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December 2015 • VOLUME 11 NUMBER 3
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2 • CORNELIUS TODAY • December 2015 LAKE NORMAN WATERFRONT Custom Home on .92 Acre Level Lot. $839,000 | MLS 3112501
LAKEFRONT TOWNHOME Pointe Regatta. Deeded Boat Slip. $729,000 | MLS 3122573
UNDER CONTRACT 1940’S UPDATED 3 BEDROOM RANCH Wheelchair Accessible. $250,000 | MLS 3127990
GREAT RANCH ON .37 ACRE LOT 3 bedrooms/2 bathrooms. $224,900 | MLS 3093593
December Things to do Christmas in Davidson Dec. 3-5 Visit Santa and hear stories from Mrs. Claus, enjoy carriage rides, cookies, crafts, Victorian carolers, contests, and catch up with friends! 6-9
p.m. Dec. 3-5 in downtown Davidson. The Davidson United Methodist Church living Nativity is a special treat for young and old alike.
Cocoa with Santa Dec. 4 This is the Cornelius Arts Center’s most popular holiday event. Santa will pose for photos, 10
a.m. to 2 p.m. The fun will also include holiday crafts, cocoa and cookies.
N. Meck Christmas Parade Dec. 5 Mary Porter Broker | REALTOR®
704.253.3652 marysporter@aol.com IvesterJackson.com
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St. and N.C. 115 in Davidson. The parade wraps up in Cornelius a couple of hours later.
Candlelight Christmas at Latta Dec. 5 Step into an 1820s Christmas at Latta Plantation by candlelight. Caroling, refreshments and an 1800s-inspired Live Na-
Satisfaction “
High school bands, horses, tractors, school groups and civic organizations on parade, starting at 1 p.m. at Griffith
tivity Scene. It starts at 6 p.m. More information at www.lattaplantation.org.
Lighted Boat Parade Dec. 12
Uli Seuster, Owner and Amy Griffin , General Manager with Denis Bilodeau, President, Aquesta Insurance Services
The Peninsula Yacht Club’s Christmas boat parade is a tradition. Concessions and buffet at 5 p.m.; Santa arrives on the
Cornelius-Lemley Volunteer Fire Department Fireboat at 6. Open to the public. The boat parade begins at 6:15 p.m.
Details, More Local Events: www.corneliustoday.com Adoptable Pets
www.corneliusanimalshelter.org
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
”
Uli Seuster, Owner Roosters Men's Grooming Center
Cornelius Office Huntersville Office Mooresville Office
19510 Jetton Rd. Cornelius 9906 Knockando Ln. Huntersville 837 Williamson Rd., Mooresville
704-892-6411 704-439-1430 704-809-1285
Leo is a Pit Bull mix. He has a beautiful Reddish and Copper color, short length coat and big brown eyes. He is a young energetic guy, so he would be a great fit for a family that could give him lots of play time and exercise. He loves to run and would love a jogging buddy!
Gigi is a sweet girl with a great personality! She loves to rub against you and purr. She has a silky black coat and big golden eyes. She is an adult female, but she still is very curious and enjoys playing with her toys. Please come by for a play date! Gigi loves company!
CORNELIUS TODAY • December 2015 • 3
Table of Contents
Mt. Zion United Methodist Church invites you to our Christmas season worship services! HORNET’S NEST IN CORNELIUS Christmas Eve Services
A diverse group of Cornelius Tuesday, Decemberpeople 23 & is taking a Wednesday, December – Sanctuary leadership role in the fight against24tolls. Page 4
HAPPY HOLIDAYS
It’s December and our thoughts turn to special holidays and family traditions. Page 8
Tuesday, December 23: 7:00pm - Traditional Candlelight Service Wednesday, December 24: 3:00 & 5:00pm - Family Candlelight Services* with Children Participation (Scratch Nativity) 7:00 &11:00pm - Traditional Candlelight Services* *Glow sticks will be available for younger children. Communion will be served at all Christmas Eve services.
Christmas Eve Services Wednesday, December 23 & Thursday, December 24 – Sanctuary Wednesday, December 23: 7:00pm - Traditional Candlelight Service* Thursday, December 24: 3:00 & 5:00pm - Family Candlelight Services* with Children Participation (Scratch Nativity)
Christmas Service of Hope and Healing Sunday, December 20 3:00pm - Sanctuary When life brings losses, the celebration of Christmas changes. Mt. Zion United Methodist Church offers a unique worship service for anyone struggling with loss during the holiday season.
7:00 &11:00pm - Traditional Candlelight Services*
Excellence in television
Cornelius resident Bill Hill won an Emmy for producing “Veep”. Page 10
*Glow sticks will be available for younger children. Communion will be served at all Christmas Eve services.
www.mtzionumc.net
Worship: Sundays-8:30, 9:45, 11:00 am
EXIT 27
Mike Griffin and Ryan McDaniels answered questions at our Newsmakers Breakfast. Page 12
Mt. Zion UMC 19600 Zion Ave., Cornelius 704-892-8566 www.mtzionumc.net
CORNELIUS COOKS
Meredith Fite shares a recipe for appetizers you can make ahead and freeze. Page 28
HOME DECOR ………………………… Page 29 HOME SALES ……………………… Page 19-26 NEWS-E ………………………….Pages 14-18 new coRporations ..........................Page 36 SOUNDOFF ................................. Page 38-39
This month’s cover was designed by Keith Blankenship. If you understand our Liverpool reference, let us know by commenting on our Facebook page.
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STAFF
Editor: Dave Yochum, nebiztoday@gmail.com; Sales and Marketing Director: Gail Williams, gail.todaypubs@gmail.com; Production Director: Stephen Nance, production. todaypubs@gmail.com. Send us your news: 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 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 is a local community service-driven publication. Cornelius Today, PO Box 2062, Cornelius, NC 28031-2062. Telephone: 704-895-1335 Fax: 704-490-4447 Email: corneliustoday@gmail.com Cornelius Today is independently owned and operated and based in Cornelius. Back issues: Payable by VISA and MASTERCARD ONLY. $1.50 (if available); $4 to mail. Reprints: Reprints on high-quality , framable stock are available, starting at $65 Photos: $100.
www.corneliustoday.com
4 • CORNELIUS TODAY • December 2015
You say you want a
rev lution
No Taxation Without Transportation By Dave Yochum "Target Acquired." That's the subject line on a recent email that race team executive Greg Wallace sent to his cohorts in the I-77 Business Plan, a high-level group of mostly Cornelius business leaders who are fighting the 50-year contract the NCDOT has inked with Cintra, a unit of Ferrovial. A room at the Lake Norman Chamber is their command post. The target Wallace was talking about is NC Rep. John Fraley, a Republican from Mooresville who would not join four North Carolina legislators, including Rep. John Bradford and Sen. Jeff Tarte, who together called on Gov. Pat McCror y to cancel
Amanda Dudley
The 42-year-old mother of four started Exit 28 Ridiculousness, a Facebook page, on a lark last year. It was then all about what Mayor Travis has acknowledged to be the failed aesthetic improvements on the Catawba Avenue bridge. It morphed into a virtual “town square” where the majority of people express not just outrage at the toll plane, but strategize openly on how to fight Cintra. It has more than 5,400 members. Political figures credit the page for the ground swell of opposition to the tolls. Sen. Jeff Tarte is a member. Amanda, a Victoria Bay resident, is the administrator.
life, Republican, Democrat the contract. and unaffiliated; employThe war is against a $650 ees, business owners and million toll plan, one that solo entrepreneurs. Lake Norman Chamber Most are from CorneCEO Bill Russell says lius, home of Catawba "will be the greatest caAvenue. It has long been lamity ever perpetrated on called the Main Street of business and our quality of Lake Norman, yet there is life in the Lake NormanCornelius revolutionaries no easy on-off access from Charlotte region for the are at war with an the I-77 toll lanes. next 50 years." overseas entity Kurt Naas, founder of There is a cast of characWidenI-77, the first anti-toll ters, signatories of a declaration of independence from NCDOT group, a member of the I-77 Business and old-line Charlotte business inter- Plan, is a general in this war. Then ests, including the Charlotte Cham- there's John "Mac" McAlpine V, the ber of Commerce. They lead a grow- organizer of the I-77 "Emergency Call ing cadre of people from all walks of to Action," plus John Hettwer, the out-
spoken former chairman of the Lake Norman Chamber of Commerce. All three are from Cornelius. Whether they win or lose, though is anybody's guess. The WidenI-77 lawsuit will be heard in Januar y. Efforts to overturn the Charlotte Regional Transportation Organization's weighted vote—it went pro-toll, thanks to Charlotte's Vi Liles and Sarah McAulay, the CRTPO chair woman who was turned out by Huntersville voters Nov. 3. If there's a single town that is a Hornet's Nest, it's Cornelius. Here's a look at some of the hornets.
the fight against the tolls. McAlpine’s job went away with MWR, but UNCCharlotte is talking to the 38-year-old father of two about a teaching position.
tolls, including direct lobbying with legislators in Raleigh.
John “Mac” McAlpine V
McAlpine is a quiet and unassuming engineer who worked at the late, great Michael Waltrip Raceworld for nine seasons. The Blue Stone Harbor resident comes from a long line of Presbyterian ministers and holds a master’s degree in industrial management from Clemson. On his own— and apparently out of nowhere—he organized the I-77 “Emergency Call to Action” at MWR back in May. Literally hundreds of business leaders attended; this, after the Lake Norman Chamber of Commerce was late to the game. Within a month, the chamber was on board, fully supporting
Pat Cain Cotham and Jim Puckett John Hettwer
The former chairman of the Lake Norman Chamber of Commerce meets ever y Tuesday at the Lake Norman Chamber with Bill Russell, CEO; Mike Russell, the current chamber chairman; business leaders like race team exec Greg Wallace; Mac McAlpine; and Mecklenburg County Commissioner Jim Puckett. They strategize on how to fight the
Pat Cotham is a Democrat on the Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners; Jim Puckett is a member of the Republican minority. Both ardent anti-toll leaders are viewed as tried and true allies on the Exit 28 Ridiculousness Facebook page. Cotham participated in a rain-soaked anti-toll parade in October. Puckett says ever y time he goes into a room to talk about the toll plan, he converts ever yone in the room. Both say the NCDOT is “completely out of touch.”
CORNELIUS TODAY • December 2015 • 5
Declaration of Ineptitude Having been conceived under a woefully inept Democratic administration and birthed under a Republican administration that while making great strides in transportation reform is seemingly incapable of overcoming the inertia of their predecessor’s mistakes, the I-77 toll project has become the single greatest example of how stupidity not only survives but actually intensifies within the halls of government regardless of who is in charge. —Jim Puckett. Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners
Kurt Naas
A Concord business owner who lives in The Peninsula, Naas was the lone voice crying in the dark about the toll plan literally years before anyone. Four and five years ago, tolls were perceived by the policy wonks—who acted like they were smarter than everyone else because they understood the arcana of the NCDOT—as a good thing. Naas disagreed on both a fundamental and intellectual level and organized the WidenI-77.org anti-toll group, earning the enmity of former electeds in Cornelius and Huntersville. The WidenI-77 lawsuit will be heard in court in January. A wide variety of businesses have indicated their support, including significant Cornelius enteprises like Aquesta Bank, Champion Tire & Wheel and Sperry Van Ness Commercial Real Estate.
and Chamber CEO Bill Russell and Chamber Chairman Mike Russell. A resident of the Westmoreland neighborhood, he organized the pre-election survey of elected officials on where they stood on the toll issue. Dozens of candidates and future candidates responded, including NC Sen. Jeff Tarte and NC Rep. John Bradford; the mayors of Cornelius, Davidson and Huntersville did not. Wallace is vice president of brand management and corporate communications at Rusty Wallace Racing. The motorsports industry, which relies heavily on trucks, was the first industry catego-
ry to fully get on board with the toll fight.
Diane “Dee” and Dave Gilroy
Wife and husband seem to operate very independently on the anti-toll battlefront, but they’re both outspoken about their opposition. Dee rode her
bike to a private fundraiser to hand Gov. Pat McCrory the results of her independent investigation of Cintra and parent company Ferrovial. (She’s also given her findings to the North Carolina Inspector General.) Husband Dave was an early, outspoken opponent of the tolls, battling both Mayor Lynette Rinker and Mayor Chuck Travis on toll issues. He has been labeling the 50-year I-77 toll plan “utter absurdity” and “shameful” for years. He was one of the two dissenters as the toll plan moved through our government dating back to when Jeff Tarte was mayor. Jeff Hare was the other.
Anita Sabates
Your life...Your home...Your Realtor
May the good times and treasures of the present become the golden memories of tomorrow
Holiday Blessings from my family to yours
— Anita Sabates
Greg Wallace
His father may be a household word in the racing industry, but Greg Wallace at age 35 has more than come into his own in the I-77 toll debate. The son of Rusty Wallace is one of the key strategists in the I-77 Business Plan, along with former Chamber Chairman John Hettwer
Alex (17) Cassi (8) and Alli (8)
704-562-2515
Anita.Sabates@AllenTate.com
www.AnitaSabates.net
116 Nautical Point Court
Candi Schuerger Mooresville/Lake Norman 704-400-1232 Candi.Schuerger @allentate.com
Mooresville, NC
19401 Peninsula Shores Drive
Offered at $3,300,000
Offered at $1,899,900
Beautifully designed European style home on a very private 2.65 acre waterfront estate, exquisitely presented with very fine craftsmanship and top quality materials. True chef’s kitchen with Wolf cooking appliances. Two-story great room with signature limestone fireplace. Luxurious first floor master suite. Four guest bedrooms, all with private baths. Finished basement with second living quarters. Private theater with cinema seating. Wine cellar with storage for 800 bottles and tasting area.
Your waterfront dream awaits you in this beautiful 6,136 square foot, five bedroom, four and a half bath home located in The Peninsula. Enjoy the oasis in the fenced backyard with custom salt water pool and spa, full service outdoor kitchen, fireplace, and covered patio. Large private pier with covered boat slip and an additional covered sitting area. Located on a large quiet cove keeping your boat safe from rough waters, yet still giving you the wide open lake view. Home has been pre-inspected.
Paula Fessler Lake Norman 704-726-2276 Paula.Fessler @allentate.com
MLS#3120863
1434 Buncombe Lane
Susie Johnson Huntersville 704-236-2010 Susie.Johnson @allentate.com
Cornelius, NC
MLS#3126052
Denver, NC
133 Old Timber Lane
Mooresville, NC
Offered at $1,195,000
Offered at $950,000
Spectacular waterfront home on 1.49 acre. Open floor plan with tons of windows allowing for natural light. Two-story great room with fireplace, built-in cabinets. Plantation shutters throughout the home. Large kitchen with breakfast area and bar stool area. Large master bath and bedroom. Four gigantic secondary bedrooms, each with private bathrooms. Large patio seating with hot tub overlooking the lake. Three-car garage and two-car finished detached garage for gaming or parking. Two boat lifts with upper level seating.
Custom waterfront home with breathtaking sunset views. 230 Feet of water front with sandy beach, covered dock, boat slip with lift and jets ski lift, bring the water toys. Spacious kitchen with granite countertops. Versatile floor plan features two offices, master on main. Master suite has wonderful views of the lake and luxurious master bath. Whole house music system. Extensive flag stone patios to enjoy the waterfront. Paver driveway and a three car garage. Quiet cul-de-sac, walk to community pool.
MLS#3062521
Jillian Hulse-Mack Mooresville/Lake Norman 704-500-6372 Jillian.Mack @allentate.com
MLS#3087784
3739 Mill Run
Terrell, NC
CONNECTING YOU TO THE WORLD OF LUXURY. Luxury real estate is far more than a transaction. It’s about living the life you deserve.
Offered at $795,000
Wendy Hodel Mooresville/Lake Norman 704-500-6707 Wendy.Hodel @allentate.com
One-of-a-kind waterfront home. Main channel views from nearly every room. Contemporary design with many major recent updates and improvements including complete custom kitchen, new flooring, new exterior hardboard siding and more. The “best part” of this house is debatable - the fully fenced yard with over 250 feet of shoreline or the widow’s walk with outdoor fireplace overlooking the lake or the private screened porch off the master suite. Come tour and choose your favorite. MLS#3121481
18405 Town Harbour Road
Cornelius, NC
Offered at $750,000
Dixie Dean Lake Norman 704-641-1465 Dixie.Dean @allentate.com
Come home to this striking three-story brick cul-desac home in The Peninsula on Lake Norman. Spacious open floor plan includes special finishes such as interior glass transoms over cased openings, French pocket doors, elliptical archways and 8-foot doorways. Cook’s kitchen with granite, gas cooktop and bar, opens to breakfast room and screened porch. Huge bonus/exercise plus finished 3rd floor featuring media/ entertainment area, half bath, granite bar with fridge and microwave, plus an additional office. MLS#3120454
We know a commitment at this level requires a rock-solid relationship with experts who truly understand worldwide and local markets. With a global network with 50 years of proven results, and as the luxury leader in the Carolinas, we can connect you to the world of luxury. Because anything is possible when you know the right people. For more information, call 1-866-743-1101 or visit allentate.luxuryportfolio.com.
8 • CORNELIUS TODAY • December 2015
It's December and thoughts turn to holidays and traditions December is a time for friends, family and the traditions that go along with holidays. Even though we're busier than ever, the best part of December is slowing down, doing things you've always done. We asked a few Cornelius people about their traditions.
Arlene and Milt Berkman
The McAlpines
"Our favorite Christmas tradition is making the trip to Mac's parents' home in Mooresville to meet up with family members from both sides. We eat a big family meal for brunch after letting the kids open presents. I usually make a beef tenderloin and everyone else brings all the sides you drool about all year but only eat once." Sandy McAlpine Sandy and husband John "Mac" McAlpine IV live in Blue Stone Harbor
The Choplins
At the Choplin's household, our favorite Christmas tradition is the gift of giving. Together we go out and recognize those who need a little extra help at Christmas time. Whether it's food for a family meal or toys for children who otherwise wouldn't have anything to open on Christmas morning, we work together as a family to celebrate Jesus' birthday. Wes Choplin, owner Choplin's Restaurant The Choplin family lives in Madison Village
Chanukah is a happy holiday celebrating the Festival of Lights—the lighting of the menorah—and Feast of Rededication of the second temple in Jerusalem by eating foods made in oil such as latkes (potato pancakes) and doughnuts. Playing dreidel and singing songs is all part of the celebration. There is a Chanukah song that sums it up and it goes like this: Chanukah, Oh Chanukah Come light the Menorah Let's have a party We'll all dance the hora Gather round the table We'll have a treat Shiny tops to play with Latkes to eat And while we are playing The candles burning low One for each night, they shed a sweet light To remind us of days long ago.
Berkman is the founder of the Foundation for Respectability, which fights bullying through education
The Allebach family The Tarte family
We've had a family tradition since the kids were born. We have always gone to the moutains and cut a live tree...we're in the car for two hours together. Of course we can never buy the first tree...we look at hundreds of them, plus, we buy two. Then we have lunch and hot cocoa. We go home, set them up and one tree is the angel tree, with all angel ornaments. The other tree is the main tree with ornaments we have collected over the years. Sen. Jeff Tarte Tarte, the former mayor of Cornelius, and Dr. Nancy Tarte live on Belle Isle Drive
Fran Conard
It has been tradition since I was a small child to spend the day with family, with traditional turkey and dressing, ands the works. As our family has grown we still continue that today. Of course Christmas would not be special if we were not able to enjoy all of our church programs and Christmas Eve is the most meaningful to me. Fran Conard is a member of Mt. Zion United Methodist Church
Vertie Torrence
I look forward to doing my Christmas tree and family getting together—at least 15 of us—for Chritmas Day. I make a Ham Delight that's ham and Parmesan cheese on a dinner roll; heated up, it's like an hors d'oeuvre. Also Rice Krispy treats and, of course, Christmas cookies. I am looking forward to Christmas! Vertie Torrence, 80, lives in Smithville
Margaret and Blair Boggs
Blair's mother always made Peppernuts, a sweet treat for the Boggs boys. I've made them for years and give them to friends and when I take something to a party. They're always a treat at the holidays. Margaret Boggs and husband Blair have two grown children. The couple lives on Players Ridge Drive
Margaret’s Recipe is online at CorneliusToday.com. Search “Pepppernuts”
One of our favorite traditions each year is to read a part of the Christmas story each night. We have a keepsake Advent book that has beautiful illustrations and is written in a way so that children can learn the Christmas story. Each day of Advent has a designated page that features a door with a tab to actually open. Behind each door is a section of the story from the book of Luke along with an illustration. After reading each night, Asher gets to open another door in our advent calendar with a treat inside. The treat was little toys or Matchbox cars when he was little; now it's money—LOL! He saves the money to buy something special on our next family trip. The Allebach family attends Davidson United Methodist Church
10 • CORNELIUS TODAY • December 2015
Emmy winner says Cornelius is a great locale to call home Bill and Debbie Hill live in Harborside By Dave Yochum Cornelius is far from Klieg lights, greasepaint and red carpets, but Emmy Award winner Bill Hill calls it home. He won the Primetime Emmy for Producing Outstanding Comedy of the year for HBO’s "Veep," which stars Julia Louis-Dreyfus of "Seinfeld" fame. Hill, 59, and wife Debbie, a Mary Kay senior sales director, live in the Harborside townhouses off West Catawba. They moved in in 2007 and have a blended family of four as well as nine grandchildren. "It's been great
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not to live in L.A.," says Hill, a successful behind-the-scenes and behindthe-camera player in what's practically a national industry. Movies and television series film all over the country, with New York, Georgia and Louisiana being hot-spots outside of LA. North Carolina sees fewer projects after tax credits were taken away by the legislature. Hill is a freelance producer homebased in Cornelius. Over the past 30 years, he has worked on a variety of different productions, from Wilmington to Nashville, from Pittsburgh, Pa., to New Mexico, where he is working on a half-hour comedy series for Lionsgate Television starring Nick Nolte. He was co-producer of the "Nashville" pilot as well as Cinemax’s first original scripted drama "Banshee." Hill, who grew up outside Boston, has worked at everything from accountant to grip—a lighting and rigging technician. In fact he was a grip on the 1984 Steven King thriller "Firestarter," which was filmed in Wilmington. "Veep" is really big. It premiered on HBO in 2012, with an eight-episode season. This was followed by a second season of 10 episodes, then the 2014 and 2015 seasons. And in April of this year, HBO ordered a fifth season which will film in Los Angeles. This was Hill’s first Emmy nomination and first win. He is highly regarded in Hollywood for his work on television pilots and helping them get picked up, including "Three Rivers," "Nashville" and "Revenge." In fact, he is known as “The Jobfather” for his efforts to hire locals. "I love being a mentor," he says. Lionsgate Chairman Kevin Beggs says Hill "is a friend to the creative process and a bottom-line production guy rolled into one—an incredibly rare find in today’s television landscape." Over the past six years, Hill's productions have contributed upwards of $200 million to local economies, he says, explaining there are communities of freelancers who stay put, while productions come and go. "It's all about creating jobs," he says.
Bill and Debbie Hill
Mt. Zion observes Christmas season On Sunday, Dec. 13, at 11 am and 2 pm, "A Holy Light" by Robert A. Hobby, will be presented in the sanctuary of Mt. Zion United Methodist Church. This carol service includes scripture readings and meditations by Susan Palo Cherwien. This collection takes a new look at some well-known carols, such as "Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence," "He Is Born" and "Joy to the World." Readings by Susan Cherwien are taken from "Crossings: Meditations for Worship" and "From Glory into Glory." Instrumentations vary from a Brass Quintet, Organ, Piano and Hand Bells On Sunday, Dec. 20 at 3 pm Mt Zion will be observing a Christmas Service of Hope and Healing in the sanctuary. When life brings losses the celebration of Christmas changes. Blending the reality of loss with the comfort of Christ's coming, the service includes the lighting of candles and intergenerational participation. Mt. Zion United Methodist Church offers a unique worship service for anyone struggling with loss during the holiday season. Christmas Eve Services at Mt. Zion
United Methodist Church are on Wednesday, Dec. 23 and Thursday, Dec. 24 in the sanctuary: • Wednesday, Dec. 23: 7 pm - Traditional Candlelight Service* • Thursday, Dec. 24: 3:00 & 5:00pm - Family Candlelight Services* with Children Participation (Scratch Nativity); 7:00 & 11:00pm - Traditional Candlelight Services* Communion will be served at all Christmas Eve services. Info: www. mtzionumc.net
CORNELIUS TODAY • December 2015 • 11
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12 • CORNELIUS TODAY • December 2015
Cornelius Square: Can Exit 27 round out LKN’s menu of developable land?
Ryan McDaniels, executive director of LKN Economic Development, and Mike Griffin, treasurer
of about 75 people at The Peninsula Club, discussed a study conducted by the Urban Land Institute that was commissioned by the EDC. Cornelius Square could encompass as much as 339 acres – more than half of the undeveloped land remaining in Cornelius. It could include a hotel with convention facilities, literally millions of square feet of commercial office space and around 200,000 square feet of retail, Griffin told the audience, which included members of the Cook family. With at least 1.2 million square feet of corporate office space, it could take some of the tax burden off of homeowners. One of the goals would be to attract a corporate headquarters. The project could “bring in over 6,000 new employees,” Griffin said, explaining that the mix between residential and commercial taxes could shift closer to 70 percent and 30 percent, respectively. However, Tom McMahon, the owner of the Sperry Van Ness office on West Catawba Avenue isn’t sold on the development or the idea that the tax revenues need to be balanced out. Charles Knox, president of The Knox Group, a commercial real estate company in Huntersville, feels that the tax revenue Mike Dean, a real estate broker, asks a question
By V. Tom Gardner Cornelius’ mix of residential vs. commercial taxes, currently around 80 percent residential to 20 percent commercial, is seriously unbalanced, according to Mike Griffin, treasurer of the Lake Norman Economic Development Corp. Speaking at the Business Today and Cornelius Today Newsmakers Breakfast in November, Griffin said the proposed Exit 27 would open up key parcels of property—the Augustalee and Cook family sites—to office development that would be good for our community and the tax base. It could be called the “Cornelius Square,” reflecting a unique approach to an exit and entrance on I-77 near where Westmoreland Road crosses I-77 about midway between West Catawba Avenue (Exit 28) and Sam Furr Road (Exit 25). Griffin, who fielded questions from a Newsmakers Breakfast audience
ratio is skewed due to a high number of expensive lakefront homes in Cornelius. “It’s not because we don’t have enough commercial development, it’s because we have such an enormous valuation on our residential properties. It’s a little bit of a red herring,” said Knox. However, before the development begins to be built, both Knox said that improvements need to be made to nearby major roads, including Statesville Road, Sam Furr Road and Westmoreland Road. “Ingress and egress, are some of the dominant factors for retail and office development. Currently we don’t have the proper ingress and egress of the secondary roads there,” said McMahon. Griffin believes that in addition to cost savings, compared to typical interstate exits, the unique design of the interchange will allow traffic to efficiently disperse into the surrounding area. Since there isn’t a bridge immediately connecting both sides of the interstate, drivers will “immediately
go into a round-about. . . it allows the roads to be gridded into a more traditional town feel,” said Griffin. Then drivers could then follow signs to use one of two nearby bridges to cross I-77, if needed. Knox agrees with the design of the interchange. “. . . [this] innovative interchange is far better than doing an urban diamond.” Stating that keeping Westmoreland Road as an East/West corridor with minimal traffic lights is essential for traffic in the area. Ryan McDaniels, executive director of the EDC, said there are enormous benefits to new development at Westmoreland, especially if it attracts highend, white-collar jobs. “Every time we can bring someone back (to working in this area) … they spend more of their money locally, it just grows the small businesses,” McDaniels said. “It’s the big companies who bring in the thousands of employees, who shop locally.” According to Griffin, the plan is one of the best opportunities for Cornelius to increase its commercial tax base and address “Retail Gap” problem of having more retail than our current population can support. The project’s success is predicated on some form of widening of I-77, with toll lanes or without, said Griffin, a partner at Cornelius-based Griffin Brothers Cos. He is in charge of civic and government relationships at the $50-million (revenue) private company. “Exit 27 is probably the only chance we have for a large commercial office development [in Cornelius],” said Knox. “We need to get it right, and get — Charles Knox the biggest bang for our buck. There aren’t a lot of land opportunities left in Cornelius. It’s as good a use as we could hope for.” The Newsmakers Breakfast was sponsored by The Knox Group, a commercial real estate company based in Huntersville; Donna Moffett Accountants and Consultants in Cornelius; and Davidson Wealth Management in Davidson.
“We need to get it right, and get the biggest bang for our buck. There aren’t a lot of land opportunities left in Cornelius. It’s as good a use as we could hope for.”
CORNELIUS TODAY • December 2015 • 13
Newest commissioner took the long route to Town Hall hicles will have on the efficiency of our roads. In the meanwhile, sensitive appropriate development will need to be exercised until improvement.
CT:Will you make a motion to join the WidenI-77 lawsuit?Why or why not?
Doc Com: Ann Miltich and husband Dr. Michael Miltich, the new town commissioner
Dr. Michael Miltich will be sworn in as a member of the Town Board Dec. 7. He won a hard-fought battle for a seat on the five-member board Nov. 3, but his campaign actually began two years ago when he first ran for the board and came in sixth place in a 10-way race. Anti-toll before most other candidates, he was skipped over twice despite being the next-highest vote-getter when vacancies came up on the board. He credits his wife Ann, "my Campaigner-inChief," for his successful run this year. Nevertheless, he spent almost $13,000 of his own funds on this campaign, about double what he spent in 2013. He is a doctor with Charlotte Eye Ear Nose & Throat Associates. Cornelius Today caught up with Miltich after the election and asked these questions
CT: What are your top 2-3 goals for your first year in office?
MM: The reason I ran is my desire to be of service and to give back. So that is my overwhelming goal. It is very obvious that the No. 1 concern is our
traffic, not only on I-77 but also the surface roads. Previously elected officials voted approval of the HOT/toll project for congestion relief, but now that the actual details of the project have been disclosed by grassroots efforts, it is obvious to most everyone that this project will be detrimental to the Lake Norman corridor. Unfortunately, when NCGA passed the STI in 2014 changing the funding formula, our leaders didn’t go back to CRTPO to rescind their approval of the toll project. Also the whole approval process appears to be flawed. Appropriate projects are held hostage as inappropriate projects cannot be extracted from the “all-or-nothing” vote. So not only do we need to change the decision on the HOT/toll project, we also need to examine how this occurred. We will then need to move forward on funding a proper solution for I-77 as well as work with our neighboring municipalities to support a more robust transportation infrastructure including alternatives to cars. Long term—10-15 years—I am interested in the effect self-driving/coordinated ve-
Beyond Walls coming back
The Cornelius PARC Department and the Cornelius Public Art Committee have issued an open call for artists to submit proposals for outdoor sculptures that will be installed at Robbins Park starting in April next year. The exhibit, which officially opens April 16, will feature artists from across the US. Applications are due Jan. 11. More info: jcrickenberger@cornelius.org or 704896-8823.
MM: Once sworn in as Commissioner, I will be eligible to review communications between the Town’s legal counsel and the Board on this matter. I feel this would be a cost-effective use of taxpayer dollars considering the economic losses that will occur if the project continues. But there may be some legal aspects of the Town joining the suit that I’m not aware of. I will also be advised of other confidential information such as economic development efforts.
CT: What was the hardest part about this campaign?
MM: The hardest part was dedicating the necessary hours in addition to my practice and maintaining a household. I had hoped to do more door-todoor, but we had two very wet weekends early on, so we were pretty busy
the weeks before the election. What was gratifying were the people that actually sought me out to support my campaign—to them many thanks! During early voting and on Election Day working the poll, I was getting a much more positive “vibe” than two years ago. It was very gratifying when the final precinct results came in.
CT: In light of Michael Waltrip Raceworld closing, and Curtis Screw moving, what are your concerns about where Cornelius is heading right now? MM: For the first time in 20 years I'm hearing of people wanting to leave Cornelius because of the traffic. With the announcement of two prominent businesses leaving that only confirms my concern. Hopefully we can encourage businesses to locate here that don’t bring additional traffic such as internet based and tech firms by the Town promoting infrastructure support such as very high speed internet backbone along with a tech trained work force.
14 • CORNELIUS TODAY • December 2015
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News from www.CorneliusToday.com
Will Berger be the fry in the ointment for Cintra/NCDOT?
Nov. 20. By Dave Yochum. With key members of the business community and elected officials gearing up for the I-77 toll summit on Monday, Mayor Travis has issued a 900-word statement outlining his position on the I-77 toll plan. “My position is simple, our interstate is broken and must be fixed. No one disagrees with this premise, as it is impacting our quality of life, real estate values and TRAVIS the businesses located or considering the option to locate in our region,” Travis’ statement said. Meanwhile, the conversation—a gentle word for the all-out debacle the toll lane issue has become—has moved from whether a politician is against the tolls to how they will fight the tolls. Five members of the Cornelius Town Board have expressed strenuous opposition to the toll plan and at least two— Dave Gilroy and incoming commissioner Dr. Mike Miltich—say they would vote for the town to join the WidenI-77. org lawsuit to fight the tolls. Mayor-elect John Aneralla in Huntersville—a toll opponent when he ran against former Mayor Jeff Tarte for NC Senate three years ago—said the new Huntersville Town board has already recommended that he not travel with Travis and Mayor John Woods to Texas to review Cintra toll operations there. Lake Norman business and political leaders said the “optics” of this kind of a trip were wrong in light of the outcry
around the 50-year contract. Cintra is the Spanish company that will build and operate the toll lanes on I-77. The corporate name for this undertaking is I-77 Mobility Partners. The I-77 Express Lanes project is a public-private partnership between the NCDOT and the Cintra-led I-77 Mobility Partners consortium. Louis Berger Group out of New Jersey is the lead designer for Sugar Creek Construction, the general contractor. In his statement, Travis said: “This trip has been in the planning process for several months and no expenses will be paid by tax payer’s dollars or Cintra. John and I will pay for all of our travel costs individually and we will have records to share if requested. This includes flight expense, meals and any miscellaneous costs.” The mayors traveled with NCDOT Chief Deputy Secretary Walt Gray and NC Turnpike Authority Executive Director Beau Memory. Travis said it was a “fact-finding mission” for information sharing and forecasting “that we can report back to our community.” Travis, who has been re-appointed to the Turnpike Authority, said “canceling the contract at this point will have significant financial penalties as well as timing issues that will impact our region for years to come.” It’s unclear whether Gov. Pat McCrory will attend Monday’s Toll Summit which was organized by NC Rep. Charles Jeter. The summit takes place one day short of the three-week anniversary of the defeat of elected officials
like Huntersville Mayor Jill Swain and a former Huntersville Mayor Sarah McAulay. Both were on the wrong side of the toll issue. Politicians like Jeter, and to a lesser extent NC Sen. Jeff Tarte and NC Rep. John Bradford were apparently sold a bill of goods by Cintra jeter and NCDOT. All three say the facts underlying the $650 million deal changed over time—to such an extent that the 50-year contract was unacceptable. Indeed, as the contract was coming under closer scrutiny in May, the NCDOT hastened what was called the “financial close.” Now estimates vary widely on how much it would cost to cancel the contract. At one extreme, the NCDOT says the penalty could be as much as $145 million. At the other extreme—at least according to the NCDOT—is citizen Diane “Dee” Gilroy, a Spanish professor at UNC-Charlotte. She traveled on her own to Spain to investigate Ferrovial, the parent company of Cintra. In a letter to Mary Morton, the Inspector Gilroy General of North Carolina, she said NCDOT’s contract with Cintra is void because the company did not tell the truth about “lawsuits and pending charges” against Ferrovial. The Cornelius resident cited cases of
alleged bribery involving Ferrovial as well as tax evasion. Her letter to Morton also states: “In addition to these disturbing lawsuits and convictions against Ferrovial, the Louis Berger Group (LBG) based in New Jersey was selected as the Lead Design Firm on the 1-77 HOT lanes project with Cintra Infraestructuras. This firm is an international disgrace. It has defrauded US taxpayers out of millions of dollars and it put our military in harm’s way in Afghanistan. On November 5, 2010 Louis Berger agreed to pay one of the largest fines of any war-zone contractor ( $69.3 million in civil and criminal penalties).”
According to the FBI, Louis Berger is the New Jersey-based construction management company that admitted to violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and agreed to pay a $17.1 million criminal penalty to resolve charges that it bribed foreign officials in India, Indonesia, Vietnam and Kuwait to secure government construction management contracts. Two of the company’s former executives also pleaded guilty to conspiracy and FCPA charges in connection with the scheme. Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman of the District of New Jersey and Special Agent in Charge Richard M. Frankel of the FBI’s Newark Division made the announcement. LBI entered into a deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) today and admitted its criminal conduct, including its conspiracy to violate the anti-bribery provisions of the FCPA. Pursuant to the DPA, LBI has agreed to pay a $17.1 million criminal penalty, to implement rigorous internal controls, to continue to cooperate fully with the department and to retain a compliance monitor for at least three years. Gilroy’s husband is Cornelius Commissioner Dave Gilroy. She visited Morton’s office in Raleigh this week but would not return phone calls or emails from Cornelius Today.
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16 • CORNELIUS TODAY • December 2015
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News from www.CorneliusToday.com
Lake Norman ice cold to governor Nov. 13. By Dave Yochum. Although four North Carolina legislators have called on the governor to exercise the termination provisions in NCDOT’s I-77 contract with Cintra, a Spanish company, Pat McCrory is sticking to his guns. Within an hour after the four said they will seek a temporary restraining order to stop the project, McCrory’s NCDOT secretary said a letter from the legislators was “riddled with inaccurate and false claims.” The NCDOT letter was sent on behalf of the governor’s office, according to NCDOT spokesperson Jordan-Ashley Baker Walker. Nevertheless, the governor will apparently attend an emergency summit in Lake Norman Nov. 23 on the controversial toll project. “It is time for this project to be cancelled,” Sen. Jeff Tarte said at a press conference Friday at the Lake Norman Chamber. “It is time to redefine the project into several smaller projects.”
The first project should be confined to the Lake Norman area, Tarte said. Other legislators signing the letter to the governor are Sen. David L. Curtis, of Lincoln County, Rep. John Bradford, of Cornelius, and Rep. Charles Jeter, of Huntersville. Jeter said he did not know whether the governor will speak to him after today’s letter. Indeed, 51 minutes after the press conference ended, the NCDOT issued a statement from NCDOT Secretary Nick Tennyson that roundly criticized the four legislators’ letter. (See below) The legislators’ letter to the governor states: “A combination of several important facts have come to light since the contract was signed, that we believe materially breach the intent, desire and long-term expectations to move forward with this managed project.” The four legislators called on the project to be re-ranked by the state, in terms of already-agreed upon param-
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eters. Mike Russell, chairman of the Lake Norman Chamber, said: “The announcement of the ceremonial groundbreaking of the I-77 toll road project will do nothing to slow the building momentum enjoyed by those opposed to the tolls coming out of last week’s election. It’s not a done deal until we lay down.” The letter says the current toll plan calls for new lanes that are not sufficiently strong enough to support truck traffic. “In order to have these interstate highway lanes able to facilitate truck traffic at anytime after the managed lanes are built, these lanes would have to be ground to the base and completely rebuilt from scratch. This would render the over $650 million of taxpayer and equity partner investment a significant waste of money.” Jeter, during the press conference, said political leaders need to “listen when our residents speak, and adjust when the facts change.” He said I-77 Mobility Partners has a history of disingenuous statements, especially around yesterday’s announcement that construction starts Monday. “It’s a little rich,” Jeter said, of I-77 Mobility Partner’s plans to move dirt in three days. The letter said local businesses believe that the toll plan would “systematically give an advantage to certain businesses and selectively put other businesses at risk of failure. The adverse environment is created by the design that provides no ingress or egress
points to access businesses at selected exits. Once the managed lanes are implemented, travelers using the toll lanes will not be able to access restaurants, gas stations and hotels at multiple exits on I-77. This is not sustainable for small business owners.” Lake Norman Chamber Chairman Mike Russell, and other business leaders, fear the toll plan will worsen congestion by concentrating slow-moving tractor-trailers in the two existing general purpose lanes. The toll design, too, appears to prevent on-off access at Exit 28, deemed Lake Norman’s “Main Street” by the Chamber of Commerce. The date and location had not been set as of 10 am today, Jeter said. The question is whether a summit that is still in the planning stages would provide enough political cover for the governor to red flag the Cintra deal. Jeter admitted it is unclear whether the governor will attend. When the public hue and cry reached a crescendo in May, the NCDOT pushed the financial close a week ahead of plan. Important legislators like NC Rep. Bill Brawley of Charlotte are still on board with the toll plan. He is senior chair of the House Finance Committee, which, of course, holds the purse strings to literally hundreds of projects in and around the state.He told Business Today earlier this week that North Meck officials at one time gave thumbs up to tolls, and there is virtually no going back at this point. Update: The Governor did not attend the summit
CORNELIUS TODAY • December 2015 • 17
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LKN Chamber wins top award Nov 24. Bill Russell, the long-time CEO of the Lake Norman Chamber of Commerce, is excited: The 961-member chamber has won the top honor from the Carolinas Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives. “I am so ver y excited as this is an award which represents ever y element of our chamber—the 2014 and 2015 boards, the past leadership and achievements, as well as our current membership—and our staff,” Russell said, upon learning the Outstanding Chamber of the Year award had gone to the Lake Norman chamber team. The award comes at a signal moment in the chamber’s histor y. The I-77 toll issue has gripped Lake Norman, with the chamber coming out strong against the plan this past summer. “In 20 years as the president of the chamber I have not witnessed an issue which has been so emotional as the I77 toll issue. Many of us in leadership roles have had to come to grips that our earlier decisions and positions were wrong,” Russell said. “The concept of Public-Private Partnerships and tolling may be the right prescription in many communities and regions but it simply is not the right answer here. As the details of the contract came to light, it became apparent we could not support this contract. It is ver y hard admitting you made a mistake.That said, the greater mistake would be to push for ward anyway,” Russell said. Still, changing directions could not have been easy. Large companies in the region have not weighed in, at least publicly, and in Huntersville, key members of the town government have been in favor of the tolls. Indeed, the CACCE award, which primarily focuses on significant accomplishments during the past 18 months, took notice of the Lake Norman Chamber’s contributions to a regional approach. “They were practicing regionalism when it was just another word,” the CACCE said. CACCE has hundreds of chamber members in both North Carolina and South Carolina chambers, ranging from Asheville to Wilmington. This particular honor recognizes chambers with more than 700 members. The Lake Norman Chamber fo-
cuses on the three towns of North Mecklenburg: Cornelius, Davidson and Huntersville. “It is also exciting for CACCE and the awards committee to recognize the regional aspect of our programming efforts. That isn’t always easy when you have several communities each vying for their own unique identities,” Russell said. He said he doesn’t think people join any chamber of commerce because of advocacy around local and regional issues. “But they certainly may leave your chamber if they feel you are not listening to them or advocating on their behalf,” Russell said. The chamber has always been about small business and entrepreneurs, but in recent years, with new, large companies like Lowe’s, MSC Industrial and Valspar—as well as industrial outfits like Burkert and Southwire—primar y job creators are part of the chamber. “When I first started here at the chamber in 1996, people joined a chamber of commerce where they
had a business simply because it was the civic thing to do. Now owners and managers join associations and chambers where they feel they get the most return on that investment. There is nothing wrong with that. It simply means the chamber must continue to adapt and provide programming and events which help that business compete and grow,” Russell said. Chamber membership is actually down from the beginning of the year—to 961 from 993. Russell’s goal is to get membership back up to about 1,000 by year end. “I suppose it’s easy to look back on what you should have done with today’s insight. I am ver y proud of our board and the steps we have taken since this summer to address the Cintra Contract. While there are those who say it’s much too late to cancel it now - It’s never too late to do the right thing and we will not lay down until this deal is either undone or there are significant changes which address its current shortcomings,” Russell said.
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Christmas Tree Sale Fundraiser The town in partnership with the Fire and Police Departments will be selling trees to help fund the future World Trade Center Steel Monument Where: 115 Hwy/Catawba (corner) Start: November 23, 2015 4 p.m. - 10 p.m. (Mon-Fri) 8 a.m. - 10 p.m. (Sat/Sun)
News from www.CorneliusToday.com
Jetton Road now a town road, not a state road Nov. 18. By Dave Vieser. The Town of Cornelius has officially taken over Jetton Road from the state. The four lane section was completely repaved at state expense this spring, with the understanding that the town would take over maintenance from West Catawba to John Connor Road. The original road, built by Crescent Resources, did not meet current construction standards, leading to frequent deterioration in the asphalt surface. The paving job done by the state included a complete rebuilding of the base to avoid such problems in the future. With the town taking over the road,
there may be some movement towards a change in the 45 mile an hour speed limit which conflicts with the town’s kinder, gentler approach to pedestrians and cyclists. Several commissioners had previously indicated they may be in favor of reducing the speed limit. Commissioner Jim Duke, who lives in The Peninsula, says that the town will survey local residents to gauge their opinion about the speed limit before making any changes.
MacLean Curtis moving from Cornelius to Mooresville Nov. 20. The Curtis Screw plant, a mainstay in the Cornelius manufacturing scene for decades, will build a 97,000 square foot plant on 24 acres in Mooresville Business Park East. The new plant will be worth on the order of $30 million, and employ as many as 150 people full-time. John O’Neill, general manager of what’s now called MacLean Curtis, said the new site will allow more room for expansion. He says the business could double in size in the coming years. The new site is on Manufacturers Boulevard in Mooresville Business Park East. The current facility—51,000 square feet on 24 acres—will remain operational until construction of the Mooresville facility is completed. O’Neill said the property will be listed for sale. The Town of Mooresville and Iredell County, as well as the South Iredell Community Development Corp., Economic Development Partnership of NC, NC Department of Transportation, Duke Energy, NC House and Senate legislative bodies all helped in the company’s move from Cornelius to Mooresville. MacLean Curtis is a leading manufacturer of precision-machined automotive components for powertrain, safety-critical and other automotive applications. In August, the Iredell County Board of Commissioners and Town of Mooresville Commissioners approved an Industrial Incentive Grant for MacLean Curtis
in open session in the name of Project Forsyth. “The growth of MacLean Curtis is an exciting story for MacLean-Fogg. The demand from our customers for the high value, precision-machined automotive transmission and safety components that MacLean Curtis manufactures has been tremendous. Due to this customer demand, we had outgrown our existing manufacturing footprint. We’re looking forward to our Cornelius team continuing to grow and thrive in our new Mooresville operation” said Duncan MacLean, president of MacLean-Fogg. “The MSIEDC began the site selection process over a year ago with MacLean Curtis to determine the best location. We are honored that they have selected our newest industrial park, Mooresville Business Park East as their new location,” said Robert Carney Executive Director, Mooresville South Iredell Economic Development Corporation. “The Town is thrilled to see the land selling in this new business park. We are glad the MSIEDC has remained strong in their mission by recruiting companies that bring high investment and offer good paying jobs to the citizens of Mooresville and Iredell County,” said Major Miles Atkins. “Projects like MacLean Curtis sustain our tax base to the benefit of our citizens.”
CORNELIUS TODAY • December 2015 • 19
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10/20/15 $70,000 Bluestream Partners to SoutH Creek Homes, Lot 181 Bailey’s Glen
10/21/15 $133,000 Heather & Jarod Sevilla to Christopher Mosera & Encarnacion Galan, Lot 28 Tuscany Ct. 10/23/15 $261,000 MS Antiquity to Christine Wissell, 21334 Old Canal St. 10/23/15 $242,000 William Gilbert to Deborah & Peter Lord, 19334 Makayla Ln. 10/23/15 $970,000 William & Ellen Mugg to Gary & Janet Vineyard, Lot 14 Sterling
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22 • CORNELIUS TODAY • December 2015
Home Sales HOMES
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Pointe 10/26/15 $419,000 Cunnane Group to Robbie Howler, 21728 Old Canal St. 10/28/15 $219,000 Katherine Patterson to John Gianninoto, 18169 Victoria Bay Dr. 10/28/15 $323,000 Lee & Patricia Jones
to Louis & Donna Smith, Harborgate Condominiums Unit 210 10/29/15 $340,000 any Price to Melanie GIlstrap, 18521 Harborside Dr. 10/29/15 $430,000 South Creek Homes to Eric & Shirley Damon, 12736 Meetinghouse Dr. 10/29/15 $84,000 Bluestream Partners to South Creek Homes, Lot 31 Bailey’s Glen 10/30/15 $720,000 Joel & Jayme Lemke to Ryan & Louisa Stamm, 8511 Preserve Pond Rd. 10/30/15 $246,000 Billy & Pamela Moore to John & Anna O’Brien, 17115 Graves Ct. See HOMES, Page 24
21728 Old Canal Street in Cornelius for $419,000
CORNELIUS TODAY • December 2015 • 23
24 • CORNELIUS TODAY • December 2015
CUSTOM APPAREL DESIGN EMBROIDERY SCREEN PRINTING
HOMES
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10/30/15 $227,000 Bank of NY Mellon to Nancy Murage, 17201 Asti Ct.
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11/2/15 $255,000 Mark & Silvia Neely to Christopher & Erin Schmalzried, 20594 Harbor View Dr.
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11/6/15 $457,000 South Creek Homes to Daniel & Carol Shea, 12778 Meetinghouse Dr.
11/12/15 $195,000 Jay & Katie Lupo to Steve & Holly Dudzic, 9054 Glenashley Dr.
11/6/15 $84,000 Bluestream Partners to South Creek Homes, Lot 29 Bailey’s Glen
11/12/15 $645,000 Thomas Hilb to Matthew & Bridget Cameron, 9120 Robbins Preserve Rd.
11/6/15 $390,000 Belk Construction to Charles III & Stacie Churchwell, 20032 Northport
11/12/15 $965,000 Sherri Petrilli to Troy & Lauren Ovitsky, 20023 Shearwater Point Dr.
11/9/15 $226,000 Alexis Schneider to Raymond Laliberte & Susan Allee, 15333 Crossing Gate Dr.
11/13/15 $370,000 Andrew & Kelli Swick to Michael & Julie Bullins, 19527 Dufour Ct.
11/10/15 $130,000 Elaine Cerbelli, Biagio & Angela Cerbelli to Whitley Sherrill, 9107 Mcdowell Creek Ct.
Davidson 10/20/15 $500,000 Tobin & Sarah Henry See HOMES, Page 25
19601 Bustle Road in Cornelius for $465,000
CORNELIUS TODAY • December 2015 • 25
Home Sales HOMES
from page 24
to James Gibbons & Linda Luxenberg, 18807 Dembridge Dr. 10/21/15 $282,000 Jon & Barbara Regen to Tobin & Sarah Henry, 113 St Alban’s Ln. 10/27/15 $485,000 Andrew Attardo to David & Sara Kratt, 411 Conroy Ave. 10/28/15 $950,000 Custom Homes of the Carolinas to Eric & Carolyn Kozlowski, 16822 Reinsch Dr.
NOW OPEN
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IN CORNELIUS!
Dr.
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10/28/15 $407,000 Carroll & Lisa Cornwell to Kerry Shafran, 16134 Glen Miro Dr.
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10/30/15 $260,000 Rodney & Glenda Tallet to IH6 Property North Carolina, 15306 Hugh Torance Pkwy. 10/30/15 $424,500 Bonterra Builders to Ivan Campos & Karen Bardales, 14110 See HOMES, Page 26
10/29/15 $771,500 Linnane Construction to Steven & Amy Bennett, 18113 Shearer Rd.
Under Contract
11/2/15 $415,000 Janice Banks to Jennifer Ward & Matthew Nichols, 13403 Scanlan Way 11/2/15 $355,000 Matthew Nichols & Jennifer Ward to Jonathan & Meaghan Restrepo, 544 Ashby Dr.
Somerset on Lake Norman
3975 Granite Street
$399,900 / MLS# 3111623
Villages At Rosedale
Skybrook
14423 Lyon Hill Lane
326 Three Greens Drive
$274,900 / MLS# 3122844
$558,000 / MLS# 3082049
11/9/15 $910,000 KP River Run LLC to Mark & Jill Doheny, 18036 Bear Track Dr.
Huntersville 10/19/15 $340,000 Sidney & Pearl Abramsky to Mark Coffino, 404 Old Statesville Rd. 10/20/15 $521,000 Bonterra Builders to Stanley & Kimberly Hester, 1411 Salem Ridge Rd. 10/21/15 $257,500 Anthony DePaolo & Patricia Marshall to Marli Shuler, 9604 Skybluff Cir. 10/22/15 $410,000 Paul & Margaret Kuhn to Jeremy & Jennifer Mordock, 7617 Garnick Dr. 10/22/15 $362,000 Jack & Susan Marchant to Kimberly Drag, 17136 Pennington Dr. 10/23/15 $355,000 Patricia & Kenneth Hayes to Charles Daymude, 9732 Cockerman Ln. 10/23/15 $425,000 Jena Bowman to Aaron Church & Tina Rosebrook, 13759 Cinnabar Pl.
Highland Creek
7516 Tarland Lane
$324,900 / MLS# 3122163
Mountain Island
Northstone
2923 Nance Cove Road
13722 Chandlers Green Court
$750,000 / MLS# 3094351
$459,000 / MLS# 3122301
new year, new home? We know the market! We have the contacts! We can close the sale! We love our work! Share our enthusiasm!
10/23/15 $280,000 Timothy & Rachel Randolph to Jena Bowman, 10336 Vanguard Pkwy. 10/23/15 $262,000 Frank & LInda Nastacie to Andrew Coppola, 11317 Banner Court Ln. 10/28/15 $330,000 David & Jill Goodwin to Vincent Porpiglia, 15901 Lavenham Rd. 10/28/15 $267,000 Lysa Craig to Hadyn Rojas & Ralph Perez, 14418 Colonial Park
whoishelenadams.com 1-877-785-5907
Helen Adams Realty Lake Norman Office
Ballantyne Office
Randolph Rd. Office
8600 Sam Furr Rd Ste. 150 Huntersville, NC 28078
15235-J John J. delaney Dr.,
2301 Randolph Rd. Charlotte, NC 28207
Charlotte, NC 28277
26 • CORNELIUS TODAY • December 2015
Home Sales
LET’S GET CONNECTED twitter.com/CorneliusToday
HOMES
from page 25
facebook.com/CorneliusToday
www.CorneliusToday.com
18807 Dembridge Drive in Davidson for $500,000
Holly Glade Cir.
Strandhill Rd.
10/30/15 $395,000 Bonterra Builders to Gerald & Alma Jackson, 10725 Brandie Meadow Ln.
11/5/15 $250,000 William Burnette to John & Lauren Svoboda, 10210 Roosevelt Dr.
11/3/15 $285,000 Philip & Carlee Coreneos to Robert Puttick Jr., 15521 Gallant Ridge P.
11/5/15 $430,000 Brian & Amy Schroeder to Lisa & Glen Stovel, 8829 Branchside Ln.
11/4/15 $312,000 Herbert & Karen Sampsel, Jesse & Rachel Charles to William & Michelle Beck, 11102 Harbert Rd.
111/9/15 $270,000 DHT Investments to Justin Dickerson, 10210 Vanguard Pkwy.
11/5/15 $258,000 Dexter & Mary Koehl to Karen Schaffer & David Platt, 8207
11/12/15 $309,500 Michael & Julie Bullins to Charles & Erin Abbitt, 15425 Barnsbury Dr.
7617 Garnick Drive in Huntersville for $410,000
December 31, 2015.
28 • CORNELIUS TODAY • December 2015
Christmas is sweet in many ways in the Fite household made candy for gifts, and, of course there’s the Pineapple Vodka—Fite’s Fusion—that’s popular with a mixer or just straight. “Whatever I can make in advance is the key to success,” she says. Her special Cheese Tarts are easily frozen ahead of time, and they’re delicious. “I can freeze it ahead of time, and take out to cook in a moment’s notice. By the way, I always double this so that I will have more to freeze for future use!” Every Christmas Meredith Susdorf Fite puts up two special trees. One is what she calls her designer tree—it’s straight out of a magazine—and the other is the tree straight out of her heart. The ornaments are from various trips over the years, as well as ornaments made by her two sons, and even ones made by her grandmother “with her very arthritic hands…so this tree has a lot of very special meaning to me.”
“I love Christmas!” Meredith says. Her and husband Bob’s house in The Peninsula is warm and festive inside, not precious or affected, well before the beginning of Advent. They pull their Christmas decorations from neatly labelled tubs, complete with instructions on where it all goes. Decorator friends helped with the original designs and layout; they come back every year to add something new. This year it’s the front door scheme which includes a big wreath and garland all around the natural wood front door. “I like the beauty that Christmas decorations brings to our lives. Not only outside, but inside too. It makes us reflect, spend time with family and friends in ways all the rest of the year we don’t seem to make time for,” she says. Her grandmother “simply couldn’t wait” for Christmas and started planning, cooking, baking and making Christmas balls months in advance. “I honor her every year by doing the same,” says Meredith, who moved here from Southern California in 2006, when she met Bob, who, naturally, puts up the Christmas lights. Her joy around things Christmas runs deep. In addition to an abiding Christian faith, she’s had more than her share of challenges: A son who overcame a rare and until then, a deadly cancer; 12 years as a single mom; a sister who died too young, of breast cancer. Meredith herself has endured a number of spinal surgeries. But being constantly active and working since the age of 15, she decided the best thing she could do with her time was to give back. She joined The Peninsula Foundation Board, and was in charge of three galas which each year brought in over $100,000. She also
serves on the Hospice and Palliative Care of Lake Norman Regatta committee. Both Meredith and Bob are Make A Wish ambassadors as well. A former senior vice president of sales and marketing for a large human resources software company, she now helps others with their resumes and job interviewing. The holidays bring memories of friends and family. She boxes home-
Make Ahead Cheese Tarts and Wafers
Ingredients: • 1 Stick of Butter softened • 1 cup of flour • 2 cups of Sharp Cheddar Cheese, shredded fine (about ½ Lb.) • Few Shakes of Tabasco or Tapatio to taste. If using a spice, I recommend about ½ teaspoon of Cayenne pepper • ¼ tsp. of salt • Pecan halves for Wafers, Small green olives for the tarts. Preparation: Mix flour and butter, then add cheese and seasonings. I use my CLEAN hands to mix it all together. If making wafers, form into a roll (approximately 1 ½ inches in diameter). I wrap the roll in plastic wrap if putting in the refrigerator, and double the wrap
if putting in the freezer. It must set for several hours, but best if you can chill it overnight! Slice the roll in ¼ inch wafers, place on a parchment prepared cookie sheet, put a half of a pecan on the top of each, and bake at 400 degrees for about 8.5 minutes. If making the tarts, drain the green olives overnight. After preparing the dough above, put a small amount in your palm, flatten it like Play-do, and place the green olive in the center. Mold the cheese dough around the olive. Place on a parchment paper prepared cookie sheet. Once all are made, place the cookie sheet in the freezer until the balls are hardened. Then you can put these into a freezer storage bag for future use. You will cook these from frozen on a cookie sheet prepared with parchment paper or Pam, at 400 degrees for 15 minutes.
CORNELIUS TODAY • December 2015 • 29
Home decorating fun with North Meck Women’s Club
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“An Evening with Christian” – This play on Fifty Shades of Grey design by Keith Johnson at Blacklion won the President’s Award for Best Overall Design. This one set the scene well with some not so obvious risque props incorporated into the design. The North Mecklenburg Woman’s Club recently held their Over the Tabletop and Sip and Shop at The Peninsula Club. Over the last 100 years, this organization has brought together women to promote and support social, educational and civic progress in our community. Members believe that in creating a better life for people in our communities, we create a better life for each other. The club spends all year long raising funds only to give it all away at the end of the year and starts over again the following year. Over the Tabletop is just one of many fundraising events and it showcases the talent of many local interior designers and small business owners. In addition to their design contest, there was also a very well attended silent auction and Sip and Shop consisting of thirty local vendors and artisans selling their merchandise in anticipation of the upcoming holiday season. This was our first time participating in the event and I must say I was impressed! The designs by professionals and amateurs alike were amazing and I wanted to feature several designs and winners here to inspire you this holiday season.
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“There’s No Business Like Snow Business” by Realtor and amateur designer Dana Greshko won the Holiday Spirit Award for Holiday Design Excellence. The snowman place settings were so adorable!
Follow us on twitter.com/corneliustoday
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“Have Your Elf a Merry Little Christmas” was created by woman’s club volunteer and event coordinator Barbara Kasprzak. Jamie McNeilis is an Accredited Staging Professional and owner of Centerpiece Home Staging in Cornelius. Email Jamie at Jamie.McNeilis@CenterpieceHomeStaging.com for home decorating and improvement topics you would like covered in Home Decor
Keep pace with breaking news and special events by following @CorneliusToday on twitter
30 • CORNELIUS TODAY • December 2015
Lucky Cat program: How to care for, control community cats
Wishing you
From all of us at
Robin Salzman, the co-owner of Lake Norman Chrysler Jeep Dodge with her husband Jack, will match donations made to the Lake Norman Lucky Cat Program during the month of December. The Lucky Cat Program is a nonprofit, volunteer organization dedicated to improving the welfare of community cats—often called feral cats—primarily by facilitating TrapNeuter-Return-Manage and low-cost spay/neuter services. Community cats are, well, part of the community. Colonies of them are often found near apartment complexes. Indeed, stray and feral cats are “hiding in plain sight,” said Robin Byrd, executive director of Lucky Cat, an official 501(c)3 Some make their homes near Dumpsters at apartment complexes, a common source of community cats because owners sometimes move away without their cats. They’re soon on their own, although some communities are supported by friendly volunteers who provide them with food each day. Without a spayneuter program, their population can explode, said Byrd, an Island Forest resident. Worse, at least 80 percent of cats that are taken
to shelters do not come out alive. Virtually all feral cats that are taken to shelters are euthanized. Abigail Jennings, the president of Lake Norman Realty and the founder of Lucky Cat, said the organization has conducted more than 400 spay/neuters this year. The organization maintains a bank of about four dozen traps so that community cats can be trapped and spayed or neutered. The clinics occur on the first Monday of the month in Cornelius and on the third Monday in Statesville. “We chose to focus at the root of the problem…let’s keep them from being born,” Jennings said.
Lake Norman Lucky Cat Program
wwwLuckyCats.org More info: 704-877-7779 or info@luckycats.org
CORNELIUS TODAY • December 2015 • 31
Postmaster addresses growth and challenges in Cornelius
By Dave Yochum It’s the December “busy season” at the U.S. Post Of fice on Liverpool, where Gladys Torres runs the operation. She’s the postmistress for the Zip Code we all know by hear t: 28031. The package volume after Thanksgiving literally quadruples, said Torres who grew up in Brooklyn, N.Y. On the job a total of 24 years, she said working in Cornelius is fun and challenging. She super vises 35 employees and parcels out praise whenever she can. “I’m dealing with many dif ferent personalities and getting them on one accord can be challenging, but I must say I have a great group here so the challenge is ver y minimal,” she said. A bigger challenge is keeping a fleet of aging vehicles on the road. “I have to give credit to our Vehicle Maintenance Depar tment in Charlotte. The vehicles are older and require regular maintenance, which they ensure happens,” she said. She often meets residents in the “lobby, making sure that each and ever y customer is receiving quality customer ser vice.” And Torres is good with the title Postmaster, so you don’t have to be worried whether you should say Postmistress. She’s also good if you call her Gladys. In the two years that she has been
here she has worked on the exterior appearance of the building as well as the interior. Parking remains a challenge during the holidays. The mother of five—and grandmother to “seven beautiful grandchildren”—is currently enrolled in
school, working toward a degree in business. During the course of the year volume is usually a few hundred pieces per carrier; there are 18 carriers.
“I have also worked on creating a team environment with all employees. After all, we all work for the same company with one common goal: Get the mail distributed and delivered so that we can get home to our family.” — Gladys Torres
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32 • CORNELIUS TODAY • December 2015
Senior News
Cold comfort: Be prepared for when virus strikes this season
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I feel lousy. I am congested, coughing, Home Care, one of the nation’s oldest sneezing. Just downright miserable. I non-medical home care companies. don’t go anywhere without my box of tisBuild Up Your Immune System sues, cough drops and a bottle of water. – Sleeping well, eating well – including When I do go out, my friends avoid me, lots of fruits and vegetable – managing no hugs, no kisses, and all they do is of- stress levels and drinking lots of water fer me more tissues, more cough drops, can help build a healthy immune system and lots of sympathy. I don’t to fight off any cold or flu. think I have to go to the docKids Can Equal Germs tor; I simply have a common, – Grandparents love nothing ordinary cold. Ugh! more in this world than their A cold is a virus, known as grandchildren. Unfortunaterhinovirus. Medically speakly, with kids come germs, ing, it is a viral upper respiand all those hugs and kisses ratory tract infection whose can transmit germs to an symptoms include cough, older adult. Care should be sore throat, nasal congestaken around older family Joanne Ahern tion, runny nose, sneezing, members living in a home Seniors Columnist watery eyes, aches, and lowwith children so as not to grade fever. pass these germs to them. When I was younger and cold season Wash Your Hands – Your mother was was upon us, my mother always told me right when she told you to wash your to wear my hat, never go out with wet hands before meals. Washing your hair, and keep my socks dry. We may hands often throughout the day will smile at that advice, but those things will keep many germs at bay. not cause me to contract a cold Watch Where Your Hands Go – It is contracted when you touch infect- On average, people touch their faces ed surfaces and then touch your mouth, 3.6 times per hour and touch common nose, or eyes, or breathe in the infected objects such as tables, phones, and air of a person who sneezes or coughs in doorknobs 3.3 times per hour. This is close proximity to you. one of the most common ways germs Cold season is hard on everyone, but can be transmitted from person to peras we age, our immune system tends to son. Avoid touching your eyes, nose or be weaker, allowing our colds to turn mouth as much as possible to prevent into more serious conditions such as germs from being transmitted to those bronchitis and/or pneumonia. I can at- locations. test to this, as a few years ago, when my Keep Your Distance – Sometimes, cold just wasn’t clearing up, I ended up it is a good thing to be a little anti-social in Urgent Care and was diagnosed with during cold and flu season. Keeping – yup, you guessed it – early pneumonia. distance between yourself and people I was shocked! I am now very careful who are ill is a good step in avoiding a to wash my hands often, be cautious of cold. Elderly individuals should consider whom I am around, and when I do get keeping their distance in cars and elevathe occasional cold, I monitor my symp- tors or in areas where large groups of toms very carefully and don’t hesitate to people congregate, such as malls. go to my doctor if things just aren’t right. These tips are great for staying We must also be careful about the over healthy, but be careful if you do get a the counter cold medications we take as cold to be considerate of others around they can cause unpleasant drug interac- you. Steer clear of them, but let them tions with your prescription medications. know why. They’ll appreciate your conBe sure to call your doctor if you’re con- cern for them in the short run and will cerned about any of your symptoms and remain being your friend in the long run. how they might be affecting any health Joanne Ahern is the director of conditions you have. North Mecklenburg Senior Center Inc., As you can imagine, preventing infeca United Way Agency. You can reach tion is the best approach during cold seaher at 704-875-1270. son. Here are some tips from Griswold
www.toysfortots.org
2015 Drop-off Locations CORNELIUS
Ace Hardware 20510 N. Main St. Lake Printing & Design 11020 Bailey Rd
Jay’s at the Lake 18200 Statesville Road
American Legion #321 107 N Main St.
The Landings 16938 Landing Dr
Salon Sabeli 20830 Torrence Chapel Rd
Tuffy Auto Service 16925 Caldwell Creek Dr.
Stein Mart 20601 Torrence Chapel Rd
The Little Gym 9810 Gilead Rd.
True Health Center 10215 Hickorywood Hill Ave Suite C
DAVIDSON
Uncle Bob’s Storage Westmoreland Rd Walgreens W. Catawba Ave Modern Nissan 18615 Statesville Rd. Novant Cornelius 19475 Old Jetton Rd Al’s Automotive 18610 Statesville Rd
Bluhawk Wealth Mgmt 130 Harbour Place Dr.
Ballas Chiropractic 9718 Sam Furr Rd.
Davidson College Athletic Department
Dress Barn 9747 Sam Furr Rd.
Our Town’s Cinema 227 Griffin St
Zoes Kitchen Birkdale Shopping
HUNTERSVILLE
Black Lion North Cross Shopping Ctr.
In Motion Fitness, Inc 19607 W. Catawba Ave Suite 102
NorthStone Country Club 15801 Northstone Dr
Zimmerman Chiropractic 21031 E. Catawba Ave
Allen Tate Realtors 14225 Market Square Dr.
Chocolate Pizza Company 17111 Kenton Dr. Tenders Fresh Food 18341 Statesville Rd.
Priority Honda 12815 Statesville Rd.
North Mecklenburg Senior Citizens 102 Gilead Rd
Waterford at the Park 11920 Joleen Court Christian Montessori School 14101 Stumptown Road Carolina Office Systems 13245 Reese Blvd West #130 Duke Energy 1339 Hagers Ferry Rd Alergy and Asthma Center 15815 Brookway DR Walgreens Birkdale Shopping Center Crossfit LKN 9825 Northcross Court
The Learning Experience 16604 Old Statesville Rd
Greystar-Loft Apts. 9404 Perimeter Station Dr.
Huntersville Fitness & Aquatics 1725 Verhoff Dr.
Spectrum Properties 13801 Reese Blvd #300
ABB, Inc 12331 Commererce Station Dr.
Toyota of North Charlotte 3429 Statesville Rd.
Bailey’s Glen 12100 Meetinghouse Place
Reimels Dentistry 13605 Reese Blvd West
Supported by
34 • CORNELIUS TODAY • December 2015
Scene and Heard Veterans Day 2015
Rev. John “Didi” Wayland, a Word War II veteran, as well as the former minister at Bethel Presbyterian Church and Cornelius Presbyterian, attended the Veterans Day ceremony at Rotary Plaza Nov. 11. His hands are in the photo on the left. On the right, Michael Bost stands in front of one of the columns at the Veterans Monument
N.C. Rep. Jeter’s I-77 Summit
Rep. Charles Jeter, center, flanked by Sen. David Curtis of Lincoln County, and Sen. Jeff Tarte, the former mayor of Cornelius, outline their plans to fight the toll plan during a press conference at the Lake Norman Chamber of Commerce. Charlotte TV stations were out in force.
CORNELIUS TODAY • December 2015 • 35
Scene and Heard
Photos: Jan Black The Lake Norman Chamber of Commerce, under the direction of CEO Bill Russell, won top honors from the Carolinas Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives. The 950-member chamber received the Outstanding Chamber of the Year award. It was presented at Port City Club in November, with chairmen past and present attending as well as directors and chamber ambassadors.
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No, it’s not Minnie Pearl. That’s Rev. Dr. Mary John Dye, senior pastor of Mt. Zion United Methodist Church, at the annual barbecue fundraiser with Sharon Washam and Mayor Pro Tem woody Washam
On Sunday, Come Worship With Us Community in Christ Lutheran Church hosted the Cornelius Community Thanksgiving service. Choir members from local churches participated as well as the North Mecklenburg Community Choir. A variety of ministers also participated, including Travis Norton, of Community in Christ; Joel Simpson, of Mt. Zion United Methodist; Michelle Hoverson, of Grace Covenant; Bill Cain, of Bethel Presbyterian; George Erwin of Torrence Chapel; and Scott Hosey of Elevation.
If your service club has an upcoming project, we're glad to post an announcement online or in print. If you have a special, highresolution photo of a non-profit project to share, send it our way and we will try to include it. Email: Corneliustoday@gmail.com
Bethel Presbyterian Church 19920 Bethel Church Rd., Worship 9am & 11am Cornelius Presbyterian Church 21209 Catawba Ave., Worship 10:30am Church of the Good Shepherd Lake Norman YMCA, 21300 Davidson St. Worship 10am First Baptist Church 21007 Catawba Ave., Worship 11am Grace Covenant Church 17301 Statesville Rd, Worship 8am, 9:30am, 11:15am Mt. Zion United Methodist Church 19600 Zion St., Worship 8:30am, 9:45am, 11am NorthCross Church 11020 Bailey Rd., Ste H, Worship 10:15am
Point of Grace Lutheran Church 20700 N. Main St., Worship 8:30am, 11am The River Church 18731 W. Catawba Ave., Worship 10:30am Union Bethel AME Zion Church 20738 Catawba Ave., Worship 11am Community in Christ Lutheran Church 7621 Norman Island Dr., Worship 10am, Wednesday 7pm Calvary Chapel 18731 W. Catawba Ave., Worship 10am Inclusion Community Kadi Fit, Sundays 11am
36 • CORNELIUS TODAY • December 2015
New Corporations
These corporations have registered with the N.C. Secretary of State
Corporation Agents Inc., 20338 Norman Colony Rd., Cornelius
LLC, Tracie L. Hall, 8504 Westmoreland Lake Dr., Cornelius
Cornelius
10/26/15 The Picture Place Inc., Emily Sarnevitz, 19501 W. Catawba Ave., Ste. G., Cornelius
10/29/15 Randall Site Services Inc., Randy N. Humphrey, 18636 Starcreek Dr., Ste. G, Cornelius
10/27/15 Extreme Marine Inc., Stephen A. Barb, 18605 Northline Dr., Ste. A-2, Cornelius
10/30/15 Foster Construction & Design LLC, Brandon C. Foster, 10209 Washam Potts Rd., Cornelius
10/23/15 Extraordinaire Meeting & Event Services LLC, Michelle L. Cerilli, 25125 Nautique Blvd., Apt. 104, Cornelius 10/23/15 Global Management and Investment Associates LLC, United States Corporation Agent Inc., 18825 Peninsula Club Dr., Cornelius 10/23/15 Team Liquidation LLC, United States Corporation Agents Inc., 19701 Bethel Church Rd., #103-149, Cornelius 10/26/15 Holly’z Hope Inc., United States
10/27/15 Greater Joy Tabernacle, Ruschella Cunningham, 19515 Smith Cir., Cornelius 10/27/15 KennyD Enterprises LLC, Kenyon Draper, 18741 Nautical Dr., #305, Cornelius 10/28/15 La Revolucion LLC, Guillermo M. Ceballos, 20922 Windshore Ave., Cornelius 10/29/15 Accelerated Retirement Benefits
10/30/15 Landis Reed Builders LLC, Richard Earle Steele Jr., 19453 West Catawba Ave., Cornelius
Cornelius 11/6/15 Visionary Venture Holdings LLC, Andrew B. Whittaker, 9930 Willow Leaf Ln., Cornelius 11/9/15 National Mobile Brakes LLC, Justin A. Siler, 19444 Coachmans Trace, Cornelius 11/12/15 Path to Impact, Erin Billings, 7414 Norman Island Dr., Cornelius 11/13/15 TH Land LLC, M. Clark Parker, 19425 Liverpool Pkwy., Ste. A, Cornelius
11/2/15 Boggs Road LLC, Hugh Franklin, 19421 Liverpool Pkwy., Cornelius
11/16/15 Don Brown and Associates DDS, PLLC, 18519 Vineyard Point Ln., Cornelius
11/3/15 Light Maven LLC, United States Corporation Agents Inc., 17304 Connor Quay Ct., Cornelius
11/16/15 Kess Cosmetics LLC, Hien T M Do, 21415 Nautique Blvd., Apt. 305, Cornelius
11/4/15 AJD Investments Group LLC, Anthony Joseph Damiano, 18002 Harbor Light Blvd., Cornelius
11/16/15 O2 emc MM 1 LLC, Adam Will Foodman, 20035 Jetton Rd., Unit D, Cornelius 11/16/15 SAS Portfolio 1 LLC, Adam Will Foodman, 20035 Jetton Rd., Unit D, Cornelius
11/4/15 Gloria Ann Bolster LLC, Gloria Ann Bolster, 16731 100 Norman Pl., Cornelius
Davidson
11/5/15 River Otter LLC, Joshua Pyle, 19024 Mountainview Dr., Cornelius
10/23/15 Ayantika Enterprise LLC, Ayantika Saha, 10777 Sapphire Trl., Davidson 10/27/15 Davidson Village Network, Luke M. Charde Jr., 255 Spinnaker Ct., Davidson 10/28/15 CSJS Corporation, Sylvia Jisun Bae, 11094 Renaissance Dr., Davidson 10/29/15 Go-Marketing Group Inc., Susan Dooly, 19756 Hagen Knoll Dr., Davidson 11/2/15 The Pettus Group Inc., Michael Pettus, 18617 Maplecroft Lake Ln., Davidson 11/3/15 Kraftmark Builders LLC, Jeremy Justin Clark Adair, 5153 Driftwood Dr., Davidson 11/3/15 The Premier Group LLC, Charles Blevins, 320 Park Ave. 1, Davidson 11/3/15 Teresa Dillard Counseling PLLC, Shawn A. Copeland, 215 S. Main St., Ste. 301, Davidson 11/6/15 FUTAM Inc., James D. Champion, 5321 Odell School Rd., Davidson
11/6/15 AR Euro Consulting LLC, Armin Reischl, 19131 Coachmans Trace, Cornelius 11/6/15 DubEags Properties LLC, Anthony Mozzone, 20224 Northport Dr., Cornelius 11/6/15 Gibson Financial Services LLC, United States Corporation Agents Inc., 19825 North Cove Rd., Ste. B, Cornelius 11/6/15 Joel Stinson Construction LLC, Joel Michael Stinson, 18733 Ruffner Dr., Cornelius 11/6/15 LGM Eastover Properties LLC, John P. Lundsten, 19322 Yachtman Dr., Cornelius 11/6/15 Media Publishing Group LLC, United States Corporation Agents Inc., 19825 North Cove Rd., Ste. B, Cornelius 11/6/15 Treynorth Properties LLC, Erman J. Evans Jr., 19700 Shearwater Pointe Dr.,
More new corporations are online at
www.corneliustoday.com
CORNELIUS TODAY • December 2015 • 37
Thank you to all of our 2015 Sponsors
Scene and Heard
2015 Presenting Sponsor 2015 Admiral Sponsors 2015 Commander Sponsors
2015 Captain Sponsors
AlphaGraphics Lake Norman • Alton’s Kitchen Rotary Club of and Cocktails • Allen Tate Realtors • Aquesta North Mecklenburg Bank • Aquesta Insurance • Chantal and Denis Bilodeau • Charlotte Ear Eye Nose & Throat Associates • Kerri and Joshua Dobi • Carolyn and Jim Duke • Julia Holyfield • KS Audio Video 2015 Skipper Sponsors • Lake Norman Kiwanis • Lake Norman Realty Margaret and Blair Boggs • Marcy and Jim Carlyle • • Law office of Bentz & Associates • Mama’s Carolina Eye Care/Dr. Kevin LaFone • Charlotte Party Pizza • The McIntosh Law Firm • Park Avenue Rentals • Dixie Dean • Tom and Ann Dutton • Tom Hilb Properties/Rep. John Bradford • Payroll Plus/ • Lynette and Mark Rinker • Brent and Amy Sparks • John Hettwer • Salon Sabeli • Dr. Nancy Tracey and Dan Stehle • Sea Tow/Howard Kaplan • Sen. Thom and Susan Tillis • Heidi Hansen and Dirk Tischer and Sen. Jeff Tarte
2015 Mates Sponsors
Sally and Chris Ashworth • Mauriello Law Office • Team Honeycutt/ Diane Honeycutt • Newport Properties • Janice and Mayor Chuck Travis • Della and Troy Stafford • Sharon and Woody Washam
2015 Crew Sponsors
John Cherry • Dobi Financial in honor of Dave Yochum • Dave Ferguson • Fresh Chef • Fine and Motherlode Wines • Diane and Dave Gilroy • Jim Hicks • Cheryl and Martin Kane • Linda Love • Lapis Financial • Susan Medlin • Tracy and Mike Russell • Gail Williams In Memory of Bob Williams
Supported by Business Today and Cornelius Today for 11 years
38 • CORNELIUS TODAY • December 2015
soundoffcornelius@gmail.com
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Your comments and opinions since 2006
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Safety first, please
Misses the tree at the end of Catawba
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"I liked the end of Catawba when the the Town Christmas tree was there. The Antiquity shopping center should have been put much farther away from an already over-congested intersection. This will also hurt the Food Lion even though it's a lower cost alternative to the three other Harris Teeters, the Fresh Market and Publix. It will, I'm sure, suffer a loss in business. The placement should have been on the Davidson side of Antiquity to congest their streets, but I'm sure Davidson would never have allowed it." —via SoundOff Cornelius on Facebook (Photo historian Jack Conard provided this photo)
Idea for I-77
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"I have lived in Cornelius for over 20 years and Charlotte most of my life. I cannot believe that we put up with the traffic on I-77 until someone can make a decision on what to do with I-77. Why not restrict trucks to the right-hand lane during rush hour? This is done in other parts of our country and works well. Sorry truckers! I just watched at 3 p.m. on Friday going the opposite direction two truckers side by side with no traffic in front of them and traffic was backed up over a mile. There is no cost to this." —via soundoffcornelius@gmail.com
I-77 lanes louder
"Classes at Cornelius Elementary cross Catawba Avenue to go to the Cornelius library. I know the crossing guard was hit last year there and I have been noticing that there aren’t any flashing lights activated by pedestrians when they want to cross the street. "It looks fairly easy to miss the crosswalk signs. The 20 mph speed limit signs flash nicely in the morning, but I’m not sure if anyone will expect to see kindergarteners or other schoolchildren crossing that street in the middle of the day. "Do you know if anyone is working on adding flashing lights to that sidewalk? (Commissioners, Town of Cornelius, DMV, School system, etc.?) It also isn’t super-obvious it is even a cross walk if you are not from this area. "That would be a big improvement to help keep the kids at Cornelius Elementary safe crossing that road on library days and those that walk to school in the mornings. The flashing lights on the cross walks seem to really catch the attention of drivers. That may be a good item for the new Commissioners to consider as it would significantly improve the safety of all of the kids at Cornelius Elementary crossing the street for the library or in the mornings/ after school, etc." —via anonymous SoundOff contact link on www.corneliustoday.com
p NCDOT Zoo
“The new I-77 highway construction has increased the noise levels dramatically. This is because Mobility Partners moved the road lanes further to the right, but did not move the rumble strip on the side of the road. Now most of the traffic is now hitting the rumble strip, and it is clearly heard from very far away. —via anonymous SoundOff contact link on www.corneliustoday.com • Sayra Br ynn at Sugar Creek LLC, responds: Presently, there should be no rumble strip within the newly shifted 11foot travel lanes. Rumble strips...were removed and the area was repaved. Previously installed rumble strips remain on the shoulder as a safety measure for the travelling public. All work was designed, planned and installed per NCDOT requirements.
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"They must have figured out that this should be a toll road so they can get more money to put in the Asheboro Zoo road project. Where else has 25 years of highway road project 'taxes' gone to?" — Via CorneliusToday.com in response to 'Is NCDOT putting the brakes on Hwy. 21 widening in Cornelius?'
CORNELIUS TODAY • December 2015 • 39
soundoffcornelius@gmail.com
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Listen up Bethel Church Jetton Road now a town Road complainer road, not a state road "Dear Church Person: PLEASE stop writing about this. How many times do you have to be told that the DOT is responsible for speed limits? LISTEN." —via anonymous SoundOff contact link on www.corneliustoday.com
Buy a tie
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"Shocked. Jeter, buy a tie, or borrow one from Tarte." — Via Cornelius Today's comment section in response to "Governor to LKN: Drop Dead"
Please redo the new left turn lanes on Catawba "Who put the J in genius when planning the confusing left-turn lanes on Catawba between Magnolia Estates Drive and the new commercial retail building? A center left turn lane from the median to the new building is more efficient. Then drivers can choose to turn left at the gas station, Griffin Bros. or any driveway of their choice, without halting the flow of traffic on an already congested road. What does it take to get this redone?" —via anonymous SoundOff contact link on www.corneliustoday.com
Golf carts on Jetton p "I have seen people riding golf carts on Jetton Road, not the sidewalk. One of them was going about 10 mph with a big white SUV driving slowly behind it, another one I saw cruising blithely into the sunrise. It was hard to see. This is ridiculous." —via SoundOffCornelius@gmail.com
"That is NOT what was said at MONDAY TOWN HALL MEETING !! There is still a concern about watershed from irrigation system (near golf course?) which continues to puddle water and cause potential problems. The discussion was that this should be looked into BEFORE a final acquisition. Because once the deal is sealed ALL CORNELIUS residents are liable for repair costs. So I'm mystified and thinking this might be an error?" — Via Cornelius Today’s comment section in response to “Jetton Road now a town road, not a state road” Town Commissioner Jim Duke responds: The Town has adopted Jetton Road for maintenance after NCDOT fulfilled its obligations [including bore testing] to rebuild the road. Incidentally, the project got rave reviews from residents about how professionally it was done with little interruption to traffic flow. The road is now significantly more robust and will be no maintence burden to the Town for many years. A solid job. As for the “watershed” puddling and causing potential problems, I believe that the Property Owners Association is working diligently to keep irrigation on the turf and not the road. Sprinkler heads do malfunction on occasion, but they are quickly repaired. The landscape company servicing The Peninsula maintains an irrigation tech on site 3 days per week to test and monitor the system. I believe that this issue will continue to have the attention of the PPOA and our roadway will remain in good and servicable condition. For the record, the Town receives Federal monies [Powell Bill] to maintain our road system based on mileage and population. We will be receiving significant dollars over the years for Jetton Road going forward and will have those monies for other repairs and maintenance. The speed limit determination is now being considered. Jetton Road is NCDOT rated “safe” at 45 mph based upon its size, structure, and access points. Should the Town look into lowering the limit to the Town wide 35 mph, it would necessarily seek the input of residents using Jetton Road. Incidentally, it is only the portion of Jetton Road from West Catawba to John Connor Road that has been adopted. The remainder of Jetton is still state managed.
Who was the mystery town employee? p "On Nov. 19 just before 6 a.m. on my way to work, I had a flat tire. I pulled over into the Westmoreland Athletic Park. Shortly a guardian angel pulled up and asked if I was OK. After telling him I had a flat, this wonderful gentleman told me he would take care of it immediately. Even though it was dark, raining and miserable out, he graciously changed my flat tire and even went so far as to air up the spare to make sure I made it on my way safely. I regret that I didn't even get his name. He refused any compensation and was so nice. I want to say thank you to this wonderful man for being so kind to me that morning. He is a credit to the Town of Cornelius. He told me he lives in Statesville. I hope if anyone knows who he is, please pass this thank you to him. God bless him for his kindness that day." —via anonymous SoundOff contact link on www.corneliustoday.com • Johnie Northern helped change your tire. He has been with the town’s PARC Department for 10 years.
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