Aug. 7 - 13, 2015
bringing the local news home to northwest Guilford County since 1996
Vandals target Eagle Scout projects by GERRI HUNT OAK RIDGE – Tim Florence has coached many local boys on their Eagle Scout projects over the years. Recently, that has included identifying 18 trees, constructing benches, building a fire pit and assembling a small library, all at Oak Ridge Town Park. But Florence, the Scouts and their families are disheartened that every one of these projects has been vandalized.
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Town, CrossFit work toward resolving COA violations Mayor says no one wins if business is forced to vacate building by PATTI STOKES
Photo courtesy of Bill Edwards
Jacob Scheponik completed his Eagle Scout “My Little Library” project in May. In less than a week, one of the doors was torn off, just the latest in a string of vandalism incidents to plague Eagle Scout projects at Oak Ridge Town Park.
Practice kicks off Photos by L.A. Logan/NWO •
See more photos on page 26
NWHS junior Thomas Hennigan (forefront) attempts to catch a pass over the outstretched arm of senior Jonah Godehardt on Aug. 3, the first day of football practice.
Northern head coach Johnny Roscoe (background, with whistle), assistant coaches and teammates look on as members of the football team practice proper tackling form during defensive drills.
OAK RIDGE – Though the drawnout battle between the Town of Oak Ridge and CMT Commons, owner of CrossFit Oak Ridge, has at times appeared to have similarities to the infamous battle between the Hatfields and the McCoys, the two local entities may at last be making headway. Both say they want to avoid the worst possible scenario, which would result in CrossFit’s power being turned off and the business being forced to vacate the building it has occupied since 2012. “It has been over two and a half years since the Oak Ridge Historic Preservation Commission (HPC), an independent board of the Town of Oak Ridge charged with administering the Town’s historic district, issued a final conditional Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) to CMT Commons to enable the owner to obtain a conditional Certificate of Occupancy (CO) and open its business in its new building,” said Spencer Sullivan, who took over as Oak Ridge’s mayor in July. “This final conditional COA issued to CrossFit allowed for most changes to CrossFit’s original new construction plan as proposed by the
owners, but required that a number of key items be brought into compliance with the historic district design guidelines,” Sullivan explained. “The Town, which enforces the COAs issued by the HPC as part of the zoning and development ordinance, has been patient in waiting for CrossFit to meet the conditions in the COA that its owners agreed to, and which so far they have not met.” During the July 9 town council meeting, the town’s former mayor, Ray Combs, read a resolution which said the Town had no choice but to withdraw the temporary COA issued to CrossFit in September 2012 and begin the legal steps to deny
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IN THIS ISSUE News in brief.............................3 Your Questions .........................4 Pets & Critters ...........................7 North Star Bloodhounds ..........8 Name that pet contest..........10 Stokesdale water system ......12 Bits & Pieces ........................... 14 Business Notes ....................... 14 Community Calendar ...........18 Crime/Incident Report ..........19 Around Town ..........................20 Grins & Gripes ........................22 Classifieds ..............................27 Index of Advertisers ..............31