northwest observer | dec. 12 - 18, 2014
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Bringing the hometown news to northwest Guilford County, North Carolina since 1996TRANSCRIPT
Dec. 12 - 18, 2014
bringing the local news home to northwest Guilford County since 1996 www.nwobserver.com
...continued on p. 18
N.C. 68/150 (Oak Ridge Road) improvements funded
IN THIS ISSUENews in brief ...................................3Your Questions ...............................4Oak Ridge Town Council .............6David Cole Pottery ......................10Bits & Pieces .................................13High School Sports ......................14Student Profi les ............................15Community Calendar ................20NWO On The Go! .........................22Crime/Incident Report ...............23Letters/Opinions .........................24Grins & Gripes ..............................26Classifi eds ....................................27Index of Advertisers ....................31
by KRISTIN KUBLY
OAK RIDGE – Funding for im-provements to the N.C. 68 and Oak Ridge Road intersection has been approved by the Greensboro Urban Metropolitan Planning Or-ganization, says Town Manager Bruce Oakley.
At the Dec. 4 town coun-cil meeting, Oakley said the town submitted the intersection improvement project to MPO several months ago, request-ing that it be funded to improve safety and walkability.
The project will include crosswalks and additional side-walks, allowing easier access to shopping and Oak Ridge Military
Academy.
“It’s exciting news to have this project funded by the state,” Oakley said. “Hopefully it will lead to some more improvements along there.”
The Greensboro MPO recom-mended project list dated March 2014 shows the project as a top regional priority with a cost to the state of $908,213.
Mayor Ray Combs said Oak Ridge has been working toward these improvements since the town’s incorporation (in 1998).
Council member Mike Stone asked if the issue of all the over-head wires at the intersection would be addressed. Oakley replied that the project may involve
relocating some of the electrical poles, but the overhead wires will remain due to the prohibitive cost of burying them.
Council member George Mc-Clellan noted the project originat-ed with the Pedestrian Steering Committee and citizen input.
The Town of Oak Ridge Pedestrian Transportation Plan, approved in Oct. 2013, lists the town’s recommendations for the intersection.
“Concept A” includes side-walks and crosswalks at each corner, curb ramps, improved lighting and pedestrian count-down signals and push buttons.
Northern Guilfordheads to states!Northern Guilford High School’s Kamren Hicks, #80, celebrates after the varsity football team de-feated Chapel Hill to win the NCHSAA 3AA West Regional Championship on Dec. 5. Fans are invitedto gather at the high school at 4:15 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 13, for a celebratory sendoff before theNighthawks head to Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh (home of the N.C. State Wolfpack) to face Weddington in the state championship game. The game will kick off at 8 p.m. For more, see p. 14.
Photo courtesy of Strawbridge Studios
Photo by Annette Joyce/NWO
Converting three slip lanes, such as the one shown above right, to regular turn lanes at the N.C. 68 and 150 intersection should reduce the number of accidents at the intersection, says the Greensboro MPO.
Town council hopes changes will improve safety at intersection and increase walkability within commercial core district
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NEWS in brief
Council continues property purchase discussionsSUMMERFIELD – For the third con-secutive month, Summerfield Town Council ended its monthly council meeting on Dec. 9 with a closed ses-sion to discuss a property purchase.
And for the third consecutive month, following the closed session which lasted just over an hour, the council recon-vened and immediately adjourned the meeting without taking any action.
Municipalities can legally go into a closed, or executive session to discuss purchasing property; the exemption to the North Carolina Open Meet-ings Law is based on the idea that discussing the potential purchase in open session might hinder negotia-tions. Minutes must be taken during the closed session, but can be withheld from the public until it is determined
that releasing them would no longer have an impact on the issue discussed during closed session.
Mayor Tim Sessoms says he still cannot share any information about what the council is discussing, only that a private citizen approached the town about a potential property purchase and the council in turn has been dis-cussing that possibility.
“We’re extending a courtesy to a citizen, and out of respect to them we are having these conversations private-ly,” Sessoms said, adding, “We won’t take any action without it first being discussed in a public format.”
As to whether the council will hold another closed session at its Jan. 13 meeting, Sessoms said that is possible, but not definite at this point.
IRS scammers demand reloadable debit cards … or elseGUILFORD COUNTY – The Better Busi-ness Bureau of Central North Carolina has received many telephone calls in the past month about phony IRS callers.
“We are getting dozens of calls from people who believe they have been contacted by the IRS about a problem with their taxes,” said Kevin Hinterberger, president & CEO of the BBB.
The scammers are posing as agents of the US Department of the Treasury. They claim to be calling about a federal crimi-nal matter and threaten an indictment or court appearance, said Hinterberger.
These scammers cite alleged unpaid
federal taxes and demand payment with reloadable debit cards such as GreenDot MoneyPak cards.
“People need to know that they are not in trouble and they should just hang up, don’t talk to these people,” said Hin-terberger.
The IRS rarely calls, but prefers to communicate by letter, which provides a paper trail to document their work, and they will never demand immediate pay-ment by debit cards.
The office of Roy Cooper, N.C. attor-ney general, has received more than 700 reports of similar scams.
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Can you give me more details on the new amphitheater that’s in the works for Oak Ridge
Town Park? When will it be completed, what sort of events will be held there, and will citizens be able to reserve the amphitheater for private use?
Bill Edwards, chairman of the Oak Ridge Parks and Recre-ation Commission, says plans
for the park’s amphitheater/perfor-mance stage are moving forward.
“The site plan includes the amphi-theater area located just to the left of the park’s existing playground, with the performance stage located below, just outside the woods in a natural ‘bowl’ surrounded by tall hardwoods,” says Edwards. “For topographical reasons, the Parks and Recreation Commission de-cided to incorporate natural seating that takes advantage of the existing sloped seating area, rather than adding ex-pensive raised brick or concrete seating. There will be plenty of room for blankets and chairs with a great view of the stage, plus access to a new restroom facility.”
In addition, the plan features an as-phalt service road and turnaround, plus an ADA seating area and soundboard/projection pad. The stage will be elevated and covered and will include an enclosed storage room with access from both sides. Steps will lead down to a concrete pad, located directly in front of the 19’ x 40’ stage. Both the shingled roof and brickwork have been designed in keep-
ing with the existing park structures.
The commission hopes to unveil the new amphitheater late next spring.
“Our weather-dependent goal is to have both this structure and the new restroom facility completed in time for Ridgefest 2015,” says Edwards.
As far as events are concerned, the commission is looking forward to expanding its popular Music in the Park
and Movies in the Park events. They’re also hoping to offer other band and stage performances and possibly rent the structure for weddings and other private events. Edwards says the group is currently soliciting ideas and suggestions for future events. Have a suggestion? Contact Oak Ridge Town Clerk Sandra Smith at (336) 644-7009 or [email protected].
your QUESTIONS Photo by
Annette Joyce/NWO
An amphitheater area will be one of the new features in Phase 2 of
Oak Ridge Town Park. It will be located to the left of the park’s playground
area, with the perfor-mance stage located
below, just outside the woods. The amphitheater
is expected to be com-pleted by late spring.
The Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996 DEC. 12 - 18, 2014 5
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... continued on p. 8
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In an unusualcircumstance, thetown will apply to itself and go through its ownrezoning process
by KRISTIN KUBLY
OAK RIDGE – At their Dec. 4 meeting, Oak Ridge Town Council members took the unusual step of authorizing the town to apply to itself for a rezoning of 2900 Oak Ridge Road, the site of the former Big Boyz Toyz and B&B Welding. Rezon-ing requests are usually initiated by the owner of the property.
Former property owner, Spencer E. Bowman, along with his father, Spencer G. Bowman, and two other men were accused of operating a chop shop on the site, as well as altering identifying
information on vehicles and submitting fraudulent insurance claims.
The men were arrested Sept. 26, 2013, and the businesses were shut down. The site is now owned by Truliant Credit Union, which took over the property when it went into foreclosure.
The trash-filled site has been the source of numerous neighbor complaints.
The property is zoned heavy indus-trial, the only such zoning in Oak Ridge. It was zoned before the town’s incorpora-tion in 1998 and the subsequent creation of the scenic corridor. While the zoning is inconsistent with surrounding residen-tial properties, it is legal because it was grandfathered in, council member Mike Stone pointed out at the Dec. 4 meeting.
The businesses which formerly oper-ated on the site have been closed for over a year and the site abandoned,
Town begins third-party process to rezonesite of former Big Boyz Toyz
posing both a visual nuisance and the risk of illicit activities, Stone added.
“The reason for bringing the action to-night is to put the town in the best position possible to address the current needs and the future needs of the town,” Stone said.
Stone then asked Town Manager
Bruce Oakley whether Oak Ridge has an ordinance that addresses abandoned properties which pose a safety hazard.
Oakley said a nuisance ordinance could be used, but a county build-
Town begins third-party process to rezonesite of former Big Boyz Toyz
Photo by Patti Stokes/NWO
A rear view of the building formerly occupied by B&B Welding, which is adjacent to the building formerly occupied by Big Boyz Toyz. Both businesses closed over a year ago.
6 DEC. 12 - 18, 2014 The Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996
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DEC. 4 / MEETING HIGHLIGHTSas reported by KRISTIN KUBLY
OAK RIDGE town council
Mayor Ray Combs called the meet-ing to order at 7 p.m. and council mem-ber Mike Stone led the invocation. The meeting agenda and Nov. 6 meeting minutes were approved.
ANNOUNCEMENTS Combs announced the E-Cycle event
to be held at the town park on Dec. 6. He also reminded everyone about Light the Ridge on Sunday, Dec. 7, at Oak Ridge Military Academy.
The council recognized several stu-dents who were in attendance for a civics class.
TOWN MANAGER BUSINESS Town Manager Bruce Oakley pre-
sented the 2015 meeting and holiday
schedule to the council.
5 0 to adopt the 2015 meet-ing/holiday schedule as presented.
Oakley also requested the council approve raising the user fees for lights at the town park to $15 per hour (from $12 per hour) to cover an increase in the town’s costs for the lights. In answer to a question from council member Spencer Sullivan, Oakley confirmed the increase will not affect the facility use agreement with the Oak Ridge Youth Association.
5 0 to approve an increase in the user fees for lights at the town park.
Oakley said the town still needed vol-unteers to direct traffic and ask survey questions at the E-Cycle event.
Finally, Oakley announced that an
improvement project at the intersec-tion of N.C. 68 and Oak Ridge Road has been funded by Greensboro Urban Metropolitan Planning Organization, which handles traffic and transporta-tion projects. Included in the project will be the addition of a crosswalk from Oak Ridge Military Academy to the Oak Ridge Commons shopping center, as well as other improvements to create a safer intersection.
For more information on the project, see article on front cover.
NEW BUSINESSProperty at 2900 Oak Ridge Road. The property formerly occupied by Big Boyz Toyz is zoned Heavy Industrial, and the council deliberated about making a third-party zoning request to change it to RS-40 (low-density residential).
Adam Duke, an attorney represent-ing Truliant Credit Union, which now owns the property, said the credit union would like more time to consider the issue. Combs said any action taken at the meeting would only be to start the process, and that Truliant would have plenty of time to make its own proposal.
Stone moved that the town begin taking steps to rezone the property to RS-40 because the current zoning is inconsistent with and negatively impacts surrounding properties.
5 0 to begin the process of third-party rezoning.
For more information on the rezon-ing, see article on page 3.
CITIZEN COMMENTS Frank Whitaker asked whether the
town would be willing to purchase and clean up the property at 2900 Oak Ridge Road, and Combs responded that purchasing the property would likely be cost prohibitive because of the expense of cleaning up the site. Combs noted that a potential buyer had backed out after finding out the high cost of making the property useful.
However, Combs acknowledged, “If the council does rezone it to RS-40, that does not exclude your suggestion. It may come to that.”
FINANCIAL UPDATE Town finance officer Sam Anders pre-
sented the November financial update, noting the town has a net balance of $3,055,918 in unrestricted cash assets.
Revenue from property taxes is expected to increase in January, coincid-ing with the deadline for paying annual property taxes.
Anders said a mid-year evaluation will be conducted in January to see if the town needs to make any adjust-ments to the annual budget.
In response to Sullivan’s question about how the Black Mountain account-ing software project was progressing, Anders said things were moving smooth-ly. He and a staff member will be at-tending budget training in the next two weeks to be ready to generate budget documents for the finance committee.
5 0 to accept the monthly financial report.
The Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996 DEC. 12 - 18, 2014 7
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COMMUNITY UPDATESPlanning and Zoning Board. Chair Doug Nodine reported that at their Nov. 20 meeting, the board unanimously ap-proved the Parks and Recreation Com-mission’s site plan for the town park’s Phase 2.
Parks and Recreation Commission. Chair Bill Edwards presented the 2015 facility usage agreement with the Oak Ridge Youth Association, which is up for renewal; Edwards noted no changes were made to the 2014 agreement.
5 0 to approve the agreement.
Edwards also updated the council on Phase 2 of the town park. The commis-sion is in communication with the en-gineering firm, Stewart, Inc., regarding preparing the project to go out to bid.
Edwards said the project plans will be ready to present to the council for ap-proval no later than the February council meeting, while assuring the council the project is still on schedule for completion sometime next spring.
Fire Department. Chief Steve Simmons said November was the fourth consecu-tive month in which the department responded to more than 60 calls.
The department responded to 66 calls last month, 25 of which were medical and 41 were fire- and service-related. Department personnel and vol-unteers obtained 201 hours of training, installed one car seat and participated in three public education events. Aver-age response time was 4.5 minutes.
On behalf of the department, Sim-mons applauded the council for consider-ing rezoning the site formerly occupied by Big Boyz Toyz. He said the fire depart-ment had been notified by the Guilford County fire inspector of some poten-tially dangerous conditions in one of the structures on that site and he had told his firefighters they would need to be extra cautious if they were called to that site.
In cases of inclement weather and potential power outages, Simmons said citizens can go to www.readyguilford.com
for help with preparation or they can call the fire department.
Simmons said speeding was a factor in vehicle accidents that had occurred re-cently in Greensboro, in which three teen-agers were killed; he encouraged parents to talk to their teens about speeding.
Finally, Simmons noted that live Christmas trees need water every day and lights need to be unplugged when unattended. He then wished everyone a safe and merry Christmas.
Historic Preservation Commission. Chair Ann Schneider reported that three requests for Certificates of Appropriate-ness were approved at the commission’s November meeting:
Oak Ridge Foundation received COA approval to repair water damage by recladding the brick foundation of the 100-year-old Linville Chapel on the campus of Oak Ridge Military Academy; the commission expects another COA application in January for changes to the chapel’s front porch area which will address safety issues.
Developer Kevan Combs and survey-ing firm Land Solutions, on behalf of owner Marion McDougal, received COA approval for a seven-lot subdivision on Linville Road, near the town park.
“This was an unusual application and raised many interesting questions,” said Schneider. “Most of those questions, though – such as the actual placement of homes and driveways and how those are designed – will be considered when individual applications for those structures are approved through the COA process.”
The third COA was submitted by the Town of Oak Ridge for Phase 2 of the town park, which will include an am-phitheater, restrooms and connecting walkway.
Additionally, Schneider announced that HPC will be looking for applicants to fill Cara Townsend’s seat, since Townsend will be moving to Raleigh to take a position with Gov. McCrory.take a position with Gov. McCrory.
... continued on p. 26
8 DEC. 12 - 18, 2014 The Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996
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ing inspector would have to deem the property unsafe and a public nuisance. He wasn’t sure if the buildings would fall under that category.
When Stone then questioned Oakley about the town’s options for the property, Oakley responded that the town could leave it as is and hope it is maintained or purchased. However, because of the cur-rent zoning, someone could come in and use it as a heavy industrial site.
The other possibility for the town, Oakley explained, is to initiate a third-party rezoning, which means the town would apply to itself for a rezoning. To do that, it would complete a rezoning application and appear before the Plan-ning and Zoning Board, which would make recommendations to the town council; the council could then approve or deny its own request.
Stone then asked Town Attorney Michael Thomas whether he had any
concerns about attempting a third-party rezoning.
“If any one of the structures became structurally unsound, either by determi-nation of the inspections department or the fire marshal, the town has statutory authority to summarily abate that prob-lem, i.e., tear it down or lien the property for that cost,” Thomas said. “But short of rezoning, as Mr. Oakley mentioned, the uses of right remain in place.”
Stone said he was a firm believer in property rights, but the property owners around the site also had rights.
“Under the current conditions, I think the town has to act,” he said.
Council member George McClellan asked what would happen if the town did nothing. Oakley answered that the site could be used for anything listed as allowable under heavy industrial zoning.
As for what zoning the property would be changed to, Oakley recom-mended RS-40, saying it was consistent with the surrounding properties. He said a commercial buyer could later request a different rezoning.
Council member Spencer Sullivan mentioned that the property is in the sce-nic corridor, but the town couldn’t enforce those regulations. He then affirmed he was in favor of the third party rezoning.
“It needs to be cleaned up,” Sullivan said. “And we are in no way preventing a future owner from using that property for commercial use. It would just require them to come back to the town and seek an appropriate rezoning or conditional use zoning for them to use that property.”
Council member Jim Kinneman said rezoning would not take away a finan-cial opportunity for the current landown-er because it’s unlikely someone could use the site as heavy industrial due to the small size of the property.
After Combs asked Oakley if the property owner had been contacted, Adam Duke, attorney at Bell Davis and Pitt, representing Truliant, responded that he was notified of the meeting only three days prior. Soon afterward he wrote a letter to Oakley and Thomas, requesting more time to research ordinances, includ-ing the third-party procedure.
Duke said he did not dispute that the property is an eyesore and affirmed that Truliant is willing to talk with the council about rezoning.
“It seems like this is a fast-track proce-dure,” said Duke. “Keep in mind, mem-bers of the council and Mr. Mayor, that Truliant doesn’t want to be in this position. … They don’t want to own this property
any more than perhaps anyone else does at this point, given that it’s still for sale.”
Combs assured Duke that any ac-tion taken at the meeting would just be to begin the process and the rezoning request would likely not come before the council until February, which would give Truliant plenty of time to respond.
Kinneman clarified that rezoning would not solve the nuisance problem, and the property would still have to be maintained.
Stone then motioned to instruct the town staff to begin the process of rezon-ing the property from heavy industrial to RS-40 because the current zoning is inconsistent with surrounding properties and negatively impacts the neighbors.
After more discussion, council voted unanimously to begin the third-party rezoning process.
During the citizen comment period, Finance Committee member Frank Whitaker asked the council if the town would be willing to purchase and clean up the property. Combs said it was a possibility, but unlikely because of the potential high cost of the cleanup.
In fact, a potential buyer reportedly backed out of the purchase because of the cost to make the property usable.
However, Combs did not completely rule out the town taking responsibility for the property.
“If the council does rezone it to RS-40, that does not exclude your sugges-tion,” he said. “It may come to that.”
REZONING...continued from p. 5
Stay safe from carbon monoxide this winter by Tim De Stasio
Carbon monoxide, or CO, is a by-product of com-bustion – or the burning of a fuel source such as natural gas, propane and heating oil. It robs the body’s ability to absorb oxygen into the blood.
Carbon monoxide poisoning is 100% preventable. Awareness of how this gas is formed requires a basic knowledge of how fuel burning appliances work. For simplicity, this article will use the example of a natu-ral gas forced air furnace which is common in many houses. But the same principles apply to water heat-ers and gas logs, as well as other fuels like propane and heating oil.
How it worksAir is drawn into a furnace and mixed with natural gas at the burners. The mixture is then ignited at the heat exchanger, which creates a tremendous amount of heat in this important furnace component. The furnace blower circulates air from the home across the heat exchanger, which warms the air. Then, the warmed air is distributed to each room through the air ducts.
This air is kept completely separate from the poison-ous combustion gases inside the heat exchanger – these gases are vented outside. As long as all components of this system function correctly, there is no chance of carbon monoxide poisoning.
However, if the heat exchanger has a leak in it, carbon monoxide can mix with the air circulated through the house. Carbon monoxide can also leak back into your home if the vent pipe is blocked, damaged or improperly installed. Additionally, if the furnace is in need of repair, it may be produc-
ing more CO than normal, which could accumulate in your home. That’s why it is so important to have your heating system serviced every year.
Carbon monoxide levels and detectorsCarbon monoxide is measured in parts per million, or PPM. The standard exposure limit is 35ppm. However, lower levels have been known to cause damage. All homes should have CO detectors near every bedroom. These are required to sound an alarm at 400ppm. But many tests have shown that cheaper and older models fail to meet that require-ment. Over time, the sensor can degrade making the detector less likely to work. It is recommended to invest in good quality CO detectors with a dis-play screen and replace them every 5 years. Some are available that will alarm at much lower levels and are safer.
It is a common misconception that the “test” button on a CO detector ensures it is working properly. That button simply tells you if the battery is working but not that the sensor is working. There are test sprays available that contain small levels of CO that can accurately test a detector.
Tips to stay safe• Make sure all appliances are professionally in-
stalled, permitted and inspected.
• Change the batteries in your carbon monoxide detectors every year. If your CO detector goes
off or displays a level above 35 parts per million (ppm), move outside and call 911.
• Never operate vent-less gas logs for long periods of time or while you sleep. Always open a window when using them. If you have an attached garage, never idle your car with the garage door closed.
• Have your heating systems, including heat pumps, properly serviced and inspected by a NATE-certified technician every fall. A proper heating inspection tests for gas leaks and includes a combustion analy-sis to determine how clean the system burns fuel. Internal unit safety shutdowns are verified as well.
Carbon monoxide hazards should be taken seriously. If precautions are taken and appliances are properly installed and serviced, your family can stay warm and safe this winter.
Call (336) 298-7598 today to schedule a heating tune-up
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Each year in the U.S. alone, an average of 170 people die from carbon monoxide poisoning. Many more are exposed to this colorless, odorless gas and experience symptoms which can leave permanent damage.
Tim De Stasio is owner of Southern Comfort Consulting and Service, LLC based in Stokesdale. He graduated Northwest Guilford in 1998 and has 15 years experience in HVAC. He is also NATE certified and is a BPI building analyst. Southern Comfort Consulting and Service is licensed, insured and an Energy Star participating contractor.
Energy efficient HVAC solutions
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10 DEC. 12 - 18, 2014 The Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996
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Some of David Cole’s favorite mem-ories involve trips with his
grandmother and aunts to Seagrove, the
state’s unofficial pottery capital.
“When I was a kid, they would take me to Sea-
grove,” says Cole. “I could spend hours
watching the different potters.”
Cole’s childhood fascination evolved into a passion that has resulted in a lifelong desire to create beautiful
Oak Ridge resident David Cole has been fas-cinated with pottery since his early childhood trips to Seagrove.
Faith, perseverance marks local potter by ANNETTE JOYCE
and utilitarian works of art, and to share that work with as many people as pos-sible.
Cole, 49, opened his dream studio, David Cole Pottery, on Peeples Road in Oak Ridge in 2000. Inviting and spa-cious, the studio has plenty of room for Cole to perfect his craft and create his unique pottery.
And there’s abundant space to showcase his work. Cole’s distinctive style is illustrated in both his use of visual and surface textures. He also leans toward a look that was preva-lent in the 19th century.
“I love history and old pottery,” says Cole. “I’m always striving to find a connection to the past.”
Although his interest in art was ever present, Cole switched majors several times in college until finally settling in the ceramics field.
As a young man with a growing family, he sought to turn his passion into
a viable livelihood. While working a full-time job in collections, he spent his spare time making jewelry and pottery while working in other people’s studios and improvising whenever he could.
The year he opened his own studio was bittersweet. Less than eight months later, Cole was involved in a serious ATV accident and suffered a severe brain injury
Oak Ridge resident David Cole has been fas-cinated with pottery since his early childhood trips to
And there’s abundant space to showcase his work. Cole’s distinctive style is illustrated in both his use of visual and surface textures. He also leans toward a look that was preva-lent in the 19th century.
“I love history and old pottery,” says Cole. “I’m always striving to find a connection to the
interest in art was
he sought to turn
severe brain injury
Some of David Cole’s favorite mem-ories involve trips with his
grandmother and aunts to Seagrove, the
“I could spend hours watching the different
potters.”
Cole’s childhood fascination evolved into a passion that has rein a lifelong desire to create beautiful
Faith, perseverance marks local potter
When we get too caught up in the business of the world, we lose connection with one another – and ourselves
–Jack Kornfield author/teacher
Connecting people and their communities
www.nwobserver.com /NorthwestObserver
The Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996 DEC. 12 - 18, 2014 11
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4541 Peeples RoadOak Ridge(Right off Hwy 68 N)
(336) 668-0025
Handmade pottery in\ the southern tradition
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Oak Ridge resident David Cole has a passion and an incredible talent for creating unique works of art.
that almost cost him his life; needless to say, his pottery career was sidelined.
During his recovery, Cole became involved with the Brain Injury Support Group, which met in High Point. Ironically, it was at one of these meetings that he met a staff member of Our State maga-zine and formed a connection that would result in the magazine’s commis-sioning him to create 500 Christmas ornaments and 125 signed dogwood apothecary jars.
that almost cost him his life;
magazine’s commis-sioning him to create 500 Christmas ornaments and 125 signed dogwood
David Cole Pottery was again moving in the
right direction.
Then the Great Reces-sion came rolling
in. In need of a steady income, Cole put his pot-tery career on the back burner, got his EMT certifica-tion and began working for Cone
Health. His 60-hour weeks left little
time for his art.
Last year, he decided it was time to
begin again and spent the entire summer creat-
ing his inventory – pitch-ers, bowls, pans, coffee cups
and urns – in preparation for the
annual Persimmon Festival in November. He decided to wait to glaze his pieces. When he did, he was heartbroken to discover that he had been working with a bad batch of clay. All the pottery was bloated, bubbled and cracked.
Showing his normal perseverance, Cole showed up at the festival with his potter’s wheel and demonstrated. Al-though he had nothing to sell, all of the unglazed pieces were on display to show his audience the style of his work.
After ridding his studio of every speck of the bad clay, Cole began yet again. He credits his faith in God with his de-termination to move forward.
“I asked God why (this happened), but I’m also going to trust Him,” says Cole.
Cole and his wife, Lori, have been married for 25 years. Lori home-schooled their two sons, Nolan, 19, and Jake, 16. The Coles are members of Central Baptist Church in Oak Ridge.
The Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996 DEC. 12 - 18, 2014 13
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Vikings for Biking
NW GUILFORD – Members of the Happy Not Mad Club at Northwest High School kicked off their first annual Vikings for Biking event on Friday, Dec. 5. The event continues through Friday, Dec. 12, with the goal of collecting 100 bikes before handing them over to the Ward Mission United Methodist Church in High Point,
where they will be given to children and adults as Christmas gifts.
Club advisor and science teacher Patrick Sams said the club was awarded a Gifts of Giving grant, sponsored by Four Seasons Town Center and Guilford County, for the bike drive.
...continued on p. 18
BITS and PIECES
Schlup receives Eagle awardIan M. Schlup,
18, of Summer-field, was present-ed with his Eagle Scout award on Oct. 14. Ian is the son of Carrie and Walter Schlup and a member of Troop 104, sponsored by
Trinity Church in Greensboro. A recent
graduate of Northern High School, he now attends UNC-Chapel Hill where he is majoring in chemistry.
Ian’s Eagle project involved the planning, construction and delivery of a hand-hewn cedar sandbox to the Friendly Avenue Christian Preschool in Greensboro. The sandbox is part of a plan to transform their traditional playground to a naturalized outdoor learning environment.
Clothes, toys needed for kids GREENSBORO – Proehlific Park, P.O.W.E.R. of Play Foundation, and Hutchinson Family Office are hoping to make this Christmas a special one for 25 Piedmont families by providing them with clothing, shoes, toys and a holi-day meal. The families will be selected according to need by social workers,
community groups, schools and the Salvation Army.
Please drop off new, unwrapped toys, clothes, shoes or a cash donation to Pro-ehlific Park from now through Dec. 15. Call (336) 665-5233 with questions.
Proehlific Park is located at 4517 Jes-sup Grove Road, Greensboro.
Needham receives scholarshipVictoria Need-
ham, daughter of Jackie and Frank Needham, was recently awarded the 2014 Oak Ridge Lions Club scholarship which is designated for NWHS seniors.
Victoria is a 2014 graduate of NWHS and attends UNC-Pembroke.
The Lions Club scholarship empha-sizes community service, and Victoria’s service included being a cadet for the Triad Bloodhound Search and Rescue Team, working with Urban Ministries, building homes with the Methodist Men’s Organization, volunteering with Opera-tion Christmas Child and helping estab-
lish Backpacks for Kids.Funding for this scholarship is made
possible by the annual Oak Ridge Lions Club Tom Brown Memorial Golf Tourna-ment, sponsored by the Northwest Observ-er and Bank of North Carolina. The Oak Ridge Lions Club is proud to be able to provide this scholarship as well as to sup-port the sight and hearing impaired, Camp Carefree, Nursing Homes, homebound neighbors and other community projects.
New members are welcome to come to our monthly meeting the third Thurs-day of each month, 6:30 p.m. at Bill’s Pizza Pub. Please contact Lion Carolyn Brown at (336) 643-3447 for more info.
More info about the Lions Club scholarship can be found on the NWHS website. For questions, contact Lion Cathy Nodine at (336) 643-1121.
Schlup
Needham
Photo by L.A. Logan/NWO
The Happy Not Mad Club, created by freshman Eric Walker (inset, left), set up a bike dropoff in Northwest Guilford High School’s student parking lot on Dec. 5, and will do so again on Dec. 12 for the club’ fi rst annual Vikings for Biking. Donated bicycles will be dispersed on Saturday, Dec. 20 at the Ward Street Mission United Methodist Church in High Point.
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14 DEC. 12 - 18, 2014 The Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996
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HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS
...continued on p. 19
High School Sports
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Northern advances to state championship game on Dec. 13by L.A. LOGAN
Northern Guilford defensive end/wide receiver Tre Marsh took mat-ters into his own hands on the second play of the game against No. 12 seed Chapel Hill on Dec. 5. His fumble-forcing sack set the tone for the 3AA NCHSAA East Regional Finals victory against Chapel Hill, 34-15, and punched Northern’s ticket to the state final game.
In the game’s first 53 seconds, de-fensive end Jeremiah McCoy recovered the fumble, and running back CJ Free-
man reached the end zone from two yards out for Northern’s first score.
“We have used lessons each week that involve knowing your opponent,
effort, determina-tion, mental toughness and finish-
ing strong with a winning edge,” said head football coach Johnny Roscoe.
Ahead 13-0, the Nighthawks dropped a potential interception that later led to the Tigers’ first touchdown.
After a collision with a Chapel Hill defensive lineman in the third quarter, Freeman was forced out of the game
Northern wide receiver Mook Reynolds (No. 6) outruns a Chapel Hill defender in the 34-15 win over Chapel Hill on Friday, Dec. 5. The Nighthawks advance to the 3AA NCHSAA state football championship game this Sat-urday, Dec. 13, at Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh against Weddington.
Photo courtesy of Strawbridge Studios
Chapel Hill Tigers (11-4) 0 | 7 | 0 | 8 ||15Northern Nighthawks (14-1) 6 | 14 | 7 | 7 ||34
with concussion-like symptoms. De-termined to reach the championship, quarterback/defensive back Cam Harris stepped in to fill the void and finished off the Tigers in the second half with two touchdowns, including a 26-yard pass to a leaping Marsh, while absorb-ing a heavy hit.
“Preparation is the key to our suc-cess,” said Harris. “If you don’t prepare well enough, you will not know what your opponents will hit you with.”
Notable Stats | Northern’s defense forced five turnovers – four interceptions and a fumble – including Harris’ 11th interception of the year, which set a new school record. Freeman scored all three of his rushing touchdowns in the first half.
Shout-out to Mook Reynolds for engag-ing in a one-on-one matchup with Cha-pel Hill’s explosive wide receiver Arkavius Parks; no doubt keeping Parks frustrated
throughout the evening, Reynolds held the receiver to only 50 yards.
“Coming off of last year, we had a bitter taste in our mouth,” said Reynolds. “We came out to dominate this season.”
Also, shout-out to the Nighthawk nation, every player and coach on the roster for keeping their eyes fixed on the ultimate goal – a state championship. Up next | No. 7 seed Northern will play a familar playoff foe, No. 5 seed Wed-dington Warriors (15-1), at Carter-Finley Stadium, home to the N.C. State Wolf-pack, on Saturday, Dec. 13, 8 p.m. The Warriors won the West Regional Finals by upsetting No. 2 seed Cuthbertson 24-21.
Last season, Northern ended Wed-dington’s season in a third round playoff battle 22-19. Northern won their 2010 state championship as the No. 5 seed in Raleigh – Coach Roscoe’s first state title.
The Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996 DEC. 12 - 18, 2014 15
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Start content here if using a new section barThanks to the coaches and teachers at Northern and Northwest High Schools for their student recommendations and input, which make it possible to recognize these talented, dedicated students for their accomplishments in academics, athletics and cultural arts. Thanks, too, to the student reporters at Northern and Northwest who helped us compile these profiles.
STUDENT PROFILES
NORTHERN BasketballSAM HILDRETH, senior
Hometown: SummerfieldToughest class: Pre-calculus HonorsExtracurricular activities: Embracing Leadership and Diversity Through Ath-letics, Beta Club, National Honor SocietyPlans after high school: Go to college and play basketballMost admired athlete: (Pro basketball player) Ray AllenFavorite athletic team: UNCFavorite food: Prime ribFavorite musician/band: RapFavorite movie: “22 Jump Street”Any siblings? One brotherBest vacation ever: Myrtle Beach AAU NationalsYears lived in the Northern area: 14 Dream job: Physical therapistSomething not everyone knows about me: “I’ve never been north of Virginia.”Nickname: “Samantha”For Christmas I want … an iPhone 6
Position/Role on the team: Captain, shooting guard/power forwardPre-game ritual or superstitions: Shoot around and listen to musicCoach Bill Chambers’ comments on Sam Hildreth: “Sam is a very well-rounded young man, excelling in the classroom as well as on the basketball court. He is a hard worker who has improved tremendously during his high school career, and I believe he will be a fine player at the next level.”
NORTHERN BasketballLASHA SEATON, junior
Hometown: GreensboroToughest class: AP U.S. History Extracurricular activities: Beta ClubPlans after high school: West Point AcademyMost admired athlete: (Pro basketball player) Diana Taurasi Favorite athletic team: UNC Tar Heels women’s basketballFavorite food: Chinese Favorite musician/band: BeyoncéFavorite movie: “Spongebob Squarepants”Any siblings? Older sister and younger brotherBest vacation ever: Disneyland in Cali-forniaYears lived in the Northern area: 14Dream job: Central Intelligence AgencySomething not everyone knows about me: “I can sing.”Nickname: “Lay-Lay”
For Christmas I want … Platinum edi-tion Beyoncé albumPosition: Small forwardPre-game ritual or superstitions: Team chantCoach Kim Furlough’s comments on Lasha Seaton: “Lasha has been on varsity for three years. She’s a tenacious defender and sees the court extremely well. She impresses me with some of her passes.”
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NORTHERN WrestlingJACOB FULLER, senior
Hometown: GreensboroToughest class: Honors AnatomyExtracurricular activities: Mixed martial artsPlans after high school: Become a physical therapist or fight MMA profes-sionally Most admired athlete: (Mixed martial artist) Jon JonesFavorite athletic team: Carolina PanthersFavorite food: SteakFavorite musician/band: Wiz KhalifaFavorite movie: “Interstellar” Any siblings? One older brotherBest vacation ever: Trip to the Caribbean Years lived in the Northern area: 17Dream job: CEO of a companySomething not everyone knows about me: “I am very sarcastic.”Nickname: “Wildman”For Christmas I want … new rims and clothes
Position/Role on the team: Wrestle at 126 lbs.Pre-game ritual or superstitions: Listen to musicCoach Jonathan Shaw’s comments on Jacob Fuller: “Jacob is a great kid and a hard worker. He has really improved over the past two years, and it has been a pleasure coaching him.”
NORTHWEST WrestlingAUSTIN COMEFORD, senior
Hometown: Oak RidgeToughest class: AP Calculus ABExtracurricular activities: Community service with church and youth groupFuture plans: Attend one of the United States military academiesMost admired athlete: Jordan Bur-roughs, Olympic wrestlerFavorite athletic team: Carolina PanthersFavorite food: PizzaFavorite musician/band: RockFavorite movie: “Lone Survivor”Any siblings? One sisterBest vacation ever: Every year at my grandparents’ beach houseYears lived in the Northwest area: 11 Dream job: Navy SEALSomething not everyone knows about me: “I’m content with what I have.”Nickname: “Comeford”For Christmas I want … some new wrestling shoes
Position/Role on the team: Wrestle at 145 lbs. Pre-game ritual or superstitions: Listen to music and warm upCoach Ron Bare’s comments on Austin Comeford: “Austin is a tremendous wrestler who has his eyes set on winning states. He has the ability and the work ethic to beat anyone.”
Christmas celebrationsaround town
Light the RidgeOak Ridge | Dec. 7
Merchants Association of Oak Ridge, in partnership with Oak Ridge Military Academy, sponsored the annual Light the Ridge in Oak Ridge on Dec. 7. Above, top: ORMA theater students dressed up as elves surround Santa Claus. Above, center: Destination Arts dance students perform a lively number for the crowd. Above, bottom: Twins William and Matthew Pait were all smiles as they sat in Santa’s lap. See more photos from this event at Facebook.com/NorthwestObserver.
Community Tree LightingStokesdale | Dec. 5
The Stokesdale Holiday Parade Committee hosted the annual tree lighting event at Stokesdale Town Hall on Dec. 5. Above, top: Stokesdale Elementary third graders treated the crowd to some fun songs. Above, center left: Kids enjoyed posing for photos as they sat in the large red sleigh in front of Town Hall. Above, center right: Todd Harmon, funeral director for Forbis & Dick/Brooke Chapel and tree lighting emcee sneaks up behind Santa and “photobombs” him.
Community Tree LightingWe’re not sure, but we
think “photobombing” Santa might automatically put you
on the naughty list!
Christmas celebrationsaround town
Santa in the GardensThe Gardens at Gray Gables, Summerfi eld | Dec. 6
The Gardens at Gray Gables hosted its 6th annual Santa in the Gardens on Dec. 6. Above, top: Blake and Avery Underwood share their Christmas wish lists with Santa. Above, center left: Gardens at Gray Gables’ owners Pat and Deborah Jenks were plenty busy throughout the day, but they took a mo-ment to pose for a picture before getting back to work. Above, center right: NWHS graduate and Gardens at Gray Gables event worker, Evan Campfi eld, made a very convincing Santa’s elf.
Christmas Tree LightingSummerfi eld | Nov. 22
The Town of Summerfi eld hosted its annual tree lighting event at Summerfi eld Athletic Park on Nov. 22. Above, top: The large, lighted Christmas tree at the park made a great backdrop for family photos. Above, bottom: Mayor Tim Sessoms stops for a picture with Town Clerk Valarie Halvorsen after Halvorsen dropped off a bag of canned goods for Summerfi eld United Methodist Church’s Sonshine Room.
We’re not sure, but we think “photobombing” Santa might automatically put you
on the naughty list!
Santa in the Gardens
Find many more photos of these events atfacebook.com/northwestobserver
Photos by
Patti Stokes and
L.A. Logan/NWO
18 DEC. 12 - 18, 2014 The Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996
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Photo courtesy of Gregg Kubis
Cub Scout Pack 600 and Girl Scout Troop 41685 from Oak Ridge Presbyterian Church recently presented Cathy Osborne with Greensboro Urban Ministries Pathways Center a check for $3,131 that was raised at their 11th annual Charity Pancake Breakfast and Silent Auction.
Club participants are joined by a volunteer who has agreed to help clean, make repairs and paint the bikes.
Eric Walker, a freshman with cerebral palsy, and his personal care assistant, Deborah Caddell, formed the Happy Not Mad Club after Eric had the idea for a support-type group for individuals who may feel anger or resentment to con-verge, interact and share struggles and celebrate successes.
“I feel that when I can help others it makes me a better person,” said Walker. “I take great pride in making people smile ... Vikings for Biking is my way to teach compassion and teamwork.
“The reason I want to give a child a bike is because on Christmas Day I always get nice things,” he continued. “This year I want a child to wake up on Christmas with a new bike in their living room.”
have a bike to donate?
Used children’s or adult bikes in any condition can be dropped off at North-west Guilford High School during school hours between now and Friday, Dec. 12; additionally, Happy Not Mad Club mem-bers will be available to accept bikes at a dropoff site in the school’s student parking lot on Dec. 12 from 4 to 6 p.m.
Questions? Email Deborah Caddell, [email protected], or Patrick Sams, [email protected].
BITS & PIECES...continued from p. 13
Share your
Community Newse-mail: [email protected]
mail: Community News, PO Box 268, Oak Ridge, NC 27310
INTERSECTION ...continued from p. 1
“Concept B” includes those recom-mendations as well as changing the “slip lanes” to regular turn lanes to improve pedestrian safety and reduce crossing distance. The slip lanes are the turn lanes that allow cars to turn right without enter-ing the intersection.
After the Dec. 4 meeting, McClellan confirmed safety was the main motivator for requesting the improvements.
“Safety was a big concern, not only for folks on bicycles but also from the standpoint of the folks in cars,” McClellan said. “And part of that is those turn lanes. There have been several accidents that have occurred there.”
Oakley pointed out that NCDOT is making a few changes to the plan the town submitted. For instance, the slip lane by the military academy will remain because altering it would require taking academy property.
“I haven’t seen the final drawings, so I’m not 100 percent sure what the final product will look like,” said Oakley. “We’ll be getting more information real soon.”
Dates for construction to begin have not yet been announced.
Serving residents in need throughout northwest Guilford County
Last chance to help us make wishes come true!
Select an angel from the Angel Tree at Stokesdale Fire Department or request an angel by contacting Patti Stokes at [email protected]
or Terri Johnson at [email protected] / (336) 643-5887
Return wrapped and labeled gifts for your “angel” by Dec. 17.
The Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996 DEC. 12 - 18, 2014 19
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Anne Garner8304-C Hwy 158, Stokesdale(336) 441-8325 [email protected]
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HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL
Northwest Varsity Boys (4-0)Guard Jaylen Gore scored a team-
high 18 points, grabbed 6 rebounds and dished out 5 assists as Northwest defeat-ed the Page Pirates Friday, Dec. 5, 77-65.
The Vikings took an early 10-point lead at the end of the first quarter before the Pirates battled back to take a 39-38 lead at halftime.
Forward Sam Covington continued his hot streak with 16 points, and guard Jalen Spicer finished with 12 points and 8 assists.
Northwest Varsity Girls (4-0)Head girls basketball coach Darlene
Joyner and her team used fearless de-fense to stay undefeated by blowing out Page 63-36 on Friday, Dec. 5.
Guard Hayley Barber and forward Morgan Pointer scored 15 points apiece in the rout.
As we went to press, Northwest Guilford girls and boys varsity teams were scheduled to face Southern Alamance on Tuesday, Dec. 9, at Southern Alamance.
UP NEXT: 12-11 | Western Guilford at Northwest (girls play at 6 p.m., boys at 7:30 p.m.)
12-16 | Southern Alamance at Northwest (girls play at 6 p.m., boys at 7:30 p.m.)
Northern Varsity Boys (2-3, 1-0)Center Josh Gibson had a season-
high 23 points to lead Northern to their first conference win of the season over Williams 75-52 on Friday, Dec. 5.
The first half was close, but the Nighthawks pulled away in the second half, outscoring the Bulldogs 41-24.
Forward Jack Emerick chipped in 15 points, and guard Matt Graham added 13 points.
Northern Varsity Girls (3-2, 1-0)Northern girls lost two conference
games last season, both at the hands of Williams, who finished the season undefeated in conference.
This year would be different.In the low-scoring game on Friday,
Dec. 5, the Nighthawks held the Bull-dogs to two single-digit quarters as they topped their opponent 39-36 in the first of two regular-season meetings.
Center Elissa Cunane led the Night-
hawks with 14 points. Forward Kasey Johnson and guard Sydney Wilson both contributed 7 points each.
As we went to press, Northern girls and boys varsity teams were scheduled to face Page on Tuesday, Dec. 9, at Northern.
UP NEXT: Dec. 12 | Western Alamance at Northern (girls play at 6 p.m., boys at 7:30 p.m.)
Dec. 16 | Northern at Eastern Alamance (girls play at 6 p.m., boys at 7:30 p.m.)
SPORTS...continued from p. 14
20 DEC. 12 - 18, 2014 The Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996
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View the complete, detailed Community Calendar at
nwobserver.com, and check the Northwest Observer each week for
a selection of upcoming events
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community calendar
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walks • play-dates • feeding • medication • even extra belly rubs!
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SATURDAY, DEC. 13 Holiday Bake Sale & Crafters | Gethsemane United
Methodist Church, 100 N.C. 150 West in Greensboro, will host a holiday bake and craft sale on Dec. 13, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Enjoy breakfast, lunch and Brunswick stew. All proceeds will benefit various mission projects. More info: (336) 643-3519 or [email protected].
Holiday Open House | Meet Olaf from “Frozen” at The Market at Summerfield Farms, 3203 Pleasant Ridge Road, Summerfield, on Dec. 13, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Enjoy free hot chocolate and holiday music from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Stokesdale Holiday Parade | Bring your family, friends and neighbors to the Stokesdale Holiday Parade, down-town Stokesdale, on Dec. 13 at 2 p.m. The parade will feature floats, horses, celebrities and Santa Claus. More info: (336) 644-1644 or [email protected].
Trail Run | Commune with nature while traversing three miles of wooded trails on Dec. 13 at PLC’s Knight Brown Nature Preserve, 1515 W. Cornwallis Drive, Greensboro, starting at 10 a.m. More info: Lynne, (336) 691-0088 or [email protected].
MONDAY, DEC. 15 Dave Ramsey Financial Class | Oak Ridge Pres-
byterian Church, 2614 Oak Ridge Road, will host a finance class on Dec. 15, 7-8:30 p.m., taught by Dave Ramsey and the FPU teaching team. The class will help you achieve your financial goals by showing you how to eliminate debt and save for the future. More info: Ray Wallace, (336) 601-8831 or [email protected].
TUESDAY, DEC. 16 Greensboro Airport Rotary Club | The Greensboro Air-
port Rotary Club will meet on Tuesday, Dec. 16, 7-8 a.m., at The Cardinal Golf & Country Club, 5400 Cardinal Way, Greensboro. More info: Cory Newton, (336) 253-5353.
THURSDAY, DEC. 18 Book Signing | Northwest Observer will host a book
signing for author/writer Helen Ledford’s new book, “Helen Jean Stories,” on Dec. 18, 1-3 p.m. at the NWO office, 1616 N.C. 68 North in Oak Ridge. More info: [email protected].
FRIDAY, DEC. 19 Nighthawks Send-off | Northern Guilford High School friends and fans are invited to help us send off our Night-hawks to the 3AA state championship game on Dec. 13. Line-up at NGHS is at 4:15 p.m.; send-off is at 4:30 p.m.
mark yourcalendar
Gift package includes a gift certificate, T-shirt
and gift bagOffer valid at Mike Carr Karate,
1941 New Garden Road, Greensboro) Expires 12/23/2014
For more information or to order, contact Mike Carr
(336) 339-8062 [email protected]
mikecarrkarate.com
Tai Chi Gift Package
NEW Tai Chi
class starting January 24
For adults of all ages
6-week class Wed & Sat 9–9:45am
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Contact Kent Dowdy (336) 944-4212 • [email protected]
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‘TIS THE SEASON.
Helen Jean Storiesa book written and illustrated by
Helen Ledford A nostalgic look
into slower times well remembered.
Purchase online at www.lulu.com (type “Helen Jean Stories” in the search bar)or...At a book signing hosted by the
Northwest Observer onThursday, Dec. 18 • 1-3 pm
Northwest Observer office1616 NC 68 N, Oak Ridge
The Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996 OCT. 3 - 9, 2014 31
Where do you takeyour Northwest Observer?
Email your photo to [email protected]
Where do you takeyour Northwest Observer?
Email your photo to [email protected]
Gerry Strasser of Summerfi eld took a break with the Northwest Observer at the Chillon Castle on Lake Geneva in Montreux, Switzer-land, during a trip to the Swiss Alps with his granddaughter, Cheyenne Karp.
Cody and Chloe Marion of Stokesdale read their
Northwest Observer while visiting the Golden Gate
Bridge during a trip to San Francisco.
NORTHWEST OBSERVER GOES TO DISNEY! Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs*
catch up on local news on Disney Day during Spirit Week at Oak Ridge Weekday School.
*a.k.a.: (Front row, left to right) Denise Jarvis, Mecca Gauldin, Sarah Scott, Jamie Hatchell;
(back row) Maghan Watkins, Amanda Watson, Kelli Sugg, Denise Hunsucker.
Gail Sharon of Oak Ridge took
time out while celebrating her 60th birthday to
read her North-west Observer.
NWO On The Go!
NORTHWEST OBSERVER GOES TO DISNEY! Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs*
catch up on local news on Disney Day during Spirit Week at Oak Ridge Weekday School.
The Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996 DEC. 12 - 18, 2014 23
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Start content here if using a new section barDistrict 1 Sheriff’s Offi cehas recently responded to the following incidentsin northwest Guilford County ...
CRIME / INCIDENT report
ASSAULTDec. 5 | A Northern Middle School student reported being assaulted by another student, but was not injured.
DRUGS/ALCOHOLDec. 6 | One male was charged with Misdemeanor Possession of Marijuana and Drug Paraphernalia and another male was charged with Possession of Drug Paraphernalia after police investi-gated a 911 call about suspicious activ-ity on Jac-A-Roe Drive in Summerfield.
PROPERTY DAMAGEDec. 6 | A resident of Hudson-James Road in Summerfield reported that known suspects had slashed three tires on his vehicle and had damaged the air conditioning unit at his home. Dec. 3 | A man and woman living at N.C. 68 North in Stokesdale were both arrested for assaulting each other.
MISCELLANEOUSDec. 2 | A resident of N.C. 68 North reported a known person threatened her with a knife during a domestic dispute.Dec. 2 | A Northwest Middle School student was found to be in possession of a steak knife, which he brought with his bag lunch. Prosecution was declined after the parents explained they were aware the student had the steak knife but didn’t know it was a violation for him to have it at school. Dec. 6 | A resident of U.S. 158 report-ed a known suspect took her vehicle with permission, but failed to return it as agreed.
THEFTDec. 1 | ABC Roofing reported that someone stole 20 bundles of GAF shingles from a residential construction
site located on Johnson Street in Colfax. The shingles, which were stolen some-time between Nov. 29 and Dec. 1, were valued at $462. Dec. 4 | A resident of Lewiston Road in Summerfield reported that an unknown person entered his outbuilding some-time between Nov. 4 and Dec. 4 and stole a Craftsman radio, a welder and a small air compressor. The welder and air compressor were valued at about $200 combined; the value of the radio was not known at the time of the report. Dec. 4 | A construction company build-ing a home on Poplar Forest Drive in Summerfield reported that someone stole 90 bundles of shingles valued at about $2,407 from the construction site. The bundles were unsecured and stacked into three pallets in the front yard prior to the theft. The theft oc-curred sometime between 5:30 p.m. on Dec. 3 and 9:30 a.m. on Dec. 4. Dec. 2 | A clerk at the Circle K located at 8400 Norcross Road in Colfax report-ed an unknown suspect stole tobacco items from behind the counter valued at $117.25. The theft occurred sometime between 1:23 and 1:27 p.m. Dec. 6 | Tabitha House, located on Rhodan Road in Summerfield, reported that a known person took $200 worth of items from Lowes Foods which belonged to the organization. Dec. 6 | The Dollar General in Summer-field reported that an unknown suspect left the store with an employee’s purse, which contained cash and a social secu-rity card. Dec. 8 | A resident of Bluefield, Virginia, reported her laptop computer, which was delivered to a relative’s home on Stallion Court in Summerfield, was stolen.
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24 DEC. 12 - 18, 2014 The Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996
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Treasured stories, badges savedI first met Helen Jean Ledford
in 1992 when my son started kin-dergarten at Oak Ridge Elemen-tary School. She was a full-time teacher’s assistant in Sam’s class, and it didn’t take long for one of her many talents – drawing – to become evident.
A month or so into the school year, as Sam would come home with quickly drawn but beautiful, sometimes whimsi-cal sketches, which were “badges” that children were given at the end of each week for displaying good behavior, I realized what treasures they were and began to save them in a shoebox. By the end of the year the box overflowed with Helen’s treasured sketches, some of which I still have.
Four years later, in the fall of 1996, I decided to launch a community newslet-ter for Oak Ridge. It was at about this same time that one day, while having a casual conversation with Helen, I com-plimented her on her beautiful artwork, a brightly colored, cheerful mural that greeted visitors as they entered Oak Ridge Elementary. I can’t remember what prompted me to ask Helen if she also happened to write, not having any idea at the time that she was equally gifted in that area.
Helen responded that yes, indeed she had written quite a bit for her hometown newspaper. And thus began the begin-ning of a long and beautiful relationship.
Helen’s articles, written in a sincere, downhome style, have been a treasure
to me and our readers since she began writing for this newspaper in 1997. After all these years, I still look forward to being the first to read them, always with a fresh cup of cof-fee and the assurance that I’ll be taken back to a time and place when life was difficult, but
in some ways so much simpler.
It’s my personal pleasure to host a book signing for Helen’s first published book, Helen Jean Stories, next Thurs-day, Dec. 18, from 1 to 3 p.m. at our office in Oak Ridge. Helen’s book is a compilation of many of the stories published in the Northwest Observer over the last 17 years, plus some that were published elsewhere. As I sat down and read through her book earlier this week, it was like going through a box of old photos. Some of the stories I had forgotten, others I vividly remembered, and all were just as enjoyable to read the second time around as the first.
I invite you to stop by our office on Dec. 18, say hello to Helen, and pur-chase a copy of her book. On second thought, while you’re here, you might want to get a few extra copies because they’ll make great Christmas gifts. And when all the cool gadgets we receive are eventually tossed aside and replaced by even cooler ones, and those new clothes we get have long gone out of style, Helen’s stories will remain a priceless treasure … just like the badges Sam brought home 22 years ago.
Patti Stokespublisher/editor
Submit your opinions (maximum 350 words)online: nwobserver.com e-mail: [email protected]
mail: Opinions, PO Box 268, Oak Ridge, NC 27310
Include your name, a daytime phone number where you can be reached and name of community in which you live.
LETTERS/OPINIONS
Body cameras prevent mistreatmentThe massive public reaction to the
tragic deaths of three black teens at the hands of white police officers has led to a national call for use of body cameras to record and prevent any future mis-treatment of suspects. There is ample precedent. Animal protection activists have used body cameras to document egregious atrocities and safety violations by workers in the meat, dairy and egg industries. The resulting videos have led to a number of corrective actions, as well as felony convictions, meat recalls and even a $500 million civil settlement.
How ironic, then, that agribusiness
interests in seven states (Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota and Utah) have now enacted “ag-gag” laws imposing severe penal-ties for using body cameras in their agricultural facilities. The language is typically drafted by the anti-consumer American Legislative Exchange Coun-cil (ALEC).
Let’s hope that other vested inter-ests do not impose similar restrictions on the use of body cameras by law enforcement officers.
Onovek Nuncheck OAK RIDGE
Protection must be given to allEvery town has a “Michael Brown,”
and every police officer will have to deal with him at some point in his/her career.
During my time in patrol, we had one such young man, and coincidentally, his name was Mike. He came from a good family. His mom was a school teacher.
Mike had behavioral problems and wouldn’t take his meds. His mom would call us to come get him because he was uncontrollable and destroying her home. When he took his meds, he was a “gentle giant” and would come to us and apologize. But he never went peacefully and he would tell us that we were going to have to fight him.
If he could have gotten our guns, he would’ve used them on us. We left our guns (watches, badges, glasses, every-thing) in our patrol cars so he couldn’t rip everything from our uniforms and break them, or get our guns and shoot us (one officer would keep his gun in case Mike
had a weapon).
Mace didn’t affect him either, and we didn’t have Tasers then. We always went with at least three officers when the call came from his mom.
Police officers are paid to “serve and protect” the public (and themselves), but not to be used as the community punch-ing bag or for target practice with rocks, bottles or guns.
Ferguson’s Michael Brown may have had similar personal problems. Maybe time will tell? If he had taken Officer Wil-son’s pistol, who would be dead? If Mike weren’t dead, he’d be in jail for robbery and possibly murder of Officer Wilson.
President Obama is trying to do the right things, but it must be a two-way agreement that offers protection for all. People must be educated to deal with these incidents when they occur. And they will occur again, and again! And
Our deepest gratitudeWe would like to thank the communi-
ty for all the support and prayers follow-ing the fire in my husband Bob Decker’s shop on Nov. 8. Although he is still in critical condition, he continues to fight
and recover daily. We are grateful for all the assistance from this community that he loves so much.
Jennie DeckerSUMMERFIELD
The Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996 DEC. 12 - 18, 2014 25
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it will most likely be a white-on-black shooting, because the media and the American people just don’t seem to care to hear about it otherwise!
The reaction to the Mike Brown shooting is nothing short of vigilante mob violence, using it as an excuse to loot and pillage, knowing the police can use only tear gas, rubber bullets, water cannons and “face-to-face” confrontation with
physical force to stop them. If business owners try to protect their property by us-ing deadly force to stop them, they stand to face criminal prosecution. Get ready for the next time!
Ramon BellSTOKESDALE
The writer is a retired Greensboro police officer.
Private hunting facilities exploit native species
Recent debates among hunters, farmers, wildlife advocates, and govern-ment officials on North Carolina captive cervid legislation have failed to address the root cause of the wider issue.
An unethical niche hunting industry drives surface-level problems surround-ing management, transportation of cervids, and the spread of chronic wast-ing disease (similar to mad cow and often found in captive deer). It under-mines traditional hunting, reverence for nature, animal welfare and ecological health by prioritizing profit, privilege and fetishism.
Many captive deer facilities oper-ate as private trophy hunting grounds where patrons pay up to $30,000 to hunt prize bucks on enclosed land. Humans have gone from revering and subsisting on deer to exploiting them as mere trophies, selectively bred and killed for bragging rights and profit.
Proponents argue that the indus-try benefits the economy, but these benefits serve only a select few. Money changes hands among industry insid-ers, excluding the poor and threaten-
ing farmers, landowners and wild deer with chronic wasting disease. Another defense is that such operations protect the environment by preserving land, but this is merely a convenient side effect.
Some claim the industry upholds American traditions and provides con-nection to nature, but a pricey guided hunt of captive animals turns the act into a commodity. Appropriating the hunt and resulting antlers as status symbols overshadows the animal’s beauty and role in the ecosystem. This market does not reflect a desire to re-turn to nature, but to dominate nature and showcase power to others.
Commodifying and fetishizing native species for profit and ego without re-gard for other hunters, farmers or ani-mals is unnecessary and purely for hu-man satisfaction. This industry clouds our understanding of how our actions affect both humans and non-humans negatively, and ending it is a neces-sary means of preserving our empathy toward nature and one another.
Kari VaughnSUMMERFIELD
Private insurance sector must goIt is open enrollment season for
Obamacare. Many people have com-plained about premiums going up, policies being cancelled and all sorts of other problems. I want to turn your
attention to the source of most of these problems, the powerful private insur-ance industry.
The health insurance industry spends millions of dollars annually lobbying poli-
LeBauer HealthCare is delighted to announce Dr. Zach Smith has joined LeBauer Sports Medicine.
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ticians to make sure laws are favorable, that is, profitable to them. Remember in the early days of Obamacare, there was a very popular and important aspect of the law called the public option, a type of government insurance that people could buy; a “Medicare for purchase” option? Polls found the idea was very popular with citizens and studies showed it would decrease the costs of health-care for everyone.
How? By having huge bargaining power, it could have negotiated lower rates and been a powerful competi-tor on the insurance exchanges, which would have forced premiums down across the board. This option didn’t sur-vive the final cut in spite of its economic sense and popularity.
Why? The powerful insurance lobby resisted it because it would have forced them to lower premiums and actually offer better coverage, thus decreasing their profits. Without this public option, private insurers can, and have, dictated the premiums on the exchange.
When some plans were so skimpy they didn’t even qualify as coverage under the new standards, companies just dropped those people instead of actually offering something that resem-bled insurance coverage. And without a public option to drive down premiums, they have skyrocketed for some people.
If those of you who have seen your premiums rise will research how much your insurance company spends in lobbying, it should infuriate you. Blue Cross/Blue Shield alone has spent $101 million in the last five years on lobbying, according to opensecrets.org. This is just a reminder of the unfortunate power and influence of big insurance compa-nies who are hugely profitable at your expense.
Until we can get rid of the entire pri-vate insurance sector and join the rest of the developed world with a single payer system, these problems will persist and only get worse.
Brian Middleton OAK RIDGE
26 DEC. 12 - 18, 2014 The Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996
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Start content here if using a new section bar Mr. McGhee and his custodial staff at
NW Middle. After three days of over-heating, you found a way to get cool air into the building – even after the district maintenance staff said “Sorry, once the heat is on, it’s on.” The lady at Heavenly Reflection Day
Spa in Walnut Cove for being so nice and giving me washcloths to clean up my 2-year-old when she got sick in the car. Bobbi who works at Wendy’s in Oak
Ridge for always being so welcoming and friendly. Nice to engage in conver-sation with such a kind soul. The family on Haw River Road by the
Last Minute Market who have decorated their tractor with holiday lights – our kids love slowing to admire it with each pass-ing (and so do we). Many thanks and happy holidays to you! John at StokeRidge Tavern for helping
me with my brother when he had a seizure at dinner last week due to his diabetes.
GRINS and GRIPES
GRINS to... Riley, the kind Lowes Foods em-
ployee. When I accidentally dropped my orange juice in the parking lot, he went in the store and bought another one for me. It brightened my day! Lowes should be proud to have him.
Delighted or dismayedby something inyour community?
Share your thoughts in
40 words or lessonline: nwobserver.com
e-mail: [email protected]
Grins & Gripes are published based on available space and editor’s discretion.
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See your independent Trane dealer for complete program eligibility, dates, details and restrictions. Special financing offers valid on qualifying equipment only. All sales must be to homeowners in the United States. Void where prohibited. The Home Projects® Visa® card is issued by Wells Fargo Financial National Bank. Special terms apply to qualifying purchases charged with approved credit at participating merchants. The special terms APR will continue to apply until all qualifying purchases are paid in full. Reduced Rate APR: Monthly payments of at least 1.75% of the purchase balance are required during the special terms period. No Interest if Paid In Full within 15 Months: Regular minimum monthly payments are required during the special terms period. Interest will be charged to your account from the purchase date at the APR for Purchases if the purchase balance is not paid in full within the promotional period. For newly opened accounts, the regular APR is 27.99%. The APR will vary with the market based on the U.S. Prime Rate. The regular APR is given as of 1/10/2014. If you are charged interest in any billing cycle, the minimum interest charge will be $1.00. The regular APR will apply to certain fees such as a late payment fee or if you use the card for other transactions. If you use the card for cash advances, the cash advance fee is 5.0% of the amount of the cash advance, but not less than $10.00. Monthly payment if shown based on $7,100 purchase.
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The Gardens at Gray Gables in Sum-merfield for hosting another excellent Santa in the Gardens event – and one that was free to the community. The folks who stood out in wet,
nasty weather to help with the e-cycle/recycle program at Oak Ridge Town Park on Dec. 6. We really appreciated the chance to responsibly dispose of unwanted items and papers. Oak Ridge Military Academy staff and
cadets for all of their help and participa-tion in this year’s Light the Ridge – couldn’t have pulled it all together without you!
GRIPES to... NCDOT for their poor engineering on
the bridges (on the newly widened U.S. 220); the bridges are either too high or the pavement is too low – quite the bump, on and off the bridges. Whoever designed the U.S. 158 exit
off of the new U.S. 220 North. Not only is it hard to see due to the steep grade, but there is a possibility of an accident while turning in front of oncoming traffic. McDonald’s for the poor value of
their breakfast sandwich. They are no longer any bigger than a hockey puck
and they upcharge you for the drink that used to be included. Now that’s corpo-rate downsizing. Northwest High Football Coach Jared
Rolfes. He did not have an accurate list of players and did not recognize them all at the banquet. This was the most impor-tant task you had this year and you failed.Editor’s note: We contacted NWHS athletic director John Hughes, who attended the banquet, to find out more about this inci-dent. The following was Hughes’ response: “The error for not having the correct certificates at the football banquet this past week was entirely our fault and we regret that this happened. These boys worked hard to be a part of a very successful JV football team this season and deserved more appropriate recognition. We would sincerely like to thank Trevor Hartman, D’Andre Hayes, Matthew Hayes, William Higgins, Alex Holloway, Nathan Ramsey, Jacob Rezek, Jaylun Robinson, Daniel Salazar, Edwin Selby and Christopher Starks for their contributions to the success of the JV football team at Northwest this fall. We sincerely apologize to the players and their families for the oversight on our part.” – John Hughes, NWHS athletic director, and Jared Rolfes, NWHS head football coach
COUNCIL COMMENTS Council member George McClellan
said he was excited about the N.C. 68 and Oak Ridge Road intersection improve-ment project, noting the process started with the Pedestrian Steering Committee and was a reflection of citizen participation and the hard work of town staff. Sullivan and Stone encouraged
everyone to give to local churches and charities involved in feeding the hungry. Council member Jim Kinneman said
he was also happy about the intersec-tion improvements and sidewalks. With the existing sidewalks, someone can walk three or more miles in Oak Ridge without repetition, he said, and adding sidewalks at the academy will open up a
large portion of the town; the new devel-opments on Linville Road will also mean more sidewalks added to the network.
Kinneman asked citizens to donate blood during this time of year when donations typically decline. Sullivan mentioned a blood drive at Oak Ridge Methodist Church on Dec. 8.
“Highway 68 and 150 interchange funding is a big deal,” Combs said, adding that the process started 14 years ago, and while the town didn’t have many details yet, he was sure that what-ever NCDOT ends up doing would make the intersection much safer.
All the council members wished the community a happy holiday season.
The meeting adjourned at 7:59 p.m.
TOWN COUNCIL ...continued from p. 7
Classifi eds/
The Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996 DEC. 12 - 18, 2014 27
SAVE THE DATE
THE GARDENS AT GRAY GABLES in-vites you to come and enjoy our Holiday Trail beautifully lit for all to enjoy. Hot choc-olate and cookies will be available. Open every Friday and Saturday, 6-9pm, weather permitting, through Dec. 20.
PICTURES WITH SANTA, Saturdays, Dec. 13 & 20, 10am-2pm; Sundays, Dec. 14 & 21, 12n-3pm. Two 4x6 color prints, $15. Golden Antiques, 4537 Highway 220N, Summerfield.
STOKESDALE HOLIDAY PARADE, Sat., Dec. 13, 2pm, downtown Stokesdale. Come enjoy this annual holiday tradition!
CITRUS UNLIMITED will be at Golden An-tiques, Saturday, Dec. 27, 9am-12n, 4537 Hwy. 220N, Summerfi eld. Fresh varieties straight from Florida!
Somethinggoing on?
Tell northwest Guilford County
Place your Save the Date online at
HOME SERVICES
CLEANING
MARIA’S CLEANING SERVICE. Free esti-mates, guaranteed service. 937-5231.
MAID-2-SHINE. Serving NW area for 10 years. Homes, offi ces, move in/out. Detail oriented, prof, bonded, exc. ref. 338-0223.
CastleWorks WINDOW CLEANINGIncludes gutters, pressure washing, chande-liers and other high ladder work. Fully insured and bonded, free estimates. 609-0677. www.castleworkswindowcleaning.com.
NEED HELP?Call (336) 644-7035 ext. 10
Mon-Fri • 9am-2pm
Place online at
Save the Date .............................27
Home Services .......................27-29
Misc. Services ..............................29
Misc. for Sale .........................29-30
Misc. Wanted .............................30
Pets/Animals & Services ...............30
Real Estate .................................. 30
INDEX
HOME SERVICES
CARPET CLEANING Residential & com-mercial. Call now for holiday specials! Lic./insured. 643-5344 or 337-4253.
FREE PICK-UP of unwanted mowers, com-puters, AC’s, appliances, grills, gas, electri-cal, metal items, bikes, etc. 689-4167.
PROFESSIONAL HOME CLEANINGAffordable prices, weekly, bi-weekly, month-ly or seasonal. Free est., satisfaction guar-anteed. Call Elizabeth, (336) 453-8592.
CRYSTAL CLEAR WINDOW CLEANING, gutter cleaning, pressure washing. Fully ins. www.windowcleaningnc.com. 595-2873.
ANA’S HOUSECLEANING. Good refer-ences, free est., 25 years exp. 309-0747.
CHRISTIAN MOM needs work cleaning houses, running errands. Will clean to fi t your budget. Pet taxi/pet sitting also avail. References. Call Laura Bennett, 231-1838.
DECORATING
EXPERIENCED INTERIOR DECORATOR & personal furniture shopper will help you with style, color, shopping & furniture place-ment. E-mail [email protected] or call Ann Appenzeller, (336) 314-1411.
FLOORING
CARPET REPAIRS & RESTRETCHING Licensed/insured. 643-6500.
What’s going on around town? facebook.com/northwestobserver
GENERAL REPAIR & SERVICES
GENERAL HOME REPAIR, bathroom re-pair, small/odd jobs. 644-8710, 708-0522.
GREENERTIMES SMALL ENGINESales & service center. 9428 NC 65, Stokesdale. (336) 312-3844 mobile or (336) 548-9286 offi ce.
HOME SERVICES
Home Improvement & Repairs
Pro
fess
iona
l,H
ones
t, R
elia
ble
Lisa & Jerry Potkay, Oak RidgeBathroom Remodeling | Additions | Decks
(336) [email protected]
www.oldschoolsjhr.homestead.com
HOME REPAIR, LLCOLD SCHOOL
BBB Torch Award for Marketplace Ethics 2014
GRADING / HAULING
ANTHONY’S GRADING & HAULINGExcavating, land clearing, demolition, dirt available. Zane Anthony, 362-4035.
GAULDIN TRUCKING, grading & hauling, bobcat work, lot clearing, driveways, fi ll dirt, gravel, etc. 362-1150.
BRAD’S BOBCAT. Snow removal, grading/hauling, gravel/dirt, driveways. 362-3647.
Want to reach 26,000 folks in northwest Guilford County?
Come with us - we’re going anyway! For advertising info, call Laura,
(336) 644-7035, ext. 10.
GUTTERS / WINDOWS / SIDING
MAYS SIDING and window contractors, vinyl railings & siding, replacement win-dows, gutter cleaning and repair. Please call 215-8775 for a free estimate.
VINYL SIDING REPAIRSFacia, siding & gutter repairs. Mays Siding, 215-8775, www.mayssiding.com.
GUTTER CLEANING & LEAF GUARDS. 5 and 6” seamless gutters. Free estimates. Call Gary the Gutter Guy. (336) 345-6518. www.a1copperroofi ng.com.
...continued on p. 28
28 DEC. 12 - 18, 2014 The Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996
HOME SERVICES
MASONRY CONCEPTS, brick, block, stone, concrete & repairs. Free estimates. (336) 988-1022, www.masonryconceptsgso.com.
MISC. SERVICES & PRODUCTS
LOW-COST GARAGE DOORS. Repair & sales. 35 years exp. (336) 215-2800.
JUNK REMOVALAppliances, batteries, mowers, electronics, trash removal, etc. Call 549-5726.
ON EAGLE’S WINGS residential home de-sign/drafting. Call Patti, (336) 605-0519.
GAS LOGS, WOOD STOVES & INSERTS, fi replaces, sold, serviced and repaired. Call Don Hill, (336) 643-7183.
PAINTING & DRYWALL
David & Judy Long, owners
(336) 931-0600BEKPaintCompany.com• References Available • Licensed & Insured • All Work Guaranteed
BEK Paint Co.Residential & Commercial
ONE GUY AND A PAINT BRUSHLocal, U.S. workforce, experienced. Free estimates. (336) 382-4767.
PAINTING INTERIOR & EXTERIOR, 32 years exp. Sheetrock repair. No job too small. Insured. Call Brad Rogers, 314-3186.
HOME SERVICES
PREMIER CONSTRUCTION ROOFINGInterior sheetrock repair, rotten wood, all painting & carpentry needs. 545-3277.
STILL PERFECTION PAINTINGReliable, skilled, affordable. Painting, pres-sure washing, handyman services. Scott Still, 462-3683 or stillperfectionpainting.com.
PLUMBING
WEBSTER & SONS PLUMBING, Inc.(336) 992-2503. Licensed, insured, bonded. 24/7 service. Plumbing, drain cleaning, well pumps. Give us a call, we do it all! Go to www.webstersplumbing.com for more info.
JDB PLUMBING. Repair, remodel, well pump. Lic/Ins. Accepts all major credit cards. Offi ce 656-0019, cell 382-6905.
BRANSON PLUMBING & SOLARNo job too small! Experienced, guaranteed. Lic/Ins. Call Mark for savings. 337-7924.
POWER WASHING
POWER WASHING BY MAYSSpecializing in vinyl homes. 215-8775.
PRESSURE WASHING, gutter & window cleaning. Call Crystal Clear. Fully insured. www.windowcleaningnc.com. 595-2873.
REMODELING / CONSTRUCTION
JLB REMODELING, INC.NC GC license #69997. Free estimates. Insured. Custom remodeling & additions. Call 681-2902 or www.jlbremodeling.com.
ON-TARGET
Construction Services, Inc.
Roof Replacements / RepairsSiding & WindowsCustom Decks / PorchesGeneral Home RepairsRemodeling / Painting
ON-TARGETCONSTRUCTION SERVICES, INC.
30 yrs exp • Workmanship guarantee Insurance specialists
FREE EstimatesInsured & Dependable(336) 644-1580
HOME SERVICES
LAWN CARE / LANDSCAPING
LANDSCAPE SOLUTIONS17-year anniversary special. We will beat your current written price by 15% – guaran-teed! Call (336) 601-3796.
TOO MUCH YARD WORK TO HANDLE? I do fall leaf clean up, pruning & tree trim-ming, bed & yard work, odd jobs. Honest, reliable & reasonable. (336) 464-5215.
BRAD’S BOBCAT. Snow removal! Mulch-ing, landscaping, concrete work. 362-3647.
ONE GUY & A MACHINE LAWN CARE and hardscaping. Maintenance, design, paver patios, block walls, hedges trimmed, beds re-edged, pine needles, mulch, pres-sure washing, chemical applications, aerat-ing. Licensed & insured. Free est. Call 382-4767. www.oneguyandamachine.com.
GUZMAN LANDSCAPE & MAINTENANCEPine needles, mulch, leaf removal, tree prun-ing, complete lawn maintenance. 655-6490.
MULCH, single-ground, $10 per 3-yard scoop. Tandem load delivered, $100 (about 10 yards). Oak Ridge area, 803-2195.
Happy Birthday to us!
Happy Birthday to us!! The Northwest Observer is proud
to celebrate 18 years as your hometown newspaper.
LET’S TALK! Leaf removal, mulch & pine needles, fall planting. James, (336) 543-4066.
AREA STUMP DUMP. Yard waste, con-crete, etc. Fill dirt available. 602-5820.
TRACTOR FOR HIREBush hogging, tilling, fencing, brush/tree removal, hauling & more! (336) 207-6632.
D & D LANDSCAPING & IRRIGATIONComplete landscaping services. Retaining walls & patios. Member BBB. NC licensed irrigation contractor. 480-4101.
HOME SERVICES
MY GROUNDSKEEPERLandscaping and lawn care, shrubs, mulch, cut low limbs and more. Timothy, 643-5154.
STEVE NEWMAN TREE SERVICE. Free est. Lic/Ins. 30 yrs. exp. Bucket truck & chip-per, total cleanup. Selective thinning & lot clearing. 24-hr. ER svc. OR, NC. 643-1119.
STUMP GRINDING – FREE ESTIMATESBig or small, we grind them all. 382-3860.
ALL-SEASON STUMP GRINDING. Owner Alan Winfree. Free est. Call 382-9875.
WILSON LANDSCAPING, INC. Complete lawn care & landscaping. NC lic. irrigation contractor. 20 years exp. Hardscaping, fer-tilization & weed control. 399-7764.
CAROLINA STUMP & TREE SERVICEComplete tree service, $1 million liability, workman’s comp. Rick & Judy, 643-9332. CarolinaStumpAndTreeService.com.
ARBOR MASTERS TREE SERVICETotal tree removal, storm damage cleanup, shrub and tree pruning. Bobcat work and more. Free estimates. Licensed & insured. Call Joe at 643-9157.
Call Tony - office (336) 215-4531
Mulch & Pine Needles • Tree Cutting Concrete Sidewalks / Driveways
Landscaping • Lot / Land ClearingStump Grinding / Removal
Bobcat & Dump Truck ServicesLeaf Removal • Parking Lot Cleanup
GreenScapes
MASONRY
SOUTHERN STYLE concrete & landscapes. Fall is here! Let us help with your outdoor living and entertainment spaces! No bet-ter time for a new fi re pit or patio. We do driveways & sidewalks too! Give us a call at (336) 399-6619 for all your concrete and landscape needs.
The Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996 DEC. 12 - 18, 2014 29
MISC. SERVICES
ROADSIDE AUTO REPAIR - we’ll come to your home or work to perform vehicle main-tenance or repair. We offer competitive pric-ing and include the parts on the following services: oil change $35, spark plugs $99, brakes $99, battery $99, starters $149, alternators $165, and much more! Call Roadside Auto (336) 681-1529.
www.vacationsbyjessica.com (336) 473-3577 | [email protected]
Vacations by JessicaMaking your dreams come to life!
Book local, travel international! Time to reserve your Spring Break trips.
ZUMBA at CrossFit - Mustang Fitness of Oak Ridge, Mondays, 7pm; Weds., 6:30pm; every other Friday, 6:15pm; alternate Satur-days, 11am. $4 drop in. Email [email protected] for more info.
NORTHWEST ART FRAMINGFine, affordable framing. “Completely satis-fi ed every time” -– Joe in Summerfi eld. Steve Maloy, owner. Call for appt., (336) 644-1911.
Your business should be here! Call 644-7035 for advertising information.
COMPUTER REPAIRS $99.Used computers, website design. Info at ITBASICS.COM – (336) 643-0068. Inside Mailboxes & More, Oak Ridge Commons.
(336) 643-9963 • 8207 B & G Court, Stokesdale
LOCALLY OWNED & OPERATED
available here
We carry moving & shipping supplies
MISC. SERVICES
Keeping Fitness Personal personal training
small group classes TRX, Cycle, Insanity & more
Cathy Gold (336) 549-64604446 Hwy 220 N, Summerfield
www.goldstandard4fitness.com
MISC. FOR SALE
BOOK & RECORD SALE, Dec. 11-14, Golden Antiques, 4537 Hwy. 220N, Sum-merfi eld. Sponsored by Vintage Vaga-bonds & MAYA. All genres & great prices!
1996 Coachman POP-UP CAMPER, ga-rage-stored, Summerfi eld. $3,195. (336)255-5652.
LEGO STAR WARS SETS, used, with boxes, priced to sell. (336) 508-1162.
OAK CRIB w/ mattress, great condition, very good quality. $100. 601-9171.
FIREWOOD FOR SALE, $75/pickup load, delivered & stacked. (336) 253-7615.
DEVALL’S CAJUN CUISINE, fried turkeys and Boston butts for Christmas. Call now, (336) 310-8717, 3932 W. Market St., GSO.
DRUM SET, Pearl Vision SST 5-piece, blue birch. Hardly used. $450. (336) 644-0264.
HOME SERVICES
BELEWS CREEK CONSTRUCTIONKitchens & baths, rotted wood, custom decks, garages, siding, windows, roofi ng specials. Sr. discounts, 35 years exp. 362-6343.
MOBILE WELDING SERVICEResidential, wrought-iron fence & gates, custom fabrication, stainless aluminium. Chuck, 362-8679, triadmobilewelding.com.
(336) 664-1332piedmont-triad.archadeck.com
Decks • Screened porchesSunrooms • PergolasDeck replacements
FREE DESIGN CONSULTATION
KEITH SMITH CONSTRUCTION30 years experience. Specializing in room additions, garages, vinyl siding and win-dows, painting, ceramic tile, laminate, hard-wood and linoleum fl oors, and remodeling of all kinds. No job too small. Free est. Call 644-1943 or cell 362-7469.
Construction Services, INC
BUILDING | RENOVATIONS | ADDITIONS
644-8615 office508-5242 cell
Licensed & insured NC Gen. Contractor #72797
TMOutdoor living | Fire pits | Screened porches
TRIPP SMITH CONSTRUCTION, LLC.Licensed General Contractor with college degree in construction management and over 18 years of experience. We special-ize in additions, remodels, garages, decks, sunrooms, new construction, residential & commercial. No job too large or too small. Free Estimates. Call or email, 399-4894, [email protected].
HOME SERVICES
RENOVATION WORKS INC.New construction, remodeling, kitchen and bath, additions, decks & patios. Call (336) 427-7391 or www.myrenovationworks.com.
FREE in-home consultation!
(336) 880-3845deepriverclosets.com
Organized solutionsfor closet, pantry, garage, office & more
DESIGN & INSTALLATION
ROOFING
CLINARD & SON ROOFING, LLCResidential roofi ng, rubber fl at roofs, roof coating, metal roofs. 30 years experience. Now accepting all major credit cards. Call 643-8191 or 580-3245.
A.L. CORMAN ROOFING INC.Res. roofi ng specialist serving Guilford Cty. area since 1983. Member BBB 25+ years w/ A+ rating. cormanroofi nginc.com, 621-6962.
RED RHINO ROOFING, based in Oak Ridge, NC. Storm damage specialist expe-rienced with all types of roofi ng. BBB ac-credited A and listed with Angie’s List. Call 662-7980, or visit redrhinoroofi ng.com.
PREMIER ROOFING CONSTRUCTIONInsurance specialist, free inspections, resi-dential & commercial. 545-3277 anytime.
The 7th annual NW FINDER Coming January, 2015.
Make sure your business is included in the ONLY directory specifi cally for
northwest Guilford County.
MISC. SERVICES
FREE PICK-UP of unwanted mowers, grills, appliances, bikes, AC’s, grills, electrical items, batteries, metal items, etc. 689-4167. ...continued on p. 30
The Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996 DEC. 12 - 18, 2014 29
MISC. SERVICES
ROADSIDE AUTO REPAIR - we’ll come to your home or work to perform vehicle main-tenance or repair. We offer competitive pric-ing and include the parts on the following services: oil change $35, spark plugs $99, brakes $99, battery $99, starters $149, alternators $165, and much more! Call Roadside Auto (336) 681-1529.
www.vacationsbyjessica.com (336) 473-3577 | [email protected]
Vacations by JessicaMaking your dreams come to life!
Book local, travel international! Time to reserve your Spring Break trips.
ZUMBA at CrossFit - Mustang Fitness of Oak Ridge, Mondays, 7pm; Weds., 6:30pm; every other Friday, 6:15pm; alternate Satur-days, 11am. $4 drop in. Email [email protected] for more info.
NORTHWEST ART FRAMINGFine, affordable framing. “Completely satis-fi ed every time” -– Joe in Summerfi eld. Steve Maloy, owner. Call for appt., (336) 644-1911.
Your business should be here! Call 644-7035 for advertising information.
COMPUTER REPAIRS $99.Used computers, website design. Info at ITBASICS.COM – (336) 643-0068. Inside Mailboxes & More, Oak Ridge Commons.
(336) 643-9963 • 8207 B & G Court, Stokesdale
LOCALLY OWNED & OPERATED
available here
We carry moving & shipping supplies
MISC. SERVICES
Keeping Fitness Personal personal training
small group classes TRX, Cycle, Insanity & more
Cathy Gold (336) 549-64604446 Hwy 220 N, Summerfield
www.goldstandard4fitness.com
MISC. FOR SALE
BOOK & RECORD SALE, Dec. 11-14, Golden Antiques, 4537 Hwy. 220N, Sum-merfi eld. Sponsored by Vintage Vaga-bonds & MAYA. All genres & great prices!
1996 Coachman POP-UP CAMPER, ga-rage-stored, Summerfi eld. $3,195. (336)255-5652.
LEGO STAR WARS SETS, used, with boxes, priced to sell. (336) 508-1162.
OAK CRIB w/ mattress, great condition, very good quality. $100. 601-9171.
FIREWOOD FOR SALE, $75/pickup load, delivered & stacked. (336) 253-7615.
DEVALL’S CAJUN CUISINE, fried turkeys and Boston butts for Christmas. Call now, (336) 310-8717, 3932 W. Market St., GSO.
DRUM SET, Pearl Vision SST 5-piece, blue birch. Hardly used. $450. (336) 644-0264.
HOME SERVICES
BELEWS CREEK CONSTRUCTIONKitchens & baths, rotted wood, custom decks, garages, siding, windows, roofi ng specials. Sr. discounts, 35 years exp. 362-6343.
MOBILE WELDING SERVICEResidential, wrought-iron fence & gates, custom fabrication, stainless aluminium. Chuck, 362-8679, triadmobilewelding.com.
(336) 664-1332piedmont-triad.archadeck.com
Decks • Screened porchesSunrooms • PergolasDeck replacements
FREE DESIGN CONSULTATION
KEITH SMITH CONSTRUCTION30 years experience. Specializing in room additions, garages, vinyl siding and win-dows, painting, ceramic tile, laminate, hard-wood and linoleum fl oors, and remodeling of all kinds. No job too small. Free est. Call 644-1943 or cell 362-7469.
Construction Services, INC
BUILDING | RENOVATIONS | ADDITIONS
644-8615 office508-5242 cell
Licensed & insured NC Gen. Contractor #72797
TMOutdoor living | Fire pits | Screened porches
TRIPP SMITH CONSTRUCTION, LLC.Licensed General Contractor with college degree in construction management and over 18 years of experience. We special-ize in additions, remodels, garages, decks, sunrooms, new construction, residential & commercial. No job too large or too small. Free Estimates. Call or email, 399-4894, [email protected].
HOME SERVICES
RENOVATION WORKS INC.New construction, remodeling, kitchen and bath, additions, decks & patios. Call (336) 427-7391 or www.myrenovationworks.com.
FREE in-home consultation!
(336) 880-3845deepriverclosets.com
Organized solutionsfor closet, pantry, garage, office & more
DESIGN & INSTALLATION
ROOFING
CLINARD & SON ROOFING, LLCResidential roofi ng, rubber fl at roofs, roof coating, metal roofs. 30 years experience. Now accepting all major credit cards. Call 643-8191 or 580-3245.
A.L. CORMAN ROOFING INC.Res. roofi ng specialist serving Guilford Cty. area since 1983. Member BBB 25+ years w/ A+ rating. cormanroofi nginc.com, 621-6962.
RED RHINO ROOFING, based in Oak Ridge, NC. Storm damage specialist expe-rienced with all types of roofi ng. BBB ac-credited A and listed with Angie’s List. Call 662-7980, or visit redrhinoroofi ng.com.
PREMIER ROOFING CONSTRUCTIONInsurance specialist, free inspections, resi-dential & commercial. 545-3277 anytime.
The 7th annual NW FINDER Coming January, 2015.
Make sure your business is included in the ONLY directory specifi cally for
northwest Guilford County.
MISC. SERVICES
FREE PICK-UP of unwanted mowers, grills, appliances, bikes, AC’s, grills, electrical items, batteries, metal items, etc. 689-4167. ...continued on p. 30
30 DEC. 12 - 18, 2014 The Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996
MISC. FOR SALE
ALL NEW MATTRESS SETS. Still in plastic, w/ warranty. Twin, $99; Full, $109; Queen, $129; King, $191. Can deliver, layaway available. Mattress Outlet. 992-0025.
SEASONED FIREWOOD, $80/half cord, delivered and stacked. Call 686-6373.
PERSIMMON PULP, jam, pudding, and more! 816-3441 or 996-3892.
WAREHOUSE MALL, INC. NOW OPEN! Antiques, collectibles and so much more! 305 E. Bodenhamer Drive, Kernersville. Consignors needed, $100/mo. for 10’ x 10’ space. Larger spaces available. Please call (336) 992-2469. Hours: Monday-Sat., 10am-7pm, Sunday, 1-6pm.
MISC. WANTED
CASH for riding lawn mower needing repair or free removal if unwanted. Also free pick-up of appliances, AC’s, grills, metal items, computers, gas & electrical items. 689-4167.
$$$ – WILL PAY CASH up to $200 for your junk or wrecked vehicle. 552-0328.
PET / ANIMAL SERVICES
FLO is an 8-year-old female Labrador Re-triever mix who enjoys chewing on chew toys and going for walks. She is calm and gentle and would prefer a quieter home. Flo is not currently spayed, but will be as part of her adoption fee. To learn more about Flo or any of the animals at the Guilford County Animal Shelter, visit adoptshelterpets.org.
PET / ANIMAL SERVICES
BOARDING / PET SITTING
KPS – KELLY’S PET SERVICESProfessional in-home pet sitting. Bonded & insured. Member Pet Sitters International. Pet sitting while you are away, daily walks or runs, play, pet taxi, and more! KPS gives a portion of profi ts to animal charities. Call, email, or Facebook message for a free con-sultation: (336) 706-6706, [email protected], www.facebook.com/kpspets, www.petsit.com/kps.
SPOIL-ME-ROTTEN ANIMAL CAREProviding whatever YOU specify for your pets. Oak Ridge & Summerfi eld since 1995. Professional, bonded, insured, and can give insulin shots and meds. Member of Pet Sitters International. We provide feeding, walking, and play, and we’ll also take care of the paper, mail, lights & alarms. Compassion! 1-3 trips per day, $15/trip (30 minutes). Call 643-5242.
FREE REIN STABLES, Summerfi eld. Full board stall available. Please contact Eliot at (336) 508-0694.
OAK RIDGE PET SIT SERVICES“Keeping you and your pets on schedule.” Dana Sauber, pet & farm sitter (feeding, stall cleaning). 7 years exp., insured. 482-5785.
REAL ESTATE
COMMERCIAL PROPERTY
700-sq.-ft. OFFICE/RETAIL SPACE, 8606 Ellisboro Road., Stokesdale. $650/mo. Avail-able immediately. Formerly barber shop/gun shop. John Flynt, (336) 687-6019.
HOMES FOR RENT
STOKESDALE, 3BR. 3 full BA, swimming pool, 2-car garage, $1,200/mo. 383-7732.
HOMES FOR SALE
CAROLINA MARINA, 214 Pelican Dr. Jet ski lift, boat slip, 40’ covered deck, park model, water front. $95,000. Ken, (336) 337-9268.
REAL ESTATE
3289 Minglewood TrailFinding the perfect building lot for a special home is almost impossible ... until now! Nestled on a private cul-de-sac in Summerfield lies a gorgeous wooded 2+ acre lot that borders a 5-acre lake. Can’t you just see that bobber dancing? $99,000
Bobbie GardnerCRS/GRI/ EcoBrokerRelocation Specialist
(336) 382-5939
Village Woods at Oak RidgeCome home to maintenance-free, luxury living in the heart of Oak Ridge! Over 3,600 square feet with superior design details, gourmet kitchen and oversized private elevator. Easy drive to Greensboro, Winston-Salem, High Point and Kernersville. Situated on 25+ acres just 10 minutes from PTI Airport.
Betty Moser-Callahan(336) 403-5545
Tammy Gardner(336) 509-3303
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at www.nwobserver.com.
Just click on Place a Classifi ed.
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and more.
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The Northwest Observer • Totally local since 1996 DEC. 12 - 18, 2014 31
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A/C & HEATINGStokesdale Heating & Air .....................26Velocity Air, Inc. .....................................8
ACCOUNTING By the Book Accounting ......................19Carlotta Lytton, CPA, PA .....................20Samuel Anders, CPA, MSA, PC .............6
AUTOMOTIVE SERVICESPiedmont Truck Tires ...........................19
CHIROPRACTICSalama Chiropractic ............................14
EVENTSStokesdale Holiday Parade ....................8
HEALTH & FITNESSGold Standard Fitness .........................21Mike Carr Karate – Training Zone .......21
HOME PRODUCTS & SERVICESAffinity Integrated Solutions, Inc. .........15Pest Management Systems ..................13ProStone, Inc. .......................................3Southern Comfort Consulting ................9
LEGAL SERVICESAttorney Bill Barbour .............................7
MEDICAL High Point Med Center ....................3, 23Eagle Physicians at Oak Ridge ...............7LeBauer Health Care ...........................25Stryker Orthopedics ...............................6
NEWSPAPER / PUBLISHERThe Northwest Observer ......................10The NWO on Facebook ......................32The Northwest FINDER .......................31
PET SERVICESNorthwest Animal Hospital ..................20Spoil-Me-Rotten Animal Care, Inc. ......20Westergaard Kennels ...........................10
REAL ESTATEA New Dawn Realty ............................20Berkshire Hathaway Home Services ......2Bobbie Gardner, Keller Williams ...........30Ramilya Siegel, Allen Tate ...................23
RESTAURANTSReel Seafood Grill ..................................4
RETAIL BiRite Food Center ..............................12Cole Pottery .........................................10Dewey’s Holiday Store ...........................5Helen Ledford – Helen Jean Stories .....21Old Mill of Guilford ..............................21It’s Trendee ..........................................21VFW Post 7999 ..................................21
7 th annual edition COMING JAN. 2015
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for northwest Guilford County residents, and features a directory of
local services, businesses and organizations.
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7 7COMING JAN. 2015
Keep it handy.
valuable informationfor northwest Guilford County residents, and features a directory of
local services, businesses and organizations.
FINDER from anywhere
COMING JAN. 2015COMING JAN. 2015ADVERTISE in the FINDERand get year-long exposure in the only community directory specifically for northwest Guilford County.
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“I saw a dog that looked like this one near Willard Rd. and
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Light the RidgeOak Ridge • Dec. 7
Community Tree LightingStokesdale • Dec. 5
Santa in the GardensSummerfield • Dec. 6
Santa in the GardensSanta in the Gardens