Northwest Observer | March 24 - 30, 2017 by pscommunications

March 24 - 30, 2017

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Bryan Boulevard closing postponed by four weeks Originally scheduled to close for 60 days beginning April 1, the new closure period is April 29 through May 28 by PATTI STOKES NORTHWEST GUILFORD – Signs posted along Bryan Boulevard last weekend indicating the road would close to traffic just west of Airport Boulevard on April 1 are being updated to reflect a new closure date of April 29. The closure will allow the contractor to complete the tie-in between the existing and future I-73/Bryan Boulevard corridor. NCDOT construction engineer Patty

Eason said the decision to postpone the road closure was largely in response to concerns expressed by people associated with the PTI airport and the High Point Furniture Market, which will take place April 22-26. The good news – although it will come at a cost – is the duration of the scheduled road closure has been reduced from 60 days to 30 days; to complete the project in half the time, Eason said the contractor will use more resources – i.e., extra crews and equipment – and work seven days a week if necessary. Also, using alterna-

tive construction methods such as mixing stone versus cement with soil during the soil stabilization process will make the project move faster. NCDOT notes there will be at least one lane open for access to the airport from N.C. 68 at all times during the 30-day closure. All other Bryan Boulevard traffic will follow detour routes. Access to Old Oak Ridge Road will not change during the 30-day closure. While the tie-ins are being completed, the traffic signals at Pleasant Ridge Road and N.C. 68 will be reset

Revised PD text amendment on hold Revised PD text amendment that was scheduled to go before Planning & Zoning Board on March 27 will undergo more changes by PATTI STOKES SUMMERFIELD – Revisions to a proposed text amendment which would create a PD (planned development) zoning district were initially scheduled to go back to the Planning & Zoning

Board for review/discussion at its upcoming meeting on March 27. However, the amendment will instead be held back“for further editing to address concerns raised by citizens,” Town Manager Scott Whitaker said on March 22. The text amendment was on the agenda for the Feb. 16 town council meeting, but in response to citizen opposition, the council agreed to delay a vote on it. The council still heard from 60 citizens that evening during the Public Comments period, the majority of whom voiced opposition to the amend-

ment as written. Some urged the council to do away with it completely while others asked that it be revised to incorporate “more teeth” and decisively prohibit apartment complexes, establish a cap on maximum allowed density and address concerns about water and traffic. “The town is still working on the best way to address these concerns and changes,” Whitaker said. “The Zoning Board has other agenda topics to address March 27 and citizens should not attend expecting any PD decisions or presentation of revisions.”

to accommodate more traffic, especially at peak hours of the day, Eason said. Acknowledging the signals at this location have not always functioned as they should while traffic has shifted during the construction of I-73, she said NCDOT will monitor the timing of the traffic signals at this location and adjust it as needed. “The good news is, when the project is completed, we will be in our new pattern for how we get to the airport using I-73,” Eason said. To view Google maps of detour routes, visit tims.ncdot.gov/TIMS/ IncidentDetail.aspx?id=502370.

IN THIS ISSUE News in Brief .................................3 Your Questions .............................4 Stokesdale Town Council ...........6 Summerfield Town Council .........8 Youth Sync ................................13 Student Profiles ..........................14 Scholarship recipients .................. 14 Business Notes .......................... 20 Bits & Pieces ...............................21 Crime/Incident Report ..............22 Community Calendar ...............23 Letters/Opinions ........................24 Grins & Gripes ............................25 Classifieds ..................................27 Index of Advertisers ..................31 NWO on the Go! ........................32

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NEWS in brief

Deputy clerk hired, committee members appointed STOKESDALE – Alisa Houk was sworn in as Stokesdale’s new deputy clerk during the March 15 weekly Stokesdale Town Council meeting at Town Hall. Houk, formerly of Walkertown, has lived in Stokesdale about 30 years; she officially began employment with the town on March 13 and replaces Sandra Murrell, who had resigned effective Feb. 16 after serving a year. Town Administrator/Finance Officer Kim Hemric said Houk will average 32 hours a week at $15 an hour in what initially will be a part-time position. Hemric and the town council have spent several months working on a personnel policy/employee handbook. Under the draft currently being considered, a full-time position would be defined as at least 32 hours a week. In other business, Julie Huskinson, Catherine Gauldin, Michael Threatt and Kenneth E. Jones were appointed to the

town’s Ordinance Review Committee by a 5-0 vote from the Stokesdale Town Council. In addition, Threatt was appointed an alternate to the Planning Board.

Alisa Houk

The council also repealed specifications for the town’s water system that had been approved Jan. 18 and replaced them with those that had been approved Nov. 20, 2008, and now include handwritten notes with a revised date of March 15. An electronic glitch had been discovered that resulted in an error in what was approved Jan. 18. Mayor Randy Braswell said the specifications with the error were never posted to the town’s website, and that no project had been approved and nothing built under those specifications.

Revised ordinance draws ﬁre SUMMERFIELD – Summerfield Town Council member Reece Walker said he may have unintentionally stirred up the pot when he brought up an issue several months ago relating to Sec. 6 of the town’s parks ordinance, which is titled “Weapons, firearms and incendiary devices.” The paragraph in this section of particular note reads, “It shall be unlawful for any person, at any time or under any circumstances within any park to carry, display, discharge, shoot, fire or explode, or cause to be discharged, shot, fired, or exploded any firearms, including, but not limited to air rifles, toy pistols, toy guns, or any other toy arms

designed to forcibly hurl a projectile or missile.” Walker said because signs at the town’s two parks have posted rules which include “No firearms,” he asked that consideration be given to revising the rules, particularly at the community park where there are walking trails. “My issue was with concealed carry permit holders not being able to have a concealed gun on the trails of the community park,” Walker said. “If you’re walking on the wooded trails with no one else around and you’re a concealed

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MARCH 24 - 30, 2017

revenue plus $31,600 in sales tax distribution.

your QUESTIONS

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OUR TEAM Patti Stokes, editor/publisher Laura Reneer, associate publisher Sean Gentile, art director Yvonne Truhon, page layout Leon Stokes, IT director

We were wondering when the splash pad for children will be opening at Oak Ridge Town Park. Unfortunately, the splash pad did not make the town council’s first round of projects that were prioritized for funding in the recently proposed 5-year capital plan, Terry Lannon, Oak Ridge parks director, told us. Lannon noted that this does not preclude the council from adding the splash pad back in, or from re-prioritizing the projects at any time.

Lucy Smith, finance manager Linda Schatz, distribution manager Steve Mann, Marc Pruitt, Helen Ledford, Jonathan Williams, Jennifer Kramer and Annette Joyce, contributing writers; Kelley Branch, editorial assistant

HOW TO REACH US email: info • celebrations • photos communitynews • realestatenews calendarevents • grinsandgripes opinions • editor • questions ... @ nwobserver.com phone: (336) 644-7035 fax: (336) 644-7006 office: 1616 NC 68 N, Oak Ridge mail: PO Box 268, Oak Ridge, NC 27310 hours: M-F 9am-2pm (or by appt.)

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To put this in perspective, were Stokesdale to levy a .5-cent property tax, the owner of a $350,000 home would pay an additional $17.5 per year in property taxes (above what it pays in county taxes and fire district taxes); if the town levied a 1-cent property tax, the same owner would pay an additional $35 per year in taxes; if the property tax were 1.5 cents the owner would pay $52.50 more and if the property tax were 2 cents the owner would pay $70 more per year in taxes.

I know others have probably asked this, but I’ve wondered why Stokesdale doesn’t levy a small property tax in order to get back a share of sales tax that its citizens pay. What would be the impact of levying a .5-cent or 1-cent property tax on citizens and how much revenue would that bring to the town? Michael Halford, Guilford County budget director, told us that Stokesdale had about $628 million in property valuations for 2016. Based on that estimated figure, were Stokesdale to have a property tax of .5 cent, 1 cent, 1.5 cents or 2 cents (per $100 property valuation), it could have expected to receive the following for 2016-2017:

Halford noted that sales tax allocations in one fiscal year (July through June) are based on property tax levies in the Were Stokesdale to levy a 1-cent property tax, the previous fiscal year. So, if a average homeowner would pay in the range of $25 to town levied a new property tax $50 more in taxes per year. in one year, it would not begin receiving sales tax revenues until the folA .5-cent property tax would have yielded about $31,000 in property tax rev- lowing fiscal year. enue and $7,900 in sales tax distribution. A 1-cent property tax would have yielded about $62,000 in property tax revenue plus $15,800 in sales tax distribution. A 1.5-cent property tax would have Submit your questions: yielded about $93,000 in property tax revenue plus $23,700 in sales tax distribuonline: nwobserver.com tion. e-mail: questions@ A 2-cent property tax would have nwobserver.com yielded about $124,000 in property tax

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NEWS in brief

meeting and Town Attorney Bill Hill was instructed to update the town’s 2010 ordinance that regulates guns in its parks, with the main goal to make it congruent with state statutes.

...continued from p. 3

“Per Summerfield Ordinance 2010-005 the following is prohibited from all areas: pets/animals (except service animals), tobacco use, fireworks, firearms/weapons, alcohol/drugs, solicitation, disorderly conduct”

carry permit holder, you should be able to have your gun. I’m not sure how I feel about guns at the athletic park, but I framed it to the council as, ‘Let’s tackle one thing at a time.’ “I didn’t go into this to champion gun owners’ rights, but I thought it

needed to be addressed,” he said. In the meantime, Summerfield resident Douglas Cornelius, who has a concealed carry permit, emailed the town to oppose the “No guns” rule at Summerfield Athletic Park. The council briefly discussed the matter at its Jan. 10

NOW OPEN

What Hill recently presented, however, was an even more, rather than less restrictive ordinance, which expands the “no guns” rule to all townowned buildings, adjacent premises of the buildings, or town-owned recreational facilities. Hill’s draft revisions drew fire from some citizens who read the town’s March 14 meeting agenda and supporting documents online a few days before the meeting. Although Hill was not present at the meeting and the agenda item relating to the revisions was tabled, Cornelius and Summerfield resident Lee Haywood both voiced opposition to the proposed revisions during the meeting’s Public Comments period. “Time and again history has shown us that ‘No Firearms’ signs do not work,” Cornelius told the council. “The

criminal is only emboldened by such ignorance on our part believing signs work. Do you really believe that the Greensboro police or a Guilford County deputy will be at the athletic park in a minute or two of a call? How many lives could be destroyed in that time frame? The first responders of a tragedy are the people present.” Walker said his intent in asking for an ordinance revision was to fix a rule that applied to the community park. “We say no firearms, period,” he said. “But state law says you can have your gun on a walking trail. If you’re a concealed carry holder, you know you can carry your gun anywhere you want, unless it is not specifically posted – but at the park it is posted that you can’t.” Although council did not discuss the proposed ordinance revisions during the March 14 meeting, Walker said he believes there was a general consensus among the council members that further revisions need to be made to it before a vote is taken.

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STOKESDALE town council

March 9 / MEETING HIGHLIGHTS as reported by STEVE MANN

 Mayor Pro Tem Bill Jones called the monthly meeting to order at 7 p.m. and Rev. Jerry Walker of Oak Level Baptist Church led the opening prayer. Council members Frank Bruno, Tim Jones and Vicki White-Lawrence, Town Administrator/Finance Officer Kim Hemric, Deputy Clerk Diana Marcus, Budget Officer Philip Pulliam and Town Attorney Katy Gregg were present. Mayor Randy Braswell was absent but called in later to weigh in on the ABC resolution. Following the Pledge of Allegiance, the meeting agenda was approved 4-0. By a 3-1 vote, with Tim Jones voting nay, the minutes were approved for the Feb. 1 weekly 4 p.m. town council meeting, the Feb. 9 monthly meeting, the Feb. 15 weekly 4 p.m. meeting, the

Feb. 22 weekly 4 p.m. meeting and the March 1 weekly 4 p.m. meeting.

NEW BUSINESS Sheriff’s Report. No deputy was present to give a report. Finance Report. Pulliam presented the town’s financial report through February. Income this fiscal year in the general fund is $92,737.90, or 23.5 percent of projected income for the 2016-17 fiscal year. Regarding planning and inspection fees, $16,126.13 has been collected; that amount has already exceeded the $15,000 projected revenue from fees just seven months into the fiscal year. The second quarter utilities franchise tax distribution, which is the town’s

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I don’t like conducting so much business in front of empty chairs.” Council member Tim Jones, on continuing to move agenda items to the Wednesday afternoon council meetings when very few, if any, citizens are in attendance. largest source of revenue, is expected March 15, Pulliam said. Total expenses to date are just 40.1 percent of the operating budget’s projected expenses for the fiscal year.

use of fire hydrants was drafted by him, the council voted 4-0 to continue the discussion to the March 15 weekly afternoon meeting. Tank Cycling Quote. The council voted 4-0 to continue discussion about a revised cost estimate for a tank cycling and control system project to the March 15 weekly afternoon meeting. Engineering Firm. Bill Jones said two meetings had been scheduled for council members to interview two prospective engineering firms to explore Stokesdale’s options regarding a proposed regional water authority, but the interviews had “mixed success.”

The council had voted at the Feb. 22 In the water enterprise account, weekly meeting to scrap a formal reincome was $321,691.13, or quest for qualifications (RFQ) 74.9 percent of the budget. and rely on council memNEXT MEETING The cost of purchasing bers’ interviews instead. Thursday, April 13 • 7pm water remains the After interviewing the Stokesdale Town Hall largest expense for firms, Jones said this account. CONTACT YOUR TOWN he didn’t think the

(336) 643-4011 council was ready to Consideration stokesdale@stokesdale.org hire either firm and of Committee www.stokesdale.org made a motion to Applications. By a continue the discus3-1 vote, with Tim sion to the March 15 Jones voting nay, the weekly afternoon meetconsideration of three ing. The vote was 3-1, with applications for the OrdiTim Jones voting nay. nance Review Committee and one for the Planning Board was continBill Jones suggested putting the two ued to the March 15 weekly afternoon firms on the town’s vendor list and that the meeting. town consider hiring them for specific projects instead of as an adviser/consultant. ABC Resolution. Following almost an hour of public comment and council comments, the council voted 3-2 to approve a resolution inviting the Greensboro ABC Board to partner with Stokesdale to bring an ABC store to town. Braswell, who called in and voted from remote, and Tim Jones voted nay. For details of this discussion, see our front cover article in the March 17-23 issue (the issue can be accessed online at www.nwobserver.com). Bulk Water Purchase. Because Braswell was not present and the policy to establish and enforce guidelines for

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Tim Jones said the council keeps moving more agenda items to the Wednesday meetings and no one is showing up. “I don’t like conducting so much business in front of empty chairs,” he said.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS WATER SYSTEM Citizens’ Comments. John Flynt of Belews Creek Road said nothing Stokesdale has done since it was incorporated in 1989 has been more important than the proposed regional water authority. Flynt, a

former town council member and mayor, said he hopes the council will put it to a referendum and let the citizens vote.

“I get the feeling you guys are trying to ramrod this through the town and not give the citizens (a chance for) input,” Flynt said. Bill Jones noted there are two public comment periods at each of the Wednesday afternoon council meetings and monthly Thursday meeting. Rev. Walker pointed out that five of the seven residents in attendance attend church Wednesdays. Bill Jones said the 4 p.m. time on Wednesdays isn’t ideal, but it’s hard to find a time suitable for everyone. Jimmy Landreth of N.C. 68 North said he wanted to remind the council why Stokesdale incorporated: selfdetermination. The town already has a water authority “and you guys are it,” he said, adding he believes the council can do much of what a water authority can, “but I can come to Town Hall to complain and be heard a little bit. That’s self-determination.” Bill Jones and Bruno said the town may need an additional source of water at some point and the council owes it to the citizens to explore all options.

ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT Water meters were to be read March 11 and the additional deputy clerk’s position should be filled soon, Hemric reported, also noting that a lot of progress has been made toward converting the town’s ordinances to Municode. Hemric reminded citizens of a joint meeting with the Stokesdale Fire Department and its board members, a representative of the North Carolina Rural Water Association and the Stokesdale Town Council at 7 p.m. March 16 at the fire department, 8401 U.S. 158. A blood drive will be held May 5 at Town Hall and Make-A-Difference Day

will be on May 6 at Town Hall.

COUNCIL COMMENTS  White-Lawrence thanked those who showed up to express their opinions about the ABC resolution “even though we didn’t vote the way you wanted us to vote.”  Tim Jones thanked those who attended the meeting, said he still favors small government and no property tax for Stokesdale, and appreciates the questions about the proposed water authority because “it may be the

biggest undertaking in the town to date.”  Bruno also expressed appreciation for those who attended the meeting and said that even though they disagreed, “we all want the same thing: what’s best for the citizens.”  Bill Jones said he feels it’s his responsibility to honor the citizens’ vote as much as possible on an issue the state says people can vote on. He also said he followed up on a complaint about trash on Coldwater Road and found debris along both sides of the road and two toilets in a creek; items he found in the trash might help identify who threw it out, he added. Jones urged people not to throw trash out. Saying he understands some can’t afford trash service in Stokesdale, Jones said he wants to pursue a small property tax that would pay for trash service for the entire town. He said he believes the tax would be about the same as garbage service and would allow Stokesdale to get a portion of the sales and use taxes back from Guilford County, possibly as much as $125,000.

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Tim Jones pointed out the Department of Transportation has a litter sweep program, and Hemric noted that information on the program is on the town’s website. With no further business, the meeting was adjourned.

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SUMMERFIELD town council

March 14 / MEETING HIGHLIGHTS as reported by PATTI STOKES  Mayor Mark Brown called the monthly meeting to order; following a prayer led by Linda Southard, staff and council member introductions were made and the meeting agenda was adopted after removing agenda item 11-D, “Firearms in the parks” under Business from Town Manager.

were presented with awards for the Historical Committee’s “History of Summerfield” writing contest and had their picture made with the town council. See photo and students’ names on p. 19 of this issue.

Town Manager Scott Whitaker and Planning Director Carrie Spencer were both home sick with the flu. Town Attorney Bill Hill was also not present.

 Priscilla Olinick, a resident of Pleasant Ridge Road, thanked the council, as she had at the Feb. 16 council meeting, for delaying a vote on the proposed PD (planned development) ordinance.

Brown announced that Town Hall had been closed for a period of time earlier in the day because several staff members were out sick with the flu. Presentation of Awards. Eight elementary, middle and high school students

PUBLIC COMMENTS

Olinick said five generations of her family have lived in Summerfield and family property on Pleasant Ridge Road adjoins one of landowner/developer David Couch’s properties, so the PD issue

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is “near and dear” to her heart. Her family owns two businesses in Summerfield and has worked hard to keep their property, she said. “It breaks my heart to know that what we all know and love about Summerfield could be destroyed. Please give the PD very much thought before we pass it and blanket Summerfield with condos, townhouses, multi-family, and more commercial … Summerfield has always been an inconvenient place to live and we like it that way. People don’t come here for convenience or retail opportunities.” Olinick closed by saying she hoped the community could figure out alternative ways to bring affordable housing options to Summerfield without creating the PD zoning district. “It’s not Summerfield, it’s not what we’ve been,” she said.  “The PD is a solution in search of a problem,” Paul Poole said. “There is no deep need for all these high-density houses in Summerfield. If there was, you could amend ordinances to let people build smaller homes on smaller lots.” David Couch, who has advocated for the PD zoning district, is also developing the commercial site underway near the I-73 interchange on N.C. 150. Poole said the higher density housing that PD would allow is needed in order to sustain the level of commercial development that Couch plans to bring to the community. “We’re going to change the demographics of Summerfield to support more real estate development. If you bring in enough high-density housing, any developer can go back and say (to a prospective anchor tenant), ‘OK, now I have the high density you need to anchor a store.’ Then the developer can go to the smaller shops with a higher price per square foot,” Poole said. “If I wanted commercial shops I would have moved seven minutes down the road (to Greensboro).”  “Thank you for delaying and trying to amend a bad PD ordinance,” Lee Haywood said before changing the

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subject to that of proposed revisions to the town’s parks ordinance, specifically Section 6, which relates to “weapons, firearms and incendiary devices.” “I was dismayed today when I learned that a draft amendment will limit our second amendment rights,” Haywood said. “I don’t know who was responsible for even bringing this up but it is irresponsible and is not your business. I ask that you abandon any effort to restrict our second amendment rights.” (See more about the proposed revisions to the ordinance relating to firearms in the town’s parks in this issue’s News Briefs).  Teresa Pegram began by wishing town clerk Valarie Halvorsen, who is celebrating 10 years of employment with the Town of Summerfield, a happy 10th anniversary. “Valarie, you are priceless,” Pegram said. Pegram then spoke as a representative of the Save our Summerfield Committee, which she said was formed to protect the town’s critical underground water supply – something which is noticeably not addressed in the proposed PD zoning district. “We believe in the 1997 USGS Water Resources Investigation Report,” she said. In less than 30 days over 1,300 signatures were collected on a petition sent out by the committee and petition efforts continue, Pegram said. “Each person who signed this petition believes in protecting and preserving our underground water resources.” Pegram had hoped to present the town with a check for $1,500 to begin the process of amending its comprehensive plan; the purpose would be to establish the maximum average housing density in all new subdivisions (including those in a planned development) of no more than one unit per 60,000 square feet. When she asked Mayor Brown who to give her check to, however, he said he

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“Who is it that makes a town what it is? We do.”

Self has worked as a sheriff’s deputy in District 1 for the last three years.

 John Dwyer said he was a longtime employee of Remington Arms.

could not accept it at the meeting and suggested she bring it to Town Hall during business hours.

Crawford went on to say that Summerfield isn’t broken “and the developer and government saying it is doesn’t make it so… The Summerfield we identity with is unique, priceless and rare. We made it this way and we don’t want to lose it.”

Klick urged the council to draft a resolution commending Self for his service and also asked that everyone keep Self and all law enforcement in their prayers.

“I didn’t come to talk about firearm rights, but I certainly believe in them,” he said.

...continued from p. 8

 Douglas Cornelius introduced himself as “probably the one who brought up the firearms” (referring to the proposed revisions to the town’s existing ordinance that addresses possession and carrying of firearms in the town’s athletic and community parks). Cornelius said last October he had written the town and asked that it take down the “No firearms” sign at Summerfield Athletic Park. The proposed revisions to the ordinance not only keeps the sign at the park, but instructs the town manager to increase the number of “No firearms” signs and to install them on other town-owned property, such as at Town Hall, the Martin house, etc., he said See more of Cornelius’ comments in this issues News Briefs.  Dwayne Crawford suggested the council put the proposed PD zoning district on its list of discussion items for the upcoming retreat on March 17-18. “Who incorporated this town? We did!” Crawford said. “Who grew this town to the size it is today? We did.”

MARCH 24 - 30, 2017

 Carla Bluitt said it is evident that a large number of Summerfield residents are not in favor of the PD zoning district. She said she was thankful, however, that the proposed PD had caught the attention of people like herself because it let her know she needed to be more involved and engaged in the issues the town was dealing with. Moving forward with amending the comprehensive plan seems like the logical next step, Bluitt added.  Norman Klick spoke on behalf of Guilford County Sheriff’s Deputy Matthew “Logan” Self, 26, who responded to a domestic incident in Browns Summit on Feb. 27 and was subsequently shot by the husband of the home, Donald Meador, during a seven-hour standoff. “Thanks to all of you,” Klick said, then to council member Dena Barnes, wife of Sheriff BJ Barnes, he said, “Logan has such admiration for your husband. Law enforcement is so important – I know we take them for granted.”

 Amber Best thanked the council again, as she had at the Feb. 16 council meeting, for delaying a vote on the proposed PD zoning district. “It is something we can’t change once it is going,” she said, adding that she grew up in a community like Summerfield, but it isn’t the same community now because it has been overrun by planned developments.  Frank Ficca referenced a situation that occurred in June 2014 when a developer applied to rezone a 49.2-acre tract that is part of the Bandera Farms property off Bunch Road. The developer proposed clustering 36 building lots on 16.4 acres at the east edge of the site, while reserving the remaining acreage for open space, common area (septic easements) and roads. “It seemed like something fell through the cracks on that process,” Ficca said. With regard to the proposed PD zoning district, he encouraged the council to “have good discussions, step back and take your time and create a good ordinance for a good town.”

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Dwyer then said the text amendment for the proposed PD had “passed muster” on the town’s Planning & Zoning Board before coming to the town council for a vote on Feb. 16, but the council had then been advised by the town attorney that it wasn’t ready to be voted on. “…How did that amendment get to town council to be voted on without having a clear understanding of the shortcomings?” he asked. “If I were sitting in your chairs I would ask that question: ‘How did we get so far down the road with something that seemed good to do and obviously wasn’t?’ “How do we make the process more inclusive and get better information so you can respond to all sides of the question?”  Gail Dunham said she had circulated a survey to reinforce that Summerfield residents want to keep density low. “The petition already has more signatures than any of you received in the election,” she told the council. Dunham also thanked Halvorsen for doing an “incredible” job as town clerk and said the essays for the history writing contest were amazing.

Regarding the PD, Dunham said the Planning and Zoning Board had made its recommendation (4-1) to approve the proposed zoning district, but it was on false assumptions, one of which was that the town could be found in violation of Fair Housing standards unless it provided options for more affordable housing. Another false assumption was that houses in Summerfield all sell for over $400,000, which isn’t true, she said. Dunham also said that at the town council Question and Answer session on Feb. 9, each person was allowed to ask one question, which was totally inadequate (Note: according to this reporter’s notes, over 300 people attended the Q&A session on Feb. 9; each person was given an opportunity to submit one question, and after all the questions that had been submitted were answered the meeting ended at about 11 p.m.). Dunham also claimed that at the subsequent council meeting on Feb. 16, not everyone who wanted to speak was allowed to do so. (Note: according to this reporter’s notes, every person who signed up to speak during the Public Comments period of the Feb. 16 meeting was given an opportunity to do so – that meeting began at 6:30 p.m. and also ended at 11 p.m.). The PD should not even be considered, Dunham said, suggesting instead that priority be given to amending the comprehensive plan.

PUBLIC COMMENTS (BUDGET)  “If you are thinking of passing a PD, I would highly recommend putting some legal expenses in the budget because you are going to be needing them,” Elizabeth McClellan said. “This document (proposed PD text amendment) was a train wreck.” McClellan suggested the council consider budgeting for outside planning services. “I think we would greatly benefit from that. I like Carrie Spencer (town planning

director), but the document she offered was extremely deficient,” she said.  Gail Dunham said the council continued to pass “grossly inflated” budgets and the next time it wanted to make a $500,000 budget amendment to purchase property it should first hold a public hearing or put the purchase to a voter referendum. The Founders’ Day budget last year included $4,000 to pay Stephanie Quayle and her band to perform. Quayle is married to David Couch, and should not have been hired to sing at Founders’ Day, Dunham said. As for the budgeted amount for personnel, Dunham said, “You’re spending $550,000 and you don’t have someone to answer the phone today! You should look at doing a better job of how this is being managed. You have to shut down Town Hall on a day as important as today!” (Town Hall was closed for a few hours earlier in the day because all but one staff member was out sick with the flu). Property tax produces about $500,000 a year in revenue, but the town is about to embark on capital projects that will far exceed that, Dunham continued. The town should support the historic structures it owns but take a realistic view, she said.

COMMITTEE REPORTS Finance. The committee was scheduled to begin budget discussions at its March 20 meeting. Historical. Linda Southard said a historic marker will be dedicated at the former Laughlin Primary School (now Laughlin Professional Development Center) on Summerfield Road, April 7 at 3:30 p.m.

EMERGENCY SERVICES Capt. Jenna Daniels with Summerfield Fire District reported the department ran 26 fire-related calls in February, 59 EMSrelated calls and 15 other calls. Fifteen car seats were installed and 200 children were reached through fire prevention and

community outreach. The fire district will hold its second Stop, Drop and Roll kids run and 5K on April 1, beginning and ending at Station 9 on Summerfield Road. The annual Easter egg hunt will be held Sunday, April 9, at Station 9 on Summerfield Road at 2 p.m. This year the district will host a youth fire camp June 26-30 for rising third through fifth graders and slots are filling up fast. For more info on any of the above, visit www.summerfieldfire.com. A large outside fire the previous week was due to someone burning debris through the weekend and the fire being ignited from sparks that the wind carried. Daniels urged everyone to visit the district’s website and apply for a burn permit before burning outside, never leave a fire unattended, and always call the fire department immediately if a fire gets out of hand. Zoning Board appointments. Council

voted 5-0 to reappoint Jeff Davis and 5-0 to reappoint alternate Scott Henson to the board. Regarding Dwayne Crawford, whose term as an alternate on the board had also expired, no one made a motion to re-appoint him. After a moment, council member Dena Barnes made a motion to thank Dwayne for his past service on the board. Martin House. Bids for repair and or/ replacement of significant portions of the exterior front and back porches on the Martin House (located across from Town Hall) came back higher than budgeted, so Whitaker plans to put the project out to bid again.

 4  1 (Laughlin nay) to approve spending an additional $40,000 for realigning the proposed extension of the A&Y Greenway to proceed south from the pedestrian tunnel on U.S. 220 and then west into the watershed. With no further business, the meeting adjourned at 7:43 p.m.

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 SRA’s Summerﬁeld Family Chiropractic Wolfpack team celebrates after winning the 2017 tournament championship for the 7-8 boys league. (Front row, from left) Will Brown, Tyson Foster, Ian Miller and Jason Farris; (middle row) Kyle Hodge, Cross Foster, Tyson Woodruff and Noah Franza; (back row) coaches Rod Brown and Bill Horlacher. Player Andrew Moore not pictured. Photo courtesy of Jennifer Gauldin

 (From left) Bria Gibbs, Lindsay Gauldin, Elizabeth Kitley and Cayla King of the NCHSAA 4-A state championship Northwest Lady Vikings basketball team are named to the Piedmont Triad All Conference team.

Photo courtesy of Mary Ealley

A panel of area leaders from athletic, business and medical ﬁelds discuss the impacts of social media use at Northern High on March 13. The panel engaged an audience of parents, teachers and students and addressed the topic “The Good, Bad and Ugly of Social Media: What You Say #NeverGoesAway.”

...more Youth Sync on p. 18

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Stokesdale Elementary student Caleb Burns (left) ﬁlls his next order of pancakes and bacon from parent volunteer Jon Priddy and Summerﬁeld Charter Academy student Andrew Gunter. The students are members of Cub Scout Pack 600, which served about 300 people on March 18 at the pack’s 14th annual pancake breakfast and silent auction at Oak Ridge Presbyterian Church. The event raises around $3,500 each year for Pathways Center, a Greensboro Urban Ministries shelter that provides homeless families temporary housing.

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MARCH 24 - 30, 2017

STUDENT PROFILES Thanks to the coaches and teachers at Northern and Northwest High Schools for their student recommendations and input, which make it possible to recognize these talented, dedicated students for their accomplishments in academics, athletics and cultural arts.

NORTHWEST GUILFORD Hannah Gereb, theatre by JONATHAN WILLIAMS Northwest junior Hannah Gereb started small and worked hard to make a name for herself two years ago. Then she lost it all when she moved from her hometown in Ohio to the Greensboro area. While moving to a new high school is always tough, Gereb was more worried about having to leave behind the name she made for herself on the stage. “The first time I was cast was as a wolf cub in ‘The Jungle Book,’ and I thought it was the best thing that ever happened,” Gereb said. “I then went from ensemble cast to bigger roles such as Mrs. Potts in ‘Beauty and the Beast.’”

delighted to watch her perform as Jojo in ‘Seussical the Musical’ this April.” Gereb finds true joy and happiness in her craft and strives to bring her audience into the world her cast and crew are creating on stage.

‘Four years, four summers – fully funded’ Students celebrate offers of Morehead-Cain, Park and Trinity merit scholarships by MARC PRUITT

“Though I portray different characters, I’ve realized we’re more similar than we are different. I love looking deeper into these characters, and I hope the audience enjoys that experience with me,” Gereb said.

How does one celebrate the news of being offered a Morehead-Cain scholarship to attend the University of North Carolina?

On a side note … Toughest Class: Math III Favorite musical: “Sweeney Todd” Favorite show: “RuPaul’s Drag Race” Extracurricular activities: Stagelights, Northwest Make-Believers

For Northern Guilford’s Claire Claire Laffan Laffan, her celebration revolved around food. Laffan was extended the opportunity

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“What a joy it is to watch her perform,” drama teacher Abby Turner said. “Her commitment to the rehearsal process leads to hilarious discoveries for her characterization, setting the example for her scene partners who grow themselves as they feed off Hannah’s consistently high energy. I know audiences will be

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“I knew the date when they were going to let us know, but I wasn’t going to open the email until I got home from school,” Laffan said. “When I got home, I waited for my mom to get home from work. When I opened the email and told them, my mom started crying and my dad got really excited. Then we went to M’Coul’s in downtown Greensboro because I was really craving shepherd’s pie that night.” The Morehead-Cain scholarship provides full tuition, housing, meals, books and a laptop for four years, as well as discovery funds to support summer educational opportunities. Laffan was one of 60 students awarded the scholarship this year and is the only recipient from Northern Guilford. “Receiving this is a green light for me to pursue whatever I want to do,” Laffan said. “They will give you everything you can possibly need to achieve your dreams.”

Gereb quickly tapped into Greensboro’s theatre community. On top of her drama class and school productions, she is also involved in Stagelights Theatre Company in Greensboro. With her involvement in and outside school, Gereb has stepped out of her comfort zone and into roles such as the flirty Gladys in “The Pajama Game” and the proud Kate in “Kiss Me, Kate.”

to become a Morehead-Cain scholar on March 10 after a lengthy application process that began last August.

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Laffan wants to become an astrophysicist or a theoretical physicist, with her ultimate dream to work and perform research for CERN, a European research organization based in Geneva, Switzerland, that operates the largest particle physics lab in the world. “I’d love to study black holes and new particles for CERN,” Laffan said. “My dream is to be able to do theoretical work and programming work in that kind of setting.” Laffan has until April 11 to accept the Morehead-Cain scholarship offer. She has also been accepted into Yale and plans to make her final decision soon.

When Troy Minor found out he had been accepted into Duke University, he had no idea it was only the beginning. Minor, a Northern Guilford senior, Troy Minor applied to Duke last November and knew he would learn about whether he was accepted by April 1. “I got a call last week from someone at Duke asking me if I had checked my emails lately,” Minor said. “So, I went to check and started reading… ‘Congratulations, you have been accepted at Duke.’ And then further down the page it said, ‘…and you’ve been awarded the Trinity Scholarship.’ I wasn’t even sure what that was, so I kept reading, and the email kept getting better and better.” The Four-County Area Trinity Scholarship is awarded to a student living in Davidson, Guilford, Montgomery or Randolph County. It includes full tuition, room and board, books, fees and other miscellaneous expenses, and up to $6,600 for summer experiences. “I was blown away, it was completely out of the blue,” Minor said. “I didn’t apply for a scholarship. I was just selected. It wasn’t even on my radar,

but this is an amazing honor.” Minor, who plays baseball at Northern, has also been accepted at UNC-Chapel Hill and Virginia, and is awaiting word on acceptance to Harvard, Princeton and Wake Forest. “It’s going to take a pretty sweet deal to make me change my mind, but I have until April 19 to officially accept the Trinity scholarship,” he said. Another complication for Minor might be his family loyalties. His mother, father and sister all attended UNC-Chapel Hill. “Oh, they’re cool with it,” Minor said with a laugh. “I think they realize what an amazing opportunity it is.” Nicolas “Nic” Wirtz didn’t realize he was wearing his N.C. State T-shirt when a call came to his phone recently that he didn’t recognize. “I knew it might Nic Wirtz have been about the scholarship, so I started freaking out,” Wirtz recalled. “And my mom started freaking out. And then they told me I got it. My body kind of went into shock.” “It” is N.C. State’s Park Scholarship, a four-year scholarship valued at up to $107,000; it includes tuition and fees,

room and board, books and supplies, travel and personal expenses. It also features access to grants to fund enrichment experiences in the United States and abroad. Wirtz attended the Early College of Guilford for his junior and senior years. He attended his home school, Northwest Guilford, as a freshman and sophomore and has run cross country for the Vikings all four years. He has also been a counselor at Camp Carefree, a camp for kids with special needs in Stokesdale, and helped start a scholarship fund there. He moved from Ohio to Oak Ridge when he was in sixth grade. Now, he’s giving up his allegiance to Ohio State for another shade of red. “N.C. State has always been my dream school in North Carolina, and to see that there is an opportunity for an incredible program is something I want to take full advantage of,” Wirtz said. Wirtz, who plans to major in electrical engineering and minor in business, said going to Raleigh in February as a finalist made a lasting impression. “I had already been accepted at a couple of other schools, but I left that weekend knowing that I was going to State whether I got the scholarship or not,” Wirtz said. “I just loved everything about it.”

West Point! Getting called into the principal’s office can generate feelings of uneasiness for any student.

J. Hardy Stone

Principal Janiese McKenzie called Stone to her office recently to let him know he needed to call his mother, who shared with her son that he had received an appointment to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. Stone will be following in the footsteps of his father, George, who also attended West Point. “I wasn’t sure what to expect when she called me to her office,” Stone said. “When my mom told me, I was very excited. It was pretty late in the process of finding out about getting in and I was getting kind of skeptical.” It was a process that began for Stone last summer, when he took a trip to West Point for an optional camp that was an unofficial beginning to the application process.

...continued on p. 20

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GUILFORD COUNTY – The Guilford County Sheriff’s Office invites families to attend Operation Kidsafe on March 25 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The free event will be held at Capital Subaru, 801 E. Bessemer Ave. in Greensboro. Free digital fingerprinting and photography will be available for parents to

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Writing contest winners honored by Summerﬁeld Historical Committee SUMMERFIELD – First, second and third place winners of Summerfield Historical Committee’s first history writing contest, which was promoted last fall, were awarded certificates and cash prizes at the town council meeting on March 14. Matthew Long was first place winner among the high school entrants and received $600 in prize money. Meredith Long won first place among the middle school entrants and won $300; Claire Worsham took second place and won $150 and Lydia Dean took third place and won $50. Lily Guilheau won first place among the elementary school entrants and won $100; Sam Long took second place, winning $50, and Hannah Rochester and Banks Gdovin tied for third place and each won $35.

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Front row, from left: Summerfield Historical Committee history writing contest winners Banks Gdovin, Lydia Dean, Meredith Long, Sam Long, Lily Guilbeau, Hannah Rochester, Claire Worsham (Matthew Long not shown), and Historical Committee members Anna Heroy and Linda Southard pose together after the students were awarded their certificates and prize money at the March 14 Summerfield Town Council meeting; back row, council members Reece Walker, John O’Day, Mayor Mark Brown, Dena Barnes, Dianne Laughlin and Mike Adams.

 Photo by Patti Stokes/NWO |

Photo courtesy of Lisa Bauman/ Guilford Battle Chapter NSDAR

 Meredith Groce of Northwest Guilford High School and Theo Pryzwansky (not pictured) of Northern Guilford High School were among four Guilford County Schools students selected as Good Citizen representatives by Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) for their essays on the topic “How do the combined actions of many good citizens keep our nation moving forward?” The students were honored at the DAR Battle Chapter banquet March 9 at the Greensboro Country Club.

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Goodwill offers reduced-price prom gowns GREENSBORO – Triad Goodwill, a 501(c)3 non-profit leader in career development and job placement, is having their annual prom dress sale with formal gowns ranging from $5 to $25 at the store and donation center located at 3519 N. Elm St., Greensboro. Select garments can be previewed in the Triad Goodwill Facebook photo

album; some garments still have original tags. “We want every young woman to have a prom night to remember, with a gown she won’t be paying for forever. The selection is amazing and most of these dresses have only been worn once,” said Triad Goodwill’s public relations specialist Gale Ketteler.

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MARCH 24 - 30, 2017

WEST POINT

BUSINESS notes

...continued from p. 15 “We had to take a fitness exam called the Candidate Fitness Assessment, which included throwing a basketball from my knees, a shuttle run, pushups, situps, pullups, and a mile run,” Stone said. “That was in addition to the general application process, which included transcripts, SAT and ACT scores, writing three essays and getting letters of recommendation. I also had to undergo a medical exam and a general information background check.” U.S. Congressman Mark Walker, who represents the 6th District, nominated Stone for the appointment. “What was really cool is that I found out I got nominated the day Army beat Navy in football (Dec. 10, 2016),” Stone said. “Congressman Walker’s office and Bill Trivette, who is the chairman of the Greensboro West Point Society, were both extremely helpful.” Stone will play rugby and study mechanical engineering. After graduation, he will serve five years’ active duty in the U.S. Army.

New owners, new look, new menu OAK RIDGE – Elizabeth’s Italian Restaurant in Oak Ridge was recently purchased by Oak Ridge residents and longtime customers Mark and Carol Shina. The restaurant closed at the end of business hours on March 2 and is undergoing a complete renovation before re-opening mid- to late April as Bella Luna (“my beautiful moon”). Carol Shina said she and her husband had been customers of Elizabeth’s since it opened in Oak Ridge Commons 16 years ago. After their two teenage daughters went to work there last year, one as a waitress and the other as a hostess and busgirl, the couple dined at the restaurant even more. “We had to go there to eat so we could see our daughters,” Carol said, only partially teasing. It was Gianni Coppola, whose older brother Tony opened the restaurant and

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Carol, who said she loves to decorate, is overseeing the restaurant’s interior facelift; included in the new décor will be artwork displays by talented local artists. While the menu will still include the signature dishes that Elizabeth’s has become known for, the new menu will also feature rotisserie chicken, a wide selection of vegetables – and even grilled steak on weekend nights. A restaurant manager will be in place when Bella Luna opens next month, which will free up Gianni and Tony to do what they love best – create culinary specialties! In the meantime, restaurant employees will undergo extensive training on new menus, systems and software, and will receive ongoing training after Bella Luna opens. “It will be a learning curve for everyone,” Carol said. “But they (Gianni and Tony) are so excited. This is their baby, and their family. They are excited we are setting up systems that will work. Our two families are working well together and we’re all excited to do it and do it right so that we’ll be ready when we open.”

STOKESDALE – Fidelity Bank is pleased to announce Ed Jordan has joined its team as group vice president and regional executive. In his new position, Jordan will be responsible for developing and managing business banking relationships as well as leading the Greensboro, Lexington, Stokesdale, Stoneville, and Thomasville branches in sales and market expansion. His office will be located at the Fidelity Bank branch located at 2501 Battleground Ave. in Greensboro.

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Carol admits she and Mark weren’t looking for another business venture (they own Absolute Imaging Solutions, which Mark founded in 2001; the company services nuclear imaging equipment and has accounts across the country). The Coppola brothers’ passion for what they do and their desire to keep the restaurant in Oak Ridge was contagious, however, and the Shinas soon warmed to the idea of bringing them back together and being involved in bringing an excellent dining experience to residents of Oak Ridge and beyond.

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The Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996

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Heart of MADD award presented to Sheriff BJ Barnes Sheriff BJ Barnes received the Heart of MADD award at the annual MADD Awards of Excellence ceremony held March 3 in Cary. Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) is the country’s largest nonprofit to raise awareness against drunk and drugged driving and underage drinking. Each year MADD recognizes law enforcement officers, agencies and prosecutors throughout the state who enforce driving while impaired (DWI) laws and work to reduce impaired driving. The Heart of MADD award is presented annually to a nominee who has shown dedication to combat drunk and drugged driving, support DWI victims and prevent underage drinking. Five years ago Barnes coordinated representatives from the sheriff’s office, High Point Police Department, Greensboro Police Department and UNC-Greensboro to establish a DWI task force.

Guilford County Sheriff BJ Barnes Photo courtesy of Guilford County Sheriff’s Office

“Sheriff Barnes really wants to save lives and reduce fatalities from impaired driving crashes and underage drinking,” was stated from an excerpt that was read during the awards ceremony. “He is always humble, never wanting the attention on himself but on his deputies and staff instead.” The excerpt also mentioned Barnes’ continued public outreach efforts last year when he partnered with the N.C. Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission for the “Talk IT Out” campaign.

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Honoring Veterans Dr. Lane Molpus and Tonya Angel hosted a ﬁsh fry in honor of veterans March 18 at Union Grove Baptist Church in Oak Ridge; the outreach ministry offered fellowship to 23 veterans and several widows of veterans in the community. Photo courtesy of Brady King

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CRIME / INCIDENT report Guilford County Sheriff’s Office, District 1 has recently responded to the following incidents in northwest Guilford County.

Website helps seniors detect scams Sixty-seven percent of seniors have been the victim or target of at least one common online scam or hack, according to research conducted by Home Instead Senior Care. The results prompted Home Instead to partner with the National Cyber Se-

curity Alliance to develop a free website, www.ProtectSeniorsOnline.com. The site offers a quiz, tips and resources to show how scammers work, the steps seniors can take to protect sensitive information and a list of common scams aimed at seniors.

If it seems too good to be true… Sgt. Tim Popek with Guilford County Sheriff’s Office warns citizens to use caution when buying items listed on websites like Craigslist, Letgo and others.

“If the deal seems too good to be true, it probably is,” Popek wrote on Nextdoor.com on March 8. “Last week we got a call from a detective in South

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Carolina who was investigating a stolen tractor. The tractor had been sold by the suspect on Craigslist and when the new owner in Guilford County took it in to be

fixed it came back as stolen. The tractor was returned to the owner in South Carolina, but the victim was out a couple thousand dollars. Please be careful.”

ASSAULT

the last 10 years was arrested for DWI around 1:30 a.m. on N.C. 68 near Haw River Road in Oak Ridge. She was transported to Greensboro Jail Central, where a chemical breath test revealed a 0.20 blood alcohol content.

March 13 | A resident of Air Harbor Road in Greensboro reported a known suspect hit her in the mouth with a hairbrush between 6 and 7 a.m. No medical treatment was required; the victim was advised of her option to pursue a warrant and restraining order. March 19 | A resident of Carlson Ridge Court in Summerfield reported at 9:50 p.m. that a known suspect grabbed her head. There was no evidence of injury, and the victim was advised of her option to pursue a warrant.

BURGLARY

March 13 | Unknown suspects entered a residence on Pepper Road in Oak Ridge between 8 a.m. and 5:23 p.m. by forcing open a rear door. A laptop valued at $300 was stolen. March 13 | A resident of Pepper Road in Oak Ridge reported that unknown suspects forced open a side door to her residence between 8:30 a.m. and 3:42 p.m. A jewelry box and several pieces of jewelry with an estimated value of $4,288 were stolen. March 15 | Unknown suspects entered the unlocked business office of Gastown Oil Company, located on Linville Road in Oak Ridge, sometime between 8 p.m. on March 14 and 9:30 a.m. on March 15 and stole a laptop valued at $1,000.

DRUGS, ALCOHOL

March 14 | At about 9:55 p.m., an intoxicated customer left StokeRidge Tavern & Grill, located at N.C. 68 in Stokesdale, without paying his $56.47 bill. The Guilford County Sheriff’s Office report indicates the customer “became very belligerent and disruptive,” and after being arrested for intoxication and defrauding an innkeeper was transported to Greensboro Jail Central. March 19| A repeat offender with three previous DWI convictions within

The Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996

FRAUD

March 15 | A resident of U.S. 158 in Summerfield reported that on March 13 his personal information was used by an unknown suspect in an attempt to file unemployment.

THEFT

March 17 | A resident of Stafford Mill Road in Oak Ridge reported that at 11:15 a.m. a guest took his watch valued at $400. March 17 | Dollar General on Belews Creek Road in Stokesdale reported that around 6:15 p.m. an unknown suspect threw $47.34 worth of paper towels into his vehicle and drove off without paying. March 18 | CVS/pharmacy on U.S. 220 in Summerfield reported a known suspect shoplifted items worth $38 between 6 and 7 p.m.

WEAPONS

March 19 | A Guilford County sheriff’s deputy arrested a known offender on weapons charges at 2:15 a.m.; the arrest was made in the parking lot of The Animal Hospital at Lake Brandt on N.C. 150 in Summerfield. The suspect was charged with carrying a concealed weapon, possession of a stolen firearm and removal of a serial number from a firearm.

District 1 Sheriff’s Office 7506 Summerfield Road Main number: (336) 641-2300 Report non-emergency crime-related incidents by calling: (336) 373-2222 • 8 a.m. - 5 p.m., M-F www.guilfordcountysheriff.com

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FRIDAY, MARCH 24

 Daraja Children’s Choir | Daraja Children’s Choir of Africa will perform at Stokesdale United Methodist Church, 8305 Loyola Drive in Stokesdale, on March 24 at 7 p.m. More info: ashleygpthomas@gmail.com or (336) 643-4850.

SATURDAY, MARCH 25

 Operation Kidsafe Day | Capital Subaru, 801 East Bessemer

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Avenue, Greensboro, is partnering with the Guilford County Sheriff’s Office to host a free family fun day with Operation Kidsafe, a free digital fingerprint and photo safety program. The event will be from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. More info: Call Capital Subaru at (877) 344-5327 or visit www.capitalsubarugreensboro.com.  BBQ Sale | Stokesdale Fire Department, 8401 U.S. 158 in Stokesdale, will sell BBQ from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m. (or until sold out) on March 25. Purchase a plate to eat in or take out ($8 for adults; $4 for children 10 and under) or purchase a pound of BBQ for $8, a container of slaw for $2. For preorders, call (336) 643-0790.

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 NW Guilford Democrats | Northwest Guilford Democrats will meet in Oak Ridge on March 26 at 3 p.m. Call, text or email Lynne Allen at (336) 209-0142 or lynnebuchallen@ gmail.com for info about the meeting location.

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 Blood Drive | Stokesdale United Methodist Church will host a community-wide blood drive from 2-7 p.m. on March 28. Visit www.redcrossblood.org to schedule an appointment.

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 NWHS Men’s Lacrosse Spirit Night | Eat at Rio Grande Mexican Kitchen in Oak Ridge Commons from 5-10 p.m. on March 30 and part of your dinner receipt will benefit the NWHS men’s lacrosse team.

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MARCH 24 - 30, 2017

LETTERS/OPINIONS Submit your editorials (maximum 350 words) online: nwobserver.com e-mail : editor@nwobserver.com mail: Opinions, PO Box 268, Oak Ridge, NC 27310

Include your name, a daytime phone number where you can be reached and name of community in which you live. Letters from the same writer will be published no more than every 30 days.

In response… There have been a couple of comments in past issues which I would like to respond to. The first was a gripe that the Town of Stokesdale does not have a tax. Really! You must not live in Stokesdale. The second was about trash on the highways. It is a problem all over the country. I do have some things in mind which might help, but do not have room here. The third is a gripe about the Town Hall building and lack of park improvement. No current Stokesdale Town Council member voted to build the town hall building. I argued for a gym or community center. Concerning the park, we started working pretty aggressively on the fields and grounds as soon as the last council’s two-year contract with a local landscaper expired. We have spent tens of thousands of dollars on them, and they are finally coming around. The ABC store, if it even comes

to Stokesdale, will not cost the town anything. Period! I voted for the Greensboro ABC Board resolution because in 2009 the referendum was voted on and passed by a sizable margin. I have criticized other elected officials for not listening to the voters, so I cannot in good conscience do the same. Lastly, I have been lobbying the Guilford County Board of Commissioners to balance their budget without confiscating the small towns’ fair share of sales and use tax distributions. I do not believe in the redistribution of wealth through tax laws, which is what this action amounts to. I am currently working on a statewide web page and will publicize it as soon as it is up. It will contain a great deal of information on a subject which concerns 47 counties in North Carolina. W.N. (Bill) Jones STOKESDALE Town Council

Let’s unite to protect the vulnerable In this highly partisan environment, people often take sides not based on objective facts but on political teams. Many Democrats refuse to say anything in support of a Republican even when they believe they are right on an issue, while Republicans refuse to criticize another Republican even when they

MARCH 24 - 30, 2017

believe they are very wrong. When it comes to the most vulnerable in our nation, I would hope we all will come together to voice our support for our seniors and children. President Trump has just proposed a budget that will eliminate many programs vital to those who are struggling to make ends

meet. Most troubling is the plan in the budget to end Meals on Wheels for our seniors and school meals for low-income students. This is tragic. Meals on Wheels has a budget of $3 million a year. That is exactly what it costs us taxpayers for each of Donald Trump’s weekend golfing trips to his Mar-a-Lago Resort in Florida. He has taken five trips there in his seven weeks as president, racking up more than $15 million already. Check the record. Presidents Bush and Obama cost taxpayers just a little more than that same amount in an entire year! Can we – Republicans and Democrats alike – speak with one voice on at least this one issue and respectfully request that President Trump donate the cost of just one of his golf trips to allow Meals on Wheels to continue delivering meals and a smile to our seniors? Let’s call or write our Congressional representatives and demand that they

protect Meals on Wheels and reduced school lunch programs for low-income students. William Moore SUMMERFIELD Editor’s note: Meals on Wheels affiliates get the majority of their financial support from a different mix of state, local and federal government funds, along with private and corporate donations and philanthropic organizations. The non-profit organization does not directly receive federal funding, rather federal funding for the Meals on Wheels program, which is estimated at about 3 percent of its total revenue, comes through the Administration for Community Living, an agency of the Department of Health and Human Services that serves the elderly and disabled. In President Trump’s proposed budget, Health and Human Services would receive about a 17 percent across-the-board cut.

Comments by elected leader were uncalled for In recent years we have witnessed insults, disrespect and negative politics at the state and national levels of government. We may feel insulated from this type of politics in small towns, but last week it reared its ugly head at the Stokesdale Town Council meeting. While discussing the ABC store resolution, Mayor Randy Braswell, who was not physically present but participated in this particular discussion from remote, took a cheap shot at me by implying that my time on this resolution would have been better spent attending critical town business meetings. I didn’t respond then, but feel I should do so now. I brought up the ABC store last summer after being asked several times why we hadn’t pursued this, since it was voted on and approved by Stokesdale citizens in 2009. The town council agreed to have me pursue the issue, so

The Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996

by following both the voters’ and the council’s direction, I honored the oath of office I took when elected. Once the Greensboro ABC Board decided to pursue putting an ABC store in Stokesdale, it was a simple matter of drafting the resolution (modeling it after Summerfield’s resolution) and bringing it to the council for approval. By voting against the resolution, two council members ignored the vote of the citizens. I’m sure they had their reasons, but council members’ job is to follow the will of the people and make sure their votes count. Over the past 6 ½ years I have regularly attended council meetings, workshops and committee meetings and am unaware of missing any “critical” meetings. If the mayor is referring

...continued on p. 26

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

 Those who complained about Stokesdale Parks & Recreation’s basketball program. How about volunteering to help? Being a part of the solution is much more rewarding than being a part of the problem. I’m certain some accountability will change your attitude.

GRIPES to...  Those who are so against the ABC store in Stokesdale, and who equate liquor with sin. I’m a 70-year-old churchgoer who would rather spend my money in Stokesdale than out of town.  Summerfield Post Office. Normally I wouldn’t resort to a public forum, but I’m not getting any results from our post office. Mail isn’t delivered consistently or put in the correct mailbox. Is anyone else having the same challenges? Editor’s note: Unfortunately, we have received other gripes over the last several months (some we have published and others we have not) about mail being consistently mixed up, unprofessional attitudes of clerks (or a specific clerk) who work at the desk, and residents repeatedly not getting their Northwest Observer in the mail. I recently

 No one having a solution for recycling/ trash cans blowing over and littering the neighborhood and neighboring farms in Stokesdale. The trash pick-up company advised they have no solution. Can we as residents do anything? This is unacceptable!

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 Dr. Lorczak and Ana for your donation towards the teacher lunch at Oak Ridge Elementary on Wednesday. We so appreciate your support and the teachers love being treated to a wonderful lunch on early release days!  Capt. Jenna Daniels and Chief Johnson of Summerfield Fire Department for volunteering their time to teach Girl Scout Troop 12474 about personal safety. It was interactive and fun, plus the girls learned a lot. You are true community heroes!  The amazing middle and high school students who volunteer their time each week with our Oak Ridge Elementary Colts Chess Club. We love you Rochan, Stanton, ORMA cadets and Daniel!  Ashley Triplett for being the absolute best principal. Northern Guilford Middle is fortunate to have her. Her focus on keeping all students in a safe environment and providing an exceptional education is unwavering. We appreciate her so much.  Sadie’s of Stokesdale for their generous donation of soaps to help Stokesdale Elementary’s Kids Care Club stock the school’s

food pantry with personal care items!  Arbor Masters Tree Service for the outstanding, professional and affordable tree removal service you recently provided us with. You took our big oak tree down with ease and cleaned everything up nicely!

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

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GRINS and GRIPES

 Stokesdale Town Council for using no property/sales tax as an excuse to not do what’s right. You fired the deputy to save money; we see tons of growth, Town Hall is paid for and we have millions in the bank. C’mon!  The bicyclist on Pleasant Ridge Road on March 14, mid-afternoon. Don’t ride between the thin double yellow lines. Your flashing light isn’t going to help. Ride in the direction of traffic, as close to the road’s edge as possible.  People who throw trash into ditches. The wind does blow the trash, therefore it goes into our yards.  Park users who don’t clean up after their dogs. Poop is left everywhere throughout the park, even though clean-up bag stations are provided conveniently along the walkways. Be considerate and pick up after your dogs!  Stokesdale Town Council. How long are we going to let the police car sit at Town Hall and depreciate? Perhaps you want folks to think we still have our town deputy when in fact you decided we didn’t need one.

______________________ Date

spoke with the postmaster at Summerfield Post Office, who has promised to check into these issues and take steps to resolve them. Please keep us posted (no pun intended), and let us know what kind of service you receive, whether positive or negative. By the way, I live in Summerfield and get excellent service from Donna, my postal carrier; I’m sure many of you have the same experience with your carriers, who are for the most part conscientious and hard-working. However, there are always exceptions, and by bringing these issues to the proper person’s attention we can work toward a solution.

Has an appointment

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LETTERS/OPINIONS

...continued from p. 24

to the Wednesday afternoon business meetings, they are supposed to be for non-controversial items, with any potentially controversial items addressed at our monthly Thursday night council meetings. When discussing the weekly business meetings last fall, I suggested having them at night; instead they were scheduled at 4 p.m. on Wednesday afternoons, and are attended by only one or two citizens with at least one council member usually absent. If transparency is our goal, these meetings should be

held when most citizens and council members are not at work. Differences are best handled by meeting and discussing them rationally. When someone chooses instead to handle them by making disrespectful comments and innuendos, it solves nothing and makes the accuser look petty and hateful. This is not the behavior Stokesdale citizens deserve from their elected leaders. Frank Bruno STOKESDALE Town Council

I really appreciate the time and effort you put into creating the History of Summerfield writing contest. I learned about the A & Y Railroad and Sum-

Thank you so much for allowing me the opportunity to enter the History of Summerfield contest. I appreciate the prize money and I am disappointed I couldn’t attend the awards ceremony. Through this project, I learned that education is a valuable foundation of our town. I am thankful beyond measure! Matthew Long, 15, SUMMERFIELD

merfield’s history. It was so exciting to research and create my newspaper project and essay paper, especially because I learned more about my town. I would love it if you would make more contests for us to enter! I really enjoyed the awards ceremony because of the amazing prize – and

Yeah, I’m impressed – with your stupidity.

0ver 12,100

community members are connected at

“So if you exit from 73 to Bryan, will the ramp to Old Oak Ridge be closed or does it close after?”

facebook.com/NorthwestObserver “Please don’t detour traffic down old oak ridge rd to pleasant ridge rd the traffic is terrible now!”

MARCH 24 - 30, 2017

I am really excited that I won second place in the History of Summerfield writing contest and I was really looking forward to the awards ceremony. It was really fun making my project. I learned about the Bugler and how he helped in the war. Thank you so much for my award. Sam Long, 8, SUMMERFIELD Editor’s note: See p. 19 for photo and names of all the history writing contest winners.

Driver’s stupidity was impressive This is to the driver of the Dodge Challenger who passed me on Bunch Road at the entrance to Bugle Run – after you had been tailgating me. When I slowed to allow the truck in front of me to turn, you passed at an intersection, over a double yellow line, and then sped to the stop sign, only to have me pull up behind you. So what did your impatience gain you? I guess you and your friends in the car thought it was cool.

Thanks, Summerfield Historical Committee (The following three letters to the Summerfield Historical Committee were written by winners of the committee’s “History of Summerfield” writing contest)

I got to meet the mayor! Meredith Long, 12, SUMMERFIELD

“Thank you for posting this, I saw the signs and was wondering what they would be doing and how it would effect the intersection...”

The Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996

I’m impressed with your lack of knowledge or respect for traffic laws. I know you think you’re the world’s greatest driver and fully capable of handling all that horsepower. Cemeteries are full of people like you, along with your friends and innocent victims. You obviously have more horsepower than brain power. Your mommy and daddy need to take your toy away before you kill or injure someone. I think a moped would be more appropriate. Bob Yarbrough, OAK RIDGE

CHILDCARE AVAILABLE LEGAL NOTICE

SAVE THE DATE

Affordable local IN-HOME CHILDCARE. Loving mom. Please call (336) 312-3042.

OPEN ART STUDIO EVENT, Saturday, March 25, 11am-2pm, 4110 Oak Ridge Road, Summerfield. Bring your O.Henry or Seasons magazine ad for a free print. For more info, visit www.crystaleadiemiller.com.

VIRGINIA: In the circuit court of the City of Lynchburg; John Charles McCaughtry, plaintiff, file #CL16000474-00, v. Rebecca

Place online at

AVAIL. FOR EMPLOYMENT

Malloy Stith McCaughtry, defendant. The

P/T WORKER AVAILABLE for light home/ yard jobs, transportation, dog walking, vet visits. Retired & dependable. Must reside in Summerfield. (336) 202-3518.

vorce the defendant on the grounds that the

Are you looking for work? Get the word out here! Classifieds are just $4/line per issue. Visit www.nwobserver.com and click on Place a Classified.

McCaughtry appear on or before April 26 at

subject of this suit is for the plaintiff to diparties have been living separate and apart for more than twelve months, the defendant’s whereabouts being unknown.

It is

therefore ordered that Rebecca Malloy Stith the Lynchburg Circuit Court and protect her interests. Requested by Debora Cress Embrey, Attorney at Law, 147 Mill Ridge Road, Lynchburg, Virginia, 24502. VSB #025299; Telephone (434) 528-3996.

DEADLINE: Monday prior to each issue

NEED HELP? Call (336) 644-7035 ext. 10 Mon - Fri • 9am -2pm

INDEX Childcare Available ..................... 27 Available for Employment ........... 27 Employment ............................... 27 Legal Notice ............................... 27 Save the Date ............................ 27 Yard Sales ............................. 27-28 Home Services ....................... 28-30 Misc. Services.............................. 30 Misc. for Sale ............................. 30 Misc. Wanted ............................. 30 Pets & Animal Services ................ 30 Real Estate ............................ 30-31

EMPLOYMENT CNA/CAREGIVER NEEDED to sit with my 93-yr.-old Mom. Must be able to transfer. Call for more details. (336) 207-8221. Oak Ridge Physical Therapy FRONT OFFICE – SATURDAYS. P/T person needed to work every Sat. morning. Reception, scheduling, co-pay collection & phone calling. Candidate must have excellent customer service & computer skills; medical experience preferred. Hours: Saturdays 8am-1pm. Background criminal, drug and financial check will be done. Mail resume to: PO Box 875, Oak Ridge, NC 27310.

Hiring? Tell our 25,000+ readers about your opportunities! WANTED: Part-time accompanist and music director, Community Lutheran Church, Summerfield, NC. 12-18 hours per week; $12,000-$14,000/yr. salary, depending on experience. Call (336) 643-7667 or email clcchurchoffice@bellsouth.net for additional information. PERSONAL LINES CSR Stokesdale insurance firm looking for a property/casualty licensed customer service rep. with experience. Respond to ajb@blackburnins.net.

SAVE THE DATE SPAGHETTI DINNER – “Young at Hearts” Seniors Group at Liberty Wesleyan Church, 15303 Hwy. 158, Summerfield, will be sponsoring a Spaghetti Dinner on Fri., March 24, 5-7:30pm. $7/person. Everyone is welcome! Money goes to support Senior programs. GOLDEN TICKETS IN THE MALL, March 25 & 26. Somewhere inside Golden Antiques & Treasures, there will be one $50 and two $25 gift cards hidden for lucky shoppers to find! That’s right! Open 10am-6pm Saturday and 12n-6pm Sunday – and you could find extra money to spend right on the spot! Drop on by and find hidden treasures and more! Located at 341 Ram Loop in Stokesdale. (336) 949-4958 for more info.

Something

going on

Tell northwest Guilford County Place your Save the Date online at

The Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996

NORTHWEST GUILFORD DEMOCRATS are meeting on March 26 at 3pm in Oak Ridge. For location, call, text or email Lynne Allen at lynnebuchallen@gmail.com, (336) 209-0142. FREE COLLEGE ADMISSIONS SEMINAR: SAT vs ACT – what’s the difference and how to choose. Presented by Right Fit College Consulting on Thursday, March 30, 6:30pm, at Spears YMCA. To reserve your spot, visit www.rightfitcollegeconsulting. com and select “contact us,” or email info@ rightfitcollegeconsulting.com. EARTH DAY CELEBRATION, Saturday, April 1, 1-5pm, “Free Eco-Fun for Everyone!” Kathleen Clay Edwards Library, 1420 Price Park Road, Greensboro. All free! SEEKING CRAFTERS: If you have a talent for any type arts and crafts, and you would be interested in showcasing and selling, please contact Chris Schlosser, (336) 643-3411 or email schlosser_chris@ yahoo.com. This show will be at Summerfield United Methodist Church on Saturday, April 29, 1-4pm.

YARD SALES ESTATE TAG SALE, Friday, March 24, 2-6pm; and Saturday, March 25, 8am-12n, 115 Hunters Glen Drive, Summerfield (off Witty Road). Furniture, Maytag W&D, home decor, kitchen/household wares & more! Priced to sell! Wyatt Auctions, (336) 616-2113. INDOOR YARD SALE, Sat., Mar. 25, 7am1pm, Center UMC, 6142 Lake Brandt Rd. GARAGE SALE, Saturday, March 25, 8am-2pm, 6926 Wooden Rail Lane, Summerfield.

...one more yard sale on p. 28

MARCH 24 - 30, 2017

YARD SALES CONT.

HOME SERVICES

ESTATE SALE, Sat., March 25, 8am-3pm, 7836 Alcorn Road, Oak Ridge.

CHRISTIAN MOM needs work cleaning houses, running errands. Will fit to your budget. Pet taxi/pet sitting also avail. References. Call Laura Bennett, (336) 231-1838.

MOWER REPAIR. Any type mower, weld and repair mower decks. Free pickup and delivery. Call or text Morris, (336) 880-7498.

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

GREENERTIMES SMALL ENGINE Sales & Service Center. All types sold and repaired; comm/res. 9428 NC Hwy. 65, Stokesdale. (336) 548-9286 or (336) 312-3844.

ANTHONY’S GRADING & HAULING Excavating, land clearing, demolition, dirt available. Zane Anthony, (336) 362-4035.

YARD SALE COMING UP? Place your classified ad online at www.nwobserver.com. $4/line per issue.

HOME SERVICES

WINDOW GENIE WINDOW CLEANING 3M Window Film – save on your energy bills and enjoy the view. Fully ins., free est. Greensboro.windowgenie.com, (336) 268-8586.

CLEANING

MAID 2 GLIMMER. Amazon approved. (336) 441-8388 or visit Maid2Glimmer.com.

DEEP CLEANING TECHNICIAN INC. Licensed & insured. Call for free quote for your detailed cleaning. Lisa, (336) 207-0770.

ELECTRICAL

CRYSTAL CLEAR WINDOW CLEANING, gutter cleaning, pressure washing. Fully ins. windowcleaningnc.com. (336) 595-2873. MAID-2-SHINE. Excellent service, 15 years exp. Free estimates., excellent references. (336) 338-0223. STEPHANIE’S CLEANING SERVICE 10 years experience. (336) 423-9786. LIVENGOOD’S CLEANING. Church, businesses. Free est., 14 yrs exp. (336) 223-5034. HOME CLEANING. Afford. rates, ref. avail., 10 years exp. Elizabeth, (336) 453-8592. MARIA’S CLEANING SERVICE. Free estimates, guaranteed service. (336) 552-1990. CastleWorks WINDOW CLEANING Includes gutters, pressure washing, chandeliers and other high ladder work. Fully insured and bonded, free estimates. (336) 609-0677. www.castleworkswindowcleaning.com. ANA’S HOUSECLEANING. Good references, free est., 25 years exp. (336) 309-0747. CARPET CLEANING. We clean the dirt out of your carpet, not the money out of your pockets! Call David, Cleaning Solutions, (336) 989-4318, thecleaning.solutions or find us on FB at Cleaning Solutions Carpet Cleaning. MAIDS OF HONOR, INC. Triad’s oldest! $25 off! 40 years in service. Bonded staff. English speaking. (336) 708-2407.

MARCH 24 - 30, 2017

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

FLOORING MONTERO’S HARDWOOD FLOORING Installation of hardwood, laminate & tile; hardwood sanding & finishing. Commercial & residential. Insured, 17 years experience. Free estimates & excellent references. Visit Monteros-hardwood-flooring.com, or call (336) 215-8842.

GENERAL REPAIR & SERVICES L & T SMALL ENGINE SERVICE LLP “We get you mowing!” Free pickup and delivery. 2103 Oak Ridge Road, Oak Ridge. (336) 298-4314. JLB REMODELING, INC. Home repair, maintenance & handyman service. Licensed & insured. Competitive rates. (336) 681-2902 or www.jlbremodeling.com.

GARY’S HANDYMAN HOME SERVICES “Providing value for the home-ownership experience.” Gary Gellert, serving NC’s Piedmont Triad area. Garygellert@gmail.com, (336) 423-8223. GENERAL HOME REPAIR, bathroom repair, small/odd jobs. (336) 644-8710, 708-0522. APPLIANCE REPAIR – Call Mr. Appliance. A step above the rest! (336) 609-5707.

OLD SCHOOL HOME REPAIR/ IMPROVEMENT

“No Job Too Small”

Jerry & Lisa Potkay, Owners • Oak Ridge, NC

(336) 669-7252

Accredited A+ Rating, oldschoolsjhr@triad.rr.com BBB of Central NC Home Repairs & Improvements • Painting Wood Rot Repairs • Bathroom Remodeling Decks and much more! • Insured

The Northwest Observer Keeping you connected for 20 years Want to reach our readers? Call (336) 644-7035 for advertising info.

GRADING / HAULING PEARMAN QUARRY HAULING

Decks | Sun & Screened Porches Roofing | Windows | Gutters

Fill dirt, gravel, sand rock, mulch & more.

REPAIRS | RENOVATIONS

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

(336) 643-0531 haleyhahn.com Licensed & insured

Joel Richardson, (336) 803-2195.

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

The Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996

LAWN CARE / LANDSCAPING STEVE’S LAWN CARE Lawn mowing, weekly or bi-weekly, no contracts, reasonable rates. Call Steve, (336) 264-9082. A-LIST LAWN CARE Professional lawn services at affordable prices. Licensed/insured. (336) 609-7013. STEVE NEWMAN TREE SERVICE. Free est. Lic./Ins. 30 yrs. exp. Bucket truck/chipper, total cleanup. Selective thinning & lot clearing. 24-hr. ER svc. OR, NC. (336) 643-1119. BRAD’S BOBCAT. Mulch, landscaping, pine needles and straw. (336) 362-3647. COLFAX LAWNCARE Complete lawn care maintenance. Spring fertilizing, mowing, trimming, pine needles. Res./comm., HOA & annual agreements. Fully insured. Serving the Triad for 28 years. (336) 362-5860. AREA STUMP DUMP. Yard waste, concrete, etc. Fill dirt avail. (336) 602-5820. ARBOR MASTERS TREE SERVICE Total tree removal, storm damage cleanup, shrub and tree pruning. Bobcat work and more. Free estimates. Licensed & insured. Call Joe at (336) 643-9157. CAROLINA STUMP & TREE SERVICE Complete tree service, $1 million liability, workman’s comp. Rick & Judy, (336) 6439332, carolinaStumpAndTreeServices.com. TRACTOR FOR HIRE – Bush hogging, grading, brush/tree removal. (336) 207-6632. TLC LAWNCARE. Mowing, fertilization, weed control. Providing quality, affordable lawn service for 7+ years. (336) 681-0097.

HOME SERVICES

CUTTING EDGE LAWNCARE. Affordable.

MASONRY

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

PRESSURE WASHING

Dependable. Mowing, aeration, leaf removal and more! Please call anytime for free estimate, (336) 706-0103.

FREE DELIVERY

on full-load mulch orders within 15 miles

ORTIZ LANDSCAPING, complete lawn care. Trimming, cleaning, planting & mulch,

The Northwest Observer

gutter cleaning, patios & pavers, waterfalls, retaining walls, sidewalks, stonework. Residential and commercial. (336) 280-8981. STOKESDALE LAWN SERVICE Reasonable rates, lawns cut, weedeating.

8605 Triad Dr, Colfax (336) 996-4918 marshallstone.com Schedule Thursday delivery for an additional discount!

Free est. (336) 338-5865.

every week? Advertiser here!!

Quality irrigation systems. NC licensed contractor. We service all systems. Free estimates. (336) 644-1174. 8605 Triad Dr, Colfax (336) 996-4918 marshallstone.com

clean up. Pine needles & mulch. Reasonable and honest. Call Taylor, (336) 464-5215. GUZMAN LANDSCAPE & MAINTENANCE Pine needles, mulch, leaf removal, tree pruning, complete lawn maint. (336) 655-6490. WILSON LANDSCAPING, INC. Complete lawn care & landscaping. NC lic. irrigation contractor. 20 years exp. Hardscaping, fertilization & weed control. (336) 399-7764. ALL-SEASON STUMP GRINDING. Owner Alan Winfree. Free est. Call (336) 382-9875.

Direct-mailed to every mailbox with an Oak Ridge, Summerfield and Stokesdale address, and available for pick-up at 70+ area businesses.

CINDY’S PAINTING – Interior painting, wallpaper removal. References & free estimates available. (336) 708-9155.

AQUA SYSTEMS IRRIGATION.

Snow plowing, tree pruning, general yard

13,300 copies printed every week!

PAINTING & DRYWALL

Want to reach over 25,000 readers

FAY’S LAWNCARE & LANDSCAPING

GAS LOGS, WOOD STOVES, INSERTS, fireplaces, sold, serviced and repaired. Call Don Hill, (336) 643-7183.

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

MISC. SERVICES & PRODUCTS

PAINTING – INTERIOR & EXTERIOR 32 yrs. exp. Sheetrock repair. No job too small. Insured. Brad Rogers, (336) 314-3186.

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

(336) 931-0600

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

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

PLUMBING

Get. Be. Stay. Connected.

facebook.com/NorthwestObserver

BRANSON PLUMBING & SOLAR No job too small! Experienced, guaranteed. Lic. & insured. Call Mark, (336) 337-7924. WEBSTER & SONS PLUMBING, Inc. (336) 992-2503. Licensed, insured, bonded. 24/7 service. Plumbing, drain cleaning, well pumps. Give us a call, we do it all! Go to www.webstersplumbing.com for more info.

The Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996

CUTTING EDGE PRESSURE WASHING Affordable. Dependable. Please call anytime for free estimate, (336) 706-0103. PRESSURE WASHING, gutter & window cleaning. Fully insured. Crystal Clear, www. windowcleaningnc.com. (336) 595-2873. WINDOW GENIE PRESSURE WASHING Soft house washing. Window film, window cleaning, gutters. Fully ins., free est., Greensboro.windowgenie.com, (336) 268-8586.

REMODELING / CONSTRUCTION COMPLETE BUILDING SERVICES Swimming pools, plastering, textured ceilings, stucco, drywall, painting, pressure washing. 30 yrs. exp. Ron Tuck, (336) 855-8107. 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 TM Construction , INC

BUILDING | RENOVATIONS | ADDITIONS

Roof replacements and repairs

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

BELEWS CREEK CONSTRUCTION Kitchens/baths, custom decks, garages, siding, dock work, windows, roofing, rotted wood. Sr. disc., 35 years exp. (336) 362-6343. ORTIZ REMODELING – Total restoration & home improvement. Drywall, painting, kitchen cabinets, interior trim & more. Free estimates. (336) 280-8981.

...continued on p. 30

MARCH 24 - 30, 2017

HOME SERVICES

MISC. FOR SALE

REAL ESTATE

PREMIER CONSTRUCTION. Providing all of your home maintenance needs, remodeling and new construction. (336) 430-9507.

LIFT CHAIR BY MEDLIFT, new cond., made in USA, Dawson Tan, $250. (336) 643-0672.

COMMERCIAL PROPERTY

JLB REMODELING, INC. Remodeling and additions. Fully insured. NC GC license #69997. Free est. Call (336) 681-2902 or visit www.jlbremodeling.com.

ROOFING CLINARD & SON ROOFING, LLC Residential roofing, rubber flat roofs, roof coating, metal roofs. 30 years experience. Now accepting all major credit cards. Call (336) 643-8191 or (336) 580-3245. RED RHINO ROOFING, based in Oak Ridge, NC. Storm damage specialist experienced with all types of roofing. BBB accredited A and listed with Angie’s List. Call (336) 9446118, or visit redrhinoroofing.com. A.L. CORMAN ROOFING INC. Res. roofing specialist serving Guilford Cty. area since 1983. BBB 25+ years w/ A+ rating. cormanroofinginc.com, (336) 621-6962. PREMIER ROOFING CONSTRUCTION Insurance specialist, free inspections, res/ comm., BBB A rating. (336) 430-9507.

MISC. SERVICES ERIE INSURANCE – IN KERNERSVILLE Long Insurance Services, (336) 992-5664. SAM’S AUTO BODY SHOP. Any type of body work. 45 years exp. (336) 347-7470. COMPUTER REPAIRS – ITBASICS.COM Inside Mailboxes & More, Oak Ridge Commons. (336) 643-0068.

MISC. FOR SALE SOLID CHERRY EXECUTIVE DESK with credenza and U-shaped leaves, $3,000 new, 15 years old. Also 2 cherry bookshelves. $500 for all. (336) 904-8252 after 7pm, or email ggoin1004@yahoo.com.

MARCH 24 - 30, 2017

SEASONED OAK FIREWOOD, $80/pickup load, delivered & stacked. (336) 253-7615.

MISC. WANTED GOLDEN ANTIQUES & TREASURES in Stokesdale is always seeking vendors who have antiques, vintage, repurposed and collectible items. Booth spaces are 10 x 12 feet and are $200 per month, plus 10% commission. Come check us out and reserve your spot! (336) 949-4958. FREE PICK-UP of unwanted riding & push mowers, any and all gas items, tillers, gocarts, ATVs, generators, power washers, grills, chain saws, metal and electrical items, most appliances, etc. (336) 689-4167. FABRIC NEEDED for Sew to Sow Ministry to make dresses for girls in Kenya. Cotton fabrics work best, any amount. Also need buttons, ribbon, lace trimming, elastic and thread. Call Beth, (336) 644-8155. $$$ – WILL PAY CASH up to $200 for your junk or wrecked vehicle. (336) 552-0328.

PETS & ANIMAL SVCS. PET SITTING / BOARDING KPS – KELLY’S PET SERVICES Professional in-home pet sitting. Bonded & insured. Member Pet Sitters International. Pet sitting while you are away, daily walks or runs, play, pet taxi, and more! KPS gives a portion of profits to animal charities. Call, email, or Facebook message for a free consultation: (336) 706-6706, kpsforyourpets@ gmail.com, www.facebook.com/kpspets, or kpspets on Instagram.

OFFICE SPACE AVAILABLE in Oak Ridge. Mini suite available; 450 sq. ft. For more info, call (336) 643-7577.

Gail H. Kerber REALTOR®/BROKER

(336) 327-1165

kerbappeals@gmail.com

HOMES FOR RENT OLD REMODELED FARMHOUSE, 2BR, gas heat, exc. neighborhood, avail. 5/1, Summerfield area. $625/mo. (336) 643-1058. STUDIO APARTMENT, Oak Ridge / Summerfield border, all open, like new, full kitchen, all appliances, TWC wi-fi & digital cable TV, electric incl., $750/mo. No pets. Avail. April 15. (336) 689-4512. QUIET NEIGHBORHOOD, 3BR 1.5BA house, close to Northwest High School and Hwy. 68. $750/mo. (336) 817-3883. OAK RIDGE, 3BR, 2BA, office/den, deck, large yard. (336) 644-8710, 708-0522.

Selling or renting? Reach all of northwest Guilford County right here! Visit www.nwobserver.com to place your ad.

www.kerbappeals.com

Roseann Staaf Realtor®/ Broker

allentate.com/RoseannStaaf

(336) 613-7925

VACATION PROPERTIES MYRTLE BEACH VACATIONS available June, July & August. All are Sun.-Friday, oceanfront for only $500. Call for details (336) 643-7442 or (336) 549-1198.

HOMES FOR SALE

LAND WANTED LOOKING FOR ABOUT 2 ACRES to build single-family home for us. No subdivision or HOA. Professional couple. Not a developer. Email oakridgeland@gmail.com.

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

We Help Everyone! SELLERS & BUYERS

Ready for a new family member? Visit www.myguilford.com/ animal-services/animal-shelter/ to see animals in need of a home at the Guilford County Animal Shelter.

REAL ESTATE

5238 Creed Drive, Summerfield Custom brick home on 1-acre lot in Trotter Ridge cul-de-sac. Northwest schools. 4 BR, bonus and play room. Luxurious, paneled family room. Renovated kitchen overlooking private lot. Neutral colors throughout. 3,660 sq. ft.

Jake Letterman (336) 338-0136

(336) 643-4248

www.ANewDawnRealty.com

The Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996

REAL ESTATE

index of DISPLAY ADVERTISERS

NEW CUSTOM HOMES!

Over 11,300 homes receive the NWO in the mail each week Come along with us! Carriage Cove North Community An exclusive enclave of custom homes built by Lamb & Peeples Builders. Located just east of Oak Ridge on Highway 150/Felloes Court. Northwest schools. Call DeDe to reserve your lot now!

DeDe Cunningham REALTOR®/Broker NC Licensed Contractor

(336) 509-1923 www.dedestriadhomes.com dedecunningham@kw.com

THE CHARMING LARK HILL FARM

advertising@nwobserver.com (336) 644-7035, ext. 10

EVENT

Stokesdale Heating & Air.......................6

SFFD Stop, Drop & Roll ........................9

ACCOUNTING

HOME PRODUCTS & SERVICES

AUTOMOTIVE SERVICES Piedmont Truck Tires, Inc. ..................18

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

CHIROPRACTIC CARE 573 Neal Road Everything you need to enjoy an equestrian lifestyle on 14.24 acres. 3 bedroom/2 bath main house, 2 horse barns, fencing, arena, guest cottage, detached 2-car garage with workshop and office plus the cutest chicken coop ever!

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

SELLING OR RENTING? Get the word out in 13,300 copies of the Northwest Observer! In print weekly, online 24/7, directmailed to over 11,300 mailboxes and available at 70+ business locations. Place your ad online at www.nwobserver.com, or call (336) 644-7035, ext. 10.

Summerfield Family Chiropractic ........23

CHURCHES First Baptist Church of Summerfield ......8 Oak Ridge United Methodist Church ....3

Spring

LeBauer Healthcare ...........................19 Novant – Northwest Family Medicine .13 Vision Source Eye Center of the Triad ...5

PET SERVICES & PRODUCTS Bel-Aire Veterinary Hospital ................23 Northwest Animal Hospital .................25 Veterinary Hospital at Oak Ridge.........23

REAL ESTATE

A/C & HEATING

By the Book Accounting .....................23 Carlotta Lytton, CPA, PA ....................23 Kimberly Thacker Accounting .............23 Samuel Anders, CPA, MSA, PC .............4

MEDICAL / EYE CARE

Arkansas Pondstockers .......................23 BEK Paint Company ............................29 Carpets By Direct ................................21 Carpet Super Mart .........................16-17 Creative Garden Spaces .....................23 Furniture Medic ..................................29 Haley Hahn Home Solutions ..............28 Marshall Stone ...................................29 New Garden Landscaping & Nursery ...3 New Garden Select ............................25 Old School Home Repair.....................28 ProStone................................................7

LEGAL SERVICES

A New Dawn Realty ............................30 Dede Cunningham, Keller Williams ....31 Jake Letterman, BHHS Yost & Little ...30 KERBAPPEALS – Gail Kerber .............30 Nancy Hess, BHHS Yost & Little .........31 Roseann Staaf, Allen Tate ...................30 Walter Anderson, Keller Williams ........23

RETAIL BiRite Galaxy Food Center ....................2 Colfax Furniture & Mattress ................10

SCHOOL Bethany Community School ...............14

SCHOOL SPORTS NWHS Baseball Boosters ....................12

SUMMER CAMPS YMCA of Greensboro .........................15

Attorney Bill Barbour .......................... ..........................22 22 Law Office of Susan Greeson .............20 Scott Tippett Law ............................... 11

2017 edition

Look for it in next week’s issue! The Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996

MARCH 24 - 30, 2017

PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE

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

PAID

Oak Ridge, NC Permit No. 22 ECRWSS

 CenterField Youth, a gro up consisting of Center UMC and Summerﬁeld UMC youth led by Keith Bradley, took the ir Northwest Observer to Lak e Junaluska for a weekend of worshipping and skiing.

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 Livi Shepherd Gray and her daughter, Jenna Rose Gray, enjoyed a day of mom-daughter skiing at Appalachian Ski Mountain in Boone, North Carolina, earlier this February.

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