Cornelius Today October 2019 by Business Today/Cornelius Today

CORNELIUS TODAY • October 2019 • 1 Pages Ov so 27-30 er un 30 do ,00 ff 0 r cor ea ne de liu rs s@ in gm pri a nt il.c an om do nli ne !

Blessing of the Animals

1-2:30 pm Oct. 5 First Baptist Church

All American Dog Show Oct. 5 Robbins Park

Laketoberfest Oct. 12 Bailey Road Park

Candidate Forum & Old Fashioned BBQ 11:15-1:15 Oct. 11 Cornelius Town Hall

Hooked on Cornelius

10am - noon Oct 19 Robbins Park

Contest Winner! Photo by Chris Barrow

INSIDE

October 2019 • VOLUME 15 NUMBER 1

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2 • CORNELIUS TODAY • October 2019

October Things to Do

Laketoberfest is Oct. 12 Like beer? Then Bailey Road Park is the place to be Saturday, Oct. 12, from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. The 7th annual Laketoberfest will have a dozen different craft breweries, as well as live music, food trucks and a KidsFest area. The

award-winning festival has become one of the largest Oktoberfest celebrations around Lake Norman. Admission, parking and shuttle service are free.

All-American Dog Show Oct. 5

Get ready for the All American Dog Show Saturday, Oct. 5 at Robbins Park. The event, always a real tail-wagger, begins with registration at 3 p.m. There will be a K-9 demonstration at

3:30 p.m., followed by a Shelter Strut Parade to honor rescue dogs at 3:45. Contests begin at 4. On-site registration is $10 per dog, which includes entry into two contests plus the All American Dog contest. Additional contests include Best Dressed, Best Kisser, Best Trick, Best “Puppy Dog” Eyes, Most Ear-Resistible Ears, Best Coat (natural), Cutest Puppy (under 1 year), Cutest Senior (7+ years), Best Spots and Most Unique Tail. Admission and parking are free.

More local events every Thursday morning at 6 am Sign up at www.corneliustoday.com/membership-join

Adoptable Pets

www.cornelius.org/279/adoptable-animals

Open for adoptions Tuesday-Friday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., and 5 to 7 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to noon. Call for appointments 704-237-3602 Lori Hoe

- General Medicine - Surgery - Dentistry - Boarding - Grooming

Megan Manzie

Amanda Goodwin

Jackie Whitlock

Mon 7:30am to 8pm Tues-Fri 7:30am to 6pm Sat 8am to 12pm

This month we are spotlighting TC and Patches. This mother/son duo would be wonderful in a home together or they can also be adopted out separately. TC is about 1½ years old and Patches is only about six months old. TC is very sweet and a little on the shy side while Patches is already the life of the party and wants to be friends with everyone he meets. This mom and son duo were surrendered to the Shelter when the owners were moving and decided they weren’t able to take them with them. They’ve been kept together here at the shelter and share a kennel very well! The staff at the shelter loves them!

CORNELIUS TODAY • October 2019 • 3

Table of Contents Blessed by angels Dan Murphy is dealing with Stage 4 lung cancer at age 28 Page 4

Candidates for Town Board Five of these people will decide what you pay in property taxes Page 6

School options Two different views of education for Cornelius students Page 8,10

Picturing Cornelius We’re excited about the results of our photo contest. Take a look Page 14-15

Photo by Melissa McCullough

Modern Dad Today’s highly qualified dad may be embarrassing, but he has an awesome lawn Page 26

NEWS-E ………….........……….....PAGE 23-25 HOME SALES ……………………….PAGES 18-20 MODERN DAD ………………….............PAGE 26 NEW CORPORATIONS .........................PAGES 22 SOUNDOFF ................................ PAGES 27-30

Chris Barrow: “I took this photo from Jetton Park, looking east towards Ramsey Creek Park and Yachtman Drive.”

Lake People RUN DEEP™

STAFF Editor: Dave Yochum, nebiztoday@gmail.com Sales Director: Gail Williams, gail.todaypubs@gmail.com

Production Director: Darren Versace, production.todaypubs@gmail.com Contributors: Catherine Sherman, Jon Show, Dave Vieser, Debbie Griffin Communicate with us: corneliustoday@gmail.com Cornelius Today is published 12 months a year by NorthEast Business Today, LLC with all rights reserved. Reproduction or use of any content without permission is prohibited. The Cornelius Today logo, stylized wave, SoundOff and Lake People Run Deep slogan are copyrights of Cornelius Today and NorthEast Business Today. All rights reserved. Views expressed herein are not necessarily the views of Cornelius Today or Business Today. . Cornelius Today, PO Box 2062, Cornelius, NC 28031-2062. Telephone: 704-895-1335

Cornelius Today is locally owned and operated and proudly based in Cornelius. Back issues: Payable by VISA and MASTERCARD ONLY. $1.50 (if available); $10 to mail. Reprints: Reprints on high-quality , framable stock are available, starting at $65 Photos: $100.

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4 • CORNELIUS TODAY • October 2019

B LESSED

ANGELS

I’m not worried,

I got this. Daniel Murphy before chemo

Dan Murphy is glad that he got fired from his job as a bartender at Alton’s Kitchen & Cocktails. Dan Murphy is glad that he got fired from his job as a bartender at Alton’s Kitchen & Cocktails. The 28-year-old finally had enough time to get himself to the doctor to get a check-up and ask about the nagging cough he had for about six months. The diagnosis: Lung cancer. Not just that, but Stage 4 lung cancer. His immediate reaction: A laugh, and then, “I can beat this thing.” So far, he is. Doctors at Levine Cancer Center in Charlotte say they caught it early enough to be hopeful and confident. He is currently undergoing chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and protein therapy every three weeks. Treatment

is expected to continue for two years. Murphy, a non-smoker, says doctors said genetics played a role, not smoking. It took two months to get the diagnosis, which is exceedingly rare for someone his age. “Yeah, I am not worried. I got this,” he says. The bills so far are in excess of $50,000. And lest anybody be concerned about his getting fired from Alton’s, it happened before the diagnosis and Dan has no hard feelings. In fact, Alton’s will be bringing its famous smoker-grill to a fundraiser for Murphy’s medical costs that will be held at 2 p.m. Nov. 16 at Lake Town Tavern. “I appreciate you shedding light on his illness to help raise money as I know many others in the community

are doing including ourselves,” says Alton Updike, owner of Alton’s. He’s contributed $500 to a GoFundMe fundraising page that was approaching $9,000 toward a $40,000 goal in late September. Murphy is the kind of person who shrugs off concerns, but is good at listening during the conversations that get serious over a Bourbon. Tips were lucrative with seven years of bartending under his belt. Murphy grew up on Long Island where he was a noteworthy hockey player starting at age 5. The entire family moved from New York to North Carolina. He’s been a bartender for seven years and is currently working on getting his real estate license. He and girlfriend Barbara Lancaster now live in the Westmoreland

neighborhood with three children, including Dan’s 5-year-old daughter who just started kindergarten. Cancer is a big, weighty thing, but Murphy says it has improved his outlook on life. Chores like doing the dishes are a good thing, he says, giving him time to think about the things that matter. Like taking the kids to school. Being with friends and family. His daughter, his girlfriend and her boys are all reminders for him to fight and beat this. “We are grateful to have the people in our lives that we have, along with their support and prayers. Dan is a really good guy, an amazing father, and a very hard worker,” says his mother, Donna Murphy, who also lives in Cornelius. “He deserves all of the help he can get,” she says. To find the GoFundMe page, search ‘Help Dan beat Lung Cancer (stage 4)’

CORNELIUS TODAY • October 2019 • 5

In the slow lane: Old Jetton at crossroads with planners BY DAVE VIESER It’s been eight months since the town said it would take measures to enhance safety at the intersection of Old Jetton Road and Jetton Road, but as of the end of September, no work has begun. On the record, town officials attribute the delay to the tedious process of acquiring the right property. “We are presently communicating with any affected property owners,” said Town Manager Andrew Grant. “Unfortunately, this phase can take several months. The Town anticipates beginning construction in Winter/ Spring of 2020.” However, Cornelius Today has also learned that Harris Teeter has conveyed its concerns about the changes. The treacherous intersection, used by many people to cross Jetton opposite Waterbean and Brooklyn South, currently has no restrictions on left turns or straight-across movements. After extensive study and a community survey, the town board voted earlier this year to restrict turns from Old Jetton Road onto Jetton Road to right turns only. Left turns and straight

Intersection of Old Jetton and Jetton across movements would be prohibited. Motorists seeking to access West Catawba Avenue from the Harris Teeter side would either have to make a right turn and then do a U turn on Jetton, or go in the opposite direction on Old Jetton past Dutchman’s Furniture and Allen Tate up to where it reconnects with Catawba at a stop sign. An island, referred to in traffic circles as a “pork chop,” was to be installed at Old Jetton and Jetton to direct motorists in making the right turns. No restrictions were planned for traffic exiting the CVS/Brooklyn South side. Cornelius residents and motorists have been complaining about the

intersection for years. Back in June 2015 at a Cornelius Town Board meeting, residents Bob Watson and Robbie Lowrance said the intersection, which is a block from West Catawba, is the most dan- Grant gerous in Cornelius. “It is the worst intersection in Cornelius. There are too many accidents, and someone is going to get seriously injured,” said Bob Watson, a resident of The Peninsula. However, within the last two weeks,

Cornelius Today has learned from some town officials that there was some pushback from Harris Teeter on the planned turning restrictions at that intersection. In one version, they suggested that the town build a “bulbout” on Jetton Road to accommodate the motorists making U turns. Neither the town nor Harris Teeter would comment. In any case, the planned modifications at the intersection were spurred by continued accidents and poor sight distance at the Jetton/Old Jetton intersection. According to statistics compiled by the town, there were 51 accidents at the intersection between 2010 and 2017. Within the past year there were three accidents, all with property damage. The intersection was included in the portion of Jetton Road where the speed limit was reduced from 45 to 35 mph several years ago after the town took over control of Jetton Road. However, the reduction in the area speed limit has not had any positive effect on reducing the accident rate.

Jim Duke is a Mainstream Conservative Serving Cornelius Mayor Woody Washam

~ Local Leaders Support Jim! ~

“For the last two years, Jim Duke has stayed connected to Town government and in touch with his constituents through his monthly newsletter and ‘spot on’ analysis of complex fiscal issues. With his strong background in budgeting and finance, Jim would hit the ground running and work for Cornelius with the same demonstrated tenacity and intellectual honesty he has shown us for the last six years. I unequivocally endorse Jim Duke for Town Commissioner.”

Honorable Jeff Tarte

“I call Jim Duke ‘Mr. Fix It’ for his ability to get the job done no matter the task. Jim’s work on the Water Task Force and his performance on the Cornelius Town Board cannot be matched. I am whole heartedly endorsing Jim Duke for election to the Cornelius Town Board.”

Honorable John Bradford

“Jim Duke defines hard work and dedication. I served with Jim on the Cornelius Town Board and enthusiastically endorse his candidacy. Cornelius needs his steady hand as Town Commissioner!”

Learn more at VoteJimDuke.com PAID FOR BY THE COMMITTEE TO ELECT JIM DUKE

e k u D m i J e Vot th Nov. 5

6 • CORNELIUS TODAY • October 2019

Candidates list top 3 goals as Commisioner

Denis Bilodeau

Jim Duke

David Gilroy

WHAT ARE YOUR TOP 3 GOALS AS COMMISSIONER?

My priorities as a Town Commissioner are derived from the feedback I receive from our citizens. I regularly hear about the following important issues: • Keep our Town safe • Improve our infrastructure (roads, greenways, bike paths and parks) • Keep our property taxes as low as responsibly possible It is my goal as a commissioner to be mindful of these issues as they have a direct, significant impact on our quality of life. While we enjoy a relatively low crime rate, it is important to maintain an efficient and effective team of first responders. I will continue to support our fire and police departments as we move through a comprehensive review of their operations. Improved cross walk safety is also high on my list of priorities. Over the next few years, several road and greenway projects will improve connectivity throughout our Town. During construction, minimizing traffic disruption is a key priority. While two important road projects may be delayed, progress will be made by opening new crosstown road connections. I will continue to place high importance on our Town’s budget management. I value every hard earned dollar contributed to our Town’s expenses and investment. Growing our commercial tax base while restricting high density residential is a priority. I support the Cain Center for the Arts as the catalyst for economic development and a growing downtown arts district. I would greatly appreciate your vote and support to keep Cornelius moving forward!

Work with the Mayor, Town Manager, and Commissioners to develop consistent policies to reduce debt to manageable levels and to build resources to accommodate unplanned or unanticipated fiscal demands upon the Town. When the Town Manager declared that we are “tapped out” when it comes to borrowing capacity it meant that we have relied too long upon borrowing to pay for equipment and projects. I believe that many purchases of equipment can be made with cash or postponed until cash is readily available. This also means that we purchase for needs and not wants. Ensure that the Town delivers on its promise to citizens to address transportation problems and provides optimal amenities that make our streets safe, accommodating, and attractive. In the face of rising costs for projects it is tempting to cut back on amenities or improvements to cover predetermined costs. We need to ensure that all road improvement projects are complemented with long planned for walking paths, lighting, and appropriate landscaping. Work with our PARC Department to ensure continued improvements to park and leisure amenities. We need to ensure that every neighborhood has reasonable access to parks and greenways to accommodate our active population. We need to complete the Emerald Necklace embracing our Town, create an Arts District around the coming Cain Center for the Arts, and ensure that all citizens are given accesses to affordable camps and special events. All amenities must be properly maintained.

Slow residential growth (especially high density, down-market multi-family projects). One good example is finding the best long-term answer for the picturesque 55 acres of Alexander Farm. We can do better than the proposed 214 high density residential units and strip-center, ho-humm retail. We can conserve and protect, or at the very least, allow much lighter and less visible residential or economic development on the interior while preserving the rural look and feel from the roads. Avoid yet another tax increase like the 12% increase passed for this year by 3 current candidates. Contain excess town spending (Personnel & Operating spending growing 3-4X faster than Cornelius population every year). Mitigate the damage done by I-77 Tolls. Use the shoulders as two new free lanes ASAP (as approved by NCDOT). Eventually buy-out the contract and make all lanes General Purpose Complete near/medium term key transportation projects (Highway 21 /E. Catawba roundabout; Torrence Chapel roundabouts; Bailey Rd straightening to Highway 21; W. Catawba widening to Sam Furr; Northcross extension to Westmoreland; Smithville connector to Highway 21) Leverage our approved bond to redevelop our Town Center to make the east side of Cornelius more attractive, commercially successful, and recreationally vibrant.

Diane “Dee” Gilroy WHAT ARE YOUR TOP 3 GOALS

No more property tax increases: Many Cornelius residents were unpleasantly surprised when they received their property tax bills recently. I will honor their cries to keep spending under control and not increase property taxes. I will carefully review our budget and work to eliminate any waste. Any unnecessary consulting projects will be eliminated. No more high-density housing: Our current infrastructure does not support any more high-density housing. Alexander Farm represents an opportunity to preserve the land and keep Cornelius beautiful. I will vote against any proposal that will include more apartments, condos, and retail. I will work hard to help find a creative solution. This could involve land trusts and non profit organizations. Also, a corporate campus that protects the land and offers high paying jobs is a very desirable outcome. Attract New Business Development and Support Local Businesses: I am the only candidate who represents the Charlotte working commuter. With a daily 2-hour round trip commute, it is critical to attract businesses that provide lucrative salaries so that our Cornelius residents do not have to commute to Charlotte. Davidson has attracted MSC Industrial and Ingersoll Rand. I will also make sure that our police and fire departments are paid competitive wages so that they do not have to commute to other places for work. Also, supporting our local businesses so that they thrive is extremely important. Small businesses are vital to the economic well being of our community. We need to make it easy to do business in Cornelius. Voting against ridiculous traffic patterns such as “no left-hand turns” is of paramount importance as well.

CORNELIUS TODAY • October 2019 • 7

Candidate Forum

Old Fashioned BBQ Featuring candidates for Town Board

October 11

11:30 -1:15pm CorneliusTown Hall • Q&A with candidates

Dr. Michael Miltich

Thurman Ross

Tricia Sisson

WHAT ARE YOUR TOP 3 GOALS AS COMMISSIONER?

Transportation Improvements: My goal is to continue to work with the Charlotte Regional Transportation Planning Organization (CRTPO) to benefit Cornelius. With major projects coming to our Town, we will need to minimize the construction disruption. We also need to plan now for future needs. I will continue to fight for Cornelius, for our North Mecklenburg neighbors, and for our share of funding from the State and subsequently from CRTPO. Education: We all want a quality education provided to our offspring. Currently I’m representing Cornelius on CMS’s Municipal Education Advisory Committee. As CMS passed their notorious “Municipal Concerns Act” which excludes any new schools/facilities in our Town for the next 15 years, I will fight for Corenlius to get what we deserve. The issues are complex and aren’t always related to the main goal of educating our youth. I will continue stand up for a quality education for each of our children in whatever way is best. Workforce Housing Policy: The increased cost of housing has exceeded many family’s increases in income. Teachers, police, firemen, service employees and others in Town have trouble living locally. Constituents have shared that their children cannot afford to live in Cornelius. While not just a local issue, we need to explore and develop new and affordable options for living here. Forums like the Smithville Community discussions are a good start, but workforce housing needs to be addressed in our future development plans. Community takes care of community.

First, and foremost I want to continue our town’s fiscal discipline, making sure that our taxes are the lowest possible and at the same time maintaining our quality of life. I will continue to support our fire and police departments, making sure we are safe.

1. Relentless focus on Infrastructure improvements:

Secondly, I will continue to look at things from a regional approach that would bring economic development to our town, helping to diversify and expand our tax base. Also, continue supporting the Cain Center Arts as a regional attraction and as an economic engine for downtown Cornelius.

b. Ensure road projects do not impede mobility through our region as they are in progress

Third, continue working on our infrastructure improvements with roads and greenways. Having served on the Town Board the better part of 20 years, I know how to work with fellow board members, staff and the mayor as well as our partners in state government.

a. Work with NCDOT to re-prioritize and move the Cornelius projects up, with a special focus on the widening of West Catawba and intersection improvements on HWY 21 and HWY 115

2. Work with town staff and the board to find ways to improve the current budget and further reduce the tax rate and the burden that has been placed on Cornelius residents and businesses following the county wide-revaluation, while also maintaining our town’s excellent quality of life and the impeccable safety and security we enjoy due to our outstanding Police and First Responders.

• Presentation of the Colors by American Legion Post 86 • Pledge of Allegiance Mayor Woody Washam • Blessing • Patriotic Songs

$9/ person Pork BBQ, all the fixins + Non-meat options To purchase tickets, search

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Sponsors

3. Strict assurance that property owner rights are protected. Cornelius residents properties in almost all cases are their more valuable assets, and it is imperative their ownership rights are protected and held in highest regard.

2019 Election Schedule

• Absentee ballots: Mailed Friday Oct. 4, return by Tuesday Nov. 5 • Early voting begins: Wednesday Oct. 16 • Early voting ends: Friday Nov. 1 • Election Day: Tuesday Nov. 5 CORNELIUS TOWN BOARD ELECTION • Polls open 6:30 am to 7:30 pm

Presented by

8 • CORNELIUS TODAY • October 2019

Tricia Sisson for Town Board Principled Leadership Proven Results

• Relentless focus on infrastructure improvements • Business friendly economic development • Continued support for outstanding public safety

VOTE NOV. 5

paid for by the Committee to elect Tricia Sisson

Towns differ on approach to business of education BY DAVE VIESER The final conclusions reached by the Cornelius Educational Options Study Commission (CEOSC), which were unveiled at the Sept.16 Town Board meeting, differ from those of Huntersville, and raise concerns about the area’s ability to team up for a future school plan in northern Mecklenburg County. The problem: Student populations are growing faster than classrooms will for the next 15 years. CMS has no significant plans for classrooms in North Mecklenburg in spite of a projected 10,000-student increase in enrollment. The General Assembly passed H514 back in June. It allows Cornelius, Huntersville, Matthews and Mint Hill to create their own charter schools. Davidson did not ask to join in with the bill which was designed to give more options to local municipalities dealing with overcrowding at CMS. The Cornelius commission reviewed five options, without making a specific recommendation: • Do nothing • Partner with CMS • Open and operate municipal charter school(s) • Partner with an existing charter school • Create a new Local Education Agency (LEA) However, the commission did raise concerns over several of the options, including the lack of interest among existing charter schools, the high initial costs of building a charter school and the difficulty of gaining legislative support for a new LEA. “What we have is a regional issue, and I don’t see it being solved through a municipal process” said commission member Kurt Nass, also a town board member. That puts the town at odds with Huntersville, which several months ago, voted to follow a dual path: work towards forming a new school district while also sponsoring their own charter school. Former County Commissioner Jim Puckett, a Huntersville resident who is running for the County Commission in 2020 made a rare appearance at the Sept. 16 Cornelius meeting. “It’s so important to me that we pay attention to where we are today: to get more involved in public educa-

tion in the future. The options being discussed are not for todays families but rather for those who may not even know they will be living here in 15 years.” Nevertheless, Mayor Woody Washam feels the report is on target. “I do not believe the time is right now to explore the charter school or school district options, though that Washam day may come. For now, we have excellent schools in Cornelius, so what I believe is critically important is to maintain our dialogue with CMS and encourage them to organize themselves in a way where we get more control up here.” To that end, Washam has set up a meeting with the new CMS School head Earnest Winston in the hopes of enhancing the dialogue between the school system and the northern region. He also urged the CMS board to revoke their controversial vote taken last year which placed future capital spending for Cornelius, Huntersville, Matthews and Mint Hill in the lowest priority. Washam also indicated that, depending upon future developments, he may reconvene the commission for further study. “I have a feeling we’re not done with you folks yet so stand by.” Conclusions: No easy answers 1. The Lake Norman Region is expected to add more than 10,000 students between now and 2035. 2. Huntersville, Davidson and Charlotte are driving the growth, more so than Cornelius. 3. As of now CMS is not planning on adding any schools in the LKN Region. 4. CMS’ current plans will lead to overcrowding and/or re-assignment of students. 5. Municipal charter schools would actually free-up space for non-Cornelius students, rather than Cornelius students, and would require a substantial initial investment. 6. LKN area charter schools are uninterested in partnering with the town. 7. CMS has also not shown an interest in partnering. 8. A new LEA (school district) would provide regional control, but would be politically difficult to achieve.

Anita Sabates

CORNELIUS TODAY • October 2019 • 9

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10 • CORNELIUS TODAY • October 2019

P oint / Counterpoint

Opinions diverge on how best to educate Cornelius kids

Former county commissioner wants smaller school system BY JIM PUCKETT Projections from both Huntersville and Cornelius education study commissions project around 10,500 new kids in north Mecklenburg over the next 15 years. When CMS developed the last bond package funding school construction for the next 10 years there were ZERO new seats for North Mecklenburg. When those paying attention sought some alternative path to deal with this crisis the Board of Education (BOE) placed an exclamation point on their punitive plans by codifying in POLICY that the superintendent is ORDERED to place our area at the bottom of any future building plans. Let that sink in. We need 500 new classroom, $450 million dollars’ worth of schools just to handle growth in the next 15 years and we have NONE in the pipeline and senior staff is instructed by policy not to place any there. The salt in the wound is that once parents and leaders found alternatives to overcome these blatantly discriminatory policies and practices they were called racist and elitist. The sad irony is that it is CMS’s near psychotic focus on race and their delusional goal of racial and socio-economic balance in a school system where due to their past actions that is now statistically impossible and the exodus continues. How to you balance individual schools when your own past actions have led to a school population of 75% minority kids. Having total control over public education has led to the delusion their goal is possible.

Charter, private and parochial schools have given parents, students and teachers the ability to escape the madness ind i v i d u a l l y, and I believe opening municipal charter schools as the path towards new Puckett and smaller school districts will be the intervention needed to force a focus on reality and a path to educational success both in and out of CMS. Let me state as clearly as my 22 two years of battling for public school services in north Mecklenburg will allow, history and current events have proven anyone who is willing to leave the future of public education solely in the “benevolent” hands of CMS is a fool. Likewise anyone who is running for office and believes we should pass on the opportunity municipal charters offer as a path forward should be shunned. There are 10,500 kids and the future sustainability of our community counting on us. Puckett was elected to the Charlotte Meckleburg Schools Board of Education in 1997, then to the Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners in 2000, serving until 2006. He ran again for the Meck County Board in 2014, but lost in 2018. He has announced plans to run for his old seat next year.

School board members say CMS is doing a good job BY MARY MCCRAY AND ELYSE DASHEW After the Cornelius Educational Option Study Committee made its presentation to the Cornelius Town Board Sept. 16, Mayor Woody Washam said, “We have excellent schools in Cornelius.” He’s right. According to state perfor- McCray mance grades, Cornelius Elementary, J.V. Washam Elementary, Bailey Middle, and Hough High School are not only some of the best schools in Mecklenburg County; they are some of the best schools in the state and the nation. Add in the fact that CMS assigns every student in Cornelius to one of these schools as their home school so that Cornelius students attend Cornelius schools unless the family chooses otherwise. Mayor Washam closed his comments by saying, “I do not believe the time is right now to explore the charter-school or school-district options.” CMS agrees. We want to work with Cornelius to continue to provide the children of Cornelius with access to excellent public schools. Cornelius families may also choose from a number of award-winning CMS magnets such as Language Immersion, Comprehensive Arts, International Baccalaureate and Cambridge; cutting-edge Career and Technical Education programming; and tuition-free early college and middle college schools. Few school districts in North Carolina enjoy the wealth of options

available in CMS. Cornelius families will not have access to these options if they leave the school district. Along with these academic successes, CMS faces tremendous facility needs. CMS has old, outdated schools that need to be replaced and schools that Dashew suffer from overcrowding. Some of our schools have both of those challenges. We hope that towns like Cornelius and Davidson will partner with CMS as we look to county commissioners and state legislators to provide the capital funds for schools that we need to build and renovate now. The last school bond issue (approved in 2017) was the largest in county history, but it meets less than half of the current capital needs. Working in partnership with the county and the municipalities, we can solve this problem together. CMS has demonstrated its commitment to working with Cornelius and other towns through the Municipal Education Advisory Committee. Working together, CMS and Cornelius can achieve so much more than we can apart. We look forward to collaborating with the Cornelius community to continue providing the best educational opportunities in North Carolina. McCray is the Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools board chair. Dashew, an at-large member of the board, is vice chair.

CORNELIUS TODAY • October 2019 • 11

12 • CORNELIUS TODAY • October 2019

Child Development Center plays role in people coming together The Davidson-Cornelius Child Development Center, now 50 years old, launched a $195,000 capital campaign in September to help fund a new building and improvements to the grounds. Located in Davidson, the early education and child care facility serves a diverse array of families and children in North Mecklenburg. It’s at capacity with a months-long waiting list. “It essentially defines our community year after year. It impacts young lives in dozens of meaningful ways,” said Jim Duke, a former Cornelius Town Commissioner, who attended the campaign launch The development center was founded in 1969 after a fire claimed the lives of three young children while their mother, who had no access to child care, was working outside the home to support them. A 50-year record of socially-conscious support for working families commenced, with 5-star, full-time, affordable early education and child care. Scholarship support for children

Davidson-Cornelius Child Development Center is celebrating 50 years ages 6 weeks to Pre-K levels the playing field for working parents. Cornelius resident Trey Fouche wants the diverse experience the center provides for his own children. “We wanted a center that reflected the entire community, not just part of the community,” said Fouche, explaining that the center’s safe learning environment allows parents to achieve in

their careers. Fouche should know. He has a Ph. D. in educational leadership from Clemson University. The new director of experiential and leadership education at The Woodlawn School in Mooresville chaired the Department of Outdoor Leadership at North Greenville University for 12 years. The DCCDC brings together parents

and children from all races and economic backgrounds—considered critical community-wide goal in the Charlotte region. We rank 50th out of the Top 50 US cities in upward mobility. This means that for a child born in poverty in Charlotte, it is harder to work his or her way up than any other large city in the United States. The five major determining factors are income inequality, family structure, race, education and social capital. DCCDC takes direct aim at education and also social capital. Childhood friends—and their parents—form the trust that builds between people, helping hold society together. Indeed, lower levels of social capital has a direct relationship to crime. Fouche According to a the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Opportunity Task Force reorganizing our systems and structures, changing policies and practices and “otherwise boldly embracing” a vision of CharlotteMecklenburg as a community that cares about all our children and youth will make a difference. About half the children at DCCDC receive sliding-scale scholarship support, ranging from 35 percent to 75 percent of the total tuition cost. Right now there are about 40 children on the waiting list, representing about a year-long wait, said Anna Eaton Washington, executive director. She hopes to expand the center to accommodate 100 children. She explained that the average cost of childcare in Mecklenburg County is about $12,000 a year. The minimum wage pays about $15,000 a year. “We continue to operate at full capacity with waiting lists for each classroom, highlighting the tremendous needs for our early child education services in our community,” she said. For more information on the DCCDC, visit www.dc-childdevelopmentcenter.org

CORNELIUS TODAY • October 2019 • 13

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14 â&#x20AC;˘ CORNELIUS TODAY â&#x20AC;˘ October 2019

COVER C ONTEST

Many wonderful Cornelius photos will be on exhibit More than two dozen people focused their attention on Cornelius in the Cornelius Today Photo Contest. Our overall winner was Christopher Barrow whose picture of a dock on Lake Norman is on the cover. An exhibition of all the photos will be mounted in November at the Truliant Federal Credit Union branch in Antiquity. Second-place winners are Daniel Ahlers and Carson Page, age 17. Third-place winners are Jon Beyerle, Yolanda Mason and Michael Prather. First prize is a $100 gift certificate from 131 Main. There are also two second prizes of $75 gift certificates from 131 Main and three third-place/$50 gift certificates. The judges were photographer Deborah Young and restaurateur Joe Douglas, owner of 131 Main and the Cowboy Restaurant on Hwy. 21 as well as the editors and designers at Cornelius Today. A reception in honor of all the photographers will be held Nov. 14 at Truliant Federal, 21714 Catawba Ave. in Antiquity. There is ample parking in front and behind the building.

2nd place photo by Dan Ahlers

2nd place photo by Carson Page

3rd place photo by Yolanda Mason

CORNELIUS TODAY • October 2019 • 15

Picturing Cornelius Together 3rd place photo by Jon Beyerle

3rd place photo by Michael Prather

Thurman Ross

Runners up

for

Photo by Mariah Vanderveen

Town Board

Vote NOV. 5 Paid for by the Committee to Reelect Thurman Ross

Photo by Kevin J. Kelly

Photo by Craig Frederick

16 • CORNELIUS TODAY • October 2019

21451 Country Club Drive | Cornelius 28031 | $1,998,000 | MLS# 3537744 Dixie Dean anD Christina stone (704) 740-0629

20552 Southshore Drive | Cornelius 28031 | $1,224,700 | MLS# 3488836 Catherine taylor (704) 453-1596

14451 Henry Harrison Stillwell Drive | Huntersville 28078 | $1,179,500 | MLS# 3275926 Catherine taylor (704) 453-1596

CORNELIUS TODAY • October 2019 • 17

PARTNER WITH THE WORLD’S luxury REAL ESTATE POWERHOUSE.

19002 Meta Road | Cornelius 28031 | $1,079,000 | MLS# 3526574 anita sabates (704) 562-2515

21336 Blakely Shores Drive | Cornelius 28031 | $900,000 | MLS# 3547700 Jane Urban (704) 650-6075

18 • CORNELIUS TODAY • October 2019

Home Sales These property transactions in Cornelius and Davidson were recorded by the Mecklenburg County Register of Deeds.

Cornelius 8/19/19 $280,000 Aaron & Elizabeth Clark to Hutchinson Properties, 19069 Natalie Michelle Ln. 8/19/19 $174,000 Sean Slade to Heather Ellis & Samuel Wexler Jr., 18809 Nautical Dr. Unit 304 8/19/19 $264,000 Opendoor Property to Ronald & Sharon Brescian, 21526 Old Canal St. 8/20/19 $270,000 Anne & Thomas Snyder Sr. to Chester & Helen Zientek, 19401 Pocono LN. 8/20/19 $255,000 Britt McCollum to Troy & Elisia Solomon, 18810 Cloverstone Cir. Unit 14 8/22/19 $250,000 Tracy Tarantino to Ribbon Home SPV I, 18306 Taffrail Way 8/22/19 $380,000 Heirs of John

17613 Spinnakers Reach Drive in Cornelius for $1,670,000 Hawes to Douglas & Karen Cousins, 18700 Nautical Dr. Unit 101 8/22/19 $271,500 Edward & Emily Lash to Geraldine Blumenfeld, 19411 Fridley Ln. 8/23/19 $133,000 Christopher & Kelly Wilkes to Om Property Investments NC, 17746 Caldwell

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Track Dr. 8/23/19 $1,120,000 Eleanor Mulcahy & Edward Dean to David & Christie Blauvelt, 18200 Peninsula Club Dr. 8/23/19 $865,000 Larry & Barbary Beresnoy to Garrett & Kathleen Galombeck, 9418 Robbins Preserve Rd. 8/23/19 $370,000 Andrew & Paula Smith to HPS US1, 17225 Lake Path Dr. 8/23/19 $234,000 Evelyn & Charles Mercado to Opendoor Property J, 18832 Nautical Dr. Unit 50 8/23/19 $896,500 Richard & Jeannemarie Grissinger to Marcy Hingst, 18703 Head Sail Ct. 8/23/19 $550,000 Taylor Morrison of Carolinas to Mojisola Ajaja & Olugbolahan Soremekun, 12225 Potts Plantation Cir.

8/23/19 $380,000 Wendy & Michael Speckman Jr. to David & Jillian Hughes, 17405 Harbor Walk Dr. 8/26/19 $838,531 Watermark Lake Norman to Timothy Hudson & Gloria Styles, 19329 Watermark Dr. Unit 521 8/26/19 $1,670,000 Vikram & Pooja Singh to Micheal & Shelley Falcone, 17613 Spinnakers Reach Dr. 8/27/19 $303,000 South Creek Homes to Margaret Salem, 11615 Meetinghouse Dr. 8/27/19 $70,000 Bluestream Partners to Sout Creek Homes, Lot 274 Bailey’s Glen 8/27/19 $272,500 Smoky Mountain Equity to Eric Vest Management, 19104 Spring Blossom Ln. continued on page 20

bank to work for you. At Aquesta Bank, you’re a customer not a transaction.

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18010 Bear Track Drive in Davidson for $1,225,000

CORNELIUS TODAY • October 2019 • 19

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20 • CORNELIUS TODAY • October 2019

Home Sales

FALL IS IN THE HAIR Lenore apprenticed to Paul Mitchell and the original Vidal Sassoon team in NYC. Lenore has designed hair for magazine covers, catalogs, editorial pages and runway fashion shows.

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18200 Peninsula Club Drive in Cornelius for $1,120,000 continued from page 18

Davidson 8/20/19 $498,000 Standard Pacific of the Carolinas to Michael & Jessie Shea, 17523 Shearer Rd. 8/20/19 $420,000 David & Marie Schroen to Jeff & Laura Sladicka, 12402 Bradford Park Dr., Davidson 8/20/19 $295,000 Ribbon Home SPVI to Thomas & Terri Her, 16828 Summers Walk Blvd. 8/22/19 $460,000 Jason Robinson to Glenn & Joanne Cunningham, 12203 Bradford Park Dr.

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8/22/19 $322,000 Standard Pacific of the Carolinas to Laura & Justo Baltodano, 14323 Davdison East Dr.

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8/22/19 $895,000 Chin & Pamela Yang to Christopher & Caroline Blanchette, 18524 Rollingdale Ln. 8/23/19 $333,000 Standard Pacific of the Carolinas to Yolanda & Alex Bradley, 15415 Davidson East Dr. 8/26/19 $477,500 Standard Pacific of the Carolinas to Martin & Katayoun Fajerman, 17537 Julees Walk Ln. 8/28/19 $444,500 Standard Pacific of the Carolinas to David & Megan Tweito, 17604 Shearer Rd. 8/29/19 $320,000 Max & Catherine Buchanan to Jacob & Katherine Simpson, 16504 Landen Forest Ln. 8/29/19 $433,500 Standard Pacific

of the Carolinas to Lauze Rozan, 17529 Shearer Rd. 8/29/19 $330,000 Virgil Foster, Tammy Tierney, Jacqueline Sandblom & Gatry Sandblom to Block M Capital, 481 Pine Rd. 8/30/19 $1,225,000 Edward & Danielle Maurer to Sirva Relocation, 18010 Bear Track Dr. 8/30/19 $475,000 Standard Pacific of the Carolinas to Emily & Adam Lafleur, 17552 Julees Walk Ln. 8/30/19 $613,000 Nicholas & Kathryn Hamm to Amanda & Marcellus Cochran IV, 18319 Indian Oaks Ln. 8/30/19 $1,225,000 Sirva Relocation Credit to Steven & Michel Delaney, 18010 Bear Track Dr. 9/4/19 $440,000 Perissuo Partners to Chris & Alexandra Murtagh, 18614 River Crossing Dr. 9/10/19 $399,000 Matthew & Jennifer Matheny to SPH Two, 139 Park Forest St. 9/12/19 $250,000 Justin Overcash to Brenda Banks, 13821 Bradford Walk Ln. 9/13/19 $316,000 Lennar Carolinas to Erin & Paul Tarquinio, 13211 Calte Ridge Rd. 9/13/19 $327,000 David Ripperton & Gillian Cassel to Veronika Quintana, 19030 Cypress Garden Dr.

More Sales Transactions online at www.CorneliusToday.com

CORNELIUS TODAY • October 2019 • 21

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Home and community information, including pricing, included features, terms, availability and amenities, are subject to change, prior sale or withdrawal at any time without notice or obligation. Drawings, photographs, renderings, video, scale models, square footages, floor plans, elevations, features, colors and sizes are approximate for presentation purposes only and may vary from the homes as built. Home prices refer to the base price of the house and do not include options or premiums, unless otherwise indicated for a specific home. Nothing on our website should be construed as legal, accounting or tax advice. Sotheby’s International Realty® and the Sotheby’s International Realty logo are registered service marks used with permission. Each office is independently owned and operated. Equal Housing Opportunity.

22 • CORNELIUS TODAY • October 2019

New Corporations

These are new local corporations, as recorded by the NC Secretary of State.

Cornelius 8/12/19 Together Solutions LLC, Kenneth D. Lewis, 17130 Kenton Dr. Apt. 201 8/13/19 Ace Cleaning Service Co. Inc., Sang Ki Han, 20408 Rutledge Bluff Way 8/13/19 DBBL Investments LLC, Deanna Jorgensen, 10120 Squires Way 8/13/19 Eagle Ridge Land LLC, William N. Adkins, 19421 Liverpool Pkwy. 8/13/19 Local Labor Guide LLC, Cory Demarco, 20901 N. Main St. 8/13/19 Mt. Isle Estates Homeowners Association Inc., David L. Powell, 17824 Statesville Rd. Ste. 121 8/13/19 Secret Garden Assisted Living LLC, Adam Breeding, 21235 Catawba Ave. 8/13/19 Secret Garden Real Estate LLC, Adam Breeding, 21235 Catawba Ave. 8/13/19 SNAP Services LLC, Robert B. Newkir III, 19425 Liverpool Pkwy. Ste. A 8/14/19 AV Limited LLC, Christina Kleinschmidt, 20106 Beard St. 8/14/19 C Investments 5 LLC, George C. McKee Sr., 19915 Shearwater Point Dr. 8/14/19 Insomnia Solutions Charlotte Inc., Sheryl J. Bartemus, 21332 Nautique Blvd. Apt. 302 8/14/19 Meridian Executive Leadership Group LLC, Gusten R. Brainerd, 1202 South St. 8/14/19 RR3 LLC, Gary Ernst, 21601 Scottcrest Cir. 8/15/19 NexPension LLC, Daniel

S S E N I S U B

Nino Dechellis, 9172 Glenashley Dr. 8/16/19 Bridgewater at Lake Norman LLC, Nicholas Voelker, 19520 W. Catawba Ave. 8/16/19 Girlfriends Guru LLC, Kelly Spiggle, 17226 Jetton Rd. 8/16/19 HCO Holdings LLC, Thomas C. Jeter III, 18525 Statesville Rd. Unit D-2 8/16/19 ILB LLC, Grant A. Adams, 7309 Swansea Ln. 8/16/19 Memorable Media LLC, John Michael Diehl Jr., 19240 Peninsula Shores Dr. 8/19/19 BBC Blackstone LLC, LeeAnn Randolph, 21000 Torrence Chapel Rd. Ste. 100 8/19/19 BBC Sifford LLC, LeeAnn Randolph, 21000 Torrence Chapel Rd. Ste. 100 8/19/19 NS Wynswept 2 LLC, Christopher S. Buckner, 16930 W. Catawba Ave. Ste. 205 8/19/19 P.E.A.C.E ITC Inc., Kahlisemon Ortiz, 10125 Westmoreland Rd. Unit 3A 8/19/19 PHO NC INC, Pov Vinh, 14920 Jetton Rd. Ste. 104

8/20/19 Carr Brothers 2 LLC, Carrco Inc., 19422 Meta Rd. 8/20/19 Rebecca & Co. Realty LLC, Rebecca Bost, 19721 Bethel Church Rd. 8/21/19 Berry 2010 LLC, William Berry, 19012 Brigadoon Pl. 8/21/19 CannaBlessed Consulting LLC, Tiffany T. Beauregard, 10708 Trolley Run Dr. 8/21/19 Estes Realty Group LLC, Debra Mace Paige, 17416 Tuscany Ln. 8/22/19 Auto Lube LLC, Cliff Hecht, 19721 Bethel Church Rd. Ste. 101A 8/22/19 Carolina Flyboard Inc., Luke Johnson, 19701 Bethel Church Rd. Ste. 214 8/22/19 JLMR Properties LLC, Laura S. Temple, 11106 Treynorth Dr.

Davidson 8/13/19 Machan Rejuvination LLC, Melissa Machan, 18831 Parting Oak Ln. 8/13/19 Real Estate Transaction Coordinators LLC, Donna Gray, 9551 Harvest Ln.

8/14/19 Boomerang Wolverine Garrison LLC, Larry Shaheen, 209 Delburg St. Ste. 203 8/14/19 Hannah Industrial Solutions LLC, Jesse C. Jones, 209 Delburg St., Ste. 203 8/14/19 Ross Realty & Construction LLC, Jesse C. Jones, 209 Delburg St. Ste. 203 8/15/19 Jemdeeta LLC, Todd R. Parker, 17411 Summers Walk Blvd. 8/16/19 Graichen Technology Solutions LLC, United States Corporation Agents, 10989 Hat Creek Ln. 8/16/19 Huck Cycles LLC, Brett McCoy, 17532 Julees Walk Ln. 8/21/19 120 S Main LLC, Michael Orlando, 215 S. Main St. Ste. 306 8/23/19 Davidson NoSo LLC, Ben J. Cassarino, 445 S. Main St. Ste. 400 8/26/19 Sola Gratia LLC, Marc R. Gordon, 165 Timberside Dr. 8/26/19 Unboxed Investor Relations LLC, Christopher C. Clark, 126 S. Main St. Ste. 2C 8/27/19 EWB Holdings LLC, Ben J. Cassarino, 445 S. Main St. Ste. 400 8/30/19 BNL Rentals LLC, Jesse Davis, 124 Elizabeth Brook Dr. 9/3/19 2020 Tyson Town Holdings LLC, Kimberly Miller, 18321 Centre Court Dr. 9/3/19 Prime Time Properties LLC, John A. Tammaro II, 225 Roundway Down 9/3/19 Triple F LLC, Nicole V. Bryan, 442 S. Main St. Ste. 10 9/4/19 Crusader Properties LLC, Jesse C. Jones, 209 Delburg St. Ste. 203 9/5/19 Coherent Alignment LLC, Li Feng, 144 Parkview St.

More New Corporations online at www.CorneliusToday.com

Lake Norman Chamber accepts High School Juniors in Leadership program

The 18 high school students accepted into the LKN junior leadership program

The Lake Norman Chamber of Commerce has accepted 18 high school juniors in its junior Leadership Lake Norman program. This year’s class includes students from Covenant Classical, Christ the King, Hough High School, The Community School of Davidson, Lake Norman Charter, North Mecklenburg High School and Pine Lake Preparatory. Students include: Olivia Shanafelt, Jacob Linkner, Katherine Schwanz, Grace Carr, Emma

Scruggs, Clara Scruggs, Jack Bradford, Jacobe Alge, Alice Bragg, Sarah Imhoff, Lauren Jones, Benjamin Barnabei, Oliver O’Brien, Sophie Doherty, Nathan Adams, Jacob Welborne, Samuel Brochetti and Nia Dancy. The studentsS, who are selected on the basis of leadership ability and community involvement, participated in a team building retreat at Rural Hill in Huntersville.

News-

CORNELIUS TODAY • October 2019 • 23

News from www.CorneliusToday.com

Firefighters will train tonight at old Rite Aid Food fight! Eat and support Ada Jenkins Oct. 5 Sept. 24. What do you do with a late1990s big box that will soon be demolished? You use it as a training prop. Fire Chief Guerry Barbee says the Cornelius-Lemley Volunteer Fire Dept. is using the roof of the old Rite Aid at the corner of Jetton and West Catawba to simulate what to do if an HVAC worker has broken his leg on the roof. ”Crews are tasked with accessing the patient and removing him from the roof ,” says Chief Barbee, who is the son of a former chief, Jim Barbee. Chase Bank plans to build one of its first branches in North Carolina on the 1.5 acre lot opposite Wells Fargo and catty-corner to Aquesta. Chase plans to demolish the vintage-1999 structure, and erect a one-story 3,000 square foot bank with a two-lane drive through. Barbee plans two more training sessions, one at 7 pm tonight and another one at 9 am Saturday. Chase plans to add up to 40 new branches across the state in the next three years, creating 250 jobs. Expanding into Cornelius is part of a growth program announced earlier this year by Thasunda Duckett, CEO of Chase Consumer Banking. “To us, this is so much more than building branches. This is about new customer relationships, better access to credit, and local jobs,” she said. The new Cornelius facility will also house regional directors for the bank as well as community development employees, said Chase spokesman Matt Wauben. “Essentially, this new

building will serve as a Northern Charlotte service facility as we expand into this region,” he said. Cornelius Today has also learned that Asheville-based Home Trust plans to build a new branch on Old Jetton Road diagonally across from the Allen Tate Building.

Frances Dawson Realtor, Broker GRI, SRES

Sept. 12. The Ada Jenkins Center’s Third Annual Food Fight will be Saturday, Oct. 5 on the premises of the center at 212 Gamble St. in Davidson. The family event features restaurants, caterers and talented chefs competing for best dish honors. Categories include Mac’N’Cheese, Barbecue, Salads and Desserts. Participants include Bonjour Y’all Bakery, BOUK Catering, The Brickhouse

Tavern, Courtney Cooks, Davidson Ice House, Famous Toastery, Flatiron Kitchen and Taphouse, Mandolino’s Artisan Pizza, Much Ado Catering/Davidson College Dining Services, On The Nines, Wander & Whisk and Whit’s Frozen Custard. To purchase tickets: https://www. adajenkins.org/foodfight/ or call 704896-0471.

153 Harper Lee

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24 • CORNELIUS TODAY • October 2019

News-

News from www.CorneliusToday.com

Bethel BBQ comes to an end

Amazing Maize Maze cancelled Sept. 13. The Amazing Maize Maze at the historic Rural Hill plantation in Huntersville has been cancelled because of near-drought conditions over the last few weeks. A major source of funding for their cultural and education programs, it puts the 501c3 in a challenging situation. Meanwhile, the promoters of the Warrior Dash, which was held back in June, have stiffed the non-profit on the order of $30,000, according to a story in Business Today. Historic Rural Hill is a private non-profit organization which operates

what is now a 265-acre working farm owned by Mecklenburg County Parks and Rec. Rural Hill dates back to before the Revolutionary War. It ultimately grew to 995 acres in size, supported by more than two dozen slaves until the Civil War. Rural Hills hosts events year round, many of which are fundraisers for the site that support free community-oriented events and educational programs for local schools. The 25th Annual Sheepdog Trials and Dog Festival is still planned for Nov. 9-10.

Long-time volunteer Barbara Dresser serving BBQ last year Sept. 9. By Dave Yochum. The 25th Annual Bethel Presbyterian Church BBQ Sept. 26 will be the last one at the historic Cornelius Church. Rising costs and changing demographics and tastes are to blame. But this is not the church’s final mission event by any means. The barbecue has helped more than 20 local charities and netted over $550,000. The signs always say the BBQ runs from “11 am till.” “We look forward to at least another

25 years of partnering with our Cornelius, Huntersville, Davidson, and Mooresville neighbors to make a positive impact for Jesus Christ in the local area,” said the Rev. Thomas Boone, senior pastor at Bethel Presbyterian. The amount that has been sent to local non-profits is astonishing, Boone said: “We could not have done this without the community supporting this event so with this 25th anniversary event we wish to say a big thank you.”

News-

News from www.CorneliusToday.com

CORNELIUS TODAY • October 2019 • 25

Andrew Scanlon performed Sept. 16 at DCPC

Noted organist opens concert series Sept. 10. The 14th season of the Davidson College Presbyterian Church pipe organ series launches Sept. 16 with Dr. Andrew Scanlon, a professor in the keyboard faculty at East Carolina University since 2009.

All programs in the monthly series are free and are followed by a Friends of the Organ meet-the-artist reception immediately after the performance. The church is located at 100 N. Main St. in Davidson.

It’s only a test, but sirens will sound Oct. 9 Sept. 24. The outdoor warning sirens around the McGuire Nuclear Station will be tested at 11:50 am Wednesday, Oct. 9. The 67 sirens within 10 miles of the McGuire Nuclear Station will sound for three minutes. The test is performed in cooperation with emergency officials in Mecklenburg, Gaston, Iredell, Lincoln and Catawba counties, who are responsible for sounding the sirens.

Because it’s a test, local broadcasting stations will not interrupt regular programming to broadcast Emergency Alert System (EAS) messages. If there were ever a real emergency at the plant requiring the sirens to be sounded, local radio and television stations would broadcast information and instructions to the public. For more information about the public alert notification sirens, residents can refer to information available at duke-energy.com/NuclearEP.

Your SUCCESS is our ONLY mission At North Main Financial Group, we are committed to meeting our clients at their point of need. No two clients are the same, so our focus is tailored to each individual need.

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BMW collided with a dumptruck on the side of Jetton road.

Jetton blocked near Mountainview Sept. 10. A late-model BMW traveling outbound on Jetton near Mountainview plowed into the rear of a large but stationary dump truck parked in the right lane. Jetton was blocked at around 930 am and remained blocked at 955 am. The force of the impact pushed the truck forward about 18 inches. The driver of the BMW, a female, was able to walk to an awaiting ambulance at about 950. The driver of the truck, who was inside the cab at the time, said he was unhurt.

UPDATE: Police said the BMW was traveling at 35 mph. The accident occurred in a two-lane area of Jetton, just west of the intersection with John Connor. Repaving is under way near Mountainview on Lakehouse Pointe. Jetton inbound was open around 10:15 am but outbound at the accident scene was blocked. Back in October, there was a failed attempt to raise the speed limit in the four-lane segment of Jetton.

Securities and investment advisory services offered through SagePoint Financial, Inc., memberFINRA/SIPC and a registered investment advisor. All other services mentioned here offered through North Main Financial Group, LLC, is not affiliated with SagePoint Financial, Inc., or a registered broker/dealer or investment advisor.

26 • CORNELIUS TODAY • October 2019

Modern Dad

It takes planning and thought to be a thoroughly modern dad

BY JON SHOW This summer I realized I’ve officially morphed into a Dad. Not a parent, mind you. I’ve been one of those since Future Man was born. Being a Dad goes beyond just raising a child. It’s a lifestyle. An adherence to a set of guiding principles and behaviors that has been passed down since the dawn of time like the oral traditions of our forefathers. What guiding principles and behaviors am I talking about? Glad you asked … Embarrassing the children It’s really surprising to me just how much I love embarrassing my kids. Like finger licking love. Like Christmas morning as a child love. I’ll drive down the road and see my kids with groups of other kids three blocks away, and the excitement and joy of embarrassing them will permeate my body until I feel it at the tips of my fingers and toes. Sometimes I just take off my shirt and drive by and wave. Sometimes I stick half of my body out of the car and shout, “What up bros,” in the most dorky voice imaginable. Their embarrassment fills my soul. Caring for the lawn Like many Dads, I do my own lawn. Which is why it dies every summer. My yard currently looks like someone poured nuclear waste all over. But this week I’ll ban the children from the turf and mark the sprinklers, dethatch bare

spots, aerate, top dress and over seed. I will work nonstop for the next six weeks redressing and reseeding my yard until it possesses a deep, lush green normally only associated with landscaping marvels like the Gardens of Versailles. It will provide me with a level of pride that should necessitate professional therapy. Hanging out in the garage I have no idea why I spend so much time in the garage but it’s where I go when I don’t have anything else to do. Sometimes I clean it. Sometimes I reorganize it. Sometimes I screw things into the walls and hang things. Sometimes I just stand in the middle of it and do nothing. Last week – with nothing left to clean or hang – I pulled my camping chair from a shelf, opened the garage door and proceeded to sit down, drink a beer and play catch with the dog. When the dog got tired I grabbed my Red Rider BB Gun, another beer, put the empty beer can on the wall across the street and had target practice. When I ran out of BBs I turned the chair around and watched football on the garage television that’s hung over the beer fridge. Overengineering everything I love watching my kids play sports and while I won’t say I’ve perfected the art of it, I think I’m pretty close. I have a camping chair with hydraulic

rockers. For sustenance during games I have a small cooler in which I pack a mason jar of Arnold Palmer, a turkey sandwich, fruit and sunflower seeds. This fall, after standing on a field all weekend in 90-plus-degree weather, I made a joking comment to another Dad about buying a portable air conditioner. Later that night he sent me a DIY YouTube link. Fast forward two days and one trip to Home Depot and now I have a portable air conditioning unit made from a battery powered fan, PVC and a five gallon bucket filled with ice. Washing the car I drove a 1998 Honda Accord until the end of the second Obama administration. It was silver – a color I decided upon because I knew I would never have to wash it. In 17 years of car ownership I probably washed that car 15 times. Four years ago I bought a black car and I was terrified at the thought of having to wash it all the time. But….you know? You know what? I don’t mind washing the car one bit? I actually enjoy it. Once a week I tell the sassy Garage Alexa to fire up some live Avett Brothers at volume nine, grab my car wash bucket, soap and sponge and scrub her down until she shines like the day I brought her home (the car not Alexa). I even give her tires a spritz so they have that extra sheen that leads people to say me, “She’s four years old? She looks brand new.” I would rather be complimented

about the cleanliness of my car than the cleanliness of my children. Annoying the wife I love gently annoying my wife – for example she hates when I assign the female gender to my car. I don’t do mean things to annoy her. Just little things that I know mildly irk her for reasons I perceive as invalid. She has asked me I don’t know how many times to stop slapping her in the butt when she bends over to pick something up. I will never stop. When I make the bed she constantly reminds me that the pillows don’t go that way because she actually thinks I don’t know which way they go. Trust me when I say there are many more examples I could provide but I want to keep her on her toes. I know I’m only touching on the very tip of #DadLife and I’m acutely aware that I need to work long and hard to perfect my craft – dad jokes and cargo shorts are on the short list. In the meantime, if you need me I’ll be in the garage trying to figure out how to hang every storage item we own from the walls and ceiling. Jon Show lives in Robbins Park with his wife, who he calls “The Mother of Dragons.” Their 10-year-old son is “Future Man” and their 7-year-old daughter is “The Blonde Bomber.” Their dog is actually named Lightning.

soundoffcornelius@gmail.com

CORNELIUS TODAY • October 2019 • 27

Your comments and opinions since 2006

Online Headline Sept. 17

‘School options: Committees lay out choices for local towns’ From Tom ”So to build a $30 million school, Cornelius would have to pay for the school in total,” Jeter said.” So misleading as Lake Norman Charter School evolved without bond monies saving Mecklenburg County tax payers millions. From Charles Jeter The law for a municipal charter and a traditional charter like LKN Charter in regards to acquiring property or any tangible good is different. Former NC Rep. Charles Jeter is Government Relations Coordinator and Policy Administrator for Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools From Tara I’m so glad my youngest is a junior in high school. Can’t wait to be done with CMS. From Rhonda Garner Cheek This article is particularly misleading as the “data” presented was developed by the committee and not validated Cheek by CMS. Rhonda Garner Cheek, formerly Rhonda Lennon, is a member of the CMS Board of Education, representing District 1. She was first elected in 2009, according to Ballotpedia From Dave Mancuso It’s ironic that you would want the data validated by the organization that is the root of the problems. Our committee would have welcomed the Mancuso chance to review any data with CMS with open arms. Unfortunately all of our requests to meet were dismissed. Besides that, our data has been public for almost six months now. Not a single CMS official felt it was important enough to attend any of our bi-monthly open meetings to address data they felt was erroneous.

The main data point of importance is that there is projected to be over 10,000 new students in our area by 2035 with no new schools currently planned to be built. Our data estimates slightly over 10,200 and CMS’ data estimates 10,250. I’d say our data is spot on. The chart was presented by CMS at the MEAC meeting 12/4/18. Dave Mancuso, a Cornelius resident, is a member of the Cornelius Educational Options Study Commission whose mission is to ‘evaluate options to reduce current and potential school overcrowding while ensuring high-performing public schools within Cornelius and the Lake Norman region.’ From Steve Every town outside of Charlotte needs to remove themselves from CMS. Their needs are NOT our needs and it doesn’t help any of us. From Rhonda Garner Cheek to Dave Mancuso I did speak to a few people on your committee about your concerns. I do not agree with your calculations. Or most of your opinions. About many things. But they are yours and you are entitled to them. From Rhonda Garner Cheek to Steve I am thankful my children have attended CMS for all of their K-12 education. Almost all of that while living in Huntersville then Cornelius and now Davidson. It has afforded them so many opportunities and a wide variety of curricula and prepared them for success From Dave Mancuso to Rhonda Garner Cheek That response displays the disconnect that exists. You disagree with the calculations that match the CMS numbers, interesting approach to the problem. I’m a parent of two children who are prospective CMS students be-

ginning next year. You, as our district’s board member, dismiss my concerns and opinions. Do you think you are elected to represent the best interest of CMS or the best interest of the families living in your district? Of course many parents in Cornelius with children currently in CMS will say they are happy. As our board member, I think the constituents deserve an open ear to empathize with our concerns, not someone that simply wants to beat the CMS drum. From Tom to Dave Mancuso Ironic all the current leaders were around when North Meck HS had over 70 trailers and 3300 plus students. We fought hard on the Martin Committee to get Hough HS built. It is back to the future again as we know the growth is coming.

The 80th Annual

BBQ

Saturday, November 2nd, 2019

There will be drive thru/dine in/takeout starting at 11am and continuing until food is gone.

The address is 19600 Zion Avenue, Cornelius We will have plates, sandwiches, and BBQ by the pound!

We hope you can come and join us!!

28 • CORNELIUS TODAY • October 2019

soundoffcornelius@gmail.com Your comments and opinions since 2006

Online Headline Jan. 21

‘Meeting will shore up public access to Lake Cornelius’

From Jason Can we get an update on this? It’s been months since I’ve heard anything. When/where will this ramp be built?

• Kim Crawford at Duke Energy responds: We are in active discussions with the town to locate a suitable canoe/kayak access site based on feedback received in the January workshop. We remain optimistic we can locate a site by the end of the year.

A concrete response from Cornelius Police

Online Headline Sept. 23 From SoundOffCornelius@gmail.com Did the police get the truck that left gravel and cement causing a huge mess down Catawba then down Westmoreland on Sept. 19? The trucking company should pay for clean-up and any windshield repairs. • Major David Baucom of the Cornelius Police responds:. The cement truck incident was witnessed by CPD officers. The truck is owned by Blue Dot Readi-Mix of Charlotte, whose driver stated that the flute to the cement barrel must not have been closed but he was unsure as to how this happened. The driver was issued a citation for failing to secure his load. One other motorist reported that her vehicle was damaged—a cracked windshield—as a result of the concrete coming out of the truck. Blue Dot was made aware of the situation. Preliminary clean-up was performed by town public works and on Monday Sept. 23 NCDOT Division 10 sent a multi-vehicle clean up crew to remove the remaining concrete on the roads.

‘20 new houses worth over 40 million in construction’ From James I-77 is a huge drawing point Cornelius Today to James We’re always thrown by sarcasm. Our thinking is that people who can afford multimillion-dollar houses may be OK with tolls From William One mans trash is another mans man mansion, is another

towns tax revenue. From Jamez Holy cow From Janet This is disgusting!! • This story was shared 15 times on Facebook, and has had more than 5,300 reader interactions online.

CORNELIUS TODAY • October 2019 • 29

soundoffcornelius@gmail.com Your comments and opinions since 2006

Online Headline Sept. 10

‘Jetton road blocked near Mountainview’ From Melanie Shes lucky she isnt dead! From Pam No surprise here. Cars fly in this section of Jetton. I witness it daily. From Ellen Imagine that. Lots of VIPs around here. From Lou I used to think that was a safe area for cycling From Lisa Lots of assumptions. From Shannon People need to GET OFF THEIR PHONES!!!! I’ve been hit three times in less than a year and I bet all of them were on their phones. Makes me so freaking mad! From Paula Here? Everywhere! I don’t know what’s up with people and speed limits! From Mark People aren’t paying attention...at all. From Nils Where’s the Sheriff when you need one. From William Please dont let the facts get in the way of a good story. Brand new 2019 X6 M and had just pulled out off of Harbor Light where the driver lives. No speeding and road construction truck was parked on unmarked part of Jetton. • The article did not say speeding although the driver did plow into the

back of a parked truck. Here’s the definition of late model as per Wikipedia: “A late model car is a car which has been recently designed or manufactured, often the latest model. An early model car or classic car is a car old enough to be of historical interest; there is no usual intermediate term.”

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30 â&#x20AC;˘ CORNELIUS TODAY â&#x20AC;˘ October 2019

soundoffcornelius@gmail.com Your comments and opinions since 2006

DCPC Organ

Online Headline Sept. 10

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Noted organist opens concert seriesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; From Bill Jennings What are all the dates and times â&#x20AC;˘ The organ series dates are Oct. 14, Nov. 11, Jan. 13, Feb. 10 and March 16. The concerts start at 7:30 pm in the sanctuary at Davidson College Presbyterian Church. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s usually plenty of parking on Main Street in Davidson

Bach

Online Headline Sept. 17

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Cornelius school options: No easy answersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; OCTOBER 10 - Hello, Sailor

food + Drink â&#x20AC;˘ live + silent auction

From Ingram CMS assumes Cornelius and Huntersville are eventually leaving CMS, and are not going to expand schools, build new ones, etc for a system that will eventually be independent. Longer you wait, the worse the break up will be From Tanya T. What we need is to not be a part of CMS, it is too big. From Tanya F. Unlike Huntersville,

Corneliusâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; commission was not asked to provide a recommendation. They were only to report their findings. From Lee The first Con I see is the name Bill Brawley! He is a toll advocate and is part of the reason why we are in this toll mess. He should never be able to enter our town without the risk of being tarred and feathered! I hate to see what he wants to do to our kids education.

CORNELIUS TODAY • October 2019 • 31

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32 • CORNELIUS TODAY • October 2019