Northwest Observer I Feb. 21 - Feb. 27, 2019 by PS Communications / Connect2 NWGuilford

Feb. 21 - 27, 2019

bringing the local news home to northwest Guilford County since 1996

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February is peak flu season With the flu season lasting until late May, however, doctors advise it’s not too late to get your flu shot by MEREDITH BARKLEY When Oak Ridge resident Van Tanner felt fever coming on early this month he acted. Living with a compromised immune system from a liver transplant, he knows better than to ignore infection symptoms. So he dialed his doctor. Within a day he was diagnosed with Influenza A, prescribed Tamiflu and ordered to gulp water.

63, an Oak Ridge businessman. “Within 48 hours (of treatment) I was done. I was back at it by Monday. I had flu symptoms but I didn’t get slammed. It’s a great testament to Tamiflu.” Tamiflu, a prescription drug, is a common flu treatment. Stokesdale resident Mason Winfree, 22, said this year was the first year he had decided not to get a flu shot. At the urging of his mother he said he had faithfully gotten one in years past, but “I had come up with this idea that the shot made me feel bad.” Winfree was feeling fine about his decision to skip the shot. Until ...

“It worked great,” said Tanner,

IN THIS ISSUE News in brief...........................................3 Academy undergoes restructuring .....4 Calendar Events ....................................6 NWO Business & Real Estate .................7 Pleasant Ridge Road development ....8 Business/Real Estate Q&A / News ..... 10 Tract by tract at Collins Grove ........... 12 Summerfield Town Council Meeting .. 20 Garrison wins second wrestling title ... 22 Student profile......................................23 Grins & Gripes ......................................24 Crime/Incident Report ........................26 Classifieds ............................................ 27 Index of Advertisers ............................ 31

IS IT A

COLD OR THE

FLU?

...continued on p. 2

...continued on p. 1

Four council members, mayor to be elected by Summerﬁeld voters this November Three council members will be elected to four-year terms and one member to a twoyear term; voters will also elect a mayor to a two-year term by PATTI STOKES SUMMERFIELD – As it turns out, Summerfield Town Council member Dianne Laughlin, who was appointed last October with the understanding she would serve the remainder of Todd Rotruck’s four-year term, will have to run for re-election this November if she wants

to keep her seat. And this is where things get a little confusing… Although voters in the last election approved a charter amendment which says a council member appointed to fill a vacant seat only serves until the next election, Summerfield Town Attorney Bill Hill advised council shortly after the election that the voter-approved charter amendment would not be retroactive. That meant, according to the town’s original charter from 1995, Laughlin would be seated until Rotruck’s term expired November 2021; from this point forward, those appointed to fill a vacant seat would only serve

...continued on p. 30

NOT TOO LATE TO GET A FLU SHOT

virus with similar symptoms that is not the flu.”

...continued from p. 1

“I was running around like crazy one day, but then I started coughing and felt really congested. I went to the doctor the next day and they confirmed I had the flu,” Winfree said. Once again, Tamiflu was prescribed but Winfree said he still was in bed with a fever and night sweats, an aching head and some nausea. “I was down for four days,” he said. Per his doctor’s advice, he remained quarantined for a week. His lesson? “Maybe Mama was right. Listen to your mama and get your flu shot – next year I’ll be getting one!” The annual flu season officially begins Oct. 1, usually peaks in February and March and is over by late May. During the week of Feb. 9 the state’s Dept. of Health and Human Services

reported 15 flu deaths across the state, two of them in Guilford County. That brings the statewide seasonal total to 52 – four in Guilford. Influenza is not a reportable disease, so there are no numbers showing how many people have been affected. Because of a rise in the numbers of people with flu symptoms, area hospitals have begun restricting some visitations, and Guilford schools are seeing a “steady rate of absentees due to flu related symptoms,” said Sandy Ellington, Guilford County Health Department’s media coordinator. Deaths are down a little from this time last year, says the state DHHS. “We’ve seen a whole lot of influenza in the last week or two,” Dr. Fred Wilson of Family Medicine – Summerfield said. “We’ve also seen another

In fact, his office was short-staffed for a while earlier this month because one of its providers was out with the flu. “We’re all careful about getting the flu shot,” Wilson said. “It didn’t keep her from getting the flu but it made it not as bad as it could have been.” The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says flu symptoms come on abruptly and generally include fever, body aches, chills, weakness, fatigue, chest discomfort, cough and headaches. They can also include sneezing, stuffy nose and sore throat. “It hits pretty hard and it hits fast,” Wilson said. Most people infected with the flu virus are sick for about a week, he said. So far this flu season his office has not seen as many children with flu symptoms as adults. But he said chil-

dren are more likely to have nausea, vomiting and diarrhea in addition to the other symptoms. Tanner battled a rising fever, terrible sore throat, chest congestion and cough. He isolated himself from his family to protect them. He thinks he caught the flu from a person he’d visited shortly before symptoms began appearing. That person was coughing. “I did not get it from the family,” he said, “and thank God I did not give it to the family.” To protect yourself and others, Wilson suggests washing hands regularly, staying away from people with coughs and other symptoms and covering your cough. And when the flu hits, Wilson said, “the sooner you get in (for treatment) the more likely medicine will help. We’re trying to get everyone to get the flu shot. It’s not always effective. But it’s the best thing we’ve got.”

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FEB. 21 - 27, 2019

Stokesdale

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NEWS in brief

ABC store generates record profits store profit “very breathtaking” and credited an earlier decision by the council to align with the Triad Municipal ABC Board to operate the town’s ABC store. In an interview after the meeting, Anders said the stores operated by the board in several Triad cities and towns including Winston-Salem and Kernersville share financing costs from the opening of new stores, as an example of a financially sucPhoto by Chris Burritt/NWO cessful business model. The ABC store in Oak Ridge generated $68,966 in profits last quarter and will likely exceed $151,000 Oak Ridge Town Clerk in profits for the current fiscal year. Sandra Smith serves as chair of the board. OAK RIDGE – The ABC store in Oak predicted to initially generate about Sales in the Oak Ridge store have Ridge, which opened in 2005, is once $25,000 for the town and perhaps also increased, Anders said. again realizing record profits. At the around $50,000 in later years will likely “We’re on the main road that goes Oak Ridge Town Council meeting generate about $151,000 in profits for to Belews Creek,” he noted. “People Feb. 7, Finance Officer Sam Anders the 2018-19 fiscal year ending June 30. stop here to buy liquor, burgers and told the council the store which was Anders called the increasing ABC beer.”

Meter station in Stokesdale expected to open this fall by STEVE MANN

STOKESDALE – The natural gas meter station planned for Stokesdale is expected to open in November, according to a spokesman for Piedmont Natural Gas. The Williams Transco meter station and a natural gas-pressure detection station will be built at 8208 Millrun Road, off Flatrock Road near U.S. 158. Piedmont Natural Gas acquired 3.8 acres of easement, according to Jason Wheatley, a company spokesman. The Williams Transco interstate pipeline will

run east from a pumping area at 8138 Flatrock Road and connect to the proposed meter station.

The site-plan review for the meter station is still in progress, according to Oliver Bass, Stokesdale’s town planner. According to a preliminary site plan, it appears most of the meter station will be in Stokesdale, with a portion in an unincorporated area of Guilford County.

A pipeline from the Williams Transco meter station will then connect to Piedmont Natural Gas’ receiving station, which will be built on .31 acres, Wheatley said. The pipeline will go from there to Duke Energy’s Belews Creek Steam Station in Stokes County. Construction of that pipeline won’t begin until construction starts on the meter station, Wheatley said. That is expected to start in March.

There will be no permanent employees at the meter station, Wheatley said.

... News Briefs continued on p. 30

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The Belews Creek Steam Station is undergoing an estimated $150 mil-

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FEB. 21 - 27, 2019

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Oak Ridge Military Academy undergoes restructuring President’s position eliminated; board chair assumes position of business manager by MEREDITH BARKLEY An extensive restructuring recently launched at Oak Ridge Military Academy aims to make it easier to manage the 167-year-old school, grow enrollment and position the school for success in a challenging environment. “We had to break the mold and change the system,” Dr. Steve Wilson, chairman of the academy’s Board of Trustees, said by telephone.

ees eliminated the school president’s position and split its duties among four newly created positions: headmaster, business manager, marketing director and operations officer. Those “areas of excellence will be given the support and space to work to their fullest abilities,” the statement says. LTC David Reardon, a Citadel graduate and US Army retiree who had served as president the past 14 months, lost his job in the restructuring. Wilson said he could not discuss the reasons for Reardon’s departure.

In a Jan. 26 statement he wrote that trustees are pursuing operations and management changes in an effort to provide “the best education, cadet experience, and fiscal stewardship to current cadets, their families, and our alumni.” The reorganization was approved by the academy’s Board of Trustees on Jan. 24 and announced to the faculty, staff and corps of cadets the following day, the statement said. As part of the reorganization, trust-

“We wish to thank LTC David Reardon for filling the role of president for the 14 months this reorganization plan was brought to fruition and wish him great success in his future endeavors,” Wilson’s statement read. He said Reardon had done “a great job.”

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“I wish the school the best. I hope it works out for them,” added Reardon, who had been senior military instructor and head of the JROTC program at Oak Ridge for a year before being named president. He said he had not been made aware of the restructuring during his tenure and had not participated in its planning. The changes mean that there is no head of staff at the school. The four new department heads will assume those responsibilities, Wilson said. “Those four people will work together and report to the board,” he said. Wilson said trustees felt the president’s responsibilities had become too much to handle. He blamed that in part on the high turnover among presidents at the school over the years. School officials, he said, had looked at similar schools and found they’d had similar problems. “We feel like the job of president was too much for one person,” Wilson said, listing business, military, academics, marketing and operations among the duties expected of past presidents. “We don’t feel like anyone can do that.” That was, he said, “a problem that had to be corrected.”

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Reardon would only say: “My contract with the school was ended.”

Dorothy Heath, who had been on the Oak Ridge staff during the www.samanderscpa.com

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...continued on p. 21

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MONDAY, FEB. 25

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 Historic Heritage Grants Info Session | Oak Ridge

Historic Preservation Commission will host an information session Feb. 25, 7 p.m. at Oak Ridge Town Hall, 8315 Linville Road, for historic property owners in the NOW THROUGH FEB. 23  Food/Supply Drive | Allen Tate Realtors, Lowes Foods town’s historic district to learn more about available grants to preserve their properties. Application deadline and Best 4K9 are partnering with Guilford County is March 25, 4 p.m. More info and application forms: Animal Shelter to collect food, treats and supplies for www.oakridgenc.com or call (336) 644-7009. animals housed in the shelter. Needed items include large Nylabones (any kind), cat treats, towels, low-sodiTUESDAY, FEB. 26 um chicken/beef broth, soft jerky dog treats, medium/  MS Self-Help Group Meeting | The MS Be Strong large Kongs, indestructible dog toys (not filled with stuff- self-help group will meet Feb. 26, 6:15 p.m. at Main ing), towels, blankets and heating pads, peanut butter Street United Methodist Church, 306 S. Main Street and KMR (kitten milk replacement). Donated items can in Kernersville. The group, which strives to help those be dropped off at the Allen Tate Realtors office and with multiple sclerosis to live the best lives they can the Best 4K9 store in Oak Ridge Commons Shopping by sharing information and experiences, meets every Center, and at the Allen Tate office at 3623 N. Elm St., fourth Tuesday of the month. Those living with MS, their Suite 100, in Greensboro and the Best 4K9 store at family, friends or caretakers are all welcome. More info: 5820 N. Church St. in northern Greensboro. triad.ms.newlydiagnosed@gmail.com.

Click “community calendar” on the left-hand side Deadline for inclusion in each week’s issue is

9 a.m. on Mondays THURSDAY, FEB. 28  Community Workshop/Discussion | The public is in-

vited to attend a community workshop/discussion hosted by Summerfield Historical Committee on Feb. 28, 7 p.m. at Summerfield Community Center, 5404 Centerfield Road. Led by Northwest Guilford High School history teacher Ray Parrish, the workshop/discussion will center on the topic, “Guilford County and its role in the American Revolution.” More info: summerfieldnc.gov.

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12 Tract by tract,

development chips away at Collins Grove

Photo by Chris Burritt/NWO

31 homes planned for Pleasant Ridge Road property belonging to the late Dick Douglas

This weather-beaten barn was once part of the Smith farm on Lewiston Road in northwest Greensboro. The barn and a deteriorated farmhouse on the 25-acre property will soon be torn down to make way for 208 luxury apartments with garages.

Business & Real Estate Q&A / News

Houses set for 47 acres once home of longest-serving Scout Developer plans to start grading for 31 lots on Pleasant Ridge Road property where Robert “Dick” Douglas Jr. and his wife, Ruth, lived until 2008 when ﬁ re destroyed the home

the Douglas family for $1.3 million last October. Dick Douglas, a Greensboro lawyer, was the longest-serving Eagle Scout in the country until his death in 2015 at the age of 103.

by CHRIS BURRITT

Although the property is abandoned, glimpses of the family’s life linger in what’s left behind. In three and a half decades there, Dick and Ruth Douglas entertained underneath a multi-sided gazebo. He loved to garden, keeping his tools in a workshop, and he putted on an artificial golf green between the

GREENSBORO – Developer Sean Jones is preparing to build expensive homes on 47 acres where Robert “Dick” Douglas Jr. and his wife, Ruth, lived until a lightning fire destroyed their stately brick home 10 years ago. Jones bought the property from

“The land is beautiful, and we’re going to try to disturb as little as possible,” Jones said in a recent interview. “Our goal is to preserve some of those mature trees.”

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Photo courtesy of Kathryn Bunthoff

Stokesdale resident Kathryn Bunthoff provided this photo of her and her younger sister, Carolyn, on a horse named “Tuff Me Too.” The photo was taken around 1991 in front of the Douglas house on Pleasant Ridge Road where 31 homes will be built on a 47-acre tract once owned by the late Dick Douglas and his wife Ruth.

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Photo courtesy of Kathryn Bunthoff

This photo of the house off Pleasant Ridge Road formerly owned by Dick and Ruth Douglas shows the house in the 1940s before it had brick facade.

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Home will be similar to rendering

See this home on the spring Parade of Homes tour April 27-28 and May 4-5

Photo by Chris Burritt/NWO

Although a ﬁre in 2008 destroyed this house where the late Dick Douglas and his wife Ruth lived for 35 years, glimpses of the family’s life linger in what’s left behind.

house and the barn. Ruth’s horses drank from a white cast-iron bathtub in the field. Jones plans to tear down the deteriorating two-story house, a two-car garage and the horse barn, making way for 31 lots that will be accessible from the adjacent Pleasant Oaks subdivision. He’s pulling together a team of four to six builders to construct custom homes starting in the $470,000s.

“It is bittersweet,” said Douglas, a Greensboro lawyer. Although he never lived in the house, he and other family members gathered there for holidays. “There are a lot of great memories out there.” In the back, a broken-down fence separates the yard from the pasture where Kathryn Bunthoff, step-granddaughter of Douglas, rode horses and cleaned stalls in the barn.

The house and grounds are in disrepair. During a recent storm, a big oak splintered, blocking the driveway. A blue tarp covers the opening of the attic dormer through which firefighters had pumped water to extinguish the blaze.

Bunthoff rode a bay quarter horse named Tuffy over many acres behind Northwest High School along with her grandmother on Simba, a gray thoroughbred. “That’s how I grew up, riding horses and palling around with my grandmother,” said Bunthoff, who lives in Stokesdale.

Smoke and water damage prompted insurers to declare the house a total loss after the fire, said Bob Douglas, son of Dick and Ruth Douglas.

Jones said he’s preparing to start grading the property. A recent survey left pine stakes with orange and pink ribbons dotting the yard and fields, marking where houses will stand.

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BUSINESS/REAL ESTATE Q&A I hated to see JP Looneys in Oak Ridge close, even though they did go down the last few months they were open. Any word on another place like Looneys opening there? After renovations to the building formerly occupied by JP Looneys in Oak Ridge Commons Shopping Center have been completed, Rio Grande Mexican Kitchen will relocate to the site.

Yes, the building formerly occupied by JP Looneys will be the new home of

Rio Grande Mexican Kitchen, which opened in Oak Ridge Commons Shopping Center in 2003. Building owner Cooke Outparcel E, LLC was scheduled to appear before Oak Ridge Historic Preservation Commission Wednesday evening for approval of a COA (certificate of occupancy). Both interior and exterior renovations to the restaurant building are planned and will include the addition of a large outdoor seating area. No date has been set for when Rio Grande will move into its new location, although the building could be ready for occupancy sometime this summer.

REAL ESTATE NEWS

Property on N.C. 68 and Meadows Road listed at $3.7 million A tract of 34 acres just north of N.C. 68 and 150 has drawn offers from potential buyers, but none for

the asking price of $3.7 million, said Amber Escontrias, listing agent for the property and a Realtor with

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“We have tons of interest in that property,” said Escontrias, who shares the listing with Lesley Nicholson, also a Realtor with RE/MAX. The property, located at 8305 Meadows Road, runs along 1,175 feet of N.C. 68 on the southern and northern sides of Meadows Road and is zoned for agricultural and residential purposes, Oak Ridge Planning Director Sean Taylor confirmed. He noted the owner hasn’t requested the zoning be changed.

Because of the property’s proximity to retail and commercial businesses near the N.C. 68 and 150 intersection, demand for commercial use is diminished but it is wellsuited for residential use such as townhouses or single-family homes, Escontrias said. There are four houses on the 34-acre tract which was purchased by Ralph and Reggie Meadows in 1955, according to the deed. The family’s estate is selling the property.

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Henson Farms $1,150,000 MLS 814407 Nancy Hess 336-215-1820

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Polo Farms $749,900 MLS 913628 Beth Brannan 336-253-4693

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Tract by tract,

development chips away at Collins Grove

Historically black community settled after Civil War gives ground to wave of residential building

Road for Bridleton Ridge, a subdivision of 90 houses being developed by Brad Deaton and Kevin Phillips, partners in Crosspointe Homes of Greensboro who assembled six tracts totaling about 30 acres. (For related article, see p. 6 of our Nov. 1-8, 2018 issue.)

by CHRIS BURRITT

Nearby on Lewiston Road, George Carr, owner of Greensboro-based Beacon Management Co., is preparing to build 208 luxury apartments with garages on 25 acres he’s owned since 2015. The late Lee Smith raised cattle there years ago on property now overgrown by briars.

NW GREENSBORO – John Hughes is feeling crowded. Behind his brick home on Lewiston Road, developers are building 90 single-family homes on property once owned by his grandfather. Nearby, another developer is preparing to build more than 200 luxury apartments on 25 acres where cows once grazed on the old Smith farm property on Lewiston Road. “There is no more Collins Grove, so to speak,” said Hughes, 91, a lifelong resident of the historically black community of brick and clapboard houses on Lewiston and Fleming roads in northwest Greensboro.

“I say to myself that ‘you’ve got to roll with the punches,”’ Hughes said.

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Settled by blacks following the Civil War, Collins Grove has been sliced and diced by development in recent decades. The stretch of the Urban Loop that opened last year from Bryan Boulevard to Battleground Avenue runs underneath Fleming Road, separating the eastern and western sections of Collins Grove with a wide swath of asphalt. Development has accelerated. Grading is underway on Lewiston

FEB. 21 - 27, 2019

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The weather-beaten barn is falling down. On the other side of Lewiston Road, the old farmhouse is also deteriorating. Construction of the apartments may begin as early as this fall, Carr said in an interview last week. David Waddell, 60, grew up in Collins Grove and remembers tending cattle on the Smith farm property. Back in the 1990s, he was awakened one night by a sheriff’s deputy who told him a cow had escaped from the pasture and was wandering loose near the Food Lion grocery store. He said he retrieved the cow and fixed the hole in the fence. The Food Lion in Cardinal Crossing is at the center of commercial development at Fleming, Inman and Lewiston roads, spawned by the construction of houses around Sedgefield Country Club (formerly Cardinal Golf Club) since the 1970s. The ever-widening cluster of businesses contains convenience stores and gas stations, dry cleaners, self-storage units, hair and nail salons, a veterinary practice, a

in that area before the Civil War,” Israel said in an email last week. She is studying the local operation of the Underground Railroad, a network of secret routes and safe houses used by slaves to escape captivity in the South to free states in the North. They were aided by Quakers in the Guilford College community. Frank Miller Sr., 84, grew up in Collins Grove and heard stories from relatives, including his great aunt Mary Jeffers (who was born in 1865), suggesting that slaves who had escaped on the Underground Railroad may have settled in Collins Grove. Israel said she hasn’t conducted enough research to confirm that possibility.

Photo by Chris Burritt/NWO

Development is accelerating on Lewiston and Fleming roads in northwest Greensboro, with single-family homes, luxury apartments and more businesses on the horizon.

child care center and an auto repair shop. A strip center with a Dollar General store and a CrossFit gym bumps up against Collins Grove United Methodist Church.The brick sanctuary with white steeple stands where the church started more than 140 years ago, first built with logs in the decade after the

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Civil War ended in 1865. Details about the founding of Collins Grove and its church are uncertain, a collection of stories passed from generation to generation and bolstered by research of Dr. Adrienne Israel, a professor of history at Guilford College.

Segregation ruled many aspects of life until the 1960s. Hughes attended a school next to the Collins Grove church before attending Summerfield Colored High School from which he graduated in 1944. Among the documents in Guilford College’s Quaker archives is a

survey of the Collins Grove school from around 1930. In question-and-answer format, it elaborates on conditions for the 39 boys and 21 girls who were enrolled at that time. The toilet was outside, water came from a spring outdoors and heat from a wood stove. Children sat two to a desk and they shared “a few books in circulation” since the school had no library, the document said. Waddell said he grew up in Collins Grove in the 1960s and ‘70s in a house heated by a wood stove. Development over the past 30 years, he reflected, “has its good points and its bad points.” Waddell said the influx of businesses has made his life more convenient and easier for him to remain in Collins Grove. He’s a trustee, teacher and usher in the church and works at McDonald’s next to Food Lion. “Collins Grove is a little broken up,” he said, “but we are still here.”

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Smith Marketing New location blends two ofﬁces, rural backdrop and convenience On one side of Smith Marketing’s new office in Summerfield is a stand of trees where deer graze in the quiet of the early morning. On the other side, the rumble of traffic on Interstate 73 breaks the silence. Both sounds are music to the ears of Betty Smith and her two sons, Jason and Jeff Smith, who last month moved into their new office surroundings at 5920 Khaki Place, near the N.C. 150 and I-73 interchange in Summerfield. They love the bucolic setting for meetings with homebuyers and builders and also appreciate the easy access to their listings in Summerfield, Oak Ridge, Stokesdale, Greensboro and High Point. “We’re in Summerfield, but close to Oak Ridge,” said Jason, who like his brother is a vice president of Smith Marketing. “With the opening of I-73 last year, we can be in Stokesdale and downtown Greensboro in less than 15 minutes.” As a result of the shortened drive between N.C. 68, south of Oak Ridge, to U.S. 220 between Summerfield and Stokesdale, residential development is poised to move northward, said Betty, the company’s president. “It’s just logical that growth will move into Rockingham County,” she said. “Our new office puts us more in the middle of the Triad. It is a great place for expansion and to reach out to a lot of other areas.”

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Betty and Jason formed Smith Marketing 18 years ago; Jeff came on board in 2005 and four years later, the family-owned business teamed up with Allen Tate. Betty and Jeff worked for several years from Allen Tate’s office on Green

Valley Road in Greensboro while Jason and Tonya Gilbert operated from Allen Tate’s office at Oak Ridge Commons. With a staff that has grown to over 25 Realtors and administrators, the Smiths decided to merge their two offices and move to a central location. “We’ve grown our brand to the point where we want to have our own branch,” said Jason, noting the firm’s new logo combines Smith Marketing and Allen Tate. A discussion with David Couch, owner of Summerfield Farms and CEO of Blue Ridge Cos., a real estate investment and development company, led the Smiths to their new Summerfield location. Couch owns about 80 acres off N.C. 150 near I-73, including the house that is now Smith Marketing’s office, and an adjacent horse barn, pasture and riding area that this summer became home to HorseFriends, a therapeutic riding program for people with disabilities. Blue Ridge remodeled the beige-brick house to accommodate offices for the Smiths and other Realtors. A conference room with a custom-made plank table overlooks two terraces, the upper with a fireplace and the lower with a pool and outdoor kitchen. “This is not a typical real estate office,” said Jason, showing off the spacious, airy kitchen with a Thermador cooktop and Sub-Zero refrigerator. “We’re setting it up to be welcoming. We’re going to prepare meals here and entertain. We want our builders to come here to meet clients.” The new location is not far from where the Smiths lived for many years near Guilford College and where Betty has attended church at Guilford United

Brought t

Photo by Chris Burritt/NWO

Smith Marketing recently merged its Green Valley Road office in Greensboro and Oak Ridge office into this former residence near the N.C. 150 and I-73 interchange in Summerfield.

Photo courtesy of Smith Marketing

Betty Smith (center), president of Smith Marketing, stands with her sons Jeff (left) and Jason (right), who both serve as vice presidents of the realty company.

When only the best will do

Methodist Church for the past 40 years.

recent years.

Jeff, who has coached basketball at the high school and college levels, now helps coach basketball at Greensboro Day School.

For almost two decades, Smith Marketing has developed and maintained relationships with the area’s premier home builders and the company now represents builders in more than 20 neighborhoods including Birkhaven in Summerfield, North Ridge in Stokesdale and the Farm at Lake Brandt in Summerfield.

Among numerous awards from Allen Tate, Smith Marketing has received the Triad Large Team Award in sales and listings and has been named to the Chairman’s Club and President’s Club in

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Ask the

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compiled by CHRIS BURRITT/NWO

Describe an innovation in design or construction that you’re using in your homes R&K Custom Homes

Lansink Custom Homes

“We don’t know that we invented anything, but we did bring some new ideas to the Kathy and Rich Dumas Triad. Clients bring us new ideas every day that work with their lifestyles,” Rich and Kathy Dumas said.

“We keep on top of the trends, but it’s hard to reinvent the wheel,” Kevin Lansink said. “I’ve done barns door in my houses, includKevin Lansink ing my personal home. I’ve done the hidden pantry door. I’ve done the little door for the groceries. Underneath the slope of the stairs, I’ve made a cubby hole for the dog bed. It looks cool.”

“We were one of the first builders to add these to our homes: hidden pantry doors (built into the cabinets to blend); PGT doors (the over-sized sliding doors from family room to outdoor area); and train-berth beds (which are beds built into the wall). We have also brought an outdoor theme to a basement. “If you wait until the Spring Parade of Homes, you will see a bed inside of a wall with a pull-out trundle, Eze-Breeze windows on patios and the rounded arched custom coffer ceiling.”

Disney Construction Co. “We view ourselves as being a hands-on custom builder, and we take great pride in our carpentry,” Patti Disney said. “In terms of innovation, we’re open Patti Disney to listening to what our buyers are looking for. We encourage them to envision with us. “We’ve done bunk rooms in a few homes, where we frame the beds in

the rooms and the work is customized for the space. We can incorporate bunk beds in a bonus room or an area with sloped walls. In a home on Smith Mountain Lake, we put eight bunk beds in a room for the grandkids. “We did a home in The Farm at Summerfield recently unlike what we’ve ever done before because it was very contemporary, like a California-style home. It incorporated a wine cellar made of glass allowing you to look into it from the wet bar area. It’s like a piece of art. We worked with an entrepreneur who owns a company called Kerf & Burled on some of the interior work. “In the kitchen of our Parade home in Berrier Ridge, rather than having a regular door for the pantry, we built the pantry doors as part of the cabinetry. When you open the pair of doors, you step into a deep walk-in pantry. Other builders do this, and we just love it. It is a really nice look in terms of the finished product. “In some of our spec homes, we’ve

gone out on a limb from the standpoint of design and interior selection to find new, trending ideas in terms of colors and tiles. We’re trying not to be so much on the ‘safe side’ of doing just the traditional spec interiors.”

Don Mills Builders “I invented the ‘Donnie Door,’ which is a grocery door that goes directly from the garage to the pantry,” Don Mills told us. “I was in a friendly Don Mills competitor’s house and he had a little closet in the garage. It wasn’t big enough to serve much purpose. When I walked through the house, I noticed that the closet backed up to the pantry. It hit me that it would be more useful to put a door between the garage and the pantry where you could set down your groceries. “It’s an idea that I came up with in 2009 and other builders are using it now. People building houses now are requesting it.”

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SUMMERFIELD town council Tuesday, Feb. 12 / MEETING HIGHLIGHTS as reported by CHRIS BURRITT Mayor Gail Dunham called the monthly meeting to order. Mayor Pro Tem Dena Barnes and council members John O’Day, Teresa Pegram and Dianne Laughlin were present, as were Town Manager Scott Whitaker, Finance Officer Dee Hall, Town Clerk Lance Heater and Town Attorney Bill Hill. Council member Reece Walker was absent due to illness.

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Rev. Danny Janes, pastor of Liberty Wesleyan Church, offered the invocation, which was followed by the Pledge of Allegiance and the introduction of council members and town staff. The meeting agenda and minutes from Jan. 8, Jan. 15 and Jan. 24 meetings, a budget amendment and the addition of Strader Court to the state’s secondary road system were approved.

ANNOUNCEMENTS Historical Workshops. The Historical Committee is sponsoring two community workshops led by Northwest Guilford High School history teacher Ray Parrish. The first is scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 21, and the topic will be how the U.S. Constitution is relevant today; the second is scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 28, and will focus on the history of the Revolutionary War in Guilford County. Both workshops are to be held at Summerfield Community Center from 7-9 p.m. Republic Services Meeting. Whitaker said Republic Services plans to make a presentation about trash and recycling collection, including an explanation of items that can and can’t be recycled, at a public information meeting scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 5, at Summerfield Community Center.

EMERGENCY SERVICES Fire District. Asst. Chief Jenna Daniels reported Summerfield Fire District responded to 40 fire-related calls, 59 EMS-related calls and 70 other calls in January. Firefighters also installed 24 car seats and two smoke alarms. The district’s fourth annual Stop, Drop and Roll 5K walk/run is scheduled for Saturday, March 30. Participants can register at jonesracingcompany.com. Those interested in sponsorship opportunities can contact the Fire District at (336) 643-4341 or visit the district’s website or Facebook page. Proceeds from the 5K will be split among the Summerfield Firefighters Charitable Corp., Summerfield Elementary School and Summerfield Charter Academy.

Sheriff’s Office. Capt. Brian Hall with the Sheriff’s District 1 office said his staff responded to only two Part 1 crimes in Summerfield in January, a residential burglary and a shoplifting incident. In total, the District 1 office responded to 129 calls for service in January.

COMMITTEE REPORTS Historical. Chair Gary Brown reported that he met with Si Rothrock, a historic builder and preservationist, and Rob Kennerly, a structural engineer, to assess the condition of Saunders Inn and the viability of and possible means for stabilizing the building structure. The committee asked Brown to discuss with council members, the town manager and David Couch, the building’s owner, their degree of interest “in pursuing options for the future of this historic building,” Brown said.

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The committee is in agreement that “every effort should be made” to try to preserve the building, he said, but that doing so would require “significant positive commitment and financial support from the community.” Brown said the committee would be in favor of building a new town hall facing U.S. 220 with “ample parking and a nice outdoor area” on the 13 acres owned by the town at the corner N.C. 150 and U.S. 220. He added that the Martin house and Gordon building would serve a “significant purpose” in intersection improvements at N.C. 150 and Summerfield Road, although that purpose is “currently ill-defined.”

Trails and Open Space. Chair Jane Doggett said the committee met with Whitaker to discuss plans for the proposed sidewalk along U.S. 220 that will extend from the pedestrian tunnel under the highway, where the A&Y Greenway currently ends, to Summerfield Road. “The committee still strongly supports the sidewalk out of the tunnel,” she said. “We hope we can get this done soon.” The council voted 4-1 to spend as much as $150,000 for engineering firm Freese and Nichols to provide a conceptual design of the approximately 600-foot-long sidewalk and an estimate for the cost to build it. The current fiscal year’s budget includes $70,000 for the project; an additional $80,000 will come from two state grants for downtown development. Pegram voted against the motion to spend $150,000. O’Day said the sidewalk would enhance “our community visibility” and serve bikers and pedestrians. “I’ve always supported trails,” Dunham said. “We still have to look at the costs. We want to make sure that when we’re doing it, we get it right.”

Founders’ Day. “Overall, the event planning is progressing nicely,” Whita-

TOWN COUNCIL MEMBERS

Gail Dunham,

mayor

John O’Day

Dena Barnes,

www.summerfieldnc.gov

Teresa Pegram

mayor pro-tem

Dianne Laughlin

Reece Walker

NEXT MEETING

CONTACT YOUR TOWN

Tuesday, March 12 • 6:30pm Summerfield Community Center

(336) 643-8655 clerk@summerfieldnc.gov

ker said. The 23rd annual festival is scheduled for Friday and Saturday, May 17 and 18.

PUBLIC COMMENTS  Beth Kaplan asked the council to continue supporting the opening of the A&Y Greenway tunnel and building the sidewalk along U.S. 220. She said completing the projects would fulfill goals of the town’s comprehensive plan and improve safety for hikers.  Danny Nelson distributed copies of a section of North Carolina’s general statutes that he said supported his opposition to the use of taxpayers’ dollars in the town’s defense of council member Dianne Laughlin, who was sued by former council member Todd Rotruck. Town Attorney Hill said the statute cited by Nelson isn’t applicable to Rotruck’s suit naming Laughlin and that it’s “absolutely laughable” to say the town can’t defend a sitting council member in litigation.

 Dwayne Crawford, a former councilman, asked that staff put on the town’s website the non-disclosure agreement (NDA) that Hill has asked council members to sign. When it was mentioned that the NDA is already posted on the website, the mayor asked Whitaker to tell Crawford where it can be found. Crawford responded, “If it’s there, I will find it.” (See related article in our Feb. 14-20 issue, front cover.)

ORMA

seasonal employee and to buy a utility vehicle and pull-behind trailer. One use for the vehicle would be providing event transportation to people with mobility problems, Whitaker said. Another item for budget consideration is additional ballfields at Summerfield Athletic Park.

...continued from p. 4

1990s, has been named academic dean, Wilson said. He also said Lt. Col. Skip Davidson, who had helped grow enrollment at Norwich Academy in Connecticut, will be marketing director. Wilson said he will temporarily take over the duties of business manager. Other positions have apparently not yet been filled.

Uniform development ordinance (UDO). The council approved spending $40,375 to hire engineering firm McGill Associates to help the town finalize the UDO. The firm originally cited a figure of $29,375 for its work. The town’s Zoning Board requested $11,000 more to cover additional meetings with Richard Smith, community and economic development director for McGill.

Wilson said the board has big plans for Oak Ridge Military, which now has 60 students. Like similar schools, it is competing for enrollment with charter schools, home schooling, other military schools and private schools. Still, the school has ambitious goals: 150 students by September. It also wants to convert the old post office building into flight instruction classrooms with a flight simulator, incorporate it into the school’s course offerings, and renovate other buildings for use, perhaps by the community.

Committee Appointment. The council appointed Paul Lambrecht to the Trails & Open Space Committee following the resignation of Tim Sessoms. Lambrecht, who previously chaired the committee, will serve until July 2021.

BUSINESS FROM MAYOR AND COUNCIL Creek Week proclamation. Dunham read a proclamation declaring March 23-31 as Summerfield Creek Week, which is part of efforts to educate the public about stormwater pollution and water quality and conservation. The meeting was adjourned at 8:25 p.m.

BUSINESS FROM MANAGER Budget Planning. Whitaker listed possible future expenses that may figure into the council’s budget planning for next fiscal year which begins July 1. Among them is permanent meeting space for the council and tablet computers for council members. The Parks and Recreation director has requested the council consider giving him authority to hire a second

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The school recently listed for sale the post office and several other historic buildings to generate money. But Wilson said the sale will not interfere with the school’s plans. He said it could take a while to sell the 2.5-acre property, listed at $1.17 million, and that the school would use it at least until then. “We’re really excited about where we’re headed,” Wilson said. “We’re growing, but not as fast as we want.”

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Garrison wins second straight individual Coming wrestling state title

April 4

by MEREDITH BARKLEY February has been one to remember for Northwest Guilford High wrestler Chris Garrison.

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Northwest High senior Chris Garrison celebrates after winning his second consecutive individual wrestling state title at the Greensboro Coliseum Feb. 16. Photo courtesy of Christine Garrison

Not only did the senior help his Viking team win the first 4A state tournament in school history earlier in the month, but last Saturday he fought his way to his second straight individual state title. “There’s always a little nerves,” said Garrison, who finished the season undefeated at 33-0. “But when you get on the mat you’re in the zone, and don’t think about anything. I knew I was prepared.” Said mom Christine Garrison: “My husband (Scot) and I are just overwhelmingly proud. He’s put a lot of hard work and dedication into the sport. He deserved the win. He had a lot of support from his team.” Chris Garrison will take his wrestling skills to NC State next year and his parents expect to burn a path to the wrestling arena there the next several years to watch.

“Every chance we get,” said his mom, for whom Chris is named.

to secure your spot

The title match at the Greensboro

Coliseum went quickly. Garrison pinned Shylik Scriven of Athens Drive High in Raleigh midway through the first period. “I got him in a cradle and just finished the match,” said Garrison, who wrestled in the 182-pound weight class. “It ended up being a quick pin, which was pretty nice.” Last year he won the state title in the 170-pound weight class. The only other Northwest wrestler to win two state titles was Jason Wear, according to Coach Ron Bare. Wear won at 140 pounds in 1993 and 152 pounds in 1994. Bare, who has coached wrestling at Northwest for 30 years, was assistant at the time. Riley Edwards, a sophomore who won crucial matches during the team’s state title run earlier in the month and was named tournament most valuable wrestler, finished fourth in the 113-pound weight class last Saturday. “He’s got two more years,” Garrison said. “I think he’ll win it.” Others from Northwest who went deep in the tournament were: James Joplin, another sophomore, also finished fourth at 120 pounds, and Finn Queen, a senior, finished fifth at 145 pounds.

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Student profiles brought to you this week by:

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olmstedorthodontics.com 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 STEWART MCCLINTOCK Junior Christian Hampton is a guard on Coach Lee Reavis’ basketball team. Last year, as a sophomore, Hampton was named Metro 4A All-Conference and Metro 4A Defensive Player of the Year. This year he was named MVP of the prestigious 43rd Annual HAECO Invitational Tournament in December.

is beating Greensboro Day School in the HAECO tournament in December. The victory put an end to Greensboro Day’s streak of seven straight HAECO championships. After graduating in 2020, Hampton hopes to play basketball in college while pursuing a degree in mechanical engineering. He would like to one day play professional basketball, and he also wants to use his engineering degree to work on cars or airplanes.

On a side note …

up to him, play like he used to, and hope to go farther than he could have gone.” Q: If you could interview one person, living or dead, who would it be?

A: “A time machine. I’d like to go back to the 1980s so I could see Larry (Byrd) and Magic (Johnson) play, and watch a young (Michael) Jordan play.”

A: “Martin Luther King Jr. He was so inspirational and he changed the world!”

Q: What’s one thing we all could do to make the world a better place?

Q: Where would you go on a dream vacation?

Q: Do you have any hobbies?

A: “To the Bahamas. It’s so peaceful and stress-free over there.”

A: “Come together as one.” A: “I like to cut the grass and do anything around the house to earn a little extra cash.”

Q: If you were to leave behind a time capsule for people to find 100 years from now, what would you leave in it?

Q: What’s something about you that not many people know?

A: “Video and pictures of how our world is now.”

Q: How do you enjoy spending your free time?

Q: What is an invention the world needs?

A: “Going to the gym to work out, and hanging out with friends.”

A: “That I’m very kind.”

Q: What is your favorite food? A: “Catfish.” Q: Favorite movie? A: “Transformers.” Q: Favorite book? A: “The Boy in the Striped Pajamas.”

Of his basketball goals, Hampton said, “As a team, we’ve just got to stick together as one unit, and ultimately we want to win a state championship. Individually, I want to help my team as best I can, and go as far as we can. In the future I want to play college ball, and then hopefully play past that.”

Q: Favorite genre of music?

Hampton’s favorite basketball memory while playing for the Vikings

A: “My dad. He’s my hardest critic in basketball. I love him to death, look

A: “Rap.” Q: Favorite professional athlete? A: “Michael Jordan.” Q: Favorite celebrity?

Who will be the voice for this child? Over 250 children in Guilford County will go to court alone. Learn how to be an advocate for an abused or neglected child by becoming a Guardian Ad Litem.

(336) 412-7580 | volunteerforgal.org

A: “Beyoncé.” Q: Do you have a role model?

The Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996

FEB. 21 - 27, 2019

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FEB. 21 - 27, 2019

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

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

GRINS to...  Oak Ridge Florist for delivering two beautiful rose arrangements for my wife and daughter on Valentine’s Day, exactly as they promised. Great customer service!  Oak Ridge Military Academy, which is a wonderful part of our community. Last week we noticed the cadets in ceremony, lowering the American flag for the night. How blessed we are to live in the U.S. and in Oak Ridge.  Cool Southern folk who let their neighbors walk their dog in their adjacent field, with permission. No pettiness or hostility, just friendly neighbors.  New York China at Kings Crossing in Stokesdale. You have the absolute best Chinese food we have ever had. Love it!  Susan from Daly Floral Designs for getting a Valentine’s Day arrangement to my girlfriend when other florists couldn’t find her.  The man who bought seven boxes of Girl Scout cookies on Valentine’s Day and delighted us four girls by gifting each of us a box of our favorites. It made our day!  Kayleigh at the CVS Pharmacy in Oak Ridge. Despite being overwhelmed with calls every day, she is always smiling, willing to help and delivers awesome customer service!  Luke for making cookies for the Oak Ridge Fire Department and sheriff’s office and delivering them on Valentines’ Day as a thank-you for their work in the community. You are a very thoughtful and special kid.

The Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996

GRIPES to...

 The person who responded in last week’s issue about the recent rezoning in Oak Ridge. Although we have seen a decrease by two approvals since 2014, what comparison is there on total acreage of land approved each year? Does there need to be any?  Our neighbor who allows her kids to pluck off the roses from our plants and stomp all over our ground cover flowers as they retrieve their basketballs and baseballs.  Royal Homes, builder in Highland Grove South, and all their employees and contractors who disregard the 25 mph speed limit on Highland Grove Drive. Editor’s note: We reached out to Royal Homes of North Carolina to make sure they were aware of this resident’s concerns and shortly afterward received a return call from company owner/ manager Bob Woodard. “Thank you for bringing this to my attention,” Woodard said. “We strive hard to be good neighbors and treat our communities with respect. I want to encourage any homeowner in any of our communities who has an issue with our contractors or workers to please contact me directly at (336) 420-3404.” Woodard also said he would speak with his employees and contractors about exceeding the 25 mph speed limit in Highland Grove “and make sure they know that we do not approve of this kind of behavior.” We also spoke with law enforcement and were told officers will drive through Highland Grove more often to ensure drivers are adhering to the speed limit.

LeBauer Sports Medicine providers Getting you back in the game, whether it’s backyard badminton or schoolyard soccer (L-R) Jeremy Schmitz, MD; Zach Smith, DO; Michael Rigby, DO

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To make an appointment with a sports medicine provider, call our office or visit www.lebauer.com. To schedule an appointment with our concussion clinic, call (336) 851-8436.

Zach Smith, DO

LeBauer Sports Medicine at Elam 520 N. Elam Ave. Greensboro, NC 27403 (336) 547-1792 Michael Rigby, DO

LeBauer Sports Medicine at Horse Pen Creek 4443 Jessup Grove Rd. Greensboro, NC 27410 (336) 663-4600 Jeremy Schmitz, MD

LeBauer Sports Medicine at Grandover 4023 Guilford College Rd. Greensboro, NC 27407 (336) 890-2040

lebauer.com

ertical date

CRIME / INCIDENT report

District 1 Sheriff’s Office

has recently responded to the following incidents in northwest Guilford County ... ASSAULT FEB. 15 | At 1:34 a.m. a resident of the 7000 block of Shadyside Drive in Summerfield reported her two juvenile daughters got into a fight and both sustained minor injuries. No charges were filed. FEB. 15 | At 11:01 a.m. law enforcement and EMS responded to a call

from a resident of the 8400 block of Stokesdale Street in Stokesdale, who said her husband pushed her. No medical treatment was required. The offender was taken to the hospital for mental evaluation. FEB. 29 | At 8:03 a.m. a resident of the 2900 block of Oak Ridge Road in Oak Ridge reported her 17-year-old

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daughter put her in a headlock and hit her in the face during an argument. There were no apparent signs of injury and charges were not filed.

BURGLARY FEB. 12 | A resident of the 8100 block of Shoeline Road in Stokesdale reported that sometime between 6:15 a.m. and 4:41 p.m. an unknown suspect broke a window to the home to gain entry, and once inside stole a television and two PlayStation systems with a total estimated value of $1,050. FEB. 13 | Residents of the 7000 block of Athens Drive in Stokesdale reported that at 12:40 p.m. a known suspect entered the home through a back window and stole several jewelry items with an estimated value of $135. FEB. 17 | At 4:02 p.m. a resident of the 1800 block of Scalesville Road in Summerfield reported the theft of a 1999 Ford truck. The victim claimed a known offender from the 5100 block of New Street in Walkertown broke into his outbuilding, stole the truck, and proceeded to sell it for scrap. The truck was later recovered at a scrap yard in Lexington. The estimated value of the recovered truck is $1,500. FEB. 17 | Residents of the 7000 block of Summerfield Road in Summerfield reported that sometime between 5:36 and 11:13 p.m. an unknown suspect(s) forced the back door open to gain entry and once inside stole numerous items with a total estimated value of $1,000.

FRAUD FEB. 15 | A resident of the 1400 block of Bethan Drive in Summerfield reported $245 stolen after applying for a tax ID number on a fraudulent website which appeared to be the IRS.

VANDALISM FEB. 14 | A resident of the 1600 block of N.C. 68 N. in Oak Ridge reported that sometime between 4 and 6:30 a.m. a known suspect slashed

FEB. 21 - 27, 2019

The Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996

her vehicle’s tires.

ARRESTS/CITATIONS FEB. 12 | A 25-year-old male was cited at 12:33 a.m. near the I-73/N.C. 150 interchange in Summerfield for driving 15 mph over the speed limit. FEB. 15 | A 25-year-old female resident of Greensboro was arrested at 6:03 a.m. near the 1-73/N.C. 150 interchange in Summerfield for a felony charge of possession of cocaine, maintaining dwelling/vehicle for a controlled substance and a misdemeanor charge of possession of marijuana. FEB. 15 | A 20-year-old female and a 28-year-old female were cited at 10:35 a.m. at Northwest High School for second degree trespassing. FEB. 16 | A 30-year-old female was arrested at 8:45 p.m. near the I-73/U.S. 158 interchange in Summerfield for giving false information to an officer. FEB. 17 | A 28-year-old male was cited at 12:12 a.m. near the intersection of U.S. 220/Scalesville Road in Summerfield for driving 15 mph over the speed limit. FEB. 18 | A 29-year-old male was arrested at 9:58 p.m. in the 8200 block of Spotswood Road in Summerfield for two felony charges of trafficking opium or heroin.

District 1 Sheriff’s Office 7506 Summerfield Road Main number: (336) 641-2300 Report non-emergency crime-related incidents by calling:

(336) 373-2222 8 a.m. - 5 p.m., Monday - Friday

in case of emergency, dial

911

www.guilfordcountync.gov/ our-county/sheriff-s-office

Capt. Brian Hall

AUTO SALES & SERVICE

SAVE THE DATE

HOME SERVICES

EUROPEAN AUTO SERVICE & REPAIR We specialize in factory-scheduled maintenance and repairs. Mercedes, BMW, Volkswagen, Audi, Volvo, Mini and Porsche. 32 years experience. Knight Import Specialty Service, 4559 US Highway 220, Summerfield (across from Food Lion). (336) 337-0669.

MOTHER AND SON ART SHOW DEBUT! March 1-3, Historical Sternberger, 712 Summit Avenue, Greensboro. Catch the story in Yes! Weekly February 21. More info: www.celebratearteveryday.com.

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

EMPLOYMENT

Place online at

DEADLINE: Monday prior to each issue

NEED HELP? Call (336) 644-7035, ext. 10 Mon - Fri • 9am -12:30pm

INDEX

Auto Sales & Service ................... 27 Employment ............................... 27 Homecare Available .................... 27 Save the Date ............................. 27 Yard Sales ................................... 27 Home Services ....................... 27-29 Misc. for Sale .............................. 29 Misc. Services.............................. 29 Misc. Wanted .............................. 29 Pets & Animal Services ................ 29 Real Estate.................................. 29

STILL WATER FARM is looking for an EXPERIENCED FARM HAND to run local horse farm in Summerfield. Housing available/optional. Pay based on experience. Email khan1889@yahoo.com if interested. LAWN MAINTENANCE. Looking for an experienced and reliable person. Great opportunity for the right business-minded person. Please call (336) 404-0489. PART-TIME KENNEL ASSISTANT needed. Duties include patient care, restocking inventory and cleaning. Must be responsible, reliable, have own transportation and able to work mornings. Please bring resume to Northwest Animal Hospital in Oak Ridge.

Join GIDEON GROVE UMC on Fat Tuesday for FREE PANCAKES & PRAYER. Tuesday, March 5, 5-7pm at 2865 Gideon Grove Church Road, Stokesdale. Come to Gideon Grove United Methodist Church for pancakes, sausage or bacon, and great fellowship.

Something

going on

Tell northwest Guilford County Place your Save the Date online at

YARD SALES HOMECARE AVAILABLE IN-HOME HEALTHCARE. Experienced CNA with great references. (336) 456-9377.

SAVE THE DATE Oak Ridge HISTORIC HERITAGE GRANTS! Information session, Mon., Feb. 25, 7pm at Oak Ridge Town Hall, 8315 Linville Road. Learn more about grants up to $2,000 available to preserve historic properties in Oak Ridge. Information sheet and application forms can be found on the town's website, www.oakridgenc.com. Call Town Hall with additional questions at (336) 644-7009. Application deadline is March 25 by 4pm. KIDS CONSIGNMENT SALE Fri., Mar. 1, 9am-8pm and Sat., Mar. 2, 8am1pm, (some items 50% off on Sat.). St. Paul's Catholic Church, 2715 Horse Pen Creek Road, GSO. www.stpaulskidssale.com.

NEIGHBORHOOD YARD SALE, Saturday, March 2, 8am-1pm at Trotter Ridge/Southern Oaks in Summerfield, off Bunch Road. TAG SALE, Saturday, March 9, 8am-2pm, 5544 Murphy Road, Summerfield. Everything must go. Rain or shine.

HOME SERVICES CLEANING Let TIDY TWO clean for you! Great rates & amazing service. (336) 423-2132. CRYSTAL CLEAR WINDOW CLEANING Gutter cleaning, pressure washing. Fully ins. windowcleaningnc.com (336) 595-2873. THE CLEANING TECHNICIAN INC. For a one-time clean or bi-weekly, I can fit your schedule. Licensed, bonded and insured. Call Lisa, (336) 207-0770.

The Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996

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.

ELECTRICAL Do you have ELECTRICAL NEEDS? Call Coble Electric LLC at (336) 209-1486. It's generator season, call us to get yours installed! BALEX ELECTRICAL COMPANY, LLC. Got Power? Residential, commercial and solar electrical services. (336) 298-4192. Need an electrician? Call BLACKMON ELECTRICAL, INC. Free estimates. Commercial & residential. Licensed & insured. Call (336) 430-5018.

FLOORING MONTERO'S HARDWOOD FLOORING Installation of hardwood, laminate & tile; hardwood sanding & finishing. Commer Commercial & residential. Insured, 17 yrs. exp. Free est., exc. references. Call (336) 215-8842 or visit Monteros-hardwood-flooring.com.

Your business should be here! Let us introduce you to our readers. Call Marilyn at (336) 644-7035 to find out how we can help you!

GENERAL REPAIR & SERVICES FIX YOUR MOWER. Free pickup & delivery. Call Rick, (336) 501-8681. Affordable HOME REPAIRS. One call fixes all! A+ with BBB. For a free estimate, call (336) 643-1184 or (336) 987-0350.

... continued on p. 28

FEB. 21 - 27, 2019

HOME SERVICES

OLD SCHOOL

HOME REPAIR/IMPROVEMENTS “No Job Too Small”

HOME SERVICES

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

FAY'S LAWNCARE & LANDSCAPING Complete landscape maintenance & hardscaping. Tree work. Reasonable & honest. Call Taylor, (336) 458-6491.

CARLOS & SON PAINTING, interior and exterior. 24 hours/7 days a week. Free estimates, licensed/insured. (336) 669-5210.

Wood Rot Repairs • Bathroom Remodeling Painting • Decks and much more! • Insured

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

PEARMAN QUARRY HAULING Fill dirt, gravel, sand rock, mulch & more. Joel Richardson, (336) 803-2195.

(336) 669-7252

oldschoolsjhr@triad.rr.com

L & T SMALL ENGINE SERVICE "We get you mowing!" Comm./res., all models. 2103 Oak Ridge Rd., Oak Ridge. Call (336) 298-4314, landtsmallengineservice.com. APPLIANCE REPAIR – Call Mr. Appliance A step above the rest! (336) 609-5707. HVAC MAINTENANCE & REPAIR. What a difference a “Day” makes. (336) 529-4499.

NC FORESTRY MULCHING Land clearing, vegetation management, pasture reclaiming, ATV trails, site clear clearing, etc. Environmentally friendly without disrupting the soil! Call (336) 362-6181 or visit ncforestrymulching.com.

LAWNCARE / LANDSCAPING

MOWER DECKS WELDED & REPAIRED. Pickup and delivery available. Call or text Morris at (336) 880-7498.

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

WELDING, FABRICATING, MACHINING. Will pick up and deliver. (336) 362-8408.

HILL LAWNCARE & OUTDOOR SERVICES. Free estimate. Call (336) 669-5448.

GREENERTIMES SMALL ENGINE Sales & Service Center. All types sold and repaired; comm./res. 9428 NC Hwy. 65, Stokesdale. (336) 548-9286 or (336) 3123844.

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

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.

GRADING / HAULING

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 643-9157. ALL-SEASON STUMP GRINDING. Owner Alan Winfree. Free est. Call (336) 382-9875.

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

FEB. 21 - 27, 2019

WILSON LANDSCAPING, INC. Lawn maint, landscaping. Irrigation/ landscape contractor. Hardscaping & landscape lighting. 26 years exp. (336) 399-7764. SOUTHERN CUTS LAWN CARE, complete lawn maintenance services. 13 years experience. Nathan Adkins, (336) 500-1898. STEVE NEWMAN TREE SERVICE. Free est. Lic/Ins. 40 yrs. exp. Lots & natural area thinning and cleanup. Large shrubbery jobs, chipping. Oak Ridge, (336) 643-1119. NC FORESTRY MULCHING. Environmentally friendly clearing without disrupting the soil! 5-star reviews. Call (336) 362-6181 or visit ncforestrymulching.com.

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

MISC. SERVICES & PRODUCTS

GAULDIN TRUCKING, grading & hauling, bobcat work, lot clearing, driveways, fill dirt, gravel, etc. (336) 362-1150. FORESTRY MULCHING. Reclaiming overgrown pastures, property lines and trails. (336) 362-8408.

CAROLINA STUMP & TREE SERVICE Complete tree service, $1 million liability, work workman’s comp. Rick & Judy, (336) 643-9332. www.carolinaStumpAndTreeServices.com.

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facebook.com/NorthwestObserver

GRILLS, FIRE PITS, tankless water heaters. General home repairs. Call Don Hill, (336) 643-7183.

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

The Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996

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

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

(336) 931-0600

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

LAWSON'S PAINTING. Custom decks, pressure washing, boat docks, block fill, wood repair, stain work, textured ceilings, sheetrock repair. Call (336) 253-9089. CINDY’S PAINTING. Interior painting, wall-paper removal. References & free estimates available. (336) 708-9155.

PLUMBING 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 BELEWS CREEK CONSTRUCTION Kitchens/baths, custom decks, garages, dock work, siding, windows, roofing, rotted wood. Sr. disc., 39 years exp. (336) 362-6343.

HOME SERVICES

MISC. WANTED

REAL ESTATE

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

KEITH SMITH CONSTRUCTION 30 years experience. Residential shingle & metal roofing. Free est. (336) 362-7469.

FREE PICK-UP of unwanted riding & push mowers, tillers, golf carts, ATVs, generators, power washers, chain saws, scooters, mini-bikes, most grills, tools, metal and electrical items, etc. (336) 689-4167.

HOMESITES FOR SALE. Southern Rock-

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

ROOFING. Best prices in town! Shingle and metal roofing. Top-notch quality. Res./comm., licensed & insured. Financing available. Belews Creek Construction, (336) 362-6343.

MISC. FOR SALE .44-CALIBER BLACK POWDER PISTOL. Good condition, $200. (336) 312-5002. MADE-TO-ORDER CUSTOM FURNITURE using reclaimed wood, natural-edge slab pieces and metal. (336) 362-8408. SEASONED FIREWOOD, delivered and stacked, 1/2 cord, $80. Call (336) 686-6373.

our advertisers for

making each weekly issue possible!

CLINARD & SON ROOFING, LLC. Residential roofing, rubber flat roofs, roof coating, metal roofs. 30 years experience. Call (336) 643-8191 or (336) 580-3245. RED RHINO ROOFING, based in Oak Ridge, NC. Storm damage specialist experienced with all types of roofing. BBB accredited A and listed with Angie’s List. Call (336) 944-6118, or visit redrhinoroofing.com.

FABRIC NEEDED for Sew to Sow Ministry to make dresses for girls in Kenya. Cotton fabrics work best, any amount. Also need buttons, ribbon, lace trimming, elastic and thread. Call Beth, (336) 644-8155.

AVAILABLE FOR SALE RABBITS FOR SALE, call (336) 362-8408.

Homesites starting at $39,900 ranging from 2 to 6 acres. Four 10-acre estate sites and one 25-acre tract. Beautifully wooded, and open land with gentle terrain. Ponds and streams on some tracts. No HOA or dues! Offered for a limited time at pre-development 20% discount prices. Call now for appointment to reserve your dream property. Call (336) 430-9507 anytime.

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES 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.

PET SITTING KRISTIN'S PET SITTING, dog walking, daily visits, medications, etc. Vet tech experience. (336) 337-8172.

BARN QUILTS. Jazz up your barn or house with a unique hand-painted barn quilt. All sizes & designs available. Call Laura to order, (336) 662-7016.

MISC. SERVICES ROOFING

SEWING MACHINES NEEDED for Sew to Sow Ministry to make dresses for girls in Kenya. If you have a gently used, working sewing machine you would like to donate, please call Beth, (336) 644-8155.

PETS & ANIMAL SVCS.

DOUGLAS CONSTRUCTION & REMODELING, LLC. Custom Builder, sunrooms, garages, additions, kitchens baths. Licensed & Insured, BBB A+ accredited. Free est. Visit www.douglascr.com or call (336) 413-5050.

thanks

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

ingham County with Summerfield address.

ERRANDS AND MORE, LLC. Providing assistance with general errands for families of all ages including senior-care services, transportation to Dr. appts., house sitting, pick-up & delivery service for Rx, meals & groceries. Additional services available. Insured. Follow us on Facebook at Errands and More, LLC. Call Pam at (336) 202-2420. SAM'S AUTO BODY SHOP. Any type of body work. 45 years exp. (336) 347-7470.

HOME FOR SALE BEAUTIFUL OAK RIDGE HOME!

WENDY COLLINS PET SITTING. Registered & Insured. Follow me on Facebook! Call or text, (336) 339-6845.

REAL ESTATE HOME FOR RENT HOME FOR RENT IN OAK RIDGE. 3BR/2BA ranch-style home with two-car garage. $975/month. No pets, no smokers. $500 security deposit. (336) 996-4989.

LAND FOR SALE LAND FOR SALE IN SUMMERFIELD. One-of-a-kind estate and/or horse farm tract. Open and wooded. Available for the distinctive buyer. Serious inquiries only. Call (336) 430-9507 for more info.

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For superior marketing, call Ramilya Siegel CRS, GRI, SRES, Chairman’s Circle Award

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... continued on p. 30

FEB.21 21- -27, 27,2019 2019 FEB.

29 29

ELECTION

...continued from p. 1

in that seat according to the vacancy terms outlined by NCGS 160A-63. Hill emailed council members on Monday, however, to tell them a charter amendment similar to the one approved last November had already been approved in 2008 but due to an oversight it had not been recorded. The charter amendment Hill refers to dates back to April 2008, when the council voted unanimously to approve a resolution to change the town charter to reflect state law on how a vacant council seat should be filled. At that time, the Northwest Observer reported it was prompted by confusion which had arisen when council seats were changed (by a charter amendment) from two-year terms to four-year staggered terms and the charter had not been updated to reflect state law.

hensive document (in other words, the original town charter document approved in 1995 is not altered, rather charter amendments are added and filed as separate documents).

“This particular action of the Legislature, which was approved in the summer of 2008, for whatever reason, that action was not among the items in the collection of documents related to the charter,” Heater explained. “Why that didn’t happen, I don’t know.”

Hill was directed in 2008 to request a local act be passed by the General Assembly to reflect the changes and update the town’s charter – which he did and it was. However, the charter change was never recorded in town records.

“The change to the town’s charter was requested (in 2008) and enacted, but we did not receive any follow-up notifying us of same,” Hill wrote in an email to council members and staff on Monday. Lance (Heater) has a chart of all charter changes, and this did not appear on it. Regardless, we will follow NCGS 160A-63.”

“What we have (regarding charter amendments) is a collection of documents – individual actions over the years that change the charter,” Town Clerk Lance Heater explained when asked how the oversight might have occurred. “There is no one compre-

An excerpt from the state statute reads, “… If the next regular city election will be held within 90 days after the vacancy occurs, the person appointed to fill the vacancy shall serve the remainder of the unexpired term. Otherwise, a successor shall be elected

at the next regularly scheduled city election that is held more than 90 days after the vacancy occurs, and the person appointed to fill the vacancy shall serve only until the elected successor takes office. The elected successor shall then serve the remainder of the unexpired term.” That means Laughlin’s seat will be one of four, rather than three, Summerfield Town Council open seats in the upcoming November election (the four-year terms of John O’Day, Reece

NEWS in brief

Walker and Dena Barnes are expiring this November); the mayor’s seat will also be open, as the mayor in Summerfield is elected every two years. The person elected to serve in the seat Laughlin now occupies will likely serve a two-year term, since Summerfield Town Council members serve staggered terms, with three council members elected to four-year terms in one election and two council members elected to four-year terms in the next municipal election two years later.

...continued from p. 3

lion retrofit to allow the plant to use a 50-50 mix of coal and natural gas to generate electricity. Unit 1 of the twounit coal-fired plant will be ready for service this fall, Wheatley said. Unit 2 will be ready in the fall of 2020. It is the third plant Duke Energy is modifying to increase its natural-gas usage and will provide the largest megawatt

output of the three. A Duke Energy spokesman said last year the modification of the Belews Creek Steam Station will help reduce carbon emissions since natural gas burns cleaner than coal and will help keep costs down for customers by giving the facility the ability to use whichever fuel is cheapest at the time.

compassionate

personal caring responsive

20% OFF DENTAL CLEANING during Feb. 2019 Karen Nasisse, DVM

1692-J NC Hwy 68 N, Oak Ridge • (336) 643-8984 northwestanimalhospitalnc.com

FEB. 21 - 27, 2019

Photo by Chris Burritt/NWO

Van Tanner, of the Oak Ridge Youth Association, told Oak Ridge Town Council Feb. 7 that the association would like to use the Redmon house next to Town Park as a gathering place for volunteers helping with sporting events.

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By the Book Accounting ..................... 32 Carlotta Lytton, CPA, PA ...................... 6 Kimberly Thacker Accounting............... 6 Samuel K. Anders, CPA, MSA, PC........ 4

BEK Paint Company ........................... 28

AUTOMOTIVE SALES/SERVICES

Prostone Inc. ..................................... 10

Budget Blinds ...................................... 6 Carpets by Direct ............................... 24 Old School Home Repair ................... 28

Tire Max ............................................... 2 Vestal Buick GMC .............................. 26

Stokesdale Heating & Air ................... 13

BUILDERS

Barbour & Williams Law ....................... 8

Builders MD.......................................... 9 Dezern Construction Inc. .................... 18 Disney Custom Homes ....................... 14 Don Mills Builders ............................... 19 Johnson & Lee.................................... 16 Lansink Custom Homes...................... 18 Naylor Custom Homes ....................... 17 R&K Custom Homes .......................... 15 Ray Bullins Construction ..................... 14 Walraven Signature Homes ................ 14

LEGAL SERVICES MEDICAL CARE Dove Medical Supply ............................ 5 LeBauer Healthcare ........................... 25 Wake Forest Baptist – Summerfield ...... 3

ORTHODONTICS Olmsted Orthodontics ........................ 23

PET SERVICES & PRODUCTS Bel-Aire Veterinary Hospital ................. 6

CHILDREN’S SERVICES Guardian Ad Litem Program .............. 23

DENTAL SERVICES Borden Dentistry................................. 20 Summerfield Family Dentistry ............... 6

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Northwest Animal Hospital ................30 Westergaard Kennels ......................... 21

REAL ESTATE A New Dawn Realty .......................... 32 Berkshire Hathaway Yost & Little ........ 11

FUNERAL SERVICES Forbis & Dick, Stokesdale ................... 32

Nicole Gillespie, Remax ...................... 13 Piedmont Rental Homes....................... 6

HEALTH/FITNESS

Ramilya Siegel, Keller Williams ........... 29

YMCA of Greensboro ......................... 22

Smith Marketing ................................. 14

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FEB. 21 - 27, 2019

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Stokesdale At A New Dawn Realty, our team is passionate about serving the needs of our local community. We strive to offer top-notch service and have always been willing to go the extra mile to achieve our clients’ best interests. Our team combines exceptional energy and experience, and you’ll feel confident you made the right decision if you allow us to assist you! Visit our website or Facebook page to view our clients’ testimonials.

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Forbis&Dick Funeral Homes

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