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
maY 6-12, 2026
vol 48 No 19 | 1 Section | 10 Pages
Council holds third budget workshop ReZONING ReQUeST A rezoning request is on the agenda for the Jamestown Planning Board’s May 11 meeting. The request is from Harvest Church to rezone 4909 Guilford College Road (2.18 acres +/-) from Agricultural (AG) to Conditional Zoning-Single-Family Residential (CZ-SFR) for church expansion. The meeting will be held at 6 p.m. in the Council Chambers at Town Hall, 301 E. Main St. TIMe TO DONATe BLOOD Blood products help people battling illness and severe injuries. Donors are urged to make an appointment to give blood or platelets with the American Red Cross to help support patients in the days and weeks ahead. All who give from now to May 17 will receive a $20 Amazon Gift Card by email, thanks to our partners at Amazon. See RedCrossBlood.org/ Amazon for details. Donors of all blood types and those looking to give for the first time are encouraged to book an appointment visiting RedCrossBlood.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS or by using the Red Cross Blood Donor App. Blood drives in Jamestown are scheduled for: May 11 from 2 to 6:30 p.m., Bales Wesleyan Church, 1001 Bales Chapel Road. May 12 from 1:30 to 6 p.m., Jamestown United Methodist Church, 403 East Main Street. Amplify your impact by volunteering Become a volunteer blood donor ambassador at Red Cross blood drives. Blood donor ambassadors help greet, check in and thank blood donors to ensure they have a positive donation experience. Visit redcross.org/volunteertoday. RUN FOR THe ROSeS Kentucky will have nothing on Jamestown as participants at the May 19 A Moment In Time meeting celebrate their own version of the Kentucky Derby. Don your fancy hats and bow ties ladies and gents as we make our own ponies and compete in the locally celebrated Run for the Roses. This month’s sponsor is Triad Cremation and Funeral Service. A Moment In Time meetings are geared especially for people with dementia and their care partners. They provide an opportunity to relax and have fun with games, music, snacks, crafts and engaging conversation. The meetings are held on the third Tuesday of each month in the church fellowship hall at Jamestown United Methodist Church, 403 East Main St. To make entry easier, all guests are asked to enter the church from the back under the portico. Look for the purple signs. Someone will be there to direct you to the fellowship hall. Reservations are requested but not required. To register or ask questions, contact Laura Gulledge at 336-9060430 or lauragulledge@gmail.com. Pictures of past events may be found at https://www.facebook .com/jumcmemorycafe. (Regular sponsors for A Moment In Time include JUMC, HealthTeam Advantage and Senior Resources of Guilford.) ADAMS FARM SHOPPING CeNTeR SOLD According to reports, the Adams Farm Shopping Center was recently purchased for $24.6 million by Fincher Patrick Weir LLC and partner Aston see aBOUT, PAGe 8
At the Jamestown Town Council’s nearly four-hour third budget work session for fiscal year 2026-27 on April 23, the Council got down to the nitty gritty discussing things that could be removed from the proposed budget, mostly in the way of cost reductions. The following changes were made to the proposed budget before the Council that evening: • Sheriff Office contract was reduced from $526,000 (requested to support full 24/7
coverage) to up to $500,000. A reduction of $26,000. • Lobbyist services supporting state funding efforts for the Fire Station project were removed at a savings of $70,000. • Historic Jamestown Society capital project support was reduced from the requested $20,000 to $15,000 ($5,000). • Council training and consulting was eliminated ($25,000). • Motor vehicle fee was reduced from $30 to $15 per registered vehicle. Estimated revenue reduction $55,575. The impact would be a corresponding reduction in the fiscal year 2026–27 paving allocation. To offset this change, Council
directed the use of Powell Bill/ Street Reserve funds. Total estimated savings is $181,575. An item was added to the Capital Improvement Program (CIP) for increased funding for technology improvements, namely large display screens) at the Civic Center at a cost of $20,000. Fusion Soccer is now budgeted for $10,000. They are now the Town’s largest renter at the soccer complex, according to Parks & Recreation Director Scott Coakley. He expects Fusion to spend over $30,000 this year. Two CIP projects were
pushed out one year, the Main Street Corridor Study at a cost of $100,000 and the Golf Course range ball dispenser for $15,000 both were deferred to fiscal year 2027-28. The total estimated savings would now be $276,575. There was a long discussion about the increase the Town contributed to the retirement benefits. Acting Deputy Finance Director Karen Strausser said it would go up 7.4 percent, to $497,000, an approximate $64,000 increase. This is in addition to a 20 percent health care increase. Family coverage see BUdgeT, PAGe 2
america 250 Guilford Town manager time Capsule dedicated talks tax rate By CaROL BROOks FreeLANCe WrIter cab1hp@gmail.com
COMPILed By CaROL BROOks FreeLANCe WrIter cab1hp@gmail.com
It was a very moving, patriotic event, with an audience made up of Black, white, Native American … and perhaps some descendants of Revolutionary War soldiers and immigrants. A fife and drum corps played as the people gathered for the Guilford County Time Capsule Ceremony on April 18 at the High Point Museum. Costumed presenters and interpreters mingled with the crowd. Visitors’ cars packed the two parking lots. The event included the dedication ceremony, speeches by dignitaries, a display of the artifacts donated to date, family activities, refreshments, reenactors in cocked (or tricorn) hats and breeches, and more. Representatives of Boy Scout Troop 4 presented the colors (North Carolina and United States flags) and the Greensboro Youth Chorus presented the “National Anthem.” “What a fun year we’re having already — 250 years!” said Emcee Keith Holiday, noting the programs that took place earlier in the year. “The week of the Fourth is going to be very special in Guilford County.”
Town Manager Matthew Johnson opened the April 23 Town Council budget work session with some remarks, noting the proposed budget is balanced. “Staff have worked diligently over the past several months to ensure that all operational needs are accounted for, that capital improvement projects are placed in the appropriate fiscal years and that the overall plan reflects a thoughtful, fiscally responsible approach. At every step in this process, there has been a strong focus on transparency, accuracy and long-term sustainability. That may sound straightforward, but at this stage in the process, it is not something we take for granted. It reflects a significant amount of work by staff, guided by the clear direction this Council has provided over time. “It also represents a coordinated effort to align priorities, timing of capital projects and available resources in a way that holds together as a complete plan. “As you review the document this evening, a thought to consider is that each component is connected to the others. Adjustments in one area will naturally create impacts elsewhere and maintaining that overall balance will require thoughtful coordination as we move forward. “Our goal is to support the Council in refining this plan in a way that preserves that balance while aligning with your priorities. “At its core, this budget reflects the Town Council’s mission: to create an exceptional quality of life for all citizens by providing superior services. That mission is not simply a guiding statement; it is a framework for decision-making. It informs how we prioritize projects, how we allocate funding, and how we evaluate tradeoffs when resources are limited
Photos by Carol Brooks
(above) america 250 banner at High Point Museum. (at left) a fifer played as he led people outside to the unveiling. (Below) Haley Moloney of the guilford County Historic Preservation Commission unveils the time capsule monument.
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BooklOVe opens on West Main street in Jamestown By nORMa B. dennIs FreeLANCe WrIter ndworddesign@gmail.com When stepping into the new bookstore at 702D W. Main St., Jamestown, one immediately feels a sense of calm. Two large, comfortable chairs are surrounded by shelves and shelves of books encouraging readers to browse and relax as they select books to add to their personal library. A separate room is filled with books for children and young adults. “This is a place to come and slow down,” said Deena Clarkson, who owns the store with her husband Joseph. “Our store is peaceful and personal. It is a kinder, gentler place to get books. Customers are encouraged to come and linger. For those who have no idea what they are looking for, I have knowledge of a wide variety
of books to help guide them. “I have always wanted to own a bookstore and I knew I wanted it to be in Jamestown. There is no independent bookstore here.” Clarkson is a retired teacher. For years she taught middle school English in Guilford County. After she and Joseph married, a move to South Carolina found her teaching English in high school. “I never sold my house in this area and when we retired we moved back here,” Clarkson explained. Now she has begun a new career as an entrepreneur, surrounded by what she loves — books. When thinking of a name for her business, she was not looking for something clever but one that immediately let peosee BOOk, PAGe 3
Everyone likes GOOD NeWS and the Jamestown News wants to print a column focused on sharing good things seen happening in the community. To make the column work, you need to participate. email ndworddesign@gmail.com with your observations of a person or group being helpful to others. norma dennis will print them on the fourth Wednesday of each month.
Photo by Norma B. Dennis
deena Clarkson’s love of books leads to second career.
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COMPILed By nORMa B. dennIs and CaROL BROOks
By CaROL BROOks FreeLANCe WrIter cab1hp@gmail.com