Northwest Observer / Aug. 17-30, 2023



IN THIS ISSUE

STOKESDALE – Opponents of a possible casino on U.S. 220 are asking Rockingham County commissioners to delay consideration of the project due to a lack of community feedback.

“There’s not a conversation at all,” Rockingham County Sheriff Sam Page said in an interview last week. “Not a lot of information is being shared, but it looks like it’s been fast-tracked.”

A Republican candidate for lieutenant governor, Page was one of nine casino opponents who spoke

 “This ought to be a separate bill voted on in the light so that you know where your members stood,” said John Blust, a former Republican member of the North Carolina House of Representatives and also of the N.C. Senate.

during the commissioners’ meeting last Monday, Aug. 7. Their remarks previewed plans by opponents to crowd the board’s meeting this coming Monday, Aug. 21, for consideration of the request to rezone nearly 193 acres in the southwestern corner of the county to accommodate gambling operations.

So many people are expected to attend the meeting that the crowd may spill over onto the lawn of the county’s governmental center in Wentworth, according to Page.

As Rockingham County’s commissioners prepare to consider a rezoning request for a possible casino, opponents are asking elected leaders to slow down and gather public input before making a decision

by CHRIS BURRITT

‘What is the rush?’

“This is not just western Rockingham County’s concern. This should be all of Rockingham County’s concern. It should be all of North Carolina’s concern,” Rhonda Rodenbough, a Camp Carefree board member, told the Stokesdale Town Council at its Aug. 10 meeting.

 Citizens bearing signs reading “Keep Our Community Great –NO CASINO” filled the Stokesdale Town Council meeting room to capacity on Aug. 10. Over 75 citizens attended the meeting to ask the town for its support in opposing a gambling casino they fear may be built on 193 acres abutting Camp Carefree off U.S. 220.

Photos by Patti Stokes/NWO

Summerfield considers text amendment, mayor says

by CHRIS BURRITT SUMMERFIELD – Summerfield Mayor

Tim Sessoms said town staff and the Planning Board will start exploring a text amendment that addresses landowner David Couch’s concerns about development rules.

“Mr. Couch said there are many things in our UDO (unified development ordinance) that create problems for developers,” Sessoms said in an interview earlier this week.

“We are asking our staff and Planning Board to begin looking into what we would put forward as a text amendment,” the mayor said. “It would give consideration to not only Mr. Couch but also the needs of the citizens of Summerfield.”

Twice since 2022, the Town Council has voted down Couch’s text amendment applications that would create a new zoning district to accommodate higher-density housing,

including apartments.

The Town’s UDO requires a 1-year waiting period to resubmit a substantially similar request. Earlier this year, instead of waiting for a year to submit a new text amendment request, Couch sought the support of state Senate President Pro Tem Phil (R-District 26) to de-annex his Summerfield property.

At Berger’s urging, the two sides met to try to resolve their differences, but talks stalled after an initial meeting in March and a subsequent exchange of letters, according to Sessoms. Couch has offered no comments on the issue when contacted by the Northwest Observer over the last few months.

Uncertainty over de-annexation legislation lingers as the General Assembly’s session extends past the summer.

Berger is “hopeful to conclude the bulk of our legislative work by the end of September,” Lauren Horsch, a spokeswoman for Berger, said in an email earlier this week.

Horsch said she had no update on possible Summerfield de-annexation legislation as lawmakers work on the state budget and a bill that would expand gambling in North Carolina.

We’re (almost) back!

www.nwobserver.com

by PATTI STOKES

NW GUILFORD – Having the Northwest Observer’s website abruptly go offline several weeks ago has created inconveniences for our readers as well as our staff, and I’m excited to announce that we’re finally coming back online Wednesday, Aug. 23.

Ongoing concerns with our former website software provider came to a

head last month, prompting me to begin researching companies that specialize in community newspaper websites. I had hoped to have more time before I made a switch in order to allow for a smooth transition with minimal downtime, but it didn’t work out that way.

Fortunately, my research had already led me to a company that is a great fit for us, and after communicating with their staff and contacting some of their customers (who gave them glowing reviews), I selected them as our new website developer and they immediately

got to work building our new site.

In recent weeks we’ve been behind the scenes selecting the online features we want, tweaking page designs, and going through staff training on our new site. We know being offline has been a hassle for those of you accustomed to placing your classifieds, grins and gripes, calendar events, etc., online, and we appreciate you finding ways to get us your content the old-fashioned way (i.e., via email or over the phone).

Although our new site may not be perfect from Day 1, we believe we have one to be proud of and we’re anxious to come back online as we work through any imperfections. We invite you to visit the site when we go live on Aug. 23, test out all the old features and check out the new ones available to you – and then please, give us your feedback.

Thanks for your patience, and see you back online next week at www.nwobserver.com!

Haw River Road gets speedmonitoring sign after deaths

by CHRIS BURRITT

OAK RIDGE – Nine months after a second Halloween night fatality on Haw River Road, a new digital sign is monitoring the speed of motorists on the stretch of road.

Town Manager Bill Bruce told the Town Council during its Aug. 3 meeting that Oak Ridge paid for the installation of the sign in an effort to slow down motorists following two Halloween night fatalities in 2022 and 2019.

“The sign is designed to alert drivers who are heading eastbound on Haw River Road into the town of Stokesdale that they’re approaching an area with residential driveways and potentially greater conflicts, including pedestrians,” Bruce said.

The sign is one of the safety precautions requested by family and friends of 14-year-old Aliyah Thornhill, who was hit and killed on Halloween night last October, and Noah Chambers, 11, who died after being struck by a motorist three years earlier.

Oak Ridge plans to collect data as part of efforts to determine whether the effectiveness of the sign may warrant placing others around town, Bruce said.

Speed data previously gathered by the North Carolina Department of Public Transportation (NCDOT) will serve as a baseline for the town’s evaluation of the effectiveness of the digital sign.

NCDOT’s data “showed that people come in pretty hot from the west and

Coming August 23, the all new

Photo courtesy of Town of Oak Ridge The Town of Oak Ridge has installed a permanent digital radar sign on Haw River Road, located east of Apple Grove Road in Oak Ridge heading toward Stokesdale, to help slow drivers as they approach the more residential areas along the road. The radar sign will indicate a vehicle’s current rate of speed along with the posted speed limit.

they start slowing down a little bit,” Mayor Schneider said. “But we want them to slow down more, like maybe to the speed limit.”

Soon, the town plans to commence a public information campaign on its website and Facebook page promoting pedestrian and motorist safety, Bruce added.

COMMUNITY

EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM VOLUNTEERS NEEDED Information Session

Thursday, August 31st, 2023 @ 7:30 PM Summerfield Community Center 5404 Centerfield Road, Summerfield, NC

Volunteers are needed to assist first responders in the case of natural disasters or other major emergencies. This information session will provide details on the training required and how the team would be utilized.

CERT volunteers support Emergency Services (Fire, EMS, Law Enforcement) with disaster preparedness, and protecting the public.

As a CERT member, you will be trained to prepare for, respond to, and recover from a disaster.

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Chris Burritt, staff writer; Lily Pierce and Annette Joyce, contributing writers

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What’s that structure going up behind Summerfield Fire Department on Summerfield Road?

Summerfield Fire Chief Chris Johnson told us that when the fire district hired a full-time mechanic over a year ago, they knew they needed to add space for him to adequately work on the district’s apparatus fleet, which serves three stations (Station 9 on Summerfield Road, Station 29 on Scalesville Road and Station 39 on Lake Brandt Road).

Winston-Salem-based D.R. Reynolds Company was subsequently hired to construct a two-bay, 40-foot x 60-foot x 30-foot maintenance facility behind Station 9 on Summerfield Road, with an additional 27-foot x 8-foot storage and compressor room at the back of the building.

“One of the bays will have an in-ground lift to raise our apparatus –the main reason for the height requirement is to ensure we have appropriate

overhead clearance,” Johnson said. Initially, the project was to be completed by May, but securing permits and workforce delays pushed the projected completion date to midOctober (weather permitting), Johnson told us.

“I can tell you that since we added our mechanic, our trucks’ out-ofservice time has dropped significantly and our preventative maintenance care has improved, which I believe will extend the life of our trucks,” Johnson noted.

Photo by Patti Stokes/NWO

A two-bay maintenance facility is being built behind Summerfield Fire District’s Station 9 on Summerfield Road to provide space for the district’s full-time mechanic to work on apparatus fleet maintenance. A storage and compressor room is also being added to the back of the fire station.

F L A S H F L A S H

S A L E S A L E

B U Y 1 W I N D O W

G E T 1 W I N D O W

D o n ' t P a y A n y t h i n g F o r 2

Y e a r s W i t h O u r F i n a n c i n g !

LIVING WELL IN NORTHWEST GUILFORD COUNTY

Living with Long COVID

by CHRIS BURRITT

After losing her senses of taste and smell due to COVID-19, Patty Brookbank worried that meals she prepared for her husband, Dave, wouldn’t taste the same. It actually didn’t matter. He couldn’t taste or smell, either.

In their mid-70s, the couple survived the virus in 2020, and they eventually recovered – for the most part –from what’s known as Long COVID. Like other so-called “long haulers” still suffering from the condition 3 ½ years after the start of the pandemic, the Brookbanks are coming to terms with the possibility that their lives won’t ever be the same.

“It’s been life-altering,” Brookbank said in an interview earlier this week. She and her husband live in Rockingham County, though they have family ties in northwestern Guilford County.

Taking a break in her kitchen from canning spaghetti sauce made from homegrown tomatoes and fresh ingredients, Brookbank said, “I could smell the thyme. I’m really thankful for that.”

On the other hand, Brookbank’s recovery of smell isn’t complete. As examples, she said, coffee and her Chanel perfume “don’t smell the way they’re supposed to.”

Such unexpected and inexplicable changes are common among the one in six North Carolinians diagnosed with COVID who have experienced symptoms of Long COVID. That’s an estimate from the state’s Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS), citing a National Center for Health Statistics’ online survey that in 2022 added questions related to Long COVID, also

known as Post-COVID Conditions.

“People with Long COVID have symptoms for four weeks or more, and they can last for months or years,” NCDHHS said on its website. “Even people who did not have severe symptoms at first can develop Long COVID.”

Getting at least one dose of a COVID vaccine lowers the risk of developing Long COVID, suggested a study published online in December 2022 by the Antimicrobial Stewardship & Healthcare Epidemiology journal.

An uptick of infections over the summer is prompting medical professionals to remind people to get vaccinated if they haven’t already. The same goes for unvaccinated people who’ve already had the disease, according to a Harvard Health Publishing article in March.

“Many people in the United States have some protection, or immunity, against COVID-19 due to vaccination, previous infection, or both,” according to a post on the website of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “This immunity, combined with the availability of tests and treatments, has greatly reduced the risk of severe illness, hospitalization, and death from COVID-19 for many people.”

NCDHHS describes Long COVID as “a real and serious condition” that can result in a disability recognized under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

“It takes many different forms, and it is not one illness,” NCDHHS said. “We are still learning how to treat it.”

Three and a half years after the start of the pandemic, some survivors continue to endure long-term effects of a virus that’s still mystifying the medical community

Adobe Stock photo

Shortness of breath, extreme fatigue, a “foggy” brain, anxiety

and/or

depression,

and

the loss of taste and smell are some of the more common symptoms of Long

COVID.

“Tiredness or fatigue that interferes with daily living” is one of the wideranging Long COVID symptoms defined by the CDC. Others include respiratory and heart-related symptoms such as shortness of breath and chest pain.

Neurological symptoms range from lightheadedness to difficulty concentrating to depression or anxiety, the CDC said. Digestive problems and joint and muscle pain are other symptoms.

For medical professionals, long COVID can be difficult to pinpoint, said Dr. Chan Badger, a physician with Novant Health Northern Family Medicine in Greensboro.

“There’s no specific diagnosis for it,” Badger said. “There’s no lab test, there’s no X-ray test. It’s really more about a conglomerate of symptoms in the post-acute phase after someone has been diagnosed with COVID.”

“It’s tough, because some of these symptoms can blend in with other chronic disorders,” added Dr. Jeffrey Greene, a physician for Cone Health’s LeBauer HealthCare at Summerfield Village in Summerfield.

“As primary care providers, we look to see what kind of impact the symptoms are having on (patients’) daily functioning,” Greene said. “How much is it interfering with their daily life and their home life and their work life?”

Among the approximately five Long COVID patients Badger has treated, he kept one of them out of work for 12 weeks “just to allow him more time to get better.

“He was really dizzy and lightheaded (and) certainly depressed,” Badger said. “He also had significant shortness of breath and fatigue. And it was really interfering with his ability to perform his job.”

For 2 ½ years, Claire Surette said she’s had no sense of taste or smell. The loss of those senses prompted her to get checked for COVID-19 in December 2020, and the test turned out positive.

After spending three days in bed due to flu-like symptoms, Surette recovered, except that she “couldn’t taste flavors.”

“I can tell if something is sweet, salty, sour or spicy like a seasoning,” said Surette, 21, who grew up in Oak Ridge and now attends UNC-Wilmington. “If you line up every Propel water flavor, blindfold me and had me taste them, I would tell you they’re all just sweet water.”

When she’s eating, Surette describes herself as “a lot more of a texture person” than before she contracted the virus.

Macaroni and cheese is one of her favorite dishes, but she only eats it now if it’s baked and “a little bit thicker and less squishy,” she said. “I won’t eat super squishy foods anymore.”

For about a year, Surette said her condition was “very upsetting. But I don’t get emotional about it anymore. It’s kind of like my everyday life now.”

Understanding the causes of Long COVID and treatments for the condition is “going to take decades,” even though clinical studies and research are underway, according to Badger.

“It’s too early to have produced anything that is super practical,” said Dr. John Sanders, chief of infectious diseases at Wake Forest Baptist Health in WinstonSalem. He’s also a professor at Wake Forest University’s School of Medicine.

“We are largely relying medically on the treatment algorithms that were developed before COVID,” Sanders said. “We’ve known for centuries that for some people who get an infection, it will trigger longer symptoms.”

Due to the lack of science around Long COVID, physicians are limited in what they can tell patients. The lack of a guarantee that patients will get better draws mixed reactions, Sanders said.

“Based on our prior experience with other infections and what we’re already seeing with COVID, these symptoms tend to improve,” he said. “People don’t die from this. It can last weeks, months, even

SUMMERFIELD town council

Aug. 8 / MEETING HIGHLIGHTS

as reported by CHRIS

BURRITT

SUMMERFIELD – Mayor Tim Sessoms called the monthly meeting in Summerfield Community Center to order, with Mayor Pro Tem Lynne Williams DeVaney and council members Jeff Davis, Janelle Robinson, Reece Walker and John Doggett present.

DeVaney offered the invocation, which was followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.

CONSENT AGENDA

 5  0 to amend the meeting agenda to add a resolution regarding potential casino legislation being drafted in the state General Assembly.

 5  0 (separate votes) to approve the amended meeting agenda, June 13 open session meeting minutes, and a resolution concurring with North Carolina DOT’s decision to add Carson Path, a Summerfield road, to the state’s secondary road system.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Recycling event. A recycling event sponsored by Guilford County is scheduled for 8 a.m. to noon Saturday, Sept. 16, at Laughlin Professional Development Center at 7911 Summerfield Road in Summerfield.

Campaign signs. Town Manager Scott Whitaker said candidates in the town’s Nov. 7 election will receive a letter by email explaining rules for posting campaign signs.

RECOGNITION

Sam Schlosser. The council recognized the contributions of Summerfield resident and longtime volunteer Sam Schlosser, who died Aug. 15, 2022, at the age of 75. (See p. 14 for more details.)

RESOLUTION

 5  0 to request the state legislature grant municipalities the option to hold local referendums to decide casino and gaming-related issues. The resolution relates to the nearly 193 acres on U.S. 220 in southwestern Rockingham County that are potentially slated for a casino.

The project faces two legislative hurdles. In Raleigh, Republican leaders are drafting a bill that would expand casino and gaming operations beyond tribal lands in North Carolina. If enacted, the legislation would allow gaming in three counties: Rockingham, Nash and Anson.

Second, the Rockingham County Board of Commissioners plans to consider and possibly vote Aug. 21 on whether to rezone the Highway 220 property to allow “electronic gaming operations.”

The resolution passed by Summerfield’s council recognizes that “significant public sentiment in Rockingham County suggests that North Carolinians want a voice in their rural

WHAT they voted on, and HOW they voted:

Mayor Pro Tem Lynne Williams DeVaney and council members Jeff Davis, Janelle Robinson, Reece Walker and John Doggett voted on the following items during the council’s Aug. 8 meeting. Mayor Tim Sessoms was present, but in Summerfield the mayor votes only to break a tie.

 5  0: Approve (in separate votes) an amended meeting agenda, June 13 open session meeting minutes, and a resolution to add Carson Path, a Summerfield road, to North Carolina DOT’s secondary road system

 5  0: Ask the state legislature to grant municipalities the option to hold local referendums to decide casino and gaming-related issues

 5  0: Authorize town staff to negotiate a contract with consultant Destination by Design and engineering firm Kimley-Horn to prepare engineering and construction documents for Bandera Farms Park

 5  0: Approve numerous appointments and reappointments to the Finance, Founders’ Day, Historical and Trails and Open Space committees

 5  0: Schedule a public hearing Sept. 14 to get citizens’ input on proposed voluntary annexations into Summerfield

 5  0: Approve a consent order settling a legal dispute between the town and Kotis Properties, owner of Summerfield Square shopping center

 5  0: Approve a 5% pay raise for Town Manager Scott Whitaker

communities regarding casinos and gaming activities.”

The resolution does not express either opposition or support for gaming, Whitaker emphasized. Rather, it requests the legislature give local governing boards the right to schedule voter referendums.

office handled 281 calls in Summerfield last month; 17 of those resulted in formal case reports.

A residential breaking and entering on Henson Forest Drive on July 15 remains under investigation.

COMMITTEE REPORT

Historical Committee. Mark Brown reported that committee and church members and Oak Ridge-based BSA Troop 600 have begun clearing overgrowth and leaves from the cemetery of Hopewell Wesleyan Church at Pleasant Ridge, Carlson Dairy and Lewiston roads.

The mayor added that he’s reached out to mayors Ann Schneider of Oak Ridge and Mike Crawford of Stokesdale about supporting a similar resolution.

PUBLIC SAFETY

Summerfield Fire District. The department responded to 137 calls in July, including 23 fire-related calls, 62 EMSrelated calls, and 52 other calls. The staff installed two child safety seats.

Sheriff’s Office. The sheriff’s District 1

The next cleanup is scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 26. This fall, the committee plans to use ground-penetrating radar to conduct a search of the pre-Revolutionary War graveyard, where Brown said British soldiers and slaves may be buried in some of the unmarked graves.

„ Rockingham County Sheriff Sam Page expressed his opposition to the possible casino on property just off U.S. 220,

“It’s about giving the people the opportunity for their voices to be heard,” Sessoms said.

about six miles north of Summerfield. Page said he favors a referendum for local voters to express their support or opposition to gaming in their communities.

Page described as “mighty suspect” what he said were behind-the-scenes efforts by Rockingham County and state legislators to pave the way for non-tribal gaming in the state. (See related article on FC.)

„ Bill Goebel, who serves as the county school board’s District 3 representative, said inflation has increased the price tag of renovating, rebuilding and building new schools countywide. Current building projects are being funded from $2 billion in capital bonds approved by voters in 2020 and 2022.

Goebel invited people to contact him for details about spending earmarked for Northwest, Northern and other schools in the area.

„ Gail Dunham said she’s been waiting more than three months for town staff to fulfill public records requests (PRRs) she submitted.

Later in the meeting, Robinson said the town has gotten 57 PRRs from Dunham just since the start of the year. She noted that some of the financial info-related PRRs came during the preparation of the town’s annual budget this past spring and early summer, an especially busy time for Finance Officer Dee Hall, who works part-time for the town.

Even though she’s behind on fulfilling some PRRs, Hall “does a great job,” Robinson said. “She works her tail off for us. I have no doubt she will be caught up soon.”

„ Patti Stokes, president of Summerfield Merchants Association, spoke about how the association’s 54 members, all professionals representing various businesses and nonprofits, support each other and the community.

“I think we’re kind of a quiet group, but we accomplish a lot,” said Stokes, who shared that earlier this year, SMA members donated $1,900 to Summerfield Elementary School to help replace outdated projectors; donated items for a Northern Guilford High School fundraiser; sponsored and volunteered for Founders’ Day in May; and will sponsor and volunteer at Summerfield Fire District’s Stop, Drop and Roll 5K on Sept. 30 and the town’s holiday tree lighting in November.

The association also gave $2,500 scholarships this past May to two high school seniors who live in Summerfield.

“Besides what we do as an association, individually, our members give a lot back as well,” Stokes said, ending with a request for residents to support their local businesses as those businesses in turn support the community.

Five candidates for town council in the Nov. 7 municipal election spoke

during the public comments period.

„ As a candidate for mayor, Linda Wendelken said she loves the town and wants “to keep it Summerfield.” She added that she opposes the possible casino in Rockingham County because gambling operations target people who can’t afford to lose money.

„ If elected to the council, Heath Clay said he would work to preserve Summerfield’s “small-town values. I love this town and the country living.”

Clay said he favors term limits for elected officials, and he has no business or development interests that could possibly sway his decisions.

„ A former council member, Teresa Perryman said she’s running for a council seat again because she “wants to make transparency a high priority with our town. I believe slow, controlled growth is great for our community.”

A lifelong Summerfield resident, Perryman said she favors a continuation of the town’s limited-services government and the protection of wells and septic systems.

„ A lawyer, Jon Hamilton said he believes he could help the town resolve its legal issues if he’s elected to the council. As a member of the town’s Finance Committee since May, he said he seeks greater involvement in town affairs, such as fighting de-annexation efforts by landowner David Couch.

“I don’t know how much fight he actually has,” Hamilton said. “I am against David Couch; I am against high density.”

„ Seeking reelection to the council, Lynne DeVaney said she supports “local businesses, firefighters, first responders… controlled growth, parks and rec and water for fire protection.”

“I am against de-annexation,” she added.

MANAGER’S REPORT

Bandera Farms Park contract

 5  0 to authorize town staff to negotiate a contract with consultant Destination by Design and engineering firm Kimley-Horn to prepare engineering and construction documents for Bandera Farms Park, and to provide construction oversight.

Sustainable Stables, a Durham-based designer of equestrian properties, would serve as a consultant to the two firms.

The design of horseback-riding trails “is obviously a critical component of this project,” Whitaker noted.

As a next step, the manager will work to negotiate a price for the contract and present it to the council for consideration.

The 120-acre park at Bunch Road and Interstate 73 is slated for completion by September 2025.

Appointments and reappointments

 5  0 to appoint Jayme Gruen to the Trails and Open Space Committee, and add Nolan Carter of Greensboro as a non-resident, ex-officio member.

By unanimous vote, the council approved the following committee reappointments:

• Finance: Alan Abrams, Vicky Bridges and Wendel Parks.

• Founders’ Day: Jane Doggett, Lynne Williams DeVaney, Mark Brown and Reece Walker.

• Historical: Andy Schlosser, John

White III, Kenneth Robinson, Loren Sterling, Mia Malesovas and Troy Stantliff Jr.

• Trails and Open Space: Ginger Lambrecht, Jane Doggett, Neala Jones, Paul Lambrecht and Trudy Whitacre. Land use plan update. Whitaker reviewed the council’s earlier decision to pause proposed land use plan deliberations by the Planning Board and the council until the outcome of landowner David Couch’s de-annexation efforts is clear.

If Couch’s 973 acres are removed from the town limits, it would change the land use plan, Whitaker explained.

For

Water system update. Engineering firm Freese and Nichols is assessing whether an existing well on the townowned Gordon tract, which fronts U.S. 220 at N.C. 150, would provide enough water to supply a proposed elevated storage tank, Whitaker said.

Trash and recycling services. Whitaker asked for council input on whether staff should explore replacing Republic Services as the town’s trash and recycling contractor.

He described the town’s relationship with Republic as “up and down,” but said based on citizen complaints over the last year or so, the company had been doing “fairly well.”

A&Y Greenway update. Whitaker said a contractor is surveying property along the trail as part of work on its southern loop.

Martin house and Gordon Hardware building update. Plans by Lauren Cox to purchase the historic Martin house at the corner of N.C. 150 and Summerfield Road have been delayed by the town’s requirement for a water runoff collection device such as a retention pond, Whitaker said, while adding that engineers are trying to resolve the hurdle.

Preservation North Carolina, which is handling the sale of the Gordon Hardware building, across from the Martin house, is working on “a new option” for the project, Whitaker said.

“As everybody knows, these are both really challenging sites in relation to parking, wells, septic and land use requirements for buffers,” Whitaker said. “I will tell you more when I can.”

COUNCIL BUSINESS

Voluntary annexations

 5  0 to schedule a public hearing for the council to seek input on proposed voluntary annexations into Summerfield. The hearing will be held 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 14, at Center United Methodist Church at 6142 Lake Brandt Road.

After last year inviting property owners to seek voluntary annexation into Summerfield, the town received 16 petitions from homeowners on the eastern outskirts of town.

Some of the properties are contiguous with the town limits but others are considered “satellite” annexation petitions.

“We are missing that critical mass of contiguous property that would make for what I would call a cleaner addition to our corporate limits,” Whitaker said.

Following the Sept. 14 public hearing, the council will consider whether to approve the petitions.

Constitution Week. Sessoms said he will ask the council next month to proclaim the week of Sept. 17-24 as Constitution Week.

CLOSED SESSION

The council entered closed session to discuss legal and personnel matters. One hour, 20 minutes later, it reconvened into open session and voted on two matters.

Consent order

 5  0 to authorize a consent order settling a legal dispute between the town and Kotis Properties, owner of Summerfield Square shopping center.

In Guilford County Superior Court, Kotis challenged decisions by town staff and the Board of Adjustment that the size of the sign above the Clouds vaping store in the shopping center was bigger than allowed by the town’s development ordinance.

The order will allow the sign to remain in place “for the time being,” Whitaker said. If the town wants to force the removal or altering of the sign, it has the option to amend the development ordinance, he said.

Pay raise

 5  0 to approve a 5% pay raise for Whitaker, increasing his annual salary from $143,742.48 to $150,929.60, according to Hall.

The raise is retroactive to June 12, Whitaker’s start date 11 years ago, and consists of a 3% cost-of-living increase and a 2% merit increase.

“We appreciate the good job,” Davis told Whitaker.

With no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 9:25 p.m.

Thanks to our Aug. 1 meeting co-hosts, (above, far left) Mitzi Dawson/owner, Kona Ice of Rockingham County, and (above, second from right) Debra Wilson/Realtor, The Art of Southern Realty

An association of professionals supporting each other and our community

Council passes resolution opposing casino

A second resolution states town’s support for citizens to have the option for local referendums on locations for casinos, entertainment districts and more

by PATTI STOKES

STOKESDALE – It’s been a long, long time since Stokesdale Town Council has had so many citizens attend a council meeting, but on Aug. 10, every chair in the council meeting room was filled and several people stood against the back wall. Most who came were there to express their opposition to a proposed casino that would be located on 193 acres abutting Camp Carefree in Rockingham County, and only four

miles north of the town limits of Stokesdale. Many carried bright red yard signs with white lettering that read “Keep Our Community Great – NO CASINO.”

During a period designated for citizen comments, former U.S. Congressman Mark Walker was the first of several speakers who shared their reasons for opposing the casino.

OAK RIDGE town council

Aug. 3 / MEETING HIGHLIGHTS

as reported by CHRIS

BURRITT

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

Longtime Oak Ridge resident and volunteer Claudia Whitaker offered the invocation, which was followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.

AGENDA

 5  0 to approve the meeting agenda, as well as minutes of a June 21 special called meeting and the June 29 open and closed session meeting minutes.

ANNOUNCEMENT

Town Hall art. Schneider thanked Oak Ridge painter Roy Nydorf for loaning the town “Topping Tobacco,” his 1987 oil-on-canvas painting of two farmers, one being Oak Ridge’s Jack Blaylock, working in Blaylock’s tobacco field on N.C. 150.

The picture hangs behind the desk in the Town Hall’s front entrance. Also, framed photographs of Oak Ridge’s “Treasure Trees” taken by Erin Kye are displayed in the nearby conference room.

PUBLIC SAFETY

Oak Ridge Fire Department. Chief

WHAT they voted on, and HOW they voted:

Ken Gibson reported the department responded to 103 calls in July, including 46 EMS-related calls. ORFD also assisted on two structure fires in Stokesdale, and staff obtained 457 hours of training.

Gibson said the department signed a contract for the construction of a fire training facility behind Station No. 15 on Linville Road.

Some people have asked why Oak Ridge’s fire department needs a training tower when “we don’t have that many structure fires,” Gibson said. “The technical aspect of firefighting is forever changing,” he explained, adding that even though fires “don’t happen often, when they do, it is very high risk…so we want to have the best training we can.”

Gibson reported that efforts are underway to create a CERT (community emergency response team) consisting of volunteers trained in basic first aid and similar skills to help during emergencies.

“They will come in and assist us,” Gibson said. “They help their neighbors, whatever the case may be.”

An informational meeting about CERT is planned for Aug. 31, 7:30 p.m., at Summerfield Community Center on Centerfield Road (behind Summerfield Elementary School).

Sheriff’s Office. The sheriff’s District 1 office did not provide a July incident

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 Aug. 3 town council meeting.

 5  0: Approve the meeting agenda, as well as minutes of a June 21 special called meeting and the June 29 open and closed session meeting minutes

 5  0: Appoint Denise Sacks as a full member of the Historic Preservation Commission, while also reappointing and staggering the terms of Water Advisory Committee members Erin English, Francis Disney, Brian Hall and Phil McNamara

 5  0: Approve the town’s match of Veterans Honor Green donations of $22,400 from April through June

 5  0: Approve a proposal for Piedmont Triad Regional Council to update Oak Ridge’s development ordinance, at a cost of $79,500

 5  0: Approve a $350,000 proposal from Barrs Recreation to design and install the new playground at Heritage Farm Park

 5  0: Approve a plan for landscaping the entrance to Town Park, at an estimated cost of $139,810

 5  0: Approve $85,554.88 in budget amendments for last fiscal year

report for Oak Ridge.

MANAGER’S REPORT Board appointments, reappointments

 5  0 to appoint Denise Sacks as a full member of the Historic Preservation Commission. By unanimous vote, the council also reappointed and staggered the terms of Water Advisory Committee members Erin English, Francis Disney, Brian Hall and Phil McNamara.

Veterans Honor Green donations

 5  0 to approve the town’s match of Veterans Honor Green donations of $22,400 received from April through June.

The council provided the matching $22,400 from a state Small Town Development Grant. It also donated the remainder of the grant – $7,383.38 –to the veterans’ site slated for Heritage Farm Park.

After the town’s giving, donations to the veterans’ site totaled $237,115.62,

edging closer to the fundraising goal of roughly $250,000.

Later in the meeting, Patti Dmuchowski, chair of the Special Events Committee, thanked the town for its matching funds.

“We are so close,” she said, adding that “we’re not going to stop fundraising.”

Heritage Farm Park update. Town Manager Bill Bruce reported that construction of the park is progressing “at a healthy pace” as BAR Construction Co. wraps up rough grading of the two athletic fields and parking lot.

The contractor is preparing to install irrigation lines and is coordinating with Duke Energy to extend electrical service to the site, Bruce said.

“There is work going on every day,” he confirmed, adding that the park behind Town Hall on Linville Road is scheduled to open next spring.

Bruce thanked walkers for abiding by the town’s request to stay out of the construction zone. As trail construction

begins on the southern portion of the property, the town will post signs asking people to also stay away from that area, he added.

Digital speed monitoring sign. Bruce reported the town paid for the installation of a digital speed monitoring sign on Haw River Road after two Halloween night fatalities in 2022 and 2019. (See related article and photo on p. 3)

Farmhouse Community Center update. The town has instructed BAR Construction Co. to start the renovation and conversion of the historic Redmon house into the Farmhouse Community Center no later than Aug. 31, Bruce said.

NEW BUSINESS

Development ordinance update

 5  0 to approve a proposal for Piedmont Triad Regional Council to update Oak Ridge’s development ordinance, at a cost of $79,500.

Over the next 15 months, the agency plans to “reorganize, streamline, and modernize the Development Ordinance to reflect building trends and best practices in planning and zoning, as well as to improve functionality and user-friendliness,” according to a memo from Bruce.

The update will also incorporate the town’s village core design guidelines into a proposed overlay zone.

Despite periodic updates to the ordinance over the years, he told the council, “the primary structure and text of the development ordinance is over 30 years old. So this is a long overdue project.”

Heritage Farm Park playground  5  0 to approve a $350,000 proposal from Barrs Recreation for design and installation of the new playground at Heritage Farm Park.

In recent weeks, the Parks and Recreation (P&R) Advisory Board reviewed proposals from four playground manufacturing and installation contractors.

The town instructed bidders to incorporate a farm theme and accessibility for disabled children in their proposals for the playground. The board favored Pittsboro, North Carolina-based Barrs due to its “creative design, inclusive

elements, elements for older children, and its supplemental warranty that offers 100% free replacement cost on all warrantied products,” Bruce said.

“We really wanted to make this an extraordinary place and not just have what’s across the road, but create a good environment for all kids between young and old and children of all abilities and disabilities to be able to play side by side,” said John Browning, co-chair of the P&R Advisory Board.

Browning added that the pour-inplace rubberized playground surface will be safer than other surfaces.

Barrs is not affiliated with Greensboro-based BAR Construction Co., the general contractor building the new park and renovating the Redmon house.

Town Park entrance landscaping

 5  0 to approve a plan for landscaping the entrance to Town Park, at an estimated cost of $139,810.

Earlier, the council agreed on plans for a parking lot, sidewalks and lighting for the Farmhouse Community Center. However, the council expressed dissatisfaction with initial plans by Roanoke, Virginia-based Hill Studio for landscaping around the historic house at Linville Road and Lisa Drive.

The revised plan calls for the planting of magnolia trees, camellia bushes and coneflowers, among numerous varieties. The plan lists the biggest expenses as sidewalks and a parking lot to accommodate visitors to the house after its renovation and expansion.

FINANCIAL UPDATE Budget amendments

 5  0 to approve $85,554.88 in budget amendments to last fiscal year’s budget.

The council had authorized finance director Sam Anders to tap the town’s reserves to pay final bills and adjust earlier budget projections in the fiscal year that ended June 30.

“This was a very, very, very minor final adjustment,” Anders told the council.

COMMUNITY UPDATES

Mountains-to-Sea Trail Committee. Pittman reported the committee has scheduled a workday on the Headwaters Trail from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Aug. 19. Volunteers will meet at the Linville Road trailhead. Special Events Committee. Chair Patti Dmuchowski reported that more than 400 people attended the inaugural Fourth of July kids’ bike parade in Town Park, several times the attendance organizers had expected.

“The committee decided this will become an annual event,” Dmuchowski said.

Tree Board. John Browning reported that Taylor Jones, an agent with the N.C. Extension in Greensboro, plans to answer questions about trees during the Heritage Day festival on Sept. 30.

“We’re getting ready for a big Heritage Day,” said Browning, who serves as the P&R Advisory Board’s liaison to the Tree Board.

Parks and Recreation Advisory Board. Co-chair John Browning said the board decided to hire a second sheriff’s deputy to enforce the Music in the Park’s ban on outside beverages and food during concerts.

Separately, as part of the board’s annual contract negotiations with Oak Ridge Youth Association (ORYA), the board recommended increasing the rate for non-resident players from $8 to $15 per season. ORYA is reviewing the proposal, Browning said.

Water Advisory Committee. Chair Jim Harton reported the committee is reviewing a proposed agreement for Winston-Salem/Forsyth Utilities to provide water for Oak Ridge’s municipal water system.

Initially, Oak Ridge plans to build a water storage tank that will be filled from a well in Heritage Farm Park. Later, the extension of a line from Kernersville to Oak Ridge would provide a more reliable source of

Mayor presents plaque honoring Schlosser

Sam Schlosser, who died in August 2022 after an extended illness, served in the U.S. Air Force from 1968 to 1972, and later, in the U.S. Coast Guard for 17 years.

“He was so interested in history,” Chris Schlosser said of her husband. “Any kind of history – and he loved being on the town’s Historical Committee.”

Sam served on the committee from March 2016 to August 2022 and was very involved with the planning and installation of the roadside historical markers.

At Summerfield Town Council’s Aug. 8 meeting, Mayor Tim Sessoms (far left) presented Chris Schlosser, wife of the late Sam Schlosser, a plaque honoring Sam’s many years of volunteer service to the town. Also in photo at left are Sam’s twin brother, Andy Schlosser (far right), and beside him, Andy’s long-term companion, Patricia Brown.

Members of Hopewell Wesleyan Church, BSA Troop 600 and Summerfield’s Historical Committee endured the heat on a workday last month to clear trees, limbs and debris from an overgrown section of the historic church’s cemetery. Another workday is scheduled Saturday, Aug. 26, to uncover the remaining graves, headstones and footstones. About 30 headstones not previously visible can now be seen, and roughly an equal number of grave markers have yet to be uncovered.

The work is preparing for the ground-penetratingradar search for unmarked graves, possibly of slaves and British soldiers from the Battle of Guilford Courthouse in 1781, according to Mark Brown, a member of the Historical Committee.

Located on Pleasant Ridge Road at Lewiston and Carlson Dairy roads, the church originated in the mid-18th century and was active during the American Revolution.

Photo by Chris Burritt/NWO

Photo courtesy of Ken Robinson/Summerfield Historical Committee

Volunteers work to clear overgrown cemetery section; second workday planned Aug. 26

Scott's Trac tor and Equipment

$1 million and rising

NW GUILFORD – For R&K Custom Homes’ Kathy Dumas, the math is simple enough. As the costs for building a new house reach $275 a square foot, the price of a 3,500-square-foot home approaches $1 million.

And “that’s without any upgrades or additions,” Dumas said.

Like other builders in northwestern Guilford County, Dumas and her husband, Rich, are coming to terms with the post-pandemic reality of homebuilding. So are buyers who, despite seven-figure price tags, are snapping up new homes in subdivisions such as Oak Ridge’s Pemberley Estates.

“Most of my buyers right now are paying cash,” said Matt Walraven, owner of Walraven Signature Homes. He’s got more than 20 houses in some stage of design and construction, most in the northwestern area of the county.

Walraven said he’s building on three lots in Pemberley Estates, a subdivision under development on N.C. 150 in Oak Ridge. A “presale” house he’s building for a customer is going for more than $1 million while a speculative – or “spec” – house he’s constructing will sell for around $900,000, he said.

“We don’t have any inventory,” said Walraven, echoing the view among builders that the combination of tight housing supply and rising building and land costs are driving prices higher.

climbing in northwest Guilford in the second quarter, rising 5.2% – from $634,474 to $667,399 – in Oak Ridge and Summerfield from a year earlier, according to the Greensboro Regional Realtors Association (GRRA). In Stokesdale, average prices jumped 12.1%, from $425,997 to $477,582, over the same period.

In the quarter, new listings sank, decreasing from 141 to 95 in Oak Ridge and Summerfield and from 99 to 42 in Stokesdale, according to the association, citing Triad Multiple Listing Service data.

Competition for housing slipped in the three months through June, judging by the percent of list prices received by sellers. In Oak Ridge and Summerfield, the percent declined from 102.8% to 100.3% a year earlier, while dropping from 102.5% to 99% in Stokesdale.

Nationally, the low inventory of housing is “keeping demand solid for new homes,” helping boost builder confidence in July “even as the industry continues to grapple with rising mortgage rates, elevated construction costs and limited lot availability,” the National Association of Homebuilders reported in a statement last month. It was the seventh straight month of rising confidence among builders.

Building lots in northwest Guilford are selling for $125,000 to $150,000, up from around $100,000 before the start of the pandemic in early 2020, according to Walraven.

U.S. dollars.

On average, home prices kept

“Materials costs are still extremely high,” Dumas said in an email last month. “While (prices for) building lumber dropped after COVID, everything else that goes into the building continued to increase – plumbing, HVAC, concrete, brick, stone, appliances, tile, etc.”

As a result of higher costs for land and materials, she said, the cost for houses built by R&K have climbed

Prices for new houses in northwestern Guilford County are reaching seven figures – and more –as costs for land and building materials climb by CHRIS BURRITT

“I don’t see anything changing unless a very drastic economic failure happens,” Walraven said in a recent interview. “But I don’t see that happening.”

This

Estates subdivision off N.C. 150

northwest Guilford County say the post-pandemic reality is that new custom-built home prices are easily approaching the $1 million range, but that’s not enough to deter buyers.

from around $275 a square foot, up from about $220 a square foot before the pandemic. That increase pushes the starting price for houses to about $960,000 in communities that require a minimum of 3,500 square feet in new construction, according to Dumas.

Even as demand for housing has slowed from last year’s “white-hot market,” it’s “still very, very strong,” confirmed Ray Bullins, owner of Ray Bullins Construction.

Despite rising costs, Bullins said he’s making “a concerted effort” to build houses in the $700,000 to $850,000 range because of limited competition in that price range.

“There’s a niche right there that’s hard to find,” he said. To keep prices below $1 million, he said he seeks lots that cost less than $150,000 and builds houses with 3,000 square feet or less.

Bullins added that “the phone’s ringing off the hook” from homeowners wanting to renovate their homes, partly due to the cost of new houses.

He’s preparing to renovate a Summerfield home at a cost of $250,000 to $300,000 because the owners “want to stay in the area, but they don’t want to spend $1 million on a new house,” he said.

Rising interest rates are also prompting some homeowners to stay put and renovate instead of buying new houses, according to Bullins.

Nationally, mortgage rates rose for most of 2022 and are now more than double what they were two years ago.

Fannie Mae, a government-based mortgage financing company, forecasts that the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage rate will increase to 6.6% in 2023, up from an annual average of 5.3% last year, before declining in 2024.

Falling rates may encourage more buyers to enter the market, putting even more pressure on the tight housing supply.

“An extremely limited number of existing homes available for sale continues to be the defining feature of today’s housing market,” Doug Duncan, Fannie Mae’s chief economist, said in a statement last month. “The ongoing lack of inventory… has resulted in significantly stronger home price appreciation than previously anticipated.”

For northwest Guilford builders, the lack of supply often means they’ve sold their homes before they’re finished – or even before construction starts.

“We’re moving inventory quickly,” said Casey Johnson, who owns CJ Builders

with his father, Commie. Prices for the seven custom and spec houses they’re building in Stokesdale range from $750,000 in the North Ridge subdivision to $275,000 on a single lot on Belews Creek Road.

The least-expensive house will have about 1,200 square feet, keeping it in line with other homes in that area of Belews Creek Road, according to Johnson. In neighborhoods such as North Ridge with building costs of around $235 to $245 a square foot, building houses with around 3,200 square feet keeps their prices well below $1 million, Johnson said.

Few prospective buyers of houses approaching $1 million are complaining about prices, according to builders. Some aren’t deterred by higher interest rates, either.

“In the million-plus price range, the

interest rate has not yet had much of an impact,” Dumas said. “Many purchasing in this range are either doing very well in business or are older and have already seen rates as high as 18% plus, so 8% doesn’t scare them.”

“Some say it’s really expensive (to build) out here,” Johnson added. “Those are the guys who are missing the sale.”

He noted the northwestern Guilford market is “very shielded compared to some other markets nationally.”

“So many people are moving here,” Johnson said. He explained that he’s begun meeting with prospective homeowners who are relocating to the area to work for Boom Supersonic, which is planning to employ more than 2,400 people in its operations at Piedmont Triad International Airport.

Photo by Patti Stokes/NWO

custom-built home by R&K Custom Homes is one of several under construction in the new Pemberly

in Oak Ridge. Builders in

New faces – and an interior/exterior facelift

by ANNETTE JOYCE

Forbis and Dick Stokesdale Chapel has been undergoing a transformation since Keith Fesperman assumed the role of manager/funeral director in April. He succeeded Todd Harmon, who continues to work with Forbis and Dick in pre-planning.

Fesperman has been with Forbis and Dick for almost 19 of his 33 years in the funeral services industry.

“I started working with my hometown funeral home in Salisbury right after high school,” Fesperman said. “It’s nice to be in Stokesdale, which is a small town like where I grew up. People here are sincere and I get more of a sense of working with families.”

Since moving to the Stokesdale Chapel this past spring, Fesperman has been focused on enhancing the services it offers as well as the facility’s appearance.

“We’ve changed everything but the staff,” he said, noting the longevity of several staff members.

Office manager Kathy Gray and funeral home assistant David McCormick have been with Forbis and Dick for 22 years and are well-known in the community. Jim Clark is another familiar face, while Pamela Hayes is the newest team member.

Under Fesperman’s oversight, Forbis

and Dick Stokesdale Chapel continues to undergo some major updates. Most noticeable is the conversion of the multipurpose room into a stand-alone chapel, as well as benches being replaced with comfortable padded chairs.

The entire interior of the facility has been given a fresh coat of paint and new carpet. Contemporary furniture has been added to the mix of antiques to give a fresh, inviting look. And something as simple as opening the exterior doors has provided a softer, lighter atmosphere.

On the outside, Stokesdale Chapel is also undergoing updates, including a new roof and landscaping, removal of iron accents and the addition of a more user-friendly wheelchair ramp.

“We’re still working on the outside, with more changes to come,” Fesperman noted.

Fesperman has also added a larger selection of items specifically designed for veterans; the funeral home also offers a discount for veterans.

Since taking over as funeral director, Fesperman has enjoyed getting to know the community and said he already feels at home in his new role.

Fesperman and his wife, Kelly, live in Thomasville. The couple’s 17-yearold daughter, Daisy, is a rising senior at Hayworth Christian School in High Point.

Photo by Annette Joyce/NWO Forbis and Dick staff members (L-R) David McCormick, Kathy Gray, Keith Fesperman, Pamela Hayes and Jim Clark focus on providing compassionate care at a time when families need it most.

Don Mills Builders

Building on over four decades of customer satisfaction

homes that meet customers’ desires and expectations, as well as their budgets.

With over four decades of building the area’s most beautiful custom homes, Don Mills knows how to work with his homeowners to make the home they envision come to life.

As owners of Don Mills Builders, Don and his wife, Annette, have established a solid reputation for high quality and a willingness to go the extra mile for

their customers.

“We build in a wide variety of price points and neighborhoods to ensure customers can get what they are looking for in the area they want to call home,” Don said. “We’re flexible and can give advice on substitutions or design changes for a more economical build.”

Don and Annette each bring their unique talents to the homebuilding process; while Don concentrates on the construction aspect, Annette focuses on the design of their spec houses as well as serving as a design consultant for home-

Don Mills (left) takes pride in building

Over the last four decades, Don Mills Builders has earned a reputation for building homes of distinction.

owners of the company’s custom-built houses.

“We have folks visit our homes on the Parade of Homes tour every year just to see what new ideas she has come up with,” Don said. “Annette guides our customers throughout the process of building their custom dream home as she focuses on getting them what they want and at the same time staying within their budget.”

Don Mills Builders is excited to be building homes in the new Pemberley Estates neighborhood in Oak Ridge. Of the 10 lots the company purchased in the subdivision, six have been sold, with homes already completed or under construction, leaving only four waiting on their future homeowners.

Don Mills Builders builds homes all over Guilford County and currently has homes or available lots in Oak Ridge’s new Ashford subdivision off Brookbank Road and Pemberly Estates in Oak Ridge; Stokesdale’s Charles Place in the Arbor Run subdivision; and Cedar Hollow in northern Greensboro.

Photos courtesy of Don Mills Builders

There’s been no official announcement about what is planned at this site, but based on how the zoning was

recently amended, we can take an educated guess.

The Stokesdale Town Council held a public hearing regarding rezoning of this parcel at its Aug. 10 council meeting. The applicant requested the Conditional/Highway Business zoning

for this site be amended to include two additional business types – automotive repair service and tire sales.

The council voted to approve the amendments. Before anything can be built, the developer is required to submit a site plan to Guilford

REAL ESTATE/BUSINESS NEWS/briefs

Pediatric dentistry practice gets go-ahead

OAK RIDGE – Bryan Welborn, a project manager with Neal Smith Engineering, recently received approval for a site plan his company submitted to the Town of Oak Ridge on behalf of Confident Kids Pediatric Dentistry. The approval paves the way for construction of a 4,317-squarefoot professional building that will accommodate the dental practice.

The property is at 1696 N.C. 68 North, located diagonally behind Starbucks. It consists of one acre, one half of which will be developed for the

Existing entrances into the business

N.C.

The zoning on this outparcel in Stokesdale’s Kings Crossing Shopping Center was recently amended to include automotive repair service and tire sales.

County’s technical review team, who can approve anything less than 15,000 square feet.

“Anything larger than 15,000 square feet has to be approved by the Stokesdale planning board,” said Robbie Wagoner, Stokesdale’s town clerk.

I noticed that one of the vacant outparcels in King’s Crossing shopping center – the one that faces Haw River Road – has been staked out. What’s going on there?

Photo by Annette Joyce

Building sketch courtesy of Neal Smith Engineering

This sketch submitted to the Town of Oak Ridge in June shows the front elevation of a 4,317-square-foot professional building that will accommodate Confident Kids Pediatric Dentistry off N.C. 68.

complex off of

68 that includes the Quality Mart gas station and

NW Animal Hospital plans expansion

OAK RIDGE – Northwest Animal Hospital, which was purchased by Oak Ridge resident Dr. Wendy Camp in October 2019, received approval last month for a site plan that will allow construction of a 5,441-square-foot professional building. The building will be constructed on an outparcel at 1694 N.C. 68 North, beside

COUNCIL PASSES RESOLUTION

the veterinarian practice’s current location and directly behind Starbucks.

Besides providing routine veterinary care for small animals including dogs, cats and pocket pets, Northwest Animal Hospital can perform a broad range of surgeries in-house, as well as laser therapy, dentistry and grooming.

Realtor Jason Smith, senior vice president and co-owner of Smith Marketing Inc.

“Basically, this is a burden that is being forced onto four rural areas in the state of North Carolina to make up for a budget shortfall,” Walker said. “This proposed legislation has been problematic from the very beginning. It seems those who are against this legislation are making progress, and we will continue to keep up the fight.”

this,” she said. “Please continue to stand with us, continue to help us fight this battle, and keep us in your prayers as we continue to try to convince our commissioners that they do in fact have a choice – they just have to use it.”

Southeast of Greensboro, Toyota has begun hiring the first of the 2,100 workers for its facility in Liberty that will produce batteries for hybrid electric and electric vehicles.

“With all the new business growth, this area will continue to need new homes,” Dumas said.

When the final phase of the Riverside subdivision in Oak Ridge gets underway this fall, houses on more than 20 lots will start at around $1 million, according to

“Sometimes I wonder myself where all of the money is coming from,” Smith said. “But it’s not one buyer profile. Some are multi-generations of the same families living in homes. Some are young professionals. Some are rich, retired or pre-retired.”

Citing a quote routinely attributed to Edmond Burke, an Irish statesman and philosopher, Walker said, “All it takes for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.”

“The ‘worst-kept secret’ in Rockingham County is that this proposed property rezoning for 193 acres is just about land use,” Walker said. “One of the things that disturbs me the most is that you would have a Class III casino adjacent to a camp that for 36 years has been ministering to children with disabilities.”

Rhonda Rodenbough, a Camp Carefree board member, spoke next after Walker and said, “While we do not have all the money that a lot of other states do, what we do have is goodhearted people. Good-hearted people with servant hearts who want to do good things for their children, for their community.”

Rodenbough expressed appreciation for the community’s support of Camp Carefree, which provides a free week of camp to children with chronic illnesses and disabilities, and relies on donations to cover its operating costs.

“Camp Carefree cannot be picked up and moved. Camp Carefree cannot be remade. That place holds memories and it is cherished by the people who come there,” Rodenbough said.

She implored the council to stand with Rockingham citizens who oppose the casino.

“This is not what Stokesdale needs, and even though you are not in Rockingham County, you all are a part of

Following the period for citizen comments, council members shared their concerns about the proposed casino before unanimously passing a resolution opposing “the development of a gaming casino in Rockingham County adjacent to the town of Stokesdale without a vote of approval by the voters of Rockingham County by local referendum.”

The resolution cited Earl Ginols and David Mustard’s “Casinos, Crime and Community Costs,” in which the authors pointed to FBI statistics showing that an average county with a population of 100,000 experiences significant increases in major crimes where casino and gaming operations are present.

“Despite potential short-term and unsustainable positive socio-economic benefits to host economies, the longterm costs to the area have not been fully captured,” the resolution reads. Citing a study from the National Association of Realtors performed for Springfield, Massachusetts, the resolution said the study showed home values within 10 miles or less of the casino were expected to decline by 4 to 10%.

“Additionally, the study references that pathological gambling could result in social costs of $8.4 million per year and additional foreclosures in the area could produce costs of $5 million per year. These items do not include increased direct governmental costs such as additional police, fire, and medical presence due to the gaming operation,” the resolution reads.

In conclusion, the resolution expressed Stokesdale’s opposition to a “large casino gaming operation less than 4 miles from the Town of Stokesdale.”

See more coverage of Stokesdale Town Council’s Aug. 10 meeting in our next issue.

Regardless, he added, “the market for the upper end is still strong.”

You dream i t

...let us build it

Rich and Kathy Dumas began building in the Triad in 1992. Since then, R&K has become a respected, multi-gold award-winning home builder. Having built over 500 homes ranging in price from the $500,000s to $2 million, our wide range of construction and design types separates our company from the others. We’ll walk you through every detail as we show you our passion for not just crafting homes, but building memories. Our challenge to produce the best never ceases.

Rich and Kathy Dumas, owners

welcome to ... Youth Sync

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

Hiding your smile? We can help!

Matthew

J. Olmsted, DDS MS

Oak Ridge Commons Shopping Center

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Northwest Vikings ready to host season opener

New coach, QB-WR duo among top storylines

by KELLEN HOLTZMAN

NW GUILFORD – Northwest Guilford High’s new head football coach, Chris Rusiewicz, can think of at least 10 reasons why Vikings supporters should be excited about this season, which kicks off 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 18, at home against Burlington Williams of the 3A (East) Central Conference.

Northwest racked up 10 wins last season, the most for the program since 2013, while also matching its best postseason output in a decade. The Vikings finished one win shy of the N.C. High School Athletic Association 4A state quarterfinals.

“They’re coming off 10 wins, so I hope there’s excitement in that alone,” Rusiewicz said. “I hope we continue to do that for [the fans], give them some excitement out here just by putting points on the board and having the defense do their job and shutting people down.”

5 SEASON STORYLINES New coach

He’s new to Northwest, but Rusiewicz is a familiar name in Guilford County, having earned the Guilford College football program’s all-time highest winning percentage in his

10-year tenure with the Quakers that concluded in 2020.

Rusiewicz next joined Northern Guilford High as an assistant coach before serving as the Greensboro College defensive coordinator through last fall.

B-C connection

Quarterback Tanner Ballou to receiver Trenton Cloud. If fans — and Metro Conference opponents — aren’t used to those names yet, they should be soon. Ballou finished last season ranked eighth in 4A passing yards (2,639) and 11th in total yards (2,757) while Cloud was eighth in receiving yards (1,003) with a team-high 13 touchdowns.

Expect junior receivers Quincy Bell Jr. and Prince Brown, and freshman Rakeem Hammock to also play key roles.

Breakout potential

If anyone is poised for a breakout campaign, it could be senior Malique Jones, a Western Guilford High transfer.

Jones will look for space between and around the likes of returning offensive line starters Collin Shokes, a junior left tackle, and senior left guard Parker McCall.

Rusiewicz said the Vikings average 300 pounds on the right side of the line and 265 pounds with veterans Shokes and McCall. If the line can build consistency, particularly at center, then look

for players like Jones and Ryan Debow to exploit defenses.

Defensive prowess

Northwest’s returning defensive leaders include standout junior safety Debow and senior linebackers Thomas Orrell and Andrew Dover, but each of the seasoned Viking defenders have assumed new roles in Rusiewicz’s 4-2 scheme, which employs five defensive backs and two linebackers.

Conference superiority

On reputation alone, Grimsley is the team to beat in Northwest’s Metro Conference, but could the Whirlies be challenged by the Vikings again? Or will a different team enter the fray?

“… I think it all starts with getting to the playoffs,” Rusiewicz said of longterm goals. “And winning a conference championship would be great, because that would mean beating a state championship qualifier in Grimsley.

“But, you’ve gotta win ‘em all to get to that point,” he added.

Photo courtesy of Jack Orrell  Northwest Guilford receiver Trenton Cloud (left, #2), an East Carolina recruit, tries to maintain his balance Friday in the Vikings’ scrimmage against Asheboro at Grimsley High.

Youth Sync

Nighthawks are young, but talented

Senior linebacker Lewis among leaders

by KELLEN HOLTZMAN

Despite an uncharacteristic losing season (4-6 overall) last year, Northern Guilford head football coach Erik Westberg has a locker room full of players that expect to win. Some of the older players saw playing time two years ago when the Nighthawks went 9-2, and Northern is bringing along a group of underclassmen that contributed to an 8-2 junior varsity season last year and an undefeated middle school campaign prior to that.

“When we have a losing season, that’s a bad year for us,” Westberg said. “Our expectation is to win games, but we also want to develop our kids and develop the program, and that’s what we do here –starting with their ninth-grade year, we want to see them all the way out, through their senior year… If you’re doing that, you’re going to win football games.”

The Nighthawks open the regular season Friday, Aug. 18, at home against Eastern Guilford. Despite so many younger players being on the roster, Westberg says he has a talented team and he’s been encouraged by their approach throughout the preseason.

5 SEASON STORYLINES Repetition, time – and patience

Northern features only a handful of seniors starting on either side of the ball, but Westberg credited his squad for being tough and coachable.

Experience can only come with repetition and time.

“They just have to continue to grow and get better each week and each day,” Westberg said. “What’s gonna happen when it gets physically hard out there for them? Are they going to be able to overcome those things? It’s tough when you’re a little bit younger,

playing at the varsity level. It’s a high level, especially in 4A, in our conference, but I think they can handle it.”

“It’s mainly just getting back to tradition,” added senior linebacker Franklin Lewis, “because we’re not really used to losing.”

Potential standouts

The most experienced returning players include Lewis, who was second on the team in total tackles last season, junior receiver Reggie King Jr., who started as a sophomore, and senior defensive end Myron Tetteh.

Also returning are sophomore Cohen Muse — as a receiver, defensive back, kicker, and punter — and

junior Jaden McInnis at running back and linebacker. In the trenches

Anchored by sophomore center Sam Bagley, the offensive line is expected to be one of Northern’s strongest units, and also includes returning starter Dylan Miller and Mason Whitt, a 6-foot-3, 265-pound tackle on both sides of the ball receiving Division I interest and coming off an injury-shortened 2022 season. ...continued on p. 34

Back to school morning routine dental tip: Don’t be in such a rush that you forget to brush!

Photo by Kellen Holtzman/NWO

The Northern Guilford Nighthawks took on Burlington Williams Aug. 11 in a home scrimmage and will host Eastern Guilford Friday, Aug. 18, to kick off the regular season.

Congrats, Scouts! Austin Maketa earns Eagle Scout award

OAK RIDGE – Austin Meketa, 15, a member of Oak Ridge Troop 139, was recently promoted to the rank of Eagle Scout.

Austin is a brotherhood member of the Order of the Arrow and recently completed National Youth Leadership Training. During his years of Scouting he has accumulated 72 merit badges.

For his Eagle project, Austin built a gaga ball pit for Oak Ridge United Methodist Church.

The son of Matthew and Krista Meketa, Austin lives in Oak Ridge and is homeschooled.

Austin would like to thank his family, friends, and fellow Scouts for their support throughout his years of Scouting. Also, he offered a special thank you to former Scoutmaster and project advisor Mr. Needham and current Scoutmaster Mr. Golladay for their help with his Eagle project.

Eden Lieske earns Girl Scout Gold award

OAK RIDGE – Girl Scouts Carolinas Peaks to Piedmont recently announced that Eden Lieske, a resident of Oak Ridge, has earned her Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest achievement a Girl Scout can earn.

Lieske, 18, is a 2023 graduate of Northwest Guilford High School and a member of Girl Scout Troop 1950. For her Gold award, she constructed an outdoor horse stall at Circle C Equestrian Center, part of Keyauwee Program Center in Sophia, entirely out of eco-bricks. Eco-bricks are plastic water bottles stuffed with plastic items inside, such as plastic bags or food trash. The stall took over 1,300 bottles to construct. Lieske wanted a creative way to educate others about plastic pollution and hopes her project will show how items labeled as single-use can be turned into something sustainable.

Girls in high school are able to earn their Girl Scout Gold Award by creating sustainable change on a community or world issue. These Scouts address a problem’s root cause, plan and implement innovative solutions,and lead a team of people to success. Each girl must dedicate a minimum of 80 hours to planning and carrying out her project, which must benefit the community and have long-lasting impact.

For more information about Girl Scouting in northwest Guilford County, visit www.girlscoutsp2p.org.

Photos courtesy of Girl Scouts Carolinas Peaks to Piedmont

For her Girl Scout Gold award, Eden Lieske (standing at the bottom of the ladder and inset above) constructed this outdoor horse stall out of eco-bricks.

Austin Meketa

MAX imizing

real estate

Nicole E. Gillespie SPS , REALTOR®/Broker RE/MAX Realty Consultants

Kids’ Korner

Back to school fun facts

1. In the Color Census of 2000, blue was voted the favorite crayon color. Tan, tumbleweed and spring green, on the other hand, were voted the worst.

2. Approximately 480,000 yellow school buses carry 25 million U.S. children to and from school every weekday.

3. Didaskaleinophobia is the fear of going to school. 2.4% of school-aged children are considered to have it, on an international level.

4. The average classroom pencil can write approximately 45,000 words (or draw a line that is 56 kilometers long). That’s a long life!

5. The biggest school in the world (in terms of students, not area) is the City Montessori School in Lucknow, India, with over 60,000 students and 4,500 staff members across 21 campuses.

6. By the time a little child turns 10, he/she will have worn down approximately 730 crayons and will have spent about 28 minutes per day coloring.

mark your calendar

REGISTER NOW

z Farmers’ Day | Friends of Stokesdale invites local farmers to participate in the 2nd annual Farmers’ Day on Saturday, Oct. 7, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Stokesdale United Methodist Church, 8305 Loyola Drive. To learn more or participate, call (336) 5520704, email friendsofstokesdale@gmail.com or visit www.facebook.com/friendsofstokesdale.

THURSDAY, AUG. 17

z Cruise-In | JPC Monroe will sponsor a parade of muscle cars, classic cars and more on Aug. 17, about 4:30 p.m. to dusk at Oak Ridge Commons Shopping Center (weather permitting). The cruise-in is complemented by live music and car-related raffle prizes. To participate, just show up and you will be directed to a parking spot.

SATURDAY, AUG. 19

z MST workday | Oak Ridge Mountains-to-Sea Trail Committee will host a workday Aug. 19, 9 a.m. to 12 noon, starting at 8509 Linville Road in Oak Ridge (the main focus this time is Headwaters Trail and the Cascades). To sign up, go to www.facebook.com, search for “Oak Ridge Mountains-to-Sea Trail

Committee” and click on the event. More info: Town Hall, (336) 644-7009.

z Music in the Park | The Town of Summerfield will host a Music in the Park event Aug. 19, 6:30 to 9 p.m. at Summerfield Community Park, 5404 Centerfield Road. (See display ad on p. 9 for more details.)

SUNDAY, AUG. 20

z Back-to-school bash | Village Beverage Co. at 1015 N.C. 150 W, Suite A in Summerfield invites local kids and families to a back-to-school bash Aug. 20, 12 noon to 8 p.m. Enjoy kid-friendly activities, games and live music from The Good Nuffs. Visit www.facebook.com/villagebev to learn more.

SATURDAY, AUG. 26

z Food pantry | Good Samaritan Ministries’ food pantry in Stokesdale will open for those in need of food on Aug. 26, 9 to 10:30 a.m. at Stokesdale Business Center, 8500 Ellisboro Road. To receive assistance or to make a donation to the ministry, contact Terri Johnson, (336) 643-5887 or terrij1957@ yahoo.com.

z NWHS cheerleading camp | Kids in grades K-8 are invited to a cheer camp Aug. 26, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the NWHS gymnasium, 5240 NW School Road. Campers will learn cheers, chants, basic tumbling skills and more. A T-shirt, a bow, pom poms and lunch are included in the $80 camp fee. Campers will get to cheer for the NWHS Vikings at the Friday Night Lights event Sept. 15 at the NWHS football stadium. More info: nwhscheerboosters@gmail.com.

MONDAY, AUG. 28

z Stokesdale Community Choir | Stokesdale Community Choir will resume weekly practice Aug. 28, 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. at Gideon Grove United Methodist Church, 2865 Gideon Grove Church Road. For more info or to join, call Sondra Beene, (336) 453-8017. z Lions Club | Oak Ridge Lions Club will meet Aug. 28 in the Oak Ridge Room, 2205 Oak Ridge Road (next to Bistro 150), from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. More info: Jim Kinneman, (336) 207-7166 or james.kinneman@gmail.com.

WEDNESDAY, AUG. 30

z ORTC special hours | Oak Ridge Town Council members will be available to talk one-on-one with citizens who have questions or comments about townrelated issues on Aug. 30, 8:30 to 10 a.m. in the conference room of Oak Ridge Town Hall, 8315 Linville Road, and also via Zoom. Visit www.oakridgenc.com or call (336) 644-7009 for more info.

THURSDAY, AUG. 31

z CERT information session | CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) will hold an information session Aug. 31, starting at 7:30 p.m. at Summerfield Community Center, 5404 Centerfield Road. Volunteers are needed to assist first responders with natural disasters and other major emergencies. This session will provide details on the training required and how the team would be utilized. More info: Bob Wray, (336) 601-5891.

water. Funding for the line hasn’t yet been secured.

Historic Preservation Commission. Board member Barb Engel reported the commission’s “Heritage Oak Ridge” book is being edited by board member Denise Sacks for grammatical errors and copy-edited by Oak Ridge resident Matt Schneider.

Heritage Day Committee. The annual festival on Sept. 30 will have a children’s petting zoo added to the lineup of activities.

“It gets bigger and better every year,” said Sandra Smith, Oak Ridge’s assistant town manager and clerk, who helps organize the festival.

Oak Ridge Youth Association. Kinneman, who serves as the council’s representative on the association’s board, said ORYA repaired the concession stand at Oak Ridge Elementary School where some of the organization’s teams play.

Triad Municipal ABC Board. Jimm Barbery, Oak Ridge’s representative on the board, said the town’s share of ABC store profits totaled $59,044 in the quarter ended June 30.

PUBLIC COMMENTS

„ A candidate for the council in the Nov. 7 election, Mike Stone said he believes his involvement with numerous town and community organizations demonstrates his “long-term commitment to the town of Oak Ridge…and makes me a strong candidate to represent the citizens of Oak Ridge.”

Previously, Stone served as a council member and vice chair of the Planning and Zoning Board. He currently serves on Oak Ridge Military Academy’s Board of Trustees and as president of Preservation Oak Ridge Foundation.

„ Barb Engel congratulated Sam and Debora Anders on their 26th wedding anniversary, as well as councilman Sullivan and his wife, Linda, on their 57th

wedding anniversary. Engel said she and her husband, Frank, were married on Aug. 20, 1966, the same date as the Sullivans.

COUNCIL COMMENTS

„ Sullivan praised town staff’s efforts to oversee construction of Heritage Farm Park, the installation of the speedmonitoring sign on Haw River Road and other major projects in Oak Ridge.

“The work doesn’t stop,” he said.

„ Pittman expressed wishes for children to have “a safe rest of their summer and a successful start of their school year.”

„ Kinneman said a flock of Canada geese has (unfortunately) descended on his Linville Road neighborhood, and he’s aware they are protected and “you can’t just dispose of them.”

“There is a season,” Sullivan said, to which Kinneman responded, “That might get my wife into hunting.”

„ McClellan thanked the town’s volunteers and said, “If it weren’t for you, we would not be able to accomplish the things we are accomplishing.”

„ Schneider congratulated Selby Chipman, a member of the inaugural class of female Eagle Scouts in the Old North State Council’s BSA Troop 219 in Oak Ridge, for winning a $25,000 scholarship.

Chipman competed against thousands of other scholarship applicants nationally, and was one of five national recipients of the Lawrence S. and Mabel Cooke Scholarship for 2023.

“I know how impressive she is,” Schneider said.

The mayor noted that this date, Aug. 3, marked the 15th anniversary of her family’s move to Oak Ridge in 2008.

“That’s a nice thing for me to remember today,” she said.

With no further comments, the meeting was adjourned at 8:22 p.m.

Welcome to Capt. Jarad Corbett, District 1’s new division commander

ASSAULT/ALTERCATION

Aug. 8 | A 47-year-old male was arrested in the 4300 block of Thistledown Street in northwest Greensboro (near Horse Pen Creek Road) for assault on a female.

Aug. 11 | Officers responded to a reported physical altercation in the 7800 block of Alcorn Road in Oak Ridge.

DISORDERLY CONDUCT

Aug. 9 | A 49-year-old male was arrested in the 3200 block of Horse Pen Creek Road in northwest Greensboro for disorderly conduct and misuse of the 911 system.

DRIVING WHILE IMPAIRED

Aug. 1 | A 50-year-old male was arrested in the 8300 block of Point Oak Drive in Colfax (off N. Bunker Hill Road) for driving while impaired.

FRAUD

Aug. 8 | A resident of the 1400 block of N.C. 150 W in Summerfield reported that between July 28 and Aug. 8 an unknown suspect used the resident’s personal identification info to commit fraud and extortion.

THEFT

Aug. 7 | An employee of Down 420 Lane on U.S. 158 in downtown Stokesdale reported an unknown suspect stole a pair of socks worth $8.

Aug. 8 | An employee of Circle K gas station in Colfax reported an unknown suspect shoplifted two cases of beer worth $23 altogether.

VANDALISM

Aug. 2 | A citizen in the 8600 block of Wayne Road in Stokesdale (off Haw River Road) reported a known suspect did $100 worth of damage to his vehicle.

GRINS and GRIPES

Delighted or dismayed by something in your community?

Share your thoughts in 40 words or less

email: grinsandgripes@nwobserver.com

Grins

GRINS to...

„ “Tater Tot the cat,” for the positive impact he’s made around the world. And thank you to Juliet’s House Animal Rescue for going above and beyond to give other disabled animals a good home.

„ Mayor Pro-Tem Lynne Williams DeVaney for supporting Summerfield residents and dedicating much time by contacting the N.C. legislature to keep Summerfield free from large apartment complexes.

„ People who submit petty grins and gripes – I love them. Thanks for making me laugh.

„ Oak Ridge Parks & Recreation Advisory Board on the new inclusive

playground planned for Heritage Park. Love the farm theme!

„ Jonathan at McDonald’s in Oak Ridge, who is always cheerful and does his job with excellence and a smile. His customer service is outstanding. He deserves a raise.

„ (Scout) Jenna Wunner, who concisely provided a recycling guide (Aug. 3-16 edition). We as a nation do a pitiful job of recycling. Time to step up and do your part, even if it’s inconvenient.

„ The Gardens at Gray Gables for the free music on Wednesday nights. Thanks for the pizza, and for offering a fun, relaxed event to get us through the week. Samuel Hearn is excellent!

„ Brenda Wells and the DS Smith company for selecting Guilford Backpack

Ministry for their community initiative. The donated food is crucial to our program and the 350 kids we serve in the Northern & Northwest area schools.

„ Summerfield Town Council, especially Lynne DeVaney. Thank you for listening to citizens and protecting us from apartment complexes, de-annexation and crime/congestion/overdevelopment from the nearby proposed casino!

GRIPES to...

„ The reader in the last issue who griped about liberal female Lexus drivers. I drive one and I am a Patriot. I like driving a reliable vehicle.

„ The woman who griped about other

GRINS to...

„ Oak Ridge Fire Department, for proudly proclaiming their newfound political insight.

women doing outside chores in sports bras and shorts. Your insecurities and your husband’s inability to drive past women without being distracted does not warrant a public shaming.

„ Those trying to rezone our beautiful rural area into big business (casino). The people of Rockingham County don’t want this. Please vote no to rezoning.

„ Asplundh. They advertise as expert tree trimmers. They butchered three of my trees, leaving them unviable. They lobbed off multiple limbs that didn’t interfere with power lines, and cut the rest in half. I am heartbroken. What a disgrace!

„ Whoever griped about the women

wearing tight clothes to do lawn work. They wear those clothes to be comfortable, not to be a spectacle.

„ The perennial rapacity of the state. Imposing a 22.5% excise tax on the proposed casino means that they’ll have to skew the odds massively in favor of the house just to break even. It’s not capitalism, that’s greed – it’s government.

„ People who want to destroy our peaceful (Rockingham) county by putting in a casino. We have enough “bad” already. Don’t gamble – work!

„ The homeowner in the Foxbury neighborhood (Oak Ridge) who has been running a commercial carwash out of his/her home for eight months. The noise of a gas power washer running all day is a great way of ruining summer outdoor time.

„ Sen. Phil Berger. It’s been four weeks since calling his office and asking three policy questions. Still no response, not even from staff. Who is working for whom?

„ DMV/Duke Energy/whoever workers who preferentially allowed streams of southbound cars to proceed on Hwy. 68 in the Old Mill area on Aug. 16, while northbound cars waited for an eternity.

TO YOUR HEALTH

LONG COVID

...continued from p. 7

years, but people tend to recover from it.

“On the other end of the spectrum, they’re just very frustrated and they feel like nobody’s hearing how hard they’re having it, and nobody’s offering anything meaningful,” Sanders said.

Advice from physicians takes a common-sense approach, such as recommending “slowly escalating cardiovascular exercise” for patients suffering from fatigue, Sanders said.

For patients having trouble sleeping, he said setting and sticking to a regular bedtime make sense “even if you’re not feeling tired.”

Eating “a balanced diet” is the third prong of what Sanders described as “a

Peace of mind all summer

very balanced approach of daily exercise, daily regulated sleep and daily eating patterns.”

For Oak Ridge’s Dee Hall, contracting COVID-19 in November 2021 led to nausea, which was quickly followed by the loss of taste and smell.

“I even cut an onion and held that under my nose, and my eyes started watering, but I couldn’t smell it,” Hall recalled.

While those senses have improved, Tide detergent and Downy fabric softener “still smell like cantaloupe,” she said. And her perfume still smells like rubbing alcohol.

Her taste has changed as well. She can eat spicier foods, such as mediumhot salsa, that before contracting the virus she refrained from eating.

“Coffee has never tasted exactly the same since COVID,” Hall said. “It still tastes good. I still drink it because I’m not letting COVID steal coffee away from me.”

Hall said she was reminded last month how fortunate she is, despite her Long COVID. She visited her daughter, Lindsey Bare, in Homer, Alaska, where she works as an intensive care nurse.

While they were out to dinner, a waitress gave Hall’s daughter a hug. She explained that Lindsey had cared for her husband in the hospital for 60 days until he died from COVID.

“And so I cried and she cried and I thought, well, you know what?” Hall said. “Taste and smell not coming back is not that big of a deal.”

for more info

To learn more, conduct an online search for Long COVID and visit the websites of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services as well as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Submit your letters (maximum 350 words)

email: editor@nwobserver.com Include

Girl power

There are many ways to get bullied physically and mentally – but have you ever noticed that girls are bullied more than boys? We can all agree that most males are more aggressive by nature than females, so sometimes authority figures give them more slack and don’t punish them because they’re just “boys being boys.”

A lot of girls are judged by each other and the opposite sex, and this is not okay.

The Centers for Disease Control’s “Youth Risk Behavior Survey” from 2011-2015 demonstrated that girls are bullied 7% more than boys in schools. Everyone can agree that men can post ugly pictures online and it will get many “likes,” but if a woman does that, she’ll receive negative comments – even when she has a great video!

Many females feel they are being judged online, on the street, and

even at school! We must find ways to let everyone know it’s not ok to do this, and people shouldn’t be judged because they are a boy or girl – or how they look, or their hobbies, or whether they like to shop or like the color pink.

I know a girl who likes pink and shopping, and who is also super strong and good at sports. What’s wrong with liking things that are “girly” anyway?

Many females are amazing trailblazers and are great at sports, being lawyers, fashion designers, doctors, professors, songwriters, and loving, phenomenal mothers. They just ask a favor – to be treated better at school, online and in public.

Hazel Schmutzer, OAK RIDGE Hazel is a Scout with BSA Troop 219 based in Oak Ridge and wrote this editorial for her communications merit badge.

NIGHTHAWKS FOOTBALL ...continued

Running game

McInnis is the top returner statistically, but Westberg said he expects the running back position to be “by committee” and also feature Amare Akers, Dwight Hall and Noah Smith.

“We have four good running backs that we really like,” Westberg said, “and they all play defense too.”

THE VIEW FROM HERE

The magic of Friday night lights

by KELLEN HOLTZMAN / NWO

I know there are many more important things in life than football, and I understand football is not for everyone. I didn’t play the sport competitively growing up, nor did my high school even have a football team.

Maybe that’s part of the reason why I’ve been so fascinated by high school football throughout my career as a community journalist. Without looking at a calendar, my biological clock is now telling me “it’s time.” College football and the NFL don’t kick into full swing until September, but I can feel the impending magic of Friday night lights in the air.

The Northwest Guilford and Northern Guilford varsity teams both open the season this Friday (Aug. 18) at home and since I haven’t yet experienced a regular season game at either school, I’m anxious to see what makes this part of the state and Guilford County unique when it comes to high school football.

Quarterback

from p. 27

Junior Alexander Marsh got some valuable experience last year at quarterback when starter Jack Mercer was sidelined with an injury, but the Nighthawks have also welcomed sophomore Jaxson Kemp up from JV.

Their top targets will include King, Muse, Micah Smith and Chris Armstrong.

Fall sports season is

taken by the Chargers.

So, I know about Logan and Allen, and that former head football coach Johnny Roscoe built Northern’s football program into a 3A powerhouse (the school has since moved up to the 4A division).

But what am I most looking forward to this season?

I’m intrigued by Northwest Vikings’ senior quarterback Tanner Ballou telling me last week that the Vikings might have the best football atmosphere in the county. And head coach Chris Rusiewicz informed me the school is set to debut new special effects lighting at the school’s R. L. Billings football stadium.

Richmond and Scotland County high schools have long boasted two of the most passionate fan bases in the state, and at least in my lifetime, Charlotte and its suburbs have had some of the very best teams, often receiving national recognition with elite players.

What is football in northwest and northern Guilford County all about?

Although I’ve never seen the Nighthawks play a regular season football game, as a reporter in Henderson (Vance County), I witnessed former Northern Guilford star athlete T.J. Logan dominate the 2013 N.C. High School Athletic Association 3A track and field championships at N.C. A&T, sweeping both the 100- and 200-meter races and collecting another gold in the 4x100 relay. Logan was nothing short of prolific as a Northern running back and went on to have a stellar career at UNCChapel Hill before being drafted by the Arizona Cardinals, four years after fivetime NFL Pro Bowl selection Keenan Allen, another former Nighthawk, was

“We definitely have a really fun fanbase,” Tanner said. “It’s awesome to come to our games.”

Say no more, Tanner. I’m ready to find out for myself.

A few years ago, I wrote about how much Roanoke Rapids High athletics meant to the local community there in Halifax County, particularly after losing a fall football season to COVID-19 in 2020. Roanoke Rapids is a city where the fire department’s trucks are painted with the same scheme as the high school’s white, black and gold colors. Other public vehicles around town are emblazoned with the school’s Yellow Jacket logo.

A counter cliché to this sports madness I’m fawning over posits that it’s “just a game, after all.”

Technically that’s true, and it’s a reasonable approach to the ultimate outcome of a competition.

But sometimes, it’s much more than a game. It’s about coming together as a community and rooting for the home team, win or lose. It’s about a way of life.

Here’s to high school football.

Kellen Holtzman

„ AUTO SALES & SERVICES

„ YARD SALE

GARAGE SALE. Sat., Aug. 19, 7am-1pm.

7783 Newhaven Dr., Oak Ridge. Household items, men’s/women’s clothing, lots of books, sports equipment, furniture & more!!

NEED HELP?

Call (336) 644-7035, ext.

gen, Mini, and Porsche. 32 years experience. 4559 US Hwy. 220, Summerfield (across

„ HOME SERVICES

AIR CONDITIONING & HEATING

A-ACTION AIR. Air conditioning check-up, $79.95. (336) 268-6768 or (336) 382-3750

CLEANING

„

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

(336) 891-3876

EUROHAUSAUTO.PRO

PAOLA CLEANING SERVICE. Residential & commercial. Insured. (336) 669-5210

CRYSTAL CLEAR WINDOW CLEANING

Gutter cleaning, pressure washing. Fully ins. windowcleaningnc.com. (336) 595-2873

GENERAL HANDYMAN. Repairs, installations, assemblies, etc. Light electrical and plumbing. Yard work and power washing. Insured. No job too small. Give Gordon a call, (336) 253-7700

965-7955

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

„ HOMECARE AVAILABLE

SENIOR HELPERS. Homecare for seniors and others including companion, personal needs, transitional, chronic disease, VA, respite, post-surgery assistance. Can provide house chores as part of service at no extra charge. Knowing your loved one is happy, safe, and cared for is your priority and ours too! Locally owned and operated. Call (336) 893-0300

„ SAVE THE DATE

STOKESDALE COMMUNITY CHOIR resumes practice Monday, August 28, 9:30-11:30am at Gideon Grove UMC, 2865 Gideon Grove Ch. Rd., Stokesdale. Contact Sondra at (336) 453-8017 to join.

CHRISTIAN MOM needs work cleaning houses, running errands. Quality cleaning/ budget friendly. Pet sitting also avail. References. Call Laura Bennett, (336) 231-1838.

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

MAID-2-SHINE. Excellent service, 15 years experience. Free estimates, excellent references. (336) 338-0223

The Northwest Observer covering local matters since 1996!

DECORATING

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

ELECTRICAL

Do you have ELECTRICAL NEEDS? It's portable generator season. Call Coble Electric, LLC at (336) 209-1486

BALEX ELECTRICAL COMPANY, LLC

Residential, commercial and solar electrical services. (336) 298-4192

336.554.5007

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

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

Why move when you can improve? licensed general contractors

construction well pumps ● plumbing ● foundations sagging floors...and much more!

One call fixes all!

643-1184

CLOCK SERVICE. Free house calls for sick clocks. 8103 Windspray Dr., Summerfield. (336) 643-9931 continued on p. 36

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

„ HOME SERVICES

L & T SMALL ENGINE SERVICE

“We get you mowing!” Comm./res., all models. Oak Ridge, NC. Please call (336) 298-4314 Ltsmeng16@gmail.com

APPLIANCE REPAIR – Call Mr. Appliance

A step above the rest! (336) 609-5707

„ HOME SERVICES

ANTHONY’S GRADING & HAULING

Excavating, land clearing, demolition, dirt, available. Zane Anthony, (336) 362-4035

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

E&W HAULING & GRADING INC. Driveways, fill dirt, demolition, lot clearing, excavating, bobcat work, etc. (336) 451-1282

GUTTERS /

„ HOME SERVICES

COLFAX LAWNCARE. Core aeration & seeding. Fertilizing, mowing, trimming. Complete lawn care/maintenance. Res./comm. Fully insured. Serving the Triad for 34 years. (336) 362-5860

DILLON TREE SERVICE. Certified arborists. BBB accredited. Fully insured. Familyowned. Tree removal and trimming. Available for emergency removals 24/7. Free estimates. (336) 996-6156. www.dillontreeservice.com. info@dillontreeservice.com.

GOSSETT'S LAWNCARE. Complete lawn care/maintenance. Res./comm. Fully insured. In business for 33 yrs. (336) 451-5216

DSL DRAIN SYSTEMS & LANDSCAPING (336) 362-4354

„ HOME SERVICES

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

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

MASONRY

GRADING / HAULING

H&L GRADING, LLC No job too tough or too small. Call us first! We are a full-service grading company that specializes in residential projects. Owner/Operator Timmy Hart has more than 30 years of grading and equipment experience. Fully licensed and insured. Land clearing, debris removal, driveways, French drains, portable sawmill and much more. We also do custom roughcut lumber. Call owner/operator Bobby Lipstreu, (336) 543-7867

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

MEDLIN'S LANDSCAPING. Res./comm. lawn service. Fully insured. Call/text (336) 817-3036

ARBOR MASTERS TREE SERVICE

Total tree removal, storm damage cleanup, shrub and tree pruning. Free estimates. Licensed & insured. (336) 643-9157

INTEGRITY TREE SERVICE, LLC Tree removal, risk assessment, tree pruning, dead wood removal. Affordable/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

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

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

SOUTHERN CUTZ LAWN CARE. Offering complete lawn maintenance services, landscaping, bush hogging, privacy fence installation/repair/staining, and stump grinding. Nathan Adkins, (336) 430-6086

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

GUZMAN LANDSCAPE & MAINTENANCE

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

R C LAWN CARE. Res./comm. lawn service. Fully insured. Call/text (336) 231-9599

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

CONCRETE COATINGS

Flake Epoxy Systems

Garage Floor and Concrete Resurfacing

Decorative Concrete Overlays

Stamped Concrete Rejuvenation

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.

MISC. HOME SERVICES/PRODUCTS

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

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

The Northwest Observer Sharing news of your community since 1996!

„ HOME SERVICES

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

HOME SUPPORT SERVICES PROVIDER Oak Ridge and surrounding area. Will run errands and do light housekeeping. M,W,F. Call (336) 707-4946; ask for Katrena.

Certified Mold Inspections

Certified Mold Remediation

Crawl Space Vapor Barriers

Crawl Space Cleaning

Insulation/Foam Board Sealing

Basement Moisture Issues locally based in Stokesdale ● (336) 937-4983 northstarmoisture@gmail.com www.northstarmoisture.com

Check out our Business & Real Estate section in this week's issue.

PAINTING & DRYWALL

STILL PERFECTION PAINTING. Reliable, skilled, affordable. Painting, pressure washing, handyman services. Scott Still, (336) 462-3683, stillperfectionpainting.com.

BEK Paint Co.

Residential & Commercial

David & Judy Long, owners (336) 931-0600

BEKPaintCompany.com

• References Available

• Licensed & Insured

• All Work Guaranteed

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

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

„ HOME SERVICES

PLUMBING

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

WEBSTER & SONS PLUMBING, Inc (336) 992-2503. Licensed, insured, bonded. 24/7 service. Plumbing, drain cleaning, well pumps. Give us a call, we do it all! Go to www.webstersplumbing.com for more info.

POOLS

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

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

REMODELING / CONSTRUCTION

PAINTING, DECKS AND MORE. Call Premier Construction for free estimates. (336) 430-9507

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

„ HOME SERVICES

RENOVATION WORKS, INC.

New construction, remodeling, additions, kitchen, bath and decks. We are a locally owned, full-service design and build company, A+ accredited with the BBB. Visit www.myrenovationworks.com or call (336) 427-7391 to start your next project.

Services, INC

BELEWS CREEK CONSTRUCTION

Kitchens/baths, custom decks, garages, dock work, siding, windows, roofing, rotted wood. Senior discount. 41 years exp. (336) 215-6122 or (336) 362-6343

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

„ HOME SERVICES

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

We DISASSEMBLE and RECONSTRUCT

old log buildings, cabins and tobacco barns. If you have a log structure and don’t want it, we will remove it for you! If you want to relocate it, we can do that too! We also construct pole barns/buildings. Call (336) 430-9507 anytime.

ROOFING

DUSTIN CLINARD ROOFING. Shingles, metal, and leak repairs. Certified for 50year non-prorated shingle warranties. Call (336) 268-1908

CLINARD & SON ROOFING, LLC

commitments

Call

(336)

40 + years experience. (336) 643-8191 WWW.VILLAGEROOFS.COM

BELEWS CREEK CONSTRUCTION

Lifetime shingle and metal roofing. We finance. Free estimates. Since 1979. (336) 215-6122 or (336) 362-6343

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

Check in with your neighbors: www.facebook.com/northwestobserver

„ MISC. SERVICES

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

Not all roof damage is this obvious

„ MISC. SERVICES

WELDING AND TRAILER REPAIR

Call Tim, (336) 402-3869.

BOAT N RV STORAGE. $70/$100 monthly. Located on Brigham Rd., Greensboro, near Pleasant Ridge Road. Call (336) 663-3051

„ PETS /ANIMAL SVCS.

Use HAPPY JACK® KENNEL DIP ® as an area spray to control deer ticks, fleas, stable flies, & mosquitoes where they breed. Biodegradable. At Tractor Supply ® www.happyjackinc.com

„ REAL ESTATE HOME FOR SALE

OPEN HOUSE: Sun., Aug. 20 • 2-4pm

locally owned & operated

6705 US Hwy 158, Stokesdale (336) 643-9963

(affiliated with Stokesdale Storage)

„ MISC. FOR SALE

NEW PARK MODEL with loft at Carolina Marina. Fully furnished, TV in built-in cabinet on covered deck, 2 boat decks with covered lifts, electric golf cart, 2017 18' Sweetwater pontoon. $275,000. Call Sally, (336) 207-2575

„ MISC. WANTED

YARN NEEDED to make children's hats for homeless shelter. Call Beth, (336) 644-8155

Wanted: FARM EQUIPMENT to buy. All kinds. Please call (336) 430-9507

FREE PICK-UP of unwanted riding & push mowers, tillers, generators, power washers, 4-wheelers, mini-bikes, golf carts, bikes, and other gas-powered items. (336) 491-1565.

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

„ PETS /ANIMAL SVCS.

GOLDEN SHEEPADOODLES. Reserve your puppy today! Six weeks old. Will be ready to go to their fur-ever home Aug. 5. Please call (336) 906-6691 to schedule a meeting to see these beautiful babies!

index of DISPLAY ADVERTISERS

$2,500 SELLING AGENT BONUS – NEW ENERGY STAR home. Enjoy the benefits of this healthy, eco-friendly, energy-efficient 4BR/4BA, 3,100-sq.-ft. home with 2 mainlevel BRs, open floor plan, 4 extra rooms upstairs, covered porch and composite deck. NW Guilford County schools. $689,500

GIL VAUGHAN

Realtor ®/Broker • (336) 337-4780

LAND FOR SALE

SUMMERFIELD LAND FOR SALE. Large lots and tracts of land for sale. If you’re looking for land or a great building site, call now, (336) 430-9507

LAND WANTED

WANTED: LAND. Any size or shape. Vacant or with dwellings. Matters not. We pay CASH! Quick closings! Call (336) 430-9507

VACATION PROPERTY

NEW PARK MODEL with loft at Carolina Marina. Fully furnished, TV in built-in cabinet on covered deck, 2 boat decks with covered lifts, electric golf cart, 2017 18' Sweetwater pontoon. $275,000. Call Sally, (336) 207-2575

The Northwest Observer Covering your community since 1996!

8169 Sanfords Creek Dr., Colfax

IS THE RUSH?’

“If development is coming, it must be done with transparency,” county resident Clark Erskine said during last week’s meeting. “This is our chance to get it right. What is the rush if we really want to get it done the right way?”

Rockingham County is one of three rural counties where a bill being drafted by Republican legislators in Raleigh would authorize the first gambling operations not located on tribal property in North Carolina. The U.S. 220 site up for rezoning from residential agriculture (AG) to highway commercial (HC) is located just a few miles north of Stokesdale and Summerfield.

Last week, the councils in the two towns passed casino-related resolutions. Both councils asked legislators drafting the gambling bill to authorize local referendums in the three counties where casinos are planned. In addition, the Stokesdale council passed a second resolution opposing the Rockingham County casino.

“This is basically a burden that is trying to be forced onto poor, rural areas in the state of North Carolina to make up for a budget shortfall from the state,” former U.S. representative Mark Walker said during the Stokesdale council’s meeting. Walker is seeking the Republican gubernatorial nomination.

In Oak Ridge, the council didn’t consider a casino-related resolution during its meeting earlier this month. Expressing her own views in an interview earlier this week, Mayor Ann Schneider said “this kind of quick-dollar development is not positive community-centered development.”

“We don’t like how close it is,” she added, joining other opponents with concerns about the property abutting Camp Carefree. For 37 years, the nonprofit organization has run free summer camps for children with chronic illness, as well as their siblings.

“People think the world of Camp Carefree,” the mayor said.

Rockingham’s commissioners have said little publicly since news outlets began reporting last month on the draft legislation and its selection of Rockingham, Nash and Anson counties as casino sites. During last week’s commission meeting, Chairman Mark Richardson responded to remarks by opponents of the rezoning petition.

Without mentioning gambling as the possible use for the U.S. 220 property, Richardson said, “your commissioners are in charge of change. Sometimes we don’t know what is coming.

“There is a change coming up,” Richardson went on, explaining that it’s being instigated by increases in the county’s population, as well as costs, presumably for the county’s operations.

“We’re going to do our best to deal with that,” the chairman said. “You know, we haven’t raised the rate of taxation in this county for 14 years.”

Statewide, the three casinos would pay a 22.5% excise tax on gross gaming revenue, according to WRAL News in Raleigh, citing the draft legislation.

Opponents kicked off their anti-casino campaign with a meeting at Ellisboro Baptist Church in Madison Aug. 1. Organizers distributed “NO CASINO” yard signs and urged people to flood elected

officials in Rockingham County and Raleigh with emails and phone calls.

Those officials include state Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger, a Republican from Rockingham County helping draft the casino legislation. His son, Kevin Berger, serves on Rockingham County’s Board of Commissioners.

The draft bill instructs North Carolina’s secretary of administration to start taking proposals by Sept. 1 from companies with 10 years of experience in the commercial gaming industry, according to WRAL News. The company selected to operate the three casinos would be required to spend at least $1.5 billion in private money – or at least $500 million at each location – and propose to add at least 5,250 jobs.

Last month in Rockingham County, the Planning Board voted 5-2 to recommend the commissioners deny the rezoning request for the 193 acres on U.S. 220. Opponents have cited the board’s recommendation as one of numerous reasons why rezoning for a casino should be voted down.

At the county level, the rezoning process doesn’t require applicants to disclose how they might use the property. The request by NC Development Holdings, linked by state filings to Baltimore-based gaming developer The Cordish Cos., seeks a straight rezoning of the property.

Unlike a conditional rezoning, a straight rezoning imposes no restrictions on permitted uses of the property. During last week’s meeting, Clark Erskine asked the commissioners to deny the straight rezoning request.

Commissioners will consider four factors in determining whether to approve the straight rezoning request, according to an email we received earlier this week from County Attorney Clyde Albright:

• The size of the tract for which the rezoning is sought

• Whether the request conforms with and furthers the goals of the county’s comprehensive plan

• How development might change the character of the area

• Whether the rezoning would be “compatible” with adjacent neighborhoods, especially the stability and charter of residential neighborhoods

In contrast to evidentiary hearings, public hearings don’t require

commissioners “to review factual evidence,” Albright noted. Decisions such as “zoning map amendments are left to the discretion of the commissioners.”

He added that “at the conclusion of the hearing, a written statement briefly setting out the board’s rationale for its decision on the zoning map amendment is required. The board is free to make a decision on a rezoning that a majority of the Commissioners believes will best serve the citizens.”

Denying the rezoning request would represent the best interests of the county as a whole, according to opponents.

“Do you think anyone in their right mind would be interested in moving to a county that can’t be transparent and can’t take the interests of its own citizens into account when making decisions?” asked Brandon Leebrick, who lives near Camp Carefree.

“Like they say, it seems there’s a lot going on behind the scenes that doesn’t show a lot of transparency,” added Doug Isley. “The folks here want input. It is our community. This is our way of life.”

Camp Carefree board member Rhonda Rodenbough said a casino would be “well beyond” development suitable for the area.

“We are begging you to please slow this down,” she said.

Money that local residents would lose on gambling wouldn’t be “coming to downtown Madison anymore,” Rodenbough said. They’re not going to Summerfield. They’re not going to Oak Ridge.”

“I’m afraid if you go through with this, it’s going to make my job a lot more difficult and other pastors’ jobs a lot more difficult because of the lifestyle that comes with” gambling, said Rev. Torrey Easler of Mayodan First Baptist Church. want to attend/listen?

The Rockingham County Board of Commissioners is meeting at 6:30 p.m. next Monday, Aug. 21, to consider rezoning property for a possible casino. The meeting will be held in the county’s governmental center at 371 N.C. 65 in Reidsville. To watch the meeting live, click on the media page on the county’s website at www.rockinghamcountync.gov.

David and Darla Reed of Colfax journeyed to Chantilly, France, in May to celebrate the wedding of their son Dan (Northwest High School class of 2011). The Northwest Observer added the perfect touch of home to their son and his bride’s special day.

Postal Patron

Postal Patron

What brought about these big smiles? The exotic sports cars and concept cars for the future the Chase family saw while in New York City for the New York International Auto Show? OR was it the Northwest Observer’s latest grins and gripes? Hard to tell!

While celebrating her daughter’s 18th birthday in the Bahamas, Erica Mulrooney of Summerfield enjoyed cooling off in the beautiful blue waters while browsing the hometown news.

Colin and Betsy MacKenzie of Oak Ridge took a Denali Flyer flight out of Talkeetna, Alaska, in June. Upon landing on Ruth Glacier in Denali National Park, they found the beautiful backdrop provided the perfect setting to enjoy a few minutes reading their local paper.