May 3 - 9, 2018
bringing the local news home to northwest Guilford County since 1996 Photo by Patti Stokes/NWO
Two veterans with a single mission got an enthusiastic sendoff as they departed from the Subway in downtown Stokesdale about 7 a.m. on Wednesday. Summerfield resident Terry Sharpe (left), 67, and Michael Boncek will be walking all the way to Washington, D.C. – about 300 miles – to raise awareness of the increased rate of veteran suicides and of PTSD, and to encourage education within families and communities. Roughly 22 veterans from all branches of the U.S. armed forces die by suicide each day, according to Veterans Affairs reports. This will be the sixth trek to our nation’s capital for Sharpe, aka “The Walking Marine,” and the first for Boncek.
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IN THIS ISSUE News in Brief ................................... 3 Your Questions ............................... 4 Business Notes/ Bits & Pieces....... 6 1-2-1 Mentoring seeks sponsors .. 7 Change the World Service Day .. 8 The dress that didn’t win ............. 10 Pets & Critters................................ 11 Pet Adoptions............................... 13 Community Calendar ................ 14 Crime/Incident Report ............... 15 Youth Sync .................................... 18 Student profiles ............................20
Rotruck fires back with lawsuits
Claiming ‘vigilante-like actions’ were taken against him, former councilman files complaints against BOE, challenger Janelle Robinson and Town of Summerfield by PATTI STOKES SUMMERFIELD – It’s been a busy week for everyone involved with the voter registration challenge against former Summerfield Town Councilman Todd Rotruck. On April 25, attorney Marsh Prause filed the first of what would be two complaints and motions for injunctive relief on Rotruck’s behalf. Both stem from the Guilford County Board of Elections’ unanimous decision on April 17 that Rotruck has not established permanent residency in Summerfield; based on that decision,
BOE staff was directed to immediately change Rotruck’s voter registration to reflect his Lewiston Road, Greensboro address as his permanent residence. County Attorney Mark Payne confirmed the decision meant Rotruck’s council seat was declared vacant, effective immediately. “This was fairly easy, because there is a statute that speaks to this issue directly,” Payne told the Northwest Observer. N.C. General Statute 160A-59 reads, “…When any elected city
officer ceases to meet all of the qualifications for holding office pursuant to the Constitution, or when a council member ceases to reside in an electoral district that he was elected to represent, the office is ipso facto vacant.” “The BOE made their decision that he did not qualify as a voter (in Summerfield),” Payne said. “At that moment the office became vacant.” In his first complaint, in which the Town of Summerfield is named as
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Emily Taylor, 9, shows off bracelets she and her classmates are making to raise funds for HorsePOWER. See story on page ..... 23 Grins & Gripes ..............................24 Letters/Opinions ..........................26 Classifieds .................................... 27 Index of Advertisers .................... 31