Nov. 3 - 16, 2022
www.nwobserver.com
Teen killed, another injured NGHS parents seek GCS transparency after threat of violence by car while trick-or-treating The response of school and law enforcement officials to an incident in the high school in September sparks frustration among parents and calls for accountability by CHRIS BURRITT NORTHERN GREENSBORO – Some Northern Guilford High School parents are seeking a meeting with Guilford County Schools (GCS) and law enforcement officials after saying they’re concerned about the safety of students in the school. Over the past three weeks, several Facebook posts by NGHS parent Janelle Robinson talking about a ninth grader’s threat of violence against 13 other students in September has alarmed other parents. Some expressed fear for children and teachers and disappointment and distrust of school administrators, culminating in a meeting of more than 25 parents this past Tuesday, Nov. 1, to address their concerns. “All of our children need to feel safe in
school,” Lisa Goddard told other parents meeting in the Ridgewood subdivision’s clubhouse. For more than an hour, parents expressed concerns about reports of frequent fights in the school, vaping in bathrooms, bullying and a lack of respect by students. Again and again, the conversation circled back to the threat of violence, prompting parents to call for a school-wide meeting to seek answers from the high school’s administrators and the sheriff’s deputy, or resource officer, assigned to the school. The parents are also requesting the attendance of GCS Superintendent Whitney Oakley, Mike Richey, the district’s executive director of safety and security, Sheriff Danny Rogers and Capt. Brian Hall,
Don’t forget to set your clocks back one hour before going to bed Saturday, Nov. 5.
The tragedy occurred near where a deadly accident occurred three Halloweens ago, spurring Oak Ridge’s mayor to call for safety improvements on Haw River Road by CHRIS BURRITT OAK RIDGE – Halloween night
...continued on p. 12 trick-or-treating turned tragic after a
IN THIS ISSUE Daylight Saving Time ENDS Sunday, Nov. 6, at 2 a.m.
A roadside memorial has been set up for Aliyah Thornhill at the corner of Apple Grove Road and Haw River Road in Oak Ridge, where she was killed while trickor-treating on Halloween night. Inset photo shows Aliyah posing after performing in a production of “Grease” at Northwest Middle School last April.
NW Middle School plans advance .....2 News in brief...........................................3 Bits & Pieces ...........................................8 Welcome to our new advertiser.........8 Pets & Critters .......................................13 A heart for homeless felines .............14 Adoptable Pets ....................................16 Kids’ Korner .................................... 17, 32 Who’s behind those walking canes?...21 Harrison Beane meets ‘best friend’ – The Rock ......................................... 22
Farmers’ Day photo story ..................26 Community Calendar .......................27 Crime/Incident report ....................... 29 Youth Sync........................................... 33 Having fun raising funds for NAMI .. 34 Great Pumpkin Event photo story .....36 Race Against Hunger photo story ....38 Grins and Gripes ................................ 40 Letters/Opinions ................................. 42 Classifieds ........................................... 43 Index of Advertisers ............................47 NWO On The Go ................................. 48
Photo by Patti Stokes/NWO and (inset photo) courtesy of Jacob Luck
bringing the local news home to northwest Guilford County since November1996
vehicle struck two 14-year-old girls walking on Haw River Road, killing one of them and injuring the other.
...continued on p. 18
We honor our veterans on Friday, Nov. 11, and thank them for their service to our country. A veterans appreciation dinner will be held Nov. 9 (details on p. 9) and Veterans Day ceremonies will be held in Oak Ridge and Stokesdale on Nov. 11 (details on p. 28).