Northwest Observer | Aug. 11 - 17, 2017

Aug. 11 - 17, 2017

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Council approves earlier Sunday alcohol sales Effective immediately, Oak Ridge retailers may sell alcohol beginning at 10 a.m. on Sundays by PATTI STOKES OAK RIDGE – Town council members voted 4-1 on Aug. 3 to allow merchants within Oak Ridge’s boundaries to sell alcohol two hours earlier on Sundays. The decision followed Gov. Roy Cooper’s June 30 signing of Senate Bill 155 – the “brunch bill” – which authorizes local governments to adopt an ordinance allowing the sale of alcohol beginning at 10 a.m. (versus noon) on Sundays.

Mayor Spencer Sullivan said he placed the ordinance on the agenda at the request of several local merchants. Jerry Cooke, co-owner of Oak Ridge Commons Shopping Center, and Lindsey Shropshire, a manager of Lowes Foods in Oak Ridge, spoke in favor of the ordinance, while Rev. Marcia Isley of St. James AME Church expressed concern that allowing earlier alcohol sales on Sundays would send the wrong message to young people in the community.

out of religious freedom … not all religions observe Sunday as the Sabbath, so to single out Sunday might be unfair,” Kinneman said, adding that in discussions about Planning and Zoning Board issues Councilman Mike Stone frequently says the Town shouldn’t be in the business of deciding what type of houses builders should build. On that same note, the sale and consumption of alcohol on Sunday mornings should be left to individuals, he said.

Councilman Jim Kinneman said the ordinance gives the opportunity for government to stay out of individual choices.

“No one is forcing you to go to church, to a restaurant, or to drink alcohol. People should have the choice to spend their Sunday morning – or any morning – the way they want,” he said.

“We have always made a big deal

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Town hires extra security in response to cartoon depicting ‘death threat’ by STEVE MANN SUMMERFIELD – Two Guilford County sheriff’s deputies were notably visible at Summerfield Town Council’s Aug. 8 meeting. Acknowledging their presence, Mayor Mark Brown explained that a cartoon on social media depicting what he called a “death threat” against two council members running for re-election and a candidate for mayor led him to request extra security during town council meetings until after the election. The cartoon, posted July 26 to Sum-

merfield News’ Facebook page, shows an executioner standing on a platform with the words “More Of The Same” inscribed on the side and two people commenting, “It’s this year’s election platform.” Above the cartoon, which appears to be from The Washington Post in 2014, is: “Editors Note: We will be happy to identify fact and opinions in our posts. Then you can decide if our opinion has any facts in it.” Below that it reads: “Opinion/Fact: Establishment candidates are: Tim Sessoms, Mike Adams, Diane Laughlin.”

Council members Adams and Laughlin are running for re-election; Sessoms, a former mayor, is running for the open mayor’s seat being vacated by Brown. During the announcements portion of the Aug. 8 council meeting, Brown read a prepared statement: “Sometime within the last three weeks, social media has shown a cartoon that depicts a death threat against two of our council members and one other candidate in the upcoming election.

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IN THIS ISSUE News in Brief ................................3 Your Questions ............................4 Oak Ridge Town Council ...........6 Bits & Pieces .............................. 10 Youth Sync ................................ 11 Crime/Incident Report ............. 14 Community Calendar .............. 15 Grins & Gripes ........................... 17 Classifieds ................................. 19 Index of Advertisers .................23 NWO on the Go! .......................24