evaluations, hearing technology and device selection, and assistive devices Specialty in Cochlear programming Implant evaluations,

Speciality in Cochlear device selection, and Implant evaluations, programming device selection, and Tinnitus assessments programming and Tinnitus assessments and individualized counseling individualized counseling Tinnitus assessments and individualized counseling Earwax removal

Earwax removal

Earwax removal Hearing aid repairs

...continued from p. 3

$3,000 per performance. The town currently pays bands $500.

concerts in the Town Park amphitheater, starting the second Saturday in May 2023. The four dates are May 13, June 10, Aug. 12 and Oct. 14.

The alcohol policy is one of three changes to help pay for bigger-name bands estimated to cost $2,500 to

add food trucks in hopes of attracting 529 College Road, Suite B, Greenboro, NC 27410 experts in the Piedmont (336) 295-1867 www.aimhearing.com bigger crowds. The P&RAB and the 529 College Road, Suite B, Greenboro, NC 27410 council plan to evaluate how the new www.aimhearing.com (336) 295-1867 policies work during next summer’s 529 College Road, Suite B, Greenboro, NC 27410 529 College Road, Suite B, Greensboro concerts, and then decide whether they www.aimhearing.com www.aimhearing.com need to be refined.

The Most Trusted Hearing Care aid repairs Hearing aidHearing repairs the Trusted Piedmont Triad Area The in Most Hearing Care Music in Most the Park organizers are alsoExperts The Trusted Hearing Care The most trusted hearing care Experts in the Piedmont Triad Area going to sign up concert sponsors and (336) 295-1867 Experts in the Piedmont Triad Area

(336) 295-1867

9696● 96●S●S S cece1c9e1919 i nicneicn1ec91e991999 SiSniSnin 6 ●6 ●6 ● ●●● SSS 969696

ce 19966 ● ● SSii nnce Sii n nccee 1199 ● 99 6 ● Si nce 19 S 6 Si n ce 19 9996 ● ● 19 996 9

6 ● Si nce 19 1996 ● Si nce 1 96 ce 199 ● Si nce 1996 ● 9 9 ince 1996 6 ●● SSi i nc e Sii in

25 25

Triad area

PLAY FLAG FOOTBALL!

● ●Si●SnicSneicne1c9e19916996●96● ● S S i nicSnicnc 999699696 e 1e 1e 1 e 1e 1e 1 ncncnc

celebrating celebrating celebrating25 25 25years years years ofofof covering covering covering northwest northwest northwest Guilford Guilford Guilford County’s County’s County’s local local local matters matters matters

THERE’S A LEAGUE FOR YOU

NFFLEAGUES.COM www. www. www. nwobserver nwobserver nwobserver .com .com .com

The Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996

JULY 21 - AUG. 3, 2022

5

OAK RIDGE town council

WHAT they voted on, and HOW they voted:

July 7 / MEETING HIGHLIGHTS

Mayor Ann Schneider, Mayor Pro Tem Jim Kinneman and council members George McClellan, Martha Pittman and Spencer Sullivan voted on the following items during the council’s July 7 meeting…

as reported by CHRIS BURRITT

 5  0: Approve four financial items with a single vote  5  0: Approve a permanent deed of conservation easement on

Bandera Farms Park

 5  0: Reappoint John Browning and Mike Kimel to the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board

 5  0: Unseal closed session minutes from council meetings on July 1 and July 22, 2021

 5  0: Declare as surplus two pieces of Parks and Recreation Department equipment

Photo by Chris Burritt/NWO

 5  0: Approve a policy to allow consumption of beer and wine at four Music in the Park concerts next summer Canine Capers Committee member Annette Joyce (bottom row, center), presents $629.60 checks to representatives of several animal rescue groups at the July 7 Oak Ridge Town Council meeting. The checks represented proceeds from the eighth annual Canine Capers event held in Oak Ridge Town Park on April 30.

OAK RIDGE – Mayor Ann Schneider called the regular monthly meeting in Town Hall to order, with Mayor Pro Tem Jim Kinneman and council members George McClellan, Martha Pittman and Spencer Sullivan present.

Oak Ridge resident Patti Dmuchowski offered the invocation,

which was followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.

PRESENTATION Canine Capers gifts. Canine Capers Committee member Annette Joyce presented checks in the amount of $629.60 to five animal rescue

Samuel K. Anders, CPA, MSA, PC 32 Years Experience

Individual, Corporate, Partnership & Payroll Tax Electronic Tax Filing  Estate Planning  Bookkeeping & Compilations

Oak Ridge Business Center

8004 Linville Rd, Suite G, Oak Ridge

(336) 643-7577 or 1-800-467-8299 info@samanderscpa.com

6

JULY 21 - AUG. 3, 2022

www.samanderscpa.com

The Northwest Observer

 5  0: Approve a $16,809 contract for Greensboro-based Audio & Light to update the sound system in the council chambers  5  0: Approve a $1,948 budget adjustment recommended by the town’s finance officer  5  0: Increase Town Manager Bill Bruce’s annual salary by 7.4% to $98,000

groups – SPCA of the Triad, Susie’s Hope, Red Dog Farm, Ruff Love Rescue and North Star Bloodhounds. The checks represented proceeds from the eighth annual Canine Capers event held in Oak Ridge Town Park on April 30.

PUBLIC SAFETY Sheriff’s Office. Detective Sgt. R.D. Seals reported the sheriff’s District 1 office responded to 192 calls in Oak Ridge in June. Thefts from vehicles in area parks remain a problem, with break-ins recently reported at the Cascades Preserve in Oak Ridge and Triad Park in Kernersville. No thefts were reported last month at Oak Ridge Town Park, according to Seals.

The sheriff’s office distributed photos of three suspects involved in two of the incidents that occurred locally (the photos can be found on the Northwest Observer’s Facebook page).

Detectives are seeking information about the breaking and entering of a •vehicle Totally since 1996 in local northwestern Guilford County

on June 25 in which financial cards were stolen. Later the same day, two suspects reportedly attempted to use the cards to make purchases at a store on Skeet Club Road in High Point.

Detectives are also seeking to identify a white male who was involved in a shoplifting incident in Oak Ridge on June 25.

The sheriff’s department is asking for anyone with information about the incidents to call Crime Stoppers at (336) 373-1000.

Oak Ridge Fire Department. Firefighter Chris Golds reported the department handled 51 fire-related calls and 48 EMS-related calls in June; firefighters obtained 417 hours of training.

On a safety note, Golds encouraged people to drink plenty of water to stay hydrated during hot weather.

MANAGER’S REPORT Financial items

 5  0 to approve four financial

...continued on p. 8

Why wait until October to enroll?

Source: Medicare.gov

There’s a great 5-star Medicare Advantage Plan in your area! Use this Special Enrollment Period to switch from your current plan. Based in Greensboro, our plans offer zero-cost Premiums, Copays and Prescriptions. You’ll also get valuable benefits like Dental, Vision and Hearing. Best of all, you’ll have a Personal Healthcare Concierge to call for answers and advice. Our 5-Star plan is the perfect combination of great coverage and easy affordability, so call to enroll today!

Your home team, Your health team...

MEDICARE ADVANTAGE PLANS

Call toll-free 866-994-4116 (TTY:711) 8am-8pm, Monday-Friday

HealthTeamAdvantage.com HealthTeam Advantage, a product of Care N’ Care Insurance Company of North Carolina, Inc., is a PPO and HMO Medicare Advantage plan with a Medicare contract. Enrollment in HealthTeam Advantage depends on contract renewal. H9808_22_47_M

OAK RIDGE TOWN COUNCIL ...continued from p. 6 items with a single vote: •Establish a restricted fund to support the town’s Conserving Oak Ridge through Easements (CORE) grant program. The council also allocated $20,000 for the new program.

•Match funds totaling $4,560 raised by the Special Events Committee in the quarter ended June 30 for development of the Veterans Honor Green.

•Match another $19,112.87 in funds raised by the committee for the veterans’ site in the fiscal year that ended June 30. That amount exceeded the $34,000 in matching funds budgeted by the council last year. As a result, the council agreed to pay last year’s unmet match during the new fiscal year.

•The two above matches, which total $23,672.87, bring the veterans memorial restricted fund to $123,844.74, Town Clerk Sandra Smith told the council in a July 1 memo. The project is estimated to cost $194,000.

8

JULY 21 - AUG. 3, 2022

•Un-restrict $2,900 in the town’s historic heritage grants fund and move the money to the general fund.

The money covered three expenses approved by the Historic Preservation Commission last fiscal year, which were: $700 for restoring a retaining wall at the Old Mill of Guilford on N.C. 68; $2,000 to shore up the foundation of the H.C. Gardner house on N.C. 150; and a $200 honorarium to preservation experts on the grants review panel.

Bandera Farms easement

 5  0 to approve a perma-

nent deed of conservation easement on Bandera Farms Park, replacing a temporary deed in place since Piedmont Land Conservancy (PLC) acquired the property in December 2020.

As a condition of Oak Ridge’s contribution of $41,250 toward the purchase of the 115-acre tract on Bunch Road and Interstate 73, the council required

The Northwest Observer

that it be granted a permanent interest in the property.

Earlier this month, the council approved the permanent deed as PLC prepared to transfer ownership of the property to the town of Summerfield, where the land is located.

The permanent deed gives Oak Ridge and PLC the ability to enforce conservation easement provisions. That, in turn, “will assure the Bandera Farms property is used in accordance with the town’s investment and will remain an open space preserve with equestrian and hiking trails” with limited infrastructure supporting these uses, Town Manager Bill Bruce told the council in a July 1 memo.

Council members have expressed a reluctance to impose civil penalties against Jones.

Board reappointments

Water study. Bruce reviewed a report by consultant Wooten Co. proposing ways for Oak Ridge to run water lines to aid firefighters and eventually supply homeowners with drinking water. (See related article on front cover.)

 5  0 to reappoint John Browning and Mike Kimel to the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board.

Unsealing of minutes

 5  0 to unseal closed session

minutes of council meetings on July 1 and July 22, 2021.

Code enforcement. Town Attorney Michael Thomas updated the council on legal efforts requiring property owner Ricky Wayne Jones to bring his property at 8346 and 8364 West Harrell Road into compliance with town ordinances.

Last October, the council authorized Thomas to start legal proceedings against Jones for storing unlicensed vehicles on his two parcels totaling nearly 30 acres. While “there have been assertions from the owner that he is removing non-conforming material from the site,” Thomas said, the steps haven’t brought the property into compliance with town regulations.

Civil penalties total $500 per tract of land per day, or $1,000 a day for Jones’ two parcels, according to Town Manager Bill Bruce. Penalties began accumulating last August, pushing the total over $300,000, he said.

Civil penalties are intended “to get people’s attention and to get them to do something,” Thomas said. “Our object is to get enforcement of our •development Totally local since 1996 ordinance standards first.”

“We are trying to make it very, very clear: this is not a way for us to generate revenue,” Mayor Pro Tem Kinneman said.

If Jones were required to pay civil penalties, 90% would go to the Guilford County Board of Education, with the town keeping 10% to cover legal and administrative costs, according to Thomas.

One option would rely upon groundwater to fill above-ground tanks in various locations around town. Lines from the tanks would connect to fire hydrants, according to the study.

The second option would bring water to Oak Ridge from WinstonSalem/Forsyth County Utilities. A line would run along N.C. 150 from Kernersville to an elevated water tank behind the Oak Ridge Fire Department on Linville Road, the study said. From there, it would be distributed along primary corridors in town.

Heritage Farm Park update. Bruce said that after earlier drilling for a sufficient source of water proved unsuccessful, a contractor has located water at Heritage Farm Park that’s probably adequate to supply bathrooms and irrigation for athletic fields.

“We finally hit a location with a productive flow,” the town manager said.

A 24-hour water drawdown test by Guilford County environmental health regulators will determine whether the groundwater at the park site produces a sustainable flow and doesn’t negatively impact neighboring wells, according to Bruce.

If the town is cleared to use the well, he said, staff will proceed to finalize park construction drawings. As inflation has pushed construction costs higher, the council will revisit borrowing options to help pay for development of the park.

The council appropriated $3.66 million for the park in the budget for the fiscal year that started July 1.

Surplus equipment

 5  0 to declare as surplus two

pieces of equipment – a Gravely 472 zero-turn mower and a Toro SandPro 3040 field groomer. The machines are scheduled for replacement by the Parks and Recreation Department.

Website upgrade. Town Clerk Sandra Smith unveiled Oak Ridge’s upgraded website, saying the aim of the new design is to make information “a lot more logical and a lot easier to find.”

She urged users to contact town staff to report any glitches and provide feedback about the new website.

A series of photographs of Oak Ridge historic landmarks, popular destinations and scenic views roll across the homepage. Icons and drop-down menus direct users to information such as the calendar of upcoming events and council and staff contacts.

Photographs also highlight links to Music in the Park and other events, town news, strategic planning and other initiatives.

During public comments later in the meeting, Randy Collins said he was impressed by the new website. Viewing it “made me proud to be a citizen of Oak Ridge,” he said.

NEW BUSINESS

Music in the Park alcohol policy

 5  0 to approve a policy to

allow consumption of beer and wine at four Music in the Park concerts next summer. (See News Briefs in this issue.)

Among various restrictions, the policy requires that vendors of alcoholic beverages provide town staff with verification of their state alcohol sales permits. It also requires the town hire at least one off-duty sheriff’s deputy to enforce park regulations

and “specifically to watch for unruly behavior.”

New sound system

 5  0 to approve a $16,809

contract with Greensboro-based Audio & Light Inc. to update the sound system in the council chambers.

The upgrades are designed to enhance the quality of communications during council and other meetings at Town Hall. Council members have occasionally complained about their inability to hear others speaking since the 2020 expenditure of $16,275 to buy a system for recording and livestreaming public meetings in Town Hall.

FINANCIAL UPDATE  5  0 to approve a budget adjustment recommended by finance officer Sam Anders in the amount of $1,948 to bring the town’s spending plan into balance as of June 30, the end of last fiscal year.

COMMUNITY UPDATES Mountains-to-Sea Trail Committee.

Council member Martha Pittman reported that Bill and Pam Lemmons donated money to pay for new informational signs at the Linville Road and Goodwill Church Road parking lots, as well as directional signs along the MST. Conservation Easement Committee.

Chair Stephanie Farrell reported the committee finalized a letter to introduce property owners to the town’s CORE (Conserving Oak Ridge through Easements) initiative.

live the life you dream of

The committee is contacting people who may want to seek open-space easements for their historic structures and property.

This is what life is supposed to feel like. When you aren’t held back. When you have a health partner that doesn’t just treat part of you, they care for all of you.

Offering the best care, for a more full life.

Special Events Committee. Chair Patti Dmuchowski reported sales of engraved pavers for the Veterans Honor Green are “going very well,” as part of raising funds for the veterans’ site in Heritage Park.

The committee has begun planning for Oak Ridge’s 25th anniversary next year, Dmuchowski said.

Parks and Recreation Advisory Board.

Co-chair John Browning reported the

Pub: Northwest Observer

The Northwest Observer localxsince Size: 4.86” 9.5” 1996 ...continued on p. 34 • Totally Insert: 7/21/22

Client: Atrium Health

JULY 21 -ATRB-11605 AUG. 3, 2022 Job No:

9

Title: Live For Every Moment

STOKESDALE town council

July 14 / MEETING HIGHLIGHTS as reported by PATTI STOKES Mayor Mike Crawford called the monthly meeting to order at 7 p.m. and led with the Pledge of Allegiance; Councilman Tim Jones gave the opening prayer, with Mayor Pro Tem Derek Foy, council members Jim Rigsbee and Jimmy Landreth, the town attorney, clerk, finance officer, planner and about 20 citizens also in attendance.

Foy introduced Robbie Wagoner, who was in the audience, as the new full-time deputy clerk and said he would begin employment with the town Monday, July 18. Wagoner, who was born and raised in Germanton, North Carolina, brings a “good basis of municipal experience” with much potential to grow, Foy said. The council hopes Wagoner will advance to the town clerk’s position when Dale Martin retires next year.

The meeting agenda was approved after adding two agenda items requested by Jones.

50

(in three separate votes) to adopt minutes from the May 5 budget workshop, May 12 regular council meeting and June 28 open and closed session meetings.

PUBLIC SAFETY

Chief Todd Gauldin reported Stokesdale Fire Department responded to 108 calls in June; 63 were medical-related, 14 were fire-related and 31 were “other.”

On a safety note, Gauldin urged residents to close their bedroom doors at night, saying 50% of fire-related deaths in homes occur between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m., and temperatures from fires can go from 1,000 to 100 degrees

Peace of mind all summer Tested for even the hottest days

7101 US 158, Stokesdale NEW SYSTEM INSTALLATION • SERVICE • REPAIR

Ask about special financing

Subject to credit approval, see store for details

10

JULY 21 - AUG. 3, 2022

The Northwest Observer

when a door is closed.

Gauldin also noted that fires in homes grow seven times faster now than in previous years due to modern fabrics and building materials.

“Forty years ago, you had 17 minutes to escape a home fire; today, that’s down to three minutes,” Gauldin said.

The fire department will hold its annual meeting Tuesday, July 26, 7:30 p.m. at the station in downtown Stokesdale. More info: www.stokesdalefire.com.

In response to a Friends of Stokesdale (FOS) member’s request last month for a public correction, Gauldin said after researching meeting notes he confirmed it was not someone speaking as a FOS representative who made a presentation about placing a town clock on the department’s front lawn, rather someone speaking as an individual.

ADMINISTRATIVE

Dale Martin reported that eight water meters were sold in June, 640 water customers were invoiced, there were 68 requests for 811 service (“call before you dig”), 50 new water meters placed on hold for developers and the annual Consumer Confidence Report was submitted.

Martin also noted that N.C. demography information was recently released (according to the state’s Office of Budget and Management, Stokesdale’s estimated population based on the July 1, 2020 certified census figures – the latest available – is 5,935).

Gov. Roy Cooper is expected to end the State of Emergency issued during the pandemic, effective Aug. 15, which may mean changes to remote meeting participation.

The Town of Kernersville will deliver a large vault it is donating to Stokesdale on Sept. 9; the vault will be used for record storage.

Foy said GFL’s transition to being the town’s waste and recycling service provider as of July 1 has gone smoothly, but Republic’s “asset retrieval” – i.e., collecting •the Totally localwaste since company’s and1996 recycling carts

– has not gone as smoothly. Republic requested customers leave their carts out on June 29 and hoped to retrieve 98 to 100% of them that day.

“That process has taken nearly two weeks,” Foy said, and it is still not complete. After communicating with Republic’s regional general manager, Foy said it appeared the company was “under-sourced.”

“It’s been frustrating,” he said. “This has not gone smoothly. But, we are looking forward to a new beginning with GFL.” Regarding the abandoned Coke machine at the concession stand in the park, which has been discussed at several council meetings, Jones said he carried out council’s orders last month and the machine is now unplugged and covered, although no one from the Coca-Cola company has retrieved it.

FINANCIALS

Finance officer Kim Thacker presented monthly finance reports for the general fund, which has $3.28 million in total assets, and the water enterprise account, which has $1.87 million in total assets.

Actual income in the general fund for the fiscal year ended June 30 is $95,907 lower than projected for the fiscal year, but that income does not include a fourth quarter receipt of utility franchise taxes expected to arrive within the next several weeks.

50

for Thacker to compile a list of four accounting firms eligible to conduct the town’s annual audit.

CITIZEN COMMENTS  Summerfield resident Cheri Pikett said she has read seven books which do not belong in elementary and middle school libraries. The books “are not well-written, but similar,” she said, noting that three books in Northwest Middle School’s library describe the main character as a 10- to 12-year-old child with a big dilemma.

“The plot is the child’s unhappiness or confusion; the parents are not consulted, and they wouldn’t know what to do anyway,” Pikett said. “The child looks for answers with friends at school or adults who the author has added are a part of the LGBTQ community.

“In conclusion, the child either decides they are gay, or wants to become the opposite sex or is bisexual, Pikett said. “And then everyone lives happily ever after.”

She expressed concern that social emotional learning, which is part of Guilford County Schools’ curriculum, has evolved into mental health services.

PUBLIC HEARING Rezoning Case 22-04-STPL-02908.

Oliver Bass with Guilford County Planning Dept. presented a request to rezone 12.25 acres at 7808 U.S. 158,

gems in

just west of the Athens Road intersection, from AG to RS-30.

Although the request is inconsistent with the recommendation of the Stokesdale Future Land Use Plan, which designates the area primarily be used for office space and manufacturing services, Bass said planning staff recommends approval; after holding a public hearing for the request on July 11, the town’s Planning Board voted unanimously to recommend approval.

PROPONENTS

 Representing the Timmons Group, engineer Richard Ringler said his com-

pany considered various uses for the property, including light manufacturing, before deciding developing it for residential use would have the least impact on neighboring property owners.

“You all do realize it’s in the path of the 158 Bypass? Right down the middle of the property?” Councilman Jimmy Landreth asked.

“That’s outside of my responsibility,” Ringler responded.

Councilman Jones then asked town attorney Tom Medlin if the town had any responsibility to homeowners if houses are built in the path of the

bypass and Medlin said no.

With no one speaking in opposition to the request, council then engaged in discussion about who would be responsible for informing homebuyers of the future bypass slated to intersect with this property.

“What I don’t like about this is if there’s a possibility people would build houses there and be surprised by the bypass …” Landreth said.

Mayor Pro Tem Derek Foy then motioned to deny the rezoning request, saying it would not serve the public interest, based on a planned highway expansion.

...continued on p. 12

downtown Stokesdale

Trust. Compassion. Respect.

Proudly serving generations of families in northwest Guilford County and beyond for over 75 years.

Stokesdale

8320 US Highway 158 | (336) 643-3711

Greensboro

1118 N Elm Street | (336) 275-8408 5926 W Friendly Ave | (336) 299-9171

Locally owned and operated • forbisanddick.com After our 26,000 readers see your ad,

business will be sizzling!

Let us help you advertise your downtown Stokesdale business direct-mailed to

12,400+ homes

1,500 copies

online 24/7

free pickup

15,150+

followers

Accounting & Tax Accounting Bookkeeping Payroll Tax Preparation Notary Public Copy Center

Anne M. Garner, EA 8304-C Hwy 158, Stokesdale (336) 441-8325 • annegarner605@gmail.com

At A New Dawn Realty, our team is passionate about serving the needs of our local community. We strive to offer top-notch service and have always been willing to go the extra mile to achieve our clients’ best interests.

Our team combines exceptional energy and experience, and you’ll feel confident you made the right decision if you allow us to assist you! Visit our website or Facebook page to view our clients’ testimonials.

A New Dawn Realty Tea m !

(336) 643-4248

Contact Laura to start your targeted ad campaign

8500 Ellisboro Road, Suite B, Stokesdale

(336) 644-7035, ext. 11 | advertising@nwobserver.com

www.ANewDawnRealty.com

STOKESDALE TOWN COUNCIL ...continued from p. 11 “This is the only outlet where this bypass could go. I would hate that for a citizen,” Foy said.

Councilman Jim Rigsbee said he agreed with Foy’s intentions, but “I’m just not sure it is this town’s obligation to play the overseer for this right now.

There are too many unknowns at this time (about the bypass project).”

“Yes, it’s not on the priority list and it’s not funded yet, but that could change at any point in time,” Foy responded. “The bypass project is still in the plan; Stokesdale is only growing and DOT acknowledges that.”

Jones said he found it difficult to know what to do, since the project hasn’t been approved or funded yet, and the town has no control over “Where NCDOT builds this highway, when, or if.”

“I’ve got a monkey on both shoulders,” Landreth said, emphasizing he normally supports property owners’ rights and didn’t want to tie someone’s property up.

Mayor Crawford, who said he was a Realtor, told council members it would be incumbent upon the Realtor to make sure buyers were informed of NCDOT’s plan to eventually build a bypass through their neighborhood.

14

in favor of Foy’s motion to deny the rezoning (Foy voted aye).

folks know … it wouldn’t be right for people to build houses there and then find out there is going to be a bypass there,” Landreth told Ringler.

NEW BUSINESS Pressure valve work. Jones said the pressure valve work completed last month by Underwood & Company encountered a “hiccup” that cost the town nearly $1,500 more. After Jones contacted the company, the town was offered a $500 credit.

50

to accept the $500 credit from Underwood & Company.

 5  0 to approve encroachment

agreements with NCDOT and Angel Farm Development for the Blacksmith subdivision, pending the attorney’s review.

50

(two separate votes) to appoint Deanna Ragan and T. Stephenson to serve on the Town Park Improvement Committee along with council members Foy and Landreth.

Referencing a citizen survey conducted a few years ago, Foy said an amphitheater was high on the wish list for park improvements. After he and Landreth recently met with a landscape architect, Lori Hawkins, to discuss the design and best spot for an amphitheater within the park, they agreed on a location along a tree line at the back of the park.

of the project.

“How can I vote intelligently if we don’t have a target?” he asked.

Landreth said there would be ample opportunities for council input before funds for constructing an amphitheater were allocated.

50

to approve Foy’s motion.

Friday Town Hall hours. Council discussed the benefits of closing Town Hall to citizens on Fridays to allow staff an opportunity to work without interruptions.

Jones motioned to close Town Hall all day on Fridays, effective Aug. 5, and put a notice on the front door to inform citizens.

32

to approve Jones’ motion, noting Fridays wouldn’t be a day off for staff, rather for them to catch up on their work. Rigsbee and Crawford voted against the motion, with Rigsbee saying he would have favored closing Town Hall half a day, but not the entire day

Visitors’ log. Landreth said visitors to Town Hall shouldn’t be required to sign a visitors’ log, and then motioned to remove the visitors’ log at the front desk.

41

to approve Landreth’s motion (Crawford voted nay).

50

to approve Rigsbee’s motion to keep a log of visitors accessing the administrative area of Town Hall where records are kept.

Meeting minutes. Jones said staff shouldn’t be writing long, narrative council  4  1 to approve the rezoning In response to Foy’s motion to meeting minutes, rather they should be request and amend the Land Use Plan accept a proposal from Hawkins Landas brief as possible while conforming to to allow residential in the manufacturing/ scape Architecture for $2,010 to design N.C. general statute requirements. professional corridor (Foy voted nay). an amphitheater, Jones expressed “Mainly, we need a record of what “I hope you’ll tell your client to let concerns about not knowing the scope was done at the meeting, not what was said by members,” he said.

Loving care for pets Landreth questioned whether the ANIMAL HOSPITAL town should “get out of the minuteand their families (336) 643-8984 writing business” and instead use recorded meetings as the official record.

Town attorney Tom Medlin said the Full-service medicine, surgery and dentistry council is required to, at the minimum, Surgical and therapeutic laser record the actions taken in meetings.

Wendy Camp, DVM FOS documents. Jones asked if Friends 1692-J NC Hwy 68 N, Oak Ridge • (336) 643-8984 of Stokesdale (FOS) had submitted paid www.nw-animal-hospital.com invoices and canceled checks for all public monies the town of Stokesdale has provided to the nonprofit, as requested at 12 JULY 21 - AUG. 3, 2022 The Northwest Observer •last Totally local sinceHe1996 month’s meeting. was told no.

NORTHWEST

After Medlin said a formal letter asking for the documents would be the next step, Jones then motioned for the attorney to draft a letter requesting the documents and send it via certified mail.

During council discussion, Jones said the town had been involved in two transactions with FOS – the town clock at the fire station and a mural on the west side of a downtown building. After receiving permission to respond, FOS member Eileen Thiery said the town clock was not paid for by the town, rather with leftover funds from a downtown improvement grant from the state and a private citizen’s donation.

Foy said he didn’t believe FOS was a registered nonprofit when the town donated $4,636 for a mural the group commissioned.

“The money was disbursed to a group of driven, caring citizens,” he said, arguing the statute didn’t apply in this case.

“The key is that public funds must be put to public use,” Medlin noted.

When Jones continued to press the issue, Rigsbee asked him, “What is your end game? Do we feel something nefarious was done?” To that, Jones responded, “This was public money.”

Joe Thacker, FOS president, then asked to address the council and said he had learned about the recent request for documentation from reading about it in the Northwest Observer, and then, the day before this meeting, learned the item was on the agenda for discussion.

“Why are you all asking for our records?” Thacker asked. “We did find out about the request, but not a reason for it. I don’t think it would be in our interest to let you have our records.”

Thacker added that Jones had completed a membership form last November to join FOS but had not attended any meetings, which he found curious.

After further discussion, Foy explained the town received a letter in February from Bethany Davenport with N.C. Dept. of Commerce’s Rural Grant Program requesting supporting documentation for how the town had spent its downtown improvement grant.

“These are public funds,” Jones insisted.

...continued on p. 39

16 Rezoning sought for Quonset hut property

Photo courtesy of Lisa Waynick

This ornate wrought-iron fence and gate on N.C. 150 in Summerfield guard the entrance to a vacant Quonset hut that was once a roller rink known as the “Green Door.” The property owner has requested the town rezone 2.8 acres on which the hut stands from LB (limited business) to BN (generalpurpose business), which would allow for a broader variety of potential uses.

aims for 14 Owner preservation in

Oak Ridge project

16 County’s Planning Board

recommends denying rezoning request

Q&A 18 Business Will there be an

urgent care facility in downtown Stokesdale?

rezoning sought 18 Multifamily for Pleasant Ridge Road

Owner aims for preservation in Oak Ridge project Sam Anders said he wants to restore the historic Moore house and two other structures – if they can be salvaged

by CHRIS BURRITT OAK RIDGE – As an accountant, Oak Ridge’s Sam Anders pays attention to details in the preparation of tax returns.

He’s now applying that same scrutiny to the redevelopment of nearly 4.7 acres at N.C. 150 and Linville Road.

Photo by Patti Stokes/NWO

The historic Moore house, which dates back to the 1800s, rests on a nearly 4.7-acre tract at the corner of N.C. 150 and Linville Road in Oak Ridge. The property was recently purchased by Oak Ridge accountant Sam Anders, who also serves as the town’s finance officer and assistant fire chief.

Anders, who bought the property for $490,000 last month, has hired engineers to determine the location of septic and water lines and the structural integrity of three buildings, including the historic Moore house. It sits vacant, with siding covering the original log house, which dates back to the 1800s.

Even as Anders digs into the nittygritty details, he is already dreaming, letting his imagination shape his plans for the property catty-cornered from Oak Ridge Elementary School.

Anders, who serves as Oak Ridge’s finance officer and as an assistant chief with Oak Ridge Fire Department, intends to build a single-level, approximately 4,000-square-foot office for his accounting practice. If the structures can be salvaged, he plans to refurbish the Moore house and two adjacent buildings on N.C. 150 – a former gasoline station (now leased by L&T Small Engine Service) and a two-story brick building that once housed a grocery store.

“We’re in a discovery mode, trying to quantify the condition of the buildings and whether they can be reused,” Anders said in an interview last week.

He described the Moore house as

Barbour & Williams Law 8004 Linville Road, Suite E-3, Oak Ridge

(336) 643-4623

barbourwilliams.com

Every person is different. Every cancer is different, too. That’s why our experienced experts customize treatments for you to get the best results. It’s what makes us the region’s top-rated cancer program and the only one to be recognized by the National Cancer Institute for highest standards in cancer research and patient care.

Find cancer care that cares for and about you at WakeHealth.edu/CancerCare.

NCI Designated Comprehensive Cancer Center

14

• Probate & Estate Administration • Estate Planning (Wills & Trusts)

The National Cancer Institute officially designates select cancer centers in America as “Comprehensive” for meeting the highest possible standards.

Pub: Northwest Observer (summer field) JULY Size: 4.86” x 4.5”21 - AUG. 3, 2022 Insert: 7/21/22

Client: Atrium Northwest Observer JobThe No: ATRW-12115 Title: Expertly Tailored for You

• Trust Administration • Corporate Work • Real Estate Matters

Tracy Williams, attorney • Totally local since 1996

“sacrosanct as a contributing property in the historic district.”

If the project goes as Anders hopes, construction of the office building would start as soon as next spring. The building would be finished by the end of 2023, enabling Anders and his staff to move into the new space by the start of the next tax season.

In keeping with Oak Ridge’s history, Anders said he envisions the new office “looking like a craftsman-style house that has been converted into an office, rather than an office masquerading as a house. We want it to be more like a home.”

Due to sewage capacity limitations, Anders said he doubts the Moore house or the former grocery store could serve as residences again.

He envisions both as retail, office or meeting spaces.

Anders said he’s talking to the owners of L&T Small Engine Service about future use of the former service station building they have been leasing.

Renovation of the three structures is going to take several years, he added.

Anders and his parents, Kyle and Phyllis, are well known in Oak Ridge where for decades they’ve served on committees and volunteered for community activities. After Anders revealed his plans during the Town Council’s meeting earlier this month, a Northwest Observer Facebook post about the project spurred dozens of posts praising Anders and his efforts.

Numerous posts came from Oak Ridge residents who, like Anders, remembered buying candy and soda from W.D. Grocery, the former occupant of the brick building that now contains a vacant storefront and two apartments upstairs.

Anders said he’s most concerned about the structural integrity of that

building because of widespread water damage from a leaky roof.

“The back of the building is essentially broken,” he said.

If the engineering evaluation concludes the building can’t be salvaged, Anders said he would reuse its bricks elsewhere in his project.

Both L&T’s building and the Moore house are dry inside, but they suffer from years of deferred maintenance, according to Anders. He added he didn’t find evidence of living termites in the Moore house, although an earlier renovation came to a halt due to damage by the insects.

Anders said he bought the tract from Dana Sigmon and the estate of her deceased brother, Billy Newman.

A barn where Newman stored old cars The opportunities this world presents are still stands on the property. boundless. Your financial plan can be, too.

In January, Anders and business partner Larry Callahan sold the office building they owned behind the BojanWhat can you do with your life? Anything you want. If you have the right gles restaurant at N.C. 68 and Linville plan … and a financial partner that knows how to turn plans into reality.

Road. Anders’ accounting practice has occupied a portion of the second floor Like First Citizens Wealth Management. We’re part of America’s largest since 2000. family-controlled financial company. And we bring a long-term perspective As the practice has grown, Anders to helping people understand what they want from their future – and how said he has been looking for more to get it. First Citizens Wealth Management. Forever First. space. His company will be the only tenant in the building he is planning firstcitizens.com/wealth for the new location.

Over the next few months, Anders intends to hire contractors to prune trees and clear the property of brush and bamboo. The cleanup will enable engineers to locate utilities including INVESTMENTS | INSURANCE | RETIREMENT the well and septic fields and, in turn, help determine the location of the Your investments in securities, annuities and insurance are not insured by the FDIC or any other federal government agency and may lose value. They are not a deposit or other obligation of, or guaranteed by any bank or bank affiliate office building. and are subject to investment risks, including possible loss of the principal amount invested. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

Determining “a location for the First Citizens Wealth Management is a registered trademark of First Citizens BancShares, Inc. First Citizens Wealth construction of a new office building Management products and services are offered by First-Citizens Bank & Trust Company, Member FDIC; First Citizens on the land will be one of the goals of Investor Services, Inc., Member FINRA/SIPC, an SEC-registered broker-dealer and investment advisor; and First the evaluations,” Anders told the Town Citizens Asset Management, Inc., an SEC-registered investment advisor.

Brokerage and investment advisory services are offered through First Citizens Investor Services, Inc., Member FINRA/ Council July 7.

SIPC. First Citizens Asset Management, Inc. provides investment advisory services.

The property “has a long, very Bank deposit products are offered by First Citizens Bank, Member FDIC. storied career in commerce or business (or) however you want to phrase it,” he said. “I’m hoping this will be the next The Northwest JULY 21 - AUG. 3, 2022 15 new and better chapter.” Observer • Totally local since 1996

How Big Can Your Future Be?

®

Rezoning sought for Quonset hut property The owner is seeking a bigger pool of potential commercial users, drawing objections from some nearby residents

by CHRIS BURRITT SUMMERFIELD – The owner of 2.8 acres containing a vacant Quonset hut guarded by an ornate iron fence is seeking a rezoning of the property to attract more potential buyers.

Owner Lisa Waynick is requesting the rezoning of two parcels at 3812

and 3820 Oak Ridge Road (N.C. 150) from conditional use – limited business (CU-LB) to general-purpose business zoning (BN).

An informational meeting led by Summerfield town planner Brad Rentz last Thursday, July 14, drew several nearby residents who objected to the rezoning request. They expressed concerns about the potential for more traffic with further commercial development on N.C. 150.

“All the rural is just about gone,” said Cordelia Pearsall of Draper Road.

...continued on p. 27

Photo courtesy of Lisa Waynick

This impressive wrought-iron gate and fence guard the entrance to a long-vacant Quonset hut on 2.8 acres along N.C. 150 in Summerfield, adjacent to Revolution Academy. The gate and fence were reportedly at the U.S. Embassy in Egypt until Egypt’s war with Israel in 1976.

ISA Certified Arborists

Remote Control Tree Removal,Tree Trimming & Stump Grinding

24 Hr. Emergency Service

Board recommends denying rezoning request The request to rezone nearly 31 acres at N.C. 150 and SpencerDixon Road for commercial use will go before Guilford County commissioners Aug. 4

by PATTI STOKES

Commercial • Residential Licensed • Insured Family-owned by Northwest Guilford alumni

www.dillontreeservice.com | 336.996.6156 16

JULY 21 - AUG. 3, 2022

The Northwest Observer

NORTHERN GREENSBORO – Greensboro-based First Acres, LLC, got a thumbs down from the Guilford County Planning Board after a public hearing for the company’s rezoning request in May. The Guilford County commissioners will consider the board’s recommendation to deny the request when it holds a second public hearing Aug. 4 before making a final decision.

If approved, the request would change zoning on the 31-acre tract at the •corner Totally local since 1996 of N.C. 150 and Spencer-Dixon

Road from AG, intended for agricultural operations and farm residences on large tracts of land, and RS-40, intended to accommodate single-family residential detached dwellings on minimum lot sizes of 40,000 square feet, to CZ-GB (conditional use – General Business).

The applicant’s conditions on the requested CZ-GB zoning would exclude several uses typically allowed in a GB zoning, while still allowing a wide variety of commercial uses including general office, medical or professional office, a bank or finance company with a drive-through, retail, a garden center or nursery, bakery, restaurant, auto supply sales, auto rental or leasing and a car wash.

Attorney Amanda Hodierne of Greensboro spoke on behalf of First Acres at the Planning Board’s May meeting, along with a traffic engineer hired by the company and a local Realtor.

...continued on p. 18

You Dream It..

It... let us build it NEW CONSTRUCTION R&K Custom Homes provides high quality standards to you by incorporating timeless architecture and inviting Kathy & Rich Dumas, owners ambiance, with a range of styles from Craftsman to Contemporary to Feng Shui.

Every R&K custom home features outstanding craftsmanship with distinctive taste. Building homes in the Triad since 1992, Rich and Kathy (R&K), are respected premier builders of exclusive custom homes. R&K will match design options based on the home buyer’s lifestyle and personality, bringing their new home vision to life.

Rich and Kathy extend their gratitude to their customers. R&K believes their customers’ ideas and thoughts are important in planning the ideal home of their dreams.

Currently, R&K has lots available in Oak Ridge (Wolf Ridge, Riverside and Pemberly Estates).

R&K also has homes getting started for you in Pemberly Estates, Wolf Ridge and Birkhaven communities.

7607 Pemberly Drive, OAK RIDGE PEMBERLY ESTATES, Lot #17

NEW CONSTRUCTION

5682 Timber Trace Way, OAK RIDGE WOLF RIDGE, Lot #21

NEW CONSTRUCTION 7537 Shadow Creek Drive, SUMMERFIELD BIRKHAVEN RESERVE

Call today at (336) 643-3503 to schedule a complimentary private consultation.

Let us help you build your dream home! www.RandKCustomHomes.net | (336) 643-3503 • (336) 382-0728 Brought to you by Smith Marketing

BUSINESS/REAL ESTATE Q&A

Multifamily rezoning sought for Pleasant Ridge Road

by CHRIS BURRITT NW GREENSBORO – Windsor Homes is seeking the rezoning of 16.5 acres on Pleasant Ridge Road for construction of 95 multifamily homes, a move that would put higher density development along Summerfield’s southern edge.

The request seeks to rezone the property at 2608 Pleasant Ridge Road from agricultural (AG) to conditional zoning – residential multifamily district (CD-RM-8), according to the Greensboro-based developer.

Photo by Annette Joyce/NWO

Situated between MCM Resourcing and 119 on North Boutique in downtown Stokesdale, Bream Medical Primary/Urgent Care is scheduled to open Nov. 1.

If approved by the Greensboro City Council, the rezoning would accommodate “duplexes, twin homes, townhouses, cluster housing, and other residential uses at a density of 8 units per acre or less,” according to a July 15 letter to nearby property owners from Windsor Investments’ Charlie Hall.

I remember reading in the Northwest Observer a while back about an urgent care facility coming to downtown Stokesdale, but haven’t heard anything recently. Is that still in the works?

He opened his first practice in Salisbury, North Carolina, in February and felt Stokesdale would benefit from the same type of medical facility.

We spoke with John Bream, MD, this week and he confirmed he plans to open Bream Medical Primary/Urgent Care on Nov. 1. Located on Stokesdale’s main street between MCM Resourcing and 119 on North Boutique, the practice will provide both urgent and primary care mostly for adults.

A handful of neighboring property owners spoke in opposition to the “We’ve treated almost 1,300 rezoning request, with their opposipeople without anyone dying,” he said. tion focused on traffic they said was Bream is also tackling the high already a concern in this area because cost of healthcare by offering people of Northern Middle and High Schools, located adjacent to the land First Acres a subscription service, which he hopes to develop. said should especially help people who have high-deductible insurance Nicole Martin, a resident of Spencercoverage. The plan gives patients the Dixon Road, said there are already option of paying $125 a month, which discussions about bringing in mobile can be further discounted. For that, units to accommodate more students the patient receives a full physical at Northern High School, which will add every year plus four follow-up visits and to an already growing traffic problem.

Additionally, she said there were ample two telemedicine calls per year.

“Our patients who choose this plan commercial services within a few miles to accommodate the needs of residents love it,” he said. in the area.

Another Spencer-Dixon resident who The Northwest Observer •said Totally local since 1996 he wanted to continue living in the

A board-certified emergency medical physician, Bream, who lives in Oak Ridge, has spent the last 14 years working in hospital emergency rooms across the state. After becoming frustrated with current healthcare and insurance systems, he said he decided to offer an alternative.

18

JULY 21 - AUG. 3, 2022

“People are 40 minutes away from a hospital in Stokesdale,” Bream said.

“We’ll do a lot of things in our office that no one else does. In fact, we will be able to do 95% of what the ER can do. Our goal is to keep people out of the emergency room.”

Windsor is working on a development plan with a condition limiting density to 5.75 units per acre, which would allow construction of 95 units, Hall said.

Bream has a special interest in treating people with COVID, especially those dealing with long-term effects.

...continued from p. 16

ZONING BOARD

The tract is located on the southern side of Pleasant Ridge Road, the dividing line between Greensboro and Summerfield. In this area, property south of the road is located in Greensboro and land on the northern side is in Summerfield, according to Summerfield planner Brad Rentz.

Posting on Nextdoor, some residents of nearby subdivisions such as Highland Grove and the Cardinal have expressed concerns about the addition of more multifamily housing in the area.

Just west of Windsor’s site, at the corner of Pleasant Ridge and Alcorn roads, LeoTerra Development has cleared property for construction of 298 houses and townhomes.

In his letter last week, Hall told property owners that Windsor plans to answer questions and address concerns in a remote Zoom call at 2 p.m.

Thursday, Aug. 4.

The city of Greensboro also plans a series of meetings to evaluate the rezoning request, Hall added. country, not the city, echoed Martin’s statement that there were enough commercial conveniences within a 5-mile radius.

Martin has set up a petition at www.change.org/Stop-Northern-Rezone and hopes to acquire 500 signatures before a second public hearing is held before the Guilford County Commissioners on Aug. 4.

want more info?

View a petition opposing the rezoning request at www.change.org/Stop-Northern-Rezone.

Guilford County commissioners will hold a public hearing for the rezoning request at its meeting on Aug. 4, 5:30 p.m., in the commissioners’ meeting room on the second floor of the Old County Courthouse, 301 W. Market St. in downtown Greensboro.

Brought to you by We do the homework that sells homes Jason Smith: (336) 451-4921 • Tonya Gilbert: (336) 215-7138

smithmarketinginc.com

Linville Ridge, Bethel Ridge, Knight’s Landing – Oak Ridge Birkhaven – Summerfield Dawn Acres, NorthRidge, Charles Place – Stokesdale

•

Not your average home builder

STILL Rated walravensignaturehomes.com (336) 442-8657 (Matt Walraven) (336) 207-7790 (office) Like us on Facebook

The Bullins family is here to help you from conception to completion

Ray Bullins Construction Co., Inc. (336) 345-3263 | buildmanbrb@aol.com

raybullinsconstruction.com

Brought to you by Smith Marketing

Mitch Bullins (center) with his parents, Lisa and Ray Bullins, at Ray Bullins Construction Co., Inc.

Time-tested reputation of excellence in quality home building for 40 years Established 1981

Designed and built

just for you!

Now building and developing in some of northwest Guilford County’s finest neighborhoods or wherever you want to be!

For this month’s builder feature we wanted to do something different, so we asked members of several loc builder teams that advertise in the Northwest Observer to share some little-known facts about themselves. Take the challenge and see if you can figure out which member o the following builder/family teams the fact describes:

• Disney Construction Co. – Francis and Patti Disney, Mark and Jennifer Disney

• Don Mills Builders – Don and Annette Mills • Johnson & Lee, LLC – Commie and Casey Johnson, Rick and Mike Lee

• R&K Custom Homes – Rich and Kathy Dumas • Ray Bullins Construction Co. – Ray, Lisa and Mitch Bu • Walraven Signature Homes – Matt and Danielle Walra Answers are below – try not to peek!

From our family to yours–

– Francis, Patti, Mark and Jennifer Disney

336-643-4219 • disneycustomhomes.com houzz.com/pro/disneyconstructionco

Answers: 1) Mike Lee, Johnson & Lee; 2) Rich and Kathy Dumas, R&K Custom Homes; 3) Matt Walraven, Walraven Signature Homes; 4) Commie Johnson, Johnson & Lee; 5) Danielle Walraven, Walraven Signature Homes; 6) Ray Bullins, Ray Bullins Construction Co.; 7) Francis and Patti Disney, Disney Construction Co.; 8) Don Mills, Don Mills Builders, inventor of the “Donnie Door”; 9) Mitch Bullins, Ray Bullins Construction Co.; 10) Rick Lee, Johnson & Lee; 11) Lisa Bullins, Ray Bullins Construction Co.; 12) Annette Mills, Don Mills Builders; 13) Casey Johnson, Johnson & Lee

We are so thankful for your support over the past 40 years. We would enjoy partnering with you to build your dream home.

Brought to

cal to e of

ullins

aven

1. This builder graduated from culinary school and worked as an executive chef for eight years before going into construction.

2. This husband-and-wife building team met 45 years ago when they were both working at Sears, where he was her boss. “I married the boss so I could be the boss!” the wife said.

3. This fearless builder has been involved in racing since he was 12 years old, when he started racing motocross, and over the years he rose to No. 40 in the country in his class. These days he races 4-wheel side by side and is introducing his son to the sport.

4. For 14 consecutive years before being shut down by COVID restrictions, this builder led a missionary team building houses in Alaska for two weeks every year.

5. This builder has a private pilot’s license and a dream of becoming a commercial airline pilot.

6. “In another lifetime,” this builder was quite the piano player and even ended up playing on a gospel music recording that’s still in limited distribution.

7. This builder couple walked the French Way Camino, also known as “The Way of St. James,” which extends nearly 500 miles across France. They’ve returned four other times to walk other portions of the pilgrim route.

8. This former coal miner worked underground for seven years before becoming a homebuilder and inventing a garage-to-pantry door that has become popular with other builders.

“You will not find a better group of people to build your house”

9. While attending Appalachian State University, this builder team member was the chaplain of his fraternity, Alpha Tau Omega.

10. Prior to going into construction, this builder spent over 34 years working as a transportation/distribution manager for AT&T/Lucent Technologies traveling throughout Europe, South America and the Caribbean negotiating contracts with various companies.

11. During evenings, this builder team member completed a counseling degree and became a licensed practical counselor, although has never practiced professionally.

Call us today to talk about building your dream home

Call us today to talk about building your dream home!

12. This industrious member of a local builder team operates a successful lawn business and mows 35 to 40 yards a week.

13. This builder has developed an obsession with snowmobiling and heads out to West Yellowstone, Montana, every year to enjoy some exhilarating time on the snow.

o you by Smith Marketing

Mike Lee (336) 362.4462 Rick Lee (336) 362.4461

Casey Johnson (336) 706.1887 Commie Johnson (336) 706.2658

www.JohnsonandLeeLLC.com

‘GREAT RESIGNATION’

Photo by Chris Burritt/NWO

...continued from p. 1

has worsened since the pandemic, according to Harrell and other business owners, as people grew accustomed to staying at home during company shutdowns and federal stimulus checks and other benefits helped pay bills.

“With the pandemic, it’s got worse,” Harrell said. “There is nobody coming up in this next generation who wants to get their hands dirty or sweat.”

Negative repercussions of the pandemic are conspiring with a longterm trend – the retirement of baby boomers – to create labor pains for employers. At 58 years old, the youngest boomers are headed for retirement, threatening even more downward pressure on availability of workers in coming years, according to

“I’m lucky if I get a day off,” said mobile groomer Amy Williams, struggling to find help as her business has surged after the end of COVID-19 lockdowns. Shown in photo, Williams trims the hair/nails of a labradoodle named Gracie while in her mobile dog grooming van. a report in May by Paige Quimet, a finance professor at UNC-Chapel Hill and director of research at the Kenan Institute of Private Enterprise.

“With the large baby boomer generation entering retirement years, the American population is shifting older,” resulting in lower labor force participation, Quimet said. “Demographic trends are unlikely to shift anytime soon, suggesting we should expect lower labor force participation rates going forward.”

Regardless of what the future holds, the labor shortage is causing headaches for local employers right now.

“It seems there are very few laborers willing to come to work,” said Brian Price, who along with his wife, Nikki, owns Summerfield-based GreenGo Buggies, a manufacturer of golf carts and other street-legal, low-speed

Create the perfect custom outdoor living space custom decks ● fire pits & fireplaces sunrooms ● outdoor kitchens ● patios screened porches ● outdoor shelters hardscapes ● stamped concrete

sostriad.com | 336.530.5567 22

JULY 21 - AUG. 3, 2022

The Northwest Observer

vehicles. They’re trying to hire a mechanic and administrative assistant “after we’ve had a couple of people interview, said they wanted a job and never showed back up.”

The staffing shortage has also contributed to the recent closing of two popular restaurants – Rody’s Tavern, which operated since March 2015 at the corner of Battleground Avenue and Horse Pen Creek Road in northwestern Greensboro, and Ham’s American Bar and Grille at Palladium in High Point; Ham’s dates back to 1935 in Greensboro.

“Due to the financial hardship sustained during COVID and the inability to staff adequately, it is with a heavy heart that we have to announce that Ham’s has closed permanently,” reads a July 11 post on the restaurant’s Facebook page.

As hiring lagged last year, Rody’s owner Steve Rodermond had already closed Mondays and Tuesdays to give workers a break. In an interview last December, the Summerfield resident described the restaurant’s staffing “as stretched as thin as we can be •stretched.”

Totally local since 1996

As much as Rodermond said he liked interacting with customers, he said he spent more time helping in the kitchen due to the lack of cooks.

Citing a lack of staffing, Rody’s closed late last month. Customers learned about the closing from a post on the restaurant’s Facebook page and a sign taped to its front doors. The announcement came just a few days after the restaurant shared news of being voted by “YES! Weekly” readers as “Best Sports Bar in Guilford County.”

Businesses across northwestern Guilford County and Greensboro are learning to navigate in the pandemic era. In many cases, owners are paying more, increasing recruiting incentives and working harder than ever as the economic recovery has spurred demand for goods and services.

In industries as far-ranging as home building and pet grooming, business is strong despite rising risks for a recession.

“I’m lucky if I get a day off,” said mobile groomer Amy Williams, clipping the nails of a labradoodle named

...continued on p. 24

COMFORTABLE

INVITING DON MILLS BUILDERS, INC. | (336) 362-1777 | www.donmillsbuilders.com

ELEGANT

t you see? a h w Like .362.1777

6 on at 33 ew home!

D l l a C your n t u o b a k to tal

Co-owners Don & Annette Mills

Brought to you by Smith Marketing

‘GREAT RESIGNATION’ ...continued from p. 22

Gracie. She grooms as many as a dozen dogs in a day – including three last Friday in Summerfield – to keep up with demand by people who bought dogs during the pandemic.

While Williams occasionally gets help from her brother and sister, she often works solo in her white van equipped with a grooming table and a bathtub. She juggles tasks – cutting hair, trimming nails, bathing and blow drying – for multiple dogs, less efficient than if she had assistance.

“It is incredibly difficult to find help,” Williams said.

“It seems like there are not enough people out there who are able to work.”

National statistics bear out her observation. As of May 31, the number of U.S. job openings totaled 11.3 million, while 5.9 million people

were unemployed in June, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The upshot, according to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in a July 15 report: “If every unemployed person in the country found a job, we would still have 5.4 million open jobs.”

Meanwhile, historically low interest rates have created more demand for housing than builders can satisfy. For subcontractors of carpentry, plumbing, electrical and many other jobs, securing and hanging onto crews is a challenge.

“It is so competitive from a wage perspective that subcontractors are fighting to keep good help,” said Ray Bullins, who runs his Kernersvillebased homebuilding business, Ray Bullins Construction Co., with his wife, Lisa, and their son, Mitch.

Workers “are moving around a lot for more money,” Bullins said. “That’s causing delays on our end because subcontractors are struggling to keep solid workforces established.”

The churn of help also contributes to higher costs. In some cases, entry-level workers are getting as much as experienced carpenters earned seven years

ago, according to Bullins.

“Some of my subcontractors are having to pay $17 to $20 an hour to hire someone to carry lumber and sweep the floor,” he said. “The guys who are experienced are making 30 to 35 bucks an hour.”

For some builders, labor woes and supply shortages are delaying the completion of houses by 60 to 90 days, pinching profits.

“If you are spending an extra day building a house, you don’t get paid extra just because it took longer,” Bullins said.

Short staffing is also delaying projects for landscaping companies such as the Garden Outlet in Summerfield. It has openings for three crew members, but filling those jobs has been “frustrating,” said Donna Claeys, who runs the business with her husband, Glen.

Inexperienced applicants are seeking as much as $25 an hour – $10 or more over what the Claeys think is a reasonable wage for workers starting out in the field. Landscaping is “more than knowing how to mow grass,” Donna said.

Many business owners say they’ve

adjusted expectations during the pandemic, partly to accommodate the needs and availability of their employees. For some, the shift of strategy has worked.

More part-time employees are working for Guilford Garden Center than before the pandemic, according to owner Christina Larson, one of four full-time employees along with nine part-timers.

What the employees share is a love of horticulture and related fields, Larson said. For her, the challenge is working around the schedules of high school and college students to staff her store and nursery near Guilford College.

As an illustration, she said, “One can work Monday and Wednesday.

Another can work Tuesday and Thursday. That works for me, backfilling the position with two people.”

For Pest Management, the hiring crunch has eased “because we’ve changed our approach on how we are hiring people,” said Summerfield resident Billy Tesh, the company’s owner and president.

Pest Management is offering

He’s also taking other steps, providing more flexible schedules for employees dealing with situations like illnesses and deaths in their families. When an employee said rising gasoline prices might require them to look for a job closer to home, Tesh helped pay for fuel.

Not only is Pest Management adding employees to accommodate the company’s growth, it’s also “up-staffing slightly” to cover responsibilities of employees who are out of work for short-term personal needs, Tesh said.

Broadly, businesses such as Pest Management are victims of the mismatch between the creation of jobs and the number of people returning to work since last year when the economy recovered from the COVID-19 pandemic, according to some experts.

Even as employers have added jobs, the number of Americans participating in the labor market has fallen by more than three million since February 2020 at the onset of the pandemic, according to a U.S. chamber report. As a result, a measure known as the labor force participation rate remains lower than before the pandemic.

COVID-19 didn’t cause, but rather exacerbated conditions contributing to the labor shortage, according to a Harvard Business Review article in March. Citing the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the article said the share of Americans voluntarily leaving their jobs has grown over the past decade, and the pandemic put upward pressure on that trend.

In the wake of the pandemic, workers are “reconsidering their worklife balance and care roles,” the article said. Noting health fears, it added, “they’re demonstrating a reluctance to return to in-person jobs.”

A survey published by the U.S. chamber last November affirmed some causes of the so-called Great Resignation by workers who didn’t return to jobs after the pandemic eased.

Some took early retirement and others started their own businesses instead of returning to a company job, according to the survey.

It also found that nearly one in three women indicated they needed to stay home to care for children and other family members, impeding their return to work. Twenty-eight percent of men indicated “their industry was still suffering” and not enough good jobs were available.

Some people were also concerned about COVID-19 risks at work and, citing low pay, were more focused on upgrading skills before returning to jobs, according to the survey.

Economic stimulus checks from the U.S. Treasury also provided a financial cushion to Americans for a period of time, as did enhanced unemployment benefits that paid some employees more than they earned while working, according to the chamber.

A year ago, many employers hoped the end of a federal program known as Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation would spark an increase in applications. Broadly, it’s not worked out that way, even though the end of the program early last September eliminated an additional $300 weekly on top of state and federal benefits.

“It seems everybody wants to sit inside,” said Greg Harrell, owner of the waterproofing company in Stokesdale. “What I can’t figure out is how these young people in their mid-20s and up are getting paid – and surviving.

Are they living at home or are people supporting them? I don’t know.”

We offer one guarantee: 100% customer satisfaction

recruitment incentives to employees – a $500 bonus for recommending new hires who pass the company’s 90-day performance review, according to Tesh.

COMMAND THE ROAD.

SUBMIT TO NO SEASON.

MICHELIN PILOT SPORT A/S 3+ TIRE ®

®

We’ll help you unlock all of your car’s potential with just one set of tires. Stop in today!

Copyright © 2018 Michelin North America, Inc. All rights reserved.

The Michelin Man is a registered trademark owned by Michelin North America, Inc.

Dealer Name

000-000-0000 123 Address Line 1 City, State ZIP Code www.website.com

Piedmont Truck Tires &

Automotive Center

Promotional Copy

FULL-SERVICE SHOP

Full automotive repair & maintenance • Tune-ups Wheel & tire repair/alignment • NC inspections ASE certified technicians

Mitch Glover General Manager

(336) 668-0091 • 312 S Regional Rd, Greensboro 11 locations open M-F 7:30-5:30 Emergency roadside 24/7/365 • Shuttle service within 8 miles

The Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996

www.piedmonttrucktires.com JULY 21 - AUG. 3, 2022

25

MAX imizing your real estate experience Nicole E. Gillespie SPS, REALTOR®/Broker RE/MAX Realty Consultants

336.210.3895 cell • 1.800.965.1893 efax • www.NicoleGillespieRealty.com 2019 Chairman’s Club | 2017 Hall of Fame Award Winner | Multi-Million Dollar Producer l 2015 & 2016 Platinum Club Recipient

Thank you to Nicole Gillespie for sponsoring this week’s Kids’ Korner start

r e n r o K ’ s d i K

Find your way to the shark!

It’s almost shark week!

Which of these facts are true about sharks, and which are not?

Find the answer on pg. 34.

1. True or False? Most sharks sink when they are not swimming.

2. True or False? Sharks don’t have bones, only cartilage.

3. True or False? There are about 50

species of sharks living in the ocean today.

4. True or False? The biggest shark is the whale shark.

5. True or False? Baby sharks are called sharklets.

6. True or False? Most sharks have a life span of 50-60 years.

7. True or False? Sharks grow and lose an

average of 25,000-35,000 teeth in their lifetime.

8. True or False? Shark skin feels like sandpaper.

9. True or False? Sharks have six senses.

10.True or False? Sharks are only found in saltwater.

10 differences?

Can you find the

REZONING SOUGHT ...continued from p. 16

She and other residents said rezoning to allow a wider array of commercial uses might attract what they consider undesirable businesses, such as a gas station.

“We want something good for the community,” Waynick told the group.

She cited her 2020 sale of the adjacent 29 acres for construction of Revolution Academy, the public charter school.

The property is for sale for $3.03 million, according to Holly Bell, Waynick’s real estate agent. It has been zoned for commercial usage for many years.

Waynick bought the property in 1993. Until 2008, she and her mother, Patricia Waynick, operated a furniture importing business, using the Quonset hut for storage.

The mother and daughter named their business the Green Door, taking the name from a roller rink that previously operated in the hut. Even though the green door remains, the building is vacant, surrounded by overgrowth and a tall fence and gate with a “No Trespassing” sign.

Current zoning of the property dates back to 2011 when Waynick planned to sell it for the operation of a horseback riding academy with an

arena inside the hut.

Even though the transaction fell through, usage of the property is still limited to animal services, a sports instructional school, a clothing, shoe and accessories store, a caretaker dwelling and retail space limited to 100 square feet.

By contrast, the general business zoning district incorporates a large number of uses, ranging from a bowling alley to a convenience store to a bank with a drive-through window, according to the town’s unified development ordinance.

Such usages would be “totally inappropriate for the property,” said Kenneth Dunham, a Henson Farms resident. Once the property is sold, the buyer can develop it as he sits fit as long as the usage adheres to the zoning classification, he noted.

Waynick told the group she “will be selective” in securing a buyer for the property.

“I care about what goes there,” she said, adding she’d like to see the property developed for a public library.

Last week’s informational meeting was the first of three meetings regarding the rezoning request. Public hearings are scheduled for the Planning Board’s meeting July 25 and the Town Council’s meeting Aug. 9. The meetings will be held at Summerfield Community Center on Centerfield Road.

NEW WEBSITE! https://oakridgeyouthassociation. sportsengine-prelive.com

OBITUARY H Justin Stafford-Wilson Aug. 2, 1978 – July 1, 2022 H Justin Stafford-Wilson, age 43, passed away at his home in San Francisco, California, on July 1 after a two-year battle with glioblastoma, an aggressive brain cancer. He had been under the expert care of the University of California at San Francisco’s Neurological Oncology Division.

Justin is survived by his wife, Emily Jean Anthony; his father, Anthony Gordon Wilson; his mother, Suzanne Beane Stafford; his sisters, Daegan Stafford-Crews and Vanessa Wilson; his brother, Zachary Wilson; numerous aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews; and his family dog, Addie.

His beloved maternal grandmother, Rachel Stafford Potts of Kernersville, passed away March 15, 2013.

Justin was born Aug. 2, 1978, in San Francisco, California, and christened at Grace Cathedral. He grew up in Colfax, North Carolina, and attended Bunker Hill United Methodist Church. He graduated from Northwest Guilford High School, attended East Carolina University and graduated with a bachelor’s degree from San Francisco State University. He later went on to receive a master’s of Real Estate Development from the University of Southern California. For most of his career, Justin worked with his family at Wilson Associates, their San Francisco Bay Area residential and commercial property

visit our old website at ORYA.org for the link

come nd only mething

share Visit our new website to register for upcoming fall sports

l Messi

Now! FEB 15 FEB 23

Fall BASEBALL

development business, as well as on independent projects. He also spent five years as the manager of the family’s Hapuku Lodge + Tree Houses, in Kaikoura, New Zealand.

Justin loved to travel, go to concerts and spend time with friends and family. One of his favorite pastimes was hunting, a passion he renewed in recent years. Justin grew up hunting alongside his Uncle Phillip Potts in North Carolina. Over the past few years, he explored hunting in and around the San Francisco Bay Area, strengthened by his deep appreciation of the quiet and beauty of nature. He and his wife completed their dream home in the Mission District of San Francisco only months before his diagnosis in August 2020.

Justin was able to take a full measure of life. In both personal and professional settings, he was always positive, supportive and nurturing to those around him. He will be dearly missed by all.

A memorial service was held Saturday, July 9, in San Francisco at the First Unitarian Church. A Remembrance Celebration will be held in Colfax in late summer.

Please direct memorial donations to UCSF Neuro-Oncology, c/o Dr. Nancy Ann Oberheim Bush, PO Box 45339, San Francisco, CA 94145-0339.

memories of your loved one with your friends and neighbors for Obituary rates

email: info@nwobserver.com • call: 644-7035, ext. 10 registration NOW OPEN Registration closes JulyThe 31. Check website for details. • Totally local since 1996 Northwest Observer JULY 21 - AUG. 3, 2022 27

RYA.ORG TO REGISTER

mark your

calendar

REGISTER NOW

z “Farmers Day” | Show off your farm equipment

and share your knowledge of Stokesdale’s farming history with others in the community at Farmers Day, an event sponsored by Friends of Stokesdale on Saturday, Oct. 1, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Stokesdale United Methodist Church, 8305 Loyola Drive.

If you would like to display your equipment, please email friendsofstokesdale@gmail.com or call (336) 552-0704. Equipment on tracks or hard-spiked wheels that may damage the turf must be trailered.

NOW THROUGH AUG. 18

z Free meals for kids | Guilford County Schools is providing free meals for children 18 and under at several locations in Guilford County, including Northwest Guilford Middle School, 5300 Northwest School Road in northwest Greensboro; meals are provided Monday through Thursday, now until Aug. 18, with breakfast served from 8 to 9 a.m. and lunch served from 11 a.m. to 12 noon.

EVERY TUESDAY, THURSDAY & SATURDAY

z Farmers markets | “Fruits of the Spirit” Farmers Market, held at Stokesdale United Methodist Church, 8305 Loyola Drive, is open Tuesdays, 4 to 7 p.m.

Oak Ridge Farmers Market, held at Oak Ridge Military Academy, 2317 Oak Ridge Road, is open Thursdays

from 4 p.m. to dusk. “From the Earth” Farmers Market is open Saturday mornings, 8 a.m. to noon, at Greensboro Performing Arts, 7200 Summerfield Road.

EVERY WEDNESDAY MORNING

z Outdoor story time | Greensboro Public Library sponsors an outdoor story time every Wednesday from 10 to 10:30 a.m. at Country Park, 3905 Nathaneal Greene Drive in northwest Greensboro. Preschoolers and toddlers, along with parents and caregivers, are invited to enjoy stories, songs and rhymes at Shelter 9, weather permitting. Parking is available near the carousel at Greensboro Science Center. More info: Kelly.Proudfit@greensboro-nc.gov.

FRIDAY, JULY 22

z Movie in the Park | Northwest Viking Band Sponsors invites the community to a Movie in the Park event featuring “Beetlejuice” on July 22, starting at 8:30 p.m. at Oak Ridge Town Park, 6231 Lisa Drive.

More info: (336) 644-7009.

MONDAY, JULY 25

z Lions Club | Oak Ridge Lions Club, a nonprofit

that helps people who are sight- or hearing-impaired and supports the community in numerous other ways, will meet July 25 at the Oak Ridge Room, 2205 Oak Ridge Road (next to Bistro 150). Come at 6 p.m. to socialize and if you would like, order dinner and/or a beverage – the business meeting runs from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. More info: Frank Kelleher, president, (336) 327-7786 or frankxk95@gmail.com.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 27

z Preservation Oak Ridge meeting | Preservation

Oak Ridge, a nonprofit committed to preserving historic structures in Oak Ridge, will meet July 27, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the Historic Ai Church, 1306 N.C. 68 N in Oak Ridge. More info: (336) 644-1777 and www.preserveoakridge.org.

SATURDAY, JULY 30

z Food pantry | Good Samaritan Ministries’ food pan-

try in Stokesdale will open for those in need of food on July 30, 9 to 10:30 a.m. at Stokesdale Business Center, 8500 Ellisboro Road. To make a financial donation or request emergency assistance, contact Terri Johnson, (336) 643-5887 or terrij1957@yahoo.com.

SUNDAY, JULY 31

z Hot dog lunch | Stokesdale United Methodist Church, 8305 Loyola Drive, will host a hot dog lunch July 31, starting at 12 noon. The lunch is free, but donations are appreciated and will go towards Project Agape, a nonprofit that distributes humanitarian aid to needy people in Armenia. z Fifth Sunday Singing | After a long hiatus due to COVID-19, Good Samaritan Ministries of Stokesdale invites the community to a Fifth Sunday Singing event July 31, starting at 6 p.m. at Stokesdale United Methodist Church, 8305 Loyola Drive. Groups from local churches will sing and play instruments, and light refreshments will follow. An offering will be taken to support Good Samaritan Ministries. More info: (336) 643-5887.

TUESDAY, AUG. 2

z Merchants Association | Summerfield Merchants

Association invites business professionals who live in Summerfield or operate a business in Summerfield to

Carlotta Lytton

Tax & Consulting Services For Individuals & Businesses

, CPA, PC

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

7805 US Hwy 158, Stokesdale clyttoncpa@bellsouth.net

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

Call to schedule your personal styling session today or shop online and pick up locally in store in Stokesdale 260-908-3164 ● shop.lularoebless.com/JenAult

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

Over 250 children in Guilford County will go to court alone Become a Guardian Ad Litem and advocate for an abused or neglected child

(336) 412-7580 | volunteerforgal.org

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

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

its monthly meeting Aug. 2, 6:30 to 8 p.m. This nonprofit promotes awareness of local businesses while supporting the Summerfield community in various ways. Learn more at www.summerfieldmerchant.com, or email info@summerfieldmerchant.com.

WEDNESDAY, AUG. 3

z Senior program | Senior Resources of Guilford

County will sponsor a senior program including activities and a take-home lunch on Aug. 3 from 10:30 a.m. to noon at Oak Ridge First Baptist Church, 2445 Oak Ridge Road. To learn more and/or RSVP, contact Marsha McDaniel, (336) 373-4816, ext. 265. z Hotdog drive-thru | Gideon Grove United Methodist Church at 2865 Gideon Grove Church Road in Stokesdale will host a free hotdog drive-thru Aug. 3, 5 to 6 p.m. More info: (336) 643-6042. z Friends of Stokesdale meeting | Friends of

Stokesdale, a nonprofit committed to preserving Stokesdale’s history and enhancing its downtown charm, invites those with similar interests to its monthly meeting Aug. 3, 7 to 8 p.m. at Stokesdale Town Hall, 8325 Angel Pardue Road. For more info, visit www.facebook.com/friendsofstokesdale or call Joe Thacker, president, at (336) 708-0334.

THURSDAY, AUG. 4

z Men’s coffee group | Enjoy coffee and fellowship at a twice-a-month men’s coffee group which meets at 9 a.m. on the first Thursday of each month at Summerfield Community Center, 5404 Centerfield Road, and the third Thursday of each month at First Baptist Church, 2300 Scalesville Road in Summerfield. More info: Bob Williams, (336) 643-4848. z Town Council meeting | Oak Ridge Town Coun-

Town Hall, 8315 Linville Road. The meeting will be livestreamed on the Town’s YouTube channel and a link will be subsequently posted on the Town’s Facebook page. Visit www.oakridgenc.com for a meeting agenda. More info: (336) 644-7009.

Submit your events online at

Click “community calendar” on the left-hand side

Deadline for inclusion in each issue is

9 a.m. on Monday

cil will meet Aug. 4, starting at 7 p.m. at Oak Ridge

The Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996

JULY 21 - AUG. 3, 2022

29

CRIME / INCIDENT report

District 1 Sheriff’s Office has recently responded to the following incidents in northwest/northern Guilford County ...

ASSAULT

July 4, 5 | Law enforcement officers responded to two separate reports involving physical altercations at a residence in the 4400 block of Hamburg Mill Road in Summerfield.

July 12 | A 45-year-old male was arrested in the 5800 block of Old Oak Ridge Road in northwest Greensboro for assault with a deadly weapon on a government official, possession of stolen goods, receiving/transferring stolen vehicles, hit-and-run property damage, speeding to elude arrest, reckless driving–wanton disregard, resisting/ delaying/obstructing a police officer and failure to appear in court for a misdemeanor.

DEATH INVESTIGATION

July 16 | Officers responded to the report of a resident’s death in the 8200 block of Poplar Bluff Drive in Stokesdale (near N.C. 68 N).

DOMESTIC DISPUTE

July 7 | A verbal domestic dispute was reported in the 1900 block of Cedar View Drive in northwest Greensboro (off Plainfield Road).

July 16 | A domestic dispute was reported in the 5800 block of Stanley Huff Road in Summerfield.

DRIVING VIOLATIONS

July 5 | A 46-year-old male was arrested in the 8100 block of Spotswood Road in Summerfield (off U.S. 158) for

speeding to elude arrest, failure to stop for a siren, failure to stop for a stop sign, driving with a revoked license, driving without displaying a license plate and reckless driving – wanton disregard.

LOST PROPERTY

July 9 | A person in the 2000 block of Oak Ridge Road in Oak Ridge reported he lost a silver Litespeed bicycle worth $6,000.

MISSING PERSON

July 15 | A resident of the 3300 block of Annry Drive in Summerfield (near Strawberry Road) filed a report on a missing person and said the person was likely driving a 2017 Subaru Outback.

THEFT

July 4 | An unknown suspect reportedly stole a tow dolly worth $1,000 from a residence in the 2500 block of Oak Ridge Road in Oak Ridge.

July 8 | A resident of the 8100 block of Dorsett Downs Drive in Stokesdale (off N.C. 68 N) reported that sometime between July 6-8 an unknown suspect stole a black/teal Fuji bicycle worth $1,000.

Our Tire Advantage plan includes:

July 11 | Sometime between July 8-11, an unknown suspect reportedly stole a dark green 2003 Chevy Silverado worth $8,000 from a residence in the 3900 block of Lewiston Road in Summerfield.

July 11 | An employee of Petroserve off U.S. 158 in Stokesdale reported an unknown suspect entered a company vehicle and stole five DeWALT drills, four DeWALT drill chargers, four DeWALT 12V batteries, a DeWALT variable-speed band saw and a DeWALT 20V saw, worth a total of $1,200.

July 12 | A resident of the 8300 block of W. Harrell Road in Oak Ridge reported that sometime between July 5-12 an unknown suspect stole an orange/white STIHL chainsaw worth $400; another resident in the same block reported that sometime between July 5-16 an unknown suspect stole two orange/ black Husqvarna chainsaws, worth $1,215 altogether.

July 11, 13 | An employee of Down 420 Lane in Stokesdale reported on July 11

...continued on p. 39

- Roadside Assistance for 12 months - FREE Rotation, Inspections, Air Pressure Checks - FREE Road Hazard Replacement for 36 Months

THE HEAT IS ON

- FREE Flat Repairs

STOP IN TODAY

Drive with confidence this summer when you purchase a new set of tires from Tire Max Total Car Care. All of our tires are backed with the Tire Max Tire Advantage.

Choose your nearest location, and stop in today to experience the Tire Max difference! tiremaxnc.com/eden Stokesdale 7705 Highway 68 N (336) 642-3580

30

Summerfield Madison 4420 US Highway 220N 706 Burton Street (336) 810-8250 (336) 642-3460

JULY 21 - AUG. 3, 2022

High Point 619 Greensboro Road (336) 827-9112

High Point 2410 Eastchester Dr (336) 842-0212

The Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996

Eden 406 N. Bridge Street (336) 842-0212

Youth

welcome to ...

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

Healthy Smiles. Happy Patients.

Quality dental care for the entire family!

Now in TWO LOCATIONS

Love your SMILE

Main Office: 6161-A Lake Brandt Rd. | 336.643.1440 ● NEW Office (next to CVS): 7092 Summerfield Rd., Ste. C | 336.441.8055

The summer break from school is already halfway over, and it will be time for students and staff to head back to classrooms before you know it! With new schedules, teachers, principals, refurbished classrooms and more, we’ll have a lot of school news to share.

Read about it in our Back to School special section, inside the Northwest Observer’s Sept. 1-14 issue  New principals, traffic routes, teachers, bell schedule, policies … a lot can

change from the end of one school year to the beginning of another!

Check out our Back to School section in the Northwest Observer’s Sept. 1 issue to find out what’s new at our northwest/northern public schools.

 Meet some of the administrators and front-office staff, teachers, athletic coaches, student leaders, and more.

2022

ications

un pscomm shed by

publi

 Get an update on the public school facilities in our area and see what plans are on the horizon for upgrades, repairs, additions and replacements.

 Hear how the high school athletic departments and bands are preparing for the upcoming fall sports season.

Hiding your smile? We can help!

Matthew J. Olmsted, DDS MS Oak Ridge Commons Shopping Center 2205 Oak Ridge Road, Suite CC (336) 441-7007

olmstedorthodontics.com We are OPEN and accepting new patients The Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996

JULY 21 - AUG. 3, 2022

31

GRINS and GRIPES

Delighted or dismayed by something in your community?

Share your thoughts in online: nwobserver.com

40

words or less

email: grinsandgripes@nwobserver.com

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

GRINS to...  GFL for picking up our trash and recycling on time. It’s nice to have reliable garbage service.  The horses outside on Coldwater Road in Stokesdale. They just make me

happy seeing them walking, running and enjoying themselves.  NWHS for producing a much better newspaper than the Northwest Observer. Overall, this high school produces better layout, current stories and controversial content, all without

the bias and censorship of the NWO. Editor’s note: I agree the Northwest Horizons is a well-done high school newspaper, and am sure the student staff members and teacher who works with them will appreciate this reader’s kudos.  Melissa Stallings and many other amazing people who have made the long-ignored trailers of Northwest High school absolutely awesome in many ways.  The person who left this note for the irresponsible dog owner in Stokesdale Park: (in case you can’t read it, it says, “You should be thrown out of the park!

Rude”)

Editor’s note: We’ve been told there’s a card at the store for the community to sign and Rachel will be in the store on Thursday, July 28, 12 noon to 2 p.m., for anyone who wants to stop by and see this longtime Food Lion employee who brought many smiles to customers’ faces during her time there.  Melissa Stallings and all the volunteers who have made the NWHS mobile makeover such a success. Hats off to Melissa for her vision, determination, and hard work. She’s a real community leader.

GRIPES to...

We Need Your Input!

Draft 2045 Metropolitan Transportation Plan Amendment

and we loved how you treated our little boy!  Patti Stokes and all the folks with the wonderful Northwest Observer for their pursuit of truth and their incredible work – greatly needed in our crazy world.  Rachel Harrison, who recently retired from Food Lion in Summerfield, for giving us much to smile about!

 Dr. Ballard and the entire staff of Summerfield Veterinary Hospital for 12 years of kindness, compassion and veterinary expertise. Sammy loved you all

 Those who think it was local politicians who raised taxes when it was actually the same crazy people with the county who claim they keep the same rate but instead raise property tax values so they still get more money.

The Greensboro Urban Area Metropolitan Planning Organization invites you to provide input on:

Amending the 2045 Metropolitan Transportation Plan To remove a proposed project for Fleming-Lewiston Connector

The proposed amendment will be available at www.guampo.org from July 7 to August 5. Submit comments by August 5 online a www.guampo.org or write to: Greensboro Urban Area MPO Attn: Draft 2045 MTP Amendment P.O. Box 3136 Greensboro, NC 27402-3136 The Greensboro Urban Area MPO manages the transportation planning process required by the Federal and State government. The MPO plans for our area’s transportation needs, including highways, public transportation, bicycle, and pedestrian facilities. Anyone in need of special services may call (336) 373-3117 one week in advance.

When life throws you curve balls,

BE PREPARED

Home | Auto | Motorcycle Life | Business 5709 W Friendly Avenue Greensboro (336) 299-5185

gladwellinsurance.com

32

JULY 21 - AUG. 3, 2022

The Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996

1963

Proudly serving the Triad since

 People in the county and state who charge for a so-called septic system inspection when they don’t even come out.  The griper flying their flag upside down, signaling our country is in distress. Please provide your address ASAP so we can send a rescue team.  Drivers who speed excessively through the Ashton Park neighborhood in Oak Ridge, where the speed limit is 25 mph on all neighborhood streets.  Gripers who gripe about other gripers. We have become so comfortable being angry all the time. Smile! It may hurt a little in the beginning, but you will feel better.  The father who lives in River Oaks in Oak Ridge and rides his mini bike and lets his small children ride mini bikes through the neighborhood.  All those who voted “yes” to the $300 million school bond in 2020. It is now going to cost $450 million to complete those projects. Thank you, sheeple. Where do you think the extra money will come from? (Hint: more taxes.)  County commissioner Skip Alston for selecting only Democrats for the School Spending Oversight Committee. And gripes to anyone who keeps voting for Skippy and those of his ilk. Greensboro is slowly becoming another Durham, and not in a good way.  The griper in the July 7-20 issue, defending the upsidedown American flag. You obviously do not understand when that is and is not appropriate. People like you are why the rest of the world no longer respects this country.

Outside the

…

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

GRIPES to...  “Griner the whiner.” Biden’s not doing enough because she is female and Black. More like Griner wants special status because of who she is and American, instead of owning up to breaking a foreign country’s laws. Stay locked up!  Our state legislature, for their lack of transparency in the budgeting process. We all pay taxes and vote, how about all members of the legislature get to participate in the budgeting process?  Bellingham, Washington school system for winning this week’s Looney Tunes award. Jenn Mason, WinkWink Boutique owner, offering classes for kids. Look it up. And she’s on the school board – how did that happen?  The person who wrote to their local North Carolina newspaper to complain about the name of a

ski resort in Vermont. Thanks for helping to raise awareness about how dementia is impacting our community.  Politicians who pander. I looked up “pandering” in the dictionary, and it said “see Jill Biden’s breakfast tacos.” A message for minorities – they only like you for your votes.  California for spending $500K of taxpayer money to fund DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) programs, including for the state Fish & Wildlife Department. Multiple people shot at 7-Eleven’s, but as long as we all feel better about ourselves, I guess that’s a win.  Khiara Bridges, law professor, who says abortion is not a woman problem but a “people with a capacity for pregnancy” problem, and if you deny that men can get pregnant, you incite violence against transgender people. When will this insanity end?  The N.C. State Employees healthcare plan, for covering gender-affirming surgeries. Does this include free gender unicorn posters for the kiddies?

What about puberty-blocking drugs for toddlers?

Your tax dollars at work.  The University of Pennsylvania for nominating Lia Thomas as female athlete of the year. Wow! Kudos to Riley Gaines for standing up to this nonsense.

Virtual tua Ca Care e from o Your ou Home o e

All LeBauer HealthCare practices are offering virtual care

appointments with your provider through a video visit.

In-person appointments are also available.

Connect with the healthcare provider that you know and trust from the comfort of home. Virtual appointments are billed to your insurance just like your regular office visits. To schedule a virtual or in-person appointment, please call your provider’s office today!

lebauer.com ACCEPTING NEW PATIENTS

Call today for an appointment with one of our providers!

The Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996

JULY 21 - AUG. 3, 2022

33

OAK RIDGE TOWN COUNCIL ...continued from p. 9

said she also appreciates hearing from residents who express their viewpoints.

parks and recreation staff has added a second pickleball court in the Town Park parking lot. Hours for play have also been expanded to accommodate the sport’s growing popularity in Oak Ridge.

Through mid-August, the pickleball courts are open Monday through Friday, from dawn to dusk, Browning said.

 Kinneman said he realized the council “raised your taxes” by maintaining the current property tax rate of 8 cents per $100 valuation at the same time that the county’s reappraisal of property increased values for many residents.

The councilman also reiterated his concerns about the council’s appropriation of $455,000 for the renovation of the historic Redmon house.

“My main concern is the cost versus the benefit,” Kinneman said.

While supporting the expenditure of taxpayers’ dollars to restore the exterior of the house, he said he “has concerns whether or not it’s really going to get used that much” for community events.

Oak Ridge Youth Association. Randy Collins, ORYA’s community relations director, reported the group has organized self-defense classes for high school girls on Sunday afternoons during July. The classes are being held at Mustang Fitness/CrossFit Oak Ridge on Linville Road from 4-5:30 p.m.

PUBLIC COMMENTS  Sam Anders said he purchased historic property at N.C. 150 and Linville Road,

where he plans to construct an office building. (See related article on p. 14.)

“This is a major move for me,” said Anders, who owns an accounting practice in addition to serving as Oak Ridge’s finance officer and assistant fire chief. “This is a major project that I’m undertaking – me, my employees (and) my family.”

COUNCIL COMMENTS  Sullivan said he is “amazed by the generosity of our citizens” in support of activities and projects such as Canine Capers, the Veterans Honor Green and the Mobile Makeover of trailer classrooms at Northwest Guilford High School.  Pittman thanked people who attended the meeting and “for participating in your local government.” She

Shark TRUE or FALSE

from this week’s Kids’ Korner on pg. 26

1. TRUE. Most sharks sink when they are not swimming.

2. TRUE. Sharks don’t have bones, only cartilage.

3. FALSE. There are about 50 species of sharks.

There are between 400-500 living shark species.

4. TRUE. The biggest shark is the whale shark.

5. FALSE. Baby sharks are called sharklets.

Baby sharks are called pups.

6. FALSE. Most sharks have a life span of 50-60 years.

Most sharks live 20-30 years.

7. TRUE. Sharks can grow and lose an average of 25,000-30,000 teeth in their lifetime.

8. TRUE. Shark skin feels like sandpaper.

9. TRUE. Sharks have six senses.

In addition to the five humans have (taste, smell, touch, hearing, sight) sharks have an extra one called the Ampullae of Lorenzini. This allows them to feel the electrical charge of prey in the water and is very useful for helping them to find food.

10.FALSE. Sharks are only found in saltwater.

While most sharks only tolerate saltwater, there are a few species, like the bull shark, commonly found in freshwater.

 “Thank you, Dr. Fear,” McClellan said to Kinneman after he concluded his remarks. “We did not increase the tax rate. We have amongst the lowest tax rates in North Carolina. Let’s kinda put this in perspective.”

McClellan then introduced Summerfield Town Council member Janelle

Robinson, who was in attendance.  Schneider said Oak Ridge’s property taxes account for about 9% of the overall tax bill for Guilford County residents.

“We are a very low-tax town,” she said, adding that higher taxes in Oak Ridge reflect “the increased value of our homes in this inflationary period.”

CLOSED SESSION

The council went into a closed session to consider raising the town manager’s annual salary and reconvened to vote on the increase.

 5  0 to increase Town Manager

Bill Bruce’s annual salary by 7.4% to $98,000.

Bruce’s performance was praised by council members.

“We are very fortunate to have you as our town manager,” Schneider said.

“Your performance has been nothing short of superb over the last year. You are incredibly valuable to what we are doing here in Oak Ridge.”

With no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 9:07 p.m.

LETTERS/OPINIONS

Submit your letters (maximum 350 words)

online: nwobserver.com email: 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.

Council did not raise property tax rate First of all, I want to thank everyone who came out to support my campaign for Guilford County commissioner. But I also want to address recent disingenuous claims that I voted to raise taxes in Oak Ridge.

would provide inadequate funding for planned capital improvements, essential services, and for maintaining our town’s reserves. This is because our town, like our residents, is faced with rapidly rising costs on nearly every front.

At no time did I, or anyone else on our Town Council, vote to increase the property tax rate of 8 cents per $100 of property value. In fact, during the early stages of our budget process I asked our Finance Committee about the feasibility of a revenue neutral rate of 0.0674 cents per $100 of property value. The committee found that it

Our property tax rate continues to be among the lowest in North Carolina and constitutes less than 10% of your annual property tax bill.

As always, I welcome residents’ questions and comments.

George McClellan Oak Ridge Town Council member

 AUTO SALES & SERVICE

 EMPLOYMENT

 HOME SERVICES

2000 CHEVY ONE-TON DUMP TRUCK. 12' flat electric dump bed. PS/PB. Dual tool chest. Electric brakes. 128K miles.

VGC. $11,500. Call Mike, (336) 644-0909.

PETROSERVE INC., a petroleum & electrical contractor located in Stokesdale. Full and part-time tech/helpers needed. Seniors welcome to apply. Will train. Call Tim, (336) 669-0621, or the office, (336) 643-9220.

AIR CONDITIONING & HEATING

ADMIN. ASSISTANT/CLIENT CONCIERGE. Downtown Greensboro financial advisory office hiring an administrative assistant/client concierge. Details and application process available at ameripriseadvisors.com/team/ edgeworth-capital-group/careers/ or email edgeworthcapitalgroup@ampf.com.

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 ........ 35 Employment .................... 35 Public Notice ................... 35 Home Services ........... 35-38 Misc. Services .................. 38 Misc. Wanted .................. 38 Real Estate ...................... 38

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

KNIGHT IMPORT SPECIALTY SERVICE. European Auto Service & Repair. Specializing in factory-scheduled maintenance and repairs. BMW, Audi, Volvo, Mercedes, Volkswagen, Mini, and Porsche. 32 years experience.

4559 US Hwy. 220, Summerfield (across from Food Lion). (336) 337-0669.

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

 EMPLOYMENT STAFF POSITIONS available in childcare center. Please call (336) 643-5930.

LOOKING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE in others' lives? We are looking for mature, well-organized individuals to work with adults who have developmental disabilities. Flexible days & shifts available. Required training provided. High school diploma, criminal and driving checks are required. Apply online at servantshearts.org/employment. For more info, contact Lwiggins@servantshearts.org.

DELIVERY/MERCHANDISER. Part-time. Deliver to grocery stores. Drive company vehicle.

5am-noon, Mon. and Tue. Will train. Contact Mike, (336) 949-4802.

Follow us on Facebook for updates! facebook/northwestobserver

DIRECTOR OF MUSIC, Mount Pisgah UMC, Greensboro. 30 hours per week, with potential for more hours based on work activity. The Director of Music is the music planner for the weekly Sunday services at 8:30am and 11am, incorporating different genres of music to create an upbeat and joyful worship experience. This requires administrative time in keeping all parties informed/involved and diligence in assuring the music ministry is prepared each Sunday. Apply to pam@mtpisgahgso.org.

NORTHWEST BAPTIST DAYCARE is hiring. F/T & P/T. Flexible schedule. Great opportunity for retirees. Contact Annette, (336) 455-3915.

FEMALE RESIDENT ADVISOR for girls' dorm at Oak Ridge Military Academy. Must be at least 22 years old and pass both drug test and background check. For interview call Mrs. Williams, (336) 643-4131, ext. 400.

HIRING? nwobserver.com  PUBLIC NOTICE STOKESDALE FIRE DISTRICT INC. will hold its annual meeting on Tuesday, July 26, at 7:30pm at the fire station located at 8401 US Hwy. 158. We will present the annual report (financial and operational) and hold the election of four board members. The approval of Reinstated Articles of Incorporation by the corporate members will also take place. Current vehicle registration may be required for proof of voter eligibility if vehicle tax is the only tax paid into the Stokesdale Fire District.

The Northwest Observer • Totally local1996 since 1996 The Northwest Observer • Totally local since

A-ACTION AIR. Air-conditioning check-up, $59.95. (336) 268-6768 or (336) 382-3750.

CLEANING KC CLEANING & PAINTING. $25 off any service. Call NOW! (336) 604-3249.

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

THE CLEANING TECHNICIAN LLC. Back in business. Let me provide my cleaning services and help your house sparkle this summer! I do detailed cleaning. Licensed, bonded, insured and vaccinated. Call Lisa, (336) 207-0770.

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.

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.

DECORATING BLISSFUL ART & FRAMING. SHOP LOCAL! Framing, gifts, graphic design. 4533 Hwy. 220 N., Summerfield. (336) 298-4502.

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

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

continued on p. 36

JULY 2121 - AUG. 3, 3, 2022 JULY - AUG. 2022

35 35

HOME SERVICES

HOME SERVICES

HOME SERVICES

HOME SERVICES

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

GRADING / HAULING

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

EXTERIOR GREENSCAPES. Lawn maintenance service. Call for a free estimate (336) 682-1456.

CKH ELECTRIC, LLC. Give us a call for your next residential, commercial, or industrial project. Free estimates. Licensed, insured, and BBB accredited. (336) 414-4899.

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 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.

APPLIANCE REPAIR – Call Mr. Appliance A step above the rest! (336) 609-5707.

LOW-COST GARAGE DOORS. Repair and sales. 35 years exp. (336) 207-1003.

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

Contact us for a free estimate!

(336) 669-7252

oldschoolsjhr@triad.rr.com

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.

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

CLOCK SERVICE. Free house calls for sick clocks. 8103 Windspray Dr., Summerfield.

(336) 643-9931.

36 JULY JULY - AUG. 2022 2121 - AUG. 3, 3, 2022

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.

BRAD'S BOBCAT & HAULING SVCS. LLC. Debris removal, grading, gravel/dirt, driveways, concrete work. (336) 362-3647.

CLEAN-UP & HAULING. Lots, yards, natural areas, houses and barns. Most any type of debris removal. Call Steve, (336) 643-1119.

DTW GRADING & HAULING, INC. Offering a sum of aggregates, including but not limited to: fill dirt, stone, asphalt millings, and crushed concrete. We also offer full bobcat services. Driveways, minor clearing, drainage solutions and snow removal.

Daniel Wilson, (336) 339-0212.

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

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.

Call Bobby Lipstreu, (336) 543-7867.

The Northwest Observer

Keeping you connected for 25+ years!

GUTTERS / SIDING / WINDOWS

WILSON

Seamless Gutters

Installation, repair, replacement, Leaf Guard

Stokesdale

336-420-0200

LAWNCARE / LANDSCAPING DILLON TREE SERVICE. Certified arborist.

Locally owned; in business 25 yrs. Serving the Triad area. Specializing in large/hazardous tree removal and emergency removals.

Free estimates. www.dillontreeservice.com.

Call (336) 996-6156.

DSL DRAIN SYSTEMS & LANDSCAPING. (336) 362-4354.

NC FORESTRY MULCHING & LANDWORKS. Top rated on Google! Let us help you take back your land! (336) 362-6181. ncforestrymulching.com.

DeLima

Lawn Care commercial & residential

Available 7 days/week mowing ● pruning ● mulch/pine needles & much more

Owner: JC Ruiz ● 336.669.5210 licensed & ensured ● working in the area since 2005

FREE ESTIMATES AUGUSTA GREEN LANDSCAPES. Lawn/ landscape maintenance, landscape design/ installation, pine needles/mulch, aeration, and more. Free estimates! (336) 708-6150.

STEVE NEWMAN TREE SERVICE. 40+ years experience. Any type of tree, shrubbery and landscaping work. Oak Ridge.

(336) 643-1119.

INTEGRITY TREE SERVICE, LLC. Tree removal, risk assessment, tree pruning, dead wood removal. Competitive pricing.

Fully insured. Owner-operated. Call for free estimate, (336) 210-8310.

CM STUMP GRINDING, LLC. Family owned and operated. Commercial/residential. Free quotes! (336) 317-4600.

Place your classified ad online at

www.nwobserver.com

The Northwest Observer • Totally local since The Northwest Observer • Totally local1996 since 1996

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

STRAIGHT EDGE LAWN CARE. Free estimates. Please call (336) 306-0274.

SOUTHERN CUTZ LAWN CARE. Offering complete lawn maintenance services, landscaping, bush hogging, privacy fence installation/repair/staining, and stump grinding.

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 33 years. (336) 362-5860.

Follow us on Facebook for northwest-area news updates!

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

HILL LAWNCARE & OUTDOOR SERVICES. Free est. Call (336) 669-5448.

WILSON LANDSCAPING, INC. Lawn maint., landscaping. Irrigation/landscape contractor. Hardscaping & landscape lighting. 26 years exp. (336) 399-7764.

AQUA SYSTEMS IRRIGATION. Quality irrigation systems. NC licensed contractor. We service all systems. Free est. (336) 644-1174.

“Every day’s a”

Holliday Tree Service

Providing professional and quality tree care since 1983 Call us and let us help you with your next tree project

336-362-7966 Summerfield

 HOME SERVICES

 HOME SERVICES

 HOME SERVICES

ARBOR MASTERS TREE SERVICE Total tree removal, storm damage cleanup, shrub and tree pruning. Free estimates.

Licensed & insured. (336) 643-9157.

JUNK & DEBRIS REMOVAL, construction, remodeling, and general cleanup, outbuildings, garages, basements, yard waste, etc.

Also can haul mulch. Call (336) 706-8470.

PLUMBING

MASONRY

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

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

SOUTHERN STYLE Concrete & Landscape. 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.

Your company should be here!

Place your classified ad online at

PEARMAN QUARRY LCID. Inert debris landfill. Yard waste, concrete, etc. Mulch and fill dirt available. (336) 803-2195 or (336) 558-7673.

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

The Northwest Observer covering local matters since 1996!

PAINTING & DRYWALL

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

(336) 931-0600

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

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.

LAWSON'S PAINTING. Custom decks, pressure washing, boat docks, block fill, wood repair, stain work, textured ceilings, sheetrock repair. Call (336) 253-9089.

working in NW Guilford County since 1999

www.nwobserver.com

Residential • Commercial • Licensed & Insured

MISC. HOME SERVICES/PRODUCTS

emergencies, parties, preparing for guests, etc.

Ask us about PRESSURE WASHING

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

Available 7 days/week

Owner: Carlos Ruiz

336.669.5210 ● carlospainting14@live.com

FREE ESTIMATES

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.

BRANSON PLUMBING & SOLAR. No job too small! Experienced, guaranteed. Lic./ Ins. Cleanliness in your home is our #1 priority. Call Mark, (336) 337-7924.

SIGNATURE PLUMBING. Local, experienced, clean, and work is guaranteed.

Please call (336) 279-6196.

“I want to recycle my old computer, but I’m not sure where to take it.” (page 60)

“Are there any local animal rescue groups?

I want to help.” (page 58)

PRESSURE WASHING HOUSE and ROOF SOFT WASHING. Martin's Pressure Washing. (919) 931-0856.

PRESSURE WASHING, gutter & window cleaning. Fully insured. Crystal Clear, www. windowcleaningnc.com or (336) 595-2873.

“What veteran programs are in the area?” (page 67)

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

Services TM Construction , INC

BUILDING | RENOVATIONS | ADDITIONS

Find the answer to these questions and more in the northwest FINDER. It’s jam-packed with valuable information for northwest Guilford County residents.

Feature Walls

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

2022

NC Gen. Contractor #72797

tmcsi.net

KEITH SMITH CONSTRUCTION, LLC. N.C. general contractor with 30 years experience. Specializing in new homes, room additions, kitchens & baths, garages, decks, vinyl siding and windows, painting, tile, laminate and vinyl plank, and remodeling of all kinds. Quality for the right price. Free est. Please call (336) 362-7469.

continued on p. 38

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

published by

Keep it handy, use it often In print every year Online year-round at nwobserver.com

JULY 2121 - AUG. 3, 3, 2022 JULY - AUG. 2022

37

 HOME SERVICES

 MISC. SERVICES

AMERICAN BUILDER CONSTRUCTION. Repairs & remodeling, kitchens/baths, additions, decks, attics, basements. Licensed & insured. Short wait list. NC general contractors.

(336) 225-7478.

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

PIANO LESSONS, all ages and levels, Summerfield area. Patti, (336) 298-4181.

BELEWS CREEK CONSTRUCTION. Kitchens/baths, custom decks, garages, dock work, siding, windows, roofing, rotted wood. Sr. disc., 41 yrs. exp. (336) 362-6343.

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

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.

PAINTING, DECKS AND MORE. Call Premier Construction for free estimates.

(336) 430-9507.

ROOFING BELEWS CREEK CONSTRUCTION. Lifetime shingle and metal roofing. We fi nance. Free Estimates. Since 1979. Please call (336) 362-6343.

CLINARD & SON ROOFING, LLC. 40 + years experience. (336) 643-8191.

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

DUSTIN CLINARD ROOFING. Shingles, metal, and leak repairs. Call (336) 268-1908

WE’LL BE BACK IN PRINT THURSDAY, AUG. 4 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: (336) 644-7035, ext. 10 classifieds@nwobserver.com

38 JULY JULY - AUG. 2022 2121 - AUG. 3, 3, 2022

index of DISPLAY ADVERTISERS

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

ACCOUNTING

locally owned & operated 6705 US Hwy 158, Stokesdale

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

 MISC. WANTED YARN NEEDED to make children's hats for Samaritan's Purse Shoebox Ministry. Call Beth, (336) 644-8155.

FABRIC NEEDED for Samaritan’s Purse Shoebox Ministry to make dresses and skirts for girls. Cotton fabrics work best, any amount.

Also need buttons, ribbon, lace trimming, elastic and thread. Call Beth, (336) 644-8155 FREE PICK-UP of unwanted riding & push mowers, tillers, generators, power washers, 4-wheelers, mini bikes, golf carts, mopeds, other gas-powered items, etc. (336) 689-4167. $$$ – WILL PAY CASH for your junk / wrecked vehicle. For quote, call (336) 552-0328.

By the Book Accounting ..................... 11 Carlotta Lytton, CPA........................... 28 Kimberly Thacker Accounting............. 28 Samuel K. Anders, CPA, MSA, PC........ 6

AUTOMOTIVE SALES / SERVICE

EuroHaus ........................................... 35 Piedmont Truck Tires .......................... 25 Tire Max ............................................. 30

BANK / LENDING / INVESTMENT

First Citizens Bank .............................. 15

BUILDING / REMODELING

Disney Construction Company............ 20 Don Mills Builders ............................... 23 Johnson & Lee.................................... 21 Old School Home Repair .................... 36 R&K Custom Homes .......................... 17 Ray Bullins Construction ..................... 19 Superior Outdoor Spaces.................... 33 TM Construction Services ................... 47 Walraven Signature Homes ................ 19

CHILDREN’S SERVICES

Guardian Ad Litem ............................. 28

COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION

Summerfield Merchants Association... 18

 REAL ESTATE HOME FOR RENT SUMMERFIELD ADDRESS. Available 8/1/22.

2BR, 1BA, total electric. Complete renovation. Good neighborhood. No pets. $1,200 per mo., plus deposit. Call (336) 669-6382.

LAND FOR SALE LAND FOR SALE. Rockingham County, Hwys. 65 and 73. Two 1-acre lots, $37,000 each. Easy access to Greensboro. Call (336) 601-8723.

DENTAL SERVICES

Summerfield Family Dentistry ............. 31

EVENTS

Greensboro DOT ................................ 32 Summit Church Movie in the Park ........ 8

EVENT VENUE

The Gardens at Gray Gables .............. 29

FUNERAL SERVICES

Forbis & Dick Funeral Services ............ 11

GROCERIES / SUPPLIES

Southern Foods .................................. 24

The Northwest Observer • Totally local since The Northwest Observer • Totally local1996 since 1996

HOME PRODUCTS & SERVICES

BEK Paint Company ........................... 37 Carlos & Son Painting......................... 37 Carpets by Direct .................................. 2 CharCo Concrete Coatings ................. 37 DeLima Lawn Care ............................ 36 Dillon Tree Service .............................. 16 Holliday Tree Service .......................... 36 Rymack Storage ................................. 38 Stokesdale Heating & Air.................... 10 Wilson Seamless Gutters .................... 36

INSURANCE

Gladwell Insurance Agency................. 32

LEGAL SERVICES

Barbour & Williams Law ..................... 14

MEDICAL / HEARING

Aim Hearing & Audiology..................... 5 Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist ....... 9 Atrium Health WFB, Summerfield....... 14 Health Team Advantage ...................... 7 LeBauer HealthCare........................... 33 Northwest Pediatrics ............................. 4

ORTHODONTIC CARE

Olmsted Orthodontics ........................ 31

PET SERVICES & PRODUCTS

Northwest Animal Hospital ................. 12

REAL ESTATE

A New Dawn Realty ........................... 11 Nicole Gillespie, RE/MAX ................... 26 Smith Marketing – Allen Tate ............. 19

RETAIL / CLOTHING

Threads of Serenity ............................ 28

WINERY

Stonefield Cellars .................................. 3

YOUTH SPORTS / CAMPS

National Flag Football .......................... 5 Oak Ridge Youth Association ............. 27

CRIME

...continued from p. 30

an unknown suspect shoplifted an Air Bar nicotine vape, a vape battery charger, four HHC THC vape cartridges and a Delta 10 vape cartridge, worth $124 altogether; two days later, an employee reported that on July 8 an unknown suspect stole four Air Bar vapes and two vape batteries, worth $79.67 altogether.

July 12 | A resident of the 8100 block of Spotswood Road in Summerfield reported an unknown suspect stole her Capital One credit card sometime between July 9-10.

July 15 | A resident of the 600 block of Plainfield Road in northern Greensboro reported that sometime between May 13-16 an unknown suspect stole his GLOCK 45 firearm worth $500.

July 16 | An employee of Dollar General on U.S. 158 in Stokesdale reported

TOWN COUNCIL ...continued from p. 12

FOS member Mollie Byrd then asked the council, “Could you not have simply called us rather than have to make a public motion…I understand why you asked for it (the documentation), but it’s how you asked for it.”

 5  0 to approve a modified motion by Jones to have the town clerk write a letter to FOS formally requesting receipts and canceled checks for any monies donated by the town of Stokesdale.

Water rates. Foy said Forsyth County increased Stokesdale’s cost to purchase water by 3.17%, effective July 1. He then motioned the town pass along the 3.17% increase to its water customers and also increase the monthly service fee from $25 to $25.50, effective with the August billing cycle.  5  0 to approve Foy’s motion.

Part-time deputy clerk. Foy said that as the town prepares for town clerk Dale Martin’s retirement sometime next year, it would be wise to begin looking for a part-time deputy clerk/administrative assistant at a rate of about $17/hour.

“It’s not pressing, but I would rather be forward-thinking than reactionary.

I don’t want to wait until Ms. Martin

an unknown suspect shoplifted three drinks and a bag of candy, with a total retail value of $5.

July 16 | A resident of the 7600 block of Thomas Road in Stokesdale (near U.S. 158) reported that sometime between July 15-16 an unknown suspect stole two house keys, an Apple AirTag and the key fob to her vehicle.

July 16 | An employee of Tractor Supply Company in Oak Ridge reported an unknown suspect shoplifted a pair of green/brown Justin boots with a retail value of $150.

UNCLASSIFIED

July 5 | Officers responded to a traffic offense at 2:17 a.m. in the 6500 block of U.S. 159/Spotswood Road in Summerfield.

July 6 | An employee of Wilson’s Grocery in Summerfield turned in two pieces of fake U.S. currency to police officers. retires,” he said. No formal action was taken, but Foy was encouraged to create a job description.

MPO. Jones said he didn’t know how to establish communication with the Metropolitan Planning Organization about road projects in Stokesdale.

“We seem to be left out. Many years the only representative for this area was from Summerfield,” he said.

Foy said Summerfield Town Councilman Reece Walker is now the northwest Guilford area’s representative and will serve the town well.

When Jones persisted, saying he felt left out of the loop, Crawford said Walker had contacted him after being appointed as the area’s representative and he would ask for future email communications to include Jones.

COUNCIL COMMENTS

 “I just want to reiterate that this board supports Friends of Stokesdale,” Rigsbee said. “I want to make sure that’s clear.”  Foy echoed that support, and welcomed Wagoner as the new deputy clerk.  To the FOS members still in attendance, Jones said, “I feel I am responsible for my oath of office that every dollar is accounted for.”

The Northwest With no further business, Observer the meeting was adjourned at 10:32 p.m.

Coming September 1 Back-to-school special section

 New principals, traffic routes, teachers, bell schedule, policies … a lot can

change from the end of one school year to the beginning of another!

Check out our Back to School section in the Northwest Observer’s Sept. 1 issue to find out what’s new at our northwest/northern public schools.

 Meet some of the administrators and front-office staff, teachers, athletic coaches, student leaders, and more.  Get an update on the public school facilities in our area and see what plans are on the horizon for upgrades, repairs, additions and replacements.  Hear how the high school athletic departments and bands are preparing for the upcoming fall sports season.

A special section in the Northwest Observer Direct-mailed to over 12,400 homes Every household within the Oak Ridge (27310), Summerfield (27358) and Stokesdale (27357) zip codes

t Curren t wes North r ve Obser get isers advert

FF 10% Og rates

isin advert

published by pscomm unicat

ions

2022

Available for free pickup 1,6000 additional copies placed at 70+ locations throughout northwest Guilford County

Online year-round at nwobserver.com and shared with over 15,100 Facebook fans

published by

Reserve your ad space by Aug. 5 Contact Laura at (336) 644-7035, ext. 11, or advertising@nwobserver.com.

• Totally local since 1996

JULY 21 - AUG. 3, 2022

39

PRSRT STD PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE U.S. POSTAGE

Postal Patron Postal Patron PO268, Box 268, Ridge, NC 27310 • (336) 644-7035 PO Box Oak Oak Ridge, NC 27310 • (336) 644-7035

Oak Ridge resident Amy Carrickhoff and her sister, Heather, crossed off a bucket list item last month when they walked from one side of Rhode Island to the other (here’s a little trivia about Rhode Island: the smallest state in our country, it’s about 48 miles from its most northern to southern point and 37 miles at its widest western to eastern point).

PAID PAID

Ridge, NC OakOak Ridge, NC Permit No. Permit No. 2222 ECRWSS ECRWSS

John and Beverly Gordon of Oak Ridge visited the town of Oia, on the Greek island of Santorini, in May. Known for its whitewashed buildings and blue-domed churches, it is considered one of the most picturesque villages in Greece. Add the Northwest Observer to the scenery, and it’s just about perfect!

The Mazza family enjoyed a recent stay at the Greenbrier in the Allegheny Mountains of West Virginia. The Greenbrier resort is situated on 11,000 acres of land with 710 guest rooms, 20 restaurants and lounges, more than 55 indoor and outdoor activities and sports, and 36 retail shops. The Mazzas had plenty of activities to enjoy during their stay, but they were sure to make time for their favorite pastime – reading the Northwest Observer!

Going near or far?

Be sure to pack up your Northwest Observer and send us your NWO on the go photos!

Email your high-res photo to : photos@nwobserver.com