Guilford County has just gotten a new print publication – the Summerfield Scoop.

On Friday, March 13, residents of the town of Summerfield and some surrounding areas found the first edition of the brand new newspaper in their driveways.

While the print publication is new, many Summerfield residents are familiar with the Summerfield Scoop Facebook page – a social media site that, since 2013, has been offering opinions and information on the politics, happenings and controversies in Summerfield. Former Guilford County Board of Elections Member Don Wendelken, a resident of Summerfield who’s often very vocal on town affairs, runs the Facebook site and has now started the paper.

“This is an attempt to give both sides of the story,” Wendelken said of the free paper that’s being distributed to homes and also at places where there’s a lot of foot traffic.

The small town of Summerfield has had more than its share of controversies in recent years and the town has also been greatly divided over the best way to handle economic development. Wendelken has often been an outspoken player in those debates and some in that town see him as a valuable resource while others see him as a troublemaker.

The first issue of the Summerfield Scoop includes articles about the possibility of a town water system for fire protection, recent moves by new Summerfield Mayor BJ Barnes, local election results and an article about a controversial picnic shelter that some town residents argue was way too expensive.

Wendelken said that he is pleased with the print quality of the first issue – March 2020 – and said that he’s seeking advertisers and still formulating plans as to exactly what course the paper will take in the future.

Wendelken, who’s also known for live-streaming broadcasts of Summerfield Town Council and committee meetings, said he thinks it’s very important for citizens to be informed about the actions of their local government.

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