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 1-7, 2026
Vol 48 No 27 | 1 Section | 8 Pages
new year begins for Jamestown rotarians
January is not the only start to a new year. June sees one starting for the Jamestown Rotary Club and with it came the instillation of officers for the group’s year 2026-2027. Ken Esposito, assistant governor for Area 6, District 7690, was on hand to issue the oath of office to the new officers. Included were Geoff Swan, secretary; Bob Callicutt, treasure; Cliff Paddock, public image chair and Don Dale, Foundation chair. Angela Morrow was sworn in again as president.
Cliff Paddock received another Paul Harris Fellow pin for his faithful contributions to the Rotary Club. Paul Percy Harris founded Rotary International in Chicago on Feb. 23, 1905, with three friends. Harris envisioned a club where businesspeople of diverse backgrounds could share fellowship and serve their communities. In 1957, The Rotary Foundation established the Paul Harris Fellow designation to honor individuals whose cumulative contribution of $1,000 to the Foundation Photos by Norma B. Dennis reflected the spirit of service Jamestown Rotary President angela that Harris embodied. High- Morrow, right, presented Cliff Paddock with a plaque recognizing him as Rotarian see ROTaRy, PAGe 3 of the year.
Officers for the year 2026-2027 include, left to right, don dale, Foundation chair; Bob Callicutt, treasurer; Cliff Paddock, public image chair; geoff swan, secretary; and angela Morrow, president.
Public comments from the June 23 Town Council meeting
COMPILed By nORMa B. dennIs and CaROL BROOks BoaRd of adJuStment meetinG The Jamestown Board of Adjustment will meet Wednesday, July 8, at 6 p.m. in the Council Chambers at Town Hall. The purpose of this meeting is for the Board to consider a request for a variance to the maximum parking requirement of the Land Development Ordinance for the property located at 6014 West Gate City Boulevard. The public is invited to attend. BaSketBall foR a cauSe For an exciting night of basketball be sure to attend a showdown between the Greensboro Groove and Charlotte Crown July 17 at 7 p.m. at Novant Health Fieldhouse, Greensboro Coliseum Complex. In addition to getting to see an incredible live-action ladies basketball game, every ticket you purchase will provide a portion of its cost to supporting PAIRnc. This non-profit organization is committed to enhancing adaptive paddling opportunities for individuals with disabilities. They achieve this through education, specialized equipment and inclusive on-the-water experiences. Tickets cost $15 plus tax and fees. To purchase tickets, visit gofevo.com/ event/Pairnc2. For more information, contact PAIRnc at pairnc24@gmail.com or online at pairnc.org. 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
Council approves nearly $22 million budget By CaROL BROOks FreeLANCe WrIter cab1hp@gmail.com The Jamestown Town Council approved the budget for fiscal year 2026-27 on June 23, just one week away from the July 1 deadline. The Council held an unprecedented five budget workshops over the past months, adding, deleting, clarifying and generally discussing how to cut taxes without cutting Town services. But then came House Bill 958 and Senate Bill 889, which called for a year-long moratorium on the recent property revaluations that had already been figured into earlier budgets, cutting revenues needed by Guilford County municipalities. “Senate Bill 889 has been passed and the governor also signed the bill [on June 19], so we are returning right back where we started, to the original-valued properties,” said Mayor Susan Dickenson. “So, we’re kind of looking at a different budget.” “Correct,” said Town Manager Matthew Johnson. “We did have to pivot very quickly and that
times Square ball will drop eight times for america’s 250th birthday
see BUdgeT, PAGe 2
see COMMenTs, PAGe 3
Council hears of upcoming transportation projects By CaROL BROOks FreeLANCe WrIter cab1hp@gmail.com At the June 23 Town Council meeting, Councilmember Jim Westmoreland reported on the High Point Metropolitan Planning Organization (HPMPO) meeting earlier in the day. He said the group has started talking about the next iteration of the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) and what’s known as Prioritization Process Number 8. “Jamestown has a series of projects committed. One
is a prospective grade separation project with Oakdale Road now in preliminary engineering,” Westmoreland said. “According to the DOT Division 7 engineer, probably sometime this fall the Town will have some kind of concepts for us to react to with a grade separation project. “There’s also one safety project they’ve identified, a new project not yet on the TIP along U.S. 29 between River and Riverdale roads. Council approved a resolution a see PROJeCTs, PAGe 3
By nORMa B. dennIs FreeLANCe WrIter ndworddesign@gmail.com
the Northern Mariana Islands. It will then move to the continental United States. What is being called the main event, the Times Square ball will drop in New York City at midnight, signaling the official arrivsee BaLL, PAGe 6
see CenTeR, PAGe 6
Photo courtesy America250
Sharon Hovis is a former councilmember, retired chief of police, both in another location, Army veteran and former Guilford County magistrate. “I want to remind the Council it’s your due diligence to do what you’re doing now — ask the questions of the manager that you
should. When I called him, he couldn’t give me any answers. The only answer he gives is, ‘You call the Sheriff’s Department if you feel there is a problem on Dillon Road. You call the state.’ Which I did. I called the Sheriff’s Department and they did step up and put up a speed limit. “The Sheriff’s Department do the best they can but somewhere in there
Dedication of Adult Day Center courtyard Overcast skies and intermittent raindrops on June 23 pushed the ceremony inside, but it failed to dampen the enthusiasm of those gathered for the dedication of the Melvin and Ruth Witcher Adult Day Center courtyard in Pennybyrn’s Healthcare Center. The courtyard, an extension of the facility’s Adult Day Center, could be seen through the double windows and sliding glass doors that yielded a clear, albeit wet, visual as the rain finally poured down. It features shaded seating areas, a large bubbling fountain, raised
By CaROL BROOks FreeLANCe WrIter cab1hp@gmail.com Did you miss the ball drop New Years Eve in Time Square? If so, you have another chance on July 3 and 4. For the first time in its 119-year history, the infamous ball will be dropped not once but eight times in 24 hours to commemorate the Declaration of Independence July 4, 1776, signaling the semiquincentennial of the birth of the United States of America. The eight drops will be in eight different American time zones beginning at 10 a.m. July 3 in the Chamorro Time Zone covering American territories Guam and
does take quite a bit of a lift. As the mayor said, following the ratification of Senate bill 889, we’re submitting an updated budget for the Council’s consideration. “North Carolina law requires counties to periodically revalue all real property to reflect current market value, a process that typically drives assessed values significantly higher in a rising market. Senate Bill 889, ratified by the General Assembly on June 10, 2026, requires counties with reappraisals effective Jan. 1, 2026, to revert to their prior schedule of values for the 2026-2027 fiscal year, meaning the new marketbased assessments cannot be used for tax purposes until fiscal year 2027-2028. For Guilford County, which completed a reappraisal this year, this creates a direct gap between what property is actually worth today and what can legally be taxed. And, since a significant portion of Jamestown’s revenues depend on the tax base, that gap flows directly into our budget planning. Council and residents should know that this is a state-
COMPILed By CaROL BROOks FreeLANCe WrIter cab1hp@gmail.com
(above) during the dedication ceremony, doug Witcher expressed his pleasure at the beautiful courtyard that epitomizes memories of his father’s lifework.
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Photos by Norma B. Dennis
(above) a gently bubbling fountain adds to the peaceful atmosphere of the courtyard. (at left) shaded seating areas in the Melvin and Ruth Witcher adult day Care courtyard at Pennybyrn encourages rest and conversation.
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By nORMa B. dennIs FreeLANCe WrIter ndworddesign@gmail.com