Author: Scott D. Yost

The Piedmont Triad Airport Authority has awarded a major contract in its effort to convert a former golf course near the airport into property that can be used for aviation industry businesses with runway access.

Guilford Apprenticeship Partners is starting its sixth industry track this fall – supply chain and logistics, which includes apprenticeships at distribution centers, transportation hubs and corporate supply chain organizations.

You can always go into a library and check out a book, but that’s kind of old school.  Today, area libraries offer a whole lot more than books, and, in keeping with that tradition, the High Point Library is teaching area residents how to grow vegetables. 

If you haven’t received it in your mailbox yet, you will any day now – something very special from Guilford County government. 

When the brand new BB&T Point stadium was being built in High Point last year, everyone talked about baseball coming to the ballpark – but, now, on Wednesday nights, the place has suddenly become home to another type of ball that many didn’t see coming – kickball.

On Saturday, August 3, Fellowship Farm, in collaboration with Turning Point 180, is hosting Summerfest 2019 – a fundraiser to help pay for the operation of a wintertime emergency women’s shelter.

In Guilford County government, the Human Resources Department director is one of the most important jobs because the director, among other things, keeps county employees from clawing each other’s eyes out.

The International Civil Rights Center and Museum in downtown Greensboro is holding a special presentation on Thursday, July 25 – “Building America Better, the Distinctive Constitutional Founding to the Civil Rights Movement.”

The High Point Rockers baseball team has only been playing baseball since May and the team already has a TV deal.

Apparently, two top-ranking Guilford County Animal Shelter employees who resigned suddenly last month made a big impression on the Guilford County Board of Commissioners

Free airfare – that’s the spirit.Literally, it is Spirit Airlines that’s giving away free airfare to some lucky people in the area starting on Saturday, July 20 and running through the fall.

On Thursday, July 18, after an hour-long work session in the Blue Room of the Old Guilford County Court House, the Guilford County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to approve $649,000 to move ahead with Phase 2 of the county’s new animal shelter – a continuation of the design phase.

 “Dance, dance, dance, the night away…”So goes the excellent song by Van Halen, but now Greensboro residents can dance the day away instead: On Saturday, July 27, Greensboro Downtown Parks Inc. is putting on the city’s third annual National Dance Day celebration in LeBauer Park.

Kevin Costner’s character had one plan in “Field of Dreams” – “If you build it, they will come” – however, the High Point Rockers have a different philosophy for their baseball team:  “After you build it, you have to promote it.”

This week, the High Point City Council voted unanimously to bestow an honor on one of the city’s best known civil right’s figures.

There’s one type of crime that really seems to be getting popular in Guilford County these days, perhaps because of its simplicity.

In August, Thomas Built Buses Inc., which has been a driving force in Guilford County’s economy for over a century, is expanding its bus line with a type of school bus that’s meant to be an extra-power beast when tackling big hills – all while increasing fuel efficiency and reducing emissions. 

Anyone who was hoping to hear anything out of the Guilford County Sheriff’s Department regarding this week’s resignation of the department’s executive administrative assistant or the department’s spokesman should not hold their breath. 

In a phone conversation with the Rhino Times on Monday, July 15, Max Benbassat, the former spokesperson for the Guilford County Sheriff’s Department, offered some details as to why he chose to step down from that job – namely, he didn’t want to go through extensive jail guard training since he had no intention of being one.

Former Guilford County Sheriff’s Department Executive Administrative Assistant Catherine Netter spoke with the Rhino Times about her resignation.

Former Guilford County Sheriff’s Department Spokesperson Max Benbassat used to give very measured and business-like pronouncements when he worked for the Sherriff’s Department; however, after resigning, his language got a whole lot more colorful and carefree.

The Guilford County Board of Elections is planning to hold two educational seminars in Guilford County that will help explain to citizens the ins and outs of the state’s new voter ID Law. 

Guilford County Sheriff’s Department Spokesperson Max Benbassat resigned on Monday afternoon, July 15. 

When Guilford County Sheriff’s Department Executive Administrative Assistant Catherine Netter resigned from that position effective Monday, July 15, there were some quiet sighs of relief from county officials who had, for over a half a year, been concerned about Netter being hired for that top administrative job.

On Monday, July 15, the Guilford County Sheriff’s Department offered a brief comment on the departure of Executive Administrative Assistant Catherine Netter and indicated that there would likely be more information on her exit made public soon.

Guilford County Sheriff’s Department Executive Administrative Assistant Catherine Netter is no longer with the Sheriff’s Department. 

The City of High Point is putting to good use a technical assistance grant it was awarded from Smart Growth America to promote small-scale manufacturing in that city. 

The Family Support Network of Central Carolina now has another feather to put in its public service cap: That organization is the proud winner of Guilford County government’s 2019 “Safety Makes Cents” award.

Former High Point Mayor Bill Bencini now has a new high-profile position in that city.

Guilford County doesn’t do a whole lot of partnering with Alamance County, however, the two counties are coming together to help prevent diabetes among minority populations in the area.  Minority communities are often hit hardest by the disease that’s become one of the most prevalent in modern day America.

There may be some controversial matters at the next Guilford County Board of Commissioners meeting on Thursday, July 18, but there’s one thing all the commissioners are expected to agree on – that the county should happily accept a $172,000 grant that will fund four new Health Department positions, at least for a limited period of time.

A Facebook post by a top-level Guilford County Sheriff’s Department administrator, and a subsequent article on that post in the Rhino Times, has caused quite a bit of reaction and debate in Guilford County and elsewhere and has even created a lively discussion on social media and internet sites in other areas.

Cone Health CEO Terry Akin has weighed in on the angry, offensive and highly unprofessional email from the Cone Health employee who chastised North Carolina State Treasurer Dale Folwell and the NC Health Plan Board of Trustees for a change in the way the state will pay for the healthcare.

The Guilford County Board of Commissioners has called a work session for Thursday afternoon, July 18 to “receive an update on and consider a proposed contract for additional design services for the Guilford County Animal Shelter.” 

The Guilford County Sheriff’s Department has elaborated further on a change that department is making in the design of the sheriff’s badge.

Your parents probably told you not to play with your food, but this weekend GreenHill Center For North Carolina Art in downtown Greensboro is encouraging everyone to do just that: On Saturday, July 13, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., the gallery is hosting “Play With Your Food,” an event being described as  “a multi-generational food and art party for sweet-lovers of all ages.”

Time flies and the first Tuesday in August is just around the corner once again – which means that area law enforcement agencies and neighborhoods are gearing up for the 2019 National Night Out, just like others all around the country are doing.

“Tennis anyone?”That question, and many more like it, will be questions that the Town of Oak Ridge will start asking its citizens soon as that town tries to figure out what types of recreation projects the roughly 7,000 citizens want to see in their town – and what recreational enhancements those citizens will be willing to pay for with their tax dollars.

High Point Mayor Jay Wagner announced on Tuesday, July 9, that he really does want to hold onto that seat for another term. He did so by going down to the Guilford County Board of Elections office, paying the filing fee and officially becoming a candidate.

The Guilford County Sheriff’s Department has decided that decades of the same badge style is enough: The department is getting new badges for all of its patrol officers.

On Tuesday, July 9, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) released a summary of grant money for airport projects across the country that includes a grant of $9.3 million for Piedmont Triad International Airport (PTIA).

The Guilford County Historic Preservation Commission has called a special meeting for 6 p.m. Monday, July 15, at 532-536 S. Elm St. to help decide whether to recommend “Landmark Designation” status for the Groom-Shevel Building at the corner of Lewis and South Elm streets in downtown Greensboro.

Some Oak Ridge residents wanted traffic circles built in that town to address increasing congestion issues, while others simply wanted added turn lanes and roads widened at conventional intersections – and now it looks like everyone might get their wish.

A controversial Facebook post by a top-ranking Guilford County Sherriff’s Department administrator has ignited a conversation about what does or does not constitute racism – and, in particular, whether the popular game of Eight-ball is racist and should not be played. 

Since Friday, July 5 fell on the day after a holiday and the day before a weekend, a lot of area businesses and government offices saw very little activity – however, for the Guilford County Elections Office, there was a lot of action because July 5 was the first day of the candidate filing period for municipal races in the county.

Dollar Generals and similar stores have been popping up all over Guilford County in recent years and that’s made them a convenient target for thieves. The Guilford County Sheriff’s Department is seeking the public’s help catching three thieves in back-to-back Dollar General robberies.

The State of North Carolina announced this week that it’s making funds available to help pay the utility bills or get other help for North Carolinians who are in a “crisis” situation when it comes to cooling their residences. 

Six rural North Carolina communities will spilt $1.2 million in federal grant money that’s meant to enhance their ability to address the opioid epidemic through increased planning, prevention measures, addiction treatment and post-treatment care for addicts.