Feb. 22 - 28, 2018
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Parents, officials respond to Florida school shooting Parent: Students are ‘like a sitting duck’ Sheriff: ‘No magic answer’ Board member: ‘All options are on the table’ by KEVIN SPRADLIN
Photo by Kevin Spradlin/NWO
A Guilford County Sheriff’s Office patrol car sits between Northwest Middle and Northwest High schools on Wednesday morning as students disembark from school buses. Each campus has a school resource officer (SRO), but some people wonder if that is enough to keep students safe.
Metal detectors. Single point of entry. Improved security systems. More school resource officers. Additional armed guards, paid or volunteer. Ban bump stocks. Ban assault weapons. Pat Tillman is a father of three children who attend Guilford County public
Fact-finding continues as water system feasibility study nears end U.S. 158 bypass decision puts Stokesdale in sticky situation, officials say by STEVE MANN STOKESDALE – Any discussion in Stokesdale regarding the feasibility study of a proposed regional water authority or water system comes with an elephant in the room. The U.S. 158 bypass.
The uncertainty of whether the northern or southern alternative will be chosen by the state Department of Transportation was highlighted during a special meeting Feb. 14 at Town Hall involving the Stokesdale Town Council and two representatives of the Timmons Group, the engineering firm conducting the $175,000 feasibility study. The public workshop was the first of four meetings Timmons held over two days with the four participating entities – Stokesdale, Summerfield,
Oak Ridge and unincorporated areas of northwest Guilford County. Stokesdale is the only incorporated municipality in northwest Guilford County operating a water system. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss priorities for waterlines for the periods zero to five years and six years to 10 and identify possible areas of growth on maps revealing a draft of a northwest Guilford County municipal
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schools. Tillman represents District 3 as a member of the Guilford County Board of Education. District 3 includes Northwest High and Northwest Middle, as well as Oak Ridge, Pearce and Stokesdale elementary schools. Tillman is a Marine veteran. In a wide-ranging interview, Tillman addressed a number of issues and concerns raised by parents who have been in contact with the Northwest Observer since Feb. 14. That’s when a 19-yearold former student opened fire at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. The suspect killed 14
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IN THIS ISSUE News in Brief.................................... 3 Voter registration questioned....... 4 Mayor, council in ‘bad place’...... 6 Summerfield Town Council........... 8 Crime/Incident Report................ 14 Community Calendar................. 15 Spelling Bee winners.................... 21 Student Profiles..............................22 High School Sports.......................23 Grins & Gripes...............................24 Letters/Opinions...........................25 Classifieds..................................... 27 Index of Advertisers..................... 31 NWO On The Go!..........................32
NEWS in brief
Retest shows TTHM levels down significantly STOKESDALE – A retest of the Stokesdale water system earlier this month revealed TTHM levels that were less than half of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency standards.
The EPA limits the total concentration of chloroform, bromoform, bromodichloromethane and dibromochloromethane – known as total trihalomethanes, or TTHMs – to 0.08 milligrams per liter, or 80 parts per billion, in treated water. TTHMs – byproducts formed when a disinfectant such as chlorine reacts with organic material in water – have been linked to an increased risk of cancer. The town’s water customers were notified by letter Feb. 2 that one of the town’s two test sites had an annual average TTHM level of 0.082. On Feb. 8, the water sample taken on Loyola Drive registered 0.032, while the sample from U.S. 158 near Culp Home Fashions was 0.030. The annual average level of 0.082 in 2017 was recorded at the U.S. 158 site.
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In addition, Meritech – Stokesdale’s licensed water-system operator – tests water at the last hydrant on U.S. 158 before the waterline from WinstonSalem connects to Stokesdale’s at the Forsyth/Guilford line for comparison. The Feb. 8 result was 0.027. The significant improvement doesn’t mean the problem is solved, Mayor John Flynt said. There normally isn’t much of a problem with TTHMs during the winter because the water is cooler and there isn’t the chemical reaction. “We always will have that issue in the summer,” he said. “We’ll have to do more flushing,” he said. The problem is expected to be corrected by June 30, according to the letter.
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Flynt said the TTHM levels already are elevated when the water from Winston-Salem reaches Stokesdale. He said he plans to meet with WinstonSalem/Forsyth County Utilities Division officials to discuss the situation.
Filing period in full swing GUILFORD –The candidate filing period for the May 8 primary election opened Feb. 12 at noon. As of 4 p.m. on Feb. 21, several candidates had filed to represent northwest and northern Guilford County residents. For U.S. House of Representatives’ 6th district, which includes Summerfield, Oak Ridge and Stokesdale, Ryan Watts, Gerald De Wong and incumbent Mark Walker have filed. Thus far, Stephanie Reese has filed for district attorney; Democrats Therron “T.J.” Phipps, Danny Rogers, and Republicans BJ Barnes and Steve Parr have filed for Guilford County sheriff;
Democrat Tracy Lamothe, and Republicans Justin Conrad and John Maier have filed for county commissioner in District 3, which encompasses northwest Guilford County; Democrat Kay Cashion has filed for an at-large seat as a county commissioner; and John Faircloth has filed to represent District 62, northwest Guilford County, in the N.C. House of Representatives. The filing period closes on Feb. 28 at noon. To view a complete list of all candidates and for more information about the primary election, voter registration and more, visit www.myguilford.com/ elections.
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FEB. 22 - 28, 2018
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Board of Elections finds probable cause in challenge to councilman’s residency www.nwobserver.com
When seeking more information, ‘there wasn’t a door to knock on’
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by PATTI STOKES
@mynwobserver
GREENSBORO – The Guilford County Board of Elections found probable cause during a preliminary hearing held Tuesday at the Guilford County Courthouse in Greensboro on a challenge to Summerfield Councilman Todd Rotruck’s voter registration.
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OUR TEAM Patti Stokes, editor/publisher Laura Reneer, marketing manager Mary Gant, admin/editorial assistant Jorge Maturino, art director Yvonne Truhon, page layout Leon Stokes, IT director Lucy Smith, finance manager Linda Schatz, distribution manager Steven Mann and Kevin Spradlin, staff writers Marc Pruitt, Helen Ledford, Nora Murray and Annette Joyce, contributing writers
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The burden of proof was on Summerfield resident and challenger Janelle Robinson to convince board members that Rotruck may not have lived in Summerfield when he filed to run for Summerfield Town Council. The board has scheduled a hearing as part of its regular monthly meeting that will take place at 2 p.m. on March 20 at the Guilford County Courthouse. Robinson followed up what she had read and been told – sometimes by Rotruck himself – since October 2017. In the Oct. 20, 2017 edition of the Northwest Observer, Rotruck, then a candidate, was quoted as saying, “My family bought our first home and farm in Summerfield a little over a year and a half ago. Prior to our move I had lived in Greensboro since 1975.” Robinson, though, questioned whether Rotruck and his family had actually moved to Summerfield when he filed to run for office last July – or if they even live in Summerfield now. Rather than rely on rumors, Robinson reached out to Rotruck via text last October. She said Rotruck quickly responded, and wrote, “Bought house in late July 2016, moved sometime in August, and currently adding additions to the house. It is my primary residence.”
Rotruck’s response at face value. However, she frequently passed by his Strawberry Road property while carpooling her children to school and questioned how he and his family could be living in a house that was undergoing such significant construction. “This wasn’t just a one- or tworoom addition, it was huge,” Robinson said. “This
whole issue continued to nag at me, because it’s important to me that my representatives on Summerfield Town Council actually live in Summerfield. If Rotruck didn’t actually live in Summerfield, he had lied to me and the rest of the Summerfield citizens.”
FEB. 22 - 28, 2018
“There wasn’t a door to knock on, however, or very many windows,” Robinson said. “In fact, much of the house doesn’t even have a roof.” She decided to contact the Guilford County Board of Elections to ask where Rotruck voted in November 2016. She was told “Greensboro,” which would have been his voting precinct for a residence he still owned in Greensboro. But if Rotruck’s primary residence was in Summerfield as of August 2016, he would not have been eligible to vote in Greensboro elections at that point. “I also confirmed that all of
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Robinson said she recently got up the nerve to go knock on the door of Rotruck’s Strawberry Road property to find out if he really lived in the house under construction.
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Rotruck’s Guilford County tax data has his Lewiston Road (in Greensboro) address as his mailing address, and not his Strawberry Road mailing address,” Robinson told the Board of Elections on Feb. 20. “Why would that be if he and his family had been living in Summerfield since August 2016? I could totally be wrong about all of this, and I have no idea what Todd Rotruck’s motive would be to run for office on the Summerfield Town Council if he didn’t live in Summerfield at the time he registered to vote and filed to run for a council seat in Summerfield. All I know is that this all seemed fishy in the beginning and after doing some research, it seems even more so.” Regardless of the outcome of the next hearing, which is scheduled for March 20, Robinson said she will be glad to have her questions about Rotruck’s residency laid to rest. “I just want to make sure the people who represent me and my family actually live in this community,” she said. Rotruck did not attend the Feb. 20 hearing and did not immediately respond to a request for comment for this story.
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The Town of Summerfield cancelled its annual retreat on Jan. 27 because the mayor and council members could not agree on a draft agenda. How is the agenda established prior to the start of each public meeting in the towns of Stokesdale and Oak Ridge?
who serves as the town administrator, town clerk and finance officer, “so agenda items are submitted to me … by the mayor and other council members until 10 a.m. of the Friday before the regular town council meeting, which is on the second Thursday of each month. I complete a draft agenda and present it to the mayor for his/her final approval prior to publishing it per the NCGS requirements. As a rule of thumb, when a council member submits an agenda item, they share information and/or supporting documents related to the item in advance for other council (members) to review, or for me to add
to the packets.” Oak Ridge Town Manager Bill Bruce said the Oak Ridge Town Council approves an agenda by majority vote at the beginning of each council meeting. “Individual council members may also propose agenda items, which will be considered if approved by a majority of the council,” Bruce said. “As far as preparing a draft of the agenda, the town manager and town clerk coordinate with the mayor to determine what items require the board’s action or consideration, as well as to include other items council may want
“Stokesdale is a mayorcouncil form of government,” shared Kim Hemric,
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Mayor, council in ‘a bad place’ Goal of March 17 meeting is to define roles of elected officials, town staff by KEVIN SPRADLIN SUMMERFIELD – While state statute provides guidance on how towns operate in North Carolina, much of how officials prepare for a public meeting or run the day-to-day operations of the town remains up to the elected board. And in a council-manager form of government, as in the Town of Summerfield, that direction can – but is not obligated to – include input from the mayor. That was one of a handful of issues covered by Frayda S. Bluestein, a professor of public law and government of the UNC School of Government in Chapel Hill, during a session Tuesday morning at
Summerfield Town Hall. Bluestein facilitated the first hour of discussion that included the role of the mayor and council, the role of the town manager, quorum issues, voting and abstaining, and who sets the agenda. In a second hour, Peg Carlson, a professor of Practice in Public Leadership and Organizational Development and a colleague of Bluestein, asked Mayor Gail Dunham and council members Dena Barnes, John O’Day, Reece Walker, Teresa Pegram and Todd Rotruck to speak about their vision of a successful mayor and town council. Both Bluestein and Carlson were interrupted several times throughout the meeting. After nearly two and onehalf hours, however, it was agreed – by consensus – to have Carlson return to Summerfield from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on March 17 at the Community Center for a session that will focus on the roles and procedures of the mayor, the council and the town manager.
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In between the meeting being called to order and adjournment, there was no shortage of sniping, under-the-breath remarks, thinly disguised attacks and open accusations to or from virtually every one of the elected officials. Bluestein, for her part, refused to be drawn into the muck. “I’m not gonna weigh in on this,” Bluestein said when talk turned to a news release Whitaker distributed on Jan. 23 without approval from the mayor and council. Bluestein declined to address specifics, but said council members had the authority to decide whether news releases required council approval prior to distribution. “I think what you need to do is figure out what you want the rule to be,” she said. Dunham, for her part, was adamant that Whitaker should not have that authority. “The ability to release a press release with the council’s name on it, without the council’s knowledge or approval, that was never authorized,” Dunham said. Bill Hill, town attorney, said that Whitaker had been granted such authorization in the past. The current council has not taken official action on the matter.
“Some people might assume it’s the same unless the board changes it,” Bluestein said. “Or new people (to the board) might have the expectation they want to weigh in. As always, it’s up to the council to say yes, this is what we want that rule to be. These are issues that you all can resolve yourselves.” Bluestein also discussed that in a council-manager form of government, the position of mayor is largely ceremonial. The mayor is responsible for presiding
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over the meetings, but even then should stay out of the debate. Bluestein mentioned a book produced by the UNC School of Government that provides guidance to smaller bodies of government, such as Summerfield. It is an option other than Robert’s Rules of Order. O’Day noted that he’s read the book Bluestein mentioned. Dunham opposed the idea. “Right now, we have so many other things going on,” Dunham said. “We have done Robert’s Rules for 20 years. I think it’s worked.” On this point, Bluestein was clear: “This is something for the board to decide. If the majority of the council says this is something we’re going to prioritize, that’s what’s going to happen. It’s the mayor’s obligation to apply those rules to the meetings.” Dunham said she felt that previous mayors were more than “ribbon-cutters.” Carlson, meanwhile, asked each elected official in the town “about what success would look like” as the mayor and council functions. The goal, Carlson said, was to “create a good structure” so each member of the team – staff included – felt that progress could be made on the given issue. Most echoed, at least in part, O’Day’s sentiment that the working relationships between each individual need to be repaired. He said the relationship between Dunham and Whitaker was “irrevocably broken.”
“It’s a bad place for us to be,” O’Day said. “That’s the elephant in the room.” Dunham, Rotruck and Pegram lamented the lack of a smooth transition since they were sworn into office in December. “We felt like we hit a concrete wall coming in,” Rotruck said. “We weren’t welcomed. It was a hostile environment. A difference of opinion is fine. I don’t think we were given any respect whatsoever.”
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SUMMERFIELD town council
Feb. 13 / MEETING HIGHLIGHTS as reported by PATTI STOKES Mayor Gail Dunham called the monthly meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. All five council members were present as well as the town manager, finance officer, planning director, clerk and about 60 citizens; the town attorney was reportedly ill and therefore not present.
PUBLIC COMMENTS Beth Kaplan said Mayor Dunham and council members Todd Rotruck and Teresa Pegram were not good for Summerfield and didn’t understand their role. Council meetings had been “chaotic” in recent months, Kaplan said, adding that after a special call meeting Jan. 16 the mayor distributed a flyer she had created that contained inaccurate information. “The retreat would have helped this council find vision, but on the day of the retreat Dunham, Rotruck and Pegram wouldn’t enter the building,” Kaplan said, referencing the Jan. 27 retreat that was cancelled for lack of a quorum. “There will be a lawsuit if they keep up with character assassinations on staff. We can do better. Dunham, Rotruck and Pegram need to step down,” she said. Clark Doggett said he has lived in
Summerfield since 1942 but never had he seen the chaos the town was now experiencing. Truth and honesty are important, Doggett said, and the mayor saying the trail (extension of the A&Y Trail in Summerfield) will cost the town $4.1 million is not truthful. Summerfield would pay about $820,000, he said, noting the MPO (Greensboro Urban Area Metropolitan Planning Organization) has agreed to pay 80 percent of the trail’s cost. “There’s a pattern here,” Doggett said, noting when the town was considering building the community park on Centerfield Road, Dunham tried to stop it. “Summerfield got a large grant to help pay for the park,” Doggett continued. “But then she wrote the state giving reasons to stop the park. She is doing the same with the trail.” Tony Krasienko, Republic Services’ municipal services manager, said lapses in service such as what customers have been experiencing recently are not acceptable. The company undertook a reroute of 24,000 customers, which in Summerfield has led to Wednesday being the new
trash pickup day with recycling still every other Tuesday, Krasienko said, adding that Republic will eventually move trash and recycling pickup back to the same day of the week. “We will be back in touch and around more often,” he said. When some people in attendance then said their recycling had not been picked up earlier in the day, Krasienko advised them to leave their containers out for pickup the next day. Brent Schoyer said that about two and one-half years ago he started a bourbon club which meets at Gia’s on New Garden Road and has grown to about 150 members. He asked for the council to appoint him as Summerfield’s representative on the ABC Board. Councilman Reece Walker questioned whether Schoyer’s address on Cedar Chase Drive in Greensboro is in the Town of Summerfield limits, because if not he wouldn’t be eligible to represent the town on the ABC Board. Assuming Schoyer does live within the town limits, Town Manager Scott Whitaker advised him to download a volunteer application from the town’s website. Danny Nelson said he is a member of Save Our Summerfield (SOS) and the Keep Our Summerfield Rural Committee and he opposes PD (planned development). Nelson noted that about 2,000 constituents had signed a petition opposing PD and a check to “deal with the issue” and amend the comprehensive plan had been submitted, yet the issue had been “sidestepped” by the former town council and staff. Council and staff moved quickly on the PD, Nelson said. “But nothing has been done about the amendment to the comp plan – nothing – except they tried to give us our money back… I think it (the PD) weighed heavily on this last election and there is another election.” Dwayne Crawford said what had not been reported regarding the cancelled retreat was that agenda items had been solicited from council members days before the retreat, but the town manager
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FEB. 22 - 28, 2018
The Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996
sent out a new agenda about 24 hours before the retreat started. As pointed out by Councilwoman Teresa Pegram last month, the Founders’ Day Committee may have met illegally last month when it did not have a quorum, Crawford then said. “The Institute of Government is pretty clear – a meeting is legally constituted only when a quorum is present. There wasn’t one present, so Teresa needs an apology.” Last year’s budget ordinance included a fee for amending the comprehensive plan and the SOS Committee had submitted a check to pay that fee, Crawford said; the town tried to return the check but the committee refused to accept it and there has been no action since. “The town has no official comp plan amendment process – that is not an applicant’s problem,” he said. Terry McLean of Lake Brandt Road said she has helped with early voting in the past and many people have been confused about where the town limits are. She asked whether there was a master list of addresses, which could help with the confusion. Priscilla Olinick said she had been attending council meetings since the Feb. 9 meeting, held at Summerfield First Baptist Church, which centered on the PD issue. Olinick said she has tried to learn, listen and get involved. She now serves on the UDO Review Committee and has “tried to keep an open mind and be respectful of all the council members.” But the PD issue is still before the UDO Review Committee, Olinick said. “I think the resounding feeling with a lot of people is that we don’t want to turn into Greensboro,” she said. “We don’t want massive developments with eight to 10 units per acre… I think it (the PD issue) has gotten a lot of people interested in Summerfield politics. And we still don’t have a resolution.” On behalf of a friend who couldn’t attend the meeting, Elizabeth McClellan asked, “If a private citizen owned the
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Stories from the heart High school sweethearts still ‘sweet’ on each other by ANNETTE JOYCE Lisa McGee vividly remembers the first kiss she and her husband Wayne shared. They were hanging out at a bonfire with some of their friends from Northwest High School. She was a sophomore and he was a senior. She said she and Wayne had spent the evening talking and “cutting up” when it happened. “He kissed me before the night was over and I saw fireworks,” Lisa said, the memory prompting a huge smile. “I knew right then that I was going to marry this guy.” Five years later, on June 24, 1989, Wayne and Lisa tied the knot and they have spent the last 28 years proving that high school romances can, in fact, last. Lisa, 51, and Wayne, 53, grew up in Colfax within miles of each other. Living in a small community, the two were aware of each other but hadn’t directly crossed paths. That changed in high school as their circle of friends connected. After that first kiss, Lisa was determined she and Wayne would be together. “I was extroverted, and Wayne was introverted. I chased him,” she admitted, saying whenever there was a group outing, she’d always be there looking for Wayne. She’d also make sure to ride by his house every day, waving and blowing the car horn. Wayne said he was as smitten with Lisa as she was with him. After graduating from Northwest in 1983, Wayne went to Guilford Techni-
cal Community College. Within a few years he cofounded HICAPS, a project and construction management company that he still co-owns and manages. Lisa headed to Appalachian State University after high school to get a degree in education. But the mountain climate was cold and Boone was lonely without Wayne, so she eventually decided to move back home and transfer to UNC-Greensboro to complete her degree. With plans to marry on the horizon, after college Lisa began her teaching career and she and Wayne lived at home with their parents while saving money for the day they would be on their own. Because of this, Photo courtesy of Lisa McGee
Lisa and Wayne McGee, high school sweethearts, will celebrate their 29th anniversary this June.
they were able to purchase an older home in Kernersville and completely remodel it before their wedding. The couple now resides in Colfax in a lovely home that they had built. Lisa was pregnant at the time the home was built and she said a colleague of Wayne’s advised him not to let her make any house-related decisions due to all the hormonal ups and downs associated with pregnancy.
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Lisa agreed, and even let Wayne handle the decorating. As a result, she said they moved into a house that was black, white and gray – it didn’t take long for her to repaint the walls and add color to their home! “I’ve found the most important thing in a good marriage is learning two words. ‘Yes, dear,’” Wayne said with an impish grin.
...continued on p. 26
*Pictures, photographs, drawings, features, colors, square footage and sizes are approximate for illustration purposes only and will vary from the homes as built. Home and community information, including pricing, included features, terms, availability and amenities, are subject to change and prior sale at any time without notice or obligation. Event is subject to change or cancellation without notice.
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TOWN COUNCIL ...continued from p. 8
Martin House or Gordon building and wanted to renovate it, the first place they would have to come is the town. For well, septic and parking, would you pass it? … Some people feel the town has special privileges and can install floors and renovate without having a permit.” McClellan then encouraged the town to send out a survey to gauge how much citizens were willing to spend on repairing and restoring the historic structures. “It’s not very expensive,” McClellan said of the survey process. “Certainly, you all have wasted more money than that.” Regarding a press release Whitaker sent out a few weeks ago without council approval, McClellan said all the council members’ names were at the bottom of it and had she been serving on the council she would not have liked that. The council, not the manager, should set meeting agendas, she said. In closing, McClellan said if planned development is not supported by any of the council members, as all of them have indicated, it should be taken off the table.
EMERGENCY SERVICES Public Safety: Fire Department. SFD Chief Chris Johnson said the department responded to 29 fire-related, 75 EMS and 23 other calls in January, installed 16 car seats, and reached 56 people through community outreach efforts. On March 25 the department will host its annual
Easter Egg Hunt and on April 7, its third annual Stop, Drop and Roll 5k. Information will soon be available on the department’s second annual fire camp for rising third- through fifth-graders. Test smoke alarms monthly, Johnson urged, saying, “Working smoke alarms cut your risk of dying from smoke inhalation in half.”
Sheriff’s Department. Sgt. Whittington with the District 1 Office reported the office responded to 552 calls in January, 74 of which were in Summerfield. Crime in the district is down 55 percent from January 2017, he said.
TOWN MANAGER BUSINESS Martin House, Gordon Building. Whitaker recapped the Jan. 16 special call meeting held at Community Lutheran Church, at which CUBE, the architect, presented ideas and an opinion of costs for renovating the Gordon Hardware building and adding restrooms onto the Martin House. Questions have since arisen as to what impact the status of the N.C. 150 (Oak Ridge Road) and Summerfield Road intersection improvements might have on deciding how to move forward with the Martin House since the projects are connected, Whitaker noted. Council members asked several questions about the structural integrity of the Martin House, potential uses for the house and the situation with the well (the property owners previously shared a well with an adjacent property owner, but a contingency for the town purchasing the property in late 2015 was that it must be
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able to obtain its own water source). Questions about the Gordon Hardware building property, located across the street from the Martin House, included whether the well would adequately serve the building (according to the county, yes), where parking spaces could be added, whether it would be wise to consider selling the building, and what would need to be done to the building to prepare it for sale if that were the route the council chose to go. After a lengthy discussion, Rotruck asked for a show of hands of how many people would like to walk through the Martin House and Gordon building and most everyone present indicated they would. Council then agreed to schedule an open house for citizens to walk through the buildings after confirming the town has sufficient insurance liability coverage.
Intersection Improvements. Council briefly discussed the concept that Jay Clapp, of Ramey Kemp and Associates, had presented Jan. 16 for a mini roundabout at the N.C. 150 and Summerfield Road intersection. Clapp, who was present, pointed out that NCDOT had been shown the concept to see if it was something the department would consider, but had not approved it. “I think we need to bring this to NCDOT. It should have been done before we started this process,” Rotruck said, to which O’Day responded, “Whoa, whoa, whoa – how could we bring it to NCDOT when we didn’t even know it was an idea (before the Jan. 16 special call meeting)?” After walking through the history of discussions over the last several years about making improvements to this intersection, Whitaker said, “We did what any responsible agency would do … contract with an engineering firm with traffic expertise to offer up solutions. The first concept they came to us with was this mini roundabout. And the first thing we did was reach out to NCDOT and said, ‘Hey, this is a concept – what do you think?’ … As far as due diligence and process, I think we’ve hit the nail on the head.” Bugle Boy Monument. Whitaker
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presented an agreement with Duke Energy, which owns the property where the Bugle Boy monument rests along N.C. 150, just inside the Summerfield town limits, for the town to install a gravel parking space, historical marker and natural footpath from the monument to the marker. The monument marks the site where James Gillies, the “Bugle Boy,” was killed in the Revolutionary War.
5 0 to approve the agreement. Domain Name Change.
5 0 to change the town’s
website domain name and extension from “summerfieldgov.com” to “summerfieldnc.gov,” at an annual cost of $400. The new domain name will be secured immediately but implemented later to coincide with other IT improvements.
Re-appointments.
5 0 to reappoint Dick Feulner to
the Zoning Board. Pegram then motioned to move Frank Ficca from an alternate to a full voting member position to replace Trudy Whitacre, who had missed several meetings in 2016 and 2017. Planning Director Carrie Spencer responded that Whitacre has historically had a very good attendance record but had some compelling family issues in the last year or so that were not ongoing and didn’t represent her desire to continue serving on the board.
2 3 (Pegram and Rotruck in
favor, O’Day, Walker and Councilwoman Dena Barnes opposed) to move Ficca to a full voting position on the Zoning Board.
4 1 (Pegram opposed) to re-
appoint Whitacre to a seventh three-year term on the board.
REPORTS, UPDATES Special Event Facilities. Spencer said two special event facilities in Summerfield, Gray Gables and a turkey shoot, operate with a special use permit that requires annual renewal. “Frankly, it’s unfair that someone has to re-ask for this every year,” Spencer said.
5 0 to refer a text amendment to the town’s development ordinance
that would eliminate the annual renewal requirement for a special use permit to the Zoning Board.
Comprehensive Plan. Pegram motioned to put SOS Committee’s request to amend the comprehensive plan to establish the maximum average housing density in a new residential subdivision to be no more than one unit per 60,000 square feet to a vote. O’Day said the comp plan belongs to the people and they should not have to pay a fee to request it be amended. “But I do think we should have citizens amend it themselves and the comp plan should be looked at in its entirety. I would be happy to see a Comprehensive Plan Committee formed – I like that process better than an elected body amending the people’s plan,” O’Day added. Discussion followed about the process for amending the comp plan and linking it to the town’s development ordinance. Spencer suggested the best way to link the comp plan with the UDO was to change the ordinance whenever it was deemed to be incompatible with the comp plan. Barnes made a substitute motion to Pegram’s earlier motion, which said the issue would be addressed after the UDO Review Committee has discussed the issues of density and the results of the water study have come back, and that the UDO Committee include recommendations to make sure the development ordinance is consistent with adopted plans. Dunham recognized Dwayne Crawford, who said the SOS Committee’s request to amend the comp plan was still on the table. Dunham said the town published a budget ordinance with an option for someone to pay $1,500 to submit a revision to the comp plan and the committee had complied with that ordinance. Pegram and Crawford, both SOS Committee members, said the application still needed to be acknowledged and O’Day repeated that he felt the best process to move forward would be to form a citizens’ committee to review the
plan in its entirety. After more discussion, Barnes requested her substitute motion be voted on.
3 2 (Pegram and Rotruck opposed) to approve Barnes’ substitute motion.
Public Safety Committee. Pegram motioned to reactivate the Public Safety Committee and O’Day said that this had been discussed at the January council meeting and his concern was still that the committee wouldn’t have anything to do. Taking care of the emergency generator was one thing the committee had handled previously, Pegam said, to which O’Day responded that very few of the other towns he had checked with have a Public Safety Committee and none of the emergency response professionals that serve Summerfield feel one is needed. Dunham said there were more applicants for a Public Safety Committee than for any other committee, but Walker said the town currently had the best relationship with its public safety professionals that it had ever had. He then made a substitute motion that no action be taken to reactivate the committee. Barnes noted that when the town council first formed, the Public Safety Committee did a lot of things, including overseeing the town’s senior citizens program. “At that time it was a catch-all committee and served a wonderful purpose. But as we grew and got a town manager, then the need was for less and less,” Barnes said. Pegram said the Public Safety Committee had been responsible for maintaining and getting the generator to an emergency site.
Dunham said she wanted to add a third discussion item, which was to review the town manager’s personnel file. O’Day said he would not agree to that without hearing directly from the town attorney that it was okay, and in closed session. Barnes’ motion to recess the meeting to Feb. 22 was withdrawn after Dunham realized two items on the meeting agenda had not yet been discussed.
Water Feasibility Study. Whitaker said the Timmons Group, which is conducting a water feasibility study, is still working on maps to present. A&Y Greenway Extension. Whitaker said Stewart, the firm hired to design the trail, is still working on the trail design. Elmhurst Estates/U.S. 220. O’Day said
that a few months ago an Elmhurst Estates resident expressed concerns about safety of drivers exiting the neighborhood onto U.S. 220. O’Day said he and Walker went there one morning around 7:30 a.m. and didn’t see anything dangerous, but it would be worth having NCDOT check into it; Barnes said she would request an NCDOT district engineer study this area. Retreat Cost. Pegram asked for a breakdown of expenses related to the cancelled retreat which had been reported in the Northwest Observer and Finance Officer Dee Hall said she would send that information to Pegram. At 9:49 p.m. the council voted to continue the meeting for a closed session on Feb. 22 at 7 p.m.
3 2 (Pegram and Rotruck op-
posed) to approve Walker’s substitute motion (to take no action) with a friendly amendment to have the town manager update the maintenance contract for the generator to be periodically load tested. Due to the absence of the town attorney, the council discussed recessing the meeting and reconvening on Thursday, Feb. 22, 7 p.m., at the Community Center for a closed session for two purposes as noted on the meeting agenda.
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FEB. 22 - 28, 2018
11
SHOOTER
...continued from p. 1
Tillman said technicians will repoint some security cameras to be more effective. Some cameras will be repaired.
students, a teacher, a football coach and the athletic director. Sixteen other people were wounded.
Tillman acknowledged that security cameras are not “the silver bullet” and that they generally are “very helpful in looking at evidence after the fact.”
“I feel … that my children are safe,” Tillman said. “I do. Do I worry sometimes? Does the dark side creep in and I start having thoughts that they’re not, that they may not be? If someone is intent on doing harm … unfortunately, eventually, they may be successful.” Tillman emphasized a firm belief in the district’s efforts to keep students and staff safe, from Superintendent Sharon Contreras on down. “No. 1, without a doubt, children, students, staff, anybody in that school house, safety is No. 1,” Tillman said. “No one can learn or teach or mentor or do any of those things we want our best teachers and staff and administrators to do if they’re in fear. Our staff, everybody on our board, is working incredibly hard to take every threat seriously.” Tillman said “all options are on the table” when it comes to keeping school communities safe. It also comes down to funding. He referred to an ongoing facilities assessment that he said would shed light on the district’s needs, including security options. Until then, he said, work is already in progress to improve what is in place. At Northwest High School, for example,
Practically, Tillman said, the best countermeasure to a culture that would allow a tragedy to happen is building positive relationships between students, teachers, administrators and school resource officers. He echoed Contreras’ weekend statement that if a student sees or hears something suspicious or threatening, they should report it. “One of the best ways that we can be mindful and what I call have situational awareness, one of the key things is relationships,” Tillman said. “Students’ relationships with each other and students’ relationships, more importantly, with adults in the schools. School safety and security is an issue that comes up almost everywhere. At a recent gathering of the sheriff’s annual Citizen’s Academy, in which a group of more than a dozen area residents complete 43 hours of training and education about law enforcement operations, the issue arose during a presentation given by Rik Stevens. Stevens, the Community Resource Unit supervisor, is both a sworn law enforcement officer and, as an attorney, a legal advisor to Sheriff BJ Barnes.
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“I don’t want to speak ill of educators,” Stevens told the group during a recent session in the lower level of the Sheriff’s Office in downtown Greensboro, “but they’re educators. Their job is to educate students. Their job is not to police schools. Their job is to make sure kids are safe, but part of that responsibility, in my opinion, doesn’t extend to carrying firearms.” This week, Rockingham County Sheriff Sam Page has floated the idea of placing armed volunteer officers in schools. A North Carolina law passed in 2014 dictates that volunteers for the program must have prior law enforcement experience, or as a military police officer. That might not work in Guilford County. In multiple Facebook posts since the Florida shooting, Barnes said there is “no magic answer” to school safety. Barnes said any approach to addressing school security issues must be “multi-faceted,” and include facing mental health issues head-on. Barnes also suggested “making gun ownership age-related, just like we do alcohol consumption.” As for armed volunteers in Guilford County Schools, Barnes said his office has considered the issue and dismissed it. “We decided the liability would
place Guilford County in a difficult position should some adverse event happen,” Barnes shared, noting that volunteers “would have to be trained just as an officer is trained and would have the power of arrest.” Over the weekend, Contreras posted on the Guilford County Schools Facebook page a statement that addressed the issue. “Inevitably, when something like this happens, our concern turns to our own schools and buildings,” Contreras wrote. “I want to assure you that we make every effort to keep our students safe. We have comprehensive security plans in place at all of our schools. We also remind our students and staff to follow safety protocols, and to know who is entering our buildings and why. And we work closely with our partners in law enforcement and the emergency management office.” Those words were deemed insufficient to at least one area parent. Julia Denton’s son is a freshman at Northwest High School. Her two younger children attend private school. Denton said the sprawling campus and multiple access points, without locked doors, make each student “like a sitting duck.” Denton’s son was previously at Northwest Middle, where a buzzer and camera system intended to let front office personnel know of a visitor did not always work as expected. Denton said sometimes people leaving the building
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held the door for arriving visitors. “They don’t know who I am, they don’t know my intentions,” said Denton, of Summerfield. Even a buzzer and camera system has its limitations. “I guess anybody could make up a reason to get in,” Denton said. Denton feels the security situation is even worse next door at the high school. “I could just walk right in the door,” she said. “If I don’t stop at the office, I could have access to the gym, to the auditorium, to the library … for me, it’s too accessible.” Denton said she favors regular backpack checks and wants metal detectors installed. She also favors a single point of entry for the school in the mornings and late afternoons. She said many government buildings, airports and amusement parks have metal detectors. Why not schools? Denton acknowledged she has not done research to read about the effectiveness of metal detectors in schools. On the other hand, “I haven’t heard of any school shootings where they have metal detectors.” Denton said she feels the hallways are “open wide at Northwest, and if it’s not, they need to tell us what they’re doing. If they were to come out and say (specifics), I think it might calm more people down.” She understands that sensitive information can’t be given to parents, but “at the same time, you’ve gotta make the parents feel a little bit better when it comes to stuff like this.” Capt. Doug Burroughs is supervisor of the 14 school resource officers that work daily in Guilford County’s seven middle schools and seven high schools. He offered assurances for parents like Denton that the safety mechanisms are in place. He said it’s a matter of training – not only SROs, but teachers, administrators and first-responders.
“We take it pretty serious,” Burroughs said after attending a meeting at UNC-Greensboro on school safety. “We’ll knock on doors in the middle of the night just on a rumor, to cover our bases.” Burroughs said school access points are not in his lane – that rests with each school. SROs, meanwhile, do what they can with however schools decide to operate. Having doors locked constantly would make students going from one building to the next quite difficult. Burroughs said schools do not participate in active shooter drills during the school year. Instead, those exercises take place in the summer. Much of the way SROs and others prepare to prevent a tragedy on campus cannot be seen by the average person. That’s part of the point, Burroughs said, noting that people with an eye for evil intent do not know how to anticipate a response from each school. “A lot of times, parents don’t see what’s going on in the background,” Burroughs said. “Although they’re not seeing it, we are constantly looking at these situations.” Burroughs said law enforcement learns from each incident. In Florida, for example, the suspected shooter exited the school while camouflaging himself as an ordinary student. “Different active shooters use different techniques,” Burroughs said. “It’s good for us to know those techniques, obviously. God forbid we have one of those, we never know what their techniques are going to be.” Chris Nowlin, executive director of Guilford County Schools Emergency Management, Safety & Security, noted that the district is “in a constant state of improvement with our emergency procedures.” Nowlin acknowledged that the age of some buildings, such as Northwest
Middle (built in 1970) and Northwest High (built in 1962), makes it difficult to enhance certain security features. For example, the district is severely hampered when it comes to controlling access points or driving visitors to a single point of entry with an administrative office near the front door. “When the vast majority of our schools were built, the things that we have happen today were the last thing anybody had on their mind,” Nowlin said. “They weren’t designed with the level of security that we need today. I think if you look at some of the newer schools that we’ve built in recent years, then you see the difference in design and layout. It makes it very difficult to retrofit and make things secure without interfering with the day-to-day operation of the school.” Still, the district is moving forward with plans to install buzzer and camera systems at the main entry way for each school. Forty-two of the district’s 126 schools do not have such a system. Nowlin said 20 of those schools could have the system by the end of the school year and the rest could have them by the end of summer. Nowlin said parents’ concerns were valid but that “overall, our schools are safe. We have security measures in place. We’ve made quite an investment in the district” since the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in 2012 in Newtown, Connecticut, in which a shooter killed 26 people, including 20 students. “Of course, there’s still work to be done.” Tina Firesheets, GCS media relations director, said the district puts a lot of information on news, events and security issues on its website, www. gcsnc.com. There is also a section “Help In Times of Tragedy,” available at the bottom of the home page under “Quick Links,” that aims to help parents explain current events to children.
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FEB. 22 - 28, 2018
13
CRIME / INCIDENT report
District 1 Sheriff’s Office has recently responded to the following incidents in northwest Guilford County ...
The District 1 office, one of three district offices in Guilford County, encompasses Oak Ridge, Summerfield, Stokesdale, Colfax and northwest and northern Greensboro. It is bounded by Rockingham County on the north, runs east along U.S. 29 South, west along Forsyth County and south along the Greensboro city limits. ASSAULT Feb. 17 | A woman in the 7000 block of U.S. 158 reported being the victim of an assault during an apparent domestic-related incident. See “Arrests” on Feb. 17.
SHOPLIFTING Feb. 18 | The manager of Dollar General in the 4000 block of U.S. 220 in Summerfield reported two female suspects took household items and
left the store without paying for them at around 12:26 p.m. The list of items allegedly stolen includes plastic cups, multi-purpose wipes, cleaner spray, infant clothing and toothpaste. According to the incident report, the total value of the items was $22.40. See “Arrests” on Feb. 18.
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Feb. 15 | A female suspect was arrested at 9:52 a.m. on charges of breaking and entering a home on Shoeline Road in Stokesdale. Feb. 17 | A male suspect was arrested on assault charges relating to a domestic dispute with his wife that occurred in the 7000 block of U.S. 158. Feb. 18 | A 25-year-old woman and a 27-year-old woman, both residents of Lake Brandt Place in Greensboro, were arrested about 3:55 p.m. on charges of shoplifting/concealment of goods.
Sheriff’s Office warns ATM customers to use caution The Guilford County Sheriff’s Office is warning residents to use caution when using an ATM to withdraw cash. These are the steps you should take when using an ATM:
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• Put your cash, card and receipt away immediately. Count your money later, and always keep your receipt. • If you see anyone or anything suspicious, cancel your transaction and leave immediately. If anyone follows you after making a transaction, go to a crowded, well-lit area and call 911 right away. • When using an enclosed ATM that requires swiping your card to open the door, avoid letting strangers
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follow you inside. • When using a drive-up ATM, make sure all passenger car doors are locked and windows are up. • Do not leave your car unlocked or engine running when you get out to use an ATM. • While many ATMs are available 24 hours a day, some may be open only during business hours. To be on the safe side, plan your withdrawals ahead of time. • Check with your financial institution to determine what the daily withdrawal limit is for your account. Again, if you observe anything suspicious, call 911 immediately.
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Schmidt preps for next step: NFL tryouts by KEVIN SPRADLIN Matthew Schmidt knows his personal situation is a bit different than that of most of his fellow Furman University graduating seniors, although they do have one thing in common: Each senior is looking for a potential employer that has a weakness which only that individual can strengthen. Schmidt, though, is not looking at the corporate world right now. Instead, the 22-year-old from Stokesdale has his sights set squarely on the National Football League – and he is looking for a team with a hole in its offensive line. There are only 32 prospective employers across the country. The former Oak Ridge youth football product, who also played at Oak Ridge Military Academy for one year before moving on to McMichael High School in Rockingham County, now stands at 6-foot-3 and weighs 290 pounds. Schmidt was recently named an FCS First-Team All-American as a starting center for the Furman Paladins in Greenville, South Carolina. He has hired an agent and is looking at pro day options in March in which to showcase his skills. The NFL draft is in April. “I guess beggars can’t be choosers,
but in the same sense, I would love to make a 53-man roster,” Schmidt said, “which is lofty by anyone’s standards. To make a roster like that is very challenging. If I ended up on a practice squad, I would say that would be pretty good for a firstyear player out of college. I’d love to just keep trying to play the game of football.” Schmidt, a business administration major, is looking to strike a balance between following his faith and realizing his dream. “Is this something that He wants me to do, or is this something I just want to do?” Schmidt is asking himself. “If I just give it my whole heart … if this doesn’t work out, He has something better in store for me.” But first, the football side. “He has blessed me with some talents,” said Schmidt, whose draft stock is rising according to NFLDraftScout.com after he helped the Paladins finish 8-2 over their final 10 games while the team averaged 225.8 yards rushing per game. “If He’s looking for me to serve Him somewhere other than football, I’m open to that,” Schmidt said. “That’s kind of comforting. You have a degree, you have other things that you can do. At the same
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Matthew Schmidt, of Stokesdale (No. 62), was named an FCS First-Team All-American after helping the Furman Paladins finish 8-2 over their final 10 games of the 2017 season. time, you dream about this. Am I going to measure up? Am I good enough?” The statistics suggest he might be. Schmidt was a stalwart in the offensive line that propelled Furman to lead the Southern Conference in points per game while ranking second in total offense. In addition, Schmidt’s line yielded only seven sacks in 13 games – the lowest figure in all of the Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA). Next month Schmidt will be poked and prodded, measured, timed and questioned ad nauseam about his situational awareness on the football field. He’ll have his height, weight, arm length and hands measured and his eyes will be tested. He’ll run the 40-yard dash, run through speed and agility drills and then complete some position-specific work such as snapping the ball and mirroring a defensive lineman. He might be asked
The Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996
to hit a dummy or two. There could be one major sticking point – at least, within Schmidt’s family circle. You see, he is from Wisconsin, and his family members are diehard fans of the Green Bay Packers. It was difficult enough for his family, including father Gregg Schmidt and grandpa Richard Van Eerden, to get used to the idea of Matthew wearing Paladin purple on Saturdays. But Minnesota (Vikings) purple on Sundays? “That would be a dream to be spending time with them while playing for the team that we grew up watching,” Schmidt said of the Green Bay Packers, who are perennial contenders in the NFC North division. “However, they have a very talented offensive line. In order to make it in the NFL, you have to find a situation that best fits you. You need to find someone who needs your position.”
Garbage, recycling service situation ‘unacceptable’ Customers weigh in on Republic Services performance by KEVIN SPRADLIN In the 1975 classic “Jaws,” a police chief, a fisherman and a shark expert are looking to reel in a great white. Once the three realize how large the shark is, they realize they will need a bigger boat. If Tony Krasienko is using a piece of paper to log complaints about Republic Services, he is going to need a bigger piece of paper. Krasienko is municipal services manager for the Winston-Salem-based company that has garbage pick-up and recycling contracts with the towns of Stokesdale and Summerfield. He responded to some of more than 40 comments – the overwhelming majority of them complaints – posted to the Northwest Observer’s Facebook page between Tuesday night and Wednesday afternoon with a prepared statement. The question posted on Facebook asked Republic Services customers to weigh in on whether services have gotten better – or not – since the company claimed to have hired additional drivers and added routes in both towns. Residents of both towns logged a clear consensus: service is not better. Some residents claimed their garbage or recycling cans have not been picked up in weeks. Paula Stone said service has been worse since changes were announced. “Recycling was skipped in my neighborhood last Friday, so everyone’s cans sat at the curb all weekend awaiting pick-up (Tuesday),” Stone wrote. “With the new schedule, there are cans at the curb from Tuesday (for
those who like to put it out the night before) through Saturday (for those who don’t get a chance to pull it back to their house on Friday). That’s assuming they pick up as scheduled.” Ashley Chambers agreed that “services have gotten much worse.” Company trucks, Chambers wrote, “rarely ever show up on the day of service. This past week, we were completely skipped.” Teresa Tolin said the company “skipped our recycling last week” and that after she lodged a complaint, she was told “it would be picked up (Wednesday). I’ll believe it when I see it. Things have gotten worse for sure!” Krasienko followed up his Jan. 13 appearance at the Summerfield Town Council meeting with a prepared statement to the Northwest Observer. He noted the company has implemented “several remedies to address the isolated service issues customers have been experiencing.” Starting Feb. 5, Krasienko wrote, “we have re-engineered trash collection routes, added routes, drivers and equipment to address service issues and fulfill our commitment to customers to provide reliable service.” In an undated letter sent to customers, the company says the issues are “the result of the recent rapid and unexpected volume growth that has transpired in the local area, which, longterm, is good for both Republic Services and for the local communities.” It might be a case of too little, too late. Stokesdale Councilman Frank Bruno responded to some of the complaints on Facebook and said the situation was “unacceptable.”
shared. “We do have a contract with them, but there is a section that allows us to cancel it based on performance. We are in the process of drafting a letter to them and will have a discussion on it at our March 8 town council meeting. Your comments have been heard and will be addressed. By the way, I am also a customer and have the same problems with them.” Not all of the comments were negative, however. Summerfield resident Linda Marshburn said that “other than the week of the ‘big snow,’ recently our service has been very good.” She was not alone. In Stokesdale, Beth Kingsbury said she feels she has been “lucky” with good service. “Last week both cans were empty before noon,” Kingsbury wrote. “Have had recycle(s) picked up Thursday a few times.” Fellow Stokesdale resident Angela
Campbell said that “the last few weeks have been decent, but the entire past year has been horrendous. I also just noticed an increase in price and am disappointed that Stokesdale renewed a contract with them for five years with a price increase for the service we receive.” Jennifer Welch, meanwhile, did not mince words: “Worst trash service ever. In fact, our neighborhood places bets on whether or not they will pick up our trash.” At the Feb. 13 meeting in Summerfield, Krasienko noted that trash pickup had been changed to Wednesday from Tuesday, while recycling pick-up remains every other Tuesday. Krasienko said that as the kinks are worked out, he expects to move weekly trash and every-other-week recycling pickup back to the same day of the week.
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Ama Mante, a fifthgrader at Pearce Elementary School, was one of two runners-up in the Guilford County Schools spelling bee on Feb. 8 at Weaver Academy. Ama was one of eight northwest/northernGuilford County students to represent their schools in the competition.
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e-x-p-e-r-i-e-n-c-e Eight area students compete in county spelling bee by KEVIN SPRADLIN GREENSBORO – Ama Mante was in the process of explaining how she prepared for the countywide spelling bee when she stopped herself in midsentence. “Am I talking too fast?” she asked.
competition began. Her geographical teammates included: eighth-graders Mathew Robert, of Northwest Guilford Middle; Cassidy Frye, of Northern Guilford Middle; and Nick Abele, of Kernodle Middle. Ama also was joined by third-graders Will Jarrett (Northern Elementary) and Madison Haskin (Stokesdale Elementary), fourth-grader Wesley Teoh (Summerfield Elementary) and fellow fifth-grader Rory Partyka (Oak Ridge Elementary).
Not at all. In fact, the fifth-grader at Pearce Elementary School was talking with all the youthful, confident exuberance she displayed on stage during the Guilford County Schools spelling bee on Feb. 8 at Weaver Academy in downtown Greensboro – and during the bee, the three-member panel of judges heard her just fine.
Ama, 10, said her mom, Wendy Mante, helped guide daily lessons through a spelling-centric website that also offered the language of origin for each word – just as the moderator in a spelling bee does. Her mom also gave her the word of the day from Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary as well as Dictionary.com.
Ama and another student were eliminated in the 11th round and finished as runners-up to Keval Shah, of Southwest Middle School. Keval spelled two words, including “claustrophobic,” to seal the win. He advances to the Winston-Salem Journal Regional Spelling Bee on March 18 in WinstonSalem. The winner of that competition will earn a berth in the Scripps National Spelling Bee in May in Washington, D.C.
An avid reader, Ama said she has devoured the Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan. She read her first Riordan book while she was in first grade. It took her three days to finish the 377-page behemoth. Now, Ama said, she can finish a similar book in a single day. She hopes to tackle the Harry Potter series next.
Ama was one of eight area students among the 49 students in grades 3 through 8 on stage when the
Despite being eliminated so close to victory, Ama said she was “still happy because I went farther than
In the 11th round of the spelling bee, Ama was given the word “quantum.” She ended with an “-om.”
Photo by Kevin Spradlin/NWO
almost everybody else.” Ama won Pearce Elementary’s spelling bee in December. Last year, she was the school’s runner-up. Like Ama, Mathew Robert, a Northwest Guilford Middle student, also is an avid reader. Mathew was not eliminated until the fourth round. Thirty-six students already had been eliminated in the first three rounds. In the fourth round, Mathew received the word “raj,” which refers to British sovereignty in India. He did not know that at the time he was asked to spell the word, but it is now a word he might never forget. “This word can be confused with a similar word,” Marcus Battle, pro-
nouncer for the day, told Mathew before giving him the word. “I’ll give you the word, followed by the part of speech, the definition, and then you may ask any additional questions. The word is ‘raj.’ It’s a noun. It means the rank, reign or rule of a monarch. Also sovereignty.” “Could you repeat the word?” asked Mathew, and Battle complied. Mathew asked for the pronunciation again. Once again, Battle complied. “Could you use it in a sentence?” Mathew asked. “The British raj in India extended from 1858 to 1947,” Battle said.
...continued on p. 23
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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 Christian Hampton, basketball by MARC PRUITT Christian Hampton said his earliest memories of the game of basketball involve him running around his house when he was 3 with a ball in his hands. And even though he played baseball and football, he gave both sports up when he was 7 so he could focus on basketball.
“Even back then, I knew where my passion was and where my energy was,” Hampton said. “I was just more passionate about basketball. That’s when my motor was running the highest. I knew that it was the sport for me.” Hampton, now a sophomore, was the starting point guard this season for Northwest. He played varsity last season and was the sixth man, mostly coming into the game to bring a defensive spark or back up the Vikings’ talented group of core seniors. “I got to learn a lot last year from Spice (Jalen Spicer), Tre’ (Turner), Reggie (Davis) and Thomas (Hennigan),” Hampton said. “Honestly, I was surprised I made varsity last season. But I knew my job last year was to come in
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This season, Hampton has become one of the team leaders for a young team that won the regular season Metro 4-A championship. The Vikings got off to a sluggish start this season, losing six of their first seven games. Hampton said something clicked when the team went to Orlando, Florida, before Christmas to play in the KSA (Kaylee Scholarship Association) Pre-Holiday Tournament. “We didn’t win the championship, but we came in second and that was a great learning experience,” Hampton said. “Those two wins really renewed our energy and gave us some confidence. We developed and really grew as a team. The trip to Florida really helped turn the season around for us.” The Vikings rebounded by winning seven of their eight Metro 4-A Conference games to win the regular season and will take the No. 1 seed from the league into this week’s NCHSAA 4-A
state tournament. “My grandpa told me a while ago that I’m not always going to play on a team that wins every game,” Hampton said. “He told me that as long as the team I’m on continues to grow together and learn together and have fun together, that’s what matters the most. And that’s this team in a nutshell.”
On a side note, we asked
Christian Hampton these three questions… Q: What’s the best book you’ve read? A: “‘The Boy in the Striped Pajamas’ by John Boyne” Q: What three people, living or dead, would you invite to dinner? A: “John Calipari (head coach of University of Kentucky’s men’s basketball team), Michael Jordan (retired NBA player and owner of Charlotte Hornets), Kobe Bryant (retired NBA player and businessman)” Q: Do you have any pre-game rituals? A: “I always pray.”
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HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS
Garrison, Gonyer shine at NCHSAA state wrestling tournaments by MARC PRUITT
NORTHWEST – Chris Garrison of Northwest High School left the Greensboro Coliseum as the NCHSAA 4-A state champion in the 170-pound weight class last Saturday. Garrison, who was the No. 1 seed from the Midwest regional, capped his season by defeating Josh Gilliam of Mallard Creek by a 10-3 decision in the championship match. Garrison finished his season with a 44-1 record and breezed through the state tournament. He won his first two matches by pin fall, defeating Gabriel Jensen of Cardinal Gibbons in 19 seconds during the first round and then defeating Chris Carroll of Corinth-Holders in 37 seconds in the quarterfinals. In the semifinals, Garrison defeated Ryan Wolfram of Cary, the No. 1 seed from the Mideast, by a 6-1 decision. Four other wrestlers from Northwest qualified for the state tournament, and two of them had podium finishes.
YOUTH news
Shane Chavis (120 pounds) and George Cooke (182) each had sixth place finishes in their respective weight classes. Riley Edwards (106 pounds) won his first match by pin fall in 2 minutes, 44 seconds against Sincere Johnson of Lumberton, but lost his next two and was eliminated from the competition. Finn Queen (145 pounds) won his first match in a 7-3 decision against Clay Spurlin of Ardrey Kell before losing in the quarterfinals to Rommie McNeill of Purnell Swett. Queen then lost a tough 6-5 decision against Trenton Lee of Hoke County in the consolation quarterfinals, eliminating him from the tournament. NORTHERN – Heath Gonyer of Northern Guilford finished in second place in the 126-pound weight class in the NCHSAA
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“R-a-g,” Mathew began, but quickly tried to correct himself, “j-e.” “I’m sorry, that’s incorrect,” Battle said. Mathew was wrong on two counts. Procedurally, once a letter is spoken out loud by the contestant, the speller cannot go back and correct it. Besides that, he added an unnecessary “e” at the end. The fourth round occurred just after the participants had returned from a break for lunch. At the end of the round, seven more contestants had been eliminated, including Mathew.
“It was kind of like a feeling that I might get an easier word,” Mathew said. “There had been that one word in the beginning (of the round) … and then it was, like, easy words that I could have spelled. And then I got that word.” For his part, Mathew, 14, did not seem overly concerned about the loss and instead focused on the experience.
3-A state wrestling tournament last weekend at the Greensboro Coliseum. Gonyer coasted to a 17-1 tech fall over Savion Law of North Brunswick in his first match before winning his next two matches by a 6-4 decision in the second round and a 4-3 decision against Triston Chapman of Cape Fear in semifinals. Gonyer lost a tight 1-0 decision against Deven Snyder of Southwest Guilford in the championship match and finished the season with a 33-2 record. Ethan King (132 pounds) finished in fifth place after a 4-3 decision against Colby Funderburk of Piedmont in the
consolation bracket. Joshua King (160 pounds) nearly got to the podium for the Nighthawks. After losing his first match in the championship bracket, he won his next two matches in the consolation bracket to reach the semifinals before losing a 2-0 decision against Ethan Lewis of Alexander Central, which eliminated King from the tournament. Jacob Barlow (220 pounds) also qualified for the state tournament, but was eliminated after losing his first two matches. Barlow finished the season with a 26-13 record.
State basketball tournaments begin by MARC PRUITT
The NCHSAA basketball playoffs are here, and the boys and girls teams from Northwest and Northern are all vying for state championships. First-round games began Tuesday, with second-round games played Thursday and third-round games played Saturday. Winners of Saturday’s games advance to next week’s Western Regional finals. The Northwest girls and Northern girls are the defending state champions for the 4-A and 3-A classifications, respectively, and won the regular season and conference tournament championships in their leagues. Northwest (24-2) is the No. 1 overall seed in the 4-A West bracket, while
the Northern girls (22-4) received the No. 2 overall seed in the 3-A West. Both teams will play home games for the first three rounds. The Northwest boys (13-12), who won the regular season title in the Metro 4-A, got the No. 6 overall seed in the 4-A West and received a bye in the first round. The Vikings will host the winner of the High Point Central/ Page game on Thursday. The Northern boys (21-5), who won the regular season and conference tournaments in the Mid-State 3A, received the No. 6 seed and had a first-round game against Havelock on Tuesday. The Nighthawks were also set to play at home in the second round against the winner of the Burlington Williams/Durham Hillside game.
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“It was a lot more fun than I thought it would be,” he said. “I liked the fact that I could meet new people through an actual competition.”
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GRINS and GRIPES Delighted or dismayed by something in your community? Share your thoughts in online: nwobserver.com
40 words or less
e-mail: grinsandgripes@nwobserver.com
Grins & Gripes are published based on available space and editor’s discretion.
GRINS to... Brianna Millen for going above and beyond in providing great service at Stokesdale Family Pharmacy. I always love seeing her sweet, smiling face. The Northwest Observer. Your paper is the only reason I knew that my trash was going to be picked up on a different day. Republic Services never contacted me. Mr. Stys, assistant principal at Stokesdale Elementary. We love your positive energy and the way you support your teachers and staff. Stokesdale is lucky to have you on board this year! Central Baptist Church of Oak Ridge for providing such a great place to worship. God is good all the time… and all the time God is good! All who were involved with the recent father-daughter dance at Oak Ridge Elementary School, which is always a great event! Wilson Farms residents, visitors, service providers and school bus drivers who use Dubach Road, the shortest and fastest way to and from N.C. 150 (Oak Ridge Road). If you use Auburnwood Drive, please remember the speed limit is 25 mph. Those who picked up trash on Fleming Road last Tuesday (thank you, thank you, thank you!). Great job! Northern High School girls’ basketball coach Kim Furlough for being named as South Sectional Coach of the Year. Our school and girls are so lucky to have you! Whoever built the footbridge at Stokesdale’s town park. It is much safer
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FEB. 22 - 28, 2018
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now than before, when we had to walk over large rocks to play the disc golf course.
GRIPES to...
Everyone who thinks the three-way stop at Alcorn and Stafford Mill Road doesn’t apply to them – and to the sheriff’s department for not doing anything about the situation despite multiple complaints about hazardous driving. Editor’s note: Capt. Robert Elliott of the sheriff’s District 1 Office said he has no record of anyone calling the office with concerns about the hazardous drivers at this intersection, but now that it has been brought to his attention he said he will put a call out to patrol officers. “Also, the State Highway Patrol generally works this type of complaint and I would encourage anyone who sees dangerous driving to call *47 for their dispatch,” Elliott noted. The person who recently griped about Down 420 Lane. Things could be a lot worse than those “heads” you discriminate against. I’m not one myself, but I know Stokesdale isn’t the only town with that kind of store! Republic Services. The company’s service in Stokesdale is much different (worse) than in Summerfield. They rarely come when scheduled and will not get out of their truck for any reason. If your can is knocked over, you get no service. The Summerfield mail carrier who is responsible for my route and takes no pride with package delivery. The griper about the “head” store (Northwest Observer’s Feb. 8-14 issue).
Some individuals must use it (marijuana) for medical purposes and it is legal in eight states. Where have you been? Please educate yourself on the facts of the matter before complaining! Editor’s note: To clarify, 30 states and the District of Columbia currently have laws legalizing marijuana for either recreational and/or medical use, with eight of those states legalizing marijuana for recreational use by adults over the age of 21; in Maine, adults over the age of 21 can grow up to six mature marijuana plants and possess up to 2½ ounces of marijuana for personal use, but they can’t legally buy or sell it. While the sale of marijuana for either recreational or medical purposes is still illegal in North Carolina, the store the reader is referring to legally sells some items that are often associated with the use of marijuana. The owner of the large house at the corner of Warner Road and Haw River Road which has been under construction for about two years. Is there nothing the county can do to force this project to a quicker completion? Editor’s note: In answer to your question, a property owner cannot be forced to complete the construction of a structure on their private property more quickly, as long as they are complying with the terms (including time limits) of their building permit.
Those who complain about the Down 420 Lane store. Is that all you have to complain about when, by the time your children are grown, they will probably be able to choose between what you are complaining about and a cigarette? Recreational basketball league organizers who purposely make teams unequal. What a shame when a few people in power have to tarnish the experience of 100 other kids. The owner of the dog that was left locked in a vehicle at Oak Ridge Commons Shopping Center for over an hour. The man in the truck who dumped a pregnant dog (or she had just given birth) off in our neighborhood and left. Stokesdale’s mayor and mayor pro tem for wanting to take over the bank accounts from the budget officer and finance officer and put check signing and bank transactions in their names. Editor’s note: To clarify, I believe you are referring to the Stokesdale Town Council’s unanimous decision at the Feb. 8 council meeting for the mayor and mayor pro tem’s signature to be required – in addition to the finance officer’s signature – when withdrawing funds from the town’s investment accounts. Previously, only the finance officer’s signature was legally required to withdraw funds from the town’s CDs. We asked Stokesdale Mayor John Flynt for more clarification on why the
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council recently decided to change its investments from CDs to CDARs and he told us, “After we (himself and Thearon Hooks) were sworn into office (December 2017), we went to the bank and were signing new signature cards. While there we discovered that only one signature is required – by law – to withdraw funds from CDs. That’s the reason we checked into our options and we decided to switch to CDARS with the Bank of Oak Ridge, which will require more than one signature to withdraw funds. And each investment account will be federally insured for up to $250,000.”
Stokesdale Town Council for holding a four-hour meeting at night and for portraying the town has no money. How do you justify this with millions in the bank? The GOP tax “cut.” Combined with my wife we get a whopping $5.30 a day. Wow, we can now buy candy! I wonder what Trump and his billionaire cronies get. Editor’s note: I know I’m going to get criticized for pointing this out, but $5.30 a day totals about $165 a month – that amount of money is significant to some people and can make a big difference in their lives.
Owners of the dilapidated, abandoned structures on N.C. 68 at Haw River Road in Stokesdale. Yuck!
Stokesdale Town Council for approving two deputy clerks. If we had a job description and duties list before we hired the town administrator/finance officer we may not have needed three employees to do the job of the one who retired. Stokesdale Town Council for voting to remove a footbridge on the disc golf course because it’s a “hazard to the public.” What’s more of a hazard, a wellconstructed footbridge or the large rocks you have to climb over playing disc golf?
Republic Services for changing my pickup day from Tuesday to Wednesday. You’ve now missed picking up my trash two weeks in a row. The Northwest Observer for publishing gripes that are false. Example: the phony tax cuts and Trump stonewalling Mueller probe. Maybe this paper leans a bit Democrat.
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.
Mayor capable, gripes negative, hateful Three weeks ago the (Northwest Observer) had a front page article titled “Expert: Mayor Misunderstood Government Training.” I believe Mayor Dunham does understand her training, expert or not. She is fully capable of her position. If you look at her background and experience you
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will know she is. On another note the grins section is OK, but the gripes are very negative and allow people to be hateful behind the curtain of the Observer. Cheri Pikett SUMMERFIELD
FEB. 22 - 28, 2018
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STORIES FROM THE HEART That kind of humor is evident in the McGees’ relationship as you watch the couple banter back and forth. “You’ve got to have a sense of humor and open communication,” Lisa said. “We share a lot of the same goals and values, and that’s important too,” Wayne added. When asked about the rewards of marriage, Wayne and Lisa quickly agree one of the greatest rewards is their children – Victoria, 24, Sam, 22, and Parker, 16.
...continued from p. 9
That’s a tradition they’ve continued. An avid outdoor cook, Wayne is often grilling while Lisa relaxes and they enjoy the outdoors and each other’s company. Wayne’s romantic side is something Lisa also values greatly, she said. On their first anniversary, Wayne looked up the type of gift that was suggested for that year and used that information to select Lisa’s gift. This started a tradition that has continued through their marriage.
But although their children mean everything to them, the couple made sure the demands of a growing family never got in the way of nurturing their own relationship.
Lisa said she is blown away by the effort her husband puts into these gifts and she cherishes every one of them. One of her favorites is a porcelain hummingbird hovering outside a hibiscus flower. This colorful piece of art brings back happy memories of the times they’ve shared watching the hummingbirds from their patio.
“When the kids were younger, we were so busy with them that Wayne and I found ourselves not taking the time to catch up with each other,” Lisa said. “Two or three times a week, we began to make it a point to sit outside on the patio and just talk to one another.”
While the material gifts are a great affirmation, for these high school sweethearts the real gift, however, is the gift of a happy marriage, three wonderful children and a love that’s withstood all that life has thrown at them.
“They’re our pride and joy,” Lisa said.
WATER SYSTEM FEASIBILITY water system layout.
...continued from p. 1
Timmons’ Mike Solomon agreed.
The area in the feasibility study extends east to Browns Summit and U.S. 29.
“The transportation network is going to be a key element how it drives growth,” he said.
“We’ve got to understand where the priority areas are, the timing of those areas, to develop our analysis, our model and our rate schedule,” Chris Petree of Timmons said.
Potential growth can be measured in diverse ways.
Mayor John Flynt said the DOT delaying its decision on the bypass until at least June puts Stokesdale at a disadvantage. “That’s a big hurdle,” Flynt said. “Our situation is influenced significantly with what happens on the 158 bypass.”
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For example, an area from Belews Creek Road (N.C. 65) and along Coldwater Road back to U.S. 158 was marked because it isn’t involved in the two bypass alternatives and contains some large tracts of land that would be a logical growth area, council member Bill Jones said. Also, 350-400 new homes are expected to be built over the next four to five years in phases planned in four
existing Stokesdale subdivisions. That would effectively double the size of the town’s water system, Jones said at the council’s Feb. 8 meeting. Those water-system expansions would be paid for by developers. What’s important, Solomon said, is that the trunk lines to those subdivisions are adequate. And there are areas currently served by Aqua America, which has a presence in each of the four entities. Flynt said it may be feasible to run parallel lines in some of the subdivisions served by Aqua. “That might give us the quickest bang for the buck in terms of customers,” Flynt said. Solomon said fire protection would be prominent in that scenario. Water supply is one of the criteria considered for Fire Insurance Protection Class Ratings and was a factor in the Stokesdale Fire District’s rating recently improving to a 3 from a 6. Hydrants, which Aqua does not provide, could help further lower homeowners’ insurance, Solomon said. Solomon said the feasibility study is expected to be completed by the end of March. He said a groundwater study will be completed by mid-March, although it’s a desktop study, not drilling test wells. Discussions with potential water suppliers are complete, Solomon said. Flynt said the most likely source of water for Stokesdale – and possibly Oak Ridge – will be Winston-Salem. Even though sewer is not part of the feasibility study’s scope, Flynt said he did discuss that with Winston-Salem.
for the next step, Solomon said. “It started off as a discussion of a water authority for northern Guilford County and southern Rockingham,” Solomon said. “Now it’s at a point where the managers and elected leaders need to decide what their community’s interest is.” They also need to know how the water authority or water system will be financed. In the state’s 2015-16 budget, $14,548,981 was appropriated. After the cost of the feasibility study and Rockingham’s portion of about $10.5 million is removed, about $3.9 million remains for Guilford County. It’s unclear how that money will be allocated. County Manager Marty Lawing said it’s too early to determine how much the entities will receive, who will make the decision and whether an entity not wanting to participate in a water authority or water system would still receive a share of the taxpayer dollars. “The focus is on determining the most feasible way to develop a water system,” Lawing said in an email. Solomon said the scope of the feasibility study includes financing options, including grants and loans. Stokesdale started its water system almost 15 years ago with a $3 million grant from the state.
“That may be a pipe dream, that may be 10 or 20 years away, but at some point, that could be a significant factor,” Flynt said. “And sewer’s not far down (N.C.) 68 and (U.S.) 158 from Rockingham County.”
Mark Richardson, a Rockingham County commissioner, said Rockingham’s general plan is to connect a north-south waterline from Madison/ Mayodan to the one down U.S. 220 to N.C. 68 that stops at Lemons Loop; extend the waterline west on U.S. 158 from the intersection at Witty Road to just east of the Guilford County line; and extend a waterline west of Bethany Community Middle School at U.S. 158 to N.C. 65 east of U.S. 220 and follow it until it gets to U.S. 220.
Once the feasibility study report is presented to the four entities, it’s time
“We think we have enough money for that,” he said.
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Learn more about the Oak Ridge HISTORIC HERITAGE GRANTS! Up to $2,000 available to preserve historic properties in Oak Ridge. Visit www.oakridgenc.com or attend an information session on March 5, 7 pm, Oak Ridge Town Hall. Application deadline: March 26.
ELECTRICAL
We specialize in factory-scheduled maintenance and repairs. Mercedes, BMW, Volkswagen, Audi, Volvo, Mini, Porsche, and Lexus. 32 years experience. Knight Import Specialty Service, 4559 US Highway 220, Summerfield (across from Food Lion). (336) 337-0669.
EMPLOYMENT Spring and Summer help needed! CarsonDellosa Publishing Company is hiring SEASONAL WAREHOUSE EMPLOYEES.
Place online at
Must be 18, willing to work in a fast-paced warehouse environment. Competitive pay and flexible hours. Perfect job for students! Contact Human Resources, (336) 632-0084
DEADLINE: Monday prior to each issue
NEED HELP? Call (336) 644-7035, ext. 10 Mon - Fri • 9am -2pm
INDEX Auto Sales & Service .................. 27 Employment ............................... 27
or (336) 808-3225. 657A Brigham Road, Greensboro (near Pleasant Ridge Road). EXPERIENCED SMALL ENGINE MECHANIC in Oak Ridge, North Carolina. Contact Tom at (336) 202-3256. Wanted: PIANIST/CHOIR DIRECTOR for Hwy 150 East, Browns Summit, NC. Inquire: huneycuttdavid@att.net.
HIRINWGe ?can help! Reach over 25,000 readers, all in northwest Guilford County, right here! Place your classified ad online at
nwobserver.com
HOME CARE AVAILABLE
Home Services ....................... 27-29
EXPERIENCED CAREGIVER available
Misc. Services.............................. 29
afternoons, evening or overnight. Exc. ref.
Misc. Wanted .............................. 29
“Easy techniques to boost your memory power.” Join us for a FREE WORKSHOP on how you can improve your memory. Thursday, February 22, at 6pm. Countryside Village, 7700 U.S. Hwy 158, Stokesdale.
SOMETHING GOING ON? Place your Save the Date classified ad online at www.nwobserver.com, or call (336) 644-7035, ext. 10.
$125 per week. Browns Summit UMC, 4426
Save the Date ............................. 27
Misc. For Sale ............................. 29
KIDS CONSIGNMENT SALE, Friday, Feb. 23, 9am-8pm; Saturday, Feb. 24, 8am1pm (some items 50% off on Sat.), St. Paul’s Catholic Church, 2715 Horse Pen Creek Road, GSO, www.stpaulskidssale.com.
for homebound adults & seniors (336) 552-3917.
SAVE THE DATE ENCORE KIDS CONSIGNMENT
Pets & Animal Services ................ 29
Check out our spring & summer items,
Real Estate ............................ 29-30
tain Street, Kernersville, (336) 993-3444.
premiering Thur., March 1, 305 W. Moun-
HOME SERVICES CLEANING CHRISTIAN MOM needs work cleaning houses, running errands. Will fit to your budget. Pet taxi/pet sitting also avail. References. Call Laura Bennett, (336) 231-1838.
BALEX ELECTRICAL COMPANY, LLC. Got Power? Residential, commercial and solar electrical services. (336) 298-4192.
FLOORING MONTERO’S HARDWOOD FLOORING Installation of hardwood, laminate & tile; hardwood sanding & finishing. Commercial & residential. Insured, 17 yrs. exp. Free est., excellent references. Monteros-hardwood-flooring.com. Call (336) 215-8842. Are you looking for a reliable and experienced FLOORING INSTALLER? I have over eight years experience with laminate, luxury vinyl plank, base and shoe moulding. Give me a call for a free estimate. Call (336) 643-1097 and ask for Stephen. IT’S A CARPET THING! Repairs, restretch, replace. (336) 643-6500.
GENERAL REPAIR & SERVICES
OLD SCHOOL HOME REPAIR/ IMPROVEMENT
“No Job Too Small”
Jerry & Lisa Potkay, Owners • Oak Ridge, NC Accredited A+ Rating, BBB of Central NC
(336) 669-7252 oldschoolsjhr@triad.rr.com
RECEIVE 10% off
HOME CLEANING. Afford. rates, ref. avail., 10 years exp. Elizabeth, (336) 453-8592.
Any Home Interior Repair or Improvement booked in Jan/Feb 2018
CLEAR WINDOW CLEANING Gutter cleaning, pressure washing. Fully ins. www.windowcleaningnc.com. (336) 595-2873.
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.
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. MAIDS OF HONOR HOME CLEANING $25 off! Locally owned, bonded staff. 40 years in service. BBB A+ rating. (336) 708-2407.
The Northwest Observer • Totally 1996 The Northwest Observer • Totally locallocal sincesince 1996
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.
... continued on p. 28
FEB. - 28,2018 2018 FEB. 2222- 28,
27 27
HOME SERVICES
HOME SERVICES
HOME SERVICES
APPLIANCE REPAIR – Call Mr. Appliance. A step above the rest! (336) 609-5707.
EXTERIOR GREENSCAPES, LLC. Lawn maintenance service (336) 682-1456.
SMALL ENGINE & MOWER repair/welding. Pickup & delivery. (336) 880-7498.
GUZMAN LANDSCAPE & MAINTENANCE Pine needles, mulch, leaf removal, tree pruning, complete lawn maint. (336) 655-6490.
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.
L & T SMALL ENGINE SERVICE “We get you mowing!” Commercial Residential, all models 2103 Oak Ridge Road, Oak Ridge. (336) 298-4314. LATHAMS CUSTOM FENCE. Residential, commercial, & farm. Free estimates. Keith Armfield (336) 944-7837. Good fences make great neighbors!
GRADING / HAULING PEARMAN QUARRY HAULING Fill dirt, gravel, sand rock, mulch & more. Joel Richardson, (336) 803-2195. BRAD’S BOBCAT & HAULING SVCS. LLC Debris removal, grading, gravel/dirt, driveways, concrete work. (336) 362-3647. E&W HAULING & GRADING INC. Driveways, fill dirt, topsoil, lot clearing, bobcat
WILSON LANDSCAPING, INC. Lawn maint., landscaping, irrigation/land scape contractor. Hardscaping & landscape lighting. 26 yrs exp. (336) 399-7764. CAROLINA STUMP & TREE SERVICE Complete tree service, $1 million liability, workman’s comp. Rick & Judy, (336) 643-9332. carolinaStumpAndTreeServices.com. ALL-SEASON STUMP GRINDING. Owner Alan Winfree. Free est. Call (336) 382-9875. AREA STUMP DUMP. Yard waste, concrete, etc. Fill dirt avail. (336) 602-5820. ORTIZ LANDSCAPING, complete lawn care. Trimming, cleaning, planting & mulch, gutter cleaning, patios & pavers, waterfalls, retaining walls, sidewalks, stonework. Residential and commercial. (336) 280-8981.
work, excavating, mulch, etc. (336) 451-1282.
bobcat work, lot clearing, driveways, fill dirt, gravel, etc. (336) 362-1150. TRACTOR FOR HIRE – Bush hogging, grading, brush/tree removal. (336) 207-6632.
11,400 copies directly mailed every week, and 1,900 copies available for pick-up at 70+ area businesses.
ANTHONY’S GRADING & HAULING Excavating, land clearing, demolition, dirt available. Zane Anthony, (336) 362-4035.
LAWN CARE / LANDSCAPING SOUTHERN CUTS LAWN CARE, 13 years experience, Colfax, NC. Nathan Adkins, (336) 500-1898. 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.
w w w. n w o b s e r v e r . c o m
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FEB. 2018 FEB.2222- 28, - 28, 2018
STEVE NEWMAN TREE SERVICE. Free est. Lic/Ins. 30 yrs. exp. Bucket truck & chipper, total cleanup. Selective thinning & lot clearing. 24-hr. emer. svc. OR, NC. (336) 643-1119. FAY’S LAWNCARE & LANDSCAPING Spring prep & tree work. Complete landscape maint. & hardscaping Reasonable and honest. Call Taylor, (336) 458-6491.
MASONRY MASONRY CONCEPTS, brick, block, stone, concrete & repairs. Free est. (336) 988-1022,www.masonryconceptsgso.com.
BEK Paint Co. Residential & Commercial David & Judy Long, owners
(336) 931-0600
BEKPaintCompany.com • References Available • Licensed & Insured • All Work Guaranteed
PLUMBING 21 years of delivering homegrown news to northwest Guilford County
MISC. SERVICES & PRODUCTS. ON EAGLE’S WINGS residential home design/drafting. Call Patti, (336) 605-0519. GAS LOGS, WOOD STOVES & INSERTS Fireplaces, sold, serviced and repaired. Call Don Hill, (336) 643-7183.
PAINTING & DRYWALL CJ’S CABINET PAINTING, bathrooms, small kitchens. (336) 643-5892.
GAULDIN TRUCKING, grading & hauling,
HOME SERVICES
CINDY’S PAINTING – Interior painting, wallpaper removal. References & free estimates available. (336) 708-9155.
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.
PRESSURE WASHING PRESSURE WASHING, gutter & window cleaning. Fully insured. Crystal Clear, www. windowcleaningnc.com (336) 595-2873.
REMODELING / CONSTRUCTION
PAINTING – INTERIOR & EXTERIOR 32 yrs. exp. Sheetrock repair. No job too small. Insured. Brad Rogers, (336) 314-3186.
PREMIER CONSTRUCTION. Providing all
CARLOS & SON PAINTING, interior & exterior. Free est., lic./ins. (336) 669-5210.
HAMMERSMITH WOODWORKING LLC.
STILL PERFECTION PAINTING Reliable, skilled, affordable. Painting, pressure washing, handyman services. Scott Still, (336) 462-3683, stillperfectionpainting.com.
years exp. Call Carlton, (336) 404-3002.
of your home maintenance needs, remodeling and new construction. (336) 430-9507
Carpentry, custom cabinetry, built-ins, exterior repairs. ASP – Helping Hand. Over 30
JLB REMODELING, INC. Remodeling and additions. Fully insured. NC GC license #69997. Free est. Call (336)
The deadline for placing your ad in our
Spring
publication is coming fast. Contact Laura at (336) 644-7035, ext. 11, to reserve your space before it’s too late!
The The Northwest Observer • Totally local local since since 1996 1996 Northwest Observer • Totally
681-2902 or visit www.jlbremodeling.com. BELEWS CREEK CONSTRUCTION Kitchens/baths, custom decks, garages, siding, dock work, windows, roofing, rotted wood. Sr. disc., 38 years exp. (336) 362-6343.
HOME SERVICES
MISC. SERVICES
ORTIZ REMODELING – Total restoration & home improvement. Drywall, painting, kitchen cabinets, interior trim & more. Free estimates. (336) 280-8981. RENOVATION WORKS, INC. New construction, remodeling, additions, kitchen, bath and decks. We are a locally owned, full-service design and build company, A+ accredited with the BBB. Visit www.myrenovationworks.com or call (336) 427-7391 to start your next project. KEITH SMITH CONSTRUCTION 30 years experience. Specializing in room additions, kitchens & baths, garages, vinyl siding and windows, painting, ceramic tile, laminate, hardwood and linoleum floors, and remodeling of all kinds. No job too small. Free est. Call (336) 362-7469.
Services TM Construction
Locally owned & operated
Gated access with 24/7 camera surveillance 6705 US Hwy 158, Stokesdale • (336) 643-9963 (affiliated with Stokesdale Storage)
MISC. WANTED
PETS & ANIMAL SVCS
Sew to Sow Ministry in need of gently used, WORKABLE SEWING MACHINES. Call Beth, (336) 644-8155.
ORCHARD AND FESCUE HAY square bales perfect for cows and goats. Contact (336) 298-7621.
Need something? Find it here in the
BITCOIN: Don’t “buy” it...MINE IT! Builds, Consult, Maintain or Rigshare; text “CRYPTO” to (336) 339-7061 for info. COMPUTER REPAIRS – ITBASICS.COM Inside Mailboxes & More, Oak Ridge Commons. (336) 643-0068.
, INC
BUILDING | RENOVATIONS | ADDITIONS
COMMERCIAL PROPERTY OAK RIDGE COMMERCIAL OFFICE Approximately 1,000 sq. ft., 2BA, $1,250/mo. (336) 669-5233.
NWO classifieds submit your ad at
SAM’S AUTO BODY SHOP. Any type of body work. 45 years exp. (336) 347-7470.
REAL ESTATE
www.nwobserver.com PETS & ANIMAL SVCS. PET SITTING / BOARDING KPS – KELLY’S PET SERVICES Professional in-your-home PET SITTING. Insured & bonded. Member Pet Sitters International. Openings currently available for Oak Ridge only. Call (336) 706-6706, email kpsforyourpets@gmail.com, www.facebook. com/kpspets, or @kpspets on Instagram.
HOMES FOR RENT 1-bedroom, 1-bath basement apartment, large space, all utilities, cable and WiFi included. $750 per month. (336) 944-4371. Duplexes for rent, $700 month. No pets. OAK RIDGE & STOKESDALE. (336) 706-1887. OAK RIDGE, 1-rm. furn. apt., LR/BR, bath, kitchenette area, $600/mo. (336) 669-5233.
...continued on p. 30
Roof and window replacement
(336) 644-8615 office (336) 508-5242 cell
thanks
our advertisers for
making each weekly issue possible!
Licensed & insured NC Gen. Contractor #72797
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. KEITH SMITH CONSTRUCTION 30 years experience. Residential shingle & metal roofing. Free est. (336) 362-7469. PREMIER ROOFING CONSTRUCTION Insurance specialist, free inspections, res./ comm., BBB A rating. (336) 430-9507. 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.
MISC. FOR SALE SEASONED FIREWOOD, delivered and stacked, 1/2 cord, $80. Call (336) 686-6373. SPLIT & SEASONED FIREWOOD. Delivery available. (336) 643-9332.
MISC. WANTED FREE PICK-UP of unwanted riding & push mowers, any and all gas items, tillers, gocarts & golf carts, ATVs, generators, power washers, chain saws. (336) 689-4167. FABRIC NEEDED for Sew to Sow Ministry to make dresses for girls in Kenya. Buttons, ribbons, lace trimming, elastic and thread needed. Cotton fabrics work best, any amount. Call Beth, (336) 644-8155.
Jam-packed with valuable info for northwest Guilford County residents
Keep it handy, use it often
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FEB.22 22- -28, 28,2018 2018 FEB.
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REAL ESTATE
REAL ESTATE
REAL ESTATE
REAL ESTATE
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
HOMES FOR SALE
HOMES FOR SALE
HOMES FOR SALE PRIVATE DECK OVERLOOKS TROUBLESOME CREEK
OPEN HOUSE Sun, Feb 25 • 2- 4pm
We Help Everyone! SELLERS & BUYERS
7508 Shadow Creek Dr Birkhaven Community
(336) 643-4248
www.ANewDawnRealty.com
REACH OUT TO
IN 26,000 READERS OUR
special-focus section. To reserve your space in the third issue of each month, email advertising@nwobserver.com, or call (336) 644-7035, ext. 11.
All the bells and whistles and more! Sellers hate to leave this nearly new home with 4 BR/4.5 BA, bonus & movie room, office, all-seasons room and flex room. Fenced area for four-legged family members. Full yard sprinkler system. Only $717,700
DeDe Cunningham REALTOR®/Broker NC Licensed Contractor
Real Estate Showcase Ads are a great way to spotlight your home
(336) 338-0136
Set along the creek on just under 3 acres, this brick ranch offers 5-car storage plus a workshop. Immaculate, well-cared-for home with 3 bedrooms, 3 full baths, 3 fireplaces, front & rear porches and finished basement. Ready for your personal touches. $399,500
Nancy J. Hess
nancy.hess@bhhsyostandlittle.com (336) 215-1820
NEW IN THE NORTHWEST
Call Laura, (336) 644-7035, ext. 11
6.14-acre wooded site zoned for business/office use in the commercial core area of Oak Ridge. 1/8 mile south of the N.C. 68 and 150 intersection, with turn lanes from both directions on N.C. 68. 1/4-mile commercial driveway leads to 4,400-square-foot main house/office building which is complemented by guest house, outbuildings and tennis court plus large landscaped island with gazebo/picnic area and pasture. Established tenant is willing to stay in place. Offered at $918,000. Visit www.berkshirehathawayhs. com/nancy-hess-real-estate-agent and select “My Listings” for photos and more details.
Nancy J. Hess
nancy.hess@bhhsyostandlittle.com (336) 215-1820 FEB. 2018 FEB.2222- 28, - 28, 2018
Jake Letterman
(336) 509-1923 dedesrealestategroup.com dedecunningham@kw.com
Potent ial office park!
30 30
5603 Feather Court, Summerfield 4 BR, 4 1/2 BA, 1+ acre, 4000+ sq. ft. This open floor will be certain to suit your needs. Professionally inspired interior design elements include shiplap accent walls, reclaimed shelving and doors, freestanding tub, vintage inspired hardware and lighting, and a soft gray, blue and white color scheme. Muddy shoe walk-thru available now! $665,000
This home delivers the moment you step inside. The floor plan offers a large island open to dramatic great room. Luxuries are everywhere. Master suite with sumptuous freestanding tub and walk-in shower. Double gas fireplace, beams, shiplap, vaults, trays, all offering a comfortable life-style on the cul-de-sac. $680,000
123 Dream Lane Real estate showcase ads in the NWO get noticed! Include a photo and description of your listing, Realtor photo, logo and contact info – all for only $80!
Nancy J. Hess
nancy.hess@bhhsyostandlittle.com (336) 215-1820
Place your real estate showcase today (336) 644-7035, ext. 11 advertising@nwobserver.com
Want to be a part of our next NWO Business & Real Estate section? Reserve your ad space today (336) 644-7035, ext. 11 advertising@nwobserver.com
The The Northwest Observer • Totally local local since since 1996 1996 Northwest Observer • Totally
Elegant Transformations by Marcie ... 15 New Garden Landscaping & Nursery .. 3 New Garden Select ............................ 5 Old School Home Repair .................. 28 Prostone ........................................... 18 Rymack Storage ............................... 29 Stokesdale Heating & Air .................... 4
index of DISPLAY ADVERTISERS
Please support our advertisers,
and tell them where you saw their ad! ACCOUNTING
CHILDREN’S SERVICES
Carlotta Lytton, CPA, PA .................. 15 Kimberly Thacker Accounting ........... 15 Samuel Anders, CPA, MSA, PC ......... 12
Guardian Ad Litem ........................... 23
AUTOMOTIVE Vestal Buick, GMC, Inc. .....................11
BUILDERS/REMODELING TM Construction................................ 29
LEGAL SERVICES Barbour & Williams Law .................... 19 Ingle Law........................................... 15 Scott Tippett Law ................................ 6 The Law Offices of Susan Greeson ... 14
HOME PRODUCTS & SERVICES
MEDICAL CARE / PRODUCTS
BEK Paint Company .......................... 28 Carpets by Direct .............................. 24 Carpet Super Mart ........................16-17 Colfax Furniture & Mattress ................ 5 House of Stars .................................. 15
Dove Medical Supply .......................... 2 LeBauer Healthcare ..................... 7, 22 Northwest Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery .. 8 Northwest Pediatrics ......................... 13 Novant NW Family Medicine ............. 21
Spring
Spring 2018
ORTHODONTIC CARE Mitchell, Bartlett & Bell Orthodontics .. 20 Olmsted Orthodontics ...................... 22
PET SERVICES & PRODUCTS Bel-Aire Veterinary Hospital .............. 15 Northwest Animal Hospital ............... 12 Veterinary Hospital of Oak Ridge....... 15 Westergaard Kennels ........................ 10
REAL ESTATE A New Dawn Realty .......................... 30 Dede Cunningham, Keller Williams .. 30 Jake Letterman ............................... 30 Nancy Hess-BHHS Yost & Little ........ 30 NextHome in the Triad ........................ 9 Ramilya Siegel, Allen Tate ................ 25 Tanya Hill ......................................... 15
SCHOOLS Bishop McGuinness Catholic High ....... 3
2018 edition
Coming March 22 Reserve your ad space today!
Home-grown stories about everything from maintaining and improving your home, to housing trends, history and humor of life in northwest Guilford County
In print every spring and fall and online year-round at nwobserver.com nicatio published by pscommu
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The Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996
FEB. 22 - 28, 2018
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u Residents of Rachel’s Landing played in the snow and caught up on the local news with their Northwest Observer. q (From left) Sam Axelson, Amelia Axelson and Abbie Almstead enjoyed the snow by making a snow fort. After all that hard work, there’s nothing like a great read!
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