YOUR HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER SINCE 1978 w w w. j a m e s t o w n n e w s . c o m
WeekLy edITIOn
JUlY 2-8, 2025
Vol 47 No 27 | 1 Section | 8 Pages
Rezoning and annexation approved ToWN Hall oFFiCeS CloSeD JulY 4 The offices at Town Hall will be closed July 4 but there will be a Music in the Park event that evening. There are no changes to the solid waste schedules. CouNCil CaNDiDaTe FiliNG Council candidacy filing for Jamestown opens on July 7 at 8 a.m. and closes on July 18 at 12 noon. Serving on the Jamestown Town Council is an opportunity to be directly involved in decisions that impact the daily lives of residents – from land use and infrastructure to parks, safety and fiscal stewardship. Anyone passionate about making a difference and ensuring Jamestown continues to grow with care and character, consider running for office. The filing period for the 2025 municipal election will be managed by the Guilford County Board of Elections. Details may be found at the Board of Elections website. ReD CRoSS BlooD DoNaTioNS NeeDeD The American Red Cross asks donors to make a blood or platelets appointment now to help power the blood supply through mid-summer. All blood types are needed, but type O blood is most urgently needed. Type O negative blood is often reached for in emergencies when there isn’t time to match a patient’s blood type. Type O positive is the most common blood type, so it’s important to keep type O blood and all blood types on hand at hospitals for people facing both chronic illness and sudden, life-threatening conditions. Donate by visiting RedCrossBlood.org, calling 1-800-REDCROSS or by using the Red Cross Blood Donor App. Upcoming blood donation opportunities: July 8, 1:30-5:30 p.m., Gate City Baptist Church, 5250 Hilltop Road. July 14, 2-6:30 p.m., Bales Wesleyan Church, 1001 Bales Chapel Road. July 14, 2:30-7 p.m., Adams Farm Community Church, 5113 Mackay Road. aDaPTive PaDDliNG GetOutdoors Pedal & Paddle Adaptive Paddling Program along with the City of Greensboro Parks and Recreation are providing two types of kayak opportunities for people with disabilities this summer. • July 12 and Sept. 6, 10:30 a.m. at Lake Higgins Marina The Adaptive Paddling Experience provides an introduction to the joy of spending time on the water kayaking in a supportive environment for people with all types of disabilities. • Aug. 9, 10:30 a.m. at Lake Higgins Marina The Adaptive Paddling Skills Course provides kayak skills instruction for people with physical or communication disabilities. For more information, contact Bev Paddock, Adaptive Paddling Coordinator, at adaptive@shopgetoutdoors.com. Register at: tinyurl.com/youcanpaddle. Have an event that you think needs to be included in About Town? Email Norma B. Dennis at ndworddesign@gmail.com or Carol Brooks at cab1hp@gmail.com
The Civic Center at Town Hall was nearly full June 24 when the Town Council held its monthly meeting. Rezoning and Annexation The rezoning and annexation of 5125 R1 Atwater Drive took up the majority of the meeting, nearly one hour of the two-plus hour meeting. The applicant requested the 18.02-acre property be rezoned from Agricultural (A) to Conditional Zoning Single Family residential (CZ-SFT). This property is off Mackay Road at Adams Farm Parkway and backs up to the D.R.
Horton development. On April 14, the Planning Board voted 6-2 to approve the rezoning, with Peggy Levi and Sherrie Richmond, both Extra-Territorial Jurisdiction (ETJ) representatives, against. Since that time, the applicant voluntarily reduced the number of detached units from 73 to 68 and added a small park area. Jeff Guernier, of True Homes, LLC, the developer, said the one- or twocar homes would be available in several designs from which the purchaser may choose. These are not spec homes. They will not be constructed until a buyer selects a design. He said the majority of the homes would be pre-sold
with prices ranging from $310,000-$375,000. Pinetuck Road will be extended into a loop with houses facing the road. As at the Planning Board meeting, there was much discussion about congestion with cars parking on streets, making it unsafe for children walking to the school bus. However, Guernier said their studies show traffic was not really that significant. During the public hearing part of the rezoning, David Steele commented that there is a double rail line nearby, only one way in and out and a concrete plant is coming soon. Brad Wright commentsee RezOne, PAGE 2
Benjamin arnold
debra Mullis
dan Mcdaniel
Mitchell Faurote
turning trash into treasure Council approves nearly $20 million budget
By CaROL BROOks FREELANCE WRITER cab1hp@gmail.com Recycling is good for the environment. Taking paper, bottles, cans, etc. to a recycling center not only gets litter off the street but allows the items to be re-made into a new product. Mike Valle of Jamestown takes some of the trash — metal bottlecaps to be exact — and makes art. He’s been doing the hobby for 15 years in his free time from Neil Allen Furniture in High Point. A look at the large number of storage bins in his garage is a sign he has many more years of bottlecap art ahead of him. There are at least seven million caps there. “I know I’ve utilized over 100,000 caps at this point,” Valle said while admitting he did not know the exact number. “People keep giving them to me.” He uses mostly beer caps and has connections with several restaurants and bars in the area. He said people like to look at his work to find their favorite beer cap. “I started saving during college, based on the color, knowing I could do some-
By CaROL BROOks FREELANCE WRITER cab1hp@gmail.com
Savannah College of Art and Design graduate — especially since he already had a bottlecap collection. He recreated the “Mona Lisa” for his original piece. “It took about 3,000 bot-
With just one week before the start of the new fiscal year, on June 24 the Jamestown Town Council approved a $19,984,997 budget for fiscal year 2025-26. In accordance with North Carolina General Statutes §159-13, the Town of Jamestown is required to adopt an annual balanced budget ordinance prior to July 1. The proposed FY 2025-2026 Budget Ordinance reflects the priorities discussed during four public Town Council workshops, multiple Council briefings and public input sessions and includes appropriations for general government operations, capital projects, and debt service. Since there had been four budget workshops this year to discuss what should be in the fiscal year 2025-26 budget, there was little discussion by the Council about the final result — a recommended budget of $19,984,997. The budget for the previous year was $17,370,048. While the Town itself did not raise the tax rate, there is a pass-through increase due to an increase by Guilford County. The new tax rate is $0.655 per $100 valuation for the 2024-25 fiscal year, 3 cents higher than the previous fiscal year. The Town also should realize approximately $56,250,786 from tax and tag motor vehicle taxes.
see TReasURe, PAGE 2
see BUdgeT, PAGE 3
Photo by Mike Valle
american flag
Photos by Carol Brooks
Mona Lisa and Mike Valle. thing with them,” Valle said. “Around 2009 I saw a group in Australia that was taking 3,000 cups of coffee, pouring different amounts of creamer in them to create the ‘Mona Lisa’.” That project turned on a light in the mind of the
Jamestown man inducted into ranger hall of Fame By nORMa B. dennIs FREELANCE WRITER ndworddesign@gmail.com Every United States Army Ranger is an elite soldier specializing in airborne operations, raid missions and direct action warfare. Their exceptional leadership, discipline and physical endurance place them at the forefront of some of the most demanding and dangerous missions. A cut above, however, are those selected to be part of the Ranger Hall of Fame. On June 25, 2025, during an annual muster for the Ranger community at Fort Benning, Georgia, 15 Army veterans were inducted into the Ranger Hall of Fame. Included in the group was Sgt. Alfred Charles Stewart Jr. of Jamestown. According to a press release, the annual ceremony honors Army Rangers “who have demonstrated extraordinary valor, leadership and commitment to the Ranger Creed.” Stewart joins 517 other Rangers inducted into the Ranger Hall of Fame since 1992, when the first 23 members were recognized with the honor. He served in combat roles during Vietnam and later in a civilian capacity in the Middle East with the U.S. Army and State Department.
Photo submitted
Photo of stewart that appears at the Ranger Hall of Fame at Fort Benning, georgia. Along with the other Hall of Fame inductees, Stewart received an engraved, specially cast bronze Ranger Hall of Fame medallion, suspended from a red, white and blue ribbon. It signifies selfless service, excellence and remarkable accomplishment in the defense of the nation and to the highest ideals of service. see RangeR, PAGE 8
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Photo by Norma B. Dennis
al stewart’s wife nicki had so much confidence in his being accepted to the Ranger’s Hall of Fame, she secretly had a sign made congratulating him on his acceptance before it was official and gave it to him on the day he was notified.
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By CaROL BROOks FREELANCE WRITER cab1hp@gmail.com