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
Nov. 26 - Dec. 2, 2025 Vol 47 No 48 | 1 Section | 8 Pages
Library removes fines for food donation Town offices holiday hours The Jamestown town offices will be closed Nov. 27 and 28 for the Thanksgiving holiday. Free hot dinners Ragsdale High School’s cafeteria is offering free hot dinners for any child 19 and under Mondays and Wednesdays 4:30-5 p.m. in the Ragsdale cafeteria. The meals are open to all Ragsdale and non-Ragsdale students. The meals must be eaten on-site.
In a perfect world everyone would have plenty to eat and library books would be returned on time. But the world is not perfect and while these two things have little in common or complexity, the staff at the Jamestown Public Library has found a way to connect them positively. From now until the end of December every food item brought to the library will reduce one’s library fines by $1. For example, five food items would remove a $5 fine and help ease
Board of Adjustment The Board of Adjustment previously scheduled for Nov. 12 has been rescheduled for Dec. 3 at 6 p.m. in the Council Chambers. The purpose of this meeting is to consider a request for a variance to the fence height standards of the Land Development Ordinance (LDO) (2.13-2-C) for the property located at 208 Newberry St.
Puttin’ On the Grits The 20th Annual Puttin’ On The Grits, the Community Clinic of High Point’s signature fund-raising event, is scheduled for Dec. 6 from 8 to 11 a.m. at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church Family Life Center, 205 W. Farriss Ave., in High Point. The event features a festive buffet with signature grit dishes prepared by local restaurants and caterers, from traditional southern grits to specialties like shrimp and grits. Other items on the buffet include eggs, bacon, Danishes, juice, and coffee. All proceeds benefit the Community Clinic of High Point, supporting its mission to provide quality acute care and chronic disease management for uninsured adults in the greater High Point area. Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door. Purchase online at cchpnc. com/grits. Library hosts Holiday Choice Book Sale The Jamestown Public Library will hold a Holiday Choice Book Sale on Dec. 6 and Dec. 13 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. In addition to a large assortment of books, including many art books, numerous puzzles ranging from 300-3,000 pieces will be available. Items are like new and make wonderful Christmas gifts or valuable additions to your personal library. Select books published between 2022 and 2024 will be priced at $6 each. Also available will be DVDs, audiobooks and cocktail table books. CDs are being phased out and are selling at five for $1 with the next five free. Cash or checks will be accepted. While at the library, take the opportunity to check out the Corner Book Shop in the basement. Mendenhall Homeplace Open House The Historic Jamestown Society is sponsoring an Open House at the Homeplace, 603 W. Main St., on Dec. 7 from 5 to 7 p.m. Come enjoy cider and hot chocolate, marshmallow roasting over the fire pit and festive fun. Have photos taken inside the Homeplace and by the historic sleigh. The event is after the Jamestown Christmas Parade and Kids & Claus at the Jamestown Library so stay for a full afternoon of holiday fun.
books donated to the pantry. “We had received many more than we could use,” Jordan said. “I knew the library sold used books to help raise funds and thought that would be a good use for some of them. When I delivered the books, Jim and I talked about the pantry. He later called me to share the idea of Food for Fines. The pantry volunteers thought it was a wonderful idea.” Hand-to-Hand Food Pantry began in 2009 at a time many were losing their jobs. “I was working at the Open see library, page 2
Photos from www.themadisonadamsfarm.com
Photo by Norma B. Dennis
Dee Dee Stephens, a parttime employee of the Jamestown Public Library, places a donation shared by a patron into the Food for Fines box located near the checkout desk in the library.
Council approves Main Street water line contract By CAROL BROOKS freelance writer cab1hp@gmail.com
Adams Farm apartment renters to see fairer prices By CAROL BROOKS freelance writer cab1hp@gmail.com The Madison at Adams Farm apartments were part of a lawsuit with the state’s largest corporate landlord. The State of North Carolina accused Greystar Management LLC of using artificial intelligence software to collude and “sidestep” market competition and illegally set rent prices. The settlement, announced Nov. 20, was for $7 million. Greystar has over 25,000 units in North Carolina, including the Madison and Spire at Smith Crossing in Kernersville. The decision was announced by
Graphic courtesy clipart-library.com
“Middletown” The GTCC Department of Creative & Performing Arts and Ragsdale Theater are partnering to present “Middletown” on Dec. 4-7 at 7:30 p.m. on the GTCC Jamestown campus. Contact the school for more information.
hunger in the community. “There are so many people in need of food now,” said library manager Jim McGaha. “There is always a need, but it seems to be even more during the holidays. We have done this type of food drive in the past with success. It is an extra incentive for people to donate.” This year the food collection will be given to the Hand-toHand Food Pantry, an outreach of Parkwood Baptist Church, 2103 Penny Road. When McGaha spoke at a recent Lion’s Club meeting, Dean Jordan, the pantry’s coordinator, asked him if the library could use some of the
N.C. Attorney General Jeff Jackson. The lawsuit involved eight other states. Jackson had sued Greystar and five other landlords in January. The landlords were accused of illegally working together and using Realsee renters, page 3
The Town of Jamestown received five bids on Nov. 13 for the long-awaited Main Street water line contract. “The bid has been delayed for a couple of months while waiting for NCDOT to review and approve the plans which were done on Nov. 5,” said Public Services Director Paul Blanchard. “We received the approval and Encroachment Agreement (EA) on Nov. 6. The EA has several conditions that we are obligated to comply with. We needed to provide an addendum to the contract to all bidders to address the EA, and it was delivered on Nov. 7.” Blanchard was concerned that the Town might not receive favorable bids due to the conditions. But three bids came in with very similar costs. GS Construction, Inc., offered the lowest bid
of $1,187,852. This is $187,802 more than the 2025-26 fiscal year budget. “I feel we got a good price,” Blanchard said. The Council unanimously approved the bid. “The EA will require all work to be performed at night on Mondays through Thursdays,” he said. “Additionally, the EA specifies how the road surface must be reconstructed each night, which will have a significant impact on the amount of time spent installing the water line.” While the water line is in need of replacement, construction will impact the U.S. Post Office as well as businesses along Main Street that are open evenings. The first phase will be in the east-bound lane from Ragsdale Road to Oakdale Road. From there the work will cross the intersection to the west-bound lane of Main Street to just short of Guilsee council, page 2
Wolfe named grand marshal of Christmas parade By NORMA B. DENNIS FREELANCE WRITER ndworddesign@gmail.com
Be aware of holiday scams By CAROL BROOKS freelance writer cab1hp@gmail.com
Be aware, holiday shoppers. There are Grinches around. This time of year brings many more people out shopping but it also brings out scams and thefts from those who are not Jolly Ol’ Saint Nick. Scammers tend to get more aggressive and creative these days. The Guilford County Sheriff’s Office is aware of these problems and has offered tips for smart shoppers.
According to www. guilfordcountync.gov/ government/sheriffsoffice, there are five Black Friday scams: Donate Here!, Your order has shipped, Flash sale! VIP Access, Make money with crypto and Black Friday Giveaway. “82 percent of U.S. consumers have experienced or been targeted by at least one form of the fraud that is rampant during the holidays,” states the website. “Older adults are particularly vulnerable of becoming victims see scams, page 3
The year 2024 was a historic date for the Jamestown Christmas Parade. For the first time since the parade began in the late 1990s, it featured a grand marshal. Jamestown Rotary Club members, who have organized the parade since 1999, selected Martin Senell for the honor. Senell has coordinated the lineup for parade entries even before the Rotary began handling the event. When the local American Business Women’s Association took over leadership of the parade from the Kiwanis Club, its originator, Senell and Leigh Ann Gray, his executive assistant and ABWA member, worked on the parade together. Gray continued to help with the parade for a while after the Rotary Club took over. It was Senell’s long-standing contribution to the parade as well as his involvement in other local activities that made his selection as grand marshal a natural. “In the future we will select others who have made some contribution to the community,” Cliff Paddock,
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Photo by Norma B. Dennis
Martha Wolfe is looking forward to the upcoming Dec. 7 Jamestown Christmas parade, sponsored by the Jamestown Rotary Club with assistance from the town and the Ragsdale YMCA.
parade chair, said last year. The future is now and Rotarians have announced Martha Wolfe as the 2025 grand marshal for the Dec. 7 parade at 3 p.m. “Our parade committee discussed several people who have contrib-
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Compiled By Norma B. Dennis and Carol Brooks
By NORMA B. DENNIS FREELANCE WRITER ndworddesign@gmail.com
see parade, page 2