Inside High Point - Dec 2025

DECEMBER 2025 INSIDE HIGH POINT

TABLE OF CONTENTS 3-4

CITY OF HIGH POINT HONORS EMPLOYEES AT ANNUAL APPRECIATION LUNCHEON

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MAYOR JEFFERSON AND CITY COUNCIL HONOR WILLIAM “ED” PRICE, JR.

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HIGH POINT POLICE UPDATES

9-12

HIGH POINT MUSEUM UPDATES

13-14

HIGH POINT LIBRARY UPDATES

15-16

HP THEATRE UPCOMING EVENTS

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CITY CAROLERS 2025

18-19

NEW HIRES

CITY COUNCIL

CYRIL JEFFERSON MAYOR

BRITT MOORE

CHRIS WILLIAMS MEMBER AT LARGE

Cyril.Jefferson@highpointnc.gov

MEMBER AT LARGE, MAYOR PRO TEM Britt.Moore@highpointnc.gov

VICKIE MCKIVER

TYRONE JOHNSON

MONICA PETERS

Vickie.McKiver@highpointnc.gov

Tyrone.Johnson@highpintnc.gov

Monica.Peters@highpointnc.gov

PATRICK HARMAN

TIM ANDREW

MICHAEL HOLMES

Patrick.Harman@highpointnc.gov

Tim.Andrew@highpointnc.gov

Michael.Holmes@highpointnc.gov

WARD 1

WARD 4

WARD 2

WARD 5

Chris.Williams@highpointnc.gov

WARD 3

WARD 6

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CITY OF HIGH POINT HONORS EMPLOYEES AT ANNUAL APPRECIATION LUNCHEON

The City of High Point recently held its annual Employee Appreciation Luncheon at the Roy B. Culler Senior Center to celebrate the dedication, hard work, and heart of its workforce. The event served as a meaningful opportunity to pause, reflect, and say “thank you” to the employees who keep our city running every day.

Held in a spirit of gratitude, the luncheon brought together staff from departments across the organization for an afternoon of connection, recognition, and celebration.

City leadership expressed appreciation, acknowledging the commitment, professionalism, and resilience employees demonstrate in serving the High Point community. The new core values of integrity, productivity, welcoming, and stewardship were displayed throughout.

Throughout the year, City employees work behind the scenes and on the front lines to deliver essential services, support economic growth, and enhance residents' quality of life. The luncheon highlighted the collective impact of this work and reinforced how each role, regardless of department, contributes to the city’s continued success.

The City of High Point is proud to recognize its employees not only for what they do, but for who they are: dedicated public servants who show up with purpose, pride, and care for the community they serve. Special thanks to the planning committee and volunteers for ensuring this luncheon honored the commitment and celebrated the people who help make High Point a great place to live, work, and grow.

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CITY OF HIGH POINT HONORS EMPLOYEES AT ANNUAL APPRECIATION LUNCHEON

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MAYOR JEFFERSON AND CITY COUNCIL HONOR WILLIAM “ED” PRICE, JR.

On Dec. 15, Mayor Cyril Jefferson and the High Point City Council honored William “Ed” Price Jr. with a proclamation and Key to the City for more than 45 years of exceptional service to the High Point community. During the City Council meeting, Mayor Jefferson and council members took time to acknowledge Mr. Price’s dedication, leadership, and service to the community.

The City of High Point is grateful for William “Ed” Price, Jr.’s contributions and proud to recognize his role in shaping the community. This moment of recognition served as a reminder of the value of his service, which has helped make High Point a better place for all.

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ANGELS IN BLUE

HPPD's Angels in Blue supported nearly 30 families this year. Through the department-wide program, HPPD teams, units and community partners are assigned a family. They shop off the family's wish list, wrap the gifts and present them to the family a few weeks before Christmas.

Angels in Blue also provides gifts for more than 40 residents at a local assisted living facility. Much of the funding comes from HPPD employees.

The program is also supported by community partners and the annual Battle of the Badges charity softball game.

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TARGET HEROES AND HELPERS It was all smiles and shopping at Target's Heroes and Helpers event. HPPD officers and professional staff shopped for Christmas gifts with several children and then helped them wrap.

All of the children were part of HPPD's summer Youth Athletic Camp, and many of the officers who shopped were coaches and camp volunteers.

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CHAPLAIN VERNON RETIREMENT IN BLUE

The High Point Police Department celebrated the retirement of Chaplain John Vernon. He joined the Chaplain Team in 2001 and was appointed lead chaplain in 2008, serving HPPD, the High Point Fire Department and High Point 911.

As part of the team, he carried out death notifications, responded to critical incidents, and offered support during times of crisis, sorrow, and conflict. Chaplain Vernon received many awards and recognitions throughout his time on the Chaplain Team, including the City of High Point's Outstanding Leadership Award for leading and coordinating volunteer efforts to clean up and rebuild after the 2010 Palm Sunday tornado. He also received the Chief's Award in 1999 and was selected as HPPD's Reserve Officer of the Year in 2016 and 2024.

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HIGH POINT MUSEUM REOPENS FOLLOWING HVAC AND ROOF REPAIRS

The High Point Museum reopened to the public on Sunday, Dec. 7, following the completion of essential HVAC and roof repairs.

During the closure, the museum replaced its aging roof to improve the visitor experience and preserve the integrity of the building. At the same time, to increase efficiency and achieve cost savings, the museum upgraded its HVAC system to better maintain proper conditions for the historical collection of High Point artifacts housed in the facility. These important updates were part of the museum’s ongoing commitment to enhancing the environment for both visitors and the museum’s collections.

“While we were closed much longer than anticipated, our new roof and much improved and modernized HVAC system were worth the wait,” said Museum Director Edith Brady. “We took advantage of the extra time to make other interior improvements and exhibit updates, which we were excited for our visitors to experience. Additionally, we enjoyed seeing our visitors at extra community events that our staff aren’t normally able to attend. We missed having people in the building and looked forward to reopening our doors at long last.”

The reopening coincided with the museum’s 53rd Annual Holiday Open House on Sunday, Dec. 7, from 1 to 4 p.m. The event offered a fun-filled afternoon featuring holiday-themed musical performances from local groups, historical demonstrations and interpreters, arts and crafts, refreshments including hot apple cider and cookies, candle dipping, and a visit from Santa Claus.

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HIGH POINT MUSEUM HOSTS AFRICAN AMERICAN ARCHITECTURE EXHIBIT The High Point Museum hosted “We Built This: Profiles of Black Architects and Builders in North Carolina,” an exhibition from Preservation North Carolina.

The exhibition was open from Dec. 7 through the end of January.

Many of the historic buildings revered in North Carolina have been credited to their owners, while the people responsible for the labor and craftsmanship were rarely recognized. “We Built This” sought to acknowledge the countless African Americans who built the historic buildings we collectively treasure.

These individuals were skilled in principles of engineering, construction, and business, and many became political and social leaders in their communities.

Acknowledging the significance of this history was an important step toward preserving a tangible link to the past through the built environment.

The exhibition revealed the extraordinary stories of more than two dozen builders, craftsmen, and architects responsible for the construction of some of North Carolina’s treasured landmarks. Spanning more than three centuries, “We Built This” provided personal profiles and historic context on key topics including slavery and Reconstruction; the founding of HBCUs and Black churches; Jim Crow and segregation; and the rise of Black civic leaders and professionals.

“We added an additional section to highlight a few local African Americans who contributed to building the High Point landscape,” said Museum Director Edith Brady. “This exhibit gave us a meaningful opportunity to showcase their stories within a larger statewide context.”

The exhibit was free to attend for all ages.

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HIGH POINT MUSEUM HOSTS 53RD ANNUAL HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE The High Point Museum hosted its 53rd annual Holiday Open House on Sunday, Dec. 7, from 1 to 4 p.m. People of all ages were invited to enjoy an entertaining afternoon at the museum, located at 1859 E. Lexington Ave., showcasing High Point’s history while helping the local community get into the holiday spirit.

The open house offered a fun-filled day featuring holiday-themed musical performances from local groups, historical demonstrations and interpreters, arts and crafts, refreshments including hot apple cider and cookies, candle dipping, and a visit from Santa Claus.

Entertainment for the afternoon included the High Point University Brass and String Quartets from 1–1:45 p.m., strolling High Point Community Theatre Carolers from 1:45–2:15 p.m., the High Point City Carolers from 1:45–2:30 p.m., the Senior Class Chorus from 2:30–3 p.m., and the Penn Griffin Vocal Music Ensemble from 3–3:30 p.m.

Santa Claus was in the Little Red Schoolhouse from 1:30 to 4 p.m. Crafts and refreshments were available throughout the event, and historical demonstrations, candle dipping from 1:30–3:30 p.m., mountain dulcimer player Joe Shelton, and an outdoor exhibit titled “Winter Holidays Around the World” were featured in the Historical Park.

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HIGH POINT MUSEUM HOSTS 53RD ANNUAL HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE

“We enjoy hosting this event for our community each year,” said Museum Director Edith Brady. “What better event to kick off our Museum reopening than our longest-running and much-beloved program.”

Attendees also had the opportunity to begin their holiday shopping at the High Point Museum Store, which sold a variety of local merchandise, including Seagrove pottery, jewelry, books, miniature furniture, games, puzzles, novelties, T-shirts, CDs, and more. Proceeds from museum store purchases supported the ongoing acquisition, care, and preservation of artifacts and other special museum projects.

Admission and all activities were free and open to the public.

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ROTARY CLUB OF HIGH POINT DEDICATES ITS PEACE POLE IN THE SENSORY GARDEN AT THE HIGH POINT PUBLIC LIBRARY

The Rotary Club of High Point held a dedication ceremony for the Peace Pole installation on Saturday, Dec. 6, at noon. It was installed in the Rotary Club of High Point Sensory Garden, and the ceremony was part of the library’s High Point Holiday Stroll activities.

The phrase “let peace prevail” will be engraved on the pole in eight languages, including sign language, that the City of High Point’s Language Access initiative identified as the most spoken in the community.

There was a second pole installed at the High Point Friends School earlier this year. We’re excited to continue to partner with the Rotary Club of High Point to add unique features to the sensory garden.

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HIGH POINT PUBLIC LIBRARY CELEBRATES THE HOLIDAYS BY DECORATING DOORS High Point Public Library staff got into the holiday spirit by decorating some of their doors and invited the public to vote on their favorites.

Doors were decorated across all three floors and people were invited to vote in the following categories: Most Festive, Most Humorous, Most Creative, and Fan Favorite.

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UPCOMING EVENTS

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CITY CAROLERS 2025

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PROMOTIONS JUSTIN PRESNELL Police Officer, Master II to Police Supervisor I KYVA JONES Organizational Advancement Analyst to Organizational Advancement Manager NICHOLAS SCARBOROUGH Police Supervisor II to Police Commander I

NEW HIRES BRANDON HIGUMA Police Officer Trainee BRENDEN KEE Police Officer I CASSIAS PARKER Signal System Technician CHRISTOPHER MATHEWS Motor Equipment Operator I

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DANAESIA BLACKMOORE Risk Management Analyst

JONATHAN KILPATRICK W/S Plant Electrician I

DAVIS PREVATTE Library Assistant

MASON SMITH Emergency Vehicle Maint Tech I

JACOB ROBERTSON W/S Technician I

OSCAR BERNARDO IT Cybersecurity Analyst

JAFAR HOOPER Motor Equipment Operator I

TANDRA DAWKINS Recreation Attendant

JAMARIO ROBERTS Motor Equipment Operator I

TODD ROBERSON Golf Shop Attendant

JAMES PARRIS Civilian Traffic Crash Investigator

TYLER SCHEID MRF Worker I

JENNIFER CELLO Civilian Traffic Crash Investigator JESSICA LADY MRF Worker I 19

INSIDE HIGH POINT BROUGHT TO YOU BY: CITY OF HIGH POINT COMMUNICATIONS & PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT DEPARTMENT

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