Author: Scott D. Yost

Guilford County isn’t known as a television market hotbed for National Hockey League games, but it has – along with the rest of the state of North Carolina – quickly become one due to the recent utterly stunning run by the Carolina Hurricanes team that won game six 5-2 on Monday night – forcing a game seven in the best-of-seven series against the defending Stanley Cup champions, the Washington Capitals. 

Local law enforcement always takes a very dim view of drinking and driving, but this Easter weekend, especially, police and deputies were out to catch drunk drivers – and catch them they did.  The late-night checkpoint, set up near the juncture of US-29 and NC-150, was such a broad effort to keep drunk drivers off the road that even the Piedmont Triad International Airport (PTIA) Police got in on the act.

Normally, at Guilford County Board of Commissioners meetings, the opening prayer is given by Guilford County Tax Director Ben Chavis, who’s also an ordained minister.  However, Chavis couldn’t make it to the Board of Commissioners’ Thursday, April 18 meeting, so that duty fell to Commissioner Jeff Phillips – who really took the opportunity and ran with it: Phillips raised a few eyebrows by delivering a passionate, distinctly Christian prayer that, among other things, called for everyone to put the unity back into community.

Guilford County Commissioner Kay Cashion was finally back in commission on Thursday, April 18, after a huge scare several weeks ago in Florida that left her with a shattered left arm and wrist and put her in a great deal of pain.  

The impact that John Marshall Kilimanjaro Sr. had on the local community during his life has become crystal clear in the wake of his death. 

On Thursday, April 18, Chairman of the Guilford County Board of Commissioners Alan Branson gave the 2019 State of the County address to a cable television audience and to those who gathered at the Old Guilford County Court House to hear it.  To sum it up in two words used in the speech, Branson is “cautiously optimistic” about the current state of the county and its economy.

Several sources in High Point said this week that they expect to soon see a new candidate in the race for mayor of High Point: Guilford County Commissioner Carlvena Foster.

In the most recent legislative session, state Rep. Jon Hardister has been a very busy bee – filing a number of widely varied bills in succession – and the legislator continued that trend this week: On Thursday, April 18, Hardister filed NC House Bill 940 – titled the “Health Care Provider Authorization to Report’ – a bill intended to clarify that health care providers can report threats of violence from minors under the age of 18 when they’re undergoing treatment.

Spring cleaning is something a lot of people do for their houses – however, City of High Point officials are hoping many in the community will come together on Saturday, April 27 to provide a thorough spring cleaning for the city.

It’s not exactly the State of the Union address delivered each year by the president; however, the annual “State of the County” address acts as an important barometer each year that helps summarize where Guilford County government’s mindset is at the present time and what the coming year is expected to hold.

They say there’s no such thing as a free lunch, but there is most certainly such a thing as a free ride: Area public transportation providers – as well as those across the country – will be providing free rides on Thursday, April 25.  It’s part of a new national awareness and advocacy day – National Get On Board Day – meant to get more people familiar with public transportation, including those who don’t usually – or who never – use that form of transit. 

April is Public Health Month and, for the Guilford County Health Department, that’s more than just a fancy name for the month famous for its showers that bring May flowers.  In fact, all month long, the county’s Health Department is holding a wide range of events meant to enhance health in Guilford County.

The State of North Carolina’s crime laboratory has picked up the pace on DNA testing.

On Tuesday, April 16, there was a big announcement at Piedmont Triad International Airport: The Piedmont Triad Partnership unveiled the new branding initiative and showed off signage for the “Carolina Core” megasite co-branding effort.

When Guilford County Commissioner Skip Alston recently called for the county to spend an estimated $300,000 – or perhaps more – on a broad-based disparity study, he got a lot of push back very fast from people in the county who see it as an unnecessary expenditure at a time when county funds are tight.  However, despite that, Alston has been pushing hard to get that funding – and it turns out that he’s now getting some support from both blacks and whites in the community.

On Sunday, April 28, the United Way of Greater Greensboro is holding a unique fundraiser that will include music, mimosas and merriment. The fun-loaded event is the group’s 2nd annual “Brunch & Bubbles,” hosted by the United Way Young Leaders and featuring live music by renowned Greensboro-based musician J. Timber.

The Guilford County Department of Health and Human Services has just used, for the very first time, a new communication and referral system – NC CARE360 – to help an evicted county resident find new housing.

On Monday, April 15, a diverse coalition of leaders from across the state will gather in Greensboro for the announcement of their support of NC House Bill 199 – a bill sponsored by state Rep. Jon Hardister that calls for providing charter schools in North Carolina with equal access to transportation funding.

In an effort to combat high job vacancy rates, on Friday, April 12, the Guilford County Sheriff’s Department announced that it will hold a Law Enforcement Career and Interest Fair later this month.  The department has been making it known lately that it’s looking for many more than a few good men and women – and it is now taking this additional step of holding an event specifically geared toward drumming up interest among citizens in careers in the Guilford County Sheriff’s Department.

The High Point Rockers haven’t played a single baseball game yet, but already the team is losing players to the big leagues.On Friday, April 12, the team announced that Rockers player Jesmuel Valentin was being signed by the Baltimore Orioles organization.

Ox Bodies Inc. – a dump truck manufacturer – plans to open operations in High Point.  This would be the first Ox Bodies operation in the state of North Carolina.  The company, founded in 1972 in Fayette, Alabama, is now a subsidiary of Federal Signal Corporation.

The economic development forces behind a major new branding and marketing campaign – the Carolina Core – have announced that, on Tuesday, August 16, at Piedmont Triad International Airport (PTIA), they’re going to have a big reveal: At the meeting, which will include business and economic development leaders along with elected officials, the group will unveil the new Carolina Core co-branding initiative and related efforts, such as the official Carolina Core-branded highway signage that will be installed along US-421 over the next 60 days.

When it comes to promoting the new High Point Rockers baseball team and BB&T Point, the new stadium in downtown High Point, city officials and team staff are pulling out all the stops.  In the latest announcement – in a string of announcements preceding the first home game in May – on Wednesday, April 10, the team revealed that the new stadium will get a visit from none other than the iconic Budweiser Clydesdales.

Summerfield Mayor Gail Dunham announced at a Summerfield Town Council meeting on Tuesday, April 9 that, that afternoon, she had released all the emails in her personal email account related to the town’s business.

Stand up and be counted.That’s the message from Guilford County regarding the new 2020 census being conducted nationally next year. Guilford County Manager Marty Lawing said this week that, in order to make sure residents of Guilford County are adequately accounted for, the county is forming a 2020 Census Complete-Count Committee.

The Guilford County Board of Commissioners often have a lot of unpleasant tasks – listening to angry speakers from the floor, conducting tough rezoning hearings, managing a large budget with limited funds and so on – however, one of the unquestionably nice parts of the job is getting the chance to honor young people and their accomplishments – as the board did recently for the Southeast Guilford Lady Falcons basketball team.

The Guilford County Sheriff’s Department isn’t just battling crime right now – it’s also battling vacancies.

Economic development officials are absolute experts when it comes to mixing business with pleasure, and there was a whole lot of that going on in High Point on Saturday night, April 6, when State of North Carolina economic development officials who are based around the globe met with local economic development officials at the home of High Point Economic Development Corp. President Loren Hill.

If you’re a criminal thinking about robbing someone in Oak Ridge Town Park, you may want to think twice about it if a newly proposed bill is passed by the NC General Assembly.

A building that was once used to showcase stodgy old furniture in High Point is now being used to showcase exciting young talent in the arts.

On Wednesday, April 3, the High Point Economic Development Corp. (HPEDC) – a group established to promote business growth and other economic development in that city – was very excited to tour a unique new business:  Brittano Studios at 1690 W. English Road. 

At a Thursday, April 4 meeting of the Guilford County Board of Commissioners, County Manager Marty Lawing gave the board an update on the progress of the talks to bring Cure Violence to Guilford County, and the program’s biggest advocate on the board – Commissioner Skip Alston – told county staff to light a fire under those efforts.

The Guilford County Board of Commissioners didn’t meet in open session for very long on Thursday, April 5 – but, when they did, they made a major move in that short time:  The board approved raising $40 million for county projects and for enhanced school security through the sale of two-thirds bonds.

“Sign, sign, everywhere a sign,

Blockin’ out the scenery, breakin’ my mind.”

Those were the lyrics of the hit song “Signs” by the Five Man Electrical Band back in 1970, and now, in 2019, the High Point Planning and Development Department is holding a public input meeting to hear recommendations from citizens on proposed new sign ordinances for the city.  Hopefully, once new sign ordinances are adopted, no new signs will be blocking scenery or breaking minds.

Former Summerfield Town Councilmember Todd Rotruck got one message that he wanted to hear from the NC Court of Appeals: On Wednesday, April 3, the court responded to a motion filed two days earlier and granted Rotruck an expedited hearing of his case.

On Wednesday, April 3, the NC Sheriffs’ Association issued a “Position Statement” that made it clear the association is opposed to NC House Bill 370, which would require that sheriff’s departments in North Carolina cooperate with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.  The NC Carolina House of Representatives just approved the bill that could become law.

Normally, legislation proposed in the NC General Assembly has to do with people – but a new bill filed by State Rep. Jon Hardister has to do with both people and robots.

On Tuesday, April 2, Hardister filed House Bill 552, titled “After-School Robotics Grants/Athletics.” 

On Monday, April 1, former Summerfield Town Councilmember Todd Rotruck, who’s been on a quest to regain that Town Council seat ever since he was removed from it nearly one year ago, filed a motion seeking for the NC Court of Appeals to expedite his case based on a newly released written order from a recent court ruling in Guilford County Superior Court.

The death of Samantha Josephson – the 21-year-old University of South Carolina senior who ordered an Uber, got into the wrong car and was murdered – has set off a giant public awareness campaign across the country that’s encouraging people to take steps to increase their safety when using app-based ride services.

There may not be any such thing as a free lunch; however, in Greensboro there is certainly such a thing as a free movie.  In fact, starting in May, there will be a whole slew of them.

And not just second-rate flicks either.  For 2019, Greensboro Downtown Parks Inc. has partnered with UNC-Greensboro to bring to town an impressive lineup of films – many of them blockbusters – for free movie nights in LeBauer Park.

Piedmont Triad International Airport (PTIA) is shelling out over $2 million for a state of the art parking management, observation and ticketing system that should provide the airport with much greater control over its parking operations and should make getting in and out of the lots easier and faster for customers. 

April may bring showers in some cases, however, in the case of the International Civil Rights Center and Museum in downtown Greensboro, April is bringing jazz and lots of it.  The museum, which lately has featured a different theme every month, has announced its lineup of events for April – a slate that has plenty to offer area music lovers.

A chaplain who worked in Guilford County’s High Point jail ministering to inmates has been terminated by the Guilford County Sheriff’s Department and the department is now reviewing the ministerial services contracts for both the Greensboro and High Point jails.

On Saturday, March 30, the Guilford County Sheriff’s Department stated in a press release that the comments of a jail minister published in the High Point Enterprisedo not express the views of the department. 

The Guilford County Health Department is preparing to take the next step in its fight against smoking and electronic nicotine use: The department is coming to the Guilford County Board of Commissioners soon to seek further restrictions on smoking and the use of the new popular e-cigarettes on county property.

It’s been a very, very long time coming.

It was well over a decade ago when Guilford County Emergency Services (ES) began talking about an “urgent” need for the county to build a new vehicle maintenance and repair center for emergency vehicles, and, on Friday, March 29, Guilford County officials, Emergency Services personnel and others finallydid something that many, many people have been waiting for: They broke ground on a new ES facility to repair and maintain the department’s fleet of vehicles.

The Guilford County Sheriff’s Department’s move earlier this week to scrap an in-house rapid DNA program that was established by the former Sheriff’s Department administration three years ago drew loud and immediate criticism when it was announced on Tuesday, March 26 – and opponents of the cancelation of that testing program say some of the reasoning behind the move is flawed.

When it’s spring, a young man’s fancy may turn to love; however, the fancy of Greensboro Downtown Parks Inc. turns to putting on fun events at Center City Park and LeBauer Park. This spring, Downtown Parks is certainly keeping the two parks lively with a host of programs and special events.

Piedmont Triad International Airport is giving a chance for the public to offer input as the Piedmont Triad Airport Authority (PTAA) considers a request to “Co-Brand PTI Megasite with Carolina Core “– an action the authority is expected to undertake at its April meeting.  One big issue that’s expected to be determined is the question of what to name the large aerospace megasite that’s being built at the airport but as yet doesn’t have a name. 

John Kilimanjaro, the founder of the Carolina Peacemaker, was being remembered fondly far and wide on Wednesday, March 27, after his death at the age of 88 Wednesday morning.

State Rep. Jon Hardister has filed House Bill 472 – a bill that would provide a full match in funding from the state for federal funds that go toward supporting agricultural research at NC A&T State University as well as the Cooperative Extension program there.